Abby H.'s Profile

I've been to Sekisui three times now since moving to Tower Grove in 2009.  The first two times were great.  The service was friendly and fast and sushi was good.  

The third time we decided to order take out and have a sushi snack night at home.  Zack and I ordered some standbys and a couple rolls we hadn't tried before (South Grand and Rock n' Roll). I was not impressed.  There was barely any fish in the rolls!  Like the tip of a pencil eraser.  Also, the specialty rolls were pretty bland.

I thought maybe the other reviews were wrong, but after checking it out last night, I would agree with them. Something's changed.  I probably won't go back here again.

We still frequent Pets in the City for the friendly staff, human grade food, and unique toys.  It seems like there's always something new to check out.  They also carry Fromm Gold, which has made our Boxer crazy about meal time!  He loves his food so much.  

Also, a month ago we bought the West Paw Design Bumi toy (looks like a rubber S) and it's still perfectly intact with NO bit marks.  FINALLY!  Our dogs chew on it like crazy and it never even has a scratch.

For low-carb options, choose the chicken breast salad and/or sumi salad.  Both excellent, healthy choices (skip the side of rice).  

Sansai isn't some revolutionary restaurant claiming to tickle your taste buds.  It's simply an easy, quick stop for something other than the normal subs and sandwich shops downtown.  I love going there for a quick lunch.  Make sure to go early or late if you want to miss the crowd.

What a great option for lunch when you work downtown!  I can pick up some vegetables or meat for dinner during the week, get my lunch, and walk back to work.

Their salad bar always looks fresh and they are constantly restocking, so that's where I usually go first.  It can get a little crowded around lunch time, but the check out line always moves pretty quickly.

Here's a tip: Don't buy too much... (or bring your own cart) - you can't take the carts out of the store.

I have to update my review again. We've been back to Southtown numerous times, because the food is outstanding, and it fits my new Paleo diet (meat & veggies).  Unfortunately, Southtown has gathered quite a few LOUD rambunctious regulars.

Don't get me wrong, I love to be loud and have a good time too, but not at 5pm on a Sunday or during the week.  The customers are usually TRASHED when we get there, singing at the top of their lungs, and shouting to each other.  It's so loud, Zack and I can barely carry on a conversation.

I wouldn't rank Southtown lower than 3 stars, because we still love their food, and the staff is super friendly, but it's moving lower on our list due to the loud crowd we always encounter.

I've been here twice and, so far so good!  The first visit was during Punk Beer Rodeo, so cans of Pabst were $1 from 7-9pm (with purchase of food).  It was completely dead.  I think there were two other people (besides the owners) there all night.  

I got the personal-size Stromboli... which was HUGE and yummy.  Zack got the birdies, which were stuffed full of meat (his favorite!).  Although the food was good, the visit left me feeling just "eh" about the place.  They had a lot going for them: the atmosphere, the prices, the tasty food, but there wasn't anything interesting about the place.

However, on our next visit, we went on a Saturday night.  Again, we ate there, but this time we both had the 12oz. rib eye steaks.  EXCELLENT!  Cooked perfectly (medium) and great flavor (no steak sauce needed).  Next time I may have to split the 20oz stuffed porterhouse just to try it!  The veggies-broccoli, asparagus, and peppers- were also cooked perfectly.  Tender but still had that crunch to them.

On this visit, there were a lot more people mingling around the round bar.  Although the service was a little slow once the crowd picked up, it was still bearable because we filled the time playing pool and target toss.  I don't think they have a defined type of crowd yet, as it was pretty eclectic, but that might be a good thing.

Here's a Hint --- Due to the huge dome over the bar, if you sit across the circle from someone, you can hear their entire conversation as if they were whispering in your ear.

I've been to Lemmons three times now, but last night was the first time we tried their Monday "movie and free buffet" night.  They play two movies, at 7pm and 9pm and the buffet start at 8pm.  The cook serves up whatever his heart desires, from pizza to wings and meatballs.  However, don't expect to get Chicago style pizza for free!  The crust is neither thin nor thick.

We arrived around 8:15pm and things were pretty slow.  I was starving and the only thing out was a cheese pizza.  He bought the next pizza, sausage, out around 8:30.  The pizza was really good.  Nothing out of the ordinary, but being free it tasted even better.  We had a few pieces and then waited to see what came out next.  MEATBALLS.  These were so good.  I wish I had saved more room.  Towards 9:30-10pm, he brought out some huge wings, but we were stuffed by then.

After a few beers each, our tab came out to $19.  Not bad for dinner and a movie!  My only suggestion is that they announce each week's movies on their Facebook page.

Dusty, dirty, and old - but useful and cheap.  The St. Louis Skatium has been around forever and is now used mostly for private parties and as a practice space for hockey and roller derby.  

You can rent it out for only $50/hour!  So it's perfect for a large birthday party if you don't want to trash your own house.  The owner barely takes care of it, so don't expect too much.

We used our Hot Sauce certificate here on Monday night.  I had heard mixed reviews about the place, so I wasn't sure what to expect.  We got there around 7pm and it was empty- I think there was only one other couple at a high top table.  As usual, we bellied up to the bar and ordered a couple drinks (Woodchuck hard cider on tap) as we looked over the tapas menu.  We ended up picking three items to share for dinner plus a lot more that I want to try on our next visit.

Ahi Tuna - The tuna was pretty bland and wasn't that exciting.  The pickled carrots and onions were tastier!  I'll keep my tuna in sushi TYVM

Pork and Pineapple Kabobs - These kabobs delivered a yummy combination of sweet and savory.  I would definitely order them again.

Shrimp and Sexy Grits - Whoa. These were so delicious I wish we got two bowls!  Being from the south, I LOVE grits.  Adding shrimp, garlic, tomatoes, and some heat was the perfect combination.  They also offer sexy grits sans shrimp for only $5!

There's a lot more on the menu (which is online), including pizza, sandwiches, and full size entrees.  Yes, Mojo is more expensive, but it's a great place to go when you're craving something different.  It's also fun to go with a large group, split a bunch of tapas and a lemon basil mojito pitcher (which are half-off on Thursday for happy hour).

All I can say is overpriced and underwhelmed.  I've been to this J.Buck's for a few lunches and happy hours and I've never been impressed.  They fall short on (1) service, (2) food, and (3) price.

Like many other reviews touched on, their service is extremely lacking - it's either rude, slow, or non-existent.  On top of that, the food is nothing special.  I had their BBQ Macho Nachos today and was not impressed.  The prices are way too high for traditional American food.  After tax and tip, my lunch was $15!

The only reason I've been there more than once is because I work in the building, so it's a convenient lunch/happy hour, but I try to avoid it as much as possible.