Soif Wine Lounge

Covert, unassuming basement cocktail bar specializing in wines and live DJs on certain nights. I love places like these because they lean into making the atmosphere warm and cozy and inviting but without sacrificing aesthetic or theme. I adore the wood paneling and red velvet and it makes me feel like I’m in a retro 1970s speakeasy if prohibition were then! Fantastic wine list, great cocktails, I’m sure. Had the champagne and caviar 🥂🍾🐟

I learned that wine gives me a headache. A massive one. I’m glad I had this awesome grilled cheese and grain mustard to distract me from the pain! I ordered a white called Grand Moulin. It was sweet and crispy. Do go if you’ve never had wine like me. Even if your temples start pounding, it’s 1000% a romantic and ambient experience at Soif

So romantic and charming! The atmosphere is so rustic and french. The wine list is beautifully curated (no small feat when there is an international shipping crisis!) And the food menu although small, it is absolutely divine.

Such a great vibe, service was amazing but the wine was the best part! It’s rare that wine wows me, but it sure did here. I love the speakeasy atmosphere and extensive wine options. A great date night or a cool place to take folks to and impress them!

Best bar in Chicago in my opinion. Unforgettable food. Perfectly curated wine list. Tasty martinis. Impeccable and friendly service. Unmatched vibe.

Such a good vibe for a date or girls night. Victoria the sommelier really knows her wine, and is super knowledgeable while helping you pick which bottle to go with. The frontage plate was very yummy too!

Great service, food and champagne. The foie gras brûlée is as awesome as it sounds. Champagne very reasonably priced.

Love love love this place! The bartender is incredible-she asks you what you typically like and can recommend/give samples of several different things on the menu you’d like. I’ve loved what I got each time. The place is also just so cozy and atmospheric. It is BUSY so make a reservation but this is one of my favorite wine bars I’ve been to.

This wine bar is located towards the back of Testaccio. There is a lot of clear signage for the entrance to Soif Wine Bar. We came at 6pm on a Saturday night and we were mainly the only people there for the first 45 minutes of our visit. Eventually, more people started coming in and almost every seat was filled by the time we left at 7:30. Thankfully, you can also make a reservation online if you are arriving before 10pm. This place is very dark and sexy. The music is heavily 70s and 80s focused. I love music from this time frame a lot, so I found myself signing along quite a bit. Victoria helped make our first visit special. Even though this is considered a wine bar, there are also several excellent cocktails on the menu. I started with the Marakesh Express and ended with the Mi Tia. Both cocktails had amazing flavor profiles, but the Mi Tia was my favorite between the two cocktails. The combo of the whiskey and sherry went well together. I can't believe I waited so long to try this place out, but I will be definitely coming back again in the coming months.

An adorable wine bar! Great service and lovely ambiance. They were able to suggest great wine pairings for the snacks, and even made a little plate of olives and pickles for me by request. Each wine is served in the glass best fit for the taste, which was so thoughtful. A beautiful location for a date or a hangout with friends.

Love this speakeasy! My friend arrived earlier and I asked her to order me a glass of Malbec. She let me know that our waitress wanted to wait till I arrived so that I could taste and decide which to get. Once I arrived, I immediately felt super chic and vibey and my two samples were given to me. I felt very heard and learned a lot from the waitress and my friend really enjoyed herself. Will definitely return and try more wine!

Wine selection was so wide range. You will definitely fine a wine to your liking. Staff is willing to help if you have any questions of the variety of options. Came in on a Wednesday night and to my surprise they offered fondue Wednesday. I believe it was around $40. The fondue was fantastic. Service was great. Would definitely recommend.

Super cute, heavy French basement wine bar/speakeasy. This is perfect for an after dinner drink or small bite. Our server was an EXPERT in everything wine, and was able to point us to a glass we each would love.

Sadly they have closed. Loved the vibe at Soif. In addition to their extensive enough, for me, champagne list, they also made great cocktails! Will be missed.

After dinner at Testaccio, we ventured downstairs to the wine bar - their speakeasy. Enjoyed a bottle of red but had trouble choosing so the server gave us samples. We were able to find one that suited our palette. Nicely done by the server. Seats were a bit worn out but very nice place. Enjoyed our time with close friends.

Really cute place! Just wish the food matched the ambiance. The cocktail I had was fine, the wine was excellent. The prawn dish was okay, nothing to write home about. We came for fondue and the cheese itself (and the potatoes that came with it) were lukewarm at best. There was also a hair in our fondue. Come for the wine and lovely space but maybe eat somewhere else beforehand.

While I still have reservations about Testaccio based on my most recent visit, SOIF IS AMAZING!!! The decor, the speakeasy vibe, the drinks - I would not hesitate to come back again for dinner and / or drinks. It was also a fun night in the sense that there was a couple on a first date in the table next to us... and because the tables are very close together, we heard every single word even when we were trying not to eavesdrop, and that was pretty interesting to observe. PSA: you MUST make a reservation... there were multiple parties turned away because the bar was on full swing all night.

I have been twice in the last few months and this place is amazing. First of all if Victoria is working- tell her what you like ( be honest! Use adjectives lol) and she'll introduce you to something you didn't even know you needed in your life. She is educated on wine - she's a good listener and a great conversationalist if you're lucky enough to snag yourself a seat at the bar during an off night (read: not Friday's or weekends). Let her steer you - trust me! This place is dark, dreamy, romantic and intimate. I've never nibbled on the food (upstairs Is awesome for dinner). It won't disappoint, but do make reservations just in case

The server was very rude to the point I was surprised at how someone can be this rude to the customer. We as a group had a good time coz the appetizers and the wine was good and we enjoyed the vibe but the server continued to be rude throughout our time there and it was definitely not something I have experienced before.

Such a cool vibe and phenomenal wine and cocktails. Mind is blown that it only has 9 reviews at this time, as it's always packed and is 5 stars food / wine. Highly recommend!

Incredible. If you are looking for a place to WOW you - Soif is the place. Victoria, the bartender, is amazing. She is so knowledgeable on all the wines and helped my boyfriend and I pick a great bottle. I found this hidden gem while I was searching for a place to take my boyfriend for birthday drinks. The speakeasy vibe and aesthetic is fabulous. And if you're looking for a bite to eat - the charcuterie was very delicious!

This place was alright. Wine list was good and they offered some recommendations that were great. The cheese was good too. Definitely a small menu for bites but there was a lot of things I wanted to try. Waitstaff was friendly but what was a little strange was our waitress was super nice and friendly throughout our time but then all of a sudden she just came with our check saying the next party was coming for reservations. No warning or anything. I mean I totally understand having to turn tables but maybe the delivery could be better. It kinda felt like we were on an assembly line at that point and her friendliness was a bit of an act. One other thing - Our chairs seemed to be super old as when we sat down we sunk into them like people were sitting in them for years which was strange since I didn't think this place has been around for super long. Anyway, I probably wouldn't come here again but I didn't hate it.

Great wine selection and always love stopping in for a glass or bottle when downtown.

A really beautiful place but the service is so slow. 20 mins for a drink? And when my boyfriend asked the waitress about it (Victoria) she was extremely rude and condescending. I then ordered a second drink, which it seemed she forgot about, and I had to wait another 20 mins for it. Would've expected better service for the prices.

A gem! Our server and bartender, Victoria was an incredible host. So knowledgeable and so kind and fun to hang out with. We ordered the salmon rillette and a blueberry cheese thing and both were incredible (I preferred the salmon). I agree with a previous reviewer that the chairs did sink in a lot. As a short person I felt a little low and had to put a pillow under me to be at a normal level. But that wasn't annoying enough for me to dock a point, it was quirky and kinda funny, my friends and I had a good laugh about it. Will definitely be back and hopefully get to talk to Victoria again!

So romantic and charming! The atmosphere is so rustic and french. The wine list is beautifully curated (no small feat when there is an international shipping crisis!) And the food menu although small, it is absolutely divine.