Annie Gunns - The Closest Thing to Heaven in Saint Louis

Date Dined: May 22, 2014

Overall Rating: 5 Stars

The weekend of our wedding which meant it was time for a foodfest! Of course we had to take people to our favorite steak joint, Annie Gunns.

Décor Rating: 5 Stars

What isn’t there to love about Annie Gunn’s décor? It’s classy without being snobbish, romantic without being completely dark, and lively without being too loud to hear yourself think. We love the inside of this place, but the enclosed patio is slowly becoming our go to place. Natural wood and dark greens are what you’ll find inside. An eclectic mix of nostalgic paintings line the wall, reminiscent of those classic Guinness posters. Outside a permanent tent and large wooden tables are placed on the patio with plenty of space of spare.

Price Rating: 4.5 Stars

For a quality steakhouse, you definitely get your bang for your buck. Not to say that the steaks and fish aren’t going to be thirty, forty, or even fifty dollars, but it’s worth it. If you’re coming here for a special meal then be prepared to spend.

What I do love about the menu is that you can get in and out for a very affordable price if you want. Want some of their delicious naked wings? Only about twelve bucks for a heaping plate. Hamburger and fries? Only 11 bucks for some of the most wells seasoned and moist beef you’ve ever had.

Service Rating: 5 Stars

I will say that we have never had bad service here, but on more than one occasion it has been amazing! Combine the friendliness of family, the knowledge of a experienced sommelier, and the attentiveness of an amazing server.

Let me say that while I usually tip well, very few servers wow me. That’s because most have only one way to serve and that’s it, but you have to read your table. If you’re a guy with a table of flirty cougars you have to be willing to get arm fondled. If you have a group of giggly teenage girls then you smile and play along. And above all, please do not disturb that romantic couple in the corner trying to be friends.

At Annie Gunn’s your drinks will always be full, your food will come out on time and with enough time for you to enjoy each course, the servers will know about whatever you ask them on the menu, and they will make you feel like family for the entire time you’re dining. And once in awhile, they’ll excel all your expectations.

Food Rating: 5 Stars

Now you’re probably thinking, Chris, not everything here can be phenomenal and you’d be right. In fact, this last trip I had two dishes that were probably 4 stars at best, but some things are so good we could give them 6 stars.

First up, the house smoked seafood sampler. I didn’t even known that you could smoke jumbo shrimp in a maple glaze, but apparently you can and it causes your tongue to explode with happiness. Along with the shrimp you had some ridiculously tasty sea scallops, tasty and moist Missouri trout, and satisfyingly smoky sturgeon. Top this all off with some sturdy Guinness Rye bread and you have a mercury filled plate of goodness.

Next we must take a moment and speak about the chicken wings. They are crispy, savory, not too greasy, and naked as the day you were born (but less gross). There’s not a lot of actually say about the wings other than you should try them. If you’re not then you’re doing yourself a disservice.

Of course, I also had to order my standard Caesar and it was likewise delicious. Not the best Casesar I’ve ever had, but I’ll never find that again since the place closed. To their credit they used dark green romaine as an amazing Casesar should have. The dressing tasted like it was made in house, anchovies yum. Not too overly sauced, but just enough that you could tell it was a Caesar. Overall, I salute the people of Annie Gunns for knowing how to make a Caesar.

Now we come to the saddest part of the review, the lack of a cowboy cut. The cowboy cut is a dry-aged wonder of meat and flavor, soft enough to cut with your knife, and flavorful enough to turn a vegetarian back on meat. Except, they didn’t have it. What they did have is a normal locally farmed ribeye. It was cooked perfectly, but just not as tender or flavorful as the cowboy. For the price, I’d give this steak a four, but it really lacked the savory flavor of a dry-age. It was really only slightly better than something I could get at Tuckers. As I said, as sad day, but life is hard (for those who don’t know me, this is sarcasm).

My groomsmen and best friend from college ordered the Mahi which turned out to be very moist, but not nearly flavorful enough. The meat was tender, not too fishy, and expertly cooked, but it definitely required a few pinches of salt. I think if they had just placed the same seasoning they use on the wings on the fish it might have brought out the flavor all the more.

We ended the night with two tasty desserts. A Riesling cake which (pardon for using this term so much) was incredibly moist, not sickly sweet, and complimented with a delicious strawberry sauce. The ladies of our table seemed intrigue by the bread pudding which is not my cup of tea, but even I had to admit it was tasty. The rum sauce was far and above the highlight of the dish. Nothing wrong with the bread pudding itself, but I’d be just as happy with a cup of that sauce.

Final Thoughts

Whether you want to spend $100.00 or $15.00 there’s something here for everyone. For a first visit, try and get a steak or at least a burger, but go hungry because the portions are generous. So if you’re feeling ignored then go to Annie Gunns and get some pampering. And on the way out go to the market next door and pick up some of the most delicious blueberry pie you’ve ever had.