Mainlander
American · Central West End-St. Louis City · $$
American · West End, Washington, DC · $$
Ris Lacoste helms the stove at this terrific neighborhood spot, a draw for diners in the company of family, business associates, and lovers alike. The sprawling, light-filled dining room is dressed in earth tones and filled with intimate corners for an air of seductive sophistication. And the menu, with its ramped-up, takes on the tried-and-true, toes the line between familiar and surprising. - MICHELIN guide inspectors
“I had a fantastic experience at RIS. The salmon was absolutely delicious, incredibly fresh, perfectly cooked, and full of flavor. It’s one of those dishes you enjoy from the first bite to the last. The mezcal cocktail was also right on point, super smooth and perfectly balanced. And to finish, dessert was amazing, rich, comforting, and beautifully presented. Great food, great drinks, and great atmosphere. I’ll definitely be coming back!”
“Ris went above and beyond for our mini wedding reception dinner! From cute decor, to spectacular service, delicious food, and even making a 2-tier wedding cake for us! We're so glad we had our dinner here, and the communication with the owner/chef Ris was super smooth, clear and easy. 10/10 would recommend.”
“Another Restaurant Week 2025 stop: Ris. What pulled me in? A standout menu featuring delicious dishes, flexible pricing tiers, and a clever twist—if you're not flying solo or ravenous, you can swap one of your courses for a glass of house wine or beer. Yes, please. We grabbed seats at the bar, where Greg took great care of us. With a chilled glass of rosé in hand, (though on the menu) he remind us by pointing out the course swap. We split the mussels appetizer (excellent), enjoyed our own entrees, and shared a dessert. Though honestly, I instantly regretted splitting that dessert... it was that good. And the scoop of ice cream? The perfect finishing touch. Bonus points to Greg for going the extra mile and helping me figure out if the patron down the bar was someone I knew (verdict: was not). The food? Delicious. The service? Top-notch. Don’t let the construction nearby deter you—Ris is open, and worth the visit.”
“Everything about this place was fantastic. The waiter was more than helpful and knew his way around the menu. They were courteous and asked us if we had any dietary restrictions or allergies and kept that in mind when we ordering. The food was phenomenal and the portion sizes were generous. I opted for the fries and the grilled shrimp to start and both were great. For the entree I was recommended the Chicken Milanese and it was prepared perfectly. For dessert I had the Lime Miroir, which was a perfect combination of flavors and followed the entree well.”
“We started off with a couple of apps, French onion soup and the mussels. The onion soup was very greasy but tasted OK. The mussels had pieces of pork inside which kind of throw off the flavor. I had the fried chicken special with was a total disaster. The chicken was over cooked and the only seasoning was the taste of brunt old oil. The porkchop was void of taste, rubbery and parts of it was raw.”
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