BaiKu Sushi Lounge

Way over priced. The large hot sake is about only reasonable thing on the menu. Don’t think I would do a round two:/

This is the best sushi place in St Louis but it’s practically never open. You can’t believe the hours on their site, this site, anywhere. Recommend but definitely call before you head over.

Baiku has the best sushi in stl — better than wasabi, mizu, kampai. When I moved from the east coast, I stopped eating sushi after going to those latter places. I just couldn’t find a good fresh sushi place anywhere and always was disappointed. Baiku’ sushi is worth every penny. If you are wanting an authentic sushi experience, sit at the bar and ask for a omakase — where the chef makes up the menu for you. The chefs are very talented and creative in their sushi creations. Their sushi is phenomenal. Try more original sushi entrees over the «American» rolls. When it comes to sushi, this is a five star establishment, but their kitchen menu (noodles and other) does not do well in my books. It’s pretty disappointing in all standards. Stick to the sushi and I highly recommend omakase ;)

Pretty good sushi. I would say that there was nothing that stuck out to make it more than average. The service was decent, location is good and sushi is yummy. I will say the space is gorgeous! Very modern and a trip to the bathroom is a must! If I had to compare it to another sushi place I would say it is similar to The Druken Fish. Bit overpriced for average sushi and I would have liked to see more choices. They do have a very good happy hour menu that includes some of their classic rolls.

Pro: This is my personal pick for THE BEST SUSHI IN STL! Yes, you may find cheaper elsewhere, but the quality of a superior product costs… The chefs are serious about the freshness of their fish, and they will reject a subpar batch before serving it. #qualityoverprofit There apparently is nothing bad on this menu. Everything is great, but pay attention to the signature nigiri. It may never get better than that on this side of the Pacific. Also, Greg was an excellent server! His knowledge of the menu was good enough to keep the menu closed and simply trust his word.
Con: I don’t make enough money to eat here every day. My bad…
Bottom line: Make Baiku a part of your world. Your stomach will thank you!

Had a terrible experience. First, our waiter forgot our appetizer and then half of our sushi. Second, one roll was not great, another roll was horrendous, and the rest was subpar at best. Our waiter commented on the fact we didn’t eat the one horrible roll and we responded that it was just too awful to eat.
A few minutes after taking it away the waiter commented how he thinks it tastes «terrible» and doesn’t know how people come and order it as nigri.
We were pretty surprised when our bill came and not only were we charged for the terrible roll (that the waiter himself said was dreadful), but we were initially charged for the appetizer that never came. The appetizer charge was remedied but our big was ridiculously expensive especially considering we didn’t have any cocktails.
Incredibly disappointed in the food. Even more disappointed in the service. Suffice to say we will not be eating there again. It was a terrible experience and from now on we will stick to our favorite vodka bar/​sushi joint in the CWE.

Let me just say: I WILL be back! The menu has a good variety of traditional as well as creative sushi choices. The prices are comparable to other similar restaurants. Our server was attentive without being stalkery! Lovely modern décor; and the fireplace will be cool in the winter. And the bathroom is the most beautifully appointed space I’ve ever seen in a public place! (Stand back when you flush, tho:-)

Wow! It is delicious! Beautiful décor. Great drinks. Try the Ume cocktail. Citrusy fresh and definitely made by a master mixologist. I had the Red Dragon and vegetable tempura-​excellent! Green Dragon and steamed shiitake mushroom potstickers– good! You should definitely visit and eat here. Yum! Hotel attached and another restaurant next door. By Saint Louis University. Awesome bathrooms!

High sushi prices with highest quality sushi in STL. Our go to sushi spot has been Tani, but since being here– this will be out sushi spot! The quality and taste is much better, including the service.

First off *WARNING — stolen credit card number was used shortly after dining at this establishment for two online purchases. A small transaction to acquire a proper mailing address then a large transaction from a women’s clothing store, so not a first timer or amateur* I certainly wouldn’t point fingers however had not used that credit card for several days. *UPDATED* The restaurant reached out indicating they are taking this very seriously which I respect as a customer and hopefully the following short comings are only growing pains*
Also I wouldn’t want to leave review that misrepresented the quality of the establishment. Conceptually it’s a nice idea and though they have a pretty good looking menu and drink selection the inside is kind of a mess. The seating area to eat in is crammed together almost like community seating. Then they have an elevated area which is the ‘lounge’ and on a Saturday night they had a DJ Who actually spent more time sitting at a table with his friends then behind the ‘decks’ (laptop). There was a large open area which I’m guessing is for dancing which is a decent idea however after we ate we asked if we could go to the lounge for a few drinks and were told we would need reservations for that specific area. Which was empty. So we went ahead and sat on a couch and someone quickly brought us drinks which was also a plus but the confusion as to if we were allowed to enjoy the lounge definitely put us off. Our server was taking care of two tables on the other side of the restaurant so our little two top received extremely little attention. Most of our ordering and serving came from other waiters and waitresses who are outwardly frustrated that they were taking care of us.
The food was okay. Since they have no rolls without rice we stuck to appetizers. The calamari was chewing and bland and over fried. But crab Rangoon’s and a noodle main course were both pretty good.
The final straw for us is a shared bathroom. This wouldn’t be the end of the world as there are two stalls however it would seem to make more sense to have one for men and one for women. Because the doors don’t lock. That’s right the doors don’t lock and the toilets are very far from the doors, it’s like a small hotel room in the stall. I’m not an engineer or an interior designer but it seems like you could make four or five more stalls with that wasted space. And maybe put doors on that actually locked!
The one bonus to this was sitting in the lounge watching people walk into the bathroom and try to lock the doors over and over. Small groups of people would be in there trying to figure out what the heck was going on.
*UPDATED ONE WEEK LATER* The restaurant reached out indicating they are taking this very seriously which I respect as a customer and hopefully the other short comings are only growing pains*

A very upscale, trendy lounge setting and tables in the front, low lighting and a wonderful ambience with music to set the mood! You forget where you are once you enter and the staff is there to accommodate your every need!
The food is so enticing in presentation and its matched by carefully fused flavors and sauces! Every bite is a gift to your palette!
I was there for an evening of sake pairings and every dish was a work of art and so delicious I didn’t want to end the experience…
A very inviting space with a great feel and an aura that will wrap its arms around you.
I highly recommend BaiKu!

Went on a Saturday night, no reservation. Arrived about 7pm, and the place was almost empty! Perhaps it gets going later? Service was wonderful, as you would expect with everyone standing around. Our waiter even returned to our table twice to top off our beers for us. The sushi and nigiri were absolutely delicious. Highly recommend the Onii-​san and Serpent rolls, which were my favorites of the night. The spicy scallop and red dragon were both delicious as well though. Will definitely return!

This is my 2^nd time here and I realized that I hadn’t Unilocaled this place yet. This place is awesome! The location is super convenient being that it’s midtown — and, as far as I know, it’s the only sushi place located in midtown.
The vibe is super modern and zen — you can follow their playlist on Spotify :) (One of the managers Sean hooked us up with the exclusive beats) but they also have a live DJ. It’s very lounge-​y as you would expect from a sushi lounge. The main area is broken into basically 3 sections — sushi bar, restaurant tables/​booths, and lounge booths. Although it hasn’t been crowded in the times that I’ve been there, I can see this place filling up pretty fast once people find out about it because it is not a very large space. With the patio on the side, I could see this easily becoming an actual lounge to compete with the nightlife. That would be so awesome by the way.
But anyway, the drinks are awesome. Any of their specialty cocktails would be a good choice, otherwise they have a good selection of liquors and wines.
For starters, I had the Kobe Beef Sliders. They were SO F’NG good! I thought it was cool how they came plated with the kimchee ketchup drizzled across one side of the plate and the wasabi aioli on another. You just kinda dip the sliders into each sauce, although they were good without the sauces. The Hawaiian sweet rolls were charred on the inside for a nice crisp texture to the softness and the beef was juicy, tender and flavorful.
I could have stopped there and ordered another one of those, but we wanted to try some of their rolls. I’m used to a larger selection of specialty rolls like at Wasabi or Mizu, so my initial reaction to their less-​extensive menu was hopeful that there was a another special menu with more choices. But nonetheless, the rolls we did choose were amazeballs! We go the Red Dragon, which was a spicier roll with shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, and chili mayo. It was so delicious — by far, one of my favorites. The Rainbow Roll was also really good. I can’t say that anything stood out from it, but it was just a good, fresh roll.
Service is always a plus here. All the services and hosts are friendly — but you should ask for Sean. He’s the best (I was not paid nor was I physically forced to say that against my will).
I’ll definitely swing by for happy hour on my next trip here!

I’ve been here a few times and decided to come in a few nights ago because I won a free sushi roll for my birthday. When we walked in (my boyfriend and I) we were greeted by a very nice and welcoming host. I requested a seat on one of the couches and they had no problem accommodating me.
As always, the service was quick, professional, and nice. We had the chicken fried rice, my boyfriend doesn’t really like sushi. I had the spicy tuna roll and shrimp tempura roll. I usually get the spider roll to go but I was burnt out on it this time. I still highly suggest it any other time. It’s delicious! We also had the large cold sake to split. It was delicious!
The sushi always taste fresh and yummy! I will be back again!
Thank you again Baiku for my free sushi roll for my birthday :).

Looks better than it tastes?! Service, atmosphere, freshness all good, though what it packs in style misses the taste wagon… Sushi okay, noodle soups… can make better at home though, I tasted the «freshly» delivered from Hawaii, but nothing was out of the ordinary here. They do accept Billikens bucks so SLU freshman, I can recommend Baiku to you as a trendy place to have your next meal! Actually, our service was great! If I need a quick place to go before the theatre, I guess it’s an option.
#AsianLadyLikes

I celebrated my birthday here last night with my husband. I had not heard of Baiku but was very familiar with the Hotel it is in and was a VERY HAPPY birthday girl at the end of the night.
We started off with the spicy edemame and the miso soup. I was not a huge fan of the miso soup only because it had seaweed in it but other than that the broth was good. The spicy edemame was delicious! The edemame was piping hot and it came with a siracha ginger sauce that had the perfect balance of sweet and spicy.
We tried their house hot sake and it was the perfect drink on a snowy night. It was actually a better tasting sake then what I have had at most places.
For our main meal we shared the spicy salmon and the specialty Kamakazi roll. I LOVED the spicy salmon. It seriously tasted so fresh. it reminded me of sushi back home. The Kamakazi was also very delicious but I much preferred the spicy salmon. We also added jalapenos to both our rolls because we cant get enough spicy in our life.
The presentation was on point and perfect, nothing was sloppy, everything looked put together well and it showed that they took their time. The service was really good, our waitress was very nice and took care of us the entire night.
The atmosphere inside is very modern and lounge-​y. We sat by the fireplace towards the back of the room. This place would be perfect for a girls night out, a fun date or having a drink with a friend. I really enjoyed myself and was very happy with everything yesterday. I can’t wait to come back again.

Summary: go here for lunch to try the sushi, don’t go at night on a date if you want to talk to the person across from you.
Ambiance: –1 star. This place had techno music blaring the entire night. We asked the host if it was always this loud and he stated that it was. It was also very cold in the restaurant, and the server stated that they kept the building cold because of the sushi coolers to keep the fish cold. I’m guessing that the sushi coolers may not have been working at all, because the whole place felt like a sushi cooler.
Service: 3 stars. The server did not point out which roll was which when serving them, basically dropped them at the table. We had multiple people help us since he seemed over-​extended. He definitely put the «wait» in «waiter».
Food: 3.5 stars. The sushi was nothing special. It was good, but the the selection was not extensive for specialty rolls. Also, there were no daily specials, so what you see is what you get on the menu. The fish tasted fresh enough, but the spicy tuna was over-​processed so the texture was a little off-​putting. Nigiri was also on the smaller side. The value was what you would expect for a supposedly trendy place.

Sushi in St. Louis is something I only get when I have cravings, which happens a bit too frequently considering this is a land-​locked state.
Baiku is super-​trendy. As in, I expect for house music to be blasting and people to be drinking fancy cocktails, trendy. This restaurant definitely has a lounge feel (and lighting), and I may like it. a little.
But, to focus on the important part, the FOOD! As per usual, my first exposure to this place was for happy hour. $ 3 draft, $ 6 wine.
Calamari– not bad, flash fried, not too chewy, and I quite liked the wasabi aioli.
Spicy Tuna
Unagi
Negi-​Hama
Spicy Salmon
$ 5 rolls– pretty good deal for STL sushi, and the fish itself tasted clean and fresh.
I’m not going to lie, my sushi standards are different here compared to cities on the coasts, but this is somewhere I would return for sushi happy hour, lunch, or dinner. The pricing is fairly reasonable.

Swanky was the first word that came to mind when we walked into Baiku. I definitely has a lounge atmosphere. I was skeptical of a hotel sushi restaurant but I kept an open mind and I wasn’t let down.
We started with spicy edamame, beer, and wine. The spicy edamame came with a dipping sauce so you could eat it regular or with sauce.
We tried some smoked salmon nigiri $ 8, the Philly roll $ 8, the Green Dragon roll $ 14, the veggie roll $ 6, and the bf ordered some special salmon nigiri from New Zealand.
We were pleasantly surprised with the freshness of everything. The Green Dragon roll was my fave — cucumber, avocado, enoki mushrooms, yama gobo, topped w/​avocado, toasted garlic soy, chive oil, scallions, jalapeños, and kaiware.
Our server was awesome. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and able to keep up with the busy evening. The lounge music was a little loud but not too bad.
We will most def be back.

Baiku is a new sushi lounge & pan-​Asian restaurant located close to the Moolah theater, on the bottom floor of the Hotel Ignacio
The vibe is definitely sleek/​upscale/​trendy, with the prices to match. The atmosphere uses lots of neon lights, and there are lots of different seating options, from cool circular booths to tables & benches along the wall. I went on a weekend for a late dinner and there was some house/​lounge music playing which added to the upbeat vibe of the place. There’s also a separate large area with couches where they will bring food. Seems like a great date spot.
Now for the food — on the whole I’ll say it ranged from pretty good to very good.
Soups — the miso ($ 4) was decent with chunks of tofu. To me it was definitely more concentrated and salty than other misos I’ve had. I went for the Thai coconut carrot ginger soup ($ 6). It had some sweetness and I really enjoyed the flavors. I just wish it had a bit of heat, both in spice & temperature. Both soups needed to be a bit warmer.
Appetizer — I went for the Hawaiian tuna poke app ($ 10). It was a large amount of shredded cabbage w/​sesame and other seasonings with some cubed tuna on top, and some lotus chips on the side. This was great, the poke seasonings were on point and every bite had some great flavor. The tuna wasn’t a huge amount but it seemed to be good quality. Overall I’d say you can share this between 4 people, there’s a good amount of food yet it’s pretty light.
Sushi — There’s a huge selection of regular & specialty rolls, and some other really interesting sounding concoctions. I had a rainbow roll ($ 15) and a specialty roll ($ 18) that had some lemon-​garlic crab, jalapeño, and a bunch of other stuff. Both rolls had 8 medium-​sized pieces. I enjoyed the rainbow but it didn’t wow me. The other one, however, was excellent. Every roll was just so packed with flavor. Visually, you could tell each piece had been carefully assembled with attention to detail. And it tasted delicious. I believe the name started with an E.
For adventurous seafood eaters, Baiku flies in fresh seafood from Hawaii. These are fish you don’t see much elsewhere. The night I was there, they had wahoo, blue marlin, and one other. You can get them sashimi or nigiri style. I tried a blue marlin nigiri ($ 10), which was two medium pieces on some rice. I enjoyed it but didn’t get any distinctive flavors. I regret using soy sauce as it probably interfered with allowing me to fully taste the fish. And at $ 10 for 2 pieces, you need to extract all the value you can…
Other observations — the menu had uni shooters. Also a good number of noodle dishes. And some other items with long descriptions that sounded delicious. Good cocktails and beer bottle selection. It’s just a short walk away from Grand Center, so it’s nice to have a sushi option for dining before or after a play or the symphony. Oh there was also a patio that looked really cool.
The website is not up but check their FB page for more info: