Sweet First Impressions

Skepticism is my default position when a new chain or franchise restaurant arrives. Sometimes creative local efforts in cuisine go under (think Epicurean and Pairings), all while put-melted-cheese-on-top-of-it chains thrive with packed parking lots. Yet the best high-end chain restaurants appear to be steakhouses. Doe's Eat Place, for example, hits the spot with its "heck-yeah-I'll-pay-$27" beef. The new J. Buck's (Battlefield Mall, 417-823-7167) operates in a similar vein. Its beef is wonderful (though not Doe's-level), but the menu in general is not exclusively steak-y. Rather, it's "St. Louis-style American," which seems to mean "Midwestern, with some multicultural flavors."

It's rather good. Somehow, I got invited to a freebie-VIP night and can report a completely delicious evening (which is hard for any restaurant to accomplish): spicy calamari to whet my appetite, followed by a properly cooked medium-rare strip with unctuous tarragon butter and interesting desserts. The service was impeccable, worthy of 20-percent-plus tips. Others who have visited J.Buck's largely agree with me. Here's a sampling of their words.

• "I thought it was overall pretty good. I had the tilapia... slightly crisp on top and served with potatoes and a mushroom-champagne sauce. And two white chocolate raspberry martinis...very smooth and tasty. The ambience was nice, too... and the private dining rooms!" -Tasha Blackwell, Springfield (ex-417 Magazine staff)

• "Calamari was great. Spicy with a sweet sauce. Crispy but not too dry. Great bar... I think it will definitely become a hotspot. The booths surrounding it seem like a great place for happy hour, too." -Anna Eberle-Mayse, GO Magazine staff

• "What stood out to me was that four out of seven people at my table ordered steak, but they all had different flavors and sauces. The steaks were all prepared to our specifications, which is hard to find in most restaurants. The calamari was a little heavy on breading for me, but it was really spicy, which I loved. The bar area was really nice and comfy... kind of like Touch's bar. Once the patio can open, I plan on going to have happy hour. Another thing that stood out was the lack of appetizers. Most chains have a whole page dedicated to them. J. Buck's only had six to choose from... But it was a nice change of pace to not see an entire page of fried stuff with cheese." -Dylan Whitaker, 417 Magazine staff

• "I like that they have an outdoor dining area. I mean, it's on the parking lot, but still, a nice touch! I thought the bar was nice and big and would be easy to navigate around, which gives it happy hour social scene potential. I like that they have private rooms that don't cost extra, you just request them when you call in with a big party. Good for power lunches or small meetings. Everything I ate was fantastic. I think it's good for Springfield because although it's a chain, it's in a whole different league than Applebee's, Cheddar's, etc." -Logan Aguirre, GO Magazine staff

Consensus? Great place. Order the steak and make it a happy-hour haunt. And make reservations. We had a letter from one reader, Michael W. Stafford of Fair Grove, who didn't have them. Facing a 45-minute wait, he wanted to pass the time at the bar with his younger-than-18 kids. But the restaurant doesn't allow kids younger than 12 at the bar after 5 p.m., so the Staffords were ushered to the entrance area. Reservations aren't required at J. Buck's, but calling them in prevents frustration.