Here’s everything you should know and some tips and tricks for this year’s season, in case you find yourself in the lucky position of grabbing some tickets and heading to a game of good ole soccer.

Opening in the Fall of 1975, “The Rat,” as it affectionately became known, quickly became a hotspot for events, tasty lunches, and social happenings.

Sometimes simpler is better. With dart boards, pinball machines and a jukebox inside, Blueberry Hill has a low-key vibe that’s perfect for students. Patrons are friendly, laid back and always open for conversation.

Located right on Washington Avenue, one of the city’s chicest streets, Lola defines downtown cool. With an extensive list of handcrafted cocktails, kaleidoscopic paintings covering the walls, savory and sexy cuisine and live entertainment every night, Lola is the new place to be.

After 35 years on the Loop, Riddles Penultimate Café and Wine Bar is closing. The restaurant, which was an integral part of the Loop’s revitalization in the 1980s and attracted local musical acts to the Loop, was popular among students for its locally-sourced cuisine, extensive beer menu, and accessible weeknight entertainment.

Although the exterior resembles a newly renovated fast-food joint, there’s a reason why Harry’s Restaurant and Bar has become the new go-to Friday night spot for this year. Situated on Market Street in downtown St. Louis, this half-restaurant, half-bar venue provides some good beats, plus a crowd that’s as local as it gets.

The Central West End is growing trendier and trendier every day, and if you ever get a chance to stumble into Mandarin Lounge (located at 44 Maryland Plaza), you’ll see that our club scene is actually pretty hoppin’. Buddy Coy and Pete Ferretti, the masterminds behind the Nectar and Pepper Lounges, brought Mandarin Lounge to our humble city.

St. Louis happenings for the week of March 1, 2010.

Complaints about alleged race discrimination by a Chicago bar against six black Washington University students have prompted state and federal investigations and a likely lawsuit to be filed by the students against the bar.