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RestaurantRestaurant

the B A O

★★★★☆ 4.2/5 (100 reviews)
$$
14 N Central Ave, Clayton, MO 63105, United States +1 314-899-9089 Website
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Reviews (100)

C. B. D.
C. B. D.
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

Cool atmosphere, friendly staff (a very knowledgeable bar tender) and delicious cocktails!!! Their unique cocktails range from $12-$15 and are worth every penny! We also ordered the fried chicken bao and it was top notch. I highly recommend the “not your grandma’s martini!” 👍🏼👍🏼

Shaun Whittaker
Shaun Whittaker
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

A special place that is a hidden treasure. The staff was very accommodating to allow us to to dine while not having a reservation in which is recommended. Delicious dishes and we can’t wait to go back for more. A mix of Asian and Indian dishes, the waitress went above and beyond to explain the different items on the menu.

Brad
Brad
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

Easily the best restaurant we’ve tried thus far in St Louis.

Samantha Boncek
Samantha Boncek
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

Y U M! Went here today for my 33rd Birthday and loved everything! 3 Baos, Fries, and Crispy Gyoza! Definitely will be returning. 💛

merly chermon
merly chermon
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

Love this place so much. Friendly staff and delicious food. Everything is so perfect and great Asian dishes

S I
S I
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

We had some food, pork belly, some bao, fries and cocktails. All are well balanced. Very impressed. Whoever cooking there, they know what they are doing. Staffs are very friendly. It is not only modern but keep authentic tastes, too. Highly recommended.

Dalton Stockton
Dalton Stockton
★☆☆☆☆ Jan 20, 1970

We had a reservation but were forgotten about for 40 minutes. Multiple walk ins were seated ahead of us. Then we were offered a spot at the bar and they allowed someone else to take it. So we chose to leave.

Matthew Anderson
Matthew Anderson
★☆☆☆☆ Jan 20, 1970

Made a reservation said it was not confirmed had us wait 40 minutes. Then told us it was going to be another hour before we could be seated but we could sit at the bar cleaned it off and brought other people to the bar. Honestly unacceptable.

Patrick Komeshak
Patrick Komeshak
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

Very good food and service! Tried 3 different bao and they were all great.

Mike Wyatt II
Mike Wyatt II
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

Kind staff, quick seating, delicious udon and tasty bao. If you can find a parking spot, your taste buds will thank you for stopping by.

Lydia Brown
Lydia Brown
★★☆☆☆ Jan 20, 1970

It was almost $100 for 2 Bao each for 3 people. If it were amazing, I would be ok with that maybe, but the food was bland (we added our own hot sauce to make it better), and super rich.

Beth Knocke
Beth Knocke
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

Ordered online for a lunch pickup. The person in the front of house was welcoming, professional, and approachable which is awesome. I was about 15 min early and was cool to just chill at the bar while I waited but the time went fast. And, my god, the Tom Kha Soup was delicious. Hot temp-wise as well as in taste, I'm so glad I ordered it. Will definitely go back.

Rachel Woodall
Rachel Woodall
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

My Friday night go to. I actually always get carry out and have yet to dine in. One thing that really sets The BAO apart is the attention to detail they put into their dishes. The service is also top-notch. The staff is friendly and attentive, and they always make sure I have everything I need. Definitely recommend!

feranda smith
feranda smith
★★★★☆ Jan 20, 1970

This place sparked my interest because I was looking for pretty cocktails and they had the pictures to match. Well! They don’t have a bartender until 5pm so don’t go there anytime before that if you like cocktails with your meal. The ambiance was nice and they have pretty good music playing which is always a plus. The food was great! I got the survivor bao that allows you 3 different bao with fries. Everything came out hot and fresh. Let’s start with apps tho. The veggie spring rolls were nice and crispy and filling was typical veggie but good. The yuzu popcorn chicken was definitely the star for me! Once you popped it was soooo hard to stop. My friend and I both got the survivor bao. I got teriyaki bacon…the bacon was good but the pork floss kind made the whole thing dry and hard to chew…then there was mala hot chicken…definitely very spicy, crunch on chicken was phenomenal and it was nice and juicy…last was the spicy lobster…once again nice and spicy but this wasn’t my favorite just think a sushi roll in a bao bun. What was a bit disappointing for me is that they don’t have your typical bao, with the buns your filling is sliding out of the bun and hard to keep together especially for the chicken sandwiches. My friend had spicy lobster…which neither of us enjoyed…fried chicken…which was similar to the hot chicken…and the crispy shrimp…that was her favorite…its one shrimp but big and flavorful. I would go back for dinner to try their cocktails and more yuzu chicken

Sampter
Sampter
★☆☆☆☆ Jan 20, 1970

$14 basic drinks and rude bartenders. The bar only has cranberry juice besides hard liquors, and they sold me a soju whiskey combo I didn't want and without asking me because they can't make a screwdriver. It was disgusting. The bar is small and claustrophobic.

Rumpasri Sukonthaman
Rumpasri Sukonthaman
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

Great Asian fusion food with nice atmosphere and wonderful service. I would recommend to try Thai fusion menu that have authentic flavor from Thai chef. Price is acceptable. Would definitely come back again.

Jasmine Watson
Jasmine Watson
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

Amazing service and food. My boyfriend and I went out for lunch and wanted to try something different. The food was great, flavorful. And the ambiance was so pretty

John Miller
John Miller
★★☆☆☆ Jan 20, 1970

I saw an advertisement about their cocktails and how great they were. Too bad I didn’t get to try any- was told their bartender doesn’t come in any day of the week until 6:30. That sucks, and also don’t see anywhere that says they don’t do cocktails till that time. Place was EMPTY. I’ve been here a few times and this is the first time I was told that. Food was decent but not amazing. Probably won’t be back.

Carey B
Carey B
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

I stopped in for a late lunch today and absolutely loved this place! For food I ordered the softshell crab and fried chicken bao - both were excellent. However, the fried chicken bao’s pickles and mayo were out of this world! The spring rolls were also tasty and the fries - while thin - were perfectly cooked. I also highly recommend the Thai Tea Boba which had some of the best Thai Tea ever, I would seriously buy it by the gallon if possible! The server was very friendly and the food came out fast. The atmosphere was nice and the seating was incredibly comfy. This will definitely be a place I return - a new favorite!

Kelly Kirtland
Kelly Kirtland
★★★★★ Jan 20, 1970

A group of my friends and I went to Bao tonight for dinner as a part of our monthly dinner club and it did not disappoint! The soft shell crab was AMAZING and the nachos were SO GOOD. We were a large group and the staff were so kind to us and really went above and beyond! Absolutely recommend!