Vanguard Wine Bar (Upper West Side)

Such a cozy, welcoming atmosphere. My friend and I came here on Saturday night and ended up spending hours here because it was so lovely. Both of the bartenders were kind, accommodating, and had great recommendations. They were very attentive, checked on us throughout the night, and always made sure we had enough wine. They were personable and easy to talk to. It never felt like we had to go out of our way to get their attention, like it often does at bars in the city. We sat at the bar and were greeted by two of their regular customers. The four of us had great conversation and it felt like a home away from home. This place has all the charm of a small neighborhood bar, where everyone greets you with a smile, only steps away from Lincoln Center. This place seems truly perfect for any occasion. Casual enough you can come in for a drink at the end of the work day, while also elegant enough to impress your friends after the symphony, ballet, or opera. Locals - this should be your go-to wine bar in the city. Tourists - vanguard is a “can’t-miss” stop on your itinerary. I can’t speak highly enough about my experience here! Stop reading this review and go see for yourself!

Sexy upscale, yet relaxed wine bar with neighborhood-local clientele and prices. The bar is usually packed with couples out on a casual date night and small groups meeting for an after-work drink. They don't have a full kitchen, but their food menu would have you fooled. I'm partial to their flatbreads and charcuterie board. The staff is knowledgeable and warm, and are always willing to help you find a glass of wine that speaks to you. Really top-notch service. They have a habit of maintaining an excellent music playlist, and always making sure the vibe is *just right*.

What a fabulous wine bar! Excellent service. I came on a Saturday and the two bartenders made the vibes so fun! All my friends absolutely love it, too! We come often because it’s by far not only the best wine bar but the best bar on the Upper West Side. It’s a staple in the neighborhood and a must see!

I want to warn everyone who plans to visit this place!!! Our recent visit to this establishment turned into an absolute nightmare, and I am beyond furious. This day was especially important to me as I was celebrating my birthday. My friends and I went there to have a good time and enjoy some quality wine. Our bill amounted to $420, which is no small amount. However, the entire experience was completely ruined by the despicable behavior of one of the bartenders, a tall guy whose name we unfortunately don’t know. This bartender started acting aggressively just because he believed we left an insufficient tip. The situation escalated to an unbearable level where this individual began forcefully kicking us out of the bar in an incredibly rude and hostile manner. The height of his unacceptable behavior was when he intentionally poured wine on my friend. This was a shocking, offensive, and utterly disgraceful act that completely ruined our evening. I am absolutely livid and deeply disappointed by the disgusting service and sheer unprofessionalism displayed. This is not just bad service; it is a blatant lack of respect and decency. We spent a significant amount of money and were treated with the utmost contempt. I strongly advise everyone to avoid this bar at all costs if you don’t want your evening to be ruined by such revolting and abusive behavior. This place does not deserve your patronage.

Incredibly cosy wine bar on the west side with a great atmosphere! We arrived right after 5pm and easily got a table, about an hour later the place was packed. We only had the pimento cheese and crackers with our wine, but the rest of the menu looked tasty as well. Totally recommend!

It is amazing atmosphere! Incredible wine!!! If you ate spending at least 2 nights in NY, you should go out and drink a glass of wine in this gooooood place.

This place was fantastic. great environment. Good vibes great music choices amazing the best spot for a date, the bartender she was amazing. She recommended me a few wines and took the time to explain the flavors and where is coming from.

This is a cozy, dimly lit restaurant. The wine list is varied. There are some small plates, salads, tart ones , and flatbreads. We had white bean hummus and it was delicious. Behind the bar excellent movies were showing. I don’t know if the sound was on - a plus. Friendly, helpful staff. Most importantly, it was quiet. No loud music. The acoustics were not designed to amplify the “crowd having fun”. We could have a conversation and not hear our neighbors. This is a delightful spot to sit and talk. Love it!

Have walked by here and finally decided to try it out. So glad I did! We let the bartender know our preferences and she gave us two wines that perfectly matched what we wanted. She was also super friendly. Will definitely be back!

I've been here a couple of times with a friend in the early evening. This place fills up!!! It definitely pays to get there a little early--if you run a little later, you may have to wait a bit to find space to sit down. I really like the vibe here, it just seems kind of chill and cozy. But definitely lively as well. They have a good selection of wines --it would be great if they had some sort of happy hour special, but they don't seem to do that. It's a good place for drinks and the snacks, such as cheese and charcuterie and tartines, are good. I enjoy it here!

Top tier location within the all the outposts they have simply based on the bartenders and staff. Great selection overall in terms of wine and food that can be enjoyed while you imbibe some vino. They do not provide table service. It is a decent sized location but you must order at the bar and sit wherever you'd like. If you're solo or with a plus one, the bar is the move. Anything more, it's definitely easier to grab a high top to enjoy the conversation. Ordering at the bar is easy and never chaotic no matter how busy they get. They rotate their menu from time to time as well as stock up on fairly similar replacements if a wine is out of stock. They'll allow you to enjoy a taste to make sure you like it.

This is a cute wine bar with a unique, vintage vibe/look. The service is good. Great wine options. Fun and classy wine bar.

We were in the city looking for a cute wine bar close to everything and this place had a good wine selection to choose from. They do have small bites to eat but it's definitely a place to go to for the wine not food! Have no complaints and really enjoyed the ambiance

I discovered this place a few years back and absolutely love it! Such a hidden gem on the upper west. Wine selection is great, snacks are yummy and just an overall great vibe and energy! Definitely need more places like this on the upper west that are great for date nights, catching up with friends and even an after work glass!

Adorable wine bar in the upper west side! Plenty of seating available inside. I saw a lot of people even on a weeknight. It looked like a great spot to meet up with friends or even go on a date. The wine was delicious. I love red wine, and tried Domaine du Père Caboche, Châteauneuf-du-Pape '21. It had notes of chocolate, blackberry, raspberry and spice. The cheese boards were great to snack on. It's order at the bar and the service is amazing. Everyone is attentive and kind.

Isabel and Jacob create the most warm, welcoming, and fun environment. I always love coming here when they are on shift because they take so much care to maintain the fun ambiance that makes Vanguard special. The bar is always spotless, and the location + effort on their part attracts a really great crowd of people (and regulars!). 11/10 as always - and shout out to Manny, who is amazing too!!

I visited Vanguard Wine Bar today for the first time for a glass of wine and a snack. I can't really fault it, but I did not find it very interesting. For what you get it is overpriced, and I don't intend to return. I ordered a glass of Chablis, which was just okay ($17). The snacks I ordered were Hummus and a smoked salmon tart. Both were underwhelming ($13 and $18). They were served with a curly, flaky bread (I prefer pita). Not much imagination there. Also, the salmon was not of the highest quality and very thin. The place is comfortable with the bar stretching the length. They have no kitchen, but prepare the snacks behind the end of the bar. The service was very fast.

I love this place! My wife and I often come before or after a show. They have a nice selection of wines, and a beautiful cheese plate. The plate tonight had a local goat cheese as one of the cheeses that was fresh and tangy and delicious. The decor is cool--inspired by French cinema--and they always have an interesting movie playing (sound off, but showing that whoever chooses the movies is a move lover).

Amazing wine selection and great small bites! It can get a little busy on Thursdays and Fridays but worth the wait

Came here on a weeknight for drinks- the bar was quite crowded- some ppl on first dates, friends etc- definitely a date-y vibe and not too pretentious. the service at the bar was great without being intrusive or feeling rushed. the front wall/frontage of the bar opens up so during warmer weather, sitting closer to the sidewalk might be really nice! anyway, didnt get to try the food but the ambience and drinks were excellent. would recommend to others!

This is a cozy little wine bar with an excellent selection of wines. Highly recommend!

One of the top experiences I've had at any wine bar stateside. The only reason for four rather than five stars is needing to continue making my way through the menu and wine list, which is something I plan to do by making this Vanguard my go-to spot every time I'm visiting Lincoln Center. Service was excellent (bartender and runner, and wow! Did that kitchen turn around that food order quickly. Very impressive considering the freshness of everything, especially the smoked salmon). Every element (ambiance, our order, and the staff) made for a welcoming and relaxed time, even though we were running late and on a very strict clock. The bar seating was comfortable and the noise level (mind you, on a Tuesday evening) was perfect. Vanguard has a very unique balance of being able to equally cater to a wide demographic spread while meeting everyone's needs. In our corner of the bar alone you had a regular with her work and iPad, we opera going (though regular) folk, and a casually-dressed pair, all content. It took me back to being in cafes and wine bars in Stockholm, which was a welcomed departure from NYC. Vanguard is solidly on my recommendation list.

Pleasant wine bar by Lincoln Center. I stopped in with my date for a glass of the good stuff before taking in an IMAX screening at the AMC theater a block away. The place was busy and had just one bartender serving all the guests. He did a great job, but service could be slow, and getting his attention proved difficult at times. I enjoyed the glass of white wine I ordered while my date rejected her initial Riesling after getting a taste of it. The second selection proved more palatable. We shared a ham and cheese tartine, an open-faced mini-baguette prepared with the bar's humble frood prep apparati. Decent bar snack, though one should look elsewhere for a substantial full meal. Prices are reasonable and the wine list is well-organized, seemingly with something for everything. There's a Vanguard location right by my apartment and I'm now highly motivated to check it out.

I used to go to the wonderful Le Pif by Lincoln Square for all my carousing but they were a casualty of the pandemic. Very happy that Vanguard made it through, despite being shuttered for months. It's such a cozy space, with lots of bar-seats and booths in the back. Perfect for grabbing two or three close friends and enjoying some wine and small plates. Menu isn't huge but I was happy to see a riesling being offered, particularly one on the sweeter end (don't love the dry options). The bartender, Jacob, was so kind when I needed a minute (or three) to pull up my vaccination pass and let's just say he gave supremely generous pours. At one point, my friend's glass contained enough for two glasses at other places, but not complaints at all. For food, we ordered the meat/cheese combo plate, the salmon/creme fraiche and mushroom/ricotta flatbreads. Their bread is absolutely delicious, toasted and drizzled in olive oil. Mushrooms were seasoned and cooked well. A lot of wine bars tend to skimp on the food options in favor of the drinks and I appreciated the care that went into Vanguard's presentation and taste of the nibbles. Overall, an awesome neighborhood drinking spot.

I have come here twice and enjoyed myself both times. The manager allowed to place my large bags in a safe place as I sat at the bar. The first time I came here was to buy some time before eating at nearby sushi place and this place had the perfect selection of red and white wines. The Vanguard house cuvee was the first choice and was really pleasant. This time I got the Cuvee Sabrine which was even better. Complex, deep flavor... Come here for the wine, stay for the ambience and the apps.

The doors pull back so it's half outside, great wine selection and friendly service! We had the Fig, jambon and goat cheese tartine and the mushroom, ricotta and truffle tarte - both were awesome! No complaints, a great place to grab a drink and have a bite!

Having just come back from Paris and reminiscing about the Parisian cafes and vibes, this place does a decent job of hitting the spot. It's located right across my apartment which is fantastic for my alcohol consumption and pre-dinner drinking but not so great for my wallet or liver. I've come here maybe 5 times in the last 3 weeks and am showing now signs of slowing down -- especially seeing that Chris Rock came here in one of the photos on yelp. They check vaccinations and IDs at the bar which is great and the front wall is usually open which allows lots of air to flow in if you're sitting close by. They have an ample wine selection and snacks/charcuterie that look to be very delicious and popular. A range of ages tend to frequent here from what I've seen and I've never felt like an odd one out. It can sometimes be hard to flag down the bartender and a long time to receive the drink but that's to be expected in a bar of this size with and the number of patrons. There is usually a old movie playing and they can be festive. It's around Halloween time and they were playing Nosferatu, which sparked lively conversation with my fiancé and I. Overall, minimal complaints, stay as long as you like and enjoy the fun, retro vibes!

Great place for a late night cap or a first date. They show old movies on the background screen and the bartender is friendly. Also flat bread is very tasty.

Delicious wine at decent prices! We also really enjoyed the atmosphere after our show on broadway, it was not too busy but definitely a popular spot.

This is my friend and I's favorite spot for a late night drink on Monday's. Ryan is the bartender and he is so friendly and the service is always perfect. The atmosphere is great as well! We have become regulars now because of the bartender!

The ambiance is SO cool! The prices a a bit stiff - but what else can you expect from a nice wine bar! The pourers are really helpful, the wine is delicious, and the cheese/meat board was lovely. I will definitely be back.

Pros: Soft, dim, intimate, cozy ambiance Fast service Extensive wine options Cons: Bit overpriced ($17 for wine? $8 for hummus?) Could be hard to find space to sit Pretentious bartender I'm not sure if you'd put this under a pro or a con, but it's not uncommon to see (or hear) a couple making out at Vanguard. Do with that what you will!

This is a sweet and unpretentious and very cool spot on the upper west side, located close by the Lincoln Cinema and Lincoln Center, we have very much enjoyed several light meals and glasses of wine.

The vibe is good. Not too much crowded but you gotta really speak loud to catch each other's words. We had some white wine like Riesling and Chardonnay Chablis, etc. fair well price for a relaxing night drink.

Great little wine bar. There are long tables for seating and you usually share tables with other people. Its a romantically lit spot too, with some lovely posters on the wall. Reminds one a little old and older and romanticized New York wine bar Good service, helpful wait staff and a good selection of global wines. They make good recommendations as well and are accommodating if you would like to try before you buy a glass or bottle. great place for dates or where you would like to sit and talk, you can hear each other and it closes pretty late, I think we left from there at about 1 but its open later than that. I definitely recommend this place and will be back for the apps and for drinks.

Guess who did I meet at Vanguard.. Chris Rock!. Haha And for that reason, i give them 5 stars :)))

My second time here and I loved it as much as the first. The food looks great, though yet again, I was only here for drinks. Great wine list, love the ambiance, friendly and knowledgeable service. Worth a stop if you're a French wine lover.

Cozy, delightful French wine bar. A great spot for a date night or to enjoy wine with a friend. Good wine options with descriptive blurbs to help you pick. While the food options are not expansive (meaning you shouldn't rely on them for a dinner option), they are delicious and are wonderful for a small bar. Would recommend the Goat Cheese, Ham and Gruyère, and Camembert tartes!! Will definitely want to return, and when I move to the city I can see myself becoming a regular.

This place always has a wonderful atmosphere! A great local spot that has familiar faces coming in and out until 2 AM, even on weekdays!

I live in the neighborhood and can certify that this is one of the better wine bars. Every time I bring friends here they love it. Food is so fresh and tasty. Great wine selection. Friendly servers. Cozy ambiance.

Went here on a Tuesday night with a friend. We arrived around 7PM and it was a beautiful evening so they had the front window door area open which let in a gentle breeze, it was soooo nice. There were two bigger high top tables that had room to sit with some other people already at them. The bar was full and so was the back end of the restaurant. But it seemed that everyone who came in had the chance to sit. Not sure how it would be on a Friday or Saturday night though. I got a rose and my friend got a glass of the chateau cambon- both were excellent! They definitely had a good selection of wines to choose from. The service was interesting. You go up to the bar and tell the bartender where you're sitting and order up there. I don't mind ordering like this but the bartender had a little bit of an attitude that I didn't like, but maybe she was just in a bad mood that day. We also got the cheese & meat platter which came with a good amount of bread (I hate when places give you an uneven bread to cheese ratio!) and we also got the little kale, roasted garlic & ricotta tartine, it was very tasty. The cheese and meat platter was good too but I think $22 was a little much for what was there. I feel like 18 max would've sufficed. Overall a good experience, will definitely come back.

The bartender was incredibly rude. I've never experienced service this poor. He barged in on a friend in the restroom.

This place is great on the "off-nights" ie, the best time to go out in NYC, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Those are the ones. Grab a spot at the bar and grab some wine. The food is actually pretty good too. They show "old movies"....which I think are awesome, you will be staring at them and you will wish there was sound on, all in all a cool distraction. I mention the best nights to go because on weekend nights it can get to be too much and you will stand around with no drink in your hand for far too long. Good for them...bad for you.

One of my fave wine bars in the city. The bartenders are laid-back yet attentive. Great service. Food is nothing too special, but I usually just get the arugula-walnut-goat cheese salad and a couple glasses of excellent wine and I'm good with that.

I was in the UWS wine bar about 2 weeks ago and had such a rude encounter with a bar back/ waiter. I was sitting at the bar with a female friend and also had a woman on the other side of me. When our food arrived I received a dirty plate and politely asked the bar back for a clean plate. He grabbed the dirty plate and flung another plate at me. It was so violent, rude and uncalled for that both my friend and the female stranger told him off and asked what was his problem. He then stood menacingly and shook his head at us as if there was something wrong with us. I then asked the bartender for help and he did take the man aside but it was clear he couldn't' do much about his behavior. He informed me there are no managers so I suppose when an employee behaves this way there is no recourse. The bartender was kind enough to take the food off the bill, which I didn't ask for, and apologize. The bar back stood menacingly behind the bar all evening. My real upset is both my friend and I wrote to management and 2 weeks later neither of has heard a word back. I will not go to this wine bar again. Frankly, it is unsafe for women at this location as long as that bar back is employed there and with so many wonderful options right in the neighborhood, why bother at all.

Very cute and cozy wine bar on the UWS. You order at the bar, there's no service if you choose one of those benches along the wall. The bartenders are usually very attentive, and if you want to ask for wine recommendations, they are spot on. The food, on the other hand, is average. It does get busier as it gets later, I've only come here twice to grab a quick drink before dinner, and both times I came in when it opened at 5pm. By the time I left, close to 6:30pm-7pm, it was bustling. Additionally, both times I came here, I wore my infant baby in a carrier with me, and they had no problem with that. Not that I would recommend this place as a "baby friendly" place, but if you are a new mom nearby and need a glass of wine to regain your sanity, this is not a bad choice. :)

On a Saturday evening, my friends and I arrived and were able to snag the last open table in the back. It was bustling at 8pm! With the interior decoration, marbled tabletops, and pillows, the place very super cozy. There's also seating available at the bar area. During the hour or so that we were here, the place was consistently full and this added to the great vibes to this place. I had a glass of wine here and I enjoyed it very much. I didn't get any food here so I can't speak to that. Service was great! For good vibes and alcohol, this place is definitely a place I would recommend if you find yourself in the Upper West Side! Definitely a great place for a hangout with friends or a cute date.

Lovely little spot hidden in that puzzling area where Amsterdam is actually west of Broadway. I say hidden, because you wouldn't expect to find a cozy wine bar just steps away from the highly-trafficked (read: clusterf***) 72nd street hub. But one exists, and it goes by the name of Vanguard Wine Bar. Came here on a Saturday night around 8:30 and this place was absolutely packed. I gather this was because a) simply, it was a Saturday night, b) Vanguard is centrally-located, as mentioned, and c) the atmosphere lends itself to a nice variety of occasions. Let me dwell on c) for a moment. While Vanguard is indeed a wine bar, it's not at all intimate. Most wine bars that I've been to are dark, lend themselves to more hushed conversation and are just generally more romantic. This is an observation and not a judgment - Vanguard is not any of those things. It's bright and overflowing with gregarious energy. So while you could certainly come here on a date, I think the ambiance lends itself more to a fun night with a small group of friends. Almost everyone was ordering food (we didn't, but we were surrounded by beautiful charcuterie) and drinks were a-flowin'. Staff: Friendly and knowledgeable. One slightly annoying feature - which is only annoying because I'm a lazy bum - is that there's no table service. You need to put on your big boy/girl pants/skirt/bottoms of choice and order at the bar. But once you get there, you can expect to be greeted cheerfully, which is always a treat. The bartender helping us let me taste a few different wines before I settled on my glass, which I always appreciate. Re: selection. The wine menu at Vanguard is conveniently divided to help simplify the decision process. By this I mean that if you want a red, you can look at categories such as "earth, spicy reds", "mild-mannered reds", etc. So if you're not a wine connoisseur, the menu can at least help steer you towards your preferred body. My choice was a Zinfandel, which was delightful! Lastly, props must be given to the beer selection. After my first glass of wine, I suddenly realized that I no longer wanted wine. Not exactly a good problem to have if you happen to be at a wine bar. Thankfully, Vanguard offers a small but solid selection of beer, one of which is an Ommegang Belgian dubbel, which hit the spot at the time. I'm guess they've got a rotating menu here (nothing on tap though), but I think it's safe to say you'll have some decent options if you're not feeling wine.

Was here tonight for a delicious glass of wine. Liked the ambience as always. I used to come here a few years ago in my early thirties and stopped going randomly. Loved returning here and talking to the servers!

Solid bar with great wine options and good beers as well. It gets busy after dinner, especially if you want a table. Cute decor. Saw lots of intimate dates, here. It gets loud, though, so that you know.

This late afternoon I stopped in after brunch. I was happy to see that Vanguard was open. I am a NYC girl, so how could it be after a few glasses of wine and showing my iD and Vaccine card could I be stopped leaving the bathroom and asked if I have ID?? Seriously?'! The bartender thought I was a walk-in?? I have been sitting at the bar for 2 hours had a lengthy conversation and just paid a $156 bill!?????? So upset!

Only ever had the wine here and they have a lot of great options. Also, the bartenders are really nice and offer up great suggestions based on your palette. The place can get really crowded on most evenings, so make a reservation.

I love when it's not too busy and I can talk with the server and hear some recommendations. The way the menu is set up is also really helpful. Great wines and great small bites to pair. This place is perfect for a glass of wine (or six) at the beginning or end of a great night.

Such a charming place with a great wine selection and delicious small plates. Came in here with my girlfriend before seeing a movie at Lincoln Square. Perfect date spot! It's small and when we came in there was only one bartender. We did have a wait between drinks but it was busy so we were patient. Seats and tables turned over fairly quickly so I'm guessing we weren't the only ones doing a drinks and movie date night.

Super cool place on uws... nice crowded and fun bar. We came at Friday and seat at the bar.. I ordered cheese and meat plate -- was good. Big selection of different wine.. bar men helped us to make the right choice with a wine..

I love a cute little wine bar and Vanguard fits the bill. I went on a Saturday night after dinner around 10pm to grab some vino with friends. The place is small and intimate with dim lighting to set the mood. Vanguard was CROWDED, I mean "hard to move" crowded. I definitely went at a peak time when everyone in NYC wanted a night cap. There is no table service so you order at the bar and then fight the crowd to find a table. They have an extensive wine list ranging from reds to whites to champagnes and some small plates to snack on. This place is expensive - you might end up paying the same dollar amount for one glass at Vanguard as you might for a whole bottle of wine at a store. Check the menu because each glass ranges from $10-$17 and if you're like me, you want many drinks. Everyone behind the bar is very knowledgeable about the wine they carry and will let you sample before committing to a glass. There are definitely a lot of UWS locals there and millennials with cash to blow.

Fell in love with this place while in NYC recently - it's across the street from where I was staying, wandered in for a glass of wine and a snack on the way to the movies nearby, and it was so good I came back after the movie for more wine/snacks. Isabel is one of the wine-slingers, and she was GREAT fun. If you go, tell her I said hi.