House Red has an identity problem. All of their communications say "wine experts or "wine bar," but the wine list wasn't large or impressive and the expertise was nowhere to be found. But the killer was the mediocre guitarist with no vocal technique struggling with easy listening standards from the 40s to the 90s for the whole evening. Consistently annoying. Worse was his awkward visit to every table asking if we were enjoying the music. We'd have been honest but we were enjoying Mothers' Day and didn't want to make a scene. But the good news was how terrific the food was. Everything from the shortish menu was delicious and even inventive. They'd get us back if they'd recognize their strengths as a restaurant, expand the menu, focus their energy, and lose the awful music. Especially the music.
Review Source:What a charming little establishment....a place where "everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came," and they work hard to make sure you find a wine that suits your mood or your palate. Â My husband is not a wine drinker (I'm the family wino), but they were able to find a red that was sweet enough even for him, and I was thrilled to be able to taste a Moldovian red and a S. African white.
As for the food, the charcuterie plate was nice (I've never met a charcuterie plate I didn't like), but the pizza came with an odd crispy crust, and the small plates are certainly...well, small. Â We weren't able to cobble together a fulfilling dinner, especially for my husband who has a heartier appetite, so I would consider it more of a "snacking" menu to enhance the wine, rather than a restaurant.
It is a small space, so I would make reservations or arrive early.
House Red is a nice place to go on a short date for a couple glasses of wine and some wine snacks. Sometimes they have special event tastings where you can try new wines and mingle. The store is very clean and open. It just a short walk from my home in Oak Park so it makes a great spot for frequent visits in the spring and summer.
Review Source:I really kind of love this place ... a lot.
[This is completely irrelevant info, but here goes: celebrities hang out here. Well, not really. But once, recently, when we stopped in for a drink and snack, "David from Roseanne" walked in with a bunch of friends. I said to my husband, "That's David from Roseanne," and he said, "Yeah, that looks like him," and I was all, "No, that IS him." It was. He and his friends stayed for awhile; they were still there when we left, in fact, about 45 minutes later. Apparently (as I learned from my scolding FB friends), he's now known as "Leonard from Big Bang Theory," but I don't watch that show. So, cool and crazy, right? No? Why am I the only one who cares about this? ... OK, I've wasted enough of your time with this story.)
The things that I LOVE (besides celebrity-spottings ... er spotting):
1. Great FOOD! Seriously, gourmet quality nibblings and entrees. Excellent cheese plate.
2. Great selection of Eastern European wine. And if you're on the fence about what to order or a complete novice, ask for recommendations.
3. Cool atmosphere. It's small, well-lit but still has this fantastic, cozy, neighborhoody wine bar feel.
4. While it's not really a place for kids, if you stroll in with a little one in tow for a quick glass of wine, assuming you have a well-behaved kid, the staff is quite welcoming.
5. As a Forest Parker, I just dig that this place is in "my" neighborhood. I call it "my local wine bar" and ... I don't know. I'm just kind of proud of it.
If you haven't yet, check it out.
Oh, and a tip: Sit at the bar and chat with the owner/staff. Good conversation, good times!
The things I DON'T love about this place:
1. It closes too early.
I wish I had discovered this cool Forest Park spot earlier! The lady who organizes our book club recommended House Red since our usual spot closes early now and that place is often too noisy to hear one another discuss the book. Â I am not a big wine drinker but I am a big fan of yummy food and warm, cozy, local restaurants that aren't too noisy so we gave it a try. I am so glad that I did!
I returned last week on a date with my husband and again had a blast. The servers are knowledgable and friendly. Â I love the exposed brick and artwork. The first time I just had a glass of white, the second time I had a white flight with wines from Italy, Spain and Slovenia. Hummus platter on night one was lovely and generous. But, the flat bread the second night was crazy good and I would totally return for that- and order two- since I am a glutton. Â My husband said his Irish soup and pork chop dinner was great. We shared S'mores for dessert. A little too chocolatey for my taste and the cracker had an odd texture, but the caramel was a neat touch. I would love to see more vegetarian dishes.
Great little wine shop that I visited on this past Small Business Saturday. I appreciate how helpful (and non-pushy) the staff is. They don't have anything that I really recognized which is good, made me feel like I was experiencing something a little different than I would at your run of the mill booze emporium (not that I have anything against them).
I tasted a couple of wines and walked away with a few bottles of wine for the holidays (or before if I can't wait which is probably more likely). I would really like to visit again with a couple of girlfriends and sit and stay for a while and enjoy a few more of the offerings. Perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon in my book.
Great local wine spot with nice atmosphere. We went on Saturday night (7:00PM) comfortable seating, live music (not too loud; we were able to chat), food was complimented wine well. I'm not a huge wine person but really liked what I had. Opportunity for improvement is it was rather bright for my taste - just a smidgen.
Review Source:This place is a must if you like wine. We are regulars and are always amazed at the variety and excellence Neb (the owner) packs into this place. Â The prices are fabulous too. Â You can get an amazing bottle of wine for under $20. Â No more warehouse shopping (at least for wine!)
You can also eat/do happy hour/hang out at House of Red. Â These are relatively recent additions to the store. Â It is a beautiful (and comfortable) wine bar that we can walk too - love it.
House Red is a little gem of a place. Intimate and casual feeling like being in your own living room. Â Neb (owner), Linda (sommelier), and the wait staff are more like hosts than servers, and they encourage new wines, opening up our tastes, etc. Â The little plates/ tapas are excellent. Â Go discover new wines! Â It's a big wine world out there and Neb brings wines from Serbia, etc, to our attention.
Review Source:Really love this place! First time we went there was on a Thursday night for the free tastings, The owner really took the time to talk about the wine and was really friendly. The look and feel of the place makes you just want to hang out there for hours.
The wine selection is great albeit a bit overpriced, but considering it's a small business I was Ok with it. The atosmspere is laid back, the music playing is really cool and service was top notch. We've been back several times and will continue to support this great little wine bar!!
If you hadn't realized, I am a wine fanatic. So much so that I'm finally studying for my sommelier certification, so that I can talk, taste, and write intelligently about it.
And House Red is a great wine bar. The thing I love about independently owned Wine Bars is that their selection of wines, food, and events is a direct reflection of the appetites of the owners. And that's what makes each wine bar so unique in the types of wine they carry, etc.
So House Red intrigues me because they emphasize a great selection of Old world wines, along with the New world selection. Even better, they don't just carry the typical French and Italian wines. This is the first place that I discovered the wines of Croatia. Never even thought about their wines, but the server explained that since they are right across from Puglia, Italy, they also are well known for their great Primitivo wines (which is simply a young Zinfandel). Who knew? We tried a fabulous wine that I am sold on - love learning and finding out unusual things like this!
Their food is great, plus the atmosphere is warm and intimate. I highly recommend them if you are near the hood!
This place consistently impresses me. We recently got a Groupon Now and tried sitting down for a light meal for the first time. The owner put together two wine flights based on our tastes, and we were completely delighted. Be sure to try the house red Malbec, which the owner worked with a winemaker to create just for the store - you can't get it anywhere else!!
The food was very nice. The cheese plate was quite wonderful - I am not really a huge fan of brie but it was excellent, light and creamy at the same time, and the blue was not too strong. We tried a salad and a crab dip special, both very good as well. The chef herself comes out and will talk to you about the food.
We left with two bottles of wine at amazingly reasonable prices, considering the quality. I don't see how you can go wrong here. I love the way the shop is evolving into a relaxing cafe. The seating is also interesting, different levels and styles of tables and chairs, plus a small bar. Great, great, all great.
I've been to House Red a handful of times now-it's always an outstanding experience with great wine and food (the cheese plate is excellent). Â It is a gorgeous wine bar with a laid back and unpretentious feel-and of course a wine shop as well.
I don't consider myself a wine expert in the least-you can describe what type of wine you want without using the wine expert lingo and I've always gotten exactly what I'd hoped for:) Â The owner, Neb, will pick out a great wine for you if you ask him. Â There are tons of events (some free!) and jazz on Friday evenings, which is great. Â My friends and I always end up here whenever we go out and it's a great way to end or start an evening!
To me, HRV is the perfect place to start a party. From book club to bachelorette. Nice and slow, let them pick the pour and collapse onto the couch. Your head thrown back in laughter but also to guzzle the impressive selection of grapey delights. I know it's not meant to be sloshed about so haphazardly, but the white wine pour of the night was yumzies. Gulp.
As were the small plates. We shared the baked brie (you've never had it like this) and the tomato flatbread (I would get the chorizo one next time, sizzle). We noshed, we spoke of escapades abroad and our own vulnerabilities. . . we enjoyed each others' company which is exactly what makes HRV special. Inviting. To me, it felt like sitting in my best friend's kitchen. The service was attentive and friendly. Like "Pull up a chair and join us!" friendly. And if you choose, the wine keeps flowing and you keep chatting. . . and then the sun comes up.
I like this place a lot, especially the concept. Â Unfortunately I came on a night when there was some sort of holiday festival on Madison street so it was a lot of people with kids wandering in, big families. Â However, the owner was there and talked to us about the wines and what we might like or not, with a couple of good picks. Â The food was okay--it came out really fast which is an indicator of pre-prepared instead of fresh. Â Personally I liked the soup butternut squash or pumpkin, can't remember) but the flat bread could have been more robust. Â Looking forward to trying this place again on a regular night.
Review Source:I LOVE this absolutely sleek chic but oh-so-accessible, casual neighborhood wine bar/shop! Â I love stopping in just for a nice glass, some cheese and a chat with Neb when he has the time, and sampling all of Laura's culinary creations (the s'mores are heavenly).
Whether you're a seasoned Sonoma snob (me) or brand-new to wine, Neb will ask you what you like and is uncanny about his choices for you. Â He truly enjoys and knows wine and he's just as happy and enthusiastic discussing my Amarone as he did with my girlfriend's budget Reisling. Â There's a wide variety of boutique and small-batch wines here, many from places I didn't know made wines (Croatia?) so I'm always on a little adventure with his samples. Â There's often special events like dessert nights, winemaker highlights/visits, and painting classes (love!), to keep you coming back over and over again.
I love this place!
My husband and I were there after a horrific experience at Jimmy's place to tie a few on and we had a great time! Â The place was packed which I was happy to see. Â If you haven't been there, it's very cozy and looks exactly what you'd expect and want a local, privately owned wine shop to look like.
We sat at the little bar area they now have and were served by the owner who apologized because they were short staffed by agreed to open a bottle of cava for me as a "staff pick" (I was delighted because staff pick Thursdays are $5 glasses but sparkling is rarely included in wine bars' discounted glass specials). Â YIPPEEE - mama's got her cava!
Owner was very personable and very smart about all of his wines. Â Served us a very nice Croatian red that he also counted as a $5 staff pick...and also had a really interesting story to tell behind it. Â Brought out complimentary pita chips for us to snack on. Â Furthermore, they serve in Reidel glassware which I love. Â To me, the presentation is 70% of the hospitality experience.
One suggestion to the owner - how about piping in some music when you don't have live musicians?? Â Just a thought ;) Â All in all a WONDERFUL experience.
Update: House Red is now House Red Vinoteca. Still the same friendly neighborhood wine shop you've come to know and love, but they now offer food. God knows I could use a liberal bite or ten when I'm here for their prolific complimentary wine tastings.
My sister and her husband just moved to neighboring Oak Park and I met my brother-in-law here this past Friday evening for the Vinejoy tasting. I'm pretty sure my sister would have preferred us staying home and unpacking three trillion boxes, but we needed a "relax". And my relaxes typically consist of juicy red wine and ooooh-inducing cheeses. We settled in with a couple of glasses of red (featured wines are only $5/glass from 4-7 on Fridays!) and were soon presented with a beautiful plate of olives, prosciuitto, soppressata, flatbread and two types of cheese. No exaggeration - the truffled cheese will be one of the best things you'll ever eat. Easily the best cheese, anyway! We tried to purchase some to take home from owner Neb, but as it turns out he buys it for consumption on the premises only from an Italian importer who doesn't skimp on quality. Really, we're desperate to have this cheese again... addiction is real.
Next time you're walking by House Red Vinoteca on bustling Madison Ave, give them a try! I'm certain you'll be happy you did.
Bought a Groupon deal & decided to check out House Red with some family from out of town. We both got wine flights & a cheese plate along with dessert. Service was extremely friendly and comfortable and everything was delicious. We especially enjoyed the s'mores that were made with a pretzel graham cracker. The cheeses were high quality as well as the wine selections that were made for us. They have specials a few days a week, which I will be coming back for. Great local establishment!
Review Source:What a great little find in Forest Park. Â Located in the heart of Forest Park this small wine shop, now upgraded to Vinoteca is a fabulous establishment that I would recommend to any wine lover.
Small and quaint with a great selection of wines. Neb, is incredibly knowledgeable and is a pleasure to talk to. They consistently have tasting and pairing events that are a must attend if you have the time.
Stopped in with friends for a Spanish wine tasting a few weeks ago and I am a true fan of this place. If you are ever in the Forest Park area you need to check out House Red.
** Update
It says I have 11 check-ins here, realistically it's probably closer to 20. I have yet to have a bad evening here. Menu is constantly updated with tasty small plates from their chef. I may be disappointed that something is taken off but happy to see the new items.
We attend the Friday tastings or the entertainment they have scheduled. It's such a fun place. We never look at the wine list anymore. We tell Neb what we are in the mood for and he brings a wine to our table that is always on point.
Cheers!
If you loved House Red as your go to wine shop, you'll love it even more now that Neb and his partners have added a Vinoteca.
We went in with friends last night (there are only about 10 seating areas, so reservations are recommended) around 8 pm and were immediately greeted (and remembered by) Neb. It is only their second weekend of being a wine bar and usually you expect things to be a little slow, but the opposite was true. We actually had Neb and two other servers all check on us!
The four of us each tried a different wine flight which were extremely well priced at about $12 for three different 2.5 ounces servings of wine. We also had a cheese plate which came with red peppers, bread, and a selection of olives. The meat plate we shared was also very good with a selection of different cured meats including a chicken pate infused with cognac which was excellent.
I think it goes without saying that all the wine selections were top notch as well. Neb clearly knows his vinos so we are all very comfortable with him making our selections and we weren't disappointed.
All in all, the vinoteca is welcome addition to House Red and a great extension of Neb's passion for wine and making sure everyone enjoys themselves whenever they stop in.
Great place, great ambiance, and great service. Check it out soon, we will be back often.
I just discovered this place last week and want to share my experience. I was invited to a dinner party where I was not told what food would be served, but was asked to bring a specific, slighty-obscure type of wine to pair with one of the courses. I called House Red to see if they had dry Riesling in stock, and Neb picked up the phone. He was so patient, knowledgeable, and helpful, I told him I'd be in later that afternoon. When I arrived at the store a few hours later, Neb had 3 different bottles of wine on the counter, waiting for me to inspect. Wow. I've never experienced that kind of service, anywhere, AND, the wine was fantastic and reasonably priced. You seriously can't go wrong here. I totally agree with other reviewers - Neb's knowledge and passion are unmatched. House Red has my wine business from now on.
Review Source:House Red is my favorite Chicago-area wine store! Â
My husband and I have been going to House Red for years and belong to one of their wine clubs.  The collection of wine is small, but diverse.  The owners do a great job of selecting a nice variety of wine  that mostly includes smaller wine makers from all over the world, rather than the mass-produced wines available at places like Binny's. Â
The owners are friendly and very helpful. Â When we've gone in for recommendations, they have always been spot on. Â Plus, they host free tastings on Saturdays... it's nice to wander in and discover a new favorite wine!
I was recently invited to a "Mom's Night Out' outing by one of the mums in my son's preschool. Â The event was hosted at House of Red.
The store is very warm and inviting. Â Neb selected 5 wines for us to try. Â He also put together a table of Cheese and fruits to complement our tasting. Â My favorite was actually their house white table wine. Â It was crisp and clean on the palate. Â Bonus, a bottle only cost $12. Â Proof positive that many good and favorites wines can be found for under $15. Â
I highly recommend House Red. Â I am not an avid drinker. Â I only drink/ taste to enhance a meal. Â Before this event, I had not had a drop of alcohol for over a year. Â For me to enjoy and actually like a wine requires quite a lot. Â I refuse to drink bad wine. Â House Red sold me.
Be sure to join their email list or fan their Facebook page. House Red often hosts wine dinners and tastings throughout the month.
What a stooge I am for not reviewing House Red before. Geez.
I was more on beer for a bit hadn't been in the the store for a long time, but when we returned we were glad to find it unchanged. A nice selection of wines, many reasobably priced (great wines $20 or less or in the $20-30 range). Of course, if you are looking for a bottle of higher end/higher priced wine they have some great options there as well. The owner is friendly and happy to inform you about some of the wines and answer any questions. They have a comfortable, inviting atmosphere. Definitely go check it out, they do lots of tastings too.
Neb and his wine shop are the best. Â
They have a great selection of wine at a range of prices. Â When we needed suggestions for pairing with food, they were dead on. Â I was abit hesitant with what Neb suggested but decided to give it a shot. Â I won't doubt him again!
We tell everyone we know who is into wine to check it out.
House Red has such a warm and quant feeling. The staff in general are friendly when approached. However, they aren't proactive in helping you if you don't approach them first.
They have a email dist list that you can sign-up for to receive info about events.
On another note, they were supposed to call me when they received more of a certain white (that's always sold-out). Â Needless to say, I never received a call, which was annoying.
I love this place. Â Every time I've been in they've been so helpful and kind, even though I rarely, if ever, buy a bottle that costs more than $15. Â I love wine, but I find pairing to be kind of intimidating sometimes, and the staff is great at suggesting wines that will go well with what I'm making. Â
And they get one extra star for being chill enough to let me bring my dog into the store. Â We were out for a walk and my boyfriend went in to get a bottle of wine for dinner. Â When the guy working saw me waiting outside with the pooch, he came out and told me I could come in. Â I thought that was nice. Â Crazy, seeing as my dog is a spaz, but nice. :)
I know this sounds silly, but it's a huge plus for us, because we pass the store all the time, but most of those times are when we are walking the dog, so it's nice to know we can just stop in, animal in tow.
Yay for unstuffy, pet-friendly wine stores!
This is a good wine shop with a decent staff. . . I was about to give up on the prospect of finding one in this area until I stumbled upon this place.
For those of you that aren't wine folk, it can be kind of intimidating to walk into a wine boutique. It really doesn't have to be. Questions I've asked have included, "Hey, what's your best cheap red?" or my personal favorite, "I'm going to a garden party what's a good porch pounding white?" Generally, I've been greeted with a smirk and been turned on to delicious wines and no attitude. . .
Cheers.
My soon to be family-in-law hosted our engagement party here, and it was great.
They don't provide food, so you need to bring your own, Â but the people working here were very laid back and told everyone about the wines when we went up to get a glass.
I love the feeling of this store - very rustic, earthy, and there is a lot of wine to look at. Â The people working here are very knowledgeable, and overall it was a great experience. Â I would come back in a heart beat to buy wine - they have a wonderful, affordable selection. Â And the party was great, too!
I stopped in here while out exploring the shops on Madison Ave on a rare 60 degree day in February. Â Such a pretty shop! Â I am not sure if they do private events, but it is a great setting for a small gathering.
On this particular day, they had a few wines open for tasting. Â I sampled through them all and ended up buying a bottle. Â Of course.. the wine I liked the most is $40. Â I will come back for it on a special occasion. They have over 50 wines under $12.50... two separate tables dedicated to reds and whites in this price point. Â
The staff was welcoming, and I was greeted as soon as I walked in the door. Â The girl who was leading the tasting was very personable and conversational. Â I felt very welcome... almost like I had been a long time customer and not a new-comer. Â
I would also like to check out some of the store events. Â It looks like most of the tastings are complimentary. Â The more special events and tastings are in the $30 range.
Lovely shop! Â Highly recommended to both wine connoisseurs, novices, and the in-betweens (like me).
What a great atmosphere!! Â Founded by a group of friends who love chamber music and wine, this shop is a labor of love. Â Several times a month they host concerts in the intimate concert space in the back of the store (which sports a top-notch grand piano!). Â The staff is friendly (I really don't know who Yelp reviewer David J. encountered as I know all of the staff) and the service excellent. Â A particular shout-out to their certified sommelier, Isaiah Estell, who knows his stuff hands-down without being snooty. Â He's happy to help you find the perfect wine no matter your budget.
David J. -- give House Red a second chance!
I moved to Forest Park from San Francisco and I have been desperately trying to find a source to keep our home flowing with a nice house red and white. Â While we purchase great wines often and store about 150- 200 great bottles at any one time in our cellar, that is not what I was looking for on this particular day.
I walked in on a weekday afternoon as I am lucky enough to have a lot of off hours shopping time. Â There were no other customers in the store and evidently I wasn't dressed appropriately or I was looking for the wrong item, because I was treated with disdain and dismissed before I could even start speaking about the real wine that I would have purchased from this store.
Clearly their business is doing well enough for them to turn me down. Â I wanted to order 1-2 cases of a reasonably priced wine per month and find a great resource for the good bottles to add to my collection. This is not the place that will make that happen.
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