The long-awaited The Mexican STL (9615 Watson) officially opened on September 18 at Crestwood Commons, the redeveloped site of the former Crestwood Mall.
With seating for 370 guests inside and out, the new restaurant was designed with groups in mind. “A lot of my restaurant background has involved taking care of groups—so why fight it, we thought?” says managing partner Jim Schuette, who’s also responsible for sister concepts Twisted Tree Steakhouse and Twisted Tavern. “We wanted to create a place where families and friends could share a meal, feel comfortable, and enjoy an elevated food and beverage experience.”
The Mexican STL blends high energy with a refined edge. For Schuette, the project was a chance to raise the bar. “There aren’t many higher-end Mexican menus in town,” he says. “We thought St. Louis needed another and was ready for one.”
Inaugural hours are 3–11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m.–midnight Saturday, and 11 a.m.–10 p.m. on Sunday, with a limited-seating happy hour, dubbed “Queso & Cantina,” from 3–5 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
Here’s what to know before you go.
The Menu
The concept and the menu have been years in the making, according to Schuette, with the past four to five years spent collecting recipes and techniques. When discussions became serious three years ago, the group invested heavily, sending Chef Tyler Layton to train at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Chicago. There, Layton learned nuanced techniques, such as using avocado leaves like bay leaves, mastering salsa macha, and refining tortillas by blending in Maseca flour for a less gritty shell.
Notably absent—at least for now—are burritos, chimichangas, and quesadillas. “Unless we can elevate them and make them fantastic, it doesn’t fit what The Mexican is trying to do,” Schuette says. More esoteric taco ingredients, such as tongue or tripe, will not be offered either, but there will be tacos, including trios made with barbacoa, coal-roasted chicken, and coal-smoked royal red shrimp.
The inaugural menu includes a tortilla soup, two salads, and a handful of land proteins, finished over natural charcoal on an adjustable grill. Standouts include a wagyu flank steak, a mole-braised short rib, a 24-hour tequila/lime-brined free-range chicken, and a wagyu strip steak marinated in adobo sauce, cooked sous vide, charcoal-finished, and served with grilled pineapple between each slice. “That charcoal flavor really contributes to these dishes,” Layton says.
Seafood offerings range from grilled halibut and tuna in habanero miso to a “surf and surf” with coal-grilled scallops and shrimp basted with zarandeado sauce. “We’re starting with a menu we know we can execute well but realize there’s a lot of room to grow,” Layton says. “The challenge is to produce high-end food at volume, but that’s exactly what we do at Twisted Tree.”
At The Mexican, large plates are designed to share, so dishes are served as soon as they are prepared. And though the average entree is priced in the $30s, the goal is for guests to visit often, not just for special occasions. “Value is achievable at every price point as long as you execute,” Schuette says.
The aforementioned Queso & Cantina happy hour addresses that value directly: $7 for a classic margarita or seasonal draft cocktails, with $5–$9 small plates, such as spicy cheese curds, crispy halibut tacos, and wagyu beef tartare.
Schuette notes that the restaurant is a bit of a hybrid. “We wanted to create an authentic casual fine dining American restaurant that serves elevated Mexican cuisine,” he says, “so you can come in and order a Mich Ultra with your tacos. You can get a traditional Old Fashioned but also order one made with tequila from a recipe that took us months to perfect.”
The cocktail menu includes six margaritas ($14–$16), as well as the $50 Presidente, made with Clase Azul Reposado, the extra age offering bottled in the familiar blue and white ceramic decanter. An additional list of 12 “Cóctel” offerings includes the popular Pink Pony Paloma, made with Patron tequila, grapefruit and lime juices, simple syrup, and Fever Tree pink grapefruit soda.
Cocktails at The Mexican STL are all scratch-made, and while some are batched, pitchers of cocktails will not be offered, at least initially. The bar also features 40–50 tequilas, along with a wine program that aligns with the direction of the concept. “Higher-end Mexican restaurants tend to sell more wine,” Schuette says. “Some even have sommeliers.”
The Atmosphere
At 7,900 square feet, the freestanding building is the first ground-up build in the group’s history and gives Schuette full control over both form and function. “In the past, we retrofitted buildings and made them work,” he explains. “We created this one from scratch, applying everything we’ve learned over the years.”
Inside, guests are greeted with playful design touches, including a Day of the Dead–inspired selfie wall with lit skulls. On one side is a small party room for 14. A dividing wall houses rentable Casa Azul lockers where regulars can pour from their personal bottles.
At The Mexican, traditional reds and oranges have given way to dark greens and blues, and a fully acoustic ceiling ensures sound control. “There’s sound-absorbing foam between the wood-like slats,” he says, “which aren’t wood at all. They’re made of foam, too.”
The bar area anchors the interior, serving as a lively focal point. Outside, four hangar doors fold into the ceiling to open up the space, creating seamless indoor-outdoor dining. “Instead of using accordion nano walls or rolling garage doors,” Schuette says, “these doors fold in half and disappear or can act as a rain awning when half open.”
The restaurant overlooks a landscaped green space with a waterfall and common stage, designed as a community gathering spot for live music, farmers markets, and events, a reflection of the City of Crestwood’s vision for the redevelopment.
To Schuette, The Mexican aims to redefine what Mexican dining can be in St. Louis—elevated yet accessible, festive yet refined, and built for sharing.
The Mexican STL
📍9615 Watson, Crestwood
📞314-525-5025
⏰Inaugural hours: 3–11 p.m. Thursday and Friday (kitchen closes at 10 p.m.), 11 a.m.–midnight Saturday (kitchen closes at 10 p.m.), and 11 a.m.–10 p.m. on Sunday (kitchen closes at 9 p.m.), limited-seating happy hour from 3–5 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
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