W.I.N.O.

Amazing experience. My new favorite place. Brittany and Bryan. Hope I spelled the names right; we’re amazing hosts. Perfect for date nights, groups and’s solo get away. 10/10

Incredible selection and fun descriptions that entice you to try different things. I absolutely love this place. Great for the experienced wine drinker or a fun destination to explore wine for the first time. There's even a small selection of spirits.

Coming from someone who drink wine maybe once a year, this place is great. You don't need to be knowledgeable in wine to enjoy it here. I went with a group of friends and we ended up enjoying our time here and even found drinks that we all enjoyed. Definitely will come again.

Great selection of wines, no shortage to choose from! Its a fun and different way to enjoy wines and I would definitely be back. The cheese board was the perfect touch to round out the experience.

A unique experience for wine enthusiasts. Fun to try different wines and take one home if you like. Also has great small plates as well. The brie with French bread and apples was delicious. They give you a card to then go choose your wines to sample.

What a fun experience!! There's a cool out the back area where the sweet wines are. We tried about 6 wines each and had some cheese. We also bought a bottle to take home. 10/10 would go again. There was no one when we arrived, but two more groups appeared after us.

Date of Visit: 05/17/25 (Evening) I was really looking forward to a fun and relaxing evening at Wino, especially given their wide selection and the promising atmosphere. Unfortunately, the experience was anything but enjoyable. The woman at the front was extremely rude from the moment we walked in. She seemed bothered by any questions we asked about the wine selection and offered no help whatsoever. We ordered a board that never arrived, and when we followed up, there was no apology or explanation. The lack of basic customer service completely ruined the night. With so many great spots in New Orleans, there’s no reason to waste your time or money here. I do not recommend Wino based on this experience.

I really like this place, the atmosphere is very chill and laid back. I just wish this place had a better selection of wine especially for having a limited selection. Overall I still recommend.

Great place to try wines before you buy, or just to make your own tasting with friends. You get a card and you can charge based on size of the pour. You can also pick up a bottle of something you tried and like to take home. The variety is great, and you get a very reasonable, broad range of prices. The space is a little small but during the week it wasn't super crowded. The hostess was excellent in her recommendations and all-around friendly conversation. If I was in the area, this would be my go to place to try and find new wines and pick up interesting bottles.

Such a fun experience! Plenty of options to choose from for all ranges of wine drinkers. They do offer charcuterie options. Store associates were super helpful and chatty.

I loved this! So they give you an empty wine glass and a card and they have two rooms of wine bottles with dispensers and you can choose to from three different sizes of pours. Such a fun idea! Great for wine lovers! And if you're like me and you don't want to commit to just one you can try before you commit to a whole glass and then you can buy bottles to take home. Cheers!

I love wine - but I LOVE, LOVE this place. I mean, how can you not like a place where you get a piece of plastic to flash around and get as much wine as you want? The downside? You can run up a nice bill if you aren't careful - especially when you find wines you really enjoy. To add to that, you can order a delicious charcuterie board to go with your wine - it can add up really fast! Oh yeah - and you can most of your favorite wines home with you - WINO has definately made me challenge my packing skills when leaving New Orleans to return home and seeing how many bottles of wine I can pack in my checked luggage. Thank you WINO!

I LOVE this place. What a great concept to chill & try dozens of wines from all over the world. All different styles. Even lemon-cello. You get a card that keeps track of your spending. You use the card to try 1oz,2oz, or 4 oz pours. All wines have a brief description and the staff is very friendly & knowledgeable (at least Kat was on our visit, "Hey Cat!") Stay as long as you like. They sell meat & cheese boards to pick on. They also offer onsite corporate events or parties for a large group. Truly a MUST when in between meals in the Big Easy. 6 stars!!!!

Large selection of wines in a very cool self serve atmosphere. GREAT place to sit and hang out.

This place is wine heaven! We have a few wine bars in Baltimore but nothing at the scale of WINO. I believe they said they have over 150 wines? My husband and I were in NOLA for the Ravens game and visited one night before dinner. We let the staff know it was our first time visiting and they were super nice and walked us through everything. They have the machines where you track what you are pouring with a card inserted into the machine. We opted to try the smallest pours of each wine to be able to try a lot. We definitely picked the most expensive wines to sample because they are bottles we wouldn't actually buy on our own. I think we ended up trying between 5-6 wines and spent about $50. It could definitely be less expensive depending on the wines you pick.

Absolutely love WINO! The service is always great & they always answer any questions I may have. It's a wine down & chat atmosphere which I like. It's a great place to explore different wines that you wouldn't normally pick up. If you find a favorite wine there you can buy a bottle! Recommend 1000/10!

Fantastic wine in a self serve environment with great small plates of food and charcuterie boards! The atmosphere is calm and laid back. The maps on the wall point out the wine regions covered; for example, France, Spain, Italy, and the USA to name a few. Use your card you receive upon entering to dispense a 1oz, 2oz, or 4oz pour of each one you select. Present the card pay at the register and there is a log of all your wines along with the amounts!

We came to WINO with a very cool wine lovers Meetup and we were not disappointed. Only reason it's four stars is because the space is awkward and a little small to have a bridal party and a meetup going at the same time AND it's not a god area for parking unless the parking Angel is with you and you packed your patience. Once inside, the hostess/cashier explains the run. ID, card, tasters by Region or type, dessert wines in the back, ports up front, reds in both. They have over 100 varietals and things that aren't wine. Decorated with maps, hanging glasses and exposed brick, it's a good wine cellar vibe. We had a charcuterie of cheeses and nuts, hummus, breads and just yummy nibbles to keep you tipsy but not turvy lol. Really cool people seem to know this place and sooooo many good wines to choose from. The staff picks tend to be spot on and well described. Order bubbly from the front--it's not in a machine. I love that it's a choice amount for each pour and prices are clearly marked. Although it removes the close human expertise from the usual wine tasting affair (post COVID esp) it is so efficient and smoothly run that you almost don't miss the more personal touch. Since it was a Meetup, a lot of the folks know each other or don't but share good info on the wines. With this level of comraderie, it is a great way to be a classy wino at W.I.N.O.

One of my favorite drink spots in NOLA. We came in on a Saturday night after dinner in the neighborhood. They have so many great wine selections. You can do small or large pours depending on if you want to sample a few wines or just get a glass or two of your favorites. They have over a 120 wines to sample, so you are bound to find a favorite. Apart from wine they have a few port/liquor options as well. They have a few appetizers/charcuterie board options as well. You get a card that you insert each time you get a wine and pay at the end. I'll def be back the next time I'm in town. Every city needs one of these, but alcohol laws aren't as chill as NOLA everywhere.

Great selection and large variety of wines from all over the world. Love the wine dispensers and card system. Great place to chill with friends over the best glasses of wine from all over the country.

Nice hangout spot in the warehouse district. Decent selection of white, red and sparkling wines.

Hidden gem!!! Pour your own, taste from hundreds ...well ...I would not be standing if I did that! Happy I went.

A tap as you go wine bar, whats not to love! Great selection of affordable but extremely drinkable wines.

Great little spot to try out some wine and hang out away from the hustle and bustle. Staff was extremely friendly and helpful. Had great assortment of cheese plates and snacks.

Guys !! I'm celebrating my fiancé birthday and we wanted to do something different. We went for a walk downtown and went to WiNO. It was amazing , you have to be fully vaccinated or show proof of negative Covid test. The staff was nice , the atmosphere was amazing. We tasted over 30 wines, you can seat yourself we ordered a small charcuterie board & a olives tray didn't get a picture it comes with 3 different types of olives. We'll definitely make this a hangout spot.

This place is so great!!! They have kiosks for you to try 1, 2, or 4 ounce cups of wine. You check in and give them your drivers license, and they give you a "gift card" that is essentially a tab. Every time you swipe as a wine kiosk, it adds the cost to your tab. You check out, pay, and get your license back. It's really cool because you can try so many wines for a very reasonable price without necessarily buying the whole bottle. They do have bottles for sale, too, once you find one you like. The service was great, but it is really more of a self-service place which works for me more because you can just get drinks whenever is convenient for you. I highly recommend for a modern place to hang out.

Super fun self-serve wine bar! You go in, trade your ID for a wine card, put the wine card into the slots and pick some sweet sweet vino to pour into your glasses. They offer some cheese boards too! The space itself is kinda small but there weren't that many people there so it wasn't a big deal. There may have been a back area but I didn't explore too much. The Staff Picks are also pretty legit; we loved all of them (or maybe that was social psychology....who knows!)

I love this place. It is great for date nights. whoever thought of wine vending machines and charcuterie boards as a spot is genius.

I've been to WINO twice within a week of each other now. From the engaging and polite guys at the front desk, to the wide variety of wine, to the calm ambience of the place itself... I LOVE WINO! When you get there, you trade your ID in for a WINO card which is used to chose and taste whichever wine you desire. They charge by the pour: 1oz, 2oz, & 4oz. It can add up pretty quickly if you don't pay attention But it can also be pretty inexpensive if you choose wisely. I went here for my 21st birthday shindig and I had a rather large party. You make think that there isn't enough space, but it's a more open space in the back with MORE wine. My favorite section would be the sweet wines in the rear of WINO. I'll be back more often! This is my secret getaway, make it yours as well!

I'm totally in love with this concept. It's a self serve wine bar. You're able to sample wine from hundreds of options. I was greeted as soon as I walked in and was given a key card that is used to insert into a machine that allows you to self pour your wine selections and choose the amount of ounces you would like to sample. The gentleman working the night of my visit was very knowledgeable and helped me pick some really great selections. I'm a red girl and have a thing for Malbec's and Merlot's. This was a great way to sample different wines at an affordable price. FYI-Your tab is accumulated on the key card given upon entrance and paid at the end of your visit.

There's always time for some wine. After going to brunch and needing to waste a few hours before my flight, my friends decided to venture to Wino. The concept is easy, you leave your ID & grab a wine-tab-card and a wine glass. You pick your wine, swipe your card, select your ounce and there you go. On average, 4-6 oz was $2 and change. I enjoyed the wine and comradery for a few hours. I definitely encourage you to check this spot out and I'd recommend it for a private event.

I had a great experience tasting many white wines and even found a new favorite. However, tasting seems fun until it's time to checkout. It definitely equates to you buying a bottle of wine. I will attempt to go back during happy hour. Good visit though and the one lady staff was very helpful.

This place was so cute & exactly what we were looking for to end our night. The concept is simple. You check in @ the desk. Provide ID & grab your wine card from the staff. Select you wine for a sample or glass. Ready....Set.....Pour! I think this is a great place for people who want to experience wine without going to an expensive winery or exclusive wine class. Each wine has a thorough description displayed & the staff is super helpful should you have any questions. My only small gripe is the selection of chilled wines. They had a few....but nowhere near what the offered for reds. All my red lovers....you're in for a treat. They also had a pop up tapas station in the back. We passed but it was a nice knowing they provided snacks. Once you're finished sampling or drinking you just hand your wine card to the staff & they will total you up. In the end we found a great Rose' to take home & watch GOT. We will definitely return. Hopefully they will have more chilled options as the summer nears!

Our favorite place for wine when visiting New Orleans!!! Fun to sample so many wines from different regions around the world.

I enjoyed this place.Some friends brought me here one late evening, where we could engage in a little conversation. I liked the ambiance. It was dimly lit and it had a great concept. I had never seen an establishment where you put money on a card and use the card to purchase glasses of wine from the machine. We also ordered some tapas that were a nice addition to our wine selections. It was a very adult atmosphere with an element of class. In contrast to the club located across the street, it was a nice quiet place. I would like to return soon.

Had the chance to visit W.I.N.O for a date night, and I loved everything about the experience. This the perfect place for a date night, girls night out or a casual glass of wine. They have so many selections of wine from Red wine, white and Rosé, and if you want to purchase a bottle they give you the option to do so. They also give you a little pink card that you use for self service of each wine. I am definitely coming back here.

SO MUCH WINE and that's never a bad thing! WINO is what a wine bar should be! I was celebrating Thanksgiving week in New Orleans with my family and my dad happened to find this gem since he is the wine guy. We dropped in on a random Tuesday night to try it out. The front room is a bit small, but there is room in the back. You get a card and then you insert it into the machine and you can select between 1 ounce, 2 ounce, and 4 ounce pours of wine. The prices vary by wine, but there were a large variety between the low and high end wine to satisfy everyone's interest in wine. They also had them grouped by wine varietal such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Port/Dessert, etc. It was a fantastic system. You can also see your balance as you go around sampling wine when you insert your card into the machine. We also ordered the Chef Select Cheese plate with four different cheese and added meat. It was a great spread for four people to accompany all of the different wines that were available. We mostly did one ounce pours to sample to see what wines we liked the best. Overall, it was a great experience. The food was great. The wine selection was top notch. I'd definitely come back again when in New Orleans.

I wandered past this place the first day in the city and new for sure I had stop in to see what this place was all about. It took me a minute to get back here, but when I did I wasnt dissapointed. They have a ton of wines on tap so its a great situation to try new things and see what you would really like. They day i visited they had a tasting going on so i wasnt able to try anything in the back so it left me with only a few choices. I was still able to try a good amount of wine before i moved on to the next destination. The tap system can be a little confusing so I had to try a couple of times before i made it work. I also liked that you could by a wine you liked by the can or bottle to enjoy. I got a nice can of rose to go before i left so this place gets all the points with me.

The concept is great. The variety of wines is awesome and the price point for each tasting is very reasonable. The reason for the two star loss is due to service. The gentleman in glasses was not friendly and seemed bothered by our questions. He provided very robot responses. Nola hospitality is on point, but that was not demonstrated at this establishment.

This is exactly the kind of drinking establishment that I've been looking for! The Wine Institute of New Orleans is the perfect way to find your wine niche and sample literally as much wine as you'd like. You just pick up a cute little pink card from the tasting room attendant and get a quick rundown on the how-to and etiquette, and after about a minute you're tasting wine! Super simple concept, but very unique in the market. I've never come across one of these bars before unless it's pour your own beer. But pouring your own wine and controlling your own tab can be VERY dangerous, so listen to the tips that the tasting room attendant gives you. It could be the difference in you pouring a $3 pour or a $90 pour. I really love the mood here. Very light music resonated through the two tasting areas with various different seating options. The educational maps and charts that are related to wine and growing regions are definitely interesting enough to stop and read while tasting. The murals and earth tones on the walls rounded out the atmosphere perfectly. The use of space was well thought out. We tasted about 5 wines each over the course of an hour it was about $25 after it all. So price-wise it's affordable at almost any budget. They have wines covering the whole spectrum, everything from port to Chardonnay to really extremely expensive wines that are just cool to look at...maybe some day. There was only one person working while we were there but she was doing a great job! I was super impressed by her positivity. It's always inspiring to me when I see people having a great time at work. She was running the front counter and also cranking out some tasty looking small plates from the kitchen in the back. They offer a small menu of ideal wine pairings. I would love to try some food on my next visit. This place is too cool to not visit again! I only wish we had one in Kansas City!

We always love the places where enomatic wine systems are used and you can pay by the ounce. A good selection and good atmosphere. We will definitely be back

This place was cute and fun. I came here for a private birthday party but I think it would also be a good date night spot or even a girls night out.

Such a unique concept which allows you to taste wine that otherwise would be priced out of reach (well, at least for me!). Great customer service as they help you understand the process and answer your questions. Can't wait to return!

Very cool concept came here during Mardi Gras. You get this card and you insert it onto the spot and you can sample or pour 4 oz or 6 oz. They have small plates and olives and some cheeses.

While back in Texas researching fun and interesting places to eat, drink and be merry on my trip to NOLA, I came across WINO. So I bookmarked it and made a plan to go. We arrived at 5pm on a Thursday, which according to the sign was happy hour. We approached the counter, because no one acknowledged us when we walked in. We figured out that you leave your credit card at the counter in exchange for a WINO card and start tasting wines. The guy took no time to really explain how to access the wine, but instead gave a one line synopsis and sent us on our way. So we figured out how to get the wine on our own. No help from staff, no talking about the wines, nothing. We decided to order two of their small plates. The Three Dip plate, (hummus, bruschetta, and spinach artichoke dip), and the Baked Brie. On the Three Dip plate, the hummus and bruschetta were tasty, the spinach dip was not. It was ice cold and had zero flavor. I kept trying to like it, but in the end I was thankful I hadn't ordered just that. The Baked Brie was quite lovely. It had huge walnuts on top, as well as some fig preserves. That was really delicious. We ultimately decided to leave instead of hanging out and tasting like we had planned because the guy working there was so off putting. We would ask him about wines and he would say "try such and such, it's over there", pointing to a wall of 100 wines but taking zero time to actually talk about them or show us which one he was referring to. So the concept is cool, but with a person like this working there you won't have many customers. It's no wonder there weren't but a few other people in there. I travel to NOLA a lot, and won't be making any future visits to WINO.

Celebrated my birthday here, Austin was a gem in helping with planning. He made special suggestions for my party of 10 with a mixture of wine lovers and newbies. Platter included assorted cheeses, meats and fruit for $65 it fed 10 people. My guests loved it, a few have been back since. High tech wine tap machines are super easy to use. Cheers!

Wino is the perfect place for a cute date night. The staff was friendly and helpful. Using the card is super easy to dispense and taste as much wine & spirits as you'd like. Only disappointment was they removed the spinach artichoke dip wasn't on the menu anymore. Otherwise the large selections of wine and self-pour functionality is amazing!

I came here a while back with the lady friend before her bday dinner at Meril which was around the corner. We got here about an hour before our reservation and since the lady friend likes wine, this place would be perfect. The set up is brilliant. You set up a tab with your credit card and they give you a smartcard type thing to use at like 100 bottles of wine. You put the card in at the wine you want to try and you can get a 1oz, 2 oz or 4 oz pour. The prices are clearly labeled and you can spend as little as a couple dollars or as much as like 40.00 for a glass depending on your tastes. So the lady friend usually drinks 2-3 glasses and she's done so I knew this would not be very expensive. WRONG! The lady friend was like a frat boy doing keg stands! She was trying every thing. She had several 1 oz pours and then when she found ones she really liked, she got 4 oz pours. I had 2-4 oz pours during our hour and she basically had a 72 oz Big Gulp of Wine! I almost had to carry her to Meril after. The place was pretty dead the night we went and since we were having dinner after, we didn't try any of their food. I highly recommend but if your lady friend loves wine, watch that card carefully or yours too will be reenacting scenes from Animal House.

I was intrigued with the name and I customarily buy bottles of wine when on vacation. Walked in and saw wine bar sections that you can buy as tasters. There is a front bar area and a back area with ample seating. You're able to purchase food items and sweets to enjoy with your wine. I didn't find any wines I wanted to sample so we left empty handed. Not once did anyone greet or approach us, which I found odd since there was no one shopping in the store. Note: Bathroom is TINY!!!

Wow. Ive lived in Downtown New Orleans for 3+ years now, and I had never tried WINO despite frequently walking past it. After going to the WINO shop in Place St. Charles to pick up a quick bottle, I was impressed by the staff's knowledge and the shop's selection, so I knew I had to finally give the WINO bar on Tchoup a go. I am SO happy I finally tried it, and FULLY regret never having gone sooner. It is such a cool concept and allows wine lovers and novices alike to try wines from regions they've likely never had access to. The space is small and intimate. I can not think of a more perfect first date night spot, especially since they offer light bites (most notably, cheese boards). Now that I've visited a few times, I can also say that the service is consistently fantastic. On our last visit, Penn helped guide us through some reds by region. He was extremely knowledgeable and friendly, and helped us pick the perfect bottle to bring home. Long story short: if you like wine and are staying downtown, skip crowded Bacchanal and opt for WINO. You won't be disappointed.

Yes please...oh, I thought you asked if I wanted more wine. Did you know that you can drink all the wines? Did you know that you did t have to wait, ask, wait, to drink wines? We were waltzing by this gem on our way to happy hour and lo and behold, we saw a sign that said "happy hour". Wait!!! Do you mean there's more than one? No. But this hour I was the happiest. When you go in, you're greeted by a friendly person that explains the amazing concept of swine drinking. You can have 2, 4, or 8 oz pours of any wine/spirit they had in stock. All you have to do is insert your WINO card and press the "feed me wine" button...okay, it didn't say feed me wine, but that's what I wanted it to say. We decided in 2oz pours...it was 20% off for happy hour...we had 8 different wines. We were happy. We had the best of wines. We were elated. Yes yes yes!! Drink for happy hour here. Have fun in New Orleans. Go here. It's close to Mothers, Harrahs, Lucy's, and more.. great location.

I celebrated my birthday at W.I.N.O this year with about 12 of my closest friends and it was a major hit!! I have to give a huge shout out and thank you to Mila, our hostess, who was so very accommodating and created the most gorgeous and plentiful charcuterie board! I sprung for the $65 charcuterie platter and it was more than enough for my guests -- plenty of delicious meats, cheeses, artisan breads, and bowls of olives .. absolutely decadent! She was attentive but still gave us our space all while managing the shop by herself! Needless to say, they have an impressive wine selection - although their rose offerings are not as expansive as the reds and whites, I do not think you will be disappointed. Don't forget that you can purchase an entire bottle to enjoy in store or to take home! I ended up buying the table's favorite rose for all of us to enjoy and I definitely think it saved a few $$. I communicated with Austin beforehand about hosting my event here. He thoroughly reviewed all of the options with me and answered all of my questions very patiently. I ended up keeping my celebration a little smaller than I had originally planned but I think it worked out for the best because everyone was handed their own 'card' and could fill their glasses/spend to their heart's desire. There was no bill splitting headache to deal with at the end and everyone went home happy and tipsy!! They even let one of my friends bring in an outside cake. Overall, I would HIGHLY recommend hosting your next event here. I personally cannot wait to come back!!

This review is long overdue considering my boyfriend and I went here exactly this time last year. It was for sure a memorable experience for the both of us, and even quite intimate. We were able to try out different wines we liked and got to figure out which ingredients we'd be able to taste. You should know that you trade in your ID for their WINO card, this card allows you to add in money in order to try out different wines and the size of oz. They all vary. We tried different cheeses that'd pair nicely with our wines, one of the employees (who I think is one of the owners, my memory is failing on me) even gave us a small bite for free which was so good. A really friendly staff and an awesome experience. Would deff go here again after covid.

Love the concept. Love that you can drink affordable amounts of wine and order a cheese plate or a small plate of snacks while sipping wine. Don't love that there aren't more expensive wines in the assortment of wines provided. Wish that the wines were organized in a more comprehensive way (keeping all red wines together, etc). It's worth a visit if you are looking for something to do and want to have fun. I wouldn't at all recommend wine aficionados come here though.

W.I.N.O = Me. :) We walked past this place on our way to another and decided to stop due to the ever attractive "Happy Hour" sign. While my thought process is that every hour is happy when there is wine involved, the sign meant there are also discounts. Cha Ching!! The discount is 20% per pour and the pouring machines are already programmed. We had multiple 2 oz pours and tried wines from all over the world. They even pour Veuve by the glass. I really enjoyed it here! Great people and knowledgeable staff! We never made it to our other destination because we really enjoyed it here. Where else can you have the equivalent of two glasses of really great and worldly wine, and multiple tastes, for under $25?!?! If you are a lover of wine and want 120 options for happy hour, come here!

This is a cute little wine bar with walls of Enomatic machines. I love Enomatic machines because you can purchase and taste wine by the ounce. It gets a little expensive but it's a ton of fun. You check in at the hostess stand and get a card to use in the machines. Your tasting card is your bar tab, so WATCH OUT because you turn in your card and pay when you leave. It's easy to spend A LOT of money if you aren't careful. I'd say the average price per ounce of the wine "on tap" would be around $3.00, but they range from $1 to $25 per ounce. This is a self-service wine bar: simply grab a glass, step up to the machines, insert your card and choose a taste of one of the many wines! I'm a serious wine nerd and the wine selection is nice and respectable. There's plenty of mainstream, easy drinking reds (The Prisoner, Caymus) that are sure to please even novice wine drinkers, as well as everyday whites and a few higher end labels. Selections include unusual wines from around the world (I had never tasted a Haitian wine before) and obscure varietals too. I didn't discover any truly hidden gems, but I easily blew right through my $60 on my tasting card (oops). The atmosphere could also be better. It's cold and boring with uncomfortable stools and high tables. This place could be unbeatable if they'd put in a more inviting lounge type seating. I also thought the ladies working on the night I visited were a little bit too aloof and acted like they were wine experts (they weren't). It's a bad policy to assume that everyone who walks through your door is a novice and I didn't appreciate being treated as such. I didn't order any food but there's a small menu with some semi-appealing sounding bar food items, most pairing well with wine. The menu selections make sense and are well done. You'll find bread with olive oil, hummus, toasted nuts, and cheese plates. There's also a small selection of sparkling wines by the glass as well as bottles of beer (in case your buddies don't like wine). One big problem -- and it's a huge one -- is that this place does not have dump buckets anywhere. That means you are stuck chugging whatever you purchased even if you don't like it. That to me is a signal that it's not a place for true wine lovers / tasters, and it tells me all I need to know about the clientele. I'm here to taste and discover new wines, not to get drunk.

We encountered WINO. because it was only a block from our hotel. We went out in search of wine and NOT in search of crazy crowds--and thank goodness we found WINO. We have now been back 3 times in 3 days. WINO offers a variety of wines arranged primarily by grape and/or region and style (crisp white, Chard, "other" whites and rosé (this included Riesling, Gewurz, and ice wines). The "self serve" part means that you get a card to insert and then choose a 1, 2, or 4-ounce pour. You are then charged according to what is on your card. After you have done it once, it is a no-brainer. I found what may be my favorite rosé in the world here and that's enough for an extra star! Staff are helpful and unobtrusive. WINO is not full of bachelorette parties--than God. It was a great place to go for a glass before deciding where to go for dinner. There is also tapas-type food, which we have not tried.