WineO

Walked by here last Fri & it looks like they’ve closed
Ate here a couple years ago & it was not good or worth it, even with a Groupon deal

Our server/​bartender Brooke was fabulous. She’s the only reason I didn’t give one star. The wine was great and she was very knowledgeable.
That being said, the food was sub par. My girlfriend’s salmon smelled and tasted fishy to the point where we were afraid to eat it because we thought it was spoiled. I ordered my steak rare and it came out medium well to well done. Both dishes were incredibly salty.
Go for drinks. Skip the food.

At this point, I’m not sure if their open anymore. I thought the service was nice, but the kitchen was damn slow and we were the only ones there. I thought the food was better than I expected. The chicken and steak were cooked well and tasted like good quality meat. The pizza wasn’t so great but that was probably our fault for ordering it. I like the location, it’s just a shame that there is not more going on here. It seems like it could be a good spot if they could only get a decent crowd.

I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS PLACE!
The first time my husband and I went to WineO, we were just going for drinks. We ordered a fruit and cheese plate. I was amazed at how it was put together. It wasn’t just strawberries and grapes. They put oranges, dates, and apples. We were told about the different specials they had on each night of the week, and immediately wanted to go to the Couples Night on thursdays. $ 50 for 2 apps, 2 entrees, 2 desserts and a bottle of their house red or white wine. That’s a great deal!
I set up a couples dinner for 12 of our friends at WineO on a thursday night. Service was great. The waitress was very sweet and accommodating for a group as big as ours. I had the calamari, the 4 cheese pasta, and the cheesecake. The food was spectacular.
I would recommend everyone to eat here on a couples night. Great for a date night or even just drinks.

I went to a Place called WineO & ATE like a FoodO! Yum.
I notice most of the bad reviews are from a while ago– thinking something must have changed because my husband & I absolutely loved the place!
Tried it here for the 1^st time to get a bite before a concert at the Electric Factory.
Don’t be fooled by appearances. My husband confessed when we first walked in he was wondering what I got him into. Upon entering, there was a guy standing out front smoking, a couple dudes at the bar & 1 table of people eating. I guess it looked too much like a bar fly place to him which he is most definitely not.
Hubby’s tune quickly changed after talking with the charming hostess & our friendly waitress, Brooke.
We ordered & were told our choices were excellent & we ordered delicious plates. This was very true! !! Everything was EXCELLENT! Can’t wait to go back.
Only downfall– they have ruined Calamari for me from everywhere else…
SERIOUSLY– GET THE CALAMARI!!! BEST EVER! the aioli sauce is out of this world & it is also served with roasted peppers… Ok my mouth just watered! Time to go back to WINEO! :)

My boyfriend and I used a
gift certificate for an impromptu date night. I struggled between a 3 and 4 star rating, and ultimately decided to give them a 4 in hopes that my next visit will bump them up from that 3.49 999.
We got there a little after 6, and there was one other couple at the bar. It was warm inside, but it was also very hot outside, and the windows were open. The décor is nice enough. I like the mixed matched chairs, but the random disco ball was confusing.
Our server was awesome. She had waters on the table right away, and kept it filled. When we got our appetizers, I asked for extra napkins before realizing she already had them sitting there. Five stars to her.
We got an order of Sweet and Spicy wings, and an order of calamari for an appetizer. The wings were giant and meaty, and I’d like to try the regular buffalo wings. The calamari was 3 times the portion you get at any other restaurant, and came fried peppers and onions, and 3 dipping sauces. We took most of the calamari home.
I ordered the salmon with grilled vegetables and portabella. It wasn’t bad, but it was heavy on olive oil, the mushrooms and tomatoes were very lemony, with the rest of the dish being a bit bland. The salmon was cooked well, but I wouldn’t order it again.
Boyfriend ordered the Italian sausage sandwich. He enjoyed it, and I had some of the saucy cheesy Italian hoagie roll it was on. The marinara was delicious, as was the bread. In fact, if I could, I would just order saucy cheese bread.
The owner popped over to check on us during our entrees. The little boy mentioned in other reviews was there, but he kept to himself and was well behaved.
WineO has happy hour, but its only valid at the bar, which is kind of annoying. Also they have a $ 25 dollar card minimum, which is absurd, and FYI, against Visa/​Mastercard bylaws.

The first time I went here was because I saw the mural outside which was a very nice classy painting of some flowers and the catchy name «Wine-​O»
When I came to try it out, it was sort of a mix match of a sports bar/​weird instruments on the wall/​super loud music (with the free internet radio ads playing)/ and a really dark seating area. There was also a massive and bright TV in the corner. The décor certainly wasn’t anything like I expected from a place that I assumed was supposed to be a classy wine bar.
But that’s not a big deal. The food was all right, a little pricey considering it’s pretty much on par with all the other neighboring restaurants, and the waitstaff didn’t seem to know their wines, which you’d think would be a really really big deal at a wine bar.
The biggest problem I have with this place is the owner. If the owner had not been in the place while I visited the past … every single time, I’d probably like the place 23 589 734 598 374 times more. The owner, I thought was very cordial and kind the first time I visited with a friend and gave us discount cards.
Then the second time I visited, I sat at the bar with a friend and he came to join us. I was informed about his money troubles, his impending divorce, how he thought I needed a better haircut, and how awful women are (I’m female, by the way).
I came over again to meet with a friend because it was convenient, and this time Mr Giovanni joined into the conversation again. I commented on the weird decoration (how the place doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be), and he coldly told me that «it wasn’t for me» and got incredibly defensive and started explaining every single part of the décor and why it was meaningful to him. Later that night he also offered me a job.
Yes, you heard me right. I never once said I needed a job, or didn’t have a job, or had some sort of weird money trouble. I never even mentioned experience in the restaurant business. Nothing like that. He simply eyed me up and down and asked me I’d like to work there. Disgusting.
Most recently, and certainly the last trip I will ever take to Wine-​O, was for a birthday gathering with perhaps 10 people. The food was good. The waitress was a little flustered but understandably so with a large party. Unfortunately Mr. Monster Owner was there, and clearly in a bad mood, taking the time to bring all the wait staff over to the other room (but not out of earshot) and yell at them… for… doing their job? It was hard to say. All he was saying was that he was in a bad mood and they were somehow upsetting him. As he passed the bar, I asked him how he was, which he ignored. As he walked by later on, I asked again. He finally paused, with a look disgust in his face, and a deep annoyance in the fact that I had even addressed him, and snapped at me something that wasn’t even a response, and stalked off.
Then our bill came, we paid with cash and got the incorrect amount of change back. When we brought this up with the staff it seemed that they didn’t know what happened and couldn’t figure out what to do and sort of refused to sort it out. We ended up being overcharged about $ 30.
So, no, I don’t recommend this place and will not be coming back, and neither will any of the 10 people in my party.

I can’t believe I used to live in the area for 3 years and never stopped in this place-I’m seriously beating myself up about this since I had a wonderful experience here and I now live in NYC.
I stopped in randomly on a Friday night with the bestie and was delighted to discover they had an amazing happy hour menu.
I ordered two glasses of house red and the MOST BEAUTIFUL and DELICIOUS cheese and fruit plate I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve been to some foofy wine and cheese spots, and they’re not touching WineO in terms of quality and presentation.
We had to do a double take when we saw the bill, it was ridiculously affordable for the vast amount of food and drinks we ordered.
I loved my experience here so much that I got a WineO T-​shirt to take back home with me. Yet I may have to wear it in dimly lit places so people don’t think I’m a complete lush.

Nice ambiance, good food, music is ok, depending on the night. Bartenders are very very nice and welcoming. Stopped in for happy hour and sat at the bar with friends.
I heard they do a burlesque night once a month which draws a good crowd.

This used to be the Ministry of Information. It’s really weird walking in the place, because it looks like Ministry, but it’s not Ministry. It’s like the Twilight Zone.
I went to dinner this past Friday with a friend of mine that had a groupon (or Living Social deal, I forget which).
The décor and ambiance is very nice, and they were empty when we got there. We were seated right away, and the waitress came over right away. Neither of us ordered a drink, and our water came quickly. Then we waited. And waited. And waited. Finally! we got to order! Then we waited and waited and waited. Finally we got to eat! The manager came early in our meal and we confirmed the food was good. The waitress did not come. I put my empty water glass on the edge of the table. And the waitress did not come. I tried to make eye contact, I tried to wave. The waitress did not acknowldge us. Finally my friend went to the manager for water. We were almost done our meal at the point.
The food was very good, nothing to scream about, but decent. But it is not worth the wait and terrible service.
Also, I did not mind this, but something to note– there was a little boy of about 3 that belonged to the manager/​owner. He kept being helped out of the kitchen and was running around the restuarant, not causing much of a ruckus, but not helping the romantic ambiance. At one point, he came to our table and wanted to sit with us. He said he had chicken nuggets, and I told him to get them and come sit with us. His dad (? I guess) came and retrieved him after a couple minutes. I wouldn’t have minded him joining us, but I’m sure many diners would find this very annoying.

After my 4^th time here I am finally writing this just because this place is just superb.
A nice, family owned business with great food and service! The last time I dined there I ordered the stuffed portobello mushroom with ground beef (I get it every time!) along with steamed clams with chorizo sausage– awesome portions for the price!
Definitely will be returning!!!

Hosted my 23^rd birthday here this past weekend, where my guests got sufficiently plastered while watching the incredibly talented and beautiful women from Bravissimo Burlesque. We shimmied and sashayed, ate, drank, and toasted with private drink specials for our party. (Thanks for hooking us up Giovanni!) The bartenders were able to keep up with our group of 25+ party attendees, as well as the 30 or so other guests that evening. Impressive for such a small, crowded space.
Any other night: food’s not bad, service is just ok and drinks are reasonably priced.
But the burlesque show evenings, on the last Saturday of each month, are truly what keeps us coming back. 5 stars for them alone and for Wino playing host.

Attended the absolutely amazing burlesque show here over the weekend for a birthday party (hey Allie H.!) It’s a very chill bar in NoLibs. We stuck with wine and beer, which were a good value. Our bartender was really friendly and attentive. Shots were $ 6, a nice deal if you’re into that.
The real attraction was definitely the burlesque show, which was great fun. Some stellar performances and it’s an intimate space, so you really feel like you’re a part of the show! Be sure to check them out.

Don’t bother!
We originally tried this place in February 2010. We were joined by friends and everyone commented on how cold the place was — no heat! The food was kinda blah, and some things listed on the menu were not available. The wait staff was limited, and not very responsive (the place had only a few tables of people seated). The owner stopped by to visit with us and told us of all the upcoming changes. He gave us a coupon (business card) for complimentary glasses of wine on our return.
Fast forward to August 2011 … we decided we’d head back to WineO for another try and a quaint dinner for two. This time the interior was hot and muggy (AC was not working???). Our overall experience was terrible. The waitress was unfriendly, and couldn’t bother to tell us the specials (we overheard them after we ordered, as people from other tables asked and she relayed them). And as bad as we thought her attitude was, it got worse when she noticed we had coupons for complimentary glasses of wine and a recyclebank coupon for $ 10 off.
I ordered an appetizer, told they were out of it. I ordered an entrée (Lamb Lollichops), told they haven’t had them in months. I ordered one of their specialty cocktails (contained Bourbon and pineapple juice), was told that’s a winter drink (they only have that Bourbon in the winter). Not once did she make suggestions for a possible substitute on any of these items. I made a suggestion, how about they update their menu to contain only items they actually have to offer!
The dining room was darkly lit, and there was a bright light from the kitchen window. We also had the wonderful feature of a screaming child to enjoy during our time there — someone in the kitchen brought their child to work, and we had to listen as the child screamed and ran about — the wait staff all doing their part to keep the child entertained. We had trouble holding a conversation due to the lack of being able to hear ourselves over the screaming.
In the end, I started off with the octopus over arugula — there was more arugula than octopus and it was drenched in a Balsamic dressing (very overpowering). My entrée was the salmon, with vegetables in a Balsamic reduction. The plate and vegetables were a deep dark shade of Balsamic — there was no reduction, it was a soupy state. The Salmon was placed atop the dark mess, so at least I was able to eat that (cooked all the way through and a bit dry).
And last, I did not see any changes the owner spoke of a year ago. Save your money, don’t bother with this place.

Worst. Restaurant. Ever.
EVER!
I went here with my boyfriend this past winter. We went on a weeknight, so the place was practically empty. We sat down at a table, and immediately realized it was too cold in the restaurant to take off our coats. It must have been 50 degrees in the place. Even the lone waiter was wearing a wool cap!
We waited for the waiter as free internet radio (replete with super loud commercials) buzzed through the sound system, and the fluorescent glow of the flat screen TVs cut through the red-​hued low lighting. The décor was neither here nor there: the place couldn’t decide whether it wanted to be a neighborhood dive or an intimate restaurant.
When the waiter arrived, we ordered a bottle of wine. He said he was out of it, but that the vendor had sent a substitute. We said we’d be happy to check out the substitute. When he came back with the bottle, he immediately started opening it…
My BF: Can we check out the bottle and decide if we want it before you open it?
Waiter: I mean, it’s a chianti like the other one. See? It has one of those pink labels.
My BF: Well, then can you tell us a little more about it?
Waiter: The vendor sent it to replace the other one, so it’s gotta be like that one…
You’d think a guy who owns a place called WineO (I’m fairly certain that our waiter was the owner) or even WORKS at a place called WineO would know a little more about wines…
With the drink orders filled, we asked him for an appetizer recommendation, and ordered accordingly. It was TERRIBLE. Cold, soggy toasted bread topped with some tomato mix. Really, really bad.
We then shivered some more as we waited for our main courses (which took much too long considering how few people were in the place). Finally, they arrived. My meal was unmemorable, though I do recall thinking that it tasted like a frozen dinner. My boyfriend’s, on the other hand, was unforgettable: it was the worst gnocchi I’d ever tasted. It tasted like white flour. Nothing else. Really, really bad.
As for the price: RIDICULOUS. Our god awful meal in that terrible place set us back over $ 80!
I will never go back.

I typically like to review RIGHT after I visit a place, but I’ve been behind.
I’m going to leave out details in order to keep this as accurate as possible.
We went on a weekday evening and the owner was our server. As a whole, he was cordial to us. How was the food? I don’t really remember. Must have been mediocre, plus the interactions below would have negated any positive food experience.
The wine list was pretty much obsolete. Anything we asked to order had a «substitute» that he recommended. With a name like «Wine-​O», you would expect to receive an accurate wine list.
Our bill came to $ 59, $ 40 of which we paid with a Groupon, and still had a $ 19 balance remaining to pay. When we put our card on the table with the check, he informed us that there was a $ 25 minimum on a card. (hello, even if we consider the discounted groupon price we still paid $ 39 for everything). We paid with a $ 20, he received a $ 1.00 tip.
Never, ever, ever going back.

Exceedingly mediocre. Yep, I bet you didn’t know an establishment could exceed at being mediocre, but this place does it. I wasn’t too impressed my first trip out here, but gave it a second chance. Walking in to an empty bar at 9 on a Saturday was my first clue that I was making a mistake. The small furry critter that ran across the dining room floor after we sat down was the second. I’m sure lots of restaurants have mice; I’ve just never seen them.
The food just isn’t good. I’m not a wine drinker, but I’ve been assured the house wine is terrible. I just couldn’t wait to get out of there and was in a lousy mood for the rest of the evening.
As mentioned by others, the saving grace of this place is the bartender/​server, Kissy (I may be spelling that wrong). She makes it worth stopping in for a drink, but that’s all they’ll be getting out of me.

My girlfriend and I went to WineO using a Groupon we picked up a few months back. Our reservation was for 6pm, but it was clear that we didn’t need to make one, as we were two of about 10 people in the entire place (The place opens at 5pm, so I’m sure it picks up later in the evening). The Breastaurant (what I like to call restaurants with prominent bars) was lightly decorated and simple with dim lighting and an overall cozy interior. Our server was prompt, but not pushy, and knowledgable regarding the menu (both food and wine) without being condescending (my girlfriend and aren’t huge wine enthusiasts). So far we were pleased.
What thrilled us both was the quality of the food. I had a seafood risotto, which literally had a peice of seafood in every single bite and was delicious. The GF had tortollini in a pesto cream sauce (which I was happy to steal a bite of) that was also wonderful. We shared an awesome calamari appetizer and tiramisu dessert, and split a bottle of wine (reccomended by the waiter — excellent).
Overall, I would reccomend WineO as a first-​date Impress-​a-​New-​Girl night (especially if you know a little about wine). The food rocks, and the service/​setting is simple and romantic.

I don’t like to see businesses fail, especially when they’re in my neighborhood.
But this place, with its name that conveys all sorts of wild and fun adventures with wine and food (but that couldn’t be further from the truth), is going nowhere fast. You can’t help the location, but you can help attract repeat clientele with friendly, accessible and knowledgeable service. You can help by creating an interesting, conservatively-​sized menu that is focused on serving good food.
Clearly understaffed — during our last visit, the owner, visibly flustered, served us. There was a lot of sighing, glasses being slammed down, waiting forever a day for actual service, and an overall brusque and chilly attitude that made us feel as though we were wasting his time. As for the cherry on top, WineO offers a menu that’s all over the place, TGI Friday’s style, being comprised of sushi, hot wings, pita pizzas and gnocchi? what? and the execution, as you would have expected, is totally abysmal.
We need a good wine bar/​bistro in these parts and I would patronize it and support it… if that place wasn’t Wine-​O. Wine-​O, upstaff, revise your menu, atmosphere and concept and get back to us.

Giovanni Nolano’s wine bar delivers.
Their kitchen serves up a selection of Mediterranean dishes with American flair, dishes that bring a smile to my face. («American flair,» you say? That’s right.) Try the panzanella ($ 6) with jalapeño, marinated in some tangy spices plus Italian bread. Pair a glass of wine with their oh-​so-​moist chicken shishkabob ($ 8) — the moist meat simply dissolves in your mouth.
This wine bar is as frontier as a wine bar should feel. It’s comfortably lit, with ample seating. The bartender on duty provided warm, personable service, and we took advantage of their surprising selection of hard liquor. Giovanni even asked how we were, and told us a little about the place.
Entertaining friends from out of town? Want to relax? Stop by this Northern Liberties spot.