Thank you for hosting a WONDERFUL wedding for my daughter last Sunday. From the first meeting to the day of event, the coordination was seamless. The appetizers were plentiful, even though the bridal party itself was late getting to the venue due to pictures. The cucumber salad was fresh and delicious, leaving us wanting more! However, the main course was just spectacular. The Chicken Picatta was tender and juicy and the tortallini (vegetarian meal) was tender with perfectly cooked vegetables. The decor was lovely and we were comfortable with 87 people sitting and eating. Â The wait staff and bar staff were very professional and elegant. You guys made the Bride and Groom (sweetheart table in front of the fireplace) feel very special and every guest had wonderful things to say about the event. Â Thank you Mike and Sam, the kitchen staff and front of the house staff, for making this special day absolutely perfect.
Review Source:Unfortunately I was not overly impressed. Â My wife and I just wanted to stop in for a couple of drinks. Â It was a bit crowded, but the service was VERY slow. Â I had a Manhattan and my wife had a glass of wine. Â My drink was only OK, but fine. Â The prices were slightly high, but still okay. Â The place itself had a neat bar atmosphere, so I was happy with that. Â Unfortunately, I did not have any food, but the menu did look pretty good.
Review Source:Tuesday date night continues with the wife with a 4th return visit to The Vine. Lets see....where to start.
Martinis: If you are looking for a specialty martinis, browse their extensive list. There is hardly one on the menu which isn't bad - which can be a problem. A traditional martini (Gin), in my humble opinion, is shaken far too long and hard leaving a water dilution too high. At $11 for a martini, it too is slightly overpriced.
Food: The pork chop served with mashed potatoes and green beans it outstanding. The crab cakes, buffalo chicken wrap and the BBQ bacon burger are hits.
Decor: Fresh, clean, up to date. Oh, they also have WiFi which you should use because cell signal in the building is awful.
I look forward to our 5th+ visit.
One word comes to mind: OVERPRICED
The food and drink menu is extensive but everything is extremely overpriced. Everything I ordered was good and came out quickly but still not worth the price. $13 for a salad, $16 for pasta, and $10+ for a martini?!? If you're planning on a nice dinner and a few drinks here, be prepared for an astronomical check at the end of the evening.
Ate at The Vine for the second time last night, and have a similar reaction to my first experience. The food is fabulous - the chips are awesome and my southwest wrap was delicious, and made a great leftover for lunch the next today - but the service is absolutely awful. Last night in particular, It took us at least 5 minutes to be recognized by staff when we walked in, waiting to be seated. As we were seated our waitress said she would bring us waters. That took 10 minutes, and we ordered right away because we didn't want any more delay. A full 35 minutes after ordering, our waitress finally returned and apologized for the delay, said it was because the printer was broken in the kitchen, and told us she would bring us some fresh bread to eat while we waited. Aside from this ridiculous excuse, she had the audacity to charge us for the "apology bread" on the final bill. When we finally got our food after being in the restaurant for nearly an hour, it was really delicious and we enjoyed it very much.
This place might be better for drinks with friends and casual appetizers, when you are not in a hurry or very hungry and just looking for a snack and socialization. The food is good, but not worth putting up with the wait when you are hungry.
I'll keep this simple.
Great martinis. Average to above average food, but overpriced. Service? Very spotty. Sometimes it's good. Sometimes you feel like sending out smoke signals to the waiter hoping they show up.
It's worth giving it a try, but there's an equal chance that you'll like it as dislike it.
Stopped in for a quick lunch this week and was impressed! Â Had a scallop sald for lunch and it was delicious! Â The scallops were cooked perfectly and the creamy goat cheese and bacon was a great complement to the dish. Â I did not have a cocktail, as it was lunch time, but the list looks amazing and I will stop back by for a martini when I'm back in the area. Â The service was a little slow, but overall the atmosphere and food was great.
Review Source:It's worth trying out
My wife had been here before and had been wanting me to try this place out. So we came here for lunch on a cold Saturday. As we entered the place I noticed that it was pretty slow with only one family already eating their food. The restaurant is somewhat trendy in the way that it is set up. It has high ceilings with exposed beams, ceiling fans hanging, a fire place, plenty of tables and of course a bar with a couple of TV's. I did see that they have a pretty extensive selection of beers and I also noticed that they have a wine cellar which looked to have a large selection of wine.
They were playing some classic music and it felt like I was listening to my iphone with songs from Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton and so on.
As I looked over the menu I noticed that the place was bigger than it first looked to be. They also have an area in the back for outdoor dining during warmer months.
I ordered a Swiss and mushroom cheese burger that was served on a pretzel roll. The burger was very good. The order came with fries that were very good and I couldn't stop eating them. I feel like a light weight because I couldn't finish the whole burger but the good thing about this is that I had a snack for later in the day.
A pretty cool place, we will be back.
I helped host a surprise 30th birthday party. The staff was exceedingly attentive and helpful. At no point did I feel stressed about any problems because the service was excellent. The waiters were friendly and attentive making sure to ask when to bring out appetizers and making sure everyone's drinks were full. The wings, and bruschetta appetizers came out piping hot and beautifully presented.
I recommend this location to hoist events.
This was a very neat place. Â The food was good, but I more enjoyed the spirit of the place and the martini's. Â Definitely somewhere you can come and hang out on a Friday or Saturday night even if you're not eating.
I came her with my girlfriend for a Christmas dinner on a Saturday and it was packed. Â We had called ahead and they said they didn't take reservations for under 6 people, but that they would put me name down and we would jump to the top of the waiting list when we got there. Â After we arrived we only had to wait about 10 mins before being seated.
We had a couple of their appetizers and I went with the filet for an entrée.  They didn't have any crusts as a option on their menu, but when I asked the waiter if they could do a peppercorn crust they had no problem obliging.  You won't find many places that are that flexible, so that was much appreciated.
But probably my favorite part was their ridiculous martini menu. Â It's unbelievable! Â They have all the standard martinis you would expect and then so many more creations of their own. Â You have to try some!
Then at the end of our meal, we still wanted to hang around but they needed to move our table so that the band could set up for the night. Â Without making us feel offended in anyway, the owner came over and personally asked if they could move us to another table. Â After we did he bought us our next round - any drink we want. Â Between that, and the crust that the chef put on my filet I was very impressed with the service.
Whether you're looking for a good meal, a good drink, or a cool place to hang out with some friends and listen to a band, the Vine has you covered! Â I definitely recommend it.
For the "high-class" townies.
A spot for those looking to be pinkies-out whilst not traveling far from the comfort of Lake County.
Don't get me wrong, for a beer drinker, I enjoy a good martini every now and then and this place definitely does not slack on the martinis. I've had the Snickers Martini and the Jolly Rancher martini. I enjoyed the Snickers a lot more than the Jolly Rancher, but it was still pretty good.
Some friends and I have met here a few times for drinks, but decided the food looked really good so we'd try our hand at dinner. For an early dinner there was not much room for our group of 4 to sit. We had to sit in the corner, which was a little cramped. The waitress took our drink order and came back quickly, but that was the most we got out of her. We had to go up to the bar for our next round.
Once our food arrived we were all excited. I had the medallions. They were cooked nicely, although a touch over done. Cranberries aren't typically my cup of tea and the sauce did not change my mind. With filets already being small, there is no need to take anything away from them by smothering them in sauce.
When it was time for the bill we could not believe our eyes. 4 meals, plus drinks and it was WAY more than it should have been. Wildfire type bill. The food all around was good, but not great. The service was less than that. I won't discourage others from drinking here, but will make sure they know what they are getting into if they go for dinner.
We have tried the place once each of the last three weeks.
The food is actually very good. So why two stars? Â We sit on the patio. The servers hang at the bar, drinking and using their phones. Tonight, after quite a long time, watching the servers at the bar, not even being asked for a drink order, we left.
We shared what happened with the acting manager.
This is consistent back there. But after they saw us and remained at the bar drinking, talking and txting we simply left.
We would have gladly waited if we at least got some drinks.
Two stars because the food is good.
I went with a date here once and it was a pleasant experience. Â The ambiance was very nice, the martinis were moderately priced and they were STRONG, holy crap were they strong...
The staff were generally helpful although not super friendly, but that's okay, they got the job done.
So 4 stars for getting me what I wanted. Â Overall great place for a date because of it's classy ambiance and good drinks.
Over 6 months ago, I met an old friend for Sunday lunch. Â I picked The Vine because I heard good things about it. Â
We started off with Guacamole as an appetizer. Â Wow, was that Delicious!!!! Â I was trying to catch up on my friend's life but my taste buds could not believe this restaurant would have such a great Guac dish. Â For my entree, I wanted to try the Southwest Burger bec I thought it was clever to use pepper jack cheese & onion strings. Â Wow! Â I was experiencing a great combination of flavors.
I came back home & told my husband I had to go back & sample their bar menu as well as their dishes. Â
Got to try this place!
I am editing my review from this past Thursday. Â I am extremely grateful to be able to have Mike to best represent The Vine. Â I appreciate him reaching out, addressing what occured and "hear" the feedback in my review not just react to it. Â
I tell people all the time they HAVE to reach out and tell the place what is going on and give them a chance to make it right. Â Thursday one thing after another happened in such a way that it didn't work that way -- I should have made sure it did. Â
I look forward to returning to The Vine in the near future and giving them opportunity to show me their best.
****
First my star rating is on my experience today. Â In general, I think The Vine does a better job than what I experienced today:
Nice day to sit out on their patio. Â I was enjoying my "Ditzy Blonde" martini, but it is almost gone because it is taking FOREVER to get our food. Â We are here for lunch; not a 2 hour dinner. Â Note: Â my martini was not made by the girl who served us/waited on us.
Food arrives and it's good. Â Not great, but at least mine had nice flavor - hubby not so pleased. Â I enjoyed my crab-cake burger - decent flavor, nice, fresh topping but the bun was too much, but that's probably more a me thing. Â Husband had a caprese burger.... said it was flavorless with two small pieces of tomato and no sign of basil. I am, however, extremely glad to see more vegetarian/pescatarian options on their menu. Â
The big negatives fall on the waitress/bartender:
**From the time we sat down the bar tender/waitress seemed flustered and not quite in control of things.
**The very first thing I heard was another guest asking for an ashtray - "Give me a minute; I'm (sarcastically) a little busy"
**I asked for water when I ordered my martini and never received it.
**She did not check in/back with us until she cleared my husband's plate.
**She was telling a story to an off-duty employee having lunch at the bar. Â She used foul language that should not EVER be heard by guests/customers. Â Â
One of the owners, Mike, came by and teased me about how many of the martinis I had -- I should have told him I would have happily had a 2nd except I was never asked. Â
Yes, the patio was busy, but not crazy busy and there were 3 staff out there. The restaurant needs to plan for busy lunches on a nice day and have a backup plan. Â Service has never been their strong suit, but today was exceptionally bad.
I'm gonna keep this short. The Vine is good for drinks, not so good for food. The food is ok, just not great. There is good variety of martinis and beers, and they are all very good. Can you have a good time here, yes.
This place commands a little higher cost than other bars around here; appropriate for the drinks, but not the food. = 3pts.
I have been here four times now. Overall the atmosphere is quite nice - although it is not a small restaurant, it feels intimate. The outdoor patio is excellent, but unfortunately not available for a large portion of the year, thanks to the Chicago weather.
The beer list is quite good - I typically order a Rogue Dead Guy, or sometimes a glass of red wine off their extensive menu.
On the food, I unfortunately can't comment too much, because I can only eat the pasta and a few of the appetizers due to allergies. The cheesy pretzel bread and smokehouse pasta are both very good, everything else I've seen looked good, but I have no personal experience.
Overall, this is a nice place to go for dinner or to meet friends. I would say it's better for couples or adult groups - I would not call it family friendly, but I prefer it that way.
I met a friend for a cocktail and a nosh before her  wine meetup group meeting this past week...
Overall very good impression, but I had heard good things from others before my visit. I'll admit that I might have been a little inclined to a good experience.
In spite of the name, The Vine has a full bar and a number of good choices for beer in bottles or on tap. The night we were there they had Cosmopolitans with Three Olives vodka on special for $5 each. The word had apparently gotten out because the place was SRO with attractive professional women taking advantage of the special.
I appreciated the bar tender's "just right" amount of attention when we needed drinks- and also when we wanted to be left alone. Both of the bartenders that served us were very polite and well mannered- this is in itself a big plus for me. Management had apparently been on top of the staffing schedule and it showed in the high quality of service.
My companion and I both ordered salads for a sweltering summer night- I chose the "Vine Salad" and was overall pleased with the freshness and the flavors.
We didn't order desserts but saw some being served to others and they looked very tempting indeed.
It appeared as if they had some tables especially set up for groups of 10-12 wishing to have a semi-private wine tasting and noshing.
We sat at the bar but there is a nice conversation pit area with overstuffed couches and a fireplace for some ambiance.
Overall my experience was a good one and the only very slight negative is I feel that they need some sort of acoustic tile on the ceiling as conversation was at some times a bit difficult because of the background din.
I felt that The Vine is a great go-to destination for professional people if you wish to relax with a glass of wine, cocktail, a small plate or an entree.
I was supposed to go here with my girlfriends late last year for a Girls Night Out. Â I had looked at the menu and drink list on their website and was totally excited about it. Â Sadly, because of circumstances, we could not go because of the obnoxiously long wait of 2 hours. Â (Egads!)
Fast forward to tonight, so, I'm psyched and ready to try the Vine. Â Travelled over 45 minutes to get here and I meet up with my girlfriends. Â We say our HIs and stuff....then, I go to sit at our table which is a 6-top, but it is a bar table, so, the chairs are very tall as is the table. Â It doesn't bode well for me being a short 5'2" filipino gal.
So, I literally hop onto my chair and hope I don't fall off. (Seriously, I felt like I was going to everytime I'd scoot my chair in.) Â The chair might be okay to sit in if you were 5'5" and for an hour, but for 2 1/2 hours...OMG my calves were sore afterward. Â An unintentional workout, perhaps? :)
Anyway, the ambience of the place was very bar scene. Â I did like the look of the bar and tables. Â Dark woods and a nice fireplace in the middle. Â They still had chintzy icicle lights in the hallway leading from the front door, which also had additional tables placed there as well. Â It seems to me that The Vine is having growing pains and they converted part of the hallway between the actual bar/dining area into an extended dining area. Â Again, kinda chintzy....BUT Â I digress... Â Â
Also, another thing that bothered me is the LOUDNESS of this establishment. Â I could barely hear my friends as we talked...well, yelled to each other. Â It stayed loud even after several tables had left. Â We left before PIano Stu played, and maybe that's a good thing we did, not knocking Piano Stu....just it wouldn't have been good to stay longer if we intended to hang out and chat.
To me, judging the other Yelps of The Vine, that this is more of a bar and the food is not as important as the huge martini menu and wine menu. Â Usually, places like this, especially wine bars, I would think would have fine cuisine coupled with their fine wines, but alas, this is not the case.
As one Yelper said, "The Vine does not profess to be a fine dining establishment...", which is totally true. Â It seems like the food is an afterthought, and their BIG BUCKS come from them supplying their patrons with a steady flow of martinis and wine. Â I WILL admit the Peanut Butter Cup Martini was pretty darned good because I do not drink often, but that was a good mixed drink. Â
Onto the food, I started with their Guacamole. Â While it came out on a nice, large square plate, the guacamole was good, but nothing stunning. Â Some of the chips seemed a bit greasy from probably being fried and not drained enough. Â For $6 I would expect more than just that....it seemed more like a $4-5 appetizer.
For my entree, I went for the Filet Medallions. Â You'd think for $21, I'd get a nice set of medallions and perhaps a side of vegetables or mashed potatoes. Â Maybe some rice pilaf?
NOPE! Â
Just got four filet mignon medallions served with raspberry sauce and a few crumbles of gorgonzola cheese with a few leaves of baby romaine to "make it look nice". The filet medalliions were cooked perfectly, but I felt kinda robbed since that's all I got...just meat. Â
So, I hoping beyond hope that I would at least end this meal on a high note, I ordered their Strawberry Shortcake special dessert. Â I was expecting a made on the premises shortcake chunks with fresh strawberries on it and whipped cream. Â While I will give them points on presenatation, their execution of their "The Vine Twist" Strawberry Shortcake fell, well, Â short. Â And, no, that is not punny. ;) Â
The Strawberry Shortcake was nothing but Sara Lee pound cake, cut into cubes and put into a martini glass with fresh strawberries and strawberry glaze and a dollop of whipped cream with a fanned out strawberry on top. Â Maybe that fanned strawberry was there to distract you from the fact that you will be eating something you could make yourself in your own home.
I mean IF I wanted to eat desserts, entrees, etc, that I could make at home, why go out and just get more of the same? Â I expect a little more than that, but my expectations of The Vine were apparently "too high" and so I was just disappointed.$10?! Â It wasn't worth $10!!
I wanted to like The VIne, but I guess that was not meant to be. Â Their food IS "glorified bar food" and it seems like they are TRYING to be "fine dining" and have "fine dining prices", but the food and the prices do not match. Â
The service here was great though, Sam, was very attentive to us, made sure we had enough drinks and were doing well.
If you are going here for appetizers and drinks and like the loud bar scene, this place is for you. Â If you are wanting a nice, romantic dinner with your special someone or a fairly quiet Girls Night Out dinner, SKIP IT!
I love this place. Â Got a big group together for my birthday and had a great time! Â Great urban atmosphere, a gazillion martinis (the mojito martini is my favorite, followed VERY closely by the pomegranate, and the ever dirty...mmmmm.) Â Wonderful appetizer selection if you're only there to drink and munch, but I love, love, love the filet sandwich with the raspberry sauce. Â Oh my! Â Can't get enough. Â I've been back many times and will continue to frequent.
Review Source:My husband and I popped in here on a Friday night before heading to a holiday party. My in-laws frequent this place and my husband had been here once or twice so we figured it was a safe bet for the Grayslake area. We expected a wait, and ended up getting sat sooner than the host said, so that was nice.
We were in a little rush, and considering the restaurant was full and our server was triple sat, we were still able to get in and out pretty quickly. The timing for our drinks and food was good and I appreciate that our server didn't ignore us (being how busy he was!) nor check on us entirely too often.
I had the steak sandwich and my husband had the quesadillas. We both really liked what we got and I loved how fruit was a side option! It was real fruit, too, that the gross canned stuff that sits in syrup that some restaurants pass off as "fresh fruit."
Overall it was a great first experience and I'd definitely go back again when I'm up in the Grayslake area.
Great place to hang out when my wife and I can get away from the kids for a short time...
The drink menu is outstanding and the local music is a plus...
While I'm not usually a martini fan, I became addicted to a butterfinger martini (Three Olives Chocolate Vodka, Butter Schnapps, Baileys Original Irish Cream & Creamer). Â I swear, when you drink this you are eating a candybar. Â The rim was coated with real crushed Butterfinger and if you brave to finish one of these, the alcohol will hit you with a love punch!
Whatever you taste, they have a martini built around it! Â Try not to let the sweetness of some of them fool you...they taste awesome, but the mixed drinks will floor you if you partake in too much!
I've been here a few times and it is usually decent food and nice atmosphere. We went last Thursday for a work function and unfortunately experienced poor service (extremely slow to bring meal and when it came, 2 of 6 meals were missing and didn't arrive for another 10 minutes; when they finally did arrive, server was unapologetic and overall pretty rude). The best part? 20% gratuity was included on our bill for only 6 people. I also was not a fan of the Santa Fe Chicken wrap that I ordered that night. Â Wine selection is decent.
Review Source:This place is like martini heaven...too bad I live so far from it. Â I went here when I was visiting my sister up in Grayslake. Â When we went it was so crowded that we had to sit on little tables in a hallway between the main restaurant and a shop, which was a little strange, but if was nice to just have a seat considering how crowded it was. Â I guess they serve food too, and the menu looks delicious (they also have a decent beer and wine list), but that night we were here just for the martinis.
M-M-M-martinis!!! Â They have about 50 different kinds on the menu. Â Many of them very unique too. Â I think my head nearly exploded trying to decide what to get. Â All the martinis we had were made with high quality, fresh ingredients. Â The prices were pretty normal for martinis, about $8-9 a pop. Â And WORTH it! Â These suckers were strong! Â (A plus in my book - martinis are supposed to be not much more than straight-up booze after all). Â There were 4 of us, and we had our first martini and were like "Man, these taste good, but are weak - no bang for the buck.", by the end of our second martini we were like "WHOO HOO!!!! Â MARTINIS!...I think I'm drunk!" Â - and I'm no light-weight...hahaha
One of my favorites I had that night was the Bomb Pop martini (you know, like the red, white, and blue popsicle?) Â It was raspberry vodka, blue curacao, chambord, and sprite, and most awesome of all, it had an actual bomb pop in it! Â These people really must know me and my love for both martinis AND popsicles! Â haha...
I really, really, really wish I lived closer to this place. Â Unfortunately my sister moved away from here too. Â I think I just may have to make a trip up though sometime to have another awesomely awesome martini here.
My wife and I are semi-regulars at "The Vine". Chris who runs the bar at "The Vine" is awesome, personal, and professional, plus makes a mean martini, so my wife tells me. Since The Vine opened we have been there many times and the food has been up and down. They have had a few chef changes since they opened, which make it hard to be consistent.
My wife and I ate at the bar last night and were very pleased. I ordered the Cajun Tuna and my wife had the Crab Cakes. Both were very good. The tuna, vegetables and rice were cooked perfectly and flavorful.
"The Vine" is not fine dining and I don't believe it claims to be. They have good food, a good bar selection, some descent beers and a passable wine list. The prices are reasonable. They have lots of wine and drink specials.
Since the northern part of Lake County is restaurant challenged and "The Vine" keeps getting better all the time. We will keep going back. Mike thanks for the extra effort!
I like The Vine for the simple reason that it's a nice place to go with a pretty classy atmosphere and enjoy some drinks and they have a great outdoor patio. Â I'm mostly a bar kinda girl and this is a nice one, especially for the area (no offense, Last Chance Saloon). Â They have tons of creative martinis, a decent wine list, pretty good beer selection and have live music many nights. Â It only gets 3 stars because the food is just OK, in my opinion. Â Then again, I don't usually come here to eat but it's nice that they offer something to soak up the booze!
Review Source:After just moving here from Chicago, I stopped in for dinner with a girlfriend because the window touted the menu as "eclectic." If raspberry sauce and gorgonzola cheese is now considered "eclectic," then i guess they aren't lying. The beef medallions were SUCCULENT, indeed, but the menu isn't really much more than a glorified  bar menu. I'm not saying I won't be back, because I'm really looking forward to enjoying the patio this summer, but it's not outstanding. I was a little embarassed when my friend said, "well, what can you expect for the suburbs?" That made me sad.
So the food is tasty, the menu is a bit boring, but I really wanted to focus on the wait staff. THAT'S embarassing. Both times I've been here, we've had the same server. He was unfamiliar with the menu, couldn't recommend a wine and when I asked about the soup du jour he said, and I sh*t you not, "we don't have 'soup du jour' today but we do have a potato and leek soup, whatever those are." When I asked what his favorite thing on the menu was, he said something about a shot and a beer.
I think that if the owner wants to step things up a bit and make this a restaurant that Grayslake can be proud of, he either needs to put forth the fundage for some experienced wait staff and/or take the time to train the people he already has.
The restaurant itself appears quite sophisticated, until the waitstaff opens their mouth.
Milky Way Martini? Â Yes, please! Â
After dinner with the bf's family, we headed to The Vine for some divine martinis. Â I'm unfamiliar with the area and didn't know what to expect from a local establishment but found myself pleasantly pleased by my experience. Â The decor was definitely upscale and worthy of the martini bar title. Â No expense was spared in designing the bar and seating areas. Â We had a cozy little corner of the bar where our party was able to wrap around three sides with ample area for appetizers in the middle, had we ordered any. Â We felt like we were sitting more at a large table than a bar. Â However, we had the benefits of bar seating with quick access to the bartenders. Â
All the martinis listed in their extensive specialty selection are made with Three Olives Vodka. Â I don't have much experience with the Three Olives brand but the two martinis I tried were fantastic. Â Unsure if its the brand of vodka or the stellar concoctions of the bar staff but they were so yummy you want to lick the glass. Â
They had entertainment via a lively pianist that played (and sang) everything from Sinatra to Journey. Â He was pretty good and seemed to keep the crowd smiling. Â
The pricing is pretty standard. Â I know a lot of people will take issue with a $9 pricetag on a martini but I ask those people to find me a genuine martini bar with better pricing. Â It's pretty standard, folks.
Drove, walked, biked by but never stopped in until last week for a friends get together. We showed up on a busy Saturday evening and they still found a table for 10 that faced the band. Short notice at that so kudos to the seating staff on that. The appetisers were tasty and a little different than the usual fare so that was nice surprise. I am not a drinker but the wife loved the martini and a good time was had by all.
OH! also that they participate in the Farmers Market is pretty darn snazzy as well. Wife always loves tasting what is available. Â Dig it!
This fine establishment is in my hometown so I'd really like to give it a 5 star glowing review and tell all the sophisticates from the big city to get on up here and experience how we do it right in the great white north. But alas -- I can't --3 stars it is.
If it is any consolation I would give it 3.5 if I could.
The name implies it is a wine bar - but the wine selection is not very wide - with an emphasis on South American and Australian products. Where is the group of big California reds or oakey Chardonnays? Something to consider. We have gone there with the intention of having a quite appetizer and left before sitting due to the very loud live entertainment. It is a small place with bad acoustics. 3 pc bands don't work - even the single keyboard guy can be overwhelming (sorry Stu). The couch around the fireplace is a nice setting - but then you have to get your own wine at the bar because the servers don't seem to pay attention to the couch people.
The atmosphere - hard to categorize. It seems they are striving for cozy intimate, but the live bands, big screen TVs and the sometimes loud crowd of locals at the bar don't add to the cozy equation. They get it right on the patio out back, but that is more Tiki Bar party mode - which is good in the summertime. They created a seating area in a section that used to be a hallway and I have yet to figure out what atmosphere they are going for there. Very well done - but it still feels like you are sitting in a hallway.
The food is good -- I think it may be their strong point. The medallion fillets are good and the artichoke dip is excellent. They have added a few items over the past year and seem to keep it consistent.
Put it all together and it adds up to 3.5 - but i just can't round it up. Maybe if I had a nice glass of BV Cabernet it could change my mind... oh yeah --- the don't have it here.......
When this place first opened I thought it was amazing. Â Then the novelty of a martini bar in the area wore off. Â It's still a nice place to go for drinks and appetizers, but in my opinion the appetizers are overpriced for what you get. Â Also, they've been a little stingy about opening the deck to customers. Â I organized an outing after work on a gorgeous Friday afternoon. Â I chose The Vine so we could sit on the deck. Â However, the waitstaff told us that the deck was not open. Â I even offered to buy drinks at the bar and walk them out there ourselves. Â After about a half-hour of complaining, they finally relented and let us sit out there.
Review Source:I loved The Vine! It was great - we randomly googled a place for wine/martinis, and came across this restaurant. From martinis, to wine, to food, everything was great. I was pleasantly surprised!
This is definitely a place with the atmosphere where you could go just to have a few drinks with friends. I would recommend this to anyone, and I will definitely return!
Hidden gem found in the heart of Grayslake! A nice wine bar in the burbs? I have visited a couple of times, the first I chilled on the outside patio...very nice! I had a pasta dish that I wasn't crazy about but the company was nice & the drinks were just right.
The second time I came for lunch with some friends including stacy y & sat at the very cool bar/table spot & had the veggie quesadillas, mmm they were so good.
The service is friendly & very attentive.
The Vine is pleasantly out of place in Lake County!
Aside from the entrance area, which looks like your run-of-the-mill suburban chain restaurant, you could find similar decor/ambiance at a wine bar in the city. Dark woods, fireplace, big leather couches. What a nice surprise!
I recently went on a Friday night and on a Sunday morning, both times I was impressed with my food and drink.
The wine list is fair, more extensive than most places in Lake County, and they offer a wide variety of glass pours. I had a lovely Bridlewood Syrah at the recommendation of my server. It was quite tasty. I did not try any of the martinis, but they sure looked good. Again, the martini list reminded me of the Kit Kat Lounge. For Grayslake, that is quite impressive!
On my first visit I had the burger trio - three tiny little burgers (smaller than a White Castle slider) and a generous portion of sweet potato fries. My meal was HOT upon arrival, the fries were crispy and tasty. You get to choose your burger toppings and my favorite was the brie, raspberry sauce and bacon. I was also surprised to find a jazz trio performing less than three feet away from me. I was sold!
I returned a couple weeks later for lunch on a Sunday. It was quiet and our group sat at this awesome table/bar area. Part of the bar is extended here to have additional seating more like a traditional table while still at the bar, what a great idea! At the recommendation of a friend I went with the filet sandwich this visit. The meat was cooked perfectly, well seasoned and SO tender! Nothing is worse than a tough steak sandwich, you don't have to worry about that at The Vine! I went with the fried onions as a side, but there were so many it was a little overwhelming and hard to eat. I opted out of boozing during this visit, but my friends enjoyed the diverse beers on tap. Again, the beer selection was more like my favorite bar here in the city, The Ashland, and not a far north suburban bar.
I found the staff to be very attentive and pleasant during both my visits. If you're a city snob (like me) and find yourself in Grayslake - go to The Vine - you will not be disappointed!
WOW! Â What is this?? Â A martini/wine bar in downtown Grayslake and not Chicago?! Â Surrrre is! Â The Vine has great martinis at reasonable prices. Â Be sure to check out their specials like Thursdays-$5 Apple Martinis (others are around $9). Â I'd like to go back to try their food, other than their sweet potato fries (which were truly delicious). Â Also, be sure check out their new large Beer Patio/Garden out back. Â I have to say that this is their best feature. Â The service was definitely the worst with two waiters per the entire back patio. Â As long as you're truly out to just chill and not in a hurry, it's a great place. Â You may have to use the bus boy if you ever need anything because it will get there faster than through the waiter.
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