Par Lounge

Great customer service & delicious pizza that you should check out. Local specials till sold out weekdays only. My favorite hole in the wall…

I visited Par Lounge late on a Friday night with a friend. We’ve driven by this place several times so we wanted to check it out. Par is right next to Hi-​Pointe Theatre (which is awesome btw). And if you’re a smoker, Par is the perfect place to go to after a movie. But only if you’re a smoker… Par is a smoking bar. And even if there’s no one smoking in the bar, the walls and furniture are still going to make sure you leave the bar smelling like an ash tray.
Other than the smoking aspect, Par is a pretty cool hang-​out bar. The service was great. There’s a long bar for you to sit and talk at. And there’s several leather couches in the back that are comfortable to relax and drink on. There’s also a jukebox that appeared to be pretty popular with the regulars at Par.
Another hesitation I have about Par is that there are ZERO draft beers. Everything is served in bottles. I probably won’t be back to visit Par because I’m not a smoker and I really prefer draft beer.

This place makes it hard to like itself. Totally wanna be Clayton bar with cruddy service, cruddy food and cruddy parking. Wanted to like it but just can’t even come close to getting there. Even the Hi Pointe won’t keep this place in business.

Worst customer service we have ever received from the bouncer to the bartender. Would highly recommend strolling to Basso down the street where they actually treat people like they are spending money with them. Would give them an F.

I think this bar is a good hang, most of the time. The bar does not open until 7 pm and is open until 3 am nightly. It is a smoking bar so if this bothers you then you might want to think twice. The bar is pretty laid back during the week but gets pack after midnight on the weekends. They have very little food selection (pizza and a couple of other things) and the beer selection is average. Overall, this is a good place to chill and catch up with a friend and that’s about it.

I love this bar. The couches and the atmosphere are great! The owner himself brought out our pizza, and it just seems like a nicely organized place. I generally like going there on a random week night when I have nothing to do the next day, and it is a romantic spot open every single night till 3 a.m. It’s my to go spot, not to mention the spinach and artichoke dip is crazy good.

This place is terrible. I would prefer to give this establishment NO STARS. I must preface this review by saying that I have worked in the service industry and understand how to treat guests. I also understand that everyone may have an «off» night but the service I received last night was disgusting.
First off, when I asked if the bar had a drink menu the server just responded with «no». The conversation: «oh, okay. I just asked because I read the review sauce gave this place and they really liked your cocktails. I was just curious if there was something special.»
Server: «we don’t have any speciality cocktails. If there’s something you have in mind I can make it for you.»
She seemed to have an attitude from the get go. I just said no, I’ll stick to what I was drinking. A HUGE loss. I asked about cocktails and would have ordered a cocktail that was ten or twelve dollars, instead of my five dollar well drink.
My fiancé was interested in ordering a pizza with his beer. He had to walk to the bar to find our server and get another beer and a pizza menu. The server was irritated by this action and when he asked what pizzas they had just slid a menu at him. After that, she turned to her friend who was a bartender and proceeded to talk to her for five minutes before asking my fiancé «did you decide?»
The pizza sucked, that didn’t really matter though.
At this point my friends had lit up a couple cigarettes at our four top. Before asking us if we needed more drinks, my friend saw her roll her eyes at us and give the table a nasty look (I’m assuming because a couple people were smoking). I have worked in bars that allowed smoking, and as a non smoker I can understand the annoyance. However, when you make the choice to work there do not take it out your guests.
At this point a fifth member joined our table and after 30 minutes was never offered a drink. The server came back to our table twice and never acknowledged her.
We had to step up to the bar to get our tabs. When my friend asked for her tab the server responded with «I can’t close your tab. I don’t know your name.» While walking out our server was talking about us to the bartender” smirking, laughing and pointing. After we left and were walking past the windows of the bar, our server (I’m assuming angry at her gratuity) decided to tap on the glass and attempt to call us back into the restaurant. I’m not sure what she wanted to accomplish with this.
It was an awful place to spend an hour. I will never be back and would never recommend it to anyone. For a place that did not have much traffic on a Saturday night, they really know how to treat the few guests that came in.

Alright, so Par Bar (let’s be honest, it should be called Par Bar and not Par Lounge) is a weird little place. But I think having the proper expectations of this place helps. I really like it for what it is, which is the following:
— A smoking bar. Reminds me a little of being in the old Saleem’s on Delmar (now Ranoush). Yeah, it’s a little gross to have people smoking indoors now that we are used to the smoking ban, but it’s also a little nostalgic.
— A half-​assed sports bar. There are TVs, but no sound. And they aren’t huge. Think of them as a conversation starter.
— Open late in an odd location. You’ll get weird people in here. It’s kind of awesome.
— There’s a juke box. The crowd is mostly early thirties, seems like a lot of singles, and that’s the kind of music you’re going to get — pop, R&B, and rock from the mid-​90s through mid-​00s. I love it.
— Small. This is not a huge place. Which makes it strangely intimate. With all those early thirties single people. It’s an adventure.

It’s very low key, almost creeper-​ish. A friend suggested this place and I completely made him walk me from my car to the door. I was not in the mood to get mugged. We were the only ones here. Apparently, everyone else got the memo. They do have a few beers I haven’t heard of. Mixed drinks to a minimum.

Par Bar sucks (it ain’t no lounge)
After discussing the recent closing of Delmar Lounge, and leftover 3 a.m. spots, this place came to mind — always full of trashy out-​of-​date music (juke box), slightly off men, and just a generally creeper vibe.
Ok, fine — you can come here if it’s late, and you are really desperate…

This place started off the night on a seriously sour note… we rolled in around 10, place wasn’t packed and crowd was chill… cool! Yeah it allowed smoking but I (non-​smoker) could take it once a while. No biggie.
Over the course of next hour, I had some jello shots and the boys tried to get a couple of drinks. Service was slow as hell even though the place wasn’t busy. It took us a while to even be acknowledged at the bar when bartenders kept on walking back and forth in front of us without asking what we wanted. Finally when we did get some service, the boy tried to order an Old Fashioned with rye whiskey. Bartender looked at us like we just said something in French, so the boy asks what whiskeys they have and requested to have a certain one made in an Old Fashioned. Bartender informed us that it would «ruin the whiskey». At that point, for the sake of not arguing about a stupid drink, he ordered another whiskey in an Old Fashioned. All of us tried this «Old Fashioned» and it was by far the worst Old Fashioned I have ever had.
For anyone who is not familiar with the drink. It’s one of the oldest drink recipes ever invented, involving a small amount of sugar or simple syrup, water, bitters, ice, lemon-​peel and whiskey. Modern interpretations of the drink may involve a small amount of soda water as well. So the version we had here was topped off with a soda water, but there were WAY too much of it. Heck, it tasted like a carbonated lemon juice!
You can say maybe she is just blunt at suggesting what she thinks is good or bad in a drink, and maybe this is just one drink that she hasn’t really mastered. Either way, every visit to the bar is accompanied with simple objects: to get decently made drinks in a laid back atmosphere and to get decent service while at it. Unfortunately, the only thing this place had going was «laid back atmosphere».
Meh…I will not return, even though it’s conveniently located behind the Hi-​Point, one of my favorite theaters in St. Louis.
P. S. Whoever plays «Black and Yellow» on the juke box in 2011 at a chill bar is a douche.

Here is one smoking bar I can’t help but love! Yes, my hair stinks and requires at least two washes to rid of the smokey scent but this place has too much charm to resist! Exposed brick, friendly bartenders, comfy couches and reasonably priced drinks keep me coming back for more.
Also a very convenient stop before or after a movie at Hi-​Pointe theater. I think it’s charming that the bartenders get to munch on leftover movie theater popcorn.
If you check in with Unilocal I believe you get a free jello shot. Not a fan of ‘em so I always ignore the «deal» but just throwin’ it out there!

How awesome is this place!?!
I came here after a run with a group of friends, and it was pretty fantastic.
The place is right next to the Hi Pointe theater, and is surprisingly nice inside (although they do allow smoking… blech!)
They offer a few items on the menu; pizza was popular with my group, but I went with the chips and queso, which in my tipsy (okay, drunk) state tasted like manna from heaven. So good!
Service was friendly and fast, and prices were reasonable.
I would definitely come back. The fact that I’m only 5 minutes away means that this might become a new haunt for me.

When we lived in Hi-​Pointe, Par Lounge was less than a block away. My husband and I liked having a bar within walking distance.
Upside: It has a friendly atmosphere, and Gina (one of the owners) is very sweet. The drinks are relatively inexpensive. Great sofa area and large screen TV. The Jello shot syringes are fun.
Downside: Too much cigarette smoke. The spinach dip is greasy and tastes like it has that abominable Provel stuff in it.

Par Lounge is just about a perfect neighborhood joint. Despite the awkward intersection it’s lodged in, it offers just what this corner needs: $ 2.00 PBR and Stag, Friday night specials for the ladies, a smattering of outdoor seating for warm summer nights, and a jello shot that must be experienced at least once.
Service here is friendly, and although the inside definitely smells a little bar-​tastic, you won’t mind much as you settle in among the comfortable chairs and couches and engage in some low-​key hanging with the buds.
Apparently there are some killer happy hour specials and other offers here worth taking advantage of (including a free aforementioned jello shot for checking in on Unilocal or Foursquare!) Pricing, though, seems to be a little inconsistent, with advertised pizza prices not quite corresponding to the final bill. When the joint is so cheap and the atmosphere is so pleasant, though, who really cares?

Par is one of the last bars in St. Louis that doesn’t completely suck where the persecuted smoker can enjoy their nicotine without stares from the healthy conscious.
I don’t usually smoke, but when I’m enjoying a tasty vodka martini with olives, I enjoy a nice cigarette. I’m told that is the European way, not to chain smoke, but just to really savor one square at a time.
I almost don’t want to review this place because I feel like it’s my little secret bar, hidden away from the rest of the douchebags who hang around my neighborhood. The décor is super streamlined, clean and simple. The toilet paper is made of clouds– no joke.
Juke box + some leather couches + cute guys = :)
The bartenders are super cute ladies and always have a good story to tell. Drinks are always perfection, the liquor selection is really impressive, $ 2 PBR!!! and let’s not forget, jello shots in a massive plastic syringe.
There is a great mix of people here, but the party doesn’t get started until late, late night. It seems like everytime I am here I meet some cool people and someone ends up springing for shots.

If Par Lounge gets rid of the smoking I would totally bump this review up to 4 or maybe even 5 stars. It’s a moderately sized hallway style bar with a chill vibe, it’s open til 3am, and it’s closer to home. Awesome!
They have many TVs, and few «homey» areas furnished with couches, arm chairs, pillows, and coffee tables. They have a digital juke box and a few bar video games. The drink prices are average with a full bar and bottled beers only. I liked everything here except for the smoke!

Today I went to this place and realized I don’t get out much as I used to. And when I do, I want to save money and have a calm night. So why not stay home? I can’t Unilocal anymore. lol. Anyways, I was searching for cheap drinks for a friend, and came across this place on Unilocal.Reading reviews it said it was dead, but most of those were written closer to the opening, leading me to assume it had gotten better since then. Well, not really… It was dead when we got there too. I think the most people in the bar at one time were 10 people. Upon walking in though, we got excited about the calmness because my friend and I wanted to catch up, considering we were both under the drinking age since we last saw each other! Long time…
Anyways, I was very satisfied in every way possible. Our waitress was friendly and also shed light on the fact this place appears to me more of a «spillover» bar for the bar patrons of Clayton, as it gets busy around 1:30 on a weekday. And their décor is great. Kind of dark, but I appreciated the mood lighting for this kind of atmosphere. So if you’re looking for a place that you can hear yourself in, go here, and come early on a weekday. And ask for their specials. They seem to have a lot going on drink special-​wise!

Why is this bar so nice being the first 3 AM bar heading east right off ⁴⁰⁄₆₄ on the Clayton/​McCausland/​Skinker intersection? Leather coaches & chairs with exposed brick dimly lit by track lighting & neon signs is too nice.
I sat @ the shotgun bar drinking & watching well dressed regulars playing Golden Tee and after 1 AM the rush of people came in from the Clayton bars. Some people wore staff shirts from other bars during this Wednesday.
My shot drinking amigo decided we needed substance & the kitchen is open till 2:30 with this menu–
Spinach Artichoke Dip $ 5.95
Queso Dip $ 4.95
A «small» plate of baked stuff Artichoke Bottoms $ 5.95
Plus 4 different personal pizzas for $ 6.95
Spinach Artichoke Dip came with tasty pita chips, but the Queso dip was the perfect post-​drinking companion. The best combo is Queso w/​the pita chips. (FYI– Del Taco is just a block away)
On a Tuesday I wanted to be cheap & sat drinking $ 2.50 Stella Artois & bought some women $ 1 Jell-​O shots, but I have found this place to be more about impressing.

A far cry from the old Hi Pointe, the new Par Lounge has a lofty feel with exposed brick, two extra large flat screen TVs, digital juke box, mahogany and leather.
They’ve got a full bar with some high end liquor, a decent selection of bottled beer and some decent happy hour specials. The crowd is mixed in age, and semi casual.
They have a small menu of pizzas and cheese, sausage, chips & dips, which they plan to build on. Everything on it is under 7 bucks. I did not have the opportunity to try the food.
I’ve only been there once and that was during happy hour (Wed — Fri 5 – 8). So, I don’t have a feel for the true vibe, but I recommend giving this one a try!