Oni is turning up the volume on The Grove’s nightlife. The new ramen-and-sushi spot at 4370 Manchester Avenue leans into an izakaya‑style vibe, serving big-flavored bowls, flashy sushi rolls and shareable bar snacks that practically beg to be ordered for the table at 11 p.m.
The opening has already caught local attention. According to the St. Louis Post‑Dispatch, Oni is helmed by owner Ben Sawyer, along with a tight-knit crew that includes Caleb Sawyer, Kevin Woolfoolk and Nikki Francis. That review casts Oni as a deliberate mashup of traditional ramen and sushi technique with a bit of St. Louis showmanship, designed to play well with both purists and late-night grazers.
The menu reads like a roll call of comfort food with a few flexes. Ramen options include Spicy Beef, a chicken-based Golden Chocobo, a classic Tonkotsu and the Delmar, a fully loaded bowl with shrimp, scallops and lobster. Sushi runs from straight-ahead standards to house creations like the Blue O and a St. Louis roll, while the snack list features house-made crab rangoons and salmon cakes dusted with Red Hot Riplets seasoning. A full breakdown of dishes, hours and contact details is listed on Oni's menu.
Early reviews say the highs are already pretty high, even if there is some room to tighten things up. St. Louis Magazine praised the Golden Chocobo for its bold, tingly broth and called out the gyoza and salmon cakes as standouts, while noting that the tonkotsu underwhelmed and the rice was inconsistent on one visit. The takeaway: Oni feels like a strong new player in the city’s ramen game that could really hit its stride as the kitchen sharpens execution.
What to Order
First-timers would do well to start with the Golden Chocobo or the Spicy Beef ramen, which reviewers say showcase the kitchen’s strengths. Snack-wise, The Goons crab rangoons make for easy, crowd-pleasing starters. When it is on offer, the seafood-packed Delmar bowl is a bit of a showpiece and works nicely for sharing. To see the full lineup and check what specials are running, take a look at Oni's menu before you head out.
What This Means For The Grove
Oni drops into The Grove at a moment when the neighborhood is clearly embracing late-night dining and a varied restaurant mix. St. Louis Magazine notes that Oni follows a few earlier sushi concepts in the area and makes use of a well-decorated space on Manchester. With both lunch and dinner service plus those extended hours, it adds another option for noodly bowls, sushi rolls and shareable plates that match the district’s after-dark pace.
