This place is great, very friendly and cozy, staff very attentive and the champagne was nice.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charcuterie
MojoK
A lovely neighborhood wine bar with great service from owners Nubeer and Sonny with expertly curated wines (by the glass, bottle, or flights) plus a small retail shop for take home bottles!
David Borel
Neighborhood gem. Burgundies and champagnes I've never seen before.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Meggie Cansler
Cozy atmosphere on a Friday night. Sweet staff. Had the olives and prosciutto. Atmosphere is excellent. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aarash Zakeri
Beautiful wine bar with excellent selection of wine and champagne! Can also purchase bottles to take home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wayne H.
Wine So Cru has been on our list to check out for quite some time, and we were finally able to go a few weeks ago. Overall, it was a good experience, not without its cons (see below), but generally, Wine So Cru offers an elegant and intimate environment to enjoy wine. The staff in particular are extremely knowledgeable about wine and very attentive.What I really liked about Wine So Cru is that they offer not only some very high end wines (to drink or take away - more about this later), they also have very affordable options, including some geekier (for wine nerds) options like lesser known varietals or wines from lesser known regions. All this is to say that whether you know what you like and you like what you know or if you're a bit more adventurous and open to learning, Wine So Cru has options for you. Bottle prices ranged from as low as $20-30 to well beyond $200-300+. They seem to be reasonably well stocked up on champagne if that's your jam! They also have some interesting flight options if you're in the mood for sampling a few different wines.While browsing the selection, the staff was extremely helpful and knowledgeable and I truly get the sense that they want to help you find something you're going to really enjoy, rather than being hyper-focused on upselling you on more expensive offerings. Don't be shy and tell them your price range.The bottle prices are retail prices, i.e. for you to take the wine home. If you want to enjoy the wine on premise, there's a $20 corkage fee, which I feel is quite reasonable since they'll be providing the stemware, ambiance, service, etc.There are so many positives about Wine So Cru, but it comes with some negatives as well. First and foremost, of the few wines I was familiar with, their retail price is quite a bit higher than you can find elsewhere. For example, the 2019 Louis Latour "En Chevret" Volnay 1er Cru sells for under $150 retail, even from places like wine.com, which is not necessarily known for offering the best prices. In the shop, the retail price was over $200. Let's say you were in the mood for a Napa cab and chose the 2018 Groth Reserve CS - it'll set you back $180 (retail) vs. $120-140 from other retailers. So although there's "only" a $20 corkage fee to drink in the shop, chances are you're going to be paying 20-30% more for the wine to begin with.Lastly, the location leaves something to be desired. It's on University very close to the 80 overpass, under which there are frequently unhoused members of our community. The juxtaposition of sitting in the wine bar enjoying $200 bottles of wine while meters away, people aren't even able to meet their basic needs - it's not lost on me. Now of course, none of this is the fault of Wine So Cru and I only mention it because you may feel unsafe walking around the area at night. After all, there's a reason the front door remains locked during business hours and you have to be let in by a member of the staff.
Nikki Loren
We went for both a wine tasting AND ordered a charcuterie board picnic set on the weekend! Both were 10/10, especially the picnic basket. It had everything and all of the food and treats were great quality!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charcuterie
Deborah Kuchar
We went here about a month ago and had such a good experience. The atmosphere is very cozy and chill while the staff is attentive. We sampled a variety of wines and they were all great. We ordered the charcuterie and it was a perfect compliment to the wines. I’m headed back to Berkeley this week and we’ve already made plans to meet up there again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charcuterie
Shelemat A.
The atmosphere was beautiful and staff was really helpful to walk through the selections- no need to be intimidated if you're not super familiar with different wines! Can't wait to come back!!
A little hidden gem! A high quality wine bar in the cuts of Berkeley?! Who would have thunk it?! This place is absolutely adorable! I came here two days before Christmas last year and practically had the entire place all to myself. The ambience is literally amazing! I was instantly attracted to their glowing bar and wine cellar. I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to wine. Whenever I go anywhere that has a wine list or a wine cellar, I usually study it pretty closely. For all of my fellow wine nerds out there, this place is like a mini heaven. For the size of this spot, their wine selection is pretty damn stellar. They've got French Champagne, Magnum reds, dessert wines, big name varietals, and even some international wines in there too. I had just come back from a a trip to Canada and tried Canadian ice wine for the first time. Then lo and behold; they had one of the exact ice wines that I had tried right on the shelf. Incredible! I mean, what Bay Area wine bar is carrying this type of wine? I was shocked. Aside from their extensive wine bottle collection, they also have a fabulous wine by the glass menu. My super sweet sommelier Nubia suggested that I try their Beaujolais and Barbera red wines based off my palate. Both were scrumptious and definitely right up my alley when it comes to reds. She was so knowledgeable and it was fun to pick her brain a little bit. I sat by the window which had a nice street view, but they also have some comfy seats near their fireplace. They have a small bites menu for light snacks and caviar, cheese, and charcuterie plates for something a little heavier. I nibbled on some olives while I was there. They have weekly happy hour specials which I have yet to partake in, but it's nice to know that they cater to the happy hour crowd as well. I really enjoyed my experience at Wine So Cru and I'm excited to explore more of their wines.
Noah Ellis
Staff is so welcoming and friendly and they always hit the mark as a classy establishment without coming off stuffy.
Amanda Thompson
Awesome wine bar! The wine was fantastic, they offer by the glass and a couple wine flights. They also have some small bites, I got the charcuterie and it was delicious. Service was very friendly. The decor is very elegant and modern, felt very comfortable to hang out. Will definitely be back.
Jorge Gonzalez
Impressive place. Very kind and service. Place that you feel good. A lot of wines many can be find at costco. I was expecting more from CA vineyard.
Allyssa T.
The ambiance in this place was exceptional. Will definitely be coming again. The waitress was very knowledgeable and kind. They also continuously checked on us to make sure we were ok. Also had a great selection of wines. The caviar was fresh and delicious too. I can't wait to come back!
This place is great, very friendly and cozy, staff very attentive and the champagne was nice.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charcuterie
A lovely neighborhood wine bar with great service from owners Nubeer and Sonny with expertly curated wines (by the glass, bottle, or flights) plus a small retail shop for take home bottles!
Neighborhood gem. Burgundies and champagnes I've never seen before.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cozy atmosphere on a Friday night. Sweet staff. Had the olives and prosciutto. Atmosphere is excellent. Highly recommend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Beautiful wine bar with excellent selection of wine and champagne! Can also purchase bottles to take home.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Wine So Cru has been on our list to check out for quite some time, and we were finally able to go a few weeks ago. Overall, it was a good experience, not without its cons (see below), but generally, Wine So Cru offers an elegant and intimate environment to enjoy wine. The staff in particular are extremely knowledgeable about wine and very attentive.What I really liked about Wine So Cru is that they offer not only some very high end wines (to drink or take away - more about this later), they also have very affordable options, including some geekier (for wine nerds) options like lesser known varietals or wines from lesser known regions. All this is to say that whether you know what you like and you like what you know or if you're a bit more adventurous and open to learning, Wine So Cru has options for you. Bottle prices ranged from as low as $20-30 to well beyond $200-300+. They seem to be reasonably well stocked up on champagne if that's your jam! They also have some interesting flight options if you're in the mood for sampling a few different wines.While browsing the selection, the staff was extremely helpful and knowledgeable and I truly get the sense that they want to help you find something you're going to really enjoy, rather than being hyper-focused on upselling you on more expensive offerings. Don't be shy and tell them your price range.The bottle prices are retail prices, i.e. for you to take the wine home. If you want to enjoy the wine on premise, there's a $20 corkage fee, which I feel is quite reasonable since they'll be providing the stemware, ambiance, service, etc.There are so many positives about Wine So Cru, but it comes with some negatives as well. First and foremost, of the few wines I was familiar with, their retail price is quite a bit higher than you can find elsewhere. For example, the 2019 Louis Latour "En Chevret" Volnay 1er Cru sells for under $150 retail, even from places like wine.com, which is not necessarily known for offering the best prices. In the shop, the retail price was over $200. Let's say you were in the mood for a Napa cab and chose the 2018 Groth Reserve CS - it'll set you back $180 (retail) vs. $120-140 from other retailers. So although there's "only" a $20 corkage fee to drink in the shop, chances are you're going to be paying 20-30% more for the wine to begin with.Lastly, the location leaves something to be desired. It's on University very close to the 80 overpass, under which there are frequently unhoused members of our community. The juxtaposition of sitting in the wine bar enjoying $200 bottles of wine while meters away, people aren't even able to meet their basic needs - it's not lost on me. Now of course, none of this is the fault of Wine So Cru and I only mention it because you may feel unsafe walking around the area at night. After all, there's a reason the front door remains locked during business hours and you have to be let in by a member of the staff.
We went for both a wine tasting AND ordered a charcuterie board picnic set on the weekend! Both were 10/10, especially the picnic basket. It had everything and all of the food and treats were great quality!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charcuterie
We went here about a month ago and had such a good experience. The atmosphere is very cozy and chill while the staff is attentive. We sampled a variety of wines and they were all great. We ordered the charcuterie and it was a perfect compliment to the wines. I’m headed back to Berkeley this week and we’ve already made plans to meet up there again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Charcuterie
The atmosphere was beautiful and staff was really helpful to walk through the selections- no need to be intimidated if you're not super familiar with different wines! Can't wait to come back!!
Very very expensive, strange atmosphere
Restaurantji Recommends
A little hidden gem! A high quality wine bar in the cuts of Berkeley?! Who would have thunk it?! This place is absolutely adorable! I came here two days before Christmas last year and practically had the entire place all to myself. The ambience is literally amazing! I was instantly attracted to their glowing bar and wine cellar. I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to wine. Whenever I go anywhere that has a wine list or a wine cellar, I usually study it pretty closely. For all of my fellow wine nerds out there, this place is like a mini heaven. For the size of this spot, their wine selection is pretty damn stellar. They've got French Champagne, Magnum reds, dessert wines, big name varietals, and even some international wines in there too. I had just come back from a a trip to Canada and tried Canadian ice wine for the first time. Then lo and behold; they had one of the exact ice wines that I had tried right on the shelf. Incredible! I mean, what Bay Area wine bar is carrying this type of wine? I was shocked. Aside from their extensive wine bottle collection, they also have a fabulous wine by the glass menu. My super sweet sommelier Nubia suggested that I try their Beaujolais and Barbera red wines based off my palate. Both were scrumptious and definitely right up my alley when it comes to reds. She was so knowledgeable and it was fun to pick her brain a little bit. I sat by the window which had a nice street view, but they also have some comfy seats near their fireplace. They have a small bites menu for light snacks and caviar, cheese, and charcuterie plates for something a little heavier. I nibbled on some olives while I was there. They have weekly happy hour specials which I have yet to partake in, but it's nice to know that they cater to the happy hour crowd as well. I really enjoyed my experience at Wine So Cru and I'm excited to explore more of their wines.
Staff is so welcoming and friendly and they always hit the mark as a classy establishment without coming off stuffy.
Awesome wine bar! The wine was fantastic, they offer by the glass and a couple wine flights. They also have some small bites, I got the charcuterie and it was delicious. Service was very friendly. The decor is very elegant and modern, felt very comfortable to hang out. Will definitely be back.
Impressive place. Very kind and service. Place that you feel good. A lot of wines many can be find at costco. I was expecting more from CA vineyard.
The ambiance in this place was exceptional. Will definitely be coming again. The waitress was very knowledgeable and kind. They also continuously checked on us to make sure we were ok. Also had a great selection of wines. The caviar was fresh and delicious too. I can't wait to come back!