I am *really* torn on how to write this review. Most things here--the food, the drinks, and the service--were disappointing and would probably have given it a 2-star review. But one food item was so amazing that I am literally still craving it and about half of the food overall was pretty good, so I'm bumping it up a star due to the promise for better. The vibe was also trendy and artsy and fun. First of all, the service: our waiter was super nice but he only showed up to our table every 20 minutes or so--including his first time coming to greet us and take our drink order!--so our dinner was extremely long and we were constantly in need of something but no ability to find him. Second, the drinks: I started with the Gold Digger, but it was honestly one of the grossest drinks I've had in a long time--it tasted like a super syrup-y off-brand Coke. I didn't finish even half of it but they didn't take it off my bill. I then ordered a white wine flight, and that was so much better, I was really happy with it. Finally, the food: the oysters shooters were super light and flavorful and we were very pleased with them. The raw tuna was also *excellent.* And the secret spiced fried chicken was TO. DIE. FOR. This is what I'm still dreaming about. The fried veggie strips were ok, just like what you'd get out of a chip bag at the grocery store. The ricotta gnocchi I thought would be hard to mess up, but it was just kind of bland and ok. The roasted carrots were fine, but the hummus was kind of dry and there wasn't enough. I would have liked to try some other things on the menu, and also to come back for the raw tuna and fried chicken again....but everything else has me so "meh" that I probably won't prioritize coming back.
Daweon K.
When I went to reserve through their website, I selected the High-Top table so I could enjoy happy hour with some girl friends. They have an OPTIONAL section for high-tops on the next screen, which I did not select since it's OPTIONAL and I had already selected High-Top seating on the first screen. When I got to the restaurant, they said I didn't reserve for a high-top and couldn't accommodate my party for happy hour. The hostess was very rude so due to this whole negative experience, I will not be going again.
Nicole W.
Really good!! Everything we ordered was delish! The cauliflower was especially good!!
Chandler D.
Came here with my happy hour group for happy hour. They had a decent size drink menu and about 20 food items on their menu. Their food is good but expect small portions for some items (slider, oyster shot, etc). We also ordered the mushroom ragot and was not a fan of it. Definitely not what we expected it to be or taste like. Over food and drinks were good. Service was really good.
Eileen C.
Drinks never disappoint here! Had a great time catching up with a friend at the bar. Didn't grab any food this time but saw some great dishes go by!
Calli D.
Always a smash. love the paella, brussels sprouts, wings and the wine is fantastic! a happy hour that lasts til 8pm??? sign me UP
K. Antonio Wright
I haven't been here yet but I love da fact dat they have live music and dj's sum nites which is hot. I've gotta check it out soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 1
Emily Z.
Solid spot for a nice dinner in Ballston with a large menu, several happy hour offerings and good wine options. They also have beer and craftt cocktails in a semi-open kitchen setting. Comfy seats, large space, and you can look out over Wilson Blvd or sit at a huge long bar. We did happy hour food and it was tasty! Loved the pineapple cilantro wings, and the brussels sprouts were crispy and cooked well. Wings were really meaty and 8 were more than filling enough. The wagyu burger/slider was fine, but honestly it was just a burger. Nothing super special so check your expectations despite the wagyu description. We had a lovely night with friendly and attentive service. Was able to taste a few wines before committing which was nice. There is a small art display at the front so it is a mixed use space. On a busy night it could get really loud as the decor is a lot of concrete with high loft-style exposed ceilings.
Alan L.
Relaxed small plates and tasty cocktails. The restaurant is located on the second floor, with ample signage in the windows to help you locate the restaurant if you know to look up. The small plates vary in size, some are very small and others larger. We enjoyed the Brussels Sprouts and Fried Chicken. The Pine Sazerac was memorable. The staff is attentive and helpful.
Alexandra K.
I love the idea of a combined art/music and food/drink establishment, and Art Whino makes it work in a really fun and balanced way. I was drawn in by the promise of enjoying artwork and conversation with a friend over drinks, and the experience was just what I hoped for. It's a large space with a bar winding towards the back as you enter, an art viewing and purchase space to the right and in the center, a space for performances in the middle to the far right, and the seating area with tables low and high in the back half of the space. My friend and I grabbed a high table by the windows, and I made sure to get the seat that let me look past him to the sectional walls covered in colorful paintings. The service was great, very attentive. We only got drinks, and I made the mistake of getting a Seedlip-based cocktail for the last time - NEVER AGAIN. I should have gotten a glass of wine like my friend did (which he enjoyed). I'll know better for next time, and next time I want to experience one of the EDM shows too. Not the kind of establishment that I ever would have thought I could find in a mall! Such a great convenient spot too, can't wait to return.
Good places for happy hour drinks and nibbles. But service deteriorated after 7pm as the place gets busier. Also park in the mall (level 3) to get easy access to the
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
elana woolf
What a fun place! It’s massive, has great food, lots of fantastic win and a cool vibe. Highly recommend for larger groups- we had a happy hour for a huge group— everyone comfortably spread out. The patatas bravas were absolutely amazing- super crisp with a spicy sauce on top. The yucca/plantain chips were yum and the wings were good (nothing special but great). My friend loved everything she got.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Polenta Patatas Bravas, Smoked Margret Duck Breast
Alana D.
I guess I don't quite know where to begin...I recently planned a 40th bday for my sister and we hosted it here. Now, the food was delicious and the drinks were great; actually planning the party and communicating with managers was an uphill battle. Originally we lost out on the private rm we wanted because it took the managers 3 days to return a simple email answering a few questions. When we finally agreed on the area we wanted, it took 4 days to send over the contract! Why?! When you call the food & bev manager she never ever answers her phone. In fact there were 3 ppl cc'd on my email correspondence; none of them no how to answer the phone or return a vcmail. I'd asked in advance that the food be coursed. It was not. That's disappointing because the dishes got cold. During our party, we had about 22 guests and only 1 server! That doesn't make sense! For 22 guests u need at least 2 servers and 1 busser. I experienced a complete lack of professionalism. I planned this party remotely from Chicago, if I lived in tbt area I would've chosen better. The food was good, the venue is unique, the music is far too loud; dealing with the managers was an absolute headache.
mike villalobos
the drinks were surprisingly amazing. A lot of the combinations had me skeptical but once I tried them, I was pleasantly surprised. We ordered 3 plates to try. We got the seafood socarrat. This dish was a little disappointing bc it didn’t come out looking as it was advertised on the website. This dish is supposed to be a paella however the rice wasn’t crispy, it was underdone and hard. The seafood was also a little disappointing. We got the ricotta gnocchi which was really good and super flavorful. We also got the Wagyu beef slider, could have been better. Atmosphere was nice with good views. Would come back for happy hour cocktails.
I am *really* torn on how to write this review. Most things here--the food, the drinks, and the service--were disappointing and would probably have given it a 2-star review. But one food item was so amazing that I am literally still craving it and about half of the food overall was pretty good, so I'm bumping it up a star due to the promise for better. The vibe was also trendy and artsy and fun. First of all, the service: our waiter was super nice but he only showed up to our table every 20 minutes or so--including his first time coming to greet us and take our drink order!--so our dinner was extremely long and we were constantly in need of something but no ability to find him. Second, the drinks: I started with the Gold Digger, but it was honestly one of the grossest drinks I've had in a long time--it tasted like a super syrup-y off-brand Coke. I didn't finish even half of it but they didn't take it off my bill. I then ordered a white wine flight, and that was so much better, I was really happy with it. Finally, the food: the oysters shooters were super light and flavorful and we were very pleased with them. The raw tuna was also *excellent.* And the secret spiced fried chicken was TO. DIE. FOR. This is what I'm still dreaming about. The fried veggie strips were ok, just like what you'd get out of a chip bag at the grocery store. The ricotta gnocchi I thought would be hard to mess up, but it was just kind of bland and ok. The roasted carrots were fine, but the hummus was kind of dry and there wasn't enough. I would have liked to try some other things on the menu, and also to come back for the raw tuna and fried chicken again....but everything else has me so "meh" that I probably won't prioritize coming back.
When I went to reserve through their website, I selected the High-Top table so I could enjoy happy hour with some girl friends. They have an OPTIONAL section for high-tops on the next screen, which I did not select since it's OPTIONAL and I had already selected High-Top seating on the first screen. When I got to the restaurant, they said I didn't reserve for a high-top and couldn't accommodate my party for happy hour. The hostess was very rude so due to this whole negative experience, I will not be going again.
Really good!! Everything we ordered was delish! The cauliflower was especially good!!
Came here with my happy hour group for happy hour. They had a decent size drink menu and about 20 food items on their menu. Their food is good but expect small portions for some items (slider, oyster shot, etc). We also ordered the mushroom ragot and was not a fan of it. Definitely not what we expected it to be or taste like. Over food and drinks were good. Service was really good.
Drinks never disappoint here! Had a great time catching up with a friend at the bar. Didn't grab any food this time but saw some great dishes go by!
Always a smash. love the paella, brussels sprouts, wings and the wine is fantastic! a happy hour that lasts til 8pm??? sign me UP
I haven't been here yet but I love da fact dat they have live music and dj's sum nites which is hot. I've gotta check it out soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 1
Service: 1
Solid spot for a nice dinner in Ballston with a large menu, several happy hour offerings and good wine options. They also have beer and craftt cocktails in a semi-open kitchen setting. Comfy seats, large space, and you can look out over Wilson Blvd or sit at a huge long bar. We did happy hour food and it was tasty! Loved the pineapple cilantro wings, and the brussels sprouts were crispy and cooked well. Wings were really meaty and 8 were more than filling enough. The wagyu burger/slider was fine, but honestly it was just a burger. Nothing super special so check your expectations despite the wagyu description. We had a lovely night with friendly and attentive service. Was able to taste a few wines before committing which was nice. There is a small art display at the front so it is a mixed use space. On a busy night it could get really loud as the decor is a lot of concrete with high loft-style exposed ceilings.
Relaxed small plates and tasty cocktails. The restaurant is located on the second floor, with ample signage in the windows to help you locate the restaurant if you know to look up. The small plates vary in size, some are very small and others larger. We enjoyed the Brussels Sprouts and Fried Chicken. The Pine Sazerac was memorable. The staff is attentive and helpful.
I love the idea of a combined art/music and food/drink establishment, and Art Whino makes it work in a really fun and balanced way. I was drawn in by the promise of enjoying artwork and conversation with a friend over drinks, and the experience was just what I hoped for. It's a large space with a bar winding towards the back as you enter, an art viewing and purchase space to the right and in the center, a space for performances in the middle to the far right, and the seating area with tables low and high in the back half of the space. My friend and I grabbed a high table by the windows, and I made sure to get the seat that let me look past him to the sectional walls covered in colorful paintings. The service was great, very attentive. We only got drinks, and I made the mistake of getting a Seedlip-based cocktail for the last time - NEVER AGAIN. I should have gotten a glass of wine like my friend did (which he enjoyed). I'll know better for next time, and next time I want to experience one of the EDM shows too. Not the kind of establishment that I ever would have thought I could find in a mall! Such a great convenient spot too, can't wait to return.
Restaurantji Recommends
Great for brunch after church, especially when you go to church right across from this restaurant ?Parking: Cheap, cheap parking! And plenty of it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Avocado, Whino Wagyu Beef Sliders
Good places for happy hour drinks and nibbles. But service deteriorated after 7pm as the place gets busier. Also park in the mall (level 3) to get easy access to the
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 4
What a fun place! It’s massive, has great food, lots of fantastic win and a cool vibe. Highly recommend for larger groups- we had a happy hour for a huge group— everyone comfortably spread out. The patatas bravas were absolutely amazing- super crisp with a spicy sauce on top. The yucca/plantain chips were yum and the wings were good (nothing special but great). My friend loved everything she got.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Polenta Patatas Bravas, Smoked Margret Duck Breast
I guess I don't quite know where to begin...I recently planned a 40th bday for my sister and we hosted it here. Now, the food was delicious and the drinks were great; actually planning the party and communicating with managers was an uphill battle. Originally we lost out on the private rm we wanted because it took the managers 3 days to return a simple email answering a few questions. When we finally agreed on the area we wanted, it took 4 days to send over the contract! Why?! When you call the food & bev manager she never ever answers her phone. In fact there were 3 ppl cc'd on my email correspondence; none of them no how to answer the phone or return a vcmail. I'd asked in advance that the food be coursed. It was not. That's disappointing because the dishes got cold. During our party, we had about 22 guests and only 1 server! That doesn't make sense! For 22 guests u need at least 2 servers and 1 busser. I experienced a complete lack of professionalism. I planned this party remotely from Chicago, if I lived in tbt area I would've chosen better. The food was good, the venue is unique, the music is far too loud; dealing with the managers was an absolute headache.
the drinks were surprisingly amazing. A lot of the combinations had me skeptical but once I tried them, I was pleasantly surprised. We ordered 3 plates to try. We got the seafood socarrat. This dish was a little disappointing bc it didn’t come out looking as it was advertised on the website. This dish is supposed to be a paella however the rice wasn’t crispy, it was underdone and hard. The seafood was also a little disappointing. We got the ricotta gnocchi which was really good and super flavorful. We also got the Wagyu beef slider, could have been better. Atmosphere was nice with good views. Would come back for happy hour cocktails.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Ricotta Gnocchi