An intimate, low-key, and aesthetic spot to enjoy a nice meal and a good drink. My friend and I…read morecame here one evening for dinner and drinks. Clayton was busy, so street parking was hard to find. Once seated, we were greeted with friendly service and were brought water. I ordered a ginger beer with cranberry juice added to it for a refreshing mocktail. We ordered the Squeaky Cheese to start, the golden-brown cheese curds were gooey and had the perfect crunch. They were served with marinara and a serrano dill aioli. The aioli had just the right amount of spice, complementing the dill flavor. The marinara was saucy and also good. I ordered the Bacon Jam Burger with fries. The burger was juicy, sweet, and had a nice crunch. The bacon jam was subtle, but it enhanced the overall flavor. My only complaint was that the bottom bun came out a bit soggy causing the burger to lose structure as I ate it. The fries were thin and crunchy! I had a lovely experience and would like to come back to try a cocktail!

This is a neat little speakeasy with some unique and well-crafted cocktails. The atmosphere was a…read morebit quieter and less lively than we expected. There was a larger group celebrating while we were there, and they seemed to be having a great time, which may be the ideal way to experience the space. My recommendation: come with a group of friends and bring your own energy. The setting and drinks provide a good backdrop for a fun night out.

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!

In a nutshell, great service, comfortable surroundings and excellent food. What more could you…read morepossibly want? Today was a quick in and out but thought anyone reading this might enjoy these words.... I tried the Morning Salad (mixed greens, grilled avocado, tomatoes and 2 scrambled eggs) and the Crispy Potatoes (crispy bacon and cheese). Wow....a most excellent combination if there ever was one. Don't ever sleep on Ivy's drink game. Their food is ridiculously good, but their drink menu is right up there. The Hyde is somewhat of an Ivy Margarita inspiration and YOU need to try it. Okay, I'm going to ask for some grace regarding my pictures as I was taking my last bites, when I realized I forgot to shoot the plates untouched. Oh well, as the immortal Prince says.....'Dig if you will, this picture.....'

We took a guest to breakfast here one weekend morning recently. Street parking was easily…read moreavailable, and is free on weekends. What a sweet and bright, open space it was! Clean too. The seating host and servers we met during this experience were very nice. I ordered the mushroom coffee: forest & meadow mushroom medicinal powder, served with a shot of espresso. I received a large, hot mug of beverage with artistic crema decor. Could not discern mushroom flavor save the grit at the bottom of the cup, but I can now say I've tried it. My eggs and salad dish came out next, along with an order of their toasted sourdough bread, butter and jam I ordered (their specialty). Unfortunately, the toast was cold, as was the liquidy fruit jam. Butter was ice cold out of the frig too since it has been forgotten and needed to be retrieved. The small green salad was fresh and tasty, but the two scrambled eggs were cold and rubbery. It was hard to know who was out server because aside from the seating hostess, four more people arrived, one after the other, at varying times to get the meal and forgotten items to our small party of three. I was left feeling that more training and organized timing of meals is needed at this establishment.

If Sasha's on Demun were a person, it would be Donna Meagle from Parks and Rec. Versatile, knows…read morehow to treat yo' self, equally at home in yoga pants, ready for a backwoods adventure or dressed to the nines, and doesn't blink at any version of you that walks through the door. That's the vibe. We started on the front patio on a Friday night and quickly realized we'd made a mistake. The doors to the interior were open and the music -- a rock-forward playlist that night -- was loud enough that we considered bailing. Our server, was unbothered when we asked to move up to the rooftop. Where we met with a new bartender and server, London, who rolled with it, got us resettled, and from that point on the night was great. London was clearly handling the bar and most of the rooftop tables, but she was attentive throughout, and made eye contact, which seems a near miracle from many 20-something these days. Bumping the score up just for the flexibility on the table move alone. The food: crab cakes were genuinely good, not life-changing, but well above the weak-crab-cake bar that exists in most of the world, served simply with capers and a small salad. I went off-script and ordered the wagyu burger medium rare with fontina (London mentioned cheddar is the more common pick, but the Fontina offerd a great alternative). The burger was deeply flavorful and cooked exactly right, but here's my one real note for the kitchen: toast the brioche bun. Wagyu medium-rare puts out a lot of juice, and an untoasted bun loses its structural integrity about three bites in. A quick toast would let the bun keep some additional integrate and keep up with the perfectly cooked beef. The pom buff were great, the best elevated patato tots you may come by. Beyond what we ordered, the Greek salad is a longtime go-to -- chopped, with grape leaves and pita, available in a small or large, and easily dressed up into a light meal with or without adding some protein or can be share as a self-dress bruschetta appetizer for the group if you ask for extra bread. The cheese boards are also a reliable pick. The wine list is extensive (it's a wine bar, after all), but they don't sniff at cocktails -- I had a solid fine old fashioned, and my wife shared had a Malbec that paired well with everything. Lots of gluten-free options across the menu, too. What Sasha's gets right is that it has refused to become precious. "Wine bar" reads as pretentious to some people, but this place runs as a neighborhood spot. You'll see college kids dressed way down, couples on dates dressed way up, Hawaiian shirts, oversized sweaters, the full range. It's the kind of place where you can split a bottle with your girlfriends, meet a date for drinks and a quick bite without committing to a full dinner, or roll in for brunch on the weekend. Different times of day, different vibes -- always approachable. 4.7 stars. Loses a few tenths for the front-patio music situation and the weak burger bun, but more than makes up for it on flexibility, food, and overall hang factor.

Used to love this place, but today really changed my impression…read more We stopped in for a quick drink on a beautiful Saturday. There were a few open tables, but we were asked to wait by the door while they "got situated." Meanwhile, a walk-in who arrived after us was seated at a table we had been waiting for. When we were finally seated, we were placed in direct sun. I asked if we could move to a shaded table in the corner and was told it was only for parties of three. After explaining we'd just be there briefly for a drink, we were allowed to sit there, but the interaction felt dismissive. From that point on, the experience felt rushed. We were pushed to order quickly, our menus were taken right away, and the check came almost immediately. It made what should have been a relaxed stop feel uncomfortable and transactional. I understand how busy restaurants can get, especially on nice days, but a little more consideration and courtesy would have gone a long way.

We got reservations to this place pretty easily just earlier in the day for a dinner on Saturday…read morenight. This was our first time trying this place. The interior is elegant and upscale with ambient lighting as well. Service was impeccable, they paid very close attention to all of our needs. We got the crispy eggplant appetizer, which was delicious; it was very crispy and tomato sauce it came with tasted so fresh. For main entrees, I got their risotto special, which came with shrimp and scallops. I personally thought it was good, but not great. The risotto tasted a bit salty for my preference and scallops did not have much flavor. My fiancé got the ravioli, which we both liked- the pasta was perfect texture and the cream filling was delicious. They do give complimentary bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip.

What a little gem. Quite quiet evening & we had a great…read morewaiter. House made pastas. Delicious. Had fungji pasta & lobster w vodka sauce. Some salads that were quite good. Portions were the perfect size. Price point was reasonable. .

The service was amazing. The tuna delicious. The mussels incredible. Thoroughly enjoyed the meal.read more

Food and drinks were great. No complaints there…read more Our party of 4 was on time but the kitchen was slow. The bill came 1 hour 35 mins after we were seated. After we paid (and tipped 30%), we were abruptly told by the hostess to leave the table and move outside to finish the drinks we had just ordered. We awkwardly gathered our belongings without protest and were rushed outside unassisted, with the other patrons staring at us. As we exited, we heard the server reappear and graciously apologize to the waiting party, offering them champagne. The table outside was set when we arrived but then actively cleared by the busser after we sat down. No one came back to check in. We felt unwelcome and quickly left. It was unnecessarily uncomfortable and put a damper on what was supposed to be a celebratory meal. This was a service failure. I understand the need to turn tables over quickly, but we should have been given at least 5 minutes notice, especially when the kitchen is running behind. Alternatively, the drinks could have been taken off the bill and we could have left outright. Even help moving or any involvement from our server or the manager would have been appreciated, but they were not present. Having had many great experiences at Vicia, I expected more from the take root hospitality group. We'll give Vicia another chance, but I'll be cautious about trying one of their sister restaurants again With the impending closure, this one may have already given up.

What a FANTASTIC find! This will absolutely be our routine first stop upon landing in STL, before…read moreheading out to visit family. The brews were great. As a wild sour lover, I was in heaven! The staff were amazing and patrons were quite welcoming. I can't think of a single negative thing, aside from being so far from my house!

Phenomenal experience for 11th anniversary party last week. Every single beer was well balanced and…read morethought out in my opinion. Can't wait to try my double barrel vanilla bottles.

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!

This was the second stop of my "progressive birthday dinner" (three stops; one for apps, one for…read moreentree, one for dessert). After a whole lot of research, knowing I wanted scallops for a main, I chose The Crossing. Our meal started with a complimentary offering of their bleu cheese soufflé with crisps and bread service--both delicious. I enjoyed a glass of their current "by the glass" Chardonnay, and my boyfriend got a Yeungling (poured table-side). I got my scallops, as planned, which certainly did not disappoint. Cooked perfectly, fresh and delicious. The wilted romaine seemed odd at first but totally rounded out the potato mash at the base, with the absolute flavor-bomb of the shiitakes. Highly recommend this dish any day! My boyfriend opted for the NY Strip; we both agreed it was one of the best steaks we'd ever had; seasoned perfectly and cooked masterfully. There was a slight mishap whereby a food runner gave him a tasting portion of the strip (likely meant for another table); we first didn't realize and were very disappointed with the size. However, without a word from us, the chef came out and personally explained, apologized, and corrected--I didn't snap a photo of the full portion when it came out, but it was perfect and much more what we expected. That brings me to the service, which was spectacular. Several staff members gave us a personal touch and they all seemed to be genuinely happy to be there. The space is beautiful and intimate. It was moderately busy and still quiet. The atmosphere feels upscale, but not pretentious or unapproachable. This place was on my radar for a long time, and I sure wish I'd gone long ago. If you're thinking about it, just go!! I can't wait to come back and try the chefs tasting menu--thank you for a wonderful dinner!

cacio e pepe texture was exquisite but i would prob order something else next time i'm hereread more

Basso is always one of my favorite locals to go to. Great service , from the hosts to the servers…read more Diverse menu, and great food.

I visited the High Bar in Claton for a professional networking event. It took me a bit to find it,…read morebut I am so glad I didn't give up. While the drinks were pricey--as drinks typically are at a hotel bar--they were also delicious. It was the space that made it so nice, though. We were outside in a place semi-protected from the elements; so even though it was hot at the time, the evening shade and the breeze made it quite lovely. There was a great variety of sitting and standing space, making it nice for moving from group to group and talking with new people. This would be a really nice place to come on a date, too. Nice job.

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.