Review: Start Bar in Downtown

Start Bar, St. Louis’ latest and greatest bar/arcade, is unapologetically dorky, which seems to be working for it. If this 21-and-older place was an ’80s high school student, its classmates would call it a righteous dude. Like Ferris Bueller, it’s beloved by all – the jocks, motorheads, geeks, sluts, wasteoids and dweebies. On Saturday nights, there isn’t an empty spot at the bar or a vacant game in the house. With a tall can of beer in one hand, a game controller in the other, a pocketful of gold tokens and nowhere else to be, it’s easy enough to see why.

The Atmosphere A laid-back watering hole Start Bar certainly is not. Especially on weekends, when the doors open, it’s game on in this weirdly sublime, booze-fueled warehouse party. Like its sister bar, Wheelhouse, Start Bar has an urban industrial feel. Everything is loud: the game cabinets, the skee-ball, the bartenders, some of the fashion decisions, the eclectic video game-themed decor. And then there’s the music: a mix of rap, hip-hop, alternative and other random tunes from the early 1990s pumped at an impressive volume. Start Bar regularly features DJs who spin until all hours. Expect a lot of Tupac and Beastie Boys, but don’t expect to be able to hold any kind of conversation.

The Main Attraction This is, of course, the game floor. New games are joined by vintage favorites from the ’80s and ’90s: expect nostalgic treats like Mortal Kombat, Donkey Kong and The Simpsons, along with enough classic pinball to keep you occupied all night. There is also an upstairs lounge area with VIP seating: cushy couches and a handful of oversized screens where small groups congregate with Nintendo 64 games like Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, Mario Kart and (of course) GoldenEye. It’s best to make a reservation for one of these stations.  

The Booze The main floor is dominated by a massive bar. Juvenile concoctions such as drunken slushies, boozy milkshakes and hard floats are proudly featured on drink-stained, neon paper menus, along with a handful of enjoyable, but pretty forgettable house cocktails. The best of these on my visit was the Bruce Willis Was Dead the Whole Time, a fun little bourbon drink heavy on the Wild Turkey and just right on the bitters – a zippy black walnut variety. Not quite a Manhattan and not quite an Old-Fashioned, it did the trick. But options like the frozen booze pops are fun for indulging your inner adolescent alcoholic side. You could do a lot worse than the decadent s’mores milkshake, which combined a healthy portion of chocolate- and vanilla-flavored vodkas with vanilla ice cream. For more grown-up drinking, this seems to be a beer joint. A serious selection is offered, mainly cans, along with a couple canned wines (truly fitting for this place).

The Food Hot snacks like the Cool Ranch Quesadilla, Garlic Bread Nuggets and a handful of surprisingly good pizzas pour out of the busy kitchen window. Certainly not gourmet, these soft pizzas are the perfect drunk food, served fast. The kitchen offers a build-your-own option, but it also features rotating wacky originals like the Mac & Cheese Pork Steak Pizza, drizzled in barbecue sauce. Unable to muster the stomach for that beast, I opted for the T-Rav Pizza, which ended up being a real star. A manageably sized pie with a nicely charred, medium-thick crust, perfectly gooey mozzarella and topped with a handful of crispy toasted ravioli, it was a perfect snack for sharing with a date (if your date is the type to enjoy sipping beer and challenging each other for high scores on Galaga).

The End Game Though not the first video game- or pinball-centric bar to set up shop in our fair city, Start Bar has fast developed a loyal following of young 20-somethings who indulge their inner nerd while throwing back a few cold ones. A welcome alternative to the dance club and late-night lounge scene, Start Bar earns itself a high score.           

Start Bar
1000 Spruce St., St. Louis, 314.376.4453, startbarstl.com