(Drank 12/11/14 TH @ 6:30pm): Whole Foods has raised the bar with the addition of this new feature!
I invited a couple friends who joined me at the Tarzana location of the Vine 39 Bar At Whole Foods Market for an evening of "Dinner Conversations" presented by Netiya and a host of guest speakers. The event itself was to promote local growers and merchants, social issues, sustainability, and how you can possibly spread the word. In addition, a selection of appropriate appetizers and snacks were served as we listened and then mingled amongst everyone. An interesting location to host such an event but understoond the tie-in quickly. Although I enjoyed the event, here's the lowdown on the bar:
St. Bernardus ABT 12 On Tap ($6.99 ea.) - I treated a friend to a beer since he drove. If you knew me, I was always in search of trying something I'd never tried before especially when it came to any libations. So, this lovely brown stout-like brew claimed my tastebuds after a sampling. With a slight body and chocolately taste, I thoroughly enjoyed yet babied it so it lasted for the entire event (I almost made it!). And, it went well with the acclimate weather of the evening. http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw
Service - On this chilled eventful evening, there were two young and very friendly bartenders (female and male) who kindly offered samples to my friends and I of the beer on tap (six total) as well as provided some notes and recommendations http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=L0fc5dsvEwFZVV6788MgpA. Once we made our decision, the young man served our beers, rang up my order and concluded with a nice "thank you". FYI...there was no opportunity to tip on the receipt nor did I see a tip jar. Excellent service!
Parking (Free) - Part of an outdoor shopping center, there was plenty of exposed and underground parking. If necessary, I believed you were able to park on all the nearby streets, but always check any posted street signs.
Atmosphere, décor, ambience - Located all the way towards the back right corner of the store where all the alcohol was located and butted-up against the self-serve salads and freshly-prepared food items, it literally was like a displaced oval-shaped island. There were several barstools at the bar as well as some along the outer edge of the area with a thin platform to place your drinks. But if you wanted to get more cozy, there was a row of inviting cushy sofas and tables http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=RaAmy5NLgYHLwxZzheZ47w. Only electric lighting was available as several lamps hung from the ceiling http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=herLbqkO4vYroy_pTuzsxw. There was one TV and no background music (unless you considered any announcements made on the overhead speaker) http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&select=ub4JxV9orm_HKFEes2kDcg.
Attire - Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops...if it weren't for the acclimate weather.
Overall, the Tarzana location of Vines 39 Bar At Whole Foods Market was an eye-opener, and I understood more locations (and competitors) were adding this new wrinkle to the grocery shopping experience. With very little knowledge of how this all worked, I saw some potential with this concept, but I thought of many recommendations I during my time here. As of yet, I certainly wouldn't consider a grocery store as a destination to grab a drink nor would I promote the practice to shoppers to throw one back either before, during, and especially after their shopping. Of course, this might be a good alternative to a fast food restaurant where you purchased food there and settled in at the bar. A small selection of bottled beer and wine were also available; however, I'm not sure about liquor or mixed drinks. The prices seemed to be on par with what you'd expect at a bar, which in my opinion wasn't a positive since you missed out on the "bar scene" experience (i.e. dancing, eye candy, games). With that being said, I felt the prices should've been dropped at least a buck or two. Not sure if they had any sort of happy hour. To be fair, I found very good value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (total paid experience was around $15.00; no tip required). And, they accepted my credit card of choice...AMEX! 4.0 STARS read more