Smashing Grapes Columbia

Smashing Grapes in Columbia offers an upscale dining experience that impresses from the moment you walk in. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, creating a warm, sophisticated atmosphere that’s perfect for both intimate dinners and special gatherings. I visited on a Saturday evening for a private dinner party and was seated promptly with our reservation. The staff was courteous and professional, making sure our group felt welcomed and taken care of. One of the highlights of the evening was the live music—it added a great touch to the already vibrant ambience without overwhelming the dining experience. The food was undoubtedly on the pricier side, but the quality and presentation made it well worth it. Our party shared a variety of entrées, including the House Charcuterie Board, Lemon Herb Chicken, Braised Short Rib, and Shrimp Scampi Pasta. Each dish was flavorful, well-balanced, and beautifully plated. The Short Rib was especially tender and rich, while the charcuterie offered a perfect start to the meal with a thoughtfully curated selection of meats and cheeses. Overall, Smashing Grapes delivers on both style and substance. If you’re looking for a place that pairs elegant surroundings with delicious food and live music, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Fantastic restaurant! Visited for a work meeting last week on a Tuesday night & was impressed with the service, food & ambiance. We sat in the private room with glass walls. Our servers were attentive & friendly. Food was delicious & average priced for the Columbia area. We had crab dip, lobster bisque, sea scallops & lots of other things on the menu. Will definitely return!

Had a great Father’s Day experience at Smashing Grapes in Columbia. We were warmly welcomed by Simon super pleasant and set a great tone for the visit. Our waitress, Suriah, was lovely attentive and kind throughout the meal. My Old Fashioned was top tier (it’s my favorite, so I’ve got high standards lol!). I had the short rib brunch and also tried the avo toast, which was really good. The potatoes were a bit dry, but the excellent service and beautiful atmosphere made up for it. Definitely recommend if you’re in the Columbia area. Bonus: it’s kid-friendly too.

This was the best customer service I have had all year, not to mention the food and atmosphere! I give them. 10 out of 5 because the Manager Dimitri Lewis and our Server Eden went way above and beyond!! This was my first time to the Smashing grapes, I am visiting from NY. I dined with my cousin and her friends from MD and Dimitri treated us like family , ! Dimitri was warm and very accommodating, he listened to our individual needs (gluten free, non alcoholic), and when we shared our love for the Caribbean, he tailored a drink that exceeded my expectations!! I did not want it to end! Eden was well versed in the menu and without having to ask, she was able to provide recommendations from every section of the menu and specialty menus. The food was excellent, the ambiance was chill, not too loud, the temperature was just right for this chilly day! I definitely plan to come back here with friends!

Everything was delicious and everyone working there was so nice! Our server Ryan was so attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. She gave amazing recommendations and was a pleasure to have as a server. The wine flights were also amazing and the sommeliers were also so nice and knowledgeable. Will definitely be back.

Went for apps at the bar and will definitely be back for a full dinner or lunch. Our Bartender Logan was amazing. He gave a great recommendation for the Buffalo Cauliflower and our drinks came out great. He mentioned they have music on Fridays. This is a great place for a nice night out to treat yourself.

Absolutely loved the food and drinks - very unique and flavorful - our table service was incredible and the waitress Meredith - went out of her way to make our visit memorable - another gentleman I’m assuming who was the manager came to check on us was also very sweet! Meredith just elevated the whole experience for us! And the reason why this place is getting a 5 star review - coz the bartender was not very nice or friendly 😂

This place is a chain, and I'm not normally a chain fan, BUT this place is fancy and delicious. The food is awesome, as well as the atmosphere. This specific location is located in new downtown Columbia next to Merriweather Post Pavillion. Great place to go before a show but just keep in mind the service will be delayed. It's a bit on the pricey side, BUT again, you are paying for complete yumminess and good vibes.

Our server Casseus was amazing. He greeted us immediately, and apologized for bouncing between two tables, which had zero impact on our service. He was informative, kind, and visible during the whole experience. I would return to the restaurant solely based on his service. The food left more to be desired, however, he provided a fine dining mood with his charm.

Absolute perfect visit. Food was excellent but the service was next level perfect. Our server Karl was a master of his craft. We will be back and often!

Still one of my favorite places in the Merriweather District! The customer service is always great despite how busy they are. Mel and the other bartenders/servers are amazing. Always attentive and engaging. I enjoy the live music on Friday and Saturday evenings! The late night Vine Time (aka Happy Hour) is awesome. Hope that sticks around! The food is really good! Thank you!

Classy, elegant, and gourmet.... Smashing Grapes would be right at home if it was located at a vineyard. What a wonderful experience Smashing Grapes did a phenomenal job of building their team. Literally everyone was attentive and willing to come to your table despite being the primary server. Used dishes did not linger around on the table, new silverware and napkins brought, bottled water was poured for you, the list goes on. The server provided great recommendations for food which were tried. I really wished I recorded the presentation of the shrimp and lobster bisque. I'll leave you with this it was very unique and set the stage for the dishes to come. The layer flavor profile hit its mark. The seafood was cooked to perfection and a decent portion for the dish. I do suspect they stopped the cooking process by icing the seafood and brought back up to temp with the rich and creamy bisque soup. The Salmon Imperial was the chef special served with gold fingerling potato's and broccolini. I'm happy I got the opportunity to try a limited item, I do hope it can make the menu full time adding more to the already impressive seafood depth. The salmon was flaky with a crispy bottom, not overcooked, and juicy packed with mouthwatering flavor. The stuff crab meat was a perfect compliment to the salmon without overpowering the salmon. The new menu item beef tip pasta also came at a high recommendation and was also rather good. Unfortunately the sausage took main stage with this dish. The beef tip did not maintain its seasoning well and would benefit from more salting. No worries when you get the perfect bite of all the components of the dish it is well balanced. Lastly, the dessert selection was the chocolate mousse. I was actually interested in the blueberry cobbler but was truthfully informed it was closer the bread pudding than cobbler. I'm happy I heard the one of the managers (Demetrius I believe) suggests going for chocolate cake with baileys drizzle. To be honest I didn't hear him say the cake but I also wanted the mousse either way. Just know it still worked and see the video for reference. Smashing Grapes is more focused on its wine selection and pairing. This was not the desired experience for this visit but from the flight option I know wine lovers will appreciate what they have to offer. I'm very impressed with this experience and so happy I decided to dine in. Overall 4.9 out of 5 Smashing Grapes is part of the Titan Hospitality Group has an assortment of high quality restaurants. To date I've eaten at three of them. One carry out and the other dine in. Please see the respective reviews.

Visited Columbia location first time for Sunday brunch with my girlfriends. Had visited now closed Gambrills location before. This location is so much better from the ambiance to the service and food. Andrew gave the best service, honest opinions of the dishes and cocktails and kept us laughing all the while. I had the seafood omelet and the hibiscus & strawberry cocktail. Omelet was delicious with unexpected lobster included! Cocktail was refreshing too. We shared the French toast. It was so good I didn't really need to put syrup on it. Would def return again for brunch. Will also stop by for dinner too!

Wanted to share my most recent experience at smashing grapes! As always hands down great service and a big shoutout to our waitress Alexis! She was so attentive and provided some great suggestions for our table since I also came here tonight with two friends who had never been! The food was also excellent! We got the apple and go w/ prosciutto... EXCELLENT! We also opted for the zucchini fritters. I personally didn't care too much for it. They came in ball shape so the inside was a bit mushy for me. The Chesapeake pizza was excellent as always with large pieces of shrimp and crab! I highly recommend the octopus as well! It was well cooked and tender!!

I loved the first time I went there with a regular menu. The second time I went there though I had visited their website and called to make a reservation on Mother's Day. When we got there they only had a 3 course tasting menu $55 dollars per person and the options weren't even good or worth that price. The regular menu was not available. Wine was not included with the price. The website did not say anything about this being the only option for Mother's Day. Also when I spoke with people on the phone no one had mentioned it and someone even called to confirm the reservation a couple of days before and they didn't mention it. It was Mother's Day dinner and impossible to get in anywhere else around the area at the time. I was very disappointed. The soup was fine, the salad was lame, the shrimp scampi was good but not worth the price, and both desserts (red velvet smith island cake and a blueberry crumble) were pretty dry. They were out of the wine my sister in law wanted.

What a fabulous restaurant! My friends and I did not have a reservation. We were warmly greeted by Casseus, who also was our server. The restaurant itself is stunning. It is very upscale and modern. Casseus took the time to go over the menu with us. He was very knowledgeable about the various wines, the best dishes, and what items would pair well together. We were left waiting for nothing. Everything came out in a reasonable amount of time. The food was freshly prepared from scratch. The drinks were amazing. We ordered a lot of food because it was so hard to decide what to get. Everything sounded amazing. Smashing Grapes is my new favorite restaurant. I can't recommend this restaurant enough!

summary: very good food and lovely ambiance, with a few hiccups along the way. Made a trip for a Mother's Day meal and was a bit bamboozled because we hadn't gotten the memo that they were only offering a special 3-course menu for the day at $55/pp. It was a surprise because we thought the regular menu would be available, but the food did end up being good (albeit, I would say on the pricier end given the portion sizes). The service was friendly and much like the name alludes, they do have a large selection of wine options. The venue is beautiful/romantic. I'd be open to coming back, but probably on a regular day because it does seem like the type of place to get pricey real fast otherwise.

On a Wednesday evening, we were peckish and didn't want to have to wait for a table, so we found ourselves at Smashing Grapes. When we arrived, there was one person at the bar, and 1 or 2 tables in the dining area. We opted for sitting at the bar, since the dining area host/server was a little frazzled. The conversation and banter was a lot of fun. Since the restaurant was a little slow, the bartenders and servers were able to do some prepwork for the weekend; my friend and I were able to witness the magic behind the scenes while we drank and munched on our goodies. -The oysters were fresh, but whoever shucked them left a bit of broken shells. -The mussels were amazingly delicious. The sauce was zesty and garlicky; perfect for dipping bread. -Buffalo Cauliflower - do not sleep on this one. The batter on the cauliflower was vey crispy and not too greasy. The buffalo sauce and blue cheese are on the side, so you don't have to be overwhelmed with both flavors and can dip on your own accord. -Berry Cobbler: i enjoyed it. my partner did not. -Cocktails: if you're sitting at the bar, make sure to ask for recommendations because we were not disappointed. Interior was great. Well lit, tables were spaced out. All the surfaces were clean. The design was well balanced between having a chill vibe and wanting a sophisticated look. Restaurant is nestled in the Merriweather district. Parking is a tiny walk away, but can be annoying when there is an event happening and parking is scarce.

Food was amazing. Steak was tender and since I'm allergic to corn they substituted for potatoes. Wine was delicious.

I've been to smashing grapes three times now, once when they opened and twice in the past week, and EVERY TIME I have a FABULOUS TIME. Located at the center of Merriweather District, smashing grapes offer a wide variety of wines from different regions for a very reasonable price. The ambiance is SO NICE. The place is great for special occasions, as well as casual, as long as you're not in beachwear / sweats. I've tried a lot of their appetizers and pizza, and everything on their menu is great. Some are better than others, but nothing on the menu that doesn't taste good. Slightly pricy, but doesn't disappoint -- for me, I'd rather pay the price and eat good food. What makes Smashing Grapes truly stand out is their service. We are always greeted with a warm, welcoming smile. Super attentive servers who give you the space you need, but there when you need them. They always let me try their wines before I commit to one (but remember to be reasonable). For one of my recent trips, our server Alexis made an early celebration of mother's day extra special (mom visiting from out of town). For the second trip, I went with my husband and a 15 month old, and every single worker there was SO SO nice to my kid / fam.. one of them even made a small pillow out of napkins, attached it to our table with tapes so that our LO wouldn't bang her head on the table and get hurt. SO IMPRESSED at how much they actually care about making sure their customers have the best time. The food, the ambiance, the wine are all great.. but it's the human touch that makes Smashing Grapes extra special. Management must have a good culture and community established here, and I support it. Thank you for a great time, always. We will be visiting Smashing Grapes even more often!!

I went to the Smashing Grapes location in Annapolis and enjoyed it, but it didn't last long. I was happy to see another location in Columbia. Just as I expected the decor and ambience was lovely. I don't know who designs the restaurants in this group but they always do a great job. I had the lobster bisque and braised short ribs with onions, zucchini, carrots, and a parsnip purée. The lobster bisque was just OK. It wasn't as rich and creamy as others I've had in the past and it needed a little more flavor. The short rib was delicious. It was fork tender with just the right amount of gravy and it practically melts in your mouth. I enjoyed the vegetables too. They weren't just afterthoughts on the plate, but they were properly prepared and seasoned, and they complemented the short rib really well. My only complaint was, I wish there was more meat on the plate. Tonight's occasion was a birthday dinner, not mine but someone else's, and the staff was so helpful and accommodating. I was able to secretly give my waiter a candle for the dessert and was able to give them my card before the guest of honor arrived so that I was able to pay for the meal without any complications. I believe we tried the dessert special that night, which was a sweet potato poundcake or something like that. They should make that a regular item on the menu. It was that good but I'm biased because I love sweet potatoes.

Our first visit with friends was a mixed bag. Walking in, the layout says "fine dining" and is spacious except for those waiting to be seated. We had a reservation and were early but waited nearly 30 minutes for our table. At that point, what's the use of a rez? Morgan was a pleasant, professional and helpful server. However, she either had too many tables or there were too few servers as she was at our table only a few times and refilled our water once. One of the managers was very helpful in answering our friends' questions about wine and serving water and a wine flight. But the fact a manager was on the floor eluded to a staffing issue on a busy Saturday night. We didn't order appetizers and were looking forward to our meals. We witnessed those meals brought from the kitchen on a large tray and placed on a stand outside the kitchen for several minutes. For the meals, I tried the Chesapeake pizza, my wife the Margarita pizza, and our friends had the Short Rib Pappardeele and Ribeye. All of these dishes were delish and exceeded expectations except for the Ribeye. It was supposed to be medium rare and was barely medium. The dish was sent back and its replacement was excellent. While Morgan was helpful in taking the dish back and checking back on us, typically this is an opportunity for a manager to check on the table and possibly offer some sort of discount. We saw no one else. The final straw was when we indicated to Morgan we were tight on time, she was quick to bring our check and a couple of boxes for leftovers but after an uncomfortable amount of time passing, another staff member volunteered to run our card. While the meals were excellent and there are many more on the menu to enjoy, I'm not sure we'd return anytime soon entirely based on the dining experience.

Man, I wanted to give this place more than 2 stars. But I can't and here's why. We had a reservation at 6:15, we were there right on time. We got checked in and were told it would be just a few minutes while they got our table ready. Almost 25 minutes later, they took us to a table that had been sitting empty with a couple other empty tables nearby. Explain that one. When our server (Morgan) arrived, she did mention that she had seen us waiting and appreciated our patience. OK, we can let that go. She went to get us some water and some info about a wine flight. Then we didn't see her for a long time. One of the managers finally came over with the water and as she was also familiar with the wine list, gave us more info about the wine flight. She was very nice and took her time explaining things to us. We ordered the flight and sat back to wait. It arrived shortly thereafter and was excellent. Our server came back with bread and oil (very good) and took our order. We ordered the Margherita pizza, a Chesapeake pizza, the short rib pappardelle and the ribeye. Here's where the second problem came in. We saw our food being carried around the dinning room as the kitchen runner was trying to figure out where it went. Then he put the tray on a tray stand and slid it around the room and then left it next to the kitchen door for several minutes while he tried to figure out where we were. Several people came and went through the door in the mean time and then he finally recovered the tray and brought us our meals. So that happened. Kinda not cool. The food. The Chesapeake pizza was delicious. The Margherita pizza was a Margherita pizza - nothing special. The short rib pappardelle was divine! The $46 ribeye was overcooked and dry - we had to send it back. So THAT happened. The new steak came out as the rest of us were finishing our meals and no apology of any kind was offered by anyone except a token "I'm sorry" when it was taken away. When the new one was brought out it was properly cooked and tasty. Here's the rub. The food was good (some excellent, some just good). The service was the problem. The server, the manager and the staff in general were polite and friendly, we just never saw them. Our drinks were refilled once the entire time we were there. When we told our server that we were pressed for time and needed to go, she brought the check right away, but then never came back. A busboy ended up running the card for us. Smashing Grapes - you need to get your staff in order. Your food is good, but the experience was significantly lacking. You can do better.

Had a wonderful late lunch here between the Christmas and New Year holidays. Our server was attentive and made great suggestions along the way. I had the peach ice tea, garlic edamame and the cilantro shrimp sandwich. All very delicious. My guy opted for the ahi tuna and the house burger topped with an egg and accompanied by broccolini and loved all of it. The decor is modern and posh. There are glass enclosed private dining rooms and a spacious bar area too. We'll definitely be returning.

Visited here for a private work dinner. I decided to get the lavender French 75 to start. We tried various pizzas (Cuban, spicy Italian, Mediterranean). All the pizzas were to die for. We also got to try the Caesar salad which was delicious (it could have used some more dressing). The presentation of the Caesar salad was beautiful! I still dream about that delicious lavender French 75. Best French 75 I've ever had! For entrees, I got the avocado chicken tagliatelle. It's topped with pistachios, bell peppers and a delicious avocado based sauce. The pasta was good. I would have preferred a bit more spice. But overall, tasty! I would definitely return again. The atmosphere of this restaurant is very nice and aesthetically pleasing. The service was great! Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and friendly. Parking spaces are readily available. Overall, i would definitely return again!

Food: I really enjoyed the lemongrass chicken with the jus. Everything on that plate was cooked with the same attention as the chicken. The potatoes were seasoned just right, with a crispy skin and a fluffy interior. The green beans were bright green and delicious, especially with the grilled lemon squeezed on top. Finally, the star of the dish, the chicken and jus, was juicy and flavorful. It transformed every time I dipped it into the lemongrass jus. If you're a pasta lover, I recommend this place for an elevated dining experience, as they make the pasta fresh every day. I enjoyed my main course, but the appetizers were a bit too cold for my taste, even though they were tasty. I would not recommend dessert; the blueberry tart and doughnut holes did not live up to the hype. Service: Our server, Pablo did an excellent job. Friendly, funny, knew what we needed before we could ask. Ask to sit in his section. Ambiance: If you are dining for dinner, I recommend leaving the casual attire at home and dressing up a bit. The design is beautiful everywhere you go, including the restroom.

It looks like a gorgeous carbon copy of the surrounding restaurants (Blackwall Barn across the street in particular, which appears to be owned by the same group). Unfortunately, the effort put into appearances just does not translate to the food and service. We had to ask multiple times for the same thing. But food and drinks took exceptionally long- 30-ish minutes. Drinks seemed to be an even longer wait time. They were relatively empty and had an abundance of wait staff. That said, everyone was still very pleasant and nice, the wait times were just very long. The stuffed peppers were wonderful, whipped goat cheese with sweet & spicy peppers. The lobster bisque and lobster ravioli were creamy and delicious. The penne crab vodka had a good kick to it but was incredibly dry. It just needs some sauce to be good. The Caesar salad was unfortunately wedges- nothing to it. The blueberry cobbler was VERY dry, overdone maybe. We left it. The cheesecake brûlée was a little dense and flavorless but the sour cherries underneath it were a perfect pairing. I appreciate the friendliness, but incredibly high prices for small portions, long wait times during non-busy hours, and a mixed bag for tastiness means we sadly won't be returning. I love the Smashing Grapes in Annapolis and raved about it, but unfortunately this is just not the same.

My friend and I went for a late supper after the jazz fest. We were immediately told to go find a bar seat but the bar was full. It was 10:25 PM. SHE THEN TOLD US THE KITCHEN would close by 11:00 pm. There was a 20 minute wait for the dining room. It didn't make sense to wait because the kitchen would be closed by the time we sat. My questions are why turn people away when the restaurant was open for business until 1:00 AM? This is not a good business practice. Never turn a customer away. We went to another restaurant tat was closing at 11:00 pm. They gladly took our business. This same thing happened last year but the only difference they didn't turn us away. This is unacceptable,

Smashing Grapes is one of my favorite restaurants in Columbia. Both the food and service are consistently exceptional. The Short Rib Pappardelle is really good. Anything they do with short rib is great. They have some of the best crab and artichoke dip and lobster bisque. My friend liked the lamb shank, but the white wine flight was just okay. That really surprised me. I've bought a nice Malbec from Smashing Grapes in the past. I find something new to like each time I visit the restaurant. Definitely worth a visit.

Nicely decorated, quiet atmosphere. Food very good. Waitress knowledgeable and clearly trained on descriptions of food. This is on the pricey side but worth it. Both of us enjoyed the food

It's great that great restaurants are coming to Columbia area! We definitely needed a place with good ambiance and food. I didn't think this place would be packed and did not make a reservation so we had to sit at the bar area. Ok. The ambiance is fabulous. It gives you that NYC feeling. Servers were friendly but they didn't check on our table as frequently as they should. Our water was pretty empty for extended period of time. I am sure it's a new place and they need time to get used to it. We got some oysters (they were ok), Lobster ravioli was delicious, beef tartar was good too. They have this wine set where you can try three types of wine and I think that's a good way to try few different kind but the selection is limited. I will definitely go back again!

8.12.24 What a pleasant and exciting surprise upon entering the establishment. Chris Bassett, husband of Candice, a former cast member from Real Housewives of Potomac was standing by the bar. He is the general manager there. I was so starstruck. He was very sweet and let me take a photo with him. Now onto the dining experience. Our server was Allyson. I really loved her energy and outgoingness. It happened to be restaurant week so they were offering a 3-course dinner which I had to take advantage of so I ordered the House Salad, Penne and Crab Pasta, and Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Hubby ordered the Steak Frites and a Heineken. Allyson started by asking if we wanted bread and oil. Of course we said yes. It was delish. I loved all three courses of my dinner, but of the three, the cake was the showstopper. Simply perfection! I loved the pasta just wish there was more of it. Aside from Allyson, Chris stopped by during our dinner to check on us. Later another gentleman did rounds at each table to check on everyone. Impeccable and friendly service all around. Highly recommend!! Do

Came here on a Thursday night for dinner. We had a reservation as other reviews have stated it is necessary to be seated quickly. The restaurant was pretty empty. Our server was ok, she forgot one of our appetizers but quickly added it and it came before our main entrees. Service here is terribly slow both drinks and food. We started with the seared tuna and crab dip. The seared tuna was horrendous, it almost tasted as though it was from a can, I don't recommend it. The crab and artichoke dip had some strange spice added to it, possibly cayenne, that made it hardly edible. This is MD, make your crab dip the proper way with Old Bay please. I chose the short rib entree and my companion chose the crab Alfredo special. The short rib tastes like the pot roast I make, tender but nothing special and the parsnip puree tasted off. My companion stated his crab Alfredo was just okay. We also ordered dessert. The blueberry cobbler was not a cobbler, it was chunks of bread and some sort of cookie mixed in with some very sweet blueberries and topped with a small dollop of ice cream. The cheesecake Brulee with tart cherries was pretty good but I feel more cherries would have made it better, it's a huge piece of cheesecake. I did enjoy the very sweet Ranch Water drink. They do not have fountain sodas but they do have canned options, their tap water tasted terrible. Service was ok and our table was bussed quickly with polite staff. It is aesthetically pleasing but I think that's where the charm ends. I would not come here again as there are better options in the area. A lot of new restaurants have popped up in Columbia with the surge in population, I find this restaurant to be on par with those, over priced and underwhelming.

Appears to be a fine dining establishment but the service would say otherwise. Arrived for dinner at 7:50. Was seated immediately. The hostess was friendly greeting us with a smile. That's where it ended. My party we seated for 20 minutes and never had a waiter come to the table and say anything. No bread no water and no drink order taken. After 25 minutes of being ignored I decided to leave. It wasn't even crowded inside. Only a few other people were there so I don't understand the poor service. I would understand if it was very busy but they had no excuse. That turned me off. I was very disappointed because I wanted to try some of the drinks I saw online. Inside of the restaurant was beautiful and appealing. They definitely need to improve their customer service. Looking at the menu they are on the expensive side so they need to do better.

Came here with my family for an early dinner. The space is huge and beautifully decorated. Anisha was our server and she was super knowledgeable about the menu and gave great recommendations. I had trouble deciding between the wagyu burger and the pizza..Anisha suggested the burger and it was one of the best I've ever had. My family also enjoyed their meals- we didn't leave a bite! I really wish we had room for dessert because the strawberry cinnamon roll sounds amazing! I'm hoping to make a trip back here before heading back home.

I planned a friend's birthday dinner at Smashing Grapes this past weekend. The process was easy and Allison was invaluable and attentive during planning. Alexis, our server, was awesome. She offered details about dishes and wines when necessary and was attentive to our party of 12. I want to give the staff a HUGE shout-out for making us feel welcome during our time. The private room was a great option and we could even play the football game on our TV in the room. Smashing Grapes is elevated casual, yet classy. As for the food, everything is made from scratch, so that's a huge plus. I do feel that the dishes lacked a bit of seasoning to make them stand out. My carrots had no flavor and my branzino was a bit dry. The Heirloom Tomato Salad disappointed me a bit. It wasn't anything special. This is not to say the food was bad, because it wasn't. It just was nothing to write home about.

Smashing grapes was wonderful. The bartender Jill was excellent as was the food and beverages. Try her Hot Toddy & I highly recommend the Ahi Tuna. It was warm and cozy indoors and decorated nicely for the holiday season. Everything Jill recommended was excellent!

This was my first visit to this location and the service, and the food was amazing. Our server Michael was so welcoming and made great suggestions which we went with. The Short Rib Hash was well seasoned and juicy, and the Seafood omelette did not sham on the lobster and crab at all... big meaty chunks galore! Everything was absolutely delicious. I cannot wait to try the rest of the menu the next time I'm in that neck of the woods.

Stopped by on a Thursday ~7 and sat at the bar with a friend. I was immediately greeted and given a menu. The decor was beautiful and grand. They also had an extensive wine list! I couldn't decide and the bartender was generous enough to let me try a few reds. She suggested a caymus from the specials list and I decided to go for that. Approx $15 for a 9oz pour. I couldn't decide on mussels or the spicy Italian pizza and went with the recommendation of the server... the pizza. I was very disappointed with what I received. The dough did not taste fresh and topping was very lackluster so it left me pretty disappointed.

I finally got a chance to try Smashing Grapes. I actually stopped in twice to be able to try a variety of items before writing my review. Overall the experience was what I would have expected for a new restaurant. Spotless, well kept, service on point. Felt like the staff just got out of training, as they were all very scripted. Nothing wrong with that! On my first visit we sat outside. I believe our server's name was Lance. He was so delightful. My second visit I sat at the bar with Jenn. She too was delightful. As for the food, I'll go into a bit more detail on this one since I think it's important to provide all the details for a new restaurant... Avocado Tagliatelle- was really excited about this dish based on all the ingredients, especially the avocado cream sauce. Overall the dish was good. The sauce was creamy as I expected, the goat cheese and jalapeños gave it a good kick, and the pistachios were a fun addition. I also liked the portion size as it wasn't a huge plate of pasta. The only downside for me was I would have liked a bit more goat cheese, a tad bit more salt, and the blackened chicken was a bit overcooked. Lemon & Thyme Potatoes- these came on the side of the short rib sandwich. I wasn't a fan. They were just potatoes with lemon and thyme. Nothing special. Usually I can't stop eating potatoes/fries. These I tried one and was extremely underwhelmed. They needed to be cooked a bit longer and tossed in maybe some olive oil. Not sure what would fix those. Wouldn't order again as a side. Shrimp Skewers- these are on the HH menu for $12. You get 6 shrimp served on mini skewers with bell peppers served over a bed greens. I was very happy with this dish and would definitely order again. The shrimp were well seasoned and had a light sauce that paired well with the peppers and greens. It's a perfect small bite. Caprese Bowl- another HH option. $8. Overall I enjoyed this dish, but the presentation and the way it's composed was a bit off for me. They layer cucumbers topped with mozzarella and balsamic glaze on top of the diced tomatoes. I had to separate the cucumbers and mozzarella from the tomatoes so that I could get a bite of all the ingredients. I think this dish would be better served on a plate to allow you to get bites of everything. My other issue was that there wasn't any basil in the dish. Feel like that's a typical ingredient in Caprese. Margherita Pizza- I asked for the pizza to be well done, since I like a crispier crust on my pizza. It came out and it was crispy on the edges but soggy in the middle. My bartender quickly saw that I wasn't satisfied and sent it right back. The second version that came out was perfect!! I really enjoyed the pizza. I will say...it's not your traditional Margherita pizza with fresh mozzarella and full leaves of basil. This was more of a cheese pizza with shredded basil and tomatoes. Like I said, still yummy. Now on to the wine... Tons of great options from around the world. I indulged in a few glasses of the HH Chardonnay from Sicily. Absolutely delicious. Great quality wine for $5 (6 oz glass). Overall a win for me! Dimitri was a gem and made sure my experience was delightful. I'm excited to have this beautiful establishment within walking distance!

Went for Brunch I was really drawn to the outside. I love the huge grape colored wine cellar door. When I got inside, it is so chic and really festive. I love the fig trees and the dark wood decor. It definitely feels like a wine cellar vibes. The waiter was great, love the touch of their purple hair! They were very attentive, accommodating and knowledgeable. The food came really quickly- it was hard to make a decision, everything looked good. The burgers were made very well and delicious. The mimosas were great. I'm so glad that we ended up coming here. I would definitely return. And they gave us a nice holiday freebie for after the new year so I'll definitely be back!

Came here with some family to enjoy a special event. It's getting a low score for me due to the service. One member in our party has an allergy to apple. We ordered a white pizza which didn't have apple listed, but instead got a completely different pizza with apple in it. We did not notice as it was under the other ingredients until someone took a bite. Our waitress did her due diligence and made sure to ask and write it down when taking our order, so I don't believe it was her, but somewhere the communication between the rest of the staff was lacking. Luckily it ended up fine, but it could have been dangerous under other circumstances. I will say the manager did take off the pizza and was very apologetic and was otherwise great. The restaurant itself is beautiful and is an amazing area. The food we did have was really good and delicious. The staff otherwise was very attentive and friendly. They are the reasons I'm giving it 2 stars. It really is a shame too because without that mishap it would have been an easy 5 stars in my book.

Amazing customer service !!! Thank you Stephen and Dimitri!! Thank you for the wine recommendations and special drink selections! We WILL be back!

Very poor experience. We came here with a group of 4 on Friday night. Restaurant is not taking reservations until July but it was easy enough to walk in and get a table. This is another of the Titan Hospitality Group restaurants in the area, the other being Blackwall Barn and Lodge. I'll start with the very few positives. The staff was nice and the ambiance/decor was well done. They had live jazz music playing which was a nice touch. They had a notice at every table asking patrons to be patient with the new staff at this location, as the restaurant has only been open for ~2 weeks at this point. Definitely fair, and we went into this experience with this in mind. My friend ordered the Sommelier's Wine Flight, which advertises itself on the menu as "let our sommelier hand-pick three wines based on your palate". They just gave him three wines with zero explanation about them and when he asked if a sommelier would eventually come around, the waitstaff appeared confused. False-advertising. The food: I would give this less than one star if possible. We ordered oysters which were clearly not shucked correctly. They were littered with shell fragments. The crab penne vodka had absolutely zero salt and just looked like somebody dumped a small amount of crab meat on some penne pasta. My prime rib papperadelle barely had any meat in it. The noodles were frayed at the ends, implying that it had been sitting around somewhere for a bit before making it to us. Tasted beyond bland. My wife ordered the lobster linguini and actually had it sent back because the sauce was basically water and there was no salt or flavor. While sending it back, the senior waiter actually said "oh that's strange, that's actually my favorite dish!", which is a very weird response because it felt like he was giving some pushback on it. My wife eventually had it exchanged for the Chilean Sea Bass, which had been the only satisfactory dish served up to that point. We know that this location is new and we were understanding with the slow service, forgetting drinks, etc. This is the only point that prevents me from making it a one star review. The food was terrible and we will not be returning.

Smashing Grapes in Columbia, Maryland was quite the afternoon treat. The Grand Opening happens today, May 28th. You still have time to visit and catch their live band for the celebration tonight! I stopped in for my first Smashing Grapes experiences during a late lunch. I had no expectations but my vision was completely exceeded. Every staff person was friendly and even a few corporate reps stopped by my seat to ask about my experience. From the hostess, bartenders, sommelier and wait staff...absolutely everyone was ultra sweet. Make sure to say hello to Melanie! The attentiveness and suggestions were unmatched. The sommelier suggestions and selections for my wine flight were spot on pairings. I already have a list of foods and wines I need to try on my next visit. I ordered the lobster bisque and short rib pappardelle. The bisque was decadent and lobster was chunky. Don't leave without trying it. The short rib pappardelle was juicy and filling. Eventually I also was coerced into taking home some homemade donuts...for my co-workers, of course. Have you visited this area in Columbia,MD yet? #smashinggrapes #smashinggrapeswinebar #smashinggrapescolumbia #grandopening #titangroup #blackwallbarn #blackwallbarnandlodge #merriweather #meeriweatherpostpavilion #columbiamall #columbiamallmd #mdwinebars #dmvwinescene #winebar #datenight #wineflights #patioseating #scratchkitchen #eventspacemd #wineevent #livemusic #connoisseurschoice #winelist #yelpelite #go2girl #sommsandsocialites

Actually, I want to give 5 star! It deserves but a few things stopped me. -Lobster bisque soup was not warm and a bit salty for me. -Caesar Salad, was really creative. The sauce was the most important thing for Ceaser Salad, but it was pretty less. I asked for more sauce, of course they brought more. It was good! -The last thing for lamp shank! The look again was perfect. But it need more sauce. Ambience and service was really good. Our waitress Haba (I am not sure her name is correct) I will come back for sure.

I was invited to the soft opening of Smashing Grapes and I am glad I went because I'm already trying to go back lol. I never got a chance to visit the old Gambrills location (now closed) so I'm glad I got to try them out finally. I can see why several people I've talked to said they love Smashing Grapes. The ambiance is elegant and sophisticated but also slightly causal. To drink, I tried the smashing strawberries drink and a glass of riesling. Both were good, however, the smashing strawberries could have used a little more alcohol. The Riesling was perfect. In fact, I need to find the name of it so I can buy a bottle. My friends also got the lavender French 75. They liked it and if you aren't a fan of lavender, don't worry, it does not have a strong lavendar taste. For appetizers, we got the smashing wings (ranch rub), crab & artichoke dip, and lobster ravioli. They were all perfectly delicious. It's hard to say which one would I order again if I could only choose one.... but perhaps the lobster ravioli because the sauce it came in was 10/10!!! Oysters were great too! For entrees, we got the avocado tagliatelle, classic shrimp scampi, and penne crab vodka, and the house burger. We all enjoyed our pastas. I will say, I was surprised to see corn in the penne crab vodka but it was still good. One friend thought her burger was overcooked. She ordered it medium-well. For dessert, we got the crème brûlée, chocolate moose, and donuts. My friend wished the top of the crème brûlée was caramelized more. My friend who got the chocolate moose really enjoyed it, and we thought the doughnuts could have been sweeter and the sauces they came with (especially the white one) was not sweet enough. Overall, I really enjoyed the food and experience and hope to come back soon because it's a beautiful restaurant with good food and service. As they just opened, be patient with the staff, their may be some kinks they are still working on.

EDIT AFTER MY SECOND VISIT TODAY: Had to take away a star for something I just noticed today, this time around. I'm sorry but who charges the credit card fee to the customer and builds it into the bill without any kind of notice on the bill? I noticed the non-cash and cash totals but ignored the cash total, thinking it was just a discounted total if you paid with cash. But to my surprise when I got home, I noticed that the right total was in fact the cash total and the non-cash total if you pay with a credit card automatically has a few dollars built in (about 3%) to pay for I assume the CC processing fees. For this kind of establishment, either build the credit card fees into your menu prices or be more upfront about it. That's why there are laws about it now to protect customers from these kind of ridiculous "mandatory" surcharges. Normally with any kind of additional service charge or surcharge fees, you would expect to see a direct note about it on the menu or on the bill itself. Any true "upscale" establishment would be transparent about this because they know their loyal customers will still pay the surcharges as long as they are told, especially if the food and service are good. Clearly state this in a more obvious way on the bill because posing it as a cash and non-cash total is a little sneaky. ***I called the restaurant to ask and they mentioned that there's a glass framed note/stand on each table mentioning this. But 1) this sign wasn't pointed out to us when we sat down and 2) aside from the menus, who is actively looking at other things on the table to read unless you point it out to me. Again, BE MORE DIRECT and put it on the bill or menu if you really wanted to make sure the customer sees and reads it. It'll be more honest and transparent to customers. Hopefully management will incorporate this feedback. ORIGINAL: So excited to have yet another new restaurant in Columbia / Merriweather! We came in today randomly for lunch (they just had their grand opening yesterday). Staff welcomed us right away as one of them opened the doors for us, and the service was friendly and attentive. Cocktails were good - I got the tropical & my husband got the barrel aged old fashioned. We also ordered the short rib pappardelle, PEI mussels, lobster bisque, and cheesecake creme brûlée for dessert. Everything was delicious! Excited to come back again, perhaps for a dinner date next time! Ambiance was nice & definitely fitting for special occasions to give you a reason to dress up.

I love Smashing Grapes and my visit today was no different. Casseus was an excellent server... very attentive, kind, and professional. We'll be back soon!

Smashing Grapes update: I posted a review of Smashing Grapes in Columbia a couple of weeks ago and I wanted to give an update. After posting my experience, management reached out to me and invited me to come back. I at first wasn't sure I would get to go but we ended up finding unexpected childcare one night and my husband and I took the manager up on the offer. I can say my second experience here was very different than my first. I'll share some of the positives... Service was great. Our server, Serena (I hope I'm remembering correctly), was knowledgeable, attentive, and friendly. I ordered a cocktail, the Persuader, and it lacked flavor but my husband got the spicy margarita and it was good. All the food we ordered came out as expected and was really good. My husband ordered the ribeye and said it was a serious contender for the best steak in the area. I tried the short ribs and was pleased. We ended up going for dessert and were very happy with those also. I'm curious to try their pizza cause we saw one that a nearby table ordered and it looked really tasty. Overall, we had a nice evening and the service was great. I know that this being a new restaurant in this area and at a higher price point, the quality really needs to be good and consistent. I know that sometimes a place can have one off bad nights and I'm hoping that this location can improve in consistency in the quality and experience because they do offer a lot of good food options and the ambiance is lovely. I think the management does care about making sure they are providing a quality service and product and seem willing to go out of their way to hear feedback and make changes. Overall, my impression is improved from my first experience and I appreciate the staff's desire to ensure we had a good experience.

The ahi tuna was very good. I'd have stayed longer if they had had workable Wifi. Service was a bit slow and sketchy, but one person working the bar is hard, i guess. i sat so long waiting for the check that i had to get up and go to other end of bar to request it. I found $17 for a glass of sauvignon blanc a bit exhorbitant and i'm used to California. Ambiance is nice!

I wanted to love this place, but there were way too many red xs along the way of tonight's dinner service. The place presents itself as higher class with a nice dining room and a professional dressed staff. The first "strike" came when I asked if they offered N/A wines (totally a thing) and I got a laugh out of the waiter. Moving on I ordered the mocktail on the list (photo) and I questioned if it was the hibiscus one or a strawberry lemonade. The description of the drink did not match the drink presented to me. There was never an offer to try something else or try to make me happy. Other small mess up included taking the bread plates away before we were done eating the bread. Trying to pour the seltzer water with the cap on. Interrupting our meal with small talk. Maybe if we had a different server we would've had a different experience. Anyways - The food was average. Nothing I couldn't make at home myself. Honestly overall I was very disappointed. The desert was the best part out of all 5 of our meals. The place itself is very cute and has potential if the staff is taught properly.

Came to Smashing Grapes to kick off a girls night and had a great time!! Glad we booked an early happy hour because this place got PACKED even on a gross, rainy day!! The hostesses were so sweet. The bathrooms are so nice, I had to change my outfit in there and get ready to start off my evening. The waitress Titi was awesome, I loved her personality and her suggestions. She was very knowledgeable about the menu. The espresso martini was yummy and the ranch water was exceptional!! We shared some charcuterie and bread and it hit the spot!!! Will definitely be coming back!

Andrew provided excellent service . Food was delicious. I had the lobster ravioli appetizer and lemon grass chicken. Bill Holley

Food was fantastic and the service was even better. Our waitress Courtney was very exceptional and took care of every detail!

Excellent customer service starting with the host. The server was outstanding (Kaira O). As this was my family's first visit, she was patient and thorough in making recommendations. Very attentive to my granddaughter (age 4) who even told Kaira that she was sweet. Even with the other customers I overheard her professionalism and courteous demeanor. The ambiance and most importantly the food was superb. Finally I appreciated the manager visiting our table. We will visit again in the near future.

This was my first time patronizing Smashing Grapes. It was a suggestion from a friend of mine who loves the restaurant. *Drinks were great. *Appetizer: (Lobster Ravioli) was great. I would say that 3 raviolis are what you expect for an appetizer, but the cost of 3 raviolis was a little much. But, that being said, the same way I chose to order and pay for it is the same way others would also. So, no complaints at all - just information for folx who haven't been to the restaurant. *Entrée: I can never pass up anything containing short ribs! Their short rib and pappardelle was soo good! Chocked full of carrots and flavor. Best part of the evening was the customer service. Kiara was so pleasant and lovely. But also, their entire team worked seamlessly to make sure their guests were taken care of. I'd absolutely love to visit Smashing Grapes again to try more menu options. It would be totally worth it.