Vinoteque On Melrose

This place is amazing. Beautiful atmosphere with diary lights, fountains and classic jazz. Wine and food on point. Perfect night out with the girls.

Starting this Unilocal off by saying I EMAILED the wine bar OVER A WEEK AGO about our bad experience. I like to go straight to the source before ever Unilocaling. If a business is arrogant enough not to respond (they didn’t) then might as well let other customers know how much their business isn’t worth it.
Below an excerpt from the email I sent in. We had already waited awhile for our first round of drinks and when ordering 2^nd bottle of Rose we were told they didn’t have any chilled. (NOTE. It was MONDAY. They were not busy.)
«A female manager came over to the table to let us know there wasn’t a bottle of chilled Rose available. She said she would bring us an already open bottle that was available and return later with a «4^th» glass to make it a complete bottle of Rose. Weird.
It’s not summer. There is no excuse to not have any Rose by the bottle available. Her attitude was NOT friendly and she addressed us in a very defensive and aggressive tone right from the start like a «take it or leave it» attitude.
Once again we waited so long for this «random open bottle» my friend got up to see what was taking so long. The manager came over and began arguing that «this is how it goes.»
After completely dismissing us she came over with one «free» glass on the Rose that was supposedly out of stock for my friend. Her tone when she brought it over was very condescending. Our entire table just wanted her to go away.
Her behavior was mortifying. Never once did we get an apology for the slow service, unprepared menu, or even her attitude. At the end of the day slow service is forgivable but what is not is an aggressive, angry, and unprofessional manager. I was appalled at her behavior «
***I’m guessing the manager who was so disrespectful to us was the one who read my email and most likely deleted it. C’est La Vie. There are PLENTY of other wine bars in LA who appreciate their customers. Won’t be back and neither will any of my friends…

Give me wine and I’ll alway be happy. This place is a cute, romanticish wine bar with yummy food options. I was first invited by a friend of mine and it’s easy to say I will def be coming back. I ordered the rosè which was so so delicious.

Happy hour prices are the best and the fried goat cheese salad is the best I’ve had in LA!
I don’t know about the wine selections but friends say it’s too notch.

Nice quaint romantic dinner. The food was delicous. Loved the warm goat cheese napoleon and the sliders. The outside courtyard was pretty, quiet and relaxing. We went on a Thursday night and was not busy at all. The only downside is the price. The tapa style food and wine was pretty pricely. Would go back for happy hour.

Another great dining experience here at Vinoteque on Melrose.
Vinoteque is a fine spot in the heart of Melrose. The patio area is perfectly for summer time or for those who doesn’t care weather it’s rain or shine. The main dining area is so romantic. And I truly meaning. Lightings, settings and all could make you easily fall in love… with the place.
The owner greeted us upon walking in. We seated ourselves at one of the sofas in the corner. It felt almost like at home.
She recommended a couple of red wines that were not listed on their wine list and of course we bought it! It was actually very bold and tasty. Sadly, I don’t remember what kinda of wine it was.
We had Brussels sprout, Salmon and Chicken Pot Pie along with our wine. Food was decent to me. It was good but not great. My favorite was Brussels sprouts… I know. I guess people go here for the wine. Or maybe, my expectations were too high? Idk~

Came here before this place open and as we were walking by, was just immediately drawn to the charm the place had! We spotted it though a doorway and even for that brief glance, we notice the awesome outdoor patio area where it gives such a cozy and romantic vibe. The patio area is actually not very big and surrounded overhead by two sided balconies on the second floor that you can get to through the stairways that splits to either side to the businesses above. With limited table seating for 2 – 4 people at most, you can see that they try to promote an ambiance of coziness.
When you walk up the stairs leading to the outdoor patio, you’re immediately drawn to a couple things. To the right hand side, besides the signs of names of the other stores in the same location, is this nice «cork-​y» art piece that’s made entirely of old wine corks! Such a unique way to greet people to show them what they are all about — Vino! To your immediate left is my favorite part of this whole place that really gives another spin on it’s uniqueness — the love locks! Having seen public places which also promote this same idea of signing your names on the locks and then locking them on the metal chains strung along the sides, it really gives you a sense that you’re leaving a piece of yourself in a place where it means something to you! Although not as large in scale compared to the other places, it does add additional character to the place and adds to the romantic factor for those on first dates to even those who are married.
The wines were superb and the policy in place also makes sense to not let anything go to waste! Food was okay and nothing too unique. Definitely a place for the ambiance and meaning/​concept behind it that makes this a good try!

This place is adorable! We stumbled upon here for brunch on a Sunday when the line to a nearby place was way too long and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. The Sangria was super yummy, and very well made. I got the buscuits with sausage, and while it was super yummy the portion was smaller than I expected. The staff was friendly, and I think they often have themed meals (that day was disco), which sounds fun!

I came here for a late dinner last night, and left really disappointed. Here’s what happened:
— We arrived and seated at a nice table out in the gorgeous patio
— The waitress took our order and we got our drinks promptly
— 15 – 20 minutes pass, and we still haven’t gotten our food. Also our waitress was nowhere to be seen
— Finally, a new waiter says he’s taking over and asks if we need anything. We told him we haven’t gotten our food yet, so he goes to check on it.
— 10 minutes later, we get the side of fries we ordered from a food busser. We let him know we still have a few dishes left, and he coldly says «yeah, it’s coming» and walks away
Eventually our food comes, which tasted fine but the entire experience was so much less than I would have expected from such a nice restaurant. The apologies weren’t even sincere. Maybe it was an off night, but we probably won’t be back.

Finally made it to Vinoteque! I’ve been wanting to try it forever as I’m a sucker for a good wine bar. I’m sold when there’s charcuterie also involved. The patio/​courtyard is super romantic. Ivy, lights, brick. It’s like a little break/​vacation from crazy LA!
The wine philosophy is superb. They will open any bottle as long as you have at least two glasses from it (I mean… when do I only have one??). Vinoteque’s happy hour «house» wine isn’t the cheap stuff either. It’s solid selections they just happen to have an excess off at the time. Only $ 6 a glass and HH goes til 7:00!

Great outdoor seating setup with heat lamps if you get chilly. The ambiance was superb, especially with the giant full-​screen black and white film, sans sound, playing in the outdoor area.
The 5-​item charcuterie and cheese plate was ok, but not worth the cost in my opinion. I enjoyed the Speck (Prosciutto), Chorizo (not too spicy), and Chaume (soft cheese). Wasn’t a huge fan of the Manchego and Pecorino. Not enough bread was served with the plate, and I’m not sure if a bread refill is complimentary because the server rarely visited our table.
The Spinach salad was really good!

This place is super chill and pretty cute. The outdoor patio area especially is really nice, filled with small tables, plants, and fairy lights. We didn’t sit in the patio area because it was too cold, but the indoor is nice as well, with couches to relax on as well as actual booths. We weren’t there for food, just wine, so we sat at one of the couches.
We had a flight of 5 red wines, and opted for a «mystery box» where we told the sommelier what qualities we liked and didn’t like and he picked 5 for us. If you want, though, you can customize your flights however you want. It’s nice that there’s so much flexibility when choosing your wines for a flight. You can also do flights of just 3.
This place is great if you just want to relax and have some nice wine. It’s exactly what we were looking for after a tiring day, and I’m sure we’ll be back.

Vinoteque is THE BEST! We stumbled upon Vinoteque about two years ago and haven’t looked back. It’s our go-​to spot for tapas and wine. You can get a trio wine flight for just $ 16. How can you beat that?
Their tapas are amazing. We recommend the sliders and the goat cheese napoleon. It’s also fun to go with 2 or 3 friends and get several dishes to all try. We love it when we get to sit outside — such a cool atmosphere. This past weekend we were inside for the first time and the atmosphere was just as cool.
The owner, Ryan, is a blast. He knows so much about wines and will choose the best flight for you. We all loved ours!
Come here. Make a reservation. You’re going to have a great time. Would give six stars if I could!

5 stars for service! We came here for my best friend’s birthday and the owner was a sweetheart. He recommended a great Bordeaux and checked up on us frequently. Bit on the pricey side, but we had a great time and everything was delicious.

Delightful hidden gem on Melrose. Make sure to grab a seat in the patio in the back, as it is so charming. There are plenty of heat lamps and movies play on a giant screen.
Everyone around us was on a first date, so I guess: good place for a first date!
The pricing for individual bottles is odd, but in a group it worked well.

Bottom line up front: Holy gorgeous. This restaurant exudes a romantic, cozy, European ambiance – perfect for the perfect date. The food is pretty good. Items are a bit costly for what you get. Majority of my points go to the ambiance.
I made group reservations here for my birthday because of all the great reviews from fellow Unilocalers. Kelly was amazing and e-​mailed me suggestions for starters and wine selections since we had a pretty large group. As soon as I stepped in the restaurant, I felt like I was back in Europe on my honeymoon. The «lock your love» entrance is a perfect touch to their theme. We were seated in the patio which was perfect – they had a large screen playing «Elf,» (no noise but it had subtitles if you really wanted to follow), candles/​hanging lights/​greenery everywhere, and heat lamps. SIGH. My dream backyard.
The food came out immediately and I felt the staff members were extremely attentive despite being pulled in all directions.
The only negative I can point out here is that the portions were teeny tiny for the amount you were paying. I probably should’ve emphasized the «tapas/​small plates» to my friends because I could tell they were a bit disappointed and left half full. For me, it was perfect and I’d definitely go back solo or with a date. Never a big group again unless we grab in-​and-​out before.

This place is so cute! Came here for a girls friends birthday. Fashionably late of course.
Walked in and our sever Kelly was giving the girls the run down through everything and let me just say– this woman is amazing. Funny, witty, down to earth, kind, a RED head she is fire.
Must get the Brussels sprouts, lamb meatballs, sweet potato fries and traditional fries. Friend loved the shrimp dish.
Meh to the mushroom risotto, pot pie, artichoke hearts.
Loved Kelly! She is superb. Great job. My girls loved you. Will come back.

I really don’t like pretentious restaurants that «act» like they are completely filled up… but you CLEARLY see over 10 tables were open and waiting to be occupied!
We left but and gave our number to one of the servers and they called us back half hr later… and load and behold that same 9 tables we saw earlier that seemed to be «occupied» is now ours…30 minutes later!
Even so, I did appreciated the food and we made the best of it and join their wine club by pretty much purchasing a bottle of wine. They have this smart little program that they if you buy a third glass you get the rest of the bottle free. The wine itself was quite delicious. not to dry but enough woody taste that we were craving for.
2 other complaints from my expereince here:
1. They had someone new that just started and he kept tempting us with other peoples food by accidently placing it on our table and than taking it away 2 minutes later .when we flag them down to let them know it wasnt ours.
2.Our server never finished us off, a bit odd because he was with us up until the last part of the meal and we started getting helped by another server. It wasn’t like the restaurant just got busy and he was on his break. he was clearly there helping «others»… i mean it was almost 10pm for godsake, and the kitchen was closing? I just didn’t get it !
Aside from that, great ambiance and date place but they need to get some cushion for their outside medal chairs. my bum was hurting at the end of it all!

My friend took me here for my birthday (which coincided with DineLA) and it did not disappoint at all!
First of all, it’s right on Melrose. We were worried about the parking and they supposedly have valet (but they don’t) which isn’t a big deal because there is lots of street parking nearby. Be sure to read the signs — but we were able to find parking right around the corner quickly so it shouldn’t be too hard.
It’s set back in a mini center. You go up these stairs (where they have a ton of those locks — like a mini version of the famous Italian one — and people have signed their names/​anniversaries/​etc on them. It’s cute and different and I liked it. There is a door to the restaurant right there but it’s locked. You need to go to the back (where there is a patio and several other businesses — a music school etc) and the entrance is there.
It’s an adorable place. It’s dark and romantic and lots of couches for sitting — I guess not the most comfortable for eating but I love the look and the vibe — it’s definitely a good place to bring a date. Get a spot by the window and you can watch the traffic go by and just enjoy the atmosphere! They play a lot of old silent movies! Loved that! Also, we went during the week and there were still a good amount of people there and the service was excellent.
Now for the most important part! The food!
½ & ½ Kale Salad — I LOVED this! I mean really loved! By half and half — they mean that half of the kale is raw and half of it is cooked. It was a great mixture of textures and the feta dressing was amazing. Tangy. Cheesy. Delicious! The pepitas and the dried grapes added a nice sweetness and more texture. Amazing salad. Amazing! I gobbled it all up!
Blue Cheese Salad — this was what my friend ordered! I know it had another name but I can’t remember the exact name. In my opinion, it was just okay. A little more on the regular side. Good but not amazing! I also think she preferred mine to hers too! Hahaha!
Croque Monsieur — Amazing! These were so amazing! Think of a really good panini with ham and a very good whole grain mustard (for some tang and to cut the richness) with a bit of bechamel sauce and lots and lots of cheese! So good! But the balsamic really took the dish to another level! Amazingly good!
Baked Brie — Tiny but amazing! So flaky and delicious! Filled with an apricot and hazelnut jam and mixed with that Brie cheese! Amazing! Soooo good!
Fried Chicken Bites — these were good! The chicken was good — although they tasted a little more Asian than southern. The chicken was definitely tempura style. What was amazing was the polenta. I thought I hated polenta. I had some absolutely awful polenta from Osteria Mozza (I’m looking at you Joe and Mario Bataly) and swore of it. It was greasy, gritty, corny and just disgusting. :insert dumping the dish in the garbage with disgust here: but this polenta totally changed my mind. This was cheesy, smooth, delicious! I will try polenta again! This was good and apparently the way polenta is supposed to taste!
The Olive Oil Poached Shrimp — my least favorite dish. I thought the shrimp were overcooked and they had no flavor in my opinion at all. There were a couple garlic cloves in the sauce that were tasty but the shrimp themselves! Bland! «Bland! Bland! Bland!» — man, I’ve had way too much fun quoting Masterchef this review! Anyway, the pickled veggies were nice and spicy and pickled (love!) and the bread it came with was tiny but crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The shrimp were just a miss.
Churros — these were okay. Nice and hot and nothing wrong with them, just not my favorite.
Almond Panna Cotta — the panna cotta was perfect! So creamy and smooth. The cookie underneath was a little hard and hard to break with the spoon — so I just ate around it — but it was good.
Yum! I would definitely come back here! Love the tapas and the atmosphere!

People are so clueless when it comes to DineLA. All of you scramble like roaches to the most popular spots and end up getting ROBBED. Do you think you are going to get the best dishes of the house at most of these popular spots? WRONG! You all need to be smarter. You probably wouldn’t end up so disappointed if you were.
Let me show you how to do it:
A fabulous 4 course meal for $ 30/​pp. Includes choices of: an appetizer, a «from the stove» second course, a main third course, and dessert. POW, bitch.
Since we both did DineLA, we chose different EVERYTHING per each course so that we could sample more. Our choices:
1^st Course — the Romaine Chopped salad and the Kale salad.
2^nd Course — Baked Brie and the Croque Monsieur bites
3^rd Course — Sauteed shrimp in olive oil with pickled veggies and the Crispy Chicken bites with creamy polenta and ham hock collard greens
4^th Course — The warm churros with black currant and caramel dipping sauces, and the Almond Panna Cotta with slivered almonds and berries.
THIS IS THE WAY TO DO DINELA!
We for damn sure probably got more courses than most of you who paid $ 50. And I’m pretty sure we got WAYYYYY more in quantity than most of you… and only for only $ 30! –AND ON TOP OF THAT-​, the food was SOOOOO GOOD. Just because it was $ 30, that doesn’t mean they backed down on quality! Nope!
–The salads were fresh, crisp, and full of creativity and flavor. Ooo-Wee…that Kale salad had a banging ass sweet/​savory thing going.
–The baked brie had a nice buttery flaky crust with a warm and creamy brie center. Topped with an apple & hazelnut chutney, a lovely sweet element to the dish, the baked brie provided a wonderful balance of sweet and salty along with texture.
–The croque monsieur bites were unbelievable! Crispy buttery bread soaking with ham juices, a béchamel (??) sauce, melted fontina/​gouda, and topped with a tangy balsamic arugula and tomato concoction… this shit has to be the best croque monsieur in LA! It felt like I was eating a crispy focaccia-​like croque monsieur pizza drizzled in balsamic. YOU MUST TRY THIS.
–The shrimp dish was our least favorite. I will say that the pickled veggies were perfect… crunchy & tangy, the big chunks of roasted garlic were oh-​so-​necessary, and the olive oil sauce to the shrimp was a nice touch for dipping the accompanying baguettes… but the shrimp was a bit rubbery. Maybe had the shrimp been butterflied and not overcooked, it could have worked. It would have given the shrimp space also to soak up the flavor of the olive oil sauce. Butterfly the shrimp next time and cut back the cooking time.
–The crispy fried chicken bites were lovely. Nicely thin pieces of white meat battered and lightly fried, served over a SUPER creamy and cheesy polenta that was done so well. Most people make polenta too gritty, but this one was creamy and smooth like some whipped mashed potatoes. The collard greens with ham hock pieces took me back to memories of growing up in the south. Perfectly cooked. Not too coarse/undercooked…and not too overdone. Juuuuuuust right.
–The warm churros were light, cinnamon-​y and airy with a tangy and fresh black currant (?) dipping sauce as well as a warm caramel dipping sauce. Our heads exploded.
–The almond panna cotta was white and creamy with a heavy touch of almondy amaretto flavor. Topped with slivered almonds and blueberries, just WOW! The coconut pecan sandie-​like cookie underneath wasn’t needed. That thing was too hard to break. The panna cotta was fine without it. Outstanding, nonetheless.
Vinoteque…it is my opinion that you serve the best DineLA menu in all of Los Angeles. You killed this shit, and only for $ 30/​pp. Right now, you are King.
Or Queen.