The somms are awesome and remember you by name. I've been a member here for over a year and appreciate their recommendations every time I'm there. I also enjoy bringing friends here during HH and evenings to catch up. Great place to chill and wine down read more

Really cute place! I came here with a few friends and we ordered a wine flight and cheese plate. The choices of cheese they had for us were all delicious and the plate really complimented the wines! I love the serving of the wines in the test tubes. My only complaint is that we weren't able to select from a list of wines for our flight like how you can for most breweries. Your only option is "red" or "white", and I was given types of wine that I've had before and didn't enjoy and didn't really get a chance to pick something new to try. Other than that, the place is very clean and I loved the wall dedicated to all their wines. Definitely come during happy hour for the best deal. I came during a weekday and I was surprised that there was so much open seating around 5pm. Definitely a spot worth checking out! read more

Stopped by the Wine Lab for a birthday happy hour with a friend and we were both glad we did! Not only did we fight a cute new area in the Costa Mesa, we both adored this wine bar! We had the early bird cheese plate and our server was nice enough to give us a side of honey since that doesn't normally come out until the full kitchen opens at 4. My favorite part is that the tasting flights change so frequently, we'll definitely be back next time we're in the area! Only missing star is due to the limited amount of food before 4 p.m. read more

Wine Lab - Happy hour cheese plate, red flight, glass of white - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Chill place. Lots of variety of small vintage wines. Hit the happy hour for inexpensive wine flights. read more

Wine Lab - Happy hour even on the weekend - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This place is great! They have a large selection of wines in a wide range of prices so you can find something in your budget, the cheese plates are delicious, and it's the perfect way to explore new flavors and types. My husband and I were converted to a few types of wine we had previously tried and thought we weren't fans of. The customer service is also top notch. The day after our visit, we noticed we were accidentally charged twice. The timing of this wasn't great so we were honestly annoyed by the inconvenience and my husband had to make a trip over there to clear it up before he had to go to work. Not only did they refund us for the additional charge, they gave us a free bottle of wine for the trouble (specifically one we discovered we loved after our visit). That's going above and beyond in customer service. Now any concerns about experiencing something like that again at a future visit won't keep us from coming back. Plus, they provide you with descriptions of each wine you taste and are always happy to help answer any questions you have. read more

Very nice place for a date. Very quiet atmosphere. I will definitely attend at least every 60 days read more

Wine Lab - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Definitely a little pricey however great wine and food. Happy hour is best price wise. I've been here on multiple occasions and haven't been disappointed. The Soleil Flatbread is delicious!! Parking can be difficult at times, just an FYI. read more

Wine Lab - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Occasion: Gap between wedding ceremony and reception, with friends Drink: Red wine (forgot the exact wine) Thoughts: The selection of wine is large - should be able to find one that you like. There is beer on the menu as well if you don't like wine. Ambience is great for socializing - very good place to come and hang out with friends and chat. read more

The Wine Lab is a cute little place located in the Camp. They have a large selection of wines and a great happy hour menu. I got the wine flight of red wines while my friends got the white wine flight. The workers there seemed very knowledgeable with the wines and took their time explaining which wines they selected for us and recommending what order to drink them in. The wine flight comes in cute little test tubes and you are also given a wine glass to pour them into. They have a selection of cheese boards and small appetizers but what's nice is that if you're looking for an actual meal, they allow you to order food from their neighbors and eat it inside which is nice. Overall had a great experience here and it's a really nice place to grab drinks and catch up! read more

Wine Lab - Red wine flight and white wine flight comes in cute little test tubes! - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

A great place for a nice evening out where you can talk and engage with others. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. I'm thrilled every time I go. Always have new people to talk about wine and a story. The samples flights are a unique and fun way to try things you don't normally get to venture into. Explore here and have fun. read more

Met up with fellow Yelpers Sandya and hubby Joe here for the 9ers Falcons game yesterday. **Pause.....GO 9ers!!** We settled on this spot after several back and forth messages. As recently reported, I am not a fan of sports bars. Joe suggested this place, and when he called ahead they confirmed that they would have the game on but sans audio. Fine by me. As soon as I walk in I am pleased to see the Btendress sporting a 9ers T-shirt. Turns out she grew up in Northern California Wine Country. Even besides her being for the right team she was as good a service person one could hope for. Knowledgeable, funny, and always there when we needed her. Well we were about the only people in there most of the time, but she definitely gets 5 stars regardless. Sunday's happy hour is from 12-4:00, with $2 off tap wines, $1 off beer, and some food specials. See their website for details. My 1st Chard was from the tap and was pretty much characterless. For my 2nd glass I chose off of the list and it was about the same price ($8, hh glass $7) as the hh glass, but a much better wine. I highly recommend going this route. I should know better not to order "tap wine." So my search for alternative places to watch sports is turning up some positive dividends. Thanks Joe for this one. read more

I walked in there with a cup of milk + honey's froyo and jokingly asked for a pairing. They found me one! O_O. I'd asked the lady behind the counter what she would've thought of me getting sparkling strawberry wine for the froyo and she thought it'd be too acidic and recommended the verdi spumante--it was perfect! $6 for the mini-bottle of the verdi and other good deals set in a cool but unpretentious and relaxing atmosphere, what's not to like? Even thought it's in the camp the annoying hipster quotient is very low. I didn't sample any of the food this time around but the ham flatbread pizza and a slice of quiche my friends got looked pretty good. They also had a large screen that was playing classic movies--Wizard of Oz at first and then the Rocky Horror Picture Show. My friends and I had a great time and probably overstayed our welcome, and I have a feeling we'll be doing it again soon! read more

Wine Lab - They actually helped me find a pairing for my froyo--Verdi Spumante. - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

"Alcohol - the cause of and solution to all of life's problems" -- Homer Simpson God made only water, but man made wine -- Victor Hugo, 1856 The Wine Lab opened a new branch in Costa Mesa, and based on my first appearance, Orange County has another promising venue to partake in, as Louis Pasteur said, the most healthful and most hygienic of beverages. I stopped in on Saturday a couple of days after the opening to support my beautiful and creative friend Melissa (settle down boys she is happily married) who is now working and serving at this location. The wine list is smartly chosen with an interesting mix of less expensive flights & half-glasses along with higher-end choices you can order by the glass. Prices are fairly reasonable with per oz. costs ranging from a couple of dollars an ounce to by glass costs of $3 - $5 per ounce (if you want to compare to serve yourself wine bars and that is with leaving your beautiful and creative server a tip). You can also buy a bottle from the wine shop and with a nominal corkage fee drink it at the bar. I ordered two half glasses of a small local Santa Barbara producer called Holus-Bolus...one of the wines was dispensed via tap! Sweet :) I thought the Rousanne from Happy Canyon was overly manipulated (why do wineries want to destroy that beautiful fruit? Grassini destroyed their Happy Valley sauvignon blanc with oak) but the Syrah frpm Harrison Clarke Vyd, Purisima Hills, Santa Ynez Valley was lovely. The Wine Lab has assorted cheeses and flatbreads to nosh on and they give you complementary toasted bread with your tastings. What really makes this wine bar stand of course is proximity to some cool restaurants and you can bring in your Taco Asylum or East Borough or Native Foods or (soon) Umami Burger and have some great wine to go with it. Between OC Wine Mart and their food truck events and The Wine Lab, I may never drink at home again :) Another great addition to the Camp! Combined with Old Vine Cafe's 6 bottles for $60.00 program, The Camp is now becoming a paradise for winos along with the food! read more

It was a great treat finding this little gem in the Camp on Bristol Street! What I liked about it is that you can get a flight of 3 wines for less than $10 and some of the wines are really premium. Our server was knowledgeable and nice. We really enjoyed her and stayed longer than we would have because we had the dreaded drive ahead of us. The wine prices are very good. Try it! read more

I enjoy wine. Love it paired properly, but I don't know how to do that. Best option? Find places that can pair it for you! That's the wine lab. I've had two really nice experiences at the Wine Lab. First was over the holidays, my company had our holiday party here. They had good music on (not holiday music - thankfully!) and even the back ground movie was spot on. But I forget now which movie it was. I just remember thinking this is great. The service for the event was very good. They were serving a small selection of micro beers and wines. I think this is a great, intimate spot to host a party of 25-30 people. Lucky me, the bossman gave everyone a $50 gift card to WL! My second visit was with a friend, we got a little dolled up for fun and had a ladies night at the WL. The service was a little rough, but overall it was a good experience. Again I liked the music and the movie that was playing. I got a flight of reds and they were all so delicious! The cheese and tapas change regularly, but from both times I've been everything was great! read more

Wine lab is the shit!!! Test tube tasters, happy hour, hand picked wines, hand picked cheeses, super rad staff! The bread is baked FRESH when you order and LOOORDDDDD is it awesome. I highly HIGHLY recommend the buffalo mozzarella ball in olive oil. I have never had anything as delightful. The wines are also exceptional and the happy hour cannot be beat! Some of the take home prices for bottles are super reasonable as well, its seriously just an amazing wine heaven and I want to move in there and never leave. I've taken all my friends here and everyone loves it. I love it even more and I live near here so that's what matters most. read more

Cute little shop in the camp with select wines and beer. I recommend coming here for happy hour: 4-6 on Mondays, 12-6 Tuesday's-Friday's, and 12-4 on Saturday/Sundays. During happy hour, the flight includes three test tubes (for 8$) of all white or all red wines. For myself, I ordered two flights of each type of wine. When you order the flight the bartender chooses the wine. Beers are 2$ from what I recall and I forgot what else it included. I got the sweet and savory plate to share with my girlfriend and enjoyed it over drinks. Water comes in small glasses and are only served upon request (from my experience and what I observed). They also have outdoor seating for those who'd prefer it! read more

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My girlfriends and I stopped by for a night cap after dinner. We asked for 3 flights of red wine, medium body. What we were given was terrible. We literally couldn't drink it because it tasted so bad. It was as if we were given wine that had been sitting out for weeks and had gone bad. When we shared with the server that the wine we were poured was really not what we expected and was not very good, her response was "oh ok". The server kept responding to us with "chill" too. Very odd. She didn't ask if she could get us something else or anything. Very disappointing. I'm trying my best to support small businesses but when I receive terrible customer service I'm no longer obligated to try and support that business. I can make do with bad wine but I will not tolerate poor customer service. My friends and I will not be back. read more

We love coming here for wine flights and some charcuterie. Edwin is always knowledgeable and honest about the wine's they are serving. If you enjoy your time here I also recommend joining their wine club read more

I have been a member for about a year. We love the atmosphere, the staff & of course the wine!!! Join, you won't regret it.

Went here for my "birthday" had olanned to do a wine tasting for a months with my sister. This is close to our home and great happyhour. Flight 9$ we had white and reds. HappyHour off cheeseboards too! Wish they would have given us cards on the wines we tried or the cheeses because i can't recall them, but the staff was very attentive and didn't feel pressured to order more or rushed read more

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Sometimes I love my fellow Yelpers, especially when someone checked in at Wine Lab and I went, "Hmmm what's that?" Little did I know it was tucked away at Hipsterville, OC, USA, The Camp. I have to be honest. I was pretty certain I'd walk in and see organic wines. I'm not all about organic so I certainly don't need my wine to be all special. As long as it's not moscato, I'm ok. We ordered flights and were so surprised to see them delivered in test tubes. I mean, the last time I saw a test tube was Chemistry in high school and that didn't end well. If they brought wine in those test tubes back then I woulda been all over going to class. Anywho, my only complaint is that the employee that helped us didn't know much about the wines. I could tell by how he mispronounced the Kabinett and the Spaetlaese. Oh well, not everyone is a constateur of the wines. Great wines. Some crowd faves and stuff I'd never heard of. It's a regular. read more

I went here for a mellow girl's night to celebrate my friends birthday. Overall, we had an excellent experience. The staff is amazing - very friendly and helpful and knowledgeable about the wines. The food is great , especially the cheese plate. I loved the aged cheddar. I also recommend the goat's milk butter. Wine flights are super fun! They come in little test tubes and the waiter goes over the characteristics of each in detail. The Monday happy hour is an amazing deal! 8 dollar wine flights and cheese plates! You can also bring in food from anywhere else in the camp, which is kind of cool. Final note - the staff was totally cool because we didn't realize that they close early on Mondays and we got there at like 9 (they close at 10), but they didn't rush us out. read more

Great experience! The wine flight selection comes in test tubes with three different choices. we selected the pairing for white wine but was recommended the honey and cheese selection, which was amazing ! Place is small, but great place to relax and enjoy. Will definitely be coming back read more

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Very disappointed and would never return here! I went to buy a bottle of wine, as I do in all wine bars, and then order food to go with it. Well the quirky unfriendly little Asian guy that runs the place with no personality, said we charge $15 as a corkage fee. I told him I didn't bring the bottle in from the outside I'm buying it from you. They still tack on $15 and call it a corkage fee on top of the cost of the bottle. I had never experienced anything like that before! The prices are somewhat high for the exact pour he gives you too, he was certainly not generous and there was no music playing. The cheese platter did not look that plentiful, and I was sorry we made this a spot on a Saturday night. Don't waste your time! read more

I checked out the Wine Lab during Happy Hour and experienced interesting wine, a nicely priced cheese plate, and friendly, attentive service. The server knew her wine and had good recommendations based on my preferences. A nice space inside The Camp, this place is well thought out and enjoyable. read more

Let me start by saying that this place is incredible if you just want an amazing wine experience. If you want to service to go along with it, DON'T COME HERE. My fiancé and I were so excited to try this place for the first time and, initially, it was everything we hoped for. A very nice, wine knowledgable gentleman greeted us and recommended two tasty flights. However, he was quickly replaced by a short haired blonde who clearly was having an awful day. Well, at least I hope there was an excuse for her terrible attitude. We had a question about the wine that was poured to us and her response was so condescending and rude that we drank our wine and left. I came from the service industry so I try to be really patient when dining out but to make your guests feel unwelcome and stupid is not okay, no matter how bad of a day you're having. No matter how fantastic the wine was, it doesn't make up for the really bad service. Skip this place altogether and go to Old Vine. They saved our night after this terrible experience. read more

This is my second Time to wine lab and every time has been beyond my expectations every person working has exceptional knowledge of their products which allowed me to make the best selections for myself. Food is quality as well. Recommend recommend recommend read more

Wine Lab - Wine flights and flatbread at best place in town - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

UPDATE 5/31/15 ============= After a back and forth with the owner, it seems there was a misunderstanding involved with 375 ml and 750 ml. Not a bad place to stop if you're already in Costa Mesa and in the Camp, but Seasons 52 is right nearby and they're solid. As a bar that specializes in wine, the other popular options of SeaLegs is rather far, but We Olive is nearby (I've had their olive oils which are pretty amazing, not their wine yet) If you're on a happy hour train (I've never been to the one here, but other Yelpers have), then Fleming's is amazing and Junk Bar is pretty good too. $30, 750ml Australian Pink Moscato So, I've been to this place five times now and this will be my last. The last time I was bringing a newbie here and we ordered a cheese plate, flatbread, and wine. The flatbread never came and it turns out the kitchen never started the order. We'd waited long enough and just wanted the check. The first time, I shared a bottle of Moscato D'Asti and it was phenom. The place was cute enough and we returned for a lab flight and another bottle of D'Asti. The flight was so-so; it was more the idea than the taste. This last time, it was the price that was the kicker. The pink moscato is listed as $11 per glass, $17 for 750ml. I did not know that there would be a $13 "open bottle" charge attached to the bottle. The first three times I came, I got the bottle of the Moscato d'Asti and there was no such thing. It might be because they didn't have a bottle already chilled when we ordered it, and it was 7 minute wait, but it still seems iffy. Either way, no more Wine Lab visits for me. Trader Joe's has a kick-ass moscato for $9, comes in a neat faceted glass bottle. One of my favorite Moscato d'Asti labels is Risatam sold at Target, CVS, and others around $14. Maestro Steakhouse has a kickass Moscato and the dark vibe and decor is there as well. And honestly, I'd rather go to a real winery and not just a reseller to pay $22-$27 for a bottle of sweet wine. read more

This place was AMAZING!! We read the bad reviews recently posted (3/4/14) and thought we'd check it out for ourselves. So glad we did! We sat at the bar and was served by the "brunette". Her name is Amy by the way and she was great! She explained everything we ordered and even gave recommendations when we were undecided that turned out to be fantastic. The staff was friendly, the cheese and charcuterie plates were delicious, and the wine was a mixture of smooth and enticing. Being that the whole place only seats maybe 30-40 people, if you come with a big group, I would highly suggest calling ahead to be polite. The tables are set up for parties of 2, 4, or 6 with larger parties obviously having to be accommodated. The atmosphere is chic and relaxed. We had great conversations with perfect strangers and ended up going home with a bottle of wine from their stock that only made the evening better. We had an amazing night here and would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for an out of the ordinary, extraordinary kind of night! read more

Cute location within the camp! I came with a friend on a Wednesday night around 8pm. They are right next to the Old Vine Cafe. If space permits, they take reservations for 3-14 people via their website form. There were a couple tables reserved but we were told to seat ourselves. If I could, I would definitely have come during Happy Hour, it varies by day: Monday (4-6pm), Tuesday-Friday (12-6pm), Sat-Sun (12-4pm). The interior aesthetic is definitely chemist/artist and would be a great stop for after work drinks, date night, or GNO. We tried the pre-set wine flights, grilled cheese, and charcuterie board. It was an expensive night to say the least lol. I loved that for the wine flights each of the wines included a small description of each, they also take the time to explain in person as well. I was told that there is 4 sommeliers (wine expert) in house that chooses each combination. It's appropriate that they are called a wine lab because I learned a lot, and now I only semi-pretend I can taste the different notes in wines. read more

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Love coming here for their tasting happy hour! They have appetizers and wine flights on their happy hour menu. I love trying all the different wines and putting them in the test tubes creates a fun and creative display! Would highly recommend coming here! read more

Pros: Bartender was very knowledgeable and friendly. He took the time to allow me to sample different wines until I found one that I liked. Wine flights are an easy way and fun way to sample different wines. Also, love that the wine flights are in laboratory tubes! Cons: White wine on draft was not as cold. Wine glasses for white wine are not chilled. Parking is always difficult every night! Overall, a cute place for a casual date or wine night with your girlfriends. I will be back to try the food! read more

I went here last year 3 times. My memory from this place wasn't all that great. Service is not genuine. They weren't helpful at all. I asked the male server what are the wine included in the flight set for white and red, he read them so fast. I had him repeat them, a few times... they're supposed to have a print out of the wine, which we came in 3 times and they didn't have them. He also left right after he was done saying them so we had to wait for him to come back to repeat them a couple times once. When we were ready to order, he never turned to check on us. I had to go up to the bar and told him we're ready to order. He didn't take my order right there either and said he'll be right over. There was only one other table here when we arrived the first time and then the next two times, there were only 2 tables each. We ordered four set of flights of wine: two white and two red, cheese platter, and mozzarella dish. Cheeses were dried. Terrible quality of mozzarella....costco mozzarella 3 for $13, is 20 times better than the one that was served to us for dish they charge you. read more

Sister and I decided to head over on Saturday night and try some wines and just chill out. This was our first time there and the experience was great! Staff was super helpful and friendly, food was great and wines were good and reasonably priced. We each chose a different red flight ($12/$13) to try and ended up each getting a glass of wine after ($8-$10). We ordered their amazing Fig and Honey Baguette with Goat Butter and then as we drank our glasses of wine chose to indulge in the three cheese platter. cheese - awesome bread - amazing awesome wine - awesome staff - awesome (seriously! Super friendly, knowledgeable and helpful!) environment - kick ass (i'm sorry but you get your flight in test tubes...how is that not kick ass?) read more

Went for the first time yesterday to grab a drink before dinner! Place was super cute! Plenty of parking, but you can also valet your car for free, just get your ticket validated! I'll definitely have to go back to try some of their menu items and cheese boards! read more

First time here while waiting for my tires to be replaced down the street. The bartender Terry was really nice and patient to inform me about wines they have and suggestions based on my wine preference. The ontenon rioja ecologico Tempranillo from Spain was a nice smooth flavorful red wine and organic too! Tasted like a Pinot noir to me. Really strong. Felt head spinning after half glass. I got Brie flatbread with prosciutto- was good. But want to try their cheese platter next time. Heard happy hour is 3 cheeses with jams and crackers for $13 or something crazy cheap! Will be back! read more

Wanted to see how this place held up since its a "lab". I thought it was ok, but this place is expensive for a flight that cost $17 bucks and serves you three 2oz cups of wine. Rather get a full cup from somewhere else for half the cost. read more

Wine Lab - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Loved this place! They had a great atmosphere and their cheese plate was amazing! Will definitely be going again.

The setup here is nice and small...not too small, just the right size. Give this place a try if you're in the mood for some hand picked wines and a cheese plate. When I say cheese plate, they really offer a variety of cheeses and the ones we tried were really, really good. If you're new to wine or want to try a few different wines, get a flight. We tried both the white and red flight, and both were pretty good. What you need to do: Get dinner at Native Foods that's 10 feet from this place, and then come here and enjoy the evening. I know, it sounds so difficult. read more