5. John D. McGurk's Irish Pub & Garden

This is one of my favorite places on earth! The help is friendly, the entertainment it top notch, and the atmosphere is authentic. One complaint, and one only--although in my mind's eye it is a biggie--a few years ago they changed the potato soup recipe. It used to be the best I ever had, now it is mediocre, at best. Overall, it is one of the best bars in St. Louis, certainly the best pub, and rivals the authentic ones I visited in Scotland and Ireland.