Part of the Gay St. Louis Guide — bars, events & things to do.
St. Louis, Missouri
The Grove's flagship gay bar with a dance floor, drag stage, and two patios
One of the last dedicated gay bars on Manchester Avenue in The Grove, St. Louis’s historically queer nightlife strip. Just John is a large, multi-bar venue with a dedicated dance floor, a stage for drag and karaoke, and two patios — including a heated, covered deck where smoking is allowed. The current owners took over in 2009 and put $100K into renovations. Weekly programming rotates between DJ dance nights on weekends, regular karaoke hosted by DJ Mego, Homo Bingo, and drag shows. The bar opens as early as 2 PM daily (noon on Sundays), so it functions as a daytime hangout as much as a late-night destination. As The Grove has gentrified and several gay bars have closed around it, Just John has become the primary dance and nightlife anchor for St. Louis’s queer scene.
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