What a great spot right in the heart of my Benton Park neighborhood! Â It's an easy walk from home, perfect for these early fall evenings. Â We walked over last Friday with no reservation, and it was packed inside but only about half full outside. Â This works for us- we love the cozy and simple back courtyard space. Â Can't wait for fire pit time to add even more warmth, literally and figuratively. The inside is a lovely and intimate space as well, just about 8 or so small tables and 10-12 spots at the bar. Â Vibrant colors set an inviting scene. Â
Their menu has expanded so much over their few years of being open, lucky for us!  It is still a smaller menu overall, but the offerings are simple and thoughtful with varying flavor combinations so anyone can find a dish or several for their taste.  We settled on  a few starters, a salad, and a flat bread.  First off were the house made truffle parmesan chips.  I am a sucker for anything truffle, it's just such an amazing, rich flavor, and these did not disappoint.  Next up was a greek salad.  A bit heavy on the greens in ratio to toppings, but still a great mix of feta, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and kalamata.  It had a delicious oil and vinegar dressing as opposed to the more common creamy greek, so a nice change of pace.  We also got the hummus duo.  First, plenty of pita came with.  It's a pet peeve of mine when places skimp on pita, not even an expensive ingredient.  One hummus was traditional, with feta, kalamata, and red pepper.  This one was light and creamy.  The second had spinach, onion, and roasted garlic artichoke.  This was one rich and garlicky, so a great contrast. Last to come out was a steak and gorgonzola flat bread, cooked to bubbly and brown perfection.  Again, great combo of flavors. Â
Our server proactively brought out a few samples of red right off the bat, house faves that were available by the glass or bottle. Â Great service, but neither actually appealed to us with one being too acidic and one being too light. Â We wanted something right down the middle, and he made a great recommendation that we loved. Very minor gripe- I was surprised that both glasses very noticeably filmy when they came out. Â Still perfectly acceptable to drink from, and I know this issue very well from my own dishwasher, but it would be a nice touch for a wine bar to polish their wine glasses.
I absolutely adore Ernesto's.
I love wine, but really don't know much about it so I cant really speak to their selection or quality. However, there are many other things that keep us stumbling the half block between home and Ernesto's. The atmosphere is perfect. Its very cozy with a good noise level for a conversation. Its quiet enough to hear each other, but there's enough background noise that everyone in the place is not listening to your conversation.
I saw that someone else had said it was too loud. This could be true on busier nights, but we haven't experienced that. We do end up there at weird times though.
The STAFF. Holy cow these people are friendly and nice. There's really not much else to say. They're great.
The FOOD. Ive only had apps, but everything has been delicious.
I really like the bar. Its pretty and it has purse-hooks. Purse-hooks alone almost make it 5 stars.
Its a great place to grab a glass of wine or a cocktail and hang out for a bit.
Enjoyed a great date night Saturday. Â The night started perfectly. Â As we exited our vehicle, a server opened the door of the restaurant welcoming us. Â From that point on, the night just got better. Â Our server was very knowledgeable about wines and recommended several to us that we were pleased with. Â I enjoyed a very nice sauvignon blanc from New Zealand, but then strayed from my course with her recommendation of a five blend white wine that was perfect for this summer patio weather. Â My husband enjoyed a zinfandel and pinot noir both recommended. Â For plates, we had two flatbreads and a cheese/sausage plate. Â The flatbreads were delicous (the margherita and fig/prosciutto) and good portion for us to share. Â The cheese/sausage plate was okay. Â Limited on choices, but still tasty. Â Overall, a great evening for us. Â I wish the dinner menu was a bit more extensive so we would be tempted to venture off the small plates, but can't complain about the quality of the food. Â Wouldn't expect anything less!
Review Source:SOTD: roasted red pepper/tomato bisque was smoking hot. And not in a good way. Finished entree before I could drink my soup. Lame
Special: lamb chops w/ couscous where the lamb was nice but the couscous was room temp. These kids did not play well with others on the plate.
Service rocked so that will bring me back for a second chance.
I like Ernesto's on several levels. Love the patio in the summer! I am a huge grilled cheese fan and I love Ernesto's version! truffle grilled cheese along with the homemade truffle potato chips. When not in the mood for that Ernesto's always has a dinner special to try. Tonight it was lamb and it was gooooood, great selection of good wine and a full bar with infused cocktail list is never a bad thing...
Review Source:Almost a 5er. Â Food was delicious. Â The owner (I think, could've been the manager) greeted us and helped pick out a couple glasses of wine, both great. Â Pretty decent cheese plate for an appetizer. Both entrees we ordered were very good. A couple things that keep this place from being 5-star is the ambiance lacks and our waitress was a little forgetful, probably just having an off night. Â Definitely worth a return trip.
Review Source:Cute little wine bar in Benton Park!
The wine was good and the food was good! I had a grilled cheese and it was really tasty. I was loving the cheese plate we ordered. But I was not a huge fan of the meats.... Maybe I'm just not into meat platters?
The service was ok... At first our server seemed like he was being rude. But then I realized he just has a really straightforward personality. Then other people who worked there would randomly come join our table to talk to us. I couldn't figure out if i liked that or not. When I'm dining out with friends I prefer to just hang out with my friends, and not really the employees. IDK. That is just me. Â Also, it gets SO loud in there. The crowd this place attracts is very interesting and can be obnoxious.
Overall we had an really good time. I'd come back once the weather warms up because they have a cute patio.
Ernesto's earned our anniversary business. Â We've been maybe 10 or 12 times now, and it's one of the few places we go to fairly regularly. Â The other night we had the filet with Sherry and a mussels special. Both were absolutely amazing. Â They also had Left Hand Milk Stout, plus the usual selection of excellent wines. Â
Surroundings still intimate but casual, service prompt and attentive. Â Ernesto's is still our number one date-night go-to restaurant. Â
Tip: Â Ask if you can have Walter as your waiter. His enthusiasm is contagious.
Wine and food = fabulous!!! My gal pals and I shared a couple bottles of wine and I had the filet mignon for dinner. Â The filet was super tender and paired well with the mushrooms and mashed potatoes it came with. Â I would have given it a 5-star rating but our server seemed a bit spacey and had some difficulty figuring out our checks even though we made it fairly simple for her. Â Otherwise, a very cute place with great wine and food to match!
Review Source:Upon posting on FB, "Where should we go to dinner tonight?" several of my friends responded with various restaurants that I had already visited. Wanting to try something new, I was eager to check out Ernesto's as I had only heard about it once or twice.
We picked out the cheapest Sauv Blanc and asked the server if it was any good, as we were accustomed to SB's from New Zealand and this was from Cali. He described it really  well and presented me with a sample that definitely had that Cali terroir of minerality... which although different, we actually liked it quite a bit and went for the bottle. We were starving so ordered a cheese plate off of his suggestions:  a gruyere and two different goat cheeses. The three were nice and paired well with the wine.
It was pretty quiet in the small restaurant but after about 30 minutes, a nearby table had obviously over indulged in vino and their four voices overpowered the entire restaurant. My gf and I are some loud b!tches, especially myself and we seriously could not hear each other or the server at all. I really thought someone would ask them to take it down a notch, but nothing happened! Bummer.
After my second guest arrived, we decided that for the price the ambiance was not conducive to our girl's night. Sadly, we ordered two pizettas hoping they would be quick (and they were) and ducked out.
The menu looked promising and the server bummed us all a smoke, for that, we will be back another night.
P.S. In the end, no one on FB recommended Ernesto's.... it was Onesto's.... lol
Amazing truffled grilled cheese!
I started off the night sitting at the bar inside. Â It was a very quaint bar and dining area with nice ambiance. Â Later, my friend and I moved outside to the patio. Â I wasn't a fan of the music out there, but that's my only complaint. Â I would like to return to the patio in the fall when there's a fire in the fireplace -- I liked it because it's built into a brick wall. The staff was great. Â Ernesto's also receives my approval because they offer wine flights. Â
Did I mention the awesome grilled cheese?
I came here with a Groupon. I enjoyed it so much and the food is so good that i'll probably come back without a groupon!
Our server (Steve, i think he said his name was) did and excellent job. He knew the menu items, gave us all the details we wanted on the specials, and made sure all the food came out at a leisurely pace. When we had questions, he had answers. When we wanted more utensils, he magically conjured them for us. Good job!
We ordered a charcuterie plate first. There were 3 different meats with bread, tomatoes, onions, and mustard. It was all super tasty. I think I liked the pate the most... but I LOVE liver.
We then got the mussels in lobster broth The mussels were good and the lobster broth was SO GOOD. There was buttery toast that we dipped into the broth and our waiter offered us more when he saw we were out.
Then we got a flatbread with fig, goat cheese, balsamic glaze/reduction, and salad green. YUM! The balsamic was SO good I felt compelled to eat more of it with my fingers after the flatbread was gone. Wow.
Our last item was steak with gorgonzola and caramelized onions on a bed of potatoes with greenbeans and asparagus. I love steak and I really enjoyed this one. I also loved the onions and... well, everything!
I'm so happy there was a groupon and I got to try this place out with a friend. I'm totally coming back here again!
We had a lovely Wednesday evening on the patio, enjoying the Bloody Maria (made with jalapeno-infused tequila), sparkling wine, a light rose and some Hefenweizen . . . not in that order and not all at once.
Kristin was our fabulous server again, and remembered our group from our first visit. Oh dear, is it GOOD to be remembered?? At any rate, Kristin recognized and snagged each one of our party and got their beverage order BEFORE they even got out to the patio. So by the time, each was seated, Kristin was right there with her beverage of choice!!
Food choices included pate, brie and bleu cheeses; grilled cheese (white Cheddar, fontina, mushrooms, spring mix and truffle oil), Ernesto's flatbread (figs, prosciutto, goat cheese and arugula with a balsamic reduction) and the mushroom flatbread.
It was delightful. Service was spectacular, and the patio was most enjoyable!
Thanks to Yelp for introducing me to Ernesto's! Not only did I attend the Yelp Drinks event here, but I also decided to visit it again (that same weekend) for a late lunch/dinner with a friend.
Upon arriving it was nice to be greeted by a friendly face. We were told we could sit anywhere and so we chose a table and had a seat. Within minutes we were brought some glasses of water and the server was taking our drink orders. Of course since it was still Yelp Drinks week I ordered 1 of those drinks from the menu, great choice!
The server was also the bartender and so she had to go back to the bar and make the drinks-it was great to see how fast she was working. When she returned she told us some of the specials and we talked about some of the menu items. She seemed very knowledgeable of the menu and was happy to suggest items based on my taste buds. I settled on the Vegetable pasta; great choice! When the food came out it was piping hot and looked delicious. The veggies were fresh and just the perfect crunch.
I ate the entire bowl of pasta-yes, the entire bowl. I wanted to stop, but couldn't. It was that good. My friend had some shrimp and veggies and she was raving about her meal as well. I could tell we were both enjoying the food since we were sitting in silence just eating. Our server came over to check on us a few times and to bring us more drinks.
This was a great meal experience and I think it would be a great place to try again. The service was so great and the manager even came over to check on us; kudos!
Next time I come here I will get the grilled cheese since I hear so many good things about it. If anyone wants to go-please send me an invite and I'd be happy to meet you there! I love this place.
It was the last day of the Yelp happy hour week and I missed the Friday Happy Hour so I decided to try Ernestos as its the closest to where I live and I had never been there. We got one of each of the half off drink specials and they were all very good.
We also got the homemade parmesan potatoe chips and the snack plate. The potatoe chips were very good, I highly recommend them. The hummus plate was good as well. The place itself is smaller than I expected, it had a nice patio area but it was too hot to go out and enjoy it, but they did have a misting line setup. Â Next time
They have happy hour all day on Sundays and $2 Ab and Schlafly for happy hour during the week. .
We visited Ernesto's with friends for a special event. The interior held three surprises: a.) it was smaller than I expected, but in a cozy, intimate way; b.) it was newer than I expected, with what looks like a good investment of $ in interior renovation; c.) the walls held Hemingway photos and the restroom hosted a small Hemingway book collection. One of the co-owners happened to be passing by when I mentioned something about having read every Hemingway novel, short story, and article I could find. He asked if I'd read the Hotchner biography, and, when he found I had not, retrieved it for my borrowing and reading pleasure. Clever promotion, perhaps - yes, I will return for another visit when I return the book - but I sensed a sincere pleasure in sharing. How often does an owner of a bar or restaurant send you home with a book?
Here's the report on drinks and food:
*From the signature cocktails menu, we sampled the "Raspberry Lemon Punch," much loved by my better half, and "Ernie's Blues," which was good, but then I love anything in the flavor of blueberry.
*In the realm of edibles, she had roasted red pepper soup (very good), and pork sliders (prepared with the gluten-free bread she carried in), and I had several varieties of flatbread, including "Margherita," "Mushroom," and "Ernesto's." The final one was my personal favorite, made with figs, prosciutto, goat cheese, mixed greens and balsamic reduction.
*Along the way, we also sampled a flight of whites: Anterra Pinot Grigio, Wellington Sauvignon Blanc (really liked it), and Congress Springs Viognier. Â I had a Chilean Cabernet, too.
It's not often that you meet almost everyone working a place, but it felt like we did on this occasion: from co-owner, to general manager, to executive chef, to bartender-servers, every member of the staff seemed focused on extending hospitality.
Ernesto's seems to be just the right kind of place for an after-work drink and appetizer. Thanks, Ernesto's, for a fine Friday evening. I'll be bringing back the copy of "Papa Hemingway" soon.
Quaint and Quality are two words I can use to describe this little gem.
   With an Ernies Blues martini and a Screaming Bloody Maria cocktail under my belt, I was loving the vibe and the chalkboard wall sections of this little spot. It's the perfect spot for a friendly group gathering or a laid back choice for a date night. The martini I had was strong but delicious, with blueberry infused vodka and a blueberry nestled in the bottom of your glass, it was classy and just the right amount of sweet. The Screaming Bloody Maria was in a class all its own. I never thought I could be intimated by a name, but this one got me. I debated for a good thirty minutes whether I was ready to take this drink on, but once it hit my lips I was screaming praises. The Bloody Mary's spicy sister was a hot, tasty choice.
 I also tried their Ernesto's Flatbread while I was there and I can't rave about this enough. Firstly, if something has figs or goat cheese--I'm sold. But something with figs AND goat cheese? Say no more. It also had a balsamic reduction, olives, and spinach which really complimented one another and made for a fresh, filling snack.
 Another thing I want to note is that the bartender, who was waiting on our group of about 12, was extremely attentive, funny, oh, and when I closed out? He remembered my name--well played, bartender, well played.
   I can't wait to bring my friends here to try even more (ehem--everything) off their menu!
I really, really, dig on Ernesto's.
I've actually been there about 2~3 times now but I haven't written a review until today! The first couple of times I went, it was about 2 years ago with a guy friend and we just had some wine. No food. I didn't even know they had food! But I did hear a rumor about an awesome grilled cheese or something.
They only have one bathroom but it's suuuper cute and nice. Granite ledge by the mirror. Cute little candles. Hemmingway books for you to uh...read on the toilet? ;P Overall nice fixtures and lighting. Now that I am buying a home, I feel like I can finally appreciate expensive fixtures and building materials, hehehe.
The service is great here. Super fast and friendly. The menu is delicious...I have discovered this after going to the yelp gathering there yesterday! Theresa H.'s roasted red pepper soup looked mighty tasty so I had to order a cup for myself. It was SOOO good probably some of the best roasted red pepper soup I've ever had (sorry, Trader Joe's!) and it had a bit of cheese on top too. Mmm. Soo goood. Then I had a margherita flatbread and it was also quite tasty but not as good as some of the flatbreads that John H. ordered.
Had some kind of raspberry lemonade martini and it ROCKED. Seriously, get you some! I was surprised it was so tasty because I figured Ernesto's was more of a wine place but it's awesome to see that they can rock martinis as well. Variety is good. It's what keeps me coming back to places.
And as for Ernesto's, I'll be back! Hopefully Sean would like their pizzas.
This one time I went to Ernesto's a few weeks ago on a Friday night. We sat outside in the back patio even though it was pretty hot. Almost every table was filled with people enjoying themselves.. Our waiter was efficient albeit kind of a grumpy pants. He suggested a nice cheese selection that he would choose himself with some variation of salami meat. The host? man who greeted us and sat us recommended a Spanish wine which we ended up ordering that was pretty good. We sat next to a plant that caressed my friend lightly on the arm while we talked. It was almost erotic. There were gnats.
Review Source:Super friendly staff. Â My friend and i recently visited and really enjoyed our evening. Â We sat out back on the small patio and split a bottle of Pinot Noir ($32), it was delicious! We ordered two small plates, one was the tuna tar-tare with crispy wonton strips, the other a sampling of 3, edamame hummus, olive tapenade and caponata, served with pita. Â
I had never had caponata, a delicious mixture of eggplants, tomato, garlic, roasted rep pepper, and capers. Â I loved it !!!
This is a great little neighborhood spot in Benton Park a few blocks from where Hodak's is on McNair.
I went to Ernesto's for a wonderful Sunday dinner. Â It was a unexpected surprise. Â I had only heard of Ernesto's a week prior to dining, but now it will be a regular stop for me. Â Actually I have reservations already for Saturday night because I want to share this dining spot with some of my friends. (Two times in one week....)
It was a slow Sunday, but what can you expect. Â Our waiter was attentive and gave recommendations for our food options. Â We had the grilled cheese (which is seriously delicious), root vegetable salad, one of the flat breads and ended with a lemon cheesecake topped with lemon curd. Â It was the perfect amount for two people. We did not order any of the large plates, but maybe next time. Â
As for the wine (which is a reason alone to go back), our waiter allowed us to try a sample of one wine prior to our choosing another bottle. Â They advertise half price bottles of wine on Wednesday and I definitely want to go back simply for that special. Â
The place is small, but I think it is cozy. Â This is the place to go if you want a good bottle of wine and a relaxed dinner of many small plates. Â It would also be nice if you want to sit at a bar and half a glass of wine after work.
My review coincides with Amy B's birthday dinner. Â I didn't really know what to expect from Ernesto's, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Â This place was small...really small. Â Only 10 or so tables and a bar, but I think that adds to the ambience. Â Luckily, we had a reservation, so we were seated right away. Â A lot of people walked in on this particular Saturday night and turned around and left because there was no seats. Â I guess that is a sign of a good restaurant.
On to the food...I was pretty disappointed in what I ordered - flatbread. Â It was made for an appetizer I think, because I was still hungry after I devoured it. Â After trying eveyone else's entree's, I know I just made a wrong choice for my pick. Â The chicken was really good and the baramundi was awesome! Â You don't find baramundi at too many places in St. Louis. Â I would love to come back and try some more of the wines here. Â
I guess my theme for Ernesto's would be - "small but good". Â I'll be back for another try.
I recently went to Ernesto's for my birthday dinner. Â It definitely was not what I was expecting but it turned out to be quite lovely.
So it's not like I didn't read the reviews before I went, (duh, how else would I decide?) but I was absolutely shocked at how small it really is. Â It reminded me more of a coffee shop than a restaurant. Â It was also very loud. Â But no points deducted for either. Â Just wanted to note it again.
We sampled several wines and I didn't love any, but we ended up getting a bottle of the Lagaria Pinot Grigio. Â It didn't thrill me, but it was ok. Â The server was very accommodating by letting us taste so many.
We started with the smoked trout. Â It was a hit. Â We passed it around our table of six and everyone loved it! Â I suspected it would have a very smokey and fishy taste, and it did. Â But it wasn't in a bad way! Â It was more like a way where you felt you had just caught a fish and cooked it on a campfire! Â I would definitely recommend it.
The description of the chicken breast just got me and I had to order it. Â I knew I should have been more adventurous because the chicken was just a regular chicken breast. Â As other members of the table were more adventurous and ordered the grilled cheese and the barramundi. Â Luckily for me, my husband was the one that ordered the grilled cheese and my sister ordered the barramundi. Â I got lots of both! Â In fact, my husband ended up having to surrender his meal to me once I tasted the grilled cheese. Â
They aren't kidding when they say it's the BEST grilled cheese. Â It most certainly is. Â I think I had an out of body experience when I tasted it. Â It's made with 3 kinds of truffle oil. Â That has to be the secret!
Onto the barramundi! Â I would eat it every single day of my life if I could. Â It comes served over french lentils with a spicy carrot reduction. Â It is an extremely unique dish but it is absolute heaven.
Ernestos, you know how to do it!
Was led to Ernesto's after seeing it on Now!Groupon, remembering it was on the Yelp Eats list, and making the connection, "Hey, I think this place is supposed to be good!"
This place is pretty darn small! But cozy and personable. A little bit loud, however, so Devin and I tried the patio, which was nice enough, but too damn hot, so we settled back inside.
I ordered the "Que Syrah Syrah" wine flight. I love Petite Syrah, and it had my favorite in there (Pennywise), so I was pleased. $15, but they were three very sizeable pours.
GRILLED CHEESE FLIGHT OH HELL YES OMG. Talk about the perfect combination of comfort food and fancy food. I don't remember what was on all of them, but one of them had fig and goat cheese, there was one with wild mushrooms, and one with something sweet and caramelized, and proscuitto. All of them amazing. Totally hit the spot.
My dear lactard couldn't share in the grilled cheese fun (not that I wanted to share) but his flatbread was also very tasty.
We both got salads after that. I honestly couldn't really find anything on the dinner menu that really sounded that good to me, but that's probably a personal thing. So I settled on the French Bean salad. It was pretty good. Not incredible, but good. Devin had the Crab, Grapefruit, and Avocado salad. It was deconstructed, which he wasn't expecting and wasn't super pleased about, and he was underwhelmed by it. I thought it was an odd combination of flavors, but I am not a grapefruit fan.
We were racking up quite the bill (even with the Groupon), so we didn't do dessert.
Our server, Jeff, was friendly, attentive, and personable. If I remember the name of the server, you already know right there it must have been good (or I guess really, really bad because I went through the manager to find it out).
All in all, I am glad we went, but unless they change out the menu on occasion (it was pretty small), I don't think I will be back for food. Maybe drinks. I do love me some wine.
Yet another place that's been on my "to try" list for at least a year. I really need to kick it up, I know I know. With an instant Groupon in hand we went in for a drink and a small dinner.
I was torn between two wines and our attentive and very personable server, Kristin, helped me choose and she was spot on. We started with the shaved beef brushetta (crostini topped with horseradish cream, house cured tenderloin, roasted garlic and balsamic caramelized red onion). Stop the press right here and now HOLY COW it was so good. No cutting or tearing, the beef was so tender you could bite right through. I could have had a plate to myself (comes with 3). It was so good, so FREAKING good.
The main dish didn't disappoint at all either, we went for the strip steak (12oz strip with Chimmichurri and served with a summer tomato salad). It was cooked perfectly and the Chimmichurri wasn't overpowering, but delicately complimented the steak.
Ended with a chocolate lava cake that was good also, warm and gooey middle with a perfectly cooked cake outside. The whole experience was lovely, from our knowledgeable server to that, did I mention amazing, brushetta.
We stopped in here the other night after a movie to catch a bit to eat and enjoy some wine. We had been wanting to try Ernesto's ever since Abby S. started raving about it, but we had just never made it there. After the movie we were trying to figure out where to go and looked at Groupon's Now deals and bam, it was fate as one of the deals was for Ernesto's.
We were quickly seated along the wall and our server came over with some water and menus. After a short look at the list we found a bottle of wine and ordered the shaved beef Bruschetta to start off with. I could have eaten three or four orders of that bruschetta, it was amazing. The shaved beef was bursting with flavor and it was a true pleasure to eat.
We were not overly hungry so we decided to split the strip steak that they had. I know what you are thinking, a strip steak at a wine bar, but it was really good, much better than I had thought it would be. It was cooked as ordered and came topped with a delicious Chimmichurri sauce and was accompanied by a summer tomato salad.
We ended up ordering their chocolate lava cake or something along those lines, but they had me at chocolate. It was good, not great but a good end to the meal. Our server was great, towards the end of the meal she stopped by and we chatted for 15 minutes or so and it was nice personal touch.
Ernesto's is not within walking distance so I'm not sure when we will be back, but that bruschetta will bring us back, that is for sure.
I wasn't able to make it out for Yelps Eats, but my friends (shout out to Kelly R's review!) did and loved Ernesto's. Â So my husband and I were looking for a spot to belatedly celebrate our 2nd anniversary and decided to give it a try.
We started off with two wine flights - reds for him and whites for me - as well as the house chips. Â As with many wine flights, we liked some much more than others, but overall, I was quite pleased. Â We settled on one of my husband's reds - Marietta Old Vine - as a bottle for dinner. Â The house chips - OMG! Â I could eat tons and tons of these everyday. Â I'm going to have to try to recreate these for a wine tasting event I'm having at my house in the near future. Â Or I'm going to have to drive out to Ernesto's just to get some more, and a drive from out in Ballwin is not short!
For dinner, my husband ordered the Strip Steak and I the Stuffed Chicken, and we split the French Bean Salad. Â Everything was fantastic, though my husband's steak maybe a little more cooked than he ordered. Â The French Bean Salad was creamy and delicious smothered in goat cheese dressing, and the pistachios really added a little something extra. Â The chimichurri on the strip steak was delicious and not too overpowering, which I must admit, I've made too strong myself. Â The summer tomato salad was light and refreshing. Â I'd have to say the most delicious thing I had was my Stuffed Chicken. Â Stuffed with Prosciutto and Swiss Cheese, Wrapped in Bacon, served with Corvina Risotto and topped with a Parmesan Cream Sauce. Â I mean how can that be bad?!? Â It was creamy and delicious from start to finish. Â Beautifully cooked and paired with beautiful risotto. Â Super pleased.
We had great service. Â Jeff was fantastic and personable.
We will definitely be back!
The food was wonderful and the service was even more wonderful.
Had the goat cheese and fig flatbread as an appetizer. Â Then shrimp and scallop pasta. Â I was afraid that the scallops would be those big tasteless sea scallops --- instead, they were those small tasty bay scallops.
Nice decor, nice patio, a couple of tables on the sidewalk in front as well.
Wow.
I considered giving this restaurant that simple, 3 letter review, but decided it just wouldn't be fair to you, or this fantastic place not to go into detail.
Me and 3 others visited Ernesto's as part of the Yelp Eats week. We were not disappointed!! The location is adorable, and a bit small, but we walked in and were seated immediately. We did look like we lowered the average age of the restaurant by a few years, but I can't imagine why more people haven't tried this place?!!
The house-made chips with truffle oil were incredible. They were seasoned just right with a bit of a salty kick, crispy, and quite a large portion for an appetizer. My friends really enjoyed the shrimp rouille.
As an entree, most of the table decided on the bacon wrapped, prosciutto stuffed chicken and a red-wine risotto. Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds. Seriously one of the best meals I've ever had at a restaurant. As a side note, someone from Yelp must've spelled the menu wrong describing the risotto because it said "corvine" risotto. My very knowledgeable about food/cooking friend and I had never heard of this before, so we googled it. Turns out, corvine means "crow or raven." I don't know about you, but I didn't really plan on trying the "bird of prey" risotto. That's gotta be bad luck or something! As it were, apparently the dish is made with corvina, which is a type of wine. MUCH BETTER!
Anyway, back to the meal. For dessert we tried the chocolate lava cake and O.M.G. amazing. The chocolate flavor was decadent and rich, but not so sweet that you'd be sick. My husband who doesn't love "too sweet" desserts practically licked the plate. After I almost did, of course.
With the 50% discount, our bill was ridiculously cheap and we left feeling deliciously full.
The service was outstanding, the food was outstanding, and I will definitely return. Let's consider this a win, Yelp Eats. Please make this an annual event! I'd love to find a new gem next year!
The beautiful wife and I visited Ernesto's for some pre-International Supper Club drinks and nibbles. Perhaps it was the time of the day (5:30), but I wasn't blown away.
I'll start off with asking everybody to _please_ stop talking about the $5 wine happy hour like it is something amazing. Yes, it exists, and yes the pours are generous, but it's not nearly as cool as what I expected it to be. They offer a "preselected" red or white that you can get, and the $5 wasn't _that_ great of a deal -- the same thing outside of happy hour is $6. That really pales to places that offer 50% on all wines by the glass.
I will say when they ran out of the happy hour red, an alternative was offered (it was actually better, in my opinion).
For food, we ordered some meats and cheeses. These were all delicious, so I'll give them kudos for their selection. The cheese plate also came with a strawberry jalapeno jelly, with added a nice sweet/spicy to go with the cheese.
BUT, now I'll complain. The French bread they served wasn't impressive -- it lacked the density to handle having the cheese spread on it. And honestly, it just tasted and felt like a generic bread you'd get at the grocery store.
Service was friendly, though at times they were distracted by other issues (stocking the bar) or chatting up some of the regulars.
Would I go back? Probably. They had some other things on their menu that sounded promising, so I think they warrant another visit in the future.
This is a very sad update. They have lost Cassie to bigger and better things, what remains is pale in comparison.
The food now is a 2star, but the ambiance and their drinks gets them one more point
Cassie's infamous grilled cheese is now replaced with an overly salty version with too much mushrooms, not enough butter or the white truffle cheese. We also had the beef stew, also over salted.
They got a new server, who was out of it and was very slow is getting us water and the bill.
I had wanted to try Ernesto's since Dining Out for Life but hadn't made it--my loss!
Voluptuous proportions of wine for $5. This happy hour special was warm, but not over kill on the tannins. It would have been fine all by itself but we opted for a cheese plate. Fresh bread, a few varieties in cheeses, a little marmalade, fab summer sausage, and a tasty nut/horseradish spread. Every aspect of the plate tantalized and surprised my pallet.
Our bartender was the perfect blend of attentive, suggestive, and friendly without going overboard. I won't be so delayed in returning next time!
OK, it's no secret that I like wine. Red wine. A lot. :) So it surprises and saddens me a little bit to discover Ernesto's right before leaving town. It's so close to my house (tucked away in Benton Park on McNair) and a perfect little happy hour spot.
Last night they had a $5 happy hour wine special until 7 pm. Hefty pours and hearty wine - that's enough for me to brave the slippery sidewalks on a cold winter evening. In my world, wine and cheese go hand-in-hand and Ernesto's offers a wide variety of plate selections. Their summer sausage is sooo good!
And after a small bite, why not stick around for dinner? The cheeseburger sliders smelled divine, but I opted for the seafood pasta. The mussels were cooked perfectly - smooth and buttery. The plate was huge and I couldn't eat it all (shocker!) but I enjoyed every bite thoroughly.
If you're bored with the typical Chad-like happy hour hole, definitely hit up Ernesto's. It's in a cute little 'hood, the drinks are delish and it's a little off the beaten path.
Ernesto's is a tiny wine bar located in the middle of a quaint residential section of historic Benton Park. The facade is adorable. It has a brick exterior adorned with flower boxes and colorful trim. I was expecting the inside to be contemporary, but it is fairly old world with lots of woodwork. Very small.
The menu is limited to meats, cheeses, and pate's, as well as, a few small tapas plates and they also have brunch menu that looks pretty interesting.
Overall, I like Ernesto's. It's a nice quiet spot with a great selection of wines and very knowledgeable staff. The food is somewhat minuscule and overpriced, but it is very tasty. Â The pancetta and pork meatballs with applesauce are very tasty, but at 9 bucks, for a few tiny meatballs....
I went to Ernesto's with some friends on the Sunday night of Memorial Day Weekend. Â Fortunately, it seems as though not many people have discovered the place yet. Â Our server, whose wife is the chef, was extremely friendly and informative without being intrusive. Â He seemed to enjoy his job immensely and intuitively know when we needed a bit of time to catch up versus when we were ready to hear about the dessert specials.
We sat on the outside patio, which was tastefully decorated with hanging lights. Â The food was amazing! Â The bruschetta and the sliders was delicious as were the several desserts that we tried.
I hope this place stays just enough of a secret for us to return and have the kind of quiet but magical evening filled with good wine and good food that we've had.
This place is really low key, or at least it was on a snowy, freezing Saturday night.
We went here with friends after dinner at the Stable. This place is a perfect spot to stop in for a night cap of some tasty wine. The bartender was funny but not loud and annoying...he was low key and talkative but not intrusive.
We ordered wine and a bread pudding for dessert. The bread pudding was awesome! Highly recommend!
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