When the honey and I go out on dates where we wind up typically depends on who’s got the strongest craving, and how motivated we are to dress up. Recently, when I was craving an amazing piece of fish, we headed out to Bristol Seafood Grill at 11801 Olive Boulevard in Creve Coeur…

Bristol has a fabulous selection of seafood. My favorite is the Macadamia Encrusted Mahi Mahi which is served with fresh berries, orange buerre blanc, and grilled asparagus. (Light buttery, sweet! And shown here.) The Maryland Crab Cakes are pretty amazing too.

My hubby tried the grill’s “Low tides” special which includes four courses for $30. So I was also lucky enough to sample the Sautéed Potato-Chive Gnocchi, Char-Crusted Tuna, Petite Filet Mignon, and Warm Raspberry ‘Linzer’ Tart. All items were pretty tasty but the char-crusted Tuna was the stand-out of the dishes. (And if you’re looking for a soup to slurp or a salad to nibble on beforehand, I highly recommend the very creamy Maine Lobster Bisque and fresh mozzarella and heirloom tomato salad.)

Many who venture into Bristol rave about the biscuits. They even have specific people on staff who’s sole job is to carry around a tray of freshly made biscuits, offering them to diners. I promise they won’t judge you if you end up eating four biscuits in one visit. (What? I was pregnant at the time.) You can’t go wrong with any of the desserts. I’m typically a chocolate-choosing girl but their carrot cake is to die for!

We’ve been frequenting Bristol Seafood Grill for more than 12 years. And we’re always impressed by the quality of the food as well as the cocktails. Attentive staff and courteous service are constants in both the bar and the eating areas.

And you know how some establishments place tables so close together you feel as if you’re on a double date with strangers? Well, Bristols is not that kind of place. (I don’t care how good the food is, if I’m practically sitting in a stranger’s lap, I won’t go back.)

Most entrees are in the upper $20 range. Most appetizers are in the $10+ range. In other words, if you want a salad, entree, a cocktail and dessert for two? Your bill will probably be at least $100 with tip.

Male diners tend to wear sports jackets or khakis, while women tend to wear dresses, skirts or even dressy jeans and heels. Bristol is not a trendy place to see and be seen. Bristol is a constant, a classic. And let’s face it, if you’re going to spring for a triple digit meal, (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.) you might as well go someplace where you KNOW you’ll get good food and service.

Hours for the Creve Coeur Bristol’s are  Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Saturday 4:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., reopening for dinner 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. they also have happy hour in their  arebar only Sunday through Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Brunch is also offered on Sundays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There’s a second Bristol Seafood Grill at 2314 Technology Drive in O’Fallon, Mo, as well as establishments in Kansas City, MO, and Leawood Kansas.

Lisa is a Food and Drink contributor for Girls Guide. She is a freelance writer and you can find her writing regularly at St Louis Family and MotherOfBun. You can email her at lisadetmerbertrand [at] hotmail [dot]com, and follow her on Twitter.