Because I'm only one dad and can't eat at every Asian restaurant in the city, I visit as many highly-rated Asian places as possible while sticking to recommendations from friends, family, and long-time St. Louis residents.
I base these rankings on a combination of taste and price, emphasizing service and atmosphere less. You can read more details on my restaurant review philosophy.
But remember, I don't make the rules; I just think 'em up and write 'em down.
Weekly reviews of restaurants, parks, and things to do All Around Saint Louis.
Cate Zone Takeaway. The best Chinese food I've ever had. Currently in my top two favorite St. Louis restaurants. Better than any Chinese food I ever had in Los Angeles or San Francisco. It's Szechuan, so add one spice level to everything. Expect 45-60 minutes for takeout or a table on Friday/Saturday. Huge portions. ~$30/person. Tip: Go for lunch if you don't want to wait. Eating in the restaurant is 1.5x better than takeout, which is still amazing.
Menya Rui Takeaway. The best ramen I've ever had. I climbed a personal Everest and made it to Menya Rui. An inverse dining experience, you wait outside for 45 minutes to an hour chatting and then get in and eat in under twenty. Spectacular broth with melt-in-your-mouth ground ramen. Splurge the extra $1 for the soft-boiled egg, bringing it to $16 / bowl. Karaage was yummy, but just save stomach space for ramen.
Very high-energy vibes make you feel alive. Inside, it holds maybe twenty people. There are small tables and bars. They expect you to get in and get out quickly. You order and pay from an electronic menu tied to your seat, so bring a phone. Come in small groups. Expect to wait an hour in line outside. There is plenty of parking.
Corner 17 Takeaway. Truly awesome Chinese food. The hand-pulled and hand-shaved noodles are the star of the show. Order anything with dough. Expect a 30-minute+ wait at non-lunch times or order online. Standard Chinese food price. It feels small on the inside. Parking on the loop is easy, even at 8 p.m. on a Saturday. Extensive list of bubble teas, slushies, and milt teas I've never had. Everything is green.
Sado Takeaway. Best sushi in Saint Louis at totally reasonable prices. Incredibly fresh fish. Expertly designed appetizers and rolls. Surprisingly, large portions make a solid price-to-flavor ratio. They save walk-ins, so you have a 50/50 shot on Friday and Saturday night. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Parking can take a minute in The Hill. Top 5 sushi places I've ever been. Tip: Sitting at the Sushi Bar lets you speak with the chef and possibly nap some samples.
Lona's Lil Eats Takeaway. Big Thai and Chinese flavors come from these lil eats. Out of nowhere, for me, at least, delicious spicy tofu wrap. One of my favorite meals in St. Louis 8.7 / 10 is the combo of spicy tofu wrap and a side of spicy eggplant. We came before a concert at Chaifetz Arena on somewhat whim, and it totally blew us away. The spicy cucumber side was too spicy even for me, but everything else was a perfect 3 out of 5 on the spice scale. The only nitpick is the clear rice wrap can be overly chewy.
And what a fabulous deal. At only $11.25 for the spicy tofu wrap, Lona's is among the best flavor for your buck in all of St. Louis and one of my favorite Asian restaurants.
Like several over Asian restaurants in the area, it's counter service. You order and get a ticket for your food. However, we ordered ahead online and the food was ready right on time. You get to cut the line and pick up your mobile order from a special counter. At 6 pm on a Tuesday, the line was ten people deep. You have to find street parking in Fox Park.
After telling several friends about this great place called Lona's, they all responded the same way - duh. Apparently, I should have been coming here for years.
Soup Dumplings STL Takeaway. Savory Soup Dumplings Steal The Show. The pork dumplings top my charts for single-dish Asian food in St. Louis. The accompanying vinegar and chili sauce complete the experience. Six dumplings ($9-12.75) aren't enough, and 12 are too many, so bring a friend and split 18. My preference is pork dumplings >> chicken > beef.
Some notes. Chopstick only. I've never asked for a fork, but they might have some. The chili sauce on the table is A++. And try it with the recommended vinegar. I highly recommend putting your bowl under the eating operation to not let any soup get away.
Service takes a minute as they only have one register. The dumplings are also handcrafted in the back, so they take another bit to cook. Give yourself 20 minutes to get food from the time you step in during lunchtime. There is plenty of parking. Solid hours for St. Louis.
Fire Chicken Takeaway. Affordable, Spicy, Delicious Chicken On Page. I've been a "long-time" customer as we started "coming" here during the pandemic when they first opened. My favorite Fire Chicken is Spice Level 3, which pushes me to my enjoyable limit. $14.00 for a serving, it's a solid 8.4 / 10 experience. My sons like the teriyaki, and I've also enjoyed their bulgogi.
We ordered the ramen during the pandemic but haven't had it in four years. It was delicious, but they never got our order right back then. No such problems anymore.
Not a sit-down restaurant. You can order online from any of five different sites. Plenty of parking if you go to pick it up, or they can deliver it.
Top Sushi Takeaway. Great for Saturday night sushi at home. 7.1/10 sushi is among the best I've had in St. Louis. Our go-to takeout sushi. Well priced, but not cheap, like all sushi. Great yaki udon chicken rivals coastal restaurants. Gyoza and miso soup hold their own. The restaurant is small, clean, and good for kids. We also went here for a quick date night. TV in the corner and a sushi bar when you walk in. Parking is super simple in the strip mall. Tip: Order extra pickled ginger if you get three or four rolls. Directly across the parking lot from Vivola Express.
The BAO Takeaway. The BAO is a great lunch spot, and I have to go back for dinner. The BAO bun combo is delicious and at a solid price point. Parking is easy. Shoestring fries are an 8.5/10. Atmosphere was fun and hip, and the waiter was super helpful.
U-City Grill Takeaway. Affordable, no frills, no thrills, delicious Korean food. The go-to lunch spot for my buddies and me in U-City. 7.5 / 10 bibimbob and bokumbob. The "most expensive" item on the menu is $8.95. My favorites are only $6.95. Great flavors in in the meats and sauces. I can't ask for more for the price point.
One of my favorite Asian restaurants in St. Louis.
No real external signage. It's a hole in the wall on the westernmost side of the Delmar Loop. It's cash only, so bring a ten. Limited to maybe 10 counter seats in the entire restaurant. The owner cooks right in front of you while you eat. The seats get really uncomfortable after an hour. Free, infinite parking right outside the entrance.
DD Mau Vietnamese Eatery Takeaway. Hole in The Wall For Pho, Bahn Mi, and Vietnamese tacos. Solidly priced for $13-16 depending on your protein and format for food. From rice bowls to tacos to soup, you can get your Vietnamese in whatever form you prefer. I'd give the Pho a solid 7 / 10 on my general Asian food scale. The pho is yummy and generous but not breathtakingly delicious. You could put something together at home with shopping, effort, and the right ingredients.
DD Mau offers counter service and takeout. After ordering, they give you a number, and you can pick a seat. They bring the food out ten minutes later. Super friendly as we took the time to read through the menu. They have a soda and condiment bar next to the counter. The line got seriously longer after we got in, so around 6:30 pm on a Saturday. But even then, it was only a 15-20 minute wait for food. Giant dedicated parking lot.
Chilispot Takeaway. The Opposite Of Chilly. Spicy Szechuan food that's great, but not the best in town. Mapo Tofu stars as a supple spicy surprise. You'll find plenty of social posts featuring the Spicy Popcorn Chicken that hits a 4+ on the spice meter. Huge portions of at least 16 oz for $15-20.
Food is always better in the restaurant when it's hot, fresh, and plated, but take-out still tastes good.
Wait times for pickup are in the twenty-minute range, fast for this neck of the woods. Parking is super easy in a giant lot. Part of the "Chinese Dive Bars" on Olive, the inside has a much more up-to-date vibe than the outside.
Seoul Taco Takeaway. Solid lunch spot on Delmar. Korean / Mexican fusion. Gogi bowls are my go-to. The spicey gochujang pepper sauce is the meal MVP. $11 /w fried rice. Relatively small portions. Parking is a breeze. Tip: Bring your own fork; they only have plastic, which actually subtracts from the meal.
Katsuya STL Takeaway. Fast casual fried bento boxes in da Loop. You have to be in the mood for fried food. Fried pork, chicken, cheese, tofu, or a mix. Solid bento components didn't add up to a unique enough experience to push my ranking higher. The pork katsu and pickled vegetables topped my list for $15.50. The vegetable roll tasted kinda soupy. The spicy tuna wasn't bad, but I'd rather go for sushi elsewhere. Takoyaki (minced octopus balls) was an accidental experience.
You get a pager after you order at the counter. Took maybe fifteen minutes to get the food from the moment we stepped in the door. Relatively happening on a Sunday at 7 pm. Parking on Delmar or across the street in a lot worked for us.
Overall, it's worth visiting once to see if you enjoy katsu-style food. If you do, I could see you rating it much higher.
Weekly reviews of restaurants, parks, and things to do All Around Saint Louis.