The Hideaway

St. Louis, Missouri

There are dive bars with whimsical names that have nothing to do with their real nature (like the many dive bar “yacht clubs” in the Midwest), and then there are places like St. Louis’ The Hideaway, a perfect name to fit an equally perfect dive bar space. Founded in 1954 and held by a single owner for much of its history, the space feels as nostalgic and as cozy as the name would suggest. Though ownership changed hands in 2016, little has changed beyond a spot update here and there.

The fixtures inside feel like an old school supper club turned dive bar, low wooden tables, curved chairs with armrests, wooden spindles as part of the décor, red as a strong accent color, etc. Carpet runs throughout the space and the bar features a nice bit of vintage padding. The ceiling tiles here feel low, the building visibly small from the look of it out front. In the center of the space, the signature feature, a curved secondary bar that transforms on weekends into a piano bar (among other instruments). Packing that much musical punch into such a small building creates the amazing, communal vibe that one would expect given those features.

A set of stone tables and benches provide outdoor seating in front of the building, itself an outpost in the middle of an otherwise fairly residential area, the small stature blending in well with the surrounding homes. The Hideaway’s calendar is filled by more than just piano nights including potlucks and community events, but perhaps the secondary star here is Meat Bingo night, an evening that sounds exactly like what it is, a few rounds of Bingo with select cuts of meat provided to the winners.

The Basics

Classification:
Neighborhood Bar

Connect

Further Reading