Market Grill

Wow… food was fresh, tasty, awesome… wtf…this place should be packed… please, stay away on sundays… I love a great brunch… that is all…

3+ for local ingredients, super-​friendly (bubbly, even) service, and delicious food. I ordered the scallop entrée and was very pleased. Btw, the farro that comes with the scallops is a hearty grain. My husband had the beef tenderloin which I really liked though he thought it was a tad too salty. We’ll probably be back.

I’ve been meaning to go back to Market Grill after they changed the chef, and the article in Sauce magazine finally got me to do it. What an improvement on the food! Our group had the the salad with blue cheese (don’t remember the name), porchetta sandwich, gnocchi and fish in parchment — all were very good! The gnocchi was so light and airy — much better than any gnocchi I’ve had recently at a number of popular restaurants in STL. They have a mix of less expensive items ($ 10) and more expensive entrees ($ 10-​$ 20).
If you haven’t been here in a while, give it another try. We’re going back for brunch this weekend!

After seeing a photo of the porchetta sandwich in the newest issue of Sauce, I knew we had to check the place out. From the prior bad reviews it seems like the owners of this place really listened to te customers and did an overhaul of the menu, and oh man was everything we had was fantastic.
We started off with the trio of bruschetta which is listed on the menu as the following: 1) House ricotta, walnut pesto & basil 2) Oyster mushrooms, Heartland Creamery goat cheese & fried sage 3) Grilled leeks, romesco & chives.
*Served on grilled house bread
All the options were delicious, our favorite was the one with the oyster mushrooms and fried sage, I could have eaten three of them alone.
For our main courses I got the pork belly with pickled vegetable salad which was on the small plate section. Wow. The pork belly was melt in your mouth delicious with über crispy skin on it, and there was a small splash of a sherry reduction sauce that went really well with it. As for the pickled vegetable salad, today I learned I like pickled beets! It had pickled beets, pearl onions, mustard seeds and another thing I forget. It was soooo good.
Boyfriend got the porchetta sandwich and it was as good as I expected it to be. He absolutely loved it, I thought it needed a little something else but he disagreed. The pork was really great and the bread it was served on was delicious as well.
Also our server was super nice and attentive!
I was going to give market grill 4 stars because it feels really stark inside and the art is hideous, but the food was so good I can look over it. I mean we are here for the food, right?
If you’ve previously given Market Grill a poor review, I really urge you to give them another shot.

Last week Market Grill started weekend brunch ! I’m diggin’ it ! I feel like I should chat about the food choices I made… but I can’t manage to stop thinking about the bloody mary I had. They have a cheeky, fun «build your own» bloody mary menu. Can I just tell you to go ahead and choose the bacon (YES BACON) flavored vodka ! It’s like a BLT in a glass… a BIG glass at that ! Well worth the $ 6 !
Alright — on to the food. Last weekend we had the Market Breakfast (regular fare, thick sliced bacon, eggs, toast and potatoes — if you like crispy bacon, make sure to ask for it), the Market Scramble, and the Breakfast Tacos. All were delicious. So delicious in fact that we went again this past weekend… and ordered the same things !
We pop in pretty regularly. If you’re a fan of scallops — you’re gonna want to try theirs. I don’t know which is more popular… the scallops or the accompanying side of gnuddi. It’s a garlicy, spinachy, squash-​pasta-​y bite of yum !
Here’s my favorite thing about Market Grill… the chef isn’t an egocentric ass… he’s happy to swap out sides, turn a side dish into an entrée and add or subtract things you wish. He usually pops out to chat at some point during the meal.
Katie, the manager, is rarely absent from the restaurant. If you find yourself not happy (it can happen — every place has an off day now and then), you can blame yourself for not chatting with Katie — she’s eager to set things right ! They’re chefs and managers, not mind readers. Play nice and nice things happen !

I attended a wine tasting at Market Grill. The wine was from a local winery, but the appetizers were all Market Grill items. I can’t even remember what the specific breads were that I enjoyed, but I did sample quite a few different kinds.
I will need to visit for a meal so I can write a better review, but the atmosphere is great, the people were pleasant, the drinks looked fantastic, and the menu items looked delicious!

Fantastic lunch menu — the bow tie pasta was fantastic! All the ingredients used at Market Grill are produced locally (Soulard Market, anyone?) or in-​house. Atmosphere is fancy and clean, but price isn’t bad — a great place to make a great impression. Some dishes seem to lack a punch of flavor, most are more subtile.
Fun tip: try the strawberry ghost pepper sorbet. You’ll be glad you did. It’s sweet then spicy and will make you smile!

We were in the Soulard area and decided to try Market Grill. The décor was fun and relaxed. My 22 year old daughter loved the artwork!
We started our evening with a bottle of wine and the cheese plate. We were very happy with both choices.
For dinner, I had the scallops, my husband had the butternut squash soup and my daughter had the cheeseburger.
The food was moderately priced and good portions. The cheeseburger and chips were huge and priced at $ 9. Everything was very fresh and flavorful.
We would definitely go back!
The bartender was super helpful. My daughter was wanting a wheat beer and he searched and searched until he found one that she would like. He could have just told her they did not have any on the menu; however, he went out of his way to make her happy. That is great service!!!

Market Grill just got a new face lift and menu, and I likey! Market Grill is a small restaurant/​bar located across the street from Soulard Market. It has had a less than stellar existence with a sterile bar, average food, and no atmosphere.
They’ve gone through a complete change of management, staff, menu & décor and I’m impressed! Being across from Soulard Market, they have decided to go with a «market fresh» approach with a focus on local grass fed meats and farm fresh produce.
I’ve only had two of the salads so far (root veggie salad with frisee, walnuts, ricotta cheese and balsamic vinaigrette, and the pear salad with bacon, spinach, Gorgonzola and mustard vinaigrette). Both were really good and I’m looking forward to trying the rest of the menu. I sounds and looks awesome. I also love the new artwork and staff. I will definitely be back.

My husband and I went in one afternoon for happy hour. This place had great deals on drinks and apps. The service was spot on and it didn’t take long to get our food out. The restaurant is modern yet comfortable. We sat at the bar, which had an amazing bartender. There are drink specials throughout the week. The menu sounds quite tasty.
We will definitely returning to this place.

I am very surprised by all of the bad reviews this place has received. The one thing I would agree with though is that they should probably have a drink list. Otherwise I thought the food and service was great! I ordered the Reuben and it was AMAZING! I suggest ordering the chips for the side because they were also excellent. Our server was very attentive and friendly as well. We’ll be back for sure!

I am amazed at the numerous poor reviews. My husband and I had lunch there after shopping at Soulard Market, and we both felt it capped off an enjoyable morning. The place is long and narrow, an almost sheik look. It has a beautiful bar. We sat across from the bar, but I wish we had sat at the bar. My only complaint is the high top tables are too close together,
Our service was great, and I loved that the bartender (perhaps owner?) came over to talk to us and asked about our food. Our waitress was upbeat and quick with refills. My husband had the special, an Italian wrap that was so huge, he took half home. He greatly enjoyed his side of mustard potato salad. I had the hummus and the soup of the day, chicken corn chowder, which was absolutely delicious. I am not much of a meat eater, so I picked around any large pieces of chicken, but most people would have enjoyed that. The flavor was spicy and delicious. I hope they do a corn chowder sans chicken some time. My hummus was surprisingly good. I could not finish it as it came with ample pita points.
We liked that the beers were listed up on the wall. The two TV screens were a nice addition. I did not walk into the back room, but it looked very nice. They have a 3 – 7 happy hour M-​F with half-​priced apps and reduced beer prices. There were quite a few items on the menu that I want to try. I definitely will return.

I predict the Market Grill won’t be around very long. It’s the definition of meh. You walk in, look around and it just feels kind of incomplete, like it was designed by committee and no one could agree oh how to decorate, so they just didn’t. The owner should be sentenced to five nights at the Venice Café. This is the kind of restaurant an accountant would open.
They seem to be proud of their crabcakes, but they are bland on top of being unhealthy. Putting one of these in a sandwich just doubles the blandness. The mac and cheese was equally bland, which is very surprising for anyplace that bothers to list it as a meal. I mean, just put some good cheese in there, for christ’s sake. How hard is that? Sweet potato fries were overly sweet (maybe you like it that way — not us). Cole slaw: bland.
On the positive side: One of the items we got, the greek tilapia sandwich, was very good. Some of the other menu items sounded good too, so I’ll acknowledge the possibility that we might have made some unfortunate menu choices. I highly doubt we’ll be back to find out, though.
Service was also prompt and friendly and the place is clean.

Went here last night with a friend for an early dinner, and I’m surprised at the negative reviews here. Granted we didn’t order anything from the bar but beer. We were the only people in the place (5:30 on a Wednesday, which makes sense) and decided to sit at the bar. The bartender/​server didn’t hover or disappear, which was nice.
On to the food: loved it. Considering the quality and variety of things the prices were justified. I got the crab cake sandwich, served on wheat ciabatta (nice touch) with some sort of magic sauce on the side that I can’t remember what it was, other than awesome. The crab cake was HUGE, flavorful, and not greasy or mushy with a perfect crispness to the outside. My friend got their special of the day, gyro fajitas. They did up some gyro meat with peppers and onions, tzaziki sauce on the side, and warm pita instead of a tortilla. He was a happy camper and there was nothing to take home for either of us after we annihilated our plates.
Happy hour there runs M-​F until 7 pm, which is pretty late for a happy hour, and I definitely plan on returning for some great noms.

Went here with group of 4. The interior is really nice, clean, non-​smoking. Bar area seems nice with nice flat screens. We were seated in rear dining area.
Waiter seemed harsh and dry at first, but got better with time.
We had buffalo wings and Chicken Satay to start: both were just okay.
The dinner salads were very fresh and tasty.
The crabcakes were decent, but not the best. (I may be spoiled by Louisiana crab cakes though)
I tasted the Coconut Chicken… eh, it was not good.
Peas and mashed potatoes were nothing special.
Prices were a bit high for the quality of food IMO.
Overall our group decided we would probably not retun here.

Kind of surprised by the negative reviews here. Visiting my mom from Los angeles, I thought the food was great, service was laid back but good, environment was clean and nice.
We had a great crabcake sandwich on ciabatta bread, side of fried jalapenos and onions. Good hotwings and good crab Louie. The crab meat wasn’t amazing but c’mon people I had to offset the low rating!
Update,
Just ate here again, device and food were good again. The waitress took extra care to help with my moms demanding dietary restrictions

It pains me to rate anyone a single star, but I really was disappointed with my meal at Market Grill last night and won’t be back.
We, a three-​some, went on the recommendation of an acquaintance. First impression walking in the door, smoke-​free (yay!) and beautiful original brickwork, but a really scrubbed-​clean feeling. Which is good, or could be. Maybe it just felt out of place in Soulard :).
From there it was all downhill. The menus we were given were dog-​eared, ripped, with pen marks and spots of indeterminable provenance. Poor impression. Print some new menus.
We were not offered a drink list. When I asked for the drink list, the server said, «We don’t have a drink list, but I can get you a wine menu.» But there is a neon Bud Light sign in the window. If you don’t have a list printed, use your voice and tell me what you offer. A note on the wine menu: sorted into reds and whites. Fair enough. Beneath the reds? The whites. And beneath the whites? The reds. Print some new menus. And considering the venue, their wine pricing is high. The server made no effort to sell us drinks.
The food. The first thing the server told us was that they were out of the soup of the day. Ok, fine, benefit of the doubt, it must have been excellent and super-​popular, right? We started with hummus — not my choice. Did not meet expectations. I ordered meatloaf. It was surprisingly dense and rather dry — full of filler. The mashed potatoes looked more like mashed hash browns, I don’t quite know how to describe them. The green beans had to have come from a freezer bag. And the fried onion & jalapeño straws were completely out of place on the plate. I probably left half of my food behind; I could have done better at home.
One of my friends ordered a wrap he seemed to enjoy, the other ordered the special — they serve prime rib Saturday evenings. She found it under-​done but it looked right to me. For some reason we thought we might need an order of the mac and cheese. Friends, if your mother ever made you mac and cheese, this will be a disappointment.
My glass of wine was empty for, I don’t know, a good half an hour. The server never noticed.
The facilities in the handicap bathroom I realize must have been built to code but anyone paying attention will notice that the soap dispenser, mirror, and towel dispenser are unsuitably high for someone sitting in a wheelchair.
I wish Market Grill all the best; someone has put a lot of love into the building and is trying to make it as an entrepreneur, and I appreciate that. But they need some serious focus and refinement on the menu concept and design and a reboot on the service.

I walked and was greeted by a long marble (? Not a rock expert) bar with brick walls. The place is long and narrow, but on one long wall are large windows facing Soulard Farmer’s market. The blonde wood floor contrasted with the darker tables to create a pleasant/​clean/​upbeat dining establishment. Behind the pillar & jukebox was more seating. They also have a sidewalk café outside.
I sat at the 10+ person nice looking bar for happy hour to grab a few appetizers at half price, but was told they had only drink specials. Ok. I ordered the pulled pork and they were just out. I then ordered the Mac-​n-​cheese $ 7 with blackened shrimp added for $ 2.
For $ 9 this the dish was very appealing. The Mac was not drenched with cheese for a main dish. They added bread crumbs and lots of seasoning. They only gave me two descent sized shrimp, but they were nicely seasoned (next time I will order $ 4 worth). I liked all the flavor. Plus they gave me a roll and a side of cooked vegetables.
I spent more money than what I planned, but got more. I left happy about the experience (this was the first one dining), but also maybe because the bartender (Liz?) was that athletic hot…
Plus no smoking!

I went to Market Grill a couple weeks ago and thought it was pretty good, actually. And I have heard nothing but good things about it from friends and co-​workers who have been there.
My husband and I got the blackened shrimp appetizer — very good. The shrimp was cooked perfectly.
I got the blackened tuna entrée — it was delicious. My husband got a sandwich, but I cannot remember which one he got. All I remember is that it had blue cheese on it and came with sweet potato fries, which I happen to adore.
We ordered some drinks and I have to say, I was not upset with the prices — I think they are pretty comparable to other places that have a similar menu.
I’m sure we’ll venture back there for more … and I think it’s a nice option to have in Soulard.

The interior looked like a cafeteria on the lower level. There was no drink list, nor did the waitress know what liquors they had in stock (turns out they had only two bourbons). Ordered a perfect manhattan with a twist, got cherry juice & bourbon. When my friend, the cocktail connoisseur went and complained, they fixed it, but the bartender pretended that he didn’t know who’d made the drinks and proceeded to get his boss. His boss made them right. I don’t know who thought this place had «classic» cocktails, but they must have been high.
The menu was all over the place. They need to figure out what kind of food they serve and then redo it.
My friend had the spinach artichoke chicken; it was tough & incredibly flat. A real loser. We had the crab-​stuffed portobello appetizer and it was nice.
My Kansas Strip came well cooked with nice mashed potatoes and a vegetable side, but then the staff brought a little bowl of gravy out that looked and tasted like that brown instant gravy from the store (read: terrible).
My girlfriend had the beef stroganoff and it turned out to be another real loser as well. It tasted as though the ingredients had been cooked separately and then lumped together and served. Stroganoff should be simmered together.
Also, for all the trouble, the place was incredibly expnesive. I won’t be back to give it a second chance.