Wine Bar & Shop

Hey I like this place! A friendly, honest staff and the guy with the shaved head (?) and glasses has jokes! I enjoy eating the baked Brie pastry and have yet to experience a disappointing glass of wine from this establishment. Conveniently located blocks from the Embarcadero BART station, the Wine Shop is an easy choice for someone looking for a glass or 5 of wine.
TIP: If you’re looking for someone, oh Lord, anyoneeeee willing to validate your parking fee try this place out.

I loved the baked brie and will continue to crave it I’m sure. It’s a little older crowd than I’m comfortable with but it was fine since I was just meeting a couple friends for a glass of wine (AND BRIE!) after work.

A great place to grab a bottle of wine. If you are looking for some French bubbly but would like something other than «Champagne», go for the «Crement»…that’s what the guy suggested and it turned out pretty good. 30% off, too!
I didn’t eat there but the place looked big, roomy, dark and comfortable. My friend said she was going to tell her husband’s co-​workers to check it out one day.

You know you have great customer service when they are 5 minutes to closing, and they still welcome us and serve us a very generous glass of wine. I’ll be back to this place again — FOR SURE :)
Thanks.
~Rebecca

It’s hard for me to give a smaller wine bar in SF more than 4 stars, just because there are so many others out there in competition with it (and none of the littler ones measure up to my current favorite, District). It’s also hard for me to give less than 4 stars because I freaking love wine. So unless they’re pouring from a grackel of Gallo or tapping a space-​bag of Franzia, I’m probably going to be happy no matter what. So, 4 stars for Wine Bar & Shop. A nice selection of wines by the glass, a nice little assortment of snacks, and friendly staff. The place doesn’t stand out per se, but it sure doesn’t suck.

I came here with co-​workers and my boss yesterday for after work drinks and it was a great introduction into the world of red wine.
ATMOSPHERE
It’s a small wine bar but it’s very cozy, classy, and pricy. Then again, you are being served high quality wine.
The service was pretty good, but it went downhill after our boss left (maybe because the bill was already paid for so the waiter decided to ignore the table of 20 something year olds).
It’s a cozy place with a variety of seating. You could opt to sit on a couch right next to the window, sit outside on the patio, or at a regular table indoors! The walls are lined with tons of wine bottles. I guess this place is also a shop, so there were empty open barrels filled with wine bottles and a bookshelf lined with wine and cheese books.
FOOD & WINE:
1) Four cheese plate
2) Meat plate
3) Prophet pinot noir red wine
The cheese plate was really tasty. It came with: manchego, Fiscalini cheddar, Laura Chenel Chevre, and I think a triple crème. They were all very good (which is saying a lot considering I don’t normally eat cheese). It came with chutney and some other things like dried apricots, walnuts, and figs.
The meat plate was good too. I don’t remember what was on it besides dry salami, pepperoni, and pâté. All of it was good :)
The wine was AMAZING! I think this is the first time I’ve had high quality wine, so maybe I’m biased, but hey, it made me appreciate red wine! We ordered 2 bottles and finished them off nicely!

I come here with old co-​workers and friends for the great wine and beer selection and for their amazing cheese spread! Yes, it’s on the pricey side for young twenty somethings, but you can definitely find some good deals if you come by during happy hour.
Sometimes Monk’s Café Flemish Sour Ale is available for $ 3 and it is one of my favorite beers of all time. Personally, I think that beer goes amazingly well with their mixture of cheeses, nuts and candied fruits in the cheese spread. The brie is amazing! I’d probably get the cheese spread if only for the brie!!!
Service is also decent, but sometimes it’s hard to get the tab when they’re super busy. Other than that, this is a great spot. The staff is nice and the ambiance is inviting.

Came for: to grab a drink after work
Will come back for: if can’t find another alternative to sports bar settings in FiDi
Been here a few times to grab drinks after work for hapy hour. It’s conveniently located in the Embarcadero buildings and it’s casual setting is a good place to meet with friends. No complaints about the place or drinks /​selection, but it is way overpriced. And service is hard to get; not enough coverage. High, FiDi-​inflated price point seems to keep me from wanting to go back.

If you’d have asked me a few months ago what I thought about Wine Bar, I would have said three stars tops. As previous reviewers have noted, it’s a little on the pricey side, and the service is not anything to write home about. It’s always been a good option for get-​togethers in the financial district, but this has been more out of convenience than out of it being a go-​to venue.
That being said, the financial downturn has made Wine Bar work a bit harder, and the place is really coming into its own. The wine list available the other day was extremely well thought out, and the cheese/​salumi plates have improved a great deal from their already very strong standing. Wine Bar remains a great spot to grab a drink after work, and is starting to become a go-​to spot in addition to being a convenient one.

I came here to try some wines with a friend. The service was mediocre. The waitress had no interest in discussing the wines. She wanted to take our order as fast as possible (–1 star). When the wines were delivered the glasses were written on with a marker to determine which was which. Poor presentation (–1 star).
Decent cheese plate.
Decent prices.
I probably won’t become a repeat customer.

I was here last week for an alumni association event during a weeknight. While I had fun there with friends and found the staff friendly, I wasn’t impressed, and certainly won’t be hankerin’ to come back anytime soon.
When I first walked in, I thought that the place was a little smaller than it needed to be. It felt more like a small coffee shop than perhaps how a wine bar should feel like. I had the opportunity to taste a couple of wines, and did find the Two Angels Sauvignon Blanc to be very tasty! When I asked the gentleman serving this drink, he was knowledgable about this wine, and knew offhand how much it costs and how many they have left on-​hand. Since we were going somewhere else after this place, I decided to just look up the wine later. Then after checking bevmo online, I had found it at BevMo for about 75% of the price there. And that doesn’t include the corkage fee there, if we were to open the bottle there.
Overall, I had a good time at Wine Bar & Shop (much of that due to the company that evening), but the space wasn’t as comfy as it could be, and prices were a little high. I will need to compare this experience with other wine shops in the area, and see if maybe I’m just a cheap mofo with bad taste.

Over priced for 3.5 ounce «tastes” — can range from $ 6.50 $ 12 bucks. Service was not my favorite. A little on the bitchy side.
Also, do not sit at the tables marked «Reserved for 3 or more» if you are one person waiting for a group. Wait staff will stare at you like you are a dumass that can’t ef-​ing read.
$ 12 corkage is retarded. I agree with the other Unilocaler. Buy the bottle and just sit on the corner with your plastic cup out in front and get your drink on.
Crowd is mostly financial district after work crowd.

When I am in the mood to heed our feerless leaders cry to «stimulate the economy and spread the wealth»…I head straight to Wine Bar. I head to Wine Bar because nothing, and I mean nothing gets me to blowing money like a good red wine buzz! It’s true… I can prove it… I frequent this place because I love the people. all of them… they are great… The wine is delisiosa… nice selections of Cali stuff with some offshore selections mixed in if you are predisposed… I say… BUY DOMESTIC… DRINK DOMESTIC…(It stimulates the economy)
Good juice. good grub.and the best staff this side of Oakville Cross Road!!!
I love going there and watching the wine babes wipe glasses… I could sit mesmerized for hours… wiping…wiping…wiping…My brain soaked with red wine… Wow…I am getting thirsty just thinking about it…
See you at the Wine Bar… you’ll be a true patriot…
Peace!

This is one pricey place to stop wine or food, but they do have delicious things on the menu. If you are looking for a place to put something decadent in your mouth while in the area, then go for it. But this is by no means a destination.
However! They have a badass cheese plate. It’s expensive as all get out, but if someone is treating then definitely try their array of cheeses. They switch out their offerings often, which is terrific. Currently their cheese choices are as follows:
Emmental — Produced in Bern (valley of the Emme river), Switzerland this caved-​aged cow’s milk cheese is widely-​known holes. A mild, yet full, nutty, fruity flavor finishes with a characteristic savory bite. Recommended with light fruity reds, but would pair well with a rose from Bandol.
***Lamb Chopper — A new organic sheep’s milk cheese from one of our favorites — Cypress Grove in Humboldt County (think Humboldt Fog). Several years in development, this cheese is aged for 3 to 4 months creating buttery, nutty and creamy flavors. Try this cheese with ripe, acidic white wines and fruity, light-​bodied reds.
Point Reyes Original Blue — In production since 1959, this classic farmstead cow’s milk blue from the bucolic Point Reyes, California is made within hours of milking and aged for a minimum of six months. The cheese’s mild sharpness balances a sweetness that is the perfect foil to ripe and sturdy red wines, especially Zinfandel.
***Morbier du Livradois — With a meadow-​sweet aroma of nuts and hay this raw cow’s milk Morbier by Livradois is most famous for incorporating both the morning and the evening milk of the cow, separated by a layer of ash. The rich taste and smooth texture are well suited to full bodied, aromatic white wines.
***Ubriaco — The name itself literally means «drunk.» This delicious cow’s milk cheese (pronounced oo-​bree-​AH-​ko) is created by farmers in Piave, a region of Veneto. The unique Italian delight is preserved by immersing it in fermenting wine, bathed hours in the sweet mixture of Merlot, Cabernet and Raboso grapes. This cheese has a firm texture and a sharp, nutty taste scent. Perfect with just about any red, and of course, Merlot or Cabernet!
Pierre Robert — A rich triple crème cheese, invented by Rouzaire, is named after Robert Rouzaire and his son Pierre. Similar Explorateur-​from the Seine-​et-​Marne district near Paris, Pierre Robert is made in a small wheel and ripens to a perfect buttery texture with a tangy bite not often found in this style of cheese. Perfect with any wine from Champagne to red Bordeaux.
Not bad, eh? If cheese and wine is your thing, and money and ambiance is no issue, then Wine works. Oh, and you can always find a seat. This place isn’t exactly bumping.

The wine here was good and the waitress that we had was really quick to be honest with which wines she likes and customers thoughts on them.
I liked the outdoor patio, but wanted to stay out there. The crowd inside just seemed to be a bunch of yuppy, financial district people with too much money to spend on happy hour. If that’s your thing then I guess you would really like this place. It just seems a little to intense for me.
The bread was good, but it was also $ 6. WHAT? $ 6 for some bread? That’s CRAZY.
They also have this weird fee for drinking a bottle at their place… what is that? Next time I think I’ll buy a bottle and sit on the side walk and drink it with some plastic wine cups. I’ll show those yuppies.
Anyways, good selection, especially the Spanish wine… yum.
Just bring your own bread.

I met a friend here last night, as I am wont to do; ordered a rose’, as I am wont to do; chatted with the manager, as I am wont to do; had another rose’, as I am wont to do; didn’t order the charcuterie, though I often do; and generally enjoyed myself, as I am always wont to do.
Wine selection: interesting, and good
Food selection: small, but tasty
Seating: comfortable — plus outdoor tables are really nice on a warm night
Crowd: FiDi, but not excessively douchy
Check it out — I like the place.

Remember Alan Arkin in the 1979 movie The In-​Laws? He gets a call at work from his wife at home and towards the end of the conversation she says, «Oh, and remember the wine.»
Yes, of course, he nods.
«No. Not Beaujolais,» she adds. «Get something fancier. A St. Emilion or a good California.»
«Cabernet’s great!» the daughter exclaims in the background.
«Julia Child says Cabernet’s great.»
If Alan were in San Francisco, he would know his best bet would be to stop here.
A nice Cabernet? From Australia? Chile? Washington State?
From California.
From Sonoma? Alexander Valley?
Napa Valley.
Rutherford? Oakville? Stags Leap?
Shit, maybe she really wanted a nice soft Merlot.
Okay, we’ll do with a bottle of…
We could be here all day, you see.
No worries — The servers at Wine Bar & Shop might feel like bar maids on Fridays after 4 PM when the patrons are looking for a glass or two before heading home, but these servers have done their homework. They’ll help you find the perfect bottle to go with spicy pasta, a juicy steak, or a looney tunes in-​law.

Went out for after work for some wine with a couple of Unilocalers. We were looking to talk about wine and do some tasting and compare notes. I agree with the Roderick that this place has a distinctively Starbucks feel to it. For a place so generically decorated, the wines to taste were more diverse than I’d thought they’d be. I’d been in a few times before just to look at the wine and was surprised that they didn’t carry more labels. That said, one of my companions found a French wine there that she’d been looking high and low for.
When I walked in, I feared that there’s be an ‘attitude’ and I’m the kind of person that will sometimes respond in kind. I was pleasantly surprised that the service had a softer edge to it. Our server wasn’t sommelier level by any means but he was enthusiastic and shared opinions when asked. I wanted to try a wine that he hadn’t had before and I had some questions. He went back for answers and tasted the wine himself. Well handled.
Nothing I tasted knocked my socks off and it wasn’t up to the tasting experience that I’ve experienced at The Wine Steward in Pleasanton or at K&L but location counts! It’s worth a try if after a long day at the office, you’re too tired to shout over the drunk frat boys at Royal Exchange.

I love wine bars, so this review may be biased! There aren’t too many wine bars in the heart of FiDi — mostly pubs/​bars like Royal Exchange — so Wine is a welcome change of pace in the ‘hood.
I don’t love the fact that Wine looks like a store on the outside instead of the cute little wine bar that it aspires to be; it kind of blends in with the shoe stores around the corner. But the big storefront-​like windows out front give the place lots of great light, and there are a few tables out front to enjoy the weather on those nice SF days.
The menu has a good selection of wines (some pretty darn expensive ones and other more reasonably priced ones), and a nice offering of apps — cheese plates, meat plates, etc. I found the service to be good but nothing particularly spectacular. The place is quite roomy inside and tables are aplenty, so it’s a good low-​key place to meet up with friends (unlike the more hectic and/​or tiny wine bars).
While I just ordered a glass of wine, I hear that they have a great selection of wine at retail prices. You can buy a bottle and drink it there (for a corkage fee).
I’ll definitely be back to continue sampling wines and cheese!

Buzz buzz buzz. 2 FiDi worker bees alighted at Wine Bar & Shop last night. The nectar we were seeking was of the grapey fermented variety.
Yes, there are better wine bars in San Francisco. And yes, the glasses here are on the pricier side. And true, the food options are pretty limited.
But if you are looking for a nice place to grab a glass of wine after work, chat with a friend, and have a bit o’ fromage, then the Wine Bar & Shop is the sweet spot.