Zach was our waiter and provided the best service! Listed to our girl talk and gave some great…read moreadvice. Will be back to see him and experience his service again. White lasagna was bomb.com

Hard to believe it had been eight years since I last dined at Olive + Oak. During the summer of…read more2018, I was working in St. Louis and had several occasions to dine there. Since then, Olive + Oak has moved to its current location, which is spacious, airy and filled with light. And somehow, our experience last night was even better than what I remembered. I was having dinner with three friends I used to work with, and Abby, our server, was outstanding from start to finish. I arrived first and had a chance to chat with her before everyone else got there. Her energy and personality immediately stood out, and I knew she was going to be a hit with our group. Hard to believe she has been at Olive + Oak for only six months. She kept taking care of us throughout the evening. She really wanted us to try the grilled carrots, so she brought us an order on the house. Later, one of the managers stopped by with wine glasses and poured us some wine, also compliments of the restaurant. Those unexpected touches made an already great evening even more memorable. With four of us, we were able to explore quite a bit of the menu. We started with the Chicken Wings, Charred Octopus and Lion's Mane Steak. All three were distinctive and delicious. The Fried Green Tomato Salad was enormous, easily enough for all four of us to share, and packed with flavor. We learned it was leaving the menu after that night, so our timing was pretty good. For my entrée, I had the Grilled Flank Steak with crispy Parmesan potatoes, along with a side of Olive + Oak fries. Incredible. The fries were world-class, and Abby even tracked down some barbecue sauce for me to dunk them in. And those Grilled Carrots Abby insisted we try? Wow! Definitely one of the surprises of the night. We finished by sharing two new desserts, the Cloud Cake and Samoa Cookie Cake. Both were super delicious and a great way to end the meal. We ultimately spent more than three hours at Olive + Oak, and never once felt rushed. We were there to reconnect, tell stories and enjoy being together again. Great food certainly mattered, but the warm, attentive service made the evening even better. Eight years was way too long between visits. Olive + Oak remains my favorite St. Louis restaurant.

Another visit and did not disappoint. Highlight was the strawberry pop tart. Worth getting…read moreeverytime. Coffee was delish. Breakfast burrito was great as usual. Avocado was better than the ground beef. Great staff.

Went here for brunch on a Saturday and it was busy both inside and on the patio. If you eat…read moreoutside, you order at a window. If you are eating inside, you are seated and the you'll have to go to the bar to order your food. It comes out wrapped up on a plate (not what I was expecting). Unfortunately, because it was a Saturday - it was loud and I struggled hearing the conversation with my friend. We ate quickly and left - having better conversation as we walked the streets popping into the cute shops nearby.

I absolutely loved this coffee shop! The inside was so cool and had such a fun atmosphere, with…read moreplenty of unique things to shop around for, delicious bakery items, and of course, amazing coffee. The coffee was seriously so good! The outdoor patio was even better--it was such a nice space to sit outside under the covered area and enjoy the breeze from the fans. There's also an option to sit in the sun if you prefer. It's a great place to relax, catch up with friends, or get some work done. Such a great environment and overall vibe! I'll definitely be back to try more of their food and bakery items.

I went to school out in the sticks, so I'm always worried when I visit one of these local-looking…read morecoffee shops that there might be vaguely religious undertones, along with a meeting on Tuesday nights where men gather to share their thoughts on disturbing cultural developments, hug and cry a little bit. I'd attend such a meeting, but more so for the lulz (but also to share my beliefs). I'm pleased to report that there's none of that going on here, that I'm aware of. Granted, this was a Sunday morning. I was there with my running group as part of our ongoing unofficial breakfast burrito tour, the last such stop until this fall, due to upcoming marathon training. Of course it was the most unpleasant day of the year, maybe ever, with a heat index of 117 (no hyperbole). I changed shirts before I came in and then sweated through that shirt as well. One of the ladies I was with left a gross pool of sweat in her chair after she left. It didn't occur to me to pull a Charlamagne tha God until hours later. I'm growing as a human being. Part of that growth is gradually coming to realize that seasonal lattes, unless they have sort of especially distinct flavor, like banana, aren't going to taste like anything other generic artificial sweetener, let alone what they purport to be. I considered ordering an iced caramel latte, but I figured what the heck. I went with something called a Miso Brown Sugar Latte. It was good for what it was, but I don't know that anyone, if you gave it to them to try, could identify it as that. I liked the fact that it had a somewhat more pronounced coffee flavor, compared to some places where it mostly just tastes like a glass of milk. I wasn't as crazy about the fact that it took a while for the ice cubes to cool it down, probably longer than it would have taken if it were served in a glass cup. I went with something called the Annex Burrito, which I didn't realize until after I ordered it is not the only burrito they carry. I guess you can also get a bog-standard breakfast burrito with bacon, eggs and cheese. This one comes with corn, beans and some sort of unidentified crema for the same amount. Maybe they give you less bacon. Mine didn't have a lot of bacon, but the bacon it did have was not crisp and had a precooked vibe. The latter was more of an issue for me than the former. I'm a savage in that way. I did appreciate the fact that it was griddled, possibly using a panini press. The exterior was ever so slightly crisp, while the interior was pizza roll-level molten. The overall vibe was similar to those microwave burritos they used to carry at 7-11, but in a good way. All I needed was a mini truck enthusiast magazine filled with photos of bikini-clad Latinas and a Windex-blue Slurpee, but I was able to make do with a lukewarm mystery latte and the old ladies I run with. I'm resourceful.

Went back again this weekend and I still love this place. I'm a bit biased since coffee shops and…read morenurseries are my favorite places to frequent when I'm having a slow Saturday morning, but Telva has the best of both worlds! Not to mention the food is incredible. I love coming here for their house made syrups in my latte and you can't go wrong with any of the food options, but my favorite is the Clibir. Everything is healthy and the vibes are so fun.. staff is always so friendly and attentive. There is usually a long line at peak hours on the weekends but it moves quickly and it's so worth it!

Beautiful space with lots of greenery, great music, and friendly, attentive staff!…read more The food was good but not too memorable. I had the Sloppy Mustafa Tost and it felt like something was missing. The biggest letdown was the "runny" egg, which wasn't runny at all, very surprising for a breakfast spot. The ordering process also takes away from the experience. Waiting in a long line to order and pay, then carrying your own water to the table, doesn't make for a relaxing brunch. My friend also wasn't told they had run out of the somun for the Cilbir until the food arrived and it had already been substituted. Overall, I loved the ambiance, but the food and service details didn't quite live up to the hype.

I went here a few weeks ago. I think I had not been here. It's a bakery/cafe that provides job…read moretraining for people of various abilities receiving job training. And I don't remember what I had, lol! I liked it and I'll return to update this review if I remember what it was. A few of the employees -- people perhaps in their early 20s who did not appear to take their jobs as seriously as the cashier -- were engaged in a private conversation behind the counter. The cashier and customers had to wait a moment to get their attention about a menu item that had been discontinued, though the online menu we found had not been updated. We had a group of 8 people. We sat upstairs. I wasn't all over the setup of the space. Perhaps half of the seating is upstairs and the stairs have a bend/turn. The person bussing lost control of the tray. From what I could see, in her attempt to regain control of the tray, she fell and broke something or some glass cut her and she was bleeding quite a lot before she left for treatment. I think smaller trays may be in order, or a dumbwaiter, or perhaps an employee with better upper body control could do this task. Between that and a comment said by one of the waitstaff that I prefer not to repeat, I am hoping I caught them on an "off" day. We need more businesses like this one. The food was good, too, so I will return.

Great spot to grab a sweet treat and a coffee. My mom and I wanted a coffee after lunch before…read moreheading to the mall. We wanted to support local, so this was a perfect fit! I also love that this space aims to provide front/ back of house skills for adults with intellectual disabilities. We went in the afternoon, so a lot of bakery items were sold out (good sign). They had full size gooey butter cakes and pre wrapped items ready to, so definitely keeping that in mind. They also had their famous smile cookies (I've been eating them since I was a kid). They have a full ice cream bar in here (had no idea) which is great to add to the sweet treat line up. My coffee was great (iced latte) and the service was also good. Parking can be tricky in downtown Kirkwood (if you know you know) but we scored a lucky spot on the street right outside. Check it out!

Great food, service and atmosphere. This is our go to breakfast place. We love it. Use/join the…read morewaitlist early. Always busy on the weekends.

We flew into Belleville, IL airport and our friends suggested we meet at this place for brunch. It…read morewas a little outside of the downtown area as we were there to check out a Cardinals game, but well worth it!!! We had the fat Elvis pancake, the smoked pork belly Benedict (not pictured because we inhaled it) and some mimosas. Amazingly delicious!!! The ambiance is cool! Definitely a funky, neighborhood joint!!

Stopped here while we were visiting from out of town. It was SO good!…read more Some of the best pretzel bites and onion rings we've had in a while. Our kiddos loved their food and I had a great burger. It is kid-friendly but not lame. Haha. We had an excellent server(I think his name was James)! Prompt service and was very attentive. They also have a snow cone bar that was a super fun touch. Highly recommend.

Stopped in for Saturday breakfast. Greeted and seated promptly…read more James came over and introduced himself and got our drink order. Returned with our drinks and took our order. I wanted to add red pepper and subtract the mushrooms and cheese from the veggie omelette, James was very nice and made sure he could accomodate. Food came out quickly; my potatoes came out with parm on top. James was quick to remedy the situation, leaving me with the omelet and having the potatoes redone. He was great, I hadn't asked for no cheese and didn't realize the potatoes came that way. Omelet was thick and fluffy with lots of veggie filling, I was surprised the peppers where pimentos but I love pimentos so I loved the omelette. He returned the potatoes minus the parm and they were delicious! Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Check out was quick and easy and we are on our way. Love the atmosphere and service and the food is great!

We had a reservation on a Saturday night. We were greeted and seated right away. We're not fond of…read morehigh top tables, but that's all that was available when I made the reservation. I only saw two high top tables for two people and they were in corners. So we sat in a corner on backless stools. Stools in restaurants should have backs!Pretty uncomfortable and we won't do that again. It also has really high ceilings so it got pretty loud in there. Our server was Erin and she was good! The place was packed inside and outside (in the rain - there were umbrellas over the tables) so the staff was super busy. She kept the drinks and food coming at a good pace. We started off with drinks and onion rings. We had been told how good the onion rings were so we had to order them - they lived up to the hype! I'm not a beer drinker, but my husband is. He had three different ones and didn't really enjoy any of them. He tried Tidewater Plains, Master of the Universe, and Batholith. I had a Jungleberg cocktail and liked it so much, I ordered another one. The server said they were out of them. There were five ingredients in the drink so I have no idea what they were out of. I ordered a Spicy Ancho Margarita and it was okay. It shouldn't be called spicy, because it is not. I ordered Chicken Wings and Onion Soup. Yes, it was summer. But it was cold and rainy and soup sounded good! The soup was very good - very cheesy and they didn't put a chunk of bread in there to get all soggy, which I appreciated. The wings were okay. They were way too saucy for me. My husband got the Philly and said it was okay, but nothing special. I would have probably given 3.5 stars, but that is not an option. I'd go back for the onion rings!

++++ food ++++ family atmosphere…read more The food here is delicious! I ended up getting the LW burger with pub cheese and it came with shoe string fries, the burger was thick and juicy, while the shoe string fries with garlic aioli as my sauce was, perfect! This is a pretty good family atmosphere, they have high top tables but also had high top high chairs! A real positive in our book, haven't ran into many restaurants that have this option. I would suggest if you have little ones to order your food when they take your drinks because the service can be hit or miss depending on the time you go, and food can take a little longer than expected. So get the little ones ordered in first and then decide on the adults.

We visited here on a whim, after many times of just ordering food to go. I'm so glad we got to…read moreexperience dining in. We sat on their lovely patio - which is dog friendly by the way! It was covered with a good quality tent and was decorated so pretty! The staff...my gosh, absolutely amazing. They were absolutely thrilled to meet our pup and were all just so kind. I loved how welcome we felt. They even brought out a ball of dough for my son to play with, to pass the time. How creative! Food was a 10/10 and absolutely worth every penny! I still think about that chicken parm!

Not bad, just fine. Pros: food was good. Pasta says made…read morein house, based on the recipe I'd have to agree but it wasn't made same day. Triangoli raviolis were firm. Meatballs were good, based on size they were made in house. A bit overpriced for the cost ( see receipt). Cons: service started great, very attentive. Then our waitress Sarah K disappeared the last 1/2hr. Had to ask someone to find her. When she returned she was a bit lost, took her 3 more trips to remember the bill.... Drink was not good. If someone wanted to go back I'd give it another try, wouldn't choose it myself.

This was absolutely delightful and I was worried we wouldn't be seated with how busy it looked, but…read morewe must have missed the morning rush! We were pretty seated right away (party of 2.5) next to their beautiful plants and bar. Parking in the area can be a headache, but Songbird does have a small parking lot next door and can be worth trying. Our service was very welcoming and nice! The menu is a bit smaller than most, but I really enjoyed what we ordered. We started off Vanilla Iced Latte, an Iced Hibiscus Tea supplied by the London Tea Room, and waters. They gave my toddler his water in a to-go coffee cup which delighted me because in passing... a small child having his morning coffee lol Our food was great, filling, and delicious: a breakfast sandwich with aged white cheddar, applewood smoked bacon, and fried egg, huevos rancheros with housemade chorizo, and a farm toast (french toast with peaches) Lovely breakfast date - I highly recommend!

Songbird is the Dolly Parton of St. Louis breakfast: bigger stage, brighter lights, same voice…read more I've followed this operation since it was a sandwich pop-up at the Tower Grove Farmers' Market, through the brick-and-mortar in The Grove, and now into its larger home in Tower Grove South. The quality has not wavered once. I ordered what I always order: The Combo (fried eggs, maplewood smoked bacon, cheese, brioche toast), extra egg, extra bacon. Most kitchens treat a fried egg as binary (runny or ruined). Songbird has mastered the middle register: lacy edges with a yolk that stays glossy and intact right up until the first bite. I ordered them over hard, and they came out a bit closer to over medium, but they were just as good as I wanted them to be. The bacon carries real smoke. This is a decadent sandwich, big enough that half of it would make a light breakfast; I wasn't remotely hungry after one, the second half was indulgent. The service made the move too. The hostess still recognizes returning customers, and the bigger room finally lets the dining experience breathe. The service at the table could have been a little warmer as we've had it the past, but it is still professional. I was there with two close college buddies, one of whom declared his latte excellent. I keep meaning to get adventurous with the menu, but it is genuinely hard to find a bacon, egg, and cheese toasted this perfectly, and I'd go twice in one day if given the opportunity. 4.8 A full five arrives the day when I can arrive first thing on a Saturday without a 30 minute wait, honestly, it's hard to get a reservation here because of its popularity. Good for them. Cheers to you, Songbird. Dolly would be proud