Vinos Finos Tapas and Wine Bar

Great find today based on the recommendation of a friend. Marvelous wine selection, friendly staff, and the owner walked me through his stock of preferred wines in the selection I was interested in for the evening. I did not eat but my friend raved about the food. The atmosphere is quite relaxing with an option to sit and listen to music in the patio. I will definitely be back!

Food and wine was good. Service: marginal at best. Appears to be understaffed and inexperienced. Male owner ended up having to step in. He knew what he was doing.
I hesitated to write this review because the establishment is much better than it’s service indicates. As someone that’s eaten all over the globe, I certainly felt the quality of the food wasn’t reflected in a two star rating. Let me share with you my perspective. I reserve one star for value. Simply put, is it worth the money. Yes — it gets a star, no — it doesn’t. The food/​beverages served are based on two stars (3 if it’s exceptional) and two stars for service. After all, they are called service staff! I’m not a big fan of only have a 5 level option to rate an establishment, but after all this is aimed at the consumer public, not restaurateurs and their critics.
Back to Vinos Finos. Really good small plates or tapas (for the Spaniards or culturally multifaceted out there). The wine selection was very broad and diverse allowing it latitude to appeal to a large cross section of followers. I ordered 6 tapas and 5 glasses of wine (no, it wasn’t just me) and the bill with tip was about $ 115 (steep on a household budget).
As I alluded before, the service was poor. On the upside, a one man guitarist/​singer did provide a nice touch. Date night — have a large billfold. Couples night out — o.k., but watch out for the price of the wine. A night in around the living room, a good bottle of wine and a romantic cd will give you the same for much less.
Guys, here’s an idea. Prepare a charcuterie plate (meat, cheese, crackers and nuts) and have a quiet night together. Your efforts may yield unexpected results.

Rated as one of best places in Raleigh for wine. I certainly agree, but should also include food. Great for tapas or entrée or dessert as couple or with friends. Short menu, but very well executed. Good atmosphere and very friendly personnel. Owner/​manager directly involved a fit shows.

Small plates are just that — really SMALL. Watch out for the cheese board — not a good description of the measly amount on the plate and expensive considering most people could eat 3 – 4 of these by themselves. Don’t think I will go back — really wanted it to be great but not the case.

The service was a little slow, but that might just be a southern thing. We sat at the bar and got a bottle of Malbec, which was good! We got the deviled eggs and almonds. Both were fantastic! We didn’t finish the bottle, so they corked it and let us take it with us. Overall, it was a good place for a variety of wines and small food items.

Had the skirt steak and it was excellent. Lively little place on the Thursday night I was there, with friendly staff. A few gold digger ladies, looking for their next free ride, for any gentlemen interested, under the guise of being out for a glass of wine, as one wolfed down a man sized dinner… but the live entertainment, and other patrons seemed more in tune with the charm of this place. Bill Clinton said to have visited with one of his girlfriends, but not certain that’s true, as this place seemed more conservative than the Birkenstock left wing accepting of anything crew.

Best food in Lafayette village. Shrimp is great and the Tuma on cracker deal is awesome. Wine and service are great. I would recommend to anyone.

Six of us enjoyed a ladies night out at Vinos Finos. VF’s webpage states that they are «The Best Wine Bar in Raleigh, NC! Vinos Finos has the largest selection of South American Wines, delicious tapas and the best Argentine empanadas you’ll find anywhere in Raleigh.» I liked this place – it was something different and fun, and we enjoyed good food and drink. Most of the group ordered wine flights, which were a huge hit. The beer selection is short, but it’s a wine bar, so duh! We ordered seven dishes from the «Small Bites» menu including the hand-​made empanadas and the truffled deviled eggs. Each was very good, my favorite being the truffled deviled eggs. I’m surprised to say what fell flat for me were the empanadas! Of all things! But maybe I’m learning the difference between Argentine empanadas and Colombian empanadas. We also shared an order of paella from the «Larger Plates» menu. Although this dish was much smaller than I expected, it was delicious. Very much on the spicy side, but delicious. Emphasis on spicy. It was spiiicy. After nine small plates (we did a couple of them twice) and an order of paella for the six of us, I left hungry. Next time I’ll do a large plate for myself and live happily ever after!
The acoustics are crazy, so we could barely hear each other talk. It was a mind-​numbing din of parties and servers and bartenders, oh my! But it still somehow felt cozy. There are traditional restaurant-​type tables, pub tables, and arrangements of upholstered chairs in addition to the bar. There are a few outdoor tables as well. If it weren’t for the outrageous noise level, I would say it would be great for a first date or date night, but I’m not sure shouting in your date’s ear is the best way to get to know someone. The service was a little slow – not so much the food, but our drinks and water were not tended to as well as I’d like after a long work week!
Overall, I liked this place. I hope to hit it on a night that is less frenzied and try an entrée (perhaps a Friday night two weeks before Christmas was silly). I’ll be back!

One of my new favorite places. I’ve had the corn and cheese empanada, the goat-​cheese stuffed peppers, the fingerling potatoes, a cheese plate and salad. All of the food was wonderful. Great wine selection as well. I will definitely be back!

Wine was very good and reasonably priced, but the service was seriously lacking. We sat outside and our server brought us one round of drinks before disappearing and never returning. We eventually asked another server for another round, and later had to flag the same one down to get checks.

I’ve been coming here since they opened. Wine section is fantastic and the food is always amazing. Staff is all very friendly and knowledgeable about the wine and food selections. Get the cheese stuffed peppers!

Wine selection is very good. Tapas are nice– we’ve tried to duplicate some at home. Service is excellent.

A fantastic wine bar in a Lafayette Village. The owner is incredibly knowledgeable about his wines (not just tastes, but history too!) and remembers his loyal customers. One of my favorite tapas was the bacon-​wrapped dates, surprisingly. Skip the same old franchises and visit Vinos for an awesome night out!

Adorable wine bar with a fantastic Italian owner. The wine suggestions were wonderful and we loved hearing your family banter in Italian. Kid and dog friendly (outside). Try the homemade lava cake!

Great wine bar find in beer-​centric Raleigh. Wine pours are about 8oz. Both the Tempranillo and Cab were excellent on our visit. Goat cheese stuffed pequillo peppers were succulent and satisfying. The food menu looked amazing, and the bottle prices were reasonable. We will be back for a full dinner next time!

A friend brought me while I was visiting Raleigh. We both did a wine flight, both with carefully selected options. The food was even better than the wine. Definitely a go-​to place if you want a fun atmosphere and great food!

What a great find in Lafayette Village! Although the outdoor tables were all full (@7pm on a Friday night in April), we had no problem getting a table inside (Note: the restaurant only accepts reservations for groups of six or more). The décor at Vinos Finos is smart and upscale, and of course the setting at Lafayette Village is charming.
We tried four of the «small bites» on the menu: Goat cheese stuffed Pequillo peppers with basil olive oil; Herb-​marinated grilled shrimp with Peruvian yellow pepper sauce; Seared tuna on tortilla chips with wasabi aoli; and Herbed foccacia crostini with roasted vegetables and melted cheese. All were terrific; we especially liked the shrimp, but everything was really, really good. The small plate offerings (there were about a dozen on the menu) range from $ 4 to $ 9.
Wine flights are ~$ 14-​$ 15 and each offers a 2oz. taste of 3 different themed wines. The wine list itself isn’t extensive, but there are some nice bottles and most glasses are $ 7 to $ 11. We tried the Chilean Undurraga Pinot Noir; it was $ 7 per glass; bottle price was $ 26. An interesting point is that Vinos Finos is also a wine retailer. The Undurraga was priced at $ 15, if you wanted to purchase it. For a comparison, I checked this bottle on Wine Searcher, and prices ranged from $ 16.22 to $ 19.47, so Vinos Finos’ pricing was very reasonable!
Also of note is a Thursday night ½ price wine promotion (on bottles), which would definitely be worth taking advantage of. If you don’t finish your bottle, they’ll re-​cork it so you can bring it home.
Finally, I should note that Vinos Finos also offers a half dozen or so regular entrees and a couple of specials. Most entrees seemed to be priced $ 12 to $ 14; the specials were a bit more expensive.
Our dinner — 4 small plates, two glasses of wine — was $ 50 w/​o tip. I should note that one of the glasses I tried was $ 11 (Bread and Butter Chardonnay), which inflated the bill a bit.
This would be a great place for date night, or fun casual dining with friends. The food was uniformly excellent. We’ll definitely be back!
Edit — 4÷13÷15: it appears Vinos Finos does accept reservations for smaller parties, as the Unilocal reservation app appears on its Unilocal page. I based my comment above on what our waitress told us. Sorry for any confusion.

Let’s me start by saying that the owner is fantastic, and goes out of his way to make sure you are comfortable and satisfied. The space is small, but they’ve done a nice job of arranging for a handful of tables and a large bar in the center.
We stopped in for a glass of vino one evening and were pleasantly surprised to find a wide variety of offerings, from wine flights to single glasses and bottles, too. I’d like to try the cheese plate next time I come by. The table next to us ordered it, and looked delicious.

Vinos Finos has excellent food, wine and service. I went for a late evening service.
Pat is as enthusiastic and charismatic as they come. My husband and I originally stopped in to this store and purchased some wines to take home at his recommendation (which we enjoyed, thoroughly). Upon this visit we were determined to see what the kitchen was like.
What a great decision that was.
From start to finish, the wine, the atmosphere, the friendly service, and that food was impeccable. The atmosphere itself is a romantic, intimate dark space where you can have fun and converse with company.
The food? Everything exceeded my expectations! The goat-​cheese stuffed Piquillo peppers were piquant and rich, balanced nicely by the basil olive oil.
The lamb stew was a delicate (yes, delicate) balance of flavors and textures – not heavy, but still hearty and satisfying with tender lamb and had bits of potato (that looked like yukon golds to me) and plump raisins. It was a mix of sweet and savory that did not overwhelm.
There was a cheese plate with toasted baguette which was perfectly crunchy and springy. Cambozola, goat cheese in the style of Manchego which was more firm than your typical goat, and Manchego itself.
Tiramisu was on the menu for dessert and if they still have it when I come back, I would happily order again and again. It is rare to see tiramisu executed so well, and here it is served in what I think its top form. Creamy, rich mascarpone with perfectly soaked ladyfingers that still have just the slightest bit of texture in them.
Will I be back for the wine? Absolutely, as we loved what we purchased and took home to open. But the food? Oh yes, come here for the food and the wine. I would highly recommend this place to anyone. Talk to Pat about any wine preferences and he will happily give recommendations and steer you in the right direction. I will be back!

So unique, so friendly, always a great experience!
We’ve been there many times (this time with our friends in this photo) and we always enjoy the evening!!!

Great place to have a quiet snack or a full on meal. We had wine, empanadas, and a cheese platter.
I recommend sitting outside if the weather permits, if you had visited Europe it gives you a taste of the Europe culture. A keeper! We will be coming back for sure!