Brining my review down a star. Here is why - I've had slow service here every time since my first visit. The wait staff has good personality, but that doesn't make up for the amount of time it takes to get a glass of wine or a loaf of bread around here. I don't love the summer menu choices and at my last visit many of the menu options that I tried to order were sold out. This was mid dinner service on a week day when it wasn't even busy. The wine I had on my first visit hasn't been available, and they don't always have a comparable sparkling Red available. Uvae is great, just not a 5 star experience. read more

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We came here for a wine tasting and it was crazy how good everything was. They really do have a broad and unusual selection. Unfortunately I didn't eat nearly enough but I got some oysters and they were great. There's a nice outdoor seating area and the inside is very cozy and dimly lit. read more

Cute neighborhood wine bar. We went with four of us and shared 7 items. The plates are small but shareable. Unfortunately they were out of the mussels when we visited, will have to stop back again to try them. read more

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Sometimes I forget how much I like wine. Three of us went to Uvae for restaurant week and loved everything. For an extra $15, it made sense to order the prix fixe menu with the wine pairings. A cocktail likely would have cost more. The soup and salad were delicious and paired perfectly with great wines. We all loved our entrees, although I suspect I loved my short rib wellington a little harder. I'm not a huge desert person but I can't stop thinking about that Nutella creme brulee. Also paired with a great dessert wine-- possibly the only dessert wine I have ever really liked! Yes the portions are a little smaller for restaurant week, but with four courses I was happy to not feel like a glutton at the end. Incredibly thoughtful and knowledgeable service made this a great choice for dinner. The space is well laid out too. We didn't feel like we were sitting on top of people, and it was easy to have a conversation even when the room was pretty full. read more

Such an amazing dining experience. Located in Andersonville is this unassuming restaurant . The space is divided between a cozy, warm , tastefully decorated wine bar restaurant and a tasting room. We were fortunate to be seated in the restaurant portion. Staff were so kind and willingly shared recommendations and explanations to us. They have a happy hour on the weekend. We ordered small plates - shrimp cocktail, deviled eggs, pimento cheese with homemade chips and flatbread. It was more than enough food , but I would like to return to try their cheeses, and larger portions. I am not a fan of most chips, but these were so good, and the pimento cheese was savory , spreadable and very good. The prosciutto flatbread was a mixture of sweet cream and savory. The salt from the prosciutto and the sweetness from the figs was perfect. Our waiter overheard us mentioning an upcoming special occasion and treated us to a slice of cheesecake topped with berry sauce. The cheesecake was so fluffy and the chevre cheese was creamy and had a touch of goat flavor. Uvae lived up to my expectations and we will return. read more

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Uvae wine bar is a gem in Andersonville! They have a really good happy hour menu, which is even better during the summer when you can enjoy it on their patio. We went Friday night where the Cava wine was $5 a glass before 6:30! I recommend making a reservation because this is a popular spot! We got lucky and were seated at the high top by the windows. For dinner, we did a make your own cheese board situation. We ordered the bread board which came with 3 spreads and half a loaf of bread, and then we added 3 additional cheeses. It was actually a good amount of food for two people! The spread board is totally worth it - I was obsessed with how fresh and garlicky the tomato jam was! And the whipped ricotta with pesto was so good too! I will definitely be coming back! read more

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Heard about the free Tuesday night wine tastings and decided to check it out. First of all, they have very extensive and tasteful decor (down to the water glasses which are made from the bottoms of wine bottles). The staff are super friendly as well, and happy to talk to you. For the wine tasting I attended, there was three offerings: - Thurston Wolfe PGV, 2023: 45% Viognier and 55% Pinot Gris, from the Columbia Valley - Lubanzi Cinsault, 2023: first time trying Cinsault! from South Africa - 1LT Explosivo, 2023: Vinhao (Sezão) variety from Portugal, my first time trying this as well The supplier was really nice and happy to talk about the wines. It was fun just trying new varieties I hadn't had before, and we got a little cheese board to go along with the wine. I would definitely come again! And hope to maybe try some of their different cheeses as well read more

Uvae Kitchen & Wine Bar - Cheese board - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

It's a cute place, comfortable. Been coming for years. The best part is if you like wine, you can choose from a large selection from around the world in a variety of sizes-- flights or choose your own adventure ! Food wise, it's good but very small portions /or value, especially if looking at octopus (see photo) or even lamb. Deficits but way ice peux /Under sized. Glad I asked about scallops and declined (3 for $34 ). I'd love to try the cheese but having to order accoutrements à la carte (or heaven forbid the $18 bread service) is just not worth it. Happy hour is a good lure but just remember that $2/shrimp or oyster isn't that great of a deal. Service and atmosphere are great. Just adjust the price point or portion size and you're golden. read more

Uvae Kitchen & Wine Bar - Octopus - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I was here for a girlfriend's birthday dinner. Really enjoyed the wine selection and that the restaurant was divided between a tasting room and a dining room. The decor was not flattering during the day/ sunshine , but once the candles were lit - the mood was calmer / more serene . Our group shared the big board that had an à la carte selection of cheeses- highly recommend. Everyone ordered a little bit of everything , there wasn't anything I didn't like . Service didn't stand out to me, but it wasn't bad . read more

Uvae Kitchen & Wine Bar - Big board - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of my favorite places here in the neighborhood! The owner is SO nice and knowledgeable. You can tell how passionate she is about her space and she's always supporting local businesses in the area too.   Happy hour: 1000% worth it.  Tastings: also 10000% worth it! We did a private tasting with our family and our sommalier was so kind/patient with our crazy family. We learned a lot and had some great wine. You can buy snacks in addition to your tasting experience. The private tasting would be such a great gift. Also, the tasting room is seperate from the restaurant and it is super cute Food: the menu is usually on rotation and you can't really go wrong with whatever you get! Every vegetarian dish I have had here has been some of my favorites (even though I am a meat eater).  The argula & fennel salad + charred rappini are very good. The portion sizes for the short ribs and lobster cakes were generous. read more

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I have been here so many times and each time has been such a delight! The food, the wine, the service, the value for the money...all impeccable! On my most recent visit, my tablemates and I enjoyed multiple cocktails in addition to many bottles of the Pullus Pinot Grigio, which is absolutely delightful. We had so many divine dishes, from a personalized cheese and charcuterie board to the fries to the hush puppies to the lobster cakes to the flatbread to the caramel salted gelato. Everything was above and beyond expectations. I adore this spot and cannot recommend it enough. read more

This is the kind of Chicago neighborhood restaurant that you can pass by and miss way too easily. This is the place that you say, "I've passed it million times, but I haven't stopped." This is your sign to stop and check this place out. First the food is excellent. You order small plates. When my wife's and I visited, we ordered four small plates and a dessert and that was the perfect amount of food. We ordered the mussels, short rib, pappardelle and heirloom tomato and grilled peach. We got the panna cotta for dessert. We enjoyed all the dishes, but the short rib is a must order. The panna cotta is yummy and the presentation is super cool. Third, the ambience is low key and cozy. While the restaurant is larger that is appears for that outside, you get a real homey and intimate feeling in that restaurant itself. Third, the service is very good. Our waiter was very nice and knowledgeable about the menu and gave great recommendations. Our food was coursed out perfectly. In sum, this is must visit restaurants In Andersonville. read more

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You know how you go to a restaurant the first time and feel like you discovered something special. Well that's how I felt abt Uvae. I hv had my eye on it for some time and was looking for a spot to meet a friend. We agreed on 5pm because it was convenient but turns out it was happy hour. WooHoo! Shrimp and oysters $2 each and we ordered a bread plate. This came out as steaming hot half loaf of crust sourdough with olive feta spread and tomato h Jam. But the real star was this amazing herb butter which I could each off a gym shoe but on the bread it was ridiculously good. Pair with our drinks also delicious it was time well spent. Not a cheap date but well worth it. Exceeded my expectations. Loved it! read more

Every visit has been excellent. Friendly staff, delicious food and attentive service. We've been to special events as well as seasonal celebrations and the attention to detail and quality of food and drinks has been outstanding. Highly recommended for happy hour specials, dining and special occasions. read more

I went for the wine tasting they have in the tasting room and really enjoyed! The staff were so kind and welcoming. My server did a really good job explaining each wine that was being poured and suggesting food pairings. I tried 4 wines and I believe it was only $10, great bang for your buck. They also have complimentary tastings on Tuesdays from 6-8pm. The ambiance is a dim lit vibe and their attached to a restaurant if you want to grab food too. read more

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We came here for Restaurant Week and ordered the menu with wine pairings! Every pairing was delicious and chosen well! And the waiter was incredibly knowledgeable about all of the notes in each wine. I'm a huge fan of beef wellington so I was a little disappointed at the portion size of the short rib wellington but it was tasty. Overall, we had an enjoyable meal! read more

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Industrial design meets Victorian style? Nice venue They have Saturday happy hour, catch it if you can. 2$ oyster and shrimp and 5$ spwine Duck fat fingerling: loved it! Real crispy skin and soft smooth potato inside. Smart way to cook potato. 4.5 star Beef Wellington: tried the single. Didn't know what it means by single. Means it's a mini version of it. Beef is cooked separately and have a crispy puff on top. Thought just single layer of beef or something. Kinda disappointed. Bit on the salty side. Beef is tender but a little bit dry. 3.5 star Braised pork: favorite dish tonight. The pork is so tender! Just melt in your mouth. Love the addition of apple give it a bit fruity sweet and crispy texture. 5 star Nutella crème brûlée: very thin layer of Nutella. Was worried the Nutella may be too much but can barely taste it. Good traditional crème brûlée pretty much Pretty noisy venue though. Have to get close to talk. Maybe nice for a date night Staff are nice and attentive A bit on the pricey side read more

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Food is excellent. I much prefer eating outside in the nice weather. Service was a little rushed feeling, but the shareable plates are the star of the show. Nice deals on happy hour oysters even on the weekends. read more

My friends and I visited this place on a Memorial Day long weekend for some drinks. We ordered a Cava during happy hour, which was shared by four people. The place has an impressive selection of wines from different countries! I cannot comment on the food as we didn't try any, but the bottle of wine was definitely good. The place has a nice patio and indoor space as well. The server was quite friendly; overall, it had a good vibe. I would try this place again if I'm in the neighborhood! read more

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We loved our date night at Uvae! There's a great happy hour deal for oysters and some great seating both outside as well as inside. I'm new to wine bars and the servers were very good with explaining how things would taste and gave me a sip before I would commit to an entire glass. Food was out of this world, exactly what we needed. read more

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Another fun meal at Uvae. Happy Hour Cava was delicious with Roasted Cauliflower. For Mussels with white wine, tomato ragout & gorgonzola, the bartender recommended a Sangiovese blend, which really enhanced the dish's richness. My preference was Los Monteros Cava which added refreshment to the extra-savory flavors. Service was attentive & informed. read more

First time trying this place out. It did not disappoint. The service and food were very good. It was very busy so I definitely suggest reservations. They do have happy hour specials as well. Definitely recommend this place. read more

This is an embarrassingly *late* review - but I keep thinking about how wonderful my experience was visiting Uvae Kitchen and Wine Bar late October on a Thursday evening. First: AMBIANCE: I loved the romantic, intimate and cozy vibe as well as the seasonal decorations at the time. My partner and I arrived around 6:00pm to enjoy the Happy Hour Deal ($2 Oysters - $2 Shrimp - $5 Bubbly), which is from 5 - 6:30 Wednesday through Friday (3 - 6:30 Saturday & Sunday). Thursday evening was perfect at that time, as it was not crowded at all when we arrived (but I will tell you it became rather full before we left)! VALUE: Not bad! The Happy Hour bubbly was absolutely delicious - Los Monteros Cava Brut from Spain. I recall it because it exceeded my expectations (I generally prefer drier drinks, and happy hour deals usually are sweet / cheap, but this was *excellent* - I complimented it to the waitress and she shared that they have a special deal with the company. Phenomenal!) We even ordered a whole bottle to share at regular price after appetizers because we were so impressed. (HH Oysters were OK as well - I was a tad bit underwhelmed, but mind you I'm super picky after having some seriously hoity-toity and expensive oyster selections from coastal areas this past year, so no complaints other than possibly a shucking issue with shell bits - quality good for the value of happy hour deals though). Otherwise, regular prices honestly fit in to what you'd expect from a Chicago (Andersonville) gem! Speaking of the waitress: SERVICE was AMAZING. She was practically running the whole place herself as it got busier and busier, and still had time to chat amiably with us and groups around us. Her recommendations were were perfect - FOOD: We ended up with one dish to share from each section - Earth, Sea, Farm, and between the 2 of us, we struggled to eat everything! "Earth" was Brussel Sprouts with Pork Belly, some stand-out Shrimp and Grits from the "Sea" section (possibly my favorite!), and "Farm" was a short-ribbed Wellington (my partner's absolute favorite). Everything was amazingly delicious and had lovely unique spins on flavors. Drinks: My partner enjoyed a seasonal hot Uvae Wassail (Hot Apple Cider-based), and I had the Drunken Squirrel (Whiskey / Pumpkin Syrup / Absinthe). All in all, not a cheap outing, but we had a fantastic time. Highly recommend for special occasions, date night, happy hour, girl's night, sips and charcuterie boards. I will definitely be visiting again. read more

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Went for happy hour and they have great deals on cava! The blackberry jam gin drink was delicious.

Come here for HH 5-6:30pm from Wednesday - Friday and 3-6:30 Saturday and Sunday. Does not disappoint! $2 / oyster is prob the best deal you can find! Atmosphere is perfect for a date night, catch up with friends, or even a solo evening. It's candle lit and very ~ moody ~ Service was fantastic and so was the cava bubbles. I would come here just for those two. Their food selection is quite plentiful along with their wine offerings. Do get: Oysters and any of their wine (there's a tasting room next door) Pass next time: The fries, flatbread, and duck were alright - I would probably pass on these options next time and just sick with the oysters. Prices aren't too insane, but the duck was quite dry and tough and the flatbread was a bit too crispy and hard. read more

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We came in for the oysters happy hour but the oysters were not fresh, which was disappointing. There was only one waiter going around so we waited 10+ minutes for someone to take our order, which was not ideal as we were running out of time for happy hour. The entres were okay, but I would not come back. read more

Wonderful food, ambiance, and service. The food was delicious- beef Wellington, pasta, fried artichokes, heirloom carrots, mussels etc. We tried everything from earth, sea and farm. Waitstaff was completely knowledgable about food and wine. It was a very dark inside- couldn't really see the menu or food but it made each bite a delicious surprise! lol read more

Uvae Kitchen & Wine Bar - Beef Wellington - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I've been a few times and each time was lovely. There's a small and intimate outdoor seating area, perfect for a Friday happy hour; which was my latest venture. Shrimp, oysters and cava specials! I added a couple if items off the regular menu to add to the spread. The marinated olives were good, but a lil spendy. Although I think I heard of an olive shortage so I'll chalk it up to that. The unpasteurized cheddar was a crowd favorite and a rare find for my husband who prefers his cheese unpasteurized. All in all, it was an excellent way to kick off the weekend. I'll add that I've dined in before specifically while on a burrata crawl and loved the atmosphere and burrata that time as well! read more

This review is for brunch. The Doctor and I went there for a Sunday brunch with friends. Despite not so stellar comments from folks we knew that had gone there for dinner, The Doctor and I decided to give it try for brunch. We have discovered that there are many restaurants that have split personalities when it comes to food: dinner vs brunch. I am happy to say that we have done brunch here twice and were not disappointed. First let's start with the décor. We dined inside and I have to say that the place is adorable. My initial feel was I was walking into a Victorian drawing room. The brunch menu had a nice selection of cocktails and entrees. The Queen got a Smoked Cider mocktail, but added a shot of whisky to it...pretty tasty. There were also $8 mimosas, with an interesting selection of flavors (pear & ginger, blood orange & cinnamon, and smoked honey & apple). Honestly this is not my cup of tea, but folks in my party thought they were delish. The food selection was on point. I love that they have pork on the menu, which is the best meat in the whole world and they serve it with the Chilaquiles, which was very good (so I got it both times I went there). The Queen got the Chicken and Biscuits and that was interesting. It was topped with a maple BBQ sauce. I would say it was a little too sweet for me, but The Queen loved it. The Doctor got the Pork Benedict and I had a taste of that...will get that next time I go. The first time I went for brunch they had these lovely lemon ricotta pancakes and those were the bomb. The second time we went, my BFF got their spiced pear pancakes. Again not a flavor I would go with, but my BFF cleaned his plate and he is a picky eater. Second visit instead of pancakes The Queen and I split the Duck Sliders. My only regret with this dish was splitting it with The Queen. Those were delish with a cranberry aioli. That was a lovely mix of savory and sweet and I will most definitely get that again. Service on both occasions was nice. Aaron was attentive and fun to talk to, and remembered us from our last visit. Don't remember the name of the gentleman running the cheese side of the business, The Cheese Monger (love this title!), but he was nice in answering questions I had about the cheese/wine tastings. Definitely will be going back for brunch but want to try their Happy Hour as well. Have to say this is one of the only places I have heard of that does one on a Sunday, so I will most likely have to investigate and report back. read more

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Wonderful little place for dinner; small plates and nice drinks on a busy corner. We went on a Tuesday; wine tasting with bottles at retail which was a great idea for selling wine and made the experience a little more fun. Great happy hour with fresh oysters. Everything was delicious and the service was wonderful. read more

Incredible food and service. Great vibes. Love everything about this place. In particular, that broccoli was spectacular! Also really loved the cheesecake. Miso cod was lovely. read more

Really nice wine and small plates place in Andersonville! Really delicious drinks and mocktails. They don't have a lot of vegetarian options. What they have he OK but I'm not sure I'd come back just for those. read more

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The best oysters I've ever tasted in Chicago! Fresh and delicious highly recommended The drinks and service are amazing too, I'm obsessed.. the third course is the best! I will definitely be back to try each of the things on the menu read more

Uvae Kitchen & Wine Bar - Emilia Negroni - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The restaurant offers a nice limited menu. The staff are attentive. Every thing I've tried on the menu has been terrific.

TL;DR: Good patio, friendly staff, try the orange wine Once I heard 45 min - 1 hour wait time for Little Bad Wolf, I walk across the street to Uvae wine bar and had a glass of wine. The staff was really friendly and knowledgable. I tired their orange wine and I really liked it. The waitress also gave me a complimentary sip of another type of orange wine since I was so interested. The food that they brought out to others both smelled and looked good. I would love to come back and try their food read more

Our first night Andersonville we went to uvae, good portions of yummy dishes. We really enjoyed the mussels and the cozy atmosphere. There was a food blogger next to us with a bright light photographing all the food which was a vibe. We would absolutely go back! read more

Had our daughters wedding reception there last week. It could not have been better; the food was great - and plentiful, the rooms were beautiful and quite photogenic. And our event coordinator, Caitlin was a rockstar: she helped arrange the flowers, the cake-cutting, the champagne, Everything. She made sure everything went smoothly. Unfortunately, I have no more daughters to marry off, but I can definitely see many enjoyable dinners there in our future. Kudos to everyone involved! read more

The Mother's Day brunch here was spectacular. We didn't take enough pictures to do it justice. Every variety of food you could think of for breakfast and so many desserts as well. We enjoyed the food and the service and the vibe of the whole experience. It felt quite special! read more

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The service was perfect everyone was supper sweet. I loved the out door seating and the inside was cute too for a coworker or friend meet up. Recommend their happy hour menu!! read more

Uvae Kitchen & Wine Bar - The $2 oysters for happy hour !! - Wine Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had a good meal for restaurant week at Uvae! We did the wine pairing with the restaurant week menu and definitely had fun with it! I will say to start off the salads were a bit underwhelming. My squash panzanella had two very hard pieces of bread in it and maybe five tiny pieces of squash. It was overruled by the amount of arugula in it which just felt like a cheap way to do a salad. For entrees we had the pork and the pappardelle and I would literally come back for the pappardelle alone. It was creamy, flavorful, and the noodles were cooked absolutely perfectly. We had the bread pudding for dessert which was fine, just not nearly as decadent as we would have liked. The servers did an excellent job explaining the wine pairings and gave a fair portion of wine with each course. We left feeling that we got a good experience but also weren't so overloaded with wine that we couldn't remember our meals. I will say if you are looking for somewhere intimate and romantic, the ambiance is great but the tables are extremely close together and the noise level is very high so I wouldn't recommend it for a quiet date night. We went on a weekend so that could contribute but overall would recommend Uvae for a more social night out with wine and apps!!! read more