When I was pretending to be straight in my early twenties, I met one of the most incredible women in South City. Her name was Bay Tran. Bay’s family came to St. Louis from Vietnam.
Fast forward to the streets of South Grand in the early 2000s—I reunited with the one and only Bay, one of the first out lesbians I ever met. Back then, her family owned one of the best hidden bars in the city. Many of us still remember The Upstairs Lounge. Bay’s girlfriend at the time bartended there and hosted lesbian nights. It was one of those places where music, courage, and community all collided.
Downstairs, Bay’s family also owned Mekong—the restaurant where a lot of us white county lesbians first learned what a spring roll was. It was a place where curry, culture, and coming out could all change your life in the same night.
For many of us, Bay’s family will always be part of the soul of South Grand. But Bay didn’t just follow in their footsteps—she created something entirely her own.
Treehouse Vegetarian Restaurant
Tucked into South Grand is a restaurant many still don’t realize exists—a true hidden gem: Tree House Vegan Restaurant. Even the most devoted carnivore leaves dinner shocked by the depth of flavor in Bay’s vegan and vegetarian food. Everything is made from scratch. Even the plant-based proteins feel like food science. The cocktails look like art.
Bay’s mission is simple: serve incredible food, made from scratch, with the best ingredients, at an affordable price—all in an effort to bring people together. Bay builds community. I can practically taste the crispy brussels sprout salad and krab rangoons just writing this.
For 13 years now, Chef Bay Tran has quietly served some of the most creative food in St. Louis—while building something even more important: a queer family. Bay hires the rainbow kids, and she loves them like they’re her own.
The staff at Tree House aren’t just employees—they’re family. But here’s the part many people still don’t know: to the right of the restaurant, behind a tall staircase, is a hidden door to something special.
Take a short walk up those stairs, and suddenly you feel like you’re in 1925. A hidden speakeasy. Music vibrating through the walls. People dancing, laughing, and having the kind of night that reminds you why cities matter. That magical space is called The Night Owl.
Aliena Abernathy
Much like when Bay and I were young, we needed spaces where we could truly be ourselves. So when Aliena Abernathy, a young member of our LGBTQ+ family, came to Bay looking for a place to create community, they both knew it was go time.
Aliena Abernathy is not only a creative bartender with an innate ability to curate specialty cocktails, she also spends much of her rare free time facilitating queer support groups. Aliena creates a vibe our community has been missing.
What they’re building upstairs is a true sense of belonging—something far more important than most people realize. I’m incredibly proud of Aliena, her vision, and her dedication to community. You should go meet her on Friday and Saturday nights.
Helping run this beautiful space is Kelley Harris, the restaurant and lounge manager and a longtime community builder. Kelley founded High Femme Gaiety and created some of the best lesbian events our community has ever seen. She grew up watching her father open the well-known Kirkwood spot Ice and Fuel and has worked everywhere in our community—from Nik’s Wine Bar to Attitudes to Novak’s to Hummel’s on Broadway. She also teaches sociology as an adjunct professor—but community building is clearly her real calling.
Bay and Aliena have created something bigger than a restaurant and lounge—and with Kelley joining their team, who knows what’s next.
Every Wednesday from 5–8 pm, the St. Louis Lesbian Queer Society hosts a social at Tree House, where lesbian and queer folks can meet, eat, drink, and connect. Bay even extended happy hour just for us. Because at the end of the day, a family that eats together stays together.
So if you’re walking down South Grand one night and see that door…
Open it.
Tree House Vegan Restaurant and The Night Owl are waiting.
And yes—you should absolutely order the Rhinestone Cowboy.
Rena Noonan is with the St. Louis Lesbian Queer Society. Look for her Butch in the Streets column in Out In STL.
