After a long, hard day, one of the best things about living in the city is that it’s possible to take your pick from any number of killer restaurants to make dinner for you.

If you’re like me, and long days often involve working late and impromptu plans, you might find yourself wandering into an establishment past the prime dining hours.

My favorite thing to do in that situation is to find a place with an inviting bar and belly up.

Though I’ve been known to belly up at any time of the day, late nights are my favorites, because the bartender is less likely to forget about you because you’re sitting right in front of them, and they’re always quick to refill your drink.

Spots at the bars on my list are no secret — sometimes it’s harder to get a stool than a table.

SAINT DINETTE

I almost never sit at a table at this finer diner in Lowertown, because the deep, long bar offers views of the kitchen and conversation with one of their friendly, knowledgeable bartenders.

Order anything from their best-in-class, cheffed-up burger to octopus, trout, or the crab capellini with fresh Thai basil, a dish I ordered more than a month ago and can’t stop thinking about.

Saint Dinette: 261 E. Fifth St., St. Paul; 651-800-1415; saintdinette.com

BRUNSON’S PUB

Bar seats at this East Side eatery are often difficult to score. To get a spot, we’ve been known to hover respectfully behind people who look like they will be leaving soon.

My favorite menu item here is the deceptively simple ham sandwich, topped with brie and arugula and served with the bar’s addictive house-made chips (do yourself a favor and pay extra for the house-made dill and onion dip). Cocktails here are way better than the average and cost a lot less than their counterparts elsewhere in town.

Brunson’s Pub: 956 Payne Ave., St. Paul; 651-447-2483; brunsonspub.com

REVIVAL

The bar at the St. Paul location of this Southern-food mecca is deep enough to contain those giant plates of fried chicken and all the sides you’re sure to order.

The cocktails here are top notch, too, especially their alcoholic version of sweet tea, which is the perfect pairing to all Southern food. Order the chicken (duh) and my favorite side, the buttery, cheesy grits.

Revival: 525 Selby Ave., St. Paul; 651-340-2355; revivalfriedchicken.com

DARK HORSE BAR AND EATERY

For really late nights, this is our go-to spot.

The kitchen is open late, even serving a happy hour menu until 2 a.m., and there are two bars to belly up to — a giant one inside, and a smaller version on the restaurant’s gorgeous alleyway patio. The beer and whiskey lists here are lengthy, and the eclectic food menu spans tasty, thin-crust pizza to rice bowls to sandwiches.

Dark Horse Bar and Eatery: 250 E. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-313-7960; darkhorsebarandeatery.com

MERITAGE

Bad day, good day, impromptu celebration — I can find any excuse to belly up to Meritage’s gorgeous oyster bar. I love to let the chef choose which oysters to shuck for me and I almost always end up trying something new.

If you’re not an oyster fan, there is an entire menu of French favorites, from steak frites to a simple, delicious roast half chicken with perfectly crispy skin. The wine list is stellar, and cocktails are crafted with care.

Meritage: 410 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-222-5670; meritage-stpaul.com

BAR BRIGADE

There are just a few seats at the bar at this inviting French-inspired tavern on Cleveland Avenue, but if you can score one, it’s the most lively place to be. We like to order several dishes here and graze, like the simple, delicious broccoli and lentil salad or the mouth-watering trout with lemon sauce. Cocktails are really good here, but mostly we drink the lovely, minerally French rose that they have on tap.

Bar Brigade: 470 Cleveland Ave., St. Paul; barbrigade.com

GRAY DUCK TAVERN

Another deep, sizable bar where a stool is probably the most popular seat in the restaurant, bellying up at Gray Duck is always a good idea.

Complicated and tasty craft cocktails, one of the best burgers in town, thoughtful salads and platters of roasted meats are just some of our favorites to order here. The beer list, composed of offerings from local breweries, is great, too. It’s a go-to spot for us before or after downtown events.

Gray Duck Tavern: 345 Wabasha St., St. Paul; 651-340-9022; grayduckstpaul.com

GRAND CATCH

It might be the newest restaurant on the list, but a seat at the bar of chef Sameh Wadi’s new seafood boil restaurant is already one of the hottest in town. Refreshing, tropical cocktails with kooky names, mocktails on tap for teetotalers, and spiced-up, sharing-sized seafood boils make Grand Catch a naturally social affair. Be sure to wear the bib if you’re cracking crab legs or shrimp, and don’t worry about looking goofy — it’s all part of the fun.

Grand Catch: 1672 Grand Ave, St. Paul; 651-348-8541; grandcatchmn.com

STEWART’S

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Here’s your list of 20+ places offering State Fair food & drinks in lieu of the Fair One of the best things owner Max Thompson did when he remodeled the former 128 Cafe was to put in a front-and-center bar. The curved, metal surface has plenty of space for your drinks and dinner, and the tile work on the lower part of the bar and the floor is modern and mesmerizing. Prices are crazy affordable for the scratch-made offerings, including a killer burger, a tasty walleye shore lunch and an eclectic mishmash of entree offerings from a vegetable stir fry to Thai curry to steak and fries. Cocktails are upscale, but you’ll recognize what’s in them, and service is always friendly here.

Stewart’s: 128 Cleveland Ave., St. Paul; 651-645-4128; stewartsminnesota.com