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Categories: Cajun/Creole, Jazz & Blues [Edit]
Neighborhood: DowntownStadium (MetroLink)
Mon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 1:30 a.m.
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This place has great atmosphere, pretty good Cajun food and great live music.
The size of the building is really small, so that is kind of a minus, but overall a great, different place.
I have been here twice before and was not that impressed- I had the standard Cajun fare with jambalaya and all that- it was ok, bland from what I remember from New Orleans-
So, we went back after a almost two year absence-
We had the Oysters Bienville- and we asked for charbroiled oysters, and they were accommodating- its not on the menu- and its a crime its not-
One word- HEAVEN-
They are amazing- I just wish they would accompany that with bread to sop up the goodness left from those- they give you crackers- they need to provide bread- my only complaint-
The Oysters Bienville- AMAZING-
I was in awe- the sherry on the oysters, along with the mushrooms and cheese- To die for!!!! I just thought it was the best ever, it takes 20 minutes for it to be prepared, but it is so worth the wait-
We also got a half dozen shrimp, didn't even need the cocktail sauce, they were so good-
The reviews speak for themselves- But they need to put the charbroiled oysters on the menu- we were BLESSED to hear another table inquire about them, and yes they were an option!! We loved them so much in New Orleans at the Acme Oyster house, and now we can get them here- huge bonus!!
The drinks were also good, I really cant say more, but if you miss this place- it would be a TRAVESTY!!!
I don't give 5's often, but they earned it!
service: best ever, very sweet girls who would find me gloves when I want to tear into crawfish.
food: where to start?
crawfish - spicy, hot, tasty, yummy morsels you have to wrestle with to get too - who doesn't love to play with their food.
catfish - the best I have had so far in this life time. the meat has great texture (proof it is fresh), they also season their fish I think, cause there is flavor in the catfish a little salty and little spicy, oh so right. then we come to the coating, which I am not sure what it is but it sticks to the fish perfectly, but not too hard, nice crunch and flavor.
jambalaya: so spicy I can't eat it ( my lovely and sensitive taste buds can only handle so much), my husband and best friend loves it though
seafood pasta: oh get ready for a heart attack, creamy, garlicky, probably a ton of butter, and yes worth every calorie
Their special dessert, bread pudding with some sort of alcoholic sauce (whisky I think - I don't drink hard liquor): wow, starting with the nice warm pudding, with just the right amount of moisture and sweetness to let the wonderful sauce come through. You can taste the alcohol, but it is not overpowering and there is just this perfect marriage of butter, alcohol flavor, creamy, sweetness, and warmth in your mouth to make you want to pass out.
three words about the ambiance - sticky dive bar
We ate here late on a Sunday night. The place is a dive, but it actually fits the character of the restaurant. It was pretty empty when we got there and there was plenty of parking in the lot behind the establishment.
I had a half dozen oyster and jambalaya. The oysters were fresh and tasty. The horseradish was uneventful though. The jambalaya was great and was a huge serving.
My wife had red beans and rice and she said it was good.
We had bread pudding for dessert, it wasn't too bad.
The only ding to the restaurant was the annoying racist customer at the bar watching the baseball game. He seemed to be a regular and the bartender didn't seem to mind his racist banter.
Great Cajun food, good service, a nice huge fan blew a steady light breeze on me outside on the patio, the patio setting is nice and there is a stage.
The portions of the food were huge and the food was VERY good.
**I am glad we ate here when there was not a game. If you did you will note that parking is not as easy as it could have been. heh. **
Also the service might suffer with a bigger crowd, as with anywhere. With the stadium so close, it isn't hard to imagine the place slammed after the game.
They have live bands but the band didn't start until after we left.
Went to B.O.B. 2 days ago - no matter how you cut it, this is a solid Cajun joint in St. Louis that could stand with any casual N'awlins fare. They have great hurricanes, good selection on Louisiana beers, regional stuff and nice staff. Real friendly and whatnot.
Had an etouffee that uses lots of celery - celery can make a good etouffee great. "Twas a good portion, and enjoyed a six-pack of Dixie with the etoufee and their excellent oysters. Raw, fresh, and delicious at a price of $10.95 a pound. They were a steal. If you haven't had the nerve for raw oyes - start here and dig in. If you don't like em here, you won't like 'em anywhere.
Me missus had jambalaya and the hurricanes. The hurricanes use SoCo instead of rum - makes them seem like you are drinking booze rather than fruit punch. Pat O'Brien's might not have anything to fear, but BOB-icanes can stand on their own. Total-with a 20% tip for good service- was $90. A steal.
BOB is right across from Busch Stadium - and this is ground zero for post-game Cards fans. Music is outside, and if you are there before the game, you need to pay a $5 (and up) cover to keep your table after the game...our cover was $12, and I wasn't up for tunes that night.
Never fear, BOB. When we are in the Gateway, we'll be back.
Do yourself a favor and get a grinder sandwich. You'll thank me later.
Thought the oysters were a bit pricey, but then again, I'm not an expert on these little delicacies. Pretty good for my first time trying them.
Drinks were moderately priced. Only two 1-stall bathrooms and kinda dingy, but adaquete.
GREAT atmosphere and live music. If you're coming after a Cards game get there right away or you'll never get a table. All in all, a fantastic place to break bread for my first meal during my first visit to STL.
Went there solo. Had the fried oysters as an app. The "Market Price" kind of scared me and it was definitely a portion that could have been shared with 3 people, and in the end they were 10.95. They were battered in a corn-meal delicious crust and fried to perfection, I was truly impressed.
Next I had a catfish po-boy. I was not prepared for the size, it basically had a 10-oz piece of fried catfish, 50% larger than any other fish po-boy I've had in Chicago. The fish was tasty, fresh, crispy, well-seasoned and the sandwich had nice pickles, tomato, red onion. The Cajun fries that it came with were the weak point of the meal. They should have been crispier and had more cajun salt.
The servers were great and overall I was extremely impressed and more than satisfied!
I've read through all the reviews on Oyster Bar several times over my past two visits, sometimes its hard though once I get back to my hotel I never want to drive out again because there are some closer places to the hotel and the convenience factor plays in. I'm glad I finally ignored the convenience and rolled back out for dinner.
Being by myself I never feel as daring with food as I would sometimes with other people around. I guess I feel more guilty if I get something and don't like it and with no one else it barely gets touched. Broadway Oyster Bar definitely has some dishes that from the menu wouldn't be for the faint of heart; their several alligator dishes lead the way. I think I would try them if I wasn't alone, but maybe I'll come back at a later time with a group, until then I went safe for the evening.
Broadway Oyster Bar sure doesn't appear to be anything fancy from the exterior, but as many times is the case when it comes to food, that is a good thing. The bar is well stocked with both beer and alcohol, and the bartender poured me VERY generous Jack and Coke's, which is always a plus. My bartender was very friendly, engaging (which is actually a relief for once because so many times around here they barely talk to me), so much so she will actually be the standard to which I now hold my bar service for this area. Food delivery after my order was VERY prompt.
I got the andouie grinder and all I can say is WOW. Instead of cutting open the side of the hoagie roll, they bore into the roll from the top, and then put everything inside. This is single handily one of the most brilliant ways of doing a hoagie I have yet to see. Sure a few bits of sausage fell out, but not nearly as much if it had been cut open from the side. The sausage was amazing, a perfect blend of flavor, heat and spice and was accompanied by this WONDERFUL Cajun sauce. The sauce also served as a wonderful alternative to ketchup for my fries (which was Heinz for those that may actually read my reviews). The fries were nice, nothing home made, but seasoned with nice Cajun seasoning and were wonderful with the left over Cajun sauce of the hoagie.
There is nothing quite like sitting outside with a drink, great food when you have that just perfect weather for it. That was certainly the case for this meal, one of those times when you could just wish that the temperature and weather could be like that permanently. A fantastic meal made all the better by the staff and the friendliness of strangers at the bar. Bravo!
My boyfriend and I went here after reading all of the great reviews on yelp. We were just in St. Louis for the weekend, but we were very happy we got to go to this place. They oysters on a half shell were delish and we enjoyed all of the ways that they could prepare them. Kind of a hole in the wall place, but perfect at the same time. Lots of character and the food was good. Fun time.
This place is just fun for me. Everyone is nice and the food is good.
They have live music (which is always a +++ for me). When it's hot it's definately hot though so it may be tough to stay outside sometimes. Drinks are good and reasonable.
They are pretty busy so service can tend to be a tad slow but the servers have always been great and happy to be helping (at least it seems so).
I definately always look forward to coming here.
Went with a large party on a week night. Live music was good. Jambalaya was good. Automatic 20% tip (came out to $50+!) meant that we stopped getting served once our food came out. Had to go to bar ourselves to get drinks and water for the spicy Jambalaya.
Good for smaller parties, drinks, hanging out. Making a night of it...not so much.
I recently went here during happy hour. They had the best specials on oysters ($1 each I believe). I LOVE oysters, so naturally, I was in my own personal food heaven.
I also love crawfish. My boyfriend and I ordered some and much to our disappointment the crawfish lacked flavor. Some might consider it fresh but to us it was not the best we'd had. It was still good, but not up to our expectations. So if you like your crawfish spicy and full of flavor, I wouldn't recommend getting that off the menu.
The atmosphere is fun and very New Orleans and they tend to have great live music. And in the summer's the patio is awesome!
This place is way cool. Go on a nice night when you can sit outside and watch the bands play. The oysters are great, good beer selection, nice atmosphere.
Excellent food! Very authentic. Flavor with heat - not just plain HEAT.
The service was fast and friendly - the environment is very eccentric and awesome.
The Gumbo Ya-Ya is delicious and the cornbread is very sweet.
The only reason this place did not get 5 stars from me is because we got the alligator bites for an appetizer and they were almost pure fat, very chewy and hardly any gator meat to them. Most of it ended up in my napkin.
If you love cajun food - you will really like this place.
Go during times when there is scheduled live acts for good music.
St. Louis memories are flooding back tonight for a couple reasons. This restaurant is the scene of some of those memories.
I concede I haven't been here since 2001, but I never had a bad meal here. Great food, quick service, no complaints. Associate it with good times with friends and visiting family members. And judging by the other reviews, the oyster bar still rocks.
I went to this place tonight after reading all of the awesome reviews on Yelp.
I left feeling iffy about the place, to be honest.
Pros:
- the service was attentive and awesome. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful.
- the food came out very quickly. Our appetizers came out after about 10 minutes, and as soon as we were finished with those, our main course came out. Wow.
- the music was excellent. We couldn't see the performers, but we could hear it, and it was good.
- we had the fried alligator for an appetizer (very good!) and the bread pudding for dessert (even better!)
Cons:
- our main course really wasn't that good. We ordered the sampler platter (crawfish etoufee, gumbo, red beans and rice, jambalaya), and nothing really stood out. I wouldn't order that again.
I guess one con isn't bad, right? Well, when that con is the main course, it's a pretty big deal to me. Oh well.
I'll probably come back just to try something else. The night's special (red snapper with bacon wrapped potatoes and green beans) sounded really appetizing. I wish we would have gone with that, to be honest.
Watched some friends sample alligator for the first time at this bar last weekend. If you are ever feeling daring, this is the best place to do it. Yes, it does taste a little like chicken, but their dipping sauce (kind of a ranchy dill) makes the reptile taste even more delicious. The spices in the breading don't hurt either.
Also, if you are looking for strong drinks, this is the bar for you. They never slouch on the amount of rum in your captain and diet, and their hurricanes, well, they have led to more than one festive night for my friends and I. Always a guaranteed good time.
Another Cardinal's game haunt for what feels like most of the city. That aside, I love this bar and… Read more »
Enjoyed a couple beers, some raw oysters and live music on the patio before walking over to the stadium for the homerun derby.
you are probably asking yourself who the heck eats raw oysters in the middle of july in the mid-west anyway. I didn't mind.
Have you ever been to New Orleans? In New Orleans they pride themselves on music and food, not so much the flash of a trendy building. The key is atmosphere and the Broadway Oyster Bar brings just that. Their outside patio is packed with live music and Cards Fans during every home game. Their food is a little piece of Cajun that cant be found anywhere else in St Louis. I suggest getting a bowl of the craw-fish bisque. They also have a great late night happy hour after 10pm.
If you love outside patios and live music on a Cardinals homegame, than stop by the Oyster Bar. Its one of my favorites.
Phil Novara
http://www.urbanbacon.com
Awesome place--the outdoor patio area is amazing on a hot summer night. Great live music and good cajun food--there's even the occasional crawfish boil to remind me of my nola days.
Stopped by on a whim, on my way out of the city, and the name sounded good. I'm quite glad I stopped! I first ordered a half dozen cocktail shrimp, thinking I was going to be served some dainty little shrimp with a decent cocktail sauce. They were actually almost extra large sized shrimp that had been tossed with some aromatic whole spices and marinade, which really made it stand out. The cocktail sauce was very good, seemed homemade, but the shrimp by themselves were so tasty, I didn't really need the sauce..
I then ordered half a dozen oysters on the half shell. I thought the market price for just a half dozen was steep at 10.95.. but when they came out, it was SO worth it...the oysters were jumbo, plump, fresh, sand-free, and effing delicious........I was in oyster heaven ;)
The other entree I ordered, which was a sampler of jambalaya, crawfish etoufee and gumbo, was so-so. I was excited to see a gumbo plentiful of okra and its awesome thickening power, and it was the best out of the sampler dish, but it still wasn't the best gumbo I've ever had.
All in all, this was a fantastic road detour, and now I can't wait to visit St. Louis and this bar again!!
You can't spend a summer in St. Louis without a visit to the historic Broadway Oyster Bar. They can build all the new bars they want around the Stadium, but none are quite like this one. Broadway Oyster Bar is located in a 150 year old building on the south side of downtown in the area that was once known as Frenchtown.
They have one of the best beer gardens in town! It has a very lazy, tacky appeal, but that is part of the charm!! I love the mosaic tile & mirror murals, the plastic tiki lamps, the outdoor stage, the quality of music, the mussels, the AMAZING New Orleans style bbq shrimp (a must try), the shrimp grinder, and the people!
The crowd is a cross between tourists, baseball fans, bachelor/bachelorette party groups, and music lovers. It's a Cajun vibe and I always enjoy myself (when it isn't jam-packed). It is itty bitty inside, so try to go in the summer when Broadway oyster Bar is at it's best. Give yourself some time because parking can be a challenge. Especially during a game.
This is one place that I hope they never change, modernize, or ruin!
I haven't eaten here, but the atmosphere is fantastic and they had some of the best Jazz around. I'm not sure how often that particular band is there, but I witnessed some of the best drumming I've ever seen. The lead guitar and the keyboardist were amazing, also. The FOH is a quiet, calm bar in a rustic Cajun setting. The back area is hopping with killer music, dancing, and another bar. Sometimes they can wrap early, so don't count on the closing times listed above.
Saint Louis hot spot for Rhythm and Blues...
Ok, this place is nothing to look at from the outside or for that matter the inside but this place has that funky broken down hole in the wall charm that I just dig. The beers are cold and the food is hot and spicy. I am big fan of the spicy shrimp over beans and rice with cornbread. The have some great bands that play on the patio during the summer. Be warned that Saint Louis in the summer time can be a tad sticky so consume plenty of Budweiser to stay refreshed. This place is down the street from Busch Stadium making it a great place to meet up before or after the game.
This place has figured out the secret. Make the front of the house as low-key as possible, while keeping the kitchen tight as shit.
Had fried catfish with rice and beans and cornbread that was so good I came back two nights later to try one of their specials. Filet with crawfish, crab, roasted potatoes and some damn good green beans for under $15? How the hell are they making money? Oh right, because I stayed for hours sampling all the beers they had on tap and listening to some great music.
If I ever end up in St. Louis again, you'll know where to find me.
Went to the Broadway Oyster bar recently during a trip to St. Louis on the strength of the reviews posted here. I agree with Stephanie S; good service & great atmosphere. We left before the band started because we are not really into reggae, but I can imagine it gets pretty lively. Unfortunately, the letdown was the food. I ordered the crawfish etoufee and ultimately ended up leaving 90% of it uneaten. I guess ordering seafood in the middle of a country this size is probably not the best idea in retrospect. The dish did not taste fresh and seemed poorly executed all round (including the presentation). My husband had red beans and rice, and again, it kinda lacked flair. However, I guess beans n rice should be pretty simple given it's origins as peasant food. Given the speed of delivery, I'm guessing they have massive pots of both of these dishes on the heat, like a school cafeteria or something. I didn't expect fine dining but I was hoping for a meal I was happy to eat. Credit to the bar for not charging us for the crawfish though.
Go for the beer, the music and the atmosphere, but eat elsewhere!
Loved this place, for the staff if nothing else. Packed on a rainy Saturday night, we came in for most of the bluegrass band's set (our destination), but made enough friends throughout the night that we stayed for the hour in between, and a good amount of the jam band too. Seriously, for every beer I bought, a worker or band groupie bought me two. And that's not a usual night.
The staff were really amazing, especially Kerri, Michelle, and the woman in the "New Orleans Needs..." t-shirt, talking us up and keeping us there for hours on end. The music was cool (though bluegrass sans banjo), and the other patrons stuck to the rule on the door and uniform 'Keep your attitude at the door.'
The menu was not vegetarian friendly at all, so we stuck to beers to fill us up, but try as we might, we wouldn't leave. Definitely one place I'll relay to friends who make it to that side of the Mississippi.
We also have a special liking for beer n' booze specials, though I wasn't partial to the one they had. My friend was, though, and fell in love with the PBR off-brand that was her mystery can and always loves Soco. The Broadway Oyster also introduced her to the local Schlafly beer, which is one she'll remember. Me? I always hope for whiskey or rum shot deals, but they don't have them on weekends (understandably).
Came in for happy hour. Dan the bartender made me his specialty Tangerine Nightmare! So good. Fruity and came with 2 cherries. I'm from California and we don't get two cherries in our drinks, lol. Nice atmosphere. Good people, some OLDER fella bought me and the hubby a drink. Louisiana style bar. Live bands fill the ears. Cool place. I found that the people in all of St. Louis were very polite and had great hospitality!
2nd night: Dan the bartender again is awesome. We ordered the Rockefeller oysters (spinach cream and Parmesan baked on top) and it was mmm mmm good! Also had the Cajun chips. Great munchie food when you're drinking the night away!
Try the jalapeno cheese grilled oysters. They are awesome. I went for a Saturday lunch during oyster fest, complete with live music. I can see why the reviews for this place are so good. Its nothing fancy but there is great atmosphere and food. The wait staff was a little grumpy and slow. I can't really fault them too much for it because it was really busy and crowded.
We've been here a couple of times. The food is really good and the oysters very fresh and tasty. They had a zydeco band one night, and we stayed there until they closed listening and dancing to the music. It is a really fun place to go, day or night.
We love the patio here. Great music and terrific food....nice to just come here and hang out after work. Great service too.
I've been here twice, the first time a few years ago. I don't typically drink, but did that night, and thereby forgot where this place was and what it was called. This last time I focused on the food instead, and I remember every glorious detail. I started with mussels, went on to the chicken grinder and finished with the mud pie for dessert. Happily, I was so stuffed that I could barely move. The food was hearty, real, spicy and I can't wait to go back for more! The food is pretty cheap, but I ate a three course meal and so my personal bill was moderate. I just couldn't stop eating. The staff are friendly and funny and the place is just cool.
The best crawfish bisque on the planet! Oyster shooters were perfect! BBQ shrimp made it a perfect meal!
Omg. Love, love, love the chicken grinder. The sauce is soooooooooo awesome!
Blues, food, and moderately overpriced beer. It can get better, but they'd REALLY have to work at it.
this place is awesome. went here for NYE, delicious dinner of lobster tail, steak, asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, a bucket of crawfish and fried alligator. also ordered a bucket of champagne (4 small bottles). wonderful customer service. really great food--fun atmosphere. it was crazy crowded with lots of drunk people. but it was new years eve!
really lively atmosphere, unique to st. louis
Great blues venue. I've always had a fantastic time here.
get the veggie grinder!! Great atmosphere, of course it's better in the summer with the patio open
What a great place, I absolutely love the ambiance. Service was great with a wonderful attitude. The sampler plate was a great light lunch for two.
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