25 St. Louis Restaurants That Are Totally Worth the Wait

Southwest Diner
(6803 Southwest Avenue; 314-260-7244)

The long wait to eat at the Southwest Diner had grown so notorious that the owners decided to do something to make it better: They parked a big bus out back so you can have a place to chill and drink some coffee (or a bloody mary, we won't judge) while you wait for a table. It's like hanging out in the grooviest waiting room in the world. Long waits, suffice it to say, continue, but now you won't care; you're having a blast on a bus.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Jennifer Silverberg

Blues City Deli
(2438 McNair, 314-773-8225)

Standing in line and trying to find a table anywhere inside (or outside) the Blues City Deli is a St. Louis tradition. The place is frequently named one of the best delis in America, and for good reason. Sadly, the secret is certainly out; it's darn near impossible to find a table here. Still, the food is so fantastic that you'll be happy to eat it even if you're just sitting on a curb outside.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: RFT file photo

Elmwood
(2704 Sutton Boulevard, Maplewood; 314-261-4708)

Elmwood was one of the year's most eagerly anticipated new restaurants, with a menu of charcoal-fired offerings and a sophisticated space in Maplewood's thriving downtown district. Not surprisingly, reservations fill up quickly -- be prepared to book weeks ahead of time if you want to dine during prime weekend hours.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Sarah Fenske

Union Loafers
(1629 Tower Grove Avenue; 314-833-6111)

This sandwich shop at the corner of McRee and Tower Grove avenues is a must-visit and everybody knows it. It doesn't matter if you show up all by yourself on a Wednesday afternoon; you still might wait 90 minutes for a table. The good news? Now that the weather is getting nicer, the small patio provides some relief.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Mabel Suen

Lona's Lil Eats
(2199 California Avenue; 314-925-1888)

When Lona Lao and Pierce Powers opened a brick-and-mortar storefront in Fox Park five years ago, fans from their stand at Soulard Farmers Market followed, and they haven't stopped coming by since. The restaurant is small and the line can grow long, but as everybody knows — these lil eats are always worth the wait.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Jennifer Silverberg

Taste
(4584 Laclede Avenue; 314-361-1200)

This small Central West End restaurant only serves the best of the best, though you might have to wait a while to get it. If you just walk in and try to get a table during prime hours, you'll be sure to wait, but not long. The tiny, romantic two-top tables turn over fast, with diners eager to get their dates home before the food-high wears off. It's difficult to linger over cocktails here, too, because they're so good you just pour them right down your throat. Taste is always worth the wait.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Spencer Pernikoff

Mission Taco
(multiple locations including 6235 Delmar Boulevard, 314-932-5430)

The original location of what's grown into a taco empire is always hopping, with crowds of Wash U students, neighborhood denizens and tourists bellying up to the bar and taking tables as fast as they open even during off hours. Good news if you're dying for a margarita fix: They stay open late, and a late-night happy hour means it's even cheaper when the boring people are in bed. Maybe try your luck at midnight?

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Jennifer Silverberg

Benevolent King
(7268 Manchester Road; 314-899-0440)

If you want to get into this hot spot for dinner, you'd better have some patience because everybody wants to get into this restaurant and bar for date night. Not only is the food top-notch, but the space is sultry, with gilded décor, dancing candelight, small bistro tables and a swanky vintage feel.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Mabel Suen

Mac's Local Eats
(1225 Tamm Avenue, 314-479-8155)

Mac's Local Eats is food served out of a small window at the Tamm Avenue Grill. The kitchen is small. The staff is small. The line line often gets a little too long at lunch and everybody starts getting cranky, but then sometimes they start handing out canned Busch and the people in line are suddenly not so cranky. Whatever happens, all is forgiven once you try their burger. Just salt, pepper and a quick sear is all that's needed for perfection here.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Mabel Suen

Louie
(706 De Mun Avenue; 314-300-8188)

The simple, approachable dishes at Louie are worth any wait, which is good because you're going to have one. The popular Demun restaurant features authentically inspired Italian dishes prepared in modern American style with a focus on fresh ingredients, sourced locally when possible. To beat the rush, arrive at 5 p.m. when they open every day but Sunday, or pop in for lunch when the restaurant is less busy.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Sara Graham

Olive + Oak
(120 West Lockwood Avenue; 314-736-1370)

Olive + Oak's only flaw is that is impossibly busy, with reservations booked months out. It's not surprising that everyone wants to eat here — including the restaurant's own staff members, who choose to hang out at their place of employment on their days off. You'll want to eat every last morsel of food they put in front of you. Pro tip: The bar and the patio are both first-come first-served; come early and test your luck.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Mabel Suen

Pastaria
(7734 Forsyth Boulevard; 314-862-6603)

It's big and it's loud and the wait to get a table can be very long, but Gerard Craft's casual, family-friendly Pastaria is totally worth it. And though your wait might be long, the ceiling is so high that it will never really feel crowded and you can spend the time before you're seated watching cooks make fresh pasta at a station right by the front door.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Jennifer Silverberg

Peacemaker
(1831 Sidney Street; 314-772-8858)

Good seafood is a bit of a novelty here in the Midwest, so it should come as no surprise that Peacemaker Lobster & Crab Co. on Sidney Street sees some major crowds. The rustic, beachy dining room is lively and the food is so fresh and delicious that people can't wait to get in and eat it all up. Expect a decent wait on the weekends, especially; use the NoWait app to cut the line.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Nancy Stiles

Reeds American Table
(7322 Manchester Road, Maplewood; 314-899-9821)

It might seem a bit fancy, but Reeds is an approachable comfort-food spot. The shotgun-style space doesn't have much room (even if you include the dining area upstairs) but you'll be thrilled when you finally score a tiny table. At Reeds, even something simple like a small plate of roasted cauliflower dazzles. You'll feel privileged to dine there. Pro tip: They save half the tables for walk-ins, so even if you can't get a rez, try your luck at the door.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Mabel Suen

Gioia's Deli
(three locations, including 1934 Macklind Avenue, 314-776-9410)

Gioia's may be the city's most beloved sandwich shop, and that's saying a lot since we have so many great ones. The Hill location is the original and the hardest to get a table at. Due to limited space both inside or outside, you'll have to keep watchful if you're going to be lucky enough to grab one. But even if you have to stand around outside eating your sandwich, you won't mind. The hot salami is that good.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Jaime Lees

Rockwell Beer's Brasswell
(1320 South Vandeventer Avenue. 314-256-1657)

Located inside Rockwell Beer Company, Brasswell serves a burger that our food critic called "pure beefy bliss." It comes on a buttery, pillow-soft brioche bun, and once you've had it you'll do anything to get it again, including putting up with a near-fight to get a table -- the brewery may be big, but it still doesn't have enough tables to accommodate its hordes of fans. It's nearly impossible to find a table here, but once you get a bite of that juicy burger, you won't mind a bit.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Mabel Suen

Rooster
(3150 South Grand; 314-772-3447)

Rooster is a fine place to dine and it's fairly easy to get a table there on a weekday, but when the brunch crowds arrive on the weekends, it's every man for himself even at the vast second outpost on South Grand. On weekend mornings you can expect a huge rush and a long wait, but as long as you know what you're in for, you won't mind that much. Sometimes you just need Rooster.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Mabel Suen

Salt + Smoke
(6525 Delmar Boulevard; 314-727-0200)

Salt + Smoke feels like a Brooklyn interpretation of a Midwestern comfort-fare spot, and it has the Brooklyn-level popularity to prove it. This joint gets busy, with crowds and long waits to navigate. But if you put in the time, you'll be rewarded. And you'll see why this place stands out in the crowded (and deliciously hot) St. Louis barbecue scene.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Jennifer Silverberg

58hundred
(5800 Southwest Avenue, 314-29-5799)

Many neighborhood regulars fill this tasty restaurant in Southwest Garden each night, perhaps because it's nice enough for date night but still casual enough you can come in yoga pants. The price point might be another factor. The most expensive dish on the menu, a petite filet, is $19.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Mabel Suen

Clover and the Bee
(100 W. Lockwood Avenue; 314-942-1216)

Clover and the Bee opened in part to handle overflow from Olive + Oak, its impossibly busy sister restaurant. Surprise! Now Clover and the Bee is extremely busy as well, especially at breakfast and lunch time during the weekends. Good news: The restaurant uses the NoWait reservation app, which is an absolute godsend. Ninety minutes for the next table? It's much less of an annoyance when you can determine that from the comfort of your own home and plan accordingly.

Find out more here.

Photo credit: Mabel Suen