Wineside Wine Bar & Market

Stopped in for the first time since it hasn't been Champs. Had a great experience with a super awesome staff. The wine that was paired with the cheese board was phenomenal. I'm not a big wine drinker,but our wine server set us up with a awesome lineup! Highly recommended!

This place is a pretty cool concept, but I think a bit too much on the spendy side for what you receive. But, expected for the location. My friend and I enjoyed great wines, yummy salads and a charcuterie board. Sam, who was helping us out that night was absolutely wonderful! She showed us out the process worked to get wine, recommended food, and was just overall great to conversation with.

Overall it was a fun place to meet friends and try some new wines but I’m not sure I would go back. The wine is all kind of expensive for what you’re getting, would maybe be good if you’re trying to figure out which one to buy. We got a cheese tray, it was extremely overpriced, as well as difficult to order, and we had absolutely no idea what any of the cheeses were as they did not tell us, nor have it listed on the menu. You’re given a little card to walk around with your wine glass and you can insert your card into a machine, you then get to pick how large of a serving you want, and it will tell you how much it is, when you’re done, you go to the end and pay for everything that you ran on your card. Interesting concept, but overall a little overrated for me.

Wineside is a great new addition to the Minnetonka area! They have over 100 options of wines-I’ve been several times and always try something new, which is really fun! I enjoy the go at your own pace concept and pour your own wine from the state of the art machines. Even if you don’t have a lot of time, you should stop in. In addition, their menu includes plates and food, and cocktails. Nikki, the manager has always been super helpful and we’ve always had a great service by all the servers. I have been several times since I’ve opened and planned to go back a lot more. Cheers!

Everything exceeded my expectations. The wine and food were great. I’ve lived and traveled a lot of places and I’m admittedly pretty picky. (Which my husband does not love.) The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Wish I’d taken pics before we dug into the food. Bonus- happy hour every day from 2-5p!

Super fun for a ladies' night out! We wandered around, trying different wines. If you asked for recommendations from staff you could get some. Would be nice to have a booklet or a more comprehensive guide to the wines on hand... I ended up using the internet to find some wine answers while choosing samples. Charcuterie was good.

Cool concept. I know they just opened, so it was a bit confusing when I arrived Sunday afternoon. Didn’t have any clue what to do, where to go, how it worked. Prices are a tad high, very Bougie concept. But if your in need of that unique cheese, salt, spice.. they have it.

Great selection of interesting wine and a way to enjoy them without committing to a whole glass. The food was beautifully plated and very tasty. I really appreciated the food pairing suggestions with each wine. My only complaint was the pace of service, painfully slow to get the cards for the wine dispensers and credit card payments processed at the end. This may be down to new staff learning an unfamiliar POS system, but it was sort of annoying to be done with (delicious!) food and wine and still waiting, 20 minutes later, to sign a credit card slip.

What a fun little spot! We walked in at about 4pm and had the place to ourselves for a bit. It was clean, inviting and the staff were friendly. They explained how it all worked and we were off on our wine tasting adventure! They have half pours and full pours which I really liked. You do need to watch the prices as some aren't cheap. I do wish they had notes about the wine listed so we knew more before trying the wine, but oh well. We ordered the charcuterie board from our phones and had it delivered to our table. The server was really nice and offered to answer any questions we had. Overall this place was fun for a happy hour and worth it in my opinion.

Really wanted to like this place as it is everything I love, pour your own wine and cheese. Let's start with what I liked: -cheese board was excellent -wine selection was vast -the vibe and decore was cute -beef was tender and seasoned really well What I thought could be improved: -the prices (realllllly expensive for tiny pours) I get they are allowing you to try really nice wine...but it really just doesn't work that well when there aren't other way more affordable options. I also can't Imagine spending $80 for a 3oz pour. -the menu selection. It's not very big and it really only has heavy dinner items and charcuterie items. They have a large selection of canned fish, which we tired, but weren't a fan of. It's a cool place to visit but I wasn't satisfied with how much I spent for what I got. I ended up going to a place after to get another drink.

Overall, loved my first trip to the Wineside Wine Bar! It's a fun, unique and easy way to do happy hour with a wine-loving group! I was excited to sample 1 oz pours of a handful of different wines, but was very surprised to see how expensive it was. $3 - 4 for a small pour was more than I'm used to at a self-serve wine bar. The staff was great and gave me the full run down of how to operate the wine dispensers. I also really appreciated that the food menu gives you the option to note allergies / food sensitivities. They were able to create a cow-milk-free charcuterie board for us even!

Love this fresh take on a wine bar! You bring your glass to various "pour your own" areas and can taste a wide variety of wines in different sizes. From 1 oz to a full glass. There is a sommelier there to guide if you want it. I tried the charcuterie board which was great and big enough for 2-3 people. One star lost for slow service and lack of prepicked wine flight options.

I've been wanting to try Wineside since it opened about two months ago and a mid week catch up with a friend seem like the perfect opportunity. We visited on a Tuesday night at about 645 and since it is located in a building outside of the mall, no problem finding parking. Upon entering, we were a little confused as to the exact process as there's a store section straight ahead and then a small desk off to the right which appears to be the hostess location but may also have been the retail checkout. There were two people at the desk but the interaction was a bit odd as we asked if we sat ourselves or needed to be seated. We were seated but I'm still a little unclear on if you can buy a card at the desk and serve yourself or if everyone is seated. After we sat down, it took a little back-and-forth with our waitress to get set up with wine cards. She was helpful and took us over to the system to show us how it works but seemed a little scattered in her explanation . After learning the system, it was pretty straightforward to use other than some difficulty with getting the machine to read the cards. At your table they provide you with an entire wine list to help select your next choice rather than just walking by all the bottles. One recommendation would be to never take the last 1 ounce in the bottle. My dining partner did and got shorted quite a bit. We made the waitress aware and she did get us another pour though. They have some food items to choose from as snacks as well as a few meal size options. You can also buy anything in the store and take it to a table or bench area to enjoy as well as buy wine in the top 10 liquor, which is attached, and they will open it with no corkage fee as long as the bottle is priced at $25 or more. Service throughout our visit was ok, a little scattered in communication from beginning to end but it all worked out. Most of our wine choices were good, although pricy, and the food was tasty. Overall, it's a neat concept, and a nice way to try a variety of wines. The prices were comparable to what you would pay in an upscale restaurant for wine but at a much more casual setting. For the experience it was pricier than what I expected. One tip is to go on Wednesday when you get a bonus 50% of any value you add to your wine tasting card (example, load $20, get an extra $10 free). You can use it that day or just load up and use in the future. It's definitely not a weekly outing that will replace other happy hours but a neat concept and a way to mix it up. We plan on visiting again in the future to see if the process is improved and to take advantage of the Wednesday deals.

If you're looking for a different kind of restaurant experience with good ambience, good service, good food and good wine, have I got a place for you. My husband and I ventured out on a Sunday afternoon to give Wineside, which just opened, a try. The concept is sort of a "self serve" wine bar, with over 100 bottles of wine in automated wine-dispensing machines, which I thought was a fun and different way to try a bunch of different wines. When we came to the host stand, they ran my credit card and gave me a black Wineside card for getting the wine. We were seated in a nice, sunny booth and there was a QR code for us to order food. The food is mostly appetizers and small plates, which just a few entrees, but that was fine and we just kind of sampled a little of everything. The "tinned" dishes were unique - we got the calamari one and it was delicious. Honestly, everything we ate was fantastic - and all went great with wine :). Of course, the main event is the wine machines. One of the staff showed us to one of the machines and walked us through how to use it. Once you insert your card in, you put your wine glass under the spigot and press the touch screen to get either a 1 oz "tasting pour," a half pour or a full 5oz pour. Price per pour is on the screen. Only a couple of things that could be improved. It would have helped to have tasting notes on the touchscreen for if we're not familiar with the wines (rather than having to look every wine up online). I also would have appreciated a way to swap out wine glasses, but maybe I just missed how to do that. I will say that, if you're anything like us, you may find you rack up a bit of a bill - one of the downsides of having free range of dozens and dozens of wines! Honestly, the experience and fun was worth the price. The space is airy, open and conducive to a chill but classy experience. The staff were attentive and helpful. I definitely plan to come back frequently!

Very very nice it was an experience. I absolutely loved it. The food was fantastic. The wines were very good just be aware how much you have on your card and how much you're drinking It could possibly get expensive be careful, but it was so much fun.

I was very excited to try this new wine bar and market! When you come in the wine bar is to the right and straight ahead you could go into top ten liquors. First impression was that it was a very cute modern designed place. The host checked our ID's and took a credit card. I had been to a place with a similar layout before so understood but my fellow guests didn't really understand the process and more could have been explained upfront. Next we were given the Wineside card and given a very brief explanation of how to work the machines. The first table we were sat at was a high top so we asked for a different table to accommodate one of the members of our party and they were quick to move us and very kind about it. It was about 1:30p when we arrived and we were given lunch menus but unfortunately we didn't realize lunch actually stopped being prepared at 1:45p. A little heads up would have been great as both my mom and her cousin had been looking forward to checking out some of the lunch sandwiches. It wasn't clear initially if we had a server assigned to our table or if they were all collectively waiting on the tables which became difficult since some of the members wanted to order through the server rather than figuring out the QR code menu. We were seated at the community table near the bar and at times saw staff behind the bar and tried to wave them over but most people didn't look up very often and seemed absorbed in drinking coffee, restocking glasses, moving menus..,etc Please try to be a little more aware of the customers or maybe if they had a designated person to each table that comes to check on us or a button we could use since the rest of the things are self serve. It ended up being a lot of fun testing out different wines. I noticed over time there seemed to be a few people waking around giving recommendations and one offered to get me a new glass if needed. This would have been nice to know in advance that these people existed and weren't just knowledgeable customers sharing their opinions. My cousin took the recommendations of Sam and loved what she tried. I tried my best to look at the wine list at the table and then remember what I was looking for. A checklist or notepad would be helpful to keep track of wines tried and the characteristics. Back to the food.. so since we had missed lunch it became happy hour which was great for me because the $14 flatbread I wanted was only $8 with the happy hour!!! I'm always up for a good deal! Also the tapas were 2 for the price of 1. This became a little confusing when like the whipped feta we were informed later it was like a double portion rather than something that comes out like two bowls of feta. Maybe a note on the menus could explain this or the server. Another unfortunate thing we missed was that because of special that evening there was the option starting at 2:00p to prepay for a card and receive 50% bonus on the items. This may have had a huge affect on how we ordered and what we planned to spend but it wasn't explained til the end when we were then wondering how we checked out and understood the food was on one tab and the drinks on another which was connected to the Wineside cards. The food receipt all came together and it took a long time to get help to figure out how we pay as our server went on break and no one else came to check on us after that. Everyone was super nice and friendly I just want to share these things so they can learn and grow from it hopefully cause I think it has a lot of potential! Some of the food options like the charcuterie boards seemed way overpriced for what is given. For $28 I would think you'd get a platter big enough to share with the whole table but didn't seem that way. The flatbreads and sliders seemed like the best way to go. The salads were decent too! There's a bakery and little deli area but again unclear if that's something you order yourself or go to the table. If there was a system to separate the bill and a little more clear explanation of the flow and some of the features of the place it'd be so great!! All in all we look forward to coming back and I hope they can make some changes to keep this place going and make it a more intuitive experience.

Save your receipts! I have been to Wineside six times since their opening. The food is good and it is fun to try different wines. The last time I was there for happy hour I tried one glass of wine which was $10. I had a flatbread and a salad. The bill looked appropriate when I signed for the meal but when I got my credit card statement nearly a month later I found that I had been charged twice- one charge for around $35 and another for $42! My total bill could not have been over $45. If you go to Wineside be sure to save your receipt until after your credit card statement arrives! I believe they have a problem with their wine card system.

Hard to know where to begin with this. I went here with a group of about 12 people. I called twice in advance to explain our situation, ask how it would work with a group our size, etc. While they seemed a little non-accommodating over the phone, they told us they'd have space for all of us and we decided to commit because our group was very excited to check the place out. I wish we wouldn't have gone. From the minute we walked in, the front of house couldn't have been more rude. From acting like we were an inconvenience to being condescending, if I weren't there for a pre-planned event, I would have left. It was so off-putting I couldn't enjoy the rest of my evening there. To top it all off, a staff member came up to my group after about 30 minutes and said they "could have prepared things better if we called in advance" - which we did ... again, twice. The group I was with was very easy going, but everyone felt the tension thrown our way from the front of house ... just super disappointing because we were all really looking forward to it. That experience aside, the man who walked us around and showed us the ropes was kind. He explained a lot of the wines to us. Unfortunately, if you missed any of that ... it's kind of hard to navigate all the kinds of wine if you're picky. If you're not, there are endless options that are all fun to try. Prices were very high for many - if you don't keep an eye on how much you're spending, you could easily drop a lot of money on just a few half pours of wine. This could be a great place for a fun friend night out, bachelorette party, work outing, etc. but after my experience I just can't recommend it. Maybe someday when they've been opened longer and have better policies and staff training in place. If you're looking for a cute, fun place with good wine ... go to the Vine Room in Hopkins instead.

A super fun, unique place with a ton of great wines by the glass for every budget! Had a couple fun Friday nights here with my friends. The menu is oriented around smaller shareable plates. Really recommend the cheese board ( the best in the Twin Cities), Spanish Omelette, and octopus and crispy potatoes dish!! So good. The desserts are amazing as well. Shout out to Eben the bartender, who makes really good cocktails. Loved my gimlet and the espresso martini. He's one of the best.

First time visit today. Coming for the restaurant industry and having actually worked at this location when it was Champps, I loved seeing how they repurposed it. Bright and clean, atmosphere was inviting and loved the spacious layout of tables to compliment a # of patrons. The displays of wine selections were sort of fun to look through as well. Hostess was very nice and explained the process. Bartender showed us how it "works" with the micros card we received at the door. However, there is no information displayed about the notes in the wine. We also felt the wines are very overpriced for a "taste" of wine. For 1oz pour it's about $4-$10, and 2.5 oz for a $33 bottle of wine (per Vino) was $10+... Pretty Steep! Especially if you're simply there to taste various wines. I understand they are new to the neighborhood and perhaps this is just a beginning to get a feel for the community and prices guests are willing to pay. Ideally I think for a taste of wine, it should be $1-2, and if you like it, you get more & pay a bit more. I don't see coming here on a regular basis only because it was over $26 for 2- 1 oz glasses and. 1-2.5oz pours. The appetizer (Whipped Feta & shrimp app) were delish! I would order again and thought it was priced reasonably for two people to share. All ordering & payments are done via your smart phone and you could literally get in and out without ever interacting much with a "server". Definitely ideal for some, but with an Automatic Wellness Allowance fee of 15%, I'd expect to have more interaction and interest in my visit & experience from the staff. Would love to see them get more creative with the pour & pricing. Too steep to be a regular here.

From the front check-in to the table service this place has issues. Confusing process, 3 of the 5 of us had a mishap when choosing the wine. Some machines spit wine at us, some poured a tiny, less than 1 ounce pour, some machines just charged without pouring. Food is small and pricy lots of staff running around putting out fires/problems. This is lots of show and no go.

Wonderful experience!! Loved this place and the variety of wines, service was impeccable, super helpful staff if you're not a cork dork! Charcuterie boards are awesome! We did the chefs choice and ordered a side Mediterranean salad. Wines from most regions and exclude a lot of the wines your know so you get to try lots of new stuff. Only downfall... I had to go to the bar and ask for a glass when I changed wines. They don't have them out or bring them to you. It doesn't feel like heath code to have people pouring wine from a dispenser into a dirty glass nor do you want to put a white in a glass that had red... that's the only change to make this 5 star.

Oh boy, boom. Wineside was closed for a few months as they tried to reconfigure it into something that might actually work. Unfortunately, they've still missed the mark badly. We came in on a Wednesday at 12:40. We were the only people there. Front of the house staff weren't there (didn't come in til 1) and the poor gal working the counter was a bit distraught over trying to pour us some wine. She was probably very new, totally unfamiliar with the wine list. I had money on a Wineside card from their first incarnation and it took her 15 minutes to get the help she needed to decipher how much money we had left on the card (over a hundred bucks which showed we were loyal customers 'before'). We ordered sandwiches, which were prepared nicely. His Philly steak was not like any other Philly steak sandwich he's had (not in a good way) and my eggplant panini missed the mark. The tomato jam was non existent and the rosemary-white bean spread just tasted weird combined with eggplant. Sandwiches aren't cheap, mid teens in price and come with stale chips and a little cup with about a dozen cornichons in it. Cornichons are more sour than a regular pickle and no one wants to eat that many at a sitting. Why not save money and just throw a pickle spear on the plate? The whole thing was just weird. My partner's 16 buck glass of Pinot Noir tasted flat and dead. Old. However they are storing their wine isn't working. When the wait staff finally got in, she did say business is good, jamming on Friday and Saturday nights. I hope so because it was just strange and almost depressing being the only lunch diners. The menu is still off, it's limited and has stuff that isn't going to appeal to most people. Wineside still suffers an identity crisis, just WHAT is it? It's not a dinner place, it's sort of a high end wine with lunch place..? Maybe a happy hour hang out, but the menu isn't really a bar grub menu, so...? We used up our card at the adjoining little marketplace on high buck chocolate, jams and crackers. This place will be closed by the end of the year, not going back.

Enjoyed our time at windows wine bar & market. Went on a Wednesday and they had a reload bonus

When we heard Wineside was coming, we were excited to try a place like this. I've heard about them in other cities. I will do my best to give a very accurate rating 1. For atmosphere and cleanliness 5 but it's a brand new place. It's a nice place. 2. The menu was a little complicated but then I'm not super technical. 2 3. The wine. $8.00 to taste my (small pour was $15.00 plus service charge This was a bummer to me. 1 because most restaurants will let you taste before you buy. 4. Was tasty but small portions. 2 I left still hungry. We went for lunch and it ended up costing $78.00 for 2 glasses of wine a salad and a pasta dish. Ouch!

This is the exact type of super-inviting wine bar and restaurant the Twin Cities has been waiting for! There's not only more than 100 wines to choose from -- perfect for aficionados or novices alike -- but the tapas-style dishes we ordered were the perfect complement. Highly recommend the Spanish Omelette! Also, I was seriously impressed by the market -- from cheeses and charcuterie boards to tinned fish and high-end pastas, shopping there and having something to take home was the ideal way to finish off what was a wonderful evening!

Had a great meal with friends--every dish that came out was as good as it better than the last. Fresh produce, great cheese, and love the fish. Fast faves are the whipped feta, the fennel salad (just the right amount of fennel), the Gigabtr beans, and Tuba and Tuna Tortazo! Can't wait for warmer weather to get there more often!

Successful tasting! Great to meet Sara Difeo and learn about this lovely Paso estate. Pairings were spot on! Such a deal! Thanks Nikki Erpelding!

We were excited to try this place but were left gravely disappointed. Our waitress clearly did not want to be working and when we asked questions about the wine she just kept telling us to read the menu descriptions. We tried the pour your own wine concept but it was also disappointing a 2 ounce pour was $15 with a service charge. We ordered some appetizers and left still hungry. Our waitress was also really busy being a tattle tail with the manager about what everyone else was doing wrong and not looking at herself. We probably will not be back for a 2nd visit.

A neat idea, but misses the mark. The food is mid, especially at the price point. The wines are a fun mix - I think - but other than where it's from and what varietals are in each glass, there are no other tasting notes available to make your selection. Not to mention the price tag for each pour. Sure, you can get a 1 oz taste, but again, with no tasting notes, I don't want to spend $5 on something I may not like. It's also not very relaxing - you're up and down getting wine and ordering food from a QR code. It's new so there is definitely room for improvement.

We had a fabulous date night at Wineside! This was our 4th visit and our best. Everything seems to be evolved and fine-tuned. We love the new expanded menu and the food was all deliciously perfect. The sommelier gave us an excellent wine tour and we tried many of his recommendations. We can't wait for our next visit!

Loved the concept but as others have said, terrible value. *Especially* because it is entirely self service (you order from a QR code menu, you get your own water, your own wine... the food is brought to you but that's it). If I'm going to spend that much on wine, I want a more relaxing experience.

Great atmosphere! Many different wines to try where you don't have to commit to a full glass. I will definitely be back. Can't wait for the patio to open.

LOVE Wineside! they've made it way easier and fun to try all the wines. I found a new wine I absolutely love that's a great price in their store. the charcuterie and cheese is always amazing. A good time was had by all during our office happy hour!

Wine selection was incredible! Service was the best I've had anywhere in a long time... THANKS SAM for the great service! On Wednesdays they give you 50% back on initial Wine dollars on your sampling card. Overall a really good experience and I'll be back.

I REALLY wanted to like this place, but sadly was disappointed. The concept is cool, pouring your own wine, but a 5 oz pour is $7-12. We ordered the tapas plate to share, $18. The food tasted old, like they made it in the morning and served it when we got there. The duck was tasteless and the portions were tiny. Between my mom and myself, we had about 5 bites each. I left still hungry. I would have ordered more but everything was so expensive and small portions. The service was good and friendly. Just won't be going back again.

I expected this place to have better food and better ambience. In addition, the wines are expensive and there is really no way of knowing what you might like to try, what you should pair with food, what's unique, etc. it's just a bunch of taps. I ordered the pesto and prosciutto flatbread. I watched the cooks take a pre-made store-bought naan, smother it with jarred pesto, and pop it in the oven. The prosciutto was cold, and the naan was truly the same stuff I get at the grocery store. That and one cocktail was $35 (with tip, tax). I can't see myself going back, unless the food improves and the price point gets better.

This place is disaster. We apparently got $30 worth of wine, for $20. And we each got charged $2.50 for the privilege of having a chip card. Our very intrusive waiter, when I asked about ounces and prices, said all the bottles were $50 wines (not true when you see a Rombauer chardonnay you recognize for $29). We ordered a charcuterie board that was about two bites of cheese and dried fruit (there were three fresh blackberries) for $28. The tiny flatbread arrived in a bowl. After spending $48 I was both hungry and was wanting a full glass of wine. Fast forward to happy hour at Terzo near Lake Harriet, where they pour an excellent unoaked chardonnay and lovely appetizers for $5 each. If you are looking to sample wines, pick your local restaurant and avoid this place at all costs.

Way, way too expensive. The business model seems to be getting people to pay $7 for 1 oz pours. Vast majority of 5 oz glasses are $30+. Not sure what their target audience is.

Went here during the opening weekend and sat in line for over 30 minutes to get in. Note: Get a reservation! The process seemed simple. They swipe your credit card and transfer it to a card which you use inside to pour your own wine. Cool idea right? It is, until you go to one of the machines and see how much it costs for a pour. The machines have 3 pour settings. "Sip" "one Gulp" and "two gulp". If you want half the pour of your average restaurant wine pour, then go with the largest size pour, which is the most expensive and will make you laugh, or cry. Some of the wines there were unique and what do you get with uniqueness? A laughable pour that just cost you a arm and a leg. It's a great idea and I hope that the prices come down and that the pours get a little bit more, I mean it is in an area where the rich housewives and retired Tesla owners roam around, so the market seems right. But if you're a something early 30 yr old guy bringing your hot wife out for a date, there are better places to get your bang for your pour.

I've been twice now. The food has been really good. We had a charcuterie plate and the beef ribs. The self serve wine is kind of fun. My only complaint is the overhead lights seem too bright for evening dining.

Great new place! Food is really good but the highlight is clearly the wine selection. I highly recommend Wineside.

We wine and dined there last night and Wow! Service was spot on, wines are incredible! I have never experienced an entire bottle list by the glass, half glass, or ounce before. You can try a bunch or get a glass, accessed from a self-serve wine dispenser- super fun and easy. They have a full bar too, my wife wanted a cocktail, it was so good. Make sure you ask about sparkling wines if you are a fan because they are not in the dispenser. Really nice space, super talented and knowledgable staff. We spoke to the gal who selects the wines, we could have talked to her all night, she had so much wine knowledge. She told us they have events on Tuesdays and to come on Wednesdays for a 50% bonus wine night! The food was so good, the cheese board, and crab dip, were gluten-free for my wife and I had the mackerel dish and Spanish omelet, perfect for grazing and pairing! Thanks Wineside!