A local neighborhood bar and grill starting in Chicago, IL

O’FALLON, MO (StLouisRestaurantReview) JJ Twigs Pizza - Reviewing restaurants is fun, and you meet many interesting people.  Restaurants develop their own personality, which the owners, staff, and customers create.

Running a restaurant takes work.  Many fail because startups frequently need to pay more attention to the commitment that must be made to make it truly successful.  It is a machine with many moving parts.

We are constantly seeking those small, locally-owned restaurants that people love to help educate more people about their existence.  It is more challenging than it appears.

We found a simple and traditional pizza, grill, and pub that has been around for decades that should be recognized for its dedication, service, and success.

This review is easy to write because it has such a unique story that we hope to learn more.

We visited with Michael Brennan, who owns JJ Twigs Pizza & Pub in O’Fallon, Missouri.  There are other JJ twigs in the community:

- 2964 Dougherty Ferry Rd, Valley Park, MO 63122

- 5600 Hampton Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63109

I had heard of them from a few friends, but with three locations, they are not highly visible, which is why we are writing about them.  They deserve local recognition.  After visiting with Brennan, I discovered a unique story about the brand.

There is no business structure that obligates these independent owners from running their own businesses.  Still, they all work together and cooperate to keep the brand alive but do not have an interest in creating a chain or franchise out of the current success.  To see this kind of respect and cooperation without any problems at all is inspirational, considering the social environment we live in now.

Three or four locations around the Chicago region are part of the group and cooperation; another is at 1815 Bagnell Dam Blvd, Lake Ozark, MO 65049.

We understand that all locations buy the same Italian beef from a Chicago supplier that makes it specifically for JJ Twigs.

However, this review is specific to the O’Fallon location owned and managed by Brennan; however, we are getting more detail about this establishment.

Before the interview, I stopped in early, unannounced, to have lunch to get the JJ Twigs experience.

The first thing that I noticed was that the staff knew most of the customers.  It is a favorite local hangout.  Nonetheless, the place is clean, and the food and service were excellent, which is what I expected to see based on its online reviews.

After the interview and digging around more, we found more impressive information relevant to many customers.

During the last two health inspections, these are the impressive results for the O’Fallon location:

- 02-16-2022 - 100%

- 11-22-2022 - 100%

I don’t know how the other locations are operated, but this location is actively managed by Brennan and his reliable staff, some having served the restaurant since its opening in 2009.  Brennan was the original manager and purchased the location from the owners/founders, Mike and Teresa Gauvain, in 2014.

Based on the information we have access to, Mike and Teresa created the three locations in the St. Louis region.  Still, they decided to sell off two locations and keep the Valley Park facility.

The secret is that the cheese is 100% Whole Milk Mozzarella, the Italian Sausage is made in Chicago specifically for them, and the sauce, dough, and toppings are prepared daily using only the best ingredients.

The seating capacity is approximately 120, which they had more, but they removed tables during the pandemic and decided not to add them back.  The facility occupies about 3,000 square feet.

This location does not offer online ordering or delivery, but that could change in the future.

Brennan is happy with the business as it is.  Unlike most restaurant owners, he does not share a dream of additional locations because he does not want to jeopardize what is successful for his location now.  While he is open-minded, he is very dedicated to keeping customers happy and why change a good thing.

Not only do they serve a great pizza, but the grill side of the menu is just as excellent, offering burgers, sandwiches, salads, and more.

JJ Twigs Pizza & Pub online reviews as of June 8, 2023, are as follows:

- Google - 4.5 Stars with almost 700 online customer reviews

- Facebook - 4.5 Stars with 145 votes

- Yelp - 4 Stars with 88 reviews

- TripAdvisor - 4.5 Stars with 41 reviews

Typically, we do not challenge online reviews.  However, while there is nothing wrong with 4.5 Stars, we believe this establishment is rated low, especially on Yelp.  Yelp commonly has the lowest rating for any business, but the health inspection scores, sauce, dough, and toppings being prepared fresh daily are apparently being overlooked or under-appreciated.

We will continue to discover new information about this unique situation because it is intriguing and inspirational.

Address and phone:

Current service options: Dine-in-Carryout - No Online Ordering

1090 Tom Ginnever Avenue

O'Fallon, Missouri 63366

Phone: 636-379-4446


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