On St. Patrick's Day, my wife and I wanted to go out for a nice meal, celebrate the holiday, and have a good time. We decided to eat at Hannegan's because of its Irish name and the St. Patrick's Day specials that were offered. Upon entering the restaurant we learned a lot about the history of the place and some information of which I was not aware. Hannegan's is named for one of Missouri's leading New Deal politicians, St. Louis' "big boss" Robert E. Hannegan. Each table or booth displays a plaque inscribed with the name of a senator who voted to repeal Prohibition. Modeled after the U.S. Senate Dining Room, the room features a magnificent bar and some of the best local jazz around.
The menu offered an appealing variety of food, from Madeline shrimp pasta, roasted prime rib and Kansas City strip to a St. Louis favorite, toasted ravioli. The house specialty--a 20-ounce, double-rib pork chop stuffed with rosemary apple dressing and topped with poivrade sauce--seemed to be a superb value. One could top their meal off with Hannegan's hot deep-dish blackberry pie, accompanied by a satisfying cup of Irish coffee. However, my wife chose the wonderful Irish Stew. I had corned beef with cabbage. The food was delicious and presented in an excellent manner. When we had dessert, we enjoyed a good coffee specialty (I had Bailey's and coffee, my wife had a drink called on Oatmeal Cookie). These only added to our delicious meal.
The restaurant is open from 11:00am-10:00pm (11:00pm on weekends). Reservations can be made, but are not required. You can eat inside, or outside on the sidewalk to enjoy the activity and music which surrounds the visitor in this section of town.