J McArthur’s – An American Kitchen

$ 120 later we left hungry, and went elsewhere to eat.
4 of us ordered dinner here tonight and the general consensus was thumbs down.
I asked our server about their wine list trying to find one I’d enjoy, ordered a glass upon his recommendation had 2 sips and had automatic heartburn. He didn’t have much knowledge about wine. My suggestion to help fix this issue would be to have a small description of the wine, not just the name and vintage. Not everyone knows what a 2013 Chardonnay from Burgundy France is going to taste like. (Just using that as an example).
Roughly an hour later our entrees came. 2 of us ordered street tacos and the other 2 had the meatloaf. Street tacos were large portions, but the meat had a horrible texture and the flavors just didn’t balance well. I ate only a few bites and left the rest behind. The 2 that ordered the meatloaf ate their veggies and potatoes but left the rock hard and extremely dry meatloaf behind. The gravy/​sauce on the meatloaf was awfully salty too.
Our server asked if everything was ok and we all politely told him our contentions. He offered a dessert menu, which we declined and brought us our bill.
Extremely disappointing meal from beginning to end. Hopefully the chef was just having a bad night (which could happen to anyone) and that everyone else has a better experience than we did. We will never go back.

Terrible place, understaffed. No variety on the menus, items all made with cheap corn. Fifteen dollar tacos. Waited too long for a table.

Took my wife for our wedding anniversary. We were going to another place down the street, but this place looked interesting, so I decided to give it a shot. It is so disappointing the service was horrible. When we walked in the waitress and the hostess ignored us for about 10 minutes. When we sat down the waitress took care of the couple sitting next to us even though they came after. We looked through the menu and pretty much everything had corn in it. Finally after 20 minutes of being ignored we decided to walk out.

Um, Yes! Not loud and a quaint setting. The food is AMAZING! Expect to relax while they create their fabulous plates. Not fast, but so so worth it. Blackberry Cilantro Margarita– drink one…
Thank you for an amazing date night!!!

Went on a Friday night. Service was amazing. We were very impressed with our dinner. I had a strip steak that was great. My fiancé had the salmon, she loved it. We also had an off menu salmon cucumber kimchi appetizer that was phenomenal. We will definitely be going back.

Sadly, underwhelming. With all the food choices in the area, J. McArthur’s failed to meet our expectations. The beet salad was delicious. However, we felt as though the overall focus was on presentation and the need to be unique, rather than serving quality, well portioned plates.
For the price, we would rather have ventured to a neighboring restaurant.

This was my first visit to J McArthur’s and it won’t be my last for these reasons:
Chef supports local farmers
Diverse menu (I hard time choosing)
Nice selection of beers and wines
Responsive and friendly service
Reasonable prices
Large covered patio
Quiet neighborhood location
Accommodates dinner for two or a group
I hope you’ll agree… enjoy.

Finally after reading so many amazing reviews about this place in different local magazines I finally had the chance to try it. We had a family member in town so we decided to take them to brunch here.
We started the meal off with some of their scones drizzled with a blueberry sauce, which was amazing, and one of the cinnamon rolls, also very good. For the meal I ordered the biscuits and gravy. This may have been the best biscuits and gravy I had in some time. The biscuits where fluffy and flaky then poured over it was their chicken andouille gravy. That gravy really elevated the dish to another level.
I can’t wait to try this place for dinner sometime but if you are looking for a new brunch spot, give J McArthurs a try, you won’t regret it.

I had much higher hopes and expectations after the buzz and reviews I’ve read (as well as the rating). The décor and ambiance seemed mature and plain — not what I expected at all with the reviews. I guess I imaged newer or trendier, especially with the locally sourced fare.
I made a reservation for a girls night out last month. We were seated on the patio (I was ok with this because it was a nice night out and I assumed there would be heaters). We all froze as the temperatures dropped.
I did not order an appetizer but was tempted to go for the beet salad, which looked amazing and is said to be a favorite there. Bread is not complimentary but available for $ 2. Huh?
I ordered the scallops which were served on smoked corn bisque, morels, english peas and watercress. Four scallops came, and I was immediately sad with my choice as there was little substance to go with them. The veggies were minimal and bland. The scallops were gritty, which is always my worst fear when ordering them.
I felt it was overpriced, and I left sad that I dropped $ 24 on my entrée. It was an expensive meal to leave hungry.
If I returned, I would have an appetizer or the beet salad and a glass of wine on the patio when it’s warmer.

Stopped in for brunch. Benedict with steak, wife had omelette of the day. Food was perfectly cooked; yolks cooked but runny, potatoes crispy but not greasy. Very tasty. Service was welcoming and accommodating. Pricing was very fair, and I’m cheap. We will be back for dinner.

I was visiting St. Louis and had the opportunity of dining at J McArthur’s this week. It was an amazing experience.
The food was truly innovative and prepared with care. The presentation was extraordinary.
We shared starters and deserts and we’re delighted by all. I choose the meat loaf for my entrée because it brought back memories of my Mom. It was delicious.
The décor and ambiance perfect.
J McArthur’s is a great reason to visit I hope to visit St Louis more often!
Thanks for a wonderful experience!

Very cute place. My friend and I met there for dinner about 2 weeks ago. The menu is small and doesn’t have many options for someone with food allergies like myself. I asked to the server about substitutions and she explained that the ownership/​management was very strict about portion sizes and substitutions.
We ordered the special that evening which was Corvina. The fish was delicious however we were both shocked when the plates were set down in front of us. It was the smallest portion we had ever seen for a dinner. At $ 24 a plate, the portion should be a decent size. I’m a small person and was still hungry after dinner. We wanted dessert but decided to go somewhere else for fear of another tiny portion. We love trying new restaurants and dine out often. Even though the food was good, we will not be going back. I’ve worked in the food industry for years and understand that food cost continue to rise. Still, people shouldn’t leave a restaurant still hungry after a $ 24 meal. I don’t expect an unhealthy amount of food but enough to not walk away hungry.

I adore this place. Excellent service, great wine selection and the food-​yum! I had the beet salad-​small but delish! And for my entrée I enjoyed the pan seared scallops — heaven! My dinner partner had the house salad and street tacos — which were quite a large portion! We are too quickly to take photos. But I will be going here again soon!

I’m confused why this place is rated so high?! Sure it was good but there was nothing about it that would make my top restaurant list.
The place is cute, definitely more of an older crowd and that’s how the ambiance feels-​just old school.
I was very disappointed in the beer selection. Only bottles and just Bud, bud light and 3 urban chestnut selections.
The chicken wings were great very crispy probably the best thing we had. The beet salad was good but was missing some salt, needed pistachios or something to that effect. The scallops were good, nothing out of the ordinary and probably needed one more scallop and a lot more Brussels sprouts to charge that price. I would definitely not rate it best dish for STL like they were awarded.
My husband got the special which was a waygu beef roast– sooooo dry, no flavor, lack of Demi glaze and only 4 green beans with it. If you are going to advertise that your dishes come with a vegetable side your going to have to increase the portions.
Too many places we want to visit for us to give this place another try.

Lovely restaurant, on the small side, however the covered patio makes plenty of extra dining space. There is a full bar tucked away in the corner. Cupid’s Brunch by Steven B. brought me here on a snowy Valentine’s Sunday morning. I highly enjoyed the company & conversation but the food & service were a little disappointing. Our server was very systematic, so much that her personality was completely absent from this experience. I made a few (tiny) requests and considering how they were handled I felt like I was dealing with a kitchen staff not keen to making adjustments or catering to special requests.
Food/​Drink:
*Mimosa
*Beet Salad (light, delicious, charmingly presented on a stone palette)
*Cornmeal Pancake (not impressed)
Bonus: Box of chocolates gifted by Steven B.
~Christy

We went here for dinner on a Friday night and had a great meal with friends. We started with the Corn Pancake. It was okay but I didn’t think it was incredible. My friends liked it and it was a much different starter than I had seen anywhere else.
For dinner I had the Pot roast, a special for the night and it was very good. The meat was easy to cut and had a great flavor. I also tried a friends risotto and it was very good (very heavy).
I will say the atmosphere and the service were really what made me a fan. Everyone was very nice.

Bloody Mary was ordered extra spicy and while I wasn’t interested in drinking at brunch it was so good I ordered a 2^nd. Just wish they would have had some kind of skewer to go with it. It probably would have come with an olive skewer but I specifically said no olive anything with my drink. A little cheese or slice of salami would have been nice, at the very least a stalk of celery. But no, all I got was a straw.
For the main brunch course I ordered the brisket hash no egg. I’m not sure what I was served was brisket. But it was beef. A bit of gravy and a few petite yellow or white potatoes. It was a dish made for a 12 yo girl imo. Probably because I ordered no egg the portion was tiny, but overall it had nice flavor. It was gone before most people finished the first 25% of their plate. Good thing I wasn’t hungry or I would have been pretty upset.
The beignets were their own twist. No over flowing powered sugar. Just little perfectly cooked dough balls that disappeared into your mouth and melted away like cotton candy. Served on a plate with freshly made fruit and fruit sauce. They were awesome, but they were also $ 9 too much for 5 little dough balls imo.
I likely wouldn’t return for brunch, but I might give them another shot at dinner. I think J McArthur’s hold promise, but in this case they could have done better. Much much better.
The main comment from the table was that they needed to accommodate the people who made special requests or deviated from what was on the menu (ie. no olives and no eggs).
Toss in an alternate skewer, add more potatoes to a dish lacking eggs. Offer the customer something to round out the experience if they are asking for something to be omitted.
Most importantly, be flexible.

I celebrated Valentine’s Day at J McArthurs at my first ever UYE planned by the awesome Steven B! The event did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed the event, my favorite part was the company– 9 strangers from all different walks of life sitting down to break bread together– wow!
My hubby and I really enjoyed the food. My Bloody Mary was just the way I like it, the coffee was excellent and my short rib eggs Benedict-​YUM! The home fries served on the side– hello, crispy, crunchy circles of goodness! Fruit cup on the side was the perfect ending to my meal, lots of fresh pineapple and blueberries!
The food prices are also quite reasonable. Brunch for 2 was about $ 40!
I’m giving this a 4 Star rating for the service. From the moment we walked in, it felt a little like the staff didn’t want us there. The hostess was not very pleasant at all. The bar tender seemed a bit confused and our waitress was frantic at times. (Spilling coffee, forgetting things). It was like she’d never waited on a party this large. Very strange! To top it off, a few people ordered dessert for everyone to share. When they came out we didn’t have any extra plates. The person who ordered it very nicely asked for more plates so he could share. Another waitress or person working there came over to give us all forks (which we really didn’t need because the place setting came with 2 forks and a knife, no spoon, which was weird for coffee drinkers), at one end of the table she started passing out forks. The man who ordered the dessert again asked for plates– this was not our original waitress– when this lady got to the other end of the table another person also asked for plates– not realizing or hearing that someone had already asked– and the fork woman said something like, «I’m well aware of the plate situation!» I thought it was quite rude.
With this being a Unilocal event, I would’ve thought the owner or manager would have come over to our table to ask if we were enjoying ourselves but no one did. The restaurant was not crowded. But maybe the holiday and weather attributed to the service issues?
All in all, I do highly recommend J McArthurs and I thank Steven B for planning a great event!

I’ve enjoyed dinner, brunch and the monthly wine dinner and all were exemplary! Great food and great service. Actually, beyond great food, it was relentlessly delicious! Every bite evoked an «mmmmmm» moment of pure enjoyment. Whenever I am in STL I will have this delightful restaurant on my list. The chef is a great new talent…

Yes, we have definitely experienced better — from the service to the drinks and the food.
I could see how this place would be satisfying for a certain customer. It’s great if you love huge wine pours of mediocre to flat flavorless wine, nicely flavored with a decent crust, but well done and slightly tough pork. If you don’t mind eating cold tacos, lulewarm pizza and undercooked beignets even after the second attempt («chewy» like wet dough inside).
And to make things even more interesting, the actual happy hour did not match the happy hour listed on the online menu. There are 6 seats at the bar. So happy hour could largely mean hit or miss. (You are not allowed to sit anywhere else unless you have reservations, even if the space is two tables shy of empty).
The half off tacos were actually full price since instead of 3 one only gets 2. The two select happy hour red wines were undrinkable. Tasted flat and surprisingly flavorless for a restaurant trying to present a fine dining image.
Staff needs much training in communication skills.
The ambiance is Ok if you have the good fortune to be seated in the main area (inside the restaurant). Outside is cold and the «heater» is noisy. Maybe it would not bother a certain customer.
Final note: Maybe in 20 years if we don’t forget to call for reservations …

We had a great experience here! We were pleasantly surprised with the great menu!
We had the Kentucky Mules from the bar and the Corn Pancake as an appetizer, this was so good! For the entrees, we had the pan seared scallops and the waygu beef special. Both were amazing and cooked to perfection!
We will return to try more of the menu!

Although not our first choice, a pleasant surprise. As a starter, we ordered the Street Tacos. They were fine; the pork had a pillowy texture that my friend and I both found odd. Would not order them again.
The entrees were amazing, though. I chose the Pearl Barley Risotto. Garnished with arugula and shaved parmesan, this creamy delight was perfectly complimented by mushrooms. My friend ordered the meatloaf and roasted vegetables on a bed of mashed potatoes. She deemed it the ultimate comfort food.
It was a busy Saturday night around 7. Because of the heated and enclosed patio, we were seated immediately. We loved the ambiance if this space, even if it were a little too warm; the temperature registered 79 – 80 degrees on the heater.
Service was good. I will definitely be back for the risotto.

First time here last night because of great reviews we read. They were correct!
Delicious food delivered on really neat plates/​dishes, etc. by a great staff.
We will be back.

Absolute perfection. I am so happy to find a new 5 Star restaurant and even more excited that I discovered it in my hood. It is so close, I practically feel as if it is in my backyard. I only have a short couple of blocks walk and I can wine and dine in a very relaxed and casual atmosphere.
I meet up with the BFF for our annual Christmas dinner and gift exchange. Part of our tradition is to dine at a restaurant that neither of us has experienced. That in itself can be challenging, but we found J McArthur’s and discovering it may have been the best gift of the night.
The BFF and I are both big fans of a Moscow Mule, however with it being a night of new experiences, we tried their Kentucky Mule. It was served in the classic Copper Mug, but made with whiskey instead of vodka. Next time I’m at the Kentucky Derby, I’ll be drinking one of these instead of a Mint Julep. We enjoyed two rounds of cocktails, the BFF stayed with the KM, but I switched over to a Classic Manhattan. Like my martini’s I like my Manhattan’s up and J McArthur’s did not disappoint me. It was chilled and served in a stemless glass. The only thing I would change, is I prefer a dark cherry over the traditional maraschino cherry.
Our appetizer was the appropriate size for two to share. We enjoyed their 16-​Hour Braised Todd Geisert Farms Spare Ribs. The meat fell off the bone and melted in our mouths. They were basted in Charred onion top Korean BBQ sauce and served with a side of vegetable chow-​chow and Alabama White Sauce for dipping the ribs. The ribs were so fantastic, that we only sampled the sauce and continued to eat our ribs without it. The vegetable chow-​chow, if served in a larger portion, could be an excellent salad.
Being a fan of sea scallops, I knew instantly what I was going to have as an entrée when I saw it on the menu. How could I pass up, Cast-​Iron Skillet Seared Diver Scallops? I was in absolute heaven with my four large scallops. They rested in a smoked butternut squash bisque and served with brussel sprouts, bacon, confit buttermilk squash. The rich and creamy bisque, was a perfect accompaniment for the scallops and I also enjoyed the sage pesto that rested on top.
My BFF had a perfect meal for a low-​carb eater. It was the special of the night, a Smoked Bone-​In Pork Chop that was served on a bed of Brussel Sprouts. The pork was so tender, it could be cut with a fork and the Brussel Sprouts mixed with bacon had the right amount of crispness. We both were totally satisfied with our meals and look forward to another one very soon.
When: December 29, 2015
Why: Christmas Dinner with BFF

Came for brunch with my hubs and another couple, and we were all equally blown away. This place is the real deal.
Biscuits and gravy — phenomenal flavors, accompanied with the most delicious home fries I’ve had in some time.
All-​American Breakfast — the cornmeal pancake with blueberry syrup is spectacular — no butter needed.
Mimosas — sizable and not a bad value at $ 8 apiece.
Great service, nice atmosphere, but the food is king. Would highly recommend.

Great new place. Interesting food. Well prepared. Very authentic cooking. Wonderfull service. Only down side, heating on the patio is hot then cold then hot again. Get a reservation to sit inside.

Hands down the best new restaurant I’ve tried in a while. For 13 bucks I got the blue plate special which was meatloaf, mashed potatoes and a mushroom side. It was wagyu beef which was a first for me and excellent. It’s not heavy at all, almost like a juicy bison. They also have vodka from pontoon Beach. That’s next to granite city for you Missourians, which is just across the river. I didn’t know there was anything there be on trailer parks. Pretty cool! Their Malbec by the glass was also very good I can’t remember where it came from. If you’re looking to get a lot of bang for your buck this is a great spot, call ahead for reservations if you wish however weeknights you’ll probably be fine without them.

Been here twice. First time we were the only people in the restaurant. This time it was more crowded and service was slow.
However, the food makes it worth the wait. The scallops are the best I have ever had. I had to make myself get something different this time so I tried the pearl barley risotto. It was very good. The mushrooms were amazing on top.
We started with the short ribs, and those were some of the best I have had.
We had the cheese and chocolate plate, but would honestly go for a different dessert next time.
I would give five stars if the service was better last night, business is picking up so I am sure it will get better

Came for brunch this morning. Very good. I had the blue plate special of the wagu beef meatloaf. Very good with a creamy potato gratin and green beans on the side and mushrooms on top. Large individual loaf, good beefy flavor. Very happy with my choice. Dining partner had the quiche o the day. Very light and fluffy insides with good crust outside. Next time for dinner so we can experience the wine list. We will be back, happily.
Only complaint was host wanting to seat us on patio. All patio furniture with no cushions on seats. Not very inviting. Inside was though and I was happy to be seated there.

Delicious food and great service. Had the pan seared duck breast.. aaamazing! You are missing out if you haven’t checked this place out yet.

I stopped in here for a small, early dinner a couple weeks ago and I must say that overall I was rather pleased with the environment, food and service. The restaurant has a very nice outside front patio that overlooks Watson road… but in this particular area its not a particularly busy or noisy section so don’t let that deter you from sitting outside.
I started off with the beet salad, based on several glowing reviews from here, and I must say that the reviews were spot on. I have told several people about this and I have gotten the same reaction each time…“I don’t like beets”… Well, I am not a huge fan of beets either but this salad was fantastic. The combination of the beets and the goat cheese was great. My only problem with the salad was that I wished it was bigger because I wanted more.
For my main dish, I actually ordered the street taco appetizer because I didn’t want a big meal. What helped me decide on the tacos was the chorizo seasoned braised pork, however the total lack of any real chorizo flavor is what disappointed me most about these. Had the menu said nothing about chorizo seasoning, then I would have nothing bad to say about these tacos. The pork was quite good, the tortillas were lightly toasted giving them a nice little crunch and the guacamole served on the side was delicious… heavy on the lime which I thought was great.
The dessert choice was probably my hardest decision because there are two desserts on the menu that both sounded amazing. In the end I went with the panna cotta served with homemade shortbread cookies and seasonal fruit preserves on top. Before I dive into the panna cotta itself, I must say that the shortbread cookies were simple but so very good. First thing about the panna cotta, the jar they are served in didn’t make much sense to me. It looks nice, but it definitely isn’t the easiest jar to get every bit of your dessert out of. However, the fact that I was trying to scrape every last bit out of the jar should tell you that it was pretty good. The only real observation I could make is that the batch I got may have used just a pinch too much gelatin because it was just slightly more firm than I like in my panna cotta, but still very good.
Overall I thought the meal and the service was very good, and I will be returning… this time to try out one of the larger plate main courses.

Came here for Saturday night dinner with the girlfriend and some friends. The atmosphere was casual and modern.
We started off with some appetizers.
The chicken wings were very well flavored, had a light crisp to them, and were incredibly tender and juicy. This dish I highly recommend.
The beet salad was visually delicious. The beets and goat cheese themselves were obviously of high quality too. I am not a big fan of beets personally but this dish was too gorgeous to not order.
Next were the tacos. I would say the meat could have been seasoned a little stronger but there was still wonderful fatty pork flavor throughout. I think the strongest point of this dish was the taco shells themselves as they had a very pleasant texture somewhere in between crisp and chewy.
On to larger plates:
The flatbread was very flavorful? Is too much cheese a legitimate problem? I wished that the starch to cheese ratio was a little higher.
The burger was well seasoned, garnished, and juicy. No complaints. All around great burger, sizable too. They house chips were even better. They were not to thin or thick and phenomenally seasoned.
On to the sweets:
Panna cotta was good. Shortbread cookies were good. Were they good together? Maybe. I felt as if there was not enough cookie for the amount of panna cotta. Additionally I would have preferred a softer cake-​like starch to accompany the panna cotta rather than a brittle cookie. It felt off.
Off menu desert of the night was a pecan and pumpkin cheesecake. This was very novel, not too sweet, and I preferred it to the panna cotta. Good seasonal desert for fall.
Will return? Yes
Atmosphere 8.5÷10
Service ⁹⁄₁₀
Appetizers 9.5÷10
Main courses ⁹⁄₁₀
Desert ⁷⁄₁₀

Went to this restaurant three times now and each time the food has been fantastic! Chef Ben does a terrific job ! Also a great selection of wines! The service each time has been great. I highly recommend this fun new restaurant!

We stopped by last week and thought we would give it a try. OUTSTANDING food and they use and support local farmers. Give them a try.

I came here for a paint night and was more than willing to give this spot business while I painted. Bar service was very stand-​offish and rude. She included a group gratuity for drinks ordered with the paint night even though we were getting up and going to the bar. If anything we were giving this restaurant extra business. Then I was charged 2 dollars for a soda water. It’s not a lot of money but it is the principle.
I hope the food is great because the bar and customer service aren’t cutting it.

Delicious dinner. Enjoyed the service and food. It didn’t necessarily stand out (like «WOW, amazing, can’t wait to try the rest of the menu») but it wasn’t bad or disappointing either. All of the dishes were expertly plated and served, the menu was wonderfully presented (specials on the chalk board was on point – it’s nice to see them in writing rather than listen to them IMHO).

Really great meal. Scallops were perfectly cooked and beignets were divine! We really enjoyed everything we ordered. Service was excellent and super attentive. We will definitely be back!

A date night must! They have a great wine list. The scallop special was delicious (with potatoes and veggies in a buttery sauce) and my boyfriend thoroughly enjoyed his breakfast for dinner. They even went the extra mile to go buy milk so he could have a glass with his meal! Beignets to finish off the meal topped with strawberry rhubarb amazingness.
Fantastic friendly staff: Melissa, Paul, and Delaney ;-)
If you’re looking for a great new spot in town to try… make this it!