Cute spot. Stopped in with my boyfriend for our first visit - we've been meaning to drop in for a while since it's so close. Well, we finally decided to and there was an event going on in the room below the tasting room. The tasting room was still open and people were in it but no one was behind the bar. We waited, and waited... looking at the merchandise, tried to find a menu but none was to be found, watched the events pop up on the tv, and no one came over. Funny, because there's a side saying that you're on camera walking in, so we must've been seen. Anyway, someone FINALLY walks over, behind us, goes into the back, saying nothing to us, and comes out and walks behind us once again to go back to the event without saying a word. If you cannot manage an event and a tasting room, close the tasting room. We left and will not be back. Horrible service. read more

My wife and I stumbled upon Koi Zen about a year or two ago to support an event that my mother was hosting at the winery and quickly fell in love with the place. We're both wine drinkers and have visited several wineries through California and Arizona, but Koi Zen is only one of two wineries that we've actually joined memberships with. It's a small, but very nicely laid out winery quietly tucked back in the Carmel Mountain industrial park and their wines definitely do not disappoint. The staff here is always friendly and despite only seeing us every couple months, they always seem to recognize our faces when we walk in. About two months ago I met a friend here who also enjoys good wine and he ended up liking it too and also established a membership. I always look forward to picking up my wine from Koi Zen, or just dropping in for a glass of wine on a weekend afternoon. I would highly recommend trying Koi Zen regardless of how often, or not you drink wine. It's not just the wine that makes this place special, but the environment and the people that make it all happen. read more

Cool locally-owned winery. The owners, Lisa and Darius, are helpful and treat everyone like family. The entire KZ crew is the same and greets all with a smile and a wealth of knowledge about wines. The wines taste amazing and are made in smaller batches. They also hold special events to support surrounding neighborhoods. Koi Zen offers live music at times and also a membership option, which I suggest. If you've missed this unique winery, you have to stop and check them out. read more

Super chill tasting room and tonight is live music! My second time here and I love it! Thanks Lisa for being a great hostess! Lovely wines, amazing variety. Not a chard person, this one I like. Pretty sure I need to be a member :) FYI a little hidden, over by the Costco in Carmel Mountain. read more

Koi Zen Cellars - B2 red blend- nice! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing staff - super knowledgeable and attentive. Such a hidden gem. Although they don't serve food, the board they have available is sizeable. Wines were lovely. If you're a Yacht Rock fan, you'll love chilling on the couch in the zen room or by the Koi Pond. read more

What a fun place! Off the beaten path -- delicious wines -- reasonable wine club -- fun local entertainment "events" Knowledgeable tasting room staff, pleasant ambiance. Ample parking and it's business park location make this tasting room and retail establishment easy to access. We plan on visiting again ... and again ... and again! read more

Koi Zen Cellars - 3D Blues Band in the tasting room! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

This is a nice tasting room (in a business complex) near San Diego and makes for a fun evening tasting wines and/or hanging with friends. The wines were good (not great), but the workers are friendly, and you gets 5 tastes for $10 which is about as good as you can find. Worth a trip--you'll have fun. read more

This is a surprise finding in an industrial center! The staff is friendly and knowledgeable and the wines are excellent. Our favorites are the Zinfandels - rich and fruity and delicious. it is a bit of a drive for us, but we will be back! read more

I can't believe I've never rated Koi Zen before (but have voted for them in San Diego's Best multiple times.) This hidden gem in a industrial neighborhood of Carmel Mountain is an absolute favorite of mine. The owners are very welcoming, all employees are knowledgeable, and there is truly ample seating everywhere. Koi Zen hosts tons of really cool events, one of which was sponsored by the San Diego Humane Society. Reps from the SDHS came in with baby kittens to cuddle with while Koi Zen printed special labels on some bottles and sold them while giving (forgive me if my % isn't correct) something like 50% of all sales to the SDHS. You can't get any better than that! Except....you can because their wine truly is delicious!! read more

Koi Zen Cellars is a beautiful venue! I had a comedy show there last week and we had about 45 people in attendance. Lisa was so accommodating to all of the guests, rearranging seating so that everyone was comfortable. The space is beautiful, the wine was fabulous and those that had the cheese plates said they were just delicious! If you are looking for a place to just enjoy some wine- this is it! If you are looking for a bit of entertainment along with your wine- check out their event schedule! We will be back as often as our schedule allows! read more

Koi Zen Cellars - The Comedy Queen performing at Koi Zen Cellars 8/20/19 - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

What a neat place to grab some wine and unwind with some friends. Koi Zen has a super friendly and helpful staff. They have tasters os wine available. Full glasses and bottles. Its a great place for group or an individual to go to and hang out. If you want you may purchase chesse and crackers. We ordered some goat cheese and crackers. It was delicious. They have a small water fountain area in the main sitting room. And it has Koi swimming in it. Thats a nice touch! Do not worry about parking, there is plenty of parking available in the lot. Or at least there was when I went to Koi Zen. There was a neat pairing special called Ying n Yang. Two dessert wines and a homemade chocolate truffle candy and an ice cream dish with wine infused berries. I loveed this pairing and hope that they keep serving it up. Overall this place is simply enjoyable. A place that I would come back and visit again. read more

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oh wait...i've been here! My friend is a wine club member and she needed to do a pickup. we came to pick up her shipment and do a tasting. the guy helping us was super nice and friendly! the wine was good enough...nothing like Napa wines...but it was nice. the wine club...hmmm...you can't get comp tasting on every visit...they give you 4 tasting per month and we used up 2 on this day...and you have to hold onto your vouchers! i would totally lose mine! other wine club memberships keep your info on file and give you comp tastings on every visit...that's how it should be.. the space was nice... read more

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Darius and Lisa. Koi and Zen. Merlot and Chardonnay. Perfect pairings! Walking into Koi Zen you feel like you have walked into your super knowledgeable about wine cousin's house. Why? Because Lisa and Darius are the nicest warmest people you will ever meet pouring you wine samples. So try the tasting first. $10 for 6 tastes. If you like whites, try the Chardonnay. If you like reds, I insist you have the merlot. I thought I didn't like Merlots. But this one is different. I am a Zin fan usually but this merlot rules! They have fun events too. Check their calendar for wine pressing and get an insider look at the process. It is a complete package! Seriously go visit my wine cousins and #sipbackuncorkrelax! read more

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We had a great time at Koi Zen Cellars, great wine, friendly service and super chill atmosphere. I loved the "Shimmer of Zin" delicious rose of Zinfandel. Thank you Lisa and Darious (the owners) so friendly and fun! We will definitely come again. read more

TOOTALLY not what you would expect out of a wine tasting experience. But surprisingly good, and a fun place to try some vino! Koi Zen Cellars is situated about halfway between downtown SD and Escondido. It's a place you would almost certainly not stop in if you didn't know about it. It looks on the outside like any other office buildings. That being said, I came here with my family and we were pleasantly surprised by the experience. The staff was friendly, there was a cute doggo with equal friendliness, and the wine was good! I would absolutely come back, even just to make the trip to get out of the city. It's a comfortable setting, nice and quiet, and parking was a cinch. read more

Urban winery in Carmel Mountain Ranch. They were awesome and let us order in some pizza for our girls night out. I had great company there - there were six of us. The wines were tasty and the host was down to earth. The patrons were friendly too! Plenty of places to sit, but would have liked to have had maybe dimmer lights or something? I can't put my finger on what was missing. It seems like a popular place for locals to hang, so it's worth a try! read more

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Their wines are very good -- surprisingly very good for a small and local operation! The tasting room is actually a couple rooms, with two tasting bars for when it gets busy. It's a comfortable layout with furniture spread out among the little rooms that make up the two adjacent business park addresses. The staff is kind, helpful, and knowledgeable. When I stopped by a month ago they were in the process of crushing the grapes, and they offered me a taste of what wine's like right at the end of fermentation. I always enjoy expanding my perspectives and knowledge into the vast world of wine, and they make it a fun, tasty, and yes, informative experience. And yes, I signed up for the wine club that day. My only complaint is that I wish they were in my neighborhood. read more

This is a cozy wine cellar near my office in RB. I love their wine and fun events offered at the venue. The staff is always very friendly and accommodating. If you are n the area, stop by and check them out, you won't be disappointed read more

We loved visiting Koi Zen and tasting all the wines. So much so we had six bottles shipped home. We have now opened every bottle and dumped all but one. They had a very strange sharp smell and after taste somewhere between metallic and sharp cheese. We have had multiple people try the wines and everyone has felt the same. They have all been reds; Zinfandel, merlot, and Malbec. The one that tasted good was the Mourvèdre. We feel like it was a bait and switch. We tasted them all at the winery and did not taste that at all. They were delicious. read more

What a wonderful little winery! Live music, great wine and service with a smile. Took home bottles of the Shimmer of Zinfandel and Pinot Noir, Dry Creek Valley. read more

Our first time at Koi Zen Cellars could not have been better! My friend and I were looking for a glass of wine after work and we are so happy we found it here! Cat helped us all evening with our wine tasting and recommending bottles, she's amazing! The environment was so welcoming and the wine was fantastic! We joined the wine club and are excited to come in often for our glasses and bottle pick up. Can't wait for our next visit! read more

Koi Zen Cellars - The Merlot was amazing, we had to buy a bottle! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

The wine was really good, great selection and fairly priced. I enjoyed the atmosphere of the place as well. It reminded me of being invited to a friends house and being asked to make yourself at home. All the workers were super nice and always on top of things. We even met and chatted with one of the owners for a bit and she graciously took our photo. It's a nice little quaint spot where you can go for a wine or two and wind down. The live music was also a plus. read more

Koi Zen is remarkable. The atmosphere is great and the wine absolutely delicious. Kat runs the place and is so warm and welcoming. A must visit. read more

My favorite neighborhood craft wine. Koi Zen is a gem and if you've never been you are missing out! Their wine is amazing and it's run by friendly staff and down to earth owners. If you are a wine member, then you know about the wine members night! Live bands, cheese platters, bubbles, and complimentary wine by the glass. They have expanded the venue so you can book private party and events. I was here with my girlfriends sipping wine catching up on the couch. The setting is homey and inviting. It's family friendly and wine is amazing! read more

We did a wine-tasting for 4 people who enjoy wine but are not connossieurs. Although in a strip mall, the venue is very pleasant once you're inside, with a variety of comfortable seating for groups of different sizes. Our tasting included 4 wines but when we couldn't agree they gave us a fifth for free. They also provided a wheel of brie plus crackers, breadsticks, apple slices and almonds. Because we weren't familiar with Koi Zen, our expectations were quite low, but we were very pleasantly surprised. The grapes come from many regions of California and seem to be wisely selected by the winemaker (who wasn't in house during our visit). All five wines were good and three were excellent, perhaps even outstanding. John the sommelier and Lisa the manager were friendly and extremely helpful, discussing each wine with us and explaining details of their winemaking process. We all walked away happy from a delightful evening. Their wines are expensive by our usual standards, $18-$34 per bottle, but perhaps not for the quality provided. There are various discounts available from joining their wine club, etc. read more

Our favorite local urban winery! Great owners, atmosphere, and sense of community. So happy we joined the club.

Love the atmosphere! Love the fact a patron can take part in the process. Very comfortable setting and all the patrons and employees are very nice and respectful. Lisa read more

They make me feel like I'm special! Always a , "Hi!" Always a good vibe when we visit. And they remember us when we visit. Kind of like Cheers! Norm!!! read more

This is a nice find. You wouldn't think of going to a wine tasting room in the middle of an industrial business park, but then you've got to get over yourself. They have plenty of parking and lots of places to sit and have some nice glasses of wine with your friends. You can bring your own food goodies to share and do a wine tasting flight. Little tastes of their wines for about $12 or less. Friendly people pouring wine who know a lot about what they've done to make the wines. read more

What a delightful place! The customer service is top notch. Everyone is very friendly. I loved how knowledgeable they were about wines and really took the time to explain them and answer questions. Super quaint atmosphere. Saturday night music started playing at 6. I am not sure if it is every Saturday night, but you can sign up for a newsletter to get information on upcoming events. The wine was wonderful. You must try the oak bottled Chardonnay! Exceptional. The prices for the wine were reasonable as well. read more

Great urban winery. Get to know the owners Lisa and Darius. Local residents and family business. Love supporting them and their recent expansion is nice. Now the important stuff... the wine. In most wineries there is a wine or two you might not like or care for. We've been going here for 2 years + and have yet to say there is a bad wine here. All of their wines and blends are fantastic. They treat families like their own. Great atmosphere to hang out in. Also they help us with local fundraising for our kids' elementary school. Shop small, shop local, shop with local family owned and run business. read more

So it was a rainy night and traffic was terrible. My husband had heard of this winery in a business park near his work and we stumbled in to relax and bit, have a glass of wine and wait out the rain and the traffic. What a gem! The minute we walked in the door, we were welcomed by the owner with a big hello. Wow, that was nice! As we reached the bar, we again were greeted nicely with a hello and welcomed. We shared with the bartender that we enjoyed a full body red and they lead us to the Bordeaux, which was delicious! The couches and room are beautiful and we fell into the comfy couch to relax. So nice after a busy day. Since then, we have signed up for their email and have returned to have their Mourvèdre and Cab Franc. All wonderful. So, we highly recommend giving them a try. I love that they are opened til 9pm when most wineries close so early. A good alternative to all the breweries. read more

Koi Zen Cellars - Relaxing setting super welcoming and inviting. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

cute winery.. came here for a wine and yoga event and will definately go back. the location is near me and the wine tastes so good and so many options to choose from. friendly staff as well like a family read more

After a couple years of passing their signs on the street, we finally made our way here! So happy we did because it certainly is a lovely place to spend an evening. Tucked away back in a corporate park, I never would've thought I would find fine wines at a very reasonable price. For $10 you get five tastings. If you purchase two bottles of wine one of your tasting fees is waived. Our favorite was the Pinot Noir, however, we also liked the Malbec and Cab. While we are not big white drinkers, they were very pleasant as well and we certainly would not hesitate to purchase one of those. During our visit we met a recurrent customer who certainly entertained us with her wit and humor. She was a hoot and a half! The other customers were equally friendly and conversation flowed freely. We unfortunately arrived too early for the live music on Friday night which begins at 6 o'clock and ends at 9 o'clock. They have some cheese, crackers and chocolate for purchase to go with your wine, or, as I was told, you can bring food in from the outside. They have a nice couch that would work very for my monthly bookclub meetings, which I hope to plan in the future. The staff was very professional, pleasant and helpful and the wine owner equally as nice. We most definitely will be back again to visit as we hope to catch up on the music. read more

Every single person who is behind the counter pouring me a bottle of wine is friendly, kind, and great to talk to. The wine..... yummzies! Excellent, delicious, lots of flavor and consistently wonderful. I drive 15 miles out of my way to come here. Yes, I am a member, and I am a happy camper every time I open a bottle of wine. Thank you, Darius and Lisa, for the fantastic wine and venue!!!! read more

I went here on a Saturday night with 2 friends for trivia night. Such a cute place. You can bring your own food which we didn't know (Trader Joe's is very closeby). The owner was super nice. We didn't win trivia but had a great time read more

I am so happy to have discovered Koi Zen Cellars! I love the convenient, discreet and central location which enables me to drop by after shopping and running errands that I normally do in Carmel Mountain area. I appreciate the unpretentious atmosphere and the immediate welcoming from whoever is behind the counter pouring. The buzz, the energy and activity of the place gives you a feeling that not only are you welcomed, but you are part of it all. Friendly folks, staff and owners are always open for conversation and connections. Now, onto the wine! This is my favorite part to review. First, I preface by saying I love wine and everything about wine speaks to me. I prefer bold, stand out reds, but I like keeping my taste buds open to white and variations of blends. Koi Zen has a wine for everyone. Simply share what you like in your wine or foods that you enjoy, and the staff will help you decide if you are uncertain. Of course, wine tasting is the best and most enjoyable way to find out which are your favorites. Be sure to meet and greet the owners, Darius and Lisa you will be happy you made the connection. I highly recommend a visit to Koi Zen Cellars to become a part of the family of locals who enjoy a nearby place that feels so welcoming! read more

Very charming winery and so unique. North county has nothing like it! Excellent for a quick night out or fantastic for special events! They gave expanded! This place has excellent wine and wonderful service and truly is a must visit! read more

Koi Zen Cellars - Koi Zen Cellars! WINETASTING! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is awesome! Wine and great ambiance. A nice place tucked away in the comercial district along with a good selection of wines. Plenty of seating and some cooling paintings. read more

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Great select wines in a cozy, beautiful and very zen setting. It's hidden away in a quiet business park with big trees. Go for the urban winery experience. read more