We did the sample plates galore and loved it. Â We had the seafood trio and my fav was the lobster rav, great sauce! My least fav was the scallop. The chowda had a great buttery finish and the lemon salmon was crunch and paired perfectly w/ the spinach. Â
Dan had the filet trio and the steak topped w/ an egg was his fav. Â All the meats were tender and flavorful. The Wellington was good but not memorable. Â The blue cheese steak was perfect when blended w/ the spot of tomato sauce. Â The trio of sides are our best selection w/ every meal. The tatter tots casserole is divine!!! Â The macaroni had a touch of truffle oil - yum! Â The spinach is just good. Â Eat big, don't worry about desert!
Seriously? Â How did I not know about this place before last week?! Â I was looking for somewhere new to have a nice dinner and found it on Open Table and I'm so glad I did.
My husband and I had dinner here last night - on a Sunday - and loved it. Â The place was hoppin' even on a Sunday and I was glad I'd made a reservation. Â
The service was impeccable. Â Everyone we spoke to was friendly. Â Cocktails replaced immediately, water bottle and glasses kept full, empty dishes cleared promptly, but nobody hovered over our table - it wasn't too much, just right.
The Parmesan pull apart bread that was brought to the table is almost worth the trip! Â
We started with the Pigs Under a Blanket featuring house-made chorizo. Â Flavor was good but too salty. Â We each had a different salad and both were good but mine had just a tad too much dressing. Â I should have ordered it on the side as I usually do - I guess I like a little less than most people.
My husband ordered a fish entree and he said it was flavorful and well prepared. Â I ordered the pork steak and I don't even eat pork steak. Â I was torn between the short ribs and the pork steak after our server told me about them. Â I elected to let him choose for me and I got the pork steak! Â I'm telling you to order the pork steak. Â It. Was. So. Good. The flavor was fabulous and there was almost no fat at all. Â And it was a good-sized chunk of meat! Â The rice side dish was good, but again, a little too salty for me.
We don't usually get dessert, but I had been told by a friend to get one. Â The desserts take 20-25 minutes to prepare, so we ordered ours when our entrees were brought out. Â We chose the carrot cake. Â It came out in a little skillet. Â It's like the best spice cake you've ever had and it's warm. Â Instead of cream cheese icing, it's served with a generous scoop of pralines and cream ice cream. Â It was the best dessert I've had in a restaurant in a long time! Â We shared the carrot cake and didn't quite finish it - definitely enough for two.
The pineapple martini was really good, too! Â Our server told us about it and it sounded good and it was!
We loved our meal and dining experience here and are planning to go back again soon. Â I think we'll sit at the chefs counter and I'll try the short ribs!
I really enjoyed our evening. We went with a group of six, there were no reservations left on a Friday evening in the dining room but we were able to reserve a stop in the bar which was fine. We had dinner and cocktails, it was loud enough that we didn't feel bad when our laughter went from chuckles to a loud roar at times. Our service was wonderful, we were greeted by the managers as well as our server. We started with the wonderful cheese bread, for an entree I had the trout served with lemon and butter, my bf had the trout prepared Thai style. We both really enjoyed our food. There was a chalk board stating what fish was available and all the different ways it could be prepared, I was very happy with my selection. The fish was huge, the vegetables that came with it, potatoes and asparagus were perfect too. This is more of a special occasion place since we did pay $130 for the two of us. I can't wait though to go again. I am a "city snob" but this will take me to the county again.
Review Source:Ambiance and atmosphere perfect for date night or an outing with the girls. Smaller menu and very expensive for the quality of food. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't disgusting...it just seemed too busy in there the night we went in and it felt wham bahm thank-you mammed. It was a little greasy and loaded with salt. Flavorful, but lacking something. Maybe it was the service that stunk? It was blazing hot in there and our whole party was seriously sweating...not attractive. The wine was delicious however and the cocktails were tasty. Our waiter was unfriendly and clearly very busy! Which again stunk because it just left me feeling bitter about my tab. I won't be dining there again. Wayy too expensive, was really geared up about this place because I'd heard good things, but overall just left me feeling kind of unimpressed. Sorry tavern ;(
Review Source:I have been looking forward to trying this place for a while now, and I wasn't disappointed when we visited on a Friday night.  The restaurant's atmosphere is casual yet upscale and I loved the open kitchen concept.  The décor is beautiful and I loved the ambiance.  The tables are placed a little close together, but it's part of the concept.  We arrived early for our reservation, so we sat at the bar (which is a little small) and had the bastard shrimp, which were excellent.  The bartender was pretty attentive and friendly - I would give him a 3/5, he didn't seem overly enthusiastic to be there but was still helpful.  I liked how everyone has complimentary bread in the cast iron skillet, it was a nice touch and the bread melts in your mouth.  I had a glass of the only non-California Sauvignon Blanc available and it was ok, but I wish there were more options there.  Mr. G tried the summer breeze (I believe) and he wasn't a fan, he said it was too sweet and just didn't like the taste, but that could be a personal preference.  After we were seated, our waitress came right over and was attentive and friendly to us from start to end of our visit, she was great.  We had the gnocchi appetizer which was small in portion size (as are most upscale restaurants) and it was good, but the cheese filling was a little overpowering to the whole thing.  I ordered the sea scallops and they were great.  I really enjoyed the presentation and medley that was served with the dish - I thought it all went together very nicely.  The others ordered the Tavern burger, which I thought was very good - the fried egg on top topped it off.  It was reasonably priced as well compared to the other dishes.  Someone ordered the fish sampler which came with smaller portions of a few dishes.  The desserts all sounded great; we ordered the half baked cookie with cookie dough ice cream and not surprisingly, it was delicious.  Not sure how you could go wrong with that one.  All in all we had a nice evening with good food, but a little pricey.  This restaurant reminds me of visiting Clayton or CWE, so I was also surprised at an upscale restaurant in a strip mall area (even though this restaurant is situated on an end spot) it still seems a little out of place surrounded by your typical casual bar/grill type of places, but they were busy so obviously it works.  I would visit again for a special occasion.
Review Source:This place had been on my bookmark list for ages and I hadn't gone yet. Why? No idea. Mostly because it's a far drive for us and the food sounded too trendy for Sean. Little did I know they were pretty flexible w.r.t. food and had tons of options as well as off menu stuff as well. We got lost finding the place due to google map's fuckery, but as soon as we entered the general area I figured out where I was, as they are right across the road from Izakaya Ren which is a terrific restaurant I'd been to a couple times before. They're in a spacious shopping plaza, and Sean was surprised to see this area is now developed because apparently it was barren a few years ago when he lived in the area.
The hostess who greeted us was super friendly and we ended up talking to her for a while after the meal as well. Our server was friendly too, and really efficient. Kudos to them for great service.
Now for the food...I couldn't decide what to order. The menu is effing massive! Not necessarily a bad thing. I'd like to go back and try other items, perhaps. Ended up getting house cab to drink and the seafood tasting...board...thingy. Sean went with his usual, a bacon cheeseburger but modified to be less "trendy" (aka sans tomato 'jam') lol. I liked that the server brought out some bread almost immediately after I sat down. I was hungry as fuck, so that was awesome. But she didn't mention it was spicy, and I was a little ill afterwards. Oops. But it was still good. Not her fault my body can't process spicy stuff, but a little warning would have been great too.
Unfortunately the food here did not blow me away. :( I am glad I tried the tasting board thing though because I came to the realization that the ravioli tasted the best out of the four items, and the scallops were also quite good. But everything else was just 'meh'...somehow unexciting. The real thing that turned me off was how freaking OILY and greasy everything here was! Seriously...swimming in oil. I had to use my napkin to blot it, and it was just so gross and nasty, I began to lose my appetite. I had also ordered the side of macaroni and cheese, and it ended up being more like a white Alfredo sauce than what I had imagined. It wasn't bad but it was super salty and oily as well. Blegh. I ended up throwing away my leftovers. I only took it home because I didn't want the waitress to feel bad, lol. I guess I am just a weirdo or something.
Anyway, it was really a shame I didn't like the food because I loved the service and the environment, and the open kitchen idea is really cool. There are SO many other things on the menu plus the create-your-own dinner thing seems like a cool concept. I think we might return sometime soon and opt for the create your own and tell them to go light on the oil. Sean didn't much care for his burger but he did enjoy the fries.
This spot has been on my short list for some time. Â
It is true... the storefront is very unassuming. Â I actually almost missed it as I drove around the parking lot of the Valley Park Strip mall. Â It was a Sunday evening so I wasn't expecting much of a crowd. Â Once you walk in through the doors you a whisked away an establishment that definitely doesn't belong in a strip mall. Â The decor is very bistro-ish but not too snobby. Â The tables appear to be made of reclaimed wood. Â The kitchen is open and some of the menu items are listed on a chalk board. Â Somewhat similar to "Home Wine Kitchen" in Webster. Â
The hostess was very pleasant and we were seated almost immediately (I did have reservations though). Â The menu really isn't vast but it does cover numerous styles. Â I saw salads, hamburgers, steaks, meatloaf, lots of seafood, scallops, and of course a decent wine list. Â
I did quickly peruse the Yelp site to look for food suggestions. Â We opted for the JH Trio and the Oak Plank since neither of us could decide what to eat. Â Might as well order a variety! Â Both were EXCELLENT! Â Of the JH Trio, my favorite was the Ahi Tuna. Â Of the Oak Plank I really enjoyed the Chia Siu Pork the best. Â All of the other items were also very good but those 2 items stood out the most. Â Portions were just about right that you don't have to share these sampler platters if you do not want to. Â We also ordered the brussel sprout side and it was served in a cast iron skillet with caramelized onions, pancetta, and cloves of garlic. Â Yummy!
Now definitely save room for dessert, which I unfortunately didn't, but I ordered dessert anyway. Â It seems the majority of desserts needed a 20 minute buffer so order early once you decide. Â We opted for the carrot cake and of course the half baked cookie. Â Both served in an iron skillet with a scoop of ice cream on top. Â Both were to die for! Â Probably the best I've had in a while. Â Needless to say I ate way too much and actually contemplated walking around and doing the Adam Richman jiggle just so I could eat more.
We will be back. Â Overall 2 thumbs up. Â Thank you Justin for an excellent meal!
Quite a nice dining experience. Â This well managed establishment is located in a strip center. Â Don't let that fool you. Â Our reserved 6-top was ready upon arrival. Â We casually cocktailed at the quaint but limited bar for a few then we were immediately seated. The server was knowledgeable, friendly and efficient. Â We brought our own wine which was handled professionally by the staff. Â Our food was timely and quite good. Â The apps and salad were very nice. Â We ranged in everything from fish and meat to pasta and risotto dishes. Â All were fresh, well prepared and plated to perfection. Â The desserts were served hot in miniature cast iron pans..unique touch we enjoyed immensely. It is a rather industrial modern looking interior and makes for easy conversation albeit a little tight. Â The evening and experience were a delight.
Review Source:Amazing! Â Everything was amazing! Â The food. The service. Look on their website if you're going on Sunday night because they have an amazing deal! Â There were 4 of us so we took advantage of it. For the appetizer, we had the Taste of the Tavern and the JH Classic. Wow! Â The chicken saltimbocca was out of this world! Â Everyone's meal was just amazing! Â For dessert we all tried something different and it was all very good but I think mine was the best. I had the carrot cake which was out of this world!! Â I looooove carrot cake! Â They ask about half way thru your meal about dessert because they are all made individually. Â Don't forget the tater tot casserole!!! Â I could talk for hours abut this place. Just do yourself a favor and go!
Review Source:The Tavern Kitchen & Bar is out of place in Valley Park, but if you do not mind the drive or in my case, live fairly close this is well worth it.
It is rare that everything we order is excellent and/or exceeded our expectations....even the iceberg salad that came out before the meal was fantastic and made an impression. Â The bread served with our drinks was so good that it should be on the menu. Â It was right out of the oven, super soft and very tasty.
I ordered the blackened  ahi tuna rare and it was done perfectly.  The tuna was very tender, seemed fresh and included Calypso Black Beans, 'Guacamole',
Salsa Verde, Mango Buerre Blanc to add  spicy but not overbearing flavors.  I also ordered Caramelized Brussels Sprouts  with Pancetta & Balsamic which if I had to guess, added a few pounds alone and was worth it. Â
My wife had the Chicken Saltimbocca with Sage Risotto, Proscuitto, Marsala Sauce,
with Parmesan Fondue. Â Also excellent.
In this price range, they cannot afford to serve pretty good food and service and on my first visit, they did far better and I was happy to pay for it.
There was plenty of interesting items to choose from on the menu and we will surely be back to try something new.
I really like this place. I haven't been here in a little while because I moved into the city a couple of years ago. I use to live just down the road and it was within walking distance, but since the move I just don't get out this way as often.
Let me start with the ambiance of this place. It is great for both intimate and large group settings. They have great seating areas in the bar, near the kitchen and a back room which seemed to be more for larger groups. The back room is where we sat on this occasion because there were to be 10 in our party. It ended up with only 7, but it was a great time anyway. The lighting was fantastic and the mix of modern and rustic blend well.
The service, we were helped mainly by Michael, was spot on and no one wanted for anything. There were many people helping refill water, deliver food and other various tasks and all were pleasant, friendly and professional.
The foods were fantastic. We had a variety of appetizers and entrees and everyone really enjoyed them. The appetizers we had were: Baby back ribs (tender and delicious, but sticky from the sauce), Foie Pockets (absolutely decadent), Angry Bastards (a great way to serve shrimp and a table favorite) and finally the Ahi Poke, which was my personal favorite. I could eat this as a meal. The tuna was fresh and the rice was perfectly cooked. The accompanying pineapple, tomato garnish was a great complement.
For my entree I ordered the Surf & Turf tasting board because I couldn't decide on the fantastic choices presented. This had "Filet Loco Moco" which was a tender piece of beef filet with a perfectly cooked egg on top. It did have a sort of "gravy" or sauce on it and I didn't get a chance to ask from what it was made. I could have done without the sauce, but it didn't ruin the flavor. The second was the Chicken Saltimbocca. It was good, but probably a little overcooked for my taste.Third came the Blackened Ahi which was done superbly and finally the Sesame Mahi Mahi which was ok. I appreciate this entree for it's purpose of getting to taste it all, but next time I will be going with a single entree.
The sides all come served family style, so we tried a few. We tried the Truffle Mac&Cheese, The Loaded Tater-Tot Casserole and the Spinach Souffle. Â All were honestly, just okay. The souffle was definitely overcooked.
I have had the Tavern Burger in the past and a gentleman who was in our party tried it this time and it is truly 5-Star. He travels the entire US regularly and parts of the world and declared this burger "the best he has ever had" That's quite the compliment.
The pricing here is definitely on the higher side. I get what they're doing and I appreciate the attempt to bring higher end dining to West County, but it might be a touch overpriced. I'm not opposed to spend more on great food, and although the food is above average, it's just not in this price range great.
I try to wrap it up in a bow for you all:
Ambiance - 5 Star
Service - 5 Star
Food - 4 Star
Pricing - 3 Star
Average rating - 4.25 Stars
Reservations are encouraged and there is plenty of parking available.
We came here to celebrate Chip K's birthday. Â We had 7pm reservations and we were seated promptly. Â This place can be described as "New Trend". Â Where you can have a sampler type meal or a meal focusing on one item. Â My wife and I chose the New York Strip steak. Â It was served with mashed potatoes and flash fried spinach. Â This dish was $34 for each. Â You do not get a full New York strip you get a strip sliced into almost bite size pieces served over the mashed potatoes and the spinach was placed on top. Â Not knowing this was a "New Trend" place I asked what my order was when it was placed before me. Â Oh. Â I thought I was going to get a steak as in a full steak. Â Was served as I ordered and had a wonderful flavor.
Some other thoughts they bring a cast iron dish with Parmesan  bread served hot. I also had a Iceberg lettuce as a starter served with buttermilk and blue cheese dressing.  Very nice.  Since this is a small sample type place the bill can get a little on the high side.
Food is fine, and the ambience is good, but the prices are ridiculously high for its Valley Park/Ballwin location. This ain't Manhattan or San Francisco, but that's where you would expect to find $34 entrees. In fact, I've eaten for less in those cities.
You guys need to dial it back, unless you have Bill Gates and Warren Buffet coming in every night.
Let me just start with a very simple statement, WOW. I mean, who of us needs more than that? Oh, you? You need more than that? O.k. let me expound.
First of all I love that I can make a reservation through Open Table. That seriously makes life easier. Mobile device or online, it's great dining preparedness.
We also didn't have to wait for a table. Little annoys me more than having taken the time to make a reservation, and then being made to wait for my table.
Secondly, Earnest just might be the best waiter in Saint Louis. I realize that is a bold statement, but out of the immense number of lackluster to stupendously horrid dining experiences my husband and I have had, he is a true gem, and The Tavern Kitchen & Bar are lucky to have him. Attentive, personable, funny, and knowledgeable are just a few of the qualities that he possesses.
Now onto the food! This is where it gets really good. Everything we ate was delicious. The bread service, of a fresh baked garlic bread, that pulls apart into the perfect bite sized pieces, served piping hot in a cast iron skillet. If that's not happiness in a single bite, well then I guess I just don't know who you are any more.
We had the Taste of the Tavern sampler as an appetizer, and it served two, to a tee. Hooray for truth in advertising. The Anson Mills Polenta was the hands down favorite, with the Ahi Poke a close second, though there wasn't a bad bite on the plate.
My husband had the JH Trio and I had the Oak Plank tasting boards. I love it when I can get to have a little bit of all the things that I wanted to try on the menu, all in one place. I could write sonnets about the Filet Loco Moco and the Meatloaf was better than Mom's was. (sssshhhhh don't tell)
Finally a Berry Financier for dessert. Almond lemon cake with cinnamon ice cream and warm berry compote. Yes please. I almost ate myself into a coma, and I haven't done that since my November trip to Peter Luger's.
The decor is spot on, with comfortable and stylish chairs and perfectly polyed reclaimed wood tables, a veritable 1-2 punch of the hardest to accomplish, in my book anyway. Ive been to a lot of places that hit either the stylish OR the comfort, but The Tavern has managed to do both.
Needless to say, I think anyway, that we'll be back eager to try new menu items and prepared to have fantastic service. I am thrilled to have found this gem, so close to home. So, while you're online, make a reservation, I doubt you'll be disappointed.
Ugh - How hard is it for places to keep up with a few social media applications? Someone should tell them that most undecided diners use mobile devices to decide where to eat.
I've been dying to try this place, but I live in the city so it's not close. Â However I had an appointment at a car dealership in Ballwin, so I bee lined over to have lunch. Â Funny thing, they aren't open for lunch. Â Yet here three months later, they still list that they are open for lunch.
I think what annoyed me even more was the response from the employee when I walked in. Â As though I was the idiot. Â Even if they were lying, they could have acted sorry and as if they didn't know.
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Added a day later
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So I figured if they didn't read Yelp reviews (which was my impression since none of the reviews had responses and their hours weren't even accurate) I sent an email via their website indicating much of what I did above; "Hey, you may want to take a few minutes to modify the info on Yelp and just give employees a heads up that they could at least be polite when people come in during off hours."
I have to say, I now understand why the employee wasn't pleasant.  I am a firm believer in things starting at the top and the snarky response I got from management was even more annoying then driving over one day to discover they were no longer open.  A pleasant, or even sufficient response, could have swayed me back through the doors, however they've more or less eliminated the possibility of me ever wanting to spend a dime with this company.  He didn't even acknowledge the rude employee and made sure to point out that they hadn't been opened for lunch for almost a year.  As if that "Best of..." award meant that out of the thousands of restaurants in the St. Louis metro area, I of course should be keeping up with their business hours.  Unbelievable.  Maybe, that's why I used my phone to scope out on Yelp if you were open before driving all the way to you?  Nonetheless, he did however manage to apologize that I didn't have enough sense to explore their own website to confirm the published hours on Yelp.  And then of course, made sure to say " I read YELP reviews, everyday of all of our restaurants and regardless of how many phone calls or emails WE cannot change anything on YELP.  Its very unfortunate."  No offense, but now you look like kind of  foolish because I could tell you that even if you miss all the links on Yelp to claim a page, that if you call them they for sure direct you to these pages.  That's what's great about Yelp.  You can't change the content from users, but you can use it as a phenomenal tool to get your own message out by having your business info, post announcements, interact with your customers, see their dining trends, track click-through rates of what people do on your page, and most importantly - grow from feedback from those who pay your bills.  No one wants to be the 90% who don't make it in this industry.
If I could give this place 12 stars, I would. Â It is THAT good!
From the appetizer(s) to the entree (get a tasting board) to the sides (get all three) to the desserts (best carrot cake EV-ER), you must go. Â Is it expensive? Â Yes. Â Is it worth it? Â Heck yes! Â Should you go? Â YES!!!!
This restaurant is a nice surprise in Valley Park. Â Fine dining in an unassuming area. Â The location, the decor and the clientle remind me of Paul Manno's in West County. Â If you have been there you understand what I'm talking about. Â
I went with my wife and her sister. Â We were dressed fairly casual but the hostess adn waitstaff treated us very well and without pretention. Â
At the table the bread is not your ordinary bread. It is a soft garlic bread that is served warm in a cast iron serving tray that you pull apart. This was some of the best table bread I have ever had. It was the highlight of the evening. Â I am surprised that as customers we are not paying for this.
For appetizers we started with the JH Classic. Â On paper this sounds amazing. However, the table consensus was that the lobster ravioli was a bit stiff, the pigs under the blanket had a neat presentation but bland on flavor, the ricotto gnudi was excellent and the fois pockets were good not great. Â For 28 bucks this is a pass.
I am not sure that the restaurant is trying to be sustainable but the waitress sort of implied it. Â They described the fish offerings of the day on the chalkboard above the kitchen. Â If the restaurant is sustainable I am not sure that they hold to that respect 100%. Â The fish is being flown hundreds of miles to get to the restaurant and not all are wild caught. There were no local offerings that I recognized from Missouri. Â We did not order any of the fish. This is just an observation. Of course, I could be completely wrong about this.
I was the only one who had a salad. I highly recommend the Baby Spinach salad. Well done, enough said.
My wife had the meatloaf which was in my opinion, having tried it, was bland and dry. However she enjoyed it. It was served with potato puree and gravy. For $22 since I paid the bill, I felt a little taken advantage of here. Â I would have been happier if it was $18. Â I ordered the chicken salimbocca. I was ok with $21. I ordered the green beans for a side and they were underdone. Her sister ordered the trio of sides as a meal. Â The tator tot casserole was ok, it tasted like tator tots. Â The truffle mushroom mac and cheese could have been the best mac n cheese I ever had and I had a lot in my time. Mac n Cheese 10/10. The spinach souffle was a pass. Â This trio easily serves the three at the table and plenty for her dinner. Â
So to sum this restaurant up. Â Inconsistent and at times overpriced. The free bread should be something they charge for because it is straight up addicting. The mac n cheese is f&^%ing awesome! The decor is fun and upscale. Great date night dinner. I would come back because there is a lot on the menu to explore but my expectations would not be so high.
I knew where they were its just Valley Park isn't the first place I think for great food....my best friend came in from San Francisco  though  a former St.. Louisan  it had been A long time since she has been back  when I told her we were going to a place in valley park her reaction was " I think the last time we were in valley park was in high school and we got stuck on some back road and the cops chased us" Hahahahaha well 30 + yrs later. We walked in and to my shock the place is packed! ITS TUESDAY! With 4 tops an 6 tops...obviously a great place to double date! The host asked if we had reservations, looking out on the packed house I wished I did.....no problem they sat us at the seats overlooking all the action in the kitchen.
The menu is exciting  with lots of choices without over doing it.....great flavor combinations....great assortment of fish, innovative appetizers, but the most exciting thing for my friend is the FULL vegetarian  menu and not just rice and steamed veggies. Their First great move "amuse bouchée" edamame in a spicy garlic sauce.I had the spinach salad, perfect, not too much dressing, perfect hard boiled egg. My friend had grilled asparagus with a sunny  egg on top, perfectly cooked. Then we both got the vegetarian ricotta gundi....delicate, with a grilled tomato ragout, basil oil...beautiful presentation. I opted for another appetizer the "Angry  Bastard" grilled spicy shrimp with a side of béchamel sauce, cooked perfectly. Their house  Chardonnay  paired perfectly, not oaky, but not too sweet.. a couple of complimentary doughnuts with maple whipped cream, an a side of bacon chips...
Finally a nice locally owned place with great food, staff and atmosphere, but don't tell anybody, I'd like to enjoy it before even Tuesdays are completely booked!
It is with a heavy heart that I have to write a mediocre review for The Tavern, having had lofty hopes. Â
Short on time for date night, we made a reservation here due to it's proximity to home. Â The decor is very tasteful - dark, with lots of stone & wood. Â They had house-infused pineapple vodka (made with Pearl), and it was really tasty & refreshing. Â
We were seated at a nice window table in the side room, and were greeted promptly by our waiter, Alex, who was delightful. Â They have a board with a variety of fresh fish that can be prepared in your choice, though we didn't order this. Â Their house bread comes out in a cast iron pan & is fantastic. Â The menu looked great, so we went with a sampler plate of apps, the JH Classic. Â From that, the Ricotta Knudi (oxtail gnocchi) was definitely the standout. Â The foie gras pockets were also delicious. Â Pigs Under a Blanket was shockingly spicy - yeah, it's chorizo, but it seemed excessive. Â And the lobster ravioli were not good at all - and I've rarely met a lobster ravioli that I didn't like!
For our entrees, we went with two different tasting boards (great idea, but poorly executed). Â I had the JH Trio with ahi tuna, mahi mahi & grouper. Â Of them, the mahi mahi was quite good, but the grouper was a real disappointment. Â It was dry & overcooked, and "potato grouper" here means they put some potato chips on top. Â The tuna was ok, nothing special. Â My husband had the Oak Plank (meatloaf, filet, pork, chicken) & none of them were very good. Â The filet was absolutely hideous - tough & poor quality. Â I hope that was just a fluke. Â
The real problem we had is that everything was too over-spiced. Â Good food and cuts of meat should be able to stand on their own without being overwhelmed with heavy sauces & copious spice. Â That was probably compounded by the fact that there were so many different flavors on the tasting boards. Â Perhaps a single entree would have worked better. Â It wasn't overly expensive & we managed to get out of there for under 200, but it's still money we wish we'd spent elsewhere. Â
A couple of other things to note: Â the wait staff all wear jeans, which is fine, but they might want to implement some standards there. Â Some of the employees were rocking some seriously bad denim. Â One guy's pants were falling down with his boxers hanging out & it looked terrible (jeez, that makes me sound old). Â Also, there was a big TV on the wall of the room we were in, which seemed out of place in a nice restaurant. Â I think the Tavern has some soul-searching to do, it just seems to have a bit of an identity crisis. Â
Summary: Great service (that's what the 3rd star is for), vodka, oxtail, decor, presentation. Â Not great everything else.
Freaking outstanding. There were 10 of us here in one of their back rooms celebrating a good friend's birthday and catching up. For most of us, it was our first time here. We had all heard great things and they did not disappoint. We started with salads, the wife the Iceberg and I the baby spinach. The baby spinach has a hardboiled egg slice on top and I now have a new found appreciation for a perfectly cooked hardboiled egg. It was pretty amazing. I would have been happy with a dinner  sized version of this salad if that was all I had here. The Iceberg was good too but we both agreed the baby spinach was the champ. We then shared the surf and turf tasting board which was amazing even to look at. It's a sampling of their Filet "loco mocco," chicken saltimbocca, blackened ahi and mahi mahi. Everything was delicious but the standout to us was the turf. We also had a side of their green beans with mushrooms and bacon, spot on.
Our meal was fantastic, our service was great, the company even better. The only two items of notice is that a friend ordered a double rum and coke and was served two separate drinks at the same time, and the birthday girl's fillet, ordered medium rare, was  served rare, really rare. They were quick to rectify both items and her steak was cooked perfectly ordered when returned and very quickly too.
Their dessert was a topper to an already awesome meal. Since it was our friend's birthday, they brought out a complimentary brownie w/ice cream on top and a candle on the side. Â We also ordered a half baked cookie that came with bacon whip cream, and then doughnuts with ice cream. Â With all ten of us, these desserts didn't stand a chance. Everything was awesome; we pretty much had to be rolled outta the place.
Took my girlfriend on a date here one night.
It's a bit further out then I like to travel, but she was staying with her parents for a couple of days and this place was in between my work and and her parents.
That being said, I will travel out here again for dinner.
We just had a plate of appetizers and a few drinks while we talked for hours. There was a heavy rainstorm that I think kept most people in, so it wasn't that busy.
The food is perfection, we had a small sampler platter and everything on it was just outstanding. The drinks where prefect and the service was spot on.
We really like the fact that this place has small private dinning rooms in the back and both figured we could use them with a few groups of people. With the food and drinks they serve and the service provided it will make for a wonderful evening!
Just GO!
Just not my kind of place. Â
Interesting twists of food combinations that many people would like. Â The service was ok, but seemed we were mostly ignored for other tables. Â I don't know if it was because we were new to the place or because others were dressed fancier (and the waitress assumed we would not tip the same as them), but I wasn't pleased with it. Â Prices are a little high, but not too unreasonable. Â The actual physical place is pretty cool how it is set up, but small. Â Two distinct areas with the bar and the back area to eat. Â
With just ok service, food that wasn't very flavorful and oddly combined, and a pretentiousness feel, it wasn't the place for me. Â A little too trendy/hipster for my liking.
I've been too busy to write reviews lately, but after tonight's dinner, I feel inspired. Â Sometimes inspiration stems from a really positive experience, and sometimes, it's the other way around. Â Unfortunately, tonight was the latter.
I've been meaning to try this place for so long. Â They have a whole vegetarian menu, which scores points with me already, and double points for having dishes on the vegetarian menu with truffle. Â Too bad that I didn't taste one hint of it, and that it didn't even make it into my to go box like it should have!
So my boyfriend and I ordered the ricotta gnudi, the romaine salad, the fusilli pasta, the seafood plank (only he ate that one), and a side of creamless corn with "truffle" and the "truffle" mac and cheese. The complimentary bread arrived first, and was a deliciously savory pull apart bread that we devoured within minutes. Â Sadly, we weren't offered more, but the gnudi and salad came pretty quickly. Â
The gnudi was only three teeny little balls in a sauce that was very hard to get ahold of, but it was ok. Â Nothing to write home about. Â The salad, on the other hand, was incredible. Â The buttermilk dressing and the homemade garlic croutons were by far the best part of the night. Â But it was all downhill after that. Â Waaay downhill.
The fusilli arrived, along with the seafood plank for the boy, and looked like a hot mess. Â Even an egg on top couldn't save the bland, effortless sauce along with the cheap looking tomatoes cut and thrown in the dish instead of the advertised mushrooms. Â In fact, there wasn't a single mushroom in my dish, and I don't really like tomatoes, nor does he. Â But we still had two sides with truffle set to arrive right? Â Wrong. Â The corn, while tasty, was not truffle corn, and the truffle mac and cheese was literally the same pasta and bland sauce as the fusilli. Â It was exactly the same. Â And it didn't contain any truffle.
Ok, so the food is beyond underwhelming. Â I probably wouldn't return, but I wouldn't crucify them either. Â And then I bit into my boyfriend's hush puppy... Â He ordered the seafood plank because we both love hush puppies, and they came with it. Â Before he ordered, he asked what was in the hush puppies and the waitress said, "Just cornmeal." Â So imagine my surprise when I bit into one and got a big mouthful of bacon in the center. Â Have I ever received meat in my food? Â On occasion. Â But it's pretty rare these days. Â However, on that very same day, while dining at Five Star Burgers for lunch, I also was blessed with bacon jam (the really chunky kind) on my veggie burger. Â So I was bacon-ed out, and ended up getting sick later.
My boyfriend nicely informed the waitress that there was indeed bacon in our hush puppies, and she comped our dessert. Â But to a vegetarian of 25 years, the damage was done. Â Plus, the food was not good in the first place. Â
I wanted to try this place. Â I finally did. Â And now I kinda wish I hadn't. Â And so does my tummy.
The weekend was approaching and I wanted to try something new. Saw The Tavern on my bookmark page and made reservations for a Saturday night. 9PM was the earliest! I've worked in food services when I was younger, so a booked night reflected good food. Walked into the Tavern and immediately noticed how packed the bar was. Squeezed my way to the host station quarter till my reservations but wasn't actually seated till a quarter after. Not complaining, like I said... Saturday night. When seated, 3 different servers approached my table and was apologetic (for what? I didn't know at the time) for having to wait so long. No biggie, I ordered some wine and enjoyed the company of my super hot date across from me. Haha!
For appetizers we ordered the Taste of the Tavern for two which consisted ahi poke (5/5), anson mills grits (3/5), hoison ribs (5/5), and grilled shrimp (5/5) all on separate plates with perfect portion size. Ahhhhmazing!
During all of this, server #1 delivered our drinks as server #2 gave us some cheesy garlic bread to start, and then finally server #3 delivered our main entrees. For my main course, I chose the chicken saltimbocca (3.5/5)  on top of sage risotto (2/5). I kind of kicked myself as soon as I saw my date's Surf and Turf tasting board. The presentation was similar to the appetizer and showed off some of their best dishes, in my opinion: filet loco moco in bleu cheese (5/5), chicken saltimbocca (3.5/5), sesame mahi mahi  (5/5), and blackened ahi (4/5).  And finally for dessert, we ordered their chocolate souffle (4/5). At this point, the crowd had died down and gave me an opportunity to observe my surroundings. Restaurant was intimate with dim lighting and faint music in the background. They have an open kitchen that had a decent amount of sous chefs and food preppers. It really was a nice romantic place. Service was fast, and a bit sloppy at times, but their energy and knowledge about the food was overall enjoyable. Although our bill came a little over a hundred without tip, it won't deter me from coming back!
Live in south county? You don't have to drive far for unique food.
After getting denied a table at one restaurant, we decided to go to our default comfort food spot (JJ Twigs.) Â After learning that it was going to be 30 minutes to get a table, we decided to mosey across the street and try to nab a bar seat at The Tavern. Â I'm glad we did.
There has been a lot of talk about this place and I have been apprehensive to try it because I knew it would be an expensive night. Â We put our name on the list and were told it would be about 15 minutes. Â Fortunately two bar stools opened up and we hastily shuffled over and got to them before any one from the mob of people standing around did. Â
The whole place with buzzing with a medium roar. Â The bartender was swamped, but we didn't mind. Â We didn't have anything to go back home to; we were in no hurry. Â We ordered a couple of beers and enjoyed the atmosphere for awhile before we got the bartender's attention for menus. Â
We decided to split a couple of items. Â I wanted to test drive some of their appetizers, so we went with "the taste of the Tavern" to start. Â It had the tuna tarare, blackened shrimp, chicken and chorizo grits and ribs. Â It was a nice sample of some of their best appetizers and everything was delicious. Â I was especially impressed the the ahi tuna because I usually like my meat cooked and hot, so it was a nice surprise. Â
We'd heard about the burgers being amazing and they were indeed. Â We split one and devoured it. Â The flavor and juiciness couldn't have been better. Â The bacon jam made it explosive. Â I could eat these all day long. Â As a side, we got asparagus ham and eggs, which we could have done without. Â We didn't think it was anything special.
I'm excited to come back and try some other food.  I can tell they have passion for their food and have put a lot of thought in their menu.  This is a great place for friends to meet up and in  a cool atmosphere with upscale food.
When we arrived at The Tavern Kitchen & Bar, the atmosphere was the first impression; eclectic and unique. The bar is located just inside the door. With several seats for those who just want to enjoy a libation. The host showed us to our table in the back dining room, past the kitchen that sits in the middle of the room. You can see the entire process from salads to appetizers to entrees to desserts.
Our server, Desiree, promptly came to our table and asked if it was our first visit to The Tavern. As it was, she explained the wine menu and the "chef's board", a large chalk board that hung on the wall. We could choose any of the entrees on  one side of the board and pair them with any of the cooking methods and side dishes from the other side of the board. An interesting way to promote the evening's specials.
Desiree also explained that if we wanted dessert we would need to order half way through our meal. Each dessert is baked to order and take a little time to prepare.
We started with a glass of wine while we scanned the menu. The dishes matched the decor; familiar with an eclectic twist. Appetizers included Pigs in a Blanket (Chorizo wrapped in puff pastry with a sofie beer cheese sauce) and Angry Bastards, (Blackened shrimp with Arrogant Bastard jalapeno butter).
As we read our menus, one of the servers brought our bread. This was presented in a small cast iron pan and had just come out of the oven. The bread was topped with seasonings and parmesan cheese. It was delicious.
The entrees are a la cart and can be paired with any of the side dishes. My wife ordered the Tavern Burger and I ordered the Chicken Saltimbocca. We both wanted to try the Loaded Tater Tot Casserole
Our meals were brought out quickly and everything was exactly as ordered. The burger was cooked perfectly and was huge. It was topped with tomato, cole slaw, bacon jam and cheddar cheese. It was absolutely delicious. The chicken saltimbocca was served in medallions on a bed of  risotto with a marsala sauce. The chicken was tender and tasty. The risotto was creamy and flavorful.
The Loaded Tater Tot Casserole is reason enough to go to The Tavern. Served in a small cast iron pan, the dish is topped with cheese, bacon, onion and more cheese. Simply spectacular!
Throughout our meal, Desiree continue checked on us and filled our water glasses. She was delightful and friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. Overall, our experience at The Tavern was fantastic. We will definitely be back.
For me, this place was a two star review, but since everyone else at the table was raving, I gave it three. Here's my take on Tavern:
1. There are too many options. You can order from the menu, you can get a tasting board, you can order from the fish board. It's hard to tell from the menu what sides come with the entrée verses the tasting boards. It's too, too much.
2. I like the concept of the tasting boards. If you can't decide between the (zillions) of menu items, these are for you. The server said they are known for the tasting boards, and everyone at the table except me ordered one.
3. I guess it was my mistake getting the potato-crusted fish and not a tasting board. The fish had some enormous type of hashbrown hood ornament on top. It didn't have much flavor, so I didn't see the point. Was it garnish? Was it a side? The fish was sadly flavorless and dry. The only good part were the peppers underneath, but I had to dig through the fish and hashbrown castle to eat them.
4. I had some of my boyfriend's tasting board and was surprised at the lack of seasoning. Now - in case you were wondering - I put ketchup on lots of things. So I'm not a food snob, and if I can recognize it needs salt, that's saying something.
5. The desserts were easily my favorite part. The carrot cake gave me chills. Can I get a tasting board with four pieces of that cake, please?
Everyone else at my table ranted and raved about Tavern, so this could've just been my experience. If I were to go again I would get a tasting board. I think it's definitely worth a visit, just take other review with a grain of salt. (You might need it!)
I went to this very cool and modern restaurant with my family while we were all in town for Thanksgiving. Â My parents frequent this place and wanted us "kids" to try it because they love it so much.
First of all, reservations are difficult to get during busy times, so if you have a special occasion, definitely make sure you make reservations in advance. Â We ended up eating dinner at 9:45pm, but it was the Saturday after Thanksgiving and my last-minute family only made reservations the day before.
I liked the feel of the joint as soon as I walked in. Â Being the social drinkers we are, we arrived just past 9pm to sit at the bar and have some liquid appetizers. Â I was impressed at their selection of beers and was pleasantly surprised to find at least one Rogue beer as an option, considering I spent a few years in Oregon. Â The bartender was nice and soon enough, they seated us a bit early.
When we sat down, we were surprised with a nice Malbec (my favorite wine) that my aunt and uncle had arranged to be given to our table as a gift. Â They had dined there the night before and thought it would be a nice "thank you" for my mother hosting our big Thanksgiving extravaganza. Â The wine was excellent. Â Like any good Malbec, it had the perfect amount of kick, yet it was balanced very well with its subtle tannins.
As for dinner, I got the almond-crusted trout and it was to die for. Â Although I like the fishy taste of trout, this trout was buttery and smooth but not too smooth as to allow me to forget what kind of fish I was eating. Â It was cooked perfectly and the crust on the outside was brilliantly done.
Oh, another highlight that I would suggest is their mashed baked potato side. Â My father got the "trio of sides" and even though I have had my fair share of mashed potatoes, I was somehow still super impressed by whatever spin they have placed on their version. Â Yum.
The service was fantastic, the food was great, and I love the fact that they have an open kitchen (it says a lot about cleanliness, organization, and how well the chef runs the kitchen, overall). Â
Maybe I am being picky here, but the only thing that was a bit of a downer was the fact that it takes at least 20 minutes for them to prepare a dessert. Â So, if you want your dessert right after a meal, you have to order it before you even know how full you will be after you eat dinner. Â I think the only reason this bothered me a bit was because we had dinner so late and by the time we finished our food, it was about 10:30pm and we were all a bit tired. Â Otherwise, I would have gladly waited for what sounded like some seriously amazing sweets.
In sum, The Tavern was great. Â I thoroughly enjoyed my experience there and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in finding a great place to dine.
This is my first Yelp review... long time listener, first time caller... I have been meaning to join for awhile now...
Tavern Kitchen and Bar STL is a VERY welcome addition to the west St. Louis County dinning scene! While the Tavern Kitchen is by no means brand new, it still amazes me how may west countians are yet to have eaten here.
I will walk you through the entire process of the experience that is the Tavern...
Reservations are made through a 3rd party website (OpenTable). At first this whole process seems difficult to navigate. After familiarizing myself with the process, I wish more of my favorite places offered this service! There is no cat and mouse of trying to figure out when the restaurant has openings, you can see first hand on the screen what reservation times are available. This is a super easy process and should not intimidate first time users.
The restaurant is situated in a strip mall (which some of my friends have voiced displeasure over). The ownership group has done a great job of transforming a suburban storefront into a gastro pub setting. When entering Tavern you walk into the bar area which is perfect for grabbing a drink before checking in with the hostess. Everything about the bar/foyer is perfect. My only knock here is that I am yet to be really blown away by the bartender/mixologist working (maybe I catch them on the wrong nights).
The dining room is situated further back in the space. The dining room features no natural light and is boarded by an open kitchen down the right hand side and 2 intimate dinning spaces in the back for special events. When sitting in the dining room it is easy to forget that you are in west county, the space is put together perfectly!
Now lets talk about the food...
Chef Justin's culinary expertise is well showcased throughout the menu! There are basically 2 ways to attack the menu offerings: share some tasting boards or order the individual items. The tasting boards are a great way to try the entire menu (actually some of the tasting board items are not on the regular menu). In my experience the tasting boards are great for couples, more than 2 people would be a stretch with these. If you are ordering menu items, don't let the price fool you, these are full portions not small plates. For me, I would rather have a little bit of a lot than a lot of a little, so I tend to prefer their tasting menus...
The perfect meal at the Tavern is the JH Trio and Oak Plank tasting boards brought out separately with sides of tater tots and truffle mac & cheese. As an alternative, just going with one of those tasting boards and getting the appetizer tasting is another great way to go! I am kind of ashamed to admit that I have never had dessert at the Tavern as I have always been too full.
The lunch burgers at Tavern were some of the best that I have ever had. Unfortunately at the time of this review being written, the Tavern no longer is open for their weekday lunch service... Burgers topped with: Bacon Jam, Maytag Blue Cheese, Balsamic Onions, WOW!
All in all the Tavern is worth the trip as the menu sets up great for different kinds of dining experiences! Chef Justin has set the menu up to appeal to a wide range of customers and appetites. If you have been waiting to give the Tavern a try, wait no longer, this place i the real deal!
It was ok...and I have had much better for the price and the atmosphere. Â
Bread is ok.
Spin/Artichoke ravioli was tasty enough.
The "14 oz Ribeye" looked as though it was not up to par. Â I ordered the steak Charred ~ Med Rare and it came out barely charred and less than rare...not cooked. Â Sent it back for a re-cook and much closer to what I was looking for. Â The ribeye also seemed unusually thin for a 14 oz ribeye and the quality of the steak was less than that of what you can buy at Dierbergs...
My girlfriend ordered the mahi mahi and it was cooked appropriately but nothing special...not for spending $34 for a dish that included 2 bites of asparagus and 3-4 small potatoes.
All in all, I would not spend my own money here.
How did I not know this place existed? Â I grew up extremely close to here, and my parents still live nearby, but I wasn't aware of this restaurant until recently. Â We were hungry after leaving my parents' house at 9:30 pm, and drove over to The Corner Pub & Grill, a decent restaurant in the same plaza.
As we pulled into the plaza, I said "You know... I thought I read about a place in this plaza that was supposed to be really good... but I don't remember the name." Â Upon driving past The Tavern, I remembered that it was the place I was looking for, and we changed our dining plans.
Don't let the name fool you; this isn't a "tavern" in the traditional sense of the word. Â The food is fancier than what you'd get at the Corner Pub & Grill a few storefronts away, and the prices are steeper. Â It's also pretty busy; even at 9:30, they were pretty crowded and the seating host asked if we had reservations.
I started out with a beer; as others have mentioned, for a place called "The Tavern," the beer list isn't that extensive, but most of the choices are obscure enough that I didn't know what I wanted due to the lack of descriptions. Â Fortunately, our waitress helped me choose something up my alley -- the Goose Island Sofie, which was pretty good.
They brought us out bread, which was a pull-apart biscuit-like offering dusted with cheese and spices and served in a cast-iron pan. Â It might have been the best complementary restaurant bread I've had.
We had trouble agreeing on an appetizer, but finally decided on the baked artichoke ravioli dip. Â That's right, ravioli *dip*. Â It consisted of tender raviolis sailing on a sea of cheese that you put on pieces of pita. Â It was very good, much better than the standard spinach-artichoke dip found at so many other places.
We were indecisive about dinner, so chose one of their four "tasting boards." Â This one, the Oak Plank Taster, had bacon-wrapped meatloaf, chicken saltimbocca, pork tenderloin, and filet "loco moco" for $29. Â We also got the "trio of sides": tater tot casserole, creamed spinach, and "creamless" corn.
The meatloaf was very good, with a decent amount of seasoning and even a slight kick. Â It was served atop pureed potatoes and covered in a mushroom gravy, both of which were also quite tasty.
The smoked pork tenderloin came with a curry ginger carrot puree and English peas. Â The tenderloin and puree were pretty good, but what really got me were the peas. Â We went to England last summer, and ended up at a lot of pubs where they serve a side of "mushy peas" that were almost always disgusting. Â The mushy peas they serve with the pork tenderloin are absolutely fabulous.
The chicken saltimbocca (prosciutto-wrapped with sage) was served over risotto. Â At first I didn't know what to think, but by the time I finished it I decided it was actually quite good, juicy with a crispy coating.
The "loco moco" filet, served underneath an egg and atop madeira mushrooms, was actually the weakest item on the plate in my opinion. Â The egg didn't do much for the filet, and the madeira mushrooms were a little bitter. Â Not bad, though.
As for the sides? Â I don't have a clue. Â We were too full to try! Â We had them boxed up and brought home. Â We couldn't even think about dessert on our full stomachs.
All told, after tax and before tip, the bill was $62. Â I didn't think it was bad for everything we got, but looking over the menu it looks like we chose one of the better values. Â For instance, the meatloaf by itself is $19, which I think is a little ridiculous.
All in all, this place is a real gem in an area in need of some good dining options.
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