There's something about a place in Clayton insisting: don't call me a wine bar, I'm a wine dive…read more Okay. We see you. You're a wine bar. Nothing divey about a hip cocktail or hip deviled eggs -- these are sophisticated modern twists, the exact move wine bars make and dives don't. A chalkboard of specials and weathered seating gesture at the aesthetic; the rest of the room knows. Kendall Roy of restaurants -- comes from privilege, wants badly to be of the people. It's a bit, and mostly the kitchen and bar back it up. Nevertheless, we arrived to a full room, hour wait for a table, but we fortunately arrived to snag the last first come patio table. The bar was also full, by the way, which felt neighborhood like, people clearly like this place during happy hour. The old fashioned makes the case: Old Grand-Dad Bonded, pickled rye, cognac, butterscotch bitters. Two whiskeys and a bitter you won't find at an actual dive. Rich, a little sweet. The harissa deviled eggs keep going -- fried shallots, roasted red peppers, cilantro, marinated tomato jam. You know, just like the old dive with the $1 PBR.Deviled eggs for people that don't like deviled eggs. However, we love deviled eggs...foreshadowing. The short ribs are the headline -- fall-apart tender over whipped potatoes substantial enough to stand up to the meat, gravy spot on. Eats like a perfectly executed roast dinner. The brie burger is the sneaky second hit, genuinely decadent, bacon with the cheese melting into the beef. The service was good and pleasant and that felt more like dive-friendly, where you might expect a wine "bar" to be snooty or full of themselves. 4.4 Stars Picking Nits: hip deviled eggs that reach past what they can hold. Tomato jelly on top is a lot going on, in the wrong way, and the egg disappears under it. These are trying to be hip deviled eggs more than they're trying to be good deviled eggs. Every ambitious kitchen has one plate that tries too hard; this appears to be one. A 5 needs those eggs landing, in the same way the entrees excelled. Regardless, we'll be back.

Working in St. Louis for the week, Louie's Wine Dive & Kitchen was THE afterwork meetup spot for my…read moreteam! A few of us would stop in around 4/4:30pm and grab seats at the bar, chat, and polish off a couple beers. The bar was pretty spacious with plenty of seats surrounding it. Also, shoutout to the gentleman who served us drinks! He did a fantastic job taking care of us and even remembered us and our drink orders each day. Whenever I come back to St. Louis for work, I'm looking forward to coming back for some after work drinks!

We weren't planning on going out last night, but the weather was too beautiful to stay home. We…read morewere actually around the corner at a brewery that was packed with small children and decided to look for a quieter spot where we could enjoy a cocktail and dinner. OpenTable showed a reservation available here, so we finally decided to give it a try--and we're so glad we did. Everything was fantastic. I started with the Green Turtle cocktail, made with Broker's Gin, cucumber, and basil, while my wife enjoyed a glass of Friulano. We opted to share several small plates, which turned out to be the perfect choice. We started with the Brussels sprouts and the goat cheese with bread, both excellent. I also had a cup of the chowder, which may have been my favorite thing of the entire meal. My wife ordered the nightly salad special with tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and balsamic dressing, and it was fresh and delicious. We considered ordering the flatbread as well, but by the time we finished everything else, we were completely stuffed. The service was spot-on from start to finish, the atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming, and everything was very reasonably priced. We're already looking forward to coming back and trying more of the menu.

We have never had a bad meal here! We went a week or so ago and realized we've been coming here…read moresince shortly after they opened. We're not regulars by any stretch of the imagination, but we've been here a number of times over the years. Sometimes it's just my husband and me, sometimes family members join us, and we've brought friends here as well. Nobody has ever not been happy they came here! We had a reservation and were greeted and seated right away. They have a big blackboard where they write the special drinks of the day, so I always have to check that out! They have small plates and entrees there. We almost always do all small plates. The exception is the shrimp and grits because we really like it! This time we did all small plates. The stuffed portabellini mushrooms were a newer menu item and they were SO good! I could have ordered more of those and been fine without anything else! Our next favorite was the oven baked goat cheese. We literally get it every time we come here and it's always delicious. Then we had the Nashville Chicken Sliders. They're good, but nothing super special. Our last item was the short rib street tacos. I'll just say we won't order them again. They weren't bad, but they were lacking in flavor. My cocktail was from the specials list. It was the Bitter Bonfire - made with mezcal - and it was so good! I think my husband had a Manhattan. We will, of course, be back again!

We look forward to Restaurant Week (RW) every year as an opportunity to enjoy a special dinner at a…read morelocal spot we've never visited. 5 of us came from St Charles County and were delighted with our experience at Cafe La Vie (located within the La Meridien Hotel, parking underground). The cocktail menu and RW menu were fabulous, and yet bringing it all to life with effusive knowledge and enthusiasm about the various dishes was our outstanding server, Corinthian. She shared interesting and incredible insight on each offering, making us feel valued and appreciated patrons, advising based on our interests and likes to help us make decisions. Each of us was pleased with our various selections. While the soups were tempting on a cold night, I was delighted with the French-inspired Lyonnaise salad complete with a perfectly prepared soft boiled egg. My panko-encrusted swordfish with burre Blanc sauce was light and tasty. The gooey butter beignets were light on the gooey butter custard-like filling, as promised by our server (and more special than the typical St. Louis dessert), sprinkled with powdered sugar and drizzled with chocolate. The ample dessert (3) provided take home leftovers for delicious breakfast treats. The cocktails I enjoyed included a Japanese Old Fashioned & an Espresso Martini, both very good. Initially upon arrival, an adjacent table of younger women was unusually loud (in a space that doesn't absorb noise well) that I feared would spoil our evening; rather than approach them (tempted) or engage management, I glared a few times at them and it seemed to have resolved. Overall, this was a very enjoyable, comfortable, and satisfying dinner; we would return.

Ambiance - hey, it's part of the Le Meridien Hotel, and guess what?we were staying there! We seated…read moreourselves at the bar and I quickly ordered a Kolsch local brew while hubby ordered a Stella 0.0 beer - we weren't TOO hungry but still - we ordered up a menu and dived in! I ordered a smoked turkey soup while hubby ordered up his signature French Onion soup - we also ordered up a 1/2 charcuterie board - good news? The soups were just great, really. We ate 'em up quickly! The charcuterie board? Ok - where to start? The salami and prosciutto were great. The cheddar cheese was way too basic and (dare I say) a couple pieces were hardening up- yikes! Fresh it was not. The other cheese was unable to be ID'd and was kind of "bread like" - not good. But the bread (crostini)? Oh my goodness- hard as a rock. Not good at all. So we ate up the meat, some of the cheddar - and left most of that funky cheese and that hard bread. The hummus and fig spread was great, though - so no issues there. Hmm. So this was a mixed bag. But the surprise came - partly my fault, I know - I asked for a shot of their most expensive Scotch on the rocks. I should have asked the price - just over $100 for a shot! We didn't know this and only wish the bartender would have asked me to confirm the order by saying "the one I have is over $100/shot - are you sure you want it!" - but that didn't happen, darn it. So we paid up - and I swore never to order nothing but basic Scotch going forward! So - the soups and beers were great - but we suggest staying away from the charcuterie board until the bread and cheese selections are tweaked a bit more!

I've been to Ivy Cafe a number of times for coffee and breakfast, but today was my first time…read moreordering from the lunch menu. There are so many great options, and as expected, the food was really good. The coffee is always excellent too. What truly makes the experience stand out, though, is the service. Sarina is always exceptional -- friendly, attentive, and welcoming every single time we visit. She genuinely makes you feel valued as a customer and adds so much to the overall atmosphere. Looking forward to coming back again soon!

delicious food, beautiful café, attentive service, accommodating of dietary restrictionsread more

I checked out High Bar, the rooftop spot on top of the AC Hotel in downtown Clayton, and the views…read moreare very nice! You get city views from all over the place. The bar itself is super stylish, really well decorated, and has this chill vibe during the day. I had a couple of cocktails and also grabbed the Italian flatbread, which was perfect for a light bite. Definitely planning on going back. If you're looking for a spot with great views and a relaxed atmosphere, High Bar is a must-try.

I've been to High Bar somewhat recently during an event and was quite impressed that I wanted to…read morecome back so soon for a proper dinner. I made reservations, they require a credit card to make reservations so that if you cancel outside of the 24-hour time period or you do not show up, they can charge you up to $25 per person. Fair. I've seen this before in other restaurants. I made a 5:45 pm reservations as it was on a Saturday and I wanted to get there before it got too busy. We were seated on the lounge area. I asked the waitress if there was a way we could be seated at a normal table for dining. She then explained that people have eaten dinners on those tables before and that there's no open tables to move us to. Why, yes. I have also eaten off of a picnic blanket while at the park. I am well aware that people can eat off of different types of surfaces. Anyway, we made do though I was annoyed having to lean forward to take a bite out of my steak. The plate was too large to sit on my lap and I didn't want to eat off of my lap anyway. By the way, the proper table by us was empty the whole time from the time we got there, ordered appetizers, and our main entree, ate everything and sat around for 10 more minutes to finish our drinks. The food was excellent! We started with the crab dip which was true to its name. It had crab meat and topped with some crisp bread crumbs, no fillers. For places who try to pass off crab dips, they should take a page off of High Bar's recipe book. My husband had the chicken sandwich and I had the steak for my entree. As usual, I ordered mine medium rare which came properly prepared. I always get nervous when ordering steak at a non-steakhouse but I trusted my gut and they delivered. My husband really enjoyed his chicken sandwich. It had 2 fried chickens stacked atop one another. He took one off and took it home for later. We both had some cocktails. I love their spritz and the spritz options they have. Our waitress was okay. She wasn't overly friendly or attentive but she took our orders and kind of acknowledged our existence when she had to. The people delivering our food and drinks were nicer. We wanted to take our leftovers home and told our waitress this. She dropped off some containers and the check. We left shortly after. I was honestly hoping for a much better experience. At least the food was still really good!

A real treat yo self experience is to be had at this restaurant by the Bengelina Hospitality Group…read more Recommendations: At this coastal Mediterranean restaurant we enjoyed the Stracciatella consisting of grilled grapes, rosemary almonds, and aged balsamic and the shrimp oreganata as starters. For the grilled over charcoal portion of the menu, we enjoyed the the Denver steak and skirt steak. For the side, you can't go wrong with the fire baked potato with truffle fonduta. Dessert: The limoncello tiramisu is delightful and fresh. The homemade chocolate truffles are made by Chef's mom and are a must try menu item. Ambiance: Warm and intimate with great music playing in the background. Staff: Ellie was knowledgeable, friendly, and provided excellent recommendations. Jonathan's keen sense of hospitality and operational excellence further enhances the restaurant experience.

I was excited to try Esca after friends were raving about it. My husband and I dined here for our…read moreanniversary meal, and I wish we would have chosen a place with a little more enthusiasm and less pretension. The server seemed annoyed with being there, never asked my husband if he wanted a refill, took forever to check on us, and messed up the bill, which I didn't catch until after signing it. I've been to plenty of fine dining restaurants where our server has introduced themselves and asked about the occasion, and this place did none of that. Esca has the service of a fast casual restaurant- zero rapport with the customer. Oh and I was charged a 20% service fee. Super tacky to do that for a table of two at a nice restaurant. Bruschetta was such a small portion and flavorless. The artichokes claimed to have anchovy but my husband said he couldn't taste any, so he essentially got a tiny $20 artichoke as an appetizer. My $16 spritz was so loaded with ice I had maybe three sips of the actual drink. I noticed every other table had bread service but we weren't offered any. Our dinner was finished and I finally asked our server for bread. The best part of my meal was the gelato with olive oil, that's it. I don't think I'll spend the $$ again at this place. It's such a bummer because I had high hopes for a stellar Mediterranean meal.

For a cocktail bar, I give this place 5/5 stars. The alcoholic and alcohol free cocktails are…read moredelicious and the vibe is immaculate. I particularly like how the menu has illustrations of the cocktails so you know how they are served. Plus everything is seasonal! For food, I give it a 4/5. The appetizers, including the cauliflower, onion rings, and poutine are excellent but the entree menu is limited to mostly sandwiches and I've found the entrees just ok-to-good for the price. It's easy to walk in for lunch but I recommend a reservation for dinner to avoid the chaos!

I've had several recommendations for this spot from friends and colleagues. I finally had the…read moreopportunity to stop in for brunch. I'm disappointed that it took me so long to make my way here. They won me over with the tiny dedicated parking lot. At my big age, difficult parking situations are a turn off and I will go home if I can't get reasonable parking. I was able to snag a space in the lot and headed in. The space is a bit dark with rich sage, brass, and terracotta. There are several hanging plants making it an inviting place. The bar has plenty of comfortable seating and cozy tables if you decide to bring some friends. Caleb was our server during our visit. He was an absolute delight. He made excellent cocktail suggestions. He looked after our group without being overly doting. Just a gem of a human. We tried approximately 9 cocktails during our visit. Did I mention we were at brunch! I highly recommend the peach bite and the Side Car. Every cocktail is thoughtfully made and well executed. They offer a small brunch menu along with the regular menu. I usually always get chilaquiles when they are available. But today the ruby trout and grits sounded perfect. This dish was amazing!! The trout was thin with crispy skin. The grits were creamy and delicious. The dish is topped with a house made radish pico and salsa macha. We also ordered a breakfast sandwich that was paired with the crispiest breakfast potatoes I've ever had. The burger and fries are also a good option. The seasoning on the fries is next level. The brunch menu has a sticky toffee roll that is a perfect size for sharing or not. Salty sweet fork tender cinnamon roll. Lastly, the deviled eggs were a group favorite. I am a big fan of Passenger Chili Crisp. If you are unfamiliar please look them up! It's hands down the best chili crisp I've ever had. It's locally made here in STL and can also be found in several dishes at restaurants around town. The eggs were creamy with the right amount of tang from the mustard. The chili crisp made these deviled eggs easily top five best I've ever had! Planning to stop in again soon for happy hour with more friends

ome girlfriends and I went out to eat here because it was new to us. We were quickly seated, but…read morethen had to wait a while before we were addressed. That was a bummer. However, I will tell you that Eddie turned it around. He was incredible. Sure, normally wait staff will tell you "oh yes great choice" so I asked if he would actually tell us if things were bad. Now, he didnt say anything was bad, but he did say he felt this other dish was better than what a person ordered because it had more flavor and yada yada. A honest man. Love to see that. Japanese Curry = Little spicy, but great flavor. Yum. Wagyu and bacon bao = amazing. Get it. Pork belly boa = a little dry, bummer. Fried shrimp boa = good. Fries = 100/10. Perfectly crispy. Amazing. Also a little thing, but the light on table had three different settings and I just really appreciated that. Treat yourself to this small restaurant tucked away in Clayton and go visit by boy Eddie.

So lets start here, I went here for Clayton Restaurant Week. I wasn't excited to go but my friend…read moreshe wanted to try it. It was one of the COLDEST days of the year like 5 degrees out. We had reservations but it was so cold we went early praying that they had open seating. We were in luck the bar was open. Inside it was swanky, I liked the aesthetic. if you are looking for a place that's ultra private, this isnt it. but it would be an awesome date night. The bartender was welcoming and open. I was enthralled as they made the cocktails. They answered random questions and helped us picked something for our palate. I had the Paloma (Palo-Ho-HO-Ma) it was AMAZING!!!!!!!!! i mean like go just to get one of those. Then i had the sweet chili popcorn tofu. That was also good. Next I had Tom Kha. Refreshing spicy creamy soup. almost licked the bowl. Then i chose three different bao sandwiches. chicken, the pork belly, and the shrimp tempura. All the sandwiches were great, but after all the food i ate i was so full i couldn't appreciate them like they deserved. Now all the food AND the drink was for $40.00 You see I gave them 5 stars. I usually don't do that and this was my first time at the establishment. The food was so good that I started talking to the persons next to me at the bar and looking at their food selection. I will definitely be back . Are you still reading this, why aren't you in the car driving there yet.