First Look: Twisted Ranch at Tropical Liqueurs in The Grove

Twisted Ranch fans can now get a late-night fix. The nationally recognized eatery’s first satellite location opened quietly Tuesday, Oct. 29, inside Tropical Liqueurs in The Grove.

“We had been looking to expand for a while, and Trops, which had been in Soulard near our original location, approached us about a year ago to see if we were interested,” said Jim Hayden, who co-owns Twisted Ranch with Chad Allen. “It sounded like a great opportunity.”

The Grove location offers only counter service, unlike the flagship store with table service.

“Customers come up and order and pay, then we text them when it's ready,” Hayden said.

The new menu retains roughly 90 percent of the original spread, including dill pickle chips, a chicken-bacon-ranch flatbread and more, as well as all 33 ranch blends, from avocado and Cajun to cilantro-lime and pesto.

“There are a few things, like our pasta entrees, that we felt didn't go as well here,” Hayden said. “We're planning to work on expanding and adding some new stuff at this location within the next couple weeks.”

The expansion will include the addition of a new ranch flavor and a complementary food item.

So far, the satellite location has seen a much later crowd come through. “People generally come into our Soulard spot at dinnertime, but we’ve seen a lot more people come through late in the evening here – the drinking crowd,” Hayden said. “Trops – and this whole area, really – is becoming a lot more family-friendly, though, so we think it’ll become increasingly family-oriented during the day.”

The approximately 7,500-square-foot airy space seats about 160 inside with room for about 65 more on the patio.

“It’s a fun atmosphere here – a little more energy, a little more upbeat; they're here to be more outgoing and loud,” Hayden said.

The eatery has yet to determine set hours while the owners figure out staffing issues, but it should be open for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Hayden said he hopes to offer dinner on Saturdays within the next few weeks, as well as expand overall hours, including offering weekday lunch. Here’s a look at The Grove’s newest food service.

Lauren Healey is associate editor at Sauce Magazine.