Pop’s Blue Moon  – St. Louis

Tucked away on a residential street, Pop’s Blue Moon is the kind of bar you wish you had in your neighborhood.  Imagine a place where it’s just as easy to catch up with an old friend as it is to make a new one.  Then take it a step further with live music, a killer drink selection, and a staff tight enough to call each other family, and you’ll understand why The Dive Bar Tourist has fallen in love with this gem of a dive bar in St. Louis!

If there’s one word for this long-running tavern, it’s eclectic.  When The Dive Bar Tourist stopped in on a Monday, a band was playing bluegrass.  On Friday, it was a night of futuristic funk groups with film projections.  On Saturday, an indie rock band performed on their first tour. You’ll hear local St. Louis musicians, and bands from around the country.  You’ll mix with all sorts of folks, from college students to thirty-somethings to long-time regulars.  You’ll sit at a classy, wooden bar that looks like it’s from the 20s, with a row of kitschy 60s lava lamps right above it.  In other words, Pop’s Blue Moon always offers the best of all worlds!

The neon glow of the glass-blocked entrance can be a place where crowds gather at night, but during those easygoing daytime hours, the bar’s exterior is so rustic and unassuming you just might miss it!  An ancient pinball machine greets you as soon as you walk in, and the patrons immediately make it clear why St Louis is one of the best dive bar cities in the country: it’s friendly here!  The bar itself has lived through many decades, and you can see that in the many oddball knick knacks mixed with genuinely historic St. Louis artifacts. The charming, old architecture includes many unexpected little nooks, including one for smokers, the ultimate sign of a tried and true dive bar. Don’t forget, Pop’s is cash only, so find an ATM before you visit.

The staff here is as fantastic as they come, with a mix of longtime veterans and brand new faces. One particularly nice bartender stands out: the owner, Joshua Grigaitis.  Around here, he’s known as Joshua Loyal.

Loyal has masterminded all kinds of events for the last 20 years and counting, making this place a local hub for music, art, film nights, and even a series celebrating something The Dive Bar Tourist did not think was possible: truly enjoyable, “mindful” non-alcoholic nights.  But let’s not lose focus! We know why we’re here- this place has some of the best beer prices and a liquor list that absolutely stands out!

Mix clean and cozy, with a dash of hippie, and you get Pop’s Blue Moon. It truly has the good vibe that is the perfect kind of laid-back that The Dive Bar Tourist looks for. As long as we’re rolling through St. Louis, we’ll see you there!

 

Location: St. Louis, MO

Be sure to try: To give your liver a break, maybe one of Pop’s mocktails.   

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