Bin Wine Bar

With all of the latest back and fourth about the night in question that Holly G is reviewing. I figured I needed to throw in my two cents. I was also there that evening. This was my first and last visit to Bin. Holly and the rest of our party were in no way «disruptive,» at least while I was there. We socialized and laughed and didn’t make the scene that was described by the owner. I had one glass of wine and carnitas tacos (both were very good and our server was very nice), so I remember the evening well. After we got our tab I told our server what I had ordered and asked him to remove those items from our tab and he ran my card. Soon after I left, but at no point in the evening did anyone in our party leave and stick the rest of us with their portion of the bill. They either left cash or paid for their portion like I did. I understand that it costs the bar each time a card is ran and this way you can add gratuity to the tab, so that is why you have this policy, but for the sake of earning repeat business I would think they would consider throwing this rule out. As far as the owner is concerned after we questioned her policies she became very rude and short with us.

This is written in response to the comments from Rebecca at the end of my previous post dated 4÷6÷2014…
Rebecca, a few things you’re right about… 1) We did have a lot of praise for Bin Wine Bar. Up until Saturday night it was one of my favorite places to go because Todd, Jacob and the rest of your team are so great to work with. 2) We did encourage you to enter the upcoming Burger Battle in Mears Park because Bin does have a great burger.
Now here’s where our versions of the evening differ. A few girls from our group did leave early, but they didn’t «leave us with the bill». Between the three of them they had had two or three glasses of wine and two of them had ordered tacos. Two of them left cash and one paid with a credit card before she left. This was factored in by the girl (who, by the way, is an accountant) who was figuring out the bill. She wrote on the back of the bill how much each of us was to be charged on our cards and told Jacob this. Which means no, we did not have to rely on his memory to separate the checks.
As for the «disturbance» you claim we were causing, last I checked you are a bar, not a library. So if a group of girls laughing and having a good time is disturbing then I guess we’re guilty. You also state in your post that we were cut off (a decision was made to stop serving you), which is not true. There was never a point at which we were denied service. Up until we asked for the bill (on our own) you seemed to be having a great time chatting with us and lavishing in our praise of your restaurant. How quickly things change, because as soon as we pointed out the extra glasses of wine on our bill we suddenly became a problem in your eyes.
Now on to your claim that not splitting checks for larger groups is industry standard. No it isn’t. It might be allowed, but it’s almost never exercised. I spent many years as a server in a number of restaurants and not one of them had a problem splitting checks. I also go out to eat in groups all the time. Never been a problem there either. I have many, many friends who work at, used to work at, or own restaurants around the metro area and not one of them has an issue with check splitting. Why? Because it’s simply good customer service. So if you want to stand by your ridiculous policy and defend it by saying its industry standard then I guess that’s your right. But as a customer I’d like to know why you’d go out of your way to make things more difficult for your customers. Splitting up checks takes literally seconds for an experienced server, which yours seem to be. Handing a tab to a group of eight or more and asking them to do the math on their own takes far longer, is frustrating for everyone involved, and really can spoil the evening right at the point where, as a business owner, I’d think you would want them to walk away happy.
Clearly we’re going to have to agree to disagree on how the night went. I don’t expect you to admit you were out of line and I know it’s far easier for you to defend yourself by implying that we were drunk and disorderly. And for the record, it’s not Bin or your team I have an issue with, it’s the treatment our group received from you, the owner.
Oh, and nice try with the fake «Cassandra» account. :)

Best restaurant in Lowertown by far. Everything I have ordered has been delicious and the staff is extremely friendly and attentive. They will do «take out» orders, not sure why Unilocal says the do not.

I would no go back, here is why.
Cozy place and okay selection great location… But this is supposed to be a wine bar and trying to be high end but they don’t have their act together.
Service is slow, wine flights took ages — we were warned they took extra time… But your a wine bar serving wine it should not be that slow and once served have multiple mistakes for our table.
Not again thanks.

Such a great find!
I was in town for one night for work and pulled up Unilocal to look for options near my hotel. I stumbled upon Bin Wine Bar, and after checking out the menu my interest was piqued. I’m not sure why there are only 3 ½ stars as my experience was perfect start to finish. The bartender, Todd, was really knowledgeable and friendly. A great glass of wine for a decent price, lovely charcuterie plate and a then an even better Old Fashioned for dessert. I was solo but couldn’t help but feel like a part of the action as the bar is filled with regulars that seemed happy to chat with a newcomer. All and all, it’s a great spot that I’d definitely be a regular at if I lived in St. Paul.

A new neighborhood denizen direct from a more expensive city’s urban neighborhood I can offer the following experience.
Pros: great staff, nice little touches to our service, good wine, nicely priced cheese and meat selections.
Cons: the ambiance fell flat and the other menu dishes were overpriced, enough so to draw our attention even after moving here from a more expensive city.

I posted this on Unilocal a while back and it seems to have disappeared. Here it is again…
We found this spot while staying in downtown St Paul and wanted to find a place within walking distance of our hotel. What a find! The wines were great and the options were extensive, the food was awesome (try the street tacos, they are wonderful), and the service was outstanding. We were closely attended to, and were provided with expert advice on both food and wine. These guys know what they are doing. Thank you Bin, for providing an enjoyable evening!

First time experience. Bartender was great! Nice wine selection. Small town feel. definitely going back!

A small, quaint wine bar, full of regulars and character.
Slipping in here right after work, I felt completely welcome around the frequent crowd: the bartender, gave me the lowdown on good apartments to rent, where to eat, etc.; an older patron showed me how to get to the wine bar without ever setting foot outside – through the skyways; and a very nice gal, dressed awesome-​ly for a 1920’s swing party, hooked her arm in mine and tried to convince me she was the Mayor of St. Paul, and that her friends were her advisers-​a Wikipedia search later, begrudgingly revealed to me that she was not.
For nomination in the a good little regular-​dominated wine bar, Bin.
Oh, and my Malbec and assorted soft-​shell tacos were damn good.

There seems to be a trend at Bin where you’re greeted when you walk in, given a glass of whatever your drink of choice is, and then left to yourself until you’re dying of thirst while the bartenders are chatting it up with a select group of regular patrons. If you’re lucky enough to be part of the cool-​people-​club getting chatted up and getting your drinks refilled, you’ll love Bin. Otherwise, tough shit.
Also, the deep fryer stench is ridiculous.

Cozy little place with nice background music, not too loud, not too obnoxious! A varied wine list and something a little different on the starter menu. Great service too.

Great wine bar for St. Paul. Interesting, unusual wines on the wine list and a great atmosphere. The food is great as well and the service was good.
Only things that could be improved: make the black bean soup with veggie stock rather than chicken stock, more prompt water refills, and take Amex!

This place just keeps getting better. About a year ago they got a new chef that specializes in Mexican fair. They still have the cheese plates and burgers they were known for but now they also feature great street tacos, an exquisite chicken mole posole, and daily Mexican specials that taste like you are sitting in a restaurant in Mexico City. I maxed out the stars for this place because the combination of excellent food, abidance and great service set this place apart from anything downtown St. Paul has to offer.

We have good to bin many many times. i cant believe i have have not rated it yet. i am starting to wonder if i have 2 Unilocal profiles. Well the food is great i am still disappointed that they do not have the bacon onion rings. OMG they are divine …, they were large onion rings with bacon wrapped around them. then dipped in the batter and fried. i still dream about them.
the staff is very friendly and service has always been great.
This place has come a long way and the selection of drinks are very large.

When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I’m feeling sad
I head to Bin Wine Bar and drink Manhattans
And then I don’t feel soooo baaad!
Bin is located on the corner of 6^th and Sibley in Lowertown Saint Paul. The owner, Rebecca Illingworth, opened up for business in February of 2010, and my wife and I became regulars shortly after that.
Bin has a nice, affordable wine list that fits most of us, and more expensive bottles if you rollin’ with fat pockets. Wine flights, bottled beers, booze and martinis are also available. They have a full menu — personal highlights include a solid cheese list and four great tacos.
Now let’s focus on what I think makes this place great: the staff, and the atmosphere.
Since our first time at Bin, the staff has been extremely welcoming across the board. The manager, Brian, in his signature plaid-​hipster shirt, is always around to make sure your experience at Bin is great. With the staff he has around him, his job seems pretty easy. Jacob (aka Kenny Loggins) and Marcus are two good guys that know how to serve a table; and the bartender, Todd, is my favorite in Lowertown. If you like cups of booze, have Todd make you a Downtown Dan Manhattan. Just a little delicious something we came up with one night.
Side note: Todd is responsible for the name of my blog. Most Ridiculous Man In Lowertown is a nickname he came up with.
All around the staff is great. I enjoy the people so much that I would probably go to Bin even if the food was awful.
I also really enjoy the atmosphere at Bin. Bin is the kind of place you go to enjoy a cocktail and some conversation. Even when the place is packed, it never gets too loud (not sure how they do that). Its design is very warm and comforting and the vibe is very laid-​back. Neighborhood locals, other than myself, can always be found at the bar chatting with each other and the staff. It is my first recomendation to people new to the neighborhood.
If you are looking for a place to unwind with a good drink and better conversation, then let me suggest Bin.
When I have had a long week, there are few things I enjoy more than taking my wife over to Bin, saddling up at the bar, and losing the next few hours in a haze of drinks, laughs and good people.
Hint: Try Bin out for Happy Hour. Drink specials and all cheeses and tacos are buy 2 get the third free.

I really want to like this place. I really, really want to like this place — I don’t like this place.
Service is slow to say the least. I advise against sitting in the big, comfy chairs around the corner from the bar, you may never see the server. If you sit at the bar, the owner and the bartenders will talk to you, remember you, and give you the attention you need. Move out of site and you may as well vanish.
The ambiance is modern, the food is modern, the wine is excellent, the music is… mossy. Love soft-​rock from the late 60s and 70s? You will love the only music you will ever hear here.
I want desperately to support local St. Paul businesses and I know I’ll be there again. Many times, probably. I’ll be at the bar, getting good service. Sit next to me and expect the same.

Nice décor and ambiance. Dark and intimate.
Great music selection playing late on a Friday night.
Friendly service.
Noticed that a bartender was hand-​toweling the wine glasses before putting them in their storage place. That would mean that customers are likely to never find someone else’s lip prints in their wine glass. Hooray for sparkling clean wine glasses!
Asked waiter for a Heineken. Friend ordered wine and an appetizer.
Waiter brought Heineken.
Asked waiter for a glass.
Waiter returned with a glass and poured beer into it.
Later on, the check. Ouch! $ 5 for that Heineken! A bit steep, I must say.
Friend was happy with the Don Miguel Gascon Malbec and the onion rings with bacon and spicy dipping sauce.
A man stopped by our table to ask how everything was. He appeared to be, maybe, the bar manager. He was pleasant and appeared sincere yet laid back. A nice touch.
I’ll come back again.

As a disclaimer I’ll state that I am by no means a sommelier, but I do like wine; though I seldom find a correlation between the price of a bottle of wine and how much I enjoy it. Oh, and I also shamelessly plug most places in Lowertown too…
With that said, Bin is a very approachable, comfortable and friendly wine bar overlooking the north end of Mears Park. The ambiance is trendy, yet somewhat relaxed and casual, while the architecture is similar to that of most buildings in Lowertown — high wooden ceilings, exposed brick and duct work, etc.
Bin offers a fairly sizable list of whites, reds, bubbles and port — many as reasonably priced tastings or by the glass. The list of affordable bottle options also keeps things approachable for most customers. They also have a decent scotch and bottled beer list to appeal to those preferring a different sort of pour.
Finally, Bin serves up some decent light fare, including; flatbreads, various cheeses, salads, a seasonal charcuterie and sandwiches. The clam and tuna flatbreads I have tried have been pretty good and the pot brownie dessert is worth ordering based on kitsch alone.
Coupled with consistently friendly service and a happy hour from 4 — 7 PM offering buy-​one-​get-​one cheeses and deals on lighter fare I certainly don’t have any reservations recommending Bin.

I had a private party event at Bin for my 30^th birthday a few nights ago, and the excellent service warrants an update!
Bin is a GREAT place to host a small private party for several reasons: 1) they did not require a deposit to reserve space, nor did they set a bar tab minimum
2) Brian was really helpful and nice to work with
3) They prepared the downstairs space before our arrival to stock tons of menus, water, glasses, etc.
4) We had 2 servers working for us most of the night, which was really helpful. Jacob and Kieran were awesome!
5) The downstairs room was perfect for about 30 — 35 people, and at least 5 friends commented that it feels «like a cozy living room!»
6) The wine is great, and reasonably priced. There are $ 200 bottles available and $ 25 bottles available. There’s something for every wine drinker.

Eh, ok.
Went to Bin on a recent Tuesday night with some friends. Apparently we are the only ones who go there during the week.
We had a rickety table in the back near the HOT kitchen. There were plenty of other tables, um all of them, available, but we were seated here.
2 of us had wine flights and shared the sweet potato flat-​bread. Other friend had a glass of white and the bean and artichoke sandwich.
The wine was fine, albeit available at my local stores. The flat-​bread was good, although I did not taste sweet potatoes. I liked it and it had a nice kick to it, but it will not make me go back to Bin.
Another thing that will not make me go back is the service. The server had zero personality and was not at all helpful with food or wine selections. Seemed like an order taker who also had to open and pour the wine for us.
So, in a nut shell, no one else was in the place that I could see — just us and the lone server.
I think it was an okay price $ 6 for 3 tastes, but I could have got a bottle of something I really enjoyed for about $ 13 at the store.
Based on this experience, I would not go back. Of the 3 places on the block, this is not my favorite.