Blueberry Hill: Chuck Berry’s just the beginning
Admittedly, Blueberry Hill’s best known as the venue where, monthly, rock ’n roll legend Chuck Berry plays a sold-out concert. But the bar/restaurant that began the revitalization of St. Louis’ The Loop is a lot more than the house that Chuck built.
From its inception in 1972, Blueberry Hill has been a showcase for musical talent of every description — long before Berry began playing Blueberry Hill’s Duck Room one Wednesday a month. (The friendship between Berry and Blueberry Hill’s owner, Joe Edwards, goes back to the 1980s.) The nightclub has seen such varied artists as singer-songwriter Jason Mraz, Casual Concrete Blonde’s lead singer Johnette Napolitano, alt country band Clem Snide, alt rocker Matthew Sweet, the hip-hop group Earthworms and the Dutch indie-rock band Bettie Serveert.
St. Louis area bands entertain in Blueberry Hill’s Elvis Room, the original live music venue in Blueberry Hill. The old-style cellar bar is packed with 1950s and 1960s memorabilia, including a 24-foot display case’s worth of stuff related to The King. With a capacity of just 200, it provides a very intimate venue for artists.
While you’re waiting for the concert to begin, there are plenty of places to get a drink. Blueberry Hill stocks 60 bottled beers — both domestic and imported — and 18 beers on draft. You can check out the list here. The bar also sells wine by the glass and several champagnes by the glass or bottle. There’s a full bar in case there’s some other libation you’d rather.
You can also enjoy an evening at Blueberry Hill playing darts in the Dart Room, a longtime St. Louis tradition. You can play in the same room that was showcased in the upcoming movie Doubting Tom, which was filmed largely at Blueberry Hill.
HelloSaintLouis Tip: Should you want to grab a bite before or after the music or while you play darts or just hang out, you can do so, right at Blueberry Hill, which is a fine casual restaurant as well as a singular nightclub and bar. The Full Menu is served daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. After 9 p.m., you can order from the Late Night Menu at the main bar, which includes some of the favorites of the Full Menu, including breakfast items. The Late Night Menu continues until midnight except on Sunday, when the kitchen closes at 11 p.m.
Posted by Ivonne Rovira
