Consistently every week, Lona's comes up in our conversation and our rotation…read more Whether we're picking a place for dine-in or takeout, or we have guests interested in a quick bite, Lona's unique wraps, tasty side dishes, speediness, unpretentious charming neighborhood location, friendly service, and excellent price:performance ratio is a winner. Standouts for us include the smoked brisket wrap, bamboo stew, spicy eggplant, stir fried glass noodles. However every item on the menu is great.

After reading alllll the reviews I was excited to try this place. But, it just did not reach all my…read moreexpectations based off the reviews I read. This place did have fresh food, I'll give it that. But, it definitely lacked in aspects that didn't make it amazing or something I'd really suggest unless someone I knew was vegetarian. We were served quickly but definitely felt like the staff had a very "meh" attitude. It's a very specific type of place, mismatched furniture, kind of eclectic. It gives very "lived in vibes". The food itself was okay. The steak dumpling were probably my favorite but I wish there was more options for dipping sauce rather than just chili crisp oil. I ordered the big Thai wrap, and while it was good, I had to ask for extra sauce because the lettuce was just overwhelming, like there was just a giant wad of it thrown in there. The wrap itself is a rice paper so you really can't put it down when you eat it or it just falls apart. But, overall, with extra sauce, rearranging things a bit everything was generally good. Would I go out of my way to go back? Probably not but it's definitely a great place to try for yourself.

I mean.. SO flavorful. Every single dish…read more If I had all the money in the world, I would be here every night. End of story.

First time at this restaurant. First thing I noticed was the beautiful ambiance and fresh smell of…read moreplants. The food was exquisite! We enjoyed sharing the lamb tartare, potstickers, Isaan himachi (WOW), shrimp toast and sake sashimi with King Salmon (next level!!!). Drinks were amazing and wine selection perfectly paired. Highly recommend! Although we were asked to wrap up at exactly 2 hours in, I suppose that is ok. We were just having such a great time and time went by so quickly!

Akar is easily one of my top three favorite restaurants. The atmosphere is calming, cool, and…read moreperfect for a relaxed date night out. Every bite of the food was delicious. I ordered the Thai drunken noodles, and they were spicy, well-balanced, and full of flavor. The service was also very nice and made the experience even better. Parking can be a little tricky, but it's absolutely worth it. I came here for a date night, and it was the perfect spot. Definitely a place I'll keep coming back to and keep recommending.

Akar was one of the best fine-dining experiences I've had in St. Louis. With a small, intimate…read moredining room, Akar feels both cozy and elevated and is a great spot for celebrating a special occasion. With such a small dining room, service is very attentive and it doesn't get too loud. All of the food is delicious and beautifully plated: truly a delight for the senses.

Stews has been on my list for a bit and I finally made it in! We were greeted and told someone…read morewould be right with us. We lucked out and got two seats at the counter soon after we came in. The staff was hustling! Stews was busy, but felt comfortable and not crazy. The Menu had drinks on one side and food on the other. The patron next to me ordered a Mule and it looked really good so I ordered that and it tasted as good as it looked. I knew I had to get the Brussels Sprouts and they did not disappoint. It was a pretty good-sized order so I had some to take home for anther meal, yum! I also ordered Lo Mein and enjoyed that immensely, as well. We had somewhere else to be after eating so it was nice to get in and get seated, order drinks, order food all in a timely manner. It wasn't rushed at all, and everyone pitched in with serving and all of it. Well-orchestrated service. If you are trying to remember things that came before and you are thinking of the Wood Shack, you are correct! I thought it was but it had been a while so I asked and our server confirmed :). No food pics, so disappointed they came out super blurry

Yes there is generally a wait time so put your name on the list and scan the drink menu for 20…read moreminutes... or so. Pro Tip: GO ALONE! lol the tables for one open a lot faster than they do for larger parties. The entire inside holds about 35 people. When STL weather cooperates, the front patio doubles the size of the place. Do with that what you will. You have been warned so plan accordingly! NOW FOR THE FOOD! Order The Salmon! Order the brussel sprouts. I wasn't a fan of the T-Pockets as they are NOT traditional crab ragoon. Think, jalapeño poppers but with cream cheese and crab. ORDER A COCKTAIL! I've had their Manhattan and an "After Dark". If you are a bourbon person, you can't lose on either of those. Drinks range from $10-$14. THE STAFF: The space is tiny and is always packed, that alone is a recipe for disgruntled guests and employees BUT NOT HERE. The Stew's team is always friendly and cool under pressure. They have seating and serving down to a science. Kudos! AMBIANCE: Think intimate bar in Japan. Can't imagine that, then visit Stew's. Thank me later.

I'm from KC. This is the second time I've been here. Not the last. The first time was an accident…read more The second time I brought friends. The food is so good. I've tried steamed, fried, and chili momo and while are amazing, my favorite is the chili momo. So good! I've also had the pani puri. I highly recommend them if you like potatoes. The people working there truck are really nice and good with the recommendations.

I just recently heard of this food truck a couple days ago,and I've been on the search for some…read moretraditional Nepali food ever since I tried some in Ohio. I was so excited to try this place and it definitely lives up to my expectations! I tried the Chicken Momo soup and it was amazing! The Momo (dumplings) were perfectly made and the soup had the right amount of spice. I thought I was going to save half for later but I ended up eating it all. Momo King also offers other traditional Nepali foods and sounded delicious, so I'll definitely have to return in the near future! I thought it was going to be hard to find this food truck based on the photos, but their bright neon lights made it really easy. The workers were efficient, nice, and very professional as well.

I don't need fancy as long as the food is delicious. This is what Meyou has to offer. Flavorful,…read moremade-to-order Thai food and a friendly service to boot. They had 2 wait staff working when we went and both greeted us immediately and seated us inside. Their air conditioning was broken and awaiting repair and they had signs throughout explaining that. It was still cooler inside than out so we sat inside. I was curious what a butterfly lemonade was so I ordered one. It was good and quite refreshing with traditional lemonade at the bottom topped with a vibrant deep purple concoction on top. After I educated myself, I found that the deep purple concoction is steeped tea made from butterfly pea flowers. We started with some egg rolls - fried with ground pork and vegetables and served with sweet and sour sauce. The sauce was great! I normally pass as most of them have a cloyingly sweet flavor that I don't like but theirs had a really good balance of flavors amd not too sweet. The egg rolls were flavorful enough to stand on their own though and yes, delivered piping hot to the table. I had the drunken noodles with beef at medium spicy level. At first bite, I was immediately able to taste the spicy level I chose. A great sign. Then I sniffed and started sweating. Another great sign of good spice level. My husband ordered the yellow curry with tofu and medium spice level as well. At first he said it could be hotter but then midway through he decided it was more of a build up and thought the level was actually perfect. Serving size was great. You can definitely get another meal out of an order! We took the rest of our food home. I cannot wait to eat my leftovers today. What a great spot for a delicious, quick dinner!

Apparently, some Chinese restaurants have a policy where they give you free egg rolls if you're a…read moreparty of six. I get that this is a Thai restaurant, not Chinese (though it's more Chinese than I am), but Meyou might consider such a policy. I would have benefited from it yesterday. I visited on a Wednesday evening with members of a running group. There were umpteen of us. If we'd been given a single egg roll appetizer, we would have been forced to cut it in tiny pieces and share. I would have been willing to do that, because I'm a confirmed, avowed savage. My reputation precedes me. Arguably, they should give you one free appetizer for every six members of your party. But I digress. Now, where was I? Ah yes, Meyou. I'd describe this place as a somewhat Americanized version of Thai food, based on what little I know from having recently visited Bangkok and eaten in roughly 40 or 50 restaurants, food stalls and what have you over the course of a few days, i.e. not a whole lot. You can get pad thai and various other soups, noodles and curries, along with fried rice, egg rolls, crab rangoon and chicken wings. It's got a little something for everyone. Do they charge you $0.25 for extra soy sauce? Can you call up and try to harangue them into giving you a free order of crab rangoon by claiming that they shorted you the last time you were there, knowing good and well they can count better than you? I'm not sure. I might try that on my next visit and report back. This time, I went with something called Pad See Ew, which wasn't nearly as gross as its name suggests. In fact, it was good. Its description on the menu, with broccoli, eggs and soy sauce, called to mind various things I might order from a Chinese takeout--which is what I tend to look for in a menu item. As a noodle dish, I figured the overall flavor profile might not be different from a lo mein lunch special I used to get decades ago, that I still fondly reminisce about on a weekly basis. I wasn't that far off from the mark. They let you choose the spice level, ranging from mild to hot. I usually get hot in most places, but I'm hesitant to do that at Asian restaurants, because they might have access to peppers that are technically considered research chemicals, like Temu Ozempic, and therefore not subject to FDA approval. There were a few girls there, and I didn't want to run the risk of my throat starting to close up. I'd have to find a new run group. Medium turned out to be just right for me, but maybe too spicy if you're expecting something along the lines of a buffalo wing. Even the mild, apparently, has a bit of a kick to it. The noodles were nice and slippery and cooked a touch beyond al dente, right in that Goldilocks zone between undercooked and mush. The heat, and the complexity provided by whatever they use to season this, helped offset the underlying sweetness. You get your choice of meat. No Diddy. I went with pork, natch, with apologies to the Honorable Minister. The amount they give you is surprisingly generous, except that this dish will run you. I'm talking modern-day Chipotle prices. Maybe a dollar or two more. Yikes! But I'd argue that the quality justifies it. If I lived nearby, and I had the means, I'd stop by on occasion.

Ran the table here. Very mixed reviews with several recent negative reviews by serious local…read moreexperts. As you can read, I'm love Japanese food. The fried squid was well-breaded, light and crispy, but they were a touch tough. Still excellent and the oil was clean. Their burnt ends were fusion perfect! Lots of clean garlic cloves, mild and slightly sweet sauce on a hot stone. Most importantly very tender ends. Finally the house tonkatsu ramen. Wow. This is not the 5 year old mother base, but a mild and delicate creamy beef broth. Balanced rather than deep. The pork is not the danish sheets, but seared silver dollar sized chunks. The noodles were the right texture and firmness. The eggs were shockingly correct, firm all the way to a perfectly runny 2cm cup. Very rare for that kind of attention. Finally service, could not ask for anything better. Attentive but not overwhelming. Polite and thoughtful. And, didn't push the round 2 alcohol like some places.

The place itself is really cute but I was disappointed in the food flavors. I will recommend…read moregetting the popcorn chicken though. It was pretty good but the ramen was lacking. The noodles were too much and soup was under seasoned. We love spicy food so we asked for more hot sauce which didn't really help. The volcano fried rice was sweet actually which was very overpowering. Service is good, the people are really nice. I just wish the food was up to the expectations I had.

Sat outside with our dogs for a delicious, fresh, quick meal! As a vegetarian, highly recommend the…read moreflavorful tofu laap. We also ordered the Beef Nam Tok and loved it as well. Will be back!

Drove out to the Grove to give this Thai spot at try. We love Sen downtown, & it is our go to, but…read morewe had been scouting out some of the other local favorites for Thai on Yelp, and this place had some impressive reviews. Parking was easily accessible on adjacent lots or on the street. The inside of the restaurant is modern and clean. It is an open concept, so you can see a portion of the kitchen from the seats. My party of 5 was seated immediately by a hostess who gave me the vibe that she neither loved or hated her job...she was just sort of there. It took 18 minutes for a server to show up at our table...By this time, I could have recited their menu! The party of 6 beside us finished their food, got their to go boxes, paid their tab, & chit chatted before we were even acknowledged. We were not the only ones who noticed that our party was being ignored/ overlooked because a lady in the party next to us (the party who had already paid) leaned over to me and said, I promise the food is worth the wait. Hence we stayed... When the waiter brought our water, we went on and ordered our appetizers. We asked if he would go on and take our entree orders. My son ordered pad Thai, one daughter drunken noodles, the other daughter fried rice, my husband and I fried rice and drunken noodles... The waiter then told us, we don't have drunken noodles, the noodles did not come in on the delivery order (I get it, not your fault), but we were confused because nothing was said about those dishes not being available when we sat down as well as when my daughter ordered drunken noodles (which come to find out he had written that part of the order down wrong)... My husband asked if they could just substitute a different type of noodles from one of the other noodle dishes into the drunken noodles, and the waiter said that the noodles in the drunken noodles were large and flat. My husband reiterated to the server that we knew that and asked the question again. The server gave the same response. I am not sure if his intent was to be condescending or if his comprehension was that poor, but with service like that, I have little faith in the quality of the food... By this time, things were beyond frustrating, so we got up and left. We ended up at Sen Thai and had a great meal. Guess we will have to continue to do some Yelp research on other quality Thai restaurants in STL...Chao Baan will remain a mystery for us!