Muse Winebar

First night in Portland and a big craft beer fan. However, felt like a change of beers and also a big fan of natural wines. Not exclusively natural wines, but are focused on small producers. Friendly and efficient service, without being over the top or disfriendly. Great wines available.

To say this is a "Hidden Gem" does not do the excellence with which this team executes justice. This is "A GEM," full stop. The team here are expert on what hospitality is and should be. The small plate selections are thoughtful and delicious and the wine selection and knowledge behind that selection are the kind of thing that built Portland as a food and Wine destination, and I think are part of rebuilding that Portland. I am a HUGE fan, and when you consider that it is right across the street from @COHOtheater, Run, don't walk to Muse Wine Bar...and more.

no fuss neighborhood wine bar. comfortable. the place to meet friends for the non-occasion…sometimes you don’t want to think too hard. you want a place to chat and have a glass of wine. they have a selection of wines by the glass that are off the beaten path and with a decent price…including ports and sherries. the owners and staff are friendly, attentive, welcoming. totally chill.

Great selection of wine and the meat board is delicious! I also liked the outdoor seating. The staff are knowledgeable about all the wines and can make good recommendations too!

Cozy intimate wine place, good selection of wine and port. I just wish they have a full food menu even small selection.

Wonderfully cozy, very enlightened service. Big bubbly, gentle-giant vibes from the man who served us. I will be back.

While traveling and staying in a local hotel I asked a couple of locals for a place to get a good glass of wine. They emphatically recommended Muse and I’m so glad they did! Excellent, eclectic selection, even with the per glass options. Interesting cheese/appetizer menu and the owners were behind the bar providing fun conversation and background on the various menu choices. Cute, outside tables with doggos and puppers with water bowls, too. Do yourself a favor and give Muse a go-you won’t regret it.

The atmosphere is amazing! It is not overly bright in the evening, the ambiance is relaxing and mellow.

Charming wine bar on NW Raleigh right off NW 23rd. The stone exterior is adorned with greenery and purple party lights with lots of bistro tables and chairs for nice weather. Inside is dark and cozy, perfect for a rainy afternoon or evening. My only complaint is there is a lot of wood and all the hard surfaces don't reflect noise so it's sometimes challenging to hear. They have a wonderful assortment of wines and not all local. For me, that's a good thing. Yes I love a Willamette Valley Pinot or a Washington Cabernet, but I get a lot of those when I'm visiting these areas, which I do frequently. At Muse you can enjoy a red from France, Spain, Italy, as well as local. Lots of whites and some bubbles, too. You can do a tasting of three half glass pours of your choice, or order a glass. Some nights they have tastings that they have preselected. Last night, based on Alex's recommendation, after telling him my preferences, I had the 2021 Crozes-Hermitage from Paris. It was a bigger red, but so smooth. Next I went with the Rioja Gran Reserva which was more fruit forward. Another winner. Their cheese and jam plates are fabulous, the cheese especially delicious, and pair perfectly with the wines. Have a feeling I'll be back frequently to this charming neighborhood wine since my friend works out next door, so it's a perfect meeting spot.

This review is long overdue. Muse is my go to neighborhood wine bar. Christopher, the owner, is passionate and knowledgeable about the wines. The menu is a little hard to read but that's ok as Christopher and his staff can recommend wines based on your preferences. That's honestly my favorite part! I enjoy the intimate setting. There's apparently an upstairs that I didn't know about so I'll have to check that out next time I'm there.

Muse is relaxed, cozy, dimly lit, and intimate - the consummate third place, or home away from home. It's great for a romantic date, to catch up with a friend, or to just come and read a book while sipping on a glass or two of wine. The atmosphere is just spot-on and the vibes are ~vibing~. The wine list here is focused on European wines and the folks know their stuff. The owner is passionate about wines and everyone is welcoming, whether you're an amateur somm or can't tell your Screaming Eagle from your 47lb Rooster. They'll make plenty of recommendations to suit your palate and mood and make sure that you're happy. Snacks are simple and limited to charcuterie and cheese boards, which is really perfect 'cause what more do you need to pair with some lovely vino? Catch me here cozied up with a glass and a book or gossiping with a friend, rain or shine.

What an absolutely delightful wine bar. We finally stopped in after walking by several times. Outstanding, attentive, knowledgeable service. Wonderful selection of unique wines. Delightful seating, both indoors and out. We didn't eat, but their light bites menu looked good. Excellent recommendation on a take-home bottle. We will definitely stop in again. Check their site. Reservations recommended.

The bar from the outside looks very unassuming and small and there is not much going on in terms of decor but this is definitely a spot you need to visit if you want to have a quite relaxed time whilst sipping on some fine wine . We came in on a weekday and were immediately seated , and attended . Christopher is passionate about his wines and heard my preferences and suggested some wines he thought we might like . He let us taste them before we ordered and we settled on a Priorat and decided to get the whole bottle . The wine was dry, crisp and full bodied just like I prefer and went very well with the cheese board . The jams and cheese combination was Steller and were all paired very well . There is a lot of variety yet you wont find everything here but I would suggest taking Christopher`s recommendation in case you want to discover something new.

The staff here are very knowledgeable about their wines and their origins. That's what I remembered most about my last visit here many years ago. I'm no wine expert but I want to learn as much as possible about wine and this seemed like a natural destination. I do go wine tasting regularly so I did have some expectations. I met my friend there and he knew less about wine than I so it was great that we had an expert on hand to break everything down for us. On my last visit, they offered a flight of sparkling wines. I didn't see that offered on this visit. No problem, I'm told, I was offered a flight of 3 different sparkling wines. I wish there was some sort of menu I could reflect upon as I report back to you. All I can really say is that I preferred the sparkling rosé the best out of the three I was offered. My friend decided he wanted a mixed flight too. He wanted big reds. His preference was for the Cabernet/Sauvignon mix. Our server pointed out where on the map our grapes came from. All of mine were from France and my friend was a mixture of France and Spain. We were a little surprised when it came time to settle up. Even though we didn't have full glasses of wine as we were doing tasting flights, they still charged us for 6 full glasses of wine. Not cool Muse Winebar. 2022 - Review # 19

Muse is cozy and accommodating. Alex walks you through the menu or provides personalized recommendations based on your preferences. If I lived in this neighborhood I'd struggle not to come here most days of the week.

Host was very helpful and recommend a great bottle of wine. Nice ambience and cheese plate too.

Christopher took us on a wonderful tour of wines. His laughter, passion for wines and adventurous spirit made our night as we ascended on our culinary tour up the hill.

Underwhelming experience. A tepid welcome followed by lukewarm service and a mediocre bottle of French wine. Our second bottle was a much better Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Apps were okay. Yes, we're a bit loud but by no means overwhelming. Left this place as our first bad experience here in Portland.

A small and low key place to sip on some wine. The place is pretty small and not good for a large crowd. The interior is pretty simple with a few small tables inside and bar counter seating. They offer wine by the glasses and by the bottles, along with a meat and cheese plate.

I had such high hopes for this place being one of the top rated wine bars in Portland. The initial service was awesome and welcoming, when a different server took over it was very meh. The atmosphere is great- very relaxed but sophisticated, it epitomizes the vibe a wine bar should have. But, I am completely baffled how this place has such high reviews. At first we were a bit overwhelmed by the menu and options available. We knew we wanted a flight but we took some time to find things that we really wanted to try. We were hoping for help navigating the menu and getting recommendations but after 2 really, really bad ones we figured were were better off looking up everything on Vivino instead. Our table did flights and we were trying to get different things so we could get a feel for more of the menu. Any of the options for flights and glasses are mediocre at best. They had a large selection of foreign wines- French, Spanish, etc. which is great to try different things but while I was looking on Vivino to try and learn more, I couldn't help but notice that they were charging ~$15/glass for a $13 bottle with crappy ratings. I thought it was a one off but this was a majority of them: sub-par, inexpensive foreign wine with a completely ridiculous markup. Now, I'm not necessarily a price snob but none of the wines I had were memorable except the one that I'm pretty sure was corked or just literally smelled like a horse stable. Gross. That one was recommended as one that was "just like" a sangiovese I wanted to try by the waitress. Definitely a miss on that one. I'm glad we were able to have a fantastic experience at Portland Wine Bar- go there instead. Superior service and exponentially better wine for the price. When we go back to Portland, we won't be returning here.

We found this bar by exploring downtown! They have a giant list of wine- like 2+ pages for each kind of wine. It was very dimly lit which was nice. It gave it a good vibE. The service was Really too

We didn't have incredibly high hopes coming into Muse because we've been to several wine bars over the years that were just "OK". After only a few moments we knew we were somewhere fantastic. One of the owners was our "server" and far exceeded our expectations during our tasting. We asked that he select, for us, the wines we sampled based on our preferred profiles and he hit the nail on the head with each wine. We enjoyed our experience so much that we came back again the next day (we were on vacation) and did the same + a cheese sampler that he also hand picked. Again we were so happy with our experience - THANK YOU for sharing your passion with us!

Dim, swanky wine bar in NW. Industrial yet cozy atmosphere and laid back vibes make this place a great date spot or place to meet some girlfriends. Went there around 6pm on a Sunday night and it was pretty quiet though some others filed in as the night when on. Prices are reasonable and the limited food menu is just what you need!

This is my all time favorite wine bar. The ambiance resembles a wine seller. It's dark, cold and rustic feel. Perfect mood lightning. It's great for a pre or post dinner stop. Great for late evening.

I shared a flight of 5 tastings with one of my girlfriends and it was a cool experience! I appreciated the time the person took to explain and present each wine. My two favorites are in the images I'm attaching to this review. Will totally come back here for date night and girls night.

We were introduced to this little place by friends who are regulars. It was a great place for our little group to spend time catching up, and my husband and I had a wonderful time chatting with one of the owners (Christopher) once they left to make it to dinner reservations. Atmosphere was intimate yet chill and cozy. Had some really nice wine. (And this place also has a small selection of beer and cider.) Christopher was nice enough to open a few bottles and let us try before we committed to a (dryish red) dolcetto. He also shared some tips/recommendations about area wineries to check out. It's a little out of my way, but still only about a 20-25 min walk from home. Would love to go back and eat my way around their cheese plates..!

Full disclosure: I know one of the owners. That being said, this is an absolute gem of a place to relax and throw back a glass of wine...or two. I would describe the spot as cozy and intimate. Not too cozy that you're up in your neighbor's conversation but a nice sized, warm space that exudes a calmness one welcomes after a long day at work. I've tried their rose flight which resulted in me ordering my fav of the group and I'm now working my way from the top of the reds menu. All have been delicious and thoughtfully explained to me...which is important since I still choose my wine from the store based on the prettiest label.

Very quaint, dimly lit wine bar with the perfect ambience for date night! There are about 6-8 seats around the bar and then a few small tables, so the place doesn't hold very many people, but that makes it even more special. The bartender (oh no I forget his name!) was very personable and took the time to get to know me and my boyfriend, even gave us a small glass of wine for free! The large selection of wine is pretty moderately priced, but it was all so delicious and the whole experience was delightful so I can't even complain. I didn't have any cheese, but after reading the other reviews I kind of wish I had. I would definitely recommend this place to wine aficionados and to wine noobs like myself just looking for a romantic night out.

All this talk about Christopher and what about Kai?! My ginger homie Kai always recommends the best wines per your preference. Trust me guys, this guy knows his ish!

Perfect spot to relax with friends and family. Great wine selection. Staff is knowledgeable and incredibly helpful. I will definitely be back.

Me and a friend were here a couple of nights before NYE. Came in, had some yummy wines. Met the owners/bartenders Christopher and Kai(hope I got your name right). Chill place, with chill bartenders and chill crowd around. Its a small place, not packed, which means you get a more personalized experience. The bartenders take their time to know you and suggest something you would really like. Have their cheese platter with those killer jams. Do not miss that !!! Anyways, fast forward to NYE. After our event, my friend and I came here to drink it up till midnight and head back home in 2017. Started chatting with Christopher and Kai, and we told them how much I loved their savory jam (with jalapeno peppers) and that I was leaving town next morning. So I asked them for the website of the jam-makers they get their stock from. Hearing my story, Christopher goes back in, in about couple of minutes, places this jar of jam next to my wine glass and says "Don't ask any questions". That just killed me on a whole new customer satisfaction level. What a sweet place with really nice staff. Needless to say, I'm going to recommend my Portland-bound friends to this place.

Came here for the first time and it couldn't have been better. Comfortable, inviting environment, amazing wine recommendations from our waiter. Cheese and cracker plate were fantastic. Don't skip the olives - they're amazing.

Muse is staffed with only the people with the finest taste and the best wines in the area. The atmosphere is incredible and the they have an unbelievable spot. Great wines, great atmosphere, and a great locations. Cheers!

What a cozy little wine bar! Christopher was super helpful to me and my 3 girlfriends and suggested a great rose for us to try. The cheese plates are very reasonably priced and you must get the chocolate plate. Great spot for a girls night out or a special date with your guy! Can't wait to come back! :)

Great wine selection and great knowledge and passion for what they serve. Bartender created us a flight that paired very well with my other glass of wine. :) Nice selection of cheeses and meats too. Will be back.

Exceptionally charming and well executed wine bar. I just happened to look for nearby bars on my Yelp App. I was seeking the Pelican (new name for Huckelberry Inn on NW Kearney and former Peddlar and Pen), I didn't see that listing, but did notice a very close wine bar with a 5 star rating. Holy Smokes it's one block away, let's go. The group I dined with at The Matador were set to return home. But I was interested in trying this new place. Enchanting! A nice little facade, but very humble right off Raleigh across the way from St. Jack, pass the Large House/Massage business. The place glowed of amber, copper, and wood. Even though the barkeep - was pre-occupied with clients seated at the bar, he made sure to give eye contact and welcome us in. There were six of us and we found a couple tables to share. It's not a large space - so our timing was great. The server was very quick to bring waters. I found the menu fascinating, but daunting. Loads to read and lots of grape varietals and regions I didn't recognize. But guess what? The serer was well spoken and educated - he guided us to items we might enjoy. I had a Pecorino and my friends each had something different. He described the approximate regions and taste profiles for each wine. He added that they had some open bottles that weren't on the list. Prices range from $8-14/glass. Maybe more for something exotic/rare. Their food offerings were intriguing. I really wanted something of the meat/cheese plate, but just finished dining, so will wait for next time. Our server checked in on us a couple of times. Also, was willing to pour tastes of anything, so you felt comfortable with your choice. I am so glad I found this spot and I consider it a destination. I lived in NW for awhile and have grown a little tired of the same haunts. This is a winner. Great Date Spot or a Group Off the beaten path Closed Mondays Not intimidating Also, three taps of beer and several unique bottles of beer.

If I could give 10 stars I would. This is one of my favorite places in portland with the best wine, cheese that made my eyes water, the freshest green crisp olives and the most amazing service. Chris made my experience special with expert recommendations and service. Highly recommend for a great wine experience in the city.

A wonderful, cozy spot! Service was great, wine selection is awesome, snacks are yummy. Really excited to find this gem in NW!

Best wine bar I've been to ever. The men who work there (haven't seen any females thus far) are incredibly informed and better yet passionate about the wine and foods they serve. They make great recommendations, fair pours, and have fair prices. Environment is pleasant for dates. I always leave feeling reinvigorated to learn more about wine

Hello delicious! I really hope this place sticks around as it has now taken over as my favorite wine bar in PDX. Its cozy, service is excellent, and I loved the wine I had the pleasure of drinking. I enjoyed two generous glasses of tasty French wine (one was $8 and the other was $11- both totally reasonably priced). There is an extensive list with both bottles and wines by the glass. They had three beers on tap and bottles, as well as sparkling wines. There is a small nosh menu and we enjoyed a really nice cheese platter with three types of cheeses and jams. Can't recommend this place enough. We will most certainly be back!

What a great, pleasant, surprising visit. First, the service exceeded expectations. Think Spain and Portugal. Second, the meat and cheese plate....wow!!! A goat cheese similar in texture to Manchega. Great feel with the tang of goat cheese. Moving forward, I had a flight of Spanish and Portuguese red wines. The Vina Olabarri was the favorite. Mostly, a wonderful experience tasting some "old vine" grapes. In summary- I tried the two meet, two cheese plate. Far exceeded expectations. I let them choose both meet and cheese. I had the Spanish and Portuguese wine flights. All good. My preference was as mentioned above. Finished the evening with their chocolate board with a mix of three different offerings,a few almonds and a bit of sea salt. Five stars all around!!!

Great wine selection, amazing service, good ambience. Servers know their wine and I love that. I will be back.

Loved this place! I have been wanting to try this place for awhile , walking by it on a number of occasions . Finally took the plunge and was very happy we did! The wine menu was very inviting and had a great variety . The staff were very knowledgable and pleasant. My husband and I will be returning often!

Really enjoyed this wine bar and will be back. Rustic feel. Heavy pour. Delicious wine, cheese and spreads. Quaint, cozy, romantic.

Extremely friendly staff. Bartenders know Ajit about there wine menu so definitely check in if you need help deciding. I would highly recommend this spot great atmosphere and menu

I love this place! Perfect for a date night. The staff were excellent and knowledgeable about the different wines. We asked them to put together a cheese plate for us, and it was so good! I recommend the Pinot noir from Oregon. Check this place out if you're into wine! They also service beer and cider, so there's something for everyone.

This spot is a GEM. If you like wine, Christopher is your man. There are so many places in the area that get so crowded, and so we always happily end up at this cozy joint. The wine selection is beyond impressive, and very well curated. Plus it's open until 1am! Upon arrival, we wanted to try a variety of the Rose's they had on the wine list (of which there are many) and Christopher just set us up with a flight of 6, no problem. Informed us about each one in detail and placed them in the perfect palate sequence. And at the end I was floored by how reasonable the price was for the incredible quality of the experience. If you love wine and you are on the fence about this place - GO! You won't regret it.

Lovely, intimate, Portland gem! Wonderful wine, knowledgeable and friendly staff...don't miss this one! Hope to visit Portland again and Muse again soon!

The space is on the smaller side with indoor and outdoor seating (sidewalk). Interior ambiance is nice and romantic. Staff is attentive and the wine is solid. Because of the smaller space, larger louder groups tend to produce an overpowering amount of noise. Overall would come back again.

Cute little wine bar. Small but there seemed to be plenty of seating and the server was very quick, friendly, and knowledgeable. I'm clueless on wine so i appreciated that her recommendation. We had a nice glass of rosé. I had planned on ordering a cheese plate but got talking so just know there are some small bite options. This is a good place for friends to get together or a date night. I'll definitely go back again and will try some of the other wines and get that cheese plate!

Was in the mood for a dark and cozy spot for a sip of great wine and some cheese. It was a dark, cold, damp fall night in Portland. You know those kind of nights. Well Muse was right on time, small, intimate, dark, cozy, just the right level of chatter, chill crowd and some old school funk on the speakers. Best of all - that wine list. The owner and bartender knows his ish. So many choices of bubbly to start the night. In my opinion champagne is overrated. So many other choices and these days I'm digging on some cremant. It would be rare for me to tell a bartender that I want a dark, bold, smoky something and trust what he/she comes up with. I'm damn picky. But this guy is a sommelier and that's all it took, 3 small words and he surprised me with first a Tempranillo and then a rioja that we're out of this world. After a wonderful cheese plate with some custom jams I was ready for my digestif. In the mood for a Sauternes he recommended something something similar but less costly, a lubiak I believe he called it. When that was out, he gave me a wonderful gewwertz that rocked my world. It's a shame to overpay for wines just because of their origin when there are so many delicious substitutes from lesser known regions. It takes a good guide to help navigate and thankfully muse will help you do just that.

The atmosphere is great! I love all the decor, music. It's a small intimate family owned and operated wine bar. They put together a great flight for me.

Nice old world wine selection in a great space with warm, friendly service. I'll definitely be back

Cozy, romantic, European, small... great wine, great cheese, great staff, great place to take a date.

Cool spot to go to if you want a laid back environment. I would only come here with at max a party of 4, as the place is pretty small. But I definitely recommend stopping by for a glass or a few glasses of wine.

Loved it! Absolutely wonderful spot. Location was perfect staff was amazing, wine was fantastic. I couldn't recommend it more. This is my new wine bar connection!

Even among all of the choices of places to drink in Northwest Portland, we definitely need more cozy quaint wine bars. Very cozy friendly space & excellent wine :)