Love the HandleBar. They helped me with an event and the staff was wonderful. They provided great food and a fun atmosphere. I was very impressed. I will definitely use them again for future parties. Thanks Handlebar! read more

Poor service and inexperienced bouncers . Such poor management for an otherwise upbeat bar with one of the most lively and creative patios in the area. read more

Pretty darn great... What is not to love here... You got Bikes, Beers, and general Badassery! It's in the Grove, surrounded by other great restaurants and bars- so it's a prime time location for bar hopping. I've never eaten here, but hear the food is quite good. They have various themed dance nights which are so fun if you want to break a sweat. The also have a GREAT outdoor patio area. Fun, hip, and easy atmosphere! read more

Horrible. I walked in and a guy asked me for my ID. After showing him, he let me walk by. As I walked in, a girl that wanted to be annie hall asked me for $5. I assumed, since the guy asking me for my ID didn't ask for any money, she was just one of the drunk girls that tried to ask for a cover I experienced during my days as a bouncer. Nope. I asked her if she was serious. The guy that asked for my ID told me to leave and that was that. I was trying to meet up with people forum from my 10 year high school reunion. The guy refused to listen to me and kicked me out. Don't go to this bar unless you're willing to put up with people that are assholes. read more

nightlife/bar review only- if paying a cover on a friday night to listen to mediocre outdated/overplayed music in a smelly place is your idea of fun, i guess this place is for you. don't order anything but beer or shots because they'll make you something really funky which you will be stuck with- since they'll give you sass and won't swap it for something else. may it's better as a restaurant. read more

They stole my money for wanting to leave literally two minutes after paying cover because I had quote "already enjoyed the bar" even though they wouldn't let my friend with a temporary ID enter the bar. Result, payed ten dollars (menu price 4.50) for a beer and left. Do not give these thieves your business as they will just find ways to steal your hard earned money. read more

My boyfriend and I came here because we had some time to kill and got a steal on a Handle Bar coupon deal...we figured we didn't have much to lose. If you have read some of my latest reviews you can start to notice that my dislike for Groupon, Living Social, and other similar businesses has been growing due to lackluster food and service when using these so-called "deals". Well my faith has been revived by Handle Bar! Even though the coupon is what brought me to Handle Bar in the first place, I would gladly return and pay full price...exactly what those coupons businesses should do. Handle Bar is quite spacious with a large bar along the back side of the place, a pool table right when you walk in, and various tables to sit at along either side of the bar. It has a very homey feel to it, which was reinforced when one of the bartender/waitress's son came in and played with his toys on the bar while visiting with his Mom. We ordered off the Russian side of their menu, which is a must!!! We got a cup of their soup of the day, pork dumplings, and crepes filled with breakfast food. The soup was broth-based with lots of meat & veggies. It was served alongside sour cream and a spicy sauce, so you could customize it according to your preferred tastes. I added a little bit of both and ended up with one tasty soup! It was hearty, yet still somewhat light thanks to the broth. The soup started us off on the right food and our main dishes kept that going. The pork dumplings were cooked just right and were served in a super flavorful broth (it was a vegetable stock of sorts with lots of dill), it was also topped with sour cream to make for a richer flavor. The crepe was also delicious; I really couldn't choose which one was better! The crepe was pretty fluffy and stuffed with scrambled eggs and a few veggies, then topped with crumbled bacon and sour cream. The staff here was also great. They were attentive and our food got to our hungry stomachs quick. After eating, we played a quick game of pool (which I unfortunately lost) then went on our way. We will definitely be back for a lunch, happy hour, dinner, or all three! read more

Hmm what to say about Handlebar? It is always a hit or miss for me when I come. More hits than misses as indicative of my review, but generally I only come when they have events such as the Annual Beer Christmas, so good beer + good company + trivia + gifts = fun time. BTW, 4Hands typically brews a special batch for this event so it is always fun to try a new, limited flavor of beer. This bar gets some serious foot traffic which is a double-edge sword in my opinion. Good because it is a fun atmosphere to hang out in. Bad because some times, the bar is understaffed and there is not much seating inside. Even so, I have always had good service here. Once when my food was forgotten by the kitchen staff, our bill was waived. On the weekends, Handlebar usually brings in a DJ and opens up the backroom as a dancefloor. Sometimes, the music is on point, other times, the DJ plays weird, trance, house music and don't take song suggestions. Foodwise: the pork pel-menis were pretty good. They are served in a vinegary veggie broth, soup style which is very different than the way I eat them but great flavor none-the-less. All in all, there are many factors that can influence how your night will go at Handlebar. Most of the time tho, I have a great time here! read more

One of my favorite places to go! I even met my girlfriend there. Lots of fun activities! Every time my friends and i have a awesome time. Dance, drink and have a unforgettable time!!!! read more

Handlebar is my favorite bar in St. Louis. That is pretty much all I have to say. I just felt like doing an update and 5-starring that shit because we went the other day for happy hour and it was great because OF COURSE it was. Love it. read more

Great staff super friendly the bouncer talked to me for few minutes just over our common profession in security

Went on a Friday night to a very quiet scene around 7pm. I love my local beers but would have liked to see something new instead of the stand-by St. Louis brews. The menu is very limited for food, but very tasty. We had a prosciutto and goat cheese pizza and garlic bread, which was a perfect start to a night of drinking. I think the 3 stars deserves an asterisk noting potential greatness and my return business to see how this new bar will grow. read more

Impressive beer selection. Check. Great patio space. Check. Chalk outlines on patio of crime scene bodies. Check. Whaaat? This is why Handle Bar is unexpectedly a great idea for the Grove area. A litle nonsense in a bustling area of town. And did I mention cra cra beer selection??? And of course, ride your bike. read more

Fantastic beer selection, unique Russian inspired cuisine, and dance parties with some of the best DJs in town, what more could you want from a bar? Well HandleBar takes it one step further by treating its customers right and having an owner that frequents her own establishment. I have always had great drink service here. Creative specials and some of the lower prices in town make going out here on the weekend easy on your pocketbook. The crowd is usually pretty laid back and eclectic, always friendly from my experience. Once you get heated up on the dance floor you can always cool off in their massive backyard patio area. The cycling themed decor of the bar is unique and reflects one of the owners favorite pastimes. read more

Went here for a meetup. Eh, not really that impressed with the place. Beer selection was OK, but not great. Even when it wasn't crowded, it took a long time to get a beer. Not really impressed. read more

Came here on a Saturday night with my wife for some Russian food, pilimany and blinchiki. Was very disappointed. Food was nasty. Their kitchen is not Russian. Although atmosphere was nice if you are into hippy style. Will not come here again. read more

Stopped by handlebar on a Sunday recently with some friends. It's a good time. Liked the food, too. The bartender we talked to Lily was really cool and we actually had good conversation! Definitely will come back sometime! read more

Oh man, coushined foot rests at the bar!!!! Whoa! Yes! Good service, prompt attention and great environment. Love the concept as well. Thanks!!! read more

Great staff, great environment, looks like fun for drinking, but POOR food forces me to give a two star. It doesn't take much to impress me, especially when coming to a bar expecting bar food (and starving). The food was def very disappointing but prices appropriately. read more

In contrast to most of the other reviews, I did not go here for the craft beer. I went to have Russian food for lunch. The menu offered a lot of items, some Russian, some not. I ordered a Blinchiki. It is a sturdy crepe filled with a variety of items. There are several choices. I chose the "Breakfast Blinchiki" which had eggs, bacon and potatoes. It was delicious. A side salad came with it which was baby spinach with some artichokes and tomato with a light vinaigrette dressing. Very tasty. The price for the above was $9.00. There is no desert served. The décor was attractive. There is a lot of open space with tables around the periphery. Sparse lunch crowd. Easy to find parking that time of day. I'll be back for another lunch. read more

We were here for trivia night recently. It was hard to get a beer at the bar since it was extremely crowded and we could only place orders at the bar! read more

Walking in, this place looked super fun. The drinks looked great and it wasn't too busy for a Friday night. The bartender, however, was not kind. I needed change so I could get quarters to play pool, and he was appalled that I would even ask. He got me change and explained there was a change machine for that, which I explained gave me quarters and I only had a $20. He then said loudly enough for everyone to look at me, that's why I gave you ones! Then he proceeded to hand me my change and go on to read a book. There was no reason for this behavior and all of the looks proved it. I will not be back, which is unfortunate because I loved the atmosphere and the drinks. read more

Loved the bicycle themed atmosphere, the very friendly staff and the delicious Eastern European themed foods! The smoked salmon, arugula, caviar and dill flatbread was amazing! The beet soup wasn't borsch but delicious in it's own right. If I ever find myself in St.Louis again I will definitely be returning here! read more

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What a spot! There is literally nothing wrong with this bar. Bartenders: babes. Drinks: on point. Food: so good it's crazy. Bikes hanging from the ceiling? Nothing wrong with that! Sell your shit Sunday is my favorite day of the month. They should teach that to that place across the street. read more

Great spiked cider! I could drink that stuff all day... ok maybe not all day, I'd be sleeping under the table in no time. But it's incredible stuff. read more

A cyclist bar in the Grove!? Hell yeah! I've been careful to say cyclist bar instead of biker bar, as the unfamiliar person might get a different impression of this place in the open-minded Grove area if called a biker bar :) I first visited this place the day it opened because I was so excited about it, and I have been a patron ever since. It is always refreshing when a bar opens in this town that offers more than just the dreaded Anheuser-Busch assortment of flavorless beers, and the Handlebar does not disappoint. They have a large variety of libations from not only across the U.S. and the world, but many if not all local micro-brews are represented. And, their stock is always changing with new types and flavors. The bartenders have almost always been quick at their duties and friendly, and are always knowledgeable about the beers they sell without seeming pretentious at all. The interior is a work of art, with murals on the walls, exposed brick, local artist's creations on the walls as well as bike inspired sculptures attached to them. The exterior is just as great, with a fantastic and large outdoor patio with a firepit and an outdoor bar. I can't say enough good things about this place. With the ambiance, biking ethos, service, diversity of great beers, and nightly entertainment ranging from trivia, dance parties, and Nintendo nights, the Handlebar makes a great destination... especially if you ride there on your bike. read more

Always a great time! Amazing staff! A must! Came in for just one drink and the environment was so awesome we stayed till closing. The Pizza's are definitely something to try as well as the hummus! Everything was great! read more

Do you have two legs? Do you have a liver? Excite all your body parts in one location. Run by a sexy pixie of a woman, this bar features delicious one of a kind cocktails made by expert bar mixtresses. Get the shrimp and goat cheese pizza, along with a spiked cider slathered with alcoholic whipped cream. You will go into a flavor coma. Nice patio area with a big cast iron stove to keep your tush warm in the winter months. NOM! read more

I LOVE the HandleBar!! We held my husband's birthday party there on Saturday from 6p-10p - he's a big cyclist so I thought the theme would work. Flint the kitchen manager and Emily the special events person were amazing! We had about 50 people and wanted to do food and drinks, have a band and 'gold sprints' (a bicycle video game thing where you actually compete with another person, side by side). They made it all happen - they found the bluegrass band, and connected me with the gold sprints guy. About a week before, Flint walked me through the interesting menu and we came up with 3 courses to be served buffet style about 1/2 hour apart. The kitchen staff was incredibly efficient, considerate and flexible - we had a late arriving crowd, so they adjusted the food prep/service to the arrival of our friends. The food was amazing. Our friends were expecting bar food and were thrilled with the stew, salad, perogis, blinchikis and unique pizzas, and the hummus, pretzels and house-made chips and salsa. People have been emailing/calling and texting all day to talk about what a great time they had and how wonderful the food was! They also asked if we wanted a signature cocktail for our party. I hadn't even thought of that! We went with the 'Crash out' (biking term) and our friends loved them. And when we got to the pricing part they totally worked with my budget and were very concerned that the pricing be fair! Where do you get that kind of attitude? I would highly recommend the HandleBar as a place for a holiday party - tis becoming the season - or really any other party. I couldn't be happier!! read more

We stopped here for lunch on a Saturday. We order meat pelmeni and veggie pelmeni. These are a Russian version of tortellini. Both versions were excellent. read more

Roy, top notch guy! Come here for the atmosphere, personable bartenders/manager! Not just a night spot, super chill place to have a drink during the day. read more

Fantastic beer selection! The food is limited but extremely delicious. The Russian influence is one of the best aspects of this place, the food really is one of a kind for this area. The music is also on point read more

Unique and fun atmosphere with great local beer selection. They often have DJ sets and live bands (though the sound level can be a bit overwhelming... conversations can be impossible) and a great mix of people. The staff is friendly and obviously love their work --- some nights they seem to forget about the customers, because they're having so much fun. I've had great nights here and nights where I want to shove the dominoes of hipsters into the dominoes of aging frat boys, but overall, it's a place I feel at home. and love. Well, maybe not love... I'm not ready for that kind of commitment. We're in like, though, fo sho. read more

I posted this review a couple months ago and it was taken down for some reason; I couldn't find it when I logged in. I don't know why or by whom it was taken down, but I feel this review should be reposted because it is very disturbing and needs to be known, and I will keep reposting it if taken down again, because I feel so strongly about the issue. Anyway, here it is: So, I went to this bar a couple weekends ago and it was very busy as is to be expected on a Saturday night in this area of town. My friend and I went up to the bar to order some drinks and stood there for at least 15 minutes being ignored by the bartenders. Several female customers came up to the bar after we were already there and most of them were served somewhat promptly while we still waited. Now, I am used to being skipped for drinks by bartenders before just because I am a man, but this isn't the reason I felt it important to write this review. When a bartender finally came over to me to ask what I wanted, I told him how long we had been waiting in a polite and respectful tone, and he kind of just blew it off, which I expected. Anyway, after I got my drink and paid at the bar, I went outside to the back area to meet some friends. My friend, however, remained at the bar waiting for service. What he told me he heard after I had left is what this review is about. The bartender who served me, right in front of my friend (who is white), then said to another bartender, "Did you hear that n***er? He was complaining blah blah blah..." My friend didn't stick around to hear the rest. He immediately came and found me outside and told me what he had heard. Now, being a black man in America, I have had to deal with racism before, but not by someone I was paying to serve me, and usually not so unprovoked. Upon confronting the bartender that had said this, (after waiting another 15 minutes at the bar) he just denied it and blew me off. I asked him if I could get my money back for my drink, which I hadn't even had a sip of yet, and he refused. After pressing the issue a bit more, he turned to me and said, "Fine, get the f**k out of here then." Disgusted and offended, and realizing that I was not going to get anywhere with this person, I obliged and left the bar. I normally don't write yelp reviews, in fact this is the first I've ever written (and I'm sorry it has to be a negative one, not one that sings the praises of great service), but I felt this was important to at least bring to people's awareness what goes on when you voice a reasonable complaint at a bar like this. This incident happened a couple weeks ago, and I realize now that I should have written this earlier, but after deciding at first to not write about it, some time has gone by and I have come to realize that something had to be done about this, even if it is only a yelp review. Needless to say, I will never be returning to the HandleBar, and I advise those of you who care about things like this to do the same. Being from out of town, this has to be the worst experience I have had so far in St. Louis, and I very much hope other bars in the area do not treat their customers like this. read more

Went into Handlebar for lunch with my 5 year old when I missed the turn for the interstate and ended up in the Grove. The bartender (who I think was the owner) was very welcoming to both of us. Our server, Paolo, was very sweet and accommodating. I had the Russian stew (I can't remember the exact name, but it was gluten and dairy free, and outstanding!). Daughter had a delicious looking wood-fired pizza. Wonderful food and a lot of fun bicycle stuff and art to look at. Loved it! read more

This place has a nice atmosphere. I always look forward to going here. They have good pizza, too.

Yummy Russian food and good drinks. The service was great as well. Will definitely go back!

Awesome bar in The Grove with unexpectedly good Russian food. During lunch it's a laid back bicycle bar with a welcoming feel. It kinda has a Colorado-esque feel. The service was fantastic. The only person that seemed to be FOH was the bartender but he made a great server too. He was friendly and attentive. Also, he was very apologetic when our order came out wrong. He not only fixed it but offered us dessert as well, which we politely declined but greatly appreciated. We ordered and shared: Russian-style Pierogi ($5) 2 with traditional cabbage, mushroom, and egg. They were very different from Ukrainian style but still tasty. These had a hearty buckwheat crust that was tasty and complemented the savory filling well. We also ordered and shared: Blinchiki Two Russian inspired crepe-like pancakes, made with local beer, filled, and baked. Topped with sour cream and scallions (unless noted otherwise) with Sambal on the side. The Caprese: marinated tomatoes, mozzarella, basil pesto, caramelized onion Topped with provalone and basil pesto $8 The Greek: spinach, feta, olives, roasted red pepper, mozzarella, provolone So, we ordered a Greek Pizza but got a Greek Blinchiki on accident. -- They still brought us the pizza. Everything was tasty with good flavors and fresh ingredients. We will mos def pop back in at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later. read more

The food was excellent! We were expecting the average bar food. The Russian dumplings and crepes were awesome. Pizza was great too!!

Roy is an amazing bartender. Very funny and nice to talk to. Great place! Definitely worth checking out.