Stopped by the Cellar Door for a glass of wine and charcuterie with my husband as he has never been here before. I've enjoyed my past visits at Cellar Door and wanted to share it with him. We were lucky to find two empty seats at the bar as it was very busy on a Saturday late afternoon. The staff we encountered were so friendly and knowledgeable about their wine and beer. We ordered a meat and cheese board that consisted of three cheeses, duck pate and prosciutto along with marcona almonds, honey, grilled bread and crackers. It was nicely presented and it was the perfect accompaniment to our wine. I love this little wine shop and will definitely be back again. read more

Cellar Door - Charcuterie - Specialty Food Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

I've loved this place for at least 7 years... but who is keeping count? Years ago, it was my favorite "first date" when I was meeting dates arranged on Match or Coffee Meets Bagel. It was a total win win for me, even if my date wasn't a great match, I could count on having an excellent glass of wine or two, enjoy some nice fresh air out on their patio, or the nice view of their extensive wall of wine inside! Today I'd like to add a bit more about their food. I've eaten their nibbles in the restaurant before, all delicious. The portions are on the small side, which is actually perfect, I never had to eat too much or waste any food. Lately, I've done their carry out, and I can actually say their "dinner for two" special of Veal Tenderloin may be in the running for the best take out meal I've ever had. They did a fantastic job of pairing the veal with amazing mashed potatoes, asparagus, a house salad (with perfectly seasoned vinaigrette) and a very special pinot noir. I can't wait to try more! (I've already pre-ordered their weekend shrimp Alfredo!!) read more

UPDATE: My wife and I've been coming here regularly for three years and it is now a staple for both of us. Anytime we have anyone in town we will bring them over and this place is just amazing! Ryan, the owner, is fantastic, the service is always great, and Nick, the chef, churns out some of the best food this side of the Mississippi. Go now. You won't regret it! read more

A gem in downtown Downers Grove. Food is excellent and Sangria is fantastic. The staff is great and very friendly. They also have a great selection of beer. read more

Fantastic wine selection and good prices. Not a great place to sit at the bar (no ambiance) but the tables near the wine are cute. The behind the bar layout doesn't make sense, all you see are dirty dishes. The outdoor seating looks nice too. They have a monthly club deal of 2 wines for about $35, which given their nice selection, seems like a good deal. We'll be back. read more

Well, the Cellar Door never disappoints! The Acorn Hummus was amazing. We sat in the garden area and it's so quaint. The servers are always attentive and friendly. It's our go to place for a glass of wine snd their awesome Cauliflower pizzas read more

I've been here a couple times now. Once for an afternoon beverage and another time for lunch. The Cellar Door offers pretty good wine and beer selections along with a delicious menu of food including meats, cheeses, small plates, sandwiches, salads, pizza, and dessert. Their patio is on the smaller side, but it's a nice option for enjoying a glass of wine outside on a beautiful day. Service both times I've stopped in have been great. Everyone is always friendly and attentive. My only suggestion would be for the staff to give some further explanation as to what The Cellar Door is all about -- for folks who are visiting for the first time. Their walls are lined with tons of bottles of wine for purchase, but I just wish someone would have explained to me exactly what they have to offer and where the different types of wine and price points are located. I felt a tad awkward browsing the small space without any direction while other people were sitting at the tables in front of the wall. If I was just passing by (and hadn't done my research on Yelp), I think I would have been confused as to whether this was a restaurant, wine bar, or wine shop. Of course it's all 3, which is is why the servers should be proud to explain all they have to offer! I have to say, I really enjoyed their beets and goat cheese salad. For $10 this salad includes spring greens topped with beets, goat cheese, and walnuts all drizzled with cream of balsamic. I'm a sucker for goat cheese, but this combo of flavors was really delicious! I will for sure be back again -- wine, cheese, and charcuterie are a few of my favorite things! read more

Cellar Door - Specialty Food Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Nice place to have a glass of wine or a crafty! The have a few seats outside/ curbside. Didn't try the food yet, but the options sound tasty. Nexttime around I'm going for the goat cheese for sure. Sniff, swish, and sip. Let's. GO! read more

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Things I like about this place: delicious sangria, interesting light dinner dishes and appetizers, live music sometimes and the owner seems very involved. Things I don't like: the service can be spotty, it can get quite crowded and I wish they had additional dessert selections since it's a great place to go after dinner. Overall, I would definitely recommend giving it a try. Stop in for a red sangria and goat/cheese pepper dip appetizer. read more

I came here because I had a Groupon. At first we were greeted at the bar, but then I felt the servers we're fighting over who got to serve what table. It seems like they had a lot of regular clients but as a new customer, I felt out of place. When they poured the wine, the one bottle was almost empty, so they combined it with another bottle. The house red was okay, and the sangria was decent. The cheese plate was good too. Due to the customer service, is why I'm only giving 3 stars. read more

I went there for drinks after work with the girls and we had a great time!! The place is small and casual, but thats one of the things I liked about it. Its very personable and homey feeling. The wait staff was knowledgable and friendly. We had the goat cheese appetizer, it was amazing!! I also had the capreese salad which was one of the best I've had. I will definitely return and recommend it for casual group outing or laid back dates. read more

Cellar Door - Goat cheese dip - Specialty Food Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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Second visit with new management... I miss the old staff. At a wine bar I appreciate a certain amount of style and information. I'm not looking to point to something on the menu and have it simply brought to me. This wasn't laid back and encouraging to linger. It was like a diner. I told our server the type of flavor I appreciate and mentioned a type of wine that I've found it in before. She immediately said they have a very good wine of that type and marched off to get it. She brought to our table an open bottle (Huh??) and poured out two full glasses without even inviting me to sample some. Either she didn't know what she was doing or we were served another table's reject...though we did like the wine. The Smoked Salmon Tartare is excellent. Their presentation of it varies. My companion ordered the Wild Mushroom Grilled Cheese and found it to be boring. She didn't seem to enjoy finishing it and said she wouldn't order it again. We both had the Quinoa Salad and enjoyed that. read more

Cellar Door - Live entertainment every Thursday - not necessarily including expert Yelper, Ellery R. - Specialty Food Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Came here for my sister in laws birthday! We had a great time. We were in a small private party room in the back, service was great. We had some amazing food, try the cheese platter! It was the best ever! The wine was great, I don't know what we had, it was whatever they'd ordered before I got there. Tasty. What a fun night. This place is great for a girls night, date night, whatever. They have more beers now than last time I was in, which is nice. read more

The Cellar Door is the place you will be coming from the time you are 21- 101! It is classy, but yet plays sports on the tv. It is intimate, but yet wide open so you see some of the bar and kitchen. It has at least 100 different wines, and plenty of microbrews!! I have been here a few times with my girlfriends and for a birthday dinner with my mom. The wine is always delicious (even when I get a surprise glass) and I've been known to buy the full bottles afterwards! The list is changing every time I stop in, but they still have the favorites that they can open for you. If you're looking for something to eat and like seafood TRY THE SMOKED SALMON PANINI! It's fantastic.... I'm craving one now! This place is also awesome for a last minute present. Just stop in here and ask for advice! The left side of the place is a great wall of wine with so many reds, whites and rose you can imagine! read more

Your service is below par and your staff is the just rude good luck with that during a pandemic better places to spend your money

Cellar Door is my go to wine night location. The menu features a long list of wines, and a variety of other drinks. The sangrias are also phenomenal! All the food I have ever ordered from there is indulgent and decadent. 11/10 recommend this place read more

First time here and the service was great and the food was even better! I especially loved the Shepard's pie. I will definitely be back here for a mimosa as well. read more

I've been wanting to try this place for quite a while now...there always seems to be a groupon, so I went and bought one as a reason to finally make it here. I love me some wine and this is the perfect place for it! If you can't find street parking, there is a parking garage about a block away. Unfortunately it wasn't nice enough outside to sit out there, though some braved the 60 something degree evening with rain to actually wine and dine out there. I had just got back from vacation the day before so making reservations slipped my mind. Thankfully there was a small table for two available at 7pm on a Friday night...this place got pretty crowded so a reservation is probably necessary during peak time. My friend and I indulged in a few glasses of red wine, ordered the bruchetta along with a few meats and cheeses. It was the perfect size meal for two! There is definitely a nice wine and food, and dessert selection here. The service wasn't bad either. I look forward to visiting this place again sometime! read more

Cellar Door - Specialty Food Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Really cute wine joint in Downers Grove. My friend and I went in for a drink. I ordered the Tinchi (new age wine with lemon and lime) and my friend had a red. It's great, was busy but found a spot to sit and enjoyed my friend. They have a good wine selection and you can get cheese or food. It's been about 5 years since I've been here last but it's still a great place. read more

Cellar Door - Nice selection - Specialty Food Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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This place is always packed... We drove by Friday... Packed.... Saturday packed.... But we found parking so heck yeah... We sat inside waiting for a table outside. Alex took care of us and got us a table within 20mins outside... Nice!!!! Cody was also very very friendly.... He gave us some recommendations ... Really nice guy... Awesome staff!!!!! Love the fact that they don't rush you... They also take groupon and not give anyone attitude.... Met Jen the owner.... Nice lady !!! We love trying out new things on their menu!!! 7 for $21 cheese and charcuterie is my fave!!! read more

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Great venue for business or pleasure. For me it is a destination for both! The staff is friendly and helpful, and make all feel welcome. Emmit George, Agent with Transworld Business Advisors of Downers Grove read more

My mom and I were doing some shopping, and decided to have some lunch at The Cellar Door after a recommendation. There were probably only 2-3 other people in there when we arrived; we sat at a window table so we could people-watch, and decided to split the tacos (on special) and the turkey club w/side salad. Wow - They. Were. Amazing! So delicious....service was friendly and efficient, atmosphere was quiet and nice, and food was awesome. We will definitely be back, and will probably have wine. We had Guinness with our lunch (yum), but I love that their wine list has a "surprise me" option where they will bring you a random red or white wine based on your meal choice. I loved it here! read more

I'd give this place a 3.5 I consider myself to be well-versed in wine. This place didn't have an overly impressive list for wine by the glass which was slightly disappointing as I was not looking to drink a whole bottle. This was my first visit here and I didn't entirely understand if all the wines they have in bottles on the wall were to take home or to enjoy in the cafe. Next time I'll take a closer look at the bottle selection-they seemed to have a lot! With that said the dining-in prices are very reasonable for a wine bar in the Chicago suburbs. Probably the best deal you'll find to be honest. They had sangria for $6. My friend and I shared a split bottle (1/2 bottle) and it was $10. We also shared a lovely cheese tray which was only $11 for 3 cheeses, 3 accompaniments (dried cranberries, almonds, etc), and bread/crackers. The environment is very nice and our server was very friendly. I find some wine bars to be intimidating to people who aren't aficionados but this was not that way at all! For $25 my friend and I had an excellent start to our evening in downtown Downers Grove. I will absolutely check this place out again but think there are definitely wine bars out there with a better selection of wine by the glass. read more

Excellent cheese and charcuterie. The wine list is extensive, the food was delicious. We had the flatbread pizza and jalapeno jelly grilled cheese. The corkage fee is reasonable as well. read more

Cellar Door - Specialty Food Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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God, I hate to do this ... But this place really has gone down the tubes.... Their wine selection is horrible especially being called the "cellar door" ---one, only one Spanish wine on their menu but what really topped it for me is that their server called a melbec from Argentina a Spanish wine .... You got to be kidding me. Time to hire knowledgable people or actually be a wine place. The pizza came out as a flat bread ... Not a 10 inch pizza ... I started at 3 stars and now I'm down to 2! Only because service is crap, atmosphere is horrible and it seems it's not how it used to be. The sangria was terrible, I had better on the beach in Barcelona and that's saying a lot :/ read more

Please disregard the menu here on yelp, it's not up to date. I just enjoyed the steak and blue salad and since steak is not my thing, they were able to substitute an impossible burger and it was delish!! Cider was yummy too!! Perfect day for a patio lunch. read more

Excellent food, wine and service! Our server Jill was fabulous. She picked out some great selections of cheese and sauces. The wine was ice cold and it was okay sitting outside. We shall return. read more

Wine/Non-Food Review only: A couple of friends and I stopped by The Cellar Door after visiting another restaurant nearby. It was a beautiful and warm Saturday afternoon, so we decided to sit outside during our visit. The Cellar Door is a wine store/bar/restaurant. For a relatively small place, they actually have quite a bit of wine bottles available for purchase. Wine bottles start around $12 and go up from there. You also have the option of opening a bottle of wine at the restaurant and drinking it there, but there is a $10 corkage fee for this. There are several wines by the glass available and great options for almost anyone. Someone in my group got a mimosa, and the orange juice looked very "questionable". The bartender poured some champagne in the glass, and then squeezed a few drops of an orangeish liquid in the glass from a plastic container. It possibly could have been orange juice, but I highly doubt it. I had a glass of a cava wine that was on the menu, and I liked it. Despite the fact that this place is wine focused, there are also beers, ciders, and non alcoholic beverages available. read more

What a great lil spot. Did the Groupon for the cheese meat tray, wow! So good n my hubs got a turkey sandwich, fantastic. Great selection of wine n beer. read more

Cellar Door - Specialty Food Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

We came here with friends for a night out and had the some of the worst service provided from waitstaff. My wife came later which completely put off our waitress who seemed inconvenienced that she needed to add another dish to our bill... um excuse me? We are adding to the tab, which overall adds to her tip! Whenever drinks were ordered the waitress would only deliver one beverage at a time with large gaps between deliveries. My wife was waiting awhile for her glass of wine and when the runner delivered meals asked if we needed anything else, we responded that we needed her wine glass order. All we got was a clueless blank stare in response. Service more often than not makes a restaurant be well received by the public and as such I would not return to this location. read more

Brittany was amazing, as was HEather. Brittany had amazing wine suggestions and did wonderfully with the surprise wines!

If 1/2 stars were available I would give that. We came on a Tuesday to a fairly busy venue. After speaking with the owner we put our names down and waited for nearly 45 minutes. After asking him what was taking so long we were immediately shown a table (shocking how that works). The table was filthy and littered with remnants of the previous patrons. We then waited another 15 minutes to have a waitress look at us and snap "I'll be right wit chu." Very professional. 5 minutes later she had not returned. We then got up and left. Needless to say I will never return nor recommend this place to my friends. Perhaps my enemies would enjoy the snotty attitude.... read more

I love this place. They always have great staff, drinks and nice weekday deals. Another plus - they don't only sell wine! read more

Cellar Door - Specialty Food Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Great wines and amazing craft beer list, so it's a perfect spot for both my wife and me. We often enjoy the ever-changing food menu, and the staff is fantastic. The wine selection to take home is great, and you'll find something from every style. Such a great local spot! read more

Glad i got the Groupon for this hidden gem. We had a 3 flight board with the drunken goat cheese and Gouda . The 3rd item was the prosciutto. All with their own special tastes that i enjoyed as i have a wide palette. You also got 3 condiments. We got apples, almonds and house pickles (had a more cucumber taste). Overall , everything was tasty. We got a glass of house wine a piece and then ordered 2 other types of wine. My gf got the Rosé Private Cuvée , and i got the Malbec. I actually liked my house red better (Cabernet) but the Malbec was still decent. Nice ambiance, good uptempo jazz playing in the background. Sweet date night read more

Was looking through Groupon for somewhere new to go for a lite dinner and found the Cellar Door. This is the perfect place for a date night. We went on a Saturday night with no reservations, so it was a little busy, but we were able to get seating at the bar. The server was great, but we weren't ready at first and it did take him a little while to get back to us. The Groupon covered a 3 flight charcuterie board and a couple of glasses of wine. We went with the brie, white cheddar and calabrese salami, along with the house pickles, the cornichons and the green apples. We also did a white wine and a red wine, both were good, but I cannot recall the names of them. Receipt shows GL HW Proverb and GL HR Century. The white was not too dry, not too sweet. The red had a deep rich flavor that was not overly full of oaky, which I don't like. All of the food was so good. It was fresh, with great flavor and the tray came with pieces of toasted bread and crackers. The pickles were a bit spicy, but not overly so. The cornichons were a pickled (vinegary) cucumbers. The second wines we tried were the surprise red and the Malbec, Trapiche Oak Cask, which was delightfully smooth and very good. So good, in fact, that we bought a bottle. We were still hungry and opted for the cellar nachos, which were a cold nacho and we found them a bit disappointing. Hubby is not big of anything with tomatoes (pico de gallo) or avocado, so there wasn't much he could eat on them, as there wasn't a lot of cheese. I liked them, but then again I don't mind the pico or avocado. Service was good and friendly. The total bill would have been $54 without the groupon. We will definitely be back again. read more

I went here with my fiancee to finish off date nite and it was the cherry on top of a perfect evening. Jill was absolutely amazing, attentive but not overbearing and the wine was amazing. The bacon wrapped dates are succulent and amazing with the goat cheese filling. 10/10 will definitely wine and dine here again! read more

Clearly must have zero personality to work here. There is a reason I've only been here once. 3 stars for the Red sangria, really good. 0 stars for the service. Unacceptable read more

Second time here and probably won't be coming back. I came here with my husband to celebrate our anniversary. Don't get me wrong the food was great but when we placed our order of their charcuterie plate the waiter never came back to ask for our main orders. He didn't even take the menus back when the food arrived. The server just pushed the plates and menu to make room for the board. Really ? We literally have no room to eat and you just shoved the food on the table. My husband just got up and put the menu away himself and decided not to order anything else. Very disappointed compared to our fist visit. I might give it a try again because the food selections are good but not worth the service. read more

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Talk about awkward city! The service here was pretty darn terrible. I always hate when you get a strange server & it affects the whole dinner. Conversations start being awkward, people wonder "why did she ask for my drink order twice?" "why did she skip over me for a food order?" instead of being able to focus on the friends that they're out with. On top of an awkward turtle staff, the food was so-so. Sure they have a great selection of cheeses, but, really? All you have to do is buy expensive cheeses and put them on a tray. Not too difficult. The paninis were relatively greasy and unimpressive. I'd say save your money for good wine & cheese, and go to Lemon Tree a few blocks away. read more