Intimate room with a bar and tables and couches. Interesting list of cocktails and variety of wines. Was a little surprised when I asked the bartenders for wine recommendations; had expected wine bar folks to be a little more knowledgeable. Was also a little disappointed when I asked for a cab on the menu and was offered a different one ... menu wine wasn't available....guess that happens, though. Cheese board was good and ample but not huge size. More crackers than cheese... Generally nice spot, reasonably priced, cool and cozy room ...but still needs a little work. read more

Love this spot for an intimate date night or wine night with girlfriends!! I've been here a few times with different crowds and it's always a hit. The cheese board is great and the cocktails are so fun. I really like the Dragon Lady cocktail and my bf likes any of the whiskey ones. The espresso martini is also great. There's a DJ on Friday nights which is fun!! It can get crowded on the weekend so I'd definitely get there early or make a reservation. I've been on the weeknights too and it's pretty quiet them. Overall, I'd definitely recommend if you're looking for a fun spot to grab a drink. read more

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I've now been to Barrel Wine and Cheese twice. The first time was such a bad experience I swore I'd never go back, but I was invited out the other week so I did try again. My first experience the place was empty and we asked the waiter for a wine recommendation saying that we liked XYZ. He suggested a bottle and we looked at the menu (there was only one bottle available in this varietal so we assumed it was the one on the menu) and it was around a price we were willing to pay. Later when we got the check we learned he suggested a different bottle that we did not see on the menu and was twice the price. It was weird and made me leave annoyed. My experience the other night was good tho. It was crowded. I don't think it blew me away but the glass I ordered was what I expected so that's good. read more

This visit was nothing short of serendipity: I was looking to order a charcuterie & cheese box to go for dinner, and I happened to park in front of this wine bar while visiting a friend for lunch. The bar has just opened, but they were more than happy to place the atypical to-go order. The price was very reasonable at $33 pre tax, with the meat addition. It was packed into two boxes, for thoughtful consideration: one with an ample amount of crackers, bread, meats and cheeses in one, and nuts, olives, apricots, dolomades (?!!! a pleasant surprise) and jams in plastic ramekins with tops in the second. I have never felt so satisfied eating a charcuterie & cheese board solo as I did then. It was easily the icing on top of a relaxing night during a staycation in the city. I plan on getting the same thing again for future staycations, and will be ordering a glass of wine while waiting for the order. read more

A moody wine bar with lots of intimate seatings. We only went in to split a bottle of wine which was nice. Service was friendly. read more

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 read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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! read more

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Cannot recommend this spot enough. The interior is calm, classy and intimate, perfect for conversation. The 5-cheese platter was phenomenal and the dip trio too. Sangria was a great choice too! Attentive service and great recommendations from the staff. read more

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. read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Cheese Board - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Barrel is a cozy wine bar in Lakeview. The inside is decorated nicely and is dark and warm. There is a slight incense smell to it which I didn't love, but it did add to the vibe. It looked like there was plenty of patio seating for the warmer months which is a plus. Our waitress told us that it's a Turkish wine bar and recommended some cheeses I hadn't heard of. The cheese was great as were the dips. I'd highly recommend the dip trio! I saw on the menu there is a Wednesday special for a bottle of wine and a cheese board for ~$50. I'd definitely come back to try that out. read more

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!!!! read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Port wine single cheese - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was a fun, new place I had never been before. It wasn't very crowded, so I was able to sit down right away on the couch in front of the fireplace. There was a good wine selection, and also a bunch of cocktails. I got some Prosecco, which was tasty. read more

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! read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Italian Chardonnay - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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. read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Cabernet - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Made a reservation here for Valentines Day. Made the reservation weeks in advance. Got a confirmation , two confirmations actually that I was all set. Out of nowhere 2 days before on 2/12 I got an email that my reservation had been cancelled by the restaurant. No explanation , no call. Tried to call for an explanation and got nothing. Just was told they're booked and cannot accept reservations over the phone, no apology or anything. The entire city is booked up now 2 days before Valentine's Day and this place screwed me. Will never be bringing my business here, really bad practice and a bad look. And put me in the doghouse with the lady for no reason ! read more

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

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

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Dessert! - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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. read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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. read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The service and everyone working there were super lovely- that being said i got the three dip trio and it was highly disappointing. It came with whole wheat bread (the menu said toast) and what looked like tostitos tortilla chips (menu said crackers), and approximately 4 small pieces of celery. For $18 I would hope there's at least a baguette and some nicer chips that actually pair with the dips. The ambiance was really nice and I can't stress enough that the staff is lovely. The food was just highly dissatisfying for the price, we ended up getting mexican food down the street. read more

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

Barrel Wine and Cheese - 3 Cheese Board - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cute spot with sidewalk service on the nice days. Good selection of food and wine which makes it perfect for snacks or meals. Friendly service. Excellent happy hour value. read more

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. read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here with my boyfriend on a whim, we had walked by a number of times and thought we'd give it a try. Overall, I would say that Barrel looks good, but underwhelms. The Cheese board is something that I could pull together myself with cold cuts and package cheese from Mariano's, the cheese in the middle of the board was very watery and soggy, making a mess of the rest of the board the hummus was unremarkable as was the avocado toast which felt like it was served on bread also from Mariano's. Service was super patchy - there appeared to be only one server for the entire restaurant, including a large private party upstairs. There were two bussers, but they weren't serving. For the price point and for the food to match the ambience/decor, the kitchen and service need to up their game. read more

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Only went for drinks and sat at bar. Decent cocktail selection, and restaurant began to fill up shortly after we arrived. Lighting is very dark though and moody. read more

I can not comment on the food but they have very good cocktails and a nice cheese menu. However the real attraction is the overall decor and feel of the place, which is both relaxed but somehow simultaneously sophisticated with extraordinarily polite service. It's an excellent spot to pop in for a cocktail or glass of wine. read more

It was my first time coming here after a friend recommended me this sweet spot. Recently, I've been obsessed with charcuterie boards and this place was such a perfect place for my needs! We made reservations beforehand for a weekend dinner and the inside is very dark to set a nice mood for the night. They have a wide selection of wine and cocktails. We ordered a white wine and a red wine and they were both delicious! Our waitress was so so kind and checked up on us often. We only got the 5 cheese board and added prosciutto but next time I come I would definitely order more dishes and perhaps a cocktail. The quality of the cheese and meats were amazing! I love the selection they have and it came out looking so eatable! The different jams they had were great as well. Overall, I loved this spot and I can't believe I am just now finding out about it. I will definitely coming here more often! read more

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I really liked this place! Both the ambiance and the food were excellent. This wine bar is so cozy and charming. Dim lighting, pretty furniture, and a quiet atmosphere makes this the perfect place for a romantic date or to catch up with friends. I ordered a margarita, which was pretty strong (just how I like 'em). Specialty cocktails are a few dollars extra. My friend and I also split the salmon tartare and burrata. Both were great. I especially enjoyed the salmon which was smokey and flavorful. If the dishes came with more bread, they'd be perfect. They also offer the option to build larger cheese plates with some snacks (nuts, etc) on the side. read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We came here after a movie at Landmark. Very intimate on the inside with a cool bar and small tables. The staff was extremely nice and we had some really good wine by the glass. For food, we ordered the three cheese board with port wine cheese, burrata, and manchego. The burrata definitely needed salt or something from the board to go with it but there were plenty of other snacks included which was nice. We also got the Brussels sprout hummus which was equally as good. I'd recommend they get different bread for the cheese boards but I'd definitely come back because others had cool looking cocktails as wel! read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Three Cheese Board - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cute new place in the neighborhood. The decor is very appealing, although it was a little dark in the evening. We got a peach martini (excellent, very intense peach flavor), green tanqueray (it was blue, and just had whole chunks of orange, not special), and a glass of Pinot Grigio. The wine list is normal sized for a restaurant, but a little small for a wine bar. We got a three cheese board and the hummus. The hummus was outstanding: very flavorful, unique toppings, and great presentation. The cheese board also good and came with lots of accoutrements. Not super fancy, but satisfying. (And 100% vegetarian!) Perhaps just because it's new, they're lacking a little polish. At the time of writing, the menu has several typos, the website has placeholder text, and the tables are a little small. But I trust that they will work these out in time! read more

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Sorry for the half eaten photo of our cheese board. But it was so pretty we had to dig in! This spot is a lovely little wine bar. Great pop song covers played and dark moody lighting. Even a fireplace! Great for an intimate gathering between a friends or more than friends. The staff is really knowledgeable about the wines and cheeses which is great. The only thing I'd warn is that there aren't really full meals served. Mostly horderves to pair with wine. So don't come when you're super hungry. read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Cheese board - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

10/10 everything. Ambiance, wine, service, and food!!! Best avocado toast I've ever had in my life!! read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Toasted avocado - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This beautiful welcoming spot is sooo delightful. The wine list is very very nice and their cheese boards are so filling and so delicious. Rudy was great at recommending wines with our cheeses and Okana was super kind. We are for sure coming back. Not because of the beautiful decor and also the delicious food ( you should totally try the bad ass hummus (Turkish hummus)) but because the service is so beautiful. My husband and I felt like we were the most important people in the world. (Because technically we are, to my son. Hehe) read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Cheese board ( bureara, aged cheddar and Gorgonzola) (drooling) - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We got a glass of white and a malbec. They were simply not good, at all. We buy and drink a lot of wine, and there are many very drinkable wines under $15 a bottle retail. How this place ... a wine bar! ... manages to charge that much per glass and it not be good is a mystery. The mystery of why the place is mostly empty every time we walk by is solved however. read more

A very cozy little place with great outdoor space and views. The wine was great and very attentive service. A great spot for chatting and catching up with friends. read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Fun bar with lots of dark wood and wine bottles along the walls. Plenty of wine by the glass to choose from. Prices are not too high and the service is great. Food menu is not snacks than full meals, but the avocado is wonderful. Good for a late night drink/glass of wine. read more

Pretty good date spot! They have a really nice selection of wines and the food looks pretty good even though I didn't have any. From the others sitting next to me, I was very tempted to order. One downside to it is that it was pretty dark inside. They kind of gave off hookah bar vibes. I sat at the bar and the bartender seemed nice a little quiet though. read more

Our visit was amazing, our drinks had the perfect amount of alcohol, our food was absolutely delicious. The ambience was romantic and cosy, I love how stylish the bar stools are. We also had fantastic service, every person that work there that we interacted with was polite and gracious read more

I stumbled upon this gem one late Monday night for a nightcap. I immediately fell in love with the space. Plenty of seating with eclectic, fabulous furniture and a great cocktail list. Apart from the music being my favorite, the bartender, Mehmet, was great company. He showed me around the space, including the upstairs area, where they have events (both private and public). Although I haven't tried any of their entrees (I had the caprese salad, which was excellent and fresh), the food looks amazing. They need to open a second location in Boystown! They could use some stiff competition :) 10 out of 10. read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Espresso Martini - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came here in March around when they first opened. I was excited to try it out as the ambiance was so adorable from walking past a few times. However, I was disappointed by the service (I sat at the bar with a close friend and I wasn't provided with utensils after receiving food) and the charcuterie board was a bit disappointing, the crackers looked/tasted like ritz (which I love, but not for the price they charged). read more

Barrel Wine and Cheese - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois