Stopped by here for some binge drinking a couple of months ago, and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a lot of fun. Of course, I didn't socialize with any of the college (and post-college) aged crowd, but the atmosphere was lively, seating was surprisingly ample when we arrived after 1AM, and hey, there's no last call in Nevada!
Love the 50s era brick, animal hospital exterior and neon signage! The photobooth isn't worth it if you have more than two people. Bring your own good company to kick it with, unless you are into the bros and hoes crowd.
Oh, Infirmary, you could be so much more than you are, if only you tried a bit harder!
One of the first things you'll notice as you enter the Infirmary is a lack of seating. While there are seats at the bar, and a small sectional in the corner, the Infirmary is completely unsuited to relaxing and enjoying oneself, infirm or no, due to this glaring flaw. Better be sure you're wearing comfy kicks when you visit, because it's likely you'll be standing allllllll night.
They have a decent wine list, beers, and a large selection of specialty cocktails, but really, this place is nothing to write home about. There are many more interesting and comfortable places to hang out in Reno.
One plus: They do have a good selection on the jukebox. The bathrooms are tidy, so that's another point in the Infirmary's favor. But really, Infirmary, I'm just not that into you.
I cannot emphasize this enough: it smells like Port-a-Potty in here. I think the prevailing theory is that the stench emanates from the photobooth at the front of the bar. But, regardless of where the smell originates, the fact remains that this place really, really smells of Port-a-Potty. Smell it for yourself. You will not disagree. It is a most distinct, pungent scent.
Primarily for this reason, I really like to avoid going to St. James if I'm going to have to stay inside for any reason. The most fun time to patronize this bar is on the weekend, during the summer. When it's warm enough outside, the bar has a great upstairs deck complete with string lights, heat lamps, a second bar and sweet, sweet fresh air. And it's usually pleasantly (sometimes unpleasantly) crowded on the weekends.
I've had good nights and bad nights at St. James. It's not the worst bar in Reno, but it's not the best. A few of their specialty cocktails are quite delicious, and a few of the employees are super cool. But, man, I just can't get over that terrible smell downstairs.
Oh, and speaking of the photobooth, I do not recommend it. My friend totally paid $3 to take a series of pictures of someone else's chin. Not worth the price, in my opinion.
Was in Reno for a weekend for an *amazing* double birthday. Fellow birthday girl suggested this bar to check out, and I am so glad that she did.
Not sure when we arrived, but it was a Saturday night. Rolled in, most of us somewhat intoxicated already. Snagged the booth by the window and proceeded to enjoy an excellent evening of debauchery. Rocked out at the jukebox and had some very tasty drinks. Bonus points for the bathroom being clean and well lit!
Don't know how I was standing when we left. Can't wait to go back.
This bar is in my personal pantheon of great Reno bars, along with the Blue Lamp, the Green Room, and Area 51. The decor and vibe hits the perfect note of elegant, decaying nostalgia. Â The jukebox is a well-selected CD jukebox, not one of those streaming music monstrosities that have popped up everywhere in the past few years and nearly eliminated from our cultural landscape the sublime pleasure of a really well put together jukebox. Amorous barflys seeking to add a new gambit to their flirting vocabulary can coax the object of their affection into a photobooth. The top deck is a great place to see both a summer sunset and a winter moonrise whilst sipping a very smart drink.
The beer menu is fantastic, the drinks are very well mixed, and the artisanal cocktail menu is especially well crafted. The staff is friendly, welcoming, and personable.
I especially commend you to the Tuesday night trivia, hosted by aspiring Reno raconteur wit Brad Bynum. Really a good time.
Whether you fancy yourself a gadabout, a shenaniganista, an artist, or a revolutionary in waiting, St. James is a great place to connect with friends, to see Reno Midtown Rats and hipsteratti in their natural environment, to meet a first internet date, and to hatch schemes.
Amazing beer selection, unique cocktails, fun staff, and great atmosphere. This place has it all. Of all the bars in Reno, this is definitely the most fun to hang out in.
The jukebox has some seriously incredible tunes in it, but if you're lucky, you'll catch a live show. When the house is packed wall to wall, the energy is tangible.
Also, be sure not to miss Tuesday Night Trivia. It's a great way to have fun in the middle of the week and test your knowledge of everything from geography to history to pop culture. The host is hilarious, so even if you're not winning you're still having fun.
All in all, any night spent here will be well worth it.
As a new resident of this area I mainly go to the bars surrounding the casinos. But on this particular Saturday night a friend took me here. Â It's located on a quiet street, far from the normal bars downtown. The only thing that gives it away as a bar is the open roof top that is pointed towards the street. We got there around 9:30 and it was fairly empty so the service was very quick and our bartender was friendly and recommended a good beer on tap for me. They have a very interesting list of cocktails and beers, so it's a good place to go if you want to try something different but good. Â At the bar we were able to see the bartenders making drinks, and we noticed that they used a lot of fresh ingredients such as ginger, cucumbers, and mint. They can do the vodka crans, rum and cokes but they seem to be very good at making their house drinks that require much more work but are worth it in the end. I like this bar because everyone is laid back, there are plenty of seats, and they have a photo booth which can document your drunken night. They also play black and white movies on their tv screens, which is nice not to see espn or mtv playing like most other bars. The best thing about this place I have to say is the doorman, like my friend said, he looks like the evil villain from the matrix or from willy wonka, but he is actually the nicest guy.
So this place gets fours stars because of their drink selection, they weren't very packed so it was easy to find seat, and the door man makes me smile.
I have come to this place on several occasions and have yet to have an enjoyable experience. The staff (including the rudest owner ever) are incredibly pretentious and unhelpful. They have a pretty impressive liquor selection (hence the two stars instead of one), but are incredibly overpriced.
Example of my interaction with the OWNER:
Me: "You used to have Old Rasputin on tap. Will you be getting that in again anytime soon?"
Owner: "I dont know, but we have Obsidian Stout and its the same thing. You should get that."
Me: "I dont really think they're the same and Im a huge fan of Old Rasputin."
Owner: "I already told you I dont know if we're gonna get it back in. I dont have time to argue with you about it. Now what do you want?"
Wow. I recommend Chapel down the street; same awesome selection of alcohol sans the pretentious and assholishness.
I love this place in the summer when the patio is open upstairs. The indoor space is small but spread out well enough to alleviate any sense of claustrophobia. Typically it's a mid 20's - mid 30's crowd. Good music, interesting people, extensive drink menu. Try the Fred and Ginger. Gin-based...obviously. Fruity. Yum.
Location is a bit out of the way from the rest of the Reno bar scene. But that can be a deifnite positive.
Very social. Not a dark or dreary place. Upbeat and bustling for the most part. And ultimately I think that's what draws me here...good energy. =]
This place is a bit spotty in terms of enjoyment.
On rush nights, like weekends, if you can't get a table, and end up standing around in the main area, it's not enjoyable. You can't get drinks easily, and just feel awkward, since standing room is in the middle of the space. The space on the roof is pretty cool, especially in the summer, but it's hit or miss in terms of being able to get it, if the night is busy enough. The music is also pretty loud on rush nights, which, even if it's good music, is not conducive to anything except trying to sign conversations and yell loudly in the person's ear next to you.
Generally, for a night out on a weekday, the atmosphere is enjoyable, and good for small groups looking for a cozy place to chat and enjoy drinks. Beer on tap is good, and the rest of the drinks aren't bad.
The staff has always been very friendly, with good service. Never had a complaint about service.
Recommend for weekdays and happy hour, but not on weekends unless you get there early enough and snag a table.
This place can be awesome, and it can be terrible.
The decor is fantastic. I love looking at the huge collage on the wall to see what movies/artists I recognize. The music is always great and the jukebox selections are the best in town, though this is another one of those bars that doesn't understand that it's harder to talk when the music is blaringly loud.
The beer selection is most excellent. A little on the pricey side, but when the beer is good I am likely to complain less (but only a little). They have a little bit of everything and their menu breaks it down very nicely into categories. So if I'm looking for a pale ale, I know what they've got immediately without having to sift through an entire list to spot it/them. And this is important because the bartenders can't be bothered to answer your questions.
Leading me to my next point: I have never received good service at this place. Every time I order something it's like I'm inconveniencing the bartender. They never seem happy. They work quickly, but you can't be too busy to smile, can you? Then on top of that they are constantly messing up the prices during happy hour and/or not knowing what the proper glass is for the beer I just ordered. OK that one was an isolated incident, but I'm still exploiting it. Apparently for others the bartenders are friendly. My girlfriend and I are both sexy and so we should have friendly service too. Still hasn't happened. Or maybe other people don't value smiles as much as I do.
Busy nights can be really annoying. Upstairs you have to deal with crowding and lack of seats, downstairs you have to deal with the loud(er) music and constantly coming into eye contact with the bartender you didn't tip (like they deserved it). Perhaps if they turned the music down a little the bartenders wouldn't be so grumpy and they could easily communicate with customers. Maybe they want the music loud so our friends might not hear us complain about how much they suck. I don't know.
Late night happy hour is pretty cool, though, as is trivia night. Many a free beer to be had if you and your friends know trivia. If not, many a fun fact to be learned.
It's worth coming from time to time during less busy nights because the place really is nice and so is the beer.
No doubt about it, this place be hip. Whenever I go there, I'm in the presence of real-life Reno celebrities, like writers for the notorious News & Review, local sports anchors (50% of the time they're even drunk and will wink at you! I recommend going after the 11pm newscasts to get a 70% chance of winking) and hip professors (always 100% chance of drunk in this category, winking not so much).
Aside from the stardom I'm graced with and the sweet, sweet after hours happy hour on Saturdays and Sundays, I hate going here. I really do.
Luckily, technology is advancing quickly and the bartenders should be replaced with machines in no time. I think it would greatly enhance my experience and my wallet, as they tend to not give you all your change back because they "forget" about happy hour or, when you request for the correct change back, they insist that you tip bartenders and refuse to give you all of your change back because "I deserve it." You know what that guy deserves? Unemployment due to more competent robots, that's what. Also, a sucker punch.
So, check it out for celebs and perhaps bring a flask instead.
I LOVE St James!... Â I frequent this place quite a bit and the staff are amazing andd friendly.
You have your choice at St James.... either its a fun night downstairs, sitting in one of the comfy cushioned booths, or head upstairs for a drink and a smoke on the roof!... Â During the summer, they open the bar upstairs which is pretty awesome and convient....
It doesnt matter if you there for the super tough triva (and I have done my fair share of Bar trivia nights and the St Jame by far has had the hardest questions), a mid week drink after work, or if you are there partying it up on a friday night, you will have a great time.... mostly locals which is nice as well....
Great, great, GREAT, beer selection ( I had a hazelnut beer last time I was there that was quite possibly one of the best tasting beers I've ever had!)....
This is a pretty cool little spot to grab a drink in Reno. The atmosphere is interesting/cool--they have little televisions behind the bar that are always playing old black & white movies. They also have a photobooth which is fun. They have a patio upstairs which is great when the weather is nice.
The bouncer there is really nice and the bartenders know what they're doing. St. James makes the best Blueberry Press in Reno! They put fresh blueberries in it which makes it so pretty.
This is a fun place, but I always wish that there was more seating, and I seriously meet the weirdest people here.
First time in this place for me since it's inception and I have to say that what I've heard thus far was a far exaggeration in the negative.
Such a quaint little place and very well set up! Â Absolutely enjoyed the outdoor seating area which I summize is a banging area during the warmer seasons. Â The inside is very neat and clean and welcoming. Â The white cushiness of the bar stools and other seats was an enjoyable surprise from the usual bar stools and booths.
Oh my they have a lot of beer. Â Not just beer, but good beer. Â Not just good beer but damn good beer! Â Their beer list is only paralleled by Lincoln Lounge (another fav spots of mine). Â From darks to lights and from buds to lites their list was pretty robust. Additionally the rest of their bar was loaded as well! Â Prices were a bit high I felt for some of the upper end beers but not out of the question.
What surprised me the most about this bar, given it's swankiness, I was shocked how good the service was!! Â I wasn't even at the bar to order yet and this gentleman was already putting out a drink napkin for me!
My visit was on a sunday night for a friends b-day '20's themed party and there was live jazz. Â Now I'm not sure if this band is a regular attraction at St James, but they should be. Â They were awesome! Â It should be illegal to have jazz music that good played by people that young! Â Almost made to consider becoming a regular Sunday night caller - had I not a location I frequent Sunday night.
Another super cool locally owned and operated business (See a trend in my reviews!). Â Decor is impressive, but not as impressive as there beer bottle list! Â They also an have an upstairs patio that was cold as a witch's nipple, but I was there on a weeknight and they have heat lamps out there. Â It would be awesome in the summer.
Friendly barkeeps and it is nice to drink some different beers!
St. James Infirmary is not just the best bar in Reno. It's one of the best bars in America. I couldn't be happier that a place like this has found a home in Reno. All that potential is finally starting to be realized in this town.
The reason this place is so fantastic is simple - it has everything you (or any of your friends) could want. You want fancy, plush white seats with some glitz and odd shades of purple? You got it. You want interesting mixed drinks you haven't heard of before with names the bartender made up 5 minutes ago? You got it. You want a gender imbalance favorable to men? You got that too! Or...you want the best beer selection in Reno? Or a sweet juke box with some Micheal Jackson tunes? Or a totally chill roofdeck where you can have a beer in the warm, quiet, summer air until 3am? You can have all of it.
Seriously, no matter what vibe you are looking for, the combination of up-tempo glitzy downstairs and the rooftop deck upstairs, the liquor, the beer selection, and the totally underrated Reno Local Person make this a really, really good time.
A really cool place. Â I absolutely love the decor -- swanky white leather, black and white photos decoupaged on the wall, and the cool neon signs. I especially loved the little photo booth, what a great idea.
They have a huge selection of beers. So much so that it took a while of perusing the menu for my friends to pick one. Â The cocktails were on point. Â I had the Fred & Ginger -- a little sour, a little spicy from the ginger. Â I was a fan. The prices weren't outrageous, but not cheap either. Â There was live jazz playing (on a Tuesday night) and the place was hipster central. I definitely felt like I didn't fit into their cool crowd because we were lacking the trendy scarves, super thick-rimmed glasses and murses. Â But whatever, the bar was a nice place to chill, have a drink, and listen to music.
I would love to see what this place is like on a Friday or Saturday but I guess it will have to wait until my next trip to Reno.
I prefer it on slow quiet nights as I dig it when it's a place I can sip on delicious cocktails and share conversations with friends in a moody but chic environment. Â Sometimes they play some really loud music that brings out the "whooo hooo" crowd that I'm just too old and mellowed out to appreciate. Â There is still refuge on the rooftop when the main bar gets crowded and sweaty. Â
Really gorgeous and unpretentious waitresses and hardworking bartenders. Â yay for that. Â They have a good staff and generally a good mixed clientele. Â Wouldn't hesitate to bring friends, family, co-workers who are all quite different to this bar, which is cool in my book.
Hipster watching at it's finest, plus they make strong drinks in a real swanky environment. Â San Fransicko's would feel at home here but don't let that deter you. Â The bartenders are very chill and you just can't beat the black and white photo booth when you are drunk on micro brews or premium vodka. Â
I feel like this is one of the first places I'd take big city people who are visiting my humble little town.
We hit up St. James last Saturday night. Â As soon as we walked in, we were hit with a wall of sound. Â I love live bands, but it was a pretty small venue which made it LOUD. Â Why wasn't anyone dancing?! Â Sorry, but I thought that was kinda odd.
We waited at the bar far longer than I would have liked. Â I'm not really a patient bitch, especially when I need a drink. Â Bartender poured nicely, but it took a while.
The decor looked pretty schnazzy. Â I missed the photo booth, total bummer! Â
The rooftop deck is sweet, but I don't get why the upstairs bar wasn't open. Â Guaranteed they would have sold at least another grand of booze by having it open.
All in all, I think I have to go back to determine if I truly like this place or not. Â Seemed to have a mixed crowd, more on the Rockabilly side. Â Next time I will dress more appropriately.
I would give St James 5 Stars if it weren't for the horrible smell. A friend of mine thinks it is the developer in the photo booth that reeks so effing bad as soon as you walk in. Not only that but it's hot as a sauna so the first impression I get when I walk in is what I imagine a men's locker room on a hot day must smell like. The woman's restroom smells badly also, but in a different way. I've worked in many places where the floor drains get stinky every few weeks, a few cups of hot water poured down it usually remedy the stench. I almost suggested this to the bartender last time I was in but since he had already rolled his eyes at me for ordering a bloody mary not spicy I decided to let it go.
Now onto the good stuff. The bar is beautiful. White vinyl covering everything, refurbished old school neon signs, a photo booth (that is badass even if it does smell bad) and a jukebox really make it a place I don't mind spending time in. They have a long list of beers and whiskeys (two of my favorite things) and an upper deck for smoking or hanging out in the summer. Last summer they also had a fabulous cocktail menu that I rather miss. I love places that make great cocktails from scratch.
Over all St James is awesome. They just need to get that smell under control.
Cooler than ice cold!
I was extremely impressed with this venue from the moment I walked in. The decor is pretty much flawless, all the way down to the intentionally black and white TVs over the bar. Â Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I was taken up to the patio on the roof! Â I got a little bit nostalgic, as it reminded me of the good old days when we would go to Deux Gros Nez (formerly down the street) as teenagers and climb up on the roof. Â
Love the vibe here! Â It is definitely my new favorite Reno bar, one of the first places I will be sure to bring my friends to when we visit Reno.
Somehow this place has continually improved since they opened over a year ago. They've added a whole bunch of fancy champagne cocktails to their already decent drink list. Their beer selection is VAST.
They now have a jazz group from UNR that plays every Tuesday w/ no cover. And chill jazz too... think Mingus. Super relaxing escape after work or class. Â
I love you St. James. You should let me move in upstairs.
After getting a sandwich at the Rubicon Deli, I went into St. James Infirmary to check it out since it is in the front (Cal Ave side) of the same building as Rubicon. I only had time for one beer because my phone started blowing up so I had to step outside and then go.
I like the decor and the solid selection of beers on draft. I had a Belgian Wit beer with a slight hint of apple nose. I know it sounded weird enough to me, to want to try it and I really liked it. I forgot the name of it but it was good, not sweet, just a hint of apple on the sour/citrus side.
I shall return, hopefully soon.
Meh, I'm not a bar person. Â Didn't even know this was actually a bar and not a local ER until somebody told me a month ago - go figure. Â I was on designated-driver duty this past Saturday night while my two lady friends enjoyed some refreshing cocktails. Â It was my first time at SJI. Â Can't say that I was overly impressed by the downstairs area, not that any bar ever really impresses me much so take it with a grain of salt. Â I didn't see that many good looking women (as in none), so minus 5 stars right off the first impression bat (joking). Â So hopefully SJI appreciated me bringing two along, ha-ha.
Then we went upstairs to the patio. Â It was packed, but we found just enough room for my two friends to squeeze in tight with me in the middle on the side bench. Â Things were improving! Â Seriously though, the patio gives a nice view of California Avenue and the ambience improves 100% up there for me. Â I don't need overly loud music pounding my senses into the ground to enjoy myself. Â Despite being an open air patio nobody was smoking, which I consider a 5 star move if it's this way all the time.
So downstairs 2 stars, upstairs 4 stars, and decent tasting water; 3 stars overall. Â I would only come back for chilling with some friends and drinks on the upstairs patio, plus I can stumble home since it's only a block or two away.
I think I come here more than I should! It is right in my neighborhood and a great place to meet up with friends! I love the roof top patio. They now have a bar open up there on the weekends serving a limited bar, mostly beer and a few mixed drinks. The owners and staff are awesome! They also have one of the only old school photo booths, very fun.
As Crystal mentioned the crowd here is very diverse which makes it a lot of fun. All in all this is a great addition to Reno and the downtown scene.
I came here for the first time a few weeks ago to see Tim Barry play a show on a snowy Sunday night.
This bar is setup very nice white white leather seats and booths and the bar is able to sit quite a few people.
They have some beers that I have never heard of, which is a good thing to me because you can only drink the same 3-4 beers so many times until you get bored.
Tim Barry played amazing, I had a green apple wit that I was happy with and the snow had stopped just before I decided to drive home. Over all a good deal.
I've been here twice, odd, considering I don't live in Nevada.
The first time I went, I think it was new. There was barely anyone in there, and I had the feeling that it was someone's pet project. It was done up all nice, with a mod-y vibe, with old photos, 60's films, and music. The staff were awful friendly like, and the cocktail list was small, but good.
It felt a bit too nice, not alot of character, but something that I reckoned would come with time. That being said, it was a bar for locals in a town built on tourism and tacky casinos. Which was nice.
The second time I went, it was as though every single person who lived in Reno had made it their local, and they were all there. Suits, hipsters, a bus full of Burners, a flash mob of Olivia-Newton-John-Physical-video-extras, 2 girls in garden party dresses following one another like a rather short trail of quails, squat builder types, and myself and my friend. We seemed to be on another plane of existence than everyone else there. From careful observation, the one uniting factor, the one thing that brings everyone together is the doorman. Everyone knows him, he is friendly with everyone.
As we were leaving, yet another strange group were arriving, and i'm sure the hilarity was about to ensue. We were invited into a bus parked outside, for a cocktail. A cocktail bus outside of a bar. We declined, and hopped in a cab where the seats were reclined all the way back.
Dammit i wanted to be number one on this review. Â This new bar kicks ass. it will kick more ass in the summer when their deck opens. Â Great calave location, nice mix of people, great drink and beer menu, no smoking...thats nice, no food.
Interior is very cool retro/modern lounge. They kept the original Society Cleaners signs in there. Â I dig people that value nostalgia. Â White vinyl booths and lots of private space make it a great place for a small group of friends.
Bartenders and staff are friendly and fast.
Cant miss here. Â I will frequent this place for sure.
So, I went into this place shortly after they opened. Â
The two real strengths are the roof top patio, and the drinks. Â The patio provides a nice alternative to being inside, while the drinks fit the decor.
The place is done up in a '50s style, and many of the cocktails match, such as an Old Fashioned (served in a brandy snifter) and a Manhattan.
I wasn't so impressed with the interior decor - the walls are covered in black and white photos, and there are cream colored leather couches, and several nice nooks. Â The actual bar has the '50s look, with dark surfaces and glass. Â The part that doesn't work for me is two white neon signs. Â There's a large (probably 5' x 8') sign that says "Society" in script lettering, and there's a smaller sign in the back that says "Reno." Â The issue to me is that the signs are overwhelming - I'm not sure who thought that having bright neon in a dark bar was a good idea. Â (Which is one reason I like the patio.)
That being said, they do have plenty of nooks and crannies with the way they have their seating set up, which is a nice plus.
Probably won't be a regular stop for me, but still a decent vibe . . .
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