This place is awesome! Â I've gone to the 20/20 nights (20 tastings for $20) and it's so cool how they do know the details of each, and even keep track on where you were on the list. Â It's 6pm - midnight and it should be if you plan to do the entire 20. Â They have yummy appetizer dishes as well to accompany your tasting. Â I'm not a cheese person, but it's really great with the wines. Â Their pizza isn't bad either. Â I just wish there were more hearty options. Â There was a food truck there last time, but it was too fru-fru for me...eggplant custard, salmon tartare...nah, I'm ok.
Review Source:I love the 20/20 deals on Mondays and Thursdays where you can try 20 different wines for only $20. Â You get everything from bubbly to whites to reds to dessert. Â The focus tends to be on Italian, but they mix it up as well. Â Given the whole tasting only costs $20, the wines you try usually are very affordable too so we always walk away with one or two bottles of whatever we enjoyed the most. Â On Thursdays, there's even a food truck parked outside and they let you bring the food in. Â The wine bar's crostinis and cheese plates are decent too, though obviously the wine is the main reason to go. Â Service can be hit or miss depending on who is working that day (I like the ones who actually take the time to tell you something about the wines), but I am willing to put up with some quirky servers given how generous they usually are on their pours. Â The crowd is usually a little older (30s to 50s), and I've seen the room range from completely full to completely empty, but whatever the conditions, me and my 20 wines have always had a good time. Â It's rare that I have either the free time or the liver to drink that much on a Monday or Thursday, but next time I do, we will be back.
Review Source:I came here on a Thursday night since they had a 20/20 special which means 20 bucks for 20 tastings. That's a pretty darn good deal. Their wine bar in the back gives off a very homey feel to the place. They had clean menus with good descriptions of what wines we were tasting. I'm not too knowledgeable about wine, so it was a great chance to learn more about it.
I didn't try their food, but I saw that a lot of people ordered personal sized pizza that looked delicious and seems like a good pairing with a lot of the wines. This place also started a 15/15 Tuesdays which is 15 sampler beers for 15 bucks, truly a bargain. They also sell a wide selection of wine in their store. This place is great to go with a bunch of friends or to impress a hot date.
Oh yeah, they also have a gourmet food truck up front that's supposed to be amazing. It's a three course meal for 30$. Sounds a little pricey, but according to my friends, it's worth every penny.
*This review is for the tasting room*
I think this place is perfect for almost anything you are doing. I went here on a first date, went once with a friend, once with a group... every time the service was pleasant and the staff was knowledgeable, friendly and professional. Wine is great, prices are fair (a tad high), and they have fun events, like their Bacon and Champagne pairing they did not too long ago.
A great place to head to unwind, sit back, relax and enjoy the evening.
I stopped here to get a bottle of wine to celebrate friends engagement and new home. The folks here we're super friendly. I love the concept here where they have a separate tasting room with wine flights and snacks. Â We did a wine tasting (and got 50% off for happy hour) and then picked up 2 bottles based on what we tasted. Â It's also nice since most of their wines are Italian, which I'm less familiar with.
Review Source:I usually go somewhere else for my wine, since there are no lack of places to buy wine in LA. Their price tag for whiskey is repulsive. And I doubt the wine shop has proper temperature control, at least yesterday. No more than ONE STAR for the wine store.
The wine bar was great though, esp the happy hour. The Italian wine selection was pretty decent. We got 50% off on our wine flights and the pour was also very generous. I am glad to find a true happy hour deal close by; there are too many places that false claim to have happy hour when all they do is taking a dollar off the check...
I had to meet with a client, and I was in the Santa Monica area. Â The client liked wine also, so we decided to try this place... We were not disappointed!
Monday & Thursday nights they have the "20 for 20" - you can try 20 1-ounce pours of 20 different wines for $20!!!
The selection for $20 was amazing - starting with 3 bubbles, 6 whites, Â 8 reds + 3 dessert wines!
They had a lot of Italian wines, as well as some Spanish, Argentinian & California wines, mostly from smaller wineries I didn't know before...
The cheese platter was great, but their pizza was OK - next time I won't order it, but will definitely be back to try some new wines!
Just threw a great event here last night. The 20 for 20 deal is pretty amazing. $20 = 20 different wines (tastes). They have the cheeses, bread, crackers, olives and pizza to go with it too. They really go out of their way to try to find you something that you'll like. I've been in before and have simply walked up to Ali and told him, "I got $25 and want to buy a decent bottle of red wine. What do ya got?" He takes over from there and makes sure you're getting a quality bottle for whatever it is you're looking to spend. Last night I walked out with a bottle of tequila (paid for of course). He has a great beer selection too! Beers from all over the world. You don't necessarily go in there and buy a six pack or a 12ver, it's more or less whatever you're in the mood for at that particular time. Check it out, every bit is worth your time.
Review Source:Best place to get a bottle of wine, whether its for a special occasion or for a regular dinner in. Â Ali is not only friendly but unbelievably knowledgeable about his wine selection. Â Also, the bar in the back boasts a comfortable atmosphere with fun event nights, like on Mondays where you can try 20 different wines for $20. Â A must go to for any wine lover!
Review Source:After living around the corner from this place for years, I finally decided to give it a spin. I really wanted to LOVE it because it's so close to me and it would be easy to walk home after getting a nice little buzz on.
The wine here is ok. I wasn't in love with what I tried but I also didn't get a full tasting. I only tried 2 glasses of wine that I selected from the menu.
The decor is kind of cheesy but I'm totally willing to overlook that given the location, etc. I didn't try the food so I can't comment on that but I do know that they use a large toaster oven at the end of the bar to reheat what I'm assuming is frozen food.
The problem I have with this place is the service. Nobody I talked to here was particularly friendly. In fact all 3 employees (one being the owner) were strangely aloof and borderline rude. I'm not sure why. My friend and I were cordial and interacted with them and had questions and everything seemed to be pleasant, but we weren't getting anything in return.
I'll give this place another try because I do love wine and it is so convenient.
One of my new favorite wine bars. Great happy hour (50% off all drinks) and a nice selection of handmade pizzas and cheese platters to accompany the meal. The flights here are a steal, especially during happy hour.
They're generous with their pours so prepare yourself for lots of wine.
There's a lot of street parking in the area which is convenient since their parking lot is so tiny.
They also have a nice selection tequilas in their store which put a huge smile on my face!
Helpful staff. Selection has variety. Cool events. Parking lot.
I love how involved they are in social media... the twitter account is active and hilarious!
I picked up two (red & white) organic italian wines here for thanksgiving...
(a modern & single girl alone but awesome, wine and cheese thanksgiving :)
It was my first time buying organic wine but they were very helpful in suggestions, explaining differences and explaining the store set-up since it was my first time there.
Picks
1. Riseis, Pecorino, White: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.agriverde.it%2Fcantina%2Fvini_dettaglio.php%3Fid%3D93%26idcat%3D42%26lan%3Deng&s=1ef97c1b35c275d970b36096aa0ec0b6758272949cac0bcd02be6698ee7942b0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.agriverde.it/…</a>
2. Natum Montepulciano D'Abruzzo DOC: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.conexport.com%2Fagriverde%7E30%2Fnatum-montepulciano-d-abruzzo-doc%7E20.html&s=7515992c280f5bb3c81b37ff8c562d80b3cd6110e807f61b7109255623c1dc6e" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.conexport.com…</a>
Conclusion: Both great choices, great experiences, I'll be back... even though I only drink once a month! :)
Came here on a Groupon and I was PLEASANTLY surprised. The front of the store makes you think you're going into a common liquor store...until they take you to the back where the bar is. It's very nice and it reminds me of an upscale lounge. We were the only ones there since they were preparing for a party. The wines were great and they were liberal with the tastings. I'd definitely go back....especially for the half off appetizer.
Review Source:Walked in on Sunday for the first time. Noticed the "tasting room" in the store. This place was as good a shopping experience as a god damn bev mo! Sat down with the bartender and my friend, got drunk on all sorts of beer and wine, & had a great time!
The bartender Jeff was really cool and was cracking jokes with us the whole time.
I had so much fun on Sunday I decided to go in again on Monday night for 20 glasses of wine for $20. The bartender Talylor was super hot and provided us with excellent service! Definitely looking forward to seeing her again ;)
Finally on the way out we met the owner and enjoyed chatting with him as well!
I'll definitely come back here at least once a week and shoot the shit with a friend, date, bartender, or fellow local.
BUYING WINE?
The guy at the front is one of my favorite people that I don't really know. Â Any time I'm off to dinner at a friend's place, I stop by here for his recommendations. Â He's conscientious of food being eaten, wine preferences, and budget; and he hasn't steered me wrong yet. Â In Guy I Don't Really Know, I trust.
WINE TASTING?
Mondays & Thursdays offer the best deal in town. Â Bar none. Â Including Bar None. Â For $20 you get to taste 20 different wines. Â Those numbers are correct. Â And you should consider cabbing it here and back home. Â Or bringing your pal who gave up booze for Lent. Â
The wines change every week (variety!), and you're certain to find a few you can't help but buy on your way out. Â
Prices are generally quite good on these wines too; though if you tend to "lift your pinky" when tasting wines (yeah you, Richie Rich), there are "finer" wines available at more pricier prices. Â The guy up front will even leave the price tag on the bottle for you if you'd like.
DEMERITS?
So: you're wondering if there's any downsides to this place. Â Sure. Â If you're looking to take a date here, she or he might be initially unimpressed. Â Wine Expo is part of a lil' strip mall on Santa Monica, and their tasting room (by all appearances) likely was a storage room of some sort before its current incarnation.
Food offerings in the tasting room are marginal, but have improved since I first visited. Â They're certainly working on it. Â This doesn't take away from my 5-stars because this isn't the reason you or I are visiting; it's a bonus. Â
Likewise, depending on the crowd, the tasting room can feel understaffed on Mon/Thurs. Â This is the closest thing I have to a real complaint. Â Then again, the deal is great, and none of us are there to chug down wine are we? Â (No. Â No...)
FIVE STARS.
Love wine?
Hole in the wall?
Hidden back room restaurant with upscale design and bar.
I'm pretty particular with wine & I always leave this place pretty happy and tipsy.
Delicious pizza, spacious tasting room and plenty of parking space in Santa Monica at any time of the day!
The price is bit steep, but it's a nice hangout place with friends to try different wine & also to take some home.
Hurrah to wine expo!
This place is fun. Went on a night where they had an oyster sommelier (make reservations). 10 bucks for a glass of wine. Usually, this is where I start my rant about a $15 bottle at Ralphs that other wine bars charge $10 a glass. Not this place. Had a 1992 Crianza and a 90's Italian wine. My idea of what a wine bar should be. pour me something new that is not sold in stores and that you are excited serving, or a wine that's aged because I sure suck at aging anything in my cellar. Both were great and nothing I will taste anywhere else and definitely sets them apart.. "Not so mild" cheese plate was delicious. Blue cheese with their truffle honey was crazy good. Oyster event was great and I learned a lot from the host. Would definitely go back. Looking forward to their next event. The owner is also super friendly.
Review Source:I was a bit hesitant to write a review for fear that I would upset the locals by exposing this "hidden gem", but this place deserves the shout out...
There are countless places to go for "a drink", but if you want a place to taste (and learn about) different wines without the drive out to wine country, check it out! Â Hidden behind the unassuming storefront (with a great selection of amazing wines) is a really cool, stylish and relaxing tasting room. Â Flights range in price from inexpensive ($11) to moderate ($30) and they have amazing deals on Mon, Thurs, and periodically (so it pays to keep an eye out). Â A good selection of snacks and pizzas are available, although I'm surprised to see people focusing on the food in some of the reviews... this is a proper wine tasting room, so the food (although good) is really not the point!
The point, at WINE Expo, really is the WINE. Â And that's what I appreciated the most. Â The owner and staff really know their stuff, and clearly love what they do. Â We were very lucky to be there on a (slower) Tuesday night, and got tremendous personal attention from the owner (Ali) and sommelier in training Brie (not just saying that - she really is training to be a sommelier) who gave us a crash course in the history and regional differences of Italian wines. Â And who cares if I can't remember what they taught us? Â It was tons of fun, way more interesting then just ordering the "house cab" at a bar, and most importantly, we got to taste some delicious wines!!!
I was on my way to a dinner party, feeling conspicuously empty handed, when I stopped in here. Â The small parking lot that they share was almost full, and I literally only had a few minutes to spare.
The fact that I've driven by this place for probably decades, and never realized they have a tasting room (and serve pizza!) til now shocked me.
The presence of a brand new food truck in the parking lot (Porchetta), with deliciously porky smells wafting from it impressed me!
With unfortunately no time to spare for a porky detour in this moment, I made a mental note when I overheard Porchetta truck dude talking to wine dude about coming back here every week (I was here on a Friday night).
Wine dude asked me what I was looking for, and in the most perfectly timed 5-minute window, I described the dinner party menu and my price range, he handed me an Italian red, and I paid and was out the door with a bottle that ended up being perfect.
I usually go to the Wine House when I need something, but I like that Wine Expo is smaller and feels easier to get in and out of quickly.
And the porky Porchetta truck smells are in my brain! Â They'll be back next Friday night (12/28/12), so now you know where to find them too.
Came here with a groupon for the Wine Tasting. Lots of the food was unavailable for purchase when we went at 5pm, which is odd. Wine was good, appetizers were standard, I didn't have anything that really stood out, aside from Prosciutto, which is as expected.
I would much like to re-review after attending one of their special events, like the Oyster Pairing.
the best kept secret in Santa Monica- I hate even writing about it because its SO good- this review is just for their HAPPY HOUR which is AMAZING.
2 dollar glasses of wine- not like a little pour im talking about a full glass of wine- and GOOD wine- they're very educated on their wines.
great atmosphere once you're back tucked away from the main shop.
wonderful happy hour starting out place.
love
I went for the 1st time tonight w/ my lady using a Groupon on a Monday night. Place was empty...3 tables including ours ....i.e. 2 other couples...when there was a pause in the chatter you could hear the other tables chewing the acoustics where so pristine. Â
The ambiance was nice...music, lighting, furniture, artwork everything was swank! I concur with the other Yelpers that the staff is so full of themselves it's almost beneath them to do their jobs, but our server was very good...even though he was dressed like a "shlump" and had a very confusing attitude for someone who supposedly makes $ from tips. We didn't care...but had a good laugh about it. The patrons were really no different ..all L.A......but the food and wine were great...and that is why we went.
We got to sample different cheeses and wines to portions we could barely finish. The waiter or "your hanace" as we called him...was very knowledgeable about cheeses, wines and pairings as he told us but we did enjoy his suggestions.
If you can't handle the L.A. attitude don't come here...but if you like good food and wine and can deal with the LIBE (my new term for LA Vibe...please let me know if you steal it...LOL) and cell phone calls that you swear you can almost hear the caller on the other end of the line from across the room, go enjoy your cheese and VINO. Just be sure to bring your ear plugs and let the staff know you are a big time producer and you'll be fine:).......and if you got Raybans...keep em on!
This is my favorite place for an after work glass (or 20) of wine! Â They are always changing the wine menus so I am always trying new, remarkable wines. Â There is always some sort of special...I love deals (Mon/Thurs is 20 tastings for $20!). Â Sometimes they have LIVE music, love that. Â And they usually have fun & different food trucks out front who deliver your order right to your seat. Â
Not only is it my "go-to" place to pick up a bottle on the way to a dinner or party (I always trust their recommendations) but the wine bar is just a fun place to hang out or have date night.
Its my neighborhood spot where "everyone knows my name". Â Its just the best!
One word for this place...AMAZING.
When you first walk in it looks like a liquor store...however, when you tell the really friendly man working at the front desk that you are interested in the wine tasting, he will show you to the back room. The back room is nicely decorated and they play super chill music. Everyone working here was great!
Mondays and Thursdays they offer 20 flights of wine for $20. Everyday they offer $15 beer flights with snacks. They have an extensive pizza menu and a plethora of wine to choose from. I highly recommend this place.
This great review is long overdue. I come here often (it's across the street, don't judge!) and every time, I have a great experience. The owner is helpful, knowledgeable, and accommodating. I went in last night to get a "white wine that will go great with steamed mussels and garlic bread" and voila! The perfect wine in my price range that really did go great with a delicious meal. We also left with a bottle of beer for sipping while the mussels steamed.
The prices range from cheapo wine on the beach price to fancy corkage fee bottle at a trendy Melrose restaurant price. The selection is plentiful (beers, wines, little fun snacks.) AND (this is important) there's a wine bar in the back. The prices are more than fair for the large number of pours for beer/wine. Make a reservation so you don't have to wait while you watch the others partake in merriment as you circle the store.
Bottom line: Go here. Ask questions. Take suggestions. Be merry.
Do not let the exterior fool you! The front of house may look a bit jenky; however, the tasting room is gorgeous and has a great ambiance. Just come at 5pm if you're here  for wine tasting.
Arrived a bit early, so my boyfriend and I walked around. There is NOTHING in the area so be forewarned.
At exactly 5pm, the managers/owners opened the tasting room and I was blown away by the tasteful decorations. My boyfriend and I were the first to be seated and I decided to get the white wine flight and my boyfriend decided on the red wine flight. (the cheapest on the menu). We also decided to get the Il Grandone, which had 4 cheeses, 3 meats, olives, mixed nuts, crackers and some slices of french bread.
The white wine flight was okay. I definitely enjoyed the oaked chardonnay and next time will definitely get the next set of white wine flights. My boyfriend was equally un-amazed by his flight, but regardless we enjoyed the ambiance and the wine just added to it.
The Il Grandone was great. Loved the cheeses, didn't particularly like all the meats. I did like the pastrami the best and the french bread could be fresher.
What I really enjoyed about this place is that they coordinate with food trucks so you could get food and drink the wine inside the tasting room. That night it was a Mediterranean food truck and was scrumptious.
I plan to come back here for happy hour and try their champagne and artisan bacon deal, as well as their other flights AND their beer tasting.
Definitely recommend!
This place is great! You can go in and say "I'm making roasted lemon chicken/tikka marsala/spaghetti bolognese/going to a wine tasting party and need a bottle of wine to serve. I can spend $10/15/40(big spender!). What do you suggest?" And you will be given a few bottles to choose from, along with a great story about the wine that you can share with your guests who will be amaze by your knowledge.
It's so a great place to come and hang with friends in their wine bar area. Great flights to try out new things and happy hour specials. The bar snacks are just ok, but they often have a food truck out front so you can grab some snacks there. Â Lots of parking!
Here's what I love about Wine Expo and why I keep coming back:
Great prices
Knowledgable staff
Fantastic range of delicious, complex, robust wines
Staff knows you by name
Jeff always has a smile on his face
Sundays they have live music
Tips:
If you check in on Foursquare, you'll get great specials.
The mushroom pizza is great
Best deal:
20 tastings wines for $20 nights (I think they are on Mondays)
Added touch:
Eclectic food trucks
LOVE
LOVE
LOVE
Came here on a Saturday evening when my bf and I were looking for a new place to taste/buy some wine. We ended up going into the wine bar after being told about the different flights available.
We got there at the right time, when it was happy hour, so all flights were 50% off! The guy at the wine bar suggested a flight to us based on our preferences, and we ended up buying a bottle of one of the wines we tried (Pinotage--with a 10% discount!)
Since I'm a lightweight, I also needed some food to go with my wine. We ordered a 6 piece crostini plate. It was good, but I'm not sure if it was actually worth $6. It was basically slices of baguette topped with different cheeses and/or meats, which we could probably make ourselves for a lot cheaper. But, I still enjoyed the plate along with the wines.
My bf and I are still fairly new to wines, so it's nice to go to a place like this where we can sample different flights at a good price. There are also other specials like 20/20. I bought a Groupon recently, so I definitely plan on going back to Wine Expo soon!
I love the Wine Expo and I'm not even a big fan of wine.
I was introduced to Wine Expo by fellow yelper and Wine expert Ben G! He invited me over to the Wine Expo on a Thursday night, what I didn't know then that I know now was that the Wine Expo has an AWESOME deal called the "20/20 Night" which are offered on Monday and Thursday. Â
What happens is that EVERY Monday and Thursday you have a chance to taste 20 different wines in a wide variety of styles for just $20 (exclusive of tax and tip) in their Bar. Â And each week's wine selection is different!! Â
You get to hang out at the Wine Expo, sample the wines and eat different food they offer. Â It's a popular event! Â And there's always a food truck there too!
What can get better than this?
They have their own parking lot too@!
Who knew a grown man could love a wine shop so much?
This shop stocks a wide selection of all types of wine. Â They specialize in Italian wines of all variety. Â They also have a pretty good selection of beers too. Â All the prices seem reasonable. Â This place really cares about the neighborhood too, which is very refreshing. Â They sponsor a different specialty food truck in the parking lot frequently as an easy option for their patrons who want to go to their wine bar on the west side of the shop. Â This comes in handy because we all know what happens to people who drink on an empty stomach. Â
My FAVORITE part is on Monday's and Thursdays. Â They have a 20 tastings for $20 at the wine bar. Â This is an amazing deal and a great way to sample so many different quality wines. Â I have done this many times and have brought quite a few people to do the same. Â I have yet to hear a complaint or someone who hasn't had a return visit. Â The staff is friendly and knowledgeable without being snooty. Â All the wines on the list were good, even if they weren't all my particular taste. Â For a fun night out, you should absolutely check out this place for the 20 for 20 deal. Â
For a good bottle of wine, a great beer, or a fun night out this place can't be beat. Â HIghly recommended for anyone who is a fan of amazing awesomeness with a side of two thumbs up.
Food (& ratings):
- N/A: came here to shop for wine & scotch gifts. Â see Service.
When:
- last week of Dec
Crowd:
- locals
Interiors & Service:
- Interiors (4): simple open layout. Â low-end to high-end liquour. Â Intimate tasting room adjacent in back.
- Service (5): Â knowledgeable and helpful staff!!! Â I forget name of nice gentleman that helped me but he recommended both wine and scotch. Â Then introduced me to tasting room to try a Pinot Grigio that was recommended (b/c I didn't have time to sit down and enjoy, he knocked off a gift accessory for my purchase). Â On occasion, they have food trucks outside so you just order, bring in, and have either some flights or tastings in the back. Â What a great concept! Â
Overall:
- Definitely coming back here for next wine tasting & food truck night.
4.5 stars but people there are so nice that I'm rounding up.
This place is so understated but such a gem. It's never crowded the few times I've been. Sometimes there will be a food truck parked outside so you can order food too. The wine tasting is really great. They always have good deals going. They don't' serve real food but does have appetizers. If you go there, check in on Yelp or Four squares and can get a free 6 piece crostini plate. Yum! The cheese plate was good too both the strong and the mild. Each time I've been there, I always end up liking at least one or two wines and buy several bottles. The man in the front who I suspect is the owner is VERY knowledgeable about wines! We've asked him for recommendations twice and both times hit the jackpot! We totally trust his taste and will get whatever he recommends.
As for entertainment. One time there was a guy playing live acoustic guitar which was super cool. but the other times there was nothing. Wish they would at least play some background music.
Thank goodness there is wine in the world!
I'm willing to give this place another try because I'm sure there's more potential than when we went on a Sunday evening, which was pretty empty.
I'm not sure why everyone raves about the crostini because to us it was just baked sourdough with a little bit of stuff on top. Our mixed platter had pepperoni, anchovies, sundried tomato and garlic cheese--each on a different bread. <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/75q2kaEU1q8fQFJVDvyxUQ?select=ZUI5fn9GWaSsMXIsvpaMag">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a> Though not very exciting, it's nice bonus when you get a free sampler by checking in on Foursquare!
Our cheese and meats assortment platter was also underwhelming <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/75q2kaEU1q8fQFJVDvyxUQ?select=Tc0aC8HCJD58xX5VI2jPmw">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>. I did appreciate that the bread/crackers to cheese/meat ratio was perfect. The meats were very underwhelming, some tasted like just odd deli meat (I'm actually not sure what animals they were... prob should've asked =/). Cheeses were better, but we couldn't even finish some of them--particularly the gorgonzola. It's good but we didn't need a huge slab of it. No cheese breath for me thank you!
Service-wise was friendly, but we were anticipating our bartender to talk a little about the wine that he served for our flights. He never even mention the wine's name so we had to constantly refer back to our menu so it would've been nice to learn a little more about what we were drinking.
If it weren't for the Groupon, I don't think I would pay full price for the tastings. We tried the most pricey one is the $33/red flight and most of the wines were from Europe). And though the wines were good, they were overpriced for the quality.
Next time I'll come during happy hour.
Store: Great store and super knowledgeable service. Wine tasting room: Started off awesome then went downhill.
You have to scoot in the store to find the tasting room. Our group was a little nervous that we would be standing among wine displays, but the two tasting rooms are relaxing and comfortable. We were given a sample of a featured wine while we perused the night's menu: this is off to a good start.
Most of the table chose a red flight, and we were curious about the smoked olives and ordered that as well. Sadly, I did not jot down the vinos I sampled but the host kept the tastings coming UNTIL (::dramatic music::) our table was in agreement that the smoked olives were smoked into their next lifetime. There was no olive-ness left, someone in our party asked if other patrons had felt the same. Big mistake. The staff herded around the bar clutching their bottles while gasping "Why no! We've gotten rave reviews for our smoked olives!" That prompt friendly service evaporated real quick and we were left flagging the server down for our last tasting and the check. A bit of a bummer way to wrap up what was a wine-tastic evening thus far.
Silver lining: the kind man manning the store was incredibly knowledge about all things alcoholic. We had a lengthy discussion about tequilas. The man knows his stuff. All of us left with purchases and some recommendations for later. The store staff are approachable and friendly, I would feel comfortable sending those new to wine here.
My fiance and I just returned home after stopping by the wine expo for some flights and snacks and I just dont feel right about the place right now.
Its started off alright with a complimentary glass of prosecco and some crostini but soon we realized the service was painfully slow and a bit disheveled. Â We understand that they just opened and all but this was the weekend after their <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Flivingsocial.com&s=2456932cd5ebcc60ad30944e723e56ffdb2706564dcfac90fbf2e821a2c1c821" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://livingsocial.com</a> coupon went out and over 500 were sold, you'd think they'd be better prepared.
It took over an hour for them to serve us two flights and one cheese plate, they also didn't tell us what kind of cheese we were eating and didn't give us knifes which made eating it a little tricky. The server was very nice and friendly, just not on top of it.
We spoke to the owner a little and he didnt seem terribly interested in investing any time in us, even though there weren't very many ppl there, which rubbed me the wrong way.
After our drinks we stepped out to the shop to buy a couple bottles and experienced something we see a lot: ageism.
Seriously, I hope I don't sound like a total snob but here it goes. We look very young and shop ppl tend to think we're into binging on two buck chuck which is not the case. We know our wine and purchase quite a bit of it, way more than the average Joe. But whenever we get treated like that we take our business else where.
Now I must say, I did enjoy most of my experience here and am willing to give them a second chance because of the location and the tasting menu BUT I felt I needed to say something about what happened tonight so perhaps, they can work on their ppl skills.
I will be sure to rewrite my review if they deserve it.
How much do I love this store!!
Wine and I are best friends and the only thing that gets in our way are those damn human beings that try to stand between us, but yesterday I was hanging out with one of my favorite humans and we were craving the vino (what else is knew). And so we decided to check out this much rumored wine store with the whopping 5 star review on Yelp. I mean, with a rating like that, it must be good. And boy was it ever!
Thanks to Eric "the beer guy," we were taking on a palate elating journey through the richness of Tempranillo, the decadence of Italia and even treated to a thought-provoking explanation on the bubbly. He taught us fermented lessons that I will one day pass along to my kids (okay, maybe that's extreme, but Eric friggin rules!)
Come here and buy your wine. It's a store with a whole lotta knowledge and a fantastic selection and you won't feel dumb asking questions and will leave a few points smarter. Win Win.
Holy Mary Mutha-O-Gawd, I have reached the Holy Land!!!!
Eric, you are a god among men. Eric happens to be the "beer guy" who is more than well-versed in wines and this weekend he helped me re-stock my bar with an incredible selection of Italian, French and South American wines. Don't let the location or the name fool you because the Wine Expo has everything (wine, champagne, prosecco, cave, tequila, whiskey, a little bit of everything)! This place is in a small, unsuspecting strip mall but it packs a punch. The selection is incredible, the staff friendly and knowledgeable, and the prices are reasonable. This is my new go-to wine shop for sure. I will most definitely make the drive from East to West LA to shop here from now on!
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