Great little wine bar nestle in JLS. They've been around for 10 years and it's very knowledgeable about the wine making process, they will carry wine from all over the world, so it's great fun to come and have a chat with the owner. Most people who visits either a member of Minimo or a local. We had loads of fun trying the tastings of the day as well as ordering glass off the menu. They also offer bites if you want it with your drink. Fun place to take the girlfriends! read more

Amazing little wine shop. Super friendly owners and plenty of variety from around the world. Will definitely be stoping by next time I'm in the area. read more

A very cute natural wine shop with a tasting bar. Their staff are always super friendly and very knowledgeable -- they are always approachable and passionate about the craft. I've only had great experiences with the bottles they've recommended. A place I'll keep coming back to for sure! read more

Minimo - Cheese plate and tin fish to go with our wine tasting - Wine Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Can you find wine almost anywhere today? Yes. Should you make the effort to check out Minimo? UH YES YES!! Every time we've been in Minimo, they have knocked the recommendations out of the park. Not only are they great at matching what you're looking or, they almost always have a recommendation that you weren't thinking about and will be blown away. They have a great rotating selecting and everyone there always has a smile on their face. You (and your guests) will love what you find here. read more

Cutest little wine shop with the most unique imported wine. The staff here will simplify the process for you, just tell them what you like and the price point. I wasn't in love with the wine personally, but I think you can find a perfect gift here and the prices are affordable. I particularly favor Napa wines, so it's a personal preference thing. I really enjoyed the process of shopping here and seeing the different labels. read more

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Best little natural wine shop! The recommendations by the owner are always perfect. There's a wide selection of wines at very reasonable price points. The interior is light, bright, and welcoming. Since I found this gem, I'm often disappointed with wine I buy elsewhere. There's simply something magical about this spot. read more

My favorite wine shop. They have a variety of selections that can fit any budget. The staff is always super helpful and knowledgeable. A must visit in the area read more

Really enjoyed my experience at the newly opened Minimo. If I had one word to describe it, it would be quaint! Very affordable and a nice wine list, from sparkling, to red and all the way to white. Our server seemed knowledgeable and was very kind. Definitely would return if I'm ever back in the area. Street parking only and wheelchair accessible. I definitely would call ahead for a group larger than 5. They seemed to have limited table space. read more

Minimo - Rose and Pinot - Wine Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

I walked by Minimo during one of my lunchtime walks and thought of it for a nice New Year's Eve bottle of wine. Wish I'd gotten the name of the woman who helped me. She was able to change her suggestions from my original ideas of a Grenache or Syrah and sold me some delicious Sangiovese. I'm going to go back when I have more time to learn about the winemakers they carry. The place is very inviting and beautiful. The prices were reasonable too. read more

Who would have thought that such an amazing little wine shop and tasting room like Minimo would exist right here in Oakland? Well, it does and I'm just simply blown away! This little slice of Heaven is located right in the heart of Jack London Square. They carry a wide variety of wines with a mix of local and international selections. The owners Erin and Sarah are extremely knowledgeable! Not only are they well versed in California wines, but their expertise expands to foreign wines too. They also conduct wine tastings here! They rotate their tasting selection and a tasting is $15 for 3 heavy pours of wine. They have a small wine bar in the back of their shop where you can also purchase wine by the glass. If you're hungry they have cheese and snack plates for purchase that can easily be paired with the wines that you're tasting. What I also adore is the affordability! They have an entire section of their ship dedicated to bargainers! This section features a variety of wines that are just $20 or less! I loves me a good deal, especially when it comes to wine. Their hours are great! They are open until as late as 8pm most nights. What's also wonderful is that each wine that they sell has an informational tag describing the taste of the wine. Essentially, the owners here have tasted just about every single wine that they carry! How about them apples? Or shall I say, grapes? Erin and Sarah are so friendly and passionate. They are both winemakers themselves, and it's so exciting to see a woman owned business thrive right here in the heart of Oakland. I'm totally swooned by the amazing little Oakland gem, and I can't wait to return to experience more great times with their delicious wine. read more

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Whenever I visit my friend in Oakland from Tahoe, I always make sure I pop into this place. Always friendly, approachable service and great, fun, selections of natural wines. On this trip after being stuck up in record-high snow, Nick helped me several times to purchase wine for all my friends who gave me shelter and a much-needed respite from back-to-back storms. So much to choose from, and many wonderful wines. Service is respectful, professional, and just downright friendly. I roll in looking like a Tahoe local, alongside, sophisticated artsy types, all of us receiving great service without having to worry about an awkward up sale. I may have gotten a little carried away that week, but I feel good about supporting a local shop in the great town of Oakland. read more

If you're looking for a unique selection of natural wines in the Bay Area, check out our favorite natural wine shop! They have a great selection of French wines from the Loire Valley, so if you're a fan of French wines, you definitely must try them out. Not to mention, the two owners are knowledgeable and always fun to speak to, it's a great experience every time. read more

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if you care about your wine consumption Minimo is the only shop in the east bay to purchase your wine. Erin cares about you and Oakland. trust her to help with your wine consumption, wonderful Clive's and price , and they deliver what more can one ask for cheers read more

This review is long over due! We've been members of their monthly wine club for a couple of years, and we absolutely love the selections. They are always unique and delicious. We feel so fortunate to have a wine shop like this available to us. It is obvious that they are incredibly knowledgeable about small-production wineries, both domestic and international, and that they take pains to carry the best of these in their shop. We recommend supporting this great wine shop! read more

Minimo - Recent Wine Club Monthly 2-Bottle Selection - Wine Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

I'll admit that I'm not a natural wine zealot. There are hundreds of things I put in my body that will harm me faster than "unnatural wine" or as I call it, "wine." That said, there are some amazing natural wines out there and some of the best are featured at this very cool, hip and wonderful store. I loved everything about it...especially the wine bar. No "corkage" fees for wines purchased there which is one of my pet peeves. This is a biz that deserves your support. Highly recommended. read more

We worked with Erin to select and purchase a beautiful set of bottles for our wedding this summer and it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. We were looking for a fun selection of natural wines from different regions and of different colors. Erin is amazing --- she presented so many wonderful options for us --- we learned so much from her about a ton of gorgeous wines at the shop and they have such a great selection. We really appreciated her creative approach to curating the wine list and she went way above and beyond in helping us describe them for our guests. Erin was also super helpful with the logistics, offering many practical suggestions for bottle numbers, serving temperatures, coordination with our caterers, etc. And we never felt like they were upselling us --- we were happy with the pricing and grateful for the bulk order discount. The wines were a huge hit --- from the weird funky orange and chilled reds to the more standard (and delicious) crowd pleasers -- we were delighted and our guests raved. We love Minimo and highly recommend for your personal and party wine needs!!! read more

I don't like spending more than $20 for a bottle of wine. And also, I have a passion for great wine. Minimo is my favorite place for quality wines for my budget! The wine they carry have responsible farming practices and limit how much the wine is manipulated with industrialized practices. Come here for low-sugar wines, sulfate free wines, organic and small production wines. Showcased in a beautiful show room with very helpful staff. They also are available for private events which was a real treat, lovely space to gather with friends and clients. read more

Absolutely a delightful place! Whether you'd like to sip on some delicious wine with friends or go on a romantic date, this spot has it all. Don't worry there are snacks for purchase too. I loved the staff here as they were all friendly, fun, and very knowledgeable. You can tell that they put a lot of passion and pride into the wines they pick. My lovely partner and I enjoyed the pace and the picks for our wine tasting. We got to taste a very specific region of France and it had so much more depth by tasting through a journey. Please check this place out! You also get a discount on any bottles you purchase because of doing a wine tasting. Seriously perfect! read more

Great vibe and service. Loved the wine flight. The view cannot be beat. We will return next time in Oakland.

A beautiful, well stocked, and super friendly and knowledgeable natural wine bar and shop! I'm a member of the wine club and really enjoy all the wine they have each month along with an email that describes the two wines of the month. I recommend a visit for an easy day out in Oakland! They've also got little snacks for sale to pair with your wine while you're there. read more

My friend used to live a block away from here and we loved this spot to get an incredible tasting but nominally priced bottle of wine and sit at the bar and just chill. The owners are super cool and they have some of the coolest bottle labels ever. And they totally don't judge if you pick a bottle based on its label or price. We would basically come in with our zero-wine-knowledge-asses and give them vague and terrible descriptions of what we thought we liked and a (usually very low) price and they always wowed us. read more

Minimo imports natural wine from all over -- on the day that we went they served lots of German wines. They only do wine tastings only twice a week; on other days I think Minimo sticks with being a wine store. Three friends and I came here for on a lovely Saturday evening and brought our own cheese and crackers. (Minimo allows you to bring outside food and will even provide the serving utensils.) We did the tasting which was themed around affordable Thanksgiving wines -- although I am a red wine person all the way I actually loved the two whites they served more than the reds. The ambiance is perfect for a relaxing group hang-out in the afternoon. The bottles are also very affordable (we saw quite a few for $20-$30; split among a few people makes this very do-able.) We can't wait to come back and explore more of their rotating wine tastings. read more

Minimo has been my number one "natural wine shop" since it open. Erin and Sarah have an excellent taste starting with the shop itself and extending to the wines. For any kind (red, white , orange, rose and sparkling ) and money range. I'm so grateful that even now if the "shelter in place" we can still get good quality of natural wines from around the world . So if you like good costumer service and excellent wine selection , this is THE PLACE! read more

I love Minimo! This is one of my favorite wine shops in Oakland, for tastings and buying. They always have tasty wine options for tasting and the shop has a variety of wines in different price ranges. My average wine bottle purchase is under $20 and they usually have great options. I also really appreciate that the staff is supportive of your wine price point and will help you choose one that is in your comfort level. I also love when the staff (usually the owners) tell you about the winery or wine maker. read more

I wasn't sure if I wanted to write a review on Minimo because then everyone would know what a great wine shop this was! I've been wanting to come into Minimo when it was called Oakland Crush. After having a cup of wine at Rock and Polish from another patron's BF whom had just made a purchase, I knew it was a must. We came in on Saturday afternoon and started perusing the walls. Erin came over and asked if we needed any help and showed us the layout of the store. Bottles over $20 were on the wall, while bottles under $20 were on the floor displays. There's a separate display for roses as well as a wall for sparkling broken down by country. She also explained the change in name and how it fit the concept of the shop. The shop also has a tasting area where tastings are $15 and the theme changes every week. Minimo means minimal in Italian. And this is a small batch wine shop. All of the wines are limited in quantity. (I super love anything limited edition, makes it a bit more special.) So Erin asked us what kind of wines we liked and showed us where those would be in the store. She was very knowledgeable of the wines she had in stock and the stories behind them. I bought a bottle of Bedrock Old Vine Zinfandel, which I'm saving for a Thursday night. We also bought a bottle of the Whole Shebang which gets its grapes from Bedrock. The Whole Shebang drank very well and was under $20! I will definitely be visiting this minimal wine shop again! read more

Good wine. Poor service. Totally uncrowned. Took 20 minutes to get check after I asked.

Fun experience. Unique wines. We loved the Rose' flight. Great service. Nice outdoor space. Dog friendly.

Great variety and prices of wines from all around the globe. Staff was patient and knowledgeable walking us through our tastings. Plenty of space also so I'll be back 100. read more

Normally, not a bad place to hang out and have a glass of something new. Stopped in yesterday and was served something that really didn't taste right. The response from the waiter was that it was fine. I assured him that it wasn't. After that, he just left and stopped looking at the table. The manager seemed equally disinterested. Irresponsible and unacceptable behavior. You can't have my money if you don't want to treat me as a valued customer. read more

Came in here randomly based on yelp reviews and TOTALLY worth it. Staff is really knowledgeable, there is comfortable, rustic seating and complimentary snacks with your sit down purchase. Local, limited and unique selections. Writing the review as we sit here because we're so impressed. Hopefully this place hangs around because it feels like a piece of Napa was planted in Jack London Square. Can I just add that we were served rosemary roasted almonds along with our (delicious) recommended wine? YUM. read more

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They have very interesting collection of import wine. Staff there gives amazing information. Came here on a Saturday, $16 dollar rosé flight is very nice. will come back : ) read more

My apt is around the corner and I can't thank the Oakland Crush crew for opening. I don't have to go far to live the true wino life I was meant to live. This is no ordinary wine store, my friends. It's much more. Read on. Fine, it's a wine store. But, they sell not your average wines. This highly curated selection has everyone's price range in mind. I ended up going with a natural wine, red blend from France for $18 and couldn't be happier to try something new. It was robust, delicious and with a pretty awesome label. ::Design goes a long way with this gal :: I loved that the owners on site were able to spit some knowledge on the wine as well. Like the one we chose, the winemaker is the black sheep in France for going a different route than the traditional French winemaking ways. She also knew that he was quite the looker. SWEET! I love drinking hot, rebellious French men wine. SCORE! I had a friend by my side and instead of going home to chug, ahem ::savor:: the wine, you can actually just grab a seat at the bar or the community table and let their barkeep pour it for you, no corkage. Yep, no corkage! No food yet, but that means it's pup friendly (as long as your pup's friendly). The place is large, spacious with a very modern and clean vibe and aesthetic. I asked about private parties and they are working on a more structured protocol, but they do 'em! A wonderful venue for a bday part or engagement party, if I do say so myself. Oakland Crush, you'll forever be my neighborhood wine crush. :: See what I was trying to do there?:: read more

Orange Crush is such a strange name for a fancy wine shop. thought pics were of beers. wines sourced from wineries crafting small lots. no name brands here. wines stacked by being either red (merlot, cab, pinot noir, etc.) or white (reisling, chardonnay, sau. blanc, etc.) wines sourced locally, europe, latin america, etc. price is chalk marked on bottle. brew: Shacksbury Craft Cider, 500 ml, (6.2%) -was told it was tart, it's beyond that, sour in fact sourness grows fonder with more gulps. -passed on Aaron Burr, n.y. product. name reminds me of Benedict Arnold. i like Hamilton, that's all. drips: -small eats (woop woop) available -Erin, very knowledgable, helpul friendliest fancy shop ever visited. -wines mostly $20-$40 range. -parking an issue in JLS area, shop nearby taiwanese eatery. -some wines chilled, ready to drink in 'frig. read more

Just randomly saw a sign for wine tasting and decided to go in. It was a decision I did not regret. The wine samples tasted great, they were not stingy like other places, and the price was phenomenal. We ended up talking to one of the workers who was more than happy to educate us on the wine we were tasting. Afterwards, he even helped us pick in a delicious dessert wine. It was delicious. Such a great vibe, positive energy, high quality, great price, terrific customer service, I will be going back sometime in the near future! read more

Minimo - The Chardonnays we tasted! All very delicious. - Wine Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Erin of minimo always puts such thought into her custom recommendations. The quality of the wines she has curated at minimo are second to none! What a gem this place is in Oakland!!! read more

Think we've found our new favorite wine shop! We've just moved from New York and were looking for a place to continue our wine explorations that we'd started at Ruffian and Peoples, and Minimo has more than exceeded our expectations. They have a great selection of natural wines, as well as wines that are more difficult to find elsewhere. They are so knowledgable and can find something for you based on your preferences and price range. We just joined their wine club as well, for 2 adventurous bottles for $50 per month. Looking forward to when they are able to open their space again, as it looks lovely and perfect for tasting read more

Stopped in because we had some time to kill. Crystal/Kristal (not sure in the spelling) was super informative while creating an inviting environment. Crystal/Kristal was inquisitive and helped us find a delicious, refreshing orange wine. We will be back, thanks! read more

Ordered wine for a gift for a good friend, and staff helped pick out awesome bottles for my price range. GREAT customer service and excellent wine. read more

Let me be the first to say I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to wine. Beer yes, wine no. Most wines do absolutely nothing for me in terms of flavour, depth, uniqueness and I generally get no joy out of them. Right now, two years or so, I've been on a bit of a sour beer/wild ale kick dealing in spontaneous fermentation. So I did some research, dug deep on the internet, found videos of Action Bronson gushing about French natural wines, and found Minimo based on reviews and the fact that the staff seemed to be very friendly, knowledgeable and patient with people. I took a drive from suburbia and landed in Oakland, walked in and was greeted by Erin. Right away she was open, answered all my questions and lined up a row of wines to go through that might be up my ally. I ended up with 3 and right now the Herve Villemade Cheverny is by far one of the best wines I've ever had. This is great place that I hope to frequent more do to the fantastic products and great staff. Thank you. read more

This is the first place we happened to stop when we were considering moving into the neighborhood. We loved learning about the natural wines from around the world (wow, each one has a story). We loved snacking on organic rosemary almonds. We loved looking around at the stunning store. But most of all, the owner, Erin, is extremely committed to the community. We're beyond grateful that she was able to tell us (in great detail) how wonderful the Jack London Square area is. We completely trust her judgment, and you should too. Come buy some delicious natural wine, and maybe even get some tips about moving to Oakland (and how to "Keep It Oakland"). read more