The end of an era; RIP Tony's

[abuxb]

So the rumors are true. Tony's is closing. Before moving to Clayton, it was one of the best restaurants in town, even as Gerard Craft set up shop and also places like Sidney Street Cafe, Little Fox, and Vicia came along. The Clayton location is smaller than they had downtown, with tables much too close together to provide real elegance. It was time to pull the plug. They will be missed, but the real Tony's was gone several years ago.

[Jorge]

Some details regarding the closing as well as the backstory are in this article: https://www.stlmag.com/dining/tony%E2%8 ... bruary-15/

[Pink Freud]

Some details regarding the closing as well as the backstory are in this article: https://www.stlmag.com/dining/tony%E2%8 ... bruary-15/

Thank you for posting the magazine story.

For all those years I worked in nice restaurants in St. Louis, I will always regret never dining at Tony's, though I always wanted to, especially when it was downtown. Another St. Louis legend lost.

[Cajanek-Spielmacher]

I remember Al Baker always trying to unseat Tony's when I worked there in 1986. Sad to see another old time dining establishment go. Hold on Al's!!

[charlesmastis]

They needed a drive-thru

[Pink Freud]

Geez...47 years living in St. Louis, yet I never once dined at Tony's; Anthony's; Al's; Al Baker's; Dominic's; Kemoll's; Kreis; Busch's Grove; nor dozens of other iconic local eateries.

Well, Durant's in Phoenix was great, but I feel like I missed so much of classic St. Louis.

[SRV1990]

Geez...47 years living in St. Louis, yet I never once dined at Tony's; Anthony's; Al's; Al Baker's; Dominic's; Kemoll's; Kreis; Busch's Grove; nor dozens of other iconic local eateries.

Well, Durant's in Phoenix was great, but I feel like I missed so much of classic St. Louis.

You have time to get to Dominic's, they're still going strong!

[bud white]

Rumors are that the official reason for the closure is work force related.




They were unable to find any hosts / hostesses who could walk backwards up the stairs to take you to your table. IYKYK

[Pink Freud]

Rumors are that the official reason for the closure is work force related. They were unable to find any hosts / hostesses who could walk backwards up the stairs to take you to your table. IYKYK

Did they also do that in Clayton?

[Pink Freud]

I've always wanted to dine in great restaurants in many major cities, but with a caveat: I can't stand pretension. My standard deal-breaker is if they have a tweezers anywhere in the kitchen, I'm outta there.

I have zero desire to dine where a chef is a frustrated artist-cum-architect, creating vertical edibles (by some species) with painted plates to charge $50 for two ounces of (ahem) "food", a term open to interpretation, especially at the (cough, gag, choke, snort) "world's best restaurant", Noma. Good god almighty, this was a SNL sketch in waiting: : https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/09/dini ... dzepi.html

In fact, my very first post ever in these forums, back in 1998, was titled "Down with Pretty Food!". Nothing has changed my unwashed plebeian opinion.

[bud white]

Rumors are that the official reason for the closure is work force related. They were unable to find any hosts / hostesses who could walk backwards up the stairs to take you to your table. IYKYK

Did they also do that in Clayton?

I honestly don't know. I only dined at the downtown Tony's. But the experience is etched into my brain.

The last time we dined there with friends, we noticed a very recognizable voice from behind us. It was Brad Garrett ("Everybody Loves Raymond") who was in town performing.

[abuxb]

Geez...47 years living in St. Louis, yet I never once dined at Tony's; Anthony's; Al's; Al Baker's; Dominic's; Kemoll's; Kreis; Busch's Grove; nor dozens of other iconic local eateries.

Well, Durant's in Phoenix was great, but I feel like I missed so much of classic St. Louis.

You have time to get to Dominic's, they're still going strong!

So is Al's

[abuxb]

Rumors are that the official reason for the closure is work force related. They were unable to find any hosts / hostesses who could walk backwards up the stairs to take you to your table. IYKYK

Did they also do that in Clayton?

No. That was at the original location on N Broadway only. The Clayton location is all on one floor.

[BrummerStealsHome]

First thing I thought of was Gian-Tony's. Alas, I've never been to Tony's.

[Pink Freud]

The last time we dined there with friends, we noticed a very recognizable voice from behind us. It was Brad Garrett ("Everybody Loves Raymond") who was in town performing.

When I moonlighted serving at Buca di Beppo in the Hollywood Hills in 2012-13 --- where Brynn Hartman had her final meal and drinks before killing hubby Phil Hartman, then herself, two blocks away --- , Brad Garrett was one of our customers. He regaled us with this tale of his standup days in Vegas, opening for a rapidly fading Frank Sinatra: "Frank would come out after my comedy set, and first thing out of his mouth, he'd generously say 'Let's hear it for that great young comic.....Greg.....uhhhh...Barrett!' He never did get my name right."

Because the star of "Everybody Loves Raymond", Ray Romano, is 6 ft. 4, some people are surprised to learn Brad Garrett is 6 ft. 9. Good thing I never served him during my days at Rossino's.

[Pink Freud]

First thing I thought of was Gian-Tony's. Alas, I've never been to Tony's.

The finest single meal I ever had in St. Louis was at Gian-Tony's. Veal Oscar that night, strongly suggested by my brother, who was paying. And I'm not even a veal fan. Fantastic meal from start to finish.