I'm so dissapointed, Oceano was one of my favorite places. My husband and I we're around Clayton Saturday and decided to stop by for lunch, I ordered my usual the Salmon salad and my husband ordered the salmon on the light menu. My husband was really upset his food came out wrong he got another salmon but not the one he ordered, server came back to check on us around 20 minutes after food was delivered.I told her that she had the order wrong and she apologized, and said she was going to fix it. Well little did we know, 15 minutes after, I had already finished my salad, when my husband was looking for the server, we couldn't help overhear her talking to another server complaining about how much she hates working there and the other server responded," I'm ready to walk out," this could not be happening. Just by hearing that made our whole experience very uncomfortable. When I go out for lunch/dinner is to enjoy a nice meal not hear other people complain. My husband was looking around for some kind of management but no luck..that place looked really lonely there were only 4 tables in the whole restaurant. I did not recognize any employee. What happen to all the beautiful friendly staff.?!?We are regulars there and I did not see one employee that I recognized. Whats going on with their employees, all the staff there seemed mad and frustrated. My husband knows the owner well and he didn't want me to write this review. But the owner needs to check all his staff I would hate for them to loose business due to his employees. read more

I would have loved to try this place, but when my husband and I arrived for a late dinner date at 8:30 p.m., we were told there was a 45 minute wait despite our reservation, and would we mind waiting. The reception was less than friendly, so we opted to move on. Doubt we'll be back... read more

We were very disappointed in the entire experience. Our appetizer was unceremoniously placed on our table without a word. We had no plates. No one came near our table to help. No apologies. The quality of the food was merely adequate. The service was miserable. The price exhorbitant. Never again. read more

The window seats are the best in town! Have been seated right away both times with no reservations. Great place for a nice night out with girlfriends! The food has always been exceptional. Crab cakes are a zesty appetizer & stuffed with meat. We always order scallops & a salmon entree. Haven't been disappointed yet! So much I want to try, these reviews are making me hungry! read more

One eats here but does not dine. Just good to know that walking in. Early dinner, w. my husband. Full lively bar. The hostess wanted to seat us in a number of not so nice tables, the place was almost empty, like why dont they just walk us to the nicest booth? anyway we got there. He had the clam chowder and liked it. I had the roasted pepper soup w. goat cheese, too salty not very flavorful, goat cheese ordinary. We asked what that swirly oil was that they put on the table: it was the color of very diluted tea. The waitress said it was olive oil mixed with "salad oil" : I asked what oil is that? she said vegetable oil. We asked for just evoo. What came back was barely any better, no aroma and NO taste whatsoever. Dull, dead and embarassing. What person who called themselves chef?? would put that stuff on a table. My oysters from VA were excellent and freshly scucked. I saved the sauce for my sliders: cooked rare as ordered. But a supppper thin slice of ordinary rugby cheese on top. Simple slivered salad covered w. nice sweet and butter pickles. Hus had mussels which were nice. I think stick to the fresh seafood here, less intervention from the kitchen seems best. The wait staff was very good. read more

Visited during Clayton July restaurant week and all 5 of of us left HUNGRY. Don't participate in restaurant week if you are planning to serve 3 appetizers, one sweet. Ridiculous to spend that much money on wine, prosecco, drinks and have to head to Whole foods to feel full. Especially when 3 of the party are 5'2" small women. read more

Great way to spend a Sat. afternoon. Our server Jacob was attentive, friendly and professional. My friend ordered the Crab Cakes & really enjoyed them. I had the Calamari which were done very well. Drinks were an added enjoyment. The manager Robert stopped by our table which to me is a class act. I almost feel like I should be spending all my Sat. afternoons here. It was my friends first visit and she took an order home for her husband, as well as plans to meet here again very soon! read more

We went there last winter having a farewell lunch with another couple. It was very noisy. The soups were EXTREMELY salty, I couldn't even finish one third of it. Can't remember now what I had for entree, but I'm sure it was not that impressive because we decided not to go back again. read more

Such a wonderful menu. Everyone at the table had something different and nothing disappointed. Julia was great and spot on with the wines.

The service was terrible-- very slow and we had to ask for EVERYTHING. Moreover, my meal-- grouper sandwich and chowder-- was thoroughly bland. The affordability at lunch of this otherwise expensive restaurant gave it a few bonus points. read more

The food was excellent. All our dishes were fresh seafood. We loved the crab cakes. We would go back again.

Really enjoyed this experience as a special place to go. Julia, our server. Was wonderful: knowledgeable, caring and helpful. She made excellent suggestions about the menu items and wine. If you're lucky enough to get her, ask her about music therapy! read more

After last nights disappointing experience at Libertine this was a welcome surprise. The Branzino really impressed me and I'm not a fish guy. Also the atmosphere while a bit old school works now and will work forever. Finally the price was just right. read more

My colleagues and I stopped in on Friday evening for Happy Hour and it was fantastic! We only had cocktails - mix drinks and wine and they were all great! The service was also terrific! I will definitely go back! read more

Excellent dinner all around. We started with the crab cakes and heirloom tomato salad - both good, crab cakes great. Then we had the beet salad which I loved. For entrees, the salmon with bacon- wrapped potato cake (to die for - get it as a side if not getting the salmon) and the truffle scallops which were just Ok. Fabulous homemade cookie and ice cream dessert. Waitress was friendly and helpful. All around excellent meal! Will say it's pricey though! read more

I recently went here for my birthday dinner because this is one of my favorite places. Their food is exquisite, and the place is pretty big. Their potion sizes are perfect for a great meal, and if you are getting an appitizer, I strongly recommend the muscles!!! read more

this time around...it was much better. try the portobella mushrooms!!

Quite easily our favorite restaurant in St. Louis. Friendly staff and wonderful food. The Prawn app with the char grilled bread is spectacular. Also a big fan of the salmon BLT for lunch or the salmon atop a bacon wrapped potato pancake. read more

I ate at Oceano Bistro on Mother's Day for dinner. My dinner partner was from out of town and wanted "fish", so I chose this restaurant. I was glad that I'd made a reservation as the place was packed. And because of the crowd, it was very noisy. Almost hard to talk over a small table for two. After we ordered, we were each served a very small piece of bread. Fortunately a server came around again and we each had another piece of bread. It was good. It took awhile for the entrees to come out, perhaps because of the crowd. My entrée was very good but not what I expected. It was listed as "Spiced South Pacific Bigeye Tuna". I thought it would be a traditional piece of tuna but what came to the table was a beautiful plate with four rectangular pieces of tuna, each with a peppercorn rim. But the fish was very pink. Only about 0.5 cm of the edge looked "cooked". I was a bit skeptical and my first instinct was to send it back for additional cooking, but I was with a guest so I just dug in. Was I ever surprised to find that it really tasted great. The golden beets underneath and red chili oil were very good with it as well as the grilled green beans. My dinner partner ordered trout and ate every bite. I'll go back but will try to avoid the weekend as it was too noisy for good conversation. read more

Great service at the bar!! Made great cocktails and the sliders and veggie Brie tray is soooooo goood! If you are into grilled veggies ! Good cocktail selection! It was a little slow there but you could tell the people that were there ARE REGULARS! It will certainly be a HH destination for me! read more

I cannot recommend this place enough. We were served by the bartender Mary, who was polite and efficient. I'm not the biggest fan of seafood, so I had the angel hair pasta with red sauce. At the end of the night the weather so bad the manager, Robert, gave me and a friend a ride home. Overall I found the service and atmosphere to be superb, will certainly be returning soon. read more

Oceano has changed ownership and we noticed a lot of the servers were new tonight. Also the salads had a lot of wilted lettuce leaves. The quality of the food since the ownership change has become hit or miss. Tonight I had the Sea Bass and it was the worst I have eaten at this restaurant, tasted odd and too fishy, and not quiet warm enough. I need to find another restaurant, but there are not a lot of seafood places in St. Louis. Maybe they would try to improve if they had more competition. read more

They have some nice craft beers and I enjoyed the friendly staff. I will have to eat here soon. Everything smells so good . One of the perks of an open kitchen. read more

The fish here is really quality! I've had the salmon and the trout here, and both tasted so fresh and nicely prepared. The restaurant also uses this phone app called GiftAMeal, which let me donate 2 free meals to a food pantry just by snapping a pic of my food via the app. I thought that was really neat, on top of a great dining experience. I hope to come out here again soon! read more

I left very unimpressed, especially considering it still felt overpriced even when we had a Restaurant.com gift certificate that gave a discount. Since neither one of us was super hungry we just skipped to entrees. His seared sea scallops were really delicious and cooked to perfection. But no side? I would rather the entrees were a few dollars more but included a side. It just felt really cheapo to ask if you want to order a side. I ordered the shellfish soffrito. Which was pretty lackluster overall, the shellfish was cooked nice, and the risotto cake was tasty. The broth was didn't really have much flavor and was super salty. That salt really killed the whole dish. It becomes almost like a stew but they don't give you a spoon. So I kept trying to eat and not spill food all over my ivory shirt...I could have asked our waiter, if he ever came back any time before we were almost done eating. I was also really suprised (not ina good way) by the menu. We are heading into fall and nothing was featured that was seasonal or local. And I thought that was part of their uniqueness? Having a gluten sensitivity I do really like they mention what is gluten free on the menu. But no gluten free salads or soups? That was disappointing. I wouldn't go back. There are better options for seafood in STL. read more

I sat in the bar at a table. The atmosphere was pleasant and comfortable. The bartender was in charge of serving tables in the bar and seemed to be having a little trouble with prompt service, something expected at this price point. The managing partner of the restaurant noticed the lack of service and remedied the slow service by helping out himself. I had the yellow tail ceviche and pacific oysters an an appetizer. the ceviche was served sashimi style and covered in a lemon butter sauce, rather drowned in sauce. I was barely able to locate the fish under this heavy sauce. The fish was cut so thin it tore when i attempted to eat it. I was left with no option other than to scoop it up and eat it heavily sauced. The oysters were served on the half shell with a cocktail sauce and what tasted like a lemon garlic butter sauce. The sauce I assume had a seafood broth in it because I kept getting pieces of shell from the sauce that had to be picked from my mouth. I would suggest staining the broth before incorporating it into the dipping sauce. The oysters were fresh and delicious, although the preparation was left undone. They apparently forgot oysters are attached to the shell and did not cut the connection leaving me to tear them loose with a knife. Once again not what you would expect at this price point. For the main course I ordered the Halibut. It was perfectly cooked but lacked any seasoning. It was bland and underwhelming. It was served over a vegetable ragout, in this case over cooked rubbery haricot vert with corn and baby mushrooms. The main course portion size was scant at best. I am guessing no more than a four ounce piece of fish which I took a picture of if the management care to reply to my post. The whole meal was overpriced and under portioned. The service was mediocre and I would not go back. read more

Ms Carrie's desserts are TO DIE FOR!!!! : ) Bread pudding, unusual flavors of ice cream and sorbets. Have it with espresso and a liquor. Not to mention of course the amazing service by the utmost human beings. Thank you, Oceano for, going on 5 yrs in the area. We so appreciate your presence. Peace. read more

The food was wonderful - fresh, full of complexity, inventive but not self-consciously so, seasoned beautifully. The ambience subtle and charming. But the service! If I've ever been attended to by a more professional, personable and helpful server (Gary, I believe), I don't remember it. One of our party was vegan. The manager came up with some amazing options for her (usually they just say "Well..um....we can steam you some vegetables or something.) He, too, was personable and professional, as was every staff member we encountered from the valet on up. Portions were generous, menu diverse but not overwhelming (and the frito misto absolutely sublime.) I always expect that much-hyped restaurants won't live up to the chatter but this one exceeded it. More restaurants should hold themselves to this standard. read more

Carpeted floors and uninspiring decor create the classic business lunch environment. Mainstream quality seafood hidden within high end sounding menu descriptions. Best bet is a selection of appetizers, or to book a table at The Tavern. read more

Simply one of the best restaurants in St. Louis. Took some friends from Chicago and they agreed. Excellent, creative food, with attention to detail; friendly, knowledgable, attentive service, and a lovely environment. They offer valet parking, but there's usually plenty of parking in the evening. Great choice for a restaurant. read more

Came here during restaurant week for the $25 three course meal. It was AMAZING. Crab cakes were fantastic. The bread was good. The salmon I got was cooked perfectly. The dessert was good. Our waitress was great. Overall wonderful experience :) Will definitely be coming back. read more

this place has the best scallops! I've had them numerous times and they are consistently excellent! it has a great bar area that overlooks the cooking area and great wine list. read more

Had dinner last night with my boyfriend, who had a rare night off. We had the portabella mushrooms, I had the "fit" salmon, He couldn't remember the salmon dish he had two months ago. Our waiter, Gary, was phenomenal! He got my boyfriend a sample of the glaze so he could try to figure out which dish he had. He finally got the flatbread, and then ordered the Atlantic salmon to go. Very good wine, great food, and Gary was very gracious! The owner even came by and asked us how everything was. Cannot wait to go again! read more

I'm a middle aged woman who loves excellent food and a pleasant atmosphere that allows me to enjoy my food and still have excellent service. My server, Stella, was very professional and pleasant. She introduced me to a new wine. Ice wine. Absolutely delicious. Especially with the pasta I had ordered for lunch. Reasonably priced, beautiful setting. Lunch was served at a wondeful temperature and the presentation was very appetizing. I so so impressed with this Bistro that I am planning to bring 30 of my closes friends their to celebrate my birthday in August. It's so nice to dine out and the people make you feel like neighbors and the food is to die for. Delicious, generous in portions and you leave wanting more. My daughter surprised me and took me to Oceano's for brunch on Mother's Day. The service was still superb. Thanks to the chef and entire staff. See you all soon. Ms. Elaine DeBoise read more

Lovely atmosphere. Great service. Salads were very blah, not enough dressing. Great scallops. The best portobello mushrooms I have ever eaten! Sea bass was good, thin, ate it all but was expecting to be wowed from it. Not a huge selections of entrees but all looked good. Great Ronnoco coffee. Does not carry Absolute vodka. Creme brûlée trio was a perfect ending to our meal. read more

Food was delicious & the wait staff very attentive. Great view if you get a window table.

If you are looking for fresh sea food, go somewhere else! The shrimp was mushy and the sea bass was suspect. The server was wonderful, but the owner made a scene over what I think was an employee issue. Very sad! read more

So disappointed. Went for Clayton Restaurant Week. Was definitely underwhelmed. The sea bass was tiny and overcooked and the salmon was decent sized but still overcooked. Had bread pudding for dessert and could not eat it and waiter exchanged it for creme brulee which was okay but not great. read more

Loved the place. A must try. Very nice and soft ambience, perfect for a date night. Went here for dinner today. As soon as we sat down, we were greeted by Erich who is probably one of the best hosts we've ever had. He explained everything on the menu really well, and was super nice and enthusiastic. You could tell he loves his job. We told him we were fasting and could eat about 40 min after we arrived. He accommodated that very well too. For appetizers, we got Kobe beef sliders and crab cakes. Top notch and really fresh. For entree, I got a red snapper and my husband got the surf and turf. The red snapper was on point. My husbands steak was medium well and he had asked for well done. The manager, Robert, himself came out and apologized for the mistake. He took care of my husbands meal and offered us free dessert too. All in all, we were greatly satisfied with the food and the even more with the service. Extraordinary service and exemplary food. A must try. read more

My husband and I ate at Oceano Bistro for the first and last time this weekend. What a disappointment. The décor is pleasant if bland. Likewise, our server was pleasant but the service was not particularly great. At this restaurant you order everything a la carte. We only received one set of sides when our main dishes arrived instead of the two orders we had placed. By the time we managed to flag down our server and get the side dishes, we were both done with our main dish. To be fair to the restaurant, we were not charged for the second set of side dishes. Now on to the food. Our Caesar salads were generous and very tasty. The rolls and olive oil/harissa? mix were great. We both ordered the grilled jumbo sea scallops which were perfectly cooked. However, the accompanying white truffle beurre fondue had absolutely no mushroom flavor at all. We both ordered the grilled seasonal vegetables. The red onions on my plate were essentially raw, and while the grilled whole red pepper was beautiful, it was too hot for either of us to eat. We both found the roasted garlic potato puree to be WAY too heavily salted. For the money, we like Bristol's a lot better. read more