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    Akar

    4.6 (264 reviews)
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    Akar Photos

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    AKAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Hipster
    Casual
    Romantic

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    Recommended Reviews - Akar

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    Reviews With Photos

    Christina C.

    Loved everything from start to finish, I only wish the chairs at the counter were more comfortable. Maybe it's just me but they seem to have been made for a child or very small bottom. LOL! Next time I hope to score a patio table. All of the food from start to finish was outstanding and service was excellent. If you haven't been yet, what are you waiting for? Get there soon!

    Taiwanese cabbage (star of the menu)
    Lauren R.

    Meh..bland I have been wanting to try this spot as they were on the STL 100 best list for 2025 and other years, but I guess I let the hype get the best of me. Our food was bland from drinks to dessert. They have an Asian style of cooking but given the location I think they cook for certain kind of clientele. I asked for seasonings for my food. If they have a special event I may return but I could recommend a few less expensive restaurants with bolder flavor. Other than the food, the space is barely accessibility friendly as the exterior walkup is bumpy and has a curb, a larger lip on the door entrance for your coats and makeshift waiting area as there is no host stand. The bathroom is a single tiny low toilet with a hard to push lock on the door and it looks like a closet more than a restroom so blink and you will miss it. The interior lost the cozy modern escape because the front door is always open and if you are on the "bar" side at night the neon blinding kitchen lights are so off putting so always ask to be sat on the left where the bench seating is.

    Everything is Amazing!!! Highly recommend, the best Asian fusion restaurant in STL.

    Scallops
    Anna C.

    Food was fantastic and our server was very knowledgable about the menu. I ordered the scallops which has a great kick to them and the portion size was exactly what I was looking for. We really appreciated that Akar was open during the snow storm we were having and the restaurant was very cozy!

    Short ribs on green pea mash
    Jenelle B.

    Lovely setting for a lovely meal. We began with the wontons in a light chili sauce and the cabbage (listed on the menu as a childhood favorite of the chef). Both were so flavorful and unique. The shrimp noodle boasted huge shrimp. Braised short ribs were tender and the green pea mash was as delicious as it was colorful!

    Lynn A.

    Food: 5 Star Service: 5 Star Been coming here for YEARS and it is one of the few St. Louis establishments that consistently delivers exceptional food and impeccable service. I never hesitate to recommend Akar to friends, coworkers, or clients because I know they'll be well looked after. Love everything on their menu, but if I really had to choose some favorites: - Lobster Ravioli/Rangoon: Luscious and savory, this app is a great start to whet your appetite. - Korean Galbi/Short Ribs: This item comes up as a special and is not on the menu. His recipe comes close to our family's recipe... short ribs are tender and the marinade will leave you licking your fingers. - Scallops: This item comes up often as a special and is not on the menu. Love the integration of Malaysian flavors and various textures in this dish. - Market Fish: Whatever fish he's serving that week- do it.

    Menu
    Lindsay P.

    Moody ambiance, knowledgeable, friendly service, with great recommendations! Food was fantastic, mocktails available, and veggie friendly :) Street Parking! We came here for a friends birthday, we tried the crispy cauliflower and meatballs as appetizers!! I had the gnocchi and my husband had the lamb shank!! We loved this meal, great for small groups or date night.

    Fried okra
    Austin S.

    Wowed, wooed, and everything in between. Not just an unforgettable dining experience, but likewise a core memory. A chic, minimalist, contemporary space is so effortlessly designed for the ultimate dining experience. A little moody, ever so sexy the interior is as welcoming as it is seductive. The service was remarkable. Water stayed full. A full smile always while answering questions and offering patience as we were crippled by the intoxicating menu. We settled on okra, cold sesame noodles, gnocci, and grouper. Everything was divine. I'll start with the okra because that brought back childhood nostalgia with a modern twist in the sweet chili saice. Crispy okra, seasoned to perfection drizzled with a light sweet chili sauce that made dreams come true. The sesame cold noodles were spectacular. The mushrooms added beautiful texture. They're a bit creamy, a bit acidic w the sweet pickles, and ever so addictive. The star for me was the gnocci. Pillows that dissolve with every bite. The Malaysian curry was rich, but still so light. One of the most balanced sauces I have ever tasted as it comes to texture. The weight of it on the Gnocci was perfect. The grouper was super. Perfectly salted with a lime/cilantro salsa and some beautiful tumeric rice. Every single item was a hit. What an absolute experience. Officially a top restaurant in stl for me. The amount of regions/cultures they have fused together in their menu is commendable. Execution was beautiful. Can't wait to get back!

    Fontaine C.

    Location and ambiance: 5/5 Service: 4/5 Food: 3.5/5 - Plating of the food is good - The flavor and portion size of the lamb shanks is wonderful, but it is overpriced - The mango bread pudding is alright. The flavor of the mango sauce does not complement the bread pudding well. I do not recommend.

    Matcha tiramisu
    Jade H.

    This place wow's me every time! I've been trying to eat through their menu and I can say everything has been a delightful experience. Service is good for a slow dining experience. The ambiance is very moody and intimate. Rating this place a 5/5 because it really has that WOW factor :)

    Sticky rice and burrata
    Nicholas S.

    Akar is a lovely ethnic twist with a modern industrial vibe inside. We went for a double date and sat down ready to order family style. We had some of the thoughtful house cocktails and ordered the bang bang chicken, sticky rice, burrata and the bread made to order. All were certainly delicious but nothing absolutely blew us away. The butter served with the bread was amazing. For entrees I had the short rib and my wife had the grouper special. The side with the short ribs left a bit to be desired but the short rib was amazing, fall apart, and flavorful. My wife's grouper was spectacular and the sauce served under it was something truly special. All in all great experience, highly recommend Akar.

    Blue crab donabe
    Debra A.

    The food was amazing and flavorful. I was happy that they had vegetarian and vegan options. My husband and I had the gnocchi which the chef's kiss! My brother-in-law had the blue crab donabe and he said it was absolutely divine! Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and informed about the specials of the day. The restaurant was vey intimate for a date or a nice girls night out. The decor was very simple yet classy. Reservations are required so be sure to put this restaurant on your list to try soon!

    Lamb chops in massaman curry
    Sneha P.

    This is a very intimate date night spot! When I went the first time, I absolutely loved the lamb chops in Thai massaman curry. The curry was very flavorful and the lamb meat was braised to perfection. However, when I went back, they changed the lamb chops to have a different sauce and it was still good but no where near good as my original experience.

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    5 years ago

    The most delicious asian fusion food ive had in my whole life. Impeccable service, outstanding quality....HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

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    5 years ago

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    5 years ago

    Wow is all I can say! The food is out of this world and the employees and owner are really sweet!

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    6 years ago

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    5 years ago

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    Bernie L.

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    6 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Amazing!!! Best dinner in a long time!! Thank you! Fresh & healthy, flavorful & beautiful!!

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    6 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Loved food and presentation! Great dining experience that is lacking in St. Louis. Area!

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    7 years ago

    Went for lunch, quick service, bibimbap was perfect. Nice to have some good new flavor in clayton

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    Ask the Community - Akar

    What is the dress code?

    I think upscale casual is appropriate. Certainly not blue jeans and a T shirt place but not as dressy as going to The Ritz dining room. It's definitely a casual, friendly vibe.

    Is Akar a chain restaurant?

    No, it is not

    Friends are coming to town that I have not seen in a while. Would this be a good place to have a great conversation? Or is it loud and we'd have to yell to hear each other?

    It's not too loud, but it's pretty small so if you have a a lot of people, you might want to make sure they can accommodate!

    Is this place good beyond the rating. I know some people tend to sugarcoat things and that can lead to the absence of a honest to goodness review. All I ask is that, if I were looking for some quality Asian food, would I go here, and if not, where?

    As per my review, some dishes are better than others. It's not truly Asian but more fusion. Hope that answers your question

    Any vegan options?

    They definitely have many vegan options. I believe they have a different vegan menu just talk to the server they will guide you. I ordered vegan option for lunch and it was… Read more

    The menu on your website doesn't have prices... any chance you could update it with those? Sounds delicious!

    Good morning and thanks for reaching out! Our menu changes frequently, lunch range from $8-$14; dinner starts $9 to mid $20’s in average. Since we only have 12 seats inside the restaurant, reservation highly recommended! We are looking forward to… Read more

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    Flower Child

    4.3(159 reviews)
    4.0 mi
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    Healthy dining
    Gluten-free friendly

    I tried Flower Child and went with the Mediterranean chicken kabob. The food was super fresh,…read moretasty, and felt healthy without being boring. A couple of friends who are vegan came along and they had plenty of options too, which made it easy for everyone to enjoy. The vibe was busy but not overwhelming--we just missed the weekend lunch rush, so timing helped. It's counter service, so you order up front and they bring the food out to your table. Simple setup, good energy, and the food came out pretty quick. Overall, it's a solid spot if you want something flavorful and healthy without a lot of fuss.

    The food is terrific! But the setup is different. It was super crowded on a Saturday. The line was…read moreout the door. There was no place to check in for a table and there weren't separate lines for eat in and carry out. I got there first and didn't want to order before my friend got there. I saw an empty table so I sat down to wait. I was nicely told by one of the workers who was carrying around table numbers that I needed to be assigned a table number first. It was unclear when or how to get assigned a number, maybe when you order? Although the line moved pretty quickly it kept growing so when my friend arrived I ended up ordering online. Then I had to ask for a table. I wish they had clear signage or some way to inform about the process. I had the flying avocado turkey wrap which was fresh and delicious, although I didn't taste any avocado. Also ordered the green chili queso with chips which was great. I placed another order to go to take the Cajun shrimp boil home for dinner. It was good, too, although I should have had the hot dish for lunch and taken home the cold wrap. I'd like to try the avocado toast. Next time I will stand in line and order.

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    Chuang Yi Bentos

    Chuang Yi Bentos

    5.0(9 reviews)
    2.1 mi

    Amazing vegetarian restaurant, everything cooked from scratch! The closest commercial experience to…read moreeating in a Buddhist Temple that I've experienced state side. The noodles are light, bento box very filling, wontons perfect. Everything is scratch made and when they use impossible it's in small increments so you get a lot of Asian vegetables and tofu to complement. The old couple that runs it are so adorable, like eating with your grandparents. Super clean, service incredibly friendly!

    I absolutely love the vegetarian/vegan restaurant adding to the great food scene at the "Chinatown"…read moreof St. Louis on Olive. They just opened in April and I finally got to check it out this weekend. Currently, they are only open on the weekend. First impression, the inside is spacious with minimal decoration but adorned with many plants. It brings out a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. They also played some calming music in the background. The owners were an old couple and they made us feel so welcomed. They walked us through the menu and checked on us regularly to see if everything was to our linkings. The menu offered a wide variety of selections. I ordered the Hong sao mein, Crispy Suji Filet Bento and Five-spiced Dried Tofu. Our favorite was the bento because of the Suji filet. It tasted just like Taiwanese Crispy chicken with flavorful seasonings. The noodles soup was comforting and light. The broth was not oily and salty at all. The fake meat patty tasted like beef, super soft and tender. The five-spiced tofu was a bit salty so you would need to eat it with rice. They offer free hot tea and you can make yourself at the self-serve station. They have a big parking lot located next door but you can also park in the neighborhood. I highly recommend this restaurant and I would come back to try out more dishes.

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    Inside

    Chilispot - Spicy Pork Knuckle

    Chilispot

    4.5(314 reviews)
    2.0 mi
    $$

    Been here a few times now and it is one of the most authentic Chinese spots in the city. Brought my…read moreChinese friends along and they fully approved and you can tell just by the crowd in there. Weekday visits are pretty chill but weekend dinner time gets busy, just something to plan around. Also a heads up on parking, the lot isn't very big so when it's packed it can be tough to find a spot. Would recommend carpooling if you can. I have a pretty low spice tolerance but there are still so many delicious dishes to choose from if you look around the menu. The soups are so hearty and comforting. Insider tip: the tofu egg dish is not on the menu but ask for it anyway. It is so worth it and the best way I can describe it is like eating a savory cloud puff. So unique and so good. The service is always super efficient, food comes out fast, and the staff will get you in and out. Every single dish I've had has been full of flavor and nothing has missed yet. Would absolutely come back and highly recommend.

    The mangolian beef is not made with flank steak which is…read moretraditional in mangolian beef not even 1 hot pepper on the entree which again is traditional the meat was top round and for $22.35 I expected flank steak. The Salt and pepper pork was all batter no flavor at all, not even salt on that batter, it was a terrible and a big disappointment the white rice was dry, $60 for 2 entrees and Luke warm pot stickers. Not to mention the rude service we received, you have to ask for napkins and basics, which seemed to be a bother tithe rude waitress. She never once said thank you or hello Also not very clean either. I should've turned back around when we noticed the filthy glass doors. However I've been wanting to try this place for a while. Don't waste your money on this place like I did. I

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    Chilispot - The dining table with the menu.

    The dining table with the menu.

    Chilispot - Chicken Chefs Special Stir Fried Chicken 1804

    Chicken Chefs Special Stir Fried Chicken 1804

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    Whole Fish

    Akar - asianfusion - Updated May 2026

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