Carmine’s Steakhouse

We went out for a nice dinner for a business meeting and Carmine’s was right next door to our hotel. The interior may come off to people as dated and boring, I view it as old school elegant. Think old NYC or old Chicago. Dress up and enjoy yourself for a special day. Carmine’s is not cheap, so make sure it is for a special day.
We ate in the lounge as it was early and not busy yet. Angela was our waitress and she was fantastic! Friendly, professional, knowledgeable and funny. It was a refreshing experience to have someone who made you feel welcomed and invited.
All of the food prepared was done exactly as expected. The steaks were all done very well. Medium was medium and not rare. The deep fried cauliflower with pepper jack cheese was interesting but actually, the taste buds enjoyed it! The salad you get can easily be shared by two as it is large.
The filet with a butterfly cut is the way to go. Easier for the cooks to get perfect and tastes great. Juicy with great flavor. We wanted desert, however, we were stuffed from our dinner. Next time, we will save room. Again, this is an upscale restaurant, so do not fret about dressing up, you will fit right in.

Oh Carmine’s! You – along with our stellar knight in shining armor (aka, our waiter Kevin) – made my 40^th birthday celebration perfect. My parents and I flew in from Washington State this afternoon for a Cardinals game Tuesday. I’d made reservations at Carmine’s – a steakhouse – for a special birthday dinner with my parents. I wanted something delicious for them, as well; so, it was important for me to find somewhere upscale, with a great rating, and close to our hotel that they would enjoy. I’d put in the notes of the online reservation that I was vegan and gluten-​free. I didn’t expect much by way of an entrée at a non-​vegan and pretty seemingly anti-​vegan-​friendly restaurant. So often, I have done this very thing for a reservation, only to be greeted by raw and steamed vegetables. I’ve left those restaurants hungry and scavenging for food less than an hour later. Not at Carmine’s and certainly not on amazing, wonderful Kevin’s watch. Instead, I was given… wait for it… options!!! Yes, my fellow Unilocalers. Options for a vegan at a steakhouse. I’ll give you a moment to scoop your jaw off of your keyboard or smartphone. Okay… Yes – you and I are thinking the same thing: swoon. I decided on the medley of veggies over risotto with a tomato sauce. I’d been burned before at Vic & Anthony’s in Houston – receiving almost a thimble-​full of food. Again, not at Carmine’s and not on Kevin’s watch. Instead, a heaping bowl of yumminess arrived – thank you Carmine’s chef… I love you. While my appetite rivals that of a 200 pound man (I’m 5’6″ and just under 110 pounds), I could only consume half. Yes! I left the restaurant satiated and delighted – and my parents dined on real food (Dad on filet mignon; Mom on lobster bites). Thank you Carmine’s for helping us make my 40^th birthday positively memorable and incredible. And more importantly, thank you for having the brilliance to keep within your family dedicated, hard-​working, problem-​solving, and eager-​to-​please waitstaff like Kevin on the floor and skilled, inventive, think-​outside-​the-​box chefs in your kitchen. They are unparalleled assets to your fine establishment. Thank you thank you thank you!

We made a reservation for 7:30. We arrived and were quickly seated. We were given menus and I selected a filet mignon while my husband selected a porterhouse steak. We also ordered sautéed mushrooms. We asked for the fried ravioli appetizer and it arrived in good time. I took one bite and did not like it. I was expecting cheese filling and it was a meat filling. In fact it tasted like a meatball. My husband said they were very good. However I did not like the taste and did not eat any more of them.
My husband ordered ceasar salad and shared it with me. It was delicious. We both felt it was the best ceasar salad we had ever had.
Next came our meals. I had asked for rare with the butter sauce on the side. Instead it was poured over it. It was very heavy on the garlic side. Our waitress asked how I liked it and I told her. She took it back to the kitchen. The owner or maybe his wife came by and apologized and asked if there was something else she could get me while I waited. I said no because I had a beautiful baked potato in front of me. I had maybe taken 2 bites of potato and my new steak arrived. It was perfect. My husband said his steak was very good. He also had the baked potato. We both ordered the potato with butter and sour cream as well as the bacon with cheese toppings. All of this was very good. The service was wonderful. We ordered desert to go — tiramiso and whiskey cake. They look yummy. I could only find one very tiny flaw and that is some of the foods were a little too salty. One interesting item is the light in the middle of the room. It is a Dale Chuhuly piece according to management. Very beautiful. There is also an extensive wine cellar, which we did not take advantage of. It was a nice touch to this restaurant. Overall, a very nice dinner.

My husband and I made a trip to Saint Louis and we’re looking for fine dining for dinner and this restaurant came up. When we saw the outside we weren’t very impressed but once you walk in you can see it is an upscale place.
We were seated right away and our server, Anthony, was very knowledgeable and efficient. We ordered a Manhattan and their new cardinal martini. The drinks were out quickly and tasted great! We both had steaks, I had the filet that was the special that night and it was the best thing I ever ate. My husband had the ribeye and also thought it was amazing!
The only con would be the restrooms there, they were very messy and not kept up.
If were ever back in Saint Louis, they made it easy to decide where we need to go for a nice night out!

Excellent evening out! We had our corporate dinner here this evening, we can’t thank the wait staff and the rest of the Carmine’s family in making our dinner an evening to remember.
Angela and Kent were our servers and they are what servers should strive to be and we thank them for their superior service.
Food was cooked to perfection, steaks were as requested and the mushroom risotto was on point! A highlight of the evening for sure was the food, but the atmosphere and friendliness of staff was by far the gem in our visit.
We ended the evening with some dessert, the tuxedo cake was light and rich the way it’s suppose to be and of course we couldn’t finish it all but you can believe you can get too much of a good thing.
Upon leaving we personally thanked everyone the helped make our night so wonderful and as expected they were humble and gracious. We’ll be back to enjoy again and are sure our experience will be just as good next time. You have earned our patronage Carmine’s Steak House, thank you.

We were in town on a conference and it was recommended that we go to Carmines. The services was slow. But worse than that when the food came out it was put in front of all the people in my party. They dug in and soon realized that the food was given to the wrong people. We told the waiter he apologized and then proceeded to switch the plates after everyone cut into the food. How can he have done that? We told him we need new food and then they brought out new food. Overall food was tasty but there was not excuse for re-​serving the same food after it was cut in to. Also service very slow.

I’ve been here twice now and neither meal was very good. My steak was not cooked to my order, dry, and over seasoned. The crab which was off the menu, due to running out of lobster, was terrible!!! Even the chocolate cake at the end was dry. For the price & atmosphere, go to Ruth Chris’s next door!

You can find Carmine’s Steakhouse in downtown St Louis at 20 S 4^th St, St Louis, MO 63 102, this is about a block away from the famous Gateway Arch and convenient to the Old Courthouse and Busch Stadium, as well as the junction of I64 and I44.
Carmine’s is an old-​school steakhouse featuring aged cuts of beef and an ambiance that would work well in New York or Chicago. There’s an expansive bar, plenty of seating and also a patio for those wanting to people watch during lunch.
We came to Carmine’s from Scottrade watching the Blues loose to the Flyers — great action at an exceptional venue. Carmine’s was recommended to us by the cab driver and a fine recommendation it was.
Our server was prompt and handed us a couple of menus — the alcohol menu was fairly extensive with four pages covering the various wines, house drinks and beers — I selected a quite good Deschutes Brewery Obsidian Stout and my dining companion went for a glass of red.
The food menu featured some interesting appetizers, Salads, Chicken, Steaks/​Chops and Seafood. What intrigued me was the local favorite fried ravioli and we decided to split the appetizer (note that I had been warned that this local treat was «disgusting» — not my words). After trying it, I’m sorry but I simply can’t recommend it here (and I’m betting that it’s very well done at Carmine’s). For me, the issue with the fried ravioli is that it contains beef — I think that if it were chicken or something a bit less fatty it would be fine. As it is, when you cut into the ravioli you’re greeted by a greasy meatball surrounded by a lightly breaded ravioli pasta. The marinara did little to cut the grease and after eating one I couldn’t stomach a second. Oh well, I was warned!
For dinner I selected the 10 oz Filet Mignon, inquiring about getting it black-​and-​blue (cold, rare guts with a bit of char on the outside). For a side I chose the broccoli sans the cheese sauce. The steak, while it could have had a bit more char it was indeed perfectly cooked temperature-​wise. The broccoli wasn’t anything special (maybe the cheese would have improved the dish? I almost asked for it on the side). I was passed a plate of mushroom risotto which was much better — I was just trying to save some of the calories and have something green.
Overall, I thought the steak was just about perfect, the sides mediocre and the appetizer yucky. However, based on the excellent beer and the steak, I still think this restaurant is worth visiting and giving a try, especially if you happen to be downtown. Also, the service was excellent — I don’t remember the server’s name but she was quick, answered our questions and was very patient with a couple of visitors.
(also published to my food blog)

Such a great way to enjoy Saint Louis. I was dying to try the city’s famous toasted ravioli, and they nailed it! Exceptional service, and conveniently located near many tourist attractions. Thank you for a great meal.

My love brought me on my birthday. The atmosphere was nice, but the service and food was impeccable! I had the prime rib special, and he had the sirloin topped with cheese special. Both was great! So many potatoes to choose from too lol. The twice baked was awesome to say the least! Pricy, but great service and food.

I know it’s a steakhouse but seriously they could do a better job with the fish offerings. Mine was basic and only adornment was half the contents of a fruit cocktail tin dolloped on top of it.
The bread was cheap, stale and microwaved to try to put some life into it.
The cheese/​mashed potatoes was just packet mashed potatoes, dry, with melted cheese poured on top.

Solid steakhouse. The meal was well cooked and we were able to get a table without a reservation on a weeknight. The service could have been better.

I had the ribeye which was incredible. However, we had to wait two hours for the food, and even though the place was empty the servers did not come often to check on us. We had to return a lot of the plates from my coworkers. Again, the ribeye was the best I’ve had in my life, but I assume I was lucky. Little pricy, Ud we had had better service the story would be totally different.

Came to Carmines at the suggestion of the concierge at my hotel. It was just a short walk here from where I’m staying. Had a small salad to start, it was very good and the dressing was fantastic. At first, I wanted a scallop entrée but the manager and server did say they are a steakhouse so I ordered the filet mignon. It was delicious and was served with a steak butter, an interesting sauce made from lots of ingredients. Had mushroom& shallot risotto as my side dish, didn’t love this, it was a bit too heavy, rich & almost sticky. The manager was so very nice & brought over a taste of the scallop dish I had wanted. It was good but glad I ordered the steak. Great service too. Highly recommend.

We decided to go here because of restaurant week and because we eat at a certain other steakhouse often. The ambiance was great and the staff was eager to please. I brought my kids and the staff was great at keeping them happy. They gave them their drinks. When my husband was cutting my daughter’s food, the manager took it to the back to have them cut it. I ordered the gorgonzola chicken and my husband had the ribeye. He liked his food. My scallops for the appetizer were delectable. Mine was ok, the sauce on the chicken was too sweet, but the gorgonzola was excellent and carried the meal. The potatoes were just ok. In all fairness, my go-​to meal is a filet mignon, so I’m willing to go back and try a filet and maybe my rating will change. I’m willing to do so because the service was OUTSTANDING!

Best Steakhouse in St. Louis… I know some will argue and I invite the challenge because I’m not a carnivore but I do know food. The food at Carmine’s is superb! The chicken, the steak, the service, the location are all top-​notch for St. Louis dining.
Carmine’s is underrated in my opinion and maybe that’s because people are so «caught up» on major brands. Without name dropping, I’ll simply say not all steakhouses live up to the fanfare.
Do yourself a favor:
1. Make a reservation
2. Dress to the 9’s
3. Valet park
4. Order something new
5. Have dessert
6. Thank me later

When I lived in the Midwest, I’d frequent the Lombardo family restaurants a few times a year. I would dine at the location out by the airport, and at Carmine’s. The last time I dined at Carmine’s was probably 7 – 8 years ago. I raved about this place before I met my wife, and even sold her on it.
Fast forward 7 – 8 years, the wife and I came back here after a Cards game (maybe that was the problem?) and the restaurant looked at though it hasn’t had one update in generations. I recognized some of the same entrees, and we were excited to try them again.
I went with the Chicken Modelo. In the past this entrée consisted of a huge chicken breast, stuffed with cheese and prosciutto. This time around, $ 21 gets you a tiny slider of chicken, with a sprinkling of cheese, and 4 – 5 small prosciutto bits… kind of like bacon bits. The wife went with the filet, med rare. A good cut, but bland, and severely lacking in flavor.
Unfortunately, Carmine’s wasn’t what we remembered. If I could do it all over again, I would’ve walked an extra block, and gone to Ruth’s Chris. Disappointing.

I asked for the grilled veggies in my pasta, and they were not grilled. My Fiancé ordered his steak medium and it was actually rare in most spots. The meal was almost $ 100 and it was not worth it. The bread was cold and served with ice cold butter. The bread would actually rip when we tried to butter it. He did enjoy the flavor of the steak but it was very under done. We were one of the only couples there, and the wait staff was standing around and staring at us. Granted, it was slow and not much going on, so I’m sure it was not intentional. It was still uncomfortable nonetheless. We were only in St. Louis for a few days and very excited for this dinner. It was definitely disappointing.

Carmine’s Steakhouse provides a reasonable Steak along with a admissible ambiance in DTSTL.
After the raucous afternoon at the Rams game I decided that an agreeable meal was in order. Eschewing the Ruth Chris chain experience, I figured that Carmine’s Steakhouse would offer a more uniquely «Saint Louis» feel. To be forthcoming it really feels like a Hotel Restaurant (as it is) which in and of itself is not a particularly bad thing, it is just the service was a bit stiff and forced for my liking. Also, the interior is quite dated.
The menu is about as stereotypical as Steak House dining gets and all of the usual suspects in Midwestern dining are well represented. The local favorite «Toasted Ravioli» was my first order in and is came to the table at breakneck speed. Basically it is the same as any Ravioli, just twice the size and Breaded and deep fried. Considering the great hype surround the dish i was honestly underwhelmed. It basically tasted like an amalgamation of Ground Beef, grease and Marinara with a bit of crunchy mouth feel mixed in. Ho hum at best but I came for steak, so it was not a deal killer at that point.
As for the Steak, Carmine’s does put out a very solid 21 day aged Bone-​In Ribeye when they get the temperature right. On the kitchen’s first attempt my Steak came to the table still eating the salad. After returning it to the kitchen (I loathe doing this), a perfectly marbled 20 ounce piece of charred delight came to my table seared to order (medium rare) along with Steak Butter on their second try. Returning meat to a kitchen in a Steakhouse always irks me, but at least they erred to the side of caution.
As I side I ordered the Twice Baked Potato which was rather uninspired and boring thanks too being under-​seasoned.
In closing, Carmine’s Steakhouse is probably a pass for future visits if and when I get back to Saint Louis as there are several other Chop Houses in the area that deserve a fair shake before a return trip. 2 stars and moving on.

We just left for restaurant week. Neither of us have ever been. The food was amazing and for such an amazing deal. Honestly, if it would have been for downtown restaurant week I would have never go. I honestly can’t wait to come back. I order the Chicken Gorgonzola, very good! My friend ordered the ribeye, and it was huge! I am not sure if I have ever tried a ribeye before, not a real big red meat eater. My friend gave me some, OH MY, that was delicious. The flavor was amazing! The chocolate moose we both wanted to order another one! We had a great time and can’t wait to come back!
The only reason why it is getting ⁴⁄₅ stars is because the service was ok. Server seemed pushing and in a hurry. She was the only server on the patio so I know she was busy. It was beautiful outside I would have had two servers out there.