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November 2025 by Sarah Burns
We had an incredible experience at Mainlander. The service was outstanding (thank you Evan and Gordon!), the food was exceptional, and the overall concept with wine pairings was truly impressive. Highly recommend everyone try it at least once.
We visited for the November menu, which featured mala eggplant parm, walleye dumplings, and a salad with shrimp toast — all 10/10 dishes. The pork steak, baked potatoes, and vegetables were equally excellent. Dessert was unique with a cilantro sorbet; I surprisingly enjoyed it, though not everyone in our group did.
The only drawback is the price. It’s quite expensive, and the cost is paid at booking the reservation. It was surprising to pay $600 immediately for a supper club and wine pairing reservation for 4. While it’s definitely worth experiencing, it does come at a price.
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July 2024 by Dawn Carr
I was so lucky to spend the 1 year anniversary here with them. This is one of my favorite places to go for not only the experience of a replicated Supper Club, but to enjoy a space where the staff is truly like family. I have a date once a month to go out with my mom and this is where we love to be. Hands down and gasping for air, my favorite restaurant in St. Louis.
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July 2024 by Catherine Foster
Marking this one as 4 stars is hard...I liked Mainlander a lot, but based on reviews and reputation and the build up of how far out it books, I was hoping for something closer to the perfect dining experience. This is based on one experience, and it's just like, my opinion, man. While I'd love to give it another shot, there's also so much established great food here in StL, and so many new places to try.
Service was exceptional! Thorough explanations, friendly spirits all around, this was totally perfect.
Atmosphere is great - lighting, decor, music (volume and playlist) all on point.
Food and drinks were overall very good thanks to some exceptional items. Baked Missouri (a riff on baked Alaska) dessert was particularly impressive, great balance of textures with the perfect cornmeal base, and really great flavors with just honey and ripe stone fruit for sweetness. A bratwurst filled dumpling was tender and deeply savory, fusion cuisine at its best.
Few stumbles though.
One cocktail in the pairing, at the moment, is a gin/absinthe/sparkling wine concoction that is just SO intensely bitter/licorice. I respect the bold choice. But it just didn't taste good to me. I enjoy a minimally sweet, alcohol+aromatics forward cocktail, but this was too much. That boldness is better left to an a la carte menu, not a pairing. I can't think the majority of diners would enjoy this one? Every other cocktail was either very good or excellent - the welcome cocktail was so nuanced with a ton of stone fruits in the body, and then topped with a nicely contrasting icy citrus.
A tomato/rice casserole side dish had all the makings of a luxurious comfort food. Excellent flavor. But it was room temperature, not warm as I'd think was the intent with a casserole served in an oven safe dish? Also quite packed down, almost dry rice portion - rice was tender and properly cooked, but... congealed? Flavor was stil good enough to make this a good dish but it could have been stellar.
Duck confit layered in corn tortillas and topped with duck breast was also great overall, but I got a couple chewy/dried out bites of breast. Nowhere close to a ruined dish, just, like the experience for me at large, not quite living up to its potential.
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July 2024 by Hannah Randolph
The best food and drinks in St. Louis.
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July 2024 by Elizabeth Karches
Absolutely amazing meal. Hands down one of the best restaurants we’ve ever been to in St. Louis.
We had the pleasure of eating at Mainlander several months ago and still talk about how great a meal it was.
The menu changes monthly and is extremely fresh, creative, and well thought out / locally sourced.
The cocktail pairing was an amazing touch to all the dishes.
Everything we ate was absolutely delicious - run, don’t walk, to mainlander for your next date night / double date / special occasion dinner. You won’t regret it!
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June 2024 by Tom Rojas
Absolutely incredible experience. From the food and drinks to the service, everything was excellent.
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June 2024 by Eduardo Sequeira
The food was amazing with the right portions, perfect season. Service was above and beyond. It has this Asian style of sharing which makes that perfect for a date night. The atmosphere was quite interesting, it felt very private and cozy. The bathroom was awesome, with a lot of space and with Elvis Presley music in the background. I will check out the menu here again.
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May 2024 by Gabby Vest
Food was creative and amazing. The staff was over the top phenomenal. Eager to please. The atmosphere warm and welcoming. We will be back.
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May 2024 by Danielle
Best dining experience in STL hands down. Evan is a genius with the cocktail menu and chefs are 10/10. Can't recommend enough.
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April 2024 by Mark Schwarz
Absolutely stunning. The food was so unique, well balanced, and inspiring. The staff was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the ingredients and dishes. What a wonderful experience! Highly recommended.
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April 2024 by Michael Cheatham
Amazing. One of the best restaurants I’ve been to and I’ve been to a lot of good restaurants. Get a reservation ASAP. We are spoiled in STL.
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April 2024 by Nick Teal
March 2024 - Incredible dining experience! Hands down the best service and friendliest staff of any restaurant I've ever experienced. The food was fantastic, I LOVED every single dish they brought out. I didn't get the cocktail pairing, but in hindsight wish that I did. HIGHLY recommend dinning at Mainlander!
Vegetarian options: If you have dietary restrictions, make sure to include that when making your reservation. It seems like each dish had a vegetarian alternative.
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April 2024 by Erica Zamudio
You don't get this level of atmosphere and service in many places. The food is fun and delicious, perfectly cooked, perfectly prepared. I love that the menu changes every month, what a fun way to change with the seasons! The presentation of everything is absolutely wonderful.
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April 2024 by Diana Sussman Tockstein
Hands down, the best restaurant in St. Louis. There is a reason this has 5 stars. Probably the best restaurant I’ve ever been to. I don’t know how my partner got so lucky to get a reservation (let alone a reservation on my actual birthday!!) but I am so happy he did. It was the best birthday meal you could ever ask for. Service, food and vibe is unmatched. So cozy, intimate and inviting. Everything served is unique, yet familiar and approachable. My partner and I both don’t love mushrooms, but the Ozark mushroom hand salad was probably one favorite dishes of the night. I see why it’s so hard to get a reservation. The service was so personal and completely top notch. You are not rushed through the meal but given time to enjoy and soak up the environment. We reminisce on this meal- it’s been over a month since we went and we’re still talking about it. Go, just go. You won’t regret it.
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April 2024 by Caitlin Jackson
We were lucky enough to enjoy the March menu at Mainlander. 5/5 ?, I wish there were more stars to give.
Every single dish was delicious, the service was impeccable, the drinks were delicious, and the ambiance was wonderful. It was so welcoming, cozy, and the perfect amount of class for my taste. It’s so hard to pick a favorite course for me personally, but I’d have to say I very much enjoyed the 7 layer dip and 3 cup bratwurst entree. The flavors were all so developed, complex and well thought out in each dish. Chef Blake is brilliant and I so appreciated the use and highlight of local cuisine. As a non-native St. Louisian myself, it is wonderful to see folks like Blake and Gordon open a place, celebrate the Midwest, and create such amazing destination here in St. Louis.
Also worth noting…I was recently diagnosed with a severe allergy and have been so discouraged to eat out for months (as a foodie that has been a particularly hard pill to swallow for me). The staff at the Mainlander was UNBELIEVABLY CARING for not only my allergy, but 2 other allergies in our party, and made special accommodations for us. Not only did I not feel left out, but I felt for the first time since my diagnosis that I can eat AMAZING FOOD just as everyone else without compromise.
I am so grateful to the team at Mainlander and cannot wait to go back again to try the evolving menu.
Food 5/5
Service 5/5
Ambiance 5/5
Highly recommend.
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