Took a small group for a birthday celebration last night. The wine list was excellent and the food was good. The service was good also with one exception. The chef/waitstaff were not willing to accommodate a vegetarian. They had ONE vegetarian entree option on the menu, yet the evenings specials contained pastas and vegetable side dishes that could have been easily served without meat. The server suggested that I order the one entree that was available even though I didn't like one of the main ingredients, as opposed to "angering" the chef. I'm not a high maintenance fine diner by any means, but for the price of The Winery I would assume that they'd be more customer service focused. For the money, I'd choose the equally impressive, yet more accommodating,creative chefs at the Stonehill Tavern.
Review Source:This is hands down my most favorite restaurant! I live in Phoenix and come to California about every week for work. When I get the opportunity this is where I absolutely chose to come!
First, the service! God the service is unreal! There are so many restuarants that could learn from these guys! From the moment you walk in until you leave - I cannot say enough about how good it is. The waiters will even watch your table and if someone is speaking at the table they will not approach until the moment is right. That is tricky to do and they pull it off flawlessly.
Second, the food. The scallops and shrimp served over risotto is stellar. Everything cooked to perfection, including the risotto. Nothing worse than over or under cooked risotto. I have had many of their delicious options all come out perfect and I a very hard person to please.
Third, the wine options are fantastic! From red to white there isn't a wine that you cannot find on their list that fits every budget.
They are opening a second location in Newport Beach! Congrats to them! I will be back many, many more times!
I've visited The Winery on two occasions and remembered having an amazing experience on the first trip. Unfortunately my recent visit was much less memorable. There were several specials of the day and among the selection the mushroom crusted sea bass over a bed of root vegetables seemed the most tantalizing. Â I was also told that sea bass was in high season and that it would be incredibly fresh. Â
When my entree was brought out the first thing I thought... "hotel food" - dry, overcooked, and lackluster in flavor. I sampled my girlfriend's duck and boy that wasn't much better. *Sighs* Such a pity considering the prime location and high yelp rating. The desserts were not nearly as disappointing but among the five dishes that we shared the cheesecake and profiterole were my favorite.
The service and environment was fine but unfortunately it still does not redeem mediocre food! I believe on my first visit I ordered steak, so perhaps I should stick with this protein over venturing out. However, considering the price tag and food portion it's unlikely that I'd return on my own volition. Â Sorry!
Honestly I could spend an hour writing about why I keep coming back, but here are five of the high points..
1. I bring family, friends, and clients here on a regular basis, they all have enjoyed themselves, and many have come back themselves.
2. Lunch and Dinner options are good, even for picky eaters, food quality is amazing.
3. Wine options are wonderful, and the staff is very skilled with pairings.
4. Reservations.. novel idea.. Thank you.
5. Last but not least, William, JC, Chef, and the recently retired Irish.
The last item is the reason I keep coming back. I have 100% confidence that whoever I bring in will be taken care of. From meal options to special table requests, you name it, they will accommodate if at all possible.
This trickles down to the staff, from the moment I walk in to the moment I leave, they are attentive and interested.
Went with the Bambi's Mommy special which came on a bed of spatzel with green beans, beets and a raspberry reduction sauce. The venison was perfectly charred but still rare inside. My only complaint would be I wish the dish came with more of that sauce because venison is lean and the sauce would have helped the dish overall.
Review Source:They have a decent happy hour and a great normal menu. Â I've been a few times, once for an event (great passed appetizers), and a couple of times for dinner.
When I have a meal here, I usually start out with the tomato salad, which also comes with samplings of different types of salts to go with the salad. Â I have tried different entrees, however I think my favorite is the braised shortrib which falls off the bone.
Great wine selection, and I totally will come back when I need a fancy-ish dinner.
Loved this restaurant. Â Had the filet mignon and it was cooked to perfection and tasted so delicious. Â I also liked that the meat is from here in California and is free of hormones and antibiotics. Â The ambiance is very nice and the service was great..I would come back here in a heartbeat.
Review Source:My boyfriend and I decided to have a nice local dinner on a Saturday evening. I found this place through my normal Yelp search. I made reservations through Open Table, I love that it's as easy as a couple of clicks and done! Also, I don't mind the whole stupid excitement I get from building points. Just like when I earn a badge from Yelp haha.
The restaurant is located in the District, the exterior looked very commercial...too new for my taste. I like restaurants that have character, as I do with a house. I really liked the interior though, it was consistent with colors and the lighting was classy and romantic. The space was big, not huge. I really liked the bar area because it was spacious, plus on the weekends there is live music. Once I took notice of that, we cancelled our reservations and sat in the lounge area just so we can take advantage of the entertainment. The band was playing Jazz music, it went well with the atmosphere.
The service was good. We ordered a couple of appetizers including half a dozen of oysters and calamari. The oysters weren't bad, it just seemed as if the pick wasn't in our favor. The calamari, I didn't enjoy at all! They seemed over cooked and the batter was lacking seasoning. I like when Calamari has a crispy batter, this wasn't. My boyfriend and I also love when there are rings from the body and tentacles. This in particular just had strips of the meat. I only had a couple strips because it wasn't worth it to me.
For my entree I ordered the scallops which I enjoyed. I like the reduction sauce, good balance of flavors. The scallops were cooked nicely, I love when the texture is almost silky against your tongue, and this was. I'm sure we will be back, I'd love to take my Father there since he loves wine.
To start, my boyfriend and I decided to have a fun date night here on 5/3/13. I have eaten here before and was impressed with my steak, however last night was an experience of an entirely different nature. Service was amazing, we had the privilege to chat with someone who genuinely enjoyed food and wine, our server Chris. His extensive knowledge of wine and passion for food made the dinning exsperience so enjoyable. We also met spike, who was a pleasure to talk with. Staff seemed very calm and professional. We started with the special shrimp appitixze served on delicious veggie filled raviloi. My boyfriend ordered the lobster specail served of rizzoto, which was so creamy and delicious while I enjoyed the savory corkscrew pasta. We also split a delcious malbec-cab hybrid. Must visit!
Review Source:I have eaten here twice and both times it is pretty good. However, it is over priced and they seem to be a bit full of themselves. Since it is called the winery you should get a bottle of wine to go with your dinner. So don't expect to get out without paying at least $150 or more for dinner for two.
If you are trying to impress your date this probably would be a good place to take her. The staff are very attentive and it is a high class joint. The food was very good and they did have Paul Hobb's Pinot Noir for only $105.00 when I was there which I found to be amazing. My date was impressed too.
Overall though the place is a little too snooty to what I personally prefer. So I can't be a fan.
If I was to base my rating for this restaurant on the food, I would've given The Winery 4 stars. It was totally delicious and you can tell they take a lot of pride in their food, but I think I still would've rated it at 4.
HOWEVER, if I could give them 10 stars on their service I would. I can not tell you enough how amazing the staff is at this place. I have never been so welcomed and appreciated at a restaurant before. At one point we had the Maitre'd, Sous Chef and Sommelier all at our table talking to us about the food and wine, and also just genuinely interested in us and our hobbies. I know that may be seem weird, but they were so kind and like I said genuine, we left feeling like we not only had an amazing meal...but also 3 new great acquaintance's.
I can not wait to go back and honestly think it was one of the best restaurant experiences I have ever had.
Went here after an Angels game, and thankfully I had my work clothes to change into because there's no way they'd let anyone in wearing a jersey. This place is very upscale and elegant; a place to take your spouse on their birthday or a business dinner. Not even a date should be worthy here, haha. I mean if you wanna spend the loot and it is dimmed lighting so that could actually work to your advantage ;D
Sat by the bar area and had Samantha as our cocktail waitress. She was very educated on the menu and recommended a very prominent glass if red wine for me - Russian River Valley Pino Noir complimented very well with the pork belly lollipops which were so tender and just fell right off the stick... One of my top marinated pork bellies to date. The little pieces were the perfect amount for a late night snack.
The ahi spoons were also pretty yum, I enjoyed the one bite all at once... These flavors combined made for a sensation overload!!!
This past weekend my husband and I went to this restaurant for a date night. We happened to be in the area and I wanted a steak, so we picked this spot. When we walked in we were asked if we had a reservation, in which we said no, but to our surprise they said their next available seating was over an hour later but the bar may have seating available. (Which restaurants do you still have to make reservations for? Apparently this one - my hubby and I are used to just walking in and being seated within a few minutes - 20 min.) We scan the bar area, which is packed, and find a small bar and seat available - we wanted to eat dinner not just bar food, so I began to become annoyed because I didnt want to spend over $100 sitting at this small uncomfortable bar off to the side. However, when we were about to leave a bigger bar space opened up in front of the bar tender and within a few minutes a nice big bar table opened up - we jumped on it. I ordered the Cajun steak - AMAZING (I had them slice it as well - OMG it was so good!) with the truffle potatoes (truffles on the side) - which was amazing as well and the asparagus (big!). My hubby had the lamb which he enjoyed, but he said next time he would order what I had just because it was that awesome and cheaper than his lamb. After bread and the meal we had no room for dessert but enjoyed some drinks while listening to the live music they had that evening - which was also great! We were even able to catch their drink happy hour before we left. I would highly recommend the Cajun Steak - if the rest of their items on the menu are as good as this, then you can't go wrong with any option.
My only complaint would be after finally seating ourselves at the bar table, no one spoke to us for a few minutes, until one of the waitresses walked by and I had the look like "hello, can you help us please". She asked if we had been helped and I said, no we have not. For the amount that you will spend in this restaurant on a meal - every customer needs to be acknowledged in a timely manner.
All the food I've had here is pretty good. Â I usually come on lunch from work and the lunch special is a really good deal. Â Other than that the prices are pretty high and the atmosphere is kind of stuffy for my taste. Â Not bad for business meetings, but would not be a regular choice for me.
Review Source:I had been in the area so many times, but never got a chance to check this place. Awesome restaurant for both food and service. The servers were friendly (or just because I was with a friend who is a regular?) and food was very creative. I ordered the special, which was Ono with a red wine reduction sauce. Who ever thought of putting both together! Need to go there more often!
Review Source:All star service. My friends and I went for a recent visit for OC Restaurant Week and we were treated like celebrities! Food pics coming soon :) Didn't get our waiter's name, but he made the evening quite entertaining. Â The decor, ambiance, food presentation --- everything from water to the bread and butter and then to the appetizer, entree, and dessert were flavorful and delicious. Comp drinks are always a plus, too :)
Review Source:Wow. My wife and I had dinner tonight at the Winery. First of all the food was fantastic. I had Filet Mignon and the sauce was some kind of wine and rosemary reduction. Did I say Wow?. The staff was on the spot. The wine came a little after the salad so the sommelier said he would comp us a dessert wine ( for a $45 bottle of wine) . I didn't think a sommelier would give a hoot for a $45 bottle, but he did and spent some time with us and chatted a while about wine.
  The cost was $146 and worth every penny. If you want a great dining experience , go to the Winery.
I love this place. I normally come here with my boyfriend and a few friends every Friday. Sam is our server, every time  (take a Friday off once in a while!) Anyway, she is AMAZING. one of the best server I've ever had, whenever we order waters, she always put a straw in my glass because she knows I can't drink without a straw. She remembers exactly what we eat and how we like it. Ahi tuna salad.  :) she seriously deserved all  5 stars, always in a happy mood and greets everyone.
The place is lovely, a nice ambiance with dim lights and music playing. Just very relaxing yet gives off a fun Friday night out vibe. Service is great here, food is awesome. Their cheese and bread fondue is delicious!
:) keep up the great work, team!
I honestly can't say enough nice things about the Winery.
Every time I come here, I feel like a rock star.
The Valet knows my name, the owner knows my name, my favorite waiter always says hi to me.  Any date I've ever brought has been seriously confused at how nice and friendly every staff member  is when I arrive.
For my age group, 25+, I think it's much better for bringing a date than say Maestro's or Morton's because of the service, food, and price.
The service here seriously blows me away every time I come. Â Everyone is polite and knowledgeable about the wine they stock. Â They check in on you and all around make you feel happy you tipped 25%+.
The food here is great as well. Â I come here so often that I'll admit I have gotten a little tired of the current menu, but that just means I'm eating the special for the night. Â My personal favorite is their Charcuterie board. Â This is basically meat, cheese, fruit, pate, and bread. Â It's so good that I've often ordered it to go!
Ambiance is also great. Â Much more light than most high end places and a very warm atmosphere.
Price-some people are grumbling about the prices below, but I honestly think it's a bang for your buck in comparison with a Morton's or Maestro's. Â Food is much better and honestly cheaper.
Wrap up-This place is seriously a gem. Â Always packed so you know it's doing something right. Â Definitely a must try if you're in the area.
I have to admit i thought this place would be better. its very expensive, which doesn't bother me if the food is on point. first my flatbread was chewy and doughy with a little bit of bacon and too much cheese it was dripping oil.
 then there was my duck, it was way overcooked and on a bed of mushy vegetables. it was also covered in red wine sauce which was just covering up the lack of seasoning in the dish.
  My girl had the burratta salad which was perfect and scrumptious. she also ordered the shrimp and scallops. the scallops where cooked properly, the risotto was not and too much butter. this dish was also covered in sauce.
 the wine list was enormous. the two glasses i had where really excellent. our server was also very nice and attentive. although the wine and service was good, the food is just not worth the money here for my taste. id rather blow my cash elsewhere.
This place was was on my list of places to try when it opened, but after reading all the mixed reviews on yelp, I was very hesitant. So I decided to forget about it. Then I saw a Travelzoo voucher for a 5-course meal for two for $99 and decided to give it a shot and see for myself. I was very pleasantly surprised.
We got there last night at 8:30 for our reservation. The place was packed with its usual interesting OC crowd. We got seated within five minutes. Bread, butter, and water was on our table within the next two. Our server, Dina, greeted us and made sure we were taken care of from the first course until the last. She also recommended that my fiancé and I add the wine pairings for $29 more and we are glad we did. The four wines were pretty good, and for that price-score! :)
All the dishes were pretty good! Nothing too fancy or experimental...or anything that blew me away, but all of the favors were simple and spot on. The ingredients were fresh and the portions were just enough to get me through all five courses without stopping. Â
First course: Heirloom tomatoes with burrata, tiny croutons, and aged balsamic. Â It was good. The burrata was nice and creamy. The balsamic added a nice punch of flavor. It was better with the Pinot Grigio. It brought out the acidity. Â
Second course: Buffalo carpaccio. Thin slices of slightly seared carpaccio topped with a salad of greens and thinly sliced cucumbers. I really liked this dish. The buffalo was good and the salad was a nice complement.
Third course: Maine lobster and shrimp ravioli. Not bad. I though my ravioli was slightly overlooked. Just a tad. It was good.
Fourth course: Lamb chop and beef tenderloin with mixed grilled vegetables. I really enjoyed this dish. The beef was tender, juicy and perfectly cooked. My lamb was small and slightly overcooked. But it was still good. The tiny vegetables were cute and simply grilled. And it was paired with a glass of Sequoia Grove Cabernet. Nice!
Fifth course: Cheesecake with mixed-berry coulis. Probably my least favorite dish of the night. Cheesecake wasn't bad, just wasn't memorable. My fiancé loves cheesecake and he even considered it OK. I passed mine to my fiancé and ate the mixed berries. The berries were fresh.
Overall, my fiancé and I enjoyed our experience. Our service was great! And the food was pretty good. Will I be back? Probably.
This place is very nice.
I went to this restaurant on a date. Since my date and I both love wine, we opted for this spot.
The service was great and our server made our stay here throughout the evening relaxing and fun. By far, one of the best services I've experienced.
As far as food, we only got apetizers, we tried a number of items, however I cant remember their names. Â We tried a pizza type flat bread and some lamb chops, both were delish! We had also tried other items, but I cant really remember them all.
The wine was good, they have a large selection of wines, their corkage fee is not that high, somewhere around $25 if I remember correctly.
Overall, I would totally come back to this place again!
My wife and I drove from Upland to enjoy this wonderful restaurant. It was a pleasurable experience from the moment I called to make the reservation even a day later, I will explain.
Upon arrival we were taken to our seats on the patio. The temperature was at 101, yet the patio with its ceiling fans made it very comfortable. The staff then opened the ceiling awnings allowing a cool breeze to flow through the area.
Our waiter David G. was very friendly and made us feel very welcome and spent time with us talking about the area around Ventura up to the Central Coast that my wife and I enjoy visiting. We had a special Chef's Menu prepared for us from a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.travelzoo.com&s=c1197362db254ea6c9fa2cad0ee99fd26b48cd48c295cdf3f8b71f35ce58fee7" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.travelzoo.com</a> coupon. You may think, a coupon for a dinner would be less than pleasing, but I assure you, quite the contrary.
I started my meal with a Martini and my wife had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Â David was wise enough to slow down the evening by allowing us to enjoy the drinks before being rushed to present our meals.
The meal stated with Santa Barbara Heirloom Tomatoes with Fresh Buratta Mozzarella, Micro Arugula with Olive Oil and Aged Balsamic Vinegar. The came Colorado Buffalo Carpaccio with a Cucumber Tower of Micro-Greens with a Truffle Vinaigrette followed by Maine Lobster and Shrimp Ravioli on  bed of Kale with a wonderful cream sauce. We were not done yet, next a Lamp Chop and Medallion of Tenderloin over a bed on seasoned small vegetables cooked to perfection. And finally a desert of cheese cake topped with fresh berries and one berry so tasty that I could not tell you what it was.
My wife continued drinking Sauvignon Blanc with her meal while I had the pairings with my meal. The staff that waited on us including Mario were very pleasant and new all about the different wines. Again it was a great way to enjoy the evening meal and the ambiance.
The Maitre d', Scott Hopkins proved what should be expected at a restaurant rated the #1 In Orange County, he visited the table and show interest in his clients. Back to the day later, I accidently left my credit card at the table and when I called the following day, Scott Hopkins made arrangements to have my credit card sent to me.
I have enjoyed many fine restaurants and many not so fine restaurants, but what makes me go back is the service, and The Winery Restaurant and Wine Bar exceeded the level of service one would expect and deserves the highest rating possible.
JC, Spike and William were all beyond fantastic and took excellent care of us. (So did our server, except she never gave us her name.) Â Service here was great, and the atmostphere is nice, as if you're sitiing in a giant living room.
The food was solid, fresh and nicely presented, and my guests seemed to really enjoy it. Â Personally, I remember it being pretty good, but overall also pretty unmemorable.
If you want to entertain for business or for pleasure, this place should make you happy. Â Proper, yet cozy at the same time.
I LOVE this restaurant! I always have the best service hands down and of course the most divine meals. I don't even have to look at the menu, I can trust any of the wonderful wait staff to make decisions for me! (Which is great when you make decisions all day long for a living ;) )
Last night, however, I did have an idea in mind- white fish with vegetables and I Â didn't see an exact match on the menu (with a preparation I preferred). So our wonderful waiter Jennifer customized a meal for me that was more than I could hope for! So amazing and even better than what was on the menu. I had grilled halibut with a bernaise sauce and risotto with asparagus and they used a hint of chili spice around the rim ( If I recall correctly). She gave us the best recommendations on apps, entrees and dessert.
* What most people don't know-
You have the luxury of your car being ready for you as you exit the building without even notifying valet! They have such amazing service and somehow the the front desk/valet/ waiter communicates so precisely with each other, that when you're finished with your meal, your car is already waiting for you as you exit.
I highly recommend this place for special events, occasions or even to treat yourself to a wonderful meal and experience. I've been fortunate enough to come on week nights without a reservation and have enjoyed both regular and bar seating and like both.
I recently checked out this spot to take a special someone out to dinner. I basically have no complaints. Â
They had a great wine list for her, and a decent scotch list for me (which is basically the only reason I didn't give this place 5 stars).
I really appreciated that even though we looked young, we didn't seem to be treated any differently than the rest of the patrons which is something I'll run into from time to time (for whatever reason I guess they don't think tattooed degenerate gamblers tip well but I try to as much as my bankroll will allow hahaha). Â
Their special was the buffalo which I tried out and my girl got the rotisserie chicken. Â Both were delectable. Â Also had the Scharffen Berger chocolate and sorbet for dinner which was uhhhhhmazing. Â
The place is a little spendy, but for something special it's definitely a good spot. Â Not gonna lie, we were the loudest party in the place, but no one seemed to mind.
#75. Loved the venue, the food, and the service.  I ordered the "Grand Cru" Burger: 1/2 lb. Kobe style beef, caramelized onions, avocado, lettuce, bacon, and Meritage secret sauce.  It was monstrous!  I couldn't even finish half of it.  The texture was very rich, and certainly delicious.  I also sampled YG's Alsatian Pizza: crème fraîche, Gruyère, applewood smoked bacon, and onions.  I liked how it wasn't super oily.
The servers were very attentive and friendly. Â I glanced around to see other tables and the service is definitely all-around top notch. Â The lovely decor of the restaurant was a plus too. Â If you're thinking of a place to go for a romantic dinner, this is a great option.
Another gorgeous restaurant to try with Mom...
The venue is lovely and on a Sunday night, there was live music playing and a soulful singer crooning. It was great. Service was quite friendly and knowledgeable and the  atmosphere was casual but dressy. I loved it.
Food wise, we ordered a round of wine and an ahi appetizer. I'd prefer it raw, but the ahi was seared nicely with accompanying sauce. For dinner I chose the chile lime mahi mahi and mom had the pork chop. The fish is tiny but it's so good. Guaranteed you won't get fat eating this and it's high on flavor. The pork chop on the other hand is huge. 2 people could easily eat it. The bacon wrapped dates were a nice addition too.
All in all, awesome place. Can't wait to come back!
Suits.
Yeah, that's the name of my favorite TV show on USA, but it's also what many of the patrons were wearing here on a Tuesday for lunch. Â That's remarkable to me only because I've realized a lot lately that business professional attire seems passe and even business casual does to some extent, as I go out to about 15 clients (employers) a month and none of them have suits on, let alone ties. Â That's not necessarily bad, but I'd expect it to still live on somewhere.
Well, this must be the place that all the business people that do dress up in shirts and ties and coats congregate for lunch. Â Most met up in smaller groups, but others parked solo at the bar and played on their iPads or phones. Â This is probably a cool place to go to in the summer during the day, but if I was wearing a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals, I'd really feel out of place.
Luckily for me this was right across the street from a business I had a meeting at so we hit this spot right at 11:30a when it opened. Â In the next half an hour it filled up pretty well. Â We sat in the bar area thus the bartender was our server, we got everything quickly, refills, our meal, etc.
The menu had a lot of sandwiches, paninis, and salads on it, several looked interesting, but I wanted an entree. Â I shied away from their lunch specials only because I didn't want dessert included. Â Fish options were a bit over $20 but I'm happy with cheap fish at the CA Fish Grill about a mile or so down the street. Â So I had the Winery Corkscrew Pasta, which I'd recommend as it's only $15.95 and is basically grilled sonoma chicken, baby artichokes, oven dried tomatoes, and basil pesto. Â It has enough chicken and is a nice sized portion. Â I'd definitely look forward to having it again here, so am glad I made my choice.
And of course I followed my trend of not ordering something that the place is specifically known for, that being wine (I'm the guy that ordered chicken at Ruth's Chris Steak House and never orders coffee at coffee houses). Â So to those interested in wine, or dinner here, my review is completely useless.
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