Ok, 3.5 stars. Ardoa is a different kind of wine bar. Five stars for atmosphere and creativity — the«pour your own» wine tap system is an interesting concept and appeals to those of us who are indecisive and who also like to try«a little bit of everything.» It didn’t take long for my girlfriends and I to get used to the system, and we were able to sample a lot of small pours from the various bottles that were on tap for consumption. The manager(I believe) of the establishment was also very present and available, and was able to offer information regarding the wines that were displayed and was diligently working to replace the bottles that ran out of wine. The only thing that seemed silly to me was that this sophisticated and modern system of wine pouring seemed to require just as much upkeep and maintenance as traditional bottle opening — it looked like bottles were going empty very quickly, and there always seemed to be an «empty» tap line. The only other downside to this setup is that accessibility to wine descriptions was a little hard to come by — although they apparently had an iPad with information about each wine, I didn’t see it anywhere. It would be much easier if they put descriptions of each wine up above the tap area, so you can better select what you want and not have to rely so much on a busy staff member. Three stars really goes to the price. We had two cheese/meat boards with our wine — each of us probably had 1 and a half or two glasses total of wine after it was all accounted for. Although we left hungry, we still paid almost $ 100 per couple, considering we only had about $ 23-$ 25 worth of actual wine. If I were to go back, I’d only indulge in the wine for sure and I’d stay away from their pricey food options. I still will probably go back and try this place out again and give it another shot. I did really enjoy the atmosphere and intimacy of the place, and I think it would be a great venue to go back to with a girlfriend to have a one-on-one.
Jessica B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Hudson County, NJ
What a nice little gem! Loved everything about this wine bar. First of all, cool concept. First time I see this self serve concept and I totally dig it. Upon walking in we were warmly greeted by a lovely host who we then found out owns the place with her husband who is behind the bar. She explained the whole process to us and was very knowledgable on recommending wines. When we got our wine card we all decided to get different types of wine. You can choose to get a small taste, half glass or full glass. This is great because there are some expensive bottles that I would normally never get to try and was able to enjoy it here. Then we went to the bar and ordered some cheeses and salami I believe it was. When we got our order it was beautifully presented to us and explained what each product was by the owner himself. We ate it all up! Everything was delicious! We had a wonderful experience here and can’t wait to go back to SC to visit again. Wish the owners luck!
Kelsey F.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Mount Pleasant, SC
This is a neat little wine bar at Seaside Farms. Opal sent us over when we showed up 30 mins prior to our reservation. The wine is self serve out of machines and the best part is you can have small pours of expensive wines you might not otherwise get to try. They didn’t tell us that to order a cheese sampler we had to go to the bar or hostess stand until i asked about this when we paid. Loved the seating(comfy padded chairs and loungy couches) and music. Cozy atmosphere and vibe. I really would like to return, but noticed fois gras on the food menu. I can’t in good conscience patron an establishment that serves a food only produced through such cruel practices. Hoping they remove it from the menu so the girls and I can make this a regular hot spot and give it the 5 stars it otherwise deserves!
Steven P.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Mount Pleasant, SC
Great wines. Cool atmosphere. Knowledgeable staff. Impressive selection of meats & cheeses. A choice of 24 bottles provides a wide variety of styles and regions, with a good range of price points. I was initially concerned that the self-serve process would make for a sterile environment, as I’ve experienced at other shops with similar set-ups. That was not the case at Ardoa. We’ve been twice, each with different groups of friends; all have enjoyed themselves. We look forward to returning soon.
Vy D.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Charleston, SC
Very cool place, comfy seating and neat concept. The charcuterie and cheese platter was tasty and seemed like a good value. I docked one star as it did take around ½ hour to get the platter. The server and owner were very apologetic for this however. The wines were also good and fun to try! There were 3 empty bottles at one point, however it wasn’t long before the owner changed them.
Younes S.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Snellville, GA
Very nice Winebar, really liked the atmosphere and the wine selection by the glass on their awesome machines. A must try for the wine enthusiast and those who want to learn one sip at a time. Staff is very cool too and those cheese plates … ! Definitely a good spot for the casual wine out, group party or date. Will go back when in the area for sure . Cheers !
Lindsey R.
Rating des Ortes: 5 North Charleston, SC
This place is like no other! Very unique in the way of dispensing your own wine by using a card that shows how much $$ you are spending and you don’t have to tip! Awesome place!!!
Vala K.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Brentwood, TN
Absolutely amazing wine bar! Delecious charcuterie and fantastic selection of wine! Do yourself a favor and check this place out! Make sure to talk to the owners! They are very knowledgeable!
Allison B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Orlando, FL
Great owners !! Great wine ! Awesome wine selections !!! Visiting with my father from fort lauderdale. We visited tonight. We will be back tomorrow !!!
Tres P.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Mount Pleasant, SC
I love everything about this place. Starting with the atmosphere which is a nice blend of what I would traditionally think of in a french wine bar combined with the luxuries of a much more modern/industrial look. The carcuterie and cheese selection is always good and they have a bit of something for everyone. The German style Blue cheese they normally have is always awesome! For the best selection I would honestly ask the owner, he has never steered me wrong in helping me pick out a selection.(If it’s your thing I 100% recommend the duck pâté!!! The owner recommended it but also gave me the great tip of saving it for last so thst it had time to come to room temperature and allow all the flavors to emerge) The wine selection is normally very good and I have seen a lot of good wines come and go. Its nice that they keep them constantly rotating. I was told that they«only serve wine that they enjpy drinking», this might sound trivial and obvious but if you’ve ever worked in/managed a bar with a wine cellar you know it’s much much easier said than done. I actually believe this is the case here! The only potential downside to the rotating menu is that if you pick a favorite it may not be there when you go back. They very conveniently solve this problem by offering a lot of their wine for retail sale… very clever good sir… very clever! Every single member of the staff here has at one point or another gone out of their way to help me out going far above and beyond the call of duty. They even recently helped me pull off a very successful, very elaborate proposal plan!(It worked she said yes!!) In conclusion this place is alright I guess. Kidding… go here… it’s great.
E M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Mount Pleasant, SC
Love this gem! Quaint wine bar in a convenient location. Perfect for girls nights or date nights! Owners are friendly and accommodating. Highly recommend!
Shannon E.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Charleston, SC
OK, this is the BEST concept ever. Self-serve draft wine. Seriously. I wish we could’ve stayed longer, but we had a painting class to get to next door. The staff was extremely helpful, friendly, and welcoming. They had small food plates as well but unfortunately we didn’t get to sample those. I can’t wait to go back!
Kristen W.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Mt Pleasant, SC
I love this place and the owners are great people. They know how to make a cheese plate — there’s always more than enough to share and the quality is exceptional. However, they really need to hire someone to help out in the kitchen during busy times. One of the best parts of this place is those owners — yet they are always so busy cleaning glassware and making cheese plates, they don’t have time to interact. They need to free up some time to talk about the wine and engage with their clients; they are a huge part of the great ambiance!
Alicia Z.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Isle of Palms, SC
This place is SO fun. You walk in and put money on a prepaid wine card. From there you go up to the machines and pick from their array of whites and reds. Once you have picked a wine, you put your card in and make your selection of what SIZE you would like, a taste, a half glass, or a full glass. The price of your selection comes right off your preloaded card. How fantastic is that? It is just such a fun experience to decide which wine you want to taste. They also have a selection of mini bites and other drinks you can order from the bar, but I haven’t ever ordered. The ambience is super comfy with couches and chairs all around. The owner is very friendly and willing to answer any questions. I just LOVE this place. What a fun idea. Oh, and if you don’t use all of your preloaded card, keep it for next time! It doesn’t expire…
Joanne S.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Charleston, SC
Loved the way this bar operated. You check in at the cash register, place money on a pre paid drinks card and then use the card for self service selection of a great range of red and white wines. You are able to choose from 3 drink sizes… Taster, small glass or large glass and the prices range from $ 1.20 to $ 18 depending which wine and which size. Any unused credit can be saved on your card for the next visit. The owner was very friendly and was eager to explain how the bar worked and the design of the bar had a very modern yet homely feel. A good selection of «nibbles» are offered on a specials board although I did not try any of these. Will definitely return!
Melissa B.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Mt Pleasant, SC
Great spot for a casual glass of wine. Relaxed atmosphere and the truffles are amazing! Self serve so drink as little or much as you please:).
Paul W.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Mt Pleasant, SC
Wine machines with taste, half, and full glass pours ranging from as low as $ 1 for a taste to about $ 13 I think for the most expensive full glass. allows for freedom in trying just about everything. Portion sizes on menu items is adequate and 4 selections for 2 people was filling. Pâté, Bresaola, and blue chees were very good. Looking forward to trying other items when we return. Beer selection is limited so this is mostly for wine fans.
Florence C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Mount Pleasant, SC
Ardoa is an independent wine bar that makes the difference. In this modern environment, you can relax and enjoy their nice selection of wines. This concept is unique. I love it. You MUST go there and get your wine card. Cheeses and pates are really good and best quality(you can trust me on this one, as I’m french ;)) Abby and Clement deserve to do good. They are a very sweet young couple. Thanks to them for bringing this new approach at enjoying wine.
Virginia A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Mount Pleasant, SC
I’m in love! A cute wine bar located in the Sea Side farms shopping center(appropriately next door to Fear No Easel; a wine & paint shop.) The have wine machines with 21 different wines with 3 options of pre-measured amounts. We’ve enjoyed tasting the different wines and trying the cheeses, pâtés, and rillettes. We haven’t tried the charcuteries yet but are looking forward to it for our next visit. The wines we’ve tried have been quite tasty(our favs of the moment are both their rosés, the Sancerre, and the Barista but the offerings will change.) If nothing else go to try the Foie Gras pâté! This will be a place we frequent & my biggest fear is that too many will find this place & we won’t be able to find a place to sit!