Just outside St. Louis in Chesterfield, Missouri, Annie Gunn’s has spent decades earning its reputation as a genuine local dining institution.
Paired with the adjacent Smoke House Market, this family-owned restaurant built its name on dry-aged steaks, smoked seafood, and a menu that changes with the seasons and even by the hour. 🍷
It’s the kind of local restaurant St. Louis diners drive across the county for, and rightly so.
How Annie Gunn’s won Chesterfield’s hearts
Annie Gunn’s is owned and operated by the Sehnert family, with Jane, Thom, and Liam Sehnert listed as proprietors on the restaurant’s own menu, while Executive Chef Lou Rook III leads the kitchen.
That kind of hands-on family ownership, paired with a nationally recognized chef, has helped the restaurant earn a place in the Fine Dining Hall of Fame and a St. Louis Magazine Restaurant of the Year honor.
Diners consistently point to the connection between the restaurant and its neighboring Smoke House Market, since much of what lands on the plate, from the bacon to the aged beef, comes straight from the market next door.
The restaurant’s commitment to local Missouri ingredients shows up throughout the menu, from Heritage Poultry raised in Syracuse, Missouri, to seasonal produce from local farmers.
Chef Lou’s nightly Prix Fixe experience, where the kitchen decides what to serve, has become a beloved ritual for regulars who trust the kitchen completely.
That level of trust, built meal after meal, is exactly how a family-run steakhouse becomes a St. Louis-area landmark.
Food Highlights
- Bourbon Brined and Grilled Heritage Hog Chop: A 16-18 ounce chop with Maker’s Mark peach chutney, grilled local peaches, Gorgonzola Verde Dolce, and bacon-braised collard greens.
-
Grilled and Carved USDA Prime Striploin: Prime striploin finished with an Ozark Forest mushroom and roasted sweet pepper pan sauce, served with hand-cut fries and home-grown tomatoes. 🥩
- Calves Liver: Sautéed with caramelized Vidalia onions, house-smoked slab bacon, and a Jameson Irish whiskey sauce.
- Natural Half Chicken: Heritage poultry from Syracuse, Missouri, roasted and served with vegetable pan gravy and whipped Yukon Gold potatoes.
-
Grilled Marinated Muscovy Duck Breast: Served with a classic bigarade sauce, bing cherry compote, and toasted barley wild rice pilaf 🍒
-
Chicken Fried Steak: USDA Prime sirloin, crispy fried and topped with classic cream gravy alongside whipped Yukon Gold potatoes
- Gunn’s Patty Melt: Double quarter-pound griddled patties on toasted rye with Emmi Swiss and Widmer one-year-old cheddar.
-
“The Legend” Burger: Eight ounces of dry-aged prime beef and hickory-smoked bacon, griddled with Gorgonzola Verde Dolce and pickled green tomatoes 🍔
Atmosphere
The dining room carries a refined but welcoming Missouri roadhouse feel, blending white-tablecloth service with a genuinely local, unpretentious spirit.
It works equally well for a celebratory steak dinner or a relaxed lunch of soup and a sandwich.
The connection to the adjoining Smoke House Market gives the whole property a working-farm, market-fresh energy that’s rare for a restaurant of this caliber.
Bottom Line
Visit for the dry-aged prime steaks, Chef Lou’s nightly Prix Fixe surprise menu, the Sehnert family’s hands-on ownership, the Smoke House Market connection, and a menu built almost entirely on local Missouri ingredients.
Address:
16806 Chesterfield Airport Road, Chesterfield, MO 63005
📞 (636) 532-7684
🕔 Tue-Sun 11 AM–10 PM (closed Monday)