Downtown St. Louis and Washington Avenue feed a different crowd than the neighborhood corners: conventioneers, ballpark traffic, hotel guests who wandered out from the Arch. The room here rewards places that handle volume without cutting corners, from a counter-service smokehouse to a steakhouse that has held its lease near the ballpark for years.
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The tray-line system moves fast even when the room fills up: order at the counter, collect ribs, brisket and pulled pork, find a seat. Families do well here because kids' plates and fries are simple and quick. It is not a sit-down barbecue house and does not try to be one. For a fast lunch downtown between errands, the smoked meats hold up better than the setting suggests.
What to orderribs, brisket, pulled pork
№ 02
Sauce on the Side
$$
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The Five-O Calzone is the order to know, a full meal folded into dough with enough filling to justify the wait. This is a quick-service room built for people moving between the Arch grounds and a boat tour, not a long dinner. The calzone format sets it apart from the square-cut pizza tradition elsewhere in the city, and it earns the detour on its own terms.
What to orderFive-O Calzone, Pizza, Calzone
№ 03
Sushi Ai
$$
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The all-you-can-eat format is the reason to walk in: nigiri, maki and sashimi in volume for under $35, a real number in a downtown built around expense-account pricing. The room is smaller than the Clayton location and fills up, so a short wait at busy hours is normal. Group friendly and unpretentious, it is a value play more than a destination for delicate omakase.
What to ordernigiri, maki, sashimi
№ 04
Landry's Seafood House
$$
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The outdoor seating is the strongest reason to choose Landry's, with a riverfront setting that works for a family meal after a train arrival or a day downtown. The clam chowder and burger have drawn complaints about heavy, overcooked plates that suggest a kitchen leaning on a heat lamp rather than a line. Service tends to outperform the food, so go for the atmosphere and order simply.
What to orderclam chowder, burger, fish and chips
№ 05
The Schlafly Tap Room
$$
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House-brewed pale ale and a fish and chips plate anchor a menu built for a pre-game or pre-symphony dinner, with a split layout that separates the bar side from the sit-down room. It works well for groups heading to a match or a show nearby, attentive service and a burger menu that takes some liberties, English muffin bun included. A straightforward brewpub, not a special-occasion room.
What to orderburger, fish and chips, house-brewed pale ale
№ 06
STL City Grill
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Fish and chips and fried chicken come from a counter-service kitchen that has drawn complaints about slow tickets and underseasoned plates, even when the room is nearly empty. The coleslaw and the cashier's attitude get more consistent praise than the food itself. This is a place to know about rather than to plan a meal around, useful in a pinch but not a downtown standout.
What to orderfish and chips, fried chicken, coleslaw
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Steak, shrimp and a chicken gorgonzola built around a baked potato make this the steakhouse to book when the evening calls for something more formal than a brewpub. Its position near the ballpark and several hotels makes it a practical first-night dinner for visitors, and the service record is unusually strong and consistent. Pricier than most of this stretch, but it earns the upcharge on execution.
What to ordersteak, shrimp, chicken gorgonzola
№ 08
Rosalita's Cantina
$$
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Chile relleno and carne asada plates have long made this the go-to Mexican stop on Washington Avenue, with a loyalty program that regulars actually use. Recent visits describe a quieter room and a slipping atmosphere compared to years past, including air conditioning that was out of service. The kitchen's core plates still deliver, but the room does not carry the energy it once did.
What to orderchile relleno, enchiladas, carne asada
Frequently asked
What is the best restaurant near me in downtown St. Louis?
It depends on what stretch of downtown or Washington Avenue is nearest. Each restaurant here carries an Insider Score based on the review record, not a paid placement, so a higher score reflects consistent performance rather than promotion.
Is there good barbecue in downtown St. Louis?
Sugarfire Smoke House covers it downtown with a counter-service format built for quick lunches and family groups. It is not the only barbecue in the metro, but it is the practical downtown option.
Where can I eat outdoors near the Arch?
Landry's Seafood House has outdoor seating and a riverfront setting near the Arch grounds. The food record is uneven, so it suits people prioritizing the setting over a refined plate.
Do any of these restaurants pay to be listed?
No. None of the restaurants in this guide paid for placement. Each is ranked using an Insider Score built from the public review record, and the order reflects that score, not advertising.
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The data first, then the verdict
We start with the review record, not a press release. Every room here is a real kitchen with a strong rating across a meaningful number of reviews, ranked on our 10-point Insider Score. We weight consistency over time and the rooms locals return to, not the ones tourists pass through once. The list updates as the data does. How we work →
Greta Hoffmann
Staff Writer · Top of St. Louis
Food Editor. Worked the line and pastry in two Clayton kitchens before writing about them. From a south-side German baking family, she measures every occasion room in the metro against the standard the old institutions set, and rations her praise so it means something.
