IKEA

For some reason, I thought I had already reviews IKEA but I haven’t. I have been to this location a few times and all other locations many times. The STL location is one of the smaller IKEA’s I’ve been to but it’s a good size for STL. Everything here is nicely display… every time I enter the store… I literally want to buy the entire store LOL! I love how they organize and decorate everything. I like how they have «directions» and a pathway where you follow so you walk through everything.
The IKEA foodcourt has decent and very cheap food! Some of the food reminds me of grade school cafeteria food. My favorite is their almond cake! it’s absolutely delicious and a must have! They also have a small foodie area downstairs along with food for sale in bulk that they provide in their cafeteria.
Great addition to the STL and I will be back!

Today i write about my dining experience at the Ikea of Saint Louis, MO.
I will first speak to y’all about the atmosphere created by Ikea. The envorinment fostered an innate love that one only feels when they meet the person they will spend the rest of their life. This instantly made me feel connected to not only the food but the nation of Sweden. I felt more close to Zlatan then ever before.
The food was out of this country. They provided me a taste of supple lignon berries with a dash of meatballs. Their wraps where as if chance where dishing them out himself. The chicken tenders gave Ikea an American feel, while still giving it, their own Swedish twist. Ikea provided an affordable dinner, my only other option from here is to check out breakfast. Until I return good morrow fellow Unilocalers.
3.5÷5

We always manage to find some things here to pick up when we come. Today we got a $.99 watering can and a couple 6 pack of drinking glasses for $ 4.99. Prices are very reasonable I find for everything from small household items to furniture. You can get some really neat decorating ideas from the staged showroom and there are always plenty of workers to assist if you have questions or help finding items. Wear comfortable shoes when you come because you will do plenty of walking as this place is HUGE. There is also a café where you can stop for a bite to eat during your shopping or when you finish. Like the parking garage, no sun in the summer and no snow in the winter which is a plus.

IKEA! Great store! We really needed this in our area! Finally a store that caters to our style. All the other furniture stores try but no one can pin down that minimalist style like IKEA lets admit it. Stop trying. Please it’s embarrassing.

Wow what a horrible experience. The lady working the Playland forgot to give me a beeper then tried to make me go through the line again because of her error. The other lady working there just stared at a tv screen inside the playroom that was empty.
If rude with attitude is what they are going for they’ve achieved it.

Came in around 10:45 and went to the cafeteria upstairs as the kids play land was not yet open.
All the monitors in the cafeteria were showing breakfast. The chef informed us they had just switched over to the lunch menu, but he could still pull together a few plates of breakfast. So despite the line being changed out we still got what we wanted because the chef was willing to go above and beyond for us. We really appreciated that!
I had the Swedish meatballs and Mac n cheese and it was delicious as always.
The breakfast sausages were not that great but it’s not like I was expecting fine dining… it is after all IKEA.
Service was good food was decent.
Wouldn’t mind coming back again…

Suggestions for quick «what is Ikea?» visit after my experience (followed by review)
1. Park beneath the building on the 1^st floor
2. Go to the 2^nd level cafeteria first and order a side of Swedish meatballs for $ 1 plus a water or drink of your choice (free refills on some with purchase & getting glass/​mug)
3. skip the using cool maneuverable shopping cart to just quick browse
4. look up at the hanging map sign… Store is not linear but actually one-​way loop (explains the «short cuts» that are just doors to the other side of the loop)
5. Make the 2^nd floor loop
6. Make the 3^rd floor loop
7. Go to the 3^rd floor café & order the $ 1 fresh cinnamon roll plus water/​soda or 75 cent coffee and decide if there is anything you want to buy today
Review– weird place with a very confusing layout that seems to force newbies into browsing while letting the experienced quicker visits… MARKETING!
Food–
2^nd floor cafeteria provides more selection including larger meals & only place to sell the $ 1 side of Swedish meatballs (get the glass or mug for drinks with free refills or water). There is free wi-​fi to go along with free refills in case you need that.
3^rd floor café sells cheaper snack style pizza & hotdogs plus is the only place to the $ 1 fresh cinnamon rolls.
Swedish meatballs were very good for $ 1, but not the best meatballs I ever had… Same with cinnamon rolls
$ 7 salmon plate was tried & thought it was under-​seasoned & tasteless overall.
$ 2 side salad was OK for the money.
Shopping/​selection
Nifty or thrifty things are everywhere, but finding the nifty & thrifty combination is a bit harder.
The 2^nd floor can be thought of as a upscale & larger Target Housewares. However, buyer beware because I was not impressed by the pots & pans. Later in the loop is kids toys that had miniature usable kitchen items for younger aspiring chefs.
The 3^rd floor has furniture, actual kitchens and module living (think buying pieces of furniture that fit together) was actually more interesting. They have patio furniture at reasonable prices.
I will return for specific items or maybe to browse & snack during the week day.

IT’S A TRAP!
One of the first things I think about when I step foot in this monstrous warehouse full of pretty things that you probably don’t need.
The Swedes are geniuses. This place is a serious maze not for the faint at heart. If you know exactly what you want, you need to be a modern day Indiana Jones in order to get out in less than an hour.
There are tons of furniture options that cater to all kinds of budgets. The furniture is modern and very customizable. Of course, the less expensive furniture is going to be well… less nice. You really get what you pay for. The same goes with the other items that the store offers from storage containers to lighting to plants. IKEA has it all.
IKEA makes it really easy to spend a whole day here. There are no carts in the main walking area, so you won’t get irritated playing bumper carts with other customers. Everything just looks so darn pretty that you just wish your room, kitchen, or house looked like their mock set ups. There’s a cafeteria that serves pretty good food. Actually, I’ve driven here for lunch before. My favorites are the Swedish meatballs and the chocolate cake (which I struggled to eat in one sitting, it was really rich). IKEA also has… childcare! Enjoy your shopping experience without having to watch your kids.
This place has done so many things right. If you are looking for furniture or other household items, it’s a definite recommendation in my book. Just make sure you have at least a couple of hours to half a day to spend here.

This is the first IKEA I’ve ever been to and it lived up to the hype! You can smell the food as you walk in, so I wouldn’t go hungry. Unless you’re planning on eating first, then by all means make that your plan.
As you ride the escalator up you’re dropped off by big yellow bags and pencils and papers — to write down everything you want, of course. I went just going to see what this massive store was all about, so I didn’t actually purchase anything. I walked around and followed the arrows to see what there was… and there’s A LOT. Everything is very organized and I was pleasantly surprised things weren’t more chaotic. Don’t go if you’re in a rush. But if you need a few quick items (frames, lights, etc.) go on a weekday evening and follow the shortcuts to get to the room you need.

So my friend and I were waiting for the IKEA to open forever, and I had never eaten there. So we decided to go get lunch, probably one of the better fast and spontaneous meals I have had. Service was fast and the dining area was clean when I went but it’s kinda food court ish so I can’t really say I expected much.
Walking through the store was similar to most IKEA ventures I had made in the past, busy, full, brightly lit, and lots of goods all over. Got a chefs knife because I have been needing one, totally worth it, better than my old knife, and the miles I’ve been putting on it. I look forward to going back for more stuff soon.

Lowe’s, Bed Bath and Beyond, and The Container Store took a little post-​college vacay to Sweden back in the forties. A good time was had by all – a /​really/​good time. IKEA was born nine months later, the Scandinavian lovechild of a drunken ménage à trois.
Okay, so that isn’t exactly true. Bed Bath and Beyond and The Container Store did not even exist until the seventies. Obviously, that is the only flaw in this little tale.
However, as you take a stroll through IKEA, you’ll find traits that easily could be attributed to these three hypothetical parents. You’ll see cabinets, bathroom vanities, and light fixtures à la Lowe’s, BB&B-esque housewares, and plenty of organizational devices that you might find at a place like The Container Store. You’ll understand how you’ve lived without this place while simultaneously wondering how you ever lived without it.
Here are a few tips regarding our store:
1. The furniture and showrooms are on the upper level. Housewares are on the lower level. If it’s your first time here, you’ll probably want to see everything. I recommend starting on the upper level without a basket or bag. This will give you the ability to navigate freely without lugging around all of your houseware purchases from the lower level. (Also, once you reach to the end of the lower level, you’d have to do a lot of backtracking to find an elevator.)
2. Follow the arrows. Seriously, follow the arrows. You’ll see everything if you do just that. Don’t take the shortcuts unless you are just completely sick of being here. It’s a big place.
3. Again, if it’s your first time, you’ll probably need to plan on spending at least two hours here. It depends on how much you really want to look, I suppose. Just plan on spending some time here.
4. Hungry? The restaurant is on the upper level, and the smaller café is on the lower level. I have not dined in the restaurant at this location, but I’ve had the frozen yogurt and cinnamon roll from the café downstairs. Both were pretty average, but they were cheap.
5. IKEA has a small grocery section located near the café on the lower level. You’ll see it after you check out. They have a separate cash register for grocery purchases, but during one of my two visits, that register was closed. I’m not sure what you do in that scenario. One person in my party attempted to pay for her grocery items in the café line, but she gave up when the line failed to move after five minutes. (We were on a schedule that day.)
6. Pay attention to prices. IKEA seems to have great prices, but some of their REALLY great prices are only available if you are an IKEA Family member. I once bought something that I thought was $ 3, only to discover it was actually $ 5. The $ 3 price was for IKEA Family members. I just went online so that I could tell you how much an IKEA Family membership costs, and guess what! Apparently, it is free. So, you might want to check into that. I just joined.
7. IKEA doesn’t have bags. They’ll offer to sell you a bag, but just bring your own.
RATING
IKEA gets four stars from me. There really is no place like IKEA.
The one thing I don’t love here is the customer service. It hasn’t been bad. It’s just been kind of average. I never really want anyone to help me, but when a new store opens, employees generally are enthusiastic and eager to help. I haven’t experienced that here. Though, I really can’t blame them. If throngs of people endlessly came into my store, I also would become jaded fairly quickly.

IKEA is an experience. There is no «run in and grab something» here. You could spend HOURS here, walking around and looking at things. I recently came to this location for the first time. I had a couple objectives: return a crib mattress that was recalled; get a new crib mattress to replace it; and look at high chairs. My mother in law came and wanted to look for stocking stuffers. We ended up being here for 2 – 3 hours.
It was not that busy on the Friday afternoon before Christmas. We were helped pretty quickly at customer service. The person helping us was not very with it. Couldn’t find the mattress and just kept pecking around on the computer while I stood there. Took a minute out to hug and chat with two people who came up to say hi. Uhhh ok. I’m waiting here for FOREVER for you and you’re hugging. Annoying. Finally she «found» it and gave me store credit. I’m pretty sure she didn’t find it because I know the range in which I paid and she refunded me about $ 40 more than that. Ok then.
We went and found the baby stuff and stocked up. It’s so cheap! We spent a long time on the lower level where the small stuff is, getting more items. We ended in the warehouse, where we got the mattress and high chair. We were helped quickly when we couldn’t find what we needed there.
The cashier went quickly and I left spending only $ 10 on top of my store credit, and with many items. IKEA is cheap. I like cheap. It was fun, and I’ll be back.

This was my first time ever in an Ikea, so I really didn’t know what to expect. We had a couple hours to burn on a Saturday, so decided to stop by the Ikea and look around, and maybe grab lunch as we had heard they had food there.
Well, when we walked in my first impression was that this place is really big and really clean and orderly looking. The cafeteria was right by the entrance/​exit, so we decided to stop in there first and check it out. They were still serving breakfast when we got there, and wow, the prices were really cheap! $ 1 cinnamon rolls and breakfast with eggs and sausage. They had another breakfast plate with Swedish pancakes for a couple dollars more. It was really good, and for a few bucks, we ate quite a bit!
Then we started walking through this labyrinth of home furnishings. get ready to walk, because this place is huge! It really keeps going, and there is literally everything you can think of that would go in a normal home. most of the stuff is really modern and clean looking, and the prices were a lot more reasonable than I expected.
Well 3 hours later… We finally made our way towards the exit, but we decided to stop by the café once more, this time for a $ 5 plate of Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes. We had heard that was something worth trying. I thought they were just ok. Good, but not great.
My first Ikea experience was interesting, and they had a lot of really nice stuff. I plan on coming back and buying a few things soon.

This isn’t a furniture store IT’S A COMPLEX!
Wowzers…I finally made it by this infamous IKEA and I must admit the rumors have done no justice. This place is amazing. Offering everything your life needs:
Daycare for all the baby mama shoppers
Lockers for safekeeping
Groceries
Full restaurant
Kitchen décor
Dining ensembles
Bathroom necessities
Children’s rooms
Closest assortments
Living Room furniture
Bedroom furnishings
Accessories such as rugs, lamps, dishes, flatware, mirrors, storage consoles, appliances, throws, accent pillows, lighting, knobs, cooking utensils, glassware, desk, house slippers, luggage, teddy bears and so much more I’m just fresh out of typing energy.
Plenty of lot parking with easy signage to navigate you through the complex. There’s also a parking garage so you don’t get wet on rainy days (we all know sugar melts).
Customer service reps are readily available throughout the entire store to answer any questions (I noticed you don’t even have to ask for assistance) if you stand still and look slightly puzzles an IKEA rep comes to you and ask if you need help.
I love this place… can’t wait until the recession is over so I can go shopping on all 3 levels.
~Christy

The much anticipated, obligatory IKEA review. This is for all of you IKEA newbies like myself.
First, the store is mega huge– I’m talking Home Depot ate Lowes with a big parking garage underneath big. So go with an open mind, comfortable shoes, pen & paper to take notes and smart phone to snap pics. Here are some tips:
1. Get there at 9:30am. 30 min. before store opens you can go up to the café and get free coffee and a very cheap but very delicious breakfast. You can also start shopping early.
2. Snap pics of items you like/​want on the top floor that are in all the little display areas. Because you’ll later have to find that same item downstairs in the inventory section and this can be daunting.
3. Go with the flow. There are lighted arrows on the floor showing the direction you should travel. Do not go against the tide. You’ll be sorry, fair warning! (Yes it happened to me)
4. Go with friends. Not too many but a couple of your best gal pals– sorry guys but this place is mostly for the ladies. Because no one can see everything and your friends will point out cute stuff you miss and vice versa.
I really enjoyed my visit. Found some great little gadgets I couldn’t live without for an extremely cheap price. AND finally got to say I went to an Ikea!
I can’t say I’ve exactly drunk the IKEA kool-​aid but it was a fun adventure that I hope to repeat soon!

I am so very excited St. Louis finally has an IKEA. It is a destination that you can spend hours inside no matter the weather. The St. Louis location has some work to do, it is not operating like a well oiled machine as of yet. It would benefit you to study the floor plan before you arrive. Skip the showroom or take a short cut to what you actually need.
The BEST part of IKEA are the products under the $ 20.00 price point. Inventive, cute, funny, space saving, cheap things you really do need. Candles and Picture Frame prices are better than most other places. Kitchen gadgets, coffee mugs, party napkins– SCORE! Polka-​dot rugs for $ 19.99. I am not in the market for IKEA type furniture, but they have some impressive displays on how to make small spaces work.
For some reason the food at IKEA is getting WAY more press than it deserves. The Café opens daily at 9:30 am. Coffee is free until 10:00 am. Free coffee and a $ 1 cinnamon roll are a good way to get into the store BEFORE opening time. That is where the food at IKEA should be kept, only as a plan to shop early. The lunch was terrible. The line was too long for terrible food. We had not planned on lunch there and should have left. Also, there are no to-​go coffee or soda cups, bring your own cup in for the showroom and marketplace.
Check out had it’s issues. I was overcharged for three items and it took quite a while for two employees to get the refund correct. They forgot to scan my IKEA family card and could never get it applied to the purchase. Not necessarily the employees fault, however there were not enough employees in any department from food to check out to handle issues. Seems staffing could, and should, be better on a weekend before the Holiday Season.
Still happy to have IKEA in the STL. Everyone should go at least once.

My husband and I had a great time shopping/​eating here. We probably wouldn’t visit on a weekend again — this place is gigantic — however the crowd was gigantic as well. Airport speed ramps would fit right in. Wear comfy shoes!
This store is unbelievably well planned. There are flow-​chart location signs above the walkways and QR codes with corresponding videos of merchandise. For the first-​time visitor, the signs aren’t perfectly planned, though; we went the wrong way twice to exit and check out. There is a big play area for kids at the entrance and over-​sized, tactile toys fixed to the floor throughout the different departments. You should go to the second floor first to look at tons of displays, then shop on the first floor based on what you’re interested in.
I took a double take on some of the prices. $ 20 for a sturdy, adorable stool-​type chair perfect for a young person’s apartment. $ 40 for a trendy, suspended lamp with a knit shade. Personally, it’s unlikely I would ever furnish my entire living space with IKEA. If I were shopping for a leather couch, for instance, I wouldn’t expect IKEA’s version for $ 1,000 to compete with those lifetime «investments» at other stores for thousands more. But I will definitely be a regular customer for storage items, textiles, kids’ furniture, and more.
One of the best things about IKEA is their space-​saving designs. They have pseudo «apartments» (one is approx. 270 sq ft, another is approx. 700 sq feet, etc) to showcase IKEA’s knack for maximizing any square footage of space. Some items expand (even children’s beds) and there are lots of shallow shelving units.
The displays are inspiring and fun. On the other hand… yikes, we saw some shoppers sprawled out on the furniture with dirty clothes. Other people opened cabinets or handled merchandise like bulls in a china shop. What in the heck. And what modern store would be complete without a little kid here and there with no parent in sight? (Isn’t it odd that these are the kiddies who never get kidnapped?)
My husband doesn’t like shopping but he didn’t get antsy here until the 3-​hour mark. That is yuge. About halfway through, we stopped in the cafeteria. You grab a tray and slide it along like high school. It’s efficient with only a few entrée choices to choose from. The portions aren’t very big and my sons would probably eat two or three, but the prices are about $ 5 or $ 6.
Chicken meatballs: good
Mashed potatoes: great
Vegetable medallion: great
Unnamed, round, strawberry, cream-​filled cake with pink icing: killer
The cake was $ 1.50. Psst, IKEA: I would pay $ 5.00 to eat that again.
They could definitely have used more cashiers. There were at least 30 people in line and only one cashier. Before we had paid, two cashiers were added, but so were about 75 people ordering.
While shopping, the staff can be tough to track down. I didn’t notice any stations or something to find them whenever we had questions about merchandise. Each time, we wandered around to eventually find someone. Surely there is an app for that.
An IKEA kitchen is probably in our future, thanks to those displays. Question is, will we assemble it ourselves or pay someone to do it? I googled that question and one of the first results was entitled, «Assembling IKEA Furniture Will Destroy Your Relationship.»

This was my first visit to an IKEA, and I wasn’t disappointed. After finding out that there was going to be an IKEA in St. Louis and seeing it slowly go up (along with the hype built up from all of my out of town friends), I was excited when I finally got to check it out.
I will start with some useful tips as a newcomer to IKEA that I learned through my visit.
Some useful TIPS for people relatively new to IKEA:
1. If you don’t want to, or don’t have the time to go through the majority of the store, you can go straight to the warehouse by going right instead of up the stairs as soon as you get in.
2. You can look online for the items you want and write the item number down and location so when you go to the store you can go directly to the warehouse and find the location of the item in the warehouse and pick it up. A lot faster than going through the store.
3. There are shortcuts in the main store that you can take to go through faster.
4. Take advantage of the free pencil and paper to write down the item number and location of what you want to buy.
The first thing that I noticed when I got there was that it was very crowded. It was the second weekend since it opened, so I wasn’t surprised. I was pleasantly surprised at how well staffed they were. They even hired event staff to direct people to open parking spots. There was literally a person along the parking every 20 yards. It almost seemed like overkill, but I didn’t mind. The inside was also crowded, but there seemed to be sufficient staff to help the customers (I did have to wait about 10 minutes to have a question answered about a bed frame, but that was because I didn’t try to find another open employee).
The following two paragraphs describe the layout, for those who have never been to an IKEA.
The inside of the store is designed so that you have to go through the majority of the store before exiting. The first part of the store is designed in a show room style. You walk through different sections of the store divided by the room the furniture is for (ie: living room, dining room, bathroom, etc.). They have designed show rooms where you can either purchase everything in the room, if you like their design (I can’t see myself doing this), or you can pick out any item in the room and write down the number. This number and location will help you find and pick it up later on in the warehouse.
The second half of the store is more like a traditional store where you have a traditional shopping cart and can grab any item as is and put it in your cart. This section obviously consists of smaller items that you can actually carry in a cart.
I ended up buying a couple of things during my first trip. It was actually really fun putting the furniture together with my girlfriend (everything comes in parts to assemble from IKEA).
I will definitely be back here just to try out the food court and the meatballs, as it was too crowded when I went. And of course if I need more furniture. :D

IKEA definitely is a shop till you drop type store. This store has everything you’ll ever need for your home. If you cannot find it at IKEA, chances are you may not need it. I have never been to an IKEA, so I was blown away by the massive variety and selections available. I was also amazed at the prices, they totally put discount retailers like Wal-​Mart to shame.
Normally, I am not a fan of RTA (ready to assemble) furniture, but I think IKEA may win me over. I like the fact that you can go to their website, click on the instructions for the item you are considering and see how difficult the assembly will be.
The housewares department is by far my favorite. So many gadgets and gizmos to make your kitchen complete. They also have a great selection of pots and pans, dishes and flatware. I was shocked to see that they also sell appliances. I fell in love with one of the gas ranges.
You may be able to shop till you drop here, but shop wisely and keep in mind, «You get what you pay for». The prices may be rock bottom low, but take a look at the quality before putting it in your cart.
IKEA is a great addition to the city, I’m glad they choose the city over a county location. It now gives those county residents another reason besides our sports teams to come downtown.
* My 900^th Review on Unilocal

I’m thrilled IKEA is finally in STL. I got to visit as part of a friends & family event and they really made the day fun despite the long waits to get in the door. For those who haven’t been before, the store is divided into zones and you can easily hit them all if you just stay on the path with the arrows. On our preview day it took about 1 hour to get from the line through the first 5 zones so expect to spend a lot of time inside. The first five zones are some of the heaviest for displaying full room designs so you can speed up the process if you know what you are looking for.
The top level is nearly all showcase where the bottom level is nearly all pickup. You’ll find things like dishes, plants, art, lighting, and décor on the first level for easy pickup. If you kept your list with you then you can go to the self-​serve pickup bays and grab your smaller furniture. It’s all very easy. The checkouts don’t have bags unless you buy them or bring them from home so come prepared.
The IKEA food was pretty good. They ran out of some desserts with all the crowds but I don’t see that being a long-​term issue. The food court doesn’t have a great flow with the crowds so workers were directing us and did a great job of being friendly under pressure.
Parking is pretty good here. I love the urban model with parking in a garage under the store, just like the IKEA in Atlanta. The entrances off Duncan and Vandeventer aren’t being used until the opening crowds pass but again, I don’t see this being a problem once the crowds die down and the roads reopen. Just be smart if you are getting off at Boyle or Vandeventer and don’t mess with the people who work in the area.