Wife and I were in town for a night and FRW Bar was around the corner from the ABNB we were staying at so after a long day, a cold beer and glass of wine sounded great. Nice and big and just that old town feel. Takes you back to the late 1800's or early 1900's. Plenty of cold beer options and decent wine list. And fair prices - tip just buy the bottle of wine. It's a deal. Service was great as well. We didn't order any food but some interesting options. This place is certainly worth stopping in while you're downtown shopping. read more

The Front Room Wine Bar - Country meets classy! - Wine Bars Near Me - Smithville, Texas

Fantastic Gem in Downtown Smithville! If you're craving tapas flair with an intimate, cozy vibe, the Front Room is a must-visit. Styled like a Scottish pub--complete with a warm fireplace and plush leather chairs--this bar-tapas hybrid delivers elevated comfort in every sip and bite. Food & Drinks: * The menu is a delightful mix of small plates and satisfying mains. We couldn't get enough of the spinach‑artichoke dip, perfectly crisp pot stickers, and their indulgent boursin cheese spread (gluten free version available). * Their wine list and artisan cocktails are both creative and robust--perfect after a long day. Bonus: their rotating craft beers round it all off nicely. Vibe & Service: * The atmosphere hits the sweet spot--not too rowdy, not too quiet. Great for conversations, group gatherings, or date night. * Staff are relaxed, but attentive--felt like old friends bringing me comfort food and thoughtful pours. Events & Extras: * They frequently host live music--from regional acts to indie favorites--bringing lovely local energy. * Pet‑friendly patio setup is a big plus for dog owners--one reviewer even mentioned the owner greeting their dachshund. Overall: A solid 4.6-4.8 star crowd-pleaser on review sites, and for good reason. The Front Room Wine Bar is the perfect blend of upscale bar meets hometown charm. Whether you're winding down after Saturday shopping, catching local tunes, or just need a cozy spot for wine and chat--this place checks every box. Highly recommended! read more

I just got back from being in Smithville for three nights with my husband. Out of those two nights, we ordered from the Front Room Wine Bar on two of those nights because we usually love their food. I got the caprese pizza without basil on both nights. My husband had the meatza pizza. We also shared the brussel sprouts on both nights as well. My husband had never had the pizza from Front Room before this, and he was amazed at how good it was. (I had been telling him that the pizza was so good from here for ages.) My pizza tasted absolutely delicious as always. Both nights, we ordered our food to go, and it was always ready when they said it would be. Crystal was the waitress/bartender who was there when we would pick up our food, and she was super nice both times. My husband is British so he spent a lot of his time in proper British pubs. He is pretty particular about a place calling itself British inspired or British pub inspired, but the Front Room Wine Bar passed his test with flying colors. It definitely has the authentic British pub feel. Definitely check out the Front Room Wine Bar if you're in the area. The food is decently priced and beyond delicious; the staff are always friendly, and it has the charm of a proper British pub. read more

The ambiance is fabulous. They really invested in the interior space. They seem to focus more on cocktails than on the wine, but they do have a two-page wine menu. Early on Saturdays they have $3 mimosas and a bloody mary bar. Signature cocktails reflect a love of the craft. The Whistle Pig old fashioned features fig syrup and pecan bitters, and I'll try that next time I'm here. Our bartender was amazing, but she was personally serving 19 customers simultaneously. But that may not be normal, and honestly, she did that with grace. There is a food menu there and we've eaten there before. But it's mainly a wine bar / cocktail bar... but a good one at that. read more

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The food and drinks were great. The service was excellent and the ambiance can't be beat!

Service is okay, sometimes when it's a full house it's a little slow on getting service. But overall it's normally always great. Good is good, drinks are Yummy! Love the ambiance in this place! read more

Stopped in for a coffee and a slice of cheese cake. Been years since I have been here and I can only assume that the place has changed ownership. Service was barely average. Ordered coffee and it arrived promptly. First noticed a nice mug with only a half a cup of coffee? I guess they are rationing it. When the coffee arrived there was neither cream or sugar delivered with the coffee. She actual asked whether I wanted either and I replied that I wanted sugar. She came back with a handful of packets and asked how many did I want, I replied that I wanted three. She was actually started to count out three packets and realized she had four and then decide to give me all four. I guess they are rationing sugar also. As she turned away to leave I asked here for a spoon. She promptly returned with a large soup spoon. Let me digress. When serving coffee one expects a full cup. One also expects coffee to be served with cream and sugar, whether one uses them or not. Lastly one expects the appropriate spoon and a napkin to come with the coffee service. I don't what was worse having the ante room doors open that one could sit and enjoy their coffee and look directly into the restrooms. Disgusting! Or the paint worn doors into the kitchen area. Rationing paint too? While you are at it take a hard hard look at your worn wainscoting, thread bare chairs and give the stain concrete floors a scrubbing and polishing. Can't believe a proper British man would leave his house in such disarray. read more

Overpriced, burned the steak, wine was sour. 2 days later I had fraud on my credit card. When I called to let the owner, Victoria know about my experience, she hung up on me in mid sentence. read more

Our 3rd time there, and it was so bad we'll never go back. If you like slow service, smug waiters, and obnoxiously loud wined up Californians, this is your place. First two visits were good, impressive food, good service, but super loud. This time however, we got tattoo boy as a waiter. Snarky and indifferent to say the least. We ordered the Talapia and the steak, my usual. Had the pot stickers as an appetizer. Tattoo boy brought two plates of pot stickers, i stopped him and said we only had one order, he said "yes, I know and I know what I'm doing" okey dokey bud. Pot stickers were ok, and we continued to wait on our food. After around an hour, we were done. Borrowed a menu from a neighboring table to get the cost of the appetizer, left $6 on the table and left. Sad, as this was a good place at one time, it had it all, but not so much now. read more

Great atmosphere and delicious food. Cocktails were perfect. Perfect for a laid back dinner and a few outstanding drinks.

Such an interesting find in a small town. Warm ambiance, good food and drinks. It's quite a popular spot with the locals, always a good sign. read more

Not quite hidden in tiny Smithville (setting of Hope Floats) is a delightful wine/tapas bar. We went on a whim for their Valentines special and were impressed by the 4 course offering. Their regular offerings sound just as tasty. My hubby was spoiled by the way bread pudding is made in England - "no raisins" - and TFR made an excellent version. Just enough cinnamon. A diverse if slightly limited wine menu is complemented by extensive cocktail offerings. It seemed that a good portion of Smithville was there! But the atmosphere is very warm and inviting and our meal was paced just right. read more

What an adorable place! Love the seating, the ambiance, food and service. Do yourself a favor and walk around the square check out the stores then come park it here and unwind with a wine flight or maybe a Texas Blues or 75 French (try with pomegranate). Then try some of the small plates to share or commit to a full meal, either way you will not be disappointed! read more

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Probably my favorite restaurant in town. The filet is always on point. Everything is delicious and the staff are great. It does get crowded on the weekends, so we usually go out during the week. read more

Date night on a Thursday. Our first visit. Bar was full and happy. Our choice of tables at 7:30. Started with a beer and bubbles while deciding on all the food options. Tapas night. Began with pot stickers, on to a wedge salad, crab cake, brussel sprouts and beef wellington. Everything tasted very good. Taylor made sure we were never wanting. Quite pleased with the experience and will definitely return. read more

We went for the prime rib dinner, first time at this establishment, made reservations for 6pm. Ordered drinks but no appetizers. The dinner came out way too fast. My medium rare was too well done. Server who never introduce himself. He took it back and came back with a medium, really quick. Dinner must be prepared earlier and plated for whoever called making reservations for the prime rib dinner. The meal was disappointing, plus fighting the flies that wanted to land on drinks and food. Only ate a small portion, too many flies, too much fat and gristle. Dogs could only eat half of it. For a bar, I like that it was in an old building, for food forget about it. read more

Great place in nice small town. Food is amazing. We ate there 2 nights in a row and had pork chop specials, hamburgers, several apps, wedge salad among other dishes. Everything was top notch. Good wine choices and nice big glasses. Not too pricey overall. ONLY complaint is the noise level. It is super loud inside. Bad acoustics or something. Way too loud for this nice of a place. read more

A very quaint and intimate wine and dining environment. Can't believe we have this right here in downtown Smithville, Texas. read more

Good food, friendly wait staff, timely service. Overall, a great place for dinner with friends! Four (of five possible) stars only because they don't offer frozen margaritas, only rocks. read more

The Front Room Wine Bar - Drinks - Wine Bars Near Me - Smithville, Texas

In town for a 4 day course and bounced around town on a Saturday night. Stopped in a couple places before someone recommended this place. I wish I had started out my evening here. Great food. Had a wedge salad that was awesome. Lots of flavor, just the right size. Then had the ahi tuna. Had a couple pieces and it was just ok. Then I tried it with the Cole slaw relish that it was served on top of and it really came alive. Can't believe what a difference the slaw made. And to top it all off I had the beef Wellington. It was also very good but the others were my favorites. That's not to say that if i had just ordered the Wellington I would still probably be writing a positive review. The food was that good. Great margarita on the rocks. All very reasonably priced and served by super cordial and attractive bar staff and waitress. My new favorite place! 120 miles from home. I'll be sure to enjoy it for the next couple days. read more

The Front Room Wine Bar - Rita ricks - Wine Bars Near Me - Smithville, Texas

The drinks were good, but cut back on the ice in my Bloody Mary. Had the steak hamburger, very tasty but limp lettuce was a joke. The fries, I requested to be crispy and they came out limp and under cooked. The Brussel sprouts were cooked well but left in a sauce that took away the crispness and made them soggy and bitter. The Mac & cheese was okay. The best thing in the menu was the pot stickers. Cooked to perfection with the perfect sauce. When I come back that is all I would order. So overall three stars. With just a little change and more detail to the little things, they would get four stars or higher. The building is quite beautiful and love the ambience inside. Great place for a date or to hang out with friends. I will come back at least once a month, would be every week if they can improve on the little things to make it a great experience. read more

The Front Room Wine Bar is the perfect balance of upscale snootiness and small town friendliness. It's "Vanderpump Rules" meets "Floribama Shore" in the best way possible. The decor feels warm and inviting and intimate. It's too small to bring your mistress, but certainly a great apology location for that time you leave the toilet seat up one too many times. I was worried we wouldn't get full with tapas menu, but I had to be rolled out when we were done. Beef medallions, crab cakes, beef sliders, crab cakes, mac n cheese, crab cakes, crawfish etoufee, crab cakes, spinach & artichoke dip, crab cakes, and salted caramel cheesecake. Did I mention the crab cake? Boyfriend doesn't normally like crab cakes, but devoured his. My favorite drink is a French 75 and theirs did not disappoint. I'll be back to try every thing on the cocktail on the menu. I just found my go-to place when visitors come to town! read more

Sweet find in the heart of Smithville. Their hidden secret is an awesome menu. Many just think that it's a great bar. I've been coming here occasionally over a couple of years and just enjoyed a birthday celebration with a few friends. Highly recommend their Tapas style offerings from spinach dip to beef wellingtons. All tasty in-house renditions. Don't forget their desserts. The friendly staff is icing on the cake. read more

Dimly-lit by Cozy fireplace. Great lighting. Visited twice so far. Enjoyed drinks at the bar. Looking forward to trying the menu on next visit. read more

Everything is great! Good food, solid wine selection and great atmosphere! Plus, it's a great place to catch some quality live music! read more

I drove out here all the way from Austin, a good 45 minute drive to the scenic hamlet of Smithville to find this gem. The service was fast and efficient, and the women behind the bar, Gloria and Tina, were very knowledgeable and friendly. The food was expertly prepared, and my girlfriend was especially impressed by the assortment of artisan lotions in the ladies room from Keridwyn Hershberger at Devonshire Incense and Soap (http://www.devonshireorganics.com) All in all, it's just another wine bar in the wall, but I'd definitely recommend it for the Lobster Mac and Cheese alone. read more

The Front Room Wine Bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Smithville, Texas

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Pretty busy for early Saturday afternoon but, the service was still good! Absolutely loved the "dress it yourself" Bloody Mary bar! This place is really cozy w/warm indoor seating & nice outdoor seating too! I'll be back & order food next time! read more

Love this place! Just moved to Bastrop and was looking for something fun to do for Mardi Gras/Fat Tuesday! FRWB had a great party with hurricane drinks (delish), red beans and rice, king cake, live music and was beautifully decorated! We sat at the bar as the place was packed, Alison waited on us and even though she was super busy, she was friendly, attentive and surprisingly fast with service. At one point beautiful mask brooches were given to each of the ladies present and free king cake was passed out. I was super impressed at such an upscale restaurant so close to home and the amazing service! We had the red beans and rice and the crab cakes-which my BF said were the best he's ever had in TX (he's from Boston)! Can't wait to go back and try something else on the menu! read more

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This review isn't intended to besmirch the reputation of the concerned business or the employees who we encountered during our experience here. It is an honest review of a business and meant as no personal slander, and will be given with all respect due other human beings. My husband and I went here for dinner on a Saturday evening. As we walked in, we were met at the door by a waitress who didn't smile, and who said that because there would be live music starting in half an hour, there was a mandatory $5 cover charge. Okay that should have been a flag for us to turn around and leave, but we like to keep our business local and support our local economy, so we wanted to give it a try anyway. My husband explained that we were only there for dinner and wouldn't be staying for the music or drinks/wine and could we please just be seated for dinner. The waitress actually had to get permission to do this. Wow. So we were seated and a waiter came in a few minutes to get our drinks. Not once did he smile or express any friendliness. We looked over the menu but weren't ready to order when the waiter came back pretty quickly with our drinks. He seemed annoyed. My husband asked for a Coke. He was brought one of the tiny 7 oz. cans of Coke with a glass of ice, and the soda was room temperature. We took only a few more minutes to make our choices and we gave our order to the waiter. Within a few minutes, a manager came to our table and said, "The meat for your Reuben sandwich is spoiled and the chef doesn't want to serve it. Is there something else you would want?" Okay...... doesn't inspire confidence in the quality of food. What else is spoiled? So, I scrambled to pick something else from the menu. The sliders sounded okay but they have bacon jam on them and I asked if I got those, could they make them without the bacon jam since I don't eat pork. The manager said that was no problem and retreated to the kitchen. In just a few minutes, my husbands' sliders came out and they were actually quite nice. They were well done and my husband commented that they tasted very good. Unfortunately the cole slaw that he requested wasn't brought with the sliders. He didn't even get a chance to finish his food though because of the things that happened next. He asked for another soda, and was brought a second tiny can of room-temperature soda. Honestly, a food establishment really should have a soda fountain. In just a few minutes my sliders also came out, which was suspect because it sure was quick. As I bit into one, it got pinker and less well done but I'm okay with a little less well done. But after the second bite, it was too rare for me. My husband likes rare meat, so I gave it to him and was going to try the second slider. That's when my husband tore my first slider apart and it was RAW and cool in the center. What's more, they had the bacon jam on them which I had asked not to be served on the sliders and the manager had assured me was not a problem. We decided enough was enough and my husband flagged the waiter for our check. When we said we just wanted to go and not finish our meal, the waiter got very attitude-ish. We were just going to pay for the food and leave, and wanted to be sure we wouldn't be charged for the cover charge, but when the waiter gave us attitude about it, my husband asked to speak to the manager. She came to our table and argued with us about the tiny sodas being warm, how she had delivered the message about spoiled meat, the cole slaw not being delivered, and then finally, my sliders being raw and served with the bacon jam that I had asked not to get; however, she acknowledged that we had had a very poor experience at her restaurant. The waiter finally brought our check minus the cost of my sliders. How kind. But surprise - the check had the $5 cover charge. My husband called the waiter over yet again, who then had to go and get the manager AGAIN. She argued AGAIN with us about removing the cover charge, saying that the live performance had already started. Okay, heavy sigh and forehead palm smack. We were only still there because of this comedy of errors and really poor customer service. Finally we got our check minus the cost of my uneaten raw sliders and the cover charge. We didn't even eat dinner, and we paid $17.50 for one glass of iced tea, two tiny cans of warm soda, and one uneaten order of sliders and cole slaw. The cole slaw my husband ordered was finally brought just as we were asking for the check, and he didn't even get to taste it. This experience was so awful that this restaurant manager should have comped our entire bill in embarrassment for her establishment. But alas, no. The $17.50 was more important to her than possibly salvaging a repeat customer in the tiny town of Smithville, where your return customer base is crucial. Perhaps it was just an off night, and perhaps the crowd of customers was too much for the wait staff. All we know is that we won't return. read more

The Front Room Wine Bar is a very classy pub that specializes in a great selection of food and drink with an atmosphere that encourages a good conversation with a friendly patron. They rotate items on their menu, so check the website for the latest. I have not had a single thing on any menu here that wasn't made with fresh ingredients and love from a talented kitchen staff; it's all good! The cocktail menu also rotates, but I can honestly say their bartenders can serve them all up with a friendly smile and a tasty result. This is the place I take friends from out of town for a bite to eat and an adult beverage; it is my home town bar. Well behaved dogs and children are allowed. Cheers! read more

I highly recommend their mixed drinks. We live their GF pizza. I had the spinach artichoke one and it has a hint of jalepeño that takes it up a notch. I ate one pizza over 3 meals. Very satisfying read more

Cool spot. There was just a drunk crowd and they were so load it was hard to enjoy yourself. Other than that, cool spot...decent food...decent drinks. Would go back. read more

Wonderful environment. Moody/romantic on the inside, bar scene or sitting area for dinning and outside area! The food is delicious. Good place for date night or friends night out. read more

Great local hangout with some really tasty food and drink specials. Or they always have good pizza. Clean space, friendly staff and unique decor. Highly recommended. read more

Had the hamburger steak. Very salty. The pot stickers were pretty dry too. I was a little disappointed.

Great food, great service and atmosphere. On of my favorite places to eat. Worth driving from Bastrop.

Ordered food items, then were told not available. That happened 3 times. Ordered bottle of wine, after waiting 10 min, waitress came back to say they don't have it.? that happened 3 times too. Then when owner came over, she had an attitude. We just left at that point. I really wanted to support this local business but based on my experience, could not recommend to anyone. Don't waste your time here if you're wanting to have wine. read more

Good wine and food. Also live music was excellent. Not too many places like this yet in Smithville and this is a gem.

On a business trip and this restaurant was recommended. It was fantastic. Super cute and cozy decor, great staff and the absolute best caprise pizza I've ever had, which by the way was recommended by awesome staff. Come here!!! read more

I always enjoy going here. The food is the best!! The staff are very efficient & kind!!