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    The Key Stl

    4.0 (28 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

    The Key Stl Photos

    THE KEY STL ATMOSPHERE

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    Tedd T.

    Last night at The Key STL was nothing short of incredible. We hosted our very first Bites in the Heights community night, and from the moment we walked in, it felt like exactly what a neighborhood spot should be--welcoming, vibrant, and full of life. The energy in the room was contagious, with kids laughing, neighbors connecting, and everyone just genuinely enjoying being together. Let's talk about the food... absolutely out of this world. The smash burgers were packed with flavor and perfectly crispy around the edges--exactly what a smash burger should be. And a pro tip: order the fries well-done if you love that perfect crispy finish--they do not disappoint. What really sets The Key apart is the atmosphere. It's the kind of place that instantly feels like your place--whether you're stopping in for dinner, bringing the family, or gathering with friends. And with plans to host sporting events, it's about to become a go-to destination for game days as well. We're so grateful to have a space like this in our community. The Key STL didn't just host us--they elevated the entire experience. Compton Heights showed up... and The Key delivered.

    Courtney S.

    The Key is situated in Midtown in what I call the arts district. This is another Kranzberg venue amongst many in the area. The venue is separated into two spots with two separate entrances--a burger joint and the live music spot. We got situated on the venue side for a Juneteenth event, and each table had a QR code for checking out the menu as well as other things about the space, such as renting it out. It's a spacious and thoughtfully planned space with room for standing to listen to music or for sitting down and enjoying the music. The seats are sturdy yet comfy. The floor is concrete, so be mindful when wearing heels or shoes for standing for long periods if you're not able to be seated. I can so see this space hosting live band karaoke!

    Chili
    Kara B.

    This place has a cool atmosphere but definitely needs to work out some kinks. There are no servers so every time you want to order food and/or drink you have to go to the bar counter to stand in the single line with everyone else. No issue with the structure, but the line was long and did not move fast. Upon our arrival the table we sat at had clearly not been cleaned off. Crumbs and sauce all over the table, but it was the only one available. Unfortunately the day I went they were out of shrimp so I couldn't order the shrimp stuffed poppers like I wanted. Our group ordered a burger, the key ravs and chili. I would have ordered a speciality drink like their social media appears they have, but they don't provide a drink menu. The prices are overpriced. You get 5 tiny ravs for $13. The chili was thick with not much taste to it. The burger was delicious but once again, overpriced- $14-16 for a burger without fries.

    Lisa R.

    We won't usually patronize startups until they've had the opportunity to work out the kinks, but we made an exception for The Key in the City of St. Louis. The space has been totally updated, is vibrant and looks great. Several large screen televisions purport to offer the sports bar vibe, but with no audio it was difficult to follow the World Series game we came to see .... and the loud audio of the band rehearsing next door was a complete distraction. In my opinion, this is either two distinct spaces or its not; the blend does not make for a great dining experience. There are no servers; orders are placed and paid at a counter. Since they don't attach numbers to orders, the food trays were mismatched when customers received their food (and there were only three parties of two at this time). I ordered the Jerk Chicken Wings as an appetizer; I received a pound of wings that were much spicier than I expected. I ordered the Build-Your-Own Burger, with lettuce, tomato, and onion upcharges. (I received a half-slice of tomato and no onions). I suspect that the trend towards "smashburgers" is to save on meat, but Steak-n-Shake has been excelling at them for decades ... it's not necessary to use high heat (as we could smell them overcooking) and crispy edges is the goal, not overcooked, entirely crispy patties. The highlight was the Hand-Cut Extra-Crispy "Specialty" Fries. Very Good. I decided, when initially ordering, to hold off on ordering my dessert because I wanted the Key Lime Ravs warm, and I am glad I held off because my dining companion ordered the $12 order of six ravs and only received three. If we could have enjoyed the baseball game we would have ordered cocktails and, likely, more food, and stayed longer. Its hard for me to understand how a pricey burger bar can survive in that area with Stacked and even Five Guys nearby ... our tab was $80, plus a 15% tip ($12) that I usually don't leave for self-service, totalling $92 without liquor. The Key needs more time to smooth things out ... they're not quite ready for primetime.

    Wake Up! Burger
    Wanda H.

    Stopped in here with a group, to get a bite to eat before an event. The location was perfect. Casual atmosphere, with minimal service. You order at the bar (had to ask for a cocktail list) and then they call your name for you to go pick it up. The food was delicious though they didn't have blackberries to muddle in my cocktail as advertised. Their sauces tend towards the DELICIOUS side! Not fancy, but it was good.

    Jerk Burger
    Deyna J.

    We've been to The Key a few times before Billikens games and never ate because the line to order was crazy. For the last home game of the season we arrived early got a table and ate! Everyone enjoyed their food. The fries were delicious! I was happy they had vegetarian option and the garden burger was great. The drinks are really good too. We got the margarita this time and it was delicious but too small for the price. Overall we really like the Key and will return!

    Double mushroom smash burgers on sour dough
    MaryAnn B.

    Nice , super casual place for some delicious smash burgers. Can combine some ingredients to create for yourself, or choose a house creation. Tacos, too. Either way, delicious. Add some fries,, house made chips. Some bar service. Order at the bar, call for pickup. No frills, just yum!

    Menu
    Haley M.

    Perfect location right by SLU campus. Order at the bar kind of set up, awesome menu lineup. Full bar, huge TVs for game day. Double doors in the back lead to a huge dance floor and stage for music. What a fun place. Absolutely will be back! Mango salsa is to die for! Had the Key Cheesesteaks with chicken. More than enough for two meals. This place will be around a while, for sure.

    Key lime pie toasted raviolis
    Luke R.

    Saw they had some of STL Toasted raviolis and they are the best in the city so had to hop in to try the key lime pie toasted ravs snd they did not disappoint. I would like to see them add a lil side of whip cream for them to finish off the whole key lime pie aspect. The fries was fresh cut and loaded with toppings. Really good. You go in and order at a window so service was easy as they weren't busy at 8 on a Friday night. The restaurant its self has a cool sports bar vibe with a nice music hall attached.j was suprised at how large the music space was.

    Elder emo's performing at the Key
    Manoj A.

    The key is a cool new restaurant connected to a music venue. It has a fun sports bar aesthetic. Their build your burger option was great. I got the vegan burger with toppings and it was one of the best ones in the city, more than just a generic black bean burger. Their drinks and beer were also very affordable. Overall, a great place to hang out and get some affordable but delicious food and drinks. In addition, they let you bring food and drinks to the venue side where bands play.

    #19 and Mango Daiquiri
    D'Angel H.

    I would definitely recommend this really cool place. We were in town for a volleyball tournament and found this little gem! We sat the bar, ordered the Mango Daiquiri and the #19. Declan was totally cool! Drinks are really good. The burgers were freakin delicious! And the fries are super yummy!!! We will definitely be back!

    One set of TVs
    Ana C.

    Great new sports bar with phenomenal smash burgers, crafted cocktails and attentive bar and counter staff. Interior is fun but super bright (they are working on getting dimmer switches). Nice variety to the menu. Great spot for quick meal before Fox show or to watch any possible game you're interested in.

    Beef cheesesteak.

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    9 months ago

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    Honora K.

    Excellent suggestion Luke! Thank you for coming out to support!

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    Honora K.

    Thank you so much Alexis! We love having you in, see you soon!

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    7 months ago

    Great place to meet friends before a SLU basketball game. Good food and atmosphere. The employees were helpful with the food and drinks.

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    Ask the Community - The Key Stl

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    Gioia's Deli

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    A perfect sandwich. The Hot Salami. Recognized by James Beard. I did mine on garlic cheese bread…read morewith peppers. Got there early and then it got really crowded. Definitely worth stopping when in St Louis

    We chose this sandwich shop because they're a well-known small business in STL, and whenever we…read morehost visitors from out of town for luncheons we always try to support local restaurants so they can get a true taste of St. Louis. Since this place is such a staple, we figured we had to give it a try. The place was absolutely packed, which clearly shows it's a local favorite. Even with how busy they were, our pickup order was ready on time -- actually before the scheduled pickup since I arrived about five minutes early. The atmosphere definitely had that classic local sandwich shack vibe and seemed like it would make a great casual lunch spot for almost any occasion. Unfortunately, the food itself just didn't live up to the reputation for us. We ordered the hot salami sandwiches, which they're known for, but they were extremely greasy and the only flavors that really stood out were mustard and grease. We expected a lot more flavor and balance considering it's their specialty item. We also placed a large luncheon order of 10 sandwiches. Everyone was satisfied overall and the food was decent enough, but nothing really stood out or made us excited to come back. We personally prefer Adriana's for both flavor and overall quality. One of the biggest disappointments was that none of the sandwiches had cheese on them, even though we paid an extra $2 per sandwich for the garlic cheese bread upgrade. That was frustrating considering the additional charge. Honestly, I'm guessing we may have just caught them on an off day because it's obvious this spot has a loyal following. We still appreciate supporting local STL businesses and can understand why so many people love it -- it just wasn't quite the experience we were expecting.

    Photos
    Entrance
    Entrance
    House Salad
    House Salad
    Original salami sandwich

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    Original salami sandwich

    The Key Stl - burgers - Updated August 2026

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