Tin Can Tavern and Grille

Not surprised they closed. Terrible service. Mediocre to bad food. The only bright spot was sitting outside and people watching while sipping on a can of Hamm’s. I do miss the beer from the land of sky blue waters.

Well, this place has been closed for a few weeks now which is sad — I always hate to see local businesses shutdown. I realized when I went passed the other day that I never actually Unilocaled this place despite eating there multiple times. So here it is. I’m still holding on to a glimmer of hope that they still may come back brighter, but chances don’t look good!
Some people are a little snobby when it comes to beer in a can, if that’s you then you probably wouldn’t like anything else about this place either. I’m pretty sure that those in the know would tell you that a can is actually the best way to keep the beer fresh and maintain all the subtleties of the flavors and aromas. Besides I’ve never had a problem getting a glass to pour my mighty fine Abbot Ale into! Now that’s a true king of beers! (You can get a Bud Light or a PBR if you want to, it’s just not my choice!)
The Tin Can has the bar on the main level with additional seating for diners on an upstairs mezzanine overlooking the bar. The place is largely decorated by empty cans and personalized can koozies which have been left by all and sundry on shelves around the bar. Sometimes there’s a band or trivia night but I’ve never been around on either occasion.
If you’re going to get food then you can’t go wrong with a cheeseburger and a generous portion of tater tots, stray too far from the beaten path and the menu has a few doozies to beware! Not a big fan of the mac ‘n cheese or the soup. The grilled cheese is decent though. As for the burgers (my mainstay in the Tin Can), you can get 5oz increments up to a massive 20oz burger, I’ve only once gotten the 10oz and I had to about roll out of there! The burgers are flavorful, topped with bacon, cheese and sauteed onions — the perfect combination. Seriously, I don’t understand the desire of anybody to put a bunch of wet «garden» onto a perfectly good burger. Tin Can does it right and doesn’t bother with all that! Besides, once you add bacon it’s already up a notch!
Tin Can will you please return and serve me a delicious burger and a frosty cold one once more? Don’t stay closed, a little piece of Morganford Road just isn’t the same without you!

The Tin Can isn’t my go-​to spot… I’ve been there once, and it’s was just ok. The «Cantankerous wings» weren’t hot enough for me, and looked nearly identical to the regular hot wings my cousin got. Maybe they didn’t sauce them right, maybe the order was given incorrectly, maybe my expectations were too high… meh, oh well. The BBC burger was pretty good… cooked medium (warm, some pink in the middle), and it came w/​Cheddar and bacon… kinda higher than expected @ $ 7.50, but I can’t complain. The fries though? They were thin, and super crispy… that’s not a compliment. If they were thicker, or even if they were thin & not fried so hard, that would’ve been fine by me. Perfect example of thin fries done right? Market Pub House… maybe Tin Can can get a couple of pointers. Anyways… overall cool spot, pretty decent drink & food specials… definitely worth a return visit.

Closed

After driving by this place a ton of times, I finally walked through the doors today.
A friend organized a tweetup, so we had a huge group in the loft upstairs and had a server dedicated to taking care of us. He never complained about all of the split checks or that we kept moving around, mingling among 10 tables but he always found us quickly when he showed up with a drink for someone who had moved. It’s rare to get this good service with such a large group, and I would give them 5 stars for service.
I had no idea what to expect inside. I like that the place is small and the black walls with beer cans on ledges lining every wall. I like that the layout is split into 3 floors. The main floor has the bar and a dozen or so tables, plus a couple of video games and TVs. Upstairs is a loft where we were sitting… perfect for a large group if you come at a time when they aren’t crowded like we did…2 pm on a Sunday. Down a half flight of stairs from the main floor is a pool table.
So if I like it so much, why only 3 stars?
To be honest, I’m not a fan of drinking beer out of a can. The only thing on draft is PBR, and I didn’t want that. I almost asked for a chilled glass to pour my beer into, but figured that wouldn’t go over so well at a place that is named after beer in a can. They do have a pretty good selection of beer if you don’t mind drinking out of metal.
I also thought the food was just ok. Like most bars, you will be lucky to find something that isn’t dripping in calories. They did have a few salads, so I give them credit for that.
I ordered the grilled cheese with tomato bisque. Didn’t like the soup at all. It was so thick it reminded me of a dip consistency, and had just enough tomato in it is give it a rosy color. I really think I was eating a bowl of peach-​colored cream soup. I only took a couple of bites and gave it to a friend for her 3 year old.
The grilled cheese was good, but 6 slices of cheese really is not necessary. It was served on texas toast type bread, and I would prefer normal bread since the edges are all crust with not much cheese. Like a little kid, I ended up leaving most of the crusts on my plate. They just weren’t worth the calories. The gooey middle part of the sandwich was tasty but I’ve definitely had better.
Everyone seemed to be gobbling up their food… I’m not sure if they liked it or were just hungry. I wasn’t very impressed by anything I saw on their plates, but I didn’t taste anything else so I can’t really comment.
Would I go back?
Absolutely. To hang out with friends, maybe get a snack or a drink. But there are plenty of other places I would try before suggesting a return trip.

I should probably do a review update here…
Jesus H. Christ… their Mac n Cheese is probably some of the nastiest stuff I’ve ever put into my body… ever. It tastes and smells of antifreeze! HOW they managed to do that, is beyond me. Also I have no idea what antifreeze tastes like but I’d imagine it tastes like the Tin Can’s Mac n Cheese. It might sound pretentious, but fuck, go to the Shaved Duck if you want amazing Mac n Cheese. If you want impossibly hard trivia and cheap beer in a can with your mates, check out the Tin Can.
It’s not a 1 star place or even a 2 star place in my book but I guess what I am trying to say here is that the atmosphere, entertainment, and good times had with friends is what makes this place. Which is odd because I can be entertained and have a good time with my friends somewhere else. With better mac n cheese. Hmmm. I guess the videogames are a big plus in my book for the Tin Can lol… I will always have fond memories of coming here with a very close girl-​friend whom I spent a lot of time with this summer after she got her house in Tower Grove, and of course with Sean too, before we were ‘officially’ dating… ahhh memories! Like getting angry at the stupid Trivia night thing which prompted me to go to Syberg’s where the food is only marginally better but at least you have a chance at winning giftcards which you can later spend on booze… haha.
Would I go to the Tin Can again? Probably with a group of friends. I came back once or twice by myself after checking out the Haberdashery (also on Morganford) for a beer and it was painfully awkward/​weird. It was also daylight and I was sober so that probably had something to do with it! Seriously! BTW service has always been pretty decent here even when they’ve been busy so kudos to them for that!

Oh, sad day in the land of Unilocal.I have a new restaurant listing on my No-​No list.
Our lunch today at Tin Can Tavern was a total disappointment in all categories.
We started out with chicken wings, that were rubbery and tough. It also grossed me out that I could see the yucky bumps on the chicken skin. I’m not sure, but I think they were just tossed in Frank’s Hot Sauce and that was it. The Blu Cheese they served as a side, was thin and soupy. Two strikes, and we have only had our wings.
The burgers were 5 oz of over cooked beef. When we placed our order, the server started to leave the table and Brad stopped him and asked if he wanted to know the temps for them. He said don’t worry they’ll be fine, we wont over cook’em. Really?
Our burgers were served well — well done. It was like eating the leather sole of your shoe. When ordering, I did not realize they top all burgers with grilled onions and bacon. I pushed mine aside, the bacon was hard and cold.
Side dishes were equally as bad as the burgers and wings. My side was their House specialty Mac — n — Cheese. How they can call this rendition a «specialty» is beyond me. I took one bite and sit it aside. Brad took a bite and said he could not understand how a cook could taste this and say it is good to go, it tasted that heinous. Brad’s side was Tater-​Tots, it is kinda hard to screw up Tater Tots, but Sonic does a better job.
The service was minimal, the two men working were more interested in watching the hockey game on the TV behind the bar. They never even took the time to do a follow-​up after we were served our food. Were they busy? No, it was us and another table of three ladies only drinking beer.
Hell will freeze and pigs will fly before I come back to this dive bar.

I’ve had a love/​hate relationship with this TiNCaN location. Sure, it is probably the cheapest place to get a beer and definitely a must visit place in Saint Louis but, service is sometimes a bit slow and the mood kind of makes me feel like I shouldn’t trouble the server with whatever I need.
The food is ok at best. The menu definitely has some traditional items mixed in with some more non-​traditional bar fare. The grilled cheese sounds absolutely mouthwatering and I will have to make it back again to try it.
The real knock is that it just seems impossible to move around in the place even when there aren’t that many people here. Also, sometimes, the music is just way too loud especially if you are on the lower level. If I can’t tell the bartender what I want, it is too loud.
Also, minimums on cards again? *shake head*
I’ll go back, but only on certain nights.

I LOVE this place.
To start, it’s right around the corner from my house. Which is great, because it’s so close, but also not great, because it means that whenever I feel like not cooking dinner, I can hop around the block and eat so many good foods.
I pretty much always get the grilled cheese sandwich with tomato bisque. The grilled cheese is perfectly greasy and a great accompaniment to the tomato bisque, which is nice and flavorful. The macaroni and cheese is also a great dish to try — it’s sweet! But not overly sweet. Sweet enough that when you eat a bite of it, you think, «hmmm. what is that spice? Is it brown sugar? Nutmeg?»
I can’t really talk about the beer. I’m over 21 and I’ve had beer there, but I’m not a big beer drinker. I think it’s awesomely kitschy that they only serve beer (and a few wines) in cans. Prices seem to be fair.
I just love this place for a quick stop. I can always depend on delicious food and great service.

Moose drool brown ale (in a can) is tasty.
They have a large selection of beers. All served in a can, of course. Our server was very helpful in prescribing the perfect beers for each persons’ individual tastes which was very helpful. He was also very friendly & accommodating, which was nice since I was with a larger group of people.
As far as the food, they have a varied menu with most of it being a creative take on regular bar fare. The food was tasty & arrived exactly as described on the menu. Overall, I think it offered a good value. I gave this restaurant a 3 because I will definitely go back & recommend to others but it may not make my list of regular haunts.

Any place that automatically adds sauteed onions and crispy bacon to their burgers gets a good rating in my book. My husband and I have been here several times and always have a good experience. The man who waits on us (it’s always the same guy) is friendly and makes sure our drinks never run dry.
In the past, I have tried the grilled cheese (yum!) and my husband has tried the catfish, which he enjoyed. Last night, we both ordered burgers for the first time, and I have to say this is one of the best burgers I’ve had in a long time. Like I said to start off the review, they all come with sauteed onions and bacon strips and not all the other fussy stuff that my husband refers to as «garden.» The bun had an almost buttery taste to it and a bit of a crunch as if it had been toasted. For sides, I had the tater tots and my husband had the mac n cheese. I’m sorry if this makes me a five year old again but tots rule!
The beer list is fun and we always like to try a new one. We have never been there late at night but they always have a list of bands coming to play and it looks like a fun spot to meet up with friends. It’s also fun to grab a table outside and enjoy watching people ride by on scooters from the place next door.

Yayayayayayayayayayayayay! Loved this place. You know a bar is your kind of place if you read a 2-​star review of it (Jackie W’s) and you’re like, Hell yeah, that bar sounds AWESOME.
This bar was the perfect bar for my internet blind date the other night. Ohhhhh, how I loathe meeting people off the internet. It leaves you in such a difficult position. You can’t take them to your normal neighborhood spot, because then your normal neighborhood friends will think you’re a whore every time you meet a new dude there, which is going to be often, because let’s face it, the date you’re going on tonight will only end in disaster. You can’t go somewhere too fancy, because that will add to the nervousness, and let’s face it, you’re probably going to end up paying, because let’s face it, the guy you’re on a date with tonight is an unchivalrous loser. You can’t go somewhere too bright, or else your date might see that you don’t actually quite resemble the photo you sent him, and let’s face it, you lied your ass off, little miss 5’8″.
Sooooooooooooo many factors go into picking the spot for your might-​as-​well-​have-​stayed-​home-​and-​brushed-​my-​cat blind date. I normally would never pick a place I had never been to, but Option A was closed, so this was Plan B. Don’t you just love it when Plan B works out???
This. Place. Was. The. Bomb. SUPER friendly bartenders, AHHHH-​MAZING musician (who drowned out the boring snoozers my date was telling), and awesome vibe all around. Hipster? Not from where I was standing. All the beers here come in cans (although I never would have guessed it from the name of this place). Did you know Blue Moon comes in a can?
Thank you, Tin Can, for being the Wing Man of the century, for giving me an eargasm from the hungover but wonderful singer lady, and for being my new go-​to spot to chill with friends and get rejected from the men of St. Louis.

A very good chicken sandwich, a menu mostly of comfort food, good service by a waiter that looks like he owns the place and a good location. I only quickly peeked inside as my whole evening was spent outside. I do like this area and could easily go back here. I am not sure there is anything that makes this place special, especially when some locals with a bit too much to drink are hanging around outside near our table … it’s certainly more like a local bar. Worth a try.

Tin Can was a favorite, but I had to give it up for the smoke. I hear they are non-​smoking now so I’ll have to walk over for my sweet tomato bisque and toasted cheese.
UPDATE: tried to go here on Labor Day. We walked the dog down with us and could not get an outside table. My wife said the inside was packed as well. Will have to try again.

What can I say about the Tin Can that hasn’t already been said? Beer in a can is cheap. This is why I go there. But the food isn’t half bad. I ordered the corn dogs and was not dissappointed. Gotta love a place that has corn dogs on the menu. I’ve also tried their burgers and mash potatoes and meatloaf. All good. Very good.
The atmosphere is interesting. Got into a conversation with some folks from the neighborhood who were in their 50s and definitely drinking heavy on a Sunday afternoon completely enjoying themselves. Gotta love it when age is nothing but a number.
The Morganford location will always be my favorite and only one I visit. I give Tin Can my approval for a cheap afternoon or evening hang out.

One of my favorite places to go and get my comfort food on … the only problem with my review will be that I only have an opinion on a couple menu items because I get the same thing every time !!!
Chicken Fingers, Chicken Fingers, Chicken Fingers — and Fries … and get their delicious Ranch dressing with both … or just bring me a big vat and I’ll bathe in it !!
And who doesn’t love $ 1.75 beer in a can !!!
The service is always friendly if a teeny tiny bit slow but those darn chicken tenders will make you forget any delays !!

Not a dive bar. This place is just boring. It seemed to be filled with frat guys and definitely not what I was expecting. Maybe I came on an off night but I only had one beer, and I couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
This place is just beat.
*It received 2 stars from me (not one) because of the price — cheap.

By all accounts Tin Can has everything I like in a bar: normal dudes, big buck hunter, cheap beer in cans, decent food, relaxed atmosphere. but each time I go there it just feels so blah. I can see why dudes like it for grabbing some lunch or dinner and beers with their dude friends and watching a game. I can see why all the kickball teamers like it to chill out after their games, probably less now since they got booted out of Tower Grove park. I can see why locals like it because it makes a great neighborhood bar by drawing a decent respectful crowd of 20 – 30 somethings, and they have live music on the weekends.
I’m just stuck trying to figure out why I don’t like it. Maybe it’s a little too much sitting in your garage drinking beer with your buddies type of place for me. Maybe it reminds me too much of being 21 and drinking cheap beer with other college kids at the bar next to campus. Maybe I need more weird old people and other various forms of strange drinking in a dive bar for me to like it instead of youths in college sweatshirts and house shoes. Maybe that’s the extra that I’m missing.

I got a picture on my profile of me in a 55 Chevy with factory a/​c and power windows, a family member’s 20 year off the frame rebuild accomplishment (sat @ GM headquarters). His shop is impressive and part of it is a hangout spot. I have been to many backyard garages with seating and TVs.
Tin Can is like sitting at a friends hang out garage and sharing a 12 pack of cans, but you get a bill. The place has a gritty red/​black paint & galvanized steel surroundings with beer cozies & cans racked up on the wall. The table & chairs seem straight out of a 50 diner– cool in a hipsters way. The outdoor seating is more for being seen by the passing cars than «fresh air». The lower level is a collection of more video games than any personal garage or basement I have visited, except two.
For a quick happy hour moment we visited and got $ 1 off the $ 2.75 (I picked Icehouse) or higher ($ 3.50-$ 1=$ 2.50 friend picked bud light) cans and $ 5 wings and tenders. I was saddened that the shrimp was not on special. The food had good flavor, but we wanted more quantity for the price during happy hour.
I do like the concept, but have lived the life. I feel more nostalgic here than cool… Sorry hipsters

The reviews of Tin Can are always pretty varied. Some people absolutely love the place and others think it’s just a manufactured dive bar. It took a while for Zack and me to warm up to the place, but once we did, we were sold. If you live close, this is a great go-​to bar when you don’t feel like venturing out to some place new. They keep it simple and it works.
Cheap drinks, great specials, live music, and good food, what more could you want? The food is great too. I recommend the Turkey Jack, the Mini Corn Dogs, and the Almond Chicken Tenders (but not all at once). And their fries have the best seasoning, you don’t even need ketchup. They have a kids menu and some specials, but I wouldn’t suggest bringing your kids. At least not in the evening due to the smoke.
Anyway, last week we were clued in on the Tin Can VIP membership. The card costs $ 10 but you also get a $ 10 coupon for your next visit. Then every time you use your card at any Tin Can location, 10% of all your purchase goes onto your VIP card and you can spend those points just like you would cash (at any Tin Can location). That includes food, beer, wine and liquor. Zack and I have used it three times and we’ve already racked up over $ 8. It’s a great way for Tin Can to reward regular customers and possibly get some more (like us!).