The Corner Pub & Grill

The Corner Pub & Grill

Location: St. Louis County, West County

Municipality: Manchester/Valley Park

Address: 13645 Big Bend Road, Suite 101, Saint Louis, Missouri 63122 636-225-1300

Times Frequented: Occasionally

Type of Bar: Sports Bar, Restaurant, Patio

Website: www.cornerpubandgrill.com

I have decided to start my bar review with The Corner Pub & Grill for a few reasons. First of all, it is the only bar I have found consistently worthy of visiting in West County. Secondly, it is probably the only bar within walking distance of my humble abode. (And yes, I have left my yellow Mitsubishi Lancer at this locale to stumble down Dougherty Ferry only to return to it in the morning.)

The problem with living in West County not only as a 23 year old, but as a 23 year old liberal with a knack for sketchy dive bars and the atmosphere of the city, is that my choices where to imbibe are very limited. Very limited. Liberal is a word that is rarely mentioned where I live, and the closest dive bar is in deep Valley Park. And more than likely, that deep Valley Park dive bar is not the type of dive bar a 23 year old liberal would frequent. (i.e. bikers, strippers, gun-toting Jefferson County imports, men missing teeth--but can't confirm any of this until my travels take me to one of these establishments). Most of my nights out take me into the city limits because, well, that is where most of my peers live and enjoy adventuring. I'm no different, aside from the fact I must drive the mandatory 20 to 30 minutes to get to these destinations instead of the 5 to 10 minute walks my peers have the luxury of taking. But sometimes, I want to walk to my night of debauchery too. Enter the Corner Pub and Grill.

The first time I went to The Corner Pub and Grill, I was avec my parents and brother for a family dinner. My family does not like to travel very far when it comes to dining, so a hop, skip and a jump down Dougherty Ferry was reasonable. (Granted, we did drive the entire mile in a gas guzzling SUV, but this review is not the place to discuss my parents' green, or not so green, habits.) Prior to 2007, the strip mall that The Corner Pub and Grill now inhabits was simply a plot of empty land waiting to be developed. Needless to say, it's a relatively new place. And at the time, I had no idea that it was also a bar I would later use as a spot for adventuring. Menu wise, The Corner Pub and Grill has your American staples: burgers, pizza, sandwiches, salads, normal sports bar appetizers such as potato skins and hot wings. The food is not bad--it's pretty decent to the extent of pretty damn good. I enjoy the Gobble Del Rio, a sort of a Tex-Mex spin on your average turkey burger, and as a pizza connoisseur (watch out for my pizza blog, coming soon) I'm definitely impressed. The Corner Pub and Grill is definitely family friendly before the hours of 9 to 10 p.m., so if you want a low key meal before start your night out, I recommend this joint for the food alone. But this is a bar review. Moving on.

Atmosphere: The Corner Pub and Grill is obsessed with all things Mizzou. And they are damn proud of it. Being a Wash U alum, it was a little annoying at first, especially when I went to drink during the college football season. The bar is loud and rowdy and a bit too small and dark for some of the packed chaos that comes in and out on a Saturday night. I suppose this is why they have a patio, however, I don't see much use of it unless the weather permits-- thus, it does not entertain for cold football games. But during the summer, the patio is wonderful and probably one of the best patios I've frequented. It's spread out, no one is on top of each other, and the waitstaff is efficient with refills and making room. Also, there's a nice view of a McDonald's on the catty-corner of Big Bend, an Arby's across the street, and soon to be a Taco Bell/KFC right in the parking lot. Who could beat that?

People: This is a West County bar. You won't find your hipsters, you won't find your hippies, you won't find the 70+ year old man who's ass has made a permanent impression on the bar stool. You also won't find typical drunk college students either, unless it is the summer and they're in town (as in, in town from Mizzou) living with their parents and are either too young or too conservative to know to venture closer to the city. What you will find here is an interesting mix of people, ranging from their early 20s to middle age. As expected, the younger crowd is usually with significant others or friends, yuppie and in collared shirts, fake tans, bleached hair and Mizzou gear, and they stick to their cliques without mingling much with the other clientele. The middle aged crowd is made up of semi-professional men, conservative in their leaning with their eyes on the busty, young, toned waitstaff, or their single female middle-aged counterparts. People here want to drink, relax, watch the game, and not travel far outside of their West County bubble, either by choice or by sheer laziness. But whatever the reason they are at the Corner Pub and Grill, the clientele still wants to look good being there, whatever form that may take.

Service: Aside from the enormous ta-tas that seem to be mandatory for all female waitresses at The Corner Pub and Grill, the service is good. And efficient. The bartenders are friendly and quick and I've never had to wait for a drink no matter how packed the place is. This isn't a place where you'll get to know a bartender or waitress by name, but they do their job regardless and they do it well. I would work here, but alas, my breasts would not suffice. Think of The Corner Pub and Grill as a Hooter's Light, and me as Hooter's Extra Light.

Drink Selection: I'm sure they've got a variety of special drinks, but have I tried them? No. I've only stuck to beer here and it's your typical AB selections in bottles and on tap and a few other domestics. Nothing fancy, but the selection isn't skimpy.

Drink Prices: Typical for West County. You're not going to pay 2 dollars for a Budweiser, but you're also not going to pay 5. Decent at best.

Adventures that Ensued: Most of my friends do not want to come to my neck of the woods. I've had to gather the few and far between kiddos to come to this bar with me the times that I was there. This usually meant me and one other guy from Ballwin, or, me myself and I after people had to leave to drive back to STL. (See how I feel, friends?) Nothing ridiculous has ever happened to me at The Corner Pub and Grill, sadly, as I live for the story. There once was a 40 something hard-core McCain supporter who sat next me while I had another beer and closed my tab. He thought I was cool until he realized the reason I was there was because I left my car at home, the bar being a location of laziness, not expectation, and that I voted for Obama. He didn't even buy me a drink, much to my dismay. Maybe next time I visit, I will have more to say in this adventure section.

Overall Rating: If you're ever stranded in West St. Louis County, visiting me, want a low-key yet hoppin' county spot, or just plain LOVE everything MIZZOU, The Corner Pub and Grill will not disappoint. It's not my bar of choice, but I still wouldn't pass it up on a Friday night whim. I give it:

6.9/10 totally unscientific and random beers on the wall.

Bonus: I like their music selection on the website, aside from the Coldplay. It might as well have been Dave Matthews' and then I'd be in high school all over again. No Dice.