Barrister’s in Clayton
Rating: 4.5
15 N. Meramec
Clayton MO, 63105
314-862-0500
Price Range: $1-20
We stumbled upon Barrister’s in downtown Clayton just looking for a good cheeseburger. We soon realized that Barrister’s lives up to its motto: “Not your normal pub grub.”
In addition to traditional pub food and 10 beers on tap, Barrister’s offers an extensive wine list with salads, pastas, fish and other dishes you would not expect at a bar. While it’s not a place we would necessarily recommend for drinks, Barrister’s provides a great place to get a burger, sandwich or even something more elaborate.
The bar at Barrister’s caters to a few different sets of clientele. When we went early on a Tuesday evening, we saw a crowd of middle-aged men having drinks after work and discussing John Grisham and Tom Clancy. But on a Friday night, the crowd was decidedly younger, with mostly people in their late 20s and early 30s. We also noticed Barclay’s Premier League soccer standings on the wall and a Spanish soccer game playing on two televisions. Barrister’s shows many European soccer games, especially championship games on Pay-Per-View.
Located on North Meremec in Clayton, Barrister’s is just a few minutes’ drive from campus. Additionally, Barrister’s is just a short walk from the Clayton stop on the Metro. When the weather gets nice, walking from the South 40 would even be reasonable.
The dining area-located past the nice, albeit small, bar-seemed a little too fancy for the venue vibe. It captured the theme of a pub with mirrors embossed with beer company logos and televisions playing sports, but the nice carpeting, cushioned seats and empty wine bottles lining the walls changed the feel.
The menu does have some typical pub grub: wings, pizzas and a variety of burgers and sandwiches. However, Barrister’s menu also includes crab cakes, seafood, chicken Parmesan, five salads and more.
For appetizers, the state fair onion rings are a must. A mountain of crispy, hot onion rings is served with delicious honey mustard and barbeque sauces. The portion is big enough for at least four people.
Additionally, we would recommend the coconut shrimp. Delicately breaded and served with the same honey mustard sauce lauded above, they are perfect if you are looking for something a little different from generic pub food. For soups, we tried the New England clam chowder, which was good although nothing to rave about.
Their burgers are up to par with most any other pub’s. Half-pound patties, hand-formed and served on a toasted bun are served in a variety of ways. You can choose from an old-fashioned five ounce griddle burger, a veggie burger and the Maryland crab burger topped with smoked tomato sauce.
The grilled chicken sandwich is another plate we loved. An exceptionally moist piece of grilled chicken is topped with provolone cheese and the house honey mustard sauce, all served on a toasted bun.
The cedar plank roasted salmon is another delicious choice that comes with mashed potatoes and wilted spinach. Though there was an excess of tomato aioli, the salmon was cooked well and the mashed potatoes were excellent.
For sides, diners can choose from house-made salt and vinegar chips, French fries, mashed potatoes and cole slaw. The cole slaw is exceptionally clean and the poppy seeds provided good texture and flavor. The salt and vinegar chips, while decent, were a little too thick.
Overall, Barrister’s offers excellent pub food and a variety of other appetizing dishes. It’s a great place to dine with a group of friends close to campus.