Well, it may be OPEN at lunch, but I would certainly advise not coming here at lunch. Only half of the "Wine Bar Menu" is available during the day, and it is the half out of which you can't make a meal. Things like popcorn and olives. I tried, though. I ordered the "Carpe Vino Tasting Plate" for $14. The "artisanal cheeses" consisted of two small cubes of cheese, both almost bite-sized and fairly ordinary. The "chef's selection of cured meats" consisted of about 10 very thin slices of what tasted like pepperoni, and about 6 very thin slices of a salami. Hardly enough to even dent an appetite. I did have some good but expensive wines by the glass. Don't let the hours confuse you - this is a dinner only place. read more

Excellent prices. Great selection of small plates. Awesome local and global wines available. Popcorn w truffle oil - eating popcorn will never be the same again. This is/was/will be the only way to eat popcorn in the future. I have been corrupted. Almonds with seasalt and smoked paprika - wow... nothing from a can (emerald or blue diamond) could ever approach the flavor of this. Kind of reminded me of the hickory bbq taste in lays chips, but way better. Almonds were crisp and warm. Double bonus. Cheese plate - 3 kinds of cheeses, a cow based manchego, blue cheese, and something that looked like brie. I'm a cow cheese only kind of guy so I stayed away fromt he soft brie looking cheese. The hard machego was served with local honey and smelled like rosemary and lavender. The plate also had some fruit compote, so almonds, and a plate of fresh crostinis and flatbread. Everything was delicious. Genius.excellent selections, excellent quality. Will come back everytime we are in Auburn. read more

Horrible manners, I had reservations for 13 for my family xmas dinner. When we arrived I was told I didnt have a table. The host accused us that we called a different restaurant, how many carpo vino are there? Extremely rude. Will never go there again read more

Celebrating our 17th year Anniversary in Historic Auburn. Food and Atmosphere is amazing.

Let me start this out by admitting I am biased. My parents are wine club members here and our whole family has a soft spot for the restaurant. Having said that, I am also a food snob and quite picky about my favorite places. And this is definitely one of my favorite restaurants out of any city or town I have been in. The service is always impeccable. We have loved every waiter we get and they are quick to remember a face and treat you like a friend. The owners are the same and always take time to chat with us when we come in. The food: the food never fails to impress me. The menu changes every now and then, but everything I have ever ordered had been good. If they have a soup on the menu when you are there, order it. They do soups like no one else. I am partial to the mushroom soup. The pate is also incredible, as our the truffle popcorn and almonds from the bar. I have also ordered the chicken for two which was perfect. Every season they do a prixe fixe dinner you can sign up for. I have never had the chance of joining, but I can't wait to try. My parents have been to several and always send me pictures to torture me and entice me home. It usually works. Oh...and of course the wine selection is one to be rivaled. They get some of the best stuff around. If you are in Auburn, this is a MUST TRY! read more

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Pros: Unbelievable ambiance and food. This place definitely deserves its Top 50 ranking from Opentable. The restaurant is located in Auburn's old Union Saloon building, first built in the 1850s. You could plop this place in Napa or downtown San Francisco and it wouldn't miss a beat. Cons: The service; wow. Sometimes I think the biker bar next door is rubbing off on Carpe Vino. At least they leave you alone...although for $30 a plate and $20+ for a mediocre bottle of wine, you'd expect more attentiveness. I'm glad Carpe Vino is located in Auburn, because the town really needed an upscale fine dining place, but it has some work to do. read more

Darling in every way (including the extremely cute blonde bartender who really knows wine and barely looks old enough to drink). I went with my friend hoping to taste some wines, but it seems that with the addition of a real restaurant, it has turned into a traditional bar. We split a bottle of Brut for 33, which was close to retail because they are also a wine store. I had to try the chicken liver mousse because this has become my favorite little appetizer and I am always comparing and contrasting. This was good, quite light and more on the mousse than the pate side, but a little bit small for 13. The entrees are in the high 20s and low 30s but it's such a pleasant place, remodeled but the oldest structure in Auburn's charming Old Town. I am not sure how they get away with banning kids as plenty of restaurants with bars allow children (though not in the bar) but this makes it quite sedate. Special events take place in what was once a drunk tank and it's fun to go inside and look around. The selection both by the glass and bottle is large and you can cork the bottle and take it home if you don't finish, so it makes sense if you're drinking the same thing as your companion to buy a bottle. Lovely place. I'm sure the food is worth the price but this is definitely not a restaurant you can get out of for two with modest wine for less than 100 pre-tip if you order entrees. read more

This might be my fave restaurant in the area... quality food and wine that is very well priced. Love this place and everyone who works there read more

You know how when you are rummaging around in your wine cellar and you find a bottle you forgot you had? The unexpected pleasure of finding something you weren't expecting is exactly how our evening at Carpe Vino went. We commute back and forth between Marin County and Grass Valley frequently, and the question has long been, where do we stop to eat - and how best to break up the trip a bit. We've eaten at most of the local places on Old Town Auburn, few of which make you want to ever go back. But then, a friend said you've got to eat at Carpe Vino. BTW, if Carpe Diem means "Seize the day," then Carpe Vino must mean "Seize the Wine!" And that, is exactly what you can do then you walk in the door of this combination wine shop, wine bar, and restaurant. There is wine everywhere you look, and being a bit snobby I expected the place to be stocked with overripe Zinfandel and Syrah from the foothills. But was I wrong. Fabulous selection of California wines, including many difficult to obtain Napa and Sonoma wines. But this review is really about the food. We sat at the bar, and started with a trio of dips...chilled cucumber, smoked eggplant, and hummus, served with perfect little pita crisps. The eggplant was the best I have EVER had. The waiter, super nice guy named Paul, suggested a Capiaux Pinot that I had not had before that paired nicely with the dinner. Next were salads - a pear, frissee and blue cheese salad for me, perfectly dressed, and just outstanding. Wife had a persimmon salad that was out of this world (persimmons prepared with a vodka soak). Dinner was duck ragu parpadelle for me, and mushroom soup for Rebecca. The pasta was outstanding - perfectly prepared, with tender duck bites, nice herbs and a rich stock. Rebe said the mushroom soup was the best she had ever had, as well. The wine was priced at true retail, not the 100-200% markup you usually see in fine restaurants. Best wine pricing you'll ever see, short of Passionfish in Carmel. Met the owner (Gary) and cook (Eric), both just the nicest people you would ever want to meet. What a find! Like that 1982 Mouton you just forgot you had - which I am going to drink real soon. read more

The bartender, Steve, suggested a great Pinot noir for us. And we were served by a really nice young lady named Cailey. She was so attentive and really enthusiastic about the entire menu. It was such a pleasure being served by them both. We will definitely be returning here. read more

Carpe Vino - Salmon - Wine Bars Near Me - Auburn, California

This place is over rated. They are always under staffed and the place is so small there isn't enough tables. The staff is so rushed they treat you like you are bothering them. We walked out and went to another wine tasting room in old town. read more

Friend of ours have been raving about Carpe Vino and just had to take us for dinner. We arrived and walked into what seems to be a little wine shop and well, it is that too. We were taken into a small dining area and while the décor was understated, the table setting and wait staff gave you a sense that something special was about to happen. And it did! Often times I read reviews or hear about great chefs with tons of talent and their menu sounds amazing and then the food pales in comparison to the chef write up or the menu description. This was NOT the case at Carpe Vino. We ordered a Yellow Tail appetizer with cucumbers, charred watermelon and a "gin and tonic" gelee as well as the Lamb Meatballs with gypsy pepper harissa, cucumber yogurt and charmoula. Every single morsel was delightful. While the two appetizers have completely different flavor profiles there was a delicate balance and not one spice or flavor that overpowered another. Perfect Start! A little salad of belgian endive bartlett pear, figs, bleu d'auvergne, walnut aillade was unbelievable. Again this dish had the perfect amounts of each element to create excellent flavor balance. Truly impressive and it is just a little salad. Lucky me our friends know Chef Erik and a more than pleasant surprise landed in front of us between salad and dinner. Sweetbreads with crispy polenta and bacon and some other things that I can not recall (I drifted off to heaven for a moment). Not a professional review here so bear with me. Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! I seriously wanted to lick my plate and every other plate on that table. What just happened to me??? Crispy, savory, sweet, rich, delicate, WOW! At this point I am so aware that this chef is truly gifted. I feel as if soon this chef will be so great I will be unable to get a table or afford his greatness so I better savor each bite, so I did! Dinner for me a Spice Brined Pork Chop with summer beans, cipollini onions, elephant heart plum, sungold tomato. I am actually full at this point but of course the presentation is lovely and I must have a little. So glad I did! Hearty with a richness that feels light. Not sure how to describe this but he uses such fresh ingredients that it actually feels light while the spice and the chop are hearty and rich. Again Perfect balance! Oh how I wish I could create like this! Did I say I was full? Well this part was true but if you recall I am certain that this chef is destined for great things and I am certain this is my one shot, so I took it. Peach Profiteroles' with Viogner ice cream and peach caramel and a chocolate and earl grey ice cream with vanilla poached pears. We shared. We loved them. Chef Erik came out to say hello and I wanted to hug him. He is humble and kind. I am certain that I have just eaten a meal prepared by a true food genius. He is one of the greats I am sure of that. And just because I want to make sure I can, I made my next reservation before we arrived home. I recommend you do this too! read more

We heard about this wine bar turned fine dining restaurant a few months ago. The only "problem" is that it is located in Auburn. If you're driving from downtown Sac like we were, when you reach Roseville, you're only halfway there. With no traffic about a 35 minute drive. During semi-rush hour (6pm) in the middle of the week, about 50 minutes with me driving like a maniac. But let's get onto the food! One week each month (except December), there is a prix fixe menu. This month it was the Citrus Serenade: 4 courses with options for each course, paired with citrus from the Auburn Farmers' Market. $49 per person. We each picked out different options and kinda shared. Hey, I chose my options for a reason: Me-- Warm Maine Lobster, Carrot-Tangelo Soup, Miso-Glazed Sablefish with poached wonton of shrimp, ginger, garlic and scallions, Citrus Cornmeal Pound Cake. Her-- Salt-Roasted Heirloom Beets, Winter Citrus Salad, Duck á l'Orange, Chocolate-Lime Tart. Sablefish is very similar to sea bass but more buttery. First experienced it at The Fish Market in Monterey. The citrus was paired wonderfully, either complimenting or contrasting with the main ingredient. The duck could have had a slightly crispier skin (I'm expecting Peking Duck style) and she's generally not a fan of meringue,so the bruléed blood orange meringue wafer with the tart sat there unloved. The wine list is amazing, but not a surprise considering the roots of this restaurant. Maybe not as vast as "The Kitchen" or "Ella", but there is an excellent variety of small lot, large lot, and even cult wines. The great thing is any bottle purchased for consumption is marked up $5 over retail. So the Roederer "L'Ermitage" bubbly was $39. I saw this same bubbly at *another* restaurant for $75 later in the week. The server asked if we wanted the bottle kept on ice during the dinner service, and we had the option of keeping it at the table or not. If not, the server would come fill out flutes when needed. Service was good, the server friendly. The only little issue was we both agreed that not all the courses were described in detail when brought to our table. Not a huge issue, but slightly inconsistent. We literally closed down the restaurant and they didn't say a word. The photo of the interior on their website doesn't do the place justice. Yes, it's small, maybe 15 tables tops, with one booth that might accommodate 6-8 people. Reservations were easy enough a few days in advanced, yet we were a bit surprised as it was completely packed when we arrived on a Wednesday! Tables started opening up by 8pm. Noise level is high early in the evening and quiet by 9pm. Overall a great experience, certainly on par with the acclaimed restaurants in Sacramento. Food: 5 stars P/C: 4 stars Service: 4.5 stars read more

My wife and I have been dining at Carpe Vino for years and always love our experience. The food is some of the best in the greater Sacramento region. We come back here almost every year for our anniversary. By far, one of my favorite restaurants! read more

What a little gem! Excellent service and amazing food. It was crowded on a Saturday night so make sure to make a reservation. Worth the drive up to Auburn. Very charming and unpretentious. Will definitely be back! read more

We went with friends for a delightful evening meal. Our waiter was entertaining. The wine was lovely. The meal delicious. My one complaint (and why I don't award all stars) is that they have only ONE BATHROOM. This is not THAT small a restaurant. There really should be at least two bathrooms. The line was long and interfered with servers exiting the kitchen. read more

Came here with my husband for my birthday dinner and everything was AMAZING! First course, we had the pumpkin soup, and Caesar salad. Both were delicious! I got the swordfish and my husband got the pork chop. It was the best swordfish I have ever had!! Also, we got the brussel sprouts for our side dish and they were delicious too! Then for dessert we ordered the apple cake with chestnut ice cream...sooo good we ended up ordering another one! Such a cute restaurant, amazing food and awesome staff! Patty the manager was so sweet and Jordan our server was great! Highly recommend this place!! read more

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OMG delicious!!! I had the Alaskan cod and salad, he the short ribs. Dessert warm chocolate cake. Heaven. Amy our server was perfect! Whenever I venture north, this will be my spot for dinner. Superlative in every respect. I'm a fan!! read more

Much better atmosphere this time as the lady who was hosting our wine tasting had great energy and romanticized every wine. The sizes of the tastings need improvement. The popcorn was phenomenal as always. read more

Our dinner was wonderful last night! We enjoyed our food from the appetizer to dessert. The entree that I picked was Mishima Reserve Wagyu Sirloin is so good. The staff were very friendly. Alein ( I'm sorry if I misspelled your name) our waiter for the night was very knowledgeable with the menus and wines. Nice ambiance. read more

Carpe Vino - Wine Bars Near Me - Auburn, California

This place is amazing!! Everything we ordered was great. The chicken liver mousse, pig ear appetizers and Kobe beef cheeks was amazing! We also bought a bottle of Riesling to top it off. I love this place! read more

We ate at Carpe Vino last Friday night (1/7). After wandering into the place 5 or 6 times, this was our first meal. Our friends are wine members and have raved about CV over and over again - putting it up with "The Kitchen" as their absolute favorites. While I hold The Kitchen to a different level, I will concur that CV is a treat. A perfect date night - ask for the little table by the window - so European and romantic. I'm holding back a star because I've only been once - I'm using it as an excuse to go back again! The wait staff is professional (I think our waiter's name was Peter) clearly this is his occupation not just employment - that's a compliment BTW. He provided honest advice on the menu choices and I would probably just let him order for me in the future. I don't think reviewing the food we ate is necessary (all was excellent) since the menu changes and the favorites are obviously there for a reason. I checked online before we went so I could anticipate what I was going to eat! If you are unsure, ask the waiter what he recommends and you'll be fine. If you are just going to the bar for a drink, definitely order the popcorn; its a small order so don't offer to share with anyone! Our friends are wine club members so they graciously dug into a recent shipment (from Carpe Vino) and selected several bottles but you are literally surrounded by wine so it shouldn't be too tough to find something in your price range. All in all - I think the Yelp reviews from last year can be ignored; clearly if there were any inconsistencies they've fixed them. However this is a small restaurant so reservations are necessary and I would anticipate there to be some dramatic pauses between courses. So back to the date night - make sure its someone you want to spend time with! If you aren't so sure - sit at the bar so you can at least include others in your conversation! read more

What a secret gem! This place is the perfect blend of wine cellar, fine dining, great location, vibrant atmosphere and immaculate service all blended well together!!! The food was absolutely delicious The wine delightful The brownie with raspberry sherbet was ridiculously scrumptious.... needless to say .... we have found a new favorite!!! See you soon read more

A magnificent little restaurant Had dinner with a client a few days back. While the principal business is retail wine sales, CV operates a small restaurant with a limited menu. My client raved about his filet, and I loved Steamed Clams Vindaloo and a halibut entree. Never had clams done this way and I just about licked the bowl of the broth. Outstanding. read more

My lady and I love this place. We always stop before we head to our home in truckee. Just found out Steve is no longer here and we are really upset. The place won't be the same. Bring Steve back please. read more

Carpe Vino - a man standing at a bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Auburn, California

It's sad, really. I had high hopes for this spot upon entry but left feeling let down. I joined two Colorado travelers who hadn't visited CA before and their mates. At first, the 4:00 bartender was gracious, kind, , patient, and informative. Then, at 4:30, her younger accomplice took over and it took us leaving for her to crack a smile. I left a generous tip because I am kind and realize that the younger bartender may not have understood that the purpose of her role is to ensure people will come back. Poor attitude should not expect retention. read more

We have been supporting carpe Vino for years and recently ordered dinner for cinco de Mayo . We live in Grass valley and the owner offers a pickup across the street from Higgins fire station . I'm so happy they offer this to people who live in Nevada county because it's worth the drive ! Food is always delicious read more

Probably one of 3 Finest Dining ( White Table Cloth ) restaurants in Auburn. 5 Star wine list 5 Star Service 4 Star food Was not impressed with the menu. I actually met one of the chefs, super nice guy....... We have gone twice and both times the meal has been 3 to 4 star Also, this is a very expensive restaurant. Probably the most expensive in Auburn. Overall a wonderful place and we're glad there here in Auburn read more

Awesome. I had the pork chop. Husband had veal. The appetizer foile patte chicken was unbelievable. Service perfect. Great anniversary! Wine yummy too read more

Carpe Vino - Wine Bars Near Me - Auburn, California

Been here twice. The food and presentation are exquisite. This is now my new favorite place. I'm not a pork chop kinda guy, but they have the best pork chop I've ever tasted. The portions are not big, but they're big enough--and they're excellent. I'm heading back in 2 weeks. read more

If you like good food and wine... Carpe Vino is the place to dine! Great service by Cailey. She really knows her wines! They offer some excellent wines by the glass. They also have a great selection of bottles from boutique wineries. We even joined the wine club! You must try the beet salad. Sublime! The pork chop was a little on the dry side. The grilled peach profiteroles were awesome! Overall, it was a great experience! read more

This restaurant is off the charts! It has few real competitors- Taste in Plymouth, Waterboy in Sacramento. The food is amazing, creative & tasty. The service is fantastic. And the wine is the best selection in the area. Come here for a romantic evening and/or a night of fine dining. I've been here twice and I'll be back! read more

Nicest restaurant in Auburn. Food is delicious and refined. Wine selection is unparalleled in these parts. Expensive, but not too fancy.

Dinner for 6 last night and every dish was excellent. I had the braised beef cheek, we also had the mussels, the shrimp pasta Fra Diavlo and a new vegetarian dish. Service was also excellent read more

Very nice evening... My friends invited myself and my lovely lady to join them for the pre-fixe valentine's day menu. We got there and were seated immediately. Our waitress was fun and bubbly but also very professional and skilled with the wine pairings. We went with her suggestions on 4 bottles of wine and they complimented or meal perfectly. As for the meal, it was absolutely divine. It was, as I said before a perfect evening. The staff was fun and personable and the owner was floating around table to table. He came and chatted with us about wine for about 20 minutes. And it better have been because it ended up costing $900 with tip. Hey, it's only money right? read more

I liked this place. The food was excellent and our service was great. There is always a little bad to go with the good. Let me get that out of the way quickly. The instant we walked in the restaurant, all I could smell was Brussel sprouts. It was overwhelming (if you don't like Brussels sprouts). The only other thing (albeit minor), was the butter served with the bread was (unknowingly to us) covered with a layer of salt. Neither of these issues could ruin the fact that the food was excellent. We ordered the pork chop minus the creamed cabbage, the beef cheeks, and an order of poutine to share. The poutine was a little different than other traditional poutines, but was very good. Both entrees were great, cooked perfectly with correct amount of veges and sauce. We went on a Thursday night so it wasn't terribly crowded so service was quick and attentive. We will be back. Glad to have found great food in Auburn! read more

This place is amazing! Really great food and exceptional service!

Food was incredible. The service was spectacular. We always ask for recommendations of their preferred food choices and the waiter was spot on with giving us the best choices! Their only negative was that they were rather slow. We got there early for our reservation so sat at the bar to get a glass of wine and it took a solid five minutes before the bartender even came back to the bar and then we weren't even acknowledged right away. And then when we ordered our food, it took exceptionally long to get it. A couple seated at least 20 minutes after us had their food 20 minutes before we did. But we went there for my husbands birthday and they even had a birthday card there waiting for him. Had a great window seat and just felt doted on. And to top it all off, our check wasn't in the $300's like we thought it would be. Only half that! So great pricing on delicious food! read more

I do not often write reviews but I feel so strongly that I need to yelp about our experience. We felt fleeced by the time we left. Our cousin from out of town drove from Bay area with his relatives from Italy made a special trip to dine at Carpe Vino we were surprised that he choose this place as there are so many better fine dining restaurants in the Sacramento area. We all know that service, food and atmosphere in a fine dining restaurant you are going to pay but when you are paying 15.00 plus for a cocktail you expect more than a kiddie portion and 9.00 for a cup of popcorn ok we just thought it will get better for dinner. First the menu is sparse, not much of a selection to choose, 2nd the portions were small and stingy considering what the cost is. I had a starter the soup and it was very good but they serve it in a large soup bowl and maybe 1/2 a ladle barely coats the bottom of the bowl we took the spoon to test it we guessed a 1/4 of a cup for 15.00 approx. cost. the salad starter was 4 leaves of romaine and it tasted great but 4 leaves? Dinner course I ordered the hanger steak and frites it was 5 pieces of steak already sliced and the fries took up more than 1/2 the plate it was good but again the portion for the cost left us a bit hungry, the salmon was 4 inches long and 3 inches wide approx. another entrée the chicken breast with polenta was not even eaten as our guest from Italy said it was not polenta, we did not try it. Only 2 choices for dessert and all tasted fine but again very small portions like a kids meal. We did get asked by our waiter if we would like some bread for the table and he brought out 2 plates of focaccia each plate had about 5 slices and two very small ramekins with olive oil and balsamic to dip. My cousin asked if we could get a bit more bread as a party of 6 went thru it quickly to supplement our meals. The main reason I thought it was necessary to write this review is because of the bread, when the check came well over 300.00 not including the round of drinks we had when we arrived is they charged is 24.00 for bread and oil. I have never ever been in a fine dining restaurant in the US or countries I have visited and been charged for bread and oil much less 24.00. I said as we walked out we could have gone to Ruth Chris and had fresh baked bread for the table over and over, Mortons same, Sutter Steak house same La Foranetta same, Any Sellends or Paragary any fine dining and have bread with your meal and would have left happy and satisfied due to portion and nice menu with many many choices. Do yourself a favor and choose another restaurant if you are looking for fine dining. We heard the chef recently left also, maybe why the small menu? portions? and they have to charge you for bread and oil? read more

If first impressions mean anything than they deserve the 5-star rating. I have to say that I came on a Thursday night and it wasn't crowded, so the staff (Brittany), was attentive and friendly. Had the lamb meatball appetizer, which was amazing, and Brittany highly recommended the braised beef cheek....also amazing! Plenty of wine to chose from, and an all-around excellent fine-dining choice for this area. read more

Carpe Vino - Braised beef cheek....melt in your mouth good. - Wine Bars Near Me - Auburn, California