So glad to have Grand Bistro back in my life! The food is just as good as I remember from when it…read morewas Pho Grand, and honestly, the service when I went with friends last week was incredible. I knew they don't take reservations and won't seat an incomplete party, but I still got there a little early just to see if we could grab a table for five. I was surprised (in a good way) when they seated me before everyone else arrived. I even told the hostess I didn't mind waiting, but she encouraged me to go ahead and sit, which was really nice. Our server was super friendly and made sure I was taken care of while I waited. As my friends started arriving, he was quick to get them settled in too. We started with some non-alcoholic drinks and spent some time chatting before diving into the menu. It was honestly hard to pick just one thing, so I went with both the chicken pho and fried rice. I knew I wouldn't finish it all, but I really wanted both. Once we ordered, everything moved smoothly--our server checked in, made sure drinks were filled, and kept things organized. When the food came out, everything looked amazing and tasted just as good. Of course, with all the catching up we were doing, it took us a while to finish, but there was no rush at all. When we were ready, he brought the checks and was more than happy to split them out (always appreciate that!). Before leaving, I ordered a to-go meal for my husband and asked for a box for my leftovers. Our server actually took my plate and packed everything up in the back, which I wasn't expecting but really appreciated. He also brought out the to-go order right when it was ready. Honestly, everything, from the space to the service to the food, was just great. I'm already looking forward to going back again soon.

How happy am I to learn this place reopened with a new name? We were here within the hour of…read morelearning it had reopened (was Pho Grand). And it lived up to our expectations. Love the new cocktail bar they added. It take away some seating however people can eat at bar too. We ordered cocktails while waiting for our table which took only a few minutes. My husband tried their version of an old-fashioned which used both bourbon and rum!!! It was good but he said definitely a "sipper". They have a full bar and much better wine selection now too. Starters for us were a bowl of wonton soup and the spring rolls. Both were good but rolls a little rubbery to me. The highlight of our meals was charbroiled pork. We are not capable of ordering anything else. Ha. I get 15.04 and he got 15.03 which includes an egg roll. Divine food!! The people who own this place are so friendly. Our waiter was also very nice. We can't wait to return

Consistently every week, Lona's comes up in our conversation and our rotation…read more Whether we're picking a place for dine-in or takeout, or we have guests interested in a quick bite, Lona's unique wraps, tasty side dishes, speediness, unpretentious charming neighborhood location, friendly service, and excellent price:performance ratio is a winner. Standouts for us include the smoked brisket wrap, bamboo stew, spicy eggplant, stir fried glass noodles. However every item on the menu is great.

After reading alllll the reviews I was excited to try this place. But, it just did not reach all my…read moreexpectations based off the reviews I read. This place did have fresh food, I'll give it that. But, it definitely lacked in aspects that didn't make it amazing or something I'd really suggest unless someone I knew was vegetarian. We were served quickly but definitely felt like the staff had a very "meh" attitude. It's a very specific type of place, mismatched furniture, kind of eclectic. It gives very "lived in vibes". The food itself was okay. The steak dumpling were probably my favorite but I wish there was more options for dipping sauce rather than just chili crisp oil. I ordered the big Thai wrap, and while it was good, I had to ask for extra sauce because the lettuce was just overwhelming, like there was just a giant wad of it thrown in there. The wrap itself is a rice paper so you really can't put it down when you eat it or it just falls apart. But, overall, with extra sauce, rearranging things a bit everything was generally good. Would I go out of my way to go back? Probably not but it's definitely a great place to try for yourself.

First time at this restaurant. First thing I noticed was the beautiful ambiance and fresh smell of…read moreplants. The food was exquisite! We enjoyed sharing the lamb tartare, potstickers, Isaan himachi (WOW), shrimp toast and sake sashimi with King Salmon (next level!!!). Drinks were amazing and wine selection perfectly paired. Highly recommend! Although we were asked to wrap up at exactly 2 hours in, I suppose that is ok. We were just having such a great time and time went by so quickly!

The food is edible art. Texture, layers of flavor abound in each dish. My husband called the food…read more"revelatory" because you read the ingredients on the menu and they are just words. The words do not convey the end product. For those who do not like sashimi - I understand. At other places, it has literally made me gag. But, I tried it here and holy moly is it good. In a menu of stand out dishes, I think the sashimi is at the very top. The service was wonderful- friendly, knowledgeable, attentive but not too attentive. Gratuity seemed to be included, but we tipped on top of that because the included gratuity was not nearly enough for service that good. Now it is noisy. That is what I did not like, but I have noise challenges. We asked if we could sit up front near the bar. They kindly accommodated us. It was late on a Thursday and the restaurant was full. Definitely make a reservation. There is an adjacent parking lot, but parking fills up quickly. It is evident why the owner has been a James Beard finalist - this is not your average great food. This is more. It is creativity and vibrancy. I almost forgot - price. It is surprisingly reasonable. The dishes are shareable and almost tapas style. 2-3 person is a good amount. Most dishes run $20-30 at this point in time (June 2026). We had really great mocktails which were in the $10 range.

Akar is easily one of my top three favorite restaurants. The atmosphere is calming, cool, and…read moreperfect for a relaxed date night out. Every bite of the food was delicious. I ordered the Thai drunken noodles, and they were spicy, well-balanced, and full of flavor. The service was also very nice and made the experience even better. Parking can be a little tricky, but it's absolutely worth it. I came here for a date night, and it was the perfect spot. Definitely a place I'll keep coming back to and keep recommending.

Akar was one of the best fine-dining experiences I've had in St. Louis. With a small, intimate…read moredining room, Akar feels both cozy and elevated and is a great spot for celebrating a special occasion. With such a small dining room, service is very attentive and it doesn't get too loud. All of the food is delicious and beautifully plated: truly a delight for the senses.

Stews has been on my list for a bit and I finally made it in! We were greeted and told someone…read morewould be right with us. We lucked out and got two seats at the counter soon after we came in. The staff was hustling! Stews was busy, but felt comfortable and not crazy. The Menu had drinks on one side and food on the other. The patron next to me ordered a Mule and it looked really good so I ordered that and it tasted as good as it looked. I knew I had to get the Brussels Sprouts and they did not disappoint. It was a pretty good-sized order so I had some to take home for anther meal, yum! I also ordered Lo Mein and enjoyed that immensely, as well. We had somewhere else to be after eating so it was nice to get in and get seated, order drinks, order food all in a timely manner. It wasn't rushed at all, and everyone pitched in with serving and all of it. Well-orchestrated service. If you are trying to remember things that came before and you are thinking of the Wood Shack, you are correct! I thought it was but it had been a while so I asked and our server confirmed :). No food pics, so disappointed they came out super blurry

Yes there is generally a wait time so put your name on the list and scan the drink menu for 20…read moreminutes... or so. Pro Tip: GO ALONE! lol the tables for one open a lot faster than they do for larger parties. The entire inside holds about 35 people. When STL weather cooperates, the front patio doubles the size of the place. Do with that what you will. You have been warned so plan accordingly! NOW FOR THE FOOD! Order The Salmon! Order the brussel sprouts. I wasn't a fan of the T-Pockets as they are NOT traditional crab ragoon. Think, jalapeño poppers but with cream cheese and crab. ORDER A COCKTAIL! I've had their Manhattan and an "After Dark". If you are a bourbon person, you can't lose on either of those. Drinks range from $10-$14. THE STAFF: The space is tiny and is always packed, that alone is a recipe for disgruntled guests and employees BUT NOT HERE. The Stew's team is always friendly and cool under pressure. They have seating and serving down to a science. Kudos! AMBIANCE: Think intimate bar in Japan. Can't imagine that, then visit Stew's. Thank me later.

Apparently, some Chinese restaurants have a policy where they give you free egg rolls if you're a…read moreparty of six. I get that this is a Thai restaurant, not Chinese (though it's more Chinese than I am), but Meyou might consider such a policy. I would have benefited from it yesterday. I visited on a Wednesday evening with members of a running group. There were umpteen of us. If we'd been given a single egg roll appetizer, we would have been forced to cut it in tiny pieces and share. I would have been willing to do that, because I'm a confirmed, avowed savage. My reputation precedes me. Arguably, they should give you one free appetizer for every six members of your party. But I digress. Now, where was I? Ah yes, Meyou. I'd describe this place as a somewhat Americanized version of Thai food, based on what little I know from having recently visited Bangkok and eaten in roughly 40 or 50 restaurants, food stalls and what have you over the course of a few days, i.e. not a whole lot. You can get pad thai and various other soups, noodles and curries, along with fried rice, egg rolls, crab rangoon and chicken wings. It's got a little something for everyone. Do they charge you $0.25 for extra soy sauce? Can you call up and try to harangue them into giving you a free order of crab rangoon by claiming that they shorted you the last time you were there, knowing good and well they can count better than you? I'm not sure. I might try that on my next visit and report back. This time, I went with something called Pad See Ew, which wasn't nearly as gross as its name suggests. In fact, it was good. Its description on the menu, with broccoli, eggs and soy sauce, called to mind various things I might order from a Chinese takeout--which is what I tend to look for in a menu item. As a noodle dish, I figured the overall flavor profile might not be different from a lo mein lunch special I used to get decades ago, that I still fondly reminisce about on a weekly basis. I wasn't that far off from the mark. They let you choose the spice level, ranging from mild to hot. I usually get hot in most places, but I'm hesitant to do that at Asian restaurants, because they might have access to peppers that are technically considered research chemicals, like Temu Ozempic, and therefore not subject to FDA approval. There were a few girls there, and I didn't want to run the risk of my throat starting to close up. I'd have to find a new run group. Medium turned out to be just right for me, but maybe too spicy if you're expecting something along the lines of a buffalo wing. Even the mild, apparently, has a bit of a kick to it. The noodles were nice and slippery and cooked a touch beyond al dente, right in that Goldilocks zone between undercooked and mush. The heat, and the complexity provided by whatever they use to season this, helped offset the underlying sweetness. You get your choice of meat. No Diddy. I went with pork, natch, with apologies to the Honorable Minister. The amount they give you is surprisingly generous, except that this dish will run you. I'm talking modern-day Chipotle prices. Maybe a dollar or two more. Yikes! But I'd argue that the quality justifies it. If I lived nearby, and I had the means, I'd stop by on occasion.

Fast, delicious food! This was my second time here and we tried the orange mock chicken which was…read moreabsolutely delicious and fried to perfection! Got the chive cakes again as an appetizer too which are so crispy and chewy and an absolute divine starter. Will be back!

Ran the table here. Very mixed reviews with several recent negative reviews by serious local…read moreexperts. As you can read, I'm love Japanese food. The fried squid was well-breaded, light and crispy, but they were a touch tough. Still excellent and the oil was clean. Their burnt ends were fusion perfect! Lots of clean garlic cloves, mild and slightly sweet sauce on a hot stone. Most importantly very tender ends. Finally the house tonkatsu ramen. Wow. This is not the 5 year old mother base, but a mild and delicate creamy beef broth. Balanced rather than deep. The pork is not the danish sheets, but seared silver dollar sized chunks. The noodles were the right texture and firmness. The eggs were shockingly correct, firm all the way to a perfectly runny 2cm cup. Very rare for that kind of attention. Finally service, could not ask for anything better. Attentive but not overwhelming. Polite and thoughtful. And, didn't push the round 2 alcohol like some places.

The place itself is really cute but I was disappointed in the food flavors. I will recommend…read moregetting the popcorn chicken though. It was pretty good but the ramen was lacking. The noodles were too much and soup was under seasoned. We love spicy food so we asked for more hot sauce which didn't really help. The volcano fried rice was sweet actually which was very overpowering. Service is good, the people are really nice. I just wish the food was up to the expectations I had.

Sat outside with our dogs for a delicious, fresh, quick meal! As a vegetarian, highly recommend the…read moreflavorful tofu laap. We also ordered the Beef Nam Tok and loved it as well. Will be back!

Located in the Grove and so yummy !…read more We went for the hottest level of green curry with soft tofu but it ended up not being spicy enough for us . However it was packed with flavor and came with great service . . The portions here aren't out of control which I love and everything is very shareable . We were seated right away and had zero issues with orders . Very vegan friendly and modifiable menu . Indoor and outdoor seating available. Would absolutely return .