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.

Not about the food. Did not eat here…read more We happened to be in town for a long weekend. On our way to the zoo we stopped here for a bite to eat. We were greeted by one of the nicest and overwhelmingly insulting people I have ever met. We "had to have been from out of town" because "if you were local you wouldnt have imagined coming here without a reservation." Then we spent the next 10 minutes trying to walk back to our car while having an app explained to us so "you can check for open tables at other places." There were maybe 3 people eating in the entire front area. So out of towner's, dont spend the 5 minutes looking for parking and the 5 minutes walking to this establishment to be treated like some peasant commoner who is sullying their establishment.

I literally live a 4 minute walk from here and have no idea why it took me this long to check it…read moreout. I took my boyfriend here last night for his 24th birthday celebration, and boy did it exceed every expectation. When we first arrived, we were taken aback by the waterfall feature at the front door. We genuinely thought we were at the wrong entrance. Turns out it was entirely intentional, and in the excitement of the evening, we forgot to ask about the story behind it. A fun little mystery to solve on our next visit. We arrived about 30 minutes early and were welcomed warmly from the moment we walked in. The staff gave us a lovely intimate table with a great view of the restaurant's eclectic decor and designs. The ambiance struck the perfect balance, lively and engaging without being so loud that we could not have a real conversation, which for my partner and me is genuinely one of the most important aspects of a dining experience. Since we both work incredibly busy schedules, this was not only a birthday celebration but our first proper date night in quite a while, and the atmosphere made it feel truly special. The staff even surprised us with a complimentary prosecco for the birthday, something we were absolutely not expecting and deeply appreciated. On the drinks side, although I am not personally a big drinker, my boyfriend loves exploring new spirits and cocktail combinations. The bartenders were fantastic: knowledgeable, approachable, and genuinely enthusiastic about their recommendations across both wines and spirits. They made the whole experience feel curated rather than transactional. Now, let me tell you about Jelly. Our server Jelly was, without question, the highlight of the entire evening, and that is saying a lot given how spectacular everything else was. I have a severe pineapple allergy, and if you dine out with food allergies, you know the usual routine. The server writes it down, maybe glances at it when the food arrives, and you spend the whole meal quietly hoping for the best. Jelly was on an entirely different level. She went completely above and beyond, meticulously checking every food option and wine pairing to ensure nothing contained pineapple and that there was zero risk of cross contamination. When a wine bottle did not clearly list its ingredients, she did not guess or assume. She looked it up on the internet right then and there to confirm it was safe for me. That gesture might sound simple, but for someone with a severe allergy, it is everything. It communicates that she genuinely cared about my wellbeing, not just about getting through her tables for the night. I felt completely taken care of, safe, and able to relax and enjoy myself without the anxiety that usually accompanies dining out with an allergy. Jelly, if you ever read this: thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are exceptional at what you do and an absolute asset to Blood & Sand. And now, the food, which was nothing short of breathtaking. From the presentation, to the pacing and timing, to the extraordinary depth of flavor on every plate, the food at Blood & Sand is spectacular and amazing in the truest sense of both words. My boyfriend and I had the 5 course tasting menu with wine pairings. We had originally hoped for the 10 course, but it was not being offered that evening. No matter, because the 5 course delivered more than enough to leave us completely floored. The evening opened with a palate initiator of carrots, goat cheese, and walnuts. I will be honest, I was not excited. Carrots and goat cheese are genuinely two of my least favorite foods on the planet. But I gave it a try and it was absolutely heavenly. A perfect encapsulation of what this kitchen does: it takes ingredients you think you know and transforms them into something you cannot stop thinking about. My absolute favorites of the evening were the tuna carpaccio, the wagyu flank steak, and the pierogis. Each one was cooked and composed to perfection. Everything melted in my mouth and left me wishing the courses would never end. My one constructive note is on the oyster course. I love oysters and eat them often, so I was genuinely looking forward to this one. The portion, two very small oysters with modest accompaniments of horseradish, a small salsa, and lemon, felt a little light even by tasting menu standards. I would love to see either four oysters at that size or two larger ones. It was gone so quickly and felt slightly out of step with the generosity of every other course. That small note aside, Blood & Sand delivered one of the most memorable dining experiences I have had in a long time. Every single person on that floor, from the bartenders to the host to the incredible Jelly, went above and beyond to make the night comfortable, fun, intimate, and genuinely special. We will absolutely be back, and next time I will not wait so long given that I practically live next door.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

30. The place was pretty empty/ maybe 3 other tables while we were there. (that's a bad sign)…read moreWe originally had reservations for 8 but one person couldn't attend so we arrived with 7. The menu had printed that the 5 course tasting menu was only for parties of 6 or less. We inquired knowing it may not be able to happen since we had 7, but it was worth a try since it was just one more person. The waitress said she would have to ask the chef to see if he could do 7 instead of 6..... she came back to inform us that the chef was not able to accommodate this request. Ok, fine. A rule is a rule, but there were only 3 other tables in there the entire time we dined. I love music and a good vibe but the music was so loud over our table we could hardly hear each other speak. (90s Cranberries at that).... The cocktails and apps were the only good part of the meal, but $25 for one cocktail is a stretch unless I'm in Vegas or St. Barths. All of our main entrees were overly salted- like so salty we all commented how salty each of ours was. I had the pasta. Good flavor and creamy but too salty. No decaf coffee. I've never been to a fine dining restaurant that doesn't have decaf for an after dinner drink. Strange. Then it was time to pay. There was a noted 3% credit card fee. We paid with cash. The waitress attempted to say she didn't think she would have change because "there was no one working that had to cash to break our bills." Really? No one has cash at a restaurant? Must be next door with the decaf coffee and dinner music. The cherry on top that leads me to write a negative review (I am in my 40s and can never recall leaving a negative ereciew) The friend that made the reservation just found a $200 charge to her credit card from this joke of a restaurant. Ends up they charge the card you make your reservation with $25 per person and supposedly take this amount off the bill when you pay... we paid with cash and then they still charge the card. I'm well aware hardly anyone pays with cash anymore, but people still do. Be ready. Everything about this place screams closing in 18 months, poor quality control in the kitchen and no owner/management oversight.

Every time I come here, I always wonder to myself why I don't come more often. As a gluten free…read morefoodie, I can appreciate the care they put into making sure every meal is filling, tasty and an absolute knockout. Tucked away in Locust, I love that they are open early enough for a nice lunch or late enough for an after-event nosh. If you're curious about this place, I definitely encourage you to give it a try!

I haven't been here in a few years - used to love this place, so we decided to spend Mother's Day…read morehere this year. Advertisements online talked about "rolling out the red carpet" for mom, including receiving a glass of champagne, a hand-selected personal gift from the team, and a special Art Deco Goddess coloring sheet for the kids. However, our Mother's Day experience was not special at all. I went with my husband, 2 young kids, and my mother. When the waitress greeted us, she wasn't very friendly and didn't even say Happy Mother's Day when there was 2 mothers at the table. She didn't mention anything about the free champagne...we had to ask for it. We did not receive a hand-selected personal gift. There was also no special coloring sheet for the kids - we were just coloring on the kids menu. Nothing about our experience was special. Next year, I will pick somewhere else to go for Mother's Day. I felt more like a burden here than someone to be celebrated. The food was still decent. I got the pesto chicken sandwich with the bird seed salad. The bird seed salad was the star. Loved the poppyseed vinaigrette dressing and the bruleed apple slice (never seen that before - how unique and cool!). The pesto sandwich was a bit difficult to eat - while the chicken was moist, the bread was very crusty and dry which made the overall sandwich very dry. It was kinda hard to get through. I ended up taking it home and reheating it in the microwave and it was a little better after doing that because it allowed the pesto to soak into the bread and moisten it up a bit. I ordered a scoop of Zanzibar chocolate ice cream with hot fudge and this was truly amazing. The kids menu could definitely use some work - seems more like an after thought. It isn't even posted online to view in advance. I can't remember all the choices, but it was limited. I remember 2 different peanut butter sandwiches available, Mac and cheese, and a "pizza" on focaccia type bread. I put pizza in quotes because most kids I know are picky and this isn't a traditional pizza so we couldn't order this because our kids probably wouldnt eat it especially if the bread on the pizza was as dry and crusty as it was on my pesto sandwich. We ended up ordering the Mac and cheese, which was actually really good and the kids liked it. Just wish there were more options. What was really disappointing though is they served apple slices on the plate with the core still in it...serving apple core to a child is a safety hazard and just plain lazy.

The wife and I went here for our Anniversary and my birthday. The ambiance of this place is…read moreamazing the service also matches the ambiance. Kimberly sure knows how to make her guest feel special and welcomed. Vibe was great and food was good. We will return.

Looks are definitely deceiving. This restaurant needs help. Walked in and was greeted with a…read moresmiling face and welcoming host. She seated us at our table (we had a reservation) table was a mess underneath no one sweet up after whoever was sitting there, table was sticky, they weren't busy at all so not sure what took so long for our hostess to show up. When she showed up the young lady was nice and smiling. She took our orders and gave us a few tips on what was poplar and what wasn't which was nice and appreciated. While waiting for our drinks to come before food we observed several around us sending back their food constantly. The table next to us had burnt waffles in which I know the hostess saw that they were and she should have addressed that before brining out to the table. We finally received our drinks and tasted nothing like a margarita. It was suppose to be watermelon. It's kinda hard to mess up a margarita I thought but perhaps it was cheap liquor? I'm not sure but it was definitely a no go. Finally received our food I ordered the stacker w/bacon, egg on the side scrambled with cheese in them. The picture on the menu has fruit on top of this sandwich and when asked our hostess if this was French toast she stated yes w/fruit. We it arrived with some white thick sauce (looked like white gravy) on it and regular toast. The egg was not scrambled had no cheese. My friends had the fish and fries. The toast came out with in seconds behind it. The young man that delivered the food I'm sure if he was training or the cook. This presentation was horrible and a compete NO. We told the waitress than you but it was unacceptable and had left. They definitely have work to do. This much be a brunch place poplar amongst the younger adults and they at okay, with that because they must have a dj at times of something. Music playing was nice and not overly loud good selection there is about all I can say. The menu does not reflect what you get, online does not reflect this venue.THUMBS DOWN

We came here for our anniversary dinner and had a great time!…read more We booked a reservation online and noted that it was our anniversary. Most places ignore this, but everyone that we came in contact with knew and wished us a happy anniversary. Our server (Allie) even had a special treat for us, so we started our night with a champagne toast! She was friendly, attentive and great to talk with. We had a couple of questions that she help answer right away. The restaurant was fairly busy, but we got to sit upstairs away from most of the noise. Now, the food! First, we ordered way too much. We tried the pear and fig flatbread and split a Mayfair salad. The salad was not what we expected but the flatbread was great! Try that if you have the chance! Both of our drinks (the sangria and Sicilian manhattan) were delicious and looked great. Main courses we tried were the smoked pork chop and the cauliflower pasta with grilled chicken. Both had great flavor and were presented well. Not pictured is the flourless chocolate torte that we got to go. This was incredible and super rich! We split it and still thought it was overwhelming, in the best of ways! Great place for special occasion dinners or important lunch meetings!

1111 Mississippi was the perfect way to wrap up my St. Louis food lineup…read more I love stuffed mushrooms, so of course I had to try theirs -- and they were a 10 out of 10. Flavorful, rich, and cooked exactly how they should be. The menu leans Italian, with a lot of classic, comforting dishes that make you want to sit, relax, and really enjoy your meal. The vibe is cozy with a slightly upscale feel, making it a great option for a sit-down dinner. Service was smooth, the food was consistent, and overall it was just a really solid dining experience. Definitely recommend if you're in the mood for Italian or just want something reliable and good

This place was SO nice! Very much a surprise as we walked over from the Aquarium to watch the…read moreOlympics. It was decorated all out for the Olympics and they have several comfy couch areas which were perfect for us with our toddler who does not want to sit still... We spent a few hours here and had some appetizers and drinks. We had the pub pretzel, pickle chips, fried cheese and soup. All were out quickly and very good. The pretzel was SO good! Served with mustard and warm cheese for dipping and it's huge. Service was friendly and fast. Bathrooms are spacious and new and clean with a nice large stall for baby changing. It wasn't crowded in the middle of a day on Friday so, pleasant to watch the game with a small group. I'm sure it can get really busy and rowdy during sports events downtown. All in all, new and comfy and a place I can see us coming often.

What went well... this place is really nice and spacious. Tons of space for groups and I luved the…read morecouch sections. Really did a good job with the Irish pub feel. What was just ok... the potato skins were decent, but get that red sauce on the side and get a side of ranch to increase the flavor profile. The old Fashioned was ok, made to standard. What wasn't that great were the pickle fries. These were like grease pockets, not enough pickle inside. Service was friendly and the space was super clean.

Was in town on vacation and wanted to hit a unique breakfast spot, it was just that passionate…read moreworkers and authentic diner food if your around skip the overpriced gentrified spots and give them a go.

Always greeted by terrific service and smiling faces. The food is delicious and always fresh!read more

Great breakfast and great service on my visit to Chris @ The Docket. I just looked at my photos and…read moreI guess I didn't take any pics. I was early to the baseball game and I asked two policemen where is the best breakfast that is within walking distance. Both answered that the Docket was the place. They were right, it is. I had the Chicken Fried Steak, hash browns, eggs and sour dough toast. All were so good. Nikiya was my server and she was perfect...so friendly, engaging and extremely friendly.

The food here was really good. Mimosas were available! They have all kinds of coffee with liquors…read moreand without. It is on a corner and you park at a 45 degree angle by backing in which was new to us! New to some other folks too as they didn't do so hot! My husband enjoyed his croissant sandwich. Bacon was well done how he likes it. I had the French toast with cheese eggs and sausage. All was very good. They also have turkey meat options. Prices and portions were not too bad for what we got. It is a large place not over crowded. They have room for more tables so they may have some when parties get large.