First Look: Beast Butcher & Block in The Grove

In early 2018, David Sandusky noticed something missing in The Grove. “It was empty of barbecue,” he said. A year later, doors are set to open this Saturday, June 15 at Beast Butcher & Block, his sophomore barbecue joint.

The 6,000-square-foot former office building at 4156 Manchester Ave. used to be the building everyone walked by on their way to Atomic Cowboy, Handlebar or The Ready Room. Now, after an expensive renovation that involved installing six smokers and indoor wood-fired grills on the premises, as well as building out a large, street-side patio, the space is ready for Beast.

At first, the menu will be very similar to Beast’s flagship location, Beast Craft BBQ in Belleville, but Sandusky said he intends to build off it and eventually create a new entity. Customers can look forward to barbecued items like pulled pork, basted belly, spare ribs and turkey, as well as a smoked cauliflower dish for vegetarians.

Read More // Tour legendary St. Louis barbecue joints with Beast Craft BBQ's David Sandusky

All Beast’s pork comes from Compart Family Farms in Nicollet, Minnesota, which Sandusky said yields “the best pigs in the country. “ Also on the menu is brisket from Double R Farms and Wagyu brisket from Snake River Farms.

The dining room is counter service; runners will deliver meals to the tables. The beverage selections includes a solid list of local beers from breweries like 4 Hands Brewing Co., Six Mile Bridge Beer, Urban Chestnut Brewing Co. and Civil Life Brewing Co. Beast also offers Excel pure cane sugar sodas.

As Beast’s new name implies, this isn’t just a restaurant. Beast Butcher & Block also includes an expansive butcher shop that will feature some of the franchise’s most beloved cuts. Executive chef (and former Sauce One to Watch) Ryan McDonald said patrons can expect rib-eyes, short loin, ground beef and eventually an array of 10 to 12 custom sausages. They’ll also offer sides like salsa verde and house-made pickles for carryout.

A third room at Beast Butcher & Block will exclusively house private events. Known as The Skullery, the event space has its own grills and kitchen island, and will offer special menus for events like ticketed dinners. McDonald also said that they’d like to offer classes at some point.

Beast Butcher & Block will be open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.  Here’s a look at The Grove’s new barbecue joint.

Adam Rothbarth is a staff writer at Sauce Magazine.