The wine? Phenomenal. The food/service? Horrendous. The waitress hardly acknowledged us and could not have seen less interested in serving us. Two of our meals came out so dry and over cooked; to which the waitress never apologized and later claimed the chef said "halibut is a dry fish" (not true, btw). Nothing we had was good, it was okay. We haven't sent food back in over 10 years. Suffice to say we will never be back to Sonoma Cellars. read more

Great atmosphere to do a wine tasting and just catch up with friends or an intimate date night. Service was really good at the bar area, didn't eat upstairs. Had the fig and Brie crostini which was delicious! Their wine tasting menu had plenty to choose from, you can choose any 5 for 15! It was definitely a great experience and would love to go again :) read more

My place of choice when I want to drink good wine in Old Town. I'm from California so I appreciate the Sonoma wine theme. The last time I went to Sonoma Cellar my friends and I sat on the back patio and had various small plates of food and bottles of wine for several hours. It was a great time. The service and atmosphere here is excellent. Don't be surprised if the owner comes by your table. read more

I like this place a lot. Yes, they could know more about the wine, but to be fair I understand they have hundreds of different wines and they are constantly changing up the tasting menus. The food is also amazing. I was told the chef was previously Leonard DiCaprio's private chef. It shows. Just the right selection of dishes to compliment an outstanding selection of wine, even if the people behind the bar can't speak with the authority of a Sommelier. read more

I would have given this place 5 stars if it wasn't for the terrible service. We will come back and try to start at the bar to get better service--which seemed like the way to do it based on our observation of other customers. Pros: Both the wine and the food were incredible and there is patio seating in the back! Cons: Service outside the bar area was TERRIBLE! We made a reservation for 8:45 on a Wednesday and were seated right away. The hostess was great--said she had our table ready in the amazing patio. Then, it went downhill. Oddly, we received menus, but not a wine list (AT A WINE BAR). After waiting nearly 10 minutes, the waitress stopped by, dropped off the wine list and started by telling us that she was sooo busy. We noticed there weren't many tables inside, but plenty of bar staff (maybe 5?)--whatever. Fortunately, I ordered the appetizer with the wine as I was sensing we may not see her for quite a while. Ten minutes later, she returns telling us that they were out of the wine (not a long wine list, by the way), but brought a replacement bottle. She spills the wine when pouring and doesn't bother to apologize nor clean it up. We didn't have utensils or napkins, so couldn't clean it up either. Wine was GREAT! Appetizer arrives, then we order. They were out of both of the items we requested from the very short menu. No problem; the other options were good. Meanwhile, she's been BSing with another couple outside, who moved from the bar along with someone who seemed to be the owner. When the food comes out, she just drops it off. I had to venture inside to tell her that neither of the entrees were what we ordered. She and the 'owner' just look at me as if I'm the one in the wrong. She takes the food and says she'll see what happened. Interestingly, the food we received was for the couple sitting outside she'd been BSing with, who by the way, ordered long after us. It really isn't cheating to write down orders. Our food finally arrives, and it's terrific. The 'owner' continues to BS with other people, then stops by not to ask how everything is, but to ask if we're finished with our plates. The waitress was definitely missing that certain level of sophistication typically expected from wait staff at a wine bar and if it was her first day, we understand, but to ignore us and hang with other customers is plain rude. I really do want to like this place. The food, wine, and patio were wonderful, but the service...I do have to wonder how gray-haired one needs to be to get good service of if this is a place for Old Town locals only? read more

My husband and I stopped in for lunch today and definitely have a new favorite spot in Old Town. We tried the Moroccan Beef Skewers to start. The meat was super tender and flavorful and my husband was crazy about the couscous. He had the Portobella Press sandwich and could not stop raving about it. I had the Virginia Ham and Cheese Sammie and it was outstanding. The apple slaw on it is amazing. The only complaint about the food was that it took a little too long to get served our sandwiches and the small side of salad greens were old and wilted. This should really only knock it down a half a star as this place is really great. They have a wonderfully curated list of wines and the 2 oz. pour option meant that we were able to sample quite a few of them. Service at the bar was fantastic and we won't hesitate to go back. read more

Came here on New Year's Eve about an hour before midnight. Although very busy, my boyfriend and I snagged a spot at the bar and were helped right away. Our bartender was very helpful, knowledgeable, and humorous. Loved the atmosphere and great wine selection! read more

We had the best seats in front of a fire and the worst service possible. I will say she was sweet... but 8 of us ordered wine and she brought each glass to us one by one. She said she was bringing it in the order she opened the bottles. Took 20 minutes to get one glass of wine for each of us. Evryone seemed very "blazay"...they need to get people who know wine to work at a restaurant called sonoma! read more

I visited Sonoma Cellar for the first time this week and it was a wonderful experience! It was a gorgeous evening, so my friend and I opted to sit on the patio, which is absolutely lovely. I enjoyed the ambience and am thrilled to support a locally-owned business. Sonoma Cellar offers unique wines that are carefully selected. I appreciate the option for a smaller pour or a full glass of wine - what a great way to try new wines. One thing I really enjoyed about my experience is that we never felt rushed. Our server was very polite, professional, knowledgeable and friendly. I felt as though she was more interested in ensuring we had a great experience rather than table turnover and I truly appreciated that as a customer. We tried a few starters and shared two desserts - each was fabulous! I love the fresh ingredients used and the presentation. Read the owners' story on the website and support this local restaurant! I love their focus on being a Benefit Corporation and the service each has given in their military and teaching careers. I will certainly be back! read more

I love wine and I love the concept of this new place in Old Town. I visited the tasting bar with my friend who just happens to be a sommelier. It was really great to just sit in a comfortable place and try pours of different wines. We didn't order any food, but that might be because the only reason I feel I have to give this place an A-Ok for now was the slow service. We ordered our next pour and then sat at the bar for 10 minutes with empty glasses. There were perhaps 6 people at the bar and 6 people BEHIND the bar!!! Walking back and forth and talking to each other. Unloading boxes, etc. Still, I am going to continue to visit Sonoma Cellar and hope that the kinks get worked out and that customer service improves. read more

We went there for the first time tonight. What a nice new establishment in Old Town. However, the tables on the Patio are Way too Close to each other. We had 2 patrons sitting at the table next to us that were so loud talking and laughing that we could not even hear each other from across the tables. They Need to arrange the tables so there is a little more space between them. read more

If you like wine and a good hand rolled cigar, go there on Tuesday evening l, such a nice spot, they have a excellent musician playing 70'music! read more

Dear Friends of Yelp, Sonoma Cellar has been open for three weeks and is still getting its feet wet, and my initial impression is the ambiance is friendly, the space is clean and staff present knowledgably and professionally. I'll return shortly for a second experience soon. read more

They serve brunch until 3pm! The veggie frittata was incredible and the service was excellent. Great atmosphere and our food camp out really quick. Will return! Thanks so much. read more

So this place is surprisingly really good. When I heard "wine bar" I assumed that meant that the food was going to be fine, but nothing to call home about. It was actually exceptional! The lady and I got the crostini to start (super good), both had the pork chops (AWESOME), and wrapped up with the brownie (which while delicious, could be better). Overall, super surprised with how good this place was. We live kind of far away from this place, or else we'd be regulars. Sonoma Cellar is still in a "soft open" period, so they don't have everything figured out (our waitress Emma rocked though). You should check it out! read more

Loved this place! The outside patio in the back is so cute and our waiter was extremely personable and friendly.

The service here really merits a full five stars. I tried the $10 wine tasting and for that price point the value cannot be overstated. There are a very reasonable amount of choices of reds, whites, and roses, and it is a wonderful way to be exposed to new types of wine. The staff was engaging and relayed the perfect amount of information about each pour without hovering over our group. If you like wine and are looking for attentive, knowledgeable service, Sonoma Cellar is your place; I will absolutely be returning. read more

Whoa, everyone should come here! They have a FANTASTIC deal that is five wine tastings for $10. The staff was attentive, friendly, chill, and very knowledgeable about the wine, telling the facts about how each one was produced. I loved it! I want to come back and stay for dinner or brunch. Highly recommended read more

My husband and I have been going here for years and generally enjoy it. The service is hit or miss - usually a miss when they are busy so we cut them some slack. A good selection of wines and the good food is a bonus. I would give it 5 stars but they started having bands play. Really not necessary or worth the effort and is really more of a turn off. In fact, tonight we were going to stop in but saw a band so didn't go in. Light music is all you need - so people can hear the people in their party. read more

The loveliest staff in there- super friendly and attentive. They have a good selection of wine and a great atmosphere. read more

Had a great, long, wine-induced lunch with a friend. We were placed in a room with a loud six top but our wonderful waitress happily moved us to another room. She went the extra mile mentioning our concern to a manger who the made sure the door between rooms was closed. That, along with a terrific meal and fun wine tastings made our day. I already look forward to another visit. read more

Excellent service and wine/food! Great place to spend an evening unwinding from the week! The wine selection is fantastic and the menu is diverse. The chef has created a menu that has a Mediterranean feel and changes often! 5 stars for sure! read more

I love this cute wine bar in old town. The wine is great and the food is amazing! I love the truffle Mac and cheese and could eat bowls of it. I enjoy the wine flights to decide which wine I like best. Cherie is awesome and I go on her recommendations for different wine tastings. I would recommend this place for small groups of friends or even a date night. read more

Had an amazing time. The food was amazing (try the ribeye) and paired well with the wine. We met the chef and he could not have been nicer. We will be back often. read more

Great place!! Had a amazing glass of wine...the staff was friendly. Go to the outside garden.

Happy to find a California wine cellar in the DC area. Very impressed with how busy it was considering it just opened a month ago. They're still working out a few kinks but that's understandable for a new place. They serve sees candy with your red wine pairing. I'm a CA native and will definitely be back read more

Love this place! The "back yard" is charming and homey. Food is great and wine options are really phenomenal Feels like home (we used to live in San Francisco) ....only down side was our waiter was a bit too cool and not that attentive. First time service hasn't been really top notch and we've been there a ton...so I don't want to lower the rating just b/c of him. Go! You will love! read more

What a great place. Very attentive staff, great food, and great wine. I've been there several times to see a friend perform (Eric Schlam) but I'm not I huge wine guy so I probably wouldn't have gone otherwise. Well my wife knows her wine much better than I do and when I tried the brie and fig spread I knew I had to bring her. We've been there twice since and had a great evening both times. The owner is a really nice guy and very attentive. The place has that homey feeling all Old Town places should but very few still do. read more

I made reservations for 5 people and one of our parties was vegan. I called 3 hours before our arrival to make sure they had vegan options and tables inside. I was told we are everything to everyone. The lady then went on to say they have cellar seating, outside seating and very nice seating upstairs. When we arrived 15 minutes early we were told there was no inside seating upstairs and in fact upstairs was closed. They directed us outside but that was not what had initially been requested so they put 3 very small tables together in the back of the cellar area by the door. Feeling uneasy about this I asked to see the menu. No real veterinarian or vegan options so we left and ended up finding a much better restaurant and food just a block away. Would not go back here. read more

Walked in after a bike ride and was greeted by a super friendly hostess who didn't care that we were dressed down! I ordered the 5 1oz pour flight and loved the format, the owner was pouring for us and she was very knowledgeable and gave you time to really spend with the wine! great experience, cant wait to go back! read more

So glad we stopped in- incredibly flexible with our requests. We split many dishes and were very impressed with the freshness and unique flavors. Owner was present and extremely inviting and friendly. Reasonably priced and they support the local artists. read more

This is by far my favorite restaurant and bar. What makes it so special is the people that run it. The owner's put their detailed vision to life as the wine, decor, and food are crafted to perfection. I thrive off of the environment when I eat and drink there because I love being surrounded by people who love what they do. You can see the owners passion through the wine selection and their interactions with both the customers and the employees. It is such an amazing environment; the servers are so knowledgable about the wines and do a great job of taking that extra step to make me feel welcome. In addition, the food is expertly crafted to give such a wide array of flavor and it is perfectly complimented by their wine selection. Alcoholic drinks that I tried so far: blueberry champagne - so good, you can smell the blueberry though more than you can taste it D-66 - absolutely in love with it J - such a simple label but the wine definitely does all the talking I had others but I can't remember the names for now (I am learning about wine and how to taste it) both the owners and the servers are great with helping you learn how to taste wines. Food that I have tried so far: Lentil-cumin chili - AMAZING! Immediately you are hit by an array of spices and the cumin makes it feel almost like an Indian fusion dish Celery soup - very smooth and great flavors Butternut squash soup - loved the selection of spices put into this and the consistency Pork chop - super tender, the mash potatoes are to die for! Beef kabobs - THE RED PEPPER AIOLI IS INCREDIBLE. Really ties the dish together. It also packs some heat Ham and turkey Sammie - surprisingly spicy in the best way possible. Huge portions. Portobello mushroom sandwich - loved it. The bread is incredible. Sweetness is introduced from the tomatoes, saltiness from the cheese, and it's seasoned to perfection. Fish tacos - the fish is so flaky and wonderfully cooked, the salsa brings both sweetness/heat and there is a spread that brings saltiness. Cod special - omg this needs to be on their main menu. This is the best cod I have ever had. It is so flavorful and juicy. It comes with asparagus and a side of semi spicy rice that compliments the fish perfectly. Lavender creme Brûlée - it is so light and delicious, also the top cracks perfectly. It comes with strawberries with compliment it so well. The lavender really comes out in this dish Fig and cheese Crostini - soooo good. The sweetness from the fig combines perfectly with the bri's saltiness. There is also flavors from the cranberry which makes it sightly sour and green apples which increases the overall freshness of the dish. read more

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Loved our time at Sonoma. Good wine and food, and good company. We will definitely return!

As a former waitress, hostess, and restaurant manager, I'm usually very generous with restaurants. I remember the pain. Unfortunately, the one star I gave was only given because there was no option for ZERO. Every restaurant can have a bad night. That's not the issue, but we'll start there. We had ten ladies for dinner. Four out of ten orders were messed up. Drinks arrived late or not at all. Actually, the whole meal arrived late. Very, very late . . . as in almost an hour late. It took almost an hour to get our meals - well, at least to get the majority of us our meals. An hour . . . with no appetizers or soups or any first courses. An hour to get shrimp and pre-made meatballs and burgers on the table. You gotta be kidding. Don't order a burger. They have no clue how to cook one. The lady ordered medium well. The first burger arrived beyond well done. Shoe leather. The second one arrived RAW. No joke. No apology from the lady owner. I would have comped the dinner on the spot. She just kept taking them back and bringing them out again. Don't order a shrimp salad. The waitress won't bring it to you. Then, when you ask where your food is, she'll give you attitude and tell you the kitchen forgot to put your shrimp on the salad, and that they're making you one from scratch. Yes, you'll have to ask where your food is. She'll serve everyone but you and not even address you to let you know your food is late and why. Funny enough, she got your drink order wrong as well. Funny enough, you're the only black woman there. Me? I'm white, and I also felt something was off with respect to my friend. Who knows what it was. I'll leave it at that. Back to the waitress and her story about the salad. Maybe she thinks no one else has worked in a restaurant before. Any restaurant worth its salt has salads pre-made. As for shrimp? You seriously have to remake an entire salad? You just can't grill some shrimp in a couple of minutes and throw it on top? If you're going to lie, figure out how to do it better. You forgot to place the order. There was so much wrong with this place, that we called the manager over. THIS is why I'm writing the review. Any owner/manager worth her salt APOLOGIZES for such ridiculous service and food. They KNOW they've fallen down on the job. Not this owner. She blamed our group for the issues. She had no idea we intended to eat dinner. Yes, you heard that right. She only expected us to drink. Come again? What kind of restaurant doesn't expect to serve FOOD during dinner hour??? What kind of establishment serves alcohol with no food??? Seriously?? She blamed this, she blamed that. She never said she was sorry. She never took responsibility. She never offered a free drink or ANYTHING. Nope, it wasn't until our black friend spoke up - and we are PROUD of her for doing so - that she did anything at all. And, even then, she ARGUED about it. Go if you like. There are certainly plenty of great reviews on here. But I'll never be back, and I will make sure no one I know goes. There are simply too many fine establishments in this area to deal with nonsense like this. read more

Came here while in town on a work trip with a co-worker. Great ambiance, good wine, good service, but food was just eh. I'd come back for drinks and apps, just not for a full dinner. read more

We love this place and come here regularly. We usually sit downstairs and do a wine tasting. The bartenders are always knowledgeable and friendly; they enjoy working there and have a passion for wine. The food is far better than one might expect from a wine bar. It's fantastic - small plates and mains are available and they change the menu a bit to keep it fresh. We love the tuna poke that comes served on a pineapple, and we order every time we are in there. The melted brie is another favorite. We also love the shrimp tacos, hanger steak, kale salad, and seafood pasta. Everything we have ordered has been fantastic and all out of town guests always have a good time here as well. The prices are reasonable so it doesn't have to be reserved for a special occasion, but the decor, food, service, and wine make it for a fantastic evening. read more

Great place right on King Street near the Potomoc. The wine menu is great and there's even really cool microbrews for your friends who are not grape-inclined. Try the fish tacos-so good! If you want to do something a bit different show up on a Tuesday night for Cigar Night on the back patio. The crowd is interesting and eclectic and the owners, Rick and Elizabeth are friendly and welcoming. Don't miss this gem in Old Town! read more

I have been to Sonoma Cellar on two occasions. I found the experience to very enjoyable. I went for dinner on my first visit. The food was excellent, and the staff was very attentive and friendly. Both owners introduced themselves and welcomed me to the establishment. On my second visit, I enjoyed the outdoor patio area and was treated to a complimentary glass of sparkling wine for my birthday. Thank you!!! I highly recommend giving Sonoma Cellar a try. read more

Perhaps I am jumping the gun on this review, but while walking my dog this morning the owner took time to talk with me and show me around the space. The patio is gorgeous and is exactly what Old Town needs more of! He is a very nice man and you can tell he's passionate about the restaurant. Excited to return next weekend for some wine and apps. read more

Great addition to Old Town and perfect for ending a busy work day.