The Libertine

Found this place on Unilocal and just had to go give it a try right away. We came early on a Thursday night and the first thing that jumps out at your is the modern décor! I love the ambiance of this place! The bar is separate from the dining area but both are spacious and have a unique feel to them. The cocktails are inventive and unique, maybe a little pricy for St. Louis but the quality is high and makes it totally worth it! The menu is fun and unique we had a hard time trying to decide what to order. After much debate and getting suggestions from our waiter we decided on the stuffed escargot, the burger, and the osso bucco pork.
The escargot was served with fries and a great broth! The broth essentially made the dish it was full of flavor. The escargot were large and the appetizer was quite filling! The burger was one of a kind, o can’t say enough about the homemade cheese wiz, if they could bottle that up I would pay any amount of money for it! The burger itself was tasty but the bun and cheese were really the best part. Finally the pork osso bucco was a total surprise, the meat was cooked perfectly and fell off the bone it was so tender. This has to be some of the best cooked pork o have ever had. The sauces complimented the dish so well and it was the perfect dish. I have to say something is special about their polenta as well, it was sooooo good.
Other bonus– valet parking, great beer list, even better wine list!
I can’t wait to come back!!!

Everything was alright, service was excellent. Nothing really that made us say «wow» but it was decent. Charcuterie board was varied but just from personal taste, the majority was not something we would want again. My duck and pie was rather good, the legs were crispy and the sauce was on point, but the pie left something to be desired. Hubs liked his pork shank, very tender and well cooked.
Ambience was loud and dark. We went for our anniversary and continuously had to yell to communicate, making it more frustrating than romantic. The tables for two are elbow to elbow with other patrons. Other than that, the restaurant was beautiful. Thank you for having us.

This place is very good. I ordered the Bison Carpaccio as an appetizer which was delicious — though I think everyone else in the restaurant was ordering the marrow bone as I saw a bunch go by from the kitchen. For an entrée I got the duck and pie. The duck legs were pretty good — though a little sweet — and the duck pie was phenomenal. The pie is like a chicken pot pie but filled with duck and Thanksgiving stuffing (apples, bread, and poultry seasoning). Next time I am in town I will try that marrow bone.

Very cool and hip restaurant /​wine /​Martini bar in Clayton. Great and warm welcome. Hip but comfortable setting and the food is great. If u are looking for a hip, casual spot for dinner then u must go.

The bartender needs to seek new employment. I waited roughly 10 minutes for dirty martini and was rude on top of it. The food was ok. Save your money and a few hours of your night. This place is very average.

Went here with co-​workers, good choice for that. Casual atmosphere but food was unique and high quality. Good beer selection.
I was looking forward to the pork belly carbonara but they were out when we got there (they were making the hand made noodles as we got there — so I’d definitely like to go back and try that).
I went with the Duck and pie instead. It was excellent — maple, bacon glaze on the duck legs was awesome. «Personal apple pie» that it comes with was not a true pie — it was not sweet — much more savory of a side but still delicious.
Co-​workers had the burger and the steak and frites — both were very happy with their selections.
I’d recommend it.

The Libertine shattered my perception that Saint Louis was an inferior food city. My whole experience here was incredible.
Dranks: We started out with cocktails. I went with the Manhattan as it is my catnip, and this catnip was the good stuff. As such, I may or may not have had 3 of these over the course of our time there.
Appetizers: We chose the foie gras poutine and the bone marrow as appetizers, both of which were excellent and I’d highly recommend.
Entrees: Continuing the theme of «stuff the most rich, savory things into your face as possible» we ordered the Duck Confit entrée (called the Duck & Pie) and the black truffle risotto. Honestly, the Duck & Pie was absurd and one of the best things I’ve ever eaten. That dish is easily on my top 10 list of best meals I’ve ever had.
Dessert: we went with the maple-​bacon bread pudding. It tastes exactly how it sounds: sweet, salty, overwhelmingly delicious.
The combination of all of these things left me quite happy, and I would absolutely return and recreate the experience — I highly recommend you do the same.

This review has some really good points, but unfortunately they don’t overcome the complete cluster that was the kitchen and bar.
We had a 7:15 reservation on a Saturday night. We walk in at 7:10 and were promptly ushered to the bar. Stood in front of the bar waiting for one of the two bartenders to even acknowledge me for almost 15 min. They were busy getting drinks for the waiters and didn’t seem to want to bother with the patrons in front of them. The female bartender did have time though to take a few swigs from a drink that looked like alcohol on the right side of the bar. Decided I had had enough of being ignored and we’d just get drinks when we got seated. We were seated at 7:30. I think that a 15 – 20 min wait on Saturday isn’t completely unreasonable.
Mark was our waiter. He’s honestly the only reason this got two stars instead of one. We got our drinks at 7:45 and placed an appetizer and entrée order. The time then started to tick away. When it got to 8:40 Mark came over and apologized for what must have been the 10^th time. At that point mark told us the kitchen put out our entrees before appetizers. Mark asked if we wanted them. At that point we were starving so we said yes. The food was good. Was it waiting an hour good? Absolutely not. About 15 min after our entrees got there our apps came out. That honestly made us laugh out loud.
Mark did comp our entrees and one round of drinks. Is that enough to make us come back? Probably not. There are just to many amazing places to eat to deal with a kitchen and bartenders like that. Mark, thank you for trying. I can’t imagine how difficult your coworkers make your job.

Popped in to the the Libertine last weekend during Clayton’s restaurant week.
Atmosphere: First thing we noticed when we went in was that the atmosphere lighting was dim and intimate, but not in a romantic way. Perfect for friends who want to hang out or a casual date. Loved the Libertine sign on the back wall.
Service: Very nice and friendly
We had quite the assortment of dishes!
Mussels ‘Mariniere’: I was a big fan of this dish. It consisted of a large plate of mussels and two pieces of toasted baguette, coated with a pesto spread. The mussels were well cooked and seasoned, and one huge plus was that the mussel broth was flavorful and rich without being over salted. I’ve eaten mussels many times, and too many times the broth has been way too salty to eat by itself! Yuck. But this one was the perfect balance, and I loved dipping the slices of bread into it. One thing that could be improved would be giving diners a separate bowl for the empty mussel shells.
’60’s Cocktail Party Hors D’Oeuvre: This was a hit too! It consisted of a decently sized empanada with a creamy, cheesy filling. The empanada was flaky and warm. The beef cheek was tender, but not as flavorful as the empanada.
The Libertine ‘Diner’ Burger: This was a pretty standard burger. The white cheddar cheese whiz was a unique touch, but there wasn’t anything spectacular about it.
Duck & Pie: This was probably our least favorite dish; we chose it because it sounded very unique. The apple pie was described on the menu as being savory, but it was essentially an apple pie without the sugar, but still erring on the sweet side, just from the apples themselves. The duck confit was put in a neat little pile on top of it, and to me it was tender but generally not too flavorful. We did really enjoy the maple glazed duck fried legs (there were three). The duck was crispy and the flavor was the perfect amount of sweetness, but it kind of reminded us of orange chicken. We also aren’t huge fans of sweet and savory mixed foods in general, so that bias could have played a part.
Maple-​Bacon Bread Pudding: This was my favorite out of the two desserts. It came in a glass jar and consisted of layers of bread pudding, with a delicious, sweet maple syrup. A scoop of custard apple butter ice cream sat on top of the bread pudding and a piece of candied bacon lay next to the jar — the bacon was crunchy and coated in brown sugar; even though I’m not a fan of sweet-​savory foods, I thought it was delicious! To me this dessert was so cohesive, from the maple bread pudding to the ice cream and bacon. The flavors went really well together and for me in particular the bread pudding was addictive.
Libertine Bonbons: Came in a pair of chocolates with a creamy mascarpone filling. It was tasty, but nothing compared to the bread pudding. It was definitely the more tame of the two desserts and felt similar to eating any bonbon.
Overall, I really enjoyed the meal, the service and the atmosphere.
Favorites: Bread pudding, mussels and ’60’s Cocktail Party empanada

My friend Ms. W and I tried Libertine for the first time as part of Clayton Restaurant Week and had a wonderful evening. We made reservations for 6p on Wednesday. I happened to find a meter right across the street and parked in a lot she found nearby. And although we arrived a little early, we were taken to a table right away!
We started off with…
Libertine Poutine — The fries were nicely browned and had decent flavor on their own. But the bone marrow gravy was what really made the dish! It had rich, salty flavor! My only complaint is that there weren’t enough of the garlic cheese curds!
Short Rib and Bone Marrow — Woah! Absolutely awesome! You get two huge bones that are filled with a layer of marrow and then have juicy, pulled short rib on top. Every bite had so much flavor! It was almost sweet in it’s richness! There was also a little mountain of greens and two slices of toasted bread to go with it!
For our Entrees…
Libertine Diner Burger — The local beef patty was juicy and perfectly seasoned. The thick layer of cheese «whiz» adds a super-​gooey texture, but I can’t say that it was quite as sharp as I really like my cheddars to be. But with the bacon and the scallion mayo, there was a ton of great flavor! Just as a heads up, the menu refers to a «bacon bun». From what I could tell, the bun was just a regular bun. But there was bacon on the burger! I just don’t know why they call it a bacon bun…
Ms. W got the White Truffle Risotto. She loved it! We both knew we had dessert coming and were trying to save room, but we both sure had a hard time!
Lastly, dessert…
Libertine Bonbons — The way it was described in the menu didn’t reply clarify anything for me — Chocolate Dacquoise, Mascarpone Semifreddo Cocoa Caramel, Praline Pistachio. I’m guessing the Chocolate Dacquoise is the cake-​like base. And there was a praline pistachio was sitting on top. But I have no idea where the Mascarpone came in… On top of this cake layer was what I perceived to be vanilla ice cream. On top of this was the praline and then the whole thing was dipped in dark chocolate.
Ms. W. had the Maple-​Bacon Bread Pudding. I assumed that there would be bacon cooked INTO the bread pudding and I wasn’t crazy about that idea. But that wasn’t the case! The bacon was a garnish! It was covered with a crumbly, crummy texture that made it kind of taste like a sugar cookie. But for the most part it was pretty bland. But the rest of the dish was fantastic! The bread pudding had a maple sweetness and paired perfectly with the creamy texture of the ice cream and the apple butter flavor!
We both enjoyed our time and our food so much that we’re excited to return again and try their regular menu!

It pains me to admit this but I must say… I do not like The Libertine.
Call me crazy, if you wish, however I think the food here is okay BUT the prices are crazy.
I ordered the ‘Diner’ Burger, because I heard it is supposed to be sublime. Honestly, I think their burger was inferior to the burger from Sugar Fire and costs a ton more.
Emily got the Pork Belly Carbonara and it was actually very good! The problem with this dish is it costs $ 28 dollars and the portion was extremely small. I could have gotten a similar dish at Pastaria for $ 11 less.
The table got the Charcuterie and Cheese Board… It was good, however the portion you get for $ 28 dollars is insane. I could have eaten the entire thing myself, along with the burger!
The drinks were good, albeit overpriced as well.
Food quality, I would give a 3.5. Staff I would give a 3.5. Price I would give a 1.
I do not plan on going back here again. I could have gotten a much better meal elsewhere and spent less money.

First time eating here and was very pleased. The menu seemed a bit intimidating (I didn’t know what half the ingredients were) but went with the crispy pork belly carbonara. It was delicious and very full filling.
Most menu items were pretty pricey, so it’s not a place I would frequent often, but will definitely be back on special occasions or happy hour. Staff was very nice!

Their diner burger is hands down one the absolute best. And those fries!!! Ahhh. So good. I unfortunately find something I really like and try to force myself to try other things… but always get suckered into getting the same thing because it’s hard for anything else to be that good, that’s their diner burger! I so wish it was a hair bigger though!

This place was packed when I went, the drinks were mostly all craft and really good. I hear the food is great too so I plan on returning for food soon!

I’m obsessed. We went to The Libertine this past weekend for a friend’s birthday. I had been in October 2014 and wanted to go back sooner but time gets away. I had been stalking their Facebook page to check out new menu additions and boy did that get me anticipating the meal!
We started out with a charcuterie board and the short rib and bone marrow appetizer. The board had a large selection of items including 3 cheeses, 1 meat, pickles, peppers, picked onions, grapes, beets, and much more. Each morsel was delicious! The short rib and bone marrow app was ridiculous. It was served on a wood plank in halved bones. The short ribs sat on top of the bone marrow. One description for the bone marrow at our table was meat butter. We were scraping the bones with bread to get every last bit.
For the meal, I ordered the duck and pie which was three fried duck legs and a savory cheddar apple pie with duck confit on the top. Just unbelievable. The duck legs were crisp and so moist. The pie was super flavorful and was savory with just the right amount of sweetness from the apples.
I need to make it a priority to get back here before yet another year goes by. It’s definitely worth the effort!

Don’t hesitate to make the trip to visit Libertine. With an inviting and comfortable atmosphere and a clearly defined, unique menu, this place is a huge hit! We will definitely be back for several more visits in the near future.

The service and cocktails are what stand out to me the most. Waiters/​waitresses all very nice and eager to recommend anything to your taste. The bartenders are more than happy to customize drinks. I think the place is pretty well run. The food is also very good. The menu changes which I like. Whenever they use local vegetables, the taste is amazing.
The only thing that keeps me from going to 5 stars are the prices. I think restaurant is pricey. Dinner and drinks for 2 runs high, maybe ~60−80 depending on what you order. The good is good, but I’m not sure it’s quite that good. But in the end, I would still recommend the restaurant, and I’ve returned myself several times.

Sometimes I wish I could just talk about a place and not have to give it a star rating. Or let me give half stars. Although there are three stars, I would really give it three and a half.
On a rainy Tuesday night, it was nice to have valet parking. Just a small fee of $ 4.00 plus tip. We were out of luck to sit at the bar (only seven chairs) so we sat at the window bar on stools. The stools were very uncomfortable so I stood most of the time.
We ordered the mussels and the bison carpaccio. Both were tasty although Mike wished that there had been a larger serving of the carpaccio. For dinner I chose the daily street fare, lamb and goat boudin balls with a dipping sauce, and Mike got the duck and pie.
The restaurant was not that busy but we waited a long time for our food to arrive. So much so that the lady next to us asked me how I liked the balls thinking I had already eaten them. They were a little spicy and the sauce tasted like a Russian dressing with chili powder in it. Mike’s duck was good but he really liked the pie. Like an apple pot pie.
It was nice to try it once but I don’t think I would go out of my way to come here again.

I’ve been here now several times over the last year and I’m a big fan. First off they actually do turnover their menu quite often. On top of that it’s primarily locally sourced food and extremely interesting dishes, so much so that even as a foodie I find myself googling something every time I stop in. Other positives, easy and quick valet parking and plenty of street parking usually, they take reservations over the phone (wish they were on open table though!), good alcohol selection, very good service, fair priced food (I order almost tapas style), and a large dining room though I prefer sitting at the bar looking out at the street. This is a great place for a date.

From the service to the food– this place was wonderful. Even on a Saturday night– they had a few tables left without reservations. It’s a little dark inside — so it would be a good date night place but I don’t know if I would bring the whole family.
1) special cocktails are Delish but not very strong
2) specials of the night. As a ramen snob– I had their ramen as an app and it was pretty damn tasty — maybe a tad salty
3) burger — dream burger, the end
4) trout and fish with veggies. Not fishy at all but I wish there were more veggies and less croutons
5) pork belly app– it was braised and probably the best thing of the night
I might pass on the desserts bc it was the weakest of the night but everything else was a wonderful experience

This is more of a 3.5 stars but I’m rounding up to be nice.
Two of my best friends came into town to visit me. One of them is fairly allergic to a lot of things. I figured a place like the Libertine would be accommodating. In fact, we called before we headed over to see if it would be ok.
It was a Sunday night. Not a lot of people were around when we got there. My friends and I sat down and chatted for a bit. Maybe we should’ve figured out what we wanted… but when the waiter showed up, we weren’t ready to even order drinks and he was visibly upset. We ordered a few beers (I didn’t know their Urban Chestnut wasn’t on tap!) and then ordered food. Due to my friend’s allergies, we had a lot of questions and the waiter got visibly upset again. My friend was uncomfortable enough to stop asking questions.
When the food came out, we were impressed by the generous portion sizes for the sides and appetizers. The corn was good. The mussels were good. My food was amazing. My boyfriend’s pasta and pork belly was fantastic. One person’s burger was over cooked but when we flagged down a server and sent it back, the server was accommodating and friendly. I guess we just got unlucky with our waiter.
We had a meh experience here due to a server having a bad day. The food is good and other people we interacted with were nice. I do recommend this place but I’m not certain I’ll be back.

Been here twice on quick visits to STL. Nice walk from the Clayton MetroLink station. Great cocktails. Great food. Great dessert.
Supper: Steak Frites (perfect after a long day of travel and walking around the city)
Cocktails: When The Man Comes to Town & an Old Fashion (also perfect to kill the pain in my from walking around the city)
Sweets: Libertine BonBons (motivation to continue walking around the city)
Bartenders were friendly and good at their craft. Love this place.

I had been dying to try this place after walking by it almost every day, and the experience was truly even better than I imagined.
First of all, the restaurant is bigger than it looks from the outside. It’s cozy and beautiful, and you aren’t seated on top of anyone else, which is important.
I went with a friend and we split a number of dishes, and it seemed as though each was better than the next.
Dessert is definitely not their greatest strength, but I will absolute go again for dinner.

I came here for my birthday meal. With the change in chefs and menu I was a little apprehensive but I wanted to try the place and I’m so glad I did.
My husband and I started with the mussels and bacon brodo with a broth so delicious I wanted to drink it up with a spoon. My husband had steak & frites while I had the Filet ‘Oscar’. Both of us equally loved our dishes and regretted not getting the others. My steak was like butter and the crab cake had barely any fillers and was beyond delicious. I really don’t know how I ate it all since it was so rich but the food was just so good I couldn’t stop. For dessert we even had some bon bons. My cocktail for the evening was just as fantastic. I can’t wait to stop in and enjoy their new happy hour menu.

I’m torn between a 3.5 versus a 4 star rating. I think if this was in NYC or LA, then it would be a standard 3 star rating for sure, but since it is located in STL, it is actually pretty good for the city. My friend and I had a reservation for 6:30pm this past Sat evening– the place was pretty empty and we got seated right away (there is valet out front for $ 4 which we did take advantage of).
We did not partake in the cocktail list that night, but it did seem that everyone was ordering something and they looked very good! We shared 5 dishes between the two of us and were very full– too full for dessert! Service was good and ambiance was fine (very dim lighting). On to the food:
Crispy pig tail– this was what everyone was raving about on Unilocal,and I do agree that this is probably one of the best dishes on their menu and something I would order again. Think crispy fried pig skin stuffed with spiced sausage on a bed of creamy polenta. 4 stars.
Sunchoke salad– not that great, there was 4 large pieces and some cheese dusting. The consistency was a bit undercooked and the sauce overwhelming. 2 stars.
Grilled octopus– the potato hash was good and complemented the chewy octopus well. The actual dish had just one tentacle, and the octopus was very salty. 3 stars.
Diner burger– this was quite tasty and the only other thing I would order again besides the crispy pig tail. The bun was soft and eggy, the sauce was good and the double patty definitely filled you up! There was also caramelized onions and sugar cured bacon on the bottom that amped everything up. The fries served with it was also good. 4 stars.
Brussel sprouts– small side dish, cooked ok but too salty and not much other taste. 2.5 stars.
Overall– the food was okay and price reasonable, but not sure if good enough for a return visit…

So apparently this is my go-​to, normal rotation, I frequent multiple times a week restaurant and I am NOT sorry!
While I’ve had a few things that aren’t the best, the majority of the items are really great! Their focus on ingredients, particularly veggies, is really great! Their menu changes pretty frequently, but I’ve really enjoyed:
–Merguez spiced broccoli– the broccoli is perfectly cooked (not too raw and not too mushy) and perfect consistency to soak up all the tasty vinaigrette and spice. The onion and garbanzo bean relish is super tasty too.
–Sunchokes-​also spicy with a touch of crunch
–Pumpkin toast– my absolute fave thing here! I swear I can eat like 3 of these. Its sweet, savory, umami, crunch, etc etc… GET IT
–grilled octopus– my colleague loves this dish and I will say, the octopus is cooked really really well! I just think the flavor of the potatoes could be brought up a notch
Finally, I really want to try the fish preparation with the phở fumet. I’m sooooo curious but can’t ever seem to commit bc I’m sooooooo nervous about the «asian» aspects of the dish… what if it’s not like phở broth? what if it is? MIND BLOWN! whats sweet potato hoisin? does it taste more like sweet potato or asian brown sauce? MIND BLOW! Has anyone tried this???

What can I say I love, love, love this place.
We sat at the bar and ate.
My husband started this when we where dating to have dessert first because that is the only thing you can’t take home.
So I had this apple thing (wish I could remember the name) because it was awesome!
Then I had this arugula salad with grains (again, not good with remembering the name for things) so good!
Then last, but not least my entrée.
I had the sirloin steak and it was the BEST THING I EVER ATE!!! It was cooked perfectly and was melt in your mouth.
Don’t walk, run to this restaurant, because it is worth it!

The food was good, but what set my experience apart was the service. Hands down the best service I have ever received at a restaurant of this caliber.
My wife is vegetarian and it was her birthday. They bought us a complimentary «amuse bouche» of chickpeas between the appetizer and the entrée, and without skipping a beat, the waiter let us know that mine had the powdered guanciale on it and my wife’s didn’t because of her dietary restrictions. The same went with dessert and the well wishes for the birthday along with the candle.
It’s rare to see this level of communication between the front of the house and the back of the house executed with such precision.
The experience was the epitome service and well worth the price. I would highly recommend it.