This evening we brought our parents to St. Genevieve as part of their Christmas present and was recommended by friends. We had recently spent time in France a few weeks ago and wanted to share a French dining experience with our parents. We were very disappointed with the meal and the experience.
It started by being seated near the front glass doors and windows, which had cold air blowing on us, unpleasant during winter and for our elderly parents. Our parents kept their coats on, as did several others at tables near us, and when we commented and asked if there was anything that could be done the wait staff ignored it. The service felt similar to what you'd expect at a local bar and grill. We had to ask for our cheese plate starter three times before it arrived. The side dishes, which were to be shared with our entrees, arrived before the cheese plate, and the small table was so crowded with plates leaving little room for glasses or movement. The $11 beer from a bottle, which I know costs $10.99 for a six-pack, was just set on the table. I poured the beer myself, asked the waiter to take the bottle and he seemed confused but took it reluctantly.
The music was also loud, causing conversation in the room to be so loud that I couldn't hear my mother-in-law across the table from me. We had to ask for silverware when the entrees arrived because after the starter plates were removed, we only had steak knives. The wait staff would often reach across the table to take plates or dishes, putting their arms in front of our faces as we were having conversation and we'd have to move to look around them, very different from service by well-trained wait staff.
The food was ok, but not worth the high prices. The cauliflower side was made with some kind of cheese that smelled and tasted sour, like it had passed its expiration date, plus half of the "brussel sprouts" were actually broccoli florets. The cheese starter was composed of two thin slices of white cheddar, one slice of Brie, a teaspoon of jam, two thin slices of pickled pear, a piece of bread, and two crackers, for $22.00. Cheese and bread are very important in France and often served with multiple kinds cheese with baguettes for 4 people to have enough to eat.
The NY strip steak was good, but not worth over $60 when served with a single tablespoon of mashed potatoes and creamy overcooked spinach. The mushroom risotto was on par with cream of mushroom soup, over-cooked minute rice with a few slices of small mushrooms.
The final bill was over $350.00, which included dinner for four people, one drink apiece, one starter, and no dessert. This restaurant was nothing like the experiences we had in France last month, which cost half the price. The service, quality of food, dining experience, and cost made this evening at St. Genevieve a one-time dining experience for our family and we would not recommend it to anyone. read more