Ask George: Does the noise level of a restaurant ever deter you from eating there? —Paula M., St. Louis
The universal answer has to be yes, considering that even if you prefer a lively atmosphere, at some point an occasion will arise when you want an evening meal served with a double order of quiet.
In newer restaurants, however, such a scenario is rare. The very aspects that define what’s hip and cool—brick walls, high ceilings, tall glass windows, concrete floors, exposed ductwork, bare-topped tables, non-upholstered chairs—make sound absorption almost impossible. Unfortunately, most of the soft surfaces needed for sound abatement are typically found in older, established, expensive establishments.
Ambient noise has become a hot button with diners young and old. In one recent survey, noise ranked just behind service on a list of restaurant aggravations. You’d think that restaurant designers and architects would take that into consideration, but few do for two reasons:
- Restaurant owners either want to create an especially vibrant space,
- The budget doesn't allow for expensive sound dampening. (Alas, it's often the first line item to get the ax.)
SLM dining critic Dave Lowry's take: "We have noisier restaurants because we have abandoned the architectural model that produced a quiet ambiance—it's almost as if the intent is a deliberate effort to make the spaces as noisy as possible. As with many foods, we have abandoned classicism; we should expect that to offer consequences. If you want to sit in what amounts to a building suitable for manufacturing rivets, it's apt to be noisy.”
That said, here are a few general suggestions:
- Dine early.
- Dine during the week.
- Seek out perimeter tables.
- And round tables.
- Consider smaller side rooms.
- Look for rooms with space between tables.
- Dine outdoors.
I can aso recommend the following somewhat quiet restaurants in St. Louis. The list is by no means exhaustive, so feel free to share your favorite low-decibel hangout in the Facebook comments section—because there aren’t enough quiet restaurants, and all of us will benefit.
I said, BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH QUIET RESTAURANTS, AND ALL OF US WILL BENEFIT.
Expensive
- The high-end steakhouses (801 Chophouse, The Tenderloin Room, The Capital Grille, certain areas of Ruth's Chris, Fleming's, J. Gilbert's)
- The Kings of the Hill (Dominic’s, Charlie Gitto’s on the Hill)
- The Claytonites (The Crossing, Oceano Bistro, 801 Fish)
- The SSC’s (Sidney Street Café and Stone Soup Cottage)
- Andria’s Countryside (Edwardsville)
- BC's Kitchen
- Cinder House
- Edera
- Herbie's
- Il Bel Lago
- Lombardo’s
- Pan D'Olive (in one of the booths)
- Paul Manno's
- The Preston
- Tony’s
- Truffles
Moderately Priced
- Big Sky Café
- Bowood by Niche
- Cafe la Vie
- Café Provencal
- Dominic's Trattoria
- Dressel’s Pub
- El Milagro Azteca (third room)
- Eleven Eleven Mississippi (upper level)
- One 19 North (upper level, in back)
- Robust (side room)
- Sanctuaria
- Sapore Italian Café
- Sunset 44
- Winslow's Table
Editor's note: This article has been updated from an earlier version.
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