As an out of town Houstonian, highly recommend. Beautiful restaurant overall with great food and a…read morewonderful vibe. The steak tartare was absolutely amazing. I'd gotten steak the night before so went with the chicken. Very flavorful, juicy & good sauce. Very attentive hostess set the stage for a lovely night. They even provided readers when they overheard one of the people in our party mention having left hers at home. Tables are tiny though so it made shareable plates a little more difficult. I was a bit worried about topping my wine when I reached over - clearly not a show stopper.

Food and drinks were great. No complaints there…read more Our party of 4 was on time but the kitchen was slow. The bill came 1 hour 35 mins after we were seated. After we paid (and tipped 30%), we were abruptly told by the hostess to leave the table and move outside to finish the drinks we had just ordered. We awkwardly gathered our belongings without protest and were rushed outside unassisted, with the other patrons staring at us. As we exited, we heard the server reappear and graciously apologize to the waiting party, offering them champagne. The table outside was set when we arrived but then actively cleared by the busser after we sat down. No one came back to check in. We felt unwelcome and quickly left. It was unnecessarily uncomfortable and put a damper on what was supposed to be a celebratory meal. This was a service failure. I understand the need to turn tables over quickly, but we should have been given at least 5 minutes notice, especially when the kitchen is running behind. Alternatively, the drinks could have been taken off the bill and we could have left outright. Even help moving or any involvement from our server or the manager would have been appreciated, but they were not present. Having had many great experiences at Vicia, I expected more from the take root hospitality group. We'll give Vicia another chance, but I'll be cautious about trying one of their sister restaurants again With the impending closure, this one may have already given up.

We look forward to Restaurant Week (RW) every year as an opportunity to enjoy a special dinner at a…read morelocal spot we've never visited. 5 of us came from St Charles County and were delighted with our experience at Cafe La Vie (located within the La Meridien Hotel, parking underground). The cocktail menu and RW menu were fabulous, and yet bringing it all to life with effusive knowledge and enthusiasm about the various dishes was our outstanding server, Corinthian. She shared interesting and incredible insight on each offering, making us feel valued and appreciated patrons, advising based on our interests and likes to help us make decisions. Each of us was pleased with our various selections. While the soups were tempting on a cold night, I was delighted with the French-inspired Lyonnaise salad complete with a perfectly prepared soft boiled egg. My panko-encrusted swordfish with burre Blanc sauce was light and tasty. The gooey butter beignets were light on the gooey butter custard-like filling, as promised by our server (and more special than the typical St. Louis dessert), sprinkled with powdered sugar and drizzled with chocolate. The ample dessert (3) provided take home leftovers for delicious breakfast treats. The cocktails I enjoyed included a Japanese Old Fashioned & an Espresso Martini, both very good. Initially upon arrival, an adjacent table of younger women was unusually loud (in a space that doesn't absorb noise well) that I feared would spoil our evening; rather than approach them (tempted) or engage management, I glared a few times at them and it seemed to have resolved. Overall, this was a very enjoyable, comfortable, and satisfying dinner; we would return.

I want to give this review more stars, I really do. But for the price you pay for the food and…read moreservice, you expect more. The employees were nice. Their version of the French dip? Oh that was a yes. French onion soup was ok too, but honestly it could've been thicker. But when you pay 19 bucks for a burger and they hand you those little packaged mustard packets like a fast food place? Oh come on now. At least put ketchup and mustard bottles on the table. Our waitress was sweet, but she had too many other obligations going on and we got cheated out of refills. We were there during lunch and noticed when customers left, nobody even came by to bus the tables. I'm not sure, but the place kinda feels like it's on its last leg. It could be better. There's room for improvement, I just don't see it happening.

I have to be honest with you. I didn't know anything about St. Louis before I visited here for a…read morefew days. I certainly wasn't expecting the food scene to be so excellent. I had my first dinner of my stay at Olive + Oak, and it blew me away from the moment I laid my eyes on it. From the unsuspecting street outside, the giant windows glow with the warm, sparkling light from within. An elegant dining room with a beautiful bar and a good amount of hustle and bustle. I felt like I was at an upscale New Orleans joint. Very cozy. Service was just as beautiful. Our server was extremely nice, new the menu backwards and forwards, and rattled off the nightly specials without hesitation. And on top of all of that, when we were getting some stuff to-go, she threw in more bread for us! You can't train that level of service. That's just a good person. Onto the food. We started off with the Blue Crab Gratin (calabrian chili, celery + pretzel bread). This was ooey, gooey, cheesy, delicious, had a fair amount of crab in it, had a nice little kick, and the sliced, crunchy pretzel bread dippers were exquisite. Something seasonal that isn't on their menu anymore, we ordered an Okonomiyaki, which is a savory Japanese pancake, basically, covered in sauce. Wow, this thing was done well. Very reminiscent of the authentic thing I've had in Japan. Very nice. Another dish that isn't on the menu anymore, the Catfish dish. It was slightly Asian and on top of some sort of risotto rice. I can't remember exactly, but I do remember that it was very well cooked, had a nice char. An eclectic dish that came together very nicely. I also got to try some of the Rabbit Crepe (port wine braised rabbit, blueberry, fennel, arugula + kenny's bleu gouda crepe). Some people might shudder at the idea of eating rabbit. Those people need to grow up. Rabbit is one of the most succulent, delicious meats out there, and in this wonderful flavor combination, in a crepe. This chef is genius. I could have downed two of these things. We finished off the night with the recommended Cloud Cake (vanilla chiffon cake, coconut pastry cream, coconut + whipped cream icing). This thing was de-ca-dent. A nice, thicc sponge, a very coconuty cream, and a whipped icing with lots of coconut pulp in it. So heavenly. Overall, my socks were blown off. Not only does St. Louis have good food, this was a better meal than I had in Nashville and Kansas City. Who would have guessed. I would love to come back.

Overrated, over hyped. Fun decor however ambiance is way too loud. Food took forever, at least 45…read moreminutes between appetizer and mains. Mains were oversalted and the crust on the burger tasted more burnt than anything. Brussel side was meh. Asparagus was ok. Rabbit main was oversalted and I bit into a bone fragment. Now I know why reservations are booked so far out, they can't turn over tables in a reasonable time because the service is so slow.

I have been here before, but I haven't reviewed it. This place is fantastic!! Its located in…read moredowntown Clayton and has valet parking right in front of the restaurant. Its relatively small inside, but cozy. A nice touch - is they offer a free coat check, so you don't have to carry your bulky coats to the table. The service here is really outstanding- but I think a huge benefit is they cook seed oil free- meaning everything is cooked either in butter or olive oil. They source local ingredients- rotate lots of different seasonal specials and also have a chefs tasting menu. You can really tell they care about food quality here. Many of us did go with the Chefs Tasting menu which they are also very flexible about- meaning if a special isn't on the menu you can subsitute it, etc. You truly could put together your own tasting menu. They start the table with crackers and a blue cheese souffle. Then they also offer a plain bread with butter which is amazing! Such a nice touch! Then we got stone crab as an appetizer - which was a special and came with a mustard dipping sauce!! It was great- I just wished they cracked the stone crab a bit more as it was hard to get into. We got a variety of menu and special dishes- Tuna Tartare, Soup of the day- Mushroom, Mixed Green Salad, Spanish Octopus, Pasta special, Sea Bass special, Missouri Trout, and Porkbelly Special. We also had a Chai Creme Brulee for dessert. Everything tasted fresh and high quality. This is one of my favorite spots! I also love how they will bag your leftovers and leave them up front by the coat check so you grab it on the way out. They think of all the little details here. Overall experience 5/5.

This was the second stop of my "progressive birthday dinner" (three stops; one for apps, one for…read moreentree, one for dessert). After a whole lot of research, knowing I wanted scallops for a main, I chose The Crossing. Our meal started with a complimentary offering of their bleu cheese soufflé with crisps and bread service--both delicious. I enjoyed a glass of their current "by the glass" Chardonnay, and my boyfriend got a Yeungling (poured table-side). I got my scallops, as planned, which certainly did not disappoint. Cooked perfectly, fresh and delicious. The wilted romaine seemed odd at first but totally rounded out the potato mash at the base, with the absolute flavor-bomb of the shiitakes. Highly recommend this dish any day! My boyfriend opted for the NY Strip; we both agreed it was one of the best steaks we'd ever had; seasoned perfectly and cooked masterfully. There was a slight mishap whereby a food runner gave him a tasting portion of the strip (likely meant for another table); we first didn't realize and were very disappointed with the size. However, without a word from us, the chef came out and personally explained, apologized, and corrected--I didn't snap a photo of the full portion when it came out, but it was perfect and much more what we expected. That brings me to the service, which was spectacular. Several staff members gave us a personal touch and they all seemed to be genuinely happy to be there. The space is beautiful and intimate. It was moderately busy and still quiet. The atmosphere feels upscale, but not pretentious or unapproachable. This place was on my radar for a long time, and I sure wish I'd gone long ago. If you're thinking about it, just go!! I can't wait to come back and try the chefs tasting menu--thank you for a wonderful dinner!

Truffles has been around for a while and has been on my list, but I never made it in until just…read morerecently for a birthday dinner with friends. I loved that the location had a good parking lot and was easy to get to. The decor and ambiance are designed to give you a feeling of luxury. We had a party of 6 and the round table we were placed at was the perfect size for conversation but still had room for all of our food and plated. Waitress was very helpful and attentive. The wine and bourbon list was massive and I recommend that you do your research in advance. It is way too big to really explore at the table. Bourbons were kind of high priced but, "fine dining" so expected. House salad is really good and fresh with nice light, balanced ingredients. We tried the korean cauliflower and bread service for apps. The cauliflower was ok but I wouldn't order again. It was a little disappointing that they charge for bread service. A single order comes with 5 pieces of bread, connected but tearable, and each a pretty small finger-sized piece. The board they served it on had a well full of olive oil and that was a mess. It was hard to pass without spilling and hard to share the oil since you had to pass the whole big bread board with it. Definitely a form over function thing that caused some frustration. Most of my party got steaks and all were very happy. 2 of my party got their steaks tuscan style and although they really liked the flavors on the meat, they wished they had not gotten salads first since the tuscan style plate replaced the usual potato and veg side with an arugula salad (so double salads for those folks). One person got the pork chop and it was massive, seemed like he liked it. I got the tagliatelle ragu and it was a good portion, not obscene but I had leftovers. It kind of tasted like pot roast pasta in a decent way. I don't know if I would get it again but I was not disappointed. 2 in our party ordered dessert, creme brulee and chocolate torte. The chocolate torte was phenomenal and one person said they would have come just for that. Not a lot of non-alcohol after dinner drink options. I ordered drip coffee and it was better than most I have had after dinner at supposedly nice restaurants, although it wasn't amazing. Some at our table ordered port and the bottle was humungous - a very amusing presentation. We were celebrating 4 birthdays among our 6 diners and they brought us a very nice plate of warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookies cut into quarters to share. This was a PERFECT birthday acknowledgement. We didn't need a big dessert per person or one to share with 6 spoons. It was small, delicious, and a gracious gift. If I could do half stars I would give 4.5. There were some small misses that I would not expect from a restaurant of this caliber. It was a lovely dining experience and I would go back in a heartbeat. I really like when a restaurant lives up to its reputation and I think Truffles does.

Great spot for date night! We went for Valentine's Day and had such a delicious meal. The service…read morewas outstanding and the ambiance felt elevated and romantic - perfect for a special night out. We started with the Korean fried cauliflower and it was honestly some of the best I've ever had. The batter was light, fluffy, and crispy, and the gochujang sauce with the mayo was sweet and sticky in the best way. Since it's a butchery, we had to try the steaks. I ordered the 4oz filet Oscar style. The meat was tender and very well seasoned, the crab was fresh, and the homemade hollandaise really pulled it all together. My husband had the ribeye. It was a flavorful cut, a little fatty (as ribeye tends to be), but exactly what you'd expect from that cut. The steaks come with a twice-baked potato and vegetable (or you can swap for different vegetables). The potato was flavorful but fairly dense. We also did the bread service - it was good, but felt a bit pricey for the portion. We ended with the flourless chocolate torte, which was very rich and the perfect way to finish the meal - especially on Valentine's Day. Overall, the food was good and the menu is solid. The quality was there, but the portions, bread service and sides didn't fully meet expectations. That said, it was still a lovely experience and a great date-night spot.

For a last minute, celebratory dessert stop, Cyrano's hit the spot…read more My partner and I went because we saw a Google review that mentioned the bread pudding being so delicious that it "altered his brain chemistry." Honestly that's what sold us! Arrived and promptly ordered that dessert and the carrot cake. Then the server told us of their "to die for" tiramisu and my partner immediately said yes. WOW let me tell you from a first hand experience two people do NOT need three desserts. Cyrano's gives you AMAZING portions. Just one would have been enough lol. Anyways, the carrot cake was my favorite. It was so big I had enough to take home! The tiramisu was good but it was being overpowered by the carrot cake that evening. As for the brain chemistry altering bread pudding.... That google review was 100% correct. It was delicious. 10/10. No notes. Please order it if you go to Cyrano's. The ambiance was a little dated but still looked nice. The staff was kind and quickly resolved the missing ice cream situation.

Met a friend to catch up. Great lively environment that really covers most bases. I would recommend…read morethis place for breakfast/brunch, lunch, dinner, dessert, or drinks. My friend loved their raspberry mocha. We both had the lemon rosemary chicken (mine with pasta, hers with mashed potato) and loved it. Dinner tends toward an older crowd some come on the later side (7 and after) to avoid bigger crowds and parking issues.

Our waiter was excellent as was all of the staff. The food was superior and the portions were the…read moreright size to leave you satisfied but not stuffed. We chose the 4 course option.

Classic Italian food. Do the 4 course tasting. We did 3 of them and turned our dinner into a 12…read morecourse tasting menu by sharing everything. We had the crudo, Gnoccho fritto, smoked burrata, egg ravioli (GET THIS) , tagliolini, Cacio e Pepe, Barramundi, steak, lamb, chocolate lava tort, cheesecake, and Panna cotta. Corkage was a fair $30. Service was friendly. I liked that our server offered us an aerator or decanter for the wine that we brought; that was a nice touch. Ambiance was nice. I really liked the art on the walls, and they were quite affordable. Parking was a biiiiiiish to find. We risked it and used the Schlafly lot.

A celebration calls for great food, drinks and experience!…read more Herbie's conquered all 3! Seatings: Great outdoor and indoor seating area. Extensive wine menu to choose from. The vibes of the restaurant will fit whichever mood your are in. Indoor for more dark and cozy experience. Outside by the fire pit, or around the front for a more brighter outdoor experience, or cozy up in the sofa like seating for a more comfy feel. Service- Service was great! Whenever I would turn my head, its like she had already read my mind and was right there. Good- Delicious! I had a hard time selecting because all entree sounded so good to me. I went with the pick 3 deal. Glad I did, it was worth it for an indecisive person like myself.

We hadn't been to Herbie's for about four years - not for any particular reason - it just happened…read more I was looking for a place to have dinner and when I saw Herbie's, it sounded good! We had a reservation and were greeted and seated as soon as we walked in. We prefer sitting outside when we come here, but it was chilly and in addition to not wanting to be cold throughout our meal, their outdoor seating wasn't set up. The dining room is just bland and boring looking. Our server came over with water right after we were seated. We needed a minute to check out the cocktail menu. We ordered drinks, heard the specials, asked a few questions, and made our choices. My husband started with a half Caesar salad and said it was just okay. I started with the French Onion Soup and I was disappointed. I believe it's the worst I've had. It was oddly sweet and it was served with two full bay leaves in it. I thought everyone knew to remove bay leaves before serving food. When our dishes were removed from the table, I pointed it out. The person said, "sorry about that" and that was it. My husband got the halibut special and said it was good, but nothing great. I got the Pear and Goat Cheese Flatbread and it was really good! I feel like everything used to be a bit more elevated there. Service, food, and vibe were all very average and we remembered, and expected, it to be better than it was.

If Sasha's on Demun were a person, it would be Donna Meagle from Parks and Rec. Versatile, knows…read morehow to treat yo' self, equally at home in yoga pants, ready for a backwoods adventure or dressed to the nines, and doesn't blink at any version of you that walks through the door. That's the vibe. We started on the front patio on a Friday night and quickly realized we'd made a mistake. The doors to the interior were open and the music -- a rock-forward playlist that night -- was loud enough that we considered bailing. Our server, was unbothered when we asked to move up to the rooftop. Where we met with a new bartender and server, London, who rolled with it, got us resettled, and from that point on the night was great. London was clearly handling the bar and most of the rooftop tables, but she was attentive throughout, and made eye contact, which seems a near miracle from many 20-something these days. Bumping the score up just for the flexibility on the table move alone. The food: crab cakes were genuinely good, not life-changing, but well above the weak-crab-cake bar that exists in most of the world, served simply with capers and a small salad. I went off-script and ordered the wagyu burger medium rare with fontina (London mentioned cheddar is the more common pick, but the Fontina offerd a great alternative). The burger was deeply flavorful and cooked exactly right, but here's my one real note for the kitchen: toast the brioche bun. Wagyu medium-rare puts out a lot of juice, and an untoasted bun loses its structural integrity about three bites in. A quick toast would let the bun keep some additional integrate and keep up with the perfectly cooked beef. The pom buff were great, the best elevated patato tots you may come by. Beyond what we ordered, the Greek salad is a longtime go-to -- chopped, with grape leaves and pita, available in a small or large, and easily dressed up into a light meal with or without adding some protein or can be share as a self-dress bruschetta appetizer for the group if you ask for extra bread. The cheese boards are also a reliable pick. The wine list is extensive (it's a wine bar, after all), but they don't sniff at cocktails -- I had a solid fine old fashioned, and my wife shared had a Malbec that paired well with everything. Lots of gluten-free options across the menu, too. What Sasha's gets right is that it has refused to become precious. "Wine bar" reads as pretentious to some people, but this place runs as a neighborhood spot. You'll see college kids dressed way down, couples on dates dressed way up, Hawaiian shirts, oversized sweaters, the full range. It's the kind of place where you can split a bottle with your girlfriends, meet a date for drinks and a quick bite without committing to a full dinner, or roll in for brunch on the weekend. Different times of day, different vibes -- always approachable. 4.7 stars. Loses a few tenths for the front-patio music situation and the weak burger bun, but more than makes up for it on flexibility, food, and overall hang factor.

Used to love this place, but today really changed my impression…read more We stopped in for a quick drink on a beautiful Saturday. There were a few open tables, but we were asked to wait by the door while they "got situated." Meanwhile, a walk-in who arrived after us was seated at a table we had been waiting for. When we were finally seated, we were placed in direct sun. I asked if we could move to a shaded table in the corner and was told it was only for parties of three. After explaining we'd just be there briefly for a drink, we were allowed to sit there, but the interaction felt dismissive. From that point on, the experience felt rushed. We were pushed to order quickly, our menus were taken right away, and the check came almost immediately. It made what should have been a relaxed stop feel uncomfortable and transactional. I understand how busy restaurants can get, especially on nice days, but a little more consideration and courtesy would have gone a long way.

City Coffee & Creperie is such a gem, especially in the Clayton area! They have a beautiful plus…read moreindoor patio as well, so it's always a hit for me no matter what. The service is pretty quick too even when busy. I always get the Santa Fe crepe!! The flavors are absolutely immaculate, and it's perfect for sharing with friends. The menu is so diverse, with so many flavors and toppings, both sweet and savory crepes. Honestly, it's one of my favorite go-to spots, and I highly recommend it! Just note that parking can get tricky since the area is super busy.

I've been to this creperie a few times with my mom for mother's day and other occasions and I've…read moreenjoyed my experience. Finding a parking spot in that location can be tricky since it's a busy area and there only seems to be street parking. The wait time can be pretty long, but the crepes there are pretty good.