We live near this winery and it is the only place I can find my FAVORITE wine. I refuse to say which wine it is because then it will sell out! I have turned all my friend's onto it & I am so thankful to have such nice & kind people running this winery. They have always been so generous with their pours & they have always figured out a way for me to get my hands on my favorite wine. I also visit this winery when my family participates as a vendor during their craft/vendor fairs a couple times a year. I bring my daughter with me & sometimes a friend of hers & we always have a really great time. I have been here several times, well, more than several times. Though I am not a member, I sure feel treated like I am a member. I have attended & held fundraisers here & I have been here for live music or just a quiet place to have girlfriend talk. I love that there are different things happening different days, but it isn't overwhelming like other wineries that get so incredibly busy that they lose their charm completely. I appreciate Koi Zen for the zen it brings me. I would 10/10 recommend if you are looking for a place to enjoy wine with friends and/or family. Looking forward to my next visit, even though I just walked out with 3 bottles of my favorite wine tonight! Lisa & Darius & their staff are all great & deserve all the kudos. They all work really hard. With love, The birthday girl read more

This local winery has very good red wines and they have events and classes every week. Glad to have a place like this in the Carmel Mountain area. read more

If you like good wine and you haven't been, you need to visit Koi Zen Cellars. A wine tasting shop tucked away in an unlikely location. Don't let the location detract from the expert. The wine maker and owner travels to vineyards throughout California, returns to San Diego with quality grapes, and makes quality wine. The shop is intimate and comfortable. The service is excellent. You owe it to yourself to give it a try. read more

Koi Zen Cellars is a hidden gem in a business park in Carmel Mountian Ranch, located in San Diego's North County. Once you walk thru the doors you are transferred to a warm and welcoming place where people gather to drink a variety of award winning wines. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly, as are the customers. Many friendships have been formed over a glass or 2 of wine. On weekends you can listen to live music or maybe catch a game of Trivia. You also maybe catch a Bingo game during the week or a fundraiser going on. Koi Zen Cellars is a great place to hang out with friends or even hold a private event with more of your friends or associates. read more

Koi Zen Cellars - Koi Zen Cellars owners, Lisa and Darius - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

Great experience here again for a wrestling mom event! The venue is perfect for hosting, and the wine is consistently good. The sparkling white I ordered was amazing. I often get a bottle to go--the port I purchased last year was a huge hit at Thanksgiving. While it's tucked in a business park, this spot is a must-try hidden gem! read more

friendly, professional & best wine ever!!!! NEVER had a better wine & experience ! they truly treat customers like family . read more

The wine is superb. Koi is such a wonderful feel kind of place. I brought family members who had never been. They loved the place.

When I'm in the mood for a quiet moment to read my book with a nice Port or Bubbly and a little nook/space to hide, Koi Zen Cellars is my favorite spot. Or perhaps to hang out with a friend to "catch-up" on our lives with snacks (yes you can bring snacks). Sure it's located in a business park, but that's it's secret charm. The owner Lisa & Winemaker Darius are the most gracious hostess and if you ask for a "tour" of the winery - they will gladly show you around. read more

Koi Zen Cellars - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

Koi Zen is a jewel in the Rancho Bernardo area. Lisa and Darius are the most wonderful hosts with remarkable wines, a "Cheers" atmosphere and so many community events like Trivia and music nights. The staff is knowledgable and ready for you to taste and see what hits your wine palate. I at a wine club member and enjoy very nice discounts on wine plus the free couple of glasses during the month. Funny how many reviews compare Koi Zen to a precious stone so it must be true! read more

Lovely gathering with friends in separate space; grateful to be included in this party with wine club member; must try other specials events like trivia night read more

Last year I purchased a 12 days certificate, I used it for 12 of my friends, Lisa always welcomes us and had everything set up for my friends. We had such a great Christmas happy hour. The wine was great and we will be back, Darius stopped in to check on us as well! Love them both! read more

Koi Zen Cellars - Wonderful friends having some Christmas cheers! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Service is great, friendly. They make their own wines here, been open 10 years, and a hidden gem in the RB area. Relaxing environment , and space can be reserved for book club and such. They also have club memberships for wine bottles and tastings. Wines are tasty and prices reasonable for small batch production. Really enjoyed their 2019 Petit Petite and 2022 Barbera. And enjoyed each story behind how they came up with the names for the some of the wines. read more

Koi Zen Cellars - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

An amazing local wine cellar! Service was amazing and it is so relaxing inside. We stopped in one afternoon and it was such an amazing experience. Truly a new favorite of mine in the area, cannot recommend it enough. read more

Koi Zen Cellars - Petit Petit - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

Koi Zen is a true hidden gem. They have great events all week long and music on the weekends. Their wines are delicious . It is a great place for a quick glass at the end of the day, ladies night or just hang out! read more

Koi Zen is our home winery. After visiting for the first year, my husband and I became members. Experience warm, welcoming, joyful atmosphere, live music, game nights, art appreciation, attentive service. Once you have consistently great wine in your home cabinet you won't go back to mediocre wine. The website is worth checking out as it is so well done and informative. read more

Excellent wines at the right price. Someone in my family says so and is very knowledgeable. They make VERY interesting blends. Friendly and always pleasant service and ambiance. Definitely recommend this urban winery. read more

Koi Zen is a great little escape from reality. We stopped by on our way Wednesday to the grocery store to pick up some last minute items for Thanksgiving dinner. It was so crowded everywhere it was nice to sit, chat and enjoy a glass of Cab and some chocolate. Koi Zen has various activities throughout the year (upcoming shopping for small business Saturday and a ceramic wreath making class on Sunday). The location is great, small business area but very peaceful and tranquil when you walk inside. The staff is always so welcoming and nice and their wines are great (I am more of a red person but their others are tasty as well). They sell little snacks like chocolates that were really good and have different wine themed gifts if you want to enjoy a glass while doing some light shopping. Great place, well worth checking out! read more

See all

Great hidden gem! Fabulous array of wines to taste and the vibe is relaxed, warm and inviting. Bonus, on the weekends they have live music to enjoy while you sip your wine. Unfortunately the kitchen was not open on our visit but we look forward to going back and trying the food offerings read more

Saw live music here one Sunday, which was a lot of fun. The wine is pretty good overall, we settled on one of their white wines. Had an excellent time overall read more

Great wine, great atmosphere. Staff and owners fabulous. Live music Friday and Saturday nights and trivia once a month. Fun place!

Great wine, atmosphere & music Koi Zen Cellars is a great place to meet friends and relax. We enjoy the classes offered here, also. The owners are actively involved in service, with great membership advantages! read more

Koi Zen Cellars is a great wine and event go to for delicious wine, bingo, live music venues, classes on wine and dinners. One of favorite places to frequent. read more

KoiZen is my home away from home for great wine, fun music and dear friends. I have been a member for 10 years and live the atmosphere and caring owners. You will enjoy yourself when you are in this wonderful locale! read more

Lovely urban winery tucked in an office park. Upon entering, you'll be transformed into a wonderland. From comfortable tables and couches, to the barrel room in the back, you'll feel at ease. Service was wonderful - so warm, welcoming, and knowledgeable. Lovely place to share a bottle. The wine was bold and expressive. Perfect pairing with the provided chocolates and breadsticks too. They even offered us a pen and sticker. Would certainly return. read more

See all

What a hidden gem! Cute set up with little coves for privacy or big room with a TV. The wine was excellent. I even went home with two bottles of Chardonnay! This will be our go to place from now on! read more

Lovely place and very friendly owners. Had a great time with girlfriends while playing Bingo and sipping on wine. We will definitely be back read more

See all

I wanted to give a shout out to Koi Zen Cellars! My husband and I have been members for years. They are family run, and both their urban winery and wines are award winning! The owners Darius and Lisa make coming in like visiting old friends. I highly recommend checking it out if you live near or are visiting the San Diego area. read more

Super cute find! In an industrial area so kind of hidden but great find. We did the wine tasting and enjoyed all of them. Ending up taking a bottle of the rose home! The lady behind the bar I forgot her name but begins with a N might of been Natalie or Natasha sorry! She was amazing tho great service and great recommendations. They were having trivia that night and had a full house! read more

See all

Went back for a visit when we were in San Diego. Koi Zen is still rockin it!!! Their new Cab is fabulous as are many of the other new wines. The fact that they source their grapes from different vineyards and areas gives an amazing variety every time we visit! We stocked up on our favorites as we know they will sell quickly! Nicely done Koi Zen!! read more

Koi Zen Cellars - Outdoor relaxation and music! Atmosphere abounds!! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

Wonderful cozy winery! They focus on mainly reds but they had a few whites that were pretty good. They only have indoor seating but it's a good amount of space. You can do 6 tastings for $20 or buy by the glass or bottle. They rotate the wines on their tasting pretty frequently too. The grapes they have are all sourced from different areas in California (paso Robles, Santa Barbara, lodi, etc.). While the wine was good, the service is really what makes this place so great. Everyone is super friendly and the owner also was walking around saying hi to people. We liked the wine and atmosphere so much we became wine club members! Excited to come back. read more

Small winery in Rancho Bernardo. Who knew? It's in the back of a business park. I got the symphony crescendo sparkling wine. I have had a few of their wines and the majority are good. read more

Koi Zen Cellars - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

I love this place! I've been to a lot of wineries in a lot of different locations. This setting is a little different, in an industrial park, but who cares? The wines are great, the people are sweet, prices are fair, the ambiance is comfortable, and they offer snacks! There is nothing Not to love. I think I'll go back today! read more

Koi Zen Cellars - Tuscan Wine School in Siena, Italy - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

What a hidden gem! My husband and I shared a bottle of zin and it was very good. The service was great and very friendly. They let us try and explained the difference between the zins. Nice live music on Thursday! We will be back! read more

Wonderful place. Wine is very good. Good place to relax after work and enjoy an excellent glass of wine.

Winery in an industrial park, that was a little unexpected. Small, but nice interior. The one business decision, not to sell/serve any non alcoholic wine, seems very out of touch with today's sensibilities. I had called ahead regarding the wine issue and they refused to allow us to bring a bottle of our own. Two of our group of seven, do not drink alcohol. They could have simply had an uncorking charge, we'd of happily paid it. I guess they are more concerned about their wine snobbery, than they are being great hosts and making everyone feel welcome and truly enjoying the evening on par with their friends. We were there to listen to a great live blues band, but our friends couldn't participate in the celebratory atmosphere of hoisting their glass of wine, multiple times throughout the evening. With such a non inclusive atmosphere we won't be back. Besides, the expensive Cabernet Savignon was of the poorest quality. read more

Decent little spot in an area that needs some wine tasting rooms. Unfortunately, service has declined since signing up as a member here...which ended this evening. When we first started out here they had some great service and entertaining folks serving up their wines! Tonight, they posted (buried on their website) that their hours open to the public would only be until 5:30 tonight due to a private event starting. So, we hustle down there and show up to pickup our monthly bottles around 5:10, couple staff members were present, one single other customer was at the bar asking a few questions when we walked in. Server asked if we were with a private party coming in later this evening, we said no just here for our monthly pickup and to grab a glass of wine. We were able to grab our bottles but with 20 minutes until their private party was to begin we were told we couldn't be served. What a waste of time to head down there to be turned away. Time to find a new spot to join up at! read more

Definitely a warm and welcoming winery to come sit and enjoy. I attended their 8th anniversary celebration and the owner, Darius, was such a gracious host. He said, "I think your gonna like this one," and he was right. The crowd came for a good time and all enjoyed themselves. Thank you Koi Zen for an afternoon of good wine and good people. read more

Awesome winery in the business district of Carmel Mountain Ranch! I was surprised when I found out about this place because I did not know such a place existed so close to me. So cool! They are very safe during these times. Tables are spaciously set apart. & clean! I did a wine tasting & everything that I tried was nice & refreshing! I cannot wait to come back when they do live music & to bring my pup when they are not bottling. read more

Wineries that don't have all wines available for people to try at the cellars weird me out a bit. The one we were interested in isn't available as a taster or a glass and we had to buy the whole bottle. That made me really uneasy bc we didn't like any of the ones we tasted. I tried a white, rose and red. Our options were quite limited so we went with the pinot grigio which was the best but only available by the bottle. The rose was actually super weird to me. Kind of tasted like makeup or something. I wasn't a fan. The winery is in the middle of nowhere similar to breweries on Miramar and was packed. The crowd is definitely much older here. read more

We came here to redeem a promotion - 2 flights for the price of one ($10). The pours were okay for the flights, we have seem more generous ones at other places. Pretty crafty place within a industrial area. We did kind of wish it had outdoor seating as it was such a beautiful day, though the area we were in felt kind of private with the grapes backdrop. Merchandise was scattered throughout the store. While trying the flights, I found Riesling and the Symphony were my favorites. I now know my preference is whites rather than whites. Mr. W preferred the Symphony for whites and the Syrah for reds. For the dessert wines, Muscat Canelli Ying tasted like sugary goodness of a moscato. Ruby Red Yin tasted like a dessert brandy. Some knowledge absorbed during our visit here: Staff was very informative and knowledgeable in letting us know more about their process. Takes about 18 months for reds. Reds are more earthy and alcoholic due to the way that they are made. They are stored and fermented in French Oak Wood. 6 months for whites. Whites arent as stable as the reds. They are more light, crisp and refreshing tastes. Almost like you're taking a bite of a crisp apple. Mr. W was disappointed in the pond as there was no real Koi fish but a rubber one. There was one bathroom and looks like a kitchen/storage room in the making. Decent spot. Okay area to grab a drink and talk. Looks like they have trivia night on some nights. read more