euromannn

Looking for good restaraunts in St Louis, Mo., in $20-$40 price range. Been there a few times and have tried a variety of cuisines incluidng seafood, asian, and steak houses.

Here are a few I have liked:
Blue Elephant - Thai rest in Clyton area
Zia- Italian - The Hill in STL
Mosaic - Tapas Bar - downtown STL
Wasabi - Sushi - downtown STL
Kreiss - steak - Airport area

Anybody have any otehr good ideas for all types of food. Looking for good food versus nice atmosphere.

sonora

The Crossing is my favorite restaurant in St Louis. it will be at the high end of your price range. The tasting menu is a good deal. It is more or less french influenced cuisine. Particular favorites are the Kobe beef short ribs and any pasta dish they have on offer. They do a real creme brulee.

I don't drink wine but friends who do rave about their wine list.

Boogaloo is fun, in Maplewood. Swings at the bar, mojitos and caipirinhas, a really interesting hummus appetizer with kind of a curry taste.

Mr S loves their jambalaya. It's a little spicy for me. They also have medianoches, fried plantains, lots of shrimp dishes.

aaflyer81

Take a look at Busch's Grove or Citizen Kanes. IMHO, the two best steakhouses in St. Louis.

NorcrossFlyer

Kitchen K, which is on Washington.

Casual atmosphere........unique menu. It didn't look like much when I walked in, but I was pleasantly suprised.

WonderDude

Try the King & I (Thai) and Pho Grand (Vietnamese) on Grand Ave. Also, Tucker's in Soulard is a great reasonably-priced steakhouse. Mirasol on Delmar is a decent tapas place, and Hacienda on Manchester in Rock Hill is very good mexican. Sidney Street Cafe ("eclectic") is very highly-regarded, but I've never been there. Cunetto's House of Pasta on the Hill is one of the better Italian restaurants. Oh yeah, and Olympia for Greek.

If you're into decent places that are in the rewards network (airline dining programs), try Boogaloo, Johnny Gitto's, The Crossing & Yemanja Brasil.

mstewart

going in two weeks for biz, thanks for posting!

euromannn

I'll be there May 7-May 18

curlyflyer

I like Cardwell's at the Plaza a lot. I never expected to find a restaurant that good in a mall. Usually, you only get the regular chain fare. I had a Brazilian seafood stew there last weekend that was amazing. They also have a vegetarian french onion soup that I love, especially since I don't eat beef. The atmophere is okay but it's an older crowd. Usually there's a lot of gray hair and ladies who lunch. I usually sit at the bar.

ETA: I also like 1111 Mississippi in Soulard. Blue Water Grill in Kirkwood is also a good place. Try going there on a Monday when they have small plates that aren't part of the regular menu.

GregL

My first thought is to say "I agree with everything WonderDude said!"

Actually, my best suggestion would be to go to Sauce Magazine Restaurant Guide -- the local St. Louis foodie newspaper's website. It allows you to search on a number of different criteria -- cuisine, location, etc.

If you had any specific categories you were interested in, let me know and I'd be more than happy to chime in.

Greg

skye1

I'd take Cunetto's over Zia's any day--well, pretty much ANYTHING on The Hill rocks, if I had to chose, that'd be mine. Altho' if it's lasagna that one's after, Mangia Italiano, a few blocks down Grand Blvd. from the awesome Vietnamese eats at Pho Grand, has the best in St. Louis, hands down. It's one of the few Italian places that's also a billards & bar joint. Intriguing, to be sure.
I think Hacienda is totally overrated, touristy Mexican, and getting more & more crowded by the day. It's becoming a "white collar happy hour place", much like many of the restaurants in Clatyon. Now if that's your scene, great...and it's decent food all right, BUT... for AWESOME Mexican food, practically across the street from Hacienda, I'd go to Nacho Mama's in a heartbeat...great authentic flavor, and their guacamole salsa is to die for. And, while one is in the Rock HIll area, it's way under $20, but has to be the BEST burgers around is Carl's Drive In, also practically across the street from Hacienda & down the road from Nacho Mama's. Fantastic made to order burgers, best accompanied with a REAL root beer float, with IBC Root beer poured from the taps of the wooden barrel into frozen mugs, with home-made/hand-made vanilla ice cream thrown in. Absolutely fantastic, simple American pleasure.

Not on the list so far is Big Sky Cafe in Webster Groves, which I think is one of the best "off the beaten path" places around. Around the corner from there, Weber's Front Row great sandwiches (their chicken club rocks!), great chicken wings on a par with Culpeppers, and the Shalfly brews on tap, and is THE place in town to watch a game.

ALARISstl

Italian - Trattoria Marcella, Cunetto house of Pasta
Sushi - Sansui, Nobu, Miso
American - 1111 Mississippi, Sidney st. Cafe
French - Vin de Set, Chez Leon, Cafe Provencal
Steak - Citizen Kane's, Annie Gunns, Kreis', Sams
Mexican - Chuy Arzola's, Pueblo Solis
Vietnamese - Pho Grand
Seafood - Blue Water Grill, St. Louis Fish Market
Burgers - O'Connells Pub, Blueberry Hill
Pizza(NY style) - Racanelli's

socalterp

Nice list...here are some of mine - my bias is towards places in the city. I generally dislike Clayton, and prefer smaller, neighborhood type places.

Italian - Trattoria Marcella, Cunetto house of Pasta
Sushi - Yoshi (about the only restaurant I'll drive west of 270 for)
American - Harvest in Brentwood, Terrene in midtown, Atlas in the CWE & Niche in Benton Park, Monarch in Maplewood and American Place downtown.
French - Franco in Soulard
Italian - Trattoria Marcella is always a good bet
Steak - Sam's, Ruth's Chris (only chain on my list)
Mexican - um, not much. Some authentic places on Cherokee in South City, but that's about it.
Vietnamese - Pho Grand is ok, Lemongrass on S Grand isn't bad either
Seafood - again not great, but Bar Italia has good seafood
Burgers - O'Connells Pub, Dooley's downtown
Pizza - Vito's in Midtown
Chinese - Lu Lu's on Olive in U City, Joy Luck Buffet (ask for the menu) on Brentwood
More exotic - Meskerem for Ethiopian, Sameem for Afghan and Everest Cafe for Nepali.

pseudoswede

Indian - House of India in U-City
Pizza - Fortel's Pizza Den

The Boathouse in Forest Park is a great place to relax and have a drink. Not to mention being in one of the best city parks in the US.

Not sure if it's hip anymore, but The Cheshire Inn was a great place for late-night drinks.

I miss St. Louis. I need to go back more often.

sonora

Another one not yet mentioned: Frank Papa's in Brentwood. Has replaced Gino's as my fave Italian place in St Louis.

socalterp

Cheshire Inn is still there - known as a good place for cougar-hunting, if you will...The Boathouse has been re-done, and is a bit more upscale now - but still a great spot for a drink.