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Banter Wine

4.7 (43 reviews)
Open 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM
Updated over 3 months ago

Banter Wine Photos

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BANTER WINE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Banter Wine

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Inside
Tony U.

Located in the small pass thru commuter town of El Cerrito, Banter is not too far from Central on San Pablo Avenue. The inside is retro mellow reminiscent of cafes that you used to find in SF's Mission District back in the day. Unlike a cafe, Banter is a Wine bar with natural light vibes and a relaxed, mature crowd. This fun place is run by Devon, the man behind the counter and owner and master mind of this wine bar which offers a favorable menu of whites, rosés, reds, sparklings and even orange wines along with a reasonable menu of appetizers such as olives, a meat and cheese platter and even an anchovy platter which I hope to try next time. Along with the comfy and casual vibe, they have a record player that provides the music. They were playing a lot of Band of Horses and I enjoyed it very much. The wines are fairly priced ranging from $10-$18 or so and our man Devon gives you a very good pour. If you are lucky to stake out the couch, you will spend a comfy 2 hours socializing. Really had fun here and look forward to coming here again in the future.

Video collection
Kris B.

Good cheese plate, good wines, relaxing atmosphere. When I'm in El Cerrito about once a month to help out my parents, I need wine. I was a little upset that they are closed on Sundays but I get it, the owners want a day off. Luckily, right down the street is Scene Wine Bar for those Sunday wine needs. Banter has some unique wines. I wanted to like the Richmond white blend but it's not for me, tasted too young and green. A Trebbiano d'Abruzzo from Italy was better. More importantly than the wine, a comfortable place to hang out with my good friends to relax and talk.

Maya D.

I love this place. All the wines we tried were delicious. I love that you can build your own flight! We got the meat and cheese plate which we also really enjoyed, and the staff were super friendly. Very fun, funky decor. Can't wait to go back.

Yan X.

We ordered a flight to try three different wines. None of them were impressive. All too bland. Don't feel like they are good quality wine for the price we paid. Service was very good though.

Ittai S.

Amidst the bustling traffic in El Cerrito, there's a hidden gem and a recent addition to the area. Blink and you'll miss it. Even during a brief pause at a stop light when there's a chance to look around, it's highly probable that you'll still miss it. There's no signage on the building itself, so look for the wine barrels sitting on the sidewalk as your clue, or perhaps you'll spot their small sandwich board just outside their front door. Find parking somewhere near 10368 San Pablo Avenue, the address to Banter, a wine bar with a warm atmosphere, welcoming decor, and communal tables. Offering a curated selection of old and new world wines, Banter focuses on small producers who prioritize minimal intervention from vineyard to bottle. On location, you can purchase a bottle from the shelves to enjoy at home or savor a glass (or bottle) in-house. If you need something to eat while you're there, choose from various delicious snacks including cheese, charcuterie, and other tasty treats. During the pandemic, while drinking wine and eating cheese in their backyard, owners Claire and Devin were inspired to open a wine bar, but they wanted their wine bar to feel like "home," - comfy, casual, no frills, just...chill. A collection of cozy couches in the back creates an ambiance reminiscent of enjoying a drink in the living room of your most stylish friend. Classic VHS tapes and 80's knick-knacks are precariously stacked high next to small vintage TVs playing films that will take you back in time. When I was last there the original Flash Gordon was playing. You probably won't get to hear any of the movie dialogue because the bar is spinning LPs from an ever-expanding vinyl collection, fueled by contributions from patrons. A pinball machine in the back room adds to the decor's nostalgic charm and provides an entertaining distraction between pours. With a partial kitchen, Banter partners with local talent and the community to create new opportunities by featuring "pop-ups" - temporary restaurants that allow chefs and restaurateurs to try out a new neighborhood, experiment with their menu, generate a following, or just get some great experience for their staff. During my most recent visit, I got a front-row seat at the bar to witness Chef Emmanual from the restaurant Bolita work his magic with fresh masa, a must-have ingredient at the center of all his signature dishes. Most notable was the Tamal de Calabaza which featured squash masa, mole negro tamal, roasted kabocha, and cashew crema. A nice compliment was the Papas Rositazadas, simple roasted potatoes with black garlic aioli. Both were deliciously elevated and beautifully plated for such a casual environment. Unfortunately by the time you read this Bolita would have moved on to their next location but you can track them down on their website at www.bolitamasa.com. Banter will continue to feature pop-ups and to find out what's in store next visit their location or follow their Instagram @banter_winebar. As temporary as the pop-up food concept is, Banter is hopefully here for good as they focus on what's most important, which is most fittingly stated by the intentionally sloppy, hand-painted sign in front, "Bad Signs, Good Wigns!"

Cheese plate with sparkling wine
Tracy D.

Came here for the first time on Saturday after following their journey on Instagram. What a great place. You can tell that everything, from the wines to the tiles to the food, etc was all selected with love and attention. We sat at the bar and enjoyed a couple of wines - sparkling and red from their menu and the cheese plate which had acme bread, spicy jam and hard and soft cheese. All yummy! Then we bought a bottle of Cava from the wall of wines and enjoyed that the rest of the evening. Service was friendly, attentive and educational as we learned about how they source their wines. Overall a great place to feel like a home away from home. We were relaxed and happy. I can see myself coming here regularly.

Wine selection for purchasing bottles
Scarlet S.

The food is delicious and locally sourced! Great prices- I love doing the wine flights. Such a cute local spot, welcoming staff and they always have pop ups with other businesses! Great spot to bring friends for a nice relaxed wine bar!

Wine list and food menu
Chira E.

I was meeting a friend to catch up and we decided to meet at Banter. What a great decision that was. We were impressed with the cute space and friendly staff. We opted to purchase a bottle of Viognier as it was the better value knowing we would each have at least two glasses. We also ordered the cheese plate and olives to snack on. The wine was good, the cheese was deliciously complemented with Acme bread, and the olives were tasty too with a hint of orange zest. I think the prices are quite reasonable, as mentioned before a bottle seems to be a better value and what you don't finish they will cork and bag the bottle for you to take home. I can't wait to return.

Iain T.

Banter is well named, this is looking like a good community stop with plenty of people enjoying fine food and plenty of conversation - hums like no other bar in the area. Usually when a new place opens here things go slow but Banter is bringing in a lot of people. It seems they are open on Wednesdays too now, and it was busy for the time of week. Inside it's a cozy environment and staff are very friendly. Ordered the meat plate and a glass of wine and the portions were generous indeed, with excellent bread, good strong mustard, and pickles that my tongue is still tingling from. As the name suggests it's primarily a wine place, selling local bottles as well but glasses of good quality at a reasonable price, and there are a few beers to be had. It's going to be interesting to see how this place develops but suspect it's going to be a valuable addition to the neighborhood.

Love the wallpaper!

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1 year ago

I just love, love, love this place. It's my favorite neighborhood joint. Great wine, great people, enchanting decor.

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3 years ago

Fun and lively, easy to get seating, reasonable prices and attentive staff! I would definitely come back here!

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2 years ago

The place plays VHS Tapes and vinyl! Fell in love with it right away and the staff is so done to earth and friendly! Would highly recommend!

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3 years ago

Have been wanting to try this spot on SPA in El Cerrito. Cote du Rhone. Delicious cheese plate. Atmosphere. Now open Tuesday. I'll be back!

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Ask the Community - Banter Wine

Review Highlights - Banter Wine

They've got VHS tapes, a record player for the music and a pinball machine in the back room.

Mentioned in 5 reviews

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The Study - Orange wine: unstirred, top is crispy white wine, bottom is more floral flavorful orange wine ( Thank you Tyler!)

The Study

4.6(19 reviews)
2.8 mi
$$

We went to Purity Wine for my friends birthday and had the best experience. The vibe was cozy and…read moreintimate, and everything felt really thoughtful. Our host was amazing, so friendly and knowledgeable, and they made us feel so welcomed and taken care of the whole time. The wines were incredible, and they truly made this birthday celebration feel special. We'll definitely be back!

Every day we think about how lucky we are to live in marina bay... it's becoming a foodie enclave…read morewith stunning bay views, the Sf ferry docking nearby the grand bay trail meandering along the shores, great "mild weather" it seems to always Hover between 65-75 In the day. Kayaks, yachts,bikes, wind surfing fishing and a a slew of casual fun and funky eateries cropping up. It's been a few years since Noel warmly welcomed us "neighbors" into his establishment, prior to officially opening. Through the ups n Downs of Covid and him finding his business legs, we've happily supported this spot, meeting his entire family in the process. Well he is still sweet and humble but.... Busy! I mean as in this organic wine thing is... a big THING! I hi knew??? Apparently Noel did! He's graduated from the curious neighbors and locals featuring his Purity wines, to coop with a dedicated following of passionate organic wine makers and their entourage of fans , Friends devotees; restauranteurs, and media moguls all centered around the notion of organic wines aka a cast of thousands! Damn grapes never had it so good. Case and point Point now following his Instagram account lead by his bike riding enthusiast protege, Tyler, the Study hosted a massive event last weekend. We didn't plan to attend but were curious and anxious to see if it was a success or a bust. The event By the way featured more than 20 wine makers, there was food fun music and when we drove by as nosy neighbors, we heard the music pumping. Wow the crowd was massive! Standing room only spilling onto the drive way and garage bay. Of course the crowd was typical Bay Area, ethnically diverse hip, smart and totally having a blast! You may be wondering why we didn't go? We have a puppy who is bat shit cray cray. He loves people so much he would be all over anyone who say ah cute puppy and mayhem would be the result! Not to mention the wine spillage food tables rummaged. All this even tho Noel insists we bring Koa over so the team can meet him. Well maybe a lazy Thursday or Friday evening when things aren't quite off the chain.which frankly... seems to be an impossible goal. The study wine bar is chocked full of wine related happenings and the fan base has exploded! Hell I remember I had to help Noel create his Yelp account. For 2 years he had less than 10 folks commenting! Wow times have changed! To quote Steve Harvey, You go boy!!! The variety, creativity and passion of Noel and his fellow wine stompers, have the neighborhood buzzing... in a good way.

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The Study - All Pau pop-up

All Pau pop-up

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The Study - Natural wine Syrah ( Rhône blend) tasted surprisingly tannin and vibrant

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Scene Wine Bar

Scene Wine Bar

3.4(10 reviews)
0.4 mi
$$

We aimed to go to Elevation 66 but it was closed for a private party. Ironically, my folks were…read moreinvited to that party but my friends and I were tragically not. So we needed a wine bar and pronto. Tried to go to the new Banter Wine bar but it's closed on Sundays? That's dumb. People drink on Sundays and FYI, they drink after 9pm too. So we headed to the Scene Wine Bar which is in the same building as the very cool Rialto Cinemas Cerrito on San Pablo. This movie theater is amazing, because you can order food and drink from the Scene Wine Bar and kitchen below and enjoy it in the theater. Pizzas, beer.... So sad but the last movie I saw there was Lincoln in 2012 with my parents and hubby. We didn't know at the time that my mom was already on the path of dementia, oh how blissfully ignorant we were. Fast forward to my friends and I needing a drink and munchies ASAP. Scene Wine Bar did not disappoint! We enjoyed a couple bottles of wine, Brussels sprouts, deviled eggs, hummus plate, cheese quesadillas and chicken fingers with tater tots. And endless conversation that you can only enjoy with your closest friends. The bartender was terrific and totally accomodated our weird requests of bacon on the side so our one vegetarian friend could enjoy all the deviled egg deliciousness. Although we made her pick out the prociutto from the Brussels sprouts. :) Great place and we will definitely be back, with or without a movie.

Called and asked their hours of operation. Was told the venue was open so I walked with my friend…read morehalf a mile to find out the venue was indeed "open" but there was no one attending to the bar. Lights were off but door leading to movie theater was propped open. Shame. We were in the mood for some wine. Thanks for wasting our time and energy.

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Scene Wine Bar - Hummus plate

Hummus plate

Scene Wine Bar - Quesadilla

Quesadilla

Scene Wine Bar - Deviled Eggs

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Deviled Eggs

Vintage Berkeley - Yellow iris outside the vintage

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4.3(131 reviews)
2.7 miNorth Berkeley, Gourmet Ghetto
$$

If you are looking for exquisitely curated wines from around the world, with special attention paid…read moreto affordability (huge selection of great wines under $30) then this is your place. I've been a patron of Vintage for years, and what's not to like? The location is gorgeous (a former pumping plant thats been transformed into a cozy, intimate space with a garden out front that changes with the seasons). And the shop is nestled right in the heart of Berkeley's Gourmet District with Peets, Saul's Deli, Cheeseboard Coop and Pizza, Andronico's, and Chez Panisse as next door neighbors. Inside you will find wines by color, grape, and region. It's not an enormous collection, but a lot of thought and experience has gone into presenting customers with something new and surprising. If I can't find myself making an easy decision, the staff have always been patient and helpful in finding the right bottle for my needs. Vintage also offers several different wine clubs for people who like a monthly or bimonthly grab bag of adult grape juice (including the occasional bubbles!). This is the wine store I wish I had as a neighborhood shop. For now, it's a well deserved destination (along with Kermit Lynch Wine Shop) that has yet to disappoint. Give it a try!

Staff here is very friendly. Lot of wine varieties and they are always willing to help you find a…read morebottle you're looking for!

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Vintage Berkeley - Our backyard in the sun.

Our backyard in the sun.

Vintage Berkeley
Vintage Berkeley

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Banter Wine - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

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