My brother chose this restaurant as the spot to celebrate his graduation and my dad's birthday. I was a little nervous letting him pick the place, but Acero ended up being a great choice. Elegant without being super fancy with delicious food and excellent service. Their four-course tasting menu was a great value. Almost half of our table went for it, while I opted to have a larger portion of the egg raviolo. Even so, I got to take a bite from everyone's tastings and ended up trying the majority of the menu. (Note: to succeed at this strategy you have to dine with people comfortable sharing their food. If not, find new friends). Highlights were the meat "doughnut" which was essentially a New Orleans beignet topped with a thin slice of prosciutto and sprinkled with sea salt; scallop crudo which was light and fresh; the aforementioned decadent egg raviolo, and a pasta with spicy tomato sauce. The olive oil in the center of the table was also dangerously addictive, along with the warm bread to dip with. Paired with a couple bottles of stellar red Italian wine, this was a perfect meal to start off our St. Louis celebration. We sat in the back room which was nice and intimate, while the front room was a little more casual which I could see being perfect for date night. read more

I came in here a while ago with my cousin and have been wanting to write a review for quite some time. We came in late on a Saturday night and were fortunate enough to get a spot in the middle of the restaurant. We both had the course meal and we're both extremely pleased. One of the best Italian restaurants in St. Louis along with J Devotti in my opinion. Pros: great food, helpful staff, beautiful spot. Cons: parking. read more

Dined for the first time last night at Acero. We enjoyed the 4course tasting menu. Started off with the 'meat donuts' that someone I worked with recommended. I thought they were good but I think I was expecting something with more meat. They were yummy but wanted more meat. Basically it's a beautiful puff pastry with cheese, olive oil and a slice of prosciutto or similar. I also tried the bruschetta with caramelized onion and gorgonzola. This was a perfect start to dinner. Next I had to try that egg ravioli.. OH MY GOSH.... Talk about divine. That was great and such a great touch to a wonderful mushroom cheese ravioli. The broth alone in the bowl was licked dry.. My main entrée I chose the Porchetta or Pork. Waiter explained it as a pork shoulder pounded and rolled with wonderful spicy and herbs. It was then slow roasted for 4hrs or more. I loved it and would go back for it again. The portion was just right with the tasting menu. Dessert I chose the Carmel and sea salt ice cream with espresso. Overall this restaurant will be added to my list to come back to. Great service and great food. read more

Don't you just hate it when one of your favorites lets you down? I visted Acero last night and the experience was just ok. But for $150 including tip, I expect a bit more. The first time we ate here, we were blown away. Maybe some of it had to do with our server. Our server the previous occasion (Marco) was helpful, fun and charasmiatic. He offered suggestion that hit the spot. Our server this time, seemed a bit aloof. We started with the tomato & spinach bruchetta. It was ok. Nothing I couldn't have done myself. Next was what we thought was goign to be a meat and cheese plate. We ordered this on our previous visit, and LOVED it. Marco took time explaining all the different items on the plate. This time, the plate didn't have any cheese on it, and I can't remember a single meat that was on it. For entrees I ordered the slow cooked Porchetta. It was ok. Nothing outstanding, and the portion was small. She had the Lamb. Again, it was good, but I could've prepared either of these dishes myself. And nothing really caught my attention other than the bill for $150. We had a much better time the previous visit... and at Home Wine a few doors down. read more

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I'm upping my rating from 4 to 5 stars and want to briefly review my most recent experience. First, I wanted to say that our server Rena (sp?) was absolutely awesome! I would so very much ask for her again. This was 9:30 at night, and she was top notch! The $30 tasting menu is just one of the best values in town for the quality of food you get! I had the crudo (the raw fish option), which was +$5 on the tasting menu, but very much worth it - so delicate and tasty. 2nd course was the tagliatelle. I already knew the tagliatelle was awesome, but before leaving for the restaurant, other friends were raving about it to me! 3rd course was my first experience with the porchetta. Everything in the dish complemented each other very well, and I would definitely recommend this. Finally, the ricotta cheesecake with berries - perfect size, creamy, and indulgent! See pictures. read more

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Went for our 8th Wedding Anniversary here for dinner - did not disappoint. Started with salads, which were good (and bread - which is nice because many restaurants seem to skip the bread these days), and then things heated up in the 2nd course, with the Gnocco Fritto and the Orecchiette (see pic)...both excellent. Third course we had tagliatelle with bolognese sauce (their ragu of the day) and scallops - both fantastic. Dessert was the fried apple pie and the panna cotta. The fried Apple pie was great - didn't love the almond gelato and would have preferred vanilla there. The panna cotta was very good and even better with the caramel sauce and chocolate sorbet! Love this place!! read more

Acero - Orecchiette with roasted cauliflower and Parmesan - delish!! - Italian Near Me - Maplewood, Missouri

Went here for the first time last night with my wife. We had reservations and were seated immediately. Dividers between tables and masked waiters made for a COVID/Flu safe environment. Our waiter, JC, was fantastic. We each did the tasting menu ($50/pp). Each dish hit just the right notes and of course the egg raviolo which I had heard about, exceeded expectations. Just wow. New favorite restaurant in STL! read more

Absolutely wonderful meal! We did the tasting menu and we agreed we were both 4/4. It seems you cannot go wrong. We will be back!

Food was tasty just as good as the smell walking up into this place . Food is delicious

I love going to Acero for a fun dinner experience. I've always gotten the tasting menu and have loved everything I've tried.

The food, atmosphere and service are always amazing! It is my go-to restaurant to celebrate a special occasion.

Absolutely amazing!! Didn't know that we needed a reservation but they managed to squeeze us in at the bar. The food was absolutely delectable and the service couldn't have been better! The bone marrow and duck melt in your mouth. The pork tenderloin was cooked and seasoned perfectly. read more

Incredible. From seating through closing out, everything was top notch! Still looking for my NA/AF love, though. It's good to know there's an NA beer, but would be better if the server knew what it was. And maybe go local? We all ordered the tasting menu, which was the perfect amount of food, exceptional variety of options for each course, and the food was not only timely but bite for bite outstandingly well prepared. Expect a lively ambience that's not stuffy and don't be afraid to grab the server's attention for more drinks. This was a bit slow and could have benefited from more attention but we had an overall amazing experience. No wonder why the proprietor has thriving businesses read more

We went to Acero for our Anniversary dinner. It was wonderful! The table was ready for us when we got there, our server, Harris, was great. He was well informed on every dish and explained everything very well! The ambience was very nice too. It's not a big restaurant, I only saw about 12 tables, and they weren't on top of each other. The food was delicious too. We opted for the 4-course menu, plus the wine pairings since we don't know much about Italian wines. Everything was great, and we will definitely be back! We've already recommended Acero to friends! read more

Although I liked the restaurant's space (exposed brick and interesting art choices) and their several different tier pre-fixe menus (a $30 4-course, $40 4-course, & $65 ~7-course chef's choice, respectively), the main reason I visit a restaurant is for the food and service. Both at Acero left a lingering bad taste in my mouth, pun intended. I went with the 4-course pre-fixe, and 3 of the 4 courses were either greasy, fatty, or over-seasoned. The waiter was extremely condescending. This is a customer service industry, correct? In an economic downturn? All-in-all, I prefer to spend my money somewhere else. read more

Great attention and comfort! Great conversation with friends! Fabulous service and food! A wonderful first visit to this restaurant that friends picked out. They had been here before and wanted us to experience this restaurant. They were right! read more

Acero - Swordfish Pesto! So yummy! - Italian Near Me - Maplewood, Missouri

This is hands down one of the best restaurants going in the area right now! The wife and I went here this evening for our anniversary and could not have had a better experience. First off (Jerry) our server was on top of it. Very attentive while not overdone. All of his recommendations turned out amazing. We did the four course tasting menu and I would order everything again. So rare to be able to say that now a days. My wife and I each ordered something different and shared bites of each which included some of this evenings specials. They are doing social distancing with the inside dining tables with barriers between the tables and there is some outdoor seating as well. All members of the staff were wearing masks. I would give Acero more stars if it was possible! read more

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My wife and went here for dinner. The restaurant is actually bigger than it looks. Make sure to get reservations on a Saturday night(which is true for any place). If you don't you can sit at the bar, but there is limited seating there. It definitely seemed like an older crowd. We both did the tasting menu option. I ordered a blood orange cocktail which was very good...a nice sweet citrus drink...yes I like "girly" drinks as a bar tender put it at a different place. I started off with the beat salad. I won't bother to tell you what's in it since you can see on the menu. It was delicious. I twas one of the best beet salads I have had. My wife started with a cobb salad. It was very delicious as well. It was a little salty, but I like that. The next course I had the crostini fegato. My wife had the bruschetta. The crostini was good but didn't wow me. I really liked the bruschetta but it was pretty rich. The topping was somewhat sweet. For the main course I had the Egg Raviolio. I wasn't sure what to expect but I enjoyed it. Probably not as much as others that have done Yelp reviews, but it was good. My wife had the grass fed ribeye. It was very flavorful and tender. With all of the other food, it was more than enough food. My wife ordered a seasonal dessert. It was an apple and cinnamon compote torte. It was good but texturally a little odd to me. I'm a texture person. I had the chocolate torte which I enjoyed. Overall we enjoyed Acero. The food was good as was the service. Definitely worth a try. read more

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What an experience. We did the tasting menu on their outdoor heated patio with separate dining areas for each group and enjoyed every second. Our waiter was fantastic and eloquently described every dish and provided excellent service all evening. The meal was fantastic - can't wait to return to try the other options on the tasting menu as there did not appear to be a bad choice on the menu. The chef came out and was a delight. read more

Went there for a work party, they served over 30 people and did an amazing job. The service was just so spot on. The food was even more spot on. My favorite dish was the Yellow fin Tuna Crudo. But the Caramel Panna Cotta (see picture) was just heaven. The highlight of my evening was running into the Chef (Adam) after hours. He really was interested in hearing what we thought of his food. He was open to criticism and very thoughtful of our feedback. I'd go again a million times if I could afford it. read more

Acero - Caramel Panna Cotta with Smoked Sea Salt - It was the most delicious dessert I've had in a long time. I ordered a second one. - Italian Near Me - Maplewood, Missouri

Hate to give one star but after making a reservation we were seated in a nearly empty restaurant on a Thursday night and then sat at our table for almost 20 minutes until finally a waiter came by. I asked why so late and he sheepishly said sorry no excuse. My wife and I decided to get up and leave. The restaurant was not crowded at all in fact there were 3 tables with customers and 3 waiters on duty. We really liked this restaurant has very good food and usually great service. I even emailed the restaurant afterwards expl experience and got no response. Another disappointment. This is an update to this review. I received a phone call from the manager and he profusely apologized for my experience and responded to our concerns. I look forward to returning and hope to experience the great food and service to which we are accustomed. read more

This place is fantastic. Went here with my fiancee for a romantic dinner, and that's exactly what we had. Our waiter was really nice, and it felt like he went out of his way to make our experience quite enjoyable. The atmosphere and decor is nice, and they even have foam boards around the ceiling and on some of the walls to help minimize the noise. When we were first seated, he took our drink order. I got a gin martini, and my fiancee ordered a quarter-bottle of a chianti. This turned out to be great, because I am not particularly fond of wine, and it enabled her to have more than one glass without having to drink a bottle either. We then ordered something in Italian as an appetizer. I don't remember what it was called, but it was basically a fried donut (beignet) with a light brushing of olive oil and a thin slice of prosciutto covering it. This was absolutely delicious, and it was made even better when our waiter brought us 4 of them instead of their usual 3 so we wouldn't have to fight over the last one. Major props. She ordered the duck confit, and I couldn't decide between skirt steak or scallops. When I asked the waiter what he recommended, he said he would just ask the chef to do half scallops and half steak. She loved the duck, and I *really* loved the scallops. The steak was also good, but the scallops just blew me away. But this is why this place gets 4 stars instead of 5. For $30/entree, the portions are quite small. I felt like my entree should have been about twice as big. And it didn't help that it tasted SO good that I wanted so much more! In the end, we got panna cotta for dessert. It was drizzled with salted caramel. Overall, this was a very enjoyable experience. We will definitely return in the future for more romantic evenings out! read more

Acero - Gnocco frito. Basically a beignet with prosciutto on top. Amazing! - Italian Near Me - Maplewood, Missouri

Our first visit certainly won't be our last! The four course tasting menu with wine flights was outstanding. We really enjoyed the Crudo and both of the homemade pastas. The Chicken Milanese was very good and the swordfish special was excellent. Our waiter Jesse did an excellent job pairing the wines with our dishes. He was very friendly and seemed to really enjoy taking care of customers. We highly recommend Acero for a great dinner! read more

Food was really, really good. 4 course tasting menu - good sized portions. The Gnoccin Fritto - excellent. Lemon butter on the streak - excellent. Service was good, very attentive waiter. The loan issue - the restaurant's AC was either broken or severely deficient. It was extremely and uncomfortably warm in the restaurant. For a $500+ meal for 6 people on a special occasion, I wouldn't have anticipated any issues. File this under first world issues. I'd call a head and ask if the AC is working - if not dine elsewhere or wait until it's cooler out. Nothing like sweating inside a restaurant in dress clothes for a nice dinner. I'll be glad to come back - in the dead of winter. read more

I can't believe we've driven by this place for years and didn't try it until now. We'd been missing out! We went here for a belated Valentine's dinner and did the 4 course meal. It was phenomenal. Our starters were the seafood crudo (a standout of the whole meal, so light and fresh) and the prosciutto beignets (not the actual name but that's basically what they were. Salty and pillowy melting in your mouth but very rich!) For the pasta, I got the Raviolo which is their signature dish. Don't skip this. It's MEMORABLE. My husband got the spaghetti with the chili flakes which was delightfully spicy. For the entrees, we got the porchetta and the tilefish which were both delicious and the vegetables were beautiful. Dessert choices were their cherry cheesecake and the butterscotch budino. My husband doesn't even like cheesecake all that much but this blew him away. The budino was delightfully light and whipped like a pudding with just the right amount of salty and sweet. Our server was super helpful and knowledgeable and guided us with a bottle of wine to pair with it all that we would have never chosen ourselves. We LOVED it and it went perfectly with everything. Overall, we would go back in a heartbeat and try the 7 course chef's choice experience. If I had to be nitpicky, the only thing I would have liked was a candle on the table because the lighting was a bit dim and drab in the back room we were in, and that might have helped it feel more like a special date/occasion. With a new baby we don't get out much, so ambiance is important to us! We'll definitely be back! read more

My husband and I went for dinner in our anniversary, both of us had pasta (egg raviolo and tagliolini with mushrooms) they're both delicious and we really enjoyed it. The only reason why I'm giving 4 * it's because they didn't have the cured meats and cheese board, the person who cuts them wasn't there that day and we were a little disappointed. Overall it was a great experience and we'll be back soon. read more

Great for a special night out. Went here recently for an anniversary and had an absolute enchanting evening. We did the prix-fixe menu so we could try a little of everything. Service was impeccable, friendly, personable read more

This is an excellent restaurant to celebrate a special occasion. Pre-COVID, my husband &I would like to sit at the bar and chat with the bartender. Now, we enjoy meals at the table, safely spaced apart and waitstaff masked. The food quality is still outstanding and reminds us of our trip to Italy. It's pricey, but well worth the experience. read more

Still a 5-star dining experience. My husband and I have gone to Acero two years in a row for our anniversary, for one reason: we know the food and service will be excellent. Harris is the very best at what he does. Listen to his recommendations; you will be glad you did. Acero's level of quality is what every other restaurant should strive for. Love love love Acero. read more

Another great restaurant in Maplewood. Serving what I would call "modern Italian", Acero has a knowledgeable wait staff and prompt service; they did not make us wait for the sake of waiting. Was not too busy on a Tuesday night, and could easily facilitate a large group. Tasting menu was available, but each member of the group ordered there own dishes directly. Everyone's dish was superb, the only one coming in at just average being the spinach salad. Meat and cheese board was fantastic, each item on the whole spread was great (typically one thing just isn't great, not the case here) Perfect restaurant for a casual or upscale date night, a place for a birthday dinner with friends, or somewhere to take clients for work. Will be back. read more

Had a great experience right before the latest County Covid restrictions went into place. A group of work friends and I enjoyed the wonderful hospitality that Adam and his team provided. The food and cocktails were all expertly prepared. The crudo appetizer was luscious and buttery and a highlight in a perfect meal. Can't wait to return and support this local treasure. read more

Tonight was our second visit to Acero - and just like the first time, everything was delicious & the service was excellent. Highly recommend ordering the meat & cheese board along with trying a bit of everything with the 4 course tasting menu. read more

Acero has been a favorite spot for years. Picked up their lasagna meal tonight and, as every experience has always been, we were beyond impressed! Thank you for continuing to feed our community during this difficult time. Only thing we missed was Adam to explain our selection of meats and cheeses . We will continue to support this amazing establishment for many years to come!! read more

This place has got it going on! the food is top notch! My husband and I went here to celebrate a special occasion, and we both decided to do the 4 course tasting menu. Our favorites of the night had to be the Egg Raviolo and the Sea Scallops, which were like butter. Everything was cooked to perfection. This would have been an easy 5 star rating for me if the service were up to the same standards as the food. We made a reservation, so it is not like they weren't expecting us, but our server rarely came back to our table at all. Our four courses were all delivered by different people, whom we also had to end up asking for drinks, etc. Someone did come over at one point and said that our server was with a large party in the other dining room at the moment and would be back to us shortly, but honestly, that is not an acceptable reason as to why we really had no server during our entire 2 hour dining experience. We will definitely be back to give Acero another try at some point, and I hope that I can update my review to 5 stars at that point. read more

My husband and I had a really wonderful dinner at Acero on my birthday. After we ordered wine, we mentioned to the waiter that it seemed like the wine had been open for several days. Without hesitation, he swept up our glasses and brought us 2 glasses from a freshly-opened bottle that he specifically recommends. This wine was fantastic. He definitely helped to sidestep a negative impression for us. Besides that, the food was excellent, and atmosphere was good for a date night. We will be returning! read more

Great food, loved the tasting menu, perfect proportions. Loved the 8.5 oz wine pour when not getting a bottle for the table. Perfect amount. Sat in the front room, great ambience. Our waiter Jean Christophe was attentive and knowledgeable about the incredible food and wine selections. read more

Divine. This place is really divine! Came here on Saturday night with wonderful Yelper Cherie O. since it was on both of our to-try lists for a while. I made a reservation for 7:30pm and everything went smoothly. Our server, Darius, was really nice and was great at explaining all of the menu specials. They have 3 tasting menus, two different wine flights, and various a la carte items. He was not condescending or rude at all and when I inquired about the extra $5 for the tagliatelle option, he said "don't worry about it" which was really awesome of him. I decided to get the seasonal tasting menu, and so did Cherie. I uploaded photos of all the stuff we ate since I noticed that Yelp was lacking in photos from Acero. My first course was bruschetta with salmon and goat cheese. It was really delicious and the flavors paired quite nicely. Cherie had some type of mushroom soup. We tried each others and we both agreed mine was tastier. Second course was (homemade) tagliatelle with mushrooms for me, and for her, she had the polenta with red sauce on top. I liked the texture of my dish better..the pasta was very soft and thin but not overcooked or mushy. But it seemed to lack flavor. Her dish had great flavor but we were both iffy on the texture since it was kind of mushy. Third course (entrees) were rainbow trout with spaghetti squash for me, and for her, the sea scallops with mushrooms and I think potatoes... I reallllly liked her dish when I tried it. Mine was okay but not as amazing flavor-wise as hers. Also I didn't quite understand why they served my fish upside-down. Appearance-wise, it looked really unappetizing, but when I flipped it over it looked better. Maybe it was to keep the meat of the fish warm before serving? Either way, the trout was very good. It had the great flavor I love of rainbow trout without being too "fishy" and the spaghetti squash (one of the few veggies I really love) was a perfect pairing for it. I think if I were to return, I'd go for the sea scallops instead. For dessert, I had this AMAZING chocolate torte. Oh god, it was so good. I liked that you could pretty much pick from any dessert you wanted no matter which of the two tasting menus you chose because all of the desserts are the same price. I would seriously come back to Acero again for the chocolate torte alone. It was so fantastic! The inside was soft and gooey and HOT and the cold ice cream melting all over it was the perfect combination. It's like the molten chocolate lava cake at Brio/Bravo restaurants only 10x better. It was rich without being too rich and it was dark chocolate without being too bitter. I picked this over the bread pudding (because the b.p. had raisins in it, ick) and I am SO glad I did. Cherie had this odd little combo of an espresso shot with a scoop of what tasted like almond-y flavored icecream (but I couldn't tell exactly) and it was kinda gross in my opinion but I think she liked it. I'm not a fan of coffee-flavored desserts, though, unless it is tiramisu! I had the cheaper of the two wine flights and while all of the wines paired beautifully, I kind of wish I had gotten more for my money. Anyway, to sum things up, Acero was great! I shudder to think of how many calories I consumed on Saturday night but oh well. *blush* I don't think I'd compare this place to Niche unless maybe if their grand chef tasting menu is more "inventive" than the seasonal menu. The flavors were put together nicely in almost every dish but I feel like they lack that "shocking" or "innovative" feel that Niche has. That's not to say that Acero isn't a good restaurant, I think it's probably now one of my favorites (if only for the dessert alone!) it's just different. If you like Niche, true, you might like Acero, but for other reasons. I'd recommend trying Acero either way. You can even order things a la carte if you don't want to commit to the prix fixe prices, although I think they're a good deal if you aren't sure what things you'd like to try, it's a great sampler if you have a notion (e.g. prefer seafood, etc.) Also Cherie informs me these prices are much lower for prix fixe meals than in, say, Chicago, so that's probably another under appreciated aspect of St. Louis--cheaper food. Also the portions were just perfect so I wasn't still hungry or immobilized with a "food baby" afterwards. My only gripe is that certain menu items like the tagliatelle are "extra" dollar amounts added onto the price. If you're going to have a prix fixe menu, make the prices uniform! Hence the term PRIX FIXE. If it costs more to make a dish, then make the portions for the prix fixe smaller. It is, after all, a sampling or tasting type of menu so the portions are not intended to be full sized anyway! Just my 2 cents. read more

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Stephanie B and I ventured into Acero last night excited to try this place out. We had read many good things about this place and wanted to see if it was as good as everyone said it was. Simply said, it was. We walked into the place shortly after 6:30 and were the only soles in sight except for the staff. We were quickly seated and promptly greeted by our waitress. The ambiance was the place was nice, modern but not ultra modern. As others have mentioned they have an option where you get to choose 4 courses for $30, not too bad in my opinion. Not some place you can come once a week, but not some place that will break the bank either. We started off with two plates we had read about on here and those review were right on. The meat and cheese plate and the bruchetta. I think I could make a meat and cheese plate my entire meal, and the bruchetta was like none I had ever had! I don't want to steal Stephanie's thunder on the bruchetta, so let me just say it was awesome. The next course consisted of a creamy polenta topped with ragu of the day that was rather tasty and a cheese ravioli that I though was great. The cheese was bursting with flavor and the white sauce it was topped with complimented it well. For the main course we both went with seafood, she with the scallops and I ordered the tuna. Both were cooked to perfection and I would not hesitate ordering either again. To finish the meal she went with the peach bread pudding and myself with the chocolate torte. She was not impressed with the peach bread pudding, but I'll let her expand on that. My chocolate torte on the other hand was fabulous. Our waitress said it was similar to a brownie and it was, in taste. It was not heavy or dense like a brownie usually is and with each bite it melted in your mouth. If you like chocolate, you absolutely have to try this. Service was good, but I felt the meal took a little too long. We sat down at 6:30 and left about 8:10. Not that we had anywhere to be, just seemed a little long to me and I was definitely ready to leave when we walked out. Will I be back to Acero in the future? Absolutely! read more

Wow. I don't know how the hell I have never reviewed Acero. Though we have not been for a few months, Acero has been one of our favorites in all of St. Louis for a few years now. Assuming they still have it intact...the Prix Fixe menu cannot be beat. Price-independent, I would still consider Acero's prix fixe menu to be one of the best in town. The mind-blowing part is that they have one of the least expensive prix fixe menus in town. Always phenomenal food. The scallops are always killer. The Egg Raviolo is, and always shall be, the star of the show. It does add a couple bucks when you choose it as a course on the prix fixe. Worth it. On my "last meal" list. Also, they used to have a salted caramel panna cotta, and I hope they still have it. It may have JUST missed the "last meal" list, but it is still one of the best dishes I have ever eaten. read more

After the Yelp Chocolate Tasting at Kakao January 28, Norma H. and I went to Acero for a drink. We sat at the bar. Bartender was friendly. We talked a lot. Drinks were good. Perhaps a little expensive, but I'd go back. read more