The Place: Stella Blues (3269 Morgan Ford Road; 314-762-0144)
The Hours: Happy hour is offered Monday through Friday from 3 to 8 p.m.
The Deal: Half-off select appetizers. $2 domestic bottles and $3 wells. Additional daily specials.
The Scene: Stella Blues occupies an otherwise quiet corner in the Tower Grove South neighborhood, so its loud personality makes itself known from the get-go. Under its royal blue awning, a large sandwich board sits on the street advertising its happy hour with a "scenic patio" and "pool room." A colorful wooden sculpture of a chicken claims, "I have the best wings in town!" The bar and dining room come covered in various kitsch, reflected from a metallic ceiling. There's plenty of seating indoors and on the patio.
The Food: After a couple of phone calls and a visit, we're still not exactly sure what the alleged half-off appetizer specials are here. When we arrived, the bartender poured our drinks and instructed us to place food orders at the back end of the space, where an open grill and carnival-esque signage hang out. When asked about happy-hour snacks, the cook pointed to a couple of hand-typed signs that make up the menu.
"These used to be the happy-hour prices, but now we just serve them all the time," she says. Fair enough. We went ahead and ordered the two items mentioned over the phone -- $1 spiced pork kabobs and a pound of wings for $3.99, as well as an order of fried pickles for good measure.
Did Stella Blues make the grade? Find out on the next page.
