This is just a pretty cool place. The building itself is so unique, its got a little outdoor area that is nice, a bar in the basement that seems like an old cellar from the 18th century, and a small seating area upstairs with a bar. The beer selection was great. The homemade soups are excellent and worth going back for alone. Sandwiches are good. The only downfall was the service, which was mediocre, and the smoke, however, everything else made the whole experience very enjoyable.
Review Source:This actually deserves probably 3.5 stars. Patio is LOVELY on a nice spring or fall day. Plenty of shade on the warmer days. But my favorite part is the basement bar. It's everything a bar should be. TONS of amazing beers (and other booze, but I'm usually here for the beer), friendly bartenders, and patrons usually friendly as well.
I've noticed there are some people always there, and I assume this is their local. Big dog hanging out, loving to be petted? Check.
Food service can be slower on the patio, but I never go here if I'm in a hurry anyway so it's not a big deal. Definitely try the Millstream fries and pay attention to the specials, which vary and can be excellent.
This is one of the great bar/taverns in St. Charles, Mo. and possibly all of Metro St. Louis.
If you want the most diverse selection of bottled beers, come here.
If you want the highest quality Scotch Flight selections, come here.
If you want a tavern/cellar atmosphere come here.
If you want great sandwiches, Millstream fries, come here.
If you have an out-of-town guest and you want to take them to a real bar, bring them here.
The fiancé and I had lunch here last week. Â
It's quaint and inviting, the outisde porch area being the inital draw getting us in here. Â It took quite a while for a server to get to us (15 minutes) but after reading the menu I realized that they bill themselves as a restaurant set at a slower basis.
Fair enough.
Beer and Wine selection is substantial, I was impressed by it. Â
Food-wise, I had the Grilled Portobello Sandwich (quite good) and my lady had the Millstream Beef Dip which she very much enjoyed. Â We initially saw the apple pie ala mode dance by on a server's tray when we arrived so we wasted no time getting that for a dessert. Â Amazing stuff.
All in all a very nice lunch experience, my only issue was with the initial wait to be served time. Â Will definitely return.
Spare yourself the drive and the meal. Sure the patio is nice with all the tables, fire pits and such, but the food and service is lackluster beyond any extreme.
I yelped and yelped and yelped looking for a place to go eat with some friends for a double date night on St. Chuck Main Street. I've only tried a few restaurants with sub-par experiences. Lewis and Clarks was out, Trailhead is their sister restaurant and seemed like 'blah', Little Hills Winery is amazing but I don't want to sell a kidney to eat there again, so I picked this out as a last minute resort without reading any reviews. My mistake which I take total 100% responsibility for.
When we arrived our friends were already nestled in a booth in the main dining room. Since the fire pits were going and it looked like a nice view with the patios, we decided to head out and pick up a table since no hostess was in sight. Once we arrived outside by the fire pit, the original hostess who had sat our friends ended up noticing us, and came to take our drink orders.
5. 10. 15 minutes later she shows back up with them. Every 2 minutes after that she would come back to check and see if we were ready to order our food. Breathing down our necks much? I decide on the crab cakes and a small side Caesar salad with a glass of Riesling, and Jason ordered the Mesquite chicken sandwich with their Millstream fries.
From the time she left our table with our orders to the time we finally received them was a 45 minute time lapse. During the whole meal, she never refilled Jason's drink, didn't bring him out silverware for 10 minutes after he asked for it, and still managed to screw up my friend's order with the fries. She never even put in the order for them. More waiting.....
My crab cakes were pretty spot on. I did like them, and they seemed well prepared. Jason was less than impressed with his chicken sandwich. It tasted dry and didn't have any seasonings to it.
Millstream fries are claimed to be their own representation of fries, right? Well, to be completely honest here I thought they tasted like the breading off of a Sonic Drive-in corn dog. Tater balls should be the name of them.
Our service sucked. The server herself seemed aloof and completely frazzled for what ever reason.
If you want some cheap drinks and a nice patio, then sure this may be a solid place to come to. As far as eating -- dodge it and spend your money elsewhere worth while. That's my opinion.
Drink menu is a literally a book, lots of great beers to chose from.
Lovely outdoor patio area to enjoy a gorgeous day = atmosphere.
Prices are reasonable.
Big plus, pets are welcome outside on the patio.
I had the portabella sandwhich that was good. Wife had the chicken salad sandwhich and it too was good.
Service is friendly.
I don't know how people can enjoy this place. It is just "blah" the food is plain and boring and I was not impressed at all. I did enjoy the Millstream Fries, but that's about it.
This visit I went with a friend and we decided to sit outside on the patio. The hostess did not seem as though she enjoyed her job and barely smiled. She walked us to our table and left the menus for us and that was the extent of that. I don't think our server knew we were there and it took a good 5 minutes before he came to take our order. He seemed rushed and unorganized. He took our drink orders and then disappeared again. One of the drinks we ordered was out, but he didn't know that right way so he had to come back and tell us. A few minutes later the drinks arrived and then he took our orders. We did not see our server again for a very long time! I needed a refill and neither of us ever received our waters we ordered first....someone from the kitchen brought us our meals and I was shocked at the way it was plated. Very "thrown together"; bun with half the chicken on it and half the chicken falling off, very sloppy. I took a bite and the chicken was dry and not very tasty. I waited a while and when I saw my server I asked for honey mustard so I could at least try to salvage the meal. I am pretty positive he forgot about it because I saw him bringing other tables drinks and food, but no honey mustard for me....I waited....without eating....and finally he came to check on us and I had to ask again for the HM sauce. He went away and finally brought it back. Needless to say even the HM did not help the poor piece of chicken on the poor bun. It was a hopeless cause.
We asked for our tab and left; never planning to return...it was just awful and a poor experience.
Nice lunch Saturday while shopping the lovely stores along Main Street.
Got the special soup: buffalo chicken -- a lovely blend of chicken, spice and cheese topped with scallions and broccoli. Good crunch with tasty smooth richness.
Reuben was full of corned beef, Swiss and sauerkraut (not too much; would have liked more) on grilled buttery rye. There was a good sauce, but it didn't seem like thousand island or Russian or whatever the "norm" is supposed to be.
Sandwich came with Mill Stream fries. I don't know what these are, but they're not what I was expecting. They were breaded, fried round balls with no taste. I tried to coax some flavor out of them with salt, but it didn't work.
The pickle was great!
Let's break it down....
3 stars for the atmosphere: On a gorgeous sunny day, sit outside on the patio. There's a babbling brook steps from your seat. Trees overhead block some sunlight, so if it's too hot, you're sure to find a seat in the shade.
2 stars for the food: Overcooked fish, burnt burgers, limited menu options. Overall quite blah.
I'd return for drinks and nothing more.
Great atmosphere! Â I love the cozy all brick walls and wood floor of the centuries old main building. Â The patio is awesome. Â Just below street level with plenty of mature trees and next to, yep, a mill and stream. Â Our waitress was awesome. Â The place was not 100% full, but busy and they were obviously short handed. Â She stayed calm and courteous and attended our needs. Â
The food was not that great. Â The burgers were burnt and dry, they were probably pre-pattied or frozen without flavor. Â Presentation was lacking big time. Â Millfries were pretty good, but they only give you about ten or so. Â The burger toppings were underwhelming, a decent slice of tomato and a wilted piece of lettuce. Â The buns were dry and crumbling apart. Â
I still would recommend Old Mill Stream because of the charm and atmosphere. Â Have some cocktails, but you may want to venture elsewhere for your meal.
I originally found this place on line when I was researching the area during a job interview, I couldn't wait to try it.
Unfortunately, I had to. During my interview trip they were closed for a private party. Â When I first moved here, there was a blizzard.
Persistence paid off! Â Finally I made it in for dinner one night, alone. I was treated like a new regular, not like a freak who couldn't find anyone to have dinner with them. (if you eat out alone you know what I'm talking about). I called my husband and told him I had found "our new place".
They make their own soup, and it's amazing. The stuffed pork chop is so flavorful ( wrapped in bacon and cooked over applewood) I tried to eat the whole thing
Their beer list is the best I've found in the area lots of variety and microbrews. In"Bud country". I was beside myself with glee to find a waiter who knew what an IPA was. Â
The outside patio is unique and relaxing. There is a small stream and fire pits. I think the beer makes everyone more friendly, lots of people bring their dogs with them. Â I am in love with the place.
A bit of advice, this is a great beer bar but avoid the wine; I'm 0 for 3 trying to have a decent glass.
This review is on the bar only! While I have eaten here many times, I've actually never been in the restaurant part!
I have nothing but positive things to say about Millstream. As my favorite bar in the St. Charles area (and arguably in Missouri), I've been coming here for years, albeit living in Chicago drastically limits my visits-but i try to stop in every time I'm in town. Hell, my going away party when i moved to Chi 3 years ago was here! After breaking my leg 2 months ago, i was forced to come back to STL for some R&R.
When you walk in, it feels like you're walking into a friend's basement bar. The regulars are always sitting at the bar, and they are so easy to strike up a conversation with you'll probably leave with some new friends! The first time i came here, it instantly reminded me of this great Irish basement bar in Austria, which is probably why I'm in love with this place... nothing like reliving european travels without leaving the state! Â All bartenders are really nice and friendly. You'll ALWAYS have a clean ashtray and a full beer. Â They also generally lets patrons know when HH is ending so you can pre order your next drink for $1 cheaper.. Score!
I second/third/fourth/millionth all of the other comments on the beer garden - its amazing. Best place to be on a spring/summer night. Their beer selection is better than any other bar on main st and the prices are so cheap. Im used to paying $4 for a miller lite, but $4 there gets you a microbrewed blueberry wheat ale AND they have Bell's Oberon when its in season, that, my friends, is winning!!
This bar is going to be my motivation to get walking again. Living a few blocks away on main St, I'm going to challenge myself to walk there as soon as PT gives me the ok... I walk. I get beer. I win!
I was in town from Los Angeles to visit a friend who lived in the area. Â First off, St. Charles is such a cute, little area with cobblestone streets and restaurants set in historic buildings.
The first night I was in town we went here for a birthday party. Â I wouldn't say this is "my kind of place," but it's homey and everyone who works here is very welcoming. Â I could tell it was like the "Cheers" of the neighborhood because everyone seemed to know each other. Â Also, the drinks are so cheap! Coming from LA and getting 2 drinks for under $10, well, I felt like I was robbing them.
The next night in town we headed to Mill Stream Inn again. Â I heard they had pretty good bloody mary's so my friend and I ordered one. Â They were delicious! Probably the best bloody mary I've ever had. Â Plus, that huge bloody mary was like $5!! Unreal.
We also ordered a little food and I was surprised by their "fries." They almost looked like tater tots or potato balls, but were fries. Â I couldn't stop stealing them off my friend's plate. Â Another delicious!!
If you're not a big smoker though don't walk into this place for too long because it gets REALLY smoky! But, the smoke is offset by the cool bartenders and the coziness of the place. Â You can even go out and sit by a fire. Â I loved that!!
I so much enjoyed my time at Old Mill Stream Inn. After many trips to Old St. Charles, MO I'm very glad I had lunch here. This place simply keeps it real! A disclaimer on the menu says basically "hey we cook your food fresh so it's probably going to be a little longer than you are used to". I chose their Large Chef Salad for lunch and it was full of fresh greens that you crave when ordering a good salad. Their potato thingies (their version of fries) were addicting! Â Even though I had Iced tea I perused their beer selection which was good. Very impressed they had New Belgium 1554. Â I loved the old architecture of the building inside with all brick walls. Service was 5 stars all the way! Waiter brought me a cup of ice for my tea and I didn't even have to ask, impressive!
Review Source:I'd like to preface this review by saying that I am reviewing Millstream as a bar, not as a restaurant.
I say this, because although I have been there what seems like 100's of times since I've been of legal drinking age (and quite possibly before...shh), I've never eaten a single thing there.
Millstream is, as far as my tastes in bars go, perfect. It has the most amazing patio in the St. Louis area, tons of great beer to choose from, and the inside is as cozy as it gets. There is just something about drinking numerous bottles of 8%+ beer in a darkish century-plus-old building that can't be beat.
Add in the fact that the staff is amazing, and you have the place that is nearly always first in my mind when friends want to get together for a few good beers and chat.
My brother and I were in the neighborhood and stopped into this spot for lunch. Â He had the patty melt and I had the mesquite chicken sandwich. Â Both were very good. Â The guy that waited on us was friendly. Â This is one of those sort of unique neighborhood spots that sort of lurks in the shadows of other, larger places. Â If you prefer the smaller places with a warmer, more local feel, you will enjoy this place.
We'll definitely be back to work on the beer list sometime.
A nice little place with a large selection of beers. Â The service was lacking-- the waitress took our glasses for refills and they never came back! Â The food was okay, not great. Â We had the Reuben/fries, burger and fries and a chicken salad and soup combo. Â The kids had grilled cheese's and fries. Â The fries are fried new potatoes or something and were different but pretty good.
Overall, the food was okay but we were there way too long waiting for food, refills, the bill etc. Â Make sure you have plennnnnttttty of time if you stop in, it's real laid back.
First the good: the patio was nice, not too hot even in 90° weather.  Very good beer list, looked like roughly 100 selections or more.
But the food was not good. Â Salad was small, with iceberg lettuce & shredded carrots. Â The lemon sauce on my chicken entree (I forget exactly what they called it) was just weird. Â Sides were wild rice and baby carrots - not good. Â Maybe the sandwiches etc. are better.
I was so looking forward to trying this place, and I'm so glad I did! Their patio is awesome! And even when we were getting bit my mosquitos and moved inside, I loved it inside too. We were down on the lower level back room. There are some nice wooden booths, and the music was at a great level where it wasn't too loud, but still helpful.
During the time that we were seated outside and had a server, the girl was SO down-to-earth and friendly. I really liked her style!
Can't wait to come back. Because I didn't try their food!
Met my dad for lunch today in St. Charles and decided to try somewhere new. Â Well, new to me, not new to St. Charles, because this place has been around for awhile. Â
Beautiful patio! Â In fact, it was the patio and the specials board that caught my eye, because we'd agreed to meet at a neighboring establishment. Â What can I say? Â I like to dine al fresco and am a sucker for a patty melt (we all have our foibles).
Table for two, please? Â At 11:30, we had our choice of ... any table in the entire establishment. Â But the one under a shady tree next to the creek suited our sunny, breezy, cool-ish afternoon. Â Our server was perky and attentive with out being oppressive, considering we had her more or less to ourselves for the better part of an hour. Â She made sure to let us know that they are proud of their Reuben, so on the recommendation my dad went with the aforementioned especialidad de la casa and I got the artery-pill patty melt, mine with fries (might as well get all the grease at once!), his with potato salad. Â There are only two options. Â And we halved the sandwiches. Â I like to share. Â
Reuben: Â tasty. Â Like the (house?) "1000 island" dressing they serve it with. Â Sufficiently melty; mmmm "swiss" cheese. Â At the time I would have told you that it could have borne a bit more sauerkraut, but a few hours later, I've changed my mind. Â Sufficient serving size, ample portion of corned beef. Â He was happy with the potato salad, and suspected the presence of sour cream although the server had advised that it was a mayo-base. Â
Patty melt: Â I loved it. Â Dad did not. Â But what can you say about a patty melt? Â It's a greasy, cheesy, dressed-up mess. Â Rye was fresh and grilled to satisfaction. Â Burger wasn't a giant, just enough for lunch. Â And all of the messy things that were expected were present (grilled onions, yum). Â Oh, the fries. Â Ordinary. Â They're seasoned somehow, but I didn't care for it, myself. Â Fries aren't my thing; I should have gone with the potato salad. Â
This won't become a new destination for me, but if I find myself in St. Charles and wanting a quick, cheap lunch, it fits the bill. Â Speaking of which, our tally, with iced tea x2, only came to something like $21. Â Deal.
It was okay...but not great.
If it wasn't for the GIGANTIC selection of bottled beers, I would've been pretty disappointed.
We went here because it was Friday, beautiful outside, and we were DONE with the work week. Â I searched Yelp for a good recommendation for a place with patio seating, and this is one of the places that came up. Â To be fair, the patio was beautiful. Â In fact, the whole location is great.
Here's what I had a problem with: the service sucked a bit. Â The server let us know that he just started working there after being gone for awhile (which is something no one needs to know). Â But that is no excuse not to know your menu or your beer basics. Â If a restaurant's hook is their large list of bottled beers, then you should be able to tell me what a dopplebock or a black lager is. Â I don't expect you to know what every beer tastes like, but have a good grasp on the mechanics. Â Also, I understand that the place has a whole "laid back" Â approach to service (it's written in their menu), but how long does it take to get two BOTTLES of beer?
The food wasn't great. Â I had their famous reuben, which was okay (although the bread was soggy), but here's what sucked: the Chicken Cordon Bleu. Â Whoever wrote the menu needs a Pulitzer because the description sounded fantastic, but the execution was terrible. Â What came out was a grilled piece of chicken on a naked bun, topped with a circular disc of gouda that was more dried and charred instead of melted.The whole thing was tiny and pathetic.
Also, they write up their fries to be great and unique to its restaurant, but it really was just normal, slightly over-seasoned fries.
It was just disappointing. Â I had pretty high hopes. Â Ah well, you don't know until you try it out...
Sweet baby kittens!!! Â I found a bloody mary in St. Charles that I'm in love with! Â They infuse their own pepper vodka but it's not so spicy that you can't handle it. Â Yummy! Â Can't believe I've never been here before. Â The patio is awesome! Â Very laid back vibe and the fire pits are a nice touch. Â All this time I've been going to Trailhead when I'm on Main Street. Â I have seen the light. Â Walk next door and try Old Mill Stream. Â Oh and if you have a sweet tooth I highly recommend the turtle brownie. Â Mmmmm.....
Review Source:This is my favorite bar. Â I try to take people to The Old Mill every chance I get. Â If The Grateful Dead became brewers and tried to re-create an Irish pub with an earthy feel, this would be the result. Â The staff are fantastic and if the owner isn't making sure you're having a good time, then you aren't paying attention. Â Bartender Todd will take care of you all night with one great recommendation after another.
Review Source:This is my FAVORITE place in all of St. Louis. I can't believe that I forgot to Yelp this place! This place is an awesome place to go on those nights you just wanna Chillax with some of your buddies. They have an awesome patio with fire pits and great service. They didn't have the firepits going one of the times I was there and they came and lit it because I was cold. (They came and asked.) They have an Amazing Bloody Mary here and an extensive beer selection. Their Steaks are sooo good. If you out in St. Charles you have to come here at least once. I can almost guarantee it will be on your Yelp list.
Review Source:In town briefly and staying across the river in Earth City we tried to eat at the Trailhead Brewery. The wait at 7pm on a Wednesday night was an hour and a half?! So we wound up walking down the street and right next door we found this nice little place.
The food (Gouda stuffed pork chop and mesquite grilled salmon) was good, they have an excellent beer selection (Delerium Nocturnum was my choice) and a nice, relaxed atmosphere. The service was professional and the room itself was warm and charming. They have a Wild Rice Soup that's very good.
I'm glad we bounced off the Trailhead and landed here, we had a much more relaxing, Â pleasant dinner.
This is an great, relaxed bar right off of the St. Charles riverfront.
Old Mill Stream actually burnt down awhile ago and they just recently rebuilt it. I never went to the original, but I love the atmosphere. Inside, you feel like you are in an old-time tavern. The light fixtures are really cool; they are handmade glass with cool designs. They also probably have the best imported beer selection in the St. Charles area.
My favorite thing about Old Mill Stream is their beer garden. It's spacious and has really cool fire pits throughout. So, you can enjoy relaxing outside here in the summer and in fall and early spring. In general, this place just has a chill atmosphere with a relaxed crowd. It's the perfect place to spend a weekend evening.
They also are supposed to be re-opening their kitchen soon, so I'm anxious to try their food.