Bogarts for BBQ. Urban Chestnut beer garden had great food and beer.

Other than that I was unimpressed with the cuisine there.

Deweys Pizza is the best imho, for Bbq they have a place, stl sharpshooters that is pretty good, and attached to a shooting range!

Stay West of Big Bend and South of Delmar and you wont be in any of the bad parts of town.  I work for the man...

Doesn't South St Louis have a lot of shootings too?

Go visit Sugarfire BBQ.  They have a couple locations in St. Louis.

We went last week and it was amazing.  Other cool place we tried was called Mission Tacos.  Both were delicious.

lol

I live near Alton and no matter where I go around the country people know about Fast Eddies. It's okay but not anything special IMO outside of their dollar menu items. I go there for lunch on weekdays sometimes but on weekends it's too damn crowded. People get shot weekly in downtown Alton anymore. The surrounding neighborhoods are as bad as anything in North Saint Louis so keep your head on a swivel around there.

Lambert has a Ted Drews vending machine now. I was pressed for time the last time I noticed it otherwise I would have tried one.

I used to stay in the Collinsville - Bethalto - Glen Carbon area several weeks a year for work.  Some of the locals took me there a few times.  Always enjoyed it.

Not really. North and East just across the river are the directions to avoid. The West End is where the money lives. The South End is mostly blue collar working class types.

I lived in Bethalto before my divorce.

White Castle,IIRC
in E St.Louis

FYI:The pizza does SUCK

Zio's was my favorite Italian place when I lived there.

There are no White Castles in East Saint Louis.

Yes the pizza sucks. The same people criticizing chain joints like Pizza Hut are praising Imos which is a chain joint itself. The only thing I ever get from Imos are the sandwiches and wings which are okay.

New York style pizza is best pizza.

It's Zia's.  I haven't been in a while but it was my favorite for years.

Provel is a mix of provolone, Swiss and cheddar and definitely an aquired taste.

If you want to try St Louis style pizza, skip Imo's and try one of the dozens of mom and pop pizza joints in town that make a better pie.

City Museum.  No cooler place in St Louis.

Fast Eddies +1

I mean, where else you gonna get Big Elwood or Chicky On A Sticky?

Faraci's pizza in Ellisvile is a good place.

I wouldn't say it looks good...

http://www.slmpd.org/crime_mapping.shtml

Certainly gets its share of mentions on Fox2.

Side project cellar.

I appreciate this input.  I'll share a bit more in hope of getting good advice.

#1 Main purpose of heading down is to see the eclipse.  In preparation for most normal areas to be overrun I have targeted a very rural area (Martinsburg MO vicinity) will be traveling with spare fuel, water, food.  Will be traveling overnight so the final 100 miles of the trip to my watching spot should be at around 4AM, hoping that timing plus location will keep it from being gridlock.  Will sleep in my car a bit the morning of the 20th.

#2 I suspect most people will be driving down the day before and staying in local hotels on the night of the 20th, then driving back on the 21st, and paying big bucks for the room. I am doing the opposite, staying the 21st, driving back on the 22nd.  Feels stupid to not do some sight-seeing while down there.

#3 will likely be arriving in St Louis 5PM, some places like zoo and gardens are closing then

#4 single basement dweller arfcommer, so no kids in tow, but unlike most arfcommers I don't make 500K a year, no hoity toity restaurants for me.  I'm a motel 6, dive bar, buy my clothes at Walmart, Fleet Farm, Target kind of guy.  I am also a big fan of history, so some places that might not be as appealing to the main audience might be more appealing to me, but would substitute out Cahokia Mounds for a different site to see on the 22nd before driving off if it is advisable, possibly some St Lo sites that due to early evening arrival wouldn't be a good option on the 21st, but fine on the 22nd.

Cusanelli's on "The Hill" for pizza...the Provel cheese makes the pizza.

I also liked Hodaks for fried chicken.

Important points.

I have no kids. I am a cheapass.  I am a jeans and T-shirt guy (but will be wearing a button shirt both days) staying at a Motel 6.

I am interested in Pizza & BBQ, as those seem most essentially St Lo to me, and generally priced right.  Also good tacos, reasonably priced italian (especially a small family joint), or quintessential St Lo place (again reasonably priced)

I'd rather go to a dive restaurant and then to a dive titty bar than a Hooters/Tilted Kilt kind of place where food is mediocre, prices are high, and you can't really see anything anyways.  (I believe titties look the same in St Lo as in Twin Cities and I visit those places here maybe once every 2-3 years, this isn't a request for titty bar recommendations)

Right now on the 21s arriving in St Lou 3PM at earliest, more likely 5PM, I was originally planning art museum then Arch, as for some reason I thought art museum was open until 9PM, not it seems like it is closed mondays and usually closes at 5PM.  So now looking for a replacement that I can do 5PM or later to add to Arch, plus good inexpensive food...maybe a place with music (Rock, Blues, Jazz...not so much country)  Arch, BBQ, Blues/Jazz that feels St Lo to me.

Original plan for 22nd was to get a hotel near mounts, visit them after checkout and then drive home. Currently considering visiting 2 spots before heading out.  Mounds is a strong contender but not the sure thing it was before.  Zoo, Art Museum, City Museum, probably will do one of those plus mounts.  For NO KIDS, what is recommended? Is Mastodon State park better than Mounds?

Ted Drewes Frozen Custard

I hear Furguson is nice.

+1 to this.  Great for a date or take your kids to.  Best at night.  Fond memories of making out with my now wife in the caverns of the city musuem at night during some weird ass hipster music festival there.

I live two hours west of St. Louis. I grew up in St. Louis. But, these days, unless I have to go to the airport I never visit St. Louis. I avoid it at all costs. This thread makes me think I should spend a weekend there just to try some of the restaurants.

NO KIDS!

Turns out I got exposed to Friday Hours for Museum of Art.

Plan now is Jeffersion National Expansion/Old Courthouse/Arch afternoon/evening of 21st.
(is tram ticket a must-buy? must-buy ahead of time? explain it to me like I am 5)

NEED HELP WITH

Evening activities.  Food.  Cheap and quintessential St Lo.  Fine to give me multiple places to stop by and eat something.  Cheap and full of character preferred.  Pizza and BBQ tops.  Would love a bar/eat/listen to live Blues Jazz Rock recommendation for late evening.

ALSO NEED HELP WITH

Return trip day.  22nd.  Current plan is to see 2 sites.  Zoo and Cahokia Mounds are top spots.  Mastodon State park looks very interesting.  So too does St Louis Art Museum.

If you're downtown you want to find Broadway Oyster Bar or BB's Blues Soups and Jazz for food & music. They're opposite ends of the same block so you could check them both and have a really great fucking time listening to what ever musician or band is playing and eat either BB's great bar food or sample cajun delights at the Oyster Bar.

If you make it to the Soulard area, the bars are plentiful and the food and entertainment are diverse! Hammerstones is a good starting point. Stay out of the alleys!

Situational awareness. Get a truck load. Nothing is visible in your vehicle. Avoid groups of 2 or more urban yutes. City LE will not harass you for crossing in the middle of a street to reach a destination safely. If you like a good burger and a Guinness find John D McGurks in Soulard.

There are plenty of good BBQ places already mentioned. Pick the closest one. The Capitalist Pig is another great bbq place. Located in an old city jail. Much fun.

The Arch is meh. The museum underneath is outstanding but your time frames are bad. The City Museum may be a possibility or you could actually vist the Blues Museum--dedicated to music and musicians. Either of these choices will place you in sketchy nighttime situations.

Mastadon State Park is an easy access from Hwy 55! Very nice hiking area. You are out of the St. Louis food loop. Travel south to Festus/Hwy A and find Main & Mill for microbrew beer and honestly great food. You are safer in Festus.

I've been to both the Arch and Old Courthouse. Prepare to be underwhelmed.

You will need a $5 ticket to enter the Expansion Museum and a $15 ticket to ride the tram to the top. Tickets can be purchased onsite at the time of visit. Being a federal park you may not have a weapon and you will go through metal detectors and a possible pat down to enter so be aware of that if you plan on carrying on your trip. The old courthouse is just that, an old courthouse. There's nothing interactive or particularly interesting in there. I don't think there's a fee to enter it has been years since I've been. There's also a 200 plus year old church a short walk from there that is open to the public if old buildings are your thing.

I don't know what your food budget is so I can't direct you to appropriate places. If you want character and live music you'll be spending $20 a plate on average. If you just want cheap there's a McDonalds on every corner. There actually are a few old school diners around the city that are cheap and decent food. Maid rite and the Old White Knight diner downtown on Olive come to mind. Character and cheap but no live music. If you want to spend a few bucks I highly recommend The Shaved Duck. BBQ, live music and a beer menu like a phone book. As mentioned numerous times before you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't visit one of the Italian joints on The Hill.

As I stated before Cahokia is a suburb of ESL and you'll be hard pressed to tell the difference between the two so mentally prepare for that. The mound itself has a small museum and some recreated structures around it. It's been 20 plus years since I've been there so I don't remember if there's a cost to visit. The zoo is free, the art museum is free and both will kill a few hours. Some of the zoo attractions cost an additional fee though. It's only a few bucks and mostly kids stuff though like the petting zoo, train ride and feeding sting rays. Parking at the zoo is also an additional fee. You can park on the streets around Forest Park where the zoo is located for free if you can find a spot. Might have to hoof it a bit. There is also the Missouri History Museum over on the North End of Forest Park off Lindell that is free to visit. Exhibits change regularly. Grants Farm is about 15 minutes away. It's like a smaller zoo/Anheuser Busch Museum and also where the Budweiser Clydesdales are bred and stables. Free admission and free beer to be had there. Parking costs a few bucks though.

I was just informed Arch tickets to the top are $13 a piece. The tickets are purchased at the old courthouse now as they are doing construction at the expansion museum currently.

Thanks for everyone's help so far.

Regarding price.  I have no problem spending $20-30 for a meal, not even counting drink, no problem shelling out more if a band is playing.  I's more that I'm not interested in a white tablecloth kind of place, where most would have a tie on.  To me this doesn't feel like getting to know the city, it feels like going to a nice restaurant.  Does that make any sense?

The pizza is good. DBs lol. ok food served by strippers that leave their clothes on.

Giaos Deli. Italian trio, so good. Yogi Berra used to eat there.

List of food places that sound promising

Dalei's Smokehouse
Bogart's Smokehouse
The Shaved Duck
Sugarfire smoke house

Ted Drewes desert dessert

Broadway Oyster Bar and BBs jazz blues soups, toggling between them late night - going for more gumbo type stuff I think.

Might check out Fast Eddies Bon Air

World's Fair Donuts breakfast

Of the 4 BBQ joints listed on top, I'll be going to one on the 21s, is it worth hitting another one of those 4 up for the noon meal, or is that going to be redundant and I should go St Lo Pizza/Italian

From where I am coming from Martinsburg is both far enough from other places and yet close enough to highways I think I can make decent time to that spot even if things get jam packed.  If I make it to Martinsburg in plenty of time, I'll head down 19 to Herman.

If you like knives try and visit gp knives in Troy Ill.

Dalies is closed on Mondays fyi and just go to one BBQ place,  I'd get burnt ends if wherever you go has them that day.  

I'm kind of drunk and not going to sift through your whole itinerary, but here's my suggestion.   Go to DB's for a couple beers and an appetizer, then go to Broadway Oyster Bar for dinner and live music.  If you still want to drink after that then go to Soulard or cross the river and go to Hustler Club or Diamond Cabaret.  

For lunch one day I'd go to Gioias, definitely get something with their Hot Salami.   regular menu    special subs

 Don't be gay and get something with turkey or chicken.     Also, I'd get some Toasted RAvioli somewhere on the hill.  

Yeah,  I bet Herman will be insane!

If you make it to Fastball Eddies Tuesday evening I'll meet up with you and buy ya a beer.

Hodaks isn't as good as it used to be... Changed management a few years ago I think.

Get mugged.

Diamond Cabaret? Is that place still open? What about PTs?

Ended up hitting Bogart's smokehouse.  Website said open until 4PM"ish" so I drove past a couple closer options and arrived at 3 PM.   I didn't understand that apparently they make a bunch of stuff and serve until out.  After standing in line for quite a while the only thing left was pulled pork.  I should have gone to a 'lesser' place that would have had ribs, burnt ends, etc.

Hit up BBs jazz blues soups and they had some really good gumbo.  Went to Broadway oyster bar for music.  Wasn't all that impressed with the standard band, but they had a young guy join them for some songs and he did a really good job. Finished up at scarlett's cabaret

Next day I hit up the indian mounts, Caleco's italian, riverboat tour of waterfront, and then hit old court house before leaving.  old courthouse was undersold, was more than just a cool looking courthouse with great old school architecture, it was a history museum with many large well done exhibits.