Wow East Village! You have yourself a gem with Rake Wine Bar! We were waiting for our dinner…read morereservations and decided to stop in here for a pre-dinner drink and bite. I am SO glad we did. The vibe drew us in, they had great music bumpin from the outside, it looked lively and welcoming. Let me tell you- I would have skipped dinner and just stayed here all evening if it was my choice! But alas, my husband wanted a bit more to eat. But let me tell you- their knowledge of wine is PRISTINE! I can't tell you what white wine we had but they captured our tastes perfectly. We also shared a bruschetta and it was deliciouso! I love how friendly the staff was here and how unpretentious it all was. Next time we are in NYC- we will definitely make a point to come visit Rake!

My partner and I were looking for a great double date spot, so we decided to give Rake a try due to…read moreits relaxing vibe and multitude of bites we could share. First I'll start with the wine - we ended up trying all three happy hour wines (HH until 7), which the tables favorites were the white and we ended up getting a bottle to split once HH ended (but I really enjoyed the other vino verde option). It was incredibly refreshing and paired well with the many tinned fish options. As you'd expect - it's a pretty massive selection and there is bound to be a varietal and glass for any palate. It's also attached to a wine store - so it's fine to see all the bottles when peaking over. Food-wise - this is where it was hit or miss, they have a pretty extensive menu (with a whole tinned fish section!) and we ended up ordering the buratta on focaccia (buratta was excellent, focaccia was too dense for my tastes), mushroom truffle crostini (way too salty), the flatbread with sliced kielbasa (was fine), halloume (table favorite ), tinned sardines in lemon oil (delicious), tinned smoked trout (my favorite). Overall the four of us were very full at the end of the meal! The space itself felt very relaxing and rustic, and definitely got busier as the night went on (we got there at 6:50 and left around 9). The service was also fast and attentive - even for the amount of tables they were serving. Overall - I'd definitely go back again, and maybe just focus on the wine and another tinned fish selection!

good for happy hour! they had a delicious orange wine I can't remember the name of but plenty of…read morehappy hour drink options! It was pretty busy though when we went in for HH. Service was fast. It was pretty busy inside and dim lighting. The kimchi grilled cheese was sooo good!!

Finding wine bar hidden gems are on my to-do list this year and I really loved this place! Located…read morein the heart of the East Village you'll find a cozy/intimate spot which is perfect for a date night. They have a bunch of dishes to select from and kitchen is open for a specific time frame that I didn't get to try but need to come back for. Their wine options were pretty good (White wine is my favorite!) and the Red wine was very rich and yummy. Loved the atmosphere and everyone here was super inviting!

I stopped by Skin Contact for a glass of wine on Sunday, because it was too beautiful of a day not…read moreto. Skin Contact offers a great list of wines by the glass (many more by the bottle), as well as a few non-wine options (beer, vermouth, spritzes, and NA drinks) and some food (I didn't try any, but the menu looks simple and delicious). The space is great - lovely seating in Orchard Street when the street is closed to vehicle traffic. I sat inside at one the barstools at the window and enjoyed a glass of Austrian skin contact wine. I'd have stayed longer but I was short on time. I'll happily make up for that in the future with a longer visit and more wine!

I really had high expectations about this place but the dish wear was dirty, plating was very…read moreunintentional and messy...the wines were meh the bartender nick was passive aggressive, overcharged my card twice, and made it very obvious that i was unwelcome and a bother. For being such a cute spot they should really think about hiring someone who has a heart and actually cares about hospitality

Absolute gem if you're into wine!…read more One of my friends brought here and befriended the bartender a while ago and she definitely knew so much about wine. I learned so much about the different regions and even discovered a Chardonnay that blew my mind. They don't serve orange wine FYI. I just love this place and my friend blew my mind once we went downstairs. It's connected to a cocktail bar (Experimental Social Club) so you can have your wine and then move downstairs for a swanky cocktail club vibe! Usually they need reservations but if you come through the wine bar those aren't necessary! Pro tip!

Have been here twice now and it's such a lovely and beautiful space! Definitely recommend getting a…read morereservation as it gets quite busy but is not loud inside at all. We split a bottle of a chardonnay which was so delicious and for food got the chicken sandwiches which are a must get, the baby gem salad which was also incredible and the zucca pasta which was delicious but could have been a bit warmer. Such a beautiful bar and great place to catch up!

Great spot to try unique Greek wines! Lots of options for by the glass selection. Also recommend…read morethe dips, we loved the spicy feta. Cute vibes, fast efficient service.

The wine is great, ambiance is so pleasant, however this is the "bruschetta." We got two pieces of…read moretoast, with a thin slice of cheese, and one cherry tomato cut between the two pieces. Also the wine pour was up to a designated line printed onto the glass which i thought was cheap. It was also my partner and I's anniversary, and they tried to charge us full price despite it being happy hour. No special treatment whatsoever.

Played the Opentable notification game and got a Friday night counter spot. My boyfriend and I…read moreshared: + Banchan of the day + added gochujang candied squid + Sunn's salad with chicories, sweet potato, sesame jang + Spicy tomato Tteokbokki + Ssam (beef brisket) + Sesame Crusted Mochi Cake Ssam was my favorite dish. Also loved the kimchi, cucumbers and potato salad from the banchan. Tteokbokki was a standout as well. It was more than enough food, and we even took home leftovers. Service was very friendly, and coat check was a nice touch!

I wanted to love Sunn's but overall it felt overrated…read more We ordered the banchan, chigae, bossam and tteokbokki. Starting with the positives -the banchan was solid across the board and really flavorful. That said, charging for banchan feels strange to me. Traditionally, it's complimentary, like bread at an Italian restaurant so that part didn't sit right but it was flavorful. The chigae was interesting and probably the standout dish. It had a unique flavor that reminded me of a mix between soondubu and dwenjang chigae which worked well. Unfortunately, the rest was a miss. The bossam was overly salty and didn't feel true to the dish. The tteokbokki was another disappointment -it came with cheese (which wasn't expected) and just fell flat overall. For the hype, I expected much more especially because I've eaten Korean food my whole life. The venue is small and the seats in the back are uncomfortable.

Food is outstanding! Best tuna tartare I have ever had…read more Great ambiance..attentive service. Mocktail was definitely too tart, will try different one next time.

Came here for a pre show dinner. It's very conveniently located across from St. Ann's Warehouse…read more Perfect spot for pre/post show dining or drinks. Service was friendly and attentive. Large, open space, didn't feel too cramped at all. Menu changes seasonally, but my favorite was the Peekytoe crab pasta. I would come back again.

They have quite a robust wine list! Nice atmosphere. I didn't love the patio seating options (very…read moremuch on the sidewalk), but it was much more comfortable sitting inside at the bar. The wine was great and we had an attentive server who was able to help guide us through the wine choices. Would return!

Olivia H. is clearly a paid reviewer because my experience here a few days ago felt like a literal…read moresitcom. First off, the front door is mounted on flimsy plastic hinges, so every time someone opens it, it swings open violently and knocks the vase off the nearby table. The service was somehow even worse. When I was there on Tuesday, May 19th from 8-10 PM, there was exactly ONE bartender working the entire place -- both inside and outside -- and she was unbelievably inattentive. My date and I sat at the bar for TWENTY MINUTES before she even acknowledged us or asked if we wanted drinks. I literally had to call out "Excuse me" just to order a $25 quarter-filled glass of wine. Embarrassing all around. And when we were ready to leave and wanted the check, the female bartender working on Tuesday May 19th from 8-10 PM was busy standing in the corner chatting with someone instead of helping customers. I haven't seen someone move this slowly or care this little since the DMV. TO MANAGEMENT - this was absolutely horrible, embarrassing, and unprofessional service. Clean up your act, and hire a second or even a third bartender.

Lovely wine bar with a knowledgeable staff. They made great recommendations. The small bites are…read moreperfect. An added bonus is the restroom is hidden in a wardrobe. You feel like you are entering Narnia when you go to the bathroom. ;)

My new favorite wine bar in the East Village, a true hidden gem. Cozy, quiet, with great wines -…read moreeverything I want in a wine bar! Everything else in this neighborhood is always so crowded but I walked in at 5pm on a Sunday and it was completely empty, which is exactly the peaceful environment I was looking for in a wine bar compared to the loud crowds in most places in the East Village. I came here with three of my friends for a little drink before dinner to celebrate my birthday, and the owner was kind enough to give us a glass on the house! We got the chilled red, the Mooa Les Sauriens, which I really enjoyed - a medium bodied red that was very balanced and more fruity, but felt super light and perfect for a warmer fall day. The sourdough with yuzu kosho butter was a nice appetizer to nibble on as well. Plus, we happened to be in at happy hour 4-6PM on weekends, so all wines were 20% off too! Thoroughly enjoyed my time here, and will definitely be back.

Bánh Anh Em absolutely blew me away. The flavors were, fresh, and comforting in the exact way great…read moreVietnamese food should be. Every bite reminded me of being back in Vietnam from the balance of herbs and sauces to the smoky grilled meats and perfectly baked bread. You can tell they really care about authenticity instead of watering things down

We arrived a little before 5pm on a Saturday (they open at 6pm) and there wasn't a line. By the…read moretime it was 5:10pm, the line started to get longer and longer. Since we were one of the first ones to arrive, we got seated a few minutes after they opened. The Banh Mi's: I finally understand why people rave so much about the OG Banh Mi. This restaurant makes their own cold cuts and their paté was delicious. Their bread is also on the airier side, which is very different from most Banh Mi places. The grilled pork had the charcoal flavor that we love from a grill. The Banh Uot Chong is a different experience -- it reminded me of Chinese cheun fun. The only complaint I have is that the line gets very long very fast, so it's highly recommended to arrive 1+ hour before they open. They do have some stools outside for people who arrive early (I think there were a total of 8 chairs). This is one of those places that are worth the hype and are not just famous because they're "Instagrammable."