The atmosphere is amazing. This open air restaurant is nestled in the valley of the Midwest's driftless region. Staff of always great and the kids bussing the tables take great care of you. Food is good quality and portions are healthy. Bread, olive oil and parmesan cheese is a great appetizer provided. My only knock about the food is there's too much cheese on the pizza for a Neapolitan style pizza, but it is Wisconsin and the home of curd town. Live music and the open grounds on a beautiful evening can't be beat. They also provide short wagon a tractor rides through out the evening. The last time we were there we watched two hot air balls launch from the grounds. read more

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A pretty nice wine place deep in the valley in the middle of nowhere in Wisconsin. They said the seating was all full up top but we could sit at the lower bar or at the bottom, which wasn't an issue at all except that they were still a few hours out from close and had plenty of empty seats up top, and no new reservations or anyone came to ever fill them up until close (we left just a few minutes before closing). So I guess they just didn't want us to sit there? Idk. Lots of games, and even though it's outdoors it can be VERY noisy - lots of parties going on here. Big menu though, and obviously, some of the most gorgeous scenic views you can imagine down here. The vineyard also looked so good. Unfortunately they can't actually grow their own wine here. The soil is too sandy, even for WI/MN specialty grapes. So while they're trying, they just get their label of wine from Minnesota somewhere else instead. Still local enough, so that's okay for me - I would've been pissed if we came down here and all they had was California wine relabeled with a Wisconsin sticker, I can't stand that. So I'm glad they still had local options, local enough. Overall, a really nice place! read more

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Pizza was ok, pasta was terrible. Their pasta was warm, dry, and very bland like something you'd expect at a mass produced buffet. Very over priced for what was received. Wait staff never came back to ask if we wanted refills on our drinks. read more

Ruined Mother's Day -- Incompetent and Disorganized Took my mother here for Mother's Day with a group of six. We arrived before they opened and were told it would be a 90-minute wait. We waited 2 hours and 45 minutes--while dozens of tables sat empty. Staff said they were "holding them just in case" someone with a reservation showed up. Completely unacceptable. This wasn't a busy day issue--it was outright mismanagement. No communication, no accountability, and no concern for customers wasting their day. We finally walked out, and the day was ruined. read more

Beautiful venue with the grapevines to the front of the restaurant and wagon tours thru it. Had a great glass of wine here the first visit. The second time I'm sad to say I was disappointed with my meal of shrimp scampi over angel hair pasta. I tried to get the exact name of the dish but there doesn't seem to be an on line menu. How could I be disappointed? There were exactly 2 shrimp placed on the very top of the pasta mound. I thought surely there would be more buried within....nope. The price of my dinner was around $25+. Waaaay overpriced for a plate of pasta, tomatoes and TWO shrimp. Back home I can go to my favorite Thai restaurant and pay $18 for any dish and there will be minimum 9 shrimp in it, sometimes more. Not tiny shrimp, 18-20 count size. Two family members had the chicken pesto pasta and it seemed to be swimming in sauce. I love pesto but not a soup bowl of sauce. They had no complaints. 5 stars for the venue 2 for my dinner read more

Atmosphere 10/10. Service 10/10. Sunday Buffet 3/10. Promotions 1/10 Went here for the Mother's Day promotion. Reservations were only accepted for parties of 10. There were 5 of us. We got there 30 minutes after opening. We were told the wait was over 2 hours. It was our choice to stay. That was accurate and after we were seated 2 hours later, we went up to the buffet. They could not keep up with the crowd. We were scraping the bottoms of many pans. Once we saw a fresh pan come out we came up and had some fresh lasagna. It was 5/10 at best. The problem was they were trying to run a buffet and full menu. The kitchen couldn't keep up. Order off the menu to guarantee you get a hot fresh meal. The buffet is often depleted. We never saw any of the rotating favorite appetizers as advertised. We enjoyed our mother's complementary glass of wine. When we checked out we asked for our $10 gift cards as advertised in the Mother's Day promotion. We were told they ran out. This is suspicious to me and seems like Larry was running a scam. It is false advertising. It makes me sad that a place with such potential has mediocre food and doesn't follow through with its promotions. Next year we will celebrate Mother's Day at a different place. Hi read more

Vino In the Valley - Fake advertising - American Near Me - Maiden Rock, Wisconsin

Be prepared to wait 4+ hours to eat. We arrived at 4pm, and were told we would be seated by 6:45. that time came and went. I understand that there's always a wait, I came prepared with snacks and books for our son and expecting a 2-2:30 wait. The problem was a few tables were done eating, and would not leave. We left our group by 7:45 since they still hadn't seated anyone, and we needed to eat something. The remaining group of 3 took another 20 minutes to eventually get seated. This is p*ss-poor customer service. Either take reservations or don't, don't limit it to extremely large parties of 10+. Also, institute a 90 minute table time limit. If people are done eating, they can go hang out on the patio and clear up eating space for the 100+ people still waiting. It's rude on the party to linger so long, and it's ridiculous that your host just kept shrugging her shoulder, rather than asking people to wrap it up. I don't think I'll be going back again. read more

we were here for 3:30 hours and people show up and eat before us, no food at the buffet, bad service ovr bad experience

Vino in the valley is a hidden gem on the valley with bluff views all around, beautiful. Visiting from MN staying in Pepin, WI a beautiful 30 min drive away. What stood out the most when being a fist time visitor was the kindness of the staff. All 4 people I came in contact with from hostess to the waitress and the bar tender were very personable and seemed to truly care about your experience while visiting. I learned about the winery while chatting to an employee who didn't seem to rush us but help us choose a wine to try. We ate dinner here as well and the food the shrimp scampi we had was flavorful and came out promptly and steaming hot. I'll be back and will recommend to others. read more

Vino In the Valley - Having wine at Vino with views plenty of seating - American Near Me - Maiden Rock, Wisconsin

A perfect little hidden gem. Our service was phenomenal, our waitress was beyond great: Food was good, Bloody Mary's and mimosas are great! Perfect ambience read more

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We've been here several times and enjoyed it each time. It is about an hour drive from the Twin Cities (southern edge), so we dont do it often. True to its name, it is in a valley, which provides beautiful views. It is an outdoor restaurant so dress for the weather. There is a roof and they can close in the sides, and there are fans (or heaters for spring/fall) but just be prepared. You may have to wait for a table but they will give you a buzzer and you can get a glass of wine and enjoy the property! There is a bar separate from the restaurant, a fire pit, some lawn games, and a gazebo which usually features musicians. They do not make and serve their own wine. There are a few local wines on the list but mostly you'll find decent standards like La Crema, Clos du Bois -which I appreciate because I don't like Midwest wine. The food is a little hit or miss. The couple we were with ordered pasta and really liked it. I had a Mediterranean pizza and it surprisingly lacked flavor! The warm bread, olive oil and parmesan cheese they bring out ahead was a big hit though! It's worth the trip! read more

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I have been here many times and it has always been great. This trip was such a disappointment . I had the spicy shrimp and sausage. there were three shrimp and five thinly cut pieces of sausage. Plenty of pasta with a sauce that tasted like ketchup mixed with Tabasco. It was inedible. I will not be going back. read more

I had the shrimp and andouille pasta with the roasted red pepper, which was delicious! I also had the strawberry salad and the best vanilla cheesecake of my life. The moonlight wine was also lovely. This is a vineyard and they have tractor rides to the rush river that are short and sweet. Our waitress was also wonderful. All around, I would highly recommend. read more

We come here twice a year, always on a Saturday. It's always crowded but we order a pizza & enjoy our sipping our wine while listening to good music. This time we came on a Sunday & was told we can only do buffet. Buffets should not be just 4 options of pasta. Really $21 for JUST pasta. No meat selections but there was potato's and veg's. Each dish was cheese and noodles or cheese pizza. The salad was just greens, topped with croutons & French dressing. I asked if I could have bread & was told they were out (It was only 1:30). We watched a couple get seated, check out the buffet, then walked out to their car. As we were paying, another couple thru their card holder at the host & stomped off. Our waitress, Trinity was excellent and the music by D & D was good. We enjoy the ambiance here so I am sure we will be back but not on a Sunday. read more

Great night at Vino's celebrating my wife's birthday! Food was great, Harrison, our server, was wonderful, and to top it off, a hot air balloon took off. Ever aspect of our evening was top notch. read more

Vino In the Valley - American Near Me - Maiden Rock, Wisconsin

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I took my parents and my niece here for one if the last weekend's they were open using my gift certificate I purchased last Christmas. It's a great deal, each black Friday they let you purchase up to 2 $60 gift cards for $35 each. It was Sunday, so we tried the brunch buffet. It was very good. My dad didbt want buffet so he ordered a flatbread pizza and it was great. They have a good selection of beer and wine and I believe a full bar. It happened to be very nice and sunny for the end of October so it was refreshing to sit in the open air. The servers are very nice and attentive. I purchased 2 gift cards this past black Friday for Christmas gifts. It's a nice scenic drive. read more

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Beautiful area to slip away I to for a glass of wine or two. Though wish there were one or two signs to help to know where to turn since satellite coverage for the phone doesn't work well to map it. Expect a 1.5 to 2.5 hr wait to be seated for dinner or you can just sit at the bar and order a cheese plate or pizza to go with your wine. We were seated after 1.5 hr wait. The phone was great!! Had the Bacon, almond and blue cheese salad (which is huge). Though per waitress the person who brought it out to me brought it way before the pizza was done and didn't know he needed to wait to bring all food out together so everybody was eating at the same time. Pizza was delish!! The only thing I would rate low on was the female vocalist singing. The speakers were too loud for the eating atmosphere. Had a hard time hearing ourselves talk while eating. Actually looked forward to the vocalist break to hear the actual low dinner music. I think the vocalist stage should be place in the outdoor bar and table setting area instead of facing towards the dinning area. Sounded like karaoke music Just not music for such a fine dining atmosphere. read more

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Food is pretty good and the ambiance and scenery is amazing. The wine list is not. For being a vino spot their wine list is a list of grocery store wine and unimpressive. This place is run by people that need to be hit with a business paddle and knock some sense into them. Hence the poor reviews. You arrive and wait in line like cattle. For some reason they can't take your name down ahead of opening and call your name for a table. This is so idiotic. If they had 2 brain cells to rub, they would take names and send you to the adorable wine gazebo for a drink to make some extra cash. (Hello, the best margins are on the booze sales.) We have been here twice and love it for the experience. We also get there before it opens and stand in line like a moo cow to get a table without a 3 hour wait. Again, I would rather put my name down and go buy a bottle of wine and spend a few hours playing corn hole and enjoying the grassy areas. Or you know, take reservations. But what the hell do I know... read more

Vino In the Valley - Tortellini - American Near Me - Maiden Rock, Wisconsin

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Sorry to see this once destination experience has lost most of it's luster. My wife and I drove some distance from the Minneapolis metro this past Sunday and were quite disappointed. Big sign on the entry disclaimer due to shortages, no pizza, no nothing but the Sunday buffet. Ok, fair enough, we were there so lets do the buffet and to be honest, not seeing a tour bus or two in the lot and being able to walk in and get a table was a bit odd when usually there would be a wait. On checking, the buffet is nothing at all special, run of the mill pasta, simple pizza, apple crisp, romaine salad etc.. Ok, i get it, staff shortage, etc. Then after we get the buffet, we see custom pizzas coming out of the back for a large table. What? We would have loved to have a pizza, but the sign? Ok, again, there were many open tables and the lot was really empty for 2PM on a Sunday. OK, so all of that and then we got the bill.... $21 each for buffet???? $10 for a Bloody Mary that was very elementary?? C'mon... That's double what it should have been for what was on the buffet. The buffet they serve is a $12 dollar buffet, and honestly it impressed me the same as the noon buffet at Colonel Sanders, only without the chicken. Maybe on par with Pizza Hut noon buffet, only without the pizza variety... I don't know what happened here, although I have my ideas.. For a WELL off the beaten path, destination experience, you folks need to be doing it better than this. It used to be so much better. Reasonably priced menu, beautiful setting, attentive service. All but the view was missing this time. We've walked away in the past because of the 3 hour wait, but dealt with having to get there at open to avoid the crowd in the past. But now, I don't think we'll be back, or recommend to others. Too far for too little. So sad to see them sinking. read more

I've been to Vino in the Valley several times over the years, but this recent visit was SO disappointing. If it had been my first visit, I'd never go back. Sundays have become "buffet day". You have the option of getting a $19 buffet with salads, pizzas and pastas or ordering pizzas only. I don't really understand this AT ALL. I didn't want either of those things. I wanted a salad and the nachos. The nachos are KILLER and freaking huge. We brought my in-laws to celebrate a birthday. Had it been just us, we wouldn't have stayed. They each ordered a pizza and we ordered nothing. It took SO FREAKING LONG for two 10" pizzas. Honestly, our server felt bad, told us to go get slices of pizza and/or salads from the buffet so we could actually eat. We didn't take her up on that and about 20 minutes later, she brought slices to our table. I get that the wood fire stove isn't staffed the same on Sundays, but when the SEVER IS BRINGING FOOD FROM THE BUFFET to the TABLE... well. Something isn't working. The server was totally nice and attentive. Two of us did take her up on getting salads from the buffet, because, let's be real. We didn't think we'd be spending 3 hours there. I'd really recommend you try the nachos at some point. However, I'm not sure when you'll ever get a chance to do that. They tend to get super busy on Saturdays and now Sundays are a total wash. PS. Yes, this place is lovely. Yes, it's gorgeous. However, it's totally changed in recent years. read more

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Great for anything but the Sunday buffet. Avoid it all costs. $21 and it is always empty. Unless you want to sprint to the buffet every time they decide to bring one item out, just avoid the Sunday buffet. read more

Arrived at 1:30 pm on Sunday Oct 11, 2020. Told it would be a 2 hour wait for a table but could order take out and eat outside. Ok. No problem. Went to order take out and was told it would be 1 1/2 hour wait to get a pizza. Ok. No problem. Ordered 2 pasta dishes. Asked how long that might be. "This will be much quicker". 2 hours later, the food finally arrive and IT WAS COLD. $44 for a two hour wait to get cold pasta???? First and only time we will go there. Piss poor planning produces poor production. Y'all need some work on how to deliver a decent meal. read more

Spent a lovely afternoon with my best friend here... enjoyed lunch (meat and cheese platter and a pizza) and a bottle of wine (Rush River Red)... enjoying the view of the valley. The meet & cheese platter and wine were both very good... the pizza was just ok (seemed like a pizza I could buy at the grocery store). Would have loved to be able to enjoy our lunch and wine out at one of the tables in the valley or at the bar located not far from the restaurant, but apparently that isn't allowed because there is no running water (not sure I understand the connection). All in all... really enjoyed this place and its lovely setting... looking to return with some friends in a few months. read more

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Great summer spot. Delicious food and refreshing drinks. Our family dines at Vino in the Valley 5-6 times per year. Million dollar views!!!

I just LOVE this atmosphere!! So beautiful (even tho it was very warm out). The staff are excellent and I give them so much credit working with the masks on, sweating, but still so very pleasant! Would have liked to had a bit more asparagus on my dish with fettuccine (were just wisps of asparagus), but the taste of the dish was very good. Hope to be back soon. read more

Good service. Wonderful location. Large portions. Food is a bit pricey but they can get away with it. On par with Olive Garden "Italian." Not the real deal but tasty. Always have fun here. Consistant. read more

Vino In the Valley - The view from our tractor ride. - American Near Me - Maiden Rock, Wisconsin

One of a kind atmosphere! All outdoors, only covered by a roof. We took a walk to the river with our wine in hand and that made for perfect way to wait for our table...had a buzzer that lit up when our table was ready. A great way to spend a summer evening. The staff is great and the owner Larry Brenner is always ready to please. The pasta is out of this world and the pizza has the perfect crust. You can also finish up the evening by sitting at the bonfire if its a chilly evening...and finish up that last drop of wine. read more

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Meh--It is okay I guess but seriously it is just a place to eat and drink out in the field in the middle of nowhere. We did go on a rainy grey day and enjoyed sitting at the bar and getting two bottles of wine. Thank goodness the cheese guy was there because we had absolutely delicious aged cheddar to indulge in. It was awesome. The live music would not play under the gazebo because of the rain. Even if it was sunny and the music was playing I still feel this is just three stars. I won't recommend meeting my friends here on my own but if they insist I may have to go back. read more

Another great visit to Vino In The Valley! We went on a Friday night (Aug 16) with another couple from the Twin Cities. The weather was outstanding, which made everything else all the better. Nice drive down - about 1.5 hours during rush - not bad. We arrived at 5:30pm and were seated immediately. Service was prompt and cordial all evening. We enjoyed a bottle of Chianti and four different pasta dishes. All were well-prepared and served hot. After dinner we availed ourselves of a quick cart ride around the property and then settled at a table near the former Tiki Bar (now, well-appointed satellite bar with seating for 20+). The musical entertainment for the evening played eclectic covers with talent and verve - and not too much volume. Much appreciated! Vino In The Valley is a gem of a venue. Tremendous sunsets on the surrounding hills, a babbling brook, and a vineyard. What else could you ask for on a beautiful summer evening? The food is not "launch the fireworks" fabulous, but it is very good Italian-American fare. The wine list, while short on high-end offerings, is affordable by restaurant standards and covers all of the entrees with acceptable pairings. We thoroughly enjoyed our night with the great hosts at Vino In The Valley. We will be back soon! read more

My wife and I ventured here at the suggestion of the owner of the B&B we were staying at. The other restaurant he suggested was a 5 star restaurant, and we were in t-shirts, shorts and flip flops, so that was a no go. The drive to Vino in the Valley was very scenic. It's located in the valley of the bluffs that populate this area, so it's a beautiful area. When we arrived at 5:30 pm, it was starting to get busy, and we missed the dinner rush by about a half an hour. We heard people wait for up to two hours when it gets busy. Why anyone would wait that long for food that isn't served by Jessica Biel, Elizabeth Shue and Alyssa Milano in bikini's is beyond me. The restaurant was located outside on a boardwalk and was surrounded by mosquito nets (I think). Even with the nets up, you could still see the bluffs and surrounding vineyard. This was the best part of the experience. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful. The food was overpriced in my opinion. Spaghetti and meatballs was $19, granted it did come with a lot of meatballs, and I had leftovers. It also came with a sliver of Tiramisu which left a lot to be desired. My wife ordered the Chicken Marsala which tasted kind of bland, but also came with a sliver of chocolate tart which was better than the Tiramisu. The wine was good not great according to my wife, as I don't drink and couldn't comment on that. All in all, it was worth visiting for the scenery and ambience. Oh, and once the dinner rush starts going, they do have an emcee who entertains intermittently, and the whole place will bust out singing "That's A'more" (they have the lyrics on the tables). read more

What a find. My husband and I were taking a "stay-cation", how much fun can you have staying at home. We decided to tour the crystal cave in Spring Valley, Wi, and searched for a restaurant near by. Near by was about a half hour but am I ever glad we went. Vino in the Valley is an all outdoor restaurant worth the drive. The drive is beautiful but once you pull in you realize others have already found this gem in the Valley. Sunday they have a pasta buffet and it was definitely a four star, service was five star all the way, and you cannot get the ambiance from Mother Nature all around you anywhere else I have been. A must go. They also have a brick oven and the pizzas looked great, maybe next time, because there will deinitely be a next time. read more

Kelly and Mary at the bar were fantastic. The bruschetta was nicely done with an excellent balsamic. The house wine exceeded all my expectations. I was a bit leery about a Wisconsin winery, but i am very glad we made the drive! It was a perfect evening. read more

Had a wonderful dining experience at Vino in the Valley. Hubs had the Thursday night pork chop special; that was very flavorful and moist. I had the portabella mushroom ravioli that was out of this world! The setting was very relaxing and beautiful - the back drop for a perfect evening! Had a great time with the restaurant singing That's Amore! Can't wait to go back! read more

The location and atmosphere are most beautiful!! The food is sub par and over priced . If you want to have a glass of wine and enjoy the outdoors this is the place . Eat before you come or after you leave !! read more

Meh My wife was pumped to take me here but really, it's nothing special. Kind of nice, yeah but it's in the middle of nowhere, the wait for a table was an hour and a half on a Saturday at noon and the food was bland at best. The music was...bad. The guy singing sounded like a cat mating with a moose. It as fun to sit outside with friends but really, I doubt I'll go back. read more

What a great venue. Beautiful view, scenic and inviting. We went to have dinner 8-28-15 and had a very good meal. Nice wine selection. The pizza was outstanding, shrimp appetizer was perfectly cooked. Service was on time and friendly. Live outdoor music gave a nice ambiance to the evening. Definitely going back! It's outdoor, be prepared for weather changes read more

Wow! What a wonderful place!! We arrived about 5:30 PM on a Thursday and received a seat immediately. I was expecting to have to wait for a table based on everything I had read prior to visiting. We did have to wait awhile to get a server to take our order but the runners were great about bringing bread and olive oil with cheese and keeping our water glasses full. We ordered the stuffed mushrooms and a sausage onion and green pepper pizza. The food is very good! Table next to us ordered the nachos and we will be trying that next time we visit. Looks SO good! View is wonderful, staff was friendly if a little slow, wine list was fairly deep but not outstanding...BUT this is a family run restaurant. Not a hoity toity place. I've read a lot of complaints on here about the sun being in peoples eyes, or no air conditioning or too cold. You do know this is an OUTDOOR restaurant??? Right? That's what it's all about! Bathrooms were clean and just down a short path from the restaurant. read more

Went on a cooler Friday night! No wait got right in! Service was good, food was good but took a bit and Was not a full restaurant. Not our first visit but we seem to usually have good luck and only wait about 45 mins at most! It's worth the wait the scenery is beautiful and it's nice to get away and just enjoy a glass of wine next to the vineyard! Not a wine connoisseur so wine is good to me!! read more

Picture perfect setting to share a romantic day, girlfriend time or make this your cycle gang stop! Food was great, commaradarie was perfect...no cell service in this valley! Awesome grounds to stroll, grab a bottle of wine & head to the river and/or snuggle in one of the romantic hideout spots they've created along the river & watch the kayakers go by. read more

Vino In the Valley - We made a girls trip here to say goodbye to our girlfriend who is moving cross country....I love this unstaged photo. - American Near Me - Maiden Rock, Wisconsin

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I ordered the Chicken Fettuccini the chicken was dry and it has only three very skinny pieces of asparagus. My wife ordered Garlic Shrimp Linguini that had only two pieces of mushrooms. There were four of use dining together and the person that brought the food to the table served an order that we did not order, overall the service was just average. We will not be returning to this restaurant. read more