Forget Chicago and its green river. Heck, move over, Ireland! St. Louis has some of the biggest and baddest St. Patrick's Day celebrations around!
With two parades -- one downtown on Saturday and one in Dogtown on Sunday -- St. Louis is the place to knock back a pint of Guinness in your finest green bowler cap and your authentic Irish beads with the plastic shot glass at the end.
Check out our pre- and post-parade recommendations in both locations, then take our Downtown vs. Dogtown St. Patrick's Day poll!
Downtown The downtown parade begins Saturday at noon and goes up Market Street from Broadway to 18th Street. There are plenty of good bars in the area, but some of the best are on Washington Avenue, which is a bit of a hike from Market. It's OK though; the more you walk, the more Guinness you can rationalize drinking, correct?
Tigín Irish Pub and Restaurant (333 Washington Avenue; 314-241-8666) Tigín is calling Saturday "St. Practice Day," because there the real party happens on Sunday. Both days the pub will have an outdoor party tent with pints and pancakes. Entry costs $5, but you'll get a $10 gift card to redeem at Tigín on a later date.
See also: - Ten Best Irish Dishes in St. Louis - "Feel a Draught?" (RFT review of Tigín Irish Pub and Restaurant)
Baileys' Range (920 Olive Street; 314-241-8121) As far as we know, Baileys' Range isn't doing anything special for St. Patrick's day, but the restaurant is just a hop, skip and jump from the parade route, and it serves a mean milkshake. What's that you say? There's no booze in a milkshake? You've obviously never had a Baileys Irish Coffee Shake. Mmmm.
See also: - The Ten Best New St. Louis Restaurants 2012 - an ode to the mojito at Baileys' Range
The Dubliner (1025 Washington Avenue; 314-421-4300) The Dubliner opens at 8 a.m. on Saturday, and there'll be live Irish music in the evening. The party will resume on Sunday, and the pub promises a good time after the Dogtown parade winds down.
See also: - RFT pick for "Best Irish Pub" (2007)
Flannery's Pub (1324 Washington Avenue; 314-241-8885) Flannery's is hosting the biggest St. Paddy's bash downtown -- between 14th Street and Tucker Boulevard. The festivities will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, and admission is free.
See also: - St. Louis' Ten Best Sports Bars
The Side Bar (1317 Washington Avenue; 314-621-7376) No, it's not an Irish bar, but that's part of its beauty. We're not certain, but we're betting it won't be as crowded here as it will be at Flannery's across the street. And if whiskey and Guinness aren't your thing, The Side Bar offers a bunch of infused vodkas for your imbibing pleasure.
See also: - Happy Hour Handbook: The Side Bar
