Henke is a gem on the westside in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Westwood. By looking at it, it doesn't seem like what you would think of a winery because it doesn't have a typical CA or Italy winery view. However, Henke is considered an Urban Winery. In short, they do not grow their own grapes. They have them shipped in but they do the rest of the wine making process on site. They have won awards around the world for their wine so they are still legit. My husband and I love our wine. I have been wanting to try Henke for some time. We decided to have a light lunch here on a Saturday afternoon. My husband has been before with coworkers so he was familiar with this location. We were greeted at the door by the owner, Joe. He seated us and gave us a menu and some time to decide what we wanted. I decided I wanted a true winery experience, so we only did finger foods and wine. We didn't order actual entrees. Henke is serving some delicious wines and yummy food pairings. My husband's go-to is Pinot Noir and I always order a sweet wine. I had the Cellar Blush. This is considered a Sweet Blush Wine. It was delicious, and my husband enjoyed it Pinot. We paired our wines with small plates to share. We had the Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage, Cheese & Charcuterie Plate, and their famous Air-Fried Cheese. This was the perfect afternoon lunch/snack. We laughed, toasted, and enjoyed our delicious bites. Their Air-Fried Cheese tasted like the perfect homemade cheese stick. It is a sharp Vermont White Cheddar in a crunchy herb jacket. These dishes were delicious! The crust was seasoned and fried perfectly! It also came with some berry compote to sweeten things up a bite. The Cheese & Charcuterie Board was a good mix of cheese and meat. It had some different cheeses, meat, jams, and berries. It was served with crackers. The stuffed mushrooms were my least favorite. My husband loves mushrooms and will always order stuffed mushrooms if a menu has them. In my opinion, the mushrooms were a little over cooked. They were more watery from being baked down. They had a little chew/stiffness as mushrooms do but you could tell they had been baked more than what they needed. Other than this everything was good including the wine! Overall, Henke is a cute Urban Winery with good wine and snack food. We did not have any entrees so I can't speak to any meals they have. read more

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Heard of this local winery and decided to check it out. Started with the wine tasting which took us on a journey from dry to sweet wine of reds and whites. The owner and creator of Henke wines was the one who guided through the tastings. As beginners of wine he was very knowledgeable and kind as he taught us about the differences of the wines. The air fried herb crusted cheese was a great appetizer to warm up with. The main course consisted of chicken linguine carbonara and french onion soup both of which did not disappoint. Definitely recommend Henke if you're looking for a local wine tasting spot. P.S don't try and take the wine glasses home read more

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What a joy to taste custom wines made with such love and care. The owner is a wonderful guy and the food is good and fun and a good deal. Love this place. read more

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This is a charming place to come to on date night, just for cheese and wine with the girls or to unwind after work. My husband and I started his birthday weekend with an early dinner and a bottle of Cellar Blush. At $16, it was a great deal, and the server corked and bagged the remainder of it for us to take home. We ordered the baked cheese appetizer, which was huge and delicious. We took half of it home. I ordered the risotto for dinner, but was too full after eating the French onion soup that came with my husband's chicken and Cajun green beans. The soup had great depth of flavor and lots of cheese. Warmed up, the risotto was just ok. My husband said his chicken was tender and the beans full of flavor. Henke's would be a great place to return for a relaxing evening of wine and that delicious cheese appetizer. read more

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I will miss this place. Been going here for many years with Friends and Family! Joe is always nice and the servers are great! Jamie was very nice. she waited on me last night! Had the seafood Pizza!! Yum!! The wine is excellent! had a bottle of Cabernet Franc....wow! if you haven't been there go there before they close!! read more

We visited this place after getting lunch. It was a nice little tasting room. It was different then most tasting rooms I've been at. I would consider this more of a restaurant that does a tasting. We were greeted by a host who sat us down. He came over with 2 menus, 2 glasses, a small pitcher of water to rinse our wine glasses between tastings and a bucket to dump the water or wine we didn't like. The menu also had food we could order. Since we just had lunch we opted to only do the wine tasting. Overall a plesant visit. read more

My husband and I came here for dinner as I was looking to do something different than going downtown and finally remembered about Henke Winery in the growing Westwood community. I grew up in Westwood and it is located in the former Window Garden Restaurant which is across the street from Westwood Town Hall and Westside Brewing. We had a lovely bottle of red wine which was a blend of Cabernet, Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc - really good. I definitely suggest getting the Pan Seared Cheese for an appetizer - who doesn't like a wedge of cheese that is breaded and pan seared that is served with warm fresh bread and crackers. So delicious and more than enough for 2 so plenty if there are 4 people. For dinner they were nice enough to let us split a bowl of the French Onion Soup, the mushroom risotto, and a New York Strip steak. The soup was delicious and the risotto which is listed on the appetizer menu is another must to try. Our steak looked good, but it was cooked well done when we order medium rare. Our waitress was VERY apologetic and offered to get another one to us right away, but we declined as the sides were done and plentiful. They tried very hard to talk us into something else as they felt very bad about the over cooked steak which in my mind was not her fault - so we settled on Crème Brule which was yummy. We will definitely be back as the wine, pan seared cheese, mushroom risotto, and French onion soup are calling our name. And I have heard that their pizzas are also a must try so that will be next read more

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A little hidden treasure of the Westside. Joe and Jamie are always so very friendly and we never get treated with anything less than care and attention. During these current COVID-19 days, Joe's moved to a takeout service and has done remarkably well. We're not adventurous wine drinkers, but there's at least 4 wines in his collection that we are more than happy to consume. From the get go Joe handled the transition from inside dining to to-go service with dexterity. You can tell their attention to detail from the moment you arrive to pick up your food. The West side of the 45211 is getting quite the rep for dining choices and Henke Winery is just one of those excellent choices. read more

We just had a excellent dinner. We had the baked pork chops with apple-butter and roasted potatoes. A nice thick chop, perfectly cooked. We also tried the new Pinot Noir wine. A great full body Pinot. read more

We stopped in to taste some wine at this place and we were all impressed with not just the wines but also the atmosphere and the menu. We decided to have lunch along with our tasting and the host (can't remember his name but I'm quite certain he was the owner)...was very helpful and friendly and took care of 8 of us by himself. $10 bought us 8 tastings. The only bummer was we didn't get to choose the ones we were tasting. The food was incredible.... We ordered a two cheese and crackers dishes... One was a melted cheese loaf that was breaded. It came with a berry sauce and it was delicious. The other was a cold cheese platter and that was fabulous too. The garlic cheese bread was phenomenal and came shaped like a small pizza. The dining and tasting rooms had a ton of things to look at. There were countless medals from all the awards won at different events as well as a ton of cork art displays. There were also some wonderful pieces of art. The bathroom was even nice too, It was a great place. Highly recommended and decently priced! Great hospitality read more

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I went here last week and had such a great experience. Joe, the owner, regularly checked up on my table. He was extremely welcoming and friendly. I paired the chardonnay with the mussels special and was blown away with how good they were, individually and as a combo. They were the biggest mussels I've ever seen! No joke. I had to immediately take a photo, which I will post. The whole restaurant had a great vibe and it was nice to find a non-chain restaurant on the westside. read more

Henke Winery - The mussel special in white sauce. - Wineries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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This was the first stop for my bestie's bachelorette party and it was PERFECT for lunch and wine tasting. We had the cooked cheese appetizer, sausage florentine pizza, and we're able to taste 7 different wines--AND you get a wine glass to take with you after the tasting! The appetizer is like a giant mozzarella stick (made of cheddar). It was delicious, but I did expect it to be a bit different. We all loved the pizza! The crust is crispy and the ingredients all tasted incredibly fresh. One thing I really enjoyed was how Joe (our server) spaced our tastings out throughout the meal. I never felt rushed. I could tell that Joe really took pride in his job and his product. Here's a tip for you--they keep bags of wine corks left over from when they open their bottles (complete with the name of the winery) that you can ask for. He gave us all a few corks! read more

Henke Winery - Cooked cheese appetizer - Wineries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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This has become a default 'celebration' location. Not for big things, sure, but for little victories. It's a small building with several little rooms and it looks like the house of someone who really likes antiques. It's quaint and cozy. Recommendation- if you want to talk to your dinner companion, sit in the front room. The other rooms can get loud, especially if there's live music- and there frequently is. Do no go here if you're looking for a fast meal. Sometimes service can be a bit slow (always polite and helpful, but perhaps a touch understaffed on a busy night). The food is pretty good - some things are great for the cost, some things might be priced a bit high for quality. If you want to go fairly cheap, split a pizza and a bottle of wine. The pizza also reheats pretty well, just so you know. Tastings don't happen on weekends, but you absolutely need to try one. The wines are excellent, and often Joe, the owner, will be the one coming around and telling you about them. Tastings can take a while, also. I like the baked cheese appetizer, and the Belgian creme puff dessert. The coffee is pretty good with dessert too, very European. If you think it might be a busy night, call in for a reservation just to be safe- and you will have to call in for it, too as last I checked, they don't do online appointments. A fun little place to check out in Westwood for sure. read more

Monday night we had a fun girls night out at Henke Winery. We began with the wine flight a sampling of seven of their wines starting with dry whites to dry reds and then to semi-sweet whites. Surprising variety of wines for a Cincinnati area winery for $10 which includes a souvenir glass. We shared a few items from the menu the mushroom pate, pizza bread and the florentine pizza. The florentine pizza was the best with tomato sauce, spinach, mushrooms, three cheese blend and sausage with a kick. Nice night out on a Monday night with friends. They have a two for Tuesday special, two item pizza, two salads and two glasses of wine for $20. Wednesday night Italian fare $20 dinner for two. Definitely worth a return to the west side for the pizza and wine. read more

First time visit. We used our passport since we traveled from one side of town to the other.. ...it was well worth it. My observations are as follows: * Ample parking and easy access. * You should try the 5 flight samples of wine. Winners - Norton Limited Edition and Henke award winning Caberet Franc and yes you will taste the black cherry. Bottles available for purchase and were. (Don't be fooled, the wine is made there from scratch.) * While we didn't have Appetizers, there are some I will try out next visit........yes we will be back. * Entree - Atlantic Cod; Grilled Chicken Salad Blackened. The chicken was so fresh and tender. The blackened seasoning was out of this world. Can't say I have tasted something like this before. The seasoning of the side order of spicey green beans was right on.......The Cod just flecked off the fork. Prepared just right and how one would expect. * Restrooms were very clean, the mens is downstairs. * Joe Henke the owner is on site, very personable and visited every table. * They have weekly specials on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.... read more

Henke Winery - Wineries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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having their merlot Al fresco. weather is nice, not hot. no food here until 4pm. merlot is mild, semi dry. very nice. read more

Henke Winery - merlot - Wineries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

What a treasure this place is. Fair pricing, obviously the wine is fantastic, and the food was top notch. Will be back for date night for sure! read more

We celebrated my birthday with pre-dinner wine tasting at Henke, which set the mood for a great evening. Just $10 buys "tastings" of seven different wines plus a glass. Since each tasting from our server turned out to be half a glass, we definitely got our money's worth. Our server was exceptionally friendly and explained the methods and flavor profile of each wine as she poured, and the owner made rounds regularly to answer any questions that the younger server was uncertain on. This has nothing to do with the restaurant, but my highlight of the experience was an elderly man who serenaded his wife with "It Had to Be You" at the table as they celebrated her 86th birthday. It was nice to try something a little homier than Cooper's Hawk (I'm sure Henke was originally somebody's house), not to mention support a local business. We will certainly be back for more wine and to try the food! read more

Great time at Henke Winery. Went up on a Tuesday to grab wine pizza and salad. Amazing service

A hidden gem on the Westside. Excellent wine, good food and service. Live local music most nights. We have been going here for years and love the atmosphere, food, and of course the wine! read more

We stopped in with family to do a wine tasting and fell in love with this place. The $10 tasting yielded us several samples of their wines. Going in on an empty stomach means that I got a bit tipsy halfway through the tasting but I had a lot of fun. Joe, the owner and winemaker, was charming and the atmosphere of the restaurant was elegant and inviting. I ordered a custom pizza with garlic crust, chicken and mushrooms. It was absolutely delicious. I think I ate about half of it and boxed the rest. We also purchased a bottle of their Riesling which is a little less sweet than you'll find elsewhere in the US but it has a nice balanced flavor, and a bottle of the Cellar Blush which looks like a zinfandel but it's a bit sweeter and perfect for sipping on a warm summer night. If you are in the area, you MUST give this place a try. It is by far my favorite winery/restaurant that I have ever been to. read more

First, this place is more of a restaurant/wine shop. When I hear "winery" I think of an outdoors place w/ actual barrels and grape vines - this isn't that place so keep that in mind... The owners were very sweet and took the time to really explain everything. Most of the wines were quite good (and well priced); I think everyone in my party walked away w/ at least one bottle. We had one of the appetizers w/ cheese and sausage (I forgot the name) - OMG, SOOO yummy! Cute place w/ inexpensive, quality wine, I totally recommend it! read more

Friendly service! The food is amazing and the wine is even better. My favorite is the rosé :) the best night to go is Wednesday when they have 2 plates of spaghetti, 2 salads and 2 glasses of wine for $25. Date night! Also recommend the wine flight so you can try more of their selection. One of my favorite hidden Cincy gems read more

My parents are creatures of habit and ever since they moved to the west side of Cincinnati, this place seems to have become one of their latest haunts. So every time I go visit them, we seem to end up there. There's typically no wait, the food is decent and the wine ranges from interesting to pretty good (according to my parents, I don't know a thing about wine). The portobello mushrooms are very rich, but good. The pizza is great. Also, if you buy their whites in a bottle you get them with a cup of ice because they're not chilled. Is that weird? Maybe not, I don't know. I prefer my alcoholic beverages like my coffee - resembling desserts, preferably with lots of whipped cream. The staff is generally friendly, although there is one waiter that seems genuinely surprised that we want to be customers and gets all flustered trying to find us a table every single time. Seriously, minimum of four times now. Once, the place was totally empty (mother's day, I think), and he asked us if we had a reservation as if he wasn't going to sit us if we didn't. Nevertheless, it is run by the people who make the wine, which is pretty awesome. It's always a pleasant experience and I do sort of enjoy watching my parents confuse waiters. And it's food and drink on the west side, which rumor has it is hard to find. read more

My wife and I stopped here on our way to a wedding in Cincy this past weekend. We did not eat here, but did do a wine tasting. We were very surprised by the quality of the wines. The tasting went on for a good while, and you get to try most of the list. The staff is friendly, and - this is important to me - when introducing the wine, does not sound like they are reading off a prepared note card. If we are back in the area, we hope to eat here. We walked out with a case of goodness to take back to our home in Columbus. I recommend it for any wine fan looking for quality Ohio wines. Additional note: as per their bottles, they can only sell this wine in Ohio. read more

Henke is run by a great family - Joe is the man! In the Tri-State area, it seems that when you go to a winery for dinner, you get one of two experiences: cook your own piece of meat on an outdoor grill (Vinoklet) or have a deli sandwich or soup (Elk Creek). NOT at Henke! This charming little winery would fool you from the street, since it is on a neighborhood corner on the West Side, not in a lavishly laid out vineyard. In addition to their award-winning wine selections, Henke boasts a killer dinner menu. I have never had something bad here. Their cedar plank salmon is delicious and their pizza is just awesome. Even better, go on 2 for $20 night (I think Tuesdays) and get 2 glasses of wine, 2 salads, and either the entree of the day or pizza! A really great deal. You will be met with smiling faces and a knowledgable staff. Also, have the Vin de Rouge. OMG YUM read more

This was my third time here but first time having a meal here. I had the herb chicken with asparagus, vegetable of the day, and it was absolutely delicious. You can tell it was fresh. The herbs, chicken and the asparagus very flavorful. The chicken breast was plenty. Bit flat or small at all. My partner had the balsamic glazed salmon which was good but he had the wine colored rice which had a salty flavor to do t. Bread and butter was brought out as well and that was delicious. Salad also came with dinner and the red wine had a sweet yet some what tangy flavor to it. Absolutely delicious. We also had a bottle of the rare Sayval wine which was also good. So good we bought 6 bottles! Joe, the owner, stopped by every table asking how everything was. Very nice guy. If you visit or even live in Cincy I recommend this place for sure! read more

This was our favorite place for the last several years but the last 3 times we have gone we were disappointed. They stopped serving the top sirloin and now there's just no reason to continue to go across town. The last few times it has just been ok. Just another restaurant with a somewhat limited menu. We hate to see it go.... read more

This was our first time visiting. If you are going for the wine you'll enjoy it. The food was not very good. The fried cheese appetizer they rave about tasted like a cheese stick exploded and they rubbed it around in raspberry sauce. There weren't enough crackers either. I had the crabcakes first, they were the most disgusting things I've ever tasted. They were very mushy. The taste lingered in my mouth even after a huge gulp of wine. We were seated directly in front of the stage where there are two men that pay there most every night. I didn't find them very entertaining. Some times you've gotta realize when it's time to hang it up. Just cuz you can play the guitar doesn't mean you should sing. The servive was horrible. She seemed friendly and she smiled a lot. After the wine and appetizers we never saw the waitress again. After an hour and a half my husband went to collect our check. She then asks him if he wanted to order dinner. He says, "not now, it's been an hour and a half!" No one around us seemed to be finishing their dinners. I guess it's a good thing we hadn't ordered more food. The atmosphere was so loud and compact I really didn't enjoy my experience there. read more

Do Not Go Here! Especially if it is for a girls thing. I just went and I have never in my life been so angry that the second I get home I leave a bad review. I ordered the Seared Salmon and my friend, as an appetizer, ordered the Cheesy Garlic Bread. There were so many thing wrong with the food and the way the manager treated us that it would be a disservice to let it slide. There was so much salt & pepper on the salmon that it was inedible. The salmon was so dry that I wondered how the salmon was being stored. The chef BURNED the cheesy garlic bread, so they had to remake it. When I mentioned the issues I had with the salmon to the server she said she would send her boss to talk to my friend and me - we are both female. He came over with the idea that we were just looking for a free lunch, which we were not!!! We were both willing to pay the full price for our appetizers, meals and wine. However, he had the most condescending, obstinate and chauvinistic mentality towards us both and refused to hear anything we had to say. He had a fake smile, used a fake voice, and treated the 2 of us like we were the jerks for saying anything negative about the food. I have co-owned restaurants and I would never have treated new customers the way he treated me. What was worse? There was a couple in the dining room with us snorting (yes, like a loud AF pig snort), laughing so loud in the tiny room that others couldn't even hear their friends talking, AND calling me an a-hole for not being happy with how I was being treated. UGH! Judge-y much?! So, no. Do not eat here. Ever. Save your MO ey and eat at The Ivory House, WestSide Brewery or even right next door. This place is a joke. read more

The owner or manager is not a nice person. We aren't from the area and did not understand the parking. We parked in their empty parking lot in the way back just in case. He watched us come back to our car and blocked the exit of the parking lot and wouldn't let us leave. He told me that he almost towed my car. Mind you the parking lot was almost completely empty. I understand that I was in the wrong and I admit to it, but for him to block me by standing in front of my car was very disrespectful. He will never receive my business. read more

First, I'll say that I'm not from the area, so I had no idea where we were going... although, I have to say I'm typically a dry, red wine drinker and my expectations for finding anything I'd enjoy in Cincinnati were pretty darn low. When I saw the building, and where this place was located, I had lower expectations. At any rate, we arrived to Henke around 1:30 and had not yet lunched. We were welcomed into an odd, and deserted, building that resembled an old grandma's house that had been converted into a business... a funeral home perhaps. It smelled like a grandma's house too... a little mold or mildew, some strange perfume, etc. At 1:30, we were the only people in this place, and were soon greeted by a gentleman with a ponytail who would be both our sommelier, host, and waiter. We explained that we would like to lunch and do a wine tasting... so we quickly ordered and were then presented with wine tasting menus. The tastings were ten dollars per person for seven wines. There were about 7 or 8 whites/champagnes and 7 or 8 reds. Everywhere else I've been, they allow you to select which wines you want to try. Here, they decided for us... until we tired of being steered into wines which we did not want to try and we expressed a desire to try exactly what we wanted. So, before committing to a tasting, be clear about what you are going to try. The chardonnay that we tried was very sweet and not up my alley; the seyval blanc, however, was passable and had a good mouth feel and silkiness to it. The reds were hit and miss. I remember their merlot and zinfandel were disappointing while their Norton and 3 varietal blend were passable. I didn't find anything that I needed to take home. Whilst we wined, we also enjoyed our meal... The stuffed mushroom and cream of potato soup were very good, as was the chili. The pizzas, however, missed the mark. The crusts seemed almost pre-made - a little too thick and chewy. Overall, an okay, but odd experience in an odd building that's covered inside with a horrible country/flower motif. If you like sweeter wine, you'll probably like it okay. I don't really get the four star reviews. read more

First let me say that for me to give a 5 star review to a place on the West side, takes alot! I don't leave the East side of Cincy- EVER! In fact, I leave the East Side 1-2 x a year and that is to go to Henke Winery. While I have a special place in my heart for Joe, the owner/wine maker, because he was once a member of CVC and had the courage to branch out. And because he hosts the anual CVC Christmas party and prepares a special menu just for our event....besides all that......his regular menu is outstanding! His chef is amazing!!! I've never been here and tasted something I didn't fall in love with. I love strolling around the place, wine in hand, checking out all the cork sculptures and art. I'm not a red wine fan but my hubby is and he says they are amazing. I love the layed back atmosphere and wish I lived a lot closer! read more

This quaint little urban winery is a hidden gem, tucked away in the West Side of Cincy. Wine is made here in the basement; the Cabernet Reserve is very good. Wife had the Mediterranean Chicken and hasn't stopped talking about how good it was. I had the NY Strip and it was cooked perfectly medium rare and was a great cut. Moderate price to boot. The have live music on some nights and the staff was as good as you can ask for. We will be back! read more

Henke Winery - Wineries Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great food as usual! Call in and pickup was seamless and easy. Great small local restaurant that could use the business.The seafood pasta and chicken carbonara were both very tasty. They both stayed hot for the trip home. read more

I must agree.. I could eat the "awesome pan seared cheese" and "best garlic bread ever" as a meal in itself. I also live very close to the restaurant so I can say quite a few times my friends and I have gone over there to eat dinner and drink. Staff has always been good to us (We will miss you George). I have tried many of their specials and not one have a found that I didn't like. I know they are currently doing some Tuesday and Wednesday specials for couples. You will have to call them to find out if they are still going on. I recommend checking them out for your self. Our average meal for a couple cost about 45 dollars. read more

Has the most amazing experience!! Staff was super personable and friendly! Very warm environment. The owner held our table despite running late. Food and wine was incredible-- two people in our party ordered well done steaks and they came out a little pink, but the server took care of that issue immediately and was very apologetic. This is a hidden gem on the west side! I'll definitely be back and I'll recommend this winery to everyone I know. read more

Found this winery online. Arrived without a reservation and greeted by the friendly staff. It was Friday evening. The music was live. The voices of the gentleman playing the electric piano and the female vocalist were warm and entertaining. Ordered a bottle of vin de rouge,which was heavenly. Our meal consisted of sirloin, and Yucatan potatoes. This meal was not only savory but plentiful. Our waitress brought us out several other wines to sample. The samples were generous compared to other wineries we have visited. Our favorite wines , which we sampled were; Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Cabernet Sauvignon reserve, which was our favorite of all wines sampled. You can be sure we will return to this winery. read more

My wife bought me a gift certificate to this establishment. We visited on a Saturday evening. Our reservation was for 7:30pm. We sat for a very long time before our server arrived. Two other employees addressed us prior to her arrival, saying that they would remind her that we were there. When she did arrive, she stated that she forgot that we were there. She took our orders and returned to tell us that they were out of those items. When the evening ended and the bill came --$73-- I presented the server with the gift certificate, $75. She returned a few minutes later, saying we still owed her money. I paid the requested amount just to get out of there. My wife enjoyed the experience. I did not. read more

I haven't been here in years was completely surprised. I had the seared tuna and I couldn't believe how perfectly prepared it was and tasty. My fiancé had the salmon and he loved it. The wine was good, the service was awesome! We will be back! read more