Sanctuaria

Sanctuaria hosted our wedding this past Labor Day weekend, and they were absolutely amazing! We had it outside on their beautiful patio, the buffet was set up inside the wrought iron & glass enclosure, it was honestly the best day we've ever had... The food was fantastic, the staff was always immediately on whatever was needed or wanted, they really looked out for us and our guests, making sure everything was moving along with no glitches or problems :-). They have their own parking as well, which is such a huge plus in the Grove! Jennifer, their event & bar manager (& cocktail miracle worker), was with us every step of the way and everyone there made our day easy and special. If you are looking for a unique place to celebrate anything, I highly recommend checking this wonderful place out. Their food and cocktails are top notch!

The atmosphere is incredible inside and out. We have been for Sunday brunch and regular menu on Saturday. Everything has been great to include the service.

A friend and I tried this restaurant last week before a show at the FOX and loved all of our choices! They have a large alcohol menu and large tapas menu. We tried the Red Sangria and if we had time could have drank a pitcher of this it was so good! Then we shared Bacon-wrapped dates, Wicked Good Shrimp, Devil Bites, Cabrales Cigars, Seared Squash Blossoms, and Vaca Frita with Chimichurri. All of them were delicious, but our favorites were the bacon-wrapped dates, devil bites, and the Vava Frita. We went on a Tuesday night around 6 and we were the only customers for a little while. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 was because after we got our last plate, no one came by again to check if we needed anything. Definitely recommend giving them a try if you’re in the area and especially if you’re going to a show at the FOX because this place is less than 10 mins away!

The idea and concept is a great draw, love the theme of the whole place. The staff from my short interaction was good no real complaints. All were helpful and courteous. What was i have to say a disappointment was the price for the quality ratio. Spend close to 15$ per drink that are sizes of shots. The food was okay but could be better. So if looking for new and interesting place please try but just know it will be on the costly side.

This was a fantastic choice for dinner and drinks to start off the evening! Many great tapas to choose from, I especially enjoyed the Cuban Chicken Sliders and the Tostones, but everything was good. And the cocktails, oh my — the best was Good Thyming, a delicious fruity drink, and there are so many more I want to try! The staff were also really great, very friendly to chat with and they had great suggestions for navigating the menu

Food is a combination of American finger meets Cuban and Southwestern influences. Decorations give a twisted Mexican vibe that is very inviting. Hopefully they can get the gnats under control. They swarmed over our food almost the entire meal.

I don't even know where to begin. Foster was fantastic and made some great recommendations. He was even very patient with my indecisiveness, bless his heart. The atmosphere here is just right up my alley. Don't even get me started on, not just the food altogether, but the freaking burger!! 🤤 we would come back to this city from out of state JUST to have another bite of that baby! Compliments to the chef on the Dublin Deluxe (although, this is from their to-go menu and may not be available for dine in), but oh my goodness! Yum! AND the Vaca Frita!! So much flavor! The ONLY thing I didn't care for was the chocolate cigar dessert. They were burnt on the bottom, and I cannot stand the taste of burnt food at all, but my bf didn't mind them.. the chocolate on the inside and the whipped cream with them were delightful. I think they make them that way to get that cigar look/feel, but too over done for me personally. The outback seating area has a midevil vibe that is to die for 😉😈. Just absolutely loved it here and so glad we stumbled upon it before we head back to MI!

The restaurant is So beautiful! So much fun to see. The staff is so friendly. Some of the food was great. Some didn't appeal. The location makes sorting that out worthwhile. The chocolate cake was good. Other two desserts were not. Plantains were fantastic. Devil bites were great. Look UP on the bathroom!!

It has been awhile since we went to sit at one of the best patios in St. Louis. Well, the experience is still great, but not as good as about a year ago. Nonetheless, Sanctuaria still pumped out some great food for us tonight. The vibes on the patio are immaculate. Peaceful, warm, intimate, and completed by artsy fountain ordained in the middle. Our server was great to chat with, although the pace was a bit slow. It seems staffing may be a contributing factor to the slight decline of this St. Louis gem. The interior was completely vacant, but outside was full. While full, not overwhelmingly busy. In any case, we waited about 10 minutes to receive water. Not a huge deal, just not the norm. I have mixed reviews on the drinks. I love old fashioneds, I love mezcal, and I love mezcal old fashioneds. So, naturally, the vape juice seemed like a walk in the park. For me, it lacked balance, and was missing sweetness. As it got diluted it was more palatable. I was just hoping for the basil to really shine through with the mezcal. The cherry me away, and honeysuckle this were both much better. Cherry me away is accurately depicted and executed. A cherry caipirinha that is equally tart as it is sweet. A crusher. Much of the same from honeysuckle this. A drink on the sweeter side with the honeysuckle taking center stage. The peppercorn garnish offers a great flavor contrast to the sweetness of the drink. As for the food, the devil bites are the clear winner. Not too spicy, crispy, and packed with flavor. You've heard of a cheese pull, but these have a pulled pork pull. I won't talk your ear off, just go order them and chew in awe. Everything else was good as well. The pork on the pinchos muronos was well marinated. The smoked paprika aioli was another favorite. Creamy, tangy, and just enough smokiness. Of course, the chicken sliders are always a smash with the sweetness of the Hawaiian rolls drawing out the saltiness of the chicken. The vaca frita was interesting. The steak was crispy which I was not prepared for. Still great, and the chimichurri was warmed which I think really elevated it. The New york strip was also good. Simply seasoned with salt and pepper. A nicely prepared steak. At the price point: a generous helping with good quality. And, the carrots are amazing. Super sweet, buttery, and tender. I would order 5 bowls of them if I could and if my heart could handle it. All in all, a phenomenal date night spot especially on the patio. The present drink program is pretty good, although I think past programs have exceeded this one. And of course, the extensive tapas menu has no misses. Great for happy hours, celebrations, or a last minute date night!

This is my second time at Sanctuaria and this ain't it folks. It very much feels like a concept that's not been well executed. The staff is very kind and very overwhelmed. We were a huge brunch party more than 25 of us and they gave us one server who was honestly telling her best. It wasn't enough, even though we staggered the arrival times. The food was just so mid, I couldn't have done better at home I'm sorry to say. The eggs were overcooked and there was one rubbery piece of mánchego on top of my omelet that was both hard to cut and eat. The breakfast potatoes were the worst restaurant potatoes I've ever had. And it's very hard to mess up potatoes. It was like they took OreIda frozen breakfast potatoes and baked them and then reheated the baked potatoes making them so tough and dry they were not edible. No one at our table could or would eat them. The air conditioner never works well. Both times I've come in the summer and the ac always feels like it doesn't believe in itself. The restaurant is Spanish tapas but has Mexican día de los muertos art...feels like the owners were like.... They speak Spanish too so this works right? Just not a lot of thought given too many aspects here. I'm not sure who owns/manages the restaurant but it definitely shows a lack of care, lack of effort (not the staff which we're nice and helpful), and lack of quality.

Awesome tapas spot! Stopped in last night with a party of 6 and were immediately seated. The decor on the inside is so fun- absolutely love the vibe. The outdoor glass enclosed patio wasn't open (bummer), but the inside was perfect. The service was excellent!! We tried the peppermint espresso martini and a few other cocktails and they were delicious. Our waitress whipped up some hotshots for us- these aren't super common in the US so we explained what they were and she put her own spin on them and gladly obliged. They were the best hotshots we've had. We tried many of the tapas- frita sliders, Cuban chicken sliders, the bacon wrapped dates, pork tenderloin, devil bites, Asiago seafood dip, and bocadillo. Crowd favorites were the devil bites and bacon wrapped dates. All of the food was great though. All of the tapas came out timely as well. Fun spot for a group- highly recommend!!

Located in the heart of the Grove, parking will be ample. This was my first time there so I was excited! We were greeted warmly and sat down immediately. However, the table they sat us at was super close to the table behind us so I moved my chair to the outer part of our table to have more room. I guess our waitress didn't like that and offered to move us to another table. This table was not so close to other patrons. As a bigger woman, I need to have space to move my chair out when I am sitting or leaving. I also need elbow room while I'm eating. I forgot what I ordered but it was pretty tasty. My friends loved their drinks. However, the food was not really worth the cost in my opinion. We ordered an array of tapas to share. Out of the three, the bacon wrapped dates was my favorite although some parts of the bacon was not as crispy/cooked as I'd like. The patatas bravas was nothing to write home about an the vaca frita with chimichuri was a bit too crispy for me and didn't pack the punch of the citrus herb sauce as described. I may come back and try their brunch though!

As an online entertainment and food critic I try to be honest, fair, and I will share the good with the bad. With food prices today, restaurants bills outrageous, the bar keeps getting raised. And if you don't keep up, you will fail. First off, Shelby, our server was great. Professional, engaging, and just plain nice and pleasant. Can't ask for anything more than that. The drink menu is very good with some very unusual drinks. Our Dolce Rosa and Red Sangria were quite good. The atmosphere is quite unique and different as it is filled with unusual artwork, antiques, conversation pieces, and more. Their outdoor patio may be one of the best in St. Louis. The plantains with mozzarella and guava was fantastic. Bursting with flavor. The guava added the sweet and the melted mozzarella just added a nice smoothness to it. But let's get to the points that really disappointed us. There were 8 of us so this just wasn't one jaded review. Ordered the zucchini pasta with chicken as I thought that was a nice menu item for those watching your carbs. There was a nice portion of grilled chicken strips that were very good. However, the dish was so drenched in sauce, it may as well be called a soup. It hid the fact that there was very little pasta, maybe 3-4 tiny pieces of tomato and certainly did not fill you up that a large plate should have. The pork tenderloin came with a scoop of mashed potato's. Those came out cold. To the servers credit, a new scoop came right out within a couple minutes. Sorry to say though, these may have been the worst mashed potatoes I've ever had and was inedible, and that was from 2 of us. The consistency was grainy, lumpy, and had a bad flavor. 2 of us couldn't finish one small scoop. What added insult to injury is the restaurant or maybe the server AUTOMATICALLY put a 20% gratuity on the bill. I've seen 15-18% but never 20%. We tip 20% anyway but to assume it automatically just rubbed us the wrong way. And then, to top it off, and I know this is getting more common, but there was a total price and a "Pay with Cash Price" right on the bill. I'm sorry, but charge cards should just be the cost of doing business and a convenience for customers visiting YOUR restaurant. Especially when the server automatically puts 20% on the bill. The total bill for 2 of us was $103. The other 3 couples were close or similar. In my opinion, the food better be perfect at that price when there are dozens if not hundreds of great restaurants in St Louis. Bottom line....if you want a very cool vibe, a couple drinks, and a couple small tapas plates, and going into the city, then fine. If you are looking for a great quality dining experience worthy of a $100+ tab, skip it and go somewhere else.

Sanctuaria is a tapas lover's dream - a trendy and vibrant venue with a patio offering inventive tapas, clever cocktails, and a late-night happy hour. The unique blend of Latin and South American cuisine with a modern twist, and the seasonal menu keeps things fresh. The handcrafted cocktails, sourced from locally sustainable gardens, make it a "Cocktail Mecca" with a diverse selection. The restaurant's ambiance, featuring 17th and 18th-century art alongside modern pieces, creates a captivating experience. Sanctuaria truly lives up to its name as a sanctuary in the city, complete with a charming outdoor patio and unique event spaces. A must-visit for those seeking amazing food, handcrafted cocktails, and an incredible atmosphere.

If your looking for a place for cocktails and a good patio atmosphere, this is the place. We tried a couple of their drinks and the group enjoyed them. I would not recommend eating here. Stay away from the larger plates. Meat is not good. Smaller plates what we tried: Breaded artichokes -would get again. devil bites, mushrooms, and guacamole or Salsa with chips - were just okay. I would go back to enjoy the patio but not so much the food.

After living so close to Sanctuaria for so long, we finally decided to check it out. The interior is definitely unique, with lots of cool art to check out. We started with the chips and salsa, which we weren't impressed by. The salsa was mostly tomato sauce, but it was also sour for some reason. We weren't sure if that was intended, or if the salsa had started to go bad. We tried the Papas Fritas with Chorizo, which were good, but it'd be hard to mess up fries and queso. Our waiter recommended the Frita Sliders, which was my favorite item we ordered. Our waiter was attentive and quick to bring everything out. We'll definitely be stopping by again in the summer to sit out on their nice patio and sample more items.

We came in for some early evening tapas on a Friday night, and it was dead, literally we were the only ones there! They have some pretty cools whiskeys on site and some interesting drink options/specials. I just ended up getting a sangria but I loved that they had a couple different sangria options, I would definitely like to try them all at some point. The bar is kinda dark, but a cool vibe. Interesting decor. I think I looked around for 10+ minutes. Service was great at the bar, and food came out super fast. There was a wide variety of food options, a bunch of unique items. Their fries are meh but the sliders were good and the bacon wrapped dates are super cool and tasty. Not really our vibe, but I could see some people would probably love it.

I don't enjoy writing reviews like this, but Sanctuaria just didn't meet the mark for me. The good: -The staff was very friendly and you could tell they were working hard! -They have a great patio! The not-so-good: -The interior was HOT. I am not sure if the AC was out, but I was uncomfortable and many of the staff members were noticeably sweating. -The tables are really beat up. It just really knocked the atmosphere down a notch. -The food was really not good. (As a note, I am not a person that likes a lot of salt and I almost never add any extra salt to a dish) Pork tenderloin: Described as two lollipops, but came out as one large piece of meat. The meat tasted old, like it has been in a freezer for a long time. This was inedible. The patatas bravas with it also tasted old, and had no salt or flavor at all. Guacamole: This was fine, but it had too much lime and not enough salt!! Vaca Frita with Chimichurri: The meat was HARD and stringy. Like it was made the day before and then left out on the counter overnight. Again -- no salt! I liked the potato puree with the chimichurri. We felt neutral about our cocktails. They were fine, but not exceptional either. I am so bummed to not have loved this place. I know everywhere can have an off-day, and maybe that is what happened here, but I am not motivated to return after this experience.

Not my type of place. The goth and morbid decor is creepy. And hasn't changed in years. Drink menu is interesting. Small plates are definitely better than the large plates. Plantains with mozzarella way above average. Zucchini pasta was drenched in cream sauce. Yuck. We had a very friendly and attentive server (Shelby). Timing was poor so even the main plates came out sporadically. Very reasonable prices

We had our yearly holiday gathering here and Trevor and Foster were great at serving all of us. The food was excellent and the owners are wonderful. Look forward to great food and timely service. Thank you again. Mrs Higginbottom

We came in here for some tapas fairly early in the evening and was looking forward to trying something new. The staff was super speedy and extremely attentive. We sat in the back section with numerous art pieces. We came in early enough for happy hour. They had a couple options of the tapas that were half off, but still a great happy hour! My fiancé ordered a Rye Wait and it was a pretty good cocktail. He's not a huge fan of sweet drinks, but he said this was a little close to being a tad too sweet for him. For food, we ordered bacon wrapped dates, Frito Sliders and Button Mushrooms. They brought out the tapas as they were ready so they came out not all at the same time, but we liked that. The bacon wrapped dates and Frito Sliders were AMAZING! The bacon wrapped dates sauce they drizzled them in was similar to a sweet ASN sour with a hint of spice. The Frito Sliders were just dripping with the chimichuri sauce and it was phenomenal. The button mushrooms were okay, but didn't have too much flavor to them. I'm excited to go back and try more tapas next time!!

Cool place, fancy cocktails, friendly service and interesting decor. They have happy hour Tue - Fri 4p-630 where you can get cocktail of the week for $8 and sangria for $5. Hand crafted cocktails are pretty pricey but well made ranging in cost $13 - $22. They have a parking lot down the block and there is also free street parking nearby. .|\---/| | o_o | .\_^_/..2021

We are fortunate enough to travel around the world and experience many difference levels of dining experiences. We most recently were finally able to get a reservation at The Girl and the Goat in Chicago after trying for years and although that restaurant gets Michelin rated, we felt Sanctuaria was BETTER than TGG. We had the Devil Bites, Wicked Medallions, Pinchis Morunos, Glazed Carrots, and Papas Fritas. All excellent!!! Service was prompt and friendly, and the outdoor ambiance was unique and very cool. Highly recommend.

For one of our Friday night dinners, my husband surprised me by making reservations here. He's usually not the type who would go for tapas so it was a very nice gesture for him to choose a place solely based on my preference. First, we were seated and no one came to our table for 15 minutes. When our waitress finally came, she apologized profusely and gave us our first drinks for free. We didn't ask or acted upset, she just offered which was a nice way to remedy the situation. I had a cocktail with coffee, it was good. So we ordered the following: 1. Asiago seafood dip - this was a favorite of mine. Very tasty and bursting with flavors! And we substituted for the plantain chips. It was a good choice. 2. Button mushrooms - nothing special, just mushrooms but they were sauteed properly. Could use more salt. 3. Seared squash blossoms - so this one was interesting. I don't think I've ever had anything like it. Your squash blossoms, breaded and fried then served with a dipping sauce. I wish there was slightly more seasoning though, otherwise, I didn't hate it. 4. Devil bites - while this was a good dish, I was hoping for more of an actual spicy flavor but it was very mild. 5. Chocolate cheesecake cigars - wow, to die for! Crispy phyllo and tantalizing cheesecake in the middle. Sold! I really wanted to try some ceviche but they were out, sadly. So, overall I guess I like the food. The place was a bit loud but I guess that can be expected anywhere on a Friday night. I loved the decor and the seating space but wished they had seated us on a larger table especially for all the dishes we ordered and had piled on our table. 4/5 would return in the future!

We went there to enjoy the great weather on the patio and that part was great. Unfortunately the food didn't measure up. Bacon wrapped dates were over done. The hot shrimp was also really over coooked. Finally the potatas fritas were just plain deep fried cubed potatoes with a little sauce drizzled on them. Honestly, just disappointing. Sorry Sanctuaria.

I had the spicy margarita at least 12 years ago and haven't stopped thinking about it since. I finally got back there and had it again last night and it was as heavenly as I remember. Hands down, best spicy margarita in St. Louis.

First time here and enjoyed the atmosphere! It was romantic and dark. It was a bit chilly but it is also crazy cold outside. The server's were patient and kind. Now on the food! The dates and fries were amazing! The quest was a bit runny but once it cooled it was a bit thicker and was able to stay on the fries. The mushrooms were heavenly! The drink was ok, tasted like juice. Over all everything we got was good! I wish they had some more chicken or veggie options though. The meal came out to be 125$ which was more than I was expecting so in the future I'll be more aware of the prices.

Came in for happy hour on a Friday and it was just what I needed. Select drinks and tapas were $5 or half off. Got a mojito, sangria and margarita and they were all so refreshing and delicious. Highly recommend any of those. Also got the guac with plantain chips and was extremely pleased with how delicious it was. Bartender was super nice and friendly. When I went it was empty but there's plenty of seating inside and out.

An elevated, personal cocktail EXPERIENCE. Great for out of towners, especially if the outside is open. In a COVID world, call and make a reservation and enjoy a spot inside, always separated by at least 6 ft and/or plexiglass. Bartenders provide personalized recommendations and are happy to help you find the perfect cocktail. Note they have been locked out of their website and it includes incorrect info: Bar closes at midnight on weekends, kitchen closes at 10p and last call 11/1130p.

The cheese fries are to die for, and the service is 10/10. The atmosphere is chill and comfortable.

What a gothy dream!! We sat outside and I fell in love with the decor. When you go to the restroom, look up! We had the cubano sliders and they were very bland but the mushrooms were fantastic. Our waitress, Kendra, was super friendly and helpful.

A fun place to share tapas and drinks! Their patio was an awesome place to hang out with friends, and they have heaters for when the sun starts to go down and it gets a little chilly. Our server was friendly and our food and drinks came out really fast. The best tapas we tried was the chicken Cubano sliders. It only came with two sliders but they really packed a punch flavor-wise so I'd definitely order them again. Their sangria is really really dangerously good. Sweet without being over the top, fruity and a lot of spice too. Just go ahead and get the pitcher you'll want more than one glass!

We arrived at around 7pm on a Friday with no reservation. We were sat outside with no problems. The patio is really big and it was one of the best parts. The server was nice and attentive. He took our drink orders. One came out right away, but the other one took another 5 minutes. We ordered the bacon wrapped dates, steak tips, cabrales cigars, mushrooms, and patatas bravas. The dates were delicious, definitely the best part of the meal. I could've eaten another order. The steak tips were pretty good too, although not as good as the dates. The mushrooms were ok, nothing special but not bad. The cigars again were ok. We didn't really like the patatas, which is too bad because potatoes are my favorite food. We also got the red sangria, which was fine. The place was ok, the patio was great, especially if you have a larger party, it would be perfect. I wouldn't pick to go back though.

This place is great! We went with a party of 6 and ordered a bunch of small plates, a few drinks and just shared everything. Everything was amazing! Some of my favorite small plates were the Devil Bites, chili lime Chicken Wings and the Bacon Wrapped Dates. The service was amazing as well! I would definitely recommend this place!

Great food. Service was first rate. The outdoor patio was wonderful - sort of shabby chic meets Tuscan villa. Prices were comparable to anywhere else so not sure where all the reviews about price came from. We had 5 small plates plus dessert & cocktails and everything was perfectly seasoned and tasty. Highly recommend if you are in the Grove area.

Food was not good. Way overpriced for what you were getting. Ambiance was weird. And not because of the theme, because it was pretty empty, too bright, and the music was too quiet. Definitely felt like we wasted $100. Our server was awesome! She was very helpful and attentive.

There for a large group party and the service was excellent! The wings were top notch as was the seafood dip. Drinks were done just right. With our loud group the servers could not have done a better job and could not have been more gracious!

Friday evening, 12/15 I enjoyed my visit to The Sanctuaria! The Honey Sweet Hot wings were to die for and the One Pound steak (medium well) was juicy and yummy. The steak was so big, I took it home and my husband and daughter enjoyed steak and eggs for breakfast. I was with a large party and the waiters were amazing and acommodating. I definitely will be returning to have dinner with my family.

If not for our amazing waitress and the fact that we hadn't eaten yet, we would have just left. Horrible unprofessional manager, slow food when they only had 4-5 tables, what a disappointment. What a waste of an amazing space. Small portions, mediocre food, overpriced half filled drinks, would NOT recommend.

Dec 15, 2023, had reservations for 3 at 6:30 for my wife's birthday. There was a large group from some public school, the whole time we were there the members of this group was being loud and obnoxious each and every time someone new arrived. It got worse, one lady, who couldn't sing, started chanting, it was the rudest behavior you can imagine. Even after complaining, the manager/staff didn't stop them or offer compensation. This group ruined my wife's birthday dinner! Plus, our dessert was burnt and arrived 30-40 minutes late, allowing us to sit through the worst dinner experience in my life caused by the lack of management's lack of attention. Fill like we flush $150.00 down their dirty toilets!

Delicious tapas and cocktails. Waitperson not so good. Needs basic service training. We were there on a Saturday afternoon. They weren't busy. Waitperson lacked training.

Great little backyard area. They were out of our first 3 ordered dishes but the food they did have in stock was delightful. Between 3 and 4 stars because there was a serious cheese shortage (charcuterie, goat cheese squash blossoms, etc.). Maybe the cows and goats aren't working hard enough in these parts but we shouldn't have to listen to a long list of unavailable dishes. Looking forward to trying again when the cheese industry picks up!

nasty. smelled like dog crap. food looked and tasted like dog crap too. no thanks. service slow.

Had a great experience here for girls night! Thankfully we were chatting away the whole evening, there were a couple of instances where we had to ask for utensils and then serving utensils or other basic things, and they would take a while to get but other than that it was a good experience. Loved the plates we shared (zucchini noodles, shrimp ceviche, platanos, pan tomato bruschetta type thing). Very tasty! Make sure you ask for the outdoor lights to be turned on early, we asked a bit late and people around us were ordering in the dark. Overall a tad slow on service but great if you're there with friends and aren't worried about time.

Overpriced for the quality of food. The menu does have some tempting sounding options, but ultimately, I left disappointed in the experience.

They no longer have black bean stuffed peppers. We went with a group to try many different things- there wasn't a lot of vegetarian options anymore, they've changed the menu...

Overcharged is for 2 glasses of wine. Since they already ran my card they said they would issue a refund the next day. Of course it never happened. Read your bill carefully!!!! Do not trust! Food was ok. Service was good except for the ripoff and lying.

Always fantastic cocktails. We love being part of the cocktail membership club. We'll be back!

The steak tips had 4 tiny pieces of meat, the ceviche was all cucumbers with 2 pieces of meat... they are skimping on protein with overcharging. Not one dish was good. After everyone ate their food, there was one person at our table that never got any food, as the server forgot to put the order in. We were greeted by a very rude manager. Trying to get our bills, we found the front of house staff and management speaks poorly about patrons. The management creates a very toxic environment completely ruining any ambiance. Bad food, bad service, toxic environment and expensive!

Sanctuaria is one of my favorite restaurants in the Grove. I always start with their smoked pineapple margarita. Yum. We wanted to sit on the patio but were unable to because we didn't have reservations (even though there were open tables the entire time we were there). Also, the menu on their website as of September 13 is not the one that they have in their restaurant. We shared the bacon wrapped dates and they are always a good way to start a meal. I can't remember what he had but they were huge balls of something. I had the ribs. They were delicious. We also got a berry cobbler for dessert. All the food was quite tasty and we had great service at the bar. Would I come back here? Yes!! If you see me there, stop by and say hello.

It had been a long time since we visited and I can't wait to come back again soon. Table was ready and exactly what we requested, Jennifer did an amazing job handling a reservation that changed a few times. We were a table of 7 and Zach was our server. He is a rockstar! Managed multiple orders, made great suggestions, kept us up to date on when our food and drinks would arrive and checked in often. We were on a progressive dine around, so we had a few people come later in the meal and this was handled perfectly. Overall, we could have potentially been one of THOSE tables, but the front of house staff were accommodating and rolled with it. Food items were all tasty and the entire table enjoyed their various dishes. They were sadly out of the cabrales cigars when we were there, but I look forward to trying them next time. It did take a while for the drinks to arrive, so if the bar is busy, expect to wait if you order something complicated. However when they did arrive, the drinks were excellent and well made. We hope to return to the patio soon to enjoy Santuaria again - we definitely won't wait as long to come back!

I've been multiple times on differing days of the week and have been disappointed each time. They're always out of multiple dishes and I always find that at least one of the dishes they do have in stock isn't as good as it's made to sound. My spouse, who's not a picky person at all, always shares the same sentiments. The atmosphere and drinks are great, which is why I wouldn't dare give this 1 star, but I just wish the food made this restaurant more worthwhile.​

We were missing food, service was poor and nothing tasted good 2/3 times I went. Patio is sweet. But aside from that not worth it.

I have been to Sanctuaria about 3 times now. Every time, it was someone else's restaurant selection. I don't get excited coming here because it's always the same situation - overpriced tapas and entrees, some food need more seasoning, and slow service. On my first visit, I came with a group and tried almost all of the tapas on the menu and they were not memorable. On my third and most recent visit yesterday on a Saturday night at 9 PM, I only ordered one tapa, the Piquillos Rellenos (stuffed peppers), only because my friend had a birthday dinner celebration and I hadn't eaten anything beforehand. It was bland as expected. We were sat at a booth, and my friends mentioned how cold the restaurant was because there was cold air blowing from underneath the booth seats. Luckily, I had on closed toe shoes so this didn't affect me. The noise level on a busy evening made it difficult to hold a conversation with the person sitting across from you. For me, the only thing this restaurant has going for itself is the location. It's within walking distance to the bars in the Grove area.

Great food. Creative drinks. Loved the atmosphere and service. Check out the mirror in the front

Just went their tonight , got their at 8:15 didn't get any food untill 9:25 . Mind you we only got the sliders (2 sliders ) an order of the fried artichoke and another small plate . The artichoke was flavorless wasn't even seasoned, everything was just bland . Our waiter didn't check up on us for 45 min didn't refill water or anything untill the end . Didn't even take the menus off our table . Horrible service for half assed food . Our waiter didn't even acknowledge how long the food was taking he acted like we didn't even exist . Terrible service !! Will never return. Sadly every time I go it gets worst and worst. They should be ashamed.

I was in town for a movement lawyering conference and we were looking for places with a lot of outdoor seating so we could safely enjoy a meal together. I made the mistake of coming here twice; mostly because they have a lot of outdoor seating, and ambiance, but that is literally all they have. The food is bland, my friends felt like it was the worst guac ever, it needed salt and garlic badly. The sangria tastes like Welsh's grape juice. The tostones are all wrong, they actually taste like maduros. The hostess was pretty rude to our group when we went. She first said that she couldn't seat us because we were a little late for our reservation, but the backyard was empty. When they did seat us it was at a very uneven table on top of the rocks, we asked to move to the (entirely empty) patio, and she was saying "no" that the patio is reserved for small groups. Which was not true, because the night before, my entire 20 person office had been seated in that same patio area. After we persisted she let us sit where we asked, and that's when the bad food started coming out. I didn't expect the tapas to be exquisite, but they didn't even try. So we had to leave and go somewhere else. Other parties must have been dissatisfied because a woman was celebrating her birthday at a table beside us and we overheard her ask for a manager, and on our way out we saw her talking sternly with the manager. I only gave 2 stars just because of the space. I imagine if you just want a single glass of wine in a pretty backyard and don't mind a rude hostess, it can be useful.

Food-3.5 Ambience-5 Service-4 Value-4 The first place I have visited with 'Day of the dead' Goth ambience, so full marks..The bathroom ceiling is incredible- don't forget to look up! There are so many decorative details here which adds to the atmosphere.The sofa booths look very plush with chandeliers overhead. This is the place for cocktails, so do ask for the menu with 150 cocktails. The bar is gorgeous with a huge mural as the backdrop.. sit here or on high top tables to enjoy the lively bar action. The food is Tapas style- we got cigars( Meh!!), tostones( ok), wicked shrimp( better than OK), Fritta sliders( yum!) and a shrimp and cauliflower pasta special( delicious). While it was all nice, nothing particularly stood out. Order the Havana bread dessert( bread pudding) asap as it takes 20 min to come out- it's well worth the wait though! The drinks we got, Meow at sun( didn't like it),under the table( quite potent) and chocolate martini with raspberry foam ( yummo!.. Although our server was very pleasant, she didn't inform us of the special drinks for Valentine's Day. (I had to ask mid way in our meal). In between , she disappeared for quite some time as well. But the hostess and the owner? checked on us which was nice. I might come back for the drinks and the sizzling platter of fajitas- it smelled heavenly!