This is really a nice little restaurant with a nice wine selection. I followed the bartenders recommendation and tried a couple of French Pinos. Both were very good. I started with the meat and cheese platter. It was good but it didn’t knock my socks off. I was dying for some good pizza but can’t say that if found it here. It was good but not nearly as highly rated as posted by fellow Unilocalers. It was fresh, really tasty basil and cheese but the crust just missed the mark. Service was pretty good but I lost my bartender once a friend of his showed up.
Kristian S.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Manhattan, NY
So, I’m a huge lover of wine bars… I love the dark atmosphere that puts you in a relaxed mood… I love small plates and pairing it with wine… I just love everything about them and I purposely seek out all wine bars in the city just to have this experience. Upon arrival at Sofia’s around 5pm, I walked up to the bar and was not greeted in a very friendly manner from the bartender and when I asked if I could sit at the table, the bartender said, «you have to be ordering food» and I said, «that’s fine, I plan on ordering». So, I went to sit down… everything was going fine until the tall Italian server with the bald head — unsure of his name — comes over and says to me, «normally we do not seat people without their full party» and I said, «well, there’s no one here and I ordered food.» He said, «well, just know that we normally don’t ever do this.» First, of all, how RUDE to say that to someone who is supposed to be enjoying the atmosphere and food and most importantly, the wine! So, then about an hour later, it started getting packed and he comes over to me and says«I have a party of 3 who just came and you are still waiting here for your friend, can I move you to this table?» I said, «um, no… I have been siting here for over an hour and I’m all comfortable, I have all of my stuff here — the table is full of food.» He said, «well, don’t worry about that, we will move you.» I said, «I’m sorry, I don’t want to move… I am very comfortable here.» Again, how RUDE… Then he walked away and had someone else start serving me. My friend showed up shortly after that and we both assessed the situation with the tables and how small/compact everything was in the space. There was no way that by moving me, it would have even been feasible to fit a 3rd person at the table, not to mention all the small plates we had on the table. I loved the look of this place, it was adorable, but after experiencing such rude staff and not so amazing food, I had to give this place a 1 star. I had the meat & cheese platter($ 30) — meats were excellent/cheeses were EH — I’ve had better. We also ordered the meatballs in sauce — also, not great — the meatballs were a bit on the mushy side. Also, they only come with 4 meatballs for $ 17! — I find that absurd. And we ordered the marinara pizza… which seriously was covered with marinara sauce — and again, not worth the price of $ 16…it was very bland. This place does not deserve to have ridiculous prices like this being over by 2nd avenue… not to mention having a rude staff. I feel like, if the prices were lowered a bit or there was a happy hour type deal and changing out the staff, this place would have been magical. Alright, that’s my two cents :)
Sofia F.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Manhattan, NY
Had a very UNPLEASANT experience. Went to celebrate a farewell with two girlfriends and not only was the waiter and manager completely IDIOTS they offered to put a chair on the side of the table by the door, so everyone waking in would be bumping into us, plus we would be shivering every time the door opened. SENSELESS. The ambient was super noisy, everything super slow. HORRIBLE
Jessica G.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Manhattan, NY
I would probably give them a 3.5. So the place is really really tiny and cramped, you’re essentially at the same table as whoever is next to you. The bruschetta and Mac and cheese were good, but the tuna tartare was half tomatoes! We now remember this place as the place with tomatoes in the tartare. It’s like they snuck them in there to look like more tuna. It doesn’t work, eugh.
Amanda L.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Boston, MA
Had a pretty rockin’ dinner last night at Sofia Wine Bar & Café with friends. To start — this place is totally overpriced, which is to be expected in Midtown. Seating is a little crammed as my table of 5 was put in the back corner of the restaurant(behind the bar). No one puts my friends in the corner! I digress… There was a really chilly draft coming in that room all night. Brr. But the wine helped(a little) with warming up. Our server was quick to visit the table and anxious to put food orders in. We started with a margherita pizza(average) and shared small plates: macaroni and cheese, eggplant parm and meatballs. The mac n’ cheese was a hair above average, but certainly not the best mac I’ve ever had. Eggplant parm was average. Meatballs were awesome — tender and flavorful. I enjoyed every bite. In short, visit this place for the wine and meatballs. Or just the meatballs and buy a bottle of wine to drink at home. It’ll be cheaper.
Patrick R.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Bowie, MD
Great place. Dark, cozy, you could walk right past if you didn’t know it was there. Friendly and accommodating. Limited menu but very good. Only drawback is that they do not serve coffee. Offering cannoli and lava cake isn’t the same if you don’t have an option for coffee.
Lucc B.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Manhattan, NY
I initially gave them 3 stars but I changed it to 1 star because, on top of everything, they added about $ 10 to my bill, I checked my bank account and the total was different. PROS: I liked the décor, food was ok and would have chosen to come back with my husband. CONS: The server, Stefano. He was incredibly rude, probably the worst in NYC and I’m not exaggerating. They rush you to leave if you don’t drink and eat every 10 min. I went there with 2 friends on a Tuesday. One of my friends left after 5 minutes at which point we converted our table from 2 tables into 1 so we wouldn’t prevent them from sitting more people. Either way, Stefano, kept insisting that we order more by constantly coming to our table. We had 3 glasses of wine and 1 appetizer within the first 30 min(about $ 70 total), and were about to order a pizza and 2 more glasses but he came back again being pushy. I asked him if there were people waiting for our table because we didn’t see anyone and he said«yes, you need you to order more and brought us the check»… I could not believe it. I refused the check but left after 10 minutes. I complained to the manager who seemed very receptive but I will never go back there again. That waiter needs to be fired !! We did not leave HIM a tip(I’ve never not given a tip before) but we did give the busboy $ 15 because he was very attentive. WARNING: If you choose to go there, be ready to chug wine and get forcibly drunk in the shortest amount of time or they won’t be happy.
Kathryn M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Lebanon, NJ
Loved this place! We ordered the margarita pizza, stuffed mushrooms & artichokes, & bruschetta and with one glass of wine the bill was just over $ 60. The waiter was attentive but overly so; the atmosphere is perfect for date night. Only negative is how tiny this place is, but the ambiance makes up for the lack of extra leg room. Definitely give this one a shot!
Dan M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Coronado, CA
Great atmosphere. Cheese, olives and bread were excellent. Professional service. Great wine selection. Kids had mac and cheese and meatball sliders. Both were enjoyed quickly. cheese cake and tiramisu made in house.
Crystal S.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Apollo Beach, FL
Quaint ambiance. The bruschetta trio and the meatballs were okay, but nothing I would go out of my way to get again. Of the trio, we only liked the ricotta.
Sophia G.
Rating des Ortes: 4 New York, NY
Nice cozy place with good food and drinks. Liked it!
Matt T.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Des Peres, MO
My favorite little gem of a place where a good glass of vino, a pizza, and an espresso is always delivered w a smile. Small, warm and intimate, truly one of my favorite places anywhere. I hope others don’t find out about it, because there’s only a handful of seats. The staff is outstanding, and the food amazing. Go if you must, and enjoy.
Gina D.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Neshanic Station, NJ
A truly 5 star experience from the moment you find this quaint bar on an otherwise quiet part of the street. If you didn’t know it was here, you would never find it — thank you Unilocal for this one! We were lucky enough to snag two seats at the bar on a Sunday night — otherwise this place was packed to the brim with fellow winos. The ambiance is romantic and eclectic, reminding me a lot of a bar you would find in new hope, pa. The wine list was excellent and the staff very knowledgable and eager to guide you to your perfect glass of vino. Between the two of us we tried a few different wines but the Super Tuscan shined in my eyes. I rarely see it on a menu and it was pricey but very well worth it if you’re looking to try something new. The menu looked like exactly what I would want to snack on while sipping — meat and cheese plates, meatballs, stuffed mushrooms, pizza, etc. We enjoyed the spinach and artichoke dip which was a perfect portion for two. Sophia is a must if you are in the area. I will most certainly be back again!
Wendy R.
Rating des Ortes: 3 New York, NY
So grateful that my friend and I arrived before it got crazy busy. The place is a bit cramped, but I overheard a waiter say that there is a garden downstairs if you’re coming in for just drinks. My friend and I got there around 6:40 on a Tuesday night. We got seated right away. It was a bit dark inside, but didn’t really bother us. The atmosphere was very cozy. We ordered the mac ‘n cheese and the Sofia meats and cheeses platter. They were good, but nothing special. I do want to come back and try other dishes. This place might be better for drinking than eating.
Fangda G.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Gowanus, NY
love love love here!When finish a whole day job find a nearby place to drink with friend is really a good choice!! We come here at 7:00pm,still at the happy hour. the waiter is nice too. Wine is great!And love the rose wine!
Fam A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Sunnyvale, CA
Love the ambience of this place; it’s very chill. The servers are quite attentive, and waiting time is less than 5 minutes, even for our food(or maybe because we were the first people here). They have a good selection of wines as well. We ordered a sauvignon blanc(white) and a dark rose(rose) + pizza. :) 5 stars!
Amy T.
Rating des Ortes: 4 New York, NY
Wow, I had no idea this was here! However, I am glad that it is. The small dining area is very warm and romantic. There are about a dozen seats at the bar. I stopped in here on an after work catch[-up date with a girlfriend. Thankfully, we were set to meet early, 5:30; any later, and we would not have been able to find a spot at the bar. All the seats filled-up quickly. The tables were reserved at this time for those eating and enjoying wine, so we wouldn’t have been a fit for the tables. I’d describe the menu as small plates and the vibe«romantic wine bar» all the way. Can we say great for a date?
John Z.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Theater District, Manhattan, NY
Pretty average place all around. Expect to pay 40+ per person(w/at least one drink each) if you eat tapas style. Nice wine list but glasses were all $ 12 Beers were $ 8 They have a sangria I’ve heard was good but its not on the menu. The food was pretty average overall. Nothing really noteworthy. The menu was very limited. Prices were a bit higher than average at about $ 16 a dish Pizza — nice crust but pretty tasteless watery tomato sauce Mac and Cheese with Prosciutto — not bad. Prosciutto really didn’t have much flavor. Artichoke Dip — good value. Lots of dip and chips. Hard Cheese plate — I think it was about 6 – 81 inch cubes of cheese and an equal amount of small bread slices. Pretty good. Service was friendly but food took a while to come out. About 20 minutes of waiting just for the small pizza. The ambiance is nice, and I like the décor and lighting, but the tables are basically on top of each other. Nothing really stood out at this place. Probably wont be coming back AYZA Wine & Chocolate Bar is WAY better
Victor H.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Bayside, Queens, NY
This place was wonderful as the owner, his friends, and the bartender were friendly to our party and they gave us some free wines to taste. The ambiance is nice and well decorated, the environment is great for dinner and talk. We ordered: Colossal Lump Crabmeat: great food. The crab was fresh and yummy! Prosciutto Crudo Pizza. OMG, this was the best pizza ever. The meat was soft, tender, and it went really well with the pizza. The pizza was crispy and well cooked. I trully recommend this choice. Margherita Pizza. The pizza was well made and tasty Soft Cheese Platter. It came with 5 or 6 different cheese with bread and grapes. It’d been nice if the waiter explained to us which type of cheese was each one. Recommended, and definitely worth coming back again…
Sunshine M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 ASTORIA, NY
Second time here– Not as chaotic as before. Great service — great selection of wines and even a few beers. Their home made red sangria is delish. Small and intimate– locals, couples and first dates is what I spy. BOrange glow lights make everyone look good Small plates are tastey and the right size for late night nibbling. blushing a bit as you can’t help to over hear conversations– it’s that intimate.