Absolve Wine Lounge

Cute little wine lounge in the middle of a shopping center. The place is dark, with a warm ambiance, and the seating is cozy. I expected it to be a bit larger. I went with 4 other people, and we were definitely sitting knee to knee. The kind waitress later moved us to the only large group table in the lounge after it was vacated. There was a nice band playing when we went. They’ve got many options for vino. And for those that prefer beer, no fear. They’ve got some craft beers for those that aren’t so fond of wine. I got the But I’m A Fungi pizza and the Two Timer a la Mode, both which I liked. I loved that the Two Timer had the hint of orange– it’s rare that you find that anywhere. Overall, I’m a fan. I’ll be coming back here with my friends.

Love the service here and the selection. We always seem to come when it’s not too crowded so even though it’s a small place you can usually find a spot. It’s very loungey with a great atmosphere. Makes for an amazing date spot. And the edible hibiscus flowers are incredible they taste like candy!

Several friends have mentioned this place off of Washington and Montrose several times, so we decided to give it a chance tonight. The ambiance is warm (almost old European lounge-​esqe). The wine list is obviously extensive and there are plenty of selections to have by the glass. The crowd is laid-​back and comes from all walks of life. The had a band setting up, but we were only there for a glass — not for the night. This is a great break from the other bars in the Washington area — very different crowd.

This place has great wine but the atmosphere needs a little work. After you overcome the fact that it’s in strip mall, you have to get over the music choice. Hopefully tonight was just an off night, but I definitely left feeling depressed. The waiter was very nice but again the atmosphere needs some work.

I came here for the first time on a Friday evening. The place was pretty hopping and they had great live music playing! The artist was Mark Durham, he was wonderful entertainment. It was a really nice vibe. My girlfriend and I had a great time. The staff was very knowledgable and suggested some great wines. We also has the baked Brie with smoked duck and truffles. To. Die. For. We will definitely be back, and if Mark is playing again it will be all the better!

Great place in the Heights district. If you want some good drinks, great music and a nice ambiance, then Absolve is the spot.

Looooooove this place! All of the employees are so ridiculously nice. They really know their stuff! The way they describe the wines and bubbles just makes everything sound so luxurious and wonderful. Such a chill environment with great bands on the weekends. The popcorn… uhhhh…to die for.

I have gone to Absolve twice. The first time I left after not finding too much healthy food and was quite hungry. The second trip I went by myself and had a wonderful experience.
The waitress/​bar tender was amazing! She helped me choose a delicious red wine and provided sampling a of others with no cost. She also paired my cabranet with a delightful cheese plate. The cheese was infused with lavender and melt in my mouth with its creaminess. They also serve it with glazed pecans which were a lovely unexpected treat. I would go there again but be warned it is relatively dark and you may lose track of drinking and time with the calm and relaxing environment.

Service and drinks were great. Food was pretty tasty too. Great place to go to catch up with friends over a drink and actually be able to hear. Oh and there’s live music.

We LOVE absolve, who would have ever known this little gem would be tucked away in a shopping center. Delicious food, *i love the dessert* the bad ass pizza is my favorite, and of course… The vino. if you’re looking for a romantic place to hang out with your S/​O, or just «chill» with your friends, this is the place to go!
Update:
They’ve added signature cocktails!
We’ve tried 3 so far, the green eyed monster, the Malbec julep, and the in bloom.
All of which were DELISH!

I am so impressed with Absolve Wine Lounge.
My sister lives nearby and took our mom and me there on a Friday evening. It didn’t look like much from the outside since it’s located in a strip center, and there were a few little patio tables outside. After a bit, the weather drove us inside, and we were transported to a magical world. The interior of this joint is beautiful! It’s decorated to feel like a cozy little home… but only trendier and more intimate than any home I’ve ever been in, complete with comfy chairs, couches, and little tables with cool/​old books on them. The artwork on the walls adds a nice touch. A live jazz band was playing, and I sort of wished I was there on a date and not with my mom.
Our service was excellent. Everyone who helped us was attentive, friendly, and seemed to actually enjoy helping us select wine that they thought we might like. If you can put up with the women in our family with a smile on your face, you must be good at your job! JK to my sister if she ever reads this. My mom doesn’t know what Unilocal is, so I think I’m clear there.
There are some reviews that complain about the length of the wine list. I thought there were plenty of options, but I’m not really a wine snob. I think there’s probably something for everyone on the menu, as there were reds, whites, roses, bubbly ones, expensive ones, cheaper ones, French wines, Californian wines, Chilean wines, Spanish wines, wines from other places, etc. And craft beer. And cocktails. I can’t remember what I had a glass of, but it was great.
We ordered a pizza and it was pretty good.
There was plenty of parking in the shopping center, but I think it was pretty crowded as we left.
All in all, we had a fun time. Wine + great lounge atmosphere + friendly staff + live jazz = me coming back again very soon.

Absolve was larger than I expected, although the seating is within cozy proximity. The wall art was enchanting, especially the painting of the young lady with the evil eye. It is a great environment to chat or chill or listen to live music. I tried two wines and neither struck me as excellent. Then I had the «Bite Me» cocktail which I found wonderfully tasty. The blend of apple, lavender and sparking wine was a perfect combination of flavor — one for which I would definitely return. The servers were attentive and knowledgeable, but I did not find them particularly pleasant. Parking was a little tricky late on a Saturday night, but we eventually found a spot at the other end of the parking lot. This is a cute place that would be fun to just sit back and relax, either with a friend or solo.

This place is a great find. Great nice ambiance and the staff are very friendly. The POPCORN is a must have!

I continue to like this place. The atmosphere is great and the wine selection is superb. Parking is easy and finding a table isn’t a problem if you get there early. My neighborhood gem.

Very cool place. Intimate. I visited with two girls for happy hour on a Tuesday. We sat in the corner booth. I LOVED the ambiance, it was like a dark, cozy living room. Lots of glasses by the glass, lots of bottles. We tried a few different happy hour food specials and loved all of them, especially the cheese & tomato pizza and popcorn.
The waitress was very attentive and polite. I will come back with my girlfriends for some more after work relaxation and a glass of wine.

Fantastic place to unwind and relax — a TOTAL escape from Houston and all its problems!
This place reminds me of a speakeasy from the 1920’s — a place you could hang out and just enjoy some wine or cocktails and relax. This place does the trick :)
My advice: go during Happy Hour and enjoy the very inexpensive wines and don’t forget the food. Whipped Feta with Veggies!!! who thought of this was a genius! Punjabi popcorn? wow! Seriously. I’d eat this all day if my cardiologist would let me. (shhh — he doesn’t have to know)
Parking is awesome as well, as this is in a strip center right off Washington and Studemont — lots of awesome parking (hey, parking ITL? that’s a miracle right there!)
Lots of great wines, lots of places to chill, from romantic to even a first date, or even just to take a friend to go get a drink, this is your place!
Thank you Absolve :) you have a friend for life!

I walked into Absolve and immediately I was enchanted. The place is dark and the walls are adorned with different forms of art. I was there for happy hour during a UYE with Renia L. I was a bit shocked with the wine selection list that this place has. I expected the list to be a bit longer especially with it being a wine lounge. If you get there around 4pm you might be the only person in there outside of the workers. If I am looking for a place to just sit, unwind, chill, and marvel at beautiful artistic pieces this is definitely the place I will come too. The sitting is small tables alongside the wall and a few tables scattered in the back.
Absolve is nestled in a shopping center so parking can be a bit of a problem depending on what time of day you are over there. Parking was no problem during 4pm. I wasn’t really impressed with the Happy bites menu and that’s also because there wasn’t anything on there I had before. So I decided to take the safe route and just nibble on whatever Renia ordered. Lucky for me she ordered the Punjabi popcorn which was a little salty with the bacon and Gharam Masala spice BUT I love salty so I was in a very happy place with this popcorn.

What a neat little spot. Visited for a UYE this past Friday and fell in love with the décor and the colors of the walls and selected artwork. The food me was a little weak and with it being a wine lounge I would have assumed that we’d be presented with a laundry list of wines to try but I think there were a total 12 – 16 to choose from.
We arrived a little after 4pm and it was bone dry with the exception of our UYE group. The waiter was cool, a little «rushy» but in that same breathe my friend (@Free L.) and I were just at a lost for words due to some other things. so every time he came to our table I think we just stared at him or uncomfortably down at our menus.
The Punjabi popcorn was a little salty with the bacon and Gharam Masala spice, but wasn’t something a little Vino couldn’t fix.

Having lived a stone’s throw (or stumbling distance away) from Absolve, I must have passed by this place hundreds of times. I visit this strip center frequently, the nail shop, the Subway, Happy Belly every now and then, and the old Mexican place on the end. I always walked right past it because the tint on the windows was so dark, and it looked like it was a dump. Boy was I wrong.
Thanks to Miss Olivia’s Friday night UYE I decided to finally stop in for a quick look. The place is super cool, has a nice vibe, nothing that I would have thought would be in a strip center. It has a speak easy feel to it, but not cheesy and over the top like some places have done in the past. The service was super fast, and they have a fairly extensive wine selection for even the pickiest of wine drinkers. They also have a good variety of craft beers, and some tasty light bites on the HH menu. Wines by the glass were $ 5-​$ 6 and bites were around the same. I stole some of Chris’s smoked pecans which were good, and I had the whipped feta with veggies which was super delish. They also have Château St. Michelle pino which was nice on the HH menu and a really good Malbec.
The crowd was strange I believe because of a meet up. There were 75% men, which I thought was very different, and they were much older than your typical Washington Ave crowd. Easily 40+/. Maybe it was a 40+ meet up group or 50+, who knows. Either way, they said hello, and off they went.
Without a doubt I will be back to this place, it’s casual but upscale, the service was fast, and the wine was reasonable.

SPUMANTE!
haha! We had loads of fun here last weekend for a reception party for our good friends who got married earlier that night.
The staff is very patient, on point and just nice :)
We shared one of their specialty pizzas; it was pretty yummy. The edemame hummus seemed to be a hit with others in the party (i’m not a fan of hummus).
It is a bit pricey but the place is really cool. Josh calle dit «gothic»…i’m not so sure what to call it. .. dark, weird art on the wall. .. kinda hipster goth.
Beer and wine only, no liquor. .. but ladies, try the Spumante! it was sweet, crisp and 2 bottles was not enough :)
We really enjoyed our time there and would come back!