Diners' Choice: Best Ambiance restaurants in Downtown

OpenTable

Updated September 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best ambiance in Downtown? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Brasserie by Niche

4.8

4.8 (4062)

$30 and under

French

St. Louis

About the restaurant

Brasserie by Niche is located in the Central West End. We are open for dine-in, to-go, and delivery.

Top review

Leigh Hunt

Dined 5 days ago

A great place — nice to be outside, great wine, house & selections), great service: dish of the day (braised chicken thighs with onions) was good, not great.

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4.7

4.7 (15)

$30 and under

Wine Bar

Webster Groves

About the restaurant

A neighborhood café and wine bar from the people behind Olive + Oak, bringing you food & wine that is fresh, casual, and simple. A place where the service is efficient and the hospitality is heartfelt. We open early offering fresh baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, and a seasonal breakfast menu. Our lunch menu features sandwiches, soups, and fresh salads. We open Thursday-Saturday evenings featuring an evolving menu of seasonal small plates from Executive Chef Mike Risk paired with wines that have been thoughtfully sourced to showcase the people that make them and the places they are from. A thoughtful list of local beer, cocktails and NA beverages are available to enjoy as well.

Authentic. Unpretentious. Delicious.

Walk in only for breakfast and lunch. Reservations recommended for dinner.

Top review

Lewis

Dined on Aug 23, 2024

We had a great evening celebrating my wife’s 50th birthday with our friends. The staff were amazing and very attentive to our needs for the group.

Hamilton's Urban Steakhouse and Bourbon Bar

4.7

4.7 (1185)

$31 to $50

Steakhouse

St. Louis

About the restaurant

To better deliver on our promise of a refined atmosphere, proper dress is required. Thank you for not wearing: athletic shorts, uncovered sports bras or other bra-style tops, excessively revealing clothing or exposed undergarments, or any clothing with offensive language or images. Men’s shirts must have sleeves. Athletic leggings, joggers or sweatpants are welcome in our bar area.

**Established in 2018.

St. Louis' "Best New Steakhouse" serving only 100% Heritage Black Angus Midwest beef and produce from our restaurants on site greenhouse. Join us now for an intimate unparalleled urban farm to table experience in the heart of Downtown St. Louis.

Top review

Julie

Dined 4 days ago

Fabulous food and service. The scallops and pork shank are amazing.

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Idol Wolf - 21c Museum Hotel St. Louis

4.6

4.6 (306)

$31 to $50

Spanish

St. Louis

About the restaurant

Inspired by the rich culinary traditions of Spain, Chef Matt Daughaday's inspired cuisine at Idol Wolf takes a playful approach to tapas style dining by combining local and seasonal ingredients with classic Iberian sensibilities.
The menus seamlessly blend traditional takes on Spanish classics, with drinks and dishes that have a distinctly Midwestern point of view – the result is a shared drinking and dining experience that is uniquely craveable, and truly memorable.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 1 day ago

Food was delicious. We ordered 5 different tapas, which was a little too much for 2 people, but we wanted to try them all! It was super fun to walk around the art gallery and play pool after dinner. Highly highly recommend!!

O+O Pizza

4.9

4.9 (516)

$30 and under

Pizzeria

Webster Groves

About the restaurant

We are an Italian inspired, neighborhood restaurant bringing you food that is fresh, casual, and simple yet sophisticated. A place where the service is efficient and the hospitality is heartfelt.

Top review

Stl2naplesvip

Dined 7 days ago

Excellent food, great service and fairly priced. Love this place!

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Dominic's on the Hill

4.6

4.6 (1075)

$31 to $50

Italian

The Hill

About the restaurant

Dominic and Jackie Galati purchased Dominic's on the Hill in 1971 and moved in above the restaurant. Within two years, Dominic began winning national awards and has continued to do so for the last 40 years. This is an exceptional restaurant with fine Italian cuisine, professional, friendly service, & an extensive wine list. Dominic oversees the kitchen,and the menu includes fresh seafood, veal, tenderloin, lamb, and many other choices. The restaurant has a Florentine atmosphere, with low lighting, white tablecloths, & classic oil paintings. Dominic's has been honored by DIRONA, 2001 Restaurant Hall of Fame, 1999 International Award of Excellence, The Epicurean Award & was voted one of the two best Italian Restaurants in the country by Conde Nast Traveller.

The second floor of the restaurant is available for private parties of 15-65. Please call for details. Smaller parties up to 18 people can be accommodated downstairs as well as larger parties up to 150.

Top review

OpenTable Dinervip

Dined on Aug 11, 2024

It was the most perfect date night with incredible food and wine ! A must try if you are in town and Don Domenico is a legend !! I had the breaded veal escalopes with cannelloni and my husband the shrimp and it was fabulous!

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Popular dish

Linguine with Fresh Clams

Rated Test Kitchen

4.8

4.8 (52)

$30 and under

Unspecified

St. Louis

About the restaurant

Rated Test Kitchen is an intimate Dinner Club. Our intent is to give our guests a unique dining experience like no other. Our evolving Menu, prepared by award-winning Culinary Creatives, features seven courses, and you (our Guests) will get to Rate each course. It’s time to channel your inner food critic and enjoy our innovative cuisine.

Top review

KaprisC

Dined 6 days ago

The brunch experience was amazing from the presentation, service, and the flavors of the courses that were served. I believe that it will be time to expand restaurant size wise soon because I can see how many people will return back for more. Thankful to went today.

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Experience

Rated Test Kitchen - Chapter 7

Olive + Oak

4.7

4.7 (1269)

$31 to $50

American

St. Louis

About the restaurant

VIEW TODAY'S MENU HERE https://indd.adobe.com/view/4f193613-6d68-4eef-9d3c-177c76a63667. We set out to create a fun, lively, and approachable restaurant and bar in our own back yard — a friendly, bustling neighborhood spot where the very best in food and drink would be served in a welcoming setting. We are looking at every single detail to make sure that Olive+Oak will be the perfect place to enjoy great wine, craft beer, well made drinks and thoughtful, ingredient driven food with friends and family.

Top review

Terry

Dined 3 days ago

excellent food and service - one of the best restaurants in the St Louis area.

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Square One Brewery & Distillery

4.8

4.8 (927)

$30 and under

Pub

Soulard / Benton Park

About the restaurant

"Patio seating is first come, first served. You can make a request for the patio in your reservation, and while we can't guarantee patio seating we do try to honor your request*

Located in historic Lafayette Square just south of downtown St. Louis, Square One Brewery & Distillery began operations as a Brewery & Restaurant in February of 2006. We strive to produce the highest quality and unique flavors that are not likely to be found in the large volume production of most beer and spirits today. By combining the expertise of the distiller, master brewer, and chef, we are committed to creating an amazing array of flavors and tastes for our customers.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on Aug 30, 2024

As always the beer choices are plentiful and tasty, the food is always delicious and our server Jessica was outstanding!

Cobalt Smoke & Sea

4.8

4.8 (883)

$31 to $50

Contemporary American

St. Louis

About the restaurant

Cobalt Smoke & Sea is a bridge that connects uniquely different food sources — the rustic farmlands and the open air sea — and brings them under one illuminated space to create an alluring experience where culinary creativity, globally inspired flavors, and hungry curiosity intersect.

Our chef has meticulously created every Cobalt Smoke & Sea recipe through his deep love for the craft of food and those who will be enjoying it. It is through the selection of ingredients, care of crafting, and joy of presenting our dishes that we offer you true artisanal food with global inspiration. We invite you to share curiosity, tastes, and laughter over any of our dishes. Welcome to our table.

Top review

Jenna

Dined 1 day ago

This is definitely a hidden gem! Food was fantastic. Cooked perfect and flavorful. We sat inside but the patio looked so nice and fun.

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