The Local Vine

Decent food, good wine, nice server. Too bad all all the cars in the parking lot shine their lights in the window. A bit expensive.

I used to frequent (a couple times a week or more!) the Local Vine in Belltown so I knew exactly what to expect. The seating, layout, and size of the wine bar is different, but the menu, food, quality, and service is all about the same — good but not spectacular.
I absolutely love their large and usually unique selection of wine. I was very excited to see a Uruguayan Tannat on their list this time, something I hadn’t seen since I was actually in Uruguay!

Delicious food, fresh local, great wine selection and cocktail list. Warm intimate feeling to the décor. The service can be very slow however

Wow this place isn’t that bad is it?! I’d give it about 3.5 stars. I bumped it up to 4 because it needed the boost but also for other reasons I’ll explain.
My boyfriend and I came here for an after dinner drink. I had the winter vows flight and he had the Pacific Northwest flight.
Though the menu is fairly extensive and is categorized in a fun way, I wasn’t really sure what to order initially. I just felt like the menu didn’t tell me enough about the wines. I noticed a lot of people are complaining that the staff doesn’t really know their wine. I was confused but I also didn’t ask for help so I can’t blame them. The only thing I asked about was the «female winemaker» designation. It was part of the key but no wines on the menu had the designation. The waitress/​bartender explained that they switch their wines out every 2 months and they currently did not have any with the designation. She also told me about how winemaking is a very male dominated industry and that the owners of The Local Vine are both women. This was the only question I asked and I thought she did a good job of answering it. I originally though the «female winemaker» designation seemed silly but after hearing what she had to say, I felt inspired to try one next time I was there and they had one. She didn’t expand on our wine flights.
All three of my wines were good as was the Pinot Noir I tried in my boyfriend’s flights. My malbec was pretty spicy but I liked it that way.
I like that this place just contains small bites. Its small but cute. As a wine bar, its ok but I think it’s a good place to go for a snack after shopping in the village with your adult friends.

I have NO idea why this place has such bad reviews!
Our experience made us want to come back, and come back very soon! Our server was so helpful and let us be to go over the extensive wine menu and was quick and equipped to answer any questions we may have had.
I had the chopped salad with the beef rib sliders. They were INCREDIBLY tasty. My meal was $ 14. I was SHOCKED. Why would I ever go to some greasy spoon type place and pay $ 14 for a meal that will make me sick in an hour? Though I may not have been FULL, I was pleasantly full. I also got a wine flight (pacific northwest reds, delicious) and had plenty leftover to drink after my meal.
Can’t wait to go back. Helps that we have a few gift cards, too :)

I don’t mind paying extra for good food. But if you’re going to put a little dinky serving of highly underwhelming food for a pretty hefty price, we’re going to have problems.
I was super excited to check this place out because it’s conveniently located in U-​Village and I’ve never been to a wine bar before. So one Sunday afternoon, a friend and I checked this place out. It’s a very small space and despite the «intimacy» you will presume from this place from checking it out outside, that wasn’t really the case when we came in. The music was a tad too loud (I thought they’d play some quiet jazzy background music or something like that but nope…) and the servers seemed disinterested. Said friend and I struggled to keep up a conversation yelling loudly enough to hear each other but not too loud so as to bother the other patrons around us. I kept telling myself it was all forgivable because some places have off days — whatever. I was still set on liking this place.
The menu is a little bit overwhelming so I asked about the wine… and did not receive a very knowledgeable response. THEN the food happened. And severe disappointment very quickly set in.
Maybe it’s because the place is fairly new that there are plenty of glitches. It’s surprising how awful it is considering how well the other Local Vine is doing. Regardless, this experience has made me decide never to come back.

I have had a very different experience from that of some other reviewers, obviously! The service when I’ve been there has been excellent. (Extreme example: on our first visit, my dining companion mentioned that her hands were dry: the waitress appeared to give us a sample bottle of Aveda lotion from the salon next door.)
I’m not a wine drinker, so your expectations may differ from mine. But I love the truffle popcorn, the tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich, and I have always found the service to be excellent.
This is a nice addition to U Village, and is open for lunch and dinner.

Shame on me for not reading the reviews to this before I went… Shame. On. Me.
This place definitely failed for me.
In short, here’s why: No Happy Hour. Prices were too high. Too Quiet for groups to feel comfortable. Mediocre Food.
We ordered the italian sausage flatbread ($ 11), which was a total misnomer. They should have called it the misshaped sausage pizza from your 5^th grad cafeteria. The cheese was very heavy and reminiscent of fondue. To be honest, I’m not sure if they have someone back there cooking to order. It felt reheated.
Three of us also got the small beet salad. ($ 7) It was made with golden beets, goat cheese, and whole hazelnuts with a ton of dressing. It was tiny. Having whole hazelnuts doesn’t really make tons of sense eating-​wise.
I didn’t order wine, but one of the people I was with did. it’s weird because they put your red wine in your own little carafe… which is fine, but during dinner they refilled my friend’s glass from her own carafe. I think that’s a bit much.
The ambience, although classy and intimate is not good for groups. The four of us were clearly making too much noise for the space, which seats about 20. We felt out of place.
High Point: Our server was really nice and attentive. She even offered (w/​o us requesting) to split our checks based on what we ordered.
All in all, I won’t be coming back. For four of us to eat 3 small beet salads, one flatbread, one large salad and tomato soup… with 3 diet cokes and one glass of red wine, it set us back almost $ 70. That doesn’t make sense when it wasn’t very good.
Poor UVillage.
(Disclaimer: I can’t say anything about the Cap Hill location, but it definitely seems to have better review.)

Sad. I had hopes for this wine bar. Service nice enough but not very knowledgeable regarding wines, which seems silly at a wine bar. I ordered the chocolate brownie and it was a mix of hot and cold on inside. I got the impression they bought it at Costco and reheated when I ordered. Not worth the $ 7. Place is fine enough but a bit overpriced for what you get. The wine was good but small poor for the price.

This is a pleasant place for a drink, but don’t try to make a meal out of the snacks. Last night, I tried the «Weird Whites» flight; three 2-​ounce pours of wines from France, Greece, and Italy. Delicious. My husband had a $ 6 red wine that he liked. The food was overpriced. $ 10 for three olive oils with dried slices of baguette was the most disappointing. The crab and spinach dip tasted fishy, but had no discernible crab in it. However, the fried sweet potato appetizer was tasty, and the Mezze plate was the best value with nice portions of hummus, a smooth caponata, raw veggies and pita. Maybe the cheeses are a better way to go. I would go back, but just for a drink.

it is hard work to shop, especially around the holiday season and I hate sports bars to relax in afterwards. To my delight, I found a new place in the U Village that is just my cuppa tea, or wine! if you will. I’ve been three time now, and each time have found the service to be excellent, both friendly and professional. They offer a nice tomato soup and several tasting wine flights that I took advantage of, and that allowed me to find a very nice wine to go with my grilled cheese sandwich which I ordered next. My second visit was just to have a glass of wine, but it was paired with the truffle oil popcorn which is sinfully delicious. (a new addiction for me). My third visit was late at night, after a long day of shopping so I sat up at the bar instead of the cute little tables, where the bartender gave me wonderful stories about the wines I tried this time. She really found what I love about wine and was able to satisfy my taste. I will be back again, and next time take home a bottle or four with me :)

Went in after a long day of shopping, we sat the bar and our server Anna bent over backwards to make sure we enjoyed our wine and food. If you’re in the area… definitely go and try the truffle popcorn.

I am over wine bars that are not wine bars, and their wine selection is horrible.
wine out of a draft pour? interesting… I love efficiency, but not for my wine…

being a big fan of new places coming into the area, I am dissappointed with the two new places at U village. Maybe they will get better if they listen to the reviews but the Local Vine has the right idea but its way too expensive for what it is. I am rooting for them but could not get over the fruit fly infestation at our little table. I can handle most things but this was a bit much when these small creatures are meeting their demise in my overly priced glass of Pinot. Clean ‘er Up guys… you might just make it! Dim the lights too… I felt like I do when they say last call at a club, it was too bright for a cozy experience.

This is definitively the worst value restaurant I have been to in Seattle. Went there with friends for an 8 p.m. apps and wine night. Glasses of wine start at $ 9, and most decent glasses reside around the $ 13 – 15 range. I’m not basing my review on the price of wine at this location; you go to a wine bar, expect to pay more.
I’m basing my review on the food and service. I ordered a margharita flatbread, which was terrible and will set you back ~$ 11. Sauce tasted like ragu, cheese was bland, and they stack the pieces on top of each other so by the time you get it, the crust is soggy and has half of the toppings on its bottom from the piece of pizza it has been resting on.
My wife ordered the mac and cheese which had very little taste. Nothing else to say about it other than bland, bland bland. Very small portions. Think small crème brûlée dish size.
Friends ordered the bacon wrapped dates (did not try), and the bacon plate. One of the main issues I have here is with portion sizes. The bacon plate probably totalled 2 pieces of ‘real’ bacon, and I’m being generous. I did not try it either, so no idea what it tastes like. Point was, there wasn’t even enough to share! Ha!
My other friend ordered the Sammies, and while she said the interiors were good (mushroom/​truffle), the bread tasted extremely stale.
The waitress came back with our 3 checks, all of which were completely randomized… I am not convinced she even tried. We asked her politely to split the checks up on two of them, she said she understood the orders and went away to fix. She came back and again the receipts were completely boggled. Not wanting to wait any longer we paid our dues, and sorted it out later ourselves.
For $ 75 (4 glasses of wine, mac and cheese, and a flatbread), go ANYWHERE else. This place is for rich U-​village mommies who’ve had a long day of shopping at Apple, Coach, and Williams & Sonoma.

It was pouring, we’d both worked late, time for dinner out. The hubs and I went here mid-​week to try it out after we’d noticed that the UVillage had installed a branch of this wine bar.
We ordered the following to share:
–Skirt steak, sherried onion & mushroom flatbread ($ 12): We had originally wanted the Italian sausage, but they were out. This was tasty, but they plated it all in a pile. The pile was annoying because it made the pieces all stick together, ripping toppings off the lower pieces, and ultimately, made the bottommost pieces soggy.
–Truffle & mushroom mini baguette sammie ($ 7): Cold mushroom flavored cream cheese on a small cold baguette with wilted (not in a good way) salad greens. Very mediocre and not worth a repeat.
–Duck Rillette with blackberry jam & mustard ($ 11): Decently delicious duck pâté, although served too cold and with not nearly enough bread for smearing (total pet peeve). The accompanying mustard and jam are actually quite good and meld well with the pâté after you wait for it to come up closer to room temp.
–Creamy mac & cheese ($ 9): This was the best dish of the bunch; warm, gooey, with a crunchy topping and filled with sharp white cheddar.
And had the following wine flights:
–Bubbly Bliss flight — Prosecco, Parellada Cava Brut, Cab Franc ($ 12): The prosecco and Cab Franc were the best of the bunch.
–Weird Reds flight — Carmenere, Touriga, Pinotage ($ 13): Not as weird or interesting as we had hoped.
This place is tiny, with cheap plastic chairs and strange tables with uneven tops (not a plus when you’ve got 6 glasses of wine on a small table). The service was nice enough, but not especially knowledgeable about the wine and rather slow. The food took a remarkably long time to come out (at least 30 – 40 minutes), which was kind of surprising given the tiny size of the place and the fact that 2 of our 4 dishes were straight out of the refrigerator.
The wine menu is laid out interestingly, and has wines with prices ranging from inexpensive all the way to eye-​poppingly wallet-​busting. It is also covered in tiny symbols that don’t make any sense and are not especially useful. Having a non-​knowlegeable staff doesn’t really help either. Sadly, the pours in the flights were rather skimpy relative to other wine flights that we’ve sampled in other wine bars.
The food menu is geared mostly for having a small snack with your wine and not for making a meal of small plates, although it is doable. The food was hit-​or-​miss. Overall, the food is overpriced ($ 9 for bread and olive oil, no thank you) and not especially adventurous or interesting.
Overall, meh. Might be nice to stop in for a glass of wine after an afternoon of shopping, but I wouldn’t come back here for a meal.