THE MALBECKONING…read more
SixtyFour Wine Bar is a winning concept in downtown Naperville.
Much like what Tapville Social does for beer, SixtyFour follows the concept of guests having the freedom to pour their own drinks. This place is on Water St in Naperville, near Vasili's and Blue Sushi Sake. Street parking isn't plentiful so the garage is your best bet, especially in the evening.
You can build your own charcuterie, but use caution: everything is a la carte and without much effort that cute cheese platter can swell upwards of $40. This happened to us on our 1st visit, I thought "yeah sure, add a $4 honeycomb and seasonal jams, why not" to go with the $9 prosciutto, $7 manchego, and $5 cornichons.
More recently, I got the restaurant week pre-fixe ($49) which included a starter, entrée, dessert, and glass of champagne. Each course separately would've added up to $55 (not counting the bubbly), so this option saved a few bucks. Both my wife and I got a pour-your-own wine card, that set us back about $20pp.
The wifey got a mix of a dozen west coast & east coast oysters ($36) that came with cocktail sauce and a zippy pomegranate mignonette. The goat cheese bruschetta ($13) was incredible: goat cheese spread on several large pieces of grilled sourdough with roasted tomato and balsamic. We loved this and would get it again in a heartbeat. 5/5
The dates ($13) were a different story, however, as they came with cranberry goat cheese, orange honey, and crushed walnuts. I've been so used to savory dates (wrapped in bacon with a tomato sauce) that this much sweeter iteration caught me off guard. They weren't objectively bad, I just wouldn't order them again. 3/5
For my main course, I chose the short rib ($31) as I've done several times now: tender beef with mashed potatoes, braised carrots, crispy onions, and a red wine jus. This is a delicious entrée that I find myself steering towards every time I'm here, as it pairs perfectly with a Malbec or red blend. 5/5
The gnocchi ($33) were fairly pricey which I attribute to big chunks of lobster in a white sauce. But what SixtyFour did felt like a "bastardization" of gnocchi (my wife's words, not mine) by turning it into a homemade mac 'n' cheese of sorts, cooking it in a mini cast iron skillet topped with toasted breadcrumbs. Say what?!
"Breadcrumbs" and "gnocchi" should never be used in the same sentence, unless it's "hey honey I did that grocery shopping, and I got beer, eggs, wine, gnocchi, ice cream, laundry detergent, kitty litter, AAA batteries and a box of breadcrumbs". It tasted fine, but there was absolutely no need to innovate here. 1.5/5
We reached a split decision on the dirty chai crème brûlée ($11). My wife thought it was different but lovely, whereas I found it strayed too far from vanilla custard and the flavor was overpowering, as if I just snorted tea leaves. It was REALLY strong, y'all! 3/5
Bread = 3.5
Circuses = 4.5
Our server Melissa was attentive and let us know about the wine tasting inside near the hostess' stand. We had a couple small pours (1-2oz) which equated to a free half glass, no complaints there. Restrooms were clean and the outside patio has a relaxing ambiance. The vibes are classy, romantic even.
* TL;DR *
It's fun sampling bold reds, sweet whites, and even rosé in 1oz, 3oz, and 6oz pours.
I pity the fool who grabs a glass, sticks it underneath the first tap they see up front and presses 'POUR' without realizing they just selected a 2014 Chateau Haut-Brion ...... which retails for $500 a bottle! A half glass is nearly $75! I'll stick with a $7 Shiraz, thanks.
As for the food, it's been mostly great with only a few exceptions. The gnocchi was whack, and the chai crème brûlée was polarizing. Due to the presence of delicate wine glasses literally everywhere, I would keep kids away from here. Leave the little ones at home and come here for date night.
SixtyFour lists themselves as a wine bar first and kitchen second, which I agree with. If what you're seeking is a kitchen *and* wine bar, hit up a Coopers Hawk. Both places have solid wine selections, but being able to enjoy wine on-demand is a big plus.
I'd happily recommend SixtyFour to friends and family.