Brasserie by Niche

Wonderful as usual!! Awesome waiters and waitresses and fabulous food. Our favorite restaurant in St Louis

First time at Brassiere! My friend and I arrived without a reservation. While there was plenty of seating, but the hostess offered us seating at one of the two bars. She didn't ask whether we wanted a table. Her eye contact was poor. We went to the third room's bar to wait for another friend.

I really liked this bar. The entire room had minimal lighting and that suits me. The bartenders were friendly and patient with us as we decided which craft cocktails to order. I had a chocolate martini. It tasted like a chocolate orange candy. My 2nd friend arrived and she ordered ordered that cocktail when I made that comment. She also said that the hostess wasn't very friendly (or something like that).

At the bar, I ate a mac and cheese which first was only OK because the cheese had settled at the bottom. Once I dipped the macaroni noodles in the cheese at the bottom, yum! I got full, though it was just a side dish, and my friends helped me finish it. I also had a rose cocktail on ice.

We realized we didn't like the idea of sitting with three of us at the bar as it is difficult to speak that way. I went to the hostess stand. The hostess listened to me ask to be put on the list for a table, but didn't speak to me. She answered the phone when it rang and didn't talk to me during this interaction. But another employee who was very friendly and helpful put me on the wait list or made a reservation.

I returned to the bar to continue enjoying my drinks and we closed our bar tabs. Just after 7:00 we went back to the hostess stand. The hostess again was seemingly not thrilled w/ our presence.

The three of us were seated in the second room, at the table closest to the kitchen, though at least 30% of the tables were currently open. A couple of minutes later, the hostess returned and asked to move us to a booth behind us. The booth was in a better spot, so we were pleased. I don't know whether she moved us to be nice to us or because she was putting us in the corner or inconveniencing us.

I really don't know what to think of Brassiere. The reason why this was not a five-star experience was because of the way she treated us. I don't know why one person reacted so coolly to us. My friend thinks it's because she was wearing a beanie. It was cold outside and we'd walked from down the block. This shouldn't have mattered to anyone. Another customer wore jeans and he was sitting at a table. It's a nice place, but not a fancy place.

I used to come here for their extensive classic cocktail menu when the location was Taste. Since I've moved away and then back, it has rebranded as a French bistro, with a smaller cocktail menu. Last night, my friends and I met up here to try some drinks and catch up. It was a bit of an odd, mixed experience.

First, I think the hostess took an instant dislike to us (maybe it was the beanie I was wearing? The weather April Fooled us and it is COLD). We (two who arrived first at 6pm) asked if three people could be accommodated, and no, we did not have a reservation, to which the answer was "There's open seating at the bar." OK, fine, we are here for the bar anyway. Sometimes, it's just nicer to talk to each other at a table.
We went back to the "Brass Bar" in the third room, which was about the same as I remembered from Taste days. Very cool vibes. I really enjoyed the playlist, which had like Beach House and Kings of Leon (?) on it. The bartenders were quite nice and patient with us as we deliberated over the menu. While we waited for the third party member, my friend went back to the hostess to see about making a 7pm reservation--in about an hour--and it seems like maybe she was reluctant about that? It's a thrusday night, and the place was by no means full. I genuinely don't think it's so upscale a place as to not be able to serve 3 three drop-in people small bites and drinks with a hour's notice?

Anyway, we enjoyed our first cocktails at the bar and chatted a bit with the bartenders about what to drink next (got a very strong recommendation for the Elvis drink with banana liquor and esspresso--maybe next time, if there is one). Servers brought us French bread style rolls (crusty but soft inside) and butter, which I wasn't expecting but certainly appreciated.

At seven, we went back to the hostess, and she took us to the back of the restaurant to a table right by the kitchens. Loud! I was thinking maybe we should have stayed at the bar afterall, which wasn't crowded and did allow food ordering, when she came back and said, "I made a mistake," before moving us to a back corner. We all MUCH preferred the corner, but I can't decide if the first or the second table was meant as a slight?? The rest of the night, no one was seated at the other table... (It could have been a genuine mistake, but all of my party felt unexplained hostility)

Anyway, our server was Michael, and he was delightful and attentive. Never felt slighted for us just ordering sides/appetizers/dessert and a second round. We weren't chased out of the restaurant and were left to chat. He even comped my cocktail when it was forgotten at the bar long after my friend's drinks arrived. It was such a contrast in treatment and raised both my estimation of the place overall and softened how I'm viewing the hostess.

Anyway, the fries truly are "like crack," to use Michael's words, which I remembered from before, and the two drinks I tried were delicious and strong as well. Maybe I'll come back for dinner proper one day (with a proper reservation even).

I truly wish I could give 10 stars!

Immediately upon walking in we were greeted warmly and show to an adorable table with a gorgeous view! Our waitress Alexis was SO sweet and helpful and had THE best suggestions!

My husband and I had The Brasserie Old Fashioned, Bench 73, steak tartare, escargot, mussels, duck a l'Orange, pomme frites, London fog brûlée, floating island, and chocolate mousse (which was a surprise birthday freebie after we had a hard time choosing between the three desserts) and everything was unbelievably amazing. I cannot recommend any of those options enough and can only imagine how delicious the rest of the menu is!

Our courses came out perfectly timed and the food runner was also a delight. The restaraunt was spotless and comfortable with music that wasn't too loud and no harsh lighting.

This was truly the perfect dinner night out!

Pro tip: come with an empty stomach and a loose pocket book; the prices here are STEEP but well deserved! Don't second guess your order, just go for it! Nothing here is bad!

Went here with some friends for a birthday dinner and the food was phenomenal. First of all, I love the ambience. The dimly lit dining room is not for everyone, but I personally love it. The candle lit stairs up to the elevated level on the Brass Bar side were beautiful. We started with the cheese puffs which were very good, but almost felt like they were missing something. Nonetheless, I enjoyed them. They were pillowy, light and melted in your mouth. We also grabbed the Bibb salad which was certainly a good salad, but was not memorable in my opinion. It had great flavor, but generally just an average salad, not trying to knock it, just was not out of this world. However, the bistro steak and macaroni and cheese were elite. The cheese pull on the macaroni was fantastic and, personally, I am a huge fan of the bread crumbs and chives which I know are not for everyone. The steak was a perfect medium rare, and while I prefer butter with my steak, the béarnaise was perfect. The juicy, flavorful steak melted in your mouth while the béarnaise perfectly balanced things out with a rich, creamy, and salty flavor. And, I cannot forget the fries. The shoe string fries were fried to crispy perfection and I cannot forget to mention the generous portion. They load your plate, and each fry tastes better than the last. The aioli and ketchup to accompany them are fantastic. I hate ketchup and the ketchup they served up was great.
As for cocktails, the cocktail program is good. Albeit, my standards are high as I consider myself a cocktail elitist. The End of discussion was a nice riff on a Last Word replacing the gin with mezcal. I am a luxardo lover so I did thoroughly enjoy it, and was quite balanced. My partner got a bench 73, a french 75 riff. Which, it was exactly that, a close iteration of a classic. Nothing super special about it, just a quality drink. I ended my evening with the Elvis Elevator. A peanut butter whiskey, banana liqueur, and espresso cocktail. This one I was slightly disappointed in. I was hoping for more banana and peanut butter, but seemed as if the espresso over powered the cocktail. It was not as spirit forward as anticipated.

Nonetheless, the food was incredible, and relative to much of St. Louis the bar program is certainly above average, I think I just went in with slightly higher expectations which is my fault. I absolutely recommend Brass bar for an intimate date night and all of the food is going to hit home. Excited to return soon, I must try the burger soon!

10/10 Incredible! Best meal I've had in a very long time! Lindsey made my birthday dinner night so special- absolutely excellent service, thanks Lindsey!
Highly recommend the Escargot and the Braised Beef.

Brasserie by Niche is just as dreamy as I expected. We visited during Easter Sunday, thank you for being open and to all the friendly employees who worked the holiday. We sat outside on the front patio right next to the live acoustic guitar player, yeah dreamy. It was a little chilly so I ordered a hot cocktail; Sweater Weather Latte. I was glad to still have the opportunity of a hot drink although it tasted like fall and I immediately wanted it to be Autumn. It was very hard to decide what to order off the brunch menu, settled on something sweet and something savory. Food came quick but not too fast. The Egg Plat was different in a good way and hit the spot of breakfast but in a something new kind of way. Brioche French Toast was served with a lemon compote and was basically a lighter version of bread pudding. It did not disappoint. We'll definitely be back as I was still craving multiple other menu items!

Recently had an opportunity to try Brasserie by Niche while visiting St Louis. Really enjoyed the foldable menu and the calming lighting in the space. The area is easy to find parking nearby as well. I had an opportunity to try the escargot and the trout amandine. I enjoyed the escargot, though it was extremely hot and I could have used that warning before burning my tongue on the first bite.

The trout was very delicious, definitely surrounded in butter with almonds and green beans. I think this meal in particular missed a bit of seasoning. Just a little but of salt and pepper could have gone a long way and not take away from the fish's delicious flavor.

My friend had the French onion soup, side of Mac and cheese and salad with the bacon vinaigrette. The bacon vinaigrette seemed like magic to get the flavor without the pieces of bacon in it. However, the same concern around seasoning existed for the soup and Mac and cheese. The French onion soup was a lot more sweet than either of us really like and the onions didn't seem to get browned enough. Overall the location was nice but the food didn't hit the mark for us.

We came to this place upon the recommendation of a friend. The restaurant was very French-inspired. And there was a guitar player performing during brunch, adding to the nice ambience. The service was initially slow, but they seemed to be a bit busy. We ordered three dishes:

Brioche French Toast: If you're a fan of sweet and citrusy delights, this dish is a must-try. The brioche French toast was impeccably fluffy and golden-brown, creating a beautiful canvas for the zesty lemon curd. The combination was a perfect blend of sweetness and tanginess. This was my favorite item by far!

Eggs Benedict: These were your classic eggs benedict, done very well. The poached eggs were perfectly cooked, and the dijon hollandaise sauce added a pleasant creaminess with a hint of tang. The toasted brioche was a fantastic base, and the breakfast potatoes were a delightful sidekick.

Brasserie Burger: The burger came topped with American cheese, dijonnaise, onion, and dill pickle, all served alongside a generous portion of fries. The fries were very skinny, so it was very crisp. If you likely skinny fries, this is the place for you. Wonderful mix of crisp and slight fluffiness on the inside. The combination of flavors in this burger was a mouthwatering sensation, with the dijonnaise and dill pickle providing a zesty kick that perfectly complemented the savory burger patty.

In summary, Brasserie by Niche offers a tight menu for brunch, but seems to execute your classic dishes very well. The quality of ingredients and the attention to detail in each dish were evident. I don't typically go for sweet dishes (more of a meat man myself), but I definitely wasn't missing it with the Brioche French Toast. 4.5/5 stars, would definitely come back!

We had a great dinner celebrating our engagement with family here! We had a reservation at 7:30 on a Saturday night, and when we showed up we were told the table wasn't ready- we ended up not getting seated until closer to 8pm, however the staff accommodated us while we waited, providing us with drinks and appetizers on the house while we hung out at the bar. They also treated us to a complimentary floating island dessert at the end of the night for our engagement. This restaurant really goes above and beyond with the customer service- special thanks to Paris and one of the hostesses (we didn't get her name) who checked on us and made sure we were taken care of throughout the night!