by Craig Kaminer Photos by Spencer Pernikoff

Matt McGuire is not only one of the best restaurateurs in St. Louis, he has a cult following among anyone who has ever eaten at his restaurants. Try getting into Louie’s and his new Wright’s Tavern without a month’s notice. But those of us who crave his food, make reservations far in advance, and find friends who are dying to try his places, but never can get in.

Wright’s Tavern is in the revered iFratellini space on Wydown, it's quite intimate (only 36 seats), is masterfully waited on by the best career wait staff who have been with McGuire for years, and who know their clients well. There are a lot of hugs, showing of recent kid pictures, and sampling some of the newest items on the carefully curated menu adding to the family feel of this new Clayton hotspot.

McGuire named the restaurant for Henry Wright, the architect responsible for designing many of Clayton’s neighborhoods, and describes Wright’s Tavern as a “small neighborhood steakhouse which leans heavily into seafood.”

Long-time friend Cary McDowell who worked with McGuire at King Louie’s years ago heads up the kitchen with a straightforward approach to the “best renditions of the originals” ranging from filet au poivre, steak frites, shrimp scampi, a no-filler crab cake, an 18-ounce ribeye and a daily selection of perfectly prepared fish. Much like a Danny Meyer restaurant in NYC, the food is consistently great, and the hospitality even better. You will be treated like you have been coming here for your entire life.

McDowell worked for chef Daniel Boulud in New York, the Crossing in Clayton with Jimmy Fiala, and even helped Pi expand to include other properties like Gringo and Pi-Rico. He is highly regarded among the chef community and even more so by anyone who has eaten his food.

Though McGuire and McDowell describe Wright's Tavern as a neighborhood steakhouse, they are less hung up on a concept and more focused on creating a place that embodies what they want to experience when they go out to eat. A restaurant is a feeling, McGuire insists, and he and McDowell hope to create a special kind of alchemy based on the fundamentals: outstanding, well-executed classics; consistency; and the kind of hospitality and overall experience that just makes people happy.

"Good is good," McGuire says. "You don't need to be told why. People get so caught up in the provenance of things, but you don't need to be told why something is good. You just experience it and you know."

And of course, that is what this clientele loves and expects. More than half the restaurant is filled with McGuire regulars, and all, including me, have waited 6 weeks or longer to get in. We started with beautifully crafted cocktails and then a fabulous bottle of wine with dinner. We shared a no-filler crab cake, wedge salad, a New York strip, onion rings and spinach, but failed to order the ice cream sundae which sounded amazing (by the moans at the next table).

Next time I go, I will start with the oysters, then split shrimp scampi and the filet au poivre, a side of french fries, and the ice cream sundae. I heard the scallops, Dover sole and halibut are also outrageous, so perhaps I will try these on my third visit.

While you can't go wrong at any of the new hot spots on Wydown, I would say that Wright’s will quickly become your go-to steak and seafood place despite two or three highly regarded restaurants just a few blocks away. Bar Moro will be your go to for a dinner with adventurous friends who appreciate Spanish and Portuguese delights and a sherry menu like no other, and Bistro La Floraison will be your favorite French wine bar to meet a friend for a drink, and then stay for dinner.

Aside from great eats on Wydown, the neighborhoods are beautiful and worth a stroll before or after your meal. But don’t get carried away and get the urge to buy one of the homes for sale as you burn off dinner. Wydown is in one of the nicest and most expensive neighborhoods in St. Louis.

You Can't Go Wrong at Wright’s