4. Restaurants

Kemoll’s Italian Restaurant

211 N Broadway, Saint Louis, MO, 63102
  • (314) 421-0555
  • Store is closed

Kemoll’s Italian Restaurant Menu

  • Salad
  • Soup Du Jour
  • Wraps
  • Sandwiches
  • Sides
  • Desserts

Healthy Meal suggestions for Kemoll’s Italian Restaurant

  • Salad
  • Soup Du Jour
  • Wraps
  • Sandwiches
  • Sides
  • Desserts

Visit below restaurant in Saint Louis for healthy meals suggestion.

Church’s Chicken ( 805 N Kingshighway Blvd )
Church’s Chicken ( 10646 New Halls Ferry Rd )

Visit below restaurant in Saint Louis for healthy meals suggestion.

Church’s Chicken ( 805 N Kingshighway Blvd )
Church’s Chicken ( 10646 New Halls Ferry Rd )

  • PR L.

    We had the Jumbo Crab Cakes with spicy mayonnaise for an appetizer. They were JUMBO, nicely breaded and fried to perfection. However, did not taste any crab. The spicy mayonnaise was not spicy. Would not order this dish again. For an entree I ordered the Tenderloin "Hunter-Style" Roasted garlic and mushroom sauce. Again, the serving was very large. However, the tenderloin arrived swimming in the mushroom sauce. The sauce overtook the whole taste of the tenderloin. The side of pasta with meat sauce looked and tasted like it was three days old..... Great view of the arch, the Mississippi and Illinois. Service was slow, sporadic and the waiter was condescending throughout the evening. The atmosphere was stuffy and hush hush. I've had much better food at other restaurants for less money.

    (1)

  • Anita K.

    I brought my niece here for a splurge dinner before the circus. The 40th floor location is amazing, with such great views of the arch, river, and downtown skyline. Beyond that, I think the overall experience is good- a solid three stars- but no longer knock your socks off as it was back in its prime. As you walk in you immediately see the decor is in need of an update with musty, fading carpet and curtains. I think they are going for the old money country club vibe, but I think that look is out of fashion for good. Despite the room having plenty of open tables, we were seated at at one with a pillar blocking the view. I asked to be moved so we could see the skyline and they quickly accommodated. By the glass wine pour list is limited and lackluster. Then they were out of the signature app, fried artichokes, which my niece particularly wanted. We got calamari instead, which was very good. For dinner, I had the fillet douglas, which was a high quality cut of meat, perfectly cooked, with scrumptious lobster in a rich sherry cream sauce. My niece got the fettuccine toscana, which was rich and creamy with perfectly cooked salmon, offset by salty capers and garlic. Both were good, mine I thought was a little pricey at $55 (the online menu also says $47, that's quite a jump). This is a nice destination place that is good to check out at least once, recommend to hard core Italian food lovers visiting the city, or hit up for the pre-Cards game prix fixe menus.

    (3)

  • Tommy H.

    The restaurant has got a great view and portions are big. But they are about the only upsides. Food is pretty bad for this high-scale restaurant. My steak was poor quality with lots of tendon. It was overcooked and served lukewarm. Service was slow and not attentive. I will not come back again.

    (2)

  • Amy M.

    Just not worth it. I've dined in loads of fine dining places and this was quite possibly the biggest bomb. My companion and I decide to eat here on a recent trip to St Louis only because we had a groupon. We started with the artichoke "fries". They were good. Our main courses were mediocre. If we hadn't had the groupon, I'm more than sure we wouldn't have dined here. It's clearly a tourist trap. The decor was dark and confusing (gold framed mirror on wall covered with small white Christmas lights) but with the views the have, who cares what the rest looks like. I wanted this place to be better than it was. Needs work in every aspect. Someone call Robert Irvine.

    (2)

  • Nils H.

    I don't know how Kemoll's affords is top-floor space. While the views are incredible (St. Louis really is a beautiful city), there is just so much empty space. At least on the side of the restaurant we were seated in, there were tables littered along the edge, but none on the inside. I'd estimate the empty space between our table and the wall to be around 30 feet, and it was empty the entire distance of our side. While it's always nice to not feel inundated with other guests swarming you, it almost felt like we were in no-man's land. Started with the house salad and wasn't disappointed. They jam-pack a bunch of complementary ingredients into the small plate, so it ends of piquing enough taste buds to keep your interest, but not so heavy as to spoil your appetite. For entree, Filet Douglas all the way (how can you ever go wrong with beef and lobster tail). It was, as expected, delicious, even adjusted for its high price point. While I was very pleased with both dishes, the unexpected favorite entree for our table was the beef tenderloin tip risotto. Next time!

    (4)

  • Katy R.

    Well, the view was fantastic - despite the Arch being dark due to the gov't shutdown. The restaurant, however, was less than impressive. Restaurant Impossible, get to Kemoll's quick! Out of date and extremely beat up décor (three of the nine chairs at our table had to be replaced for fear of collapse), untrained and inattentive staff (one delivering a steak knife to the table came inches from cutting my daughter's face with the upturned face-facing blade), and lackluster cuisine (huge portions of mediocre pasta seemingly to compensate for prices?). Having traveled worldwide and dined in some of the finest restaurants, I certainly would not recommend Kemoll's.

    (2)

  • Nancy A.

    We came from out of town, and got a groupon for Kemolls. The website looked promising and you couldn't beat the groupon deal. The decor is outdated as well as the waiter outfits and food. We sat away from the window and were disappointed. There's no point in going there if you're away from the window. The food is over priced and the whole place needs an update. Even with the groupon, it's not worth it. Don't waste your money.

    (2)

  • K T.

    I love the fact that Kemoll's is reaching out and expanding their customer base through Groupon and Living Social. From what our server said and what we observed, it appears to be working. Many couples dining the night we were there were in their late 20s to 40s - all dressed for a fine evening out. Unfortunately the older crowd seems to believe that Kemoll's has somehow become a casual restaurant. Hawaiian shirts and shorts? I'd understand if this were a pre-game meal but our reservation was for 8 and the game was long underway. That's okay, we just kept focusing on the wonderful views of the city as the sunset and the lights came on. My husband is a "meat and potato" kind of guy, usually opting for steak. He really enjoyed the Steak Au Poivre. Surprisingly, he also kept commenting on how good his house salad was as well. I started with the Baby Lettuce salad, which along with the cheese garlic bread, was really the best part of my meal. We both enjoyed the side pasta - flavorful and not too heavy. My salmon (two HUGE portions) was cooked beautifully but served lukewarm. When I told the server that I wished it were hotter, she quickly took it away with apologies. The salmon came back hot and delicious, with an offer of a free dessert. We noticed that almost every table had a "doggie bag" when they left; we were no different. I plan to enjoy the rest of my salmon for dinner this evening. Desserts were also very generously portioned - easily shared. I had the Forest Fruits gelato (locally made, according to the menu). It was perfect - tart and full of berries. My husband decided to order his own dessert, the ice cream pie. I don't think he found anything exceptional about it but did enjoy it. Overall, Kemoll's was exactly what we expected. Beautiful views, great service, and solid food. I'm not dying to go back, but I wouldn't pass up the opportunity.

    (4)

  • Chris Z.

    I attended a wedding reception here last night. As others point out, the view here is one of the best in the city. On one side you have the arch, riverfront and river, on the other sprawls Forest Park, SLU, Busch Stadium and other treasures. It was a blast to stare out and pick out all the spots. Food for the reception included a salad, a small piece of filet, a piece of salmon and some pasta. The meat and fish were average at best. The pasta was very good... rich and creamy with sun dried tomatoes. I was surprised bread wasn't served. The salad was yummy. Service was prompt and friendly. The space is spectacular enough to come here at least once. I would have been underwhelmed if I paid top dollar for the food. Maybe it's better during normal dinner service.

    (3)

  • Rene F.

    The service is great and of course! the view is spectacular. We dined here for our anniversary with my family. I had the steak and my son had the filet mignon, My steak had a lot of fat and it came warm, I would give it average. The side of penne basil pasta and the cheese bread made up of the low expectation on the steak. At the end of the meal, the waiter brought a small cake for us to share.

    (3)

  • Susha M.

    Met with some friends recently for lunch at Kemoll's. As you've read over and over regarding Kemoll's, the view is worth a visit in itself. But, if the food isn't good, it's an expensive visit for a view. We met there before Christmas. I started with a house salad that was really delicious with garlic breadsticks. this was followed with the Steak au Poivre. It comes with a side of Penne Pasta Basilica. It was wonderful. The steak was juicy and tender and cooked to perfection. The Penne Pasta Basilica was delicious and the creme sauce on the pasta was to die for. For dessert, I had the Chocoloate Love Cake. This was the only drawback to the meal. It was dry and the flavor was flat. Service during the meal was good. The prices will prevent my coming back often, but come back I will. Very good meal.

    (4)

  • TaurusGe M.

    I have to agree w/ the prior comments, the view is pretty cool, BUT beyond that it's over-rated and feeling like gramma's livingroom, very dark and looks like it needs a good dusting. We had 8pm reservations on a Friday evening..the place was nearly deserted and despite there being PLENTY of tables in a more centralized area of the dining room we were seated in a far off corner area w/ nothing more than one or 2 smaller tables, and although it was a "window seat" one of the chairs sat directly facing a wall/pillar, and behind us "curtain" dividers which appeared to be nothing more than ugly dark burgundy material hanging from shower rods(?) The service was just ok. Our server had the personality of one of the table candles and it was clear that he would've rather been somewhere else - completely unengaged. Had to ask for a wine/drink list...We ordered the fried artichokes for an appetizer, they were good, although came across a couple of woody stalks mixed in...Ordered a salad and cup of their soup of the day, Chicken & wild rice, both of which were good. Complimentary garlic cheese bread arrived alongside and although it was very cheesy neither of us tasted any garlic. For entree's the Hunter's Tenderloin which was decent and a $38 Strip Steak, which ordered medium, showed up on a regular old dinner plate and looking dry, like it had been sitting for a good 5-10min. AND it was COLD!! Both were accompanied by some kind of pasta dish as a side, penne, maybe..? I agree w/ the prior comment about that you could easily get a way better cut from your local butcher or grocey store for that matter and I'm certain it would be better. I had the steak boxed and my dog seemed to enjoy it. Perhaps the steaks should be eliminated from the menu altogether and the focus kept on the Italian dishes. We ordered the Italian cream cake and the Toasted almond ice cream cake, both of which were good. For nearly a $200 dinner bill we expected more. IF we ever return, it might be just for dessert & coffee. With SO many other newer established restaurants in the downtown area it's hard for me to justify the cost for lackluster service and sub-par food just for the sake of a nice view.

    (2)

  • Wendy S.

    Prior to my most recent visit I would consider myself a long time fan of Kemoll's. I have been going to Kemoll's for nearly 15 years for special occasions. I was very disappointed at my most recent visit. Cutbacks and cost-cutting measures were quite obvious. The wine list was much shorter than it had been. My favorite garlic cheese bread was now made with a different type of bread. As far as the entrees- my husband had the Filet Douglas which he has always enjoyed and noticed that the portion of lobster was significantly smaller than it had been in the past. My favorite chicken entree sauce didn't taste the same, and the plate was not garnished with fresh rosemary as it had been in the past. I love the old Kemolls. It is too bad that Groupon and other coupon-type web sites have forced this St. Louis institution to make such cost-cutting efforts.

    (2)

  • Melanie Z.

    In 2004 my boyfriend and I went for a lovely dinner here and that was the night he asked me to be his wife. It was an amazing dinner and everything was wonderful. Today 12/29/12 some of my dear friends were looking for a night out so I suggested we come back. The view is amazing, the food was wonderful, but it was by far the worst service I have ever had. I could not believe the high quality from every other aspect and the complete incompetence of our waiter. We started dinner at 5:30 and due to his various problems ,including getting the order wrong,we did not leave until nearly 8:30! I was furious by the end of our dinner as my friends were disappointed and it became increasingly obvious our waiter was doing this on purpose. I will not be going back which is very unfortunate for me as it held some nostalgia.

    (2)

  • B B.

    My husband and I ate at Kemoll's last Friday night. We had a table for two by the window with a spectacular view to celebrate our wedding anniversary-a gift certificate from our kids. The drinks were perfect, the appetizer (mussels) were the best my husband has ever had (and he has had a lot of them), my salad was lovely and my cannelloni entree was perfect. We had plenty to take home. The waiter was perfect, knowledgable and efficient. Could not have asked for a better view, food nor service!!! As a comparison, we ate with friends on the Hill the next night---could not compare with the food, nor the ambience--at one of the best places on the Hill.

    (4)

  • Nathan E.

    Probably the best view in the city! ask for a server named Jason, one of the funniest guys you'll ever have wait on you! the food is great. the artichoke appetizer is fantastic and the mussels are huge and delicious! every entree comes with a pasta side. i wasn't blown away by the veal but their steaks, fish, and cannelloni were all very good. go later so you can see the arch lit up at night!

    (5)

  • Tom J.

    We chose Kemoll's for our anniversary celebration this year and overall we enjoyed ourselves. The service was polished and professional, menu offerings were actually pretty standard Italisn, with a couple of unique items that make this experience more upscale than your basic spot on the Hill. I don't believe any Provel is served here. This restaurant pre-dates Provel and they claim to use Mother Kemoll's recipes, so I guess that makes sense. We certainly didn't miss it and I know this is good news for a lot of transplants. The entrees run about $10 more than your typical Italian dinnerhouse like LoRusso's, Bartolino's, Gian-Tony's and such, and they offer, in addition to their polished service, probably the best view of any restaurant in the city. The Metropolitan Square building is the tallest building in St. Louis, just a little shorter than the Arch so you look out the window at the top of the Arch. That makes this a pretty good place to entertain and impress out-of-town visitors. The ambience was nice and formal, as you would expect. The food was good, but could have been better. We started with their signature dish, the Carciofi Fritti, which is "fried artichokes, dipped in batter, fried golden brown and served with Mrs. Kemoll's special sauce for dipping." This dish was kind of disappointing. Seasoning was very mild - we had to add salt, which should never happen at a place like this. A couple of the pieces were so tough we couldn't bite them. The special sauce tasted like a very good tartar sauce, which was fine with us. We split the house salad, which was pretty good. Kind of unusual in that the lettuce is cut very small. For entrees, we had Veal Saltimbocca and cannelloni. The veal was good, but I've had better. I didn't really notice the proscuitto until the end - it was a non-factor. The mozzarella was...not sure it wa there, actually. The veal was very tender and the sauce was delicious, though. The cannelloni was really good and HUGE. Easily enough for two - we brought more than half home. We were too full for dessert, so sorry no report. The ladies at the table next to us got desserts and they looked great. So overall, maybe a 3.5 rating. I'll round up to 4 for the very nice and professional staff and the fantastic view. If you've never been, you should treat yourself sometime. I understand they have an early evening special, so it a trip to Kemoll's doesn't have to break the bank.

    (4)

  • Devin C.

    Greatt service! Okay food. Nothing too special about the food. Great views of st louis. Not worth the price.

    (4)

  • Cristina C.

    My boyfriend took me here for my birthday, and it was such a lovely dining experience! We were seated next to a window overlooking the city. We used a groupon, so we got two appetizers, two entrees, two glasses of wine, and dessert. We got the mussels with cream sauce for an appetizer, which were amazing! We also got the crab cakes which were good, but didn't stand out quite as much. For my entree I had shrimp with a tarragon mustard cream sauce. This dish had been featured in Bon Appetite magazine, and it was delish! My boyfriend had a seafood risotto dish, which was a little blander than he was hoping for, but still a good meal. Bananas Foster for dessert, yum! The wine was good as was the service. Our waiter was an older gentleman who had worked there his entire career. He was one of those old school professional waiters, very good. Overall, this was a wonderful evening! And check out the Met Building lobby when you go.

    (4)

  • David P.

    While the view from the 40th floor is impressive, the food is simply awful! Save your money and go to the Olive Garden. Then take a ride to the top of the Arch. Three of us ordered the Veal Milanese. It was both visually unappealing and an oily disaster. Picture this: a greasy, heavily breaded and irregularly shaped fried hunk of meat that fills your entire plate and is swimming in a pool of oil.The oil and breading overwhelmed the taste of the veal. I ate less than half before I gave up. Ditto for the two other dinner guests who ordered the same dish. Now twelve hours later, I am still dealing with the indigestion! Avoid it! The fourth guest ordered the Veal Marsala. It was not much better. We all ordered the Caesar salad. It came drenched in dressing. Not a good pick. Kemoll's signature appetizer is a fried artichoke dish. It was acceptable, but we would have preferred a much lighter fried product. The fried artichokes did not taste like they had just come out of the fryer The side pasta dish was penne in a creamy cheese sauce. Hardly delicate, the dish arrived at the table looking as if it had been under a heat lamp for an hour. The sauce had congealed. Our party of four ordered three different desserts. All were acceptable. The portions were large--enough for two. Service overall was good. The staff was friendly and the food came out quickly. The wine list was comprehensive and fairly priced, more or less. Bottom line: I don't know how this place can stay in business much longer. I cannot imagine anyone coming back for the food. Avoid this place. Your stomach will thank you for it. So will your wallet!

    (1)

  • Heather B.

    I ate at this business as a child when my family would go for special events. It has since moved to a much nicer location. The food is just as good as I remember it, if not better. We ordered the fried stuffed artichoke appetizer, a grilled mushroom salad to share, a choice strip steak, cannelloni - half with cream sauce, half with red sauce. The appetizer is not to be missed - DDDDDElicious! The salad was fine - different, which was nice. Hubby said the steak was very good. The cannelloni was great - I prefer the red sauce - although the cream sauce is delicious it is also very rich and the put a ton of provel on this already... I ordered a piece of Chocolate Love cake to go...couldn't take another bite at the time. Instead of the white ganache I asked them to sub the rum praline caramel sauce that was a choice for the cheesecake. It was fantastic! Parking was easy in their dedicated spaces in the garage. The atmosphere was lovely. The views were fantastic. And the service was personable and quick (as usual from what I remember from being a kiddo). The right elevator to get to the correct floor was a little bit of a hunt but not too bad.

    (4)

  • Elsa Y.

    What a lovely view of St Louis! The food and service were absolutely wonderful - highly recommend for special occasion celebration!

    (5)

  • Phil B.

    I have been going to Kemoll's for many years. It is a first class, elegant restaurant with excellent service and delicious food. I have never had a bad meal there.The portions are generous, the flavors terrific and the waiters are all nice and attentive people. The place is not trendy with joke food. It is traditional, refined and serving great choices. The steaks are great ( au poivre especially) the fettucini alfredo creamy and luscious and the cheesebread....well I could make a meal of it. And you have to begin with the fried artichokes. House salad is generous and the dressing delicious. The view is great, too. But who really cares? I go there for the food.

    (5)

  • Jim B.

    Kemoll's is still a good restaurant for the location, easiest downtown parking and the view of the arch. We have shared some fantastic red wines here accompanying good food in the past, but on this last trip it seemed like it needed some refurbishment because it is appearing worn around the edges. On our last visit, my wife loved her Salmon, and of course some of their dishes are the best available anywhere, like the fried artichokes and garlic cheese bread. I will never again order the filet. It seemed like several pieces of meat had been put together. That filet did not have a consistent texture or tenderness, with multiple gristly pieces and different tastes from different places on the steak. I did not finish it. Kemoll's will remain on our list for entertaining folks coming to town for the first time, but will no longer be on our top destination list for fine dining in St. Louis. Plus we caution everyone to avoid the filet.

    (2)

  • Allan C.

    After seeing some reviews I feel the need to condense my previous ones into a couple of bullet points: - I don't come and pay extra for the views and solid friendly service, I pay extra for my ineptitude in making the mussels dish, which is quite delicious and overly salty. - The ONLY other dish I like is no longer on the menu: Petto Di Pollo Conti, but they have been more than gracious enough to prepare this anyway. I actually think the people of the restaurant know who I am now because of this (and the mussels thing... it's absurd.) - We've come here every couple months and sometimes on some silly occasion I make the excuse to "splurge" on some other dish on the menu (everything's a splurge here) and regret not making my now-off-menu order. Seriously... Mussels... Conti... and that's only if you like overly creamy salty stuff. So... why is it four stars when I only like two dishes? What am I... psychic? Wait...

    (4)

  • Jenn W.

    While I don't frequent Kemoll's for dinner, I do eat there on a fairly regular basis for lunch since it's in the same building as my office. For lunch I think it's fine. Nothing fabulous. The house salad, white chicken chili, and their cheese bread are always great. Other than that I've found the dishes to be a bit hit or miss. Their dinner prices are considerably higher than their lunch menu, and frankly, if I'm going to go out for a nice meal, I'd much rather visit Sidney Street, 1111 Mississippi or Vin de Set. One thing Kemoll's does have is an amazing view of the city. If you've never been, the view alone is certainly worth seeing at least once!

    (3)

  • D N.

    One word: TERRIBLE! Honestly it was horrible. I am not kidding when I say that Fazolis is comparable in quality and taste. Our server recommended the fried artichoke appetizer which was $16 and was basically a blooming onion....actually a blooming onion tastes better. For entrees we ordered the canneloni and the veal Francesco. Yuck and gag. Canneloni was bad. Seriously tasted like chef boyardee and the veal was the worst ever. It was as thin as a crepe and had a weird twangy taste in the sauce that it was swimming in. When our server set down the veal the sauce sloshed out of the dish because it was literally swimming in the sauce. The ONLY thing this place has going for it is the view. Honestly the view of the city is it. I cannot believe that this restaurant is still in business after our experience there. Service was fine so I won't bash them there but the food that we had was pathetic. What a let down. $150 meal that I could have eaten equivalent quality for a fraction of the cost. I am not cheap when it comes to spending money for a quality meal but this was not quality by all means. Please believe me in this review and avoid this place at all costs. There are many fantastic restaurants in St Louis and this is fast food quality in my opinion. We had to ask our server for bread at an Italian restaurant and she brought us cheese bread which was burnt and loaded with garlic salt. What a terrible experience. Do not dine here. If you do I'm certain you will be extremely let down.

    (1)

  • Patti W.

    I am sorry to say but we were not impressed at all. I expected much more. Unfortunately it was raining all night so we didn't have much of a view but we did have a view of broken blinds hanging crooked and a spider going up and down making his web. Service was fair. Food was just okay. I don't think we will be going back.

    (2)

  • Ben H.

    Awesome view but just average food. The side of pasta was far better than the steak or seabass. Worth one visit though if in Stl

    (3)

  • Gerry M.

    Kemoll's turned our "let's go out to dinner" into a special occasion. I had read some mixed reviews on this restaurant, which sits on the 40th floor of the Met Bldg in downtown St. Louis. As a result of last night's dining experience, I am a full-fledged fan of Kemoll's and can only say, If you want a special meal with wonderful service and beautiful ambience, this is the place. From our friend calamari appetizer, through two salads (one of the best Caesar's I've ever had), through entress of Pollo Buon Gusto and Veal Marsala, including pasta with olive oil, butter and garlic (delicious), to an incredibly evil dessert of Tiramisu... along with delicious coffee. All I can say is, Kemoll's hasn't lost its touch. Still one of the finest meals in St. Louis. And our waiter, Mark, made it even more enjoyable. A long-time waiter with Kemoll's, his timing an personality made the evening even better.

    (5)

  • Bill S.

    Attended a banquet there. Food and service good. View outstanding. But they served $3 a bottle Tisdal wine for the white and red "selections". (This cheap swill is sold at CVS , Kroger, and Aldies and it is shocking they would serve it at a fine Italian restaurant.)

    (3)

  • Ellen H.

    This is my favorite place for a "civilized lunch". The view is great, the service is impeccable and the food absolutely delicious. Their Cesar Salad and seafood kebabs are to die for.

    (5)

  • Mark K.

    A good bit more than I like to spend, but thanks to Groupon, we gave it a try. I had Veal Marsala. I think the wine sauce could have been cooked down a bit more. I don't drink wine, but I like food cooked with wine. This dish was a bit boozy tasting, but not intolerably so. I had the creamed spinach for a side and it was very tasty. My wife had the Filet Douglas. It was a huge filet, cooked to medium rare perfection with a decadent cream sauce on top and a small portion of lobster. I don't care for lobster but my wife loved it. I do enjoy a great steak and I have to say this might be the best filet I have ever tasted. Based on the unbelievably good filet, I give Kemoll's a 5 star rating. As soon as we got home, we bought another Groupon. I look forward to going back for a filet of my own.

    (5)

  • Cyndi B.

    Had a fantastic time here! The beef medallion appetizer is a must!! Servings were huge so by the time our entrees came after the app and salad and bread we both ate a few bites and boxed it up! The view was awesome we sat next to the window which I highly recommend!!

    (5)

  • Christy A.

    Excellent service and delicious food. Kemoll's is located at the top of the Met Building and gets an amazing view of the riverfront and Arch. This may sound harsh but the scenery itself outside is mediocre when you take into account exactly what you're looking at; the filthy Mississippi River, congested Poplar Street Bridge and shrubs. I do appreciate it but I'm just saying I've observed much more beauty while dining out just sitting on a patio. Moving on to the food...it's absolutely prepared to perfection. The salmon was fresh and delicate, very flavorful. Dessert is delicious as well. Nothing extraordinary but it's a well established restaurant here in St. Louis, considered "upscale" to many. So if a date takes you here, he's a winner (I guess) Get a window seat of at all possible. Dress accordingly (a nice dress & heels for the lady and slacks or suit for the gentlemen). FYI, there's cloth linen

    (4)

  • Holly H.

    My husband and I chose Kemoll's to celebrate our anniversary this year. Though he has been before, this was my first time, and I was looking forward to experiencing the fine-dining Italian food and views for myself. Kemoll's is located on the 40th floor at the Top of the Met. There are several different rooms with the tables nicely spaced so that each table has a view. And what a spectacular view it is! We were lucky enough to sit near a window and enjoy a breathtaking sunset during our meal. The service is on the slower side, but I believe this is done purposely so diners can enjoy their meal, their view, and their company without feeling the rush of the table needing to be flipped. Our dinner lasted two hours from start to finish and we were fine with that. Since it was our anniversary, it gave my husband extra time to get lost in my eyes and wonder how he was so lucky to have married me. ;) Our server was very knowledgeable and kind, though a bit aloof at times. I love a good Italian meal, and Kemoll's certainly did not disappoint. I'll start with the bread... OMG! I thought I had died and gone to carb heaven! It's a baked cheesy, garlicky goodness that would be considered an appetizer at many other restaurants. Our server was kind enough to send us home with half a loaf ready to broil since we enjoyed it so much. I think it was his anniversary gift to us. My husband really enjoys toasted ravioli, but when he questioned if they were made in-house (since they cost a high price of $15) and we were told no, we went with the grilled beef tenderloin brochettes in cream sauce instead and were extremely happy with our selection. Here's a tip if the owner or manager happen to read this: if you're going to charge $15 for toasted ravioli, at least have the decency to make them yourself. We then split a caesar salad, and I could really taste the strong anchovy base. Though it didn't keep me from eating my greens, I would probably go with a different salad next time. Moving on to the main course. My husband ordered the chicken parmesan served with a side of garlic and olive oil penne. There were two chicken breasts in the order, so there was plenty to make a second meal from. I chose the penne molica (olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, and feta) and added grilled shrimp to the dish. It was full of flavor, and just like my husband's dish, it was huge. We were stuffed by the end of the meal, but then our server brought over the dessert menu and told us to choose something to help us celebrate. Both of our eyes went straight to the chocolate cake on the menu, so it was an easy selection. The cake was very moist and topped with a fudge-like icing. It was delicious! I would highly recommend Kemoll's to anyone looking for a special place to enjoy a nice Italian meal. I'll certainly be back!

    (4)

  • Miriam G.

    We had a horrible experience this week. The food is very expensive and we asked for a small change in our pasta. The change we asked for was simply from white to red sauce. They didn't say anything and then when we got the bill we saw that they charged us for it. Have they lost it!! When u charge someone 55$ for a dish who charges for changing the sauce. The other dish was a seafood pasta dish. They FORGOT the seafood. Our server was rude and didn't even ask how our dinner was or if we needed anything. I would never have expected such horrible treatment at a location like this.

    (1)

  • Tim D.

    What a strange resturaunt. First of all, while traveling up to the 40th floor of an old building you couldn't ask for a more disturbing smell as you enter this resturaunt. The place was empty!! We were Greated very kindly and recommended some appetizers. The cheesy bread is all this place has going for it. We were served an artichoke appetizer that didn't resemble artichokes. The drinks were sub par. We were served Mississippi River water without being asked if we wanted spring or sparkling. The salads were warmer than the steaks. The espresso tasted like it came out of a kuerig.... But then again we should have walked out when we saw the place was empty..... Shame on me!! What a dump! It may have been good in 1927. Mama kemoll is probably rolling over in her grave right now!!

    (1)

  • Derek H.

    I came here for lunch yesterday with a few of my coworkers. Even though it was a rainy/cloudy day, the view from the restaurant is one of the best that St. Louis has to offer. I hadn't been here for quite some time, so I was looking forward to trying Kemoll's again. The restaurant wasn't too crowded for lunch, but there appeared to be a few groups having their work Christmas parties at various tables throughout the restaurant. We were seated at a table close to the window, so we enjoyed the view throughout our meal. I really enjoy the cheese garlic bread they provide. It's very good, and they'll give you as much as you want. It was nice and hot when they brought it out, so you could tell it is freshly made. For my meal, I ordered the chicken parm, which came with a side of white pasta ($14). If you want a salad, that's extra, but they do have several other sides to choose from in case you don't want pasta. But, when in rome...I thought the food was very good. It's not my favorite chicken parm in the city, but it was still very good. It had a nice flavor, and it was a decent size portion for lunch. All of my coworkers enjoyed their meals as well, which ranged from salmon to cannelloni. I was surprised at how long it had been since I'd last visited Kemoll's, but I can promise you I won't wait as long for my next visit. Well done!

    (4)

  • Anthony B.

    I don't know what any of the poor reviews are about, I have always had a great time here with great food and service. John is usually our waiter, but everyone here is great. I love the steak appetizer, it's basically tender pieces of filet with a cream sherry sauce. The steak and lobster special is always tender and juicy, but I had the fish special last time and was very impressed. You really can't go wrong, awesome food and view. I would ask for John if he's there.

    (5)

  • J Kent R.

    40th floor of the Metropolitan (a beautiful Art Deco building with huge murals and vaulted marble lobby) with a 360 degree view of downtown St. Louis gives this place a head start with atmosphere. We arrived as a party of eight and, with reservations, were promptly served. Our waiter, Billy, provided great service and entertainment throughout our visit. Appetizers of ravioli, crab cakes, and beef brochettes were all very good. The 9 oz. Douglas Filet (on the menu since 1927) is served in a rich, buttery sauce with lobster pieces. The filet melted in the mouth and was one of the best we've had outside our own kitchen. Veal Marsala was nicely seasoned and quite good. The South African lobster tail was perfect. Bananas foster and Italian wedding cake for dessert filled what room remained and they had to roll us to our cab. The layout is a bit rambling and chopped up, and decor a tad dated. Wine list is pretty sparse. No downgrade for these items. However, a VERY long wait between entree orders and food service knocks this review down one star.

    (3)

  • Samantha A.

    My sister and I attended a benefit dinner here last night and we CANNOT say enough great things about this place. To start with, the views are absolutely gorgeous. It was so great to look out at the city of St. Louis last night when we arrived after 6:30. If you can, try to come at sunset. We just missed it last night, but people at the benefit said it was absolutely breathtaking. The night started with cocktail hour, which was pretty impressive. We tried three different appetizers. All were really good, but the bangkok chicken was absolutely delicious. The open bar had a really good cabarnet and chardonnay. It also included lots of different mixed drinks, but I stuck with the good wine. For dinner, we started with a salad, which was really good. The main entree was pasta and chicken. Not the highlight of the night, but still well done. Finally, we finished with Tiramisu. It was definitely melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Overall, I really enjoyed the dinner and the staff was absolutely excellent. They were very friendly and attentive. I can't wait to come back here in the future.

    (5)

  • Vinh N.

    Was in town for a meeting and a company invited us for dinner here. The view was great. Was able to see the Arch and the pretty bridges from the 40th floor. It was open bar and our bartender was excellent! He made several fruity vodka drinks for us. Progressively they got stronger and stronger. Had the steak which they cooked medium for us even though I asked for medium well. Server told us once they served to us that all steaks were cooked the same way.....they also served us Caesar salad and cheese bread. Overall great experience, love the bartender!

    (4)

  • Jill L.

    My husband and I just got home from having a very enjoyable meal here. The mussels, Caesar salad (get 1 and split), chicken parm, and seafood risotto were all amazing. Great parking garage, amazing building, and beautiful space w/ excellent views... They just need to upgrade their colors and decor. Billy was our server this evening, and he was top notch! We will go back!

    (5)

  • Katrina T.

    This is one of our official date night places. We love the food, service and view. Great seafood pasta dishes and excellent wine selection.

    (5)

  • Jane K.

    Great view and professional service, but sadly this establishment cannot get away with charging as much as they do when a hospital cafeteria can serve better food. I liked the toasted ravioli and stuffed mushroom appetizers. Salad was tasty but suffered death by drowning (in too much darn dressing). For main entree I had the salmon which was decent, but it's hard to screw that up. Date had a penne in white cream sauce that was heavy and bland. Revived it halfway with salt and pepper found on the table. This "fine dining" establishment needs to get with the times and revamp their menu if they are going to keep charging these ridiculous prices.

    (2)

  • Megan S.

    I was here 9 years ago, before my husband proposed to me. We decided to have a throwback and came here a few weeks ago for our 8 year anniversary! I was super excited, because I remember it being very romantic and the food was delicious. We came on a weeknight, hoping it wouldn't be busy. It wasn't. We were seated next to the window, with a beam partially blocking our view. The restaurant overall was quiet, but we were seated next to the loudest group of people there. It was extremely obnoxious, and it ruined the atmosphere for us. The decor is dated, but they are trying to hold onto the traditional feel. I looked at the menu, and it is very traditional Italian food. We had the cheese bread, which is so amazing! They put some kind of sauce on the bread before the cheese. Yum! We also had the beef tenderloin brochettes, they were so tender, they melted in your mouth. We shared the Caesar salad, because it had an anchovy on it, and it was salty and tangy like a Caesar salad should be. For dinner, I had the filet mignon with the green peppercorn sauce with a side of pasta. It was very tender and cooked perfectly. My husband had the New York strip steak. His steak was grilled perfectly, and was very juicy as well. He had an old fashioned cocktail, and he said it was very "meh". Overall, I felt the menu should be updated as well as the decor. It was tasty but very heavy, and a small menu with not a lot of fresh choices. Everything is doused in cream and butter and cheese. If you are looking for traditional Italian fare, this is for you. I prefer something a little more fresh and updated.

    (3)

  • Todd F.

    This place is legit. The service was top notch and the food was amazing. My girlfriend and I love in the city and have eaten at every popular restaurant in saint Louis. This place is right up there with the best. The house salad is fantastic, the mussels were amazing, and the cannelloni with the cream sauce is the best pasta dish I have ever had in my life. Better than Charlie Gitto's and I thought I would never say that. The only Mediocre item was the beef tip risotto but still very good. If this place were to upgrade the decor to a more modern atmosphere, it would def be the go to Place for fine dining in downtown Saint Louis. It's a very elegant atmosphere but a new vibe is all they are missing to attract the young professionals. We will go back without a doubt and do not let the other reviews scare you. I'm not easy to please and if you order those three items I listed above, you will be very happy. Price is not cheap but unlike some of the other reviewers, I think it's pretty standard to expect to spend $100-$150 on a nice dinner for two with a glass of wine. Hell, I have spent twice that much at a few other places in STL... Give it a shot

    (5)

  • Ned C.

    Oh my. Poor old Kemoll's could really benefit from a visit by Gordon Ramsay. It's stuck in a time warp, in menu, in cooking execution, and in decoration. Way too big portions with way too much sauce on way big plates with a huge amount of blandness in every bite. Raw, not deveined shrimp cocktail. There is nothing appetizing about animal feces on your plate. Yuck! What's more, when you enter the dining room, you are escorted thru a maze of disgusting old red draperies and into rooms decorated like it was 1965. Weird old pictures of people staring at you while you try to choke down your meal. Then the check arrives and you choke some more. It's really a shame. This used to be an "it spot". Now it's another kind of spot that also contains "it."

    (1)

  • Matt M.

    Me and my family went here for a family celebration. There were 6 of us and we had a great table on the 40th floor right next to the window. The view is absolutely gorgeous, and the food matches right up with it. I think this is some of the finest food to be found in Saint Louis. I had the Surf N' Turf which consisted of a Filet and a Lobster Tail. Every bite was mouthwatering and couldn't wait for the next bite. We also had a bunch of appetizers that were great to start the meal. I am normally not a fan for crab cakes, but these were some of the best I have ever had. Also the fried calamari, tasted like they had just shipped it in that day,(Non of that frozen stuff). When It came to dessert it was a show. We ordered the bananas foster and the server brought out a frying pan and a portable stove, and cooked it right in front of us, with flames going to the ceiling. This is the perfect place to go on a nice date or to go when you have close family in town. The atmosphere is great for talking and enjoying good company with your friends or family. I cant wait for my next opportunity to return and enjoy the wonderful things Kemoll's has to offer.

    (5)

  • Laurie C.

    LOVE this place! Any time I have clients in town we go here. The view is fabulous, and the food wonderful.

    (5)

  • Chinishka J.

    Great ambience and view. Went here with a large group around the Christmas holiday. I had blackened salmon and potatoes and ate every bite. It was delicious as well as my wine selection. Only lacking one star as the restaurant was not crowded but the service was very slow.

    (4)

  • Alex J.

    There are a few questionable reviews posted and I must share my recent experiences. The location is unquestionably the best view of St. Louis and is second to none. Parking is free on the lower level of the Metropolitan Building. The atmosphere is a fine dining, older ambiance. It is not meant to be 21st century with modern furniture and paintings. It's a classic Italian restaurant. The food is fantastic. They have had a new head chief (I asked because I was curious) for over a year now and he has been wonderful for the kitchen staff. House salad dressing is delicious and there is nothing comparable to it that I have tried. The cheese bread is second to none. Comes with every meal. I had the veal marsala and the wine sauce was divine. One of the best thin cutlets of veal I have tried. The fried artichoke is also very unique and tasty and the sauce is out of this world good! I will definitely be back and I was very impressed. I also see they are now open for lunch and I will have to try that one of these days.

    (5)

  • Christie S.

    I don't get all the bad mouthing here. I saw a great Groupon deal, so decided to try Kemoll's again to celebrate a special birthday. I hadn't been in probably 20 years and thought it might be something different. Something that would impress. I was very guarded due to all the recent bad reviews, but I thought it was lovely. No, this place is not hip and trendy. You're not going to get a martini with edible flowers floating it in, nor are you going to get an entrée stacked to the sky with flairs of sauces all over the plate, nor are you going to get a hip server with tattoos and spikey hair. What you are going to get is a very special evening. From the minute you enter the beautiful marble-adorned Metropolitan building lobby and board the elevator for the 40th floor, you can sense you're in for a treat. The restaurant is old school, sure, but in a good way. Lighting is low, views of the Arch lit up in the evening are stunning, servers are in full tuxes and provide formal service. It kind of makes you feel like you are old money (Groupon or not). The food was great. We started with a Portobello salad and Caesar salad. Both were delicious, although huge. Between your salad and the fantastic complimentary garlic bread, you could ruin your dinner. I went with the filet mignon in demi glaze. It was perfect - good quality and cooked to perfection. I thought the sauce complimented it well without overtaking the dish. The side of white garlic pasta was good as well, although after the giant salad, bread and a 9 oz filet, I could barely touch it. I think Kemoll's is an experience everyone should have at least a couple times in St. Louis. It definitely serves a special occasion well.

    (4)

  • Cornelia P.

    Great views and ambiance. The food was terrible. The chicken piccata was reheated chicken because you can taste it and the sauce cannot cover up that microwave reheating taste. I ordered the pasta dry and it came soaked in butter. The bread rolls were great though. I asked if they had canollis since this is an Italian restaurant but no they didn't!!! That was disappointing. I wouldn't recommend going there until they improve the food since the prices are outrageous and it's not worth it. If you want better Italian food go to the Hill and try any of the 100's restaurants on every corner.

    (2)

  • Emily S.

    Views are gorgeous and food is delicious. Staff is also very kind and accommodating. Looking forward to returning.

    (5)

  • Ron J.

    Hosted business guests from India tonight who had heard about St. Louis' Italian restaurants and wanted to sample some of our best. They were staying downtown, so what better place than Kemolls??? Well, I must say it was one of the most disappointing meals of my life....no one ate more than 2-3 bites of their entrees! Where to start??? The service, while friendly, was incredibly unprofessional....our waiter brought the plates of pasta, describing them as "hubcap platters." My Veal Francesco was swimming in canned gravy....literally! The pasta dishes were obscenely large and equally bland. A wine list (by the glass) that topped out at a Jacob's Creek for $10 (a bottle of swill that can be purchased at Schnucks for $8). And on, and on.....what a shame to see such a grand tradition wasted. I won't be back.

    (1)

  • Kenna K.

    We love this place for lunch. Our favorite is their house salad and cheese bread. I also really like the chicken George Silvey and the chicken and steak kabobs off the lunch menu all very good. This is a great lunch spot if you work downtown

    (5)

  • Leo S.

    You can't beat the view! There are a ton of tables along the window facing the Arch and even the tables further in have a decent view. I would go while it's light out, since the nighttime view is kind of like an airplane with just some street lights scattered about. During the Arch renovation, it is barely light up. The dinner rolls were non-existent, but they offered some garlic cheese bread upon request. I didn't care for these since they came out pretty greasy and the cheese was kind of sticking to the cloth grease covered napkin. Water glasses were kept full throughout the meal. The ceaser salad is huge and came with real anchovies. You only need to order 1 and split it. I ordered a 16oz NY Strip and it was quite tasty. Cooked med-rare exactly how I expected. The side of asparagus was a bit small. This is probably the best value on their menu at $41.50. The reason for my 3 star rating was my girlfriend's Veal was not up to par. We asked the server how much breading was on it and she said it was very little. When the dish arrived it was almost like a soggy deep fried toasted ravioli and tasted the same. I wouldn't be surprised if they used the same breading for both of those. It should be pretty obvious when you bread a meat you don't serve it submerged in sauce. This is not what we expected from a $40 dish. It was still a pretty good experience since we had great views and pictures and only paid half price with our groupon. We'll probably come back with another groupon and try some other menu items.

    (3)

  • Cece A.

    I gave one star for the view. Kemoll's, you get 0 stars for the food and the creativity...and just about everything else. Like others said, the decor of this place is far outdated. I felt like I had walked into an old neglected house. There is a difference between outdated and old fashioned, with the latter being just fine. When we got there, there was no host to greet us. We waited, and finally an elderly man came rushing out to greet us. Well, not greet us, more like just walk us over to our table. Our waitress was fine but a little standoffish. My one initial gripe though was lack of coat check. I mean, it was about 30 degrees and about to snow. I don't know if the host forgot to ask us about coat check or if there is none, but you would think a restaurant like this would have one. So I had to drape my heavy, bulky coat on the back of my chair. Anyway, so the atmosphere, while outdated, was relaxing. Dim, almost dark, with candles, and a view overlooking downtown St. Louis on a rainy day was actually very comforting, like sitting in front of a fireplace on a cold night. The target audience seems to be the mid to older adult population. On to the food--they had an extensive wine list--I was excited to see the option for half bottles of wine. We started off with their 'famous' deep fried artichoke with spicy mayo. It was ok. Nothing to write more about. We had their house salad as well--good portion but salty, maybe too much dressing? The complimentary cheese bread was weird. It was so random. I ate something similar from Pizza Hut just last week. While it tasted fine, it just didn't fit. They should have just stuck to bread and olive oil. The entrees--we got the linguine con vongole and veal marsala. My dinner date liked the vongole-I thought it was way too heavy and creamy. It tasted like fettucine alfredo. The veal marsala---my mistake. I was expecting a thick cut of veal, like a chop. But what came out were thin slices of veal, that looked and tasted kind of like brisket, smothered in salty sauce. That entree was a complete miss. All in all, I won't be surprised to see this restaurant decline, if it hasn't already. The price is outrageous. I really couldn't believe this place-the decor, the service, and the taste. Considering the average cost of a dinner for 2, which is about $150-$200, I expected a lot more. Guess it's really the view that we paid for.

    (1)

  • Stuart K.

    It is hard to say anything too negative about Kemoll's which has been managed by the same family since it's founding in the 1920's, but I see that other previous reviewer's have has similar issues as we did. Clearly, the food is above average, but for the price it should be. When a veal entrée is $39.50 and a seafood pasta, $54.00, everything must be spectacular. So let's dissect Kemoll's. The menu changes at 6 from expensive to pretty much astronomical pricing. My wife had Veal Marsala, and I had Veal Milanese. Both were large pounded thin slices of veal very well cooked. My Mianese, had too much butter/olive oil sauce and the lemon overtones were pretty powerful, especially on the canned artichoke heart slices. Not overpowering, but bordering on it. We had 2 crab cakes as starters, and while they were a bit overdone, the remoulade sauce was spicy and really quite nice. I would have thought for $16.00 we could discern the taste of crab. Apparently, the restaurant was busy, it took almost an hour to be served our entrée. The waiter was not overly hovering, but was attentive and quite apologetic, apparently there was a large party slowing the kitchen down. Where the party was, was mysterious since the dining room was not crowded. Desert was magnificent, and the view from the 40th floor looking at the Arch and the Musial Bridge was spectacular. Overall a very fine experience, with the caveats mentioned. It was a lovely evening and the fireworks that were provided by the lightening made the floor show spectacular.

    (4)

  • Bill D.

    I'm a little on the same line as Jenny P. I was really excited to go, but when you get over the view, it's just ok. When we walked in, I was a little surprised at the condition. Extremely beat up and way past a little updating. Also, if you plan to go for lunch as I did, the menu is very limited. I thought the service was ok and my meal was ok. Just ok. This is a place where my expectations were a little to high before I came in.

    (3)

  • Steve E.

    Several friends had recommended Kemoll's as a great Italian Restaurant located on the 40th floor of the Metropolitan Square Building along North Broadway in downtown St. Louis. It was still raining when we arrived, and so we didn't appreciate the view until the clouds lifted later during the meal. We started our dinner with their signature antipasto, Carciofi Fritti which is fried, fresh-sliced artichokes dipped in batter and served with a terrific dipping sauce. After that we both had a small house salad, and I ordered Veal Saltimboca for my main course which was stuffed with mozzarella, prosciutto and sage, and then sauteed in a sherry wine sauce. Dad had a chicken dish which was served in a garlic cream sauce. We thought that the food was excellent - though a bit pricey, as dinner for two was $100+ which included a glass of wine for each of us. This seems more of a special occasion restaurant, rather than a place you'd go on the weekends. St. Louis isn't one of my regular business cities, so I can't honestly say that I'll be back anytime soon.

    (4)

  • Rick I.

    I eat a lot of steak and by far everytime I go there I get the Filet. It is so tender you can almost just use a fork. The views are incrediable and the owner Mark walks around and visits to make sure the customers are happy aaaor if they have anything else. Awesome place and you fell like you are at some Hi-Class place that royalty dines at. Thanks for the great food.

    (5)

  • Sarah J.

    First let me start by saying-- you HAVE to reserve a table by the window. You will miss out on the whole experience of eating at Kemoll's if you aren't able to gaze out over the city. The view from the buidling is absolutely breathtaking and it overlooks the Arch. The hostess initially sat us in a corner table away from the window (might as well eat somewhere else if that happens) and it took an act of God to get moved. We read many reviews online about the food being incredible.... I thought it was just OK. We ordered a seafood appetizer that was good but completely loaded down with butter. Our meal--filet (my husband) and beef tips and rissotto (me) were both smothered in this merlot reduction sauce that tasted commercialized. Nothing about our main course was worth getting again. Overall, we enjoyed our meal because of the ambiance of the restaurant but probably won't go back because the food was so subpar (and expensive).

    (3)

  • Dennis W.

    Going to an occasional restaurant (and I definitely view this as an occasional place: a place to commemorate an occasion) should be a couple of things in my mind: easy, satisfying, impressive... in that order. Kemoll's makes clear efforts towards most of these. Easy: Making a reservation over the phone was a smooth and quick exchange. I appreciated that the house wouldn't promise anything that they couldn't guarantee (I'd asked for a window table for two guests), but did say that every effort would be made (I had a choice of two window tables presented to me). Getting to this 40th floor house for the first time is made a lot easier by the signage. Garage parking is complimentary and marked along Pine Street (Pine's a one-way, so make sure to approach from Broadway or east thereof). Satisfying: The stories here about legendary portions aren't exaggerated. Case in point? Where most restaurants serve cannelloni as a two-piece dish, Kemoll's offers four. That it's really quite good (bathed in abundance of smooth, rich tomato sauce and generously cheesed) is very pleasant. A piece of what smelled of rosemary atop my guest's risotto was a fine presentation, engaging the olfactory in a welcome way. Details like bread service and water service were addressed quickly and without separate request. Impressive: The views are phenomenal; there's no doubt that few in St. Louis could possibly match the scene here. Those gorgeous vistas may be the only thing that everyone here agrees on, and with good reason. Complete, unobstructed Arch views, a panorama of the city and county or sunset over Old North? There's nothing else on this scale. Many of the 3-star reviewers have a point: you expect for Kemoll's to impress and it does... which is what makes it an A-Ok sort of place. You're not going to be too surprised by your dinner, in all likelihood (prices raise expectations...). When used as an occasional though, as a place to celebrate, commemorate and dedicate life with good friends or family, solid experience management, fine service and top-of-the-class views make something of a niche that's otherwise hard to fill. The slight hum of dimmed lights, fellow diners who might seem under-dressed for the occasion, a fairly plain decorating style (lots of heavy, subdued colors and drapery dominated the dining room we were seated in) and the architectural limitation of being located in a standard office building aside, Kemoll's is an experience worth having.

    (4)

  • Barbara B.

    Kemoll's 40th Floor restaurant has the best view of downtown St. Louis. They are open for lunch at 11 a.m. After you order hot garlic cheese bread is placed on the table. Hot, cheesey and delicious. Have heard nothing but outstanding reviews of this Italian restaurant. My family and I have been wanting to try Kemoll's for years. Finally did so and I am sorry to say I have mixed reviews. At lunch the menu is limited with no pastas to try except as a side to your entree. Their sandwiches are huge and include a side. A house salad can be added for $2. My husband opted for the cup of chili and a house salad. He said both were delicious. I tried the salad and loved the dressing except to me it tasted salty. I am on a low sodium diet so things taste salty. It was very disappointing for me. I had the Chicken Parmesan with a white pasta. However, they must have used canned tomatoes in their pasta sauce because I found my food hard to eat due to the salty taste. It was like they took an extra salt shaker to it. It is a great place for before or after a ball game. Just beware if you are on a low sodium diet this may not be the place for you.

    (4)

  • Michael M.

    We celebrated a friends birthday here, and had a really good time. we were able to dress up but at the same time keep things fun and relaxed. we had a groupon so it saved us half off our bill which was nice as well. The food was pretty good, pricey, but the portions were a little too much! i don't mind getting my moneys worth but i had to stop myself from eating so much before i would have had to start undoing buttons! The view was really nice, we could see the arch and some rooftop pools, we were definitely high up there! i would most definitely recommend you try this place for a nice event or date night.

    (4)

  • Barrett R.

    Preface: Groupon and "panoramic views"...SOLD! Body: Dark and dated atmosphere, inefficient service style (over dressed table = crowded house), HIGH-$ food, and such lack of execution of the food (Salt anyone?). The dishes from the "house special" fried artichokes to the "center cut" pork chops that were overcooked were so one-note. The worst was the gelatinous demi-glace many of us know about and fear, truly. Not cool with me. Our server was very nice, though. Thank you for your hospitality and kindness! Epilogue: Paying $175 for a view of St. Louis Arch...UNSOLD!

    (2)

  • Dustin O.

    The lady and I got a Groupon a few months ago, and finally went on Friday. The weather was very bad, so the place was quite empty. It was very nice and quiet. The service was outstanding, and had a great balance of being attentive, but also taking their time with coming back so it would foster good conversation and a relaxing environment without feeling like we are getting pushed out of the door. I ordered the Cannelloni, because I was trying to be frugal as possible. Most places you can get Cannelloni for around 10-14 bucks, here it was 23. On the flip side to that however, most places give you 2, and here they gave you 4. Now I can eat, but that was a lot of food! I would have been perfectly happy with 2, and they could have cut the price down to 15 bucks. It was however very delicious, and my lady's was as well. We had a lot of left overs for lunch this week too, which is good for her. I don't do left overs. I like it fresh! The scenery out the windows was very cool with the storm in the area. The clouds were low and fast moving, and when the lightning struck it seems like you could almost reach out to touch it. I would definitely recommend Kemoll's to anyone who wants a nice dinner with a great view. I would encourage you to share an entree however, because the food is definitely enough for two, and that just makes it all that much more affordable.

    (4)

  • Bernie D.

    1 word bummer. Keeping up with the consistent trend that restaurant at the top of buildings are sub par. This place may take the cake as the most overrated one I've been too. Let's start with the atmosphere. It feels like my grandmother's living, furniture's old, looks like it could be dusted, dark and too quiet. Service, well I'm not a stickler for the technical "supposed" to of a server but two pretty big no nos as far as I'm concerned. 1. ordered a bottle of wine, server opened it, then set it down and walked away. Hmm... 2. Paid the check sitting at the table finishing our bottle of wine and server comes over, asks if the bill is all set, opens the check cover looks at the bill, and takes it away. Food. Apparently their "famous" garlic cheese tasted like it was ordered from Domino's. Their "famous" steak dish was tough and bland. The sauce it was in tasted like mud. Just an overall disappointed meal. I can confidently say I don't think I'll be returning for a second meal here.

    (1)

  • S E.

    Given the prices they charge, there is no way I can give more than 2 stars to Kemoll's - sorry. You are paying for the view and little else. The restaurant itself awkwardly had a large open area in the main dining room, as if it was waiting to be furnished, with the tables all near the windows. The room had a formal feel but again for the prices, one would expect more of an elegant decor with some pizzazz. The food left a lot to be desired. I ordered salmon (the catch of the day option) and had it grilled. It was grilled well (not burned) but tasted only OK and had none of that rich buttery taste that salmon should have. The two fillets were generous in size but came swimming in a lake of melted butter so the whole dish seemed greasy. It was not served with any vegetables at all and seemed like an incomplete dinner - just protein on a plate with a small side of pasta in a very heavy cream sauce, which I didn't eat as it was so overly rich and heavy. After the heavy, buttery meal, I didn't feel like dessert so I ordered a caffe latte from the dessert menu and it hardly even tasted of coffee. It's rare that I am so disappointed with a meal as I am one of the least picky eaters I know, but - once again - for these prices (over $30 for an entree) - I expect much more. The whole experience was very bland and unremarkable at best. The food would've maybe been OK for half the price but not for what they charge. Kemoll's has been around for a long time and I went there many years ago when the meal was top notch, but the menu, pricing and decor need overhauls, pronto.

    (2)

  • Jenny P.

    Unfortunately, the only thing I really enjoyed about Kemoll's was the view. The service, food, and old fashioned ambiance were unimpressive. The food was over priced and overrated. I had the Filet Douglas which is one of their signature dishes. The filet, although it looked to be cooked medium as requested, was tough. I could have gotten a better cut of tenderloin from my local butcher and grilled a better one myself. The lobster tail that was served with it was overcooked. The sauce was way too salty. The house salad was the best food item I had, but was smothered in dressing. The garlic bread was terrible. It had way too much garlic on it and was burnt. The creme brulee was good but not the best I have had. I expected the drinks to be overpriced considering the location and being a fine dining establishment, but $7 for a Bud Light? Come on... As for the service, the server missed a couple of key points such as pouring our first glasses of wine for us. He had me taste the wine, but then just put the bottle down and left. Talk about awkward. Then when we paid the bill he came and took the signed copy before we left and looked at it right in front of us! How rude! We paid with a living social so I suppose he was checking to be sure we tipped on the full amount, but I was not happy. Overall, Kemoll's was snooty and not at all worth the expensive price tag. I understand that they are trying to keep the classic fine Italian dining experience alive, but if they want to attract younger customers they are going to need to change their attitude and do some updating.

    (2)

  • Robert J.

    I don't think Kemoll's deserves a lower rating from my previous reviews, but I just thought I would make some comments based on my most recent visit. I'm really mad at myself that I came back here and spent so much money. Of course I had a Groupon, but with tip, I still spent nearly $200. I didn't examine my itemized bill, but I'm sure the total of six beers made up $50 of the total. I could have gone to Tony's and had much better food and service for the same price. I had risotto with scallops, mussels and lobster. I don't hit high end restaurants too often, but $38 for this dish is too high considering the quantity and quality of the seafood. There were two small chunks of tough, flavorless lobster, two bottle cap sized scallions and four mussels (which was fine.) I would expect the lobster to be at least better quality and the scallops to be larger if there was only two. My wife's beef risotto was okay and the beef had good flavor, but way too overcooked and dry. That's a shame because the beef would have tasted great at a lower temperature. Our salads as always were good and huge, along with the garlic cheese bread. Those items definitely do not disappoint, but I should be raving about the main dish, not the salad and bread. Service again was mediocre. I just feel that spending $200 warrants a certain level of service. The server was not rude, nor was he nice or charming, just kind of present. It was a little awkward because we had our six and four year old with us (I know, that is crazy,) but he didn't make the night special for the kids. I think I am done here for a long time. Next time I decide to spend a couple of bills for a nice dinner, I'm going somewhere else.

    (3)

  • James R.

    P.S. Katy: Agree with your review but The Arch being dark has nothing to do with the 'government shutdown'. The lighting is funded locally, and each September is dark for bird migration. Probably a Green thing.

    (2)

  • Kurt W.

    Bottom line: One of *the* best atmospheres of any dining experience I have had in Saint Louis. Food is quality, but a bit pricey. Will walk away with not just a meal, but a memory, I will admit. Overview: I had a "Hot Sauce" deal to use up and at the last minute, I got in under the wire. Coming to Kemoll's is an experience, to say the least. More to say about that in the summary below. Parking: For dinner, you are allowed to park in the parking garage (entrance on Pine Street). Plenty of signage to direct you, as well as brightly lit parking. Food: I typically will try to go for the non-meat dishes if they sound appetizing, and at Kemoll's, they do, so here is the rundown of my dinner. Baby Lettuces (dinner salad): Red onion, blue cheese, toasted walnuts, balsamic vinaigrette. I felt this salad had value. For $8, you are really getting a treat. Everything here was apparent and enjoyable. Farfalle Basilica: Bow tie noodle tossed with cream, Asiago cheese, fresh basil, pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes. That is what the menu says. All for $20. Everything is done right here, but I know my Mom could maybe come a bit close to what I had. So, for $20, I have to balk a bit. That said, the portion is quite large, so maybe I should not be so harsh. I got another meal out of it the next day. Drink: No draft beer here. Here is what I had. Moretti (Bottled Beer): Usually, I like red wine with my pasta. However, I just do not know enough about wine to make me feel good about making a decision. That said, I went with what I thought was an Italian beer. A quick Google check says so. I must say, what a pleasant beer. Just smooth and complimented the pasta well. Summary: There are no words to capture the wonderful view you get of Saint Louis from this restaurant. If you are a long-time Saint Louisan (like myself) or a guest from out of town, your visit to Kemoll's is a satisfying experience from start to finish. Bonus Notes: -The guy at the table next to me, as he was leaving, offered me his "Hot Sauce" coupon. Nice idea, but I was already covered. I did consider for a moment taking his and using my the very next day, but I don't like to dip my foot in the same pool too often. -Careful if there are private parties going on. It is hard not to want to take a gander from the other side of the building, so I suggest you have some discretion if you decide to venture to other parts of the restaurant. You don't want to ruin someone else's party.

    (4)

  • Steve C.

    Everytime I go to Kemoll's, I always go early. The Kemoll's early-bird special is fantastic! Back years ago, it used to only be $19.95 for your amazing salad, select dinner entree, all the garlic cheese bread you could swallow, and the chef's choice for dessert. But times have changed and they moved from the ground floor of the Metropolitan Square tower downtown to the top floor . . . what a difference! The food is still amazing and the early bird specials are now $29.95 per person and if you want the filet mignon, it will cost an additional $3 for your entree. Kemoll's is delicious and the scenery is breath-taking. Just remember, you MUST order your dinner BEFORE 6:00 PM . . . or you pay full suggested real prices! Have a great time at Kemoll's!!!!!

    (5)

  • Stewart P.

    I was under a deadline to spend $60 so I made it happen tonight. I felt a bit awkward, which I expected some, because the staff are all dressed in tuxes and I had my everyday clothes on, although I did wear nice shoes to fit in a bit better. I made sure I got there early so I could leave early and I was put into the west side of the dining room, all by myself, at a 2 top in the corner but with a great view. The maitre d was in classic form, but didn't really greet me or say much once at my table. There are several reasons why they don't get 5 stars, not the least of which was the robotic like service ... although the guy before the maitre d was friendly. A couple of other reasons was a slight cob web attached to the wall art above my table and the wall against which my table rested and I was facing had clear worn horizontal marks as if something had been moved several times against it, think like a wall behind a sofa. 5 star that is not. The food however was excellent. I ordered the artichoke dish for 2 (I ate it all) and I thought it was very good but I will qualify that some saying I went without eating all afternoon so I could save up for this dinner ... then I had the house salad (very good), the beef tip risotto with mushrooms (excellent, saved half for a lunch this week) and then tiramisu (ate half, dropped off other half to my daughter on the way home). Also with my salad was served 3 small pieces of their version of garlic cheese bread, although I didn't know that. I didn't find out until the waiter was taking my risotto away that it was inside the white napkin he brought earlier on a plate. You could not tell anything was in there ... I'm going ... is there something I don't know? Is this like the silverware, I get a different napkin with my meal? He goes, did you want me to box the bread to? I asked, what bread? Funny stuff. This visit is closer to a 3 star for sure but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. There is a market for this type of place and I'm not one who would normally go there, except for maybe the views. While the food was very good and priced fairly, there are many places in St. Louis where this is true but are much more enjoyable to be at. Just my two cents.

    (4)

  • Frances Y.

    The view of the Arch was great! The foods, however, were not impressive, my seafood risotto was too salty, the mussels weren't fresh. The salad and appetizer were okay. They do have a long list of wine selection.

    (3)

  • Pat S.

    Very disappointing. Poor service, overpriced food and shabby decor. Sad decline of a once great restaurant. .

    (1)

  • Katie S.

    One of the worst meals I've ever had in St Louis. The veal parmesan tasted like country fried steak smothered in an awful tomato sauce. Definitely NOT authentic Italian. Horrible.

    (1)

  • p m.

    Gave three stars for the view. Called ahead for reservations for once in a life time event and upon arrival they had no idea we were coming. They finally pulled a table together but evening was off to a bad start. Not many people there so they should have appreciated our party of nine. Food was just ok, pasta side dish was cold. Dessert was dried out chocolate cake "chef's choice".

    (3)

  • Keith D.

    After hearing so many people talk about Kemoll's for years, I'm ashamed to admit this was the first time I've ever dined here. Here are my standout points: The views of downtown are spectacular and the service is incredibly professional. The food: Well it was just OK. It didn't blow me away. I had the pan seared beef tenderloin tips risotto. The risotto was great, but the tenderloin was a bit bland. Don't get me wrong, it was tender and cooked to perfection, but it just needed a little "stand on your own" seasoning. I added pepper twice before I finished. I wanted the meat to stand apart from the flavor of the risotto to suit my taste. (Sorry to sound like a food snob.) My wife ordered the shrimp and artichoke moutard. It came with a tarragon mustard sauce that worked incredibly well with the shrimp. That's the type of combo flavors I wanted in my dish. We split a caesar salad for starters and roasted almond fudge ice cream pie for dessert. Very good. So overall it was OK. I would definitely go back. TIP #1: The serving sizes are very large. I noticed at least six entrees at other tables that were huge. If you don't like leftovers beware. TIP #2: Parking: Read Dennis W's review for his tip on parking in the Met building garage. I pulled in like a I was regular thanks to his review. As he stated, the parking is complimentary, just remember to bring your ticket with you for validation by your server. Speaking of servers. Here's a shout out to John and Dolly. We wanted for nothing! BTW: If you like Groupons, we used one and saved $30 on our meal. Watch for their deals.

    (3)

  • Annie M.

    I went to Kemoll's last week, having never dinned there before. My friend had a groupon, so we decided to give it a go. Wow, how unimpressed I was. Where to begin? First, they were out of too many menu options, including their specialty, fried artichokes. We went for the fried artichokes. I tried ordering three different types of wines, and all were unavailable. This included their best pinot noirs. Second, the service was pretty horrible. It wasn't bad, per se, but it was horrible for a fine dinning restaurant. Four of us spent $100 each, before the groupon, and for that price, I expect perfect service. The waiter was a bit dodgy. He kept having to walk away, and return saying they were out of whatever we ordered. The setting plates weren't cleared before our dinner was brought out. It was just...blah. Granted, he did know how to serve wine well. I could tell because after I, a lady, tried and approved the wine, he served the other two ladies, then the one gentleman, then me, which is the BEST way to serve wine. But even though it was clear he COULD serve well, he wasn't really executing it. Well, this review is taking up too much of my time, so I'll wrap it up. The decor was from the 90s. WTF? The food was average and came out in WAY too large of quantities. And there were only old people at the restaurant at 7:30. This restaurant needs to enter the present, spruce up the place, and serve food in proper proportions with less oil. HELLO!!!!!!!

    (2)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 1:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : No
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Garage
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Dressy
    Ambience : Classy
    Noise Level : Quiet
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Categories

Italian Cuisine

The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.

Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.

If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.

Kemoll’s Italian Restaurant

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