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.

From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt elevated but still warm and inviting--classic,…read morecozy, and perfect for a special night out in St. Louis. Tthe crab cake was one of the standout dishes of the night--packed with flavor, perfectly cooked, and beautifully plated. Every dish felt thoughtful and high quality. The dauphinoise potatoes are a MUST! You can tell why reservations here are so hard to get--it's one of those places that truly delivers. And of course, we had to end with the hot fudge sundae, which was such a fun and nostalgic dessert experience with every topping you could want. Wright's Tavern is definitely worth the reservation and a spot I'd happily return to again.

3.5 stars. After my last visit, I'm torn. The food we had that night was mediocre with the best…read moredish being the Caesar salad with anchovies. My filet au poivre and my husband's French dip were forgettable at best. My steak was overcooked (ordered medium rare and came out close to medium well). With such a lean cut of meat, the overcooking of it ruined it. The Au poivre sauce which likely had cognac needed to be cooked off as it was extremely bitey (and salty). There was no peppery flavor at all. My cocktail, on the other hand, was delicious and well made (old fashioned) and our server was efficient, helpful, and timely. Overall I enjoyed the atmosphere. I've had the crab cake before so I didn't get it this time, and it's as good as people say. It is huge and can be shared with at LEAST two people. I'd likely visit again but I'll probably stay away from these two entrees next time.

This is your traditional Italian restaurant. The weight staff was super nice and helpful. Our…read morewaiter was actually amazing. They had a great menu with lots of options. Everything came out quickly and tasted good. It was cutely decorated on the inside. We had a reservation, but the night we came there were tornado warnings and so it wasn't super crowded. For us the chocolate covered strawberries was a stand out.

What a hidden gem! We heard about this place due to their "Eviction notice pasta" (aka penne…read moreamatriciana) for very pregnant people. We called on Saturday evening and were able to get a reservation on the same night. Turns out I've driven by 100 times and never noticed. The vibe is white tablecloth, intimate lighting, and attentive service but somehow still casual. I love that they have the story of the family business right there on the first page of the menu. We had the pasta that we came for and the tortellini as well as the escarola and calamari to start. The escarola was great. The escarola was great, everything else was "pretty good" as my husband put it. In other words, the pasta didn't blow us away. But, the atmosphere, the drinks, and the quick, attentive service sure did. Due to Yelp reviews, we also got the chocolate ravioli which was DECADENT and like no desert I've had before. We'd come back for a date night or to entertain visitors!

This was our annual Valentine dinner with friends. Usually around 12 to 18 of us and this time it…read morewas 16. Since we had a large group we called and were able to secure a reservation. We all arrived fairly close together, so we just started filling in seats as we arrived. The had us at the back of the restaurant at a banquet seat with tables and additional seats on the outside. It was a little tight, but we worked it out. The hostess was nice when welcoming us in and getting us going. Our server was Tera, she had our large group plus other tables, so she was doing her best to coordinate. We shared menu's, they had regular menus and special menus for Valentines Day. Tara was great with keeping track of the couples when ordering. I ordered the Butcher Board as an appetizer to share with others. Everyone really enjoyed it, especially the toasted bread. The salami, sausage and Braunschweiger. There was a buffalo chicken terrine that was different but good. Grain mustard aioli and house made pickles rounded out the board. I also ordered a cherry margarita as my first of two drinks. The second one was a Hugo Spritz. Both were ok, not great. I ordered the Tenderloin from the Valentine menu. It came with fingerling potatoes and green beans with a sauce. It was delicious! The beef so tender and flavorful. The meal was superb. To go packaging was great and came in a brown bag with handles that makes it easy to carry. We had a great time, great food and service.

On Friday we went to The Block in Webster Groves the first time. We arrived around 7:00 pm and the…read morerestaurant was busy. There was a 20-30 minute wait so we found seats at the bar and ordered cocktails. Very good. Very strong. The Block is a great space. Tall ceilings, warm & inviting, perhaps a little low lighting for us challenged folks, but nice, easy to read menus made up for it. A busser brought us water and shortly behind him was Laura-Beth, (our server) with a big smile and menus. After explaining the menu, specials, and taking our drink orders she left us to think about our choices. The menu is a little limited but includes sandwiches as well as entrees including fish option.. Being a "butcher" restaurant we both opted for the ribeye, medium rare. The steak comes only with fries which I ordered while my date went for whipped potatoes. I also went for a side of spinach. We also split a Block Salad as a starter. Choosing to split the Block Salad was a good idea. It was more than enough for two. It was great version of a chopped salad with fresh greens, bacon, smoked ham, egg, house-smoked cheddar, tomatoes, red onion, dressed with just enough buttermilk dressing. Really enjoyed it and just the right amount of salad. Only criticism is not salt and pepper on the table. Probably by design but disappointing. Next came our steaks and sides. We both ordered medium-rare. Her steak was a little under but close enough. My steak was raw in the center. I should have said something but there wasn't so much it was inedible for me. Better under than over! The seasoned fries were good and the whipped potatoes very good were delicious. The fresh spinach was cooked perfect, but under seasoned. All in all, good sides. We finished with Irish Coffee and vanilla ice cream. Kudos to the staff A special thank you to our server Laura-Beth. You were spot on friendly, courteous, attentive, and made our evening great and not just good. Overall, a good place, A bit expensive but where isn't these days. Well worth a try if you haven't.

Came here for Valentine's Day dinner and the ambience was very nice. We were unfortunately sat at a…read moretable rather than a booth which was not ideal but our waitress was super friendly and awesome. When we were debating which cuts to order, she delivered a detailed explanation of each one, and even brought a platter of them out for us to see. Definitely an upscale place, so budget for that. Here's what we got: Roasted Bone marrow: 8/10 - came with quite a few bones, and the marrow was rich and buttery. It truly was a melt in your mouth experience, and with the addition of the arugula and red onions on the side, it was lovely. Brussels sprouts: 9/10 - these had such a lovely flavor to them and the honey Dijon sauce was delicious. We prefer Brussels a little more charred but otherwise these were a hit. Garlic mashed potatoes with Boursin: 100/10 - SO good. Best mashed potatoes we've ever had. You HAVE to add the cheese, it's so worth it. They're ridiculously creamy, flavorful, and overall, just tasty. Broccolini: 7.5/10 - this was average. We wanted them charred a bit more and also more red pepper flakes. It mostly just tased like lemon, but it wasn't bad. Australian Wagyu filet: 8.5/10 - A cheaper version of Japanese Wagyu, this cut is super tender and delicious. But don't expect it to melt in your mouth like the Japanese ones. Snowbeef Wagyu 4oz: 10/10 - The beef just melted in my mouth. The marbling on this cut is exquisite and it is SO rich. You honestly don't need more than 3-4oz if you're getting sides. It's that rich. Overall, we definitely recommend this place. The mashed potatoes especially were enough to make us want to come back.

Looking for a restaurant to celebrate a special occasion? This fine dining steakhouse is ready for…read morethe task. The food, interior, and service are top notch, and comes it the highest prices in the area. The menu focuses on steaks but the special menu offers additional seafood option. You can also order items from the 801 Fish restaurant across the street if red meat is not your preference. Complimentary loaves of sour dough bread were delivered to the table as we enjoyed our beverages. Crab Cake $27 - This was one delicious lumpy crab cake with succulent pieces of crab, big enough to share with two people. Down Home Shrimp $26 - 3 large pieces of shrimp on top of mouth watering mash potato like sauce that you want to lick clean. You can add on additional shrimp. Single Cut Prime Rib 16oz $66 - It was cooked perfectly medium rare and very tender. I didn't love that it sat in a pool of au jus, but was delicious. Brussels sprouts $15 - Large portion, more than plenty for 4 people. It was tender and very saucy. Garlic Mashed potatoes $16 - Semi-lumpy mashed potato with bits of skin. I was hoping it might be served with gravy similar to the shrimp sauce, but there was no companion. Cheesecake with blueberry sauce $16 - Large piece of cheesecake, very rich and smooth. It was nice that the dessert selected by the birthday guest was complimentary. If you dine here and park in the lot behind 801 Fish, you can get your parking ticket validated at 801 Fish. Reservations can be made on OpenTable.

A very cute spot for dinner! Nice street parking offered outside that typically is not too busy…read more The restaurant is small smaller but they pack a lot of people in so it can be a little noisy, but it really has a nice vibe in plenty of space if you want us to sit at their bar area as well. The staff was very friendly and walked through the menu and all of the specials of the night. I liked their structure of ordering in courses. This is definitely a place to share your meal items and try a lot of things with your party. They also have a great drink menu and their espresso martini was especially tasty! I also loved their focaccia bread! We tried the brussels sprouts as an advertiser, which were very tasty.

Louie is still a hot number in St. Louis. It's the spot people name drop like they personally…read moretaught the chef how to salt water. If you can actually land a reservation, congratulations, you've won the Resy Olympics. A friend pulled some strings and got us in, which felt less like dinner and more like a heist. I went for the halibut special. It was a pesto vibe, flaky, and sitting pretty on a bed of couscous. It was giving coastal vacation energy in the middle of the Midwest. #stlouispescatarianapproved without hesitation. That said, is this all worth the reservation stress? For me, debatable. St. Louis is quietly stacked with spots that don't require a minor miracle to get a table. Now the pizzas were great. I took a few home and suddenly became the most popular person in the room. Certified crowd pleasers.

This is a cute little place in the heart of Maplewood and you can tell it's ran with love! Whether…read moreit's for a dinner date or drinks at the bar you will be pleased! Latin America meets St. Louis! We mostly went in for apps but the full menu sounds as delicious! The waiter was very quick and served with a smile. The bartender made very good high quality drinks. Even the owner was around to assure our night was going as planned. Very gracious people who are appreciative of your patronage. Defiantly different type of menu and if you like meat this is your place! Chorizo was our favorite apps followed by the pork plantain. And I mean you can't beat a freshly made red sangria. So for your next night out to mix it up add Asador Del Sur to your list!

So, I believe that part of my complaint here will be for something I'm sure they were trying to…read moremake special for our group of 7. They put us upstairs in a room. This was great in that we could converse with no issues, but it was too warm in the room. They had fans, but we had to turn the fans away from blowing on our food, hence we didn't get cooled down from them. The food wasn't that great either. I ordered the Chicharron and though the tostones underneath were DELICIOUS, the fried pork belly on top (and there was a lot), seemed undercooked to me. It was chewy, not crispy as I've experienced it before. I was unable to eat most of it. The cocktails were delicious and the service was as good as can be expected considering he was having to go up and down the stairs each time. Maybe they're better for dinner? And definitely DOWNstairs!

We had a great evening at this iconic family run steakhouse in Rockhill. Talk about a throwback…read more People were so small in the 60's and 70's. Not much has changed since then. The restaurant has lower ceilings, smaller dining room tables and chairs and was very cozy. Not cramped but cozy. The menu was All steakhouse - straight forward - nothing fancy. The prices were not stuck in the 70's though - they kept up with the times. We enjoyed cocktails before, and an appetizer of house made onion rings which were outstanding. several had salads - the house and caesar were both great as was the traditional Greek was exceptional. The steaks were Prime and we had our choice of either healthy 8oz+ filets or 12 /16oz NY Strip Steaks. Also some had the 8 oz Cold water Lobster tails. My16oz NY Strip ordered Medium Rare was cooked perfectly as was every other steak at the table. Those who ordered lobster got them deep fried which personally i think is a waste - but to each there own - it was good as well. The cream spinach was very tasty. If there was one wish - i would have liked a bit of seasoning on the steaks - this was teh consensus of the table. the beef was good - but could have used some sort of seasoning - even some S & P. Our server was friendly and knowledgable and has been there some time. Service was well paced and supported by an excellent team - waters were filled, table bussed and bread with REAL butter was kept full. As a personal side note, our folks started going to Charcoal House in 1963 - so this place has a special spot in our family - it is not often you can grab a good steak with 6 people on a Saturday night with a reservation and not be rushed out the door and receive 5 STARS! Bravo and Well Done - We'll be back.

We went for our 51st Anniversary with high hopes, and we were sorely disappointed for the way we…read morewere treated. My Prime New York Cut Sirloin Strip was ordered medium rare, and it was as tough as shoe leather. I did not want to complain, but when the owner (Mr. Angelos) approached our table expecting us to rave over the steaks, I told him I could not finish the meat, he insisted on arguing that he pays, "top dollar" for the best meats--I said I was paying top dollar too! He would not be dissuaded, and I was not looking to argue or cause a scene. My wife described her filet mignon as "chewy", but it was edible. The bill with tip was $173, and I did not want to punish the waitress. Quite frankly, the worst part was the unbridled arrogance of Mr. Angelo. We will not be returning. The days of this place as a top dinner destination are long past. Let the customer beware.

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 is a French restaurant that consistently has fresh flavorful and beautifully presented dishes…read more I've come here many times and the service has always been friendly, attentive and welcoming. The atmosphere is warm inviting. It's a great place for a special occasion, a business meal, or just looking for some good food. Oh yeah, their pasta is House made!

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.