Polite Society Polite Society set the tone for my entire St…read more Louis trip. If you know me, you know -- if I see octopus on the menu, I'm ordering it. And this one did not disappoint. It was perfectly cooked, flavorful, and honestly one of my favorite dishes from the trip. I also had a scallop dish that was just as good -- rich, well-seasoned, and beautifully prepared. On top of the food, they have a really strong wine selection, which made the experience even better. The overall vibe is polished and elevated without feeling too formal. Service was great, food came out on time, and everything felt intentional. Highly recommend if you're looking for a nice dinner spot in St. Louis.

Fantastic food, mediocre service…read more I took my partner her for his birthday, we were planning to celebrate with friends over the weekend but I wanted to treat him to a romantic dinner with incredible food in a laid back environment and this completely fit the bill. We had been previously for brunch but neither of us had been for dinner so we were really excited. From the moment we walked in the vibes just felt off. Not bad, just off. I made a reservation for 7pm. When we pulled up at 6:55 I noticed that my reservation confirmation showed 6:45. I'm certain I made it for 7:00. Not sure what happened there, and not blaming them for that, but I'm curious if that's why things felt off. When creating a reservation it prompts you to include any dietary restrictions and whether you are celebrating anything. I included that we were celebrating a 40th birthday. Despite the restaurant being relatively empty we were crammed directly next to another table despite other 2 tops being available. We were close enough to our neighbors to hear their entire conversation. It's a small space, I get it, but it felt odd especially since several tables around us remained empty for the 2 hours of our visit. I enjoy a leisurely dinner but that not what this was. The service was just that slow and inattentive that it took that long. We saw our server visit the table next to us several times before we were even greeted. I waited about 10 minutes before finally going to the bathroom and that's when he decided to come to the table, so if there was a greeting, listing specials anything at all I missed it'. He came by again when my partner was in the bathroom. We had already waited a while, I would not have minded waiting a little longer for us both to be present for the greeting. I want to be clear that the service was in no way bad, it was just very lackluster. The only real issue we ran into was waiting a very long time for one of our appetizers. Not the end of the world, but for the caliber of restaurant that this is I would at least expect attentive or kind or personable service and it was none of those. He was nice enough, but was very much an order-taker only. We were not offered any suggestions or recommendations at all, it felt very transactional. The kicker was as we were leaving we see someone (not our server) approaching our table with a dessert and a candle. They specifically walked past another party towards where we were sitting (the table next to us was gone by this point). We had paid our bill about 10 minutes earlier and were just walking away. I think "oh they are bringing him a birthday dessert how sweet!" So we sit back at our table only to see the same person backtrack to a nearby table and bring the dessert to them. I was mortified for thinking it was for us and actually sitting back down. We leave, there are 3 people standing there (including the person who brought the dessert and saw the whole thing) and no one even acknowledges us leaving. It was all just so bizarre. I wasn't expecting rolling out the red carpet and certainly wasn't expecting anything for free for the birthday, but I was expecting *some* level of hospitality, especially when I made it explicitly clear we were celebrating. My partner does not treat himself to ANYTHING nice and it was a milestone birthday. I wanted to make it unforgettable. We loved our food and again, didn't have a *bad* experience, but I chose to dine out to make him feel as special and well taken care of as he makes me feel and this just didn't hit the mark.

Upon being seated at the Crow's Nest yesterday, we were informed that the deep fryer wasn't working…read moreand that, because we were a group of more than eight, we would not be allowed to split our checks and would be charged an automatic gratuity. Not only were we not granted an exception on the checks as consolation for not being able to order french fries, there was no indication that this had even occurred to our server. This is precisely the level of temerity we need to inculcate in young women in our society, and I'd encourage her to apply for a job at the women's-only sports bar a few doors down if and when it ever opens. It'd be tragic if she wasn't there if and when I return, but I'd appreciate the fact that she has a greater mission. Hopefully, the deep fryer is working. It being out of commission naturally limited the number of things on the menu we could order. We were only told that we couldn't order anything that required a deep fryer, not given a modified menu or anything. I started going through each item and imagining how it might be prepared, but I couldn't muster the psychological bandwidth to continue. Hit my Cash App if you appreciate the amount of unpaid emotional labor I was compelled to contribute. It occurred to me that I might just get a burger and a side salad, but then I saw that they carry a club sandwich. I love a good club sandwich, and I figured it might make for a light, refreshing alternative, given the weather. There's an option to get a cup of soup for $1.50 extra as a side with your sandwich (no, they didn't offer to eat the charge), and I figured that might go well with my sandwich. I was kicking myself when they brought out someone else's order with the side salad. It looked really good. The Frisco Burger, or whatever they're calling it, looked good too. Meanwhile, the BBQ Beef & Cheddar Soup--the soup du jour (that's French), according to Flo--looked gross, like something your dog might cough up. But damn it was good! It was more beef than anything else. A large bowl of it might actually be too much food. (I'd still eat it, natch.) The overall flavor profile was along the lines of a good french onion soup. It was a reminder that I need to be ordering soup in restaurants more often. I wish the club sandwich was cut into little triangles and fanned out on the plate in some elaborate configuration, like at a place where rich old ladies have lunch, but I guess that wouldn't have been in keeping with the theme. Instead, it was served on the world's thickest Texas toast, with the world's dullest steak knife protruding from its center. This sounds like hyperbole, but I may have honestly been served the equivalent of half a loaf of bread. It was much more bread than I required, but at least it was fresh and delicious, as were all the other ingredients. Turkey used for sandwiches is almost never remarkable, but this was surprisingly great, as good as anything you'd get served as an entree unto itself. Nothing about this place suggests that it would have such good food, but it just goes to show you can't judge a book by its cover. The decor, the overall vibe and the lack of hospitality might not be for everyone, but don't let that deter you.

What a great place! Popped in and found seating right away. The had a lot of great food and drink…read moreoptions, including vegetarian and vegan. We got cheese curds for the table and I got the hot honey mac and cheese. The food was delicious. They had a retro movie playing and lots of cute decor. It was super fun to sit there and enjoy the ambiance. The service was also quick and good. Will be coming back.

While visiting St. Louis, decided to check out Hatch'd based on all the great Yelp reviews. Despite…read morebeing very busy on a weekday, we were instantly seated at their only open table. I ordered the Hatch'd By You which consisted of two eggs, meat, hash browns and and English muffin. I thought everything was great. The eggs were spot on and the hash browns were super crispy - exactly how I like them! Hatch'd is a true example of how a restaurant should be run. The owner, Josh, worked alongside his staff, and also stopped by at every table to introduce himself and check on their dining experience. Our waiter was also incredibly polite and suggested some great, personalized customization to our dishes. The place has a very welcoming atmosphere.

Amazing restaurant, with amazing staff…read more I went here with my kids for an early fathers day breakfast. We made a reservation to this place. It said we were ninth in line. We thought we had to wait for a long time, but it actually went quick (like 5 minutes) when we got there. We did not realize this place had an upstairs, until our waiter guided us. This place looks very large on the inside compared to what it looks like on the outside. The restaurant also had an rustic atmosphere. With exposed pipes, rusted decor, and 80's memorabilia on the shelf. We ordered coffee here, and one of them came in a Christmas cup. Even though it was six months away. My wife chuckled on how they served her coffee in a Christmas cup. Mine came in a plain white cup. But I still excessively chuckled on how funny the menu is and the staff are. The staff are very attentive to how your food tastes and make plenty of funny jokes with you. They also are very descriptive on what the specials on pancakes and omelettes are. As well as being very honest. I ordered the Benny's Got Beef Or Belly with Brisket. I know, long name. I watched the weather while my food was being prepared, and occasionally looking at the PBS TV nearby. My wife was drawing with my 11 year old daughter (and writing "secret messages") as their food was being prepped and prepared. When my food finally came out, I immediately took a bite. The brisket was very juicy and tender. And the eggs were delicious on the side. I tried this place several years ago. Was still the same good taste that I remember when I took my wife to this place. Very amazing place. Will come again.

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

*Not accessible *Not kid friendly…read more This location has a lot of improvements to be made. The menu is bland and they deter you from making modifications. I wanted my toast's jam to be on the side and they said no. It was a thick tasteless brick without the jam. The items are not as traditional for a breakfast spot, and when I asked the server what they were known for she said the drinks.... They also run a tight turnaround time so they will make you feel uncomfortable when its time to clear your table and pay the bill because they will tell you the next reservation is in 5minutes. The plates were all different and my guest who got a sandwich had her food come out in a plastic fry basket instead of the nicer plates. Odd. As I mentioned earlier, they are not kid friendly as they don't have a kids menu or kid friendly items like fruit and pancakes. We ordered a side of avocado and chicken sausage as those were the safest for us. Also there are no changing tables in the restrooms. Accessibility note: the entrance is a giant multi-slope and 1 turn ramp into a cramped lobby. The men's restroom is the only one on the main floor and female restroom is tucked far in the backroom inaccessible due to a steep step in the back. It is not wheelchair or walker friendly.

This is an adorable brunch spot with lots of character!! We visited here with some friends and were…read moreglad they got a reservation. The restaurant was packed and had a line (for good reason)! Once seated, our server checked on us frequently and listed their specials soundly. I opted for the sandwich special of the day, the Monte cristo, and my partner got one of the Benedict's. We split the special waffles of the day, the French toast waffle. We also both got a good drink with our meal. The Monte Cristo was perfectly sweet and savory. Incredible potion sizing for the price and a delicious plate. The French toast waffle was insane. Such a perfect sweet treat to finish our meal!

What an adorable little breakfast gem! I can see this spot getting quite crowded on the weekend…read more This restaurant is located right off the Greenway so it would be a great spot to bike to! We enjoyed breakfast out on the patio and enjoyed it despite the construction out back. I think they may be adding on a patio for more outdoor dining. We really enjoyed the biscuits and gravy and Gouda grits!

I hadn't been here in awhile and WOW I was missing out. It's so big and airy and I love all of the…read moreplants. The indoor space, outdoor space, and even parking lot were all great! I love that they put on events with other businesses and have created a community. Oh and the food is delicious too! They have a great kids menu and high chairs available. The bakery case is always a hit, the meals are delicious, and the coffee is pouring. I will definitely be back here again soon!

From the curb, this looks like one of those places that sells potted plants. (I think they're…read morecalled nurseries, though I'm not sure why.) They might want to consider branching out into that field, in case someone pulls up wanting to purchase a ficus or whatever, so that they don't have to turn anyone away. It could help boost revenue, so that they're not having to constantly raise prices, like at McDonald's. There's a list of things this place carries on the building's facade, suggesting to me that this is a known issue. It's also announced that all are welcome, which came as a relief to me, since I'm never quite sure. I wonder if there was an incident, or if there's another place nearby that's known to turn people away. There's a nice little area where you can sit at some picnic tables set up in the parking lot, like you're on a smoking break at your old warehouse job, but the air was weirdly swampy, possibly due to "corn sweats," and we'd just gone on a run, so we decided to eat inside. We were all gross and sweaty. I hope no one minded. Their policy of not turning anyone away may have worked out in our favor. The group that I'm in is on a sort of breakfast burrito tour, so I already knew what I was going to get, though I was curious about several menu items featuring weird-looking boiled eggs, that I saw photos of here on Yelp. What in the world? They look like they were thought up by an eccentric gentleman of a certain age who still collects VHS tapes, for personal reasons. You could imagine Gene Hackman's character in the movie The Conversation eating such a sandwich. I briefly toyed with the idea of ordering one of those sandwiches, for the lulz, and now I kinda wish that I did. I prefer a breakfast sandwich to a breakfast burrito anyway, and the breakfast burrito here is just okay. It's neither very bad nor very good. I liked the sheer size of it and the simplicity of it. There's only a small handful of ingredients: eggs; your choice of bacon or some non-meat option (so just bacon); some sort of melty cheese, possibly cheddar; roasted red peppers and that might be it. I don't know that the peppers added much. I'd sub them out for something more interesting, like a salsa, a sour cream or a guacamole, maybe something with more of a temperature or textural contrast. The egg was weirdly rectangular and artificial-seeming, like maybe they're frozen pucks that they just microwave. I got an iced Coconut Latte, a seasonal item, and I'm not sure what was going on with that. It was good, but it didn't taste anything like coconut, to the point where I'm not sure if they gave me the right drink. The girl who took my order may not have heard what I said. People who work the register in these places get nervous when a big group walks in, like they're not going to be able to take everyone's order in time and, as a result, they're going to get let go--which would violate the terms of their parole. I can sympathize with their plight. I would never intentionally cause someone to get locked up just because they gave me the wrong drink.

The food was really good, the service was excellent, and it was a very, very relaxed ambience. I…read moreenjoyed eating here, and you can definitely tell that there are a ton of locals that go there every single day. I was a little bummed we couldn't get a table, but we were able to sit at the bar. So if you don't make reservations, they will get you in. The biscuits and gravy are either for you or they're not. I like them, but it's not something I would order every day. The charcuterie board was very good, but almost came off as a little basic for the price. The eggs Benedict was excellent, and the potatoes were the star of the show. The most simple food, but it was by far one of the biggest surprises at how tasty they were. I 100% recommend.

I don't know why I don't get to Brasserie more often, if I lived in the Central West End I may be…read morethere multiple times a week! The atmosphere, food and service are all always top notch! And the happy hour is crazy good! On a nice day there is nowhere nicer than the patio and tonight the happy hour was GLORIOUS. I do like sitting inside as well but with this weather you couldn't make me go inside. I have had brunch here quite a few times, dinner too, but as I said today was happy hour. That means the burger. It is absolutely one of the best I have had. I take it as offered but love that they always ask if I want modifications. Look at that burger! And the shoestring potatoes are marvelous too! We had the chips & cheese and olive appetizers to snack on as burgers were getting made and we each had a cocktail. Love that the service is attentive and friendly (Brian was great tonight). But also love that I never feel rushed to turn the table over. And the happy hour from 5-6 means that burger is close in price to tha burgers at Shake Shack and I guarantee you will enjoy this far more. I have had great dishes of all sorts here but I sometimes have to give in to the burger... it never lets me down!

This place is amazing! The decor and vibe of the building are unmatched in comfort! The place and…read morepeople are relaxed and welcoming. I chose to sit on the patio and was waited on by the loveliest server named Harper! she was sweet and helpful, her service was amazing! If she's there, definitely ask to sit in her section. You won't be disappointed. the food was also incredible, tasted so fresh! 10 out of 10 would go back again!

This spot has been on my radar for a while so the second someone invited me for Brunch, I cancelled…read moremy plans to lay on my couch all day and I'm glad I did. When you first walk in it looks like you are entering a plant store (because you are) but tucked to the side is the restaurant. Recommend reservations but if there's a wait you have the option to shop & order drinks so the time flies. We ordered a blueberry pancake for the table, and it was an amazing pancake, the edges were the perfect crisp while being a soft fluffy pancake, it didn't even need syrup. I wasn't in the mood for brunch cocktails so I ordered a butter pecan iced latte and it hit the spot. It is served in a skinny tall glass so I had to keep reminding myself not to gulp it all down in a few sips. We also got a side of potatoes & a Caesar salad for the table to share. The croutons on the Caesar salad are so good, I usually prefer crushed croutons in my salad but the big chunky croutons are so good. My sister-in-law and I ordered two entrees and halved them so we got the breakfast burrito & the Cuban both were delicious. I preferred the Cuban, as the breakfast burrito chorizo had a seasoning I wasn't a huge fan of but overall they were both fresh and good. My sister got the crab cake benedict and that was amazing as well. The eggs were poached perfectly. Already can't wait to come back and show others this spot!