Yelp's "Meh I've experienced better" is a good descriptor. Â
It wasn't terrible, but...
...Went to Graham's Grill after a show the other night, table of five.
Started out a little weird, when the server almost proudly announced that there was no drink menu, but then was loathe to list what beers they had; instead, asking, "Well, what do you like?". Â They did not have any of the three suggestions I made, so she started listing some drafts until I picked one. Â When the beers came, two of the others at the table commented that theirs were flat. Â
The food was decent. Â I enjoyed the peel-and-eat shrimp as an appetizer, and my Blackened Catfish was pretty good. Â I didn't understand the "Jamaican" slaw, or what made it Jamaican. Â It seemed like sliced baby bell peppers in a vinaigrette. Â
I did "check in" there on Yelp, and that got me a free draft beer, although the server (and apparently the manager she asked) had no idea about this kind of thing, but they honored it anyway.
We headed to Graham's Grill for brunch on Sunday morning and it was pretty good. I don't know why...but the potatoes were soooooo good!! Â Weird. I would really love to come back here for dinner and try some of the stuff on the menu. The menu looks great! Â The service was great and the woman who waited on us did such an awesome job and she was the only one working the dining room!
Review Source:Oldster hangout. Â Probably fun if you are out for a night of drinking...but sunlight shows a very shoddy decor. Â Very nice server but slow. Â Bar was out of Schlafly Beer...a favorite in the area. Don't get the Etoufee!!! Â Lousy....rue was not browned before it was made. And they only put two shrimp in the whole dish. Â Server tried to charge us for an extra beer we didn't get. Â Remembered later server never gave us their usual bread basket with dinner. Â On the upside...side salads were a deal for the price. Â 3pc rock Band started at 730pm. Â Oh ya, and we didn't appreciate the cook (or the owner?) pacing around our table with a grouchy, sour look all the time we were eating! Â Creepy!
Review Source:Graham's Grill is literally right down the street from one of my good friend's house. Â I cannot believe it took me this long to get super hungry and decide to make the trek down there. Â We ate late, around 9PM on a Saturday evening and the place was poppin! I mean, maybe not really people my age, but none the less, people were having a great time dancing and drinking along with the jazzy/reggae-y/blues band. Â I L-O-V-E places like this. Â In fact, I'm often more at home with people in their 40s+ than I am with people my own age because they're less concerned with what other people think of them all the time. Â For my favorite past time of people watching, this gets an A++! Â
We got an appetizer of crispy green beans. I don't know why the dichotomy of frying vegetables is so intriguing to me, but I love it. Â The app was delicious and the cajun horseradish sauce served with the green beans was perfect. Â I got the cajun pasta, my boyfriend got the Po boy and my two friends got the chicken sandwich. Â The cajun pasta was fabulous, but a little too heavy for my tastes (granted, that's my fault, but sometimes my eyes deceive me a bit when i'm looking at the menu....) Â The chicken sandwich which (hehe, wich which) came with bacon was unreal. Â So tender, so juicy, so flavorful. I know it sounds like an odd thing to order if you go there, but it is perfect. Â The service was pretty good considering how busy and loud it was. Â I will return for sure!
Some beach...somewhere...
I had such high hopes for Graham's Grill. Cajun food...in the county! Yum! I don't have to go all the way down to Soulard for Gumbo!
Sadly...the ambience and service were the only pleasant portions of our visit.
Seashells, shark teeth, tiki torches-I felt like I was in the Caribbean, or at least straight out of a Kenny Chesney song. Our server was sweet and pleasant.
Unfortunately.....
The gumbo was salty, the crawfish adorning my meal was limp and tasteless, and the crab cakes were loaded with mayo. Even my soda was flat.
I would come back though...yes, I would. To meet up with friends, for drinks and maybe something fried (read: can't ruin fried food!) while we watch the game.
Here's my Report Card for Graham's Grill:
Atmosphere: A-
Taste: B
Presentation: C
Price: B
Service: D
So, let's talk atmosphere first (we'll start with the best part of the experience). Graham's Grill has a great vibe--I'll give it that. They have live music and cajun/creole decorations to match their menu. They also have outdoor seating, which is nice (although, it's right next to the road...). Everyone in the room is laughing and smiling-usually there are several patrons dancing along to the band that's playing. It's just generally a fun time.
As for the food; it wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. We had shrimp (it was pretty normal as far as shrimp goes), potato chips (amazing-they were crispy and yet chewy; somehow this was an awesome combination), corn on the cob (I think it was frozen, sadly), and coleslaw (which was good, though pretty standard). Our food came in a basket, so I'd have to say... presentation wasn't spectacular.
Now although the food was just "decent," the drinks are a different story. They are delicious! Apparently, according to Graham's, Creole/Cajun beverages are BEACH themed-and those beachy drinks are yummy! We're talking about beverages named "Beach Bum," "Jet Ski," and "Bahama Breeze." Yum.
One piece of advice is to be careful when you're sucking down those delicious drinks; the price of food is decent but the drinks are in that $8-9 range.
So, in the end, the main deal breaker of our trip to Graham's last week was the service. It was soooooo slow. We would order and then wait... ask for a menu and then wait.... ask for our check and then wait... Everything seemed to take double the time that it normally should. That was pretty frustrating.
All in all, my recommendation for you is to only go to Graham's when you're looking for a fun night out-you'll order drinks and "decent" appetizers and you won't notice the slow service because you'll be watching band, dancing, and singing along.
I am always up for some good Cajun food. Went for lunch and was the only one there, although there were a few at the bar. I ordered Shrimp Creole and salad. The salad had too much dressing, not swimming but too much...I always forget to ask for it on the side. The waitress said the Creole was more spicy than the Etouffee. I would say that the Creole was very good but not overly spicy. It was a good lunch portion. I will be back to try some of the other items on the menu. Will have to try a hurricane with some Gumbo.
Review Source:Decor: Great, love the kitchy beach theme
Service: Medicore, it was only me and one other person in the entire restaurant for lunch, and the service was slow. I could tell she was doing a lot of prep work for dinner, but still, there are just two of us!
Food: Too salty, I love gumbo and I just wasn't a fan.
Overall: If I lived in Kirkwood, this would be a place I went to drink and have fun. I will be back to give it other try. They had some New Orleans dishes on the menu that looked good, we will see!
My oh, my. Where to begin! Well after reading an article in Sauce Magazine and then thinking about how great all those beach bar places are when I'm on vacation I book marked Grahams as a need to try place!
Last night was that "need to try it" time. Whipped out the GPS and cruised over to Kirkwood. Honestly as we drove within a mile of our beach-loving destination I thought for sure we were lost. Looking around it was very residential. But as we pulled up we knew we had made it.
Walking in to the joint I seriously could not believe my eyes. A deejay setup with Karaoke, flashing multi-colored lights and the place really looked like something from Gilligan's Island!!!!! Salt water and fresh water fish tanks are dotted throughout the dining room and the decor is a crazy eclectic mix of flamingos, fish netting, and other random artifacts.
Once seated our waiter, very nice and incredibly friendly immediately took our drink order. I started with a Hurricane and finished with a Beach Bum!!! Oh yum!
We ordered the gator bites, and I can't say it tasted just like chicken, but it was good. Then on to the fried grouper with house made chips (DELISH)!!!! Perfectly fried, crisp and golden brown. The tender, flaky and oh so delicate fish was out of this world! My dining partner opted for the Shrimp Po' Boy, that thing was jammed packed with lettuce, tomato, fried shrimp and not the tiny kind. the side of onion rings were .....(I'm speechless)......the food was so much like what you'd get from a beach bar after a hot day in the sun on the boat, riding the wave or maybe just basking in the sun.
Finally we finished up with a slice of Key lime pie!!! Oh it was tart and tangy like a key lime should be. I recommend no whipped topping or strawberry sauce. Key Lime pie is so good all by it self!
Things to mention:
-- all you can eat FRIED CHICKEN Sunday/Wednesday $9.99
-- Karaoke available (it was there on my visit a Thursday night)
-- if you love the lake, the beach, the summer fun you have to visit this place!!!
We went for the music on a Saturday night. The blues were top notch played by the Soulard Blues Band.
The ambiance was exactly how they describe it on their web page, Key West-ish.
Food was fine but not outstanding. I had a cajun dish.
My beef is with the sour faced owner who walked about scowling. If you want to create a great atmosphere, then smile a little.
Graham's is off the beaten path for sure, you have to know where it is, but if you do, this place is a great hidden gem.
It's got a definite New Orleans feel to the menu, but kind of a Key West feel to the place.
The menu is great and has great nightly specials with $10 lobster tails and all you can eat fried chicken. Love the hush puppies and other bread brought out.
A lot of times, they have a live band playing and the bar is usually pretty busy.
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