The Dark Room

Went here before an event. We had so me extra time.
The food is pricey. Very few vegetarian items. But it came quickly so we were not late.
The wine is excellent but expensive.
The place was cold. Not just drafty but cold. Most people had their coats on while they ate. There is not table that escapes the opening door… no vestibule to capture the cold.
But I think next time we will just grab a drink from the bar at Powell Hall.

Stopped by after a symphony concert at Powell hall. It took a little figuring out to see how and where to seat ourselves. Once, we got seated, it was very nice. The bartender recommended a very good wine and we ordered a couple plates. Definitely more like appetizer portion sizes, but well-​made and tasty. The live music was great atmosphere and we both left satisfied. We would definitely return again if we were in the area.

Classy place with excellent selection of cocktails and drinks. I love the desserts too! Try the no bake cheesecake.

Mid-​Summer night dream of jazz to tell the deceiving & distraction fairies to chill…
On Wednesdays 9 to 11 PM, I deserve a break from my mind & drama so experiencing Kasimu presents The Trio is great treat. The ever changing jazz rhythms & artist is the stimuli that a wise doctor should prescribe.
(Along with being free/​no cover, Unilocal is offering $ 35 gets you $ 50 coupon. After 10PM is $ 1 off drinks & various veggie flatbreads for $ 6. Plus they offer a broad selection of wines, beers [my choice Divided Sky Rye IPA] & select liquors.)
I love to experience how the players can set aside ego & support each other as they play without script. I love to listen to the exchange of soloist improvising on top of creative rhythmic support. This is music in the collaborative effort.
I like that each time I show up there are different guest performers that Kasimu presents the Trio allows to join.
The last time I was there were
2 different trumpet players
2 different saxophone players
2 different pianist
1 drummer
1 stand-​up base player
(Still call themselves «The Trio»?)
This free concert series maybe the best way to be stay cool this summer & get over the hump day.

Came here tonight just to hear the jazz. Absolutely the best music in town (if you’re a jazz fan). Heard Ptah Williams (keyboard) and others with him on Thursday. Cannot comment on food since we didn’t order any. Couple of, glasses of wine which were fine.

First time here with #OperaTastings. The wine selection and food pairings were wonderful accents to the opera arias. We stayed after the private event and enjoyed a bottle of wine and other appetizers. The DJ music was perfect for the atmosphere. I can imagine picking up this place and setting it down in multiple cities across the country.

I must preface this review with the fact that we came in with a group of 16 people. However, the restaurant had time to prepare for a large group as we reserved our table days in advance.
I’m going to avoid the narrative here and give the overall points of issue:
–While the service was very nice, it wasn’t good. Everyone was served in weird increments and my fiancé and I were served food like 15 minutes after everyone else without explanation.
–The portions were small and the quality of food was terrible especially considering the prices. When I buy an $ 11 flat-​bread in St. Louis I’m at least expecting something sharable and when I order a charcuterie board, I’m expecting more than a couple salamis and shaved parm.
–The cocktails were average at best and very sweet overall.
–While I know art is not objective, I found much to be desired from the «gallery» aspects of the restaurant. The presentation was amateur — photos printed on medium weight copier paper and held up with magnets.
I wanted to like this place but I just can’t figure out what the redeeming qualities are. I might stop by for a glass of wine before a show at the Fox or Powell but that’s about it.

Stopped in after an event at The Fox. Nice place to hang out with friends for a few drinks and talk. The place isn’t that large, so if it becomes crowded, there may be challenges with seating. There was a dj there the particular Sat that I was there and the music was pretty good. The wine I had, a Riesling, was very very good. They have a very extensive wine selection. The «feel» of the place reminds me of something that would be located in CWE. Nice to see that STL is starting to obtain some nice places in midtown.

Great wine selection and the first genuinely helpful sommelier I’ve met in St. Louis, since I don’t know when.
Lovely atmosphere. Perfect for a late night drink after the symphony (late for this fish, at least). The view out the window was stark and beautiful and mysterious, so that I felt like I was visiting another town. The DJ was only slightly annoying, not too loud to keep us from talking.
The staff was, if anything, a little too friendly. (I”m a cold fish at times like that.)
Prices were reasonable.
Anyone worried about parking is a provincial idiot.

We had tickets to the Symphony We wanted a place to eat that was close I checked Unilocal and found The Dark Room I was excited to find the $ 35 deal The place was easy to find We walked in and headed to the bar Our bartender was a little stressed because the cook didn’t show up for work I offered to help bus tables He was doing his best to make drinks wait on people cook food and try to keep everyone happy Our drinks were made to perfection We found a table after we cleaned it off The Flatbread was delicious however we ordered hummus and didn’t get it Which was fine because he was so busy

The Dark Room is a MUST stop before the show at Fox theater. Willie and Anna are the best! Get your buzz on at the Dark Room instead of wasting your money for cheap wine and beer at the show. Have a great glass of wine or try a local craft brew beer with a scrumptious cheese plate to share. Five stars all the way!!!

I loved this place! They had a girl playing piano and singing. I had a great glass of red wine that was only $ 10 and the photos on display were amazing! The street it is on is way cool — Fox Theatre neon lights etc. — glad we found this place!

A nice, classy, simple wine bar with a helpful staff and great wines and local beers.

Grand Center is no longer just about seeing ticketed events! There’s finally a great place to just go and hang out, thanks to the Dark Room, a new wine bar/​gallery space.
The décor is sleek and minimal, with dim lighting. There’s plenty of different seating options as well as outdoor tables. There’s a solid wine selection as well as some interesting bottled beers, like Perennial Mint Chocolate Stout. If you want a real tasty white wine, check out one called «The Derivative» ($ 50/​bottle). It definitely left an impression on me.
There’s also a decent food selection, with small bites and more substantial offerings. Definitely try the thyme-​cheese gruyers ($ 6). They are little bready snacks slighly bigger than a quarter, but they pack some serious flavor. These are probably the ideal snack to accompany a glass of wine. Other snack options include chocolate-​covered grapes and mixed nuts. I tried the smoked salmon bruschetta ($ 12) and I was pretty impressed. 3 healthy pieces of toast covered w/​cream cheese & smoked salmon, each topped with a dollop of caviar. It was damn tasty and the caviar added a savory kick. There were some interesting flatbread & meat/​cheese plate options as well.
Another cool aspect of the Dark Room is the music. Come in on the weekend and you are likely to hear some talented DJs and musicians. The owner of the place is connected with the local scene and has a great ear. There is also always cool revolving artwork being displayed in a gallery space. Sip on some wine, check out some art and groove to some great music. It doesn’t get much better than that…
The Dark Room makes a top-​notch date spot and is also great for larger groups. Of course it’s ideal for stopping by after a show at the Fox or Powell Hall. Or just swing by on the weekend. Grand Center is actually cool now, who woulda thunk?!

Great vibe and concept. Right in the heart of the arts district. And a 3 minute walk from my place = good stuff.

Just checked this place out on a Wednesday night. I’m sure there is a very different vibe on nights when there are shows nearby and those patrons stop in, but there were only about 4 people in here at any one time when I visited.
The bartender Simon (from Scotland!) told us they just started a new happy hour which runs from 4 –7 which includes $ 5 wines — 1 white, and 1 red. Otherwise prices are what you would expect from a glass of wine — between $ 7 — $ 12.
The food is mostly appetizer chees plate fare. They didn’t have everything so Simon made up some yummy combination of cheese, olives, figs etc. So I wouldn’t call it a dinner place exactly, but I guess that’s what I kind of did.
There will always be a photography show up here which is related, or maybe curated, by the International Photography Hall of Fame which is just around the corner. The show I saw was Webster University student work.
In conclusion, a nice cozy spot which may make you feel like you are a sophisticated person.

This is a new wine bar on Grand between the symphony and the Fox theater. Its an interesting concept bar, they sell wine and beer and it’s also a dedicated photography gallery. They have a menu of snacks and light foods that go well with the drinks and a large communal table that encourages conversation about the surrounding art.
Its a place you go to before or after the evenings events and its quiet enough to have an actual conversation. I thought it a refreshing new idea for STL.