Are you looking for an intimate night out with your date or best friend? As in, do you want to sit closely next to each other and gaze into each others' eyes over candlelight? If you have someone you would like to do this with, and are in search of a place to do it, look no further than Venice Beach Wines. Great drinks, amazing food, good service, and an amazing ambiance! What more could you want. I would highly recommend the Margherita pizza... delicious crispy thin crust with only the freshest tomato sauce, with burrata, basil, market cherry tomatoes, parmigiano reggiano, and I added the Finocchiona for an added kick. Winner! read more

Love coming to this place with my friends. Always a great vibe and good service, highly recommend

Venice Beach Wines is a darling place for a glass of wine and a small plate of snacks. It is small, persona, human and inviting. Venice Beach Wines opens its arms to its guests and it's space to the outdoors. Sit on the patio or pull up a bar stool to a small ledge or table "inside" - either way you feel hugged by beach air. The host at Superba suggested we enjoy a glass of wine here while we were waiting for a table to open. I hope this happens often as a way to drive patrons to Venice Beach wines. More than just a wine bar, Venice Beach Wines sales bottles of wine for take away too. Wine shop. Snack shop. Wine bar. Great combination. read more

Went here with a couple of friends for cocktails and a couple of apps. Overall good place to grab a drink. I would recommend this restaurant for a drink with friends. Cozy and casual atmosphere with friendly service. While I was there we had a couple of appetizers. We had the Fromage a Trois (fontina, gouda, parmigiano reggiano, white truffle oil) and bacon wrapped dates. The Fromage was delicious and addictive. I wanted to keep ordering more. Then you wrap anything in bacon and it is good. The bacon wrapped dates were typical tasting bacon wrapped dates. Nothing too special. We did not eat dinner so I am not sure about the whole menu, however it was a good place to grab a drink and a couple quick bites. read more

Oscar and his wife have truly carved a little gem here in our little Venice. What was a lonely little wine store, is now a perfectly edged neighborhood spot good for those "let's stop for a bite after our bike ride" kind of moments. It's Small, cute, kind,warm, delicious, unpretentious - one word .. Lovely. The Charcuterie and Cheese Selections are spot on. When informed they were out of one of my cheese choices, the waitress asked me "would you like to try to homemade Buratta instead ?" On a Sunday afternoon, we shared the collective patio with maybe 10 other wine patrons. We never had to raise our voices to hear each other, and never had to wait for our glasses to be re-filled. If this place HAD stayed purely a Wine store, Whole Foods would have swallowed it ...well.... whole, but now - we've got an amazing little spot that's here to stay. 3 cheers Mr Oscar, see you soon amigo. read more

OK. So. Where do i begin? My suggestion would be to get there early. This will guarantee that you will not be a part of any cat fights over seating. We had a party of 6 and we got their around 6:30ish so we could sit where we liked. Be forewarned this was a Wednesday night. As time passed the little patio filled up so that by 8:30 people were standing around and asking us if we were going to leave soon and could they have our seats when we left. We promised a group of well-heeled ladies our spot after we finished our wine. However, the host had promised our seats to another group of girls. When we got up to leave, the tiff ensued. "Oh, no, honey, these seats are OURS." yeah, not good. But we were leaving and we'd had our wine so we didn't care. I must say the food was excellent. I loved the mustard that came with the charcuterie. The salads were innovative and the lamb panini was yeah...real nice. A nice touch was the addition of thyme to the olive oil sidelining the bread. We wouldn't have known what we were eating if we didn't have the menus because the lighting was so low. We had no idea what was on our forks! But who cares? It was sooo good! The service was excellent. Our waitress was enthusiastic and attentive. I gave it 4 stars because of the seating issues, but it's kind of like Father's Office, just get there early! read more

I sat with my cursor over 4 stars...over 3 stars...over 4 stars... I went with 3 for two reasons. I wanted the brie and grape panini, and they were out of grapes. (Ok, I know it's not the end of the world. But when you really want something, and they run out, it's a downer). There also weren't a whole lot of veg options on the menu (which I know is my problem, not yours, but it really matters to me and does help me decide my review). However, I defnitely plan to go back, so hopefully next time I can VBW the whole shebang! The patio is small but cozy. You really get to know your neighbors (and you can do some great eavesdropping, but I didn't just say that!) The wine selection is small, but good. There is a large selection of cheeses, which always makes me happy! Service was excellent! On our way out, we popped inside to check out the retail wine selection, and I was impressed. Some really good wines at some decent prices. I absolutely love Orin Swift's The Prisoner, and their retail price is one of the better I've seen. This is where I'll pick up my next bottle...or three. read more

The perfect place for an early fall evening. I have to say that I have ridden by this place plenty of times and never really wanted to stop in because it looked too crowed. The other night we were strolling around the area and the sun dropped, got super cold and I was consumed with a powerful lust for hot cheese and the warmth of a nice Pinot Noir . Amongst the general hunger I was facing and the ever present "munchies" I was facing, my eyes that were 10 ties the size of my stomach, went for the Formage a trois, some meatloaf panini, and the prosciutto panini. Fueled by an unmistakable hunger and the several drinks I had on an empty stomach, I housed each dish after savoring it for a mere moment. My favorite was the Formage a trois with truffle oil. Sweet Christ almighty this was a hot plate of cheese that just warmed everything up and put me in the place i wanted to be. For a local early evening stop. I would have to say this may be your best bet. Seating may be a bit rough and the corkage fees kinda piss me off a bit. But If you are armed with that knowledge before showing up you will have a pleasant experience. read more

Thank god for this place. This is my go-to when my best friend and I have to find a place within stumbling distance. Every server we've had has been friendly and knowledgeable. The last time I was there we ordered the combo, which consisted of a sandwich, side, fruit and non-alcoholic beverage. I ordered the lamb sandwich with a pasta salad. It was DELICIOUS and ridiculously affordable. I also ordered an additional side of potatoes that I wuold highly recommend. The place is tiny but I rarely have to wait very long. It's really a local's hangout and we love talking to the really nice people who usually show up. They have a great wine selection. We usually just order a bottle and re-cork and take home whatever we can't finish. Highly recommended! It's also a great little date place if you don't mind the cozy quarters. read more

Intimate, cozy neighborhood retail wine and beer place with a tiny but busy kitchen. We finished our evening here for a final glass of wine next to the space heaters, and we loved the vibe (not to mention the wine and beer). This little stretch of Rose Ave. has become like a mini Abbott-Kinney, and definitely worth spending a few nights exploring. read more

I (heart) wine I (heart) Oscar I (heart) cheese I (heart) their service I (heart) Venice and I'm sure those are out of order. But I also know when I'm getting ripped off. If I can't taste the cheese because it's sliced as thin as a breath-strip, then it wasn't worth the $10. If I can't buy a bottle without a huge corkage fee, then I guess I won't be drinking that wine with the paper-thin cheese. Don't get me wrong, if you have the money to burn in this economy, go for it. It's a neighborhood spot for the lesser-friendly Venice crowd, also good for dates, if you can get in. read more

This is an update. They called my friend (who purchased the tickets) to apologize. They told him they would be happy to either refund the amount or if we came in they would refund the amount and give us three free glasses of wine. They said they didn't intend for the word to spread so widely and had originally intended for it to be a neighborhood party. Apparently we were not the only ones. I'm very happy they did this. Most places don't go out of their way to right a wrong. For me customer service makes or breaks it and I'm happy to give them a shot now. I'll write an updated review about our dining experience when we go. read more

what a darling little spot! great happy hour! small cozy spot right on rose, great patio and they got festive -- lights and ornaments hang from the ceiling. great date spot. tons of parking on the street too! waitress was very attentive and recommended some great wines. white fish crostini -- don't let its looks deceive you, it's delicious! perfectly toasted bread with savory, fluffy and light white fish that's not drenched in mayo. The greens and radish went great with it prosciutto wrapped persimmons -- persimmons are in season right now and the salty prosciutto balanced the sweet fruit very well overall: another venice gem, my kinda hang out spot read more

Venice Beach Wines - White fish crostini - get it! - Wine Bars Near Me - Venice, California

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What everyone's said is true: -Teeny, tiny, everything (space, serving size, tables)-- oh, except your bill. That will be anything but tiny. -Nice ambiance, perfect date spot if you can find a seat to snuggle up together -Could be a good place to make friends, because you're so intimate -Kinda in the middle of nowhere/residential, but convenient enough read more

Love this little gem..... and I do mean little. The patio is the only seating area and seats maybe 20 people semi-comfortably with a wee bit extra space to stand between the entrance and kitchen. The staff is friendly and came by often enough, the scene is casual trendy, mostly couples and small crowds of friends. Went by on a Tuesday for Happy Hour (goes till 7pm) and the place was comfortably full. The HH food menu isn't quite vegetarian friendly but I had the veggie burger with the greens and it was just the right portion size, not to mention, pretty damn tasty. I also had the chocolate brownie bites w/ nutella.......omg yum, especially with the malbec wine. Definitely a place to revisit. read more

You could waste space by blogging about the winos and bums on Rose Avenue, but why focus on the negative (why I hate most food bloggers. Idiots)? This shop is fantastic. The manageable selection of wines makes it a simple pleasure to find something great, and the prices for your efforts aren't bad either.. The proprietor and his partner are still working their day jobs, so they're not opening up until late afternoons, but they're soon to close for a renovation and will reopen in order to serve the workday denizens of Venice Beach who often only have the lunch hour to shop. This place goes a long way in showing you how much customer service makes for a great experience. It's not just about selection, but feeling the passion that the owners have for their business and the wines. When I told the owner that I needed a dry Reisling to cook with (see the simple Alsatian chicken stew in the March issue of Gourmet), not only did he find something right away, but gave me a few bucks off since I was going to use it for cooking wine. Tastings and other grapelicious treats to come in the near future. read more

A tiny hole in the wall kind of place. There's a little patio in the front which makes this place ideal for intimate conversations outside on a nice day. Beware though - if you're looking to have a very personal convo w/your BFF this may not be the right place. The staff is friendly and attentive. Along with wine, I've had their pizza and seasoned almonds (yummy!) Everything I've had so far is good and the price is fair. It's a cool spot close to home. read more

This place not only has great wine and food but also has excellent service. Our waitress, Robin, was extremely friendly, funny, kind, and knowledgeable. She took the time to explain things on the menu that we were unsure of and joked with us about the Dodger game that was going on. The restaurant would have been great regardless, but Robin took our evening to the next level and made it even better. Definitely recommend if you're looking for a fun environment with friendly staff and good wine! Not sure where the previous review mentioning Robin came from because she is hands down one of the best servers I've ever had! read more

went here for a glass of wine & some apps on a Thurs night around 10. it was flush with hipsters. cute space, awesome people watching/eavesdropping, great wines, yummy food. there were just a few vegan options-- I had the hummus & it was yummy. great for a warm night, as the seating/standing is all outside... it is also a social enterprise that trains at risk neighborhood youth in hospitality management, so you can feel EXTRA good about your patronage! read more

Cute little place that's off of Rose Ave. I've driven by this place many many times before and I finally had a chance to go there about 2 weeks ago. I didn't realize how small this place was. Wooden benches and small round tables. If you are one of those people who don't like sitting close to other people at restaurants, then this will probably not be a good spot for you. Your neighbor will most likely hear your conversation and you'll get to hear theirs too. I didn't get to try the food. I had a glass of their cabernet...I don't know which one I tried. I want to come back to this place if I just wanted a quick drink before heading to somewhere else. read more

If you're a charcuterie fan - go here. They have the most amazing jamon iberico that just melts in your mouth... I wish it was bigger but it's worth the wait and cool, mellow vibe. read more

Such a cute little wine and beer joint. The venue is small but very warm and inviting, great for date or girls night. Great selection of wine, I had a glass of Chardonnay that tasted delightful. Best part is the food is AMAZING!!! We ordered the baked Brie which was to die for. As well as my favorite sandwich called the Lambwich. It has a lot of Indian spices and the meat is so tender, it's unlike any sandwich you have ever had. We also had the hanger steak which was good too. This place is a must! Especially if you want to avoid tourists and just want some good local eats. read more

I was fortunate enough to first try Venice Beach Wines on Good Friday, when it was virtually empty. I can't think of a better place to spend a sunny afternoon. Oscar makes you feel like a guest in his home, which I hope is bigger than his wine bar. Size is its greatest strength and weakness; it has a great neighborhood vibe but gets really crowded on nights and weekends. The wine list is well thought out (bonus points for The Prisoner), the sandwiches are about good as sandwiches get, and the selection of cheeses and charcuterie is impressive. Venice Beach Wines has carved out a tasty niche on Rose, and I wish these good folks nothing but continued success. read more

The only reason this place doesn't get 4 stars from me is because while I loved it, I don't pick it as my first choice to hang out. I love the small, cool vibe, but the place is so small, it's uncomfortable. My pal and I biked over from my house on a Friday evening. We wanted dinner and wine. The food was good (the roasted peach salad is amazing) but the supposedly amazing fondue pots were not that great. They weren't true fondue, just some melted cheese that ended up congealing in the bowl and it was not dippable. Disappointing. Plus the plates are super small and expensive so to get full you have to spend a lot. Obviously a great place to get a glass of wine and it definitely has an intimate feel but it's not a great place to hang out with friends as the seating arrangement is not conducive to chit-chatting or moving around easily. read more

Great neighborhood hot spot Romantic & cozy w/only patio seating Service is friendly, knowledgeable, & attentive Good menu for food, alcoholic beverages, & pairings Cheese & charcuterie accompanied by warm & grilled baguette SAUVIGNON BLANC - Chateau Arromans, France 2010: 4 stars - lively & refreshing notes of citrus, grassy, lemon peel - great w/the apricot jam accouterments & cheese MOODY BLUE, Roth Kase: 5 stars - Wisconsin/Cow - smoky w/hints of roasted nuts & coffee - served w/apricot & fig jam - huge fan of blue cheese ZINFINDEL - Third Avenue, Mendocino 2009: 4 stars - medium bodied w/a juicy core of baked cherries & spices - great w/the fig jam accouterments, cheese, & charcuterie SPECK, Recla: 5 stars - Italy/Pork - cold smoked & aged pork shoulder; hints of juniper & allspice - served w/pickled red onions & mustard - milder in flavor than prosciutto, but absolutely delicious TEMPRANILLO - Zuazo Gaston, Rioja 2008: 5 stars - medium body, preserved red fruit, vanilla, licorice, and cedar - absolutely delicious JAMON SERRANO & MANCHEGO MINI PANINIS: 4 stars - serrano, fermin: (Spain/Pork) salt & air-cured ham w/less fat & firmer than prosciutto - manchego, artequeso: (Spain/Sheep) nutty, buttery, piquant - served w/2 different mustards - delicious & flavorful FARNESE - Montepulciano d' Abruzzo: 3.5 stars SALAME TOSCANO & BRIE MINI PANINIS: 4 stars - toscano, fra' mani: (CA/Pork) very soft & delicate w/black peppercorns - served w/2 different mustards - luscious w/mild flavors BRESAOLA, Bernina: 2 stars - Italy/Beef - salt & air-cured lean eye of round w/sweet & hearty flavor - okay, but better w/emmental cheese & fig spread EMMENTAL: 4 stars - great w/farnesse BORDEAUX BLEND - Chateau Sainte Marie, France 2009: 3 stars - full body, juicy black fruit, cedar, leather, and tobacco - bold & strong flavors FROMAGE A TROIS MELTY CHEESE HOT POT: 3 stars - telem, gouda, parmigiano reggiano, white truffle oil - bold flavors w/prominent parm notes read more

Big pluses are Friendly quick service Good, simple,delicious food Cozy atmosphere and warm receptive people you are sitting with. Small negatives are the size of the service area, Size of the wine selection. There were no flights being offered only by the glass and only a few of those. During the week it's not too bad but Thursday-Saturday expect to drink standing up or wait awhile before someone leaves. All in all a great place to visit. read more

I have been wanting to come here for a little while and the reviews were great but first of all I was a little dissapointed with the location, theres nothing around this place. I like places where you can at least have a nice view of the streets and people watch but this place was kind of in the middle of nowhere, which I dont know maybe some people like. Oh and maybe the drink list is european but the feel of the place is not so. I was also a little unhappy that when I got there that the waiter said we could only order 1 round of drinks because they close in half an hour. So she made me feel uncomfortable to order more drinks, but when I looked around, other people were still receiving food and drinks so I was a little upset about that. Other than that the wine was good but the place is nothing special and I probably wont come here again. read more

Although the name makes this place sound like a wine store, it is not. This is a small wine bar with cramped lounge seating. The crowd was friendly, but had few oenophiles as seen by the excessive ordering of sangria and people putting ice cubes in glasses of rosé. We ordered wines by the glass that covered a crisp vino verde from Portugal, a mild barbera from Italy, a peppery babic from Croatia, and a boldly balanced Tempranillo from Spain. We started with their "pressed sandwiches". Although my girlfriend loved the lambwich, I found it too spicy for most wines. The yogurt dip helped cool the spicy lamb, but there wasn't nearly enough of the dip. The sandwich was truly pressed and adhered with the Manchego cheese. The buffalo burger was not pressed, but used a burger bun with some barely grilled marks. The buffalo meat didn't have much flavor even though it looked like other ingredients were grinded into the blend. The buffalo patty was raw in the middle (since I'm still alive I guess raw buffalo is safe to eat). The burger came with mild bacon and a strong blue cheese. We then tried a "melty hot pot" with onions and fontina cheese, then topped with arugula and fried shallots. It had similar ingredients to a French onion soup but wasn't nearly as flavorful and needed more depth of flavor. Service was friendly, but became overwhelmed as the evening progressed. read more

JUST WHAT WE NEEDED! Thanks to the owner of Venice Beach Wines we have a cool, local place to hang. Great wines, good beers (in bottle) and even fuzzy water for my friend that doesn't drink. We went with a group of 7, ate and drank bottles of wine and beer. Great time. It does seem to get busy so get there early. Food was great, Lambwich, Veggie Burger, cheese (I love warm cheese) and tons of other good suff. If I had to say something bad, the place is too small. Hopefull in it's success it can grow a little. Thanks again guys, see this summer for some more great sunsets. read more

We were watching the world up thriller USA VS GERMANY and had so much fun. Even with such a wild crowd that day the service was excellent. Would go back there anytime. read more

Imagine the song Mister Sandman in your head. Replace the "bum" with "yum." This is how I feel about Venice Beach Wines. The food is very tasty, of course some dishes are tastier than others. I'm not one to jump on bandwagons, but I have to agree that the brie hot pot is AMAZING. The overall feel of Venice Beach Wines is great. It's simple and cozy and you feel like you could be anywhere...cafes I've visited in New York and Paris definitely came to mind. While hawking patrons in the hopes you'll snag their table once they leave isn't the most ideal, it's made better by the fabulous drink you have in your hand. Show up mid-week, after 9pm, and finding a seat should be painless. My one complaint is the prices of the beer and wine. Our bill was about $100, $65 being wine (that's for 5 glasses). If you're looking to have more than 1 drink, it's probably best to enjoy a wine appetizer at home before heading here. read more

This place sucks -- go somewhere else. Not really but it gets more and more crowded every time I go and I hate waiting for a seat. The food is fantastic. Everything I've had here has been good, especially the jamon serrano wrapped arugula and teleme cheese. They have a wonderful syrah (the only one on the menu) and a really great sparkling burgundy that is perfect for watching the sun go down on a warm evening. Their melting pots are very good as well. The place is very small and if it's packed then you end up waiting a while. And they have a corkage fee for wine you buy there that is pretty high. Those are the only 2 drawbacks. Otherwise I love it and find it hard not to go ALL the time. read more

The food was super surprisingly good! I was not expecting much, but was very pleasantly surprised that such a small kitchen could put out such good food. Tobin and I met up on a Friday night at around 7. He had snagged a spot and guarded it for abut 30 minutes before I arrived. We started with a fully stacked cheese plate with a ton of sliced baguette, romescos, honey, tapenade, dried fruits, nuts and other accompaniments that i couldn't quite see in the dark candle light. I've honestly never seen such a generous cheese plate at a wine bar. That's one of my pet peves about a cheese board. You usually see a tiny little portion of cheese with two nuts, a dribble of honey and a dried apricot or something. This was great and an impressive start. I started with an Italian white while Tobin tried an Argentinian Cab followed by an Italian red. The white was great and from the sip of his Cab, that was my second glass. After a bit of relaxing, we ordered the Lamb sandwich which was amazing. Super tender meat with an awesome mint curry dipping sauce that i wanted to slather on every bite. While i'm sure you get the idea of the space constraints from the other reviews, it really is super small. Like super, super small. And the eating is a little awkward as you have to lean over a little wood bench, or if you're not lucky enough to sit, you're eating standing up. But all in all, i would totally come back and deal with the space constraints. Inside, there is a nice selection of take-away wines and beers in case you want to keep your party going at home. Next time, I'll be taking home an Organic Foret. read more