Tuckers – Mmmm Soooo Good

Date Dined: June 7, 2014

Overall Rating: 4.0 Stars

Of all the steak places, in all the town, in all the world, this is one of my favorites. It’s hard to name something bad about Tuckers. What is there not to like? The friendly service? The affordable steaks? The cozy atmosphere? Well okay the mixed drinks are pretty bad, but there’s plenty of beers to choose from. The sign on the outside says Tucker’s a place for steak and that is an apt description for you will dine on delicious steaks whenever you go.

Décor Rating: 4.5 Stars

Tuckers is a converted house in Soulard and they’ve done amazing things with the space. What used to be I assume a parlor or living room is now a downstairs dining area. Upstairs you’ll find a wide open floor plan. Walking in gives you a definite Cheers vibe. Not to light inside, but not dark and murky. Weird portraits of long deceased people adorn the walls and the furniture all looks well used. And I love it!

Service Rating: 4.0 Stars

I have never had bad service here. From the hostesses to the servers to the bartender everyone knows their business. Beware they do have two rules. One, they won’t seat you until your entire party is there (although they’ve bent this on occasion when I asked nicely). Two, they don’t take reservations for parties less than 8. But I’ve never had a wait that took longer than thirty minutes even on a Saturday and it just gave me time to down another beer at the bar.

When you’re sat your server will greet you promptly and you’ll have a drink in front of you in five minutes or less. Everything comes out right on time from the bread to the salad to your steak. It’s not fancy, just homey and wonderful. If you just want to sit and talk they’ll let you do that to. Every time I’ve been out with a friend and we’ve chatted for awhile our server has actually come back to check on us every thirty minutes or so without judgment.

Price Rating: 4.0 Stars

You can’t find a better deal for a delicious steak. We’re talking Texas Roadhouse prices and no extra charge for the deliciousness. Let me just say this. For about $20.00 to $25.00 you can walk away satisfied and sometimes with extra leftovers, and that’s a price you can’t beat. Objectively, this isn’t a wallet friendly meal, but subjectively considering how good the steak and potato you’re getting a steal.

Food Rating: 4.0 Stars

Tucker’s actually has a pretty decent sized menu. I’ve had the pizza in the past and it’s a nice thin crust plentiful on the toppings and the size. The potato skins are tasty tater filled appetizers with just the right amount of cheddar cheese and bacon. Even the grilled shrimp, although a little dry, is pretty good. I guess my point is whatever you go with you won’t be disappointed.

But if you go, you’re probably getting the steak which is what this review is all about. Dinner comes with a salad, a steak, and a baked potato that you can “load” with sour cream, bacon, and green onions (just do it). My salad, although it doesn’t look like much, is actually pretty delicious. It’s obviously a pre-packaged salad mix, with bacon bits, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and some cheese, but it’ll stave off the hunger until your entrée. What makes it unique is Tucker’s lemon pepper dressing, a slighty sweet, poppy flavored affair that really makes you enjoy what you’re eating.

Now for the steak. Even if you’re used to getting it more on the well side I would recommend maybe relaxing that rule here. I’m a rare to medium rare guy and I think that you can definitely trust the meat here. The one pictured above is a bacon wrapped filet and it was quite nice. It’ll come out with those nice char marks you see with Tucker’s signature steak sauce seared into the meat. The sauce itself is a thick and savory marinade that tastes vaguely like carmelized onions. It’s so very good, it’ll bring tears to your eyes. The potato will likewise cause you to weep. I don’t know what they do to it, but the insides are as soft as mashed potatoes and the flesh is nicely salted (I’m guessing they boil this sucker before baking it).

In Conclusion

If you’re craving a delicious steak and you don’t want to pay premium prices for it check out Tuckers. True, on a Friday or Saturday night in Soulard you’re going to be battling the crowds but it’s worth it. It’s long been one of my favorite joints in Saint Louis, and hopefully it’ll become one of yours. Now, I have heard questionable things about the others locations, but I can vouch for the Soulard spot. See, even the weird imprint my water glass left on the table is happy.