Came to this intimate restaurant for my birthday. I've been here many times before but never sat inside as it was extremely small and tight but now they have expanded. I ordered the scallops and my boyfriend ordered the short rib. We also shared lobster rangoon. The lobster rangoon was perfect with the mango dipping sauce. The scallops were a tad too salty and peppery for my taste, but the short rib made up for it - rich and flavorful, although a bit fatty. Drinks were good and the service was ok. Overall, a cozy and romantic spot with great food, just be sure to book ahead! read more

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Second time going to Akar and once again, it didn't disappoint. First time was on a whim. Didn't know what it was, loved it, back for more, this time with friends. Meal began with cocktails. Good choices. Had the sayonara (was a drink with whiskey). I wound up getting another one after that. "Mocktails" options if you're not a boozer. We got the okra, cabbage and potstickers to share for apps. Very good. I'd recommend all three. For my main, I got the Pad Kee Mao with 5 big shrimp. Also hitting the table was the duck, gnocchi and lamb shank special. Everyone was happy. Waiter was attentive and didn't hover. He gets 5 out of 5 stars. Nobody wanted dessert. Everyone was full and satisfied. If I were to nitpick one thing, I'd say the place was loud. But, unless you have sensory issues, that shouldn't prevent you from trying Akar out. read more

We visited for lunch and enjoyed the calm environment. The menu had enough variety, and it was easy to find something suitable. My dish was well prepared and filling. Staff were attentive without being intrusive. A solid place for a simple and pleasant meal. read more

A sophisticated dining spot in a city better known for its Italian and steakhouse standards. Imaginative use of Malaysian ingredients and spices, using many fresh, local ingredients as a foil for the dynamic blends of tastes emanating from the plate. Lean short rib and a tofu appetizer were wonderful, as were the mains of scallops and a pad Thai style of noodles and veggies and half a dozen shrimp. Everything we've had here has a healthy dose of heat, so if that's not your thing I'd suggest you ask them to tone it down. Simple but comfortable interior coupled with friendly service. The larger of the two rooms can get pretty noisy, as diners here, as in most St. Louis restaurants, feel the need to yell at people two feet away from them! read more

Very impressive dinner. The food is all presented very nicely and had great flavor. My wife and I really enjoyed our meal. And my old fashioned was one of the best! Service was really good and ambiance was perfect for a nice date night. Tables were a bit close together but even on a busy night the overall noise level was low. read more

Akar - Octopus appetizer special - Asian Fusion Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

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An intimate dining experience with an Asian fusion forward menu that brings bold flavors. We enjoyed the crispy chicken appetizer - crispy tender juicy chicken thigh topped with pickled red onion, peppers, cilantro with a smokey chipotle dipping sauce. For entrees we had the tea brined duck and gnocchi in a Malaysian curry sauce with mushroom and crispy chickpeas. Both dishes brought big flavor with each bite and each component was well thought out down to the accompaniments and garnishes. Service was superb and felt very genuine. A great place to celebrate a special occasion, they take great care of you here. read more

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This is such a cozy, intimate spot for a date night! On my first visit, I absolutely loved the lamb chops in Thai Massaman curry. The curry was rich and flavorful, and the lamb was braised to perfection. However, on my second visit, they changed the sauce for the lamb chops. While it was still good, it didn't quite live up to the amazing experience I had the first time. read more

This is very small place but with very good food and atmosphere. This is Asian fusion kind of place. I visited here for lunch with a colleague, the parking is on the street so we had to find a spot. We ordered couple of dishes and shared - Banh Mi ( vegan) and mapo tofu ( vegan ). I believe the portions a bit smaller than expected , may be we should have ordered 3 dishes or an appetizer. I would highly recommend this place for trying this out. read more

Akar has been a restaurant I have been waiting to try for quite a while now! Absolutely lives up to hype very delicious and unique blend of flavors in a great area of town. Smaller space so reservation is recommended. Parking is difficult to find but was told by the waiter that I could use the laundromats parking next door next time. Will definitely be back. A fancy, high end restaurant great place to celebrate something special! read more

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A #perfectdatenight resides at @akarclayton We were seated promptly and our server took care of us wonderfully! We enjoyed everything but hands down my favorite was the #lambshank w/ rice and #brusselsprouts it was tender and bursting with flavor! The rice was cooked to my liking (tender) and the dish was super filling! Our cocktails were awesome too! The #lycheemartini was and we had an #espressomartini for the nightcap! You have to pay them a visit! Make sure you tell them #followchi4food sent you! read more

Check out Akar for high quality dishes, top notch service, and a cozy vibe. I went to Akar with my family for my sister's 30th birthday. Many dishes were amazing, but the highlights were the fried okra, cabbage, and gnocchi. There were some many incredible flavors and textures. I can't wait to go back. I think Akar would also be amazing for a date night or a night out with friends. Just make sure to make a reservation well in advance. read more

Akar - Dessert - Asian Fusion Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

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This restaurant definitely lived up to the hype! Some of my girl friends and I made a reservation for dinner on Friday night. We were seated at a table inside their heated tent, and it was super cozy. I was slightly worried it would be cold because it was 27 degrees Fahrenheit outside, but the tent was nice and toasty. Their drink menu is nicely curated, and they have unique cocktails. I was feeling a light wine, and our server recommended a glass of their riesling. It was very refreshing and had a perfect amount of sweetness - it was a good riesling. My friends got a glass of chardonnay and the blossom cocktail. The chardonnay was good, and the blossom was STRONG. Delicious, but strong. On to the food. We shared three appetizers: rangoon "ravioli," KFC (Korean fried cauliflower), and one of their special off the menu items, the pork ribs. I have never had rangoons like this before?? It's an upscale twist on the typical crab rangoon, and they served it with this mango sauce that complimented the dish beautifully. We kept going back in for more of just the sauce! The cauliflower dish was probably my favorite app. You couldn't even tell it was cauliflower, and they seasoned it so perfectly it really did taste like Korean fried chicken. And the breading they used was crispy on the outside yet chewy. I loved the texture. The pork ribs were tender and flavorful, just a bit hard to eat. The main entree I tried was the char siu chicken. Probably one of the most tender chickens I have ever eaten. Very moist and perfectly cooked. The garlic-forbidden rice did intimidate me when I saw it on the menu, but it's nothing like what I expected, in a good way! It's this dark, black rice that is seasoned with the perfect amount of garlic that compliments the chicken. The broccolini that came with the dish was also a nice balance. One of my friends got the lamb special, and it was so tender as well. And the dish was huge! My friends and I had a wonderful girl's night here, and everything was delicious. I am excited to be back to try other things on the menu! read more

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Awesome offerings, service and atmosphere! Everything was delicious. Highly recommend!

Lucked out with the last 6:45pm reservation this past Thursday, and can fully appreciate why they do 3 seating times and ask you to be done at a certain time when booking. VERY intimate space, with room for just about 10-12 people inside. The service was outstanding, we loved our waiter. I started with a tequila cocktail similar to a spicy marg - it was SPICY. We started with bread + miso butter and the eggplant. For mains, we split the fish and the udon noodles. Everything was incredible save the bread, which said fresh-baked but we are 99.9% sure was take and bake. We will definitely be back, we couldn't get enough of the flavors and creativity of the menu. read more

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We have been wanting to try Akar for a while now and Akar did not disappoint! Their menu is perfectly curated for classic Asian food with an interesting twist. For the appetizers, we tried the Rangoon ravioli made of lobster meat and cream cheese with a sweet mango dip. It was excellent! We tried the special appetizer for the day, pork ribs with crispy noodles. It was a perfect balance of crunch and tender meat. For the entree, we tried the fish of the day which was a Chilean sea bass and the special for the day which was Pork belly in Adobo sauce. Both dishes were cooked to perfection! Highly recommend either or both. For the cocktails, we tried the Serai, Blossom and Shibuya. All the cocktails were really good too. They had a few dessert options as well. We chose the Affogato. It was a perfect way to end the night. We sat outdoors in the heated tent. The tents were heated very well and kept us warm throughout the night. The service was excellent! Our waiter was very attentive and ensured he explained every dish in detail to us. The chef came out at the end of the night to make sure we had a great dinning experience. This place gets booked up pretty easily for dinner so I recommend making reservations ahead of time. read more

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I got a call the day before with someone saying, "we would like to confirm your reservation with a car." I didn't have a reservation for a car so I was perplex until my wife said our reservation for the restaurant name Akar. Bread with butter... It's a very small baguette. Frankly, what impressed me was not the bread but the butter. Very good butter! Escargot - not bad. But if you are ordering escargot don't order the bread... They came with it. Soft shell crab is soft shell crab. Not necessary better than Japanese restaurant but as long as the timing is good and not overcooked. It's fine. Lamb shank was delicious, doesn't taste gamey at all. The sauce was really impressive. Chilean sea bass - it's very good. Rather crispy on the skin. Sauce was good compliment as well. I have to say the only unpleasant experience was the waitress, she may be the boss for what I know. When we arrived at our reservation time, table was not available due to the previous party took longer. We have no problem with that. We waited for about 15-20 minutes and that's fine too. What bothered me was that we were told to leave before we finished. We were thinking about ordering dessert but she said they need our table for the next reservation. They will accommodate us if we want dessert, but we have to sit outside. My wife and our guests were kind of offended so we decided to leave without protesting. After all, they didn't give us the table on time and the food also took a while. Didn't seem it was our fault but we felt the waitress was not too sensitive to us being the victims of no dessert. Added salt the the wound was that I always tip generously but I forgot to adjust and gave the standard 20% tip... Now I'm bitter. read more

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The most succulent short ribs and very good dishes! Service was impeccable. Cant wait to go back! read more

Akar - Asian Fusion Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

Our to go order yesterday was amazingly satisfying. Three of us ordered duck plate, gnocchi, and shrimp pkm plus bread service and bread pudding. Very yummy. Delivered to our car in the driving rain with a smile. read more

Just different. Great addition to the trifecta there off Wydown. I eat mostly veg, so this abides I just want to take people here. read more

Akar was a remarkable dining experience! I'm glad I chose this place for one of our Friday fun dining experience. I called and made reservations early in the week and was able to snag a table for 2 at 5:45 on a Friday night. The place is quite tiny, about 4 tables altogether inside, a small bar with 5 stools if I remember correctly and several outdoor dining tables which are first come, first serve. We started with some cocktails. I opted for one with lychee and it was delicious and refreshing! Then we started with some pork pot stickers. They were delicious but I wasn't quite blown away. For the main course, I chose the fish of the day which was a trout prepared with skin on over saffron-tumeric rice and capers. It was absolutely delicious. The skin was crisp and flavorful and the bone had been removed. My husband had the Balinese chicken which he thoroughly enjoyed! For dessert, we shared a chocolate lava cake topped with raspberry compote. I couldn't think of a better way to end the meal! I definitely would love to come back and try out other dishes. What an absolutely fascinating experience! read more

Akar - Asian Fusion Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

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Food was good, but I felt rushed. Other people were wanted the table I was at, so I was told to hurry.

Get dinner here and you won't regret it. Reservations are required for indoor seating. Bar area and 2 tables at this time. First come first serve for outdoor seating with quite a few outdoor tables. The appetizers we ordered were just ok compared to the entrees. For apps, we had the lobster ravioli (crab Rangoon style) and the Korean fried cauliflower. Both were forgettable and quite honestly too pricey for what we had gotten. If they weren't based on our consensus group decision, I would've liked to personally try the udon and the soft shell crab instead. Next time perhaps. But I would probably just spend the money on another entree to share as an appetizer next time, because the main dishes completely turned around my experience up to that point. The entrees, unlike our appetizers, shined BIGLY. I had the Chilean sea bass and my husband had the Balinese chicken. Wow were our fish and chicken dishes well cooked and tasty. My Chilean sea bass' skin was seared beautifully and the fish was cooked to buttery and delicate perfection. The rice was well seasoned and it had raisins which offered a great contrast of flavor to the fish. The Malaysian curry sauce that rested at the bottom of the relish salad was the perfect kiss of flavor for the fish. Get the fish. The Balinese chicken was so flavorful and moist that it must've been marinated for at least a day. Didn't know what to expect but the first bite immediately took him back to a Balinese warung. I had a bite and couldn't stop sneaking more bites from his plate. Honestly, it was better than what we all expected. When a resto cooks its chicken this delicious, you know that its caliber is sky-high. Our table had a few cocktails and they were great. They also have a small selection of Asian and local beers. Come here and focus on their entrees. read more

Akar - Chilean sea bass - Asian Fusion Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

The food, aesthetics, and service was amazing. We tried the crab Rangoon w/ mango sauce, the lamb shank and lobster risotto! 10/10 highly recommended! read more

Akar - Asian Fusion Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

The cauliflower was delicious, but I wish there was more sauce spread throughout the dish. There were some pieces that didn't have much flavor and was simply a fried piece of cauliflower. The tofu soup was phenomenal. My husband and I both enjoyed it and would eat it over and over again. Highly recommend! Best dish we had there! The sweet potato gnocchi was good but the Sichuan peppercorns were quite strong and overpowered the whole dish. I would not order it again. The strong flavor took away from the other beautiful flavors that the dish had to offer. I want to definitely go again, but will most definitely try some new dishes along with the Mapo Tofu Donabe. read more

Akar - Fried cauliflower! - Asian Fusion Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

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Well I was a bit disappointed. Don't get me wrong, nothing was bad, but if you are going to charge what Akar charges, everything should be phenomenal. The cabbage appetizer was phenomenal. The chicken appetizer, which was suggested to us by the waitress was average. The Blossom cocktail was fantastic. The lamb dish was good and the scallop special was good but neither was phenomenal. The sauce on the scallop dish was separating by the time it got to the table. Charging for the bread was irritating. Again-nothing was bad, but a $250 meal (we had a cocktails and 3 glasses of wine) should be better than not bad read more

I've heard good things about this place and wanted to try it for a longtime, but after dining here last weekend I will not be returning. It should've been a red flag when told that we needed to be done dining within a particular amount of time when we made a reservation. Although this is standard in the restaurant industry, it's not great customer-service to strangely state this beforehand. When we got to the restaurant, we were not greeted or approached by any of the passing servers (there's no host stand) who clearly noticed us for 15 or so minutes. Once we were finally asked if anyone had helped us while still standing in the entry way, we were shown to our table which was awkwardly placed next to the bar counter and in the path of travel from the kitchen to the two dining areas. While dining it felt like at any moment someone was going to run into our table or bump me. The server assigned to our table was possibly the owner, as he was not in the same server uniform as everyone else. He was incredibly curt and rude, and made no effort to create a positive dining experience. He rushed us through the meal service in 50 minutes or less. I've never had such a short meal at such a pricey restaurant before. The batch cocktails were served warm because they were stored on the counter and not shaken, only served with a large cocktail ice cube that didn't cool it before serving. I wasn't a fan of the cocktail flavor wise either, and I'm not picky in the slightest. I ordered the special and its flavors were not cohesive and I was unimpressive for the price. Overall, all of the food was unimpressive, especially in light of the price. You cannot justify the price of this restaurant when there are so many other places in Saint Louis that do both service and food/drinks so well. read more

Akar in Clayton is almost 2 years old and I finally was able to visit. Chef Bernie Lee can do no wrong, so any dish you try will blow you away. Patio staying is first come, first served. Reservations for indoor dining can be made over the phone starting at 3pm. We started with the rangoon "ravioli" with REAL lobster meat, cream cheese, and sweet mango dip. Forget all other crab rangoons you've had. These lobster rangoons will ruin you for all others. Next up: short rib with pea mash, burnt carrots, sambal demi glace. Melt-in-your-mouth meat and you'll lick the plate it's so good. Our 2nd entrée was the duck breast with Asian leeks, purple cabbage, almonds, preserved black bean, blackberry-hoisin. I will forever attempt to recreate this amazing blackberry-hoisin sauce. It was unlike anything I've had before, but it just works. We tried their version of an old-fashioned called Shibuya. What makes it different is the addition of chocolate bitters. Not too sweet, just a kiss of chocolate at the end. My blackberry mint mocktail with ginger beer made me feel fancy, too. It's the perfect season for sitting on their patio. They even have lamps on each table so you can see your food (and take pictures) when it's darker outside. read more

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This is a great restaurant in Clayton. It is romantic atmosphere but can also get very loud and busy due to size constraints. The food is fantastic here. Everything from the short rib to the sea bass to the awesome drunken noodles was all delicious. The lobster rangoon was smacking. Fried okra could be split between four people. Parking can be a challenge may have to walk. read more

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Akar is a unique place to experience dining. The inside is a modern setting with only a handful of tables. We started with a round of espresso martinis. I wish I took a photo. It was one of the best in STL. We decided on the eggplant, cabbage, bread and lobster rolls to begin. The flavors will give you quite and experience in your mouth. The miso butter on with the bread is such a simple pleasure. We then got a shrimp noodle entree and chicken dish, both were equally delightful. I loved the variety of flavors that are used in all the dishes read more

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I've been to Akar multiple times in the short months I lived in STL. I have brought visitors here, celebrated birthdays and mor, and Akar never disappoints. I love the creativity, atmosphere, philosophy, and quality of the food. The asian influence in all the dishes is so fun and delicious. I also became friends with the owner/chef and just loved the genuine hospitality here. One time they had an off night and the food wasn't what I remembered. Even that critical feedback was handled well. Everything is good and my favorite is the sea bass, lobster ravioli, and lava cake. You can't go wrong tho! Highly recommend! read more

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Get yourself a reservation quickly!!! Amazing amazing amazing! Pricey but soooo worth it, your tastebuds will thank you. read more

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Such a hidden gem in STL, and so glad I got to try out this spot. It's perfect for date night, special occasions, or a spontaneous nice dinner :) Great selection of wines, cocktails, and mocktails. We ordered family style and shared 3 apps and 3 mains for 4 people (I'd say it was the perfect amount). Highlights were the duck breast, gnocchi, taiwanese cabbage, short rib. Great service and such a lovely, calming ambiance. I'd highly recommend :) read more

Special birthday dinner but the staff didn't do anything extra for us- Anyway, The service otherwise was stellar. Yummy cocktails and appetizers. The entries not so much except Balinese chicken. Must say I was disappointed as the reviews here made me hopeful of an unforgettable meal: Average Mapo tofu Above average gnocchi Average tikka masala Halibut was fishy- below average BUT Balinese chicken was the bomb. Great covid precautions and heated outdoor tent and outdoor patio. Overall-3.5 read more

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The food and drinks were delicious! The staff were also very friendly. I loved the Thai drunken noodles, they were a great size for an entree. Overall left satisfied, but I wish they gave more food for the amount it cost. read more

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This is the BEST food in the St. Louis area. Hands down. Worth every penny. The wait staff is professional and friendly. The space is cozy, comfortable, and clean. Highly recommend. read more

Akar - Savoring every morsel. - Asian Fusion Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

The food and service were both fantastic. I also loved the patio seating a cool summer evening. Cocktails were delicious. Appetizers were on point. Chilean sea bass was cooked to perfection. Beef short ribs were tender and flavorful. The only thing that didn't not stand out to me was desert- affagato, I preferred gelato than ice cream , still not bad by any means. Would definitely come back periodically to try other menu items. read more

Akar - Asian Fusion Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

Such an inventive and delicious menu. All appetizers are fantastic, especially the tip with crackers and garlic noodles. One of the best cocktails menu in town! Lamb is always the best when it's on the menu. read more

I had the Pad Kee Mao and was not disappointed. Slightly sweet, which I don't usually enjoy in an entree; but it was complimented well by savory and a bit of spice. My only complaint would be that the restaurant is not as spacious as it appears in the pictures. Adjacent tables were closer than I would have liked. read more

Akar - Asian Fusion Near Me - St. Louis, Missouri

Amazing dinner ! Not too crowded at 5 pm on Sunday and lots of walk in patio seating available ! We tried the KFC (Korean fried chicken ) delicious and vegetarian, and the pork dumplings . The Char siu chicken with forbidden rice and Chilean sea bass with saffron rice were amazing !! Our fellow dinner companions had the mushroom gnocchi and the lamb shanks and really enjoyed it. I would love to dine here again and again and will atleast take pics next time :) read more

Went here fir dinner with my husband and another couple. The place is small but comfortable. There is only seating for 12. The food here is amazing! We got potstickers and the Rangoon as appetizers and both were delicious. I particularly liked the Rangoon, tasty and served with a mango sauce. For my entree, I got the spare rib and it was flavorful and the meat just came right off the bone. My husband's lamb shank was the same way. We also got an order of sticky rice, which was extremely flavorful but very small as a sharable side. I think all 4 of us licked our plates clean since the food was so good. The only downfall was that to use the bathroom, you have to go through the kitchen. Our server said they were working on fixing that and adding an enclosed outdoor area. Overall loved this place and def recommend it! read more

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