Barrister's is located in Clayton, near the law offices and courts.  It's a bar serving  pub grub.  I had the wings with sweet chili sauce.  It tasted like they went to the Asian grocer and bought a bottle of sweet chili sauce and dumped it on my wings.  The salad was nothing special.  The menu is priced slightly high for pub grub and doesn't necessarily deliver.  It'll do in a pinch, but I wouldn't drive across town to go here.
Review Source:I love trying new places so was all up for hitting Barrister's for a first date when he suggested it. We were there on a Sunday night, so it wasn't too crowded, which was perfect for me.
My date grabbed the first table inside the doorway, and it was a nice place to sit...close to the bar area but out of the main traffic.
So why a 3 star...I have to admit that I wasn't thrilled with the sandwich I ordered. When I saw a sandwich with portobello mushrooms, goat cheese and pesto, I thought it couldn't go wrong. Portobello sandwiches normally treat the mushrooms as the meat, and give you a full cap which makes for a hearty sandwich. This sandwich, however, had slices which seemed meager. The cheese was wonderful, but it was the most overpowering flavor. These wasn't enough pesto or mushrooms. I also ordered the couscous to go with it, and it was the driest couscous I've ever had. I barely at any.
Bottom line is that outside of being on a fabulous date, the atmosphere was the best thing there. Oh, I did get a good beer suggested by our waitress...if only I could remember the name. Dragon something I think.
Would I go back? Sure. But I would definitely order something different and hope for a better result.
Barrister's is an excellent little sports bar that is a great place to grab a bite to eat and cold beer. They have one of the best burgers in town. As far as the atmosphere, it is more sports bar than eleghant dining, but is a nice casual place to have great food. I have eaten there 20 or so times (My job requires almost daily lunch appointments). When I go there for lunch, even though it is a sprots bar atmosphere, it is typically full of business people and It is not rare to run into many other business associates when eating lunch there. I am not sure why some have negative reviews. I have been there many times and have never been disappointed. For a sports bar, the food is not cookie cutter premade food that you would typically expect from a chain sports bar. It is freshly prepared and full of flavor.
Review Source:My friend and I were planning on going somewhere else last night but the weather got pretty nasty and we randomly picked Barristers as we ran down the street in the pouring, icy rain with our umbrella flipped inside out.
Barristers was the perfect refuge. The restaurant was warm, lively, and very welcoming. I don't venture to Clayton much and have often heard people say that  the area is a bit snobbish. I didn't get that vibe at all. I actually want to go to Clayton more...Barristers was great!
Anyway, Jen and I had a few drinks and eventually decided to take a look at the menu. It had typical bar food but also had some gems like the Roasted Portobello Quesadilla and Baked Goat Cheese. I am a vegetarian ( for now) and the menu provided many options for me which I really appreciate. We chose the Spin Dip and although it was quite spinachy, it was scrumptious and the portion was perfect for the two of us to split.
The service was good and our waitress was pleasant. We got there later in the night when there weren't any specials, but a chalkboard on the wall listed everyday deals which were very reasonable. I want to go bak for a happy hour soon.
This place is great if you just want to sit at a table and converse while enjoying apps and some drinks.
A good place to share drinks with friends but I suggest you skip the food.  We did have one good  food item which was the pretzel bites and cheese.  It was all downhill after that though. Â
We ordered two Barrister burgers medium-rare. Â The menu states you can order your hamburgers cooked to order but that ended up to not be true. Â While we ordered them medium-rare the cook decided he wanted to prepare them medium-well to well . We advised our server that they were over cooked and that didn't get us even an apology. Â
The other entree ordered was chicken Parmesan. Â Bland and flavorless would be the two words to describe this attempt. Â
We used to frequent Barristers four or so years back when our daughter lived in Clayton. Â It was much better then. Â I have no idea what has changed but it was a big disappointment this time around. Â There won't be another time around for our family.
I had the Patty Melt which had way too much garlic mayo on it and tried the Veggie Club which was plain nasty and did not taste like anything.
The only thing that was really good was the Guiness cheddar dip that came with the pretzels. That stuff was amazing! The only problem with this appetizer was that some of the pretzel bites were frozen in the middle.
The worst part about my experience here was the service. Our waitress had the flattest affect and looked like she hated her life. Not pleasant at all.
I will never return.
I'm told this is where to come for soccer games, especially if you are a hard-core EPL supporter. Â I came on a Friday for lunch, so this review is for that, but I do look forward to being at Barrister's for a soccer game sometime.
Service was so-so, but the food was great. Â My friend ordered the unlimited fish and chips, and I ordered the tilapia tacos. Â Halfway through, we exchanged and I gave him a taco and he gave me some of his fish and chips. Â I have to say both were done well and came out relatively quickly.
Great beer selection.
I have been to this location a few times, but last week was the first time I called for a "Pick Up Order". It made me a little nervous since my boyfriend and I were each getting their "Cowboy Burger", but with slight differences on cheese and cooking style.
However the staff asked tons of questions, made great notes, and even added in a few extras!
So, to get back to the food, their burgers are amazing! I am not much one for a huge meat patty - but they do a great job at putting the whole thing together! I personally love the "Cowboy Burger" and their "Black and Blue Burger"! Anything with BBQ or Blue Cheese is just what I am looking for!
The staff is always friendly, the floors are always clean, and there are always customers eagerly watching some sports competition on their Televisions. This is for sure my favorite "hole in the wall" restaurant (if you can call it that) in Clayton!
Make sure to swing by sometime, and try out their homemade chips as well!
The place seemed like a cool place, very interesting menu. The Guinness Pretzel dip was fantastic, and if that had been the only thing I would have eaten would have given it a better review. I ordered the Hamburger and fries, the burger was a bit dry, and I really think the cheese spread on the burger was rotten, I couldn't finish it. The fries were a bit greasy and soggy, but edible. Maybe this place deserves a second chance, but I am in no rush to give it.
Review Source:For the die hard soccer fan, myself, this is a great place to watch one of the games and grab a bite/drink.
A few friends and I decided to stop in last night and the place was busy, but easy to find a seat. We found the service to be speedy and very energetic. We decided to grab a bite and our food came out within 10 minutes. That was surprising for the amount of staff that they had working and the number of other patrons enjoying their Thursday night out on the town in Clayton. The only disturbing piece was with a bar still full of approximately 40 people, the bartender was eating her food behind the bar while talking to her customers. I haven't seen that routine done in years.
I highly recommend the southwestern turkey burger.
This seems like a fun place to go. On my first visit the service was great and the bar was pretty fun. I ordered a burger and so did my friend- medium rare. They both came out well done and super dry. It also seemed like I got the bottom of the bag of fries- all short ones that were kind of greasy. I wish the food was better because I bet it's a good hangout. I won't be back to eat there.
Review Source:Finally tried this place after years of driving past it and thinking it looked like a cool little bar. Â Verdict? Â Yep, it's a cool little bar. Â Loved that the front opened onto the patio, so I could sit inside (and out of the wind) while still taking in some fresh air. Â
After being a good little yelper and reading reviews before consulting the menu, I of course had to order the pretzels and cheese. Â While not the BEST cheese I've ever had, it was pretty darn tasty. Â My problem was that the ratio of cheese to pretzel was entirely too high. Â I needed more things to dip into it! Â Luckily, my meal came with a breadstick that performed quite nicely in carrying said yummy cheese to my mouth. Â
I was there with Allan C, so of course after his ravings I had to try the shepherd's pie. Â He's right, it's pretty frickin' good. Â I'd definitely get it again after trying a couple of the burgers.
Happy hour prices were pretty good, $2 for a bottle of domestic or $5 for one of their girly mixed drinks (which, btw Allan C was man enough to try and declared quite tasty)
Soccer + Beer = Really great soccer bar.
However, I didn't know that, nor did I care. I saw it as a really great burger bar!
I always swap the beef for the Turkey burger. Perfectly seasoned and moist, cooked to perfection. I stick with the Barrister Burger, Irish Cheddar and grilled onions. When it arrives stacked high next to my burger are deliciously crispy house chips. I remove the burger from the bun and grab my fork and knife. Time to eat!
Eh. That sums up my dinner experience here the other night.
We were looking for a place for a kind of late dinner that was casual but good quality food. Barristers has been on my list of places to try for a while so it seemed like a good idea. I ordered a glass of wine immediately and they sure do have a heavy hand (always a plus)! It took us both a while to decide what we wanted to eat because a) we were starving and b) the menu is extensive.
I decided to try their veggie burger because they use "match" meat and I have been curious to try it. I think this probably was a bad choice on my part since the reason I don't eat red meat is because I don't like how it tastes. The idea of match meat is that it tastes and has a similar texture to the real deal. The burger arrived with some sort of red-ish hummus spread and some huge slices of cucumber that I had to pull out to eat properly. The burger wasn't terrible but it just had an odd taste and texture. The fries that accompanied the burger were still shiny from their oil dunk.
I would be willing to go back and try something else of their menu but this probably won't be my first choice of places to eat in the neighborhood.
I'm not a downtown Clayton kind of person but Barrister's is a "normal" place that's good for a cold beer, watching a game and hanging out.
Last week I visited with my new co-workers for an after-work happy hour and found Barrister's to be the perfect spot for such. They have a good variety of appetizers - the soft pretzel bites with Guinness cheese dip was fantastic as was the baked goat cheese with warm pita.
A member of our group was over-the-moon about there being Stone IPA (California) on draught. They have a good selection of brews but feature Sam Adams. Big thumbs up for not only having Woodchuck but Strongbow, as well.
I like Barrister's but as a rule of thumb any bar at which I finish a bottle of Blanton's AND get to keep the top (clearly this will only make sense to fellow bourbon drinkers...) is worth praise. They also have some mean peaty Scotch!
Food? Not terrible but I come here to be an old school soccer hooligan! Go Liverpool!
I came here to watch the U.S.A VS Mexico game tonight and the place was pretty packed. I ended up getting a glass of riesling and ordered their soft pretzels with guinness cheddar dip. The pretzels has garlic butter on them and the cheddar dip was actually pretty decent.
The only negative aspect of tonight was our server. She was very rude and you could tell she did not want to be there working tonight. I really feel servers can make or break a restaurant. Hopefully, my experience can get better the next time I come here!
The burger's here are legit, I tried the Black and Bleu Burger and they've got plenty of TV's. If I were in the area be weary to come here for some games, since it seems like it's mostly a Soccer Pub. Arrogant Bastard on tap was nice. Service was pretty decent, considering it's a pub.
Review Source:The pub burger was ok but nothing outstanding about the burger or fries...although I always like the soft cheddar on a burger. Â The menu says the burger comes with cheddar but doesn't say it's the soft cheddar kind.
There are daily specials, but our server didn't tell us about the specials. Â After our group of 6 placed our orders, we learned about the daily special and were disappointed we didn't know before we ordered.
They have a decent selection of beers/ciders but not as many as I would have expected for a English pub style location, showing and featuring  European football on a regular basis.
Ended up here because we were trying to do Miso for lunch, Barrister's is right across the street and I am so grateful! Â
I am wierd about walking into bars... I don't know why but there is a certain amount of anxiety I get when entering for the first time and not knowing what to expect. Â We arrived right before the lunch crowd, for that I am glad, and the service! Â I think one girl was training the other, still don't know which was which, but my ice tea never saw the bottom of the glass and even as the place filled up we continued to be watched and promptly got everything we needed.
The food, was excellent. Â I have to admit, I did not have huge expectations. Â I also ordered things that I don't usually order, we both ordered the Salmon & Spinach Salad... I can't remember the name on the menu, and appetizer of pretzel sticks and the best cheese dip I have ever had. Â I loved the dressing on the salad, I was a little bit worried about it, but everything was balanced perfectly, and I don't think I have ever had a better salad.
Loved it! Can't wait to go back!
I liked Barrister's. Â Went during a slow time on the weekend (I'm guessing slow because the happy hour crowd was safely home in west county and there were no sports games on). Â I fancied this to be like an upscale gastropub/sports bar with a European feel. Â Great draught beer selection (I'm a fan if anyone has microbrews on tap), really good food, decent portions, and reasonable prices. Â Check it out if you're in Clayton and aren't into swanky clubs.
Review Source:We stopped in and grabbed a beer to kill some time while waiting to meet up with friends, and this place is definitely 3 stars based in the atmosphere and service. It's A-OK.
It's definitely a soccer bar, with soccer stuff everywhere. It's nothing special to the eye, and seems like a "regulars" kind of place. I did not try any of their food, but maybe I'll come back and give it a shot. One of the bartenders seemed like "the new guy," and he tried really hard, but was just awkward. The other bartenders were not your usual friendly bartenders either.
A decent spot to catch a sports game, but I have others I would choose over Barrister's.
I first learned of Barrister's when I tried going to Sunday brunch at First Watch next door over a year ago. As usual, First Watch was crammed with an hour long wait. We noticed a sign indicating that Barrister's had a brunch, so we decided to check it out.
This is a superb soccer bar (I didn't know St. Louis even had one!) and can get a bit crowded in season, but I've always been able to be seated right away.
The Sunday brunch is quite good. I always get the biscuits and gravy (notice a trend on many of my breakfast reviews?). The biscuits are sometimes a little dry, but it's nothing that the gravy can't fix. The gravy is always very meaty and has just the right amount of spice to it. This entree, along with most of the other breakfast dishes, are served with potatoes that are rather delicious and almost melt in your mouth.
I highly recommend the soft pretzel bites with Guinness cheddar dip. The pretzels are warm and covered in a garlic butter with plenty of salt (like any pretzel should have on it). The cheese is piping hot and there's never a lack of it. Honestly, I've had to order an extra serving of pretzels just so we could finish up the cheese dip.
As much as I love Barrister's, a major drawback is waiting time once your order has been placed. Today was actually an exception to the rule, because I've never been served so fast, but, honestly, we've waited 45 minutes for our food even when the place wasn't ridiculously busy.
If you're looking for someplace new to try for a weekend brunch, you should definitely check out Barrister's.
Fantastic place in Clayton. Â Love their current 2 can dine for $30 deal. 2 salads, ANY 2 entrees and a bottle of Italian wine for under 30 clams. You can't beat that.
For you non-meat eaters, take note that their vegetarian burgers are made with Match protein so they actually taste like a real burger unlike those flimsy garden burgers and tofu ones. I substituted the fries for tomato & fennel soup which is outstanding.
Brunch is also a solid bet too, service is always attentive but never pushy or forgetful. Not a fan of the smoking, but it will be going away soon enough right?
Great import beer selections and English footie on the TV's. It's a solid place that I will continue to frequent because the food is so much better than it probably should be. Love that in a place.
I don't think we'll ever go back, unfortunately, because of our first experience. We knew that Barrister's was a huge soccer bar, so we stumbled in on a snowy day looking for some lunch.
The menu was impressive. Brie on burgers? Yes, please. Guiness cheese dip with pretzels? I think so.
Sadly, the abundance of salt was unbearable. I wanted to walk into the kitchen and slap the man who made the cheese dip. It was sooo close to being good. And the server left us parched to chit chat with her coworkers, which I understand, is much more interesting than us... but with all that salt, we needed extra beverages.
Two noms for a good menu. Too bad we won't be back.
I'm thirsty.
The reason I am writing this review is because I am getting a bit frustrated at their draught beer taps being down. Â Especially "staples" like Smithwicks and Guinness. Â And where's the Bass? Â They are moving more toward the trendy beers, and I guess I am "old school." Â But I can't down them stars just because of that. Â And maybe there is something about being a good pub that requires 25% of the taps to be down at any given time. Â Coz otherwise I really like Barristers. Â Good Caesar's salad, great all-you-can-eat fish-n-chips on Fridays (pricey at $12 or $13 bucks but worth it.). Â Staff is always pretty friendly. Â Atmosphere is great and non-Claytoney. Â A British style pub but with a fillip of Caribbean style airiness. Â Great outdoor tables in front.
Review Source:My fiance and I went to Barrister's for dinner, so this isn't really a review of their bar. I'd looked over the menu online, beforehand, and was really excited about this place. I don't know if I had high expectations or what, but I was kind of disappointed.
We ordered the Cheddar-Guiness dip with soft pretzels as an appetizer. It was pretty good, although I didn't feel like the dip shined like it should have. The soft pretzel bites were really tasty and worked well with the dip, but there was just something missing. Perhaps more of an in-your-face cheddar flavor? To me, the cheddar just seemed too subtle for a dip of this nature. Not to mention when they brought it out to us, it was boiling in a cast iron rarebit. I'm sure it would have been more flavorful if it was closer to room-temperature.
I ordered the Crabcake Burger and my fiance got the Reuben (which he classified as "pretty good" - a 6 on the scale of 1 to 10). My crabcake burger was pretty good, too. I'd give it a 5. The chili-lime mayo on it was very tasty, but definitely not in abundance. The crabcake really could have benefitted from more mayo, but I'm kind of a condiment whore, so that might just be me... Â
Service was friendly and prompt. Attentive, but not overly so. The overall value was pretty good - the sandwiches and fry portions were large. But I was still a little disappointed with the whole experience. Not to mention we had to drive around forever just to find a parking spot - I realize that it was 5:30pm in Clayton, but that didn't make it any less annoying.
Yes a Clayton pub, but a Non-Clayton feel. I started going to Barrister's when they first open b/c they were one of a handful places that has the English Premier Soccer Games on. Â
The only downside in my opinion is no hostess, so sometimes you end up standing around for a while before getting seated. Beyond that the service is quick and friendly.
The decor has the feel  and looks like an english pub... Not to mention the comfort food on the menu. My favorite item hands down are the griddle burgers. But never fear if you are looking for vegetarian items there are also several selections to choose from.
This place goes against, well, most of the stereotypes that are Clayton. Â
It's kind of a sports bar...I mean, as much as anything in Clayton really will be. Â There are TV's playing the game (Cardinals in the summer, of course) at the bar and some people certainly there to watch them. Â I have been here more than once with my favorite British friend to watch soccer as well, since it seems that it is only here or the Scottish Arms where this is a regular possibility. Â However, the real reason to come here, in my opinion (other than to avoid the usual Clayton crowd) is the food.
I love the Brie Lettuce and Tomato sandwich. Â What a vegetarian godsend. Â It's perfection on bread and almost makes me not miss bacon. Â Almost. Â The fried zucchini is amazing too, and an excellent substitute for the fried chicken finger I can no longer partake in. Â
Also, the crowd is pretty laid back, there doesn't seem to be that same over dressed for a Thursday night vibe, and I don't feel like Barrister's has that same Meat Market Attitude I so often encounter when I attempt to go out in Clayton.
I can't break the 4 star streak!
This place has a lot to offer. Â The crab cake burger is excellent. Â My wife had the Brie LT which she said was quite good. Â We both had the salt and vinegar chips and we both thought they could have used a stronger vinegar taste.
I had the molten chocolate cake. Â It was good, but I've definitely had better elsewhere.
All in all, a good place to eat.
Nice little bar that has a pretty good menu, solid food all around. Delicious fried zucchinis, a fairly good NE clam chowder, and solid burgers.
Why the fourth star? The soccer. This is quite an underrated place to watch Premier League soccer on Saturday and Sunday Mornings.
furthermore, they show all the US soccer games. Case in point. In the winter time, the US played Mexico on the same night as Duke Vs. North Carolina (All non-sports fans can probably go to sleep). Â Now, I'm not as Patriotic as I probably could or should be, but I LOVE US Soccer. This bar had a full house, just to watch the game. Everyone there that night was there to watch US Soccer. And USSC even had people handing out gifts and whatnot.
So, if you are looking for good bar with some excellent food choices in Clayton, this is a good bet. If you are looking for a soccer bar to watch the US play. This should be your one and only choice.
This place is kind of a running joke because I never remember what it's called, and then I end up calling it Barnaby's. Â So Barnaby's has a really good Jamaican Jerk burger, and good chicken parmesan, and some good sides, in a typical English pub setting. Â Pretty impressive menu, lots to choose from. Â Good for a Thursday night-type mood (I'm not sure what YOUR Thursday night-type mood is, but mine is usually a little more low-key.)
Review Source:Sadly, this place has been suffering from poor service and it just seems to have been getting smokier and smokier... in the non-smoking section!
... But what really makes this place STILL worth visiting is the fact that I had a euphoric experience with their shepherd's pie. Â However, this was just after donating blood.
So give blood... save lives.... eat at Barrister's!
Things I've Tried:
Wings: Â Nothing really special.
Shepherd's Pie: Â EUPHORIC (after giving blood)
Plank roasted salmon: Â Very tasty with a hint of smoke. Â The spinach and mashed potatoes that went with it were tasty too :P
Friday Fish:  Type of fish varies from week to week.  Pretty tasty and all you can eat  :)