annie gunn's

my wife and i had an anniversary dinner there on 4/21. typical busy friday night, yet they were able to sit us 30 mins earlier than our reservation of 9 pm. our server perry was excellent, very outgoing and personable. my wife has a gluten allergy, so he had some great suggestions and also checked​ with chef when needed. we had the cold smoked shrimp appetizer, which was phenomenal and salads to start. my wife had a filet and i had the new york strip, both cooked perfectly. great night with amazing service and meal. thanksanniegunn's!!

i get that st. louis has a little bit of city vs. county competition, but the number of times that knowledgable food enthusiasts that i trust have brushed off “the gunn” is both disheartening and aggravating. if your aim is to eat at all of st. louis’ best restaurants, a visit toanniegunn’s is in order. actually, two visits are in order. go for lunch and ask to be seated in the semi-outdoor atrium. go for dinner and enjoy a decadent steak dinner with the finest wines. at some point i’ll write about their dinner, but this post will serve as a lunch guide.

annie gunn's longevity is no surprise. high quality ingredients went into all of the dishes we tried and execution was excellent. i've heard and read good things about their burgers so i'll have to make another trip to try those. often i'm asked what the best steakhouse is in st. louis and my usual reply is the one you make at home. as george mahe recently reported, you pay for a lot of extra expenses when you order a steak (or really anything) at a restaurant - all the more reason why execution should be spot on when you do order a steak, especially at a steakhouse. still there's little substitute for a nice dinner out for special occasions and for that purpose,anniegunn's hits on all cylinders

disappointed... i had re.... disappointed...

i had read positive reviews & heard such interesting things aboutanniegunn's that i had expected our new year's eve dinner to be exceptional. instead, we were sat at a small table in a restaurant with a vapid atomasphere where you could barely hear the person sitting across from you.

service was average. the food was good but nothing better than what i've had in the past at any other upscale restaurant. i suppose i expected to be wow'd and wasn't impressed.

i wouldn't go back. there are too many other choices..

the proof is in the pudding. we stumbled uponanniegunns off of highway 64 accidentally, as we were searching for a generic place to eat. good 'ole urbanspoon popped up with this recommendation. it at first appears like a roadside pub and market, but once inside you realize it offers full scale dining at equally full scale prices. we were sat on the patio overlooking the well camouflaged and heavily landscaped parking lot. but it wasn't unpleasant by any means. the service was swarming, down to earth and very competent. they have been well trained in making the customer feel at home. i really enjoyed the casual, yet professional vibe they had. we were offered an apéritif, some bread and a cocktail menu. i tried the gin with two kinds of bitters, and it was a refreshing start to the meal. we opted for the chef's choice mixed appetizer platter of smoked sausage, razor sliced imported hams, smoked pork belly with honey glaze, trout pâté, pickled vegetables, soft and smoked cheeses, and salty condiments of olives and nuts. every single bite was well prepared by the friendly and welcoming sous chef who delivered it to our table. the food was served on a large wooden bread board and was quickly devoured by all. the kids enjoyed their burgers and mac and cheese. another diner loved his pan-seared spicy trout with seasoned rice, and my wife enjoyed her cold smoked whitefish with fig salad. my starter of cheddar soup was earthy and had a biting, savory blend. my lamb chops were amazing, seared crispy and sweet with a chutney onion glaze, and cooked perfectly medium rare and tender. the accompanying blue cheese and gruyere layered potato gratin was delightfully browned on the edges, and had a wonderful tang and creaminess that was truly satisfying. even the side of sweet potato hash was perfectly seasoned with nutmeg and a maple syrup and black pepper garnish. it was reminiscent of a sweet potato casserole at thanksgiving. i finished with their famous bread pudding saturated with a french custard and raisins and topped with a world class caramel bourbon sauce that makes you smile. far and away, the pudding was the best i have ever tasted. the other deep chocolate mousse, rich and almost bitter, and macerated berry cakes were well received by kids and adults alike. the price was steep, but in line with the excellent quality of the food. i want to revisit on a special occasion so that i have a proper excuse to try that astonishingly good bread pudding one more time. that alone should make this place a destination restaurant on your wish list.

worth the price of admission. yes,anniegunn's is pricey. but, chef lou never disappoints and the service is top notch. amazing wine list, always packed and lively atmosphere. definite must see in st. louis.

it is quite pricey though and has a more…mature…vibe of the west county set. but good food is good food. i think it is entirely appropriate that there is a large bronze pig sitting proudly and contentedly with his bucket in front ofanniegunn’s. pretty soundly embodies the spirit of the place – in a good way.

it's good, but....anniegunn's does have some phenomenal wine lists, and delicious food, but i wonder if this isn't just how a restaurant should be. the problem i have with gunn's is the cost. it is exhorbent, and i just don't know if it is worth the cost. i enjoy my meal each time i go, but i would expect no less when i am paying so much. i continue to go, so there must be something that attracts, however, it doesn't wow me like some of the smaller more specialized locations i have enjoyed. good food overall, and great wine, of course.

i highly recommendanniegunn's for a hearty and inventive dinner - their menu has a nice mix of classic dishes that appeal to pickier folks like me as well as more exotic / gourmet dishes...

it's a steakhouse. it's incredibly overpriced for what you should expect from a steakhouse. a good one is good, but it's not spectacular.

i'm a transplant and when i hear someone wax poetic about mashed potatoes, my reaction is 'it's just made the way that you should make it' as opposed to 'omg it's the best ever'. shouldn't any restaurant provide decent food? is there just so much bad food in west county that when someone delivers a medium rare steak with a side of mash, that people do donuts over it?

even with all of that, we occasionally go toanniegunn's. but this isn't 'fine dining', it just wants to be and charges for it. be prepared for a crowd and noise. the place to take grandma when she comes to town and you don't want to bother driving into the city. not worth the price on an average night.

excellent lunch!. i have dined numerous times atanniegunn's for lunch and have always had excellent meals with great service. i dont recommend eating before going down the street to skyzone trampolines though :p

i've been eating at annies since before i can remember, and at the smokehouse market delie before that! i love this place, it's somewhere you can go and the staff knows you by name, they have all been there for so long and any new members ate quick to learn who you are! i'm a sucker for the potato soup and ceaser salad, i don't even have to tellanniewhat i want to order it's just my "usual" i recommend this amazing place to anyone and everone!!!! just make sure you save me a seat!!!!

friday atanniegunns. three of us had reservations for 7 pm on a friday. we arrived on time and told our table was not ready. several groups came after us and were seated. we inquired several times and told the party at our table was still sitting there. several more groups were seated. we waited until almost 8 pm for this specific table!!! i guess i have never heard of such a thing. i thought you were seated when a table became available and the time of your reservation. i have never encountered this method of seating. is this common? it really did put a damper on the evening.

lamb chops. simply the best lamb chops. i rarely even try lamb anywhere else now, because i am always dissapointed. recently, i was at a five-star restaurant (the highlands in birmingham), so i braved the lamb there. it was delicious, and the owner was complimented when i told him that i had finally had lamb equal toanniegunn's (equal, not better!)--found out he is aware ofanniegunn's lamb chops, too! get the lamb chops!

still one of my favorites. it's not uncommon for my husband and i to frequentanniegunn's 3 to 5 times a week when we are in town. we have a lot of history there. i got engaged at the bar next to the stanley cup, and held my pre-wedding party and husband's surprise birthday party both on the patio.
last night we shared a 10 ounce filet mignon cooked to perfection with their killer mashed potatoes. a glass of nickel & nickel syrah paired well with the steak.

yes, the food is pricey but it is always excellent quality. the best deal on the menu is the grilled meat loaf, and you can't go wrong with any of the soup offerings. make sure you save room for dessert, especially their bread pudding with bananas & hot buttered rum sauce or their creme brulee.