McAlister's Deli — Restaurant in Saint Peters

My first impression of this establishment wasn't good. Upon entering the dining area there were a couple of tables that were not bused which gave the restaurant an unclean appearance. Since I was the only patron this didn't raise my hopes for a good experience. Deciding to stay and give the restaurant a chance, my guest and I were promptly greeted at the counter and our orders taken quickly. The menu had a good variety and was reasonable. The counter staff was well groomed and polite and told us that our food would be out shortly. We seated ourselves and in about 5 minutes we were served our orders. Food presentation was excellent and had very good visual appeal. I ordered the grilled chicken sandwich and my guest ordered the Reuben and we both decided on the macaroni and cheese as our sides. The sandwiches were outstanding with the flavor matching the visual appeal with ease. The bread on both sandwiches were toasted to perfection and both had generous portions of meat. The toppings were fresh and the sauces were applied proportionately. Both sandwiches had tremendous flavor that married well with the toppings and sauces which allowed the palate to experience the flavor of all the ingredients. This is almost a lost art with delis these days and the creator of these sandwiches really put the time and effort to make rock solid sandwich recipes that showcased their knowledge and pride. The macaroni and cheese was also very solid with the macaroni itself being the definition of al dente. The sauce was neither too creamy nor too thick and allowed the flavor of the cheeses to come forward with each bite. The flavor was medium strength and complimented the sandwiches very well. A deli pickle is optional and they did have good crunch and flavor. I ordered the unsweetened tea and my guest had water. The tea was a little weak, but it had good flavor just not strong enough for my preference and was ample size that had free refills. The rest of the establishment was pretty clean and had an outdoor dining area for those nice days when eating outside is an option. I'm knocking a half star off due to my first impression and another half off for the lackadaisical effort to clean the dining area up for any guests that would have come in after me. I realize that cleaning isn't the most glamorous part of restaurant work, but it is one of the most important aspects. The star here was definitely the kitchen staff that really took pride in their work and it showed on the plate. I recommend trying this place out for lunch and a lighter fare dinner for anyone looking for a good meal. Prices were typical for this style of restaurant and the quality of the food easily justifies the cost to the diner. I will definitely stop here again when I'm in the area and try out more...

The incident occurred yesterday, 09/18, between 5:15 and 5:45pm. The officer, dressed in a blue uniform polo approached the counter at 5:30pm, having read the sign at the door stating they closed at 6:00pm. He was accompanied by his wife and 4 children. As he started to order, the counter attendant, a young, early 20s, caucasian female about 5’ 6”, thin with long blonde hair told him they couldn’t take his order because they were closing. The officer smiled and turned to walk away. The counter attendant then proceeded to laugh as she mocked his compliance by doing an exaggerated prance behind the counter, laughing with her colleagues as the family walked out of the restaurant. As more people were in line, she then proceeded to take their orders. In total, 4 group orders were taken after the officer was turned away and as the witnesses left, more people were coming in at 5:45pm. All of this can be confirmed by analyzing camera footage. This CANNOT be tolerated in our town. A personal, PUBLIC apology from the establishment to the officer and the obvious employee dismissal, among other things, will be minimally required to begin to atone for this reprehensible act of disrespect for law enforcement. These are the very people they would call for assistance if there was ever an issue at...

The staff here was very nice, but the food was not the best I've ever had... I also constantly run into issues with McAlister's inconsistent soup availability and it was no different here. Even though you can order any soup on the app, most locations only have a portion of the soups and some soups (such as the Parmesan Kale and often Chicken & Dumplings) aren't available at all. At this location, Parmesan Kale is no longer sold and Chicken & Dumplings is only available on Sundays.

I ended up getting a bowl of cheddar & broccoli soup, but it arrived lukewarm and was a bit under-seasoned. My boyfriend got a French dip sandwich, but the au jus was the worst I've ever had at a McAlister's.

Because the staff was so fabulous, I probably would not have left a review... Except that I got so sick afterwards. I've had broccoli and cheddar soup before and never had an issue -- nor do I have a particularly sensitive stomach -- but something about that meal gave me terrible stomach cramps. I love McAlister's, but we definitely won't be back to this location...