I don't write a lot of reviews, but I had SUCH a beautiful experience at Banter that I needed to…read morepost this. I live in San Francisco and don't get over to El Cerrito much, but clearly I need to plan more friend dates there just for an excuse to hang at Banter. The wine was delicious - thoughtful and fun list of by-the-glass options, plus lots of bottles that looked super interesting. The ambiance was perfection - analog all the way, with stacks of VHS tapes and vinyl playing on the sound system. It felt homey and comforting and nostalgic and indulgent. But the service was the best part - it's not often that you get a staff person who understands that a wine bar like this provides an essential space for friend therapy sessions and catch-ups, and sometimes those moments spill past closing time. Thank you for so graciously staying open for us, making us feel welcome, and providing the mot wonderful customer service.

Overall 4.5 Food /…read moreWine 5 Service 4 Ambiance 5 I was looking for a cozy wine bar north of Berkeley and Yelp did not disappoint. Banter sits alongside the main road, close to a market and record store. They have a nice selection of natural wines, including some local ones that I wasn't familiar with. Food / Wine: I did a flight ($24 for 3 half-pours). I went with a sparkling rose, a springy white, and finished with a gamay. All were delicious, especially the sparkling rose. I also ordered the anchovy plate. The bread, butter, and pepper spread were great. I imagine their larger charcuterie board would be perfect for a party of 2 or more. Service: There was one person working and four customers at the bar. I was greeted and everything came out quick enough. My only knock is that in a place called Banter you'd think the staff would have a bit of banter, at least an introduction in an effort to create some regulars. Ambiance: This was my favorite part of the experience. There's a nice collection of vinyl along with VHS tapes. The combination of the Psychedelic Furs on vinyl while Mannequin was playing on some very small old TVs was definitely a delightful throwback... and yes, I recognized Andrew McCarthy and named the movie in less than 3-minutes Clean restroom, great actually vintage decor, and a pinball machine that will get some attention from me next time!

Strolling through Solano Ave, our group stopped here for a drink and to chill. Located at the…read morecorner of Solano Ave and San Pablo, Best Friends is a cozy wine bar where you can have a drink at the bar or at one of the bar tables and tables. Their logo on their sign is a dog drinking from wine glass. Yes, they are a dog friendly shop and several customers had their dogs including our friend. Their wine offerings consist of international wines and wines from local small wineries. They also had two craft beers and some light bites. The wine pourer was helpful and answered questions about the wines and gave samples for you to try before ordering. We also ordered marinated olives and Marcona almonds to have with our drinks. Nice place to relax and to have a glass of wine, beer or non-alcoholic offerings where you an bring man's best friend.

Don't ever go to a pop up here…read more While customers, (who paid a lot of money) waited HOURS for food, the staff and owners stuffed themselves. If customers are waiting an hour for a course, the staff/ owners should not eat that course RIGHT IN FRONT of them. Other staff were also seen eating in the back while customers sat there with nothing. Outrageous disregard for customers.

Found this gem on Google because I really wanted a charcuterie board lol. They do not gave tons of…read morereviews, but what is there.. made me want to try it out. My wife and I entered and it was not crowded. However, there were 2 groups of people there and they seemed to be enjoying themselves. We were immediately greeted and seated. Once seated, we were greeted by the owner (Did not know she was the owner at the time..lml). She informed us of what came with the Charcuterie Board and we chose Fontaine over Goat cheese (My wife does not like goat cheese). We ordered the codfish cakes. She provided us with some wine selections and even offered some to be tried (Free) to help with deciding. My wife chose a Rose and I chose a Malbec. When the Board came, we were amazed at the presentation. When are tasted it, we fell in love lml. Everything went together so well.. including the wine we decided to pair with it. We complimented every bite to once another. The codfish cake was seasoned, lightly battered and full of fish. It was served with olive oil and lime. So so so good!!!! We enjoyed 2 glasses of wine during our time. The Board was enough to share between 2 ppl. If it is more than 2 ppl, you will need to add/pay for additional items. We received great conversation from the owner. My wife at some point asked her she was the in fact the owner and she did yes. Her name is Diva (Might be misspelled...def get real name, but that is exactly how she is). She was so personalable, honest, transparent, and full of smiles. Oh.. they have live music on Saturdays beginning at 7pm. They rotate the genres. They spay have a heated outdoor patio with seating that we will try next time. I think we found out wine bar joy. Thank you for an exceptional 5 star treatment, without even trying. It was so natural!!!

Highly recommend this cute place! They have great wine options , I didn't try the food but it all…read morelooks delicious. Easy street parking, I will definitely come back to try more.

"You telling me that wine is better than Pepsi? Huh, no way wine is better than Pepsi." - George…read moreCostanza, Seinfeld da Scene: Yelped them for pre-dinner spot. Kinda hidden on a corner right off University & 5th; make the right onto 6th & scoot around to park on 5th or University. They buzz you in, best to make a res., but seems like walk-ins are ok. Very modern, yet welcoming feel, tables spaced well for intimate encounters and a bar with Hightop seating. da Grub & Libation: I had res. for a buddy & I and belly up to the bar; they offered a table, but we're bar flies by nature. Very diverse wines by the glass & bottle so we had 4 different glasses w/ a modest charcuterie plate. da Service: Excellent, warm, friendly and genuinely so. I look forward to my next visit, whether it's for a contemplative glass in solitude or with the wife on a pre-dinner excursion. Hidden Gem, find them and enjoy!

Hidden almost behind the freeway entrance , is a magical small intimate space. A classy wine lounge…read moreof sorts with attentive and knowledgeable staff and amazing ambiance. Their selections of wine is incredible (and all delicious). Definitely a date night spot!

The venue is perfectly located for an intimate event, parking is so easy, the owner is very…read morewelcoming and down to earth. Would so host an event here!

We had a great experience celebrating a birthday here. The space was beautiful, everything was easy…read moreto coordinate, and the staff was very helpful and accommodating. Would definitely recommend it for a private event!

3of us arrived at 8:45pm. Dolly graciously invited us in and we ordered 2 Caesar salad es 2…read morespaghetti & meatballs & one shrimp & crab ravioli, soft drinks and a mascarpone. The food, hospitality, ambiance and service was excellent. There were 3 other jovial couples that ended up staying past closing with us. We ended up closing at 10!! Our only regret was that the place can only accommodate tables for 2 and seats at the bar. Dolly is a do

Made a recent visit here as I was looking to try cheese wheel pasta and I must say they did not…read moredisappoint. Inside is small, but fortunately we were able to be seated at the bar right away. The gentleman at the bar (Dolly's husband) couldn't have been a more gracious host. He immediately gave us menus and allowed us to sample the various wines before making our selection. We struck up conversation with him since it wasn't too busy and he told us how him and his wife met and got together, honestly a great story. As for the food itself, it was all amazing. We ordered a variety of things including the meatball and cheese wheel pasta and it was all very good. Dolly herself came out, who was also very friendly, and we were able to speak with her and meet their beautiful daughter. It was a great experience and I would definitely comeback and recommend to others.

Knowledgeable team. Well curated selection. Fun rotation of classes and events. Great wine bar…read morespace in the evenings. LOVE THIS SHOP!

They have a great selection and a knowledgeable, engaged staff. They're my go-to in the east bay.read more

This place is constantly hosting several events in the area and plenty of pride events!…read more The wine here is chef's kiss and you just have to grab a bottle after doing some tastings!

This was my first time ever at this point Lou winery and they had a cool little pop-up with other…read morevendors!! I honestly loved their set up with a wine tasting room in the front and tables in the back as well as areas for a food truck or a pop-up to sell in cater to you as well. The lady serving me was very friendly and helpful. I commented on this cute picture of a forklift and she said that was her as a little girl in the back!! So freaking cute!! Great Space and I could see live music being played here if they don't do that already. I'm new to the area so I will definitely be checking out there local events!! I really like their reds and their white wine that they served. I would love to do a food pairing which they didn't have available, but I love the aspect of different food truck vendors in the back. Granted a food, allergies and both the vendors had things I'm allergic to. I know my friend loved the noodles she got!!

Met a friend for a very quick lunch and service was spectacular. Food came out fast and when we…read moretold her we were in a hurry, she made sure to grab check right away. Very kind! Food itself was pretty underwhelming. We had the brussel sprouts which were the best part of our meal- tangy and crispy. The calamari was yummy with the squid ink- perfectly cooked. The short rib was not to our liking- a bit too watery to be deep fried on the outside. The patatas bravas had a smoky taste we also did not enjoy. They also drenched it on the sauce so it was pretty unavoidable. Ambiance was cool! Def more casual than fancy!

Honestly, a pretty disappointing experience. We went for a cousin's birthday and ordered a bunch of…read moretapas: patatas bravas, tortilla, calamari, octopus, stuffed peppers, sangria, and a few other things. The sangria was decent, and the tortilla was probably the highlight. The desserts were underwhelming too, especially the churros, which were pale, bland, and honestly pretty bad. The staff was super nice and the service was great, but the food overall was just not it. 2/5 for me. Wouldn't recommend.

Right around the corner from Cheeseboard Collective, this is the perfect spot to grab a glass--or a…read morecouple glasses--of wine and enjoy their cute outdoor patio. Inside, you'll find a fun selection of unique wines and a super laid-back vibe. The staff were incredibly helpful and even let us sample what they had for the day before making our final choice. I also had to take a few photos because the whole spot is so Instagrammable. Highly recommend, and I'd definitely come back!

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!