Soulard is a famous St. Louis’ historic district, packed with
old houses and old churches. It is also a haven for the die-hard
bar hopper, offering about a bar per block.

Part of the fun is finding the bar that suits your attitude,
from laid back to a little more dressy.

The majority of bars in Soulard offer live music most days of
the week.

Irish folk music is played five days a week at John D.
McGurk’s Irish Pub (1200 Russell, 776-8309). Everything is
Irish about this bar: the owner is an immigrant from Ireland, all
the bands that play there are imported from Ireland and they serve
Guinness, a thick, frothy Irish beverage directly imported from the
homeland itself. The food is also excellent, from the burgers to
the Guinness stew to the corned beef and cabbage.

The Great Grizzly Bear (1027 Geyer, 231-0444) offers a
small town pub atmosphere and is just north of McGurks off of
Geyer. You’ll notice it easily, as it stands out as one of the only
bars that doesn’t have exposed brick.

Known for their burgers, Hammerstone’s (2028 S. 9th St.
773-5565) is also a great place to hang out. At the corner of Ninth
and Russell, this is one of the many bars along Russell that are
overcrowded during Mardi Gras. A big courtyard and plenty of room
to drink, eat and chat is what makes Hammerstone’s one of the first
stops when visiting Soulard.

The Soulard Ale House (1732 S. 9th St., 436-7849) offers
live bands and over 50 beers on tap. There’s lots of space to hang
out and talk with friends while eating their good pub grub.

It’s true that Soulard has the blues and the most popular place
to hear it is 1860’s Hardshell Cafe and Bar (1860 S. 9th
St., 231-1860). The bands that play here every night draw big
crowds each weekend, the most popular being the Soulard Blues
Band.

For lunch or dinner, Joanie’s Pizzeria (2101 Menard,
865-1994) is the place. Joanie’s has one of the nicest courtyards
to enjoy your meal and night out.

For Cajun-style food, try Lagniappe’s (2501 S 9th,
771-2090). The cozy dining room has atmosphere, but on a nice
spring or summer night, try the large patio. The restaurant’s name
is Cajun for “a little something extra,” and that’s just what you
get with your meal–a free mini-appetizer.

For a place with a crazy vibe, try Venice Cafe (1903
Pestalozzi, 772-5994). This unique restaurant’s decor defies
description–eclectic is too generic–but the food is great. It’s a
St. Louis landmark.

Norton’s Cafe (808 Geyer Ave., 436-0828) offers a huge
brick-paved patio. The atmosphere is pseudo-New Orleans, with food
to match. Head there for dinner, then move on to one of the bars
down the street.

The Soulard Coffee Garden (910 Geyer Ave., 241-1464)
offers coffee and pastries for all tastes. Besides its breakfast
menu, the Garden also offers good soups and salads for lunch.
Upstairs, a one-man band entertains those sitting at the bar. Its
central location makes it a good place to go before, or after, your
trip to the Soulard Farmer’s Market (730 Carroll,
622-4180).

The market has served St. Louis for 217 years. Fresh produce is
brought in daily by farmers from Missouri and Illinois.

Other businesses sell a variety of meats, poultry, fish and
plants. The market is open Wednesday through Saturday from 8 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m.

In addition to one of the largest outdoor markets in the nation,
Soulard also has the world’s largest brewery. The Anheuser-Busch
Brewery (600 Pestalozzi, 577-2626) is the world headquarters
for the company, which makes Budweiser, Bud Light and Busch
Light.

Free tours of the facility–including free samples– are given
daily.

But the one aspect of Soulard that most St. Louisans like to
brag about is the fact that Soulard holds the third largest Mardi
Gras party in the world.