Dinner = 4, Brunch = 1.5 Overall Avg Score = 2.7 The Preston has a bipolar personality. There is one flow in the evenings & a totally different one on the weekend. Consequently, the weekend personality is the worst yet that's when the prices are the highest. I will start with my first experience and then merge into the last & worst. Dinner: Just getting seating was odd. I was walked by the Hostess to a table only to find it wasn't ready. I was told to stand there & it would be cleaned shortly, ok. While I stood there, in a very nasty tone a man walked over & said "what is she doing here" so I responded "I'm waiting for the table to be cleared". The man still didn't address me & told the woman who seated me "take her outside." As soon as we walked back out, someone came to the Hostess & told her to bring me back. WTF!!! Talk about feeling uncomfortable I was just walked in, out, in & now I'm being gawked at. That experience is what led to 4 stars for dinner. I will say I'm glad I didn't let my immediate first bad encounter deter me from having a meal that night. Word to the wise, if there is a room full of people that all look alike & one person that doesn't look like them walks in the room instead of ostracizing them you should be mindful that they're even there. I felt like my standing brown presence was a bother. I didn't come to protest or fill out an application; I came to pay money to eat - like the other people here. My service after that was so awesome (shout out to Anthony), as well as the food. My appetizer came before my drink that I ordered first but all was well. The Korean Chicken Wings appear in a set of 3. The wings were intertwined like synchronized swimmers; I hate having to handle cooked meat but this rough housing was worth it. They were layered atop the sauce so you get the chance to catch the flavor of all the components. The kitchen let the beauty & delicacy of the Barramundi show & didn't mask it with a heavy sauce. The mushrooms just highlighted the favors and were a great accompaniment that added to the texture profile of the dish. A beautiful light vinaigrette was placed underneath it all and I enjoyed it. Dessert was a true experience. The server Anthony came & pored Godiva salted caramel chocolate over the Chocolates Sphere & it made for a beautiful presentation & a lovely ending for the meal. The crunch of the peanut bridle was also an added kick of excitement. Sunday Brunch: When I was here for dinner before I inquired and the server brought me a menu that had the name "The Preston" on top, the word "Brunch" and $22. I thought why not give it a try. How embarrassing! I was scouting out brunch places to hold an Unofficial Yelp Event & I foolishly invited another Yelper to try the place out with me. Imagine my shock & loss for words when we were both given a $50+ brunch tab that only included the subpar food (we both left hungry), dismissive service & incoherent Management. NOTE: there are TWO brunches at the Preston - they wont be clear with you so make sure you let them know if you want the $22 brunch of the $50 brunch. Our server, an older gentleman whose name I never really caught didn't come unless he was prompted to come over. Oddly enough he stood at the door with the Manager for at least an hour. When we tried to show him the Yelp check-in offer, he got defensive as if it was coming out of his pocket & actually said, "I just work here." Before that he was saying the offer was only for dinner but it stated no such thing - just 10% off of any visit. Preston Management, how do you have a public offering that not only your servers don't know about but not even the Manager that was on duty?! For there to be such an elaborate spread there is meat discrimination. I saw so much pork, beef & seafood but no turkey or chicken options or even vegan options. The Chefs at the omelet station & one younger server who helped me carry my plates to the table were great. If the food was good then personally $50, ok but nothing was delicious. Dry waffles & not even pancakes. Brunch came with a mimosa but it was below basic too! If you don't like frozen macaroons/pasties then go elsewhere. As we gazed around the room we could see others shock when they saw the bill. It almost makes me feel like the server & manager were standing guard at the door to make sure no one ran out after they were presented with that high bill. I live in walking distance, I go out to eat 3+ times a week & do brunch somewhere EVERY weekend. I would rather get in my car and drive to East Jesus somewhere then return here. _________________________________________________________________________________ PS: I love how The Preston solicits 5 star reviews from people that barley use Yelp to get their score higher, really classy. The Mangers note on my review - saying "we look forward to seeing you again soon" just proves the Management at The Preston is not with it. read more

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The Preston is brand new to St. Louis and easily one of the top ten new places I've eaten in STL the past year. Located just inside The Chase, this tapas style bar is exactly what you'd expect from an upscale hotel. The space is freshly renovated; they did an amazing job. The massive open kitchen is a great backdrop to the upscale ambiance. Anyways, let's cut to "the chase"...see what I did there? The food and drink is boss. It's New American cuisine served on small plates to share. My girlfriend and I split the Charred Octopus, Bread Plate and Scallop Chowder. They have the best damn bread plate I have ever had. Don't think of the bread plate as, "oh it's just a filling dish" because it isn't. It came with three different flavor-packed spreads, two pretzel croissants, one wheat roll and one jalepeno cheddar biscuit. All of the bread was fresh and warm but I basically could have eaten those spreads alone. As for the Charred Octopus and Scallop Chowder, get them. They're extremely decadent and filling. Their cocktail list is nothing short of unique. I got the Nancy's Night Out that comes Bulleit bourbon, Big 'O', grapefruit and crystallized ginger. The ginger is basically candy and who doesn't like candy with their booze? They definitely don't skimp out on presentation here. All of their cocktails are pretty enough to take out on a second date...or third. I can already tell The Preston is easily one of my favorite spots in The CWE. read more

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Loved it. Sometimes when you hear 'hotel bar' you picture sad businessmen in droopy suits, tourists in khaki shorts, and watery, overpriced pours served in dim lighting. Gratefully, The Preston is none of these things. Yes, it happens to be in the lobby of the Chase Park Plaza, but once you set foot through the doors you'd never know you were in a hotel. I loved the decor - sleek and clean without being cold. The bartenders were serving up intricate craft cocktails (fire was involved) but they were friendly and nothing about the place had any pretension. The menu helped conveyed that they had a sense of humor - the drink I ordered was named Big Trouble in Little China after the delightful mid-80s John Carpenter flick starring Kurt Russell. Since it's my boyfriend's favorite movie (tied with Rocky), I couldn't not try it. All I have to say is that ginger beer and five spice were meant to be friends. It was supremely drinkable and I wish I hadn't been so tired so I could have stayed and explored more of their cocktail menu. read more

The Preston - Big Trouble in Little China - ginger beer and Chinese five spice made this a winner. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

WoahDANG, STL! The Preston left a lasting impression of a practically perfect bar. So, I'm coming back. Like, you're going to get so sick of me. I met a co-worker here during a recent work trip for a drink (thanks for recommending this place, Aaron B!) The atmosphere is sleek and sexy - but not stuffy. Our bartender, Sasha, was kind and gracious. I was in a pickle and couldn't figure out what I wanted so I told him I would take any kind of not sweet drink. Then, poof! An Old Fashioned made with sazerac rye appeared. It was well balanced and smooth with a perfect garnish of melted orange peel (so cool to watch!) I was little hungry... but not like "OMG I want to eat a grocery store." Lucky for me, a cheese plate exists at The Preston that was the ace-est pre-dinner snack. It's really easy for me to like all cheeses, but this board was special and the grilled kind of bread and marcona almonds accompaniment. read more

The Preston - Old fashioned made with sazerac rye - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

Starving and pressed for time (going to see movie), we wanted a bite to eat and knew we didn't want to deal with the Sidecar... It was a beautiful Saturday night and many must have been outdoors because we basically had the whole place to ourselves. We gladly took a seat at the bar in our shorts and T-shirts! Our drinks were simply delicious! Can't recall the names? Mine was a Garden "something". Yum! The bartender was kind and not in your face like some bartenders could be. He mixed well! We chose the Pretzel Croissant Plate and the Charred Octopus. The 3 mini pretzel croissants were served with honey butter and apricot rhubarb jam. C'est fabu! The octopus was such a pleasant surprise for it was so so tender AND tasty. It was served with soft little gnocchi pillows with a smoky paprika vinaigrette. It was secured to the board by a smear of sun-choke purée. How many places in St. Louis could pull off that octopus?!? Super impressed! Oh...we made the movie on time! read more

1. Neither grapefruit juice nor granola requires a cup of added sugar 2. Potatoes are not witches, you don't need to burn every last one 3. Bacon isn't witches either 4. Avocado "toast" does not mean avocado on a warmed pita 5. The waiter doesn't need to put his thumb on the pita to stop it flying away 6. Maybe don't splash the coffee so much as you pour it? read more

The Preston is located inside the Chase Park Plaza Hotel, making it a hidden gem in the Central West End area. With a diverse selection of small plates and crafted cocktails it was a surprise the place wasn't swarming with regulars from the thriving CWE. I chalk it up to the restaurant being relatively new. Not that the scarcity of dining companions mattered to me, I was there for the experience and more importantly, the food. The experience was a very pleasant one. The Preston has a slightly "proper" feel to it, but not in a negative way. The servers, in their preppy gingham check pattern dress shirts and the restaurant's traditional decor accented by the predominantly wood furniture (with beautiful booth seating) and dim lighting all contributed to this experience. The service was great and our server was very helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. The food at the Preston is exceptional. The small plates are just enough food to share and leave you satisfied, but still dreaming of more. The highlights include the smoked duck breast, the charred octopus, and the special of the day which was a pork belly bun dish. The perfectly smoked duck breast had such a rich and flavorful smokey flavor and was complimented well with the delicious puree underneath. The octopus had a delightful texture and the plating alternated the octopus with the brown butter gnocchi which offered another play on texture. The pork belly bun was also very satisfying with my favorite part being the spiciness of the kimchi paired with the pork belly. If you're in the mood to pair your food with a few drinks I would highly recommend the "Forest Park Carnival" for a sweeter option or the "Cocchi Cola" for a heavier option. The "Forest Park Carnival" is one the best sweet cocktails I've had in a long time and my new favorite. The Preston is definitely worth checking out for any food and drink lover. I will be back to try the other options on the menu. read more

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Tucked away inside the historic Chase Park Plaza, The Preston is probably one of St.Louis's best kept secrets. We made a trip out from West County just to try this little gem of a restaurant. Unless you're a foodie or staying at the Chase/ nearby area you probably wouldn't randomly stumble in here. In the slight chance that you do however, you're going to be thoroughly surprised. The restaurant itself has mixed vibes of rustic meets chic. It's beautifully designed with wood tables and picture frames hanging along the long wall. Our waiters name was Jay, and I can't say enough good things about him. You know that feeling you get when you're going out with an old friend? That's exactly what it was like. He was warm, enthusiastic, and caring. From the moment we sat down he made sure to welcome us and ask us about any special requests, allergies, etc. He took his time explaining their seasonal menu which he explained had been recently updated and made suggestions. His presentation and service were impeccable, and honestly that can either make or break a dining experience. Now on to the real deal: the food. The menu is designed as small plates. Not quite like tapas serving sizes, but the same concept. Jay recommended we get 2-3 plates per person, but it all depends on how hungry you are. We ordered the bread plate to start, which came with 3 different breads: jalapeño, whole grain, and croissants. The bread was absolutely mouth watering and came with the delicious spreads. We also ordered a couple of the salads and for the main course we ordered the NY strip steak which was Creekstone Steak. All of which I would definitely recommend! Ah, and to top off the evening the desserts were my favorite of the night. We ordered the Chocolate Melt (which came out with a candle compliments of Jay for my brothers birthday). It was a delicious concoction of peanut brittle, salted peanut gelato, chocolate, and hot caramel drizzled all over. The presentation was key and definitely snapchat worthy! Literally having licked the plate clean and not quite having our dessert fix we decided to order the Milk Chocolate Panna Cotta which had an equally amazing presentation and was just as delicious. It came in an air tight jar which once opened a foggy smoke trickles out and smells like smores over a camp fire. We loved every bite of it! Jay mentioned that the dessert menu would be changing next week, so I'm sad we won't be able to get these desserts again! Having left completely satisfied with every part of our experience, The Preston set the bar pretty high for our favorite dining spot in Saint Louis. Can't wait to come back again! read more

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this was a fantastic dining experience. The meat was all perfectly cooked--the rabbit, octopus, and pork belly were *all* some of the best ive ever had--the whiskey selection was incredible, and the prices were entirely reasonable. My partner and i got three dishes and two (expensive) glasses of whiskey for about 80 bucks. The waitstaff was friendly and helpful, and the ambiance was upscale, trendy, and quiet enough to talk. This was easily the best date my partnet and i have ever been on. The wine selection is pretty small, but the glasses they do offer are nice ones. read more

Can't wait to come back, excited for brunch! So we came tonight for the soft opening there was 4 of us. Hosts defiantly need some work on open table and less awkwardness when seating tables - but it's like one of the first night. Cocktails and wine wee good. Menu was small but options are good!! Cody was a great server and suggested the octopus which was one of my favorite things. I wouldn't have ordered it without him! Food- (I don't remember all the names for bare with me) Cheese plate - 5/5 so good! Beet salad- 4/5 pork belly - 10/5 -- yes a 10. Maybe the best thing on the menu Duck croquettes - 5/5 almost like a fried gnocchi NY steak -4/5 Meatballs 4/5 - was good but nothing compared to some of the other items Smoke duck - 5/5 Octopus - 5/5 -- some of the party was nervous to try it because of the tentacles, but the gnocchi and octopus was delicious top 3 of the night read more

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I wish I could post the video! I asked the bartender Jo to make me a holiday creation sans creamy liquor. Wow did he deliver! Amazing! He is a master the maestro of cocktails. Come one come all see him do his thing and tantalize your tastebuds with something unique! read more

The Preston - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

I made a reservation, arrived on time and was seated immediately, great sign! Unfortunately that's kinda where things kinda take a turn. We order the lamb meatballs which have decent flavor but were cold and dry and in a shakshuka sauce which was fine but lacked the depth of a good shakshuka sauce...also lukewarm and not cooked down enough. We also order the cheese plate which is fine but not noteworthy. We also ordered a squid and scallop dish which was very good, the highlight of the meal for sure. The next thing we ordered was the lamb shank which also was just warm, not like it had been rested, but barely above room temperature. The meat was incredibly tender but also undersalted and not particularly flavorful, the caponata beneath was also unevenly cooked. The service was scattered, friendly enough, but not eager to help you along the meal in terms of providing clean plates and silverware. The restaurant doesn't have a particularly nice interior but certainly nothing offensive. All in all, it just wasn't a great experience, lots of alternatives out there for the price point. read more

The Preston - The lamb shank, pretty but really not that great tasting. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

3.5 stars. I'm torn about The Preston. The food was inconsistent, given the price levels at this small plates restaurant, but I truly enjoyed my cocktails. We ordered a round of 7-8 dishes to start for our party of 4 - we would've kept ordering but instead, we got the check and had part 2 of our dinner elsewhere given the underwhelming feeling our party had felt up to that point. It was difficult to be excited for more dishes. Here were our hits: 1) the bread plate - the pastries/breads and spreads were very well made. Was it worth $12? Given that it was one of the stronger plates we had of the evening, I suppose it was. 2) beef cheeks - extremely tender and flavorful, the polenta beneath the cheeks was also well cooked and delicious 3) Goodnight Mr. Preston cocktail - love me a good manhattan cocktail, this was perfect. Misses: 1) Mussels - mediocre at best. 2) Pork belly - unfortunately, the meat was surprisingly chewy and tough, and brussels sprouts were overcharred...a flubbed dish I honestly do not remember the other menu items we tried - a calamari dish that was mostly breading, among a few others. Service was top notch. It was a busy Saturday evening and our server took care of our party promptly and efficiently. The next time I come back to the Preston would be for its cocktails with a small snack - the manhattan cocktail alone deemed The Preston a worthwhile re-visit for me. Closest comp would be Taste (in CWE as well), but I would have to give Taste a well deserved upper hand here in the small plates department. read more

What a culinary adventure! We left feeling like we just saw a great show, it was that satisfying. First, The decor is warm and eclectic, and, mismatching art on the walls that together are perfect. The head chef was there, and his balance of flavors and presentation for each dish was phenomenal. Everything from the soup to the desserts was well balanced in flavors, presented artfully, delicious and flavorful. read more

This restaurant is located inside the Chase Park Plaza. As you walk in through the front of the hotel, it will be up the stairs and on your left. We had parked on the street but were informed by our waiter that they validate parking, so you can park for free in the garage. Good to know! The service and food/drinks were excellent! My husband got a cocktail (something with Tequila; I don't recall the name, but it was delightful. It was topped with a bruleed orange slice which could have been dessert it was so tasty) and I had a glass of rosé. We enjoyed the Pork Belly Brussels Sprouts and Lamb Meatballs. I would strongly recommend both options, as they were delicious. Our waiter was quite helpful and pleasant. Atmosphere is very cool, open, and relaxed. It's truly a beautiful space. Look forward to coming back! read more

Very good breakfast in the hotel. We ate well, we're treated well even with kids and even with allergies did not have a reaction. read more

The Preston - Entrance of amazing service and food - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

Beautiful food and interesting cocktails. Loved the beet soup with horseradish goat cheese and shishito peppers. Not a fan of the petit filet arepas but my husband loved the grilled octopus. Must try the dessert! read more

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UPDATED REVIEW- 11/11/17 Tonight we sat at the bar for a few cocktails before going to the cinema. I had the Good Night Mr Preston (basically an old fashion) which were hand crafted very nicely might I add. We also shared the cheese board. The servings are very small, so know that up front. It's more of a small plate type of place. The service was excellent and the atmosphere was perfect. Here's a few pictures... ****** Their Sunday brunch is absolutely the best. The food was fantastic, quality, and high-end. Their pastries were all hand crafted beautifully. I highly recommend Sunday brunch. read more

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I planned a surprise bday brunch for my dad, and they made it great. Alice was a great waitress, and took care of everyone. Free validation for the garage. The bread pudding was amazing, and the glaze was just as good. There is also a great selection of healthy options: yogurt, a variety of fruit and berries. There were also eggs, biscuits, an a la carte menu ( we got the buffet). They even stayed after for us, since they were slated to close at 1. read more

This is one of my favorite spots in St Louis. The prices are a little steep and the portions are not very big. My friends and I ordered a few different dishes and shared everything tapas style. (My favorite dish was the charred octopus.) The restaurant is located in the Chase Park Plaza and has a great ambience for special date nights and client dinners. read more

The Preston - Charred Octopus - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

What a fabulous night. The Preston accommodated our group of 8 at 8pm on a Saturday night. It had been a few months since I had dined there so I was pleased and somewhat disappointed to see that they had changed their menu. At least they still had the charred Octopus. Remember the dishes are small plates. A little bigger than Tapas but not full dishes. This allows you to taste multiple dishes. We ordered the charred octopus, short ribs, and moroccan chicken. Again the octopus came out the winner. It was done to perfection with melt in your mouth gnocchi. The octopus was tender not chewy with a very good umami flavor. I did also thorough enjoy the short ribs which is also always delicious. My friend did order the kung pao calamari and while the calamari was not overly cooked the sauce was a little over the top salty for my taste. Others in the group agreed while some thought it was fine. They did not have the smoke panna cotta I was craving but they did have a Tiramisu and chocolate cake that was divine. I also tried the blood and rose cocktail which was very light and a little sweet. Very brisk and a good palate cleanse. Overall another wonderful evening at the Preston. Definitely try it if you haven't. There is a reason this place gets such good reviews. The food is thoughtful and well done. Remember to validate your parking ticket if you park in the garage. Its free! read more

this was a solid food experience we came here after a day of travelling and we were staying here anyway and wanted to try it out food shishito peppers-good charred octopus-good, the portion was VERY small price was VERY high service slow. but no major issues ambiance nice decor, we sat in one of the u shaped booths and it was bit higher up from the other tables, good for people watching parking garage, i am not sure if they will comp you if u arent a hotel guest . this was a non issue for us since we stayed in the hotel and were paying for parking anyways overall i would only try this i was staying at the hotel and someone else was footing the bill, but there was nothing amazing about it read more

Katie is a rockstar server. Every time we come here we get the most amazing cheeseboard, amazing meal, and excellent service. One of our favorites in STL! read more

Had buffet breakfast Brenda the host was phenomenal food was hot an fresh an omelet station was great for $20 an unlimited mimosas $12 read more

The Preston - One of many restaurants in the hotel - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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My girlfriend and I went for lunch at 11 a.m. August 18. All that was available was a brunch buffet (predominantly breakfast food) and a breakfast menu. Oh boy. We had to regroup. We both might have been hankering for a burger. Our server was delightful, and we told him we were in a bit of a rush (going to a movie). She got The Classic Breakfast ($16) -- Two eggs (she opted for scrambled), bacon (looked like six strips to me), sausage (not breakfast links; these things were huge) and breakfast potatoes (not hashed browns, more like wedges) with toast (she opted for wheat) -- served on a platter. She shared two strips of bacon, and it was deliriously fabulous. I got Huevos Rancheros ($13) -- A massive flour tortilla that hung over the plate. Filled with two eggs (over easy), corn, black beans, tomato, red pepper, onion, green pepper and potato wedges. There also seemed to be some other protein in the dish. I'm guessing chunks of chicken, but I don't know. Not spicy at all. Corn and potato wedges are not ingredients with which I am accustomed in Huevos Rancheros. I avoided the potatoes, but could not avoid the corn. And I didn't touch the flour tortilla. One of the eggs oozed beautifully. The other one was over-cooked, not to the point of yolk hardness, but it did not ooze at all. Nonetheless, a massive meal, and I got a huge to-go vessel. These leftovers went for two more meals, to which I added a whole lot of salsa and Tabasco. I'd like to walk into a restaurant at 11 a.m. and get a lunch menu. read more

We arrived without reservation on Tuesday June 28th, my partners birthday. I knew she wanted a romantic night out just the two of us and I was impressed with the Preston from a YELP event I had attended recently. On arrival I mentioned to the host in the lobby that it was "Sarah's Birthday" today and also mentioned that we would be ordering ALL the desserts. "There are six in total right?" he responded "I think 5". Turns out it was 4. (All wonderful btw). I also said I would really appreciate it if they could do something nice like write happy birthday on the plate. He shirked responsibility and said he would mention it to our waiter. On the way to the bathroom there was a different host and I mentioned the same thing to him. There were very few people dining that night. We were the only people sitting in a booth and I even gave our location when making the requests. Sadly no special service or even mention of her birthday was made during our visit. This is especially disappointing as it was a uncommonly important birthday celebration. I will say, the DRINKS were awesome. I had two somethings I can't find on their online menu. One was a smoked spicy margarita with a smoked salt rim. The other was something spicy as well. The important note here is... The drinks were WONDERFUL. We had many between the two of us. We also ordered: HEIRLOOM BEETS Arugula, Pine Nuts, Goat Cheese, Champagne Vanilla Vinaigrette The birthday girl loved this, I like it as well. DUCK CONFIT & SPRING ONION CROQUETTES Kimchi Purée, Gomashio Not sure how to describe them or the Kimchi Puree they are served on top of. But they were down right wonderful. Think Hush Puppies infused with duck deliciousness. The Kimchi sauce is perfect in its match with the flavor of the croquette. CREEKSTONE FARMS NY STRIP Red Wine Pearl Onion, Yukon Purée, Foie Butter I loved, LOVED this the first time I had it. So it was a given that I would order it again. Sadly it was way over salted and not well seared on the outside. But the real reason we were here... Dessert! I said we want all of them, because they are all GREAT! The Milk Chocolate Panna Cotta is a dream for all your senses. It comes out in a old time air tight jar. When its opened cool smoke from inside pours out enveloping you in a delightful fog that smells like camp fire smores. Inside the Gelato is cool and cold and tastes amazing. The Cirtus Tart also impresses. The mix of fresh fruit and orange curd is nicely accented by Honey Oat Crisp. My favorite is the Chocolate Melt. Its got just the right mix of peanut brittle to chocolate. But its unique presentation is really what makes this dessert special. The Preston could have easily knocked this one out of the ball park. I'm confident they are capable of delivering an experience well deserving of 5 stars. But they fell short on this occasion. read more

Came here with a friend for dessert last night and I didn't know what to really expect, mainly because it is in a bougier place than I am used to being in. Anyways, this very classy American themed menu had a lot of things that looked like I shouldn't have eaten dinner prior. Anyways the desserts! We got the chocolate melt, tropical delight, and I forget the last one but it was hazelnut flavored. Anyways the hazelnut one is absolutely remarkable the smoke they add to the dish flavors the dish so surprisingly well, not too over powering but reminds me of smoked hazelnuts. The tropical delight is really delicious, however maybe I just have a weak mouth but the mango(?) candy pillow on top kind of hurt my mouth, maybe I needed more saliva to break it down but anyways the sorbet was awesome and I was thoroughly enthused. The chocolate melt is showy and very fancy, if you're trying to impress your date with flair get the chocolate melt. read more

The Preston - Tropical delight, very delightful. Kind of light but totally worth it. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - St Louis, Missouri

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My wife and I went on a Saturday night and were lucky enough to secure a 630pm res on relatively short notice. The ambience was nice with a separate and attractive bar area which, had we not been late for our reservation, we would have enjoyed having a cocktail in. Speaking of cocktails, my wife is a bit of a connoisseur and very much enjoyed the London Calling. We had the pork belly (out of this world); wagyu meatballs (outstanding); kale salad (fantastic); and, Korean chicken wings (very good). The only thing we had all night that didn't hit it's mark was the duck confit with croquettes. They're basically hush puppies is a far too spicy sauce. Service was snappy, attentive and outstanding. The clientele was also a nice mix of people. Very enjoyable all-around experience; would recommend to others and we will be coming back ourselves. A good value for the dollar. read more

This is a tough review because there were sooo many positives but I am getting tired of new restaurants not properly training their service staff. This is the third 'new' restaurant I have visited in a month and all suffered from awkward and/or poor service. So unfortunately, The Preston gets 3 stars. Here's the thing... Was the staff attentive? Yes... overly. Were they friendly? Generally. Were they awkward? Yes. Were they informed? No. Please properly train your staff on menu items with detail. When the patrons at your restaurant know more about the ingredients then you do, it's a bit of an issue. When you can't list the three cheeses on your cheeseboard, write it down. Don't stumble through! Also, when my table is clearly in deep conversation, the appropriate thing to do is the silent service style. Please don't interrupt us every two minutes wondering if we are done with our plates. We aren't. With that being said, The Preston still deserves three stars as the food and drinks were delightful! The highlights were the braised short rib and butternut squash puree. So flavorful and the puree was incredibly creamy and smooth. Yes, short ribs are everywhere but I am a sucker for good beef and this dish was fantastic. We also enjoyed the octopus with brown butter gnocchi. So much so that we ordered a second plate... The octopus was cooked perfectly with no extra chew and the gnocchi were the right amount of density without without being doughy. I would come back specifically for this dish. I am pretty anti-fish but the branzino was a real treat. It was served with an ancho romesco that I could have eaten as a soup. Plus the skin was appropriately crispy and the fish had a nice amount of seasoning. I was pleasantly surprised. I had two Nancy's Night Out cocktails made with an infused bourbon and ginger. I loved the twist on a bourbon cocktail that did not have all of the newly trending herbaceous liquors. I'm not really into that whole flavor profile of tree bark. It offered a nice booze factor and was not overly sweet. I would certainly visit the bar just for that cocktail again. Short answer: I would revisit this restaurant if the time was right and just be more aware of potential service mishaps and would ignore said mishaps for delicious libations and eats. read more

The Preston has great food. Love their Shishito Peppers and Short Rib Dish. Short ribs have a symphony of flavors, a must have. Also their Croissant Pretzel is very good. They also have a good wine and drink menu. read more

Drinks & Eats at the bar this evening. Let me say that I am torn between 4 & 5 stars. Carlos said we should give it 5 but the experience wasn't perfect so, I say 4. The gentlemen behind the bar were fabulous and clearly an excellent team. Friendly, efficient and made perfect drinks. Despite being incredibly busy, our service was excellent. Drinks - Old Fashioned, Bullet Rye Manhattan, Goodnight Mr. Preston, (2) Dirty Titos, London Calling and One I forgot the name of with Sorel, gin & egg white. Our drinks were fabulous. By far the best old fashioned we've ever had. Hands Down. Food: Pork Belly: Overwhelmingly perfect. The only thing that would've made it better is if there was so much more on the plate, because it was so fantastic. Chicken Wings: Heavenly flavor, delicious, crunchy coating. Downside: They are whole wings, so they are incredibly hard to eat without looking like a slob. Not perfect for the atmosphere. Octopus: Wow. I was surprised by how well the dish worked together. We should've gotten a double order because it was simply, a tasting portion. ( It is what it is but I wanted more!) Milk Chocolate Panna Cotta - Unique and tasty. I would like to try it without the smoke. The "crunchy" bits could be in every bite and I would not have complained. Scallop Chowder - The scallops were good but the chowder itself was begging for a little salt and pepper. I scanned the entire dining room hoping to see a S&P set and there were none. Under seasoned food is my worst nightmare. (Also, as good as the scallops were, I think the Chase could afford to upgrade the quality/size and charge more.) The Bread Plate - My God, the Pretzel Croissants were sent from heaven. They are perfect and I want to Divorce my lover and marry them. That being said, the biscuit and 9 grain were so out shined I wish they would not have existed. In summary, the Preston is on point. Execution and delivery for such a new place was incredible. You can tell there are still glitches, some of the service staff seems to have way more experience than others but, that is okay. The kitchen is the most quiet, professional and precise machine I have ever seen. It is a beautiful, open experience but they didn't make a sound. I've always been a firm believer that if Chef/Owners/Managers are greeting/checking on some tables and not others, something is wrong. We saw three different C/O/Ms in the dining room speaking to people and inquiring about their experience. Apparently, we did not look important enough to be checked on. Don't check on every fourth table, check on all of them. It may not be intentionally insulting, but at a place like the Chase, it kind of is. Overall, we will return many, many times. read more

So we tried the Preston tonight. Really nice ambiance, sat at the bar. Some of the bartenders are still learning how to make a great cocktail. Husband ordered an old fashioned, took about ten minutes, and we received a cloudy drink without bitters. I heard the other bartender tell ours that he missed a few ingredients, he still served it. Tried a Geneva white which was flat. Wine list needs some work and upgrading. Good was pretty good. We ordered the octopus- super yummy, five stars for it, the beet salad was delectable. Barramundi was good, interesting flavor, duck croquettes were lacking flavor and um duck;) all the food came out at the same time with the salad at the end. They may want to consider coursing thru it a little as we didn't have space at the bar to put everything. Overall a good experience will def return for the octopus and salad. Reasonably priced. read more

Had some amazing breakfasts while we were there in saint Louis . The food was very rich in size and taste that both husband and I couldn't finish our plates. When we are back in saint Louis we're definitely going back to The Preston! read more

Based on all of the fantastic ratings I was expecting better from this new(ish) restaurant. After being seated the waiter proceeded to explain that the menu is based on European style dinning with portions larger than tapas but smaller than American portions. With smaller portions I was expecting some great flavor, but everything seemed to disappointing. The salad came with minimal toppings and a house dressing that tasted like every other house dressing. I then ordered the steak cooked medium with sides of carrots and potatoes. Both the steak and carrots were nothing special though the potatoes were cooked phenomenally well. For the price vs. portion I was not impressed. You know that stereo type were the couple goes to an overpriced restaurant and then stop by a fast food place because they were still hungry? That was me. I will not be coming back and would to recommend this to anyone. In response to the owner's comment: I was at The Preston for a drug therapy presentation a few weeks ago. There may have been a special menu for that night that included the food noted above? The food was decent; however, with the location of your restaurant I had significantly higher hopes. As my friend who went with me put it "if you had told us that we were going to high end chain restaurant in West County Mall vs at The Chase, I would have expected The Chase to be better." read more

Sexy atmosphere, that is comfortable and chic? Check. Foodie approved shareable plates that are varied enough to keep coming back for? Definitely. Craft cocktails that go above and beyond current trends? YES! Cool vibe back ground music? Indeed. This restaurant is great addition to the CWE. I like that I can get chef quality food at a decent price. It's not your traditional appetizer, salad, and entree spot. You order a few items that look good for yourself or order a lot and share with your table mates. Super refreshing dinner experience. It was good to taste so many flavors in 1 sitting. Loved it. I will be back. read more

Wow! All I can say is how truly impressed I am with this place! I made a reservation for a Thursday night- prolly didn't need to considering it was an early meal but for weekends I would recommend a reservation. The restaurant is inside a hotel and is absolutely gorgeous! I loved the decor inside and the bar was great. The menu is small plates but not too small at all. I would say reasonable plates which most Americans are not used to. They suggest 2-3 plates per person plus I'm 9 months pregnant so I was pushing for the 3 per person. We ordered the bread basket to start with. They make their bread homemade and you could really tell. We had 3 types of bread with 3 spreads. I really enjoyed this and it was really tasty. For 2 people though we were scared to get too full off of carbs so we took it easy. If I was with a larger group this would have been a great option! We then tried the scallop chowder- again very tasty and the big scallops on top were cooked very nicely! Although this was great it was prolly the least favorite dish of the night, again it was still delicious! Then we had the octopus and gnocchi OMG get this dish!!! All I can say is please please get this dish. It was amazing! I cannot say enough great things about this dish- the octopus was cooked perfectly and was super tender. The gnocchi was delicious and you could tell it was homemade. Then the sun choke sauce was to die for!!! Overall this was our favorite dish and I will continue to dream about it! We then had the Waygu meatballs which were very tender and delicious. I loved the sauce they were served with! Finally we had the lamb t-bone with spätzle. The lamb was so tender and the plate was gorgeous! The flavor in the lamb was sooo good and the spätzle was super delicious and the perfect pairing! Great dish! We ended with the chocolate melt which to me on the menu looked like wayyyyyy too many flavors on the plate- raspberry, Carmel, chocolate, cookie! But let me tell you it was perfect! I cleaned that plate for sure. Our waiter was beyond nice and very helpful. To top it off they validate parking or you can valet for FREE! Run don't walk to this place- I cannot wait to go back! read more

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The drinks and food are both good. We had a table of eight and our service was spotty. Our waitress had a great personality. I wore a shirt much like the staff uniform and constantly felt ignored when it came Time to ordering food. Food orders always ended just before me at the table. read more

We decided to try the Preston for dinner before The Central West End Cocktail Party! It was a delightful dinner! The menu is a specially curated collection of finely tuned recipes. We ordered 4 small plates, our server offered to stagger our orders. We first received the Scallop Chowder and the Duck and Spring Onion Croquette. The Scallop Chowder was quite phenomenal! The scallops were perfectly cooked, the chowder had a good chew, not overly creamy with just the right amount of bacon! The croquettes were hit or miss, I couldn't taste any duck. We were next served Blue Bay Mussels and the Octopus with Sunchoke Puree and Brown butter gnocchi. The Mussels were very fresh and some of the plumpest I've had anywhere! I was initially dissatisfied with the light coconut curry broth was served it, but it grew on me and I appreciate its complement to the juicy mussels! The second highlight of the evening was the Octopus. I've had a lot of good octopus but this was as tender as the gnocchi next to it. The Sunchoke puree effused with a umami-sweetness (so good you can spread it on bread!) and the brown butter gnocchi were perfectly cooked. The Octopus and the Scallops were easily the top 2 dishes of our evening! We only got 4 dishes as we wanted to save room for dessert. We ordered 3 of the 4! We got their signature Chocolate Melt, Tropical Delight and Chocolate Panna Cotta. The Chocolate Melt is akin to the dessert started by Grant Achatz at Alinea (you can find youtube videos), a Chocolate Sphere which melts when hot caramel is poured over it, revealing a scoop of salted caramel ice cream inside, all sitting on a peanut brittle. Yes, it is as delicious as it sounds and looks as artistic and fun as can be! Lastly, the Tropical Delight consisted of White Chocolate Mousse, Mango-Passion Crémeux, Roasted Pineapple Sorbet, and Coconut Nougatine. All the flavors work well, I loved the delicate Mango-Passion Cremeux! If you look at the picture on the website, there's a candy floss like topping to it all, that was my only issue to the dessert. It sticks to your gums and teeth. The cocktail and wine prices were more mid-expensive range. Overall, we throughly enjoyed our dinner! Our server was new but certainly friendly. We'll be back again soon! read more

I've had dinner at The Preston twice. The first time was a 4.5/5 star experience but the second visit was closer to 3/5 stars. My first dining experience at The Preston occurred on a Saturday night. We were seated promptly and the server brought my cousin a birthday card (I had informed the restaurant that it was her birthday). I ordered the Fancy for a Daiquiri while my cousin ordered the London Calling cocktail, which is no longer on the menu but the bartender made it for her anyway. The cocktails were super well made and delicious. For dinner, we ordered Blue Bay Mussels, Scallop Chowder, Duck Confit Salad, and Charred Octopus & Gnocchi to share. The food came pretty quickly even though the restaurant was packed/busy. After we finished our meal, our server surprised us with a chocolate dessert topped with a birthday candle (I believe it was the Chocolate Melt). We were thrilled with the food, drinks, and service here. My second visit occurred on a Tuesday night. The restaurant wasn't super busy, so my boyfriend and I figured we would have a quick dinner here. I ordered the Soda Jerk cocktail (easily one of the tastiest cocktails on the menu) but it took a while for the bartender to make my drink even though there were only ~4 other tables of customers. For dinner, we ordered the Scallop Chowder, Charred Octopus & Gnocchi, Heirloom Tomato Salad, and Veal Bolognese. The pasta was undercooked and the veal was under-seasoned. I was definitely less impressed with my second dining experience at The Preston. read more

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I forgot to check in when i came...but regardless this was a nice experience. Quite pricy, but it's a fancy place. We ordered four dishes, rather small(that's the point of the place...order multiple small dishes so you can try more). Everyone really took care of us! The desert was truly the best i have ever had!! it was a chocolate ball filled with ice cream, neatly placed on top of a cookie, and hot caramel was used to melt the chocolate...seriously to die for. read more

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