Secco Wine Bar

Lopez by the glass. Amazing ambience. Had a rose flight of the week that blew my mind. You should go here whether you have a basic interest in wine or are an expert. The food is delicious also. Incredible selection of meats and cheeses. You will learn or drink something new whether you are an expert or just an interested and find wine intimidating or you have stubborn palate.

If you are a newbie to the wine world this might not be the place for you. Although the staff is helpful and courteous it can be very overwhelming walking in here. Especially if you do not know what type, color, year, or region you like your wine from. If you are a fan of wine and have a bit of knowledge on the beverage this place is excellent, the environment is perfect for a small get together, date night, or just some quiet alone time.

I went to Secco with friends for a drink and some snacks and the service was awful. The waitress took so long to take our order that the regular menu was no longer available, so we had to order from the late night menu.
We ordered a cheese plate and an appetizer along with drinks, and the appetizer never arrived. Then we ordered a second bottle of prosecco, and the waitress offered to bring glasses so we could finish the first bottle while the second bottle was being chilled. The next time we saw the waitress was when she stopped by for last call, and we requested the bottle of prosecco we ordered previously. Turns out that for some unknown reason we could no longer get the bottle we had ordered, but could order by the glass. We said no thanks and asked for the appetizer yet again. Also not available, so we asked for the check.
The waitress offered us a discount due to the inconvenience and then brought us our check. No discount, and we were charged for an extra glass of wine we never ordered. We asked for a check correction and the waitress insinuated that we were mistaken, which we certainly were not.
I’ve been a fan of Secco since it opened (I worked in Carytown so knew about it from day 1), and went regularly before I moved out of state. Julia is great but the service was so bad I will seriously never return. (We then took our business to CanCan, where the service was great and the drinks were delicious. Bye Secco!)
P. S. To top it off, the bathroom has a sign on the door that says «Knock loud, lock is broken.» Because Lowe’s doesn’t sell locks? FIX IT.

It was a quiet, semi-​rainy Wednesday night when a friend arrived from out of town for an interview the next day. I had scheduled us for dinner across the street, but after our driving tour of Richmond, we had a good hour and a half to kill before our reservation.
I had never been into Secco. It should also be noted that I didn’t even start drinking wine until the beginning of this year. So before this experience, I had only been to 2 wine bars… and well, really it was just one wine bar, twice.
The low lighting of Secco is on point. I didn’t feel like I was blind, it was great for setting the mood. The bartender (is that what you would call them?) was super knowledgeable and friendly. My friend couldn’t decide between a few options, and I admitted I was just playing safe by sticking to the types I already knew. She was extremely kind to let us sample several options before pouring us each a glass.
We also ordered a few cheeses and some prosciutto to snack on, which was also delicious. The amount of cheese was more acceptable than the other wine bar I had been to.
In all it was a very good warm up for our main dinner across the street. I will definitely be visiting Secco again.

I truly believe a wonderful restaurant is made from first and foremost wonderful food but secondly, exceedingly good service. Unfortunately, I was unable to try the food due how completely disrespectful the hostess was. Never in my life has someone been so rude to me when I am trying to spend money at their place of business.
This is a small city. News travels fast. Good service is not something you all are selling.

Pretty much the most underrated place to eat in town. My husband and I have recently become regulars here because of the knowledgable staff, the perfectly portioned (and delicious) food, and surprising wine offerings.
Wether at the bar or table, the servers are enthusiastic about wines, and want you, too, to love what you’re drinking. Of course the requisite short pour is offered before a full glass is served, but if you inquire about a particular wine a love story is told and a tasting is offered – in the most unstuffy way. I once tasted 3 wines until I was in love, and I never do that. But the servers make so it’s not a formal put-​on, just perfectly natural. And while you have your main server, they’re all equally engaged and available to answer a questions, run your food, and say goodbye when your making your way to the door.
The food is always excellent and ever-​changing. I recall going every week for a month this summer so I could eat one dish before the season changed along with the menu. The food is richly flavored, yet somehow feels light. We always save room for dessert.
My positive words are not because I’m a regular, but why we’ve become one. Consistent, warm service keeps me feeling welcome, and seasonal, inventive food and wine keeps me interested. Hospitality can make or break an evening out, and Richmond is known for it’s horrible service, but not at Secco.

Secco has a great selection of wine, but even though they have so many, the experience isn’t overwhelming at all. The servers described the wines, all of which are listed on their large black chalkboard, in an approachable and non-​pretentious manner. They listened to all of likes and dislikes and then offered a couple of suggestions for each of us to try.

The staff is phenomenal. They can speak to a well versed wine critic or a brand new wine enthusiast. The Monday flight nights allow guest to try a variety of wines while dining on the unique menu. Excellent selection of sides and dinner course. The breakfast/​brunch in weekends is a hidden surprise. Most are not aware of.

I’m giving this place an extra star because of the service. I have no clue where some of these comments regarding the poor service is coming from. My wife and I have come in here maybe 4 times and the service has been wonderful. They have even have started remembering us, but after only a few times it’s been a pleasantry. The staff is constantly running food and drinks around the bar, while still providing us with with wonderful attention and service. I mean, if you are expecting them to wipe your mouth between bites, I guess this isn’t the place for you.
That said, the food is wonderful as well. We ordered the chick peas, scallop succotash, meatballs and the 5 course cheese plate –everything was fantastic. They have a great variety of wines — our favorite being the potet montagny from Burgundy. If your looking for a wonderful chill night out, definitely give Secco a shot.

I would give this place three stars for its wine selection and cheese but what made me drop down to two stars was the poor service. The server was in a bad mood. I guess she was having a bad day because she seemed rushed and impatient; not at all attentive. The wine was not the best either. If you really want a good wine selection walk down the street to Amour Wine Bistro. Secco Wine Bar was a disappointing experience and sadly I won’t be going back again.

I went in here wanting to really like this place but like some other reviewers was not overwhelmed. I didn’t find the staff that attentive or helpful. It was late in the evening and I think they were fairly close to within a half hour or so of closing… so maybe they were tired of entertaining for the night.
Anyhow — I will probably try it again at some point but won’t rush back.

Richmond food will never let you down and this place was amazing.
We were coming back from Norfolk and this one of the few places that happened to be open on a Monday. We came in close to closing time but they were more than willing to accommodate us. Every single dish was pretty incredible. It had been a while since I’d been in Richmond and I always miss the vegan/​veg friendliness of a city we’re we dominate. So many dishes, so much goodness.

Wow. All of the tapas were amazing. We shared a cheese board, spicy marinated olives, crispy polenta and wild mushrooms, bison short rib, peas and fregola (OMG), and the lamp sirloin (YUM). The tapas were on point, great presentation and very satisfying. This place is great for a group or a date night. Would like to try their wine tasting night some time! Wine selection was also good as well, I had the 2011 Zonta Cabernet.

Great quality wine and beer. It is nice to walk down Carytown and stop by for some fresh drinks. Service is great and very welcoming. I have been here twice and will always stop by whenever I come to Carytown.

Very nice wine selections. Beer too. We had 2 cheeses and speck to nibble on. We got a flight of 3 French roses. All was tasty. Very basic ambiance and the thin curtains don’t fully shield you form the heat (it was in the 90’s when we went).
I left my wallet on the table — something I’ve never ever done. Two blocks later a waitress catches up with us waving the wallet. She refused a tip. This is going the extra distance in customer service.

First visit after walking by so many times. Great service and the staff is very knowledgeable. A few beer choices for those couples that both are not in to wine. Didnt have any food but plenty of cheeses, olives and light choices to pair with the wine selections and burgers for heavier appetites. They post wine events on their chalk board also.

Interesting concept. Almost all wine except a few craft brews on tap. Nice spot to bring a date for a pre-​game drink. Only knock is that the options are somewhat limited on both food and drink. But hey, it is a wine bar.

Secco certainly made our night memorable!
In all fairness the prix fixe was not entirely impressive for Valentines Day so some suggestions for alternative items was necessary (which I will go into later).
Cacio e Pepe (spaghetti with cracked peppers, parmigiano cheese and egg) was too salty — 3 stars
Crispy Skin Rockfish served with pumpkin seed romesco kale cannellini beans course was on the bland side and the fish was perhaps underseasoned. — 3 stars
Grilled heritage pork chop with fried leek rings, green beans, baby carrots, and BBQ mustard sauce was very well done. — 4 stars
Blue d’Auvergne (blue cheese with pickled cherries, smoked candied walnuts, toasted marshmallow cream) was very nice but isn’t for everyone. — 4 stars
However, I had arranged for the chef to concoct a delicious dessert (the best cannoli with gelato I’ve ever had) with the wedding ring to propose to my lady. They went above and beyond the call of duty and expectations. We will forever cherish this 5+ star experience. The Valentines Day dinner could not have ended any sweeter. Molte grazie!

I really like Richmond. This place is the worst discovery I’ve had here in my many visits…
The tapas plates were all borderline flavorless and uninteresting to the point of inspiring a walk out or causing a fight… but we kept trying different things. By the third dish, the combination of wimpy, flavor-​free dishes, an unreadable wine list, the nearly contemptuous service, the too-​close-​for-​comfort seating arrangements… was making me more than uncomfortable.
AVOID.

I very rarely pan a restaurant but I will never set foot back in Secco. I have never had a good experience with the wait staff. They’ve ranged from unattentive to just completely rude. Once I was waiting for 2 friends and was told I couldn’t be seated until both of them arrived (they were literally walking down the street at the time) even though they had multiple tables open.
Another time I came in with 5 girlfriends and the bartender couldn’t have acted more rude to us for no apparent reason. This was definitely their loss because the 6 of us were looking for a place to hang out and have drinks but after she finally managed to serve two of us a glass of wine, we decided to go down the street to a place where our business was appreciated.
I have read stories of the owner of this restaurant and would love to support a local business, unfortunately, after multiple bad experiences, I have nothing good to say about Secco.