Prime 1000

Learn how a business operates BEFORE trying to operate one… or rely on others in the industry who know what they are doing. Learn from your staff. Prime 1000 could have been a big deal again.

This place is closed!!! Sorry — I will miss the dining ambiance. :-((

I’m very torn about my rating of this restaurant. Some of our experience was wonderful… some was not up to the standard I expected of a $$$ steakhouse that calls itself Prime.
Let’s start with the positives. The location, décor and layout are great! They sometimes offer valet service (did not on the Saturday night our group dined — not sure why you wouldn’t on a Saturday night) but there is a $ 10 lot that has an attendant just west of The Dubliner. It’s just a one block walk to Prime from there. The décor is updated/​trendy with interesting exposed wood, iron and also lighter elements like cloth-​covered, wire-​framed chandeliers. The artwork is also interesting. The chairs are comfy for a long dining experience. The wine list was not overly extensive, but still «complete» in my book. They also offer many mixed option as well as beer. The staff on this night was friendly and fairly accommodating. We hosted our Fine Dining Meetup for a total of 8 guest in our party.
Additional positives were the steaks. Very flavorful (again, think Prime), all done according to requests. There’s nothing fancy about them, they let the cut of meat speak for itself. I like that about a steak place. Don’t over do it, just serve quality meat. Our group shared the large Charcuterie board (meats, cheeses, bread, nuts, mustard, dried berries, etc.) ($ 20) and the Dirty Gin Deviled Eggs ($ 10). The board was average, the eggs were great! And lastly, our table and location was perfect for a group of 8.
Service. Here’s where I start to waffle a bit. The service was good. No complaints. They were fairly attentive and we didn’t wait too long for anything. Our primary waiter was knowledgeable and obviously experienced. His assistant was new, but very polite and helpful. There was someone the server sent over to answer questions about beer and he was helpful and offered samples and seemed to make the beer drinkers happy. Another positive. Here’s were I start to go south a bit. The restaurant essentially was empty. I’m not sure why, but it was. With that in mind, we were a table of 8 and we were spending money. I found it odd that while they knew we are a fine dining group (so, obviously interested in food) nobody came around and talked to us at length about our meal, our experience, the history of the restaurant, the specials (don’t even know if they had any specials that evening), etc. You know, the things a restaurant does when they want people to come back. The chef could have come out, something. And our waiter, while competent and accommodating, had a bit of an attitude and an affect to his demeanor that said, well, snooty. News flash… there’s NOBODY in the restaurant. Snootiness not required.
Lastly, the things I just didn’t like; no sugar-​coating it. There is a split plate fee of $ 12. I do not mind paying a split plate fee. Don’t mind at all. But when I do, I expect something for it. I expect either the waiter to divide our meal for us table-​side, the kitchen to do it and garnish both plates, something. I do NOT expect a second, cold, ungarnished plate to be set beside me so I can do the honors… not for $ 12. I do not want to pay $ 12 for simply another piece of china. That seems utterly ridiculous to me. Again… there’s nobody in the place. Time to reconsider some policies. I also don’t personally care for the automatic 20% service charge for parties of 6 or more. It’s 2015 and we were part of a group that dines out all the time. We would have tipped MORE if they hadn’t done that. The other thing that really bothered me was how they handled the sauces that were available (and extra) for the steaks. I do not mind paying for a bernaise or a crab oscar. And I didn’t mind paying for the horseradish sauce ($ 3) that I ordered with the Porterhouse my husband and I split. But I was STUNNED to see it brought in a tiny metal cup, just sitting on my plate. You know the ones… like you get cocktail sauce in at Red Lobster? Yeah… that should be free. I expected something unique to have been done to a traditional sauce and for it to have been in it tiny gravy boat or something. Not 2oz in a 10 cent metal cup sitting next to my steak on the plate. Maybe I’m the one being snooty now, but that just seemed very low-​class for a $ 60 steak.
The sides were good and large enough to share. Around the table we had baked potatoes, mac and cheese (very good, very adult), sauteed mushrooms (nothing special but good) and asparagus.
So, some parts were great, others… not so much. Now I know why the reviews for this restaurant are all over the place. It has potential, they just don’t live up to it consistently.

I am fairly sure this place has the best steak I have ever eaten. I went here for my birthday and ordered a filet and it was amazing. It was cooked perfectly which is a huge thing and the searing and seasoning made it delicious. The wine selection is really good and they will recommend a bottle you haven’t tried based upon your likes. I started out with the bacon infused Manhattan and it was extremely tasty. The staff are friendly and the ambiance/​décor is trendy steakhouse cool. I recommend this highly!

Best cowboy steak in the city. Great appetizers and mixed drinks. A little pricey but very worth it. You won’t be disappointed here.

Dinner here was absolutely outstanding!
I had the bone in NY Strip that melted in my mouth like butter. Before dinner I had the Charles Lindbergh martini which is very similar to a Ode to Classic Aviation was made with perfection! Can’t wait to go back.

Fantastic service, my steak was perfecto! I really enjoyed to vibey atmosphere as well. Definitely will be back.

So, I like steak — a lot. And being from the STL area I’m sad to say there aren’t a ton of places that I would consider in the top tier of great steak houses. Often a trip to Chicago is the shortest hop to the goods.
That changed last evening upon checking out Prime 1000.
The staff was great, and the steak fare food was the best I’ve had in STL. I had the Bone in Strip. It was cooked perfectly, tender, juicy, amazing flavor. I also took a shot on the brussel sprouts, as when they are done right they are a treat — normally restaurants fail on the sprouts. These were perfect, not mushy, not hard, just right with the flavor that only a chef who knows his craft can coax out of a lowly sprout :)
We will be back — probably more than our bank account will approve of. RC’s has nothing on this place — and my trips to Chi-​town just got put on suspension…

A friend and I stopped in for lunch on a Thursday and were greeted very enthusiastically by our server, James. He continued to treat us as though we were VIPs throughout our visit. What we really appreciated was the sincerity of the treatment. It felt natural, playful and not forced or fake at all. He went above and beyond with making accommodations for us and that was also appreciated.
The atmosphere was that of sophistication and pampering. The menu prices were reasonable to us with a good variety to choose from. It took some time to get our food, even for just lunch, so make sure you are not in a rush.
Out of all the places on Washington Street this looked the most pleasant so if you’re ever in the area I highly recommend stopping by. They have 2 menus but the only one posted outside was the dinner pricing so don’t let that deter you.

Stopped in for lunch while downtown for a weeklong conference.
There were four of us.
Three of us ordered the favored Prime sirloin.
I can’t say any of us were impressed with the quality of the meat. It was rather tough but eatable.
No sides are included with lunch entrées. We shared the add on augratin potato dish. It was OK. Not very creamy at all. Much like a potato pancake.
One in our party ordered the salmon sandwich, which came with fries. He enjoyed his selection more than we liked our steaks or augratin potatoes.
The bar area does offer a comfy, classy feeling along lots of windows.
Our group was the only table seated in the entire restaurant.
Service was friendly and attentive. I’d give the server 5 stars.
My recommendation to the restaurant itself would be to consider opening for dinner only. Use the savings to invest in a higher quality meat selection.
As a local, I don’t know that I’d return for a steak.
If you’re traveling or staying at one of the many downtown hotels, I don’t know that I’d recommend it.
There are plenty of excellent steak restaurants in the area.

This restaurant has gone severely downhill in the last couple years. The place was empty for a late lunch and now I know why. Service was ok but food took an inordinate amount of time. When the food was finally delivered it was fair to poor. Food was overcooked and very greasy.

Although we liked the atmosphere and my husband loved his pork steak we won’t return to this restaurant. The rest of our food was very subpar including my steak. I expected an awesome experience from a prime steak house but I received a tough steak I could hardly cut into. Also, I paid $ 15 extra for Oscar Style and it was not worth it. The crab was lukewarm and tasted like it came straight out of a can and they forgot the béarnaise. I’ve had better steaks at Texas Road House.

First tip… never dine here for restaurant week!
We had come in early to have dinner and catch a movie not knowing that it was restaurant week.
We were sat immediately, maybe 1 or two other tables were occupied. The service started out great but went down hill immediately.
First, let me begin w the menu. We were given the «Restaurant Week» menu and the Regular one. We immediately noticed that the items, specifically the sirloin steak that was offered on the RW menu wasn’t offered on their regular menu. When I inquired, i was told that it wasn’t as good as their regular steak offering and that it was brought in for RW. Ok what she was telling us is that it is subpar and we shouldn’t order it. But isn’t the whole point of restaurant week to sample and be introduced to a restaurants food at a great price in hopes that you come back. If so, why the heck would they bring in a subpar menu item?
So we decided to order off the regular menu. I ordered a $ 50 ribeye, side of mac n cheese and my boyfriend ordered a $ 40 tuna steak. He liked his tuna and it had good flavor. My steak however was delivered to the table a bit cold and rare. Since I asked for it to be Med-​rare, I sent it back. It came out a few minutes later cooked properly and I dug in. Well the steak had a funny sauce on it so I ordered a side of Bernaise. I waited, and I waited, and I waited for almost 20 minutes. The mgr finally came out w it. I took one look at it and was so upset. I told her that my steak was now completely cold and had interest in it. She also tried to tell me that they were making new Bernaise sauce which made me even more upset. I could tell it had been on the line all night OR it came out of a can. It was thick and clumpy. No self respecting chef would ever send something out and claim it was fresh if it wasn’t light, thin, buttery etc.
Also did I mention that our waitress ditched us half way through the meal. She was no where to be found and then we had 2 different servers wait on us. Only did we discover as we were leaving that she was waiting on another larger table In a different section of the restaurant. That was infuriating.
Zero hospitality, poor food quality, and over priced. Many better option for downtown dining!

Enjoyed the atmosphere, service, and food. This was a birthday dinner and a huge expense for our family. We don’t typically drop $ 150 on dinner but it was definitely worth it. My big issue is that our server charged my debit card to another persons order, refunded the transaction, and failed to tell me about it. Luckily I had the extra $ 300 in my account because my money wasn’t refunded until 2 days later. It was a huge inconvenience for my family which could have been avoided had the server mentioned his error. We haven’t been back and we won’t be back.

The burger is still great. Their happy hour menu has dwindled down to just a few appetizers, and the drink specials aren’t very special. Still go for the burger, but don’t expect anything else to tempt you for a return visit. What a shame.

A girlfriend and I popped in before a concert at the Peabody to just sit at the bar and do a drink and light dinner. We were treated like queens and received the highest level of service even though we wee just at the bar.
We split a steak and salad to keep it light and both were fabulous. The steak was cooked perfectly and the arugula, pea and goat cheese salad was a perfect complement.
Do not overlook this place! downtown, easy parking or valet, near a lot of post-​dinner entertainment options.

This is one of those places you go to dine not just eat. The food is superb and the service equally as good. The wine list is impressive with many desirable labels.
The crab cake appetizer was fantastic and large enough to share. The 20oz bone-​in cowboy ribeye was very flavorful and cooked to perfection. We each ordered different sides which are also large enough to share. Don’t miss the Mac and cheese.
A little pricey but this is one place where you definitely get what you pay for and will not leave hungry.

1) I must admit, the food was great! Steaks were cooked to perfection, and the garlic mashed potatoes were wonderful. The mac n cheese was good… perfectly fine to order, but not anything to write home about. Each steak comes with a side big enough to share with another person.
2) The #1 reason we came here was b/​c the other reviews said each steak comes with a full roasted garlic clove on top. UNFORTUNATELY, the waiter informed us that the new management got rid of this delicious feature. We were VERY bummed. What a travesty.
3) No military discount. :-(
4) Nice atmosphere, but it’s weird that the servers are in jeans. It seems very out of place.

Still good food, but the string of great food for a good value at lunch is over. Looks like new management took the place over. Instead of a $ 10 lunch including a delicious iced tea, they now have a $ 10 lunch with markups all over the place, and no free drink included.
What used to be a large calamari, steak, or chicken cobb, caesar, or garden salad with a drink for $ 10, is now a plain cobb, caesar, or garden salad for $ 10, add $ 4 for steak, chicken or calamari, and no iced tea included. My significant other came to get the calamari salad for $ 10 all the time. Now the calamari salad is $ 10 for the basic salad, yes $ 10 for lettuce, dressing, and croutons. Add the $ 4 for the calamari. Still no drink. The salad is pretty big and we could probably split it, but oh, wait, they added a $ 5 split plate charge now too.
Same for all of the sandwiches. I used to love coming here for a sandwich and a cobb salad with iced tea. Literally we came 3 – 4 times a month for the past several months. Now they include fries with the sandwiches just like every other restaurant downtown, the salads being an upcharge of $ 3. Again, no drink.
Our lasting lunch friendship with Prime 1000 is over unfortunately. Our lunch budget is around $ 10/​per person, per day which is the same as a lot of downtown local lunch eaters, and this most recent visit with their changes drove our normal $ 27 with tip to $ 40+ with tip. The local market is likely going to drop for them, and out of towners are sure to be disappointed now on the price/​quality/​value ratio. Their sandwiches with fries aren’t any better than Hooters or Fridays, and those places have better lunch deals for the same type of meal. We eat out almost every day downtown, and Prime will be missed from our list. With so many other fantastic lunch options, and so many better steakhouse dinner options, this was probably our last visit. The new management has lost touch with the downtown lunch crowd.
Our server was friendly and apologetic for the changes, kudos to him for realizing the changes stink.

You gotta hold restaurants that charge such a high price at a higher standard I find. Here is why it’s a 3 star.
First, when we walked in the greeting was great! However, when they said they were full (from reserved tables), it still looked empty and while we ate there were empty tables around even at the bar which is what we requested so I don’t know how it was «full».
The food was great. It wasn’t the best steak I’ve had but it was very good. I find with steak places we tend to hold them to a higher standard since there are so many places to get it and good places too. I had the 6oz Prime Filet ordered rare. I was told to order one below what I usually have but what I found was it was served one above what I usually have. Given it was a filet it did taste great, but not best I’ve had.
Interesting that each of their steaks come with one sauce which was just interesting to try it with different sauces (since I was with a few people), just to see what kind of flavor it changes. But a steak like this, no need for sauce. Just eat it plain.
Also served with one side which is great! I got the roasted brussel sprouts which were great.
The drinks, I found that the wine menu for a glass was a bit more expensive than I’d hoped it’d be. But the one I got which was on the lower end was fantastic though. It was this Merlot from Australia, it was fantastic.
The food I found a bit expensive too, I don’t think what I ordered was full value for food alone.
The waitress was quite friendly and helpful and she answered all our question with poise and didn’t ever feel like she was rushing to give us an answer, but truly trying to help us understand the food and get the best meal possible.
So why is it 3 star? Well one star docked cause the food was a bit overcooked and one star because from the price to food wasn’t what I expected. I think it’s still good, just a bit pricey. Probably more like a 3.5.