Benton Park Cafe & Coffee Bar

Moving my reviews over from Yelp. Originally published 5/12/19: I had a pretty fantastic lunch here one day when I was in the area. I ordered the shrimp po boy and selected their cucumber, tomato and mozzarella salad as my side dish. I asked for the salad to come out in front of the sandwich and it did but only by a moment. I really enjoyed the salad! The flavors were bright and full while the textures were as they should be: crisp for the cucumber, tender & juicy for the tomato and a little chewy yet creamy for the mozzarella. The dressing was a light vinaigrette that worked well to complete the dish and I appreciate a side dish that's well executed as opposed to being an afterthought. My entree was the shrimp po boy. It was very good but not as well executed as the salad. I loved the flavor of the shrimp but was a little bit concerned that they were just barely cooked until done and still a little translucent. I love sushi and even eat the raw ebi (somewhat hard to find) but in this setting, undercooked caused a little bit of a concern. I also thought there was a bit too much lettuce on the sandwich. All in all, a great sandwich that maybe wasn't executed quite right on my visit.

Really great place tucked away near the AB brewery. Food and coffee were great and the service was great too.

I really wanted to love this spot, the menu had promise, the food itself was actually good, and the space had a laid-back charm. But unfortunately, the overall experience was marred by poor service and a lack of professionalism from staff. When we arrived, there were several open tables, so we were surprised when we were added the “the list” so we opted for the bar. From there, it was over 45 minutes before our food arrived, no updates, no apology, just a long and frustrating wait. What made it worse was the atmosphere behind the bar. Staff spent most of the time talking (loudly) about how they weren’t even supposed to be there or how it was their day off. It was hard to enjoy the space while overhearing ongoing complaints about customers and co-workers. It gave the impression that no one really wanted to be there, and that energy definitely spilled over into the service. We had to ask to get our water refilled, and no one checked on us during the meal. For a cafe that’s clearly capable of putting out quality food, the service and vibe just didn’t match. I’m all for casual and relaxed, but there’s a fine line between chill and indifferent. This place has potential, but unless there’s a shift in hospitality and professionalism, I’d be hesitant to return and even more hesitant to recommend it to others.

Lovely Cafe for breakfast! We ate here several times during a visit to St Louis, both eat in and carry out. The food was fantastic, the coffees were well made and they did great with dairy and gluten allergies!

This is one of the coolest Cafe & Coffee Bars I have been too. The atmosphere is amazing and the decor is fabulous. I had an amazing latte & biscuits/gravy. The biscuits & gravy was delicious; the gravy had a hit of spice which made it heavenly. I had a wonderful waitress, Rose, who was/is amazing and helped me with both my drink & food order. She is very polite and astute. I highly recommend coming to this Cafe if you ever get a chance.