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    Barrel Wine and Cheese

    4.2 (73 reviews)
    Closed 3:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

    Barrel Wine and Cheese Photos

    Business Info

    BARREL WINE AND CHEESE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Cuda M.

    The cabernet was good, but I found a lot of the board to be lacking in flavor and their black magic cocktail also fell short in flavor unfortunately. The seating was a little tight and being against the wine wall with a wobbly table felt like an accident waiting to happen. I enjoyed my time and the atmosphere nonetheless

    Holly M.

    This has to be the cutest little place, and I walked by it for an entire year before FINALLY making it in. And I'm glad I did. Walked in right upon opening on a Saturday night, and sat in a high top next to the window. They were kind enough to open the windows and it was a BEAUTIFUL day. Ordered a bottle of wine, a Cab, and it was deliciously dry and so good. LOVE that they have wine glasses for each wine! We ordered a 7 cheese plate, added in salami, and also ordered the hummus. Hummus was SO good, very creamy, and love that it came with toast and chips. The cheese was EXCELLENT, and paired perfectly with the wine. You just can't go wrong with wine and cheese :) Service was excellent, The space is beautiful, love the decor, all the nooks and crannies, and would definitely be back!

    Cheese Board
    Kimberly T.

    An amazing place to visit when you have work. It was so low-key and they had a wide variety of wine choices from different regions, cocktails, a delicious cheese plate that had three types of cheeses, salami, olives, pickles, and crackers and bread. Our cheese plate was perfect combination to the wine that we had. I definitely recommend this place if you have time, you want a cool place to go and chill with family or friends this parking lot across the street but unfortunately it does not location does not accurate parking so you will have to pay full price. Service was great.

    Port wine single cheese
    Sydney H.

    This was the cutest, most romantic place ever!!!! Had the best experience here with my best friend. We stopped in before going to a show at Laugh Factory & got a table right away. They had an assortment of cheeses, appetizers & wine that all sounded amazing. We chose the port wine cheese & a white wine - we loved them both. The inside is dark & on the quieter side, so it's perfect for an affordable date night that feels fancy and upscale. Our service was great, couldn't recommend this place enough & can't wait to go back!!!!

    Italian Chardonnay
    Alison C.

    This place is so chic and the service is incredible! They are attentive and accommodating. I came to have a glass of wine while doing work (they have free wifi) but it would also be great for a date night, friend catchup or after dinner drinks. They gave some complimentary cheese to nibble on at the bar, which was a perfect balance to the wine. The prices are also reasonable for the quality, and I was really impressed by the variety of offerings for their wines by the glass. I highly recommend it!

    Cabernet
    Sammy L.

    Visited her for the first time last night and loved it! It's so cute inside and the lighting is perfect. Wine was fantastic and I can't wait to go back to try some charcuterie.

    Dessert!
    Emma S.

    Perfect cosmo (not too sweet, not too sour), lovely ambiance, excellent service, and delicious food! I 100% recommend coming here!

    Niki O.

    I wanted to love this place. All of the reviews and the influencer hype really built it up. I walked in and was immediately not impressed. The staff was sarcastic with us and not helpful when picking out wine. Within 20 minutes of sitting down we saw a rat run across the dining room and immediately closed out out and left without finishing our terribly cheap bottle of wine. I will never return.

    3 Cheese Board
    Michaela K.

    Good cocktails, but overpriced. Service was fine. Vibe is very old-timey cocktail bar.

    Amanda D.

    Found this place on Instagram through one of those random Chicago foodie realz. Looked fancy, chill and something different. We are old, so our date nights are more like date late afternoons that were planned the Monday before. The interior of the place really is adorable. Vintage chic with lots of tables, sexy velvet chairs, exposed brick and a fireplace. The wine list, although plentiful, seems disorganized. It appears that there were cases of unsold wine in a distributor's warehouse and that stock was sold a good price to the owners who were starting out in a new business. Hardly any varietals from Napa and only one (a mediocre white) from the Columbia Valley. Nothing from Willamette (notoriously amazing Pinot Noir), Walla Walla or even the east coast. We picked a Malbec bottle to share - our server plunged the corkscrew directly into the foil, picked up our glasses to pour and then recorked the bottle. I mean, listen - this wine service 101. The wine was pretty cold too. It wasn't chilled - but it was colder than room temperature. Which was weird, considering there is a gorgeous wine rack by the bar. The menu was okay - again, just seemed disorganized. Lots of salads and appetizers (randomly lots of Avocado options? What is your food cost to afford avocados 7 days a week?). We chose a cheese plate and the Olive Tapenade. We got to pick our cheese and we were also asked if we wanted to add meat to the plate (the only thing listed on the menu was corned beef - what?!). Our server offered prosciutto, after explaining there were a lot of misprints on the menu (again...what?!). We happily accepted the upcharge. Spoiler alert - we never got our prosciutto. Both the tapenade and cheese plate said it came with toasted bread. In my naivety, I assumed artesian bread crostinis. Um no...it was literally toasted wheat bread. At least it was cut in a diagonal. The tapenade was also serves with taco chips (for the third time...what?!). The menu, service and vibe just didn't match the amazing interior. I expected something just a little more upscale and knowledgeable. Maybe it was just an off day - it was Sunday, after all. I'm not sure if I would come back here on purpose again, but we did have fun and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend to friends - after severely managing expectations, of course.

    If you want to escape the hustle and bustle and be transported into a cozy wine lounge with tons of ambience, this is a perfect place. The small bites and salads had a great blend of flavors, and the service was impeccable. Great place to hang out with friends and forget about life for a while.

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    4 months ago

    Great service and very attentive employees. Definitely recommend and would go back again

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    2 years ago

    Great vibe, cute decor, and a violinist playing in the background. Definitely some great Friday vibes. I would definitely go back!

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    Buzzed by Zea - Espresso Martini

    Buzzed by Zea

    5.0(19 reviews)
    1.1 miLakeview

    I have been frequenting both the salon and the bar here for quite some time now…read more I have never met a more community-minded business than Buzzed by Zea and it is all on account of Jerry and Lee and their friendly and welcoming staff - all of them willing to go above and beyond to support their friends, neighbors, patrons, and emerging businesses. Truly a wonderful place to get your style on over drinks. After Salon hours this place turns into a cozy little bar with wonderful cocktails and excellent service where you can actually have a conversation with friends. How old fashioned is that!? The venue is also an event space! Our theater company has now done two amazing benefits here and - wow, what an amazing event space this is. Three bar service locations, ample seating space, a cozy atmosphere, welcoming staff, and an upscale, luxurious feel to the whole place. We never get tired of coming here. But all of that together does not measure up to the heart and soul of the space brought to it by Jerry and Lee. Go. You'll fall in love too.

    What a usual experience! I'm standing at the door, trying to determine if I'm even in the right…read moreplace. It seemed as though I were standing in front of a salon. I entered, and an greeted by a salon smell. It was not overpowering and was arguably pleasant, and but I see a bar to the left, so I am in the right place. Fair enough, I have a seat. This isn't them being cute with a theme, there is a bona-fide salon here, though it does not operate as late as the bar and was tucked away behind a curtain. Speaking to a regular, it is possible to have a cocktail while having your hair cut (or maybe waiting at some point in the process?) But I digress. I ordered a Taxi Dancer - an extremely pleasant whiskey-based drink that was spirit forward without being overwhelming (though I drink whiskey neat, so take this with a grain of salt). It had a perfect level of sweetness, and a little spice (not heat). The vibe here is upscale, modern, and bright. The bar staff is friendly and welcoming to newcomers and regulars alike. I also love that their prices seem to be reasonable, all things considered. The aforementioned cocktail is $16, which is fair considering the quality. While on that particular night I only had the one, I will be happily adding Buzzed by Zea to my cocktail bar rotation when I feel like going out for a night on the town.

    Photos
    Buzzed by Zea - Martini

    Martini

    Buzzed by Zea
    Buzzed by Zea - So good I had a 2nd.
 Notice the hair-clip holding a decorate silk leaf to the glass.

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    So good I had a 2nd. Notice the hair-clip holding a decorate silk leaf to the glass.

    Elixir - Montage of images from Elixir

    Elixir

    4.1(119 reviews)
    0.8 miLakeview
    $$

    We have been to Elixir a few times and it is always a great choice for unique and delicious…read morecocktails! It is a cozy little bar with dim lighting perfect for a date night drink. The bartenders are always very friendly and check in often which is always appreciated. You're always immediately given little pretzels to snack on which I love as a unique touch. This time we both chose a more standard cocktail, but they also always have very unique and delicious seasonal cocktails which are always amazing! I would definitely recommend Elixir to anyone looking for a spot to grab a quick and delicious cocktail!

    On our first night in Boystown, Jamie W and I were pretty overwhelmed by the crowds at Sidetrack…read moreand Roscoe's, so we ended up coming here to make Jamie's virginal gay bar debut. It was the right move because it had the kind of chill vibe we were seeking after a long flight from SFO. Fortunately there were two seats at the bar with our names on them. Figuratively speaking. They had quite a signature cocktail list on hand, and we felt it was our obligation to try as many as we could. At least that was what we said to ourselves as the evening wore on. Each cocktail was $14. We started with a couple of familiar libations. Jamie ordered the Mint Julep, a delightfully Deep South mix of bourbon, simple syrup, and fresh mint (photo: https://yelp.to/u-td8LdPLj). I went further south with the Pineapple Margarita which was emboldened by a tropically potent mix of pineapple infused tequila, lime juice, and agave (photo: https://yelp.to/V-Sf6Q_2qK). We got a bit bolder with our second round and found mixed results. Jamie had the Not Your Mom's Daiquiri which amped up the margarita by blending pineapple-infused tequila with Bacardi 8-year rum. Along with fresh lime and simple syrup, this one definitely had more of a kick (photo: https://yelp.to/1ZijDf6wMV). However, my order, the Pontiac Pony, was a spicy miss for me. It was a rather oddball mix of apple-cinnamon infused vodka, pear liqueur, fresh squeezed lemon juice, and ginger beer (photo: https://yelp.to/5dQoFdzG98). There was just a harshness that didn't sit well on my tongue. Oh well, the mellow vibe was cool. COCKTAILS - 4 stars...three out of four cocktails were aces, just one clinker AMBIANCE - 4 stars...very chill, fairly quiet for Boystown SERVICE - 4 stars...cool bartenders TOTAL - 4 stars...check it out when you take a break from your Boystown cruising RELATED - Exploring Chicago? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/44c4CZO

    Photos
    Elixir - Bar view

    Bar view

    Elixir - Not Your Mom's Daiquiri

    Not Your Mom's Daiquiri

    Elixir - Behind the bar

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    Behind the bar

    Mordecai - Beautiful oysters. Delicious.

    Mordecai

    4.1(163 reviews)
    1.2 miLakeview
    $$

    Had a lovely dinner here with friends - everything was on point, the beef Wellington was delicious…read more(I enjoyed it more than the one I had at Chicago Cut) and the service was excellent. We were surprised it wasn't business after a cubs game. The space is lovely as well, and not too noisy to hear each other speak.

    My husband and I popped by for some casual drinks on the weekend. They had a bunch of holiday decor…read moreup which was a very nice ambiance and it was nice and warm inside but not too crowded. We didn't have food, only drinks as we came straight from dinner. We asked our server for recommendations that weren't too sweet. I got the gingerbread milk punch and my husband got the their take on an espresso martini with mezcal and Japanese coffee. I got the milk punch cold, and while good I think getting it warm would've brought the spices out more. Definitely wasn't too sweet though and tasted like there was no alcohol in there!! The drink my husband got I LOVED!! Usually I'm not a mezcal espresso martini gal but it was just smoky enough, complex, and delicious. When we go back, I'll be getting that next! Bonus: our server was so nice and helpful!! She gave great recommendations based on what we were asking for and was friendly. Overall we liked Mordecai and will be back when we're feeling a more upscale cocktail bar vibe.

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    Mordecai - Love the ambience

    Love the ambience

    Mordecai - $1 oysters for happy hour

    $1 oysters for happy hour

    Mordecai - Really awesome three finger old fashioned!

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    Really awesome three finger old fashioned!

    Lost Never Found - Meatballs

    Lost Never Found

    3.7(207 reviews)
    1.3 miLakeview
    $$

    This is a bittersweet review as this establishment recently closed. But I still feel the need to…read moregive them their props as I was definitely going to add Lost Never Found (LNF) to my rotation of places to hang out at. I happened to discover LNF during a Yelp Event when LNF turned into Rudolph's Bar, a jolly holly Xmas Extravaganza! I do not believe there was a single spot in the bar that had not been covered in Xmas decorations. It was total sensory overload to the point I did not put up any directions 2025 because I had seen enough at LNF. HAHAHAHAHA! On the strength of the food and drinks that night, I decided to go back once all of the Xmas hoopla was over. Going back in 2026 was a more subdue, but enjoyable time for me. As I mentioned in my 2025 review, even with all the Xmas decoration, the overall vibe was a step up from the typical bars around the Cubs playground. I would have loved a regular girls night out there instead of the last hurrah of me and The Queen. I had mentioned to her about the cocktails and the pizzas I had during the Yelp event and we decided to stop in before heading to the Alamo Drafthouse for a movie. Me and The Queen go the Spicy Sausage pizza and those fries, since I talked about the food to her. Again it was really good, with the crust still being nice and thin. The Queen did not think it was all that spicy, but she eats Hell Ramen Level 4, so I do not look to her for confirmation of hotness when it comes to food. We had cocktails and The Queen (because she was driving) had a Margarita made with a zero proof Tequila. I have to say it was not that bad and I got one and added Prosecco to it...delish. Me and The Queen had a great time chatting, eating and drinking at LNF, but were both sad that we were going to miss out on the opportunity to turn this into one of our rotation hangouts. But I will always be grateful for them introducing me to their Red Bull Winter Spritz. Since that Yelp Event, I have bought three cases of Red Bull Sugar-Free Fuji Apple and Ginger Winter Edition Energy Drink to make the cocktail. Not sure if it is exactly how they did it, but it works for me. So long LNF, it was good knowing you, even if it was for a short time. Deuces!

    My goal is to try 50 new Chicago restaurants in 2025!…read moreRestaurant: 63/50 Month tried: November Favorite dish: I would not eat here again Woooof. We had a reservation for 9 am the day of the Michigan/Northwestern game at Wrigley Field. Figured we would have a quick brunch then go enjoy the pre-game atmosphere. Well, when we had been sitting for nearly 30 minutes with no server to be found, we started to get nervous. She finally came over and while she was sweet, really just nothing went right. A food runner brought out a tray that appeared to have all of our orders, but then only served one plate before walking away. It was a solid 10-15 minutes before anyone else's meals were brought out, and even then it was one plate at a time every few minutes, not the rest of the order at once. And everything was cold. Every single item. The chicken and waffles felt like it came out of the fridge it was so cold. And the worst part - we had a member in our party with a severe nut allergy, who told the server 3 times. She noted it, and made sure he would get white toast instead of wheat. When his meal came, there were two huge pieces of wheat toast with visible nuts across his ENTIRE plate. Touching every piece of food. He said again that he was allergic, and they just removed the toast and handed the plate back. It had already touched everything! Since at this point we had to leave soon for the game (and because we now couldn't trust a kitchen that doesn't understand a nut allergy), we just had them remove his order from the check and he didn't get to eat. The server did take 20% off the total bill and gave us a gift card to make up for our terrible experience. Like I said, she was very nice and trying her best. She was just at the mercy of the kitchen being behind and screwing up. But as a Wrigleyville restaurant, you MUST be able to handle lots of customers on a game day. That's like the one thing Wrigley bars need to be good at. This is just not an environment I would choose to be in again, especially for the steep prices. We'll use the gift card for drinks at the bar on a non-game day, and wipe our hands of Lost Never Found.

    Photos
    Lost Never Found - Avocado toast

    Avocado toast

    Lost Never Found - 9 TO "7"5, "NEVER" MULE, Poison apple shot

    9 TO "7"5, "NEVER" MULE, Poison apple shot

    Lost Never Found - DISCO DREAM, drink glitters

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    DISCO DREAM, drink glitters

    Barrel Wine and Cheese - wine_bars - Updated June 2026

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