I havent found many Hidden Gems in St. L yet, but I think we're changing that here.. Maybe?…read more Okay, you think Comedy and St. Louis - you think Funny Bones, The Helium Club and maybe the Pageant and Fox Theatres I recommend you add one more to your list, the Improv Room. Warning: I had received some conflicting info so bear with: Now first and foremost, I have to explain that this is not your typical standup comic set. These are Improv students (Being taught at ... THE IMPROV ROOM) doing a nice take of "Drew Carey's Improv Ganza" Show (I would say "Who's Line Is it Anyway", but they usually only do one scene per show). Mind blown yet? Don't be. Cause you've got an amazing operation here with so MUCH you're not going to realize it, and it's incredible for the cost. Basically, this is operation is a series of classes, in which you can come in to learn how to do "improv" (ironically, I don't think it's limited to comedy, at least per the website, although that's their specialty). There are literally three stages in one quaint (Ironically, "out of the way" location, which seems to make it feel safer for parking than you can expect). It's time to take things out of order: Because of the special fact of the Improv Room. I will start with the drinks/food: The food is minimal fare honestly, but that's okay. Sandwiches/Wraps/and Quick Bites. (The good news is that if you're in a show, simply turn on the tea lamp on your table and someone will come to you. My problem was that I picked a lightless table. OOPS on the staff!). {sorry guys; have to take off 1 point since I didn't get to try the food for this error} The good news was they have bar and a 'Lounge" (of sorts) out front, and the nice young bartendress told me how the building and stages worked (and made a great Vodka Collins beforehand.) and a nice conversation with her about the entire building and company for a while. And just for warning purposes, the lighting was very dim in the "lounge".. dunno if it was for aesthetic purposes, but it did a very bad job of hiding the "STEPS" up to the stage rooms.. (Yes, i found out the hard way, but held it together) Anyway, so why do the food first? Because now it's time to talk about the shows. ** and there is some confusion on Yelp and the website (so this will be a "at your own risk" at the moment) The Shows: Now remember these are mostly improv students, so you're getting some amateurs with a little practice or maybe first timers, so be gentle. Mondays: You get to watch one of (up to 3) shows of the students doing a scene of some sort (sometimes with audience participation, sometimes without), all of which run about 60 minutes. and then a second "elevated' show with participants who have had more class time. But believe it or not, for you the audience, it's absolutely FREE! Come on, you can't argue that cost, can you? *NOTE; this is where Yelp and the website differ: The website calendar says they do Monday shows and even have a Monday specific menu, Yelp says it's closed, so if anyone can unconfuse me, please do * Note: My last attendance was on a Monday show, so I think yelp may be in the wrong here The keys are the show times; 7:30 and 9:00 PM. Usually you get your choice of one of two shows on each hour process (again, check the calendar for confirmation), and that goes for Thurdsay (fee for the early show, FREE for the late show), Friday (all ticketed/fee-prices) and Saturday (all ticket/fee-prices) So back to my visit: I managed to find the place in time to make the last bit of the early show (where teams were competing for audience applause) and the late show on a Monday where the featured act was a "LARP" of a Dungeons and Dragons game. (well as much as you can when you're pretending to be doing laundry [audience suggested by the way} as a major quest - final hint: we can say the laundry DIDN'T get done by the end of the scene) Again, I wasn't expecting professional standup comics, I got stage actors having fun doing unique scenes for laughs. And all at a reasonable price and accommodations. And looking back through all this. I feel bad that I haven't even mentioned the "Improv classes". Remember how I told you the shows are ticketed and free, and you have to keep asking yourself how do they do them for free? Think of it as a co-op. Sign up for (I believe) 8 weeks of courses you learn the art of improv (and ironically, I don't think it's all comedy, although I think that's where it's focused) and these free shows are your "tests" along the way. And just as a warning: I'd minimum age of 16 for attendance, due to potential subject matter, although i don't think they have any rules against kids, and try to keep it reasonably PG+ So go support your young aspiring St. Lou actresses and actors. Go now! Yes now! (but make sure it's a show day!)

Came on a Thursday night for the first time to see a friend in a show. It's a much bigger space…read morethan I imagined! They had a bar with alcoholic beverages available and food! I didn't get anything to drink, my friend got an old fashioned and didn't love it, but it looked fine to me! The improv was really good! I was very impressed. Every show is different, the show I saw had three groups. Would come back. Tickets seem very affordable.

First things first: DO NOT TAKE CLASSES HERE THINKING YOU ARE GOING TO GET A JOB... It's just not…read moregoing to happen. This is a great place to go to learn how to make drinks, learn the history behind certain drinks and alcohols and basically learn bar etiquette. But one of the key enticements they offer is their "lifetime job placement assistance". Now, the wording here is the key: see, they don't actually PLACE you anywhere. They simply give you a log-in to a database where jobs are listed. Then you go, apply for those jobs and the interviewer raises an eyebrow at your audacity that you have NO bartending experience and wanted to work at their establishment. See, bartending school isn't the magic "in" you thought it was. You're not going to graduate, find a job right away and the cash tips aren't just going to unfurl on you. Like most other jobs, people want you to have experience, but no one wants to give you your first shot (and take a chance on you) in order for you to GET that experience; it's a terrible catch-22. Most jobs you apply at will reject you outright, offer you a position as a barback or waitress/waiter and have you work your way up or they MIGHT (and that's a big "might") consider you, but they will give you a "bartending exam", which will look incredibly similar to the written mid-term and final the STL Bartending Institute gives you, only it's longer and much more intensive. (Incidentally, the STL Bartending Institute's curriculum covers mixed drinks in great detail, but only skates over beer and wine in a day... These are two things that are intensely covered in the exams most corporate bars will give you as a prerequisite for employment). I'm not saying don't take classes here (or pay the $425 for them), I'm just saying be realistic about the results. Other people will sway you entirely away from bartending school (like the moronic article "Ask Your Bartender: Bartending Schools" by Jefferey Morgenthaler) and tell you that there are other ways of sneaking into the bar system, but the bottom line is this: most corporate bars want experience and want you to work your way up and (from what I gather) most small, neighborhood and dive bars are a pretty close nit bunch and are not easily infiltrated. Only you can decide if it's worth the money and the time (40 hours, 4 hour classes 5 days a week for two weeks) and effort. I'm just telling you what you can likely expect.

Nice clean and fun establishment. We bowled here for the Illinois State Bowling Tournament and had…read morea great time. The bowling wasn't the greatest, but that was NOT any fault of the St Clair Bowling Alley. We've been here several times for the State Tournament, and everyone has treated us well.

Never have open lanes,To much stuff going on, with 45 lanes they never have any lanes available…read more They have too much leagues. Too much tournaments like come on, dude.

After visiting the Gateway Arch on my visit to St Louis, I stopped in for lunch at the highly…read morerecommended Pappy's Smokehouse. This location in midtown is the original (I believe) and has a lot of charm and a great staff. There was no real line as I showed up in the first 30 minutes of their opening and on a Monday so I'm sure that made a big difference. I was helped by a super nice man up front who assisted me with my order and gave me the lowdown on the ordering and seating process. Pappy's has a large staff that were constantly clearing tables and delivering food. The manager (?) even stopped by the dining area and checked in with how our meals were. He also told me about the fried corn on the cob cooking process. Very interesting. I had a half slab of the ribs and chose the fried corn on the cob and baked beans as my sides. I filled by drink and found a seat and my meal was served shortly afterwards. The tables have 4 sauces to choose from if needed. Honestly, I loved the flavor of the ribs just the way they were served to me although I did try the sauces as I love to try these things when in a new place. The ribs had a glaze of sauce already on them and man were they good! The ribs were perfectly prepared with the iconic smoke ring around the edges. They were meaty and fatty just like they should be. These rate in the top 5 ribs I've ever had. I enjoyed the fried corn on the cob as it was super unique and finished with a sugar and salt coating but not too much. The BBQ beans were also good with pieces of pork mixed in. I highly recommend trying Pappy's when in the St Louis area. They really do a wonderful all around job.

So good, a must try!…read more Line is already long at 11am but they move through it. Plenty of spaces to park. They have you order and then get a table so there is enough seats. Brisket - my husband's favorite. Sliced thin. I also enjoyed it because it wasn't overly fatty. Pork - also delicious! The original bbq sauce was our favorite. Baked beans - hardy and delicious Fried corn - way better than regular corn on the cob Potato salad - more mustard/mayo based. Large potato chunks. It was delicious with a subtle flavor.

The food was really good and I appreciate the southern style creole. The service was really good…read moreour waitress made sure she took good care of us. The inside was very clean and looked like the inside of a loft apartment which was so cozy. I would highly recommend 10/10!

Met a friend here for lunch at his suggestion and I was not disappointed…read more Upon entering I was greeted by several staff all of whom friendly and accommodating. I ordered baked chicken, dressing and greens. I know everyone has preferences to how greens and dressing are prepared. Well, the greens were just the way I like them. They were cooked with turkey. They were flavored and not soggy. The baked chicken was really good as well. The dressing was not the way I prefer. It was more dense than I like. I mixed it with my greens and that got it to the consistency that I prefer. My friend ordered the salmon bowl and although I was happy with my order, I will try that on my next visit!

Let me start by saying we are traveling in our 28' travel trailer back home to Florida and my…read morehusband insisted we drive through STL to get BBQ. Now I am not a big fan of BBQ, however Bogarts may have changed my opinion. This was absolutely A M A zing! I had the pulled pork sandwich and Mac and Cheese. I added the sweet BBQ sauce to mine....so moist and good. The Hubby had the ribs and pastrami. Now my husband is a grill master and said the ribs were better than his...that is a bold statement coming from him, however I had to agree. If driving through Saint Louie, this place is a must!

The hype is real. I…read morehaven't written a review in ages. Bogart's has compelled me to write a review. First I want to say I was not sold on STL BBQ. I went to the recommended "good" places and walked away disappointed. I happen to be in Soulard one day and noticed Bogart's closed because they sold out. That's a big green flag to me. Not open Sunday and Monday, green flag. Primarily open for lunch, green flag. I just knew I had to check it out. Finally got the opportunity to check it out and boy was it delicious. I got a two meat plate with two sides. I got the tri tip, ribs, baked beans, and deviled potato salad. The deviled egg potato salad taste like it sounds. It taste like potato salad and and deviled egg had a baby. Never seen such a creation but I knew I needed to have it. The baked beans were out of this world!! Top three baked beans I've ever had!! A little smokey, a little sweet, and just the right consistency as far as thickness for me A1 . The ribs by far the best ribs I've had in STL. Very flavorful and tender. The tri tip it was ok. I've never had it shaved before and couldn't really get a good grasp on the flavor. It wasn't bad, just not the way I've had tri tip previously. All of their BBQ sauces were fantastic as well!! My favorite sauce was the pineapple express. Bogart's has restored my faith in STL BBQ. I was a non-believer for some time . HIGHLY recommend

We used Hollyberry for a coworkers baby shower. We had to choose from a list of preferred caterers…read moreand to make things tricky....we have one person GF and one person vegan and to top it off, it was a small party of 7. This was no big deal for them. They created a menu for us and the price was amazing! And let me tell you about the food. Listennnnnnnn....those collard greens were the most flavorful greens we have EVER EVER EVER tasted in my life! I want to have a party and just have their collard greens. They have been on my mind since Friday! Thank you soooooo much Marti for making this happen for us!

HollyBerry provided the catering services for our daughter's wedding, July, 2025. From our first…read moremeeting to the serving of the meal they excelled in service and food quality. Kelley, the Catering Service Director, made sure every detail from the menu to how the food was displayed was exactly as my daughter wanted it. No detail was too small. When I need catering again I will not hesitate to contact HollyBerry.

My family has frequented this space for their Mother's Day and Easter specials. The service and the…read morefood have drastically and continually taken a downturn. We went today for Mother's Day and our timeslot was at 2 o'clock. We got there on time. The food had already been sitting out for a while. It was dried out and cold. There were only a few items that were still warm. The coffee was cold. My two year-old nephew was in a booster seat that literally fell apart while he was in it and he fell to the ground. I asked for the manager. The district manager came out and did zero to make things right except for bring over a new booster chair he smiled in our faces and seemed like he could absolutely care less. We didn't hear from him for the rest of the time that we were there. We will never come back.

My family and I came here for their Easter brunch and Mother's Day brunch. The price was fair and…read moreyou have to make a reservation and pay in advance. It does make it easy the day of by having paid already. There's paid parking $10.00. They have a nice variety of food options, beverages and dessert. For an additional fee they offer bottomless mimosas. Soda, coffee and juice is included. They can accommodate large groups. The food is good and so is the service. The area of improvement would be the logistics the day of. We waited for 45 minutes to be seated at our reserved time for Mother's Day. Once they get that figured out things will be so much better.

Dinner was delicious! So many pastas and I ordered the filet. Of course I forgot to take pics of…read morethe food but here's the lovely table decor! Absolutely amazing for my sister in law's rehearsal dinner! So happy for her and Joe! :D I forgot to mention so I'm editing but the server also acted as a host to explain the menu and they even had a mic available for use. We had the outside patio and they lifted the garage doors to open up to the uncovered patio which was lined with twinkly lights. The ambiance was out of this world and made more space for the even bigger welcome party. Definitely recommend for your next event while it's warm out! I do wonder if they have those outdoor heaters because then it would be good during chilly evenings as well. :)

Birthday Dinner pick for my husband, Favazza's is a family favorite…read more We made a reservation for seven and upon arrival were greeted and taken to our table. Our waiter was attentive and friendly, giving us great service and doing so efficiently. As always, we love the garlic bread and finished the first basket quickly, it was replaced with a smile. It is so good, I have to force myself to not fill up on it right away! After ordering the special the last couple of times I was craving my go to order of the Sicilian chicken sandwich with a salad. I love their salad with their signature dressing. Don't forget to buy a bottle on the way out, like I did! Lettuce, pimento, onion, cheese, and their dressing. They normally add parmesan, but I asked that it be left off. The Sicilian Chicken is so good, I love the breading and lemon garlic sauce. Thinly sliced chicken breast works wonderfully here. Any leftovers are wrapped in plastic after being boxed for a safe trip home. They started Family Meals to go during Covid and left them on their menu. Such a great value and different options for the different days of the week.

"Farotto's has been on my 'to-eat' list for a while, and I finally stopped in for a late lunch to…read moresee what their St. Louis-style pizza was all about. Spoiler alert: it did not disappoint. We ordered the sausage pie and the toasted ravioli, and both were an absolute triumph. The pizza was so thin and crispy it practically defied physics, yet it somehow held its structural integrity like a champ. Topped with flavorful sausage and that rich, polarizing, gloriously melty Provel cheese, it made for a deliciously surprising St. Louis-style experience. As for the toasted ravioli, the meat filling tasted like a gourmet meatball went to culinary school and got deep-fried to perfection. Add in a staff so friendly and accommodating they practically made us feel like family, and let's just say I'd happily cross town for a repeat performance. Yummy Yummy I Got Sparkles In My Tummy...Get In My Bellllyyyy!!

Farotto's catered my daughter's 50th birthday party at the Elk's Lodge on October 10, 3026. Wow!…read more Beef tenderloin, potato gratin, 2 delicious pasta sides (red and white), roasted vegetables, salad. Lots of compliments from the happy attendees. The servers did a great job too. They kept the food warm through the meal. The price was fair too.