The Scottish Arms

Tough call between 4 and 5. The food is absolutely a 5, especially the duck sandwich. Unfortunately though things are a bit pricey here. Overall, its a great place to go for a high quality meal but I wouldn’t make it a regular stop because of the price.

All I can say is wow– Scottish Arms delivers again. Michael Cline (general manager) and his crew delivered an amazing party for us again. We hosted our going away party there tonight and it was one of the best decisions ever.
Michael floored us with an amazing Party for my husband 2 years ago and he delivered again! He reserved the canopy on the patio for us without me asking because he knew it would be the best for the flow of the party. He had a wonderful display table where the food was displayed expertly. He brought the food out in waves so nothing got stale or soggy. And just when hunger would peak again– bam there was a new item. I had picked a few items to order and Michael suggested a few more– needless to say I’m glad I listened to him! The food was delicious and everyone was full!
Michael tended to us personally and I don’t think people ha dot wait more than 5 minutes to get their drinks. He suggested some incredible drinks from their new drink menu and he didn’t steer us wrong!
I can’t say enough about the personal attention that was paid to us, the level of service and the quality of the food or drink. If you’re looking for a place to have your next cocktail party– please consider the Scottish Arms– you won’t be disappointed!

Very heavy food, but very delicious! Service is friendly but a little slow. Coffee is super good. Scotch eggs are ok… very heavy. Salmon was amazing, and chips were stellar! Ask for vinegar with the chips!

The Bloody Mary bar was great! My food was cold and my friends good was incredibly hot. The taste was great, environment was perfect, but the whole experience was only worth 4 stars

My go-​to neighborhood bar. Wonderful drinks, especially their selection of whiskeys and scotches. I’m a whiskey gal so this place is basically my heaven. However, they have a large selection of draft beers as well. Guinness lovers rejoice. It’s always on tap here. The staff is always attentive and efficient. The food is a refreshing change compared to other nearby restaurants/​bars. Give the haggis fritters a try!

Everything about this place is cool from the classic pub décor to the bartender’s knowledge and love of all of their whiskey and whisky. The Cornish Pasty was amazing and the Fish and Chips met all flavor palette desires.
I enjoyed everything about this place.

Scottish Arms has an excellent pub atmosphere that’s complimented by a great menu and good service. The dark interior is lit by large windows that let in plenty of natural light. The servers, all clad in kilts, are friendly and attentive. The menu is way beyond typical «pub grub» and easily fits into a «fit for foodies» category. It’s a little pricey, but worth it, and I’d go back any time.

These Irish arms want to give The Scottish Arms a big hug! In fact I gave the owner a big hug as our group left our meal at the Chef’s Table! It was an incredible dining experience.
I never liked Courses in School but when we are talking courses with food and drinks sign me up!
Now I was the only vegan at the table, so the Scottish Arms could have easily just passed me by and said well, throw him some veggies and call it a night! But they didn’t! Everything that the other 11 guest at the table got, I received a vegan equivalent! That means the chefs in the kitchen were preparing something special for me in every course! Now that’s commitment to excellence and going the extra mile! In other words I felt like a King at this table! The staff was always coming around to explain each dish and make sure everything was up to par, they did a fantastic job!
Now to the food. Wow it was great! Every course paired with separate drink was well presented and delicious! My favorite was the tofu curry dish they prepared for me! It was out this world good and I wanted more! They even made me my own little apple pie dessert that was crispy perfection!
The range of drinks with each dish were awesome too, from a Gin, to wine, to beer they had all the bases covered!
Top the meal off with a great cup a coffee and I was in 7^th Heaven!
This place is top notch and if you want to be treated like royalty, make a night of it here! You won’t be dissapointed!

The Scottish Arms is one of my favorite places for brunch and dinner. Great food and friendly service every single time.
You won’t find your «traditional» breakfast/​brunch items like pancakes and waffles on the brunch menu here. Most of their brunch items are savory and meaty. I LOVE the Scottish Breakfast and Highland Hangover. The plates come loaded with delicious food and you won’t want to move after finishing your meal. The Forfar Bridies (beef in puff pastry) are mouthwatering and flaky. The Scotch Eggs (egg in breaded sausage) are a bit pricey at $ 8 per order, but definitely something worth trying. Did I mention you can get bottomless mimosas for $ 14.99?
I’ve tried the Bangers & Mash and Shepherd’s Pie for dinner and both are solid dinner entrees. The sausages in the Bangers & Mash are savory and the mashed potatoes are creamy/​to die for. The Shepherd’s Pie is super comforting and perfect for dinner on a cold night.
I’m sure I will be coming back in the near future.

I was blown away by my dining experience here! Definitely above and beyond my expectations.
The atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed but with formal touches. All of the tables have white table cloths which helps to brighten the otherwise dark interior. But the classic wood really transports you back to Scotland! Our server was also great. She paced the meal perfectly and was very pleasant.
The menu is fantastic! They really have something for everyone. They also balance traditional Scottish dishes nicely with those more suited to American tastes. My party of 5 had such a challenge deciding and everyone agreed it would be hard to go wrong.
Don’t miss the House Plank appetizer, the Lamb Burger, or the Haddock Goujons (small plate).
On a side note — this is also a fantastic spot to come for drinks! I’ve come several times and they have a wonderful selection of all types of drinks. But this is really a great time to step out of your comfort zone and try a Scottish beer or cocktail you won’t be able to try elsewhere in St. Louis!

We’ve been here a few times for drinks and brunch and have always been happy with the atmosphere, thought it’s a little expensive for what it is.
We came today to sit outside and have a light dinner. The service was good and the patio is nice. The mussels were really bad. They were extremely gritty and the broth lacked flavor. Also, there were carrots on top that didn’t really go with the white wine, tomato, lemon broth and were also crunchy. Super disappointing because I love good mussels, but these are not it.
Also had the house board which is a selection of meats and cheeses. This was just okay — I didn’t like the duck on the plate, but that’s likely a personal preference. I also thought the terrines lacked flavor. The Brie was also served very cold instead of being let to sit out for a bit to become more flavorful.

Excellent meal. Excellent server. Wonderful evening!
Loved the House Plank — it was just right for four to share as an appetizer.
My filet was perfection, and the lobster risotto we ordered to share on the table was wonderful.
My only request is to please change where the red wine is stored; our bottle felt chilled when it was brought to the table.

I had lunch here this past weekend and really enjoyed it. They were on their «brunch» menu so it felt a little limited. We were seated quickly, but it took a few minutes for our server to be with us. By the time she arrived, we had made our decisions for drinks and food and were able to order right away.
Pros:
+Delicious food. I had the lamb burger, and I highly recommend it. The fennel jam and goat cheese go excellently with it.
+Nice interior. I really liked the décor – both industrial and a little rustic, while still feeling cozy. Our booth had cushions to make them more comfortable, which we both really enjoyed.
+Good drinks. I had the Paris Manhattan. It was amazing! Definitely worth the price.
+Local flair. My drink was made with a whiskey out of Kansas City, and the BF had a beer from Civil Life.
Cons:
–Slow-​ish service. Our server was kind and effective, but not always around as much. The BF was not thrilled with how long it took to get our second drinks, but this is likely because we learned we needed to get going ASAP after ordering drink #2. Oops. If we hadn’t suddenly been in a hurry, I don’t think this would have been a big deal.
–Chips that came with the chicken wrap were a little bland. The BF was still satisfied, but we both agreed that the fries were much better.
Neutrals:
/​Higher-​end drinks but definitely worth the price. I’m willing to pay $ 10/​drink when they taste this good. Just know that’s the kind of place you’re going.
/​Brunch menu! If I were in the mood for brunch, I’d love this. But they run a limited menu until pretty late in the day (3pm, I think she said), and there aren’t as many «lunch”-type items. Our sandwiches were good, but part of the reason we were able to order so quickly was the limited offerings on the menu since we weren’t in the mood for breakfast.

I’m a little torn about this place. I think I made the mistake of building it up in my head for too long. The drink selection is good but not really that impressive. They do have a ridiculous amount of scotches so, if you’re into that, you’d probably love it here. They do not advertise this on the menu but you can order a half size of any tap beer for half the price. This is pretty awesome if you’re like me and like to try lots of stuff. We also ordered the sampler board (The Highland Gathering) which was a great idea because we got to try lots of stuff. Most of it was really tame so if you’re weirded out by interesting food, know you can go with that and you won’t really be testing your limits too much. I decided to order the lobster risotto because it was on special and everyone knows I love a good special! I must’ve not read the description all the way through though because when I saw that it came with a raw egg cracked on top, even adventurous olé me was a little grossed out! In the end, I went for it, and it was pretty good!

I ordered the Highland Hangover. For $ 14, I got enough food to feed two. The staff checked on me every few minutes. Very friendly staff and really good food. I highly recommend them.

Lovely food!
The food is really nice, especially Duck Proschetta (absolutely delicious! a must have) and I also like the Scottish ambiance with people wearing kilts and toilets having lassies and lads written on them. My friend did some whiskey sampling and said it was really nice. One thing which I didn’t like was charging for cutting/​dividing our burger into 2, I felt that was extremely cheap, but other than that I loved the place and would definitely go back again.

A last minute decision to dine at The Scottish Arms and I’m glad we did.
We started off with cocktails (Manhattan and a Bloody Mary) and ordered the Scotch O’s. Crisps (potato chips) with cheese sauce, sour cream, crumbled bacon etc. They were excellent.
For dinner, Majordomo got the bangers and mash and I went with the smoked salmon appetizer. Both of the meals were very good.
Would I come back here? Yes, and I’m going to work up the nerve to try the haggis.

We made reservations and had dinner here last night. We were seated at a nice table by the window with a little vase of flowers and a candle. It was charming, our waiter had just the right amount of attentiveness, and the food was yummy. We’ll definitely be back.

This was my second time here. First was for dinner and this go round for a friendly Sunday Brunch. The food was ok. I got the Biscuit Breakfast. The presentation was good and it was a fair amount of food. Personally, it wasn’t much to write home about. The biscuit, just one, and gravy was kind of meh; the bacon was ok; but the potatoes were the redeeming quality. The coffee was pretty good and you get the whole pot at your table, which was nice. The issue I have is the price. It was about $ 15, and the quality just wasn’t there. If you’re a bloody mary type of person, they have a whole bloody mary bar.
Nutshell: Food’s not bad, but I’d be looking elsewhere first.

The Scottish Arms introduced me to something I never knew I liked, Scottish food. After hearing how good this place was from a friend, I decided it was time to try my first Scottish meal.
Definitely try all the Scottish specialities like haggis, pasties, shepherd’s pie.
I had the venison medallions for my entrée and it was fantastic.
Great ambiance too.

I made reservations a few weeks in advance and when I walked in I wondered why it was suggested. Within 30 minutes the place was packed! I took everyone’s suggestions and tried the Scottish eggs… Definitely different, but in a great way! I highly recommend the eggs Benny but with the banger and the French toast! Obviously the Bloody Mary bar is a must! I just love them! Our waitress was not friendly at all, all the others sounded to be really nice and helpful, though, so we must have just had a minor stroke of bad luck. They have their own parking lot which is also a major bonus!

My wife and I met up with friends for brunch. We split the duck confit hash and the Scottish breakfast.
The hash: the duck was overlooked and the potatoes were just bland greasy cubes. Overall flavor was grease. Would not order again
Scottish breakfast: decent plate of sausage, beans, eggs. Bit at 13 dollars it’s nothing that I couldn’t easily prepare for 2 bucks at home.
Finally, they asked my party to leave at the 2 hour mark which is kind if rude since we were still ordering drinks and dessert.

I was at the The Scottish Arms for dinner last night, I’ve also been here multiple times for drinks on Friday evenings. This place has great ambience– the red walls, wooden booths, the lighting all add up nicely! Service was great, the cocktails were delicious and we really enjoyed our food. I had the Doner kebab and really enjoyed the flavors of the gyro meat! I definitely recommend The Scottish Arms.

Arrived at 10:20 AM, 20 minutes after opening and there was a 45 minute wait. Doesn’t matter how good the food is, it’s not worth 45 minutes.
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Update:
I received feedback from someone claiming to be the proprietor whining about a poor rating for being popular. I’ll expand on my review to clear things up.
A number of years back a small fusion place opened up near my house. It was not going to win any Michelin stars but it served consistently good food and had a good atmosphere. As a result we became regulars and ate there at least twice a month. We got to know the staff and thoroughly enjoyed the place. Then one day it happened. We walked in one evening and were asked if we had a reservation. We’ve never been back since and, in fact, the place is now out of business.
We’re not unreasonable when it comes to waits, I fully expect that if I show up at a restaurant at 7 – 8 PM on a Friday night, I’ll have to wait if I can get in at all. This is one of the reasons we tend to eat at off hours, usually around 5 in the evenings, never noon for lunch. In the case of Scottish Arms we arrived at 10:20 (we had planned 10 but the unplowed city streets and a detour made what would have been a 30 minute trip take 50 minutes. 10 or 10:30 is when most St Louis churches are meeting so imagine our surprise to travel nearly an hour to eat during an off time period, in the snow to find out we’d have to wait nearly another hour to be sat. And we’d have to wait that in freezing temperatures or an extraordinarily loud bar. That is not a good customer experience and I won’t be back.
The person who respond thought I’d never been to Scottish Arms before. I have. The food is good but the atmosphere is the draw. Breakfast is eggs, meat, potatoes and toast, anyone can do that well. If food was the only reason to dine out I could go to any Waffle House or Denny’s and know I will be served a quality breakfast. I went to Scottish Arms because it was a unique local eatery, but now I found a hipster hangout.
Popularity is a double edged sword. You wind up having to choose between expanding and loosing your «vibe» or pissing off customers with long waits as well as crowded and loud dining experiences. Either way you’ll never have the charm you once had. This is why the top chefs in the city, such as Craft open something new every few years.
If your idea of a good experience is to stand around for 45 minutes yelling at your companions over the hipster noise to get what you can get anywhere else, Scottish Arms is the place for you. It is, however, not my idea of a good experience.
Update: 5÷19÷16
Received a rude message from an upset millennial who is clearly inarticulate and upset and whining that anyone could have an opinion contrary to their own, proving my point about the clientele.

Fantastic food. Wonderful ambiance and service was impeccable. Love it, and will be back again soon!

In my view, the Scottish Arms has one of the coolest ambiences in all of St. Louis. Super nice service staff in kilts, a real true old pub like feel on the inside, surprisingly quaint outside seating in the patio area, solid beer list and good food. The food is going to be Scottish style, so you have to try it. May not be for everyone. Certainly wasn’t for my parents.
Deviled eggs. Haggas. Fish and chips. Try it.

We went for Brunch today for the first time since trying at The Taste of St. Louis. We are happy we did!
The food was fantastic. The scotch eggs are amazing! I will have to get one every time I go now. Brunch menu was great, everything on the menu sounds great.
Our experience was great today and we look forward to going back.

We were here this evening, Friday. The place was a buzz with business. We ordered The haggis & bangers & mash. My guest liked the haggis well enough but thought the portion was a bit small for the price. It came with mashed potatoes & sliced apples with liquor of some sort. My entrée was two large bangers lying on a bed of smashed potatoes & a wonderful little dollop of what tasted like stewed tomatoes. The bangers were tasty (I would’ve loved a crusty piece of bread to eat with it) & the mash was fine. The tomatoey garnish was lovely & I could’ve eaten more of it. My guest had been to Edinburgh this spring & was feeling nostalgic. She said the placed sounded & smelled like the places there (a compliment).
Our water was kept topped off & we were frequently checked on. Only down side is parking though it was a Friday night. Maybe a weekday would be less of an issue.

We came here for book club as the setting in the book was Scotland. I love the ambiance inside– dark pub meets romantic.
Our service was outstanding! I wish I remember the servers name — bad on my part. She had super short hair. She was so quick and attentive and friendly.
We all loved our drinks and food. I had the fish and chips and the fish portion was huge.

Good food in STL? Yes, it exists here, finally! I had the crispy duck breast. I normally stray from fatty foods, but I had to try it. and it delivered. So flavorful, tender and plain damn good! My BF had the fish and chips, great option too. Great selection of scotches! Ambience awesome, patio was quaint and lovely, service fantastic.
The Scottish Arms: Pretty Damn Good!

First off, this place had some of the best service I’ve experience anywhere in a long while. The second we walked in we were greeted and seated. The hostess happened to overhear my husband ask if I’d be warm enough and she immediately offered to move us to another table. Also, waitress was the perfect balance of chatty and helpful.
We ordered some appetizers and entrees…
Scotch Eggs — These eggs had a very mild flavor, but for some reason it worked. Perhaps because the honey mustard it was served with was one of the best I’ve ever had.
Celtic Crisps — We ordered it with both the curry and cheddar dipping sauces. My husband was all about the cheddar, but the curry was definitely my personal favorite. While the chips were crispy and perfect as far as texture was concerned, they were’ seasoned at all and that was definitely a disappointment.
The Lamb Burger — My friend who ordered this was a big fan, especially thanks to the goat cheese. While I loved the crispy, grilled flavor on the outside of the burger, the inside didn’t taste like it was seasoned at all. But the fries that came along with the burger were pretty decent!
Bacon Wrapped Haggis — My husband was absolutely and completely in love with his haggis. I had never tried haggis and had no idea what to expect. But I was blown away by the distinctively unique seasoning… there was definitely some nutmeg in there among many others. However, the mashed potatoes served with it were, again, under seasoned.
Bangers and Smash — This sausages, like the scotch egg, was very mild. But the accompanying veggies and rosemary-​garlic demi was surprisingly flavorful and a little on the sweet side. Also, the serving size was enormous and I took half of it home.
We did look at the dessert menu, but because it was National Ice Cream Day, we decided to head to Ted Drewes. However, the bread pudding and the flourless chocolate torte did sound delicious.
Looking back over our selections and the number of things that seemed to be under seasoned, I’m not quite sure how I feel. I would say that for me the eggs and bangers were the best part. And I think I would be nervous about trying another dish and being disappointed. I would actually like to give it a 3.5…
Also, as far as parking is concerned — we went on a Sunday around 6p and parked on the street with no problem.

Took my parents here Saturday night before a trip to the Fox. Made a reservation online just in case but the weather kept a lot of people home so they weren’t crowded. We were welcomed and seated promptly and enjoyed good service through the meal.
We started with the scotch eggs because they are known for them. The order comes with 2 eggs cut in half and a side of hot mustard so it was a perfect nibble before the meal. If you aren’t familiar with them, scotch eggs are hard boiled eggs wrapped in sausage, breaded then fried. This is stick to your ribs food!
Not long after we finished them, our entrees arrived. I opted for the rabbit three ways, which was delicious. Mom had the Scottish poached salmon and enjoyed it. Dad went with the shepherds pie with lamb. And my guy had the fish and chips. No complaints all around!
Great meal, nice atmosphere and good service.