Tips for a 1st time StL Visitor

depending on how much you are willing to spend check out stubhub for tickets to saturday's game.

Shannons is near the stadium (one block north and right on the "concrete pond" that was the old stadium.  F15TEEN is supposed to open at 930pm from everything I can find on Saturday night (edmond's restaurant) so I would expect that to be packed, it is at 19th and Locust street (not really walking distance from stadium.  If you have your car then I would suggest eating at the Hill I have heard good things about LaRousso's, Favazza's, and Gian-Tony's on The Hill.  That is it for now I will try to get you some more later.

... downtown is within walking distance of the stadium. It's great Italian food, affordable (most entrees are $10-15 and the house wine is good) and the atmosphere is casual and laid-back. It's where Tommy Lasorda hangs out whenever he's in town. In fact, Lasorda has his own table permanently on reserve; if he walks in the door, whoever is sitting there has to get up and move.

most of the downtown bar scene is on the Landing. i prefer the Loop (on Delmar St.), but that's not downtown, although the Metro does go there. there are a few bars in Union Station downtown, but they are generally overpriced. there's a riverboat casino with a poker room downtown (the President's) if that's your thing.

Just south of the stadiums a couple miles is the Soulard area that has some good bars.  Johnny's has the best wings ever (the creole wings) and McGurk's is a good ole pub with a large beer garden and seating area in the back.

Also, near the Hill, is O'Connell's Pub...the site of the best burgers I have ever eaten.

stlfan

Dooley's near 8th and Olive - excellent burgers, reasonable food

or

Flannery's near washington and 14th - Good happy hour on Friday, average bar food.

both downtown

is near westport so if anyone knows of a cool place near there let me know

thanks for the tips

From the stadium, head about three or four blocks south on Broadway to the Broadway Oyster Bar.  Nice atmosphere, the 'talent' level, as the kids say, is consistently high, and they have the most wonderful fried alligator.  It may sound a little frightening, but trust me.  Outstanding.  

The Square One Brewery over by Lafayette square is a fantastic place to eat, and their selection of potables is unbeatable.  

If you're out by Westport, there's a decent selection of stuff out that way, but seeing as how you're going to be driving or taking a cab anyway, you should really check out the Hill, (Cunetto's is really great, along with all the places mentioned above) and the Loop really shouldn't be missed.  Riddle's Penultimate is one of the best restaurant's in the whole city, and it's not really that well known, so you can almost always get a table without calling ahead or much of a wait or anything.  The Tivoli theatre, (also in the Loop) always has the best selection of independent films and such in the city, if you like that sort of thing.  Check out Blueberry Hill, too.  Every once in a while Chuck Berry still performs there.