Half & Half

OMG. Pancakes fried in bacon fat, if you wish, and hand pressed Oj. Drool. My 12yr old loved the avocado toast so well, we ordered a second helping. French toast was delightfully thick. Workers were playful and helpful. Very nice experience. We will be back.

The breakfast sushi was amazing! Bacon-​wrapped egg with a wasabi sauce and other spectacular flavors! I only wish I had ordered it. Instead I was left snagging it from my husband’s plate. I had the BLT omelet which was pretty good. I just wish it had more bacon. Overall the food was good and the mimosas were fine. I would go back strictly for the breakfast sushi — it was so delicious!

We had high hopes for Half & Half as the wait is usually 1 – 1.5 hours on the weekend AND we read they revamped their breakfast menu. Boy, were we wrong!
We got there when it opened at 8am and stood in the rain for the doors to open (every good breakfast place we’ve been to opens before 8am on a weekend!). Once we got in we were the fourth couple to be seated where we waited TWENTY minutes for someone to even offer us a glass of water.
After flagging down a waitress we finally got water and waited another 10 minutes for our waitress to unapologetically show up at our table and take our order for coffee. This was indicative of the service we had the whole time — slow, rude, and inattentive to their customers. We were about 30 seconds away from walking out after we finally were able to place our food order.
I had an egg sandwich with potatoes — under-​seasoned and bland, albeit the bacon was good. It had some sort of sauce on the bun but the amount was so small you could not taste it.
My husband ordered one of the breakfast specials — crispy pork confit benedict. The description sounded amazing but totally under-​delivered. The pork was under-​seasoned (actually tasted like nothing!!) and there was a gloppy mess of apple and cucumber on top of the pork. How do you make pork shoulder that tastes like nothing? And why would you put watery cucumber on top of an already flavorless dish?!? I would expect a chef of this caliber to know that cucumber added nothing to this dish (and to try the food for seasoning!) We saw everyone, when they finally got their food, adding salt.
To sum up: horrible service, bland food, and not worth the wait or the money! I’d much rather get crepes up the street or go to Companion next door. Clayton needs more breakfast options — this place shouldn’t even be in business!

Food is okay. Took forever for us to be served. Ordered a side of eggs after receiving food… took another 20 mins before receiving the eggs. Disappointed in the overall service.

Was shopping at old navy for Cardinal shirts for our daughter when we punched for brunch and found this spot as the #2 under the original pancake house but this place had 300+ more reviews so figured we’d give it a whirl.
At first I was quite pleased with the spot, it had nice charm but I was quickly surprised when I looked at the menu. Seemed a little expensive for how close it was to the mall. Coffee for example was $ 2.75 for a cup or $ 4 for bottomless. I found that a bit expensive for just normal coffee. My wife ordered the chicken livers and I ordered French toast which seem to be $ 9 just for French toast so I ordered two eggs and a side of bacon for $ 6 more making my plate alone $ 15.
My wife returned from the bathroom and was quite disappointed. She stated that the bathroom was dirty but not recent dirty, neglected dirty.
I’m not sure if I’m just one of those out of towners but our experience was not as pleasant due to two small LOUD groups of local high schoolers.
Now for the best part of experience was the food. This food was amazing! It looked great and tasted better than it looked! Only thing I was really disappointed with was their coffee. Inflated price aside, it really wasn’t that good. I’m not sure if we had a bad batch or if they don’t sample their pots before serving but I was quite disappointed with the coffee.
We will definitely be back but probably during the school year when it’ll be a bit quieter so we can hear our own conversation.

Ok, everybody, here’s a happy update:
A few days after I posted the negative review below, Tessie, the manager, contacted me with just about the best apology any disappointed diner could ever hope to receive. Upon her invitation to give Half & Half another chance, my husband and I had breakfast on the house. It was perfect: French toast for him, chorizo hash for me. The food was delicious, the service attentive.
I’m delighted to take this cozy upscale off my list, and look forward to my next lunch out. Thank you, Tessie!
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Let me tell you why I will never return to Half & Half. It was Saturday, my son was in town to honor me for Mother’s Day, and I had my pick of anywhere in the vast St. Louis area for brunch. I was absolutely certain it had to be Half & Half; the egg sandwich I have had there numerous times was perfection: the soft brioche bun, the tasty aioli, the smoky bacon are all the perfect vehicle for the yolk which, two bites in, oozes out in a sexy unctuous yellow stream. The yolk is the star. I had raved about this dish to family and friends just the week before when I took myself out for a birthday lunch on my birthday.
We waited one hour to be seated. We ordered two biscuits to start. No biscuits arrived until the whole order was ready. Eh, it happens. What happened next SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN.
Two of us ordered the bfast sandwich. There was no yolk to be found. We sent them back. The waitress returned– the chef would not redo the dishes. Uh, what? THE CHEF REFUSED? I politely insisted he redo them — the yolk needed to be runny. Guess what? The new ones were also wrong. No flipping yolk. We glumly ate them anyway. Really wasn’t in the mood for conflict. The waitress came by at the end to ask if the sandwiches were good. No, I said firmly, they were terrible.
Did she apologize? Did the manager come over? Did they reduce the bill? No, no, and no.
Really? If I had been picking up the bill, I would have sought out the manager. I was just the guest and I promise I will never return. There are a thousand options for brunch. This place ain’t one of them.

Great little spot! Super cute and open space with phenomenal menu options. The Biscuit & Gravy was the only item I wasn’t too sure about and I grew up on B’ & G’s. They had a chili powder taste but was still good. The blueberry butter with the blueberry pancakes was to die for. Couldn’t have been happier. Our service was great and the price on point. Can’t wait to take others here!

Very excellent food, just wish they had more space!
I have had a variety of menu items and loved them all. The environment here is definitely loud and bustling. Some seats are cramped, but others are roomy. Sometimes seeing everything happening is stressful, but other times it can be a nice form of entertainment.

We took my mom here as part of an all day birthday and Mother’s Day celebration. I read the glowing reviews and decided that we would brave the wait and head on in.
A number of things about our experience was a major let down.
— the «never wait» app just didn’t work. I finally got them to agree to put our name on list over the phone but the 45 minute wait was a huge underestimate. 1.5 hour later we were seated and the hostess would never give us a time estimate and just kept saying «a few more parties are ahead of you.»
— The service was just bad. We waited and waited to order drinks and they never came, and we had to finally get up and find the waitress and remind her. The food then took 30 or so minutes to show up and she never checked on us again until we asked for the bill.
— the food was pretty lack lustre. I’m confident that we won’t be back.

I recommend going on a weekday because there is no wait! On the weekend you will wait atleast 45 minutes even at 845 in the morning (get the nowait app!). Finally made it today after trying two other times. It’s a quaint location with good coffee and food. We had the Cali omelette. I wanted the Brussels sprouts omelette but they were out of Brussels sprouts so I had it with spinach instead.

Half & Half is hands down my favorite brunch spot in town and I make this known by going weekly. It is clearly near and dear to the hearts of many of my fellow St. Louisians as evidenced by the always-​booked tables and long waits that are well worth it. The restaurant’s intimate and inviting ambiance paired with a stellar waitstaff make this one popular place.
Starters:
— Donuts: These are the perfect starters and sweetest endings to any meal. They’re reminiscent of warm, crispy churros and are great to share.
— Grapefruit half with vanilla sugar: Simultaneously refreshing and sweet, this starter packs a powerful punch of vitamin C to revitalize you after a long night.
Sweet breakfast:
— Oatmeal: Maple oven-​baked with fruit and nuts. Comforting and heartwarming but get a side for a complete meal as it isn’t huge.
–CLARA CAKES: Must order. These are perfect pancakes smothered with fresh raspberry jam, mascarpone and homemade granola. I love getting these to share in addition to a savory breakfast.
— Brioche french toast: These are the real deal and add a tangy, lemony kick.
Savory breakfast:
— VEGGIE HASH: I get this every time. Eggs how you like them served over crispy brussels sprouts, breakfast potatoes, sauteed spinach and onions and a side of toast. Ask for a side of sriracha. Perfection.
— Salmon hash: Throw capers on anything and I’m in. Hollandaise sauce evens this dish out to create a perfect creamy-​savory balance. Salmon is tender and flaky, just how I like it.
— Half & half: Just what it sound like. 2 eggs, breakfast potatoes, 2 slices of toast and your breakfast meat of choice. Sub toast with a flaky, homemade biscuit to bring this classic to the next level.
Lunch:
— Taco salad: Served in an irresistable, homemade tortilla bowl. If for nothing else get this for the bowl!
— Grilled chicken sandwich with cheddar and avocado slaw: Flavors meld harmoniously. Do yourself a favor and order the house chips!
— Grilled Salmon BLT: Half & Half has mastered the SBLT ratio. L & T cut the savory, umami flavors of the S & B, creating a surf and turf masterpiece.
Download the No Wait app and you’re set for a brilliant brunch. Can’t wait for many more!

If you can get a table, this is a top-​notch place to get brunch in Clayton. I usually try to get brunch here on the earlier side because the wait gets pretty insane during peak breakfast/​brunch time (I’ve had to wait 45 min — 1 hour for a table for 3). Nothing beats fresh squeezed orange juice, blueberry pancakes, and the half & half breakfast (2 eggs, potatoes, and toast) on a Saturday or Sunday morning. The half & half is super simple but everything is cooked well and it’s surprisingly filling/​satisfying. My friends and I have probably tried 90% of the items on their menu and the food has never disappointed us. The biscuits & gravy and the eggs benedict (ham and spinach) are also menu items that I frequently order. I know that every other brunch place serves those 2 items, but something about the flavors and atmosphere here make the food much more enjoyable.

«We ran out of orange juice» — what the bartender (we got bar seats) told us at peak (noon!) brunch time on a Sunday. After questioning how that could be possible, she said that they were understaffed, and no one had time to squeeze the oranges. I’m sure someone was squeezing them up for those mimosa orders though…
Wait time was about 45 minutes. We would have ideally gotten a table in the main dining area, but there are only a few 2-​seaters, and the restaurant isn’t that big. The bar area is bustling, and word to the wise, people: don’t block the coffee area for those of us who want to order a drink while waiting!
Food-​wise, the pancakes were some of the fluffiest I’ve had in my life, though the bacon fat flavor in the special-​of-​the-​day bacon fat pancakes didn’t really come through. More fat please? California omelet came with avocado, pico de gallo, and (surprisingly) beans, but it was a tasty combo, and those roasted potatoes are nice salted and crispy.
Last gripe: the water in the bathroom is ice cold! Ugh!

This breakfast restaurant is so cute. It’s like a place you would find in a little town somewhere out in the boonies. My only wish is that the food was as special as the vibe it gives off.
When you walk in, it looks like a cute, country inn with mason jars and hipster touches all around. I was excited to try out the food.
My husband ordered the fried egg sandwich and I ordered the eggs benedict. While the meal with fine and the portions were big, I just couldn’t see anything extraordinary about the food here. It isn’t spectacular enough for me to wait for a table here on a busy Sunday afternoon or to pay the slightly higher than Denny’s prices.
I think this place has so much potential to be greater than it already is. Service was fast and good. They just need to work on their flavors a little bit more so their food is not so average.

Their biscuits and gravy are where it’s at. I can’t figure out the flavor in the gravy, but it’s reminiscent of something heavenly I’ve eaten before. Their cappuccinos are perfect, and they truly understand how to make them properly.
Unfortunately I didn’t order the biscuits and gravy (ate off of my friend’s plate ha) and I got the fried livers. Now, I love fried livers and get them when I can, and apparently people go here for them. They just weren’t great. Bland breading, too much breading, and so few livers that it bummed me out and left me wanting more.
I’ll go again, but will stay far far away from the livers.

Half&Half, like so many places, has potential to be 5 Star but they have A LONG WAY TO GO. Honestly 3 Stars is generous based on what I saw this morning (Christmas Eve).
They’re popular and the wait isn’t a problem. I’m happy to wait 30min for a table it’s no big deal when the food and service are good.
I ordered eggs Benedict with chorizo and avocado (pics online show slices of avocado), but what I got was ice cold guacamole scoops with crumbs of chorizo. If the guac hadn’t been so cold the dish would’ve been satisfying, but they way they chose to serve it really wasn’t very good… cold eggs on a plate of undercooked potatoes.
Not all items listed on the menu was available either… which wasn’t told to us until after we tried to order it.
Waitress was forgetful — cream, silverware, coffee, and the check. Again I understand busy, but this place is small and you can’t not see your tables while serving others…

Not too bad of a place. I went mid day, it was crowded but the service was still pretty good. My waitress was attentive and patient as I asked 101 questions about the menu. She even helped me customize my order to fit my dietary restrictions without costing me an arm and a leg.
The Clara pancakes were a unique twist on hum drum breakfast. The raspberry was a little over powering but a little scape here and there and I had the perfect amount. The granola and walnut topping just seemed natural. Never thought to do that before.
The décor here is pretty cool, a gourmet coffee bar, cute mugs, mason jar light fixtures and an open kitchen. It looks like grandma’s kitchen in the heart of Clayton.
Plus they store the coffee beans in varying size mason jars, will charge your phone if you ask and serve tap water. Yep, my kind of place.

Oh the joys of having an open kitchen. Everyone’s always watching.
Perhaps you should train your wait staff to NOT touch plated food when it comes off the line with their bare hands and fingers.
When someone picks up a piece of French toast with their bare hands (and I assure you she did not wash them prior to this), shoves their finger into the whipped cream and cleans off the piece of mint, again with the finger — all to make it look nice…
That is disgusting. I would have expected more from such a highly reputable place. No matter how good the food is, the coffee, the atmosphere — when I see wait staff handle food with unwashed hands you’d think we were dining at a McDonalds.

I’m getting better and better at finding decent parking in Clayton! Just down the street and around the corner from this place, there’s plenty of free parking to be found — even during the Saturday brunch rush! But that doesn’t mean you won’t have to wait for a table if you show up at 10:30a. I had about half an hour wait and was eventually seated on their sweet little patio. The only thing I didn’t like about the particular table I had is that it was very close to where people were sitting and waiting for tables — I guess I just felt bad and a little self conscious.
As far as ordering, I knew what I wanted before I’d even arrived. I’d done my research and learned that every Saturday around 7:30a they post their specials for the weekend and one of them is always a pancake dish. And today was Cinnamon Roll Pancakes!
These pancakes certainly were beautiful. You get a stack of three of the fluffiest pancakes I think I’ve ever seen. Drizzled on top was the Cinnamon Roll Icing and in the center was a scoop of cinnamon butter.
But I instantly realized that there was no syrup to be found… my friendly waitress asked if I needed anything and I decided to say no for the time being. «Maybe» I thought, «these pancakes were going to punch me in the face with so much cinnamon goodness that syrup wasn’t needed?» So I spread a thick layer of butter over the top pancake and dug in… The top pancake with the butter was decent flavor-​wise, but the bottom two layers were suffering. Don’t get me wrong — the texture and moisture was perfect! But I really needed that syrup. And by that point I was just confused as to why it wasn’t served with syrup to begin with?
I eventually got my syrup and the party was on! Good times were had! But all in all, I wasn’t as impressed as I was hoping to be. Frankly, I felt that I could get better pancakes for less money at First Watch (those banana granola pancakes are to die for!!!).
Did I try the wrong thing? Should I have gone with a savory dish instead? Or maybe the french toast? Someone tell me!

I have finally been to Half and Half! Great experience — we stopped in for a Friday breakfast/​brunch, about an hour before close.
OMG — so good. It’s so chill there, the atmosphere was a nice break from the usual Clayton hubub. I can see what all the praise is for.- everything was on point.
clara cakes– great take on pancakes. the jam is not sweet, it’s really about the bread, not about being super sweet
sausage biscuit w gravy — not artificial tasting, real sausage pieces
The bf’s salmon hash
Our server, Lacy, was SO sweet — she even gave the bf a birthday order of the donuts.