Cafe Napoli

S/o Alyssa best bartender in the Midwest beautiful,friendly ,welcoming and best of all knows what she’s doing. Food is amazing had shrimp and they were delicious, Alyssa was a great host and very knowledgeable about what her clients what and need. Overall great experience definitely recommend if you’re in the St. Louis area

I visited Cafe Napoli on a Friday night while back home in St. Louis, and unfortunately, my experience was very disappointing. Upon arrival, the outdoor area was busy but the inside was mostly scattered with open tables. Since my friends and I had just come from another establishment, we asked if we could sit outside. Both the security staff and a waitress told us it was fine to take any open seat. Once seated, however, the manager came over and told us we had to move because the section was “reserved.” This was frustrating because the staff had already told us it was open seating, and most of the guests outside appeared to be from a private gathering from elsewhere based on what they told us and most of them were already wrapping up. The manager claimed he would “find us a seat,” but instead left us standing around until—ironically—we ended up back at the exact same table. A friend of mine was the person the manager was supposedly holding the “reservation” saw me getting up from the table and came inside to grab us over and invited us to sit back down. Not only did the manager handle the situation poorly, but he also never apologized, offered alternative seating, or made any effort to provide decent service. The entire encounter felt dismissive and disrespectful. Honestly, if we were of a different race, I doubt this would have played out the same way. Even though he was my race .. interesting . Beyond this incident, the drinks were lackluster, the staff seemed unorganized, and the vibe was far from upscale. As a St. Louis native, I had heard of Cafe Napoli’s reputation, but after this experience, I can confidently say I won’t be returning.

The one star is for the overpriced food. Service was great. The size of the oysters is an actual joke on the seafood "tower" The calamari is not good. It taste like chewy paper.

TLDR: Don’t give up on the St Louis restaurant scene, there’s better out there Super disappointing, given the hype & reviews around this being one of the best restaurants in STL. Perhaps it was where I was seated - pretty boring, stodgy & darkly lit area. Never seen so many old white people in one place before 🤣 The service was dismissive and offhand, the food was really really ordinary, the ambience was not there. That said, the vibe on the patio outside seemed completely different, a different crowd, a lot more patio and cocktails vibe to it. So perhaps yes is was where I was seated, but not there’s no chance I’m ever returning, I can think of other places to spend $100

The food here is pretty mediocre, and at about $90 per person, way overpriced. On the positive side, the ambience and service are good. A side of delicious truffle fries with two dipping sauces, a spicy remoulade sauce and a cream horseradish sauce turned out to be the high point of the meal. Also, the red sauce that came with the meatball appetizer and the garlicky arugula that topped the chicken Milanese were quite good. However, there was a downside. The bread was awful. The meatballs and the chicken Milanese were tasteless, and the broccoli was nearly raw and cold. Some of the fingerling potatoes were undercooked, and they were all dry and unseasoned. Finally, the spumoni was far short of what you would expect from any Italian restaurant.

Ordered the seafood platter on uber eats. It said "feeds two". Feeds two what? Birds?

My siblings took me here for dinner on my birthday. The food and drinks was absolutely delicious! Our waiter was so polite, professional, and knowledgeable. He really was great! We had a nice booth like seating, that made it seem all exclusive like, the way it curved. Very fancy, nice restaurant. I even used valet parking for the first time and that was reasonable priced. All and all I was impressed with the establishment. Forgot to get a picture of my brother’s pasta he had and the seating but it was all good. The waiter even brought out some cool dessert with a lite candle on it for my birthday. It was nice!

Their service was awesome! The food was just ok given the premium price. My lobster risotto didn't meet anywhere near my expectations. We also had shrimp scampi and lamb chops. Lamb chops were tasty but scampi was not the best either. The fried calamari (appetizer) was very good. Overall, this place didn't meet my expectations given the premium status they enjoy among restaurants in St Louis.

So I am almost done experiencing all of the Napoli's I went to their Kirkwood location. I'm loving the aesthetic! Perfect for date night ! I ordered 1. Beef Carpaccio 2. Linguine Vongole 3. Tagliatelle Bolognese Traditional meat sauce. 4. A few cocktails. My favorite was the #frenchmartini and I always get a splash of simple syrup. No complaints! Service & food was A1!

The patio is open at Cafe Napoli in Clayton! Our favorite patio in st louis. It's as though you're at Tavern on Rush or The Bellevue in Chicago. A lot of energy and people watching The service & food are always first class. The staff is so professional and friendly. Last Tuesday we had appetizers. Their meatballs are delicious! Large serving of 3 meatballs in an Italian red sauce. My husband's favorite. I love the Stack salad, layers of tomato, mozzarella and eggplant. Accompanied by Italian bread and butter. The pastas are phenomenal as well. Honestly our favorite restaurant in St Louis.

We had an overnight stay in Clayton and Cafe Napoli was walking distance from our hotel. We scanned the menu and gave it a try. We chose to sit inside and were greeted by a few hostesses outside. We were a bit uncomfortable with the attire of the hostess just a bit too revealing in my opinion for such a nice restaurant. Was seated near a window which we liked although the tables are a bit to small especially when you get drinks and appetizers to start. Our waiter was absolutely top notch. He knew the menu backwards & forward. Told us all the chef's recommendations and specials. Tried the salad which definitely 2 can share, but a very basic salad nothing fancy. The only downside I'd say was we were never offered a bread refill which was an extremely small portion. I had linguine with shrimp, scallops and sun-dried tomatoes, fantastic choice. Seasoned perfectly and I'd definitely recommend. My husband had Veal Parmesan which was good but not great a little too saucy, It came with a choice of pasta or broccoli, no choices on pasta only bow tie with red sauce. Had a few drinks as well and dessert, tiramisu and a fabulous gelato with chocolate ganache. A nice restaurant overall just not a five star. Kudos to our waiter and waitstaff.

I stopped there for cream brûlée but it was the worst iv ever tried .. but nice service and vibe..

Cafe Napoli didn't disappoint. I had the chicken parmigiana which came with a side of broccoli. Had I known I would have substituted, but there are no noodles with the chicken parmigiana. Flavor was great, crunch on the chicken perfect, and the portions were huge which means I could have split a pasta with my partner. We also got the tiramisu and it was one of the best I've had. Had a drizzle with caramel that made it over the top! Waiter was fantastic, drinks always filled, and just a constant check from multiple workers to ensure a delightful evening. The environment is a bit dark but romantic. They do have a smaller area for a family or workplace event dinner. Easy to book online. Was cold out, and used valet which was $12.00. You do it online for pick up and they'll have the car ready for you once you walk outside.

Han is the BEST bartender in town! The food is also amazing. The steak is great but just be sure to ask for light salt. It can sometimes come out a little too salty. Try and get a table on the patio in the spring/summer for some great vibes and cool views.

Cafe Napoli's patio was perfect for a nice fall dinner. The service is above & beyond, and the food is always good. Tried: we split everything - an espresso martini, calamari fritti, arancini, and pomodoro bolognese. Loved: the service, the arancini, the espresso martini Recommend: splitting everything - we had two apps and an entree to split and we still took most of our pasta home

Food was pretty good. I was in a large group that booked that day so the staff seemed to be as prepared as they could be for such a large group! We had other people in the restaurant bothering us and the staff helped mark off our large groups area to avoid disruptions which was kind.

Roadtripping thru the US and found ourselves here for a late dinner. Pricey but worth it. Dinner for two costed us around $200 (with tip) for 2 drinks, 1 shared app, and 2 entrees. Wasn't expecting much but amazing drinks and entrees were good. I ate everything and was happy. I ordered the seabass and my partner ordered pasta. Would recommend this place for anyone in need of great Italian. It was cozy and dark inside but perfect for the intimate dinner. Johnathan was very friendly and personable. Ask for him on your visit!

We went for a business meal and didn't have a great experience. The service was so slow. Our server put the wrong item in for orders. He barely checked on us.

This was my first time at the famous Cafe Napoli patio! The vibes were good, despite the heat! Our service was 10/10. We started with the arancini (sauce was the best part), I got the scallops, and my date got the lamb chop special. The lamb chops were delicious, and so were my scallops. The only iffy part was the undercooked, neon green broccoli! Overall, good enough to return!

Excellent place to go to when you are looking for a fun happy hour. Drinks and food are great with a wide variety of selections. I prefer coming here for happy hour and apps. There is limited seating on the patio if you are wanting to sit outside.

One of the best! You know it's funny, I've been coming here for years and have never written a review! Came here with a friend of mine and sat on the patio. We were greeted promptly with water and a bread basket (not pictured). We were pretty hungry so the bread and butter went rather quickly. For drinks, we tried the Tuscan lemonade, which might I add is so refreshing! It's the perfect balance of what I'd like to call an "adult lemonade". For my second drink, I got the hypnotini (no longer on the menu but can still be ordered). I know it's hypnotic based but also tastes delicious. I started out with a Caesar salad as an appetizer and my friend got the stacked salad. The croutons in my salad were different but in a good way. I can't put my finger on the taste but I can assure you, you'll want more than what's offered in the bowl! They're crunchy, well-seasoned, and kind of addicting! Also, the fresh black pepper added to the salad makes it that much better! One of the reasons why this is one of my favorite Italian restaurants is because they offer pesto and because the food and service are so consistent. Pesto is incredibly hard to find in the Midwest, let alone in this city, so it's always a plus when I can find it! Keep in mind, a normal size portion at Napoli is big, so I always opt for the 1/2 size when it comes to pasta. This dish is easily one of my favorites, because not only does it taste good but best of all, they offer enough sauce! I've had plenty of pasta dishes at other restaurants where the sauce was scant but at Napoli, that's never the case. Overall, a Saturday night on the patio is great for a meal and to people watch. Not only will you be impressed by the food, but the stellar service and ambiance the restaurant has to offer.

Pre- Muny dinner at Cafe Napoli and it's #stlouispescatarianapproved @stlouispescatarians on instagram Our guy was fantastic! Got us all fed in time for show! Patio VIBEZzzzzzzzz y'all! It was such a beautiful evening! We had the... Lobster Caprese Salad Halibut Special French Fries

my all time favorite place. excellent service and food. always accommodating. has a really nice patio during the summer. excellent choices on menu but some of my favorites are veal milanese and truffle burrata

Service was annoyingly formal. As if we'd never eaten in a restaurant before. Absurd. Evidently whoever cooks pasta here has not understood the difference between Al dente and undercooked. We noticed none of the regulars ordered pasta and also noticed absolutely zero Italian people working or eating there-- not a good sign. Our kids didn't notice we took them for their birthday but when we'd hoped for at least better than average we food we just got very average bad Italian. And the portion sizes were so large it was clear that the food would stink and it did. Never again. Not sure why so many people liked it and we needed a reservation. Location is good that's about it.

My pasta was so "al dente" it was chewy. My husband enjoyed his meal. The resturant is very loud when busy. I would give them another chance and try their patio in warmer weather.

The drink menu is great, so many options! The bartender ladies were so sweet with many recommendations based on what you like. The vibe is dark but natural light!

Great experience. Very elevated feeling experience - but you must sit out on the patio! The waiters are well trained and really make you feel special. The food was fantastic, as well. Couldn't recommend Cafe Napoli any more. Go for your next date

I dinner there last night and it was fabulou! Our waiter, Rob, was very knowledgeabl, professional and a pleasant person who onv enjoys his job and customers. He knows the food well, recommended the seabass which was delic and loved his choice of the chocolate bread pudding especially with a side of salted caramel gelato. very lovely evening.

Went to the original Cafe Napoli in downtown Clayton. Had dinner with my business partner, and frankly we really enjoyed a great Italian meal. Sorted off with a carpaccia which we shared. Went really well with my glass of cab ( the prisoner ). From there I went on to have a filet mignon prepared with Italian herbs and spices. Pretty damn awesome. Yeah that's where atmosphere coupled with the good food and wine made for a really terrific evening. I recommend this place. Put it on your list.

Oof. What a disappointment. The wait staff was excellent but: The table flowers were dead. Bad sign. Other tables flowers were dead also. No sugar rim on my lemon drop martini. Odd. Ceaser dressing was bland and lettuce was mushy. Risotto was undercooked and tasteless. The Osso Bucco was cold (we sent it back), My ravioli was pretty good. Crab dip was on the cool side. Wanted to love it. Did not.

I had the absolute best service from Ava N. I did not enjoy the place until her attitude changed my mind.

We had a 730pm reservation for Cafe Napoli for Valentine's dinner. As soon as we arrived we were seated. Waiter tended to us promptly. Gave great selections for drinks and presented us with the menu for the evening. The chef was able to.avvomodate us when we wanted to order something that wasn't on the special menu. Appetizers was ravioli which was delicious and rigatoni carbonara was excellent. Restaurant was quiet and intimate. Great date night atmosphere. Prices were very reasonable.

This place is FANCY!! But it's so worth it we came here for my bday/ our anniversary and everything we tried was so good! Service was also really nice and they have a great wine selection. We even got a free anniversary dessert! Also neither of us are big salad people but their stack salad is to die for and the vodka pasta was so good! 10/10

Italian spot in Clayton. They have a pretty popular outdoor seating are when the weather is nice. Their menu is authentic and there is surely something that will tickle your tongue. I got the salmon penne pasta and love the full flavor is brought on. Loved the peas and sauce was good too.

The vibes here are actually unmatched. I would say 5 stars for the ambiance including all the lovely and personality-filled waiters and 4 stars for the food. We walked up on a random weekday night and was surprised that there were this many people at the restaurant but were still able to be seated. Shout out to the waiter who when asked how his day was, he went "this is the best day of my life". We got a good laugh out of that. Truly the best response we could have asked for. Ordered the Linguine Mare Monti and it was actually delicious. I was expecting this place to be slightly better than Olive Garden but I would say that the food is even better than most of the places on the Hill which is notorious for its Italian food. The give you quite a bit of seafood which is very nice and the pasta was cooked to perfection. Soak up the leftover sauce with the complimentary bread and you got yourself a perfect meal. Overall, extremely happy about Cafe Napoli and honestly can't wait to come back. Props to whoever hired all these great people. Also, don't need to worry about leaving immediately, it's a very relaxed environment and you can just sit there and enjoy each other's company instead of worrying about when you will be asked to leave.

Naps is a classic spot in STL to hit. Recently chose to have my birthday dinner here and really enjoyed it! I chose the ribeye which was phenomenal and came with a side of potatoes & asparagus. I would also recommend the veal or their salmon pasta. But I hear most of their dishes are tremendous. The vibes are fun whether it be inside or out and when the Dj comes out it's always popping!

This place is sexy. Almost too sexy in some aspects but definitely a restaurant I will return to. Upon arrival I entered through the wrong door at Bar Napoli. So, double check your steps once you arrive. I went for happy hour with a few friends. The decor is nice / upscale. The lightening was so low we could barely see each other. But there are light adjustable lamps to help see the menu...? I had the house salad which could have used more salt, dressing, just help! The sea bass with spinach was absolutely delicious. A meaty, moist portion that was filling and cooked to perfection. A friend had the seafood tower. The tiger shrimp were larger than my hands! She said it delicious.

I came here for a holiday work party, and it was fantastic! For drinks, you have to try their jalapeño pineapple margarita and espresso martini. For dinner, I had the Caprese Salad, Grilled Filet Mignon, and Tiramisu. The steak was seasoned and perfectly cooked for my taste! Service was very friendly, professional, and efficient. Luckily, our group was in a private back room so it was pretty quiet, but once you got into the main area, it was pretty crowded and loud even for a Thursday night.

Food was amazing service was amazing as always! Everything on the menu is great! This is always my stop starting tonight or ending tonight. Highly recommend !

A little disappointing for the pricepoint, but we still had a nice time! We had a 5:30pm reservation and were surprised to find they put us in their private room (the room you're typically required to pay $100 minimum per person). The service was great! Drinks were delicious! Especially the blueberry lemondrop. I think we were misquoted or received fewer toasted ravioli than we were supposed to? The salads were fine. Entrees were a hit and miss. The chicken milanese was perfectly crispy, but I would have preferred it paired with pasta instead of semi-hard potatoes and soggy brussels that I was expecting to be roasted and crispy based on the description. The bolognese was okay, but the carbonara was the star on the table! The cannoli were nothing to write home about (something about the filling was off). However, the white chocolate bread pudding and chocolate amaretto tartufo were outstanding!

My husband and I dine here at least two or three times a week. The service is always impeccable, the wait staff friendly and the food quality is always consistent. We bring out of town guests and they always rave about the food. You can't go wrong with pasta or steak. Andrea (sp) the manager always greets by name and he is very accommodating of any requests.

What an experience! I had been to Cafe Napoli one time previously for a rehearsal dinner, so I've never been for your typical experience. We made a reservation and we're seated inside immediately. Our server came over and explained that they typically do things differently and let us enjoy our drinks and some bread first, and then give us the pitch of specials and recommendations. My friend and I both got a glass of wine and enjoyed the bread with olive oil, fresh cracked pepper, and Parm. Truly one of my favorite simplicities! We were able to catch up and then think about food which was really nice. Our server then went over the specials and then we ordered. I first ordered the bella Napoli salad, which came with mixed greens, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, onions, and parmigiana. It was so fresh and the taste of dressing was perfect- nothing too elaborate to take away from the salad. We also got an order of the truffle fries which were amazing and crisp. It came with two dipping sauces- siracha Mayo and a sauce with horseradish. Loved both of them!! For my entree, I couldn't decide what I wanted. I got a half order of the shrimp scampi and linguine abruzzo. The shrimp scampi was amazing and perfectly flavored/ crisp with bread crumbs, lemon, and capers. The abruzzo had smaller shrimp and one of the biggest scallops I've ever seen. It felt like it melted in my mouth. Not a huge scallop fan but holy smokes it was great. Our service was wonderful (see pic of attached rose napkin lol) and so accommodating. I will definitely be back!!

Great dinner last night at Cafe Napoli! We showed up early but got seated right away. Our server, Spencer, was excellent and shared a lot of information about the food and history of the place. We had oysters and eggplant parmigiana as appetizers - both were incredibly fresh. We went with the scallops and veal chop for our mains - perfectly prepared! This location offers nice seating, a very attentive staff, and an amazing menu. Great parking in the area, as well. Everything was memorable. We'll be back!

Per usual service was on point; this evening in particular Bradley was a gem. Knowledgeable, accommodating, attentive & prompt. I enjoyed the oysters to start and Chilean sea bass as a main course. Although the patio area was open, it was pretty crowded so we opted for a cooler ambiance, indoors near the bar. Valet available. Absolutely returning soon for drinks. ~Christy

Spencer was an amazing waiter! First time here and was delicious! Friendly staff! Mira was very sweet and kind and Andre on point! Epic date night!

Cafe Napoli is a staple in the Clayton dining scene. It is an elegant spot in the heart of Clayton. I was seated for my reservation as soon as I arrived. I perused the wine, beer, and cocktail menu on the iPad while I waited for my friend to arrive. They have a great selection of wine by the glass. After my friend arrive and ordered a beverage, we listened to the specials. Each dish sounded better than the next. I ordered one of the specials--the halibut. The fish was perfectly seared and served with a tomato based sauce, broccoli and potatoes. While the fish was outstanding, the accompaniments seemed to be an after thought. For dessert, we shared the bread pudding of the day. On my own, I would have never ordered this, but I'm happy we did. It was rich and decadent--everything a dessert should be! Service at Napoli was outstanding! We had an incredibly knowledgeable server who took great care of us.

Food is ok. The pasta didn't seem completely cooked to me Nice restaurant though. Most people are dressed up for dinner here. The one good thing is that not many Italian restaurants in St Louis have Penne Vodka, but this one does. I'm New Jersey all the Italian restaurants have Penne Vodka

Yikes! If you want to be stuffed into a room, have food poured on you, eat undercooked salmon and have waiters talk down to you ... this is your place! Attended a private dinner that was completely packed (which of course is totally up to the company not the restaurant). It was such a tight fit the staff had trouble serving. I had oil dropped all over me - ruining my dress - while the waiter had one plate in his hand while serving me. Halfway though eating my salmon I realize it's very undercooked. Unfortunately given the nature of the private dinner I couldn't easily tell a waiter. After my meal, the staff outside was rude to me when I asked a simple question. At that point it was just the icing on the cake. In all, I wouldn't ever return again.

This place provides such a variety! They have outdoor seating and the atmosphere is great. There pasta is amazing. So rich and flavorful! This is the perfect place for dinner night or a evening out with your friends. They also have music with two sides of entertainment. Just a great hangout all the way around.

We were here for a work event and it sure did not disappoint. One thing I'd like to highlight about Cafe Napoli is the service. Our waiter was absolutely on point despite having a table of 14. Our drinks were always replenished and he was always nearby for any requests. The food was also exquisite. The shrimp cocktail appetizer was massive and paired well with the cocktail sauce. For dinner, I had a filet mignon cooked medium rare and it melted like butter in my mouth. I usually prefer different cuts of steak but this one had me rethinking my priorities! Will definitely be back for a big occasion!

My boyfriend and I decided to go here for the first time last night and had an amazing experience. Our waiter Bryan was super nice and was going above and beyond. It was a nicer, yet little chillier night and our waiter moved the outside heater closer to keep us warm. We enjoyed our food and brought leftovers home. My boyfriend got the family size rigatoni with blackened chicken added (server recommended) while I got the chicken Marsala and we shared meatballs to start. Overall, great experience. And truly refreshing to have such great service.

We were a group of 4 on a Saturday evening. A crab and cheddar dip was a special starter. It was fabulous!!! The jumbo lump crab was succulent. My pasta with a spicy sausage was spot on excellent. One guest had the lamb chop special . It was amazing . Two others enjoyed the bolognese. Service was excellent. I nice dark interior was relaxing. I'll definitely return.

First visit to St. Louis and got lucky to visit cafe Napoli. The food was amazing but the staff even better. Ande made me feel at home as if he knew me and I had been coming forever. It is now my go to whenever I am in town. I highly recommend cafe Napoli!

It was a pleasant experience. Service and atmosphere were great! A seafood platter is a recommended dish. There is free street parking and valet.

We love going to dinner at Cafe Napoli, everyone is super nice but we keep com back for Lindsey the bartender she is so friendly and takes time to talk to all the guest. She goes above and beyond for her guests. Other bartenders don't really talk to you they just make the drinks. We love her. The food is also outstanding. Lindsey always gives us suggestions on that to order.

I went with a few friends for a night out. We got a table right away which was great because they we're starting to get busy and there were many tables. We ordered a few apps and everything was great. Our server was darling and very attentive. The ambiance was nice and we all definitely had fun. It's a great place to people watch.

Went here for a business dinner and the service was great. Very attentive, and I enjoyed the atmosphere. We had arancini and a seafood dip. The arancini was great, but I did feel that it needed a little more cheese. The seafood dip was great, but very small in portion size for 4 people to split. The menu looked great. I ended up going with the lobster risotto. I was a little disappointed because my rice didn't seem like it was fully cooked. It had a good amount of seafood in it and it was a family style dish, so there was definitely plenty to share with the table. I feel that the risotto needed more of a cream based to it. It felt a little dry, but the flavor was amazing, I took it home the next night and I heated it up and it actually was better than when I had it in the restaurant. Overall, I would say this is a really great place. It is not anything like I thought it would be from looking at it on the outside. The service is spectacular and the ambience is great. I think next time if I go, I would order a steak!