Review: Tick Tock Tavern
Tick Tock Tavern is easy to miss if you pass by too quickly. But if you’re in the mood for something outside the norm, this wonderfully kitschy and relaxed corner bar is worth looking for.
The interior looks like Grandpa decided to dress up his 1970s basement with a string of Christmas lights, which dangles from a wood shingle awning behind the bar. So-bad-they’re-good knickknacks, felt paintings, vintage ads and two-bit suburban-estate-sale wall hangings decorate the place. It’s dim and cozy; it’s got owls perched on a wood-paneled wall and a sit-down Ms. Pac Man machine. The intense, retro-chic vibe works for one simple reason: It doesn’t feel staged. Instead, it feels like home.
The cocktail menu features yesteryear’s corner bar favorites, consisting of about a half-dozen concoctions scribbled on a board behind the bar. A Gin Rickey, rye Manhattan, white wine spritzer and Seagram’s VO High Ball all make an appearance. The best of the bunch was an original: The Butler Miller cocktail with vodka, lime juice and Chambord. Refreshing, fruity and potent, it’s an ideal old-school house party libation. Mixology, barrel-aged and house-infused may be foreign terms in this throwback joint, but that’s as it should be. If the cocktails fail to please, a dozen or so draft beers are available, including local breweries like Schlafly, Urban Chestnut and The Civil Life. Draft options are supplemented by myriad bottles and cans, popular with the neighborhood crowd. If you’re looking to kick back with a tall can of Stag, Coors, Miller High Life or even a stubby little bottle of Mickeys, this place has a bar stool ready for you. The bar is cash only, but service comes fast with a smile and an occasional $2 bill with your change – another of the bar’s quirks.
Like the decor, the patrons of Tick Tock are eccentric and laid-back. Expect a fair share of sleeve tattoos, beards and thrift-shop wardrobes. For the most part, this is still a neighborhood spot, one that attracts a casual mishmash of 20- to 40-somethings looking to relax the night away.
A trip next door to Steve’s Hot Dogs is pretty much obligatory, given that a short hallway connects the place, and because it serves some of the best hot dogs in St. Louis. Steve Ewing, owner and member of local band The Urge, has built himself a loyal following of hot dog and sausage enthusiasts. In about the time it takes to finish half a beer, you can have Steve’s Famous Chili-Cheese Dog or an Al Hra-BRAT-ski bratwurst (about $6 each) delivered fresh to your table at Tick Tock. By the time you finish the oversized gourmet Nathan’s hot dog smothered in magical chili, you’ll be ready for another drink, wondering why every bar can’t be as effortlessly good as this.
