We visited Willful Wine on a sunny Saturday night as we hoped to catch the piano music many folks were raving about. The service was good. The cheese board is very basic. We're talking "Fred Meyer cheese counter" quality. Nothing bad, but just not great. The assortment of "dried fruit" was a small cup of dried cranberries. Meh. The real issue I have regarding our visit was the automatic 20% gratuity. I really hate this required tipping movement within the restaurant industry. I do wish they would just raise the prices and leave the tipping to me and my server to hash out. Sometimes the service isn't worth 20% of my bill. Really. Normally, there is a notice in Open Table or on the venue's website to alert of a required tipping policy. I saw neither prior to our arrival. In fact, I didn't notice any warning on the menu either but it was dark in the lounge and I may have missed the small print. I typically avoid restaurants requiring a service fee or mandatory 20% tip. This time they got me but I doubt we'll be back. read more

Pam, the owner and Shawna were absolutely extraordinary! Their attentiveness, service, expertise, and pride in the wines, were so apparent. All of the Pinot Noirs were fabulous, but the 2021 NYSA was out of this world! The food was superb and I couldn't ask for a better experience. I will definitely be back again!!! read more

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Willful Wine at The Grant House ended up giving us one of the sweetest date nights we've had in a long time and we didn't even order wine. The Grant House is the oldest residence on Officers Row, originally built in the mid-1800s as part of the Fort Vancouver military community. You can feel that history the moment you walk in! The tall windows, the creaking wood floors, the way the rooms still hold that old-world dignity. The house was originally built with logs but then replaced. But from the looks of it some was preserved from the inside, which you can get a sneak peek when walking out of the bathroom and back into the dining space. For drinks, I had their cider, my fiancé chose a zero-proof drink, and both were delicious. My cider was bright, fruity and crisp, and his drink tasted thoughtfully layered, not sugary or flat. For dinner, we ordered the Garlic Caesar Salad, Butternut squash tagliatelle and the Seared pork chop, and they all felt like autumn served on a plate. The pasta was velvety and comforting, and the pork chop had that perfect balance of sear and tenderness, a dish that makes you pause mid-conversation just to appreciate it. But what truly made the night unforgettable was Pam. She was an absolute delight, warm, present, and a talented host beyond measure. She played soft, romantic jazz piano through the evening, and at one point, my fiancé and I ended up sharing a slow, quiet dance right there in the dining room. The Grant House setting adds to the charm historic, softly lit, and easy to settle into. Pam made us feel completely taken care of from start to finish. So excited to come back for the holiday dinner. read more

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Service was great, venue was quiet on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Ordered the poached pear salad and a signature cocktail, the Italian Mule (Averna amaro + vodka + ginger beer + lime). The venue is very classy. read more

Willful Wine - Italian Mule (Averna amaro + vodka + ginger beer + lime) - Wine Bars Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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Lovely spot, good selection of wines and drinks. Service was very very slow so I didn't have a chance to order food, as I was basically ignored. Saturday afternoon. The service comes with an 'attitude'. Can't recommend. read more

Salmon Salad & Great Wine at Willful Wine Bar Located within the historic charm of the Grant House on Officer's Row in Vancouver, Washington, Willful Wine Bar is cozy spot for wine lovers. It's a beautifully restored 19th-century house. It feels like stepping back in time. The wine selection is the star here, particularly their pinot noir, a staple of the Willful brand. We love a woman winemaker, Pam Walden. Whether you're a seasoned wine connoisseur or just looking to enjoy a relaxing flight, the staff's knowledge and enthusiasm will be on point. The menu also includes small bites that perfectly complement the wines, such as local cheeses, charcuterie, and other nibbles. We had the mezze platter which was delicious and perfect size. I had one of their salads and added salmon! Fresh and delicious. I love a wine lunch! read more

Willful Wine - Wine Bars Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

What a delight! We have been here twice now, once for wine tasting and once for dinner. Both times, we had cheerful personable service. This gem of a restaurant is tucked away in Officers Row in an old building that used to house high ranking officers from Fort Vancouver. They've kept the charm of the interior, with the dining room and bar tucked in what might have been a living room and a library. The wines are whimsical and yummy. The food menu isn't so vast that you're head spins but is a thoughtfully curated menu. On our wine tasting expedition, we had their Cab Sav and Cab Franc. Both of them were enjoyed enough to bring a bottle of each home. These are not the big busty Cabs of Napa which we also love. On our dinner, we shared an arancini and a bruschetta. Yum. I had a vegetarian tagliatelle. Even though there's an option to add a protein, I didn't choose to add it and much enjoyed as is. I tried the gnocchi which was yummy, too. We will be back for sure. read more

Willful Wine - Wine Bars Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

Lunch at the Grant House, say Yes!! Historical atmosphere to enjoy great food, wine and ambience. We had our book club meeting there in the Sun Room. It was perfect. Our server was amazing and very attentive. Food ordered was great. From Sourdough sandwiches, to delicious salads. Drinks were delicious. If you're not into alcohol, they have some non alcoholic beverages. I had the Baby Mule. It was delicious and I didn't miss the alcohol. I ordered the Caesar Salad with Chicken. Both were delicious. A sourdough bread with olive oil for dipping, was so fresh. We will definitely come back to the beautiful setting. Reservations recommended for large groups. read more

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Spend a sunny afternoon at this beautiful restaurant, sit on the porch and enjoy the ceviche or the home made mushroom soup! It's a delicious adventure in taste and location. read more

We discovered this place by accident and its already become our favorite spot. Being big into wine is what led us here...the stellar wine, service, ambiance and food will bring us back. the food was delicious-we had bread with olive oil, gnocci with bolognese, and shimp & grits. Every bite was delicious. Paired with an excellent pinot noir from Dundee topped it off. We were thrilled to meet the lady winemaker!! Shout out to a very talented woman who's been in the business many years. Vancouver is lucky to have this little gem. I can't wait to go back. read more

We dropped in to check the place out and were pleasantly surprised. Wonderful crafted wines, wine flights with detailed pallet descriptions...and a lovely piano concert by a young pianist named Josiah. We had a wonderful evening. We added a cheese plat to our flight...that was nice as well. The history of the house just adds to the ambiance. Great staff and atmosphere. Note: they automatically add gratuity to the bill which was weird but maybe that's because of the music? Don't know but we will return. read more

A super cute spot located in the Grant House on Officers Row. They play jazz music in the background and the vibes are pretty immaculate. Wine list is pretty solid. The food is a bit overpriced in my opinion ($16 for a small charcuterie board and $32 for a large one). But otherwise, I had a great time here. I should mention that my friend's car got broken into, even though it was just across the street and visible. I would be vigilant even if it seems like a safer part of town. read more

Willful Wine - a woman sitting at a table with a glass of wine - Wine Bars Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

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Still 5-star, just posting an update since we've dined here a few times now. Love the ambiance of the historic home, and when the weather is nice it's lovely to sit either on the wraparound porch or the back patio. The food is delicious, their wines are excellent, and the service is nice and friendly (very down-to-earth). The only negative I've found is with their bruschetta, which is delicious, but it comes as one large slice of bread and it would be better if it was on smaller slices, or cut the slice in half, as it was awkward to cut ourselves. The bruschetta topping (roasted peaches & heirloom tomato) was also very cold when we had it and it would have been much better served at room temp- but it was still yummy. I also recommend their high tea service they do occasionally on some weekends. read more

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My boyfriend always points out the Grant House on Officer's Row whenever we drive up to Vancouver from Portland, so I decided to surprise him with lunch there the day before his birthday. We had the Mezze Board, which was incredible, and he also tried the arancini with oxtail, my first time having oxtail, and it was so good. His sandwich of the day (a play on a muffuletta) was amazing, and we finished with their chocolate tart for dessert. We also tried a few drinks: I had a martini and a glass of wine, and he had an Old Fashioned and their version of a Manhattan.. everything was solid. It was chilly by the end of our visit, but the sun was out, and sitting outside was still really nice. The house itself is historic and has a great vibe. If you're into history or just want a unique dining experience in Vancouver, I'd definitely recommend it. My boyfriend even mentioned how it didn't feel like we were in Vancouver, which made it feel extra special. We're already planning to come back for dinner. read more

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We enjoyed our Valentine's Day dinner here, and it was such a good choice. They had a prie fix menu, which I appreciated. We also enjoyed a couple of their cocktails and the server split the wine pairing for us, which was very nice. The wine was really good, I was very surprised. But the food was the real star, everything was absolutely delicious. If you haven't been yet, this is your sign, the chef is doing some great things here. read more

At first they served wine and cheese plates but now they have a new chef and the food is amazing. We had still had trout and pastas. It outside on the deck overlooking the park are inside this beautiful old building; highly recommend the spot. read more

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This place will always have a special place in heart. Literally, cause of their crab cakes I had my wedding there. Also, the rose is the best I have ever had. Pam is amazing, it's women own, women managed, and women head chef and you can tell the love is really put into their craft. But really the crab cakes... read more

This place not only has wonderful wines but a full bar of tasty drink specials. The menu changes with the seasons that is enjoyable to explore but has excellently reliable regulars. I enjoy the challenge of experimenting with pairings from salad to dessert while experiencing the friendly atmosphere. read more

Owner was very gracious and delightful. Waitress was also exceptional. Having a live jazz band in House was a dream come true for me and my wife. The food also was top rated and delicious. We had a beautiful pinot wine, that was perfect. Hats off to you and your staff. We had a wonderful evening. read more

The fact that more people don't know about this place is an absolute crime. The wine is refreshingly different than most of the competitors, plus the historical aspect and service are really great! They put on special events throughout the month that I am looking forward to paying attention to in the future - the most recent being an adorable tea ceremony that seemed to be underbooked. Please keep this place on your list, it's worth it regardless of the season! read more

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It's the perfect place to be in Vancouver on a nice day or any day. The building and area are just wonderful. There are seatings both in front and back of the building. Inside, there's plenty of seating and a private area for larger parties. They have some really great assortment of wines here that are local. The staff here is super friendly and knowledgeable about the wines. I would definitely come here again just to hang out. read more

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We had been to Willful once before for my wife's birthday and it was very nice. However we booked for this Valentine's Day. 5PM reservation. It was unfortunately not very enjoyable this time around. It was very cold inside the restaurant and service was slow and unorganized. They requested no more than a 2 hour's to sit for dinners, due to later reservations. Offering a 3 or 5 course meal. There was little to no flow when it came to the presentations. Servings were small and at times cold. The guitarist they had was very good though. We finally were able to leave at about 8:30PM. The next group of reservations were crowded in the entry in order to keep out of the cold. I do not find we will be going back even though the Grant House is a very interesting setting for a restaurant. read more

The server was excellent and the food as well. Easy parking across the street. I will be going back soon. read more

I made reservations for the Mother's Day afternoon tea. We arrived and everyone with an 11am reservation was seated at once. There were only 2 servers. We were only allowed to order one tea, most places allow was tea choice per person. It took 10 minutes to receive our tea, and we were told to let it steep because it wasn't ready. After 30+ minutes, the tower of food arrived. We were very unimpressed. The sausage roll was cold and missing the sauce, the sandwiches were mostly bread with very little filling approx. 3inx1in each, the desserts were not tasty and looked like they came pre-made from a package, the only good thing was the scone--which was more like a sweet biscuit. There was no ambiance, no decorative items on the table except some dandelions in a tiny vase. This could have been so much better. You could have offered a soup, better sandwiches, 1 free mimosa? This was $130 for 2 people and it was maybe $25 worth of food with very slow service. read more

Willful Wine - The menu - Wine Bars Near Me - Vancouver, Washington

My daughter took me here to what was supposed to be a lovely Afternoon Tea. She paid an outrageous amount for a pot of tea and a tiered tray of a few thinly filled mini sandwiches, a scone and a few obviously boxed small sweets. The quality of the food was seriously lacking. These items were unceremoniously plopped on our table with nary a doily in place. Furthermore, the service was horrible. We didn't receive the food tray for over a half hour after tea was served and by that time our teapot was empty. A second pot of unsteeped tea was delivered midway through the "food". I was shocked to learn that my daughter had to advance pay $50 per person plus tax and 20% gratuity for this poor imitation of an English Afternoon Tea. Willful Wine should stick to wine! read more

Good food but $$$$ and had to find the hostess (chatting in the kitchen) to have her seat us. Our bill was $58 for two small entrees and one shared glass of wine. Not for those in a budget. read more

A group of us spent a Friday evening here, wine tasting and had some nibbles. We love supporting small businesses, especially women-owned. The East Parlor room was reserved for our group. Pam, the Owner/Winemaker, made the experience easy and memorable. She was very attentive, greeted us with bubbles and a big smile. In addition to nibbles, several of us had salads for dinner. I personally enjoyed the rose and purchased a bottle to take home. read more

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We hosted my daughter's baby shower here. Everything was wonderful. The food was outstanding, the service was excellent and the venue was just perfect. It made hosting the event so much fun. Pam was very easy to work with, I highly recommend! read more

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Super cute little winery in the middle of Officers row! They had a good variety of options for both flights and single glasses. Although we didn't try it - they had a pretty good variety for their food. read more

I always love coming to Willful Wine at The Grant House. The wines are stunning, the food is fantastic, and the views from the porch are beautiful. It's a great place for an intimate dinner, or a big group. Service is always top notch and friendly. I love it! read more

I've always loved the historic story of this beautiful area and building. The new owners have kept the tradition feel but have brought delicious food and menus, accompanied by delicious libations and lovely wine! The service was engaging and spirited. It's a must stop for anyone looking for a peaceful and historic setting coupled with mouthwatering bites! read more

I really want to like this place (it has great wine, and a great outdoor porch) but the male waiter here is terrible. I rarely write a review but he keeps making this experience bad. The first time I went here, I had a friend visiting and we stopped by at 2 PM. There was no one sitting on the porch outside because it was more blustery day. The waiter told us we could sit outside if we wanted but when we chose a 4 person table on the corner - he told us we needed to sit at 2 table because "the 4 seated tables were in high demand and they needed to be kept available". We sat at a 2 table nearby and the whole hour and a half we were there, not a soul came into the restaurant. It felt pretentious for no reason and left a bad taste in our mouths. The second time I went here, we were a group of 3 and had to literally get up and leave. There was only a table of 7 that he was serving and us. He was very very attentive to the table of 7 but It took him over 15 minutes to even come check in on us. A friend waived him over kindly and asked if we could take our order and he told us "I'm busy right now. I'll come to you when I'm done" in a sharp tone like she was a child. The ask wasn't unreasonable. We waited another 10 minutes and when he didn't come over, we got up and left. read more

Beautiful day today to go to the Grant House for Mother's Day! It has been years since we have been there (prior to pandemic). The Winery company now is running the Grant House. We all know everything today is expensive and I have to say this place was no different. The menu and the food simply was not good. I am so sorry to say that but I think you can do something great here! Such a cool, historical building, it has been there forever. The service folks were very pleasant, it did take a long time for our order but thats understandable since it was Mother's Day. If you'd make the menu more appealing, you would have a home run! I know, Lamb meatballs, Duck, sounds sophisticated and different, I get it. And Yes it's a wine bar, understood. Maybe add some things folks can share like Tapas, Hummus, flatbreads, things that pair well with your wine. Your charcuterie board looked great! We wish you all the best and if and when your menu changes, we will certainly stop by read more

Beautiful patio and porch area overlooking Officer's Row! Had a lovely flight of Pinot Noir, and they were all delicious. A wonderful spot for a summer afternoon or evening. read more

Beautiful location and a very friendly staff. They were able to work with us without a reservation! We will be back!

I was so happy to see a restaurant back at the Grant House as I love the ambiance in that historic building as well as Officer's Row. We recently had dinner there with friends and had fabulous service from Sean, our bar tender/waiter. He is a gem. The food was good but we all felt that the portions were too small for the price. If you spend $35.00 for an entree you do not want to leave hungry. I really want this restaurant to succeed so I hope a solution can be found for the portion size. It is a fabulous historic building in a lovely setting! read more