There are meals you eat... and then there are meals that linger. The kind that follow you out the door, ride shotgun through the night, and tap you on the shoulder the next morning like, "Hey... remember me?" This one? It lingers. It starts simply--almost humbly--with chips and salsa. But not just any chips and salsa. The kind that feels like it's been handed down, not written down. The chips arrive warm, crisp like they've still got a story to tell, and the charred tomatillo with smoked jalapeño salsa? It doesn't whisper--it speaks in bold, smoky tones with a slow-building heat that doesn't overwhelm, just... settles in. The kind of heat that makes you pause, smile, and go right back for more. Then comes the huitlacoche quesadillas--three small, unassuming turnovers, almost like they're playing it cool. But inside? That deep, earthy, almost mysterious umami of corn smut--huitlacoche--mingling with cheese, mushrooms, roasted corn. It's funky in the best way, like a back-alley jazz club in Mexico City. Unexpected. Addictive. A true showstopper that makes you rethink what comfort food can be. The wood-grilled vegetables arrive next, and this is where things take a turn into something quietly brilliant. Perfectly cooked, fresh, vibrant--but it's that pistachio mole that stops you in your tracks. Nutty, rich, complex... the kind of sauce that makes you forget your manners and consider licking the plate when no one's looking. (Or even when they are.) The short rib barbacoa should be the crown jewel--and in many ways, it almost is. The flavors are layered, thoughtful, deeply satisfying. Chile-braised richness, balanced with the soft hum of polenta and bright hits from pickled shallots. But the ribs? Just shy of that melt-in-your-mouth magic. Not a failure--far from it--but a reminder that even near-perfection leaves room for longing. Then the chicken mole steps in, steady and confident. A beautifully composed dish with that signature depth--earthy, slightly sweet, complex without being fussy. It doesn't need to shout. It knows exactly what it is. And for those walking the no-alcohol path, the Soberita shows up with quiet ambition. A non-alcoholic tequila that leans a bit thin, sure--but carries just enough aged character to remind you what it's aiming for. Not perfect, but respectable. Honest. Service? Warm, attentive, the kind that feels human. And that small touch--writing the order on the to-go box--feels like something out of a European café or a roadside stand you'd stumble upon halfway through a long journey. Personal. Intentional. This is the kind of place that doesn't just feed you--it invites you in, tells you a story, and leaves just enough unfinished business to make you want to come back and see how it ends. read more

LaPeZ Mod Mex - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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This place is so cute! It was nice and airy with lots of windows to look out at the activity going on around us. We had a 5:00 reservation, but they were t at all busy at this time in Friday! By the time we left about 6:30 ish they were a little busier. I was so looking forward to coming here as I have heard wonderful things about them, so when I wanted something a little different than the old standbys that we rotate through this was an easy choice. Let me add here that the service was so good also (thank you Colby ). Water was brought immediately and all of our questions were answered in a friendly and interested manner. Drinks and food did not take a long time to arrive and Colby was right on top of getting us served without hovering and sometimes that is a trick I realize! It was very wonderful service, and as more people try this little gem of a Spanish Restaurant, the quality of service along with the delicious food will make them a hit. Now on to the food: I started with the pins colada mocktail which was delicious. We also got the Guacamole and papas bravas as appetizers. Now I am the one that is the adventurous eater and I told everyone I would share but if they weren't interested in the papas I would take what was left home. But let me tell you these were the hit for all of us! They went so fast and everyone was very happy with how they tasted and the presentation! I could so eat these and a salad as a meal and have been satisfied! The guacamole was good, obviously homemade chips and a nice flavor I'd you are a guac fan but we all agreed that of the two the Papas were the favorite. My mother got the tortilla soup and it was very good. The flavor was outstanding and it was a nice size so it filled her up after the appetizers. My friend got the La Pez salad and he said the Tuna on this was delicious and he ate every bite. My Brother, nephew and daughter all got the Carne Asada and all agreed it was delicious. My spice sensitive daughter could taste the chili oil more and more as she ate but said it was still delicious. My daughter boyfriend tried the Steak Tampiquena and stated that it was delicious! I ordered the shrimp and grits and it was amazing! I did forget that an ingredient was pineapple and spent 1/2 my meal trying to figure out what was sweet. The sweetness did not make the dish less delicious it was just a different flavor to shrimp and grits I had eaten before. This dish was also loaded with delicious corn and that made it more desirable to me on a textural level! We have a joke when we go out as family... whoever picked the place will say if it is good, I picked it, if it is bad he/she picked it! I am happy to report I picked it and would definitely pick it again! read more

We came to this new spot in CWE for taco Tuesday. The place was not busy at all. Interesting take on elevated Mexican. Liked ambiance and our server! Probably should have looked at menu prior as there was little to no veggie options. Overall nice experience. read more

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LaPez has been called, Milagro 2.0 and that description works for me. I stopped by for an early dinner before meeting a group of friends at another CWE venue. I took a seat at the bar and the hostess quickly followed me and made sure I had a menu. Then the bartender did her meet and greet, telling me about the Happy Hour specials. Happy Hour is 4-6 PM Daily in the bar area only and it's some good bargains. My HH cocktail of choice was, Old School Cool. It's their creative take on an Old Fashioned. It was so good, I had to have a second one. Looking at the regular menu, I saw the salsa was made with smoked jalapeños. Being a big fan of jalapeños, I could not resist. It was served with a warm and crisp tortilla chips. As my main dish, I took advantage of the HH Shrimp Taco special and enjoyed two of them. When I have had other shrimp tacos, they were always grilled. LaPez Mod Mex took it to another level by serving theirs as a tempura. Like my cocktail, it was so good I'm glad I ordered two. The service was very good. Chatting with my bartender, we discovered we both lived in the same area on the other side of the Mississippi. We laughed that two small town peps met in the big city. When: January 28, 2026 Why: Checking out a new place read more

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I've been in this building maybe a half dozen times. It was Gringo, then Mission/Session, and I visited it in its new-ish identity as LaPeZ Mod Mex last year, though that was for an event and I didn't get to try any item from the menu. LaPez is on that important, familiar, borderline iconic intersection of the Central West End. The most important intersection? Possibly. The one that remains unimpacted by the gentrification/updating/medical-ity of what happened a few blocks south on the same street. It's across the street from Left Bank Books and across the other street from Stacked Burger Bar (formerly Pi). Why am I going into all this detail when the map is here and it doesn't matter? Facts about LaPeZ: -Closed Mondays -Happy hour menu of food and cocktails; you must sit at the bar; lasts from 4-6 -Fun spins on classic cocktails -The bar has outlets below -Pretty star lights around the windows. Every window is huge. My experience: -Margarita: in a rocks glass. Good. -Paloma: in a tall glass. Better. Generous serving. Very tasty. Sweet and salty (salted rim) -Queso flameado (blistered cheese): in a hot dish. Best! Squash blossom, something else, chile oil, beans I shall return! read more

LaPeZ Mod Mex - Queso flameado (or something like that) - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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I'm so glad my husband came across this restaurant while looking for somewhere to have dinner on a Sunday night! We had a reservation and were greeted warmly and seated right away. A booth had already been set up for us, but a member of our group doesn't like booths and the hostess had no problem moving us to a nearby table. Daniel was our server and he came to our table not long after we were seated. We were still waiting for two people so we chatted with him for a few minutes. He told us a little about the restaurant and talked a little about their food. The rest of our group arrived and we ordered drinks and appetizers and started trying to decide what entrees we wanted. All of our food was really good. One person got fish and said it was slightly overcooked, but still really tasty. That was literally the only negative, and it wasn't that bad! The restaurant is really pretty! It's what I would consider to be an upscale Mexican restaurant. You're not going to get guacasalad, rice, and beans with everything! We will definitely be back soon and we'll ask to be in Daniel's read more

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We had dinner here for the first time and the food was amazing! The flavors are authentic. The presentation beautiful. The guacamole with the Bleu cheese is delicious. My husband had the Carne Asada and I had the Mahi Mahi. As well as a mole brownie for dessert. All divine. The service was A++!! A Great vibe. We'll be back! read more

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Been meaning to try this place for some time. I went with my mom and dad and we sat outside on a perfect summer evening. The staff were warm, attentive and very helpful in explaining the menu. Everything we ordered (pictured) was spectacular. The Carne Asada is a crowd favorite and it was our favorite too. If you are a Crab Cake person you have to order the Blue Lump Crab Cakes. The Shrimp Entree was such a unique yet comforting dish. I think it was on a bed of chopped spaghetti(?). It reminded me of Spencer's spaghetti tacos on iCarly, which makes me love it for that reason but it was also just plain delicious. For drinks, I ordered a draft Grapefruit Radler and my dad ordered a Margarita. Both were refreshing and perfectly complimented the meal. This is a must-try spot in the CWE! read more

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Session Taco just got a glow-up and I'm fully on board. Same location (old Session Taco in the Central West End) but now modern, polished, and elevated. The tuna tostada was legit sushi-grade, and the Baja enchiladas were inhaled like I hadn't eaten in weeks. Perfect pre-Fox show stop! Timing, food, service and vibe all worked flawlessly. read more

LaPeZ Mod Mex - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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I went with a group of friends on a Saturday night. We had a bit of a wait so sat at the bar and the got a table. Service was great, everyone was friendly. The salsa with the cups and salsa app is a little spicy, so if you don't like salsa with heat I would skip that. We got several appetizers including guacamole, papas braves and duck taquitos. All were excellent, especially the guacamole which has bacon on it and paired very nicely with the spicy salsa. The margaritas were very good and my friend who got a mocktail also said hers was good. We had the braised ribs, enchiladas, shrimp bisque and chicken tortilla soup and all were great. read more

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When we first heard about this new modern Mexican restaurant opening we immediately wanted to try it. We finally went before a Billiken's game and it did not disappoint! We went with some family that live in the CWE and had already been and they loved it. The margaritas was great. One of the better ones we've had recently. The food was delicious! Everyone enjoyed their meals. No complaints! The menu is large was great options for non-meat eaters. The decor and ambience were nice. Not too busy but had Mexican restaurant vibes. The service was as expected. We'll definitely be back!! read more

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The food was exceptional! It's my husband's birthday and we decided to give this new restaurant a try! He had the mushroom enchiladas which was amazing and flavorful and I had the Chile Relleno which I enjoyed thoroughly! The service was top tier, our waiter made us feel very at home and cared for... the regional manager stopped by our table as well and made sure service was top tier! The ambience is very date night type of vibe! Low lighting and very sexy! There's street parking and well lit areas! We will definitely be back! The chef kissed! Oh I almost forgot about the appetizer called Papas Bravas which I understand is the chef's fav! It was ours as well! read more

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Good food, good service and very nice environment/ambiance. Consistently well prepared tex/mex cuisine.

We had Mexican the two previous evenings so I wasn't really into another night, but I was out-voted! The food here was pretty yummy but mostly, the service was very good. Wish I could remember the servers name but he kept our drinks filled and had some great food suggestions - especially since I wasn't, at first, thrilled to be doing Mexican again... The favorites were the chile rellano and rum chata cheesecake. We'll return when we're in the area! read more

Well!!!!! I walked in, and it's beautifully and thoughtfully decorated. A gorgeous mural and lots of seating and varieties of seating. The server was one of the best servers I've ever had (black frame glasses I'm talking to you!) Polite, funny, great food and drink suggestion, attentive. I didn't end up liking my salad (I am not a fan of spring mix) and she took it off my bill when I didn't even ask. The food and drinks were perfect. I got to have Tajin on my margarita rim. I really enjoyed the green posole. The guacamole was delicious and they gave us jicama as well as chips. I wish the jicama was cut a bit thicker to use like a chop with the guacamole. Great salsa verde and fresh chips. Will definitely be back. read more

Not a typical Mexican restaurant. More of a high end gourmet Spanish eatery. Very high quality food, several unusual seafood dishes. We had perfectly prepared steak, a duck confit appetizer, very fresh salmon. Reasonable prices. It's a beautiful restaurant, excellent service, wonderful food. Highly recommended. read more

Fabulous Service! Great Food! I will recommend to all my friends and most definitely will be back soon.

Amazing service that went above and beyond. The food was perfect and nice environment.