I come to banter to watch strictly the classic VHS movies on the CRT TV. Nevertheless, Banter Wine…read moreis the kind of excellent neighborhood wine bar you want to keep to yourself...cool, cozy, and effortlessly vintage without trying too hard. Great pours, good snacks, and the perfect low-key spot to linger with friends.

Overall 4.5 Food /…read moreWine 5 Service 4 Ambiance 5 I was looking for a cozy wine bar north of Berkeley and Yelp did not disappoint. Banter sits alongside the main road, close to a market and record store. They have a nice selection of natural wines, including some local ones that I wasn't familiar with. Food / Wine: I did a flight ($24 for 3 half-pours). I went with a sparkling rose, a springy white, and finished with a gamay. All were delicious, especially the sparkling rose. I also ordered the anchovy plate. The bread, butter, and pepper spread were great. I imagine their larger charcuterie board would be perfect for a party of 2 or more. Service: There was one person working and four customers at the bar. I was greeted and everything came out quick enough. My only knock is that in a place called Banter you'd think the staff would have a bit of banter, at least an introduction in an effort to create some regulars. Ambiance: This was my favorite part of the experience. There's a nice collection of vinyl along with VHS tapes. The combination of the Psychedelic Furs on vinyl while Mannequin was playing on some very small old TVs was definitely a delightful throwback... and yes, I recognized Andrew McCarthy and named the movie in less than 3-minutes Clean restroom, great actually vintage decor, and a pinball machine that will get some attention from me next time!

Strolling through Solano Ave, our group stopped here for a drink and to chill. Located at the…read morecorner of Solano Ave and San Pablo, Best Friends is a cozy wine bar where you can have a drink at the bar or at one of the bar tables and tables. Their logo on their sign is a dog drinking from wine glass. Yes, they are a dog friendly shop and several customers had their dogs including our friend. Their wine offerings consist of international wines and wines from local small wineries. They also had two craft beers and some light bites. The wine pourer was helpful and answered questions about the wines and gave samples for you to try before ordering. We also ordered marinated olives and Marcona almonds to have with our drinks. Nice place to relax and to have a glass of wine, beer or non-alcoholic offerings where you an bring man's best friend.

Don't ever go to a pop up here…read more While customers, (who paid a lot of money) waited HOURS for food, the staff and owners stuffed themselves. If customers are waiting an hour for a course, the staff/ owners should not eat that course RIGHT IN FRONT of them. Other staff were also seen eating in the back while customers sat there with nothing. Outrageous disregard for customers.

Found this gem on Google because I really wanted a charcuterie board lol. They do not gave tons of…read morereviews, but what is there.. made me want to try it out. My wife and I entered and it was not crowded. However, there were 2 groups of people there and they seemed to be enjoying themselves. We were immediately greeted and seated. Once seated, we were greeted by the owner (Did not know she was the owner at the time..lml). She informed us of what came with the Charcuterie Board and we chose Fontaine over Goat cheese (My wife does not like goat cheese). We ordered the codfish cakes. She provided us with some wine selections and even offered some to be tried (Free) to help with deciding. My wife chose a Rose and I chose a Malbec. When the Board came, we were amazed at the presentation. When are tasted it, we fell in love lml. Everything went together so well.. including the wine we decided to pair with it. We complimented every bite to once another. The codfish cake was seasoned, lightly battered and full of fish. It was served with olive oil and lime. So so so good!!!! We enjoyed 2 glasses of wine during our time. The Board was enough to share between 2 ppl. If it is more than 2 ppl, you will need to add/pay for additional items. We received great conversation from the owner. My wife at some point asked her she was the in fact the owner and she did yes. Her name is Diva (Might be misspelled...def get real name, but that is exactly how she is). She was so personalable, honest, transparent, and full of smiles. Oh.. they have live music on Saturdays beginning at 7pm. They rotate the genres. They spay have a heated outdoor patio with seating that we will try next time. I think we found out wine bar joy. Thank you for an exceptional 5 star treatment, without even trying. It was so natural!!!

Highly recommend this cute place! They have great wine options , I didn't try the food but it all…read morelooks delicious. Easy street parking, I will definitely come back to try more.

"You telling me that wine is better than Pepsi? Huh, no way wine is better than Pepsi." - George…read moreCostanza, Seinfeld da Scene: Yelped them for pre-dinner spot. Kinda hidden on a corner right off University & 5th; make the right onto 6th & scoot around to park on 5th or University. They buzz you in, best to make a res., but seems like walk-ins are ok. Very modern, yet welcoming feel, tables spaced well for intimate encounters and a bar with Hightop seating. da Grub & Libation: I had res. for a buddy & I and belly up to the bar; they offered a table, but we're bar flies by nature. Very diverse wines by the glass & bottle so we had 4 different glasses w/ a modest charcuterie plate. da Service: Excellent, warm, friendly and genuinely so. I look forward to my next visit, whether it's for a contemplative glass in solitude or with the wife on a pre-dinner excursion. Hidden Gem, find them and enjoy!

Hidden almost behind the freeway entrance , is a magical small intimate space. A classy wine lounge…read moreof sorts with attentive and knowledgeable staff and amazing ambiance. Their selections of wine is incredible (and all delicious). Definitely a date night spot!

We went to Purity Wine for my friends birthday and had the best experience. The vibe was cozy and…read moreintimate, and everything felt really thoughtful. Our host was amazing, so friendly and knowledgeable, and they made us feel so welcomed and taken care of the whole time. The wines were incredible, and they truly made this birthday celebration feel special. We'll definitely be back!

Every day we think about how lucky we are to live in marina bay... it's becoming a foodie enclave…read morewith stunning bay views, the Sf ferry docking nearby the grand bay trail meandering along the shores, great "mild weather" it seems to always Hover between 65-75 In the day. Kayaks, yachts,bikes, wind surfing fishing and a a slew of casual fun and funky eateries cropping up. It's been a few years since Noel warmly welcomed us "neighbors" into his establishment, prior to officially opening. Through the ups n Downs of Covid and him finding his business legs, we've happily supported this spot, meeting his entire family in the process. Well he is still sweet and humble but.... Busy! I mean as in this organic wine thing is... a big THING! I hi knew??? Apparently Noel did! He's graduated from the curious neighbors and locals featuring his Purity wines, to coop with a dedicated following of passionate organic wine makers and their entourage of fans , Friends devotees; restauranteurs, and media moguls all centered around the notion of organic wines aka a cast of thousands! Damn grapes never had it so good. Case and point Point now following his Instagram account lead by his bike riding enthusiast protege, Tyler, the Study hosted a massive event last weekend. We didn't plan to attend but were curious and anxious to see if it was a success or a bust. The event By the way featured more than 20 wine makers, there was food fun music and when we drove by as nosy neighbors, we heard the music pumping. Wow the crowd was massive! Standing room only spilling onto the drive way and garage bay. Of course the crowd was typical Bay Area, ethnically diverse hip, smart and totally having a blast! You may be wondering why we didn't go? We have a puppy who is bat shit cray cray. He loves people so much he would be all over anyone who say ah cute puppy and mayhem would be the result! Not to mention the wine spillage food tables rummaged. All this even tho Noel insists we bring Koa over so the team can meet him. Well maybe a lazy Thursday or Friday evening when things aren't quite off the chain.which frankly... seems to be an impossible goal. The study wine bar is chocked full of wine related happenings and the fan base has exploded! Hell I remember I had to help Noel create his Yelp account. For 2 years he had less than 10 folks commenting! Wow times have changed! To quote Steve Harvey, You go boy!!! The variety, creativity and passion of Noel and his fellow wine stompers, have the neighborhood buzzing... in a good way.

We aimed to go to Elevation 66 but it was closed for a private party. Ironically, my folks were…read moreinvited to that party but my friends and I were tragically not. So we needed a wine bar and pronto. Tried to go to the new Banter Wine bar but it's closed on Sundays? That's dumb. People drink on Sundays and FYI, they drink after 9pm too. So we headed to the Scene Wine Bar which is in the same building as the very cool Rialto Cinemas Cerrito on San Pablo. This movie theater is amazing, because you can order food and drink from the Scene Wine Bar and kitchen below and enjoy it in the theater. Pizzas, beer.... So sad but the last movie I saw there was Lincoln in 2012 with my parents and hubby. We didn't know at the time that my mom was already on the path of dementia, oh how blissfully ignorant we were. Fast forward to my friends and I needing a drink and munchies ASAP. Scene Wine Bar did not disappoint! We enjoyed a couple bottles of wine, Brussels sprouts, deviled eggs, hummus plate, cheese quesadillas and chicken fingers with tater tots. And endless conversation that you can only enjoy with your closest friends. The bartender was terrific and totally accomodated our weird requests of bacon on the side so our one vegetarian friend could enjoy all the deviled egg deliciousness. Although we made her pick out the prociutto from the Brussels sprouts. :) Great place and we will definitely be back, with or without a movie.

Called and asked their hours of operation. Was told the venue was open so I walked with my friend…read morehalf a mile to find out the venue was indeed "open" but there was no one attending to the bar. Lights were off but door leading to movie theater was propped open. Shame. We were in the mood for some wine. Thanks for wasting our time and energy.

Knowledgeable team. Well curated selection. Fun rotation of classes and events. Great wine bar…read morespace in the evenings. LOVE THIS SHOP!

They have a great selection and a knowledgeable, engaged staff. They're my go-to in the east bay.read more

This place is constantly hosting several events in the area and plenty of pride events!…read more The wine here is chef's kiss and you just have to grab a bottle after doing some tastings!

This was my first time ever at this point Lou winery and they had a cool little pop-up with other…read morevendors!! I honestly loved their set up with a wine tasting room in the front and tables in the back as well as areas for a food truck or a pop-up to sell in cater to you as well. The lady serving me was very friendly and helpful. I commented on this cute picture of a forklift and she said that was her as a little girl in the back!! So freaking cute!! Great Space and I could see live music being played here if they don't do that already. I'm new to the area so I will definitely be checking out there local events!! I really like their reds and their white wine that they served. I would love to do a food pairing which they didn't have available, but I love the aspect of different food truck vendors in the back. Granted a food, allergies and both the vendors had things I'm allergic to. I know my friend loved the noodles she got!!

Met a friend for a very quick lunch and service was spectacular. Food came out fast and when we…read moretold her we were in a hurry, she made sure to grab check right away. Very kind! Food itself was pretty underwhelming. We had the brussel sprouts which were the best part of our meal- tangy and crispy. The calamari was yummy with the squid ink- perfectly cooked. The short rib was not to our liking- a bit too watery to be deep fried on the outside. The patatas bravas had a smoky taste we also did not enjoy. They also drenched it on the sauce so it was pretty unavoidable. Ambiance was cool! Def more casual than fancy!

We were genuinely excited to eat at La Marcha and had specifically made a reservation for a…read more**table**.Unfortunately, what should have been an enjoyable evening started with some of the worst customer service we have experienced. When we arrived, we were told that our reservation was actually for seating at the bar. We explained that our booking showed **standard seating** and that we had reserved a table, not bar seating. Instead of acknowledging the discrepancy or trying to resolve it, the maître d' told us that the reservation was "open to interpretation" and that, to him, "standard seating" meant sitting at the bar. It was incredibly frustrating to be told that *we* were wrong about the reservation we had made and that the wording could simply be interpreted however they chose once we arrived. What made the experience particularly upsetting was the way we were treated. We came in excited to support this restaurant and enjoy a meal, but we left feeling as though we simply **weren't worthy of being given a table**, despite having made a reservation for one. There was no sense of hospitality, accountability, or genuine effort to make the situation right. Instead, we were made to feel as though expecting the seating we reserved was unreasonable. A reservation should mean something. If "standard seating" at La Marcha can mean bar seating rather than a standard table, that should be made explicitly clear when guests book--not reinterpreted at the door. We were really looking forward to dining here, which makes the experience even more disappointing. We ultimately felt unwelcome and as though we somehow weren't "good enough" to receive the table we had reserved. No guest should leave a restaurant feeling that way.

Right around the corner from Cheeseboard Collective, this is the perfect spot to grab a glass--or a…read morecouple glasses--of wine and enjoy their cute outdoor patio. Inside, you'll find a fun selection of unique wines and a super laid-back vibe. The staff were incredibly helpful and even let us sample what they had for the day before making our final choice. I also had to take a few photos because the whole spot is so Instagrammable. Highly recommend, and I'd definitely come back!

If you are looking for exquisitely curated wines from around the world, with special attention paid…read moreto affordability (huge selection of great wines under $30) then this is your place. I've been a patron of Vintage for years, and what's not to like? The location is gorgeous (a former pumping plant thats been transformed into a cozy, intimate space with a garden out front that changes with the seasons). And the shop is nestled right in the heart of Berkeley's Gourmet District with Peets, Saul's Deli, Cheeseboard Coop and Pizza, Andronico's, and Chez Panisse as next door neighbors. Inside you will find wines by color, grape, and region. It's not an enormous collection, but a lot of thought and experience has gone into presenting customers with something new and surprising. If I can't find myself making an easy decision, the staff have always been patient and helpful in finding the right bottle for my needs. Vintage also offers several different wine clubs for people who like a monthly or bimonthly grab bag of adult grape juice (including the occasional bubbles!). This is the wine store I wish I had as a neighborhood shop. For now, it's a well deserved destination (along with Kermit Lynch Wine Shop) that has yet to disappoint. Give it a try!