The Mexican STL — Restaurant in Crestwood

A Beautiful Space Let Down by the Food It truly breaks my heart to write this review because you can see how much thought, care, and money went into the architecture and design of The Mexican STL. The space is stunning vibrant, inviting, and modern while still giving off the feeling that you’re in for an authentic experience. Unfortunately, that promise fell apart as soon as we sat down.

My family and I visited on a Saturday for a late lunch. The restaurant was almost empty, yet it took five different staff members and 15 minutes just to seat us. It felt unorganized and confusing rather than welcoming. Once seated, we were excited to dive in. Chips and salsa? Absolutely delicious. Fresh, crisp chips and a well-balanced salsa easily one of the highlights of the meal. The cocktails were also solid, though served in very small glasses. Still, they were crafted well and tasted great. That’s where the positives end.

We ordered the guacamole it lacked salt and tasted flat, like the avocado had been mashed and served with no seasoning. The queso, which the server enthusiastically described as “stringy and authentic,” arrived thick and rubbery. No melt, no stretch just oddly chewy. My enchiladas camarones came in a green sauce that tasted like it came straight from a can bitter and metallic. The shrimp was extremely fishy, and the two flavors clashed in the worst way. I managed three bites and couldn’t continue. My husband had the tortilla soup and the carnitas tacos. The soup tasted more like beef broth than anything else, and the chicken was dry and completely unseasoned, as if it had been tossed in at the last minute. The carnitas were also dry, which shouldn’t happen with pork belly, one of the juiciest, most tender cuts.My daughter had the barbacoa tacos, and again, there was no seasoning. No flavor. No depth. Just bland, underwhelming meat that tasted like it skipped the whole cooking process that gives barbacoa its signature richness.

And to top it off, the menu clearly stated that each taco or enchilada plate order comes with a side of rice and beans. I didn’t receive mine, so I asked the server, who told me that they only provide one side per two people due to the portion sizes. So now I’m apparently sharing sides, and germs, with someone else at the table? Not wanting to be that person, I shared from my husband’s plate. The rice was flavorless, and the beans tasted like they came straight from a can. Another disappointment. The “homemade” corn tortillas were also a miss, tough, dry, and lacking whatever ingredient gives a fresh tortilla its softness and flexibility. My husband, a soda drinker, had to have his drink refilled about seven times, and each refill tasted more watered down than the last. Let me not forget to add how expensive each item was. Not worth it at all.

When asked how our experience was at the end of the meal, I couldn’t bring myself to express how disappointed I truly was. I could tell that a lot of effort went into this place, from the interior to the branding. But effort alone doesn’t carry flavor. Calling a restaurant The Mexican carries weight, expectation, and cultural significance. It’s not enough to hire a team or build a beautiful restaurant, you need hands that carry the flavor, tradition, and soul of real Mexican cooking. It doesn't matter if someone claims to be Mexican or has lived in Mexico if the food doesn’t reflect that lived experience. At the end of the day, if there’s no sabor, there’s no story. I truly wanted this to be a place we’d return to often. But right now, it just doesn’t deliver where it matters most, on the plate. Overall Rating: 2 out of 5 — One star for the drinks, and one for the effort. The rest needs...

The Mexican STL has opened in the “Crestwood Crossing” at the northeast corner of Sappington and Watson Rd. Some may remember this location as “Crestwood Mall”. Others may even remember it as “Crestwood Plaza”. My first visit was just a vibe check so I went during their 3-5pm Queso & Cantina (sip and savor hour) available Thurs,Fri at the bar or High Top tables. The layout is open and inviting and the use of lighting as decoration gives an upscale feel without approaching phony or pretentious. The bar and high top tables add that welcoming touch helping to balance the classy dining area and the private dining room at the front perfectly. Oh, and they have a dedicated entrance just for carryout on the backside of the restaurant that I was told will be opening soon. Building is a 10/10. I sat at the bar Lauren took great care of me and answered all my questions and made some tasty suggestions. “Halibut Tacos” were great. The manager David was generous with his time in showing me the highlights of this beautifully smart restaurant as well as sharing his knowledge of the industry and excitement for the future. My second visit was Saturday opening weekend. The food did not disappoint. The menu was well thought out, matching with the space and over all experience of this upscale restaurant and bar. Bringing people together around the table to relax and savor with offerings made to be shared and complement each other well. The pace of service is relaxed with food arriving as it’s ready versus a coursed meal service. I tried the Guacamole, Queso Fundido, Asada Taco, Mole Short Rib, Brussels, Cauliflower. Guac was fresh and vibrant with a creamy texture. Not a lazy chunky chop rather a spread that holds to the chip or smears onto a tortilla nicely. Large portion served in a chilled molcajete (mortar and pestle) I believe. Flavors were all balanced and the hint of jalapeños finishes. Queso Fundido without the screaming hot skillet and not using Tex-Mex queso “cheese dip” and they make it work. This is not that liquid cheese for dunking tortilla chips or smothering burritos. Think more like making quesadillas by pinching the fondue with the house made tortillas. And yes a nice cheese pull achieved even after sitting awhile. Asada Taco, you had me at grilled wagyu. Lost me on the second napkin of connective tissue. The best way to get over a bad bite is a good one and The Mole Short Rib was exactly that for me. Spoon tender and a generous portion of a short rib with one of the best moles I have had since a kid in SoCal. Beautifully presented in the banana leaf which keeps the sauce and rib warm and the plate visually appealing. Brussel sprouts grilled from fresh to order can be challenging and rely heavily on proper prep and cooking techniques. Good overall with a few memorable “firm bites”. Taste was excellent and the bit of smoke and sweetness completely mellows any bitterness from this nutty, crunchy sprout. The Cauliflower presented as a whole roasted crown on a poblano cream was tender enough to mash the cauliflower into the cream to create another delicious bite or spread for a taco or dip for a chip. I only scratched the surface of this menu and I’m excited to read feedback from others. My opinion is just that and should always be taken with a grain of salt kosher or not ;)

A young manager was working her way through the bar area asking guests for feedback and suggestions. When she got to me I shared my thoughts and she listened. When I asked about her position she proudly responded “a busser”....

It is always great to have an additional ethnic restaurant especially one that tries to reach higher or different than the norm and The Mexican does do that and it is laudable. It also gives good portion sizes for the dollar so not really understanding reviews that say the opposite unless it has changed.

The main critique with The Mexican is that it aims for a customer that I don't quite understand and wonder if it really exists. There isn't enough group dishes or small dishes to keep people coming back in groups or keep a group eating and chatting. The play area green space looks to be interesting once they do something with it. The drinks could be amazing we didn't try them this visit but one key problem kept us from being inclined to spend the money to try it and that is the storytelling ability of the wait staff. When asked about best dishes or suggested items or drinks the staff fumbled, stumbled and dryly recounted items like they were chemistry ingredients. There was no story, no enthusiasm, it was like a dry dead art gallery that just wanted to impress on you how lucky you are to have this experience. That is only going to go so far in Crestwood, why this wasn't setup in Frontenac or Chesterfield I can only presume is land cost based.

Add a few more sharable items that people can group dip into, give it some enthusiasm, you can act Michelin when you have the star. Add some more chips to the metal cup half full for two or more people isn't enough to even get half way with the great smoked salsa.

The acoustics are great and the effort spent in sound dampening is considerable and might be missed by many but when it fills will make it a place were conversations can actually happen. The Mexican has three great sitting zones that are truly different and the skull decor is impactful but the rest is a bit sparse with only one illustration on a back wall. Embrace a style and lean into it, again trying a bit too hard to be a white wall gallery of luxury.

This might struggle a bit, and once Katies opens next door it might gain from the traffic that Katies will bring (because it is truly a social restaurant) or really feel the contrast.

I want every entrepreneur to succeed but this feels like it isn't quite focused on more than trying to deliver premium dishes which is does quite well.

The street corn is full of flavor (although could use some Cilantro) the tacos are richer than Taco Buddha and the enchiladas are some of the best we have ever had and shouldn't be missed. They are very proud of and encourage the waggu dishes at every opportunity and will try them in the future but the rest of the menu is quite good and deserves acclaim.

Give The Mexican a chance, its a solid buy at $20 a person but the number of people that want it in its current state might be much fewer than the number of seats they want to get...