I've been to wine bar maybe 6-7 times in the last 2 years. Ambiance - great, food - great, staff - great (most of the time), wine - mehhhh. I've tried a lot of their wines and they don't really do it for me unfortunately. I love to do tastings and Costa Mesa doesn't have many wine bars so this place was a novelty for awhile but I don't believe I'll be back. read more

Great Cousy. Their appetizers are amazing. They have a cool science theme of the presentation of the sampler wines, they come glasses out in test tubes. The owner Edwin is a cool dude who takes time to explain the wines to you if you're unfamiliar. Would recommend for a date night or just needing a good glass of wine. read more

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Came here with a few co-workers during lunch for a glass of wine. Super cute place!! Pretty quiet during lunch hour, the lady the served us was really friendly and informative on their selections and what type of wine we should get. I will definitely need to come back here to try other items on the menu. NOTE: before ordering, ask them about their wine of the day. read more

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

Really lovely place in a great setting. Major credit to them for having more than just wine to fit many tastes and especially their non alcoholic options. Very well done. Service was very good and they made a portion of the inside available for our larger party. Tasty treats and snacks available. We didn't feel rushed out as they closed and appreciated their service mindset. read more

The quality of the ambience, drinks and service exceeded expectations! We stopped by after a show with friends and had a great late night. The staff are very knowledgeable about their menu and incredibly kind when there was an accident at our table. Can't wait to go again. read more

New and interesting experience to taste different wine set in lab tube. Also, food platters have easy-eating cheese, salami and very tasty pickle (for some reason, it tastes really good). Bottles are in reasonable prices. I picked 2 favorite bottles after tasting. Very worthy wine spot that you can come regularly. read more

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This place is clever! Love the flights and it's super cute. Try the cheese platters & flights. read more

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This used to be my and our favorite place. I have brought so many friends with me. Usually the wine selection is varied, but tonight was a complete miss. They were out of everything and the Chardonnay they did have was practically undrinkable. Settled on a rosé because they had nothing else. Left the glass half full and we didn't even bother with food. My suggestion, as well as the three last people that came with me is that Edwin is amazing , but the other pourer behind the counter has got to go. He has zero personality and is straight forward rude and obnoxious. Very abrasive man. It's been nice in the past, but we won't be back. Too many misses lately. All the best to you, Edwin. We went next door to the Old Vine wine bar and had a lovely time. read more

Delicious wine and boards! My boyfriend and I have come here before and absolutely love the service. They have friendly staff that recommend wonderful drinks. We decided to savor the red blends and devour some cheese with salami. Our favorite out of the three that were presented to us was the German blend called "Prodst." This is a fun, unique spot located in the heart of night life in Costa Mesa that I highly recommend. Cheers! read more

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Absolutely love here. We have a wine subscription at this place because we love wine and the staff. The wine lab is at the camp in Costa Mesa. Although they don't have food, you have options around the area. When we order, my wife gets a flight of the bartenders choice. I've been on a white wine kick lately so I know exactly what I want when I go. It's usually a fruit forward, wildflower, medium body white. If you're a member, you get 25% of flights and 10% wine, merch, and bar purchases. They allow dogs in the patio which is super convenient for us since we take our dog everywhere! Highly recommend. read more

I wanted to update my review we had another amazing experience here this time it was a private party that I threw for my husband's birthday we had about 50 people here and everyone was constantly saying how amazing the party was! There was plenty of space to mingle, the food was fabulous, everyone was well served and had a blast! read more

Wine Lab - Private birthday party was amazing - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Here tonight for a quick nightcap before heading home. Parking is plentiful at 9:30pm on a Tuesday night at The Camp. I wanted a red and contemplated the Aperture. They highly recommended it and, WOW! AMAZING RED! So worth the $20 glass. I was told last call had already happened, wow early, but I got my nightcap for tonight. Well deserved glass after working tirelessly 7-days a week between 3 jobs. Lol. Great location. Medium size wine bar. Wasn't crowded at all. Good selection. Friendly staff, who recommended a great beverage. Can't wait to come back again. Evidently, I've been here before, but I thought it was in a different location and I thought it was a different look. I was wrong. They've been here for the last 7 years. Lol. Here's to a great glass of red before going home! read more

This review comes on the heels of my second visit. The first time I had a decent time but was surprised that they don't readily do bottle service and don't have a detailed menu. Whatever, not judging if this is their desired mode of operation, but something to note if you're interested in that like I am. This time around, my two friends and I came and were seated around 7:30pm on a Monday. They close at 9pm that day and were reasonably full, but there were a few tables and outdoor seating open so they weren't at capacity. After giving us some waters, we sat for 45 MINUTES without being taken care of at all. A server was bustling about and told us he'd see us, and proceeded to take care of the table next to us (which was a larger party but already had at least their drinks and food already) and bus the table next to us without looking our direction for the rest of the time. Eventually, we just finished our tiny waters and left. I am sympathetic to the struggles that the service industry has had with staffing but I'm not sure if that's exactly relevant to our experience last night. It's one thing to service other customers that are still there but it's another thing entirely to prioritize cleaning a few glasses when you have patrons that haven't been helped for 45 MINUTES! Not sure what their priorities are as a business, but if it's to be a hip, no-frills wine bar, effectively ignoring your customers is certainly nowhere to start. I won't be going back. read more

The selection of wine here is pretty good! French and Californian mostly. Stopping by Wine Lab was a happenstance, after a hearty breakfast at the Old Vine Cafe, we really had no intention to eat or drink anything else. Howeverrrrrrr...... even though our bellies were full, we weren't ready to head back home just yet so hand in hand, we strolled into the Lab. Tastings come in test tubes and that excited my inner geek :) I went with a white flight as I mentioned I was just really full from breakfast ... I was really happy with the choices minus the Riesling too sweet for me. Not crowded at all, so we were able to get more information and extra tastings from the bar. Service is top notch! We bought a bottle of Heritage Blanc by Curtis ... very subtle and light. The 4 stars is for the location and service :) fun! read more

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

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I was in the area getting my most recent piercing from Outer Limits and I stumbled upon Wine Lab. I have seen my friend's reviews about this spot so I decided to go in to check it out for myself. I really love the intimate ambiance and the lab-themed decor with a report-style menu, test tubes for the wine flights and even a mini composition notebook for the bill. The service was friendly and everyone seemed very knowledgeable about the wine selection. Wine Happy Hour Monday - Friday: open -6pm Saturday - Sunday: noon - 4pm Happy Hour Wine Flight ($9) - Their wine flights are listed in the menu, but their happy hour flights are basically three wines or three reds that they already have open. I went with the red flight and I thought the presentation was on point. It came on a test tube rack and then you can pour it into your glass as you go. Happy Hour Food Specials Monday - Friday: 4-6pm Saturday - Sunday: 3-4pm Happy Hour Burrata Plate ($10) - Burrata is a fresh Italian cheese made with mozzarella and cheese making it stretchy and creamy. This plate came highly recommended. The burrata was presented with tomatoes and oil and vinegar with bread on the side. The description enticed me but the actual tasting was a bit lackluster. I liked dipping the bread into the tomatoes and oil more than I liked the cheese itself. It was a bit on the bland side for me, but that might be a matter of preference since I would like a sharper cheese to accompany my red wines. With their Happy Hour selection, I can definitely see myself coming back here after work. Next time I will probably bring a friend so I can try their cheese plate and their charcuterie plate to get more of a variety with my wine. read more

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Love the 2 oz wine tubes that the flights come in, great to try some wine samples so you can see which one you'd like to order in a glass. Very aesthetically cute for pictures and boomerangs if you're into that. Not bad happy hour prices throughout the day with their wines and little foods but it's nothing special. Service is just ok, not super welcoming or memorable. Just really a place to come, order, drink/have a couple bites, and leave. I wouldn't recommend coming here unless I was taking someone for their first time/if they wanted to go here. Wish I loved it more. read more

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Such a fun place! As a science geek, I loved the laboratory theme. I've been wanting to come here forever to check it out after seeing pictures of the test tube flights. We came for happy hour on Saturday afternoon and got seats right away! My friend and I both ordered the wine flights, one white and one red. Aside from being really cool looking, the wines were actually really good too!! We also got the 3 cheese platter which was delicious and a great compliment to the wines. Of course we wanted our picture taken with our drinks and the staff were super cool and accommodating, going as far as adjusting the lighting to ensure we got a good photo. Fun hangout for friends or date night! read more

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Great experience. Made reservations for four at 5:30 on a Friday night. The waitress was very knowledgeable about the wines and menu. Patient answering questions and not pushy. Seats were comfortable and they had good background music and Spaceballs playing on a widescreen that was a good diversion. Got the cheese plate and humus. Both very good read more

Cutest little wine place in the heart of Costa Mesa's The Camp! Me and my girlfriends came here tonight for the first time. We aren't too experienced in wine but our server was really patient with us and she explained everything so well. Her recommendations suited us and she offered samples, too. We also split the Chef's Charcuterie between three of us and it was perfect. Would definitely come back here! I wish I got the server's name I can't remember at the moment, but she was lovely. Also one of the guy servers offered to take our picture and even arranged the table aesthetically. He knows what's up lol read more

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

This happened at 4 in the afternoon on a Wednesday. Walked inside with two dogs, were told to sit on the patio, which is understandable. Upon sitting, 10 min pass where my wife goes inside to order. When she did, someone came out to say we have to order outside and provided water. Another 20 min go by, another couple next to us received their order, then the waiter walks back inside, leaving us to wander. We wait 10 more minutes and decide to call it, no one in sight to provide us service, which we left to go somewhere else. read more

This was a very interesting stop we visited on a Saturday. Came around 5 pm. The place wasn't busy but there were quite a few reserved tables around. We were instantly attended to by the helpful lady. We told her it was our first time and she recommended us to get one of the flights. We opted for the kita reds flight which was 18$. They have a few other flight options as well. I will probably come back for happy hour as the $18 flight amounts to one glass of wine and $18 is a little steep. I guess you're paying for the variability. Please note that I'm not a wine aficionado. This is probably my second or third time wine tasting. The reds were quite delicious. There was one that wasn't quite to my tasting. A little tart, I'm assuming from the berries. Our second round was a Riesling and a Moscato. Both were really good. The moscato was a little sweeter than expected. One thing I didn't like about this place was the server we had was a little pushy about ordering more. She kept pressuring us to order food and more glasses of wine in not so subtle ways. Needless to say, it probably won't stop me from coming again but I hope I get a better experience next time. read more

Wine Lab - Wine flight of reds comes in test tubes. 18$ - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Cool little place, looking forward to returning! It's nice to have wine places in Orange County. Our server was nice and had good recommendations (can't remember his name but he was younger and Asian). read more

As a wine lover, I absolutely was in awe of Wine Lab. This wine bar is very intimate and quaint, and it is located in an area with many cute restaurants. We each ordered a flight, which came in lab test tube-shaped glasses on a tube rack. We were also amused by the Hello Kitty wine bottles they had on their shelves. It actually ended up being quite expensive because they have a corkage fee, but the sparkling rose was pretty good! The bartenders here are very kind and attentive! This is a great place to go and unwind, especially after a dinner date! Unfortunately, this place does not have its own restroom. You have to go outside the Wine Lab and use the restrooms that are common to the businesses in the area. There are 2, single-stall bathrooms, and they are kept clean, but there may be a line for them. read more

Wine Lab - Hello kitty sparkling rose - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The staff were really nice! I love the vibe! We ordered two of the Brie Flatbread, it was just too good. read more

Wine Lab - Best Brie Flatbread - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Absolutely delightful. The wine is amazing and the food wonderful. But best of all was Liz who elevated the experience and was very educative, explaining in simple enough terms for a wine amateur such as me. read more

Ambiance is cute, service was good. One of my friends didn't like her wine and they accommodated her with another. Pricing for the wine was good but I felt like the charcuterie was overpriced for the amount of meat and cheese they provided. Parking is very hard to find on a weekend night. read more

First time at wine lab last week and the server Kylie (?brown wavy hair) made the experience amazing. She had great wine suggestions and I now have a favorite wine! Thank you kylie for making the night memorable. Will be back !! read more

My date and I wandered in on a Friday evening after seeing a show at the Barclay. This was our second stop after realizing that there was no parking at Kitsch. We ordered 2 flights (one red and one white) of wine before last call at 11 pm. The flights are served in little lab test tubes. Geeky cool. This was a great spot to have a conversation and a lot of wine or beer. They also have a cheese case. I'd never been there before but it's such a chill spot that I'll probably be back in the near future. read more

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

Happy hour is from 4-6pm on Mondays and my friend and I came in at 4:30pm. There was one person working the bar, only around 5 wine drinkers present, and so we sat down at a table. The friendly bartender came over to us with the happy hour menu which had wine and appetizer deals. We ordered one red and white wine flight ($8 per flight). We then proceeded to order the cheese plate and charcuterie plate but she interrupted us and told us we can't order food until the chef comes back in and he won't be in for another 15 minutes. Uhhh, the website said that that food can be ordered after 4 and we came at 4:30pm, no excuses. She brought out the wine flights real quick and gave us the lowdown on what each was. For the white flight we had the albarino, chardonnay, and riesling. The red came with pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, and malbec. They were all just okay wines but the portions were really good. At 5pm (30 minutes after she said we couldn't order food until the chef came in) our bartender came back to get out food orders and we ordered a cheese plate ($12) and charcuterie plate ($12). It took more than 20 minutes to get our orders, which were pretty small for what the price was. The cheese were good and the FIG JAM was to die for. The charcuterie plate was blah. Overall, I wouldn't come back because the wines weren't great and appetizer plates were too underwhelming for the price. Not worth the parking trouble either. read more

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I've been eying this place for so long, and I'm glad I finally got to go! My friends and I went to the Wine Lab for happy hour which is usually until 6PM on weekdays. We were greeted promptly and given a proper introduction to the Wine Lab, including their different options as well as their cheese plate they had available before their kitchen was opened. I started with a White Wine Flight, a trio of very varied and tasty white wines and a cheese plate. The cheese platter was enough for our party of four to snack on while enjoying our tasty wines. My personal favorite was my Riesling that I got to try, as well as an aromatic fruity white wine from Spain. Wine Lab is definitely a must-go in terms of presentation and excellent tasting wines, and I would definitely go again with my friends. read more

Wine Lab - White wine flight and cheese plate - instaworthy - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This is WL's second location. The original one is in Newport Beach on Coast Highway. The Costa Mesa location has been open about 7 months. I was pleasantly surprised! They have daily, reasonably priced flights (3 pours) and some small plates. They obviously sell wine and cheese. The place was packed on a Tue night. There are a lot of regulars. My business associate wanted to learn more about wines so I showed her a few basics: Like smelling the wine before she tasted it; As well as getting the wine to the back of her tongue so that she can taste all the flavors. We initially ordered the White Flight ($12) and Red Flight ($13). The White Flight included: The 2011 Rafael Palacios Sabrego Godello (Spain). This wine was very light and a good way to start the evening; Next was the 2010 Huesgen 9 Generations Riesling (Mosel, Germany). This wine was more fruity and tart than the first and a nice inbetweener; The last white was the 2011 Seven Hills Chardonnay (Columbia, WA). This one was the heaviest of the whites and had a buttery and oak taste w/ a nice finish. - 4 Stars The Red Flight consisted of the 2011 Locations E1 (Spain). Our server explained that this was a blend from three different regions in Spain. A nice way to dip into reds; The next red was the 2007 Two Angels Petite Sirah from High Valley (Lake County, CA). A nice transition to the heavier final red; The last red was the 2011 Chronic Cellars Purple Paradise (Paso Robles). A good way to wrap up the reds. After the initial flights I decided to try another wine - a half glass of 2007 Fontodi Chianti Classico, ($7, Tuscany, Italy). It was similar to the middle red in body, but had a better taste on my palate than the other reds. My business associate decided to have a half glass of the first white that we tried ($5). - 4 Stars To accompany the wine, we had the fig and honey baguette w/ goat butter ($8) and the fromagere pizza ($10-gorgonzola, pimmental, parmesan and fried onions). The food was OK: Nothing over the top, but a nice pairing to the wines we tried. We probably should have had some cheese. Oh well, there is always next time! - 3 Stars The staff was super nice and chill. They took the time to explain each wine and its unique characteristics. - 4 Stars. I am not much of a wine drinker, but this place is so cool and chill I definitely want to come back and learn about more wines and try the cheese and charcuterie. BTW, my business associate opened up to me about her recent breakup (I should have been a psychiatrist with all the women that spill their hearts out to me at bars - lol). We agreed to be each other's wingpals. So if you see me mention her in later reviews, you will know she is not a BC! read more

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I admit I am biased because I am a member of Wine Lab's Wine Club, but for good reason! First, do yourself a favor and talk to Edwinn about the wines. He's honestly so knowledgeable and has a great ability for describing wine in a way that is easily digestible for someone who might not be a "wine expert". Even if you consider yourself an expert, still talk to Edwinn because he's an all around friendly guy! The wine here is always delicious and the meat and cheese selections are awesome. You can come for a tasting or browse/buy wine by the bottle. They have both indoor and outdoor seating. read more

The concept of this place is very cute. We ordered a flight and it came in lab test tubes with wine elements sheet included. It is also a very quiet intimate place for a nice date. The wine all were of good tasting and the cheeseboard we ordered was also. We liked everything about this place, except that some of the wines were on tap. We had a great time and the gentlemen at the bar that helped us was very friendly and welcoming. read more

Wine Lab - Wine flight and Wine Elements Description - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I love the unique concept and corresponding decor of Wine Lab. If you choose to order a flight, it comes served in 2oz pours in test tubes. Wine Lab is located at The Camp, so parking can be a bit of an annoyance but it's worth it. We came in with a group of 9 without a reservation and they were quick to accommodate us with a large table. If you come with only 2-3 people, it might be best to sit at the bar and interact with the staff. Their Happy Hours run for a long time, and we were able to make it in for their Saturday afternoon HH. The kitchen opens at 3 but HH for wine starts at noon. If you want food before the kitchen opens, they do offer a mini cheese plate. We all went with the wine flight. For $9 you receive a flight of 3 pours. You tell the staff if you prefer red or white, and they pick the wines. You can also indicate if you prefer dry, sweet, etc. There are many other options for HH but we were happy with the flights. I was impressed with the service, atmosphere, and enjoyed the wines that they selected for me. I ended up ordering a 2nd flight of the same. I would love to come back and explore the menu which consists mainly of flatbreads, cheese and charcuterie, and a few items for your sweet tooth. They also offer beer for those who prefer it. This is a fun place to spend a few hours with friends! read more

I love love love that they have a happy hour on a Saturday. Not a lot of places do that these days. I was here just for drinks so this was perfect timing that dropped in during happy hour. For the first round, I started with an orange wheat beer just to whet the palate. Then for round 2, opted for a red. I asked for recommendations and they suggested the Dancing Coyote Petite Sirah 2012 Clarksburg. It was a pretty light red, not dry, and had fruity notes. For round 3, I finished the night off with the Raymond Cabernet Sommelier Cuvee 2012 North Coast - also another recommendation. I was thoroughly impressed with the servers and their knowledge of wine. I told them what I liked and they delivered. It's either they are good at what they do or maybe I like it all now. Next time I'd like to do a tasting of wine so that I can be served the cool test tubes of wine. read more

Wine Lab - wines on tap (they need more fun handles like beer!), my brew, the Reds, my red (they all look alike) - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

This place is so cool! I really wish we had more of these in our area! The ambiance definitely has a chic, hipster vibe like lots of places in LA. The bartenders were very knowledgeable and professional. We had the bartender's picks based on questions she asked us. The tasters came in glass chemistry vials of sorts, which was really creative! We also paired them with a wonderful cheese platter. My sister liked one so much that she bought a bottle, but it was really tall so they held it for us until we were done walking around the mini-mall. After a couple glasses of wine, it's very convenient to be able to just stroll around The Camp and go window shopping until you're ready to drive. There's an eclectic selection of stores that cater to the eco-friendly crowd. Parking is very limited so either get there early or pray to the parking gods the day prior and you're good to go! read more

Great wine, amazing and knowledgeable service, and awesome pricing. This is a great spot that cares about their guests.

We ordered two wine tastings and a charcuterie board. Price of the charcuterie board was good for the amount of food you get. The wine comes in test tubes which is adorable! Wine was good and atmosphere is super chill. Only reason I gave 4 stars was because we didn't have a server for the first ten minutes we were there. Otherwise the place was great and I will probably be back! read more

Wine Lab - White and red wine flights - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Wine Lab located at The Camp across Native Foods Cafe. The place is pretty small and there is limited seating so I suggest coming in smaller groups. I came here on a Wednesday night with 3 of my friends and the staff was very welcoming and helpful. They reserved a table for us while we went across to Native Foods to order dinner. They allow you to bring outside food in which is great (I don't know many places that allow that). The food and wine here are pretty great. I ordered the red wine flight and enjoyed all of the offerings (some more than others). My friends and I also ordered a cheese platter to share and we also enjoyed that very much. My favorite was the goat cheese with pear. It was very light and sweet. We ran out of crackers before cheese and our server was nice enough to bring us more. My first experience here was great and defininatly will be back to try more wines and possibly beer next time. read more

Wine Lab - Cheese platter and wine flight - Wine Bars Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I came here for happy hour with two my girlfriends and we were very pleased with the time we spent here. The moment we walked through the door we were greeted & seated within minutes! The staff was hospitable and understood that we weren't wine connoisseurs & attended to our questions/concerns accordingly! We opted for the red and white wine flights because we wanted a taste for what the Wine Lab had to offer! This is an especially good choice when it's happy hour because it's $8 for three test tubes! The overall vibe of the wine lab is super hip & trendy. After all, it's located in The Camp! And YES! If you do come here and get the wine flights with some bruschetta & bread or a cheese platter, it's totally instaworthy. Your IG followers will thank you and be jealous of the wine tasting magic you're experiencing! If you're hungry, it's not the best idea to come here. They only serve finger foods like cheese and crackers, some meats, bread, etc. BUT I heard from a little birdy that because of this you can bring food from other places into the establishment and you're in The Camp so you're surrounded by all kinds of noms! Definitely noted for next time if this is true! Overall, if you do get a lot here it's going to add up but honestly that's with any place you're going to for wine or really just alcohol in general! If you know what you're coming for that will probably buy you some time and money, but I personally almost always opt for a flight whether it be for wine or beer! It's just nice to try some wine from different wineries all over! I do wonder however, if you could customize your wine flight since the happy hour option is for the bartender's choice! Nonetheless, it's a good place to stop by and have a bit of wine with some friends! If I get the chance, I could see myself coming back to The Wine Lab! NOTE: Since it is located in The Camp, parking can be a dooooozy. So either take to valet (if you have the money or don't want to circle the parking lot over and over again) or....you can try and find street parking somewhere nearby! :) read more

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