First let’s talk about the layout. There is no host/hostess area so when people walk into the door they have no place to stand but right over your table. Second, last week I ate at The Libertine, about a block away. The food was twice as good and half the price. Third, they have a $ 30 corkage fee!!! We often bring wind to dinner since we’d rather have an 18 year old Bordeaux from our cellar than typical restaurant fare. We are used to corkage fee’s, which are typically $ 10 or $ 15. Once it was as high as $ 20. $ 30 to use 2 glasses is highway robbery. All of that I could live with but the absolute worst was the manager. When I complained about the corkage fee he removed it(hint hint) but he did so in the most rude and dismissive way possible, ensuring this review and a lifetime customer loss. I guess I truly got a «French» experience when dealing with that jerk.
Bill S.
Tu valoración: 5 Saint Louis, MO
Hat’s off to Bryan Carr and his staff for last night’s dinner. Still thinking about it. He recommended a very nice French sparkling wine to start the night. Moderately priced but better than most champagnes I have had that were much more expensive. I started the four course dinner with the pumpkin ravioli. Fantastic. The butter bibb lettuce salad that followed was just the right size and full of flavor from the house made dressing, pears, walnuts, and gorgonzola cheese. He knocked the entrée out of the park. My wife and I both had the Flounder and it was sautéed to perfection and paired with the perfect sides. The sauces he prepared that accented the flounder and the toasted ravioli were both made with great wine and stock. Very good dinner from beginning to end.
Jane W.
Tu valoración: 1 St Louis, MO
I’m 63 and have eaten in restaurants all over the world. This was absolutely the worst service I have ever experienced. One hour and 50 minutes, we had to ask twice to get the lunch menu, order was not submitted so other tables got their food even though we ordered earlier, wrong food came out, sides never did come, bill incorrect. Never did get the food we ordered and the restaurant would not compensate in any way. I won’t be going back here!
Bernadette C.
Tu valoración: 3 Chicago, IL
Went with a group of St Louis friends for dinner. Overall, quite average. For a 1st course, the mushroom soup was very good; if I was rating Pomme on it & on their wine list, you would see more stars. But for the main courses & desserts, the finished preparations failed to live up to the quality of the ingredients. «Bland» is the word that comes to mind. This was the consensus on the main courses we ordered. The same could be said of the desserts. A special note about the Apples Olivia — avoid it. The order that came to our table had a crust so underbaked it bordered on raw. Finally, service: our server was excellent. But little things were annoying; for example, why did we have to flag down a busboy to get bread with our appetizers? And I must say that when another diner slipped and fell, apparently because water had spilled on the floor and hadn’t been mopped up, the joke made by one of the servers seemed out of place given the circumstances.
Alvin W.
Tu valoración: 5 Saint Louis, MO
Bryan Carr turns it out. I’ve been a regular there since its opening. The staff is friendly. It’s a great place for a date. The food is excellent and the drinks are stiff. It’s a bit pricy but the place reeks of quality.
Rader S.
Tu valoración: 3 Saint Louis, MO
we went to pomme on Saturday evening. I have always loved this place. it’s expensive but always excellent. unfortunately this time the service was very very slow. Our server was hard to find and once seen sampling wine while our water glasses were empty. The food is creative and very good.
Tim C.
Tu valoración: 1 Saint Louis, MO
Terrible service. For the money, I have never experienced such incompetent service in St. Louis. The owner, Bryan Carr, was hanging out at the bar. I called him over to say that we had been waiting for two hours for our meal. He said that he would go back to the kitchen to check, and then went back to hanging out at the bar. Go to The Crossing. Jim Fiala knows how to take care of his customers. I will never go back to Pomme.
Brian B.
Tu valoración: 2 Los Angeles, CA
Pomme is an average bistro masquerading as a high-end eatery. We recently dined at Pomme in a modestly-sized group for a dinner that was intended to impress. And while the service was good, and the plating bordered on excellent, there were several instances of poor quality control that marred the dining experience. Pomme Restaurant sits just two doors down from the more casual Café and Wine Bar. The difference is a cozier and slightly more formal atmosphere, with a fancier menu that comes with a noticeable uptick in price to boot. The atmosphere at the restaurant is nice, with a warmly-lit interior and close table spacing that evokes a classic European feel. Likewise, the dishes on hand do their best to emulate the more American-friendly fare on the menus at a typical French eatery. However, unlike their true European counterparts, the flavor and texture of the dishes don’t seem to stand on equal ground with the presentation. We started off with some wine. For an establishment that promotes itself as a place for wine, I was dumbfounded by an absolutely critical error that sapped any enjoyment of the wine out of the gate. For reasons that are completely beyond me, Pomme chooses to store their wine astride a small bar that sits directly in front of the kitchen. The preparation area must throw off a great deal of heat, because both bottles of red we ordered were served several degrees above room temperature. The result transformed a perfectly decent wine into a nearly unbearable glass of hot tannins that was almost sickening to even sip. I had to park my wine glass next to my water glass just to cool the wine down to a drinkable temperature. This lack of attention to detail was an awful start to the meal and an unfortunate precedent for what lay ahead. Most of my companions ordered the soups, which they found pleasant but unspectacular. I had the lettuce with beets and sauteed goat cheese. It was certainly edible, with a nice contrast between the silky lettuce and the firmly-textured beets. The goat cheese garnish, however, underwhelmed, seeming pan fried instead of sauteed(and yes, there is a difference). The heavy breading deadened the naturally tangy flavor of the goat cheese, reducing it to a bland garnish that added none of the anticipated flavor. For my entrée, I ordered the lamb, which was described as being served with artichokes, tomatoes, and potato gratin. However, the potato was nowhere to be found. A disappointing omission, especially in light of what remained on the plate. It is not clear to me what cut of lamb was being offered, but it had none of the flavor or texture one would naturally expect from lamb, tasting more like a skirt steak. The meat was served in morsels, all of them dry, overdone, and severely lacking in tenderness. The artichokes were tender and flavorful, provided I could keep them away from the crushed tomatoes, which were sharp and overripe. The whole plate was drizzled in a glaze that was sweet in a dish that was in desperate need of savory overtones. All in all, it was certainly edible, but when you pay a premium for lamb, it’s hard not to expect something that at least tastes like lamb. We finished off with a mixture of the flourless chocolate cake, a dessert now so overdone that it’s frankly lost its allure, and several orders of the Apples for Olivia, the house’s flagship dessert. The Apples were unfortunately another disappointment. Presented as a small pastry masquerading as apple pie, the dessert suffered from a dry and almost bitter crust that enveloped a nearly molten-hot apple filling that is honestly indistinguishable from what you find inside a Hostess apple pie. The apples were soggy, and the only flavor on hand was super sweet. As I picked it apart, I certainly wasn’t turned off, but I kept lamenting about the wealth of missed opportunity that abounded in the dessert. A little touch of unusual spice in the filling would have gone a long way in making the dish feel like more than just a tiny apple pie. The ice cream that accompanied it was also a missed opportunity, with its faintly cinnamon-apple flavor trying to mimic the pastry instead of complement it. All in all, it’s tough to recommend Pomme. It’s certainly a step above some of the more casual fare offered nearby, but for a place this spendy, I would have expected more attention to detail and craftsmanship, and some investment in flavors that can challenge without overwhelming. With its inviting décor, attentive service, and nice presentation, you could certainly dazzle a companion who is used to walking the middle of the road. However, even the neophyte foodie is likely to see right through the atmosphere and find a wealth of missed opportunity. Simply not worth the price.
Dan F.
Tu valoración: 1 Kittery Point, ME
Not child friendly. Only one high chair. Have two children and unable to accommodate two kids.
Raya K.
Tu valoración: 4 San Francisco, CA
Pomme restaurant has been on my wish list of place to try for quite a while now. Lucky me, I got treated to dinner here a week or so ago! We brought our own wine so I did not bother to scope out the wine list. We were immediately given an amuse-bouche of some sort of pâté and dried fruit. I’m generally not a fan of any pâté, so I could have done without the morsel. I ordered the greens, beets and sauteed goat cheese to start. Always a delightful combination for my palette, but nothing all that original about the concept. Others at the table tried the butternut squash soup, the gnocchi and a lobster pasta. I tried a bite of the gnocchi but it didn’t leave a strong impression which makes me think it may have been a bit bland. I ordered the fish special of the night, which was John Dory served with some roasted potatoes. The fish was cooked well but was lacking slightly in flavor and was clearly under seasoned. The sauce that the fish sat on was good but once again not flavorful enough to make it a real winner of a dish. The others seemed to enjoy their entrees but I heard the same sentiment about the filet mignon being under seasoned as well. Overall the food was good but not of the same caliber as Brasserie by Niche or I Fratellini in my opinion.
Jasmine T.
Tu valoración: 3 Saint Louis, MO
Great French food, love love the soups here and the presentation of it. The crowd is usually older, fifties. I save this for an indulgence once in a while as it is very cozy esp. for a romantic meal and quite pricey. never has let me down food wise. Like the sister café next door, great selection and opportunity to get good food at lower pirice point. They even served us a restaurant dish upon our request when we ate dinner at the café last time.
Ruth H.
Tu valoración: 4 Saint Louis, MO
I love, love, love the café. The atmosphere, the service, the food and the wine selection. Great place for a light sunday brunch or an evening wine date.
Jen O.
Tu valoración: 2 O'Fallon, MO
First let me say this was my first time here. The atmosphere was pleasant but a bit older crowd than what I’m used to(We are in are 30’s most were in their 50’s and up). The seating is «cozy”-meaning crowded. I sat the whole night leaning over my table to avoid being hit and bumped in my back another dozen times. Service was polite but extremely slow. Waiting 10 – 15 for a drink and sitting empty glasses at the end of the table as a hint is not my idea of great service. Menu needed explaining if you are not accustomed to French food. Most of the food was either blan or unpalatable. What we ate: I started with the Mixed lettuce with herbs & red wine vinaigrette-Seriously, it tasted like black licorice with vinegar on top. Roasted amish chicken breast with chanterellos & wild rice-edible but does not intrigue the taste buds, however the roasted potatoes were superb. For desert I tried their Pistachio cake with a layer of whipped cream and a side of lime sorbet. The cake again had little flavor and the sorbet tasted like bathroom cleaner smells. I had a glass of white wine recommended by our waiter which was excellent. My husband had the lettuce & endive with roquefort & walnuts-another dish pushed to the side mainly because of the burnt walnut flavor. He was happy with the Gnocchi w/brown butter & parma reggiano, I however tried it and thought it lacked flavor-the texture was also a huge miss for me. The one dish he had which stood out above and beyond all others was the Tournedos of filet mignon in red wine sauce with potato gratin-Superb. Texture, flavor was all there. His final course was the crème brûlée-again superb! Creamy, delicious goodness. On a final note, the little puff bread they serve before your meal was comparable to mushy cheez-its. That is the best way I can describe it. If you are feeling like trying something new I would say go for it-however if you are going for a special occasion I would advise you to go somewhere else-Ruth’s Chris maybe. $$ There were a total of 4 of us at dinner and our cost was in the $ 250-$ 300 range. This is pretty pricey for an average meal with a couple of glasses of wine and a couple of cocktails for the guys.
Gai K.
Tu valoración: 5 Princeton, NJ
This is the perfect place to have dinner on a summer evening. Great food, wonderful wine, great service, great ambience. I am vegetarian, and when I called in to make a reservation, I got Brian Carr himself on the line, who promised to make a nice vegetarian dinner for the two of us. It is not every restaurant who can handle diertary restrictions well, but this one was wonderful. I haven’t eaten non-Asian vegetarian food that was this good! Thanks, Brain and the rest of the staff, for a wonderful evening.
Danielle B.
Tu valoración: 3 Saint Louis, MO
I took my dad to Pomme for his Birthday… well I was with my mom, brother, grandma and boyfriend and we ALL took my dad out for his Birthday. We made a reservation so were seated immediately, which was nice. We started off with a nice bottle of white wine, and had the ravioli and the gnocchi for a starter course. They were both small portions and a very fair dish. My mom and dad had salads for an appetizer as well and the salads, on the contrary to the pasta appetizers were big enough to split between two people. My brother had the mussels, and they looked great, however he said the flavor in the broth was not rich enough for him. My grandma had the(no cream) crab soup… It looked great as well, but I was unable to try it. I had the rainbow trout for my main meal, as well as my grandma. My boyfriend and dad had the halibut, and my brother had the steak. My mom had the duck. My fish was delicious, and the halibut looked great as well… However, I do think that the steak was the best dish that came to our table. My brother’s filet were in two small cubes, probably about 3 – 4 oz each and cooked medium rare. We ended with the chocolate mouse cake and three scoops of ice cream. We were stuffed after the meal, and ready to leave after our 3 hour stay.
Christy S.
Tu valoración: 5 Saint Louis, MO
It’s so nice to have really fine dining paired with a really casual atmosphere. Brian carr has the ambiance thing down pat. Totally unpretentious, and really great food. Of my many dining experiences here, I’ve never had anything but fantastic food. Chef doesn’t bother with tweaking classics into something new and funky. He just does them all kinds of justice in a fresh but traditional way. Omg, and I’m a chocolate girl normally, but his apples for Olivia dessert… perfection. And it’s named for one of his daughters! Love that!
Clayton P.
Tu valoración: 3 San Francisco, CA
I absolutely loved the atmosphere inside of Pomme. Small space, inlaid brick, mirrors with a nice thick black trim and a little red against the back wall/bar to whet your appetite. If you can call ahead and get one of the two tables that are in the front window. Best tables in the house. To start out I had Gnocchi with Brown Butter and Parma-Reggiano, which I found to be a fantastic little appetizer to get you going, perfect portion size as well. I also tried the smoked trout and salmon with herbed potato salad and found it to be disappointing. The dish was platted properly and it tasted like they ran to whole food and picked up the salmon and trout, just placing it on the plate. Before I was placing my order I heard the waitress say the boneless short rib was the real winnter, so I headed in that direction. I found the initial few bites a bit odd as the way the rib was prepared, almost in a steak like form, taking a bit was a bit of work to begin with, but then I started shredding the rib to make it a little finer before taking a bit — — tasted much better then. I really like their current wine offerings, some good pinots in there.
Jay D.
Tu valoración: 5 Saint Louis, MO
In my opinion Pomme Restaurant is one of the most underrated fine restaurants in St. Louis. The food is always innovative and of the finest quality, always great specials, and I love the small dimly-lit setting. I’m always impressed with how educated and pleasant the servers are. Not being a Port connoisseur, a request for a recommendation turned into a quite interesting overview of the differences, I just thought that was great that they were so forthcoming. It’s on the expensive side, but nothing out of the ordinary for a restaurant of this quality. It’s definitely a treat and a memorable experience each time. It’s a perfect example of getting what you pay for.
Katie G.
Tu valoración: 3 Ladue, MO
Great for breakfast. Great wine list. Decent Lunch and dinner menue. Good service. The only complaint would be slightly small proportions and quality for the prices.