visitor looking for help

[ajsgal1991]

Hello Blues fans! I am going to be making my first road trip to your fine arena soon and was hoping for some suggestions. Any recommendations for pre-game meal? Also, staying the night. I have read their are many good hotels near the arena, but would love to get some autographs. Anyone know where visiting teams stay? Any help would be appreciated.

[cardsfan04]

Not sure where the visiting team stays. Maybe the Union Station hotel? There are a number of upscale hotels pretty close to Scottrade.

My recommendation for pregame stuff is pretty much always Maggie OBriens. It's an irish sports bar with good food, reasonably priced within walking distance of Scottrade.

BTW, there are a number of threads asking this same thing. Search for them and you might get some other ideas.

[goon attack]

your fine arena

It's not called "Shit Louis" for no reason.

Enjoy your stay. Are you armed'? It's something to consider, although that isn't allowed in Scottrade.

Seriously... hit Frazer's on Pestalozzi. Can't go wrong.

[F Keenan]

Visiting teams used to stay at the Westin across from Busch Stadium. Now I think they stay at the Four Seasons. I'd concentrate on the Washington Ave. area. Plenty of hotels, bars, etc. it's not far from the casino and, while you could walk to Scottrade from there, it's only a couple stops down on the Metrolink.

[cprice12]

your fine arena

It's not called "Shit Louis" for no reason.

Well, she did refer to the Arena...which is one of the better arenas in the NHL...according to folks who review that kind of thing.

Just stay away from north St. Louis (shithole and crime-ridden) and don't head down to the riverfront after dark. Not that there is anything to see on the riverfront right now anyway. Just cobblestone and water.

Maggie O'Briens is the go to place before games really.
The Old Spaghetti Factory on the landing is a cool, old building...cheap/good food. It's not anything fancy or high class. Good place to go if you have kids, or don't want to spend a lot on food.
You can go to Ballpark Village next to Busch Stadium to eat. Cool area.

[glen a richter]

When you arrive at Lambert and board the Metrolink for the first time, try to not accidentally bump your luggage into a local.

[ViPeRx007]

I visited St. Louis last year around this time. I'm still around to talk about it. It wasn't as bad as some here are saying it is, unless it's really changed in one year; and yes, I know, protesters. Maybe it has gotten worse, I don't know.

Anyway, I stayed at the Hyatt Regency, which is pretty close to everything. It was nice. I'm not really a hotel connoisseur though, nor do I need a lot of bells and whistles. It seemed pretty fancy to me, but fancy means different things to different people. I walked to the arena a couple of times, but you can take the metro (which is like a block from the hotel and the arena is just a couple stops away).

I'm also from Montana though and just walk around in outlaw gear with guns strapped to my body everywhere, so that might be why people left me alone.*






*not really. Well, I left the guns at home...

[F Keenan]

The Old Spaghetti Factory on the landing is a cool, old building...cheap/good food. It's not anything fancy or high class. Good place to go if you have kids, or don't want to spend a lot on food.

The Old Spaghetti Factory??? Why didn't you just offer up the exotic cuisine of the Olive Garden????

[cprice12]

The Old Spaghetti Factory on the landing is a cool, old building...cheap/good food. It's not anything fancy or high class. Good place to go if you have kids, or don't want to spend a lot on food.

The Old Spaghetti Factory??? Why didn't you just offer up the exotic cuisine of the Olive Garden????

Hey, it's a place to eat that isn't fast food for a pre-game meal that isn't far from the arena.
I believe those were the requirements.
The food is good. Who cares if it is a chain?

And there isn't an Olive Garden nearby. So that would be a poor recommendation.

[F Keenan]

The Old Spaghetti Factory on the landing is a cool, old building...cheap/good food. It's not anything fancy or high class. Good place to go if you have kids, or don't want to spend a lot on food.

The Old Spaghetti Factory??? Why didn't you just offer up the exotic cuisine of the Olive Garden????

Hey, it's a place to eat that isn't fast food for a pre-game meal that isn't far from the arena.
I believe those were the requirements.
The food is good. Who cares if it is a chain?

And there isn't an Olive Garden nearby. So that would be a poor recommendation.

Hey, you can take the kid out of Freeburg, but you can't convince the Freeburg kid that Dairy Queen isn't a fancy night out.

[cprice12]

The Old Spaghetti Factory on the landing is a cool, old building...cheap/good food. It's not anything fancy or high class. Good place to go if you have kids, or don't want to spend a lot on food.

The Old Spaghetti Factory??? Why didn't you just offer up the exotic cuisine of the Olive Garden????

Hey, it's a place to eat that isn't fast food for a pre-game meal that isn't far from the arena.
I believe those were the requirements.
The food is good. Who cares if it is a chain?

And there isn't an Olive Garden nearby. So that would be a poor recommendation.

Hey, you can take the kid out of Freeburg, but you can't convince the Freeburg kid that Dairy Queen isn't a fancy night out.

I guess the Freeburg reference went over my head. I don't get it big Dan.

[F Keenan]

The Old Spaghetti Factory on the landing is a cool, old building...cheap/good food. It's not anything fancy or high class. Good place to go if you have kids, or don't want to spend a lot on food.

The Old Spaghetti Factory??? Why didn't you just offer up the exotic cuisine of the Olive Garden????

Hey, it's a place to eat that isn't fast food for a pre-game meal that isn't far from the arena.
I believe those were the requirements.
The food is good. Who cares if it is a chain?

And there isn't an Olive Garden nearby. So that would be a poor recommendation.

Hey, you can take the kid out of Freeburg, but you can't convince the Freeburg kid that Dairy Queen isn't a fancy night out.

I guess the Freeburg reference went over my head. I don't get it big Dan.

Yeah, that doesn't read the way I thought it would last night. Edwardsville or wherever you are. Please see my disclaimer at the end of all of my post.


My main point is this, I've seen you suggest the OSF a few time to people from out of town looking for suggestions. I'm sure you love it and it works great for families, I mean it is what it is. I travel quite a bit and it's a pet peeve of mine when I ask people where a good place to eat is in town and they suggest somewhere I can eat at home in St. Louis. We stayed in NYC last fall and someone in our hotel suggested TGI Fridays. One of the things I love about traveling is finding something unique to the city that I can maybe only get there. I was in Edinburgh and the rest of my group wanted Subway for dinner. That's cool, I'll see you at the hotel. I went across the street and tried haggis for the first time and I can't wait to have it again. Sorry, I guess the wife and I are foodies for lack of a better term. I like to support innovative and artisanal mom and pop restaraunts over the big chains. To each their own.

[cprice12]

The Old Spaghetti Factory on the landing is a cool, old building...cheap/good food. It's not anything fancy or high class. Good place to go if you have kids, or don't want to spend a lot on food.

The Old Spaghetti Factory??? Why didn't you just offer up the exotic cuisine of the Olive Garden????

Hey, it's a place to eat that isn't fast food for a pre-game meal that isn't far from the arena.
I believe those were the requirements.
The food is good. Who cares if it is a chain?

And there isn't an Olive Garden nearby. So that would be a poor recommendation.

Hey, you can take the kid out of Freeburg, but you can't convince the Freeburg kid that Dairy Queen isn't a fancy night out.

I guess the Freeburg reference went over my head. I don't get it big Dan.

Yeah, that doesn't read the way I thought it would last night. Edwardsville or wherever you are. Please see my disclaimer at the end of all of my post.


My main point is this, I've seen you suggest the OSF a few time to people from out of town looking for suggestions. I'm sure you love it and it works great for families, I mean it is what it is. I travel quite a bit and it's a pet peeve of mine when I ask people where a good place to eat is in town and they suggest somewhere I can eat at home in St. Louis. We stayed in NYC last fall and someone in our hotel suggested TGI Fridays. One of the things I love about traveling is finding something unique to the city that I can maybe only get there. I was in Edinburgh and the rest of my group wanted Subway for dinner. That's cool, I'll see you at the hotel. I went across the street and tried haggis for the first time and I can't wait to have it again. Sorry, I guess the wife and I are foodies for lack of a better term. I like to support innovative and artisanal mom and pop restaraunts over the big chains. To each their own.

That's cool...and I get that. I'm the same way. I'm not sure why the OSF always pops into my head. I mean, I like it and all...but it's not my favorite place to go or anything.

Ok...how about...
The Scottish Arms

I should start suggesting that place. But they stopped serving Cock-a-leakie pie. WTF?? That dish was/is awesome.
Good thing my wife has their recipe. She makes it every now and then. It's amazing.

[cardsfan04]

This isn't overly close to Scottrade (although not THAT far, 15 mins or so), but Sugarfire Smokehouse on Olive by 170 is really really really good.

[glen a richter]

I'll probably get chastised for this, but having visited St. Louis and being Italian and a New Yorker, toasted ravioli is horribly overrated. Not very good at all. Maybe it was where I went, Vinny Gitto's, I think, was the name of the place, or Charlie Gitto's, something like that. It sounded like a good mobster name so I was expecting good Italian food and it was a real let down, to be honest.

Also, F Keenan, whoever suggested TGI Fridays was a moron. If you want to find a good restaurant in the city, you need to go to the hole in the walls. Never eat in Midtown, that's all crap chains and that nonsense. Chinatown up by the Bowery has some very good Chinese joints, authentic Chinese not American Chinese.

[goon attack]

F Keenan:

If you want a great meal, hit Frazer's or 1111 Mississippi.

If you want whatever, there are plenty of joints near the arena for grub.

There's also a new Lobster house down on Sidney that has lines out the door every night called Peacemaker.

If you want killer BBQ, Sugarfire does shred, but Pappy's Smokehouse is much closer.

Scottish Arms has decent grub. And allegedly the Yankees in the 40's who were in town for the World Series came in there every night they were in town.

The haggis is good. Tons of scotch too.

You can also party in Soulard before the game and shuttle over to the arena. Hit Molly's.

The rooftop 360 bar atop the Hilton is cool too. I'd at least go up there to see the view. I've never eaten there though. Great view of the shity.

http://www.360-stl.com/

[ajsgal1991]

Thanks all. I can eat till I burst. Now just to chose a hotel.

[tjk002]

Not sure where the visiting team stays. Maybe the Union Station hotel? There are a number of upscale hotels pretty close to Scottrade.

My recommendation for pregame stuff is pretty much always Maggie OBriens. It's an irish sports bar with good food, reasonably priced within walking distance of Scottrade.

BTW, there are a number of threads asking this same thing. Search for them and you might get some other ideas.

Nope visiting teams still stay at the Westin. I belong to the gym there, see the visiting teams on a consistent basis. TheWestin is a great hotel for the price.

[ecbm]

We stayed in NYC last fall and someone in our hotel suggested TGI Fridays.

That's f'in diabolical. Jesus. You'd do better to fall into any diner and order a gyro. Ugh.

I'll probably get chastised for this, but having visited St. Louis and being Italian and a New Yorker, toasted ravioli is horribly overrated. Not very good at all. Maybe it was where I went, Vinny Gitto's, I think, was the name of the place, or Charlie Gitto's, something like that. It sounded like a good mobster name so I was expecting good Italian food and it was a real let down, to be honest.

Also, F Keenan, whoever suggested TGI Fridays was a moron. If you want to find a good restaurant in the city, you need to go to the hole in the walls. Never eat in Midtown, that's all crap chains and that nonsense. Chinatown up by the Bowery has some very good Chinese joints, authentic Chinese not American Chinese.

As a St. Louisan transplant to NYC, I understand your point Glen. Thing is, toasted ravioli is pretty much as far from actual Italian cuisine as one can get in the Italian-American lexicon. A very Midwestern/southern take on pasta-my mom made it and we don't have a lick of Italian blood nor did we live near many Italians. NYC is one of few places in this country where there is some sort of understanding of the distinction between Italian and Italian-American food. And if toasted ravioli isn't done right it can be awful-dry & hard with little flavor. Done right, I assure you it is delicious.

[goon attack]

Have you pussies ever had really good toasted ravioli from a place that makes it from scratch, such as Mia Sorella? No? They you haven't had toasted ravioli. That frozen crap you get at most places is generally lame.

Hit Mia Sorella next time you're in town and have the TRs. Then get back to me.

And I don't know a single person claiming it's "actual Italian cuisine." It's a recent, local concoction, but I'm sure some asshat in the 14th century said, "Paella? This isn't authentic Spanish Kingdoms cuisine!"