Café Eau 212 N. Kingshighway Boulevard, 314-454-9000
The Hours: Mon. 7-11 p.m., Tues.-Fri. 4-7 p.m., with a late night Happy Hour Thurs. 7-close, Sat. 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
The Deal: Daily cocktail and wine deals and "beat the clock" appetizer deals
The Scene: Located in the Chase Park Plaza, there are certain expectations for Café Eau: a classy décor, professional service and exorbitant prices. While the café/bar does have a chic, art deco appeal and a smattering of salt and pepper gentlemen with younger women, during Happy Hour the prices are pretty blue collar-friendly. On Wednesdays, wines are $6 a glass, which is a huge deal on some amazing choices. Their "beat the clock" appetizer specials run daily from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and feature select apps for $5 until 5, $6 until 6, and $7 until 7. The appetizers are not exactly creative culinary masterpieces, but feature palatable dishes with a little something extra, like the pretzel sticks with a jalapeño cheese and almost-mayo-esque honey mustard dipping sauces.
Why You'll Go Back: Maybe it's because it's in a hotel, or maybe it's the beautiful poolside patio, but something about Café Eau seems to remove you from St. Louis. If you've got a staycation planned for the summer, an evening or two enjoying Café Eau's atmosphere and classy drinks during Happy Hour will help create that I'm-really-miles-away-from-home feel.
The Verdict: Sometimes the beauty and elegance of The Chase Park Plaza is overlooked because as a hotel it seems to all be for wealthy visitors. But Café Eau's Happy Hour is something St. Louisans should check out, not just for the cosmopolitan atmosphere, but also to enjoy the great and reasonably priced drink offerings.
