Ask George: Does the noise level of a restaurant ever deter you from eating there? Lois W., St. Louis
I think the universal answer to that question has to be yes, for at some point in time—even if you prefer a lively, boisterous restaurant atmosphere—an occasion will arise when you want an evening meal served with a double order of quiet.
In the newer restaurants, however, such a scenario is rare. The very aspects that define what’s hip and cool in a restaurant— brick walls, high ceilings, tall glass windows, concrete floors, exposed ductwork, bare-topped tables, non-upholstered chairs--also make sound absorption almost impossible. Unfortunately, most of the soft surfaces needed for sound abatement are found in older, established--and usually expensive--establishments.
Ambient noise has become a hot button with diners, young and old, nationwide. In one recent survey, noise ranked just behind service on a list of restaurant aggravations. You’d think restaurant designers and architects would take that into consideration.
But few do, for two reasons: restaurant owners either want to create a lively, happenin’ place or the budget does not allow for expensive sound dampening (alas, it's often the first line item to get the ax).
SLM's dining critic Dave Lowry responds this way:
"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, I offer these general suggestions: Dine early. Dine during the week. Seek out perimeter tables. Round tables. Smaller, side rooms. And rooms with a lot of "air" in between the tables.
I can recommend the following somewhat quiet restaurants. The list is by no means exhaustive, so feel free to add your favorite low-decibel hang-out below--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, the Kings of the Hill (Dominic’s, Giovanni’s, Charlie Gitto’s on the Hill), the Claytonites (The Crossing, Niche, Oceano Bistro), the SSC’s (Sidney Street Café and Stone Soup Cottage), Andria’s Countryside (Edwardsville), BC's Kitchen, Cardwell’s at the Plaza, Cielo, Five Bistro, The Grill at the Ritz Carlton, Herbie's Vintage 72, Il Bel Lago, Lombardo’s, Nathalie’s, Pomme, Scape American Bistro, Tony’s, Truffles, Vin de Set.
Moderately Priced:
1111 Mississippi, Atlas, Balaban's, Bar Les Freres, Big Sky Café, Bixby’s, Café Osage, Café Provencal, Coastal Bistro & Bar, Cucina Pazzo (side room), Dominic's Trattoria, Dressel’s Pub, Gamlin Whiskey House (one of the back rooms), Giovanni’s Kitchen, Hendrick’s BBQ, Milagro Modern Mexican, Oceano Bistro, Quincy Street Bistro (upstairs), Planter's House (Bullock Room), Pomme Café, Remy's Kitchen & Wine Bar, Robust in Webster Groves (side room), Sanctuaria, Sapore Italian Café, Stellina, Taste, Via Vino Enotica, West End Grill & Pub, Winslow's Home, and many (if not most) of the ethnic restaurants in town.
