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Bin Wine Cafe
Categories: Restaurants American (New) Nightlife Bars Wine Bars Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch American (New), Wine Bars, Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
1559 N Milwaukee Ave(between Damen Ave & North Ave)
Chicago, IL 60622
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
(773) 486-2233
- Nearest Transit:
-
Damen-O'Hare (Blue Line)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 4 pm - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 4 pm - 12 am
Sun 10 am - 3 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Best Nights:
- Mon, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
300 reviews for Bin Wine Cafe
Review Highlights
"The Bloody Mary flight is highly recommended."
(in 18 reviews)
"I highly recommend the tempura green beans."
(in 23 reviews)
"The fat city cheese plate is my absolute favorite."
(in 20 reviews)
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300 reviews in English
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Review from Andrea R.
Chicago, IL
12/1/2011
BRUNCH! Go here for brunch. It's delicious. Just be sure to sit away from the window/door area during the winter months because it can be a bit cold and drafty.
We love: the brunch pizza, blueberry ricotta pancakes, and if they have an eggs
benedict with blood orange sauce on the menu, get it (seasonal).
We were regulars here every Sunday when we lived in the neighb, they were always so sweet! After a while they remembered our favorites and could guess our orders. Pretty cool peeps and customer service. -
Review from Annie D.
Chicago, IL
1/9/2012
I don't know what is going on at this place but it isn't nice. It appears to be new manager time. Three weeks ago I showed up for brunch and they didn't have bananas for the banana pancakes, but I got the spring hash and loved it. Big chunks of fresh, well-prepared vegetables and perfectly cooked eggs. Yesterday I went and it was a mess. They were out of stuff at 10:30 a.m. The vegetables in the hash were a finely diced mush and the eggs undercooked. Our whole table waited 15 minutes *after* we got our entrees for toast, for WHICH THEY CHARGE EXTRA in spite of the fact that the server asks "What kind of toast would you like?" when you order. Then we had to send the bill back twice because we were charged incorrectly. To top off this dream meal, my friend gouged herself on some stray staples sticking out of our booth and bled all over the place as she tried to calculate why the bill was twelve bucks more than it should have been.
The mimosa flights are nice but the service and the mush and the toast and the blood... it's too much! -
Review from Molly O.
Updated - 1/8/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Our recent brunch experience was so craptastic that BWC needs a downgrade. Waiting forever for cocktails (with only one other table filled in the place), toast coming way after entrees, eggs cooked the wrong way, teensy tiny portions (my egg sandwich was VERY small), terrible mush hashbrown wedge. What happened?
Wine and cheese is what's up here. I'll stick to that because it's amazing, but I won't be coming back for brunch or dinner.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/28/2009
Just lovely. You know, it's kind of tough to find a nice place to go on the weekend for a late… Read more »
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Review from L L.
Chicago, IL
1/8/2012
Brunch service today - pretty slow and service was absolutely inexcusable. Toast came at the end of the meal and was completely forgotten - when it came they brought absolutely burnt toast and the runner had no remorse. The server who also took a long time to get things going throughout the meal immediately recognized that it was burnt, when she finally got back to us and took it away.
Seeing that one of the entrees came with toast and an extra was ordered I thought it was a bit crazy at how inept they were in the whole process, toast takes maybe 2 mins to make and if it doesnt make sense that it would take 10 mins to bring it after it was requested again and then brought totally black. It seemed pretty disrespectful to a certain point.
Hot sauce was requested and took over 15 mins to receive, when asked again it took another 5 minutes which was finally taken from another table.
I am REALLY disappointed by the lack of service especially with the number of staff in house. From someone who knows the industry very well, I would suggest less staff and better training. Only redemption factor, is that the server had some wherewithal to take $5 off the bill for the mishap, but I will not be returning. -
Review from Phoenix L.
New York, NY
8/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
If it weren't for the host this place wouldn't receive a star from me at all.
My first trip back home to Chicago in 6 years for my sister's birthday we go to this place and we got treated like SHIT plain and simple.
The day of my arrival I walked past this place, and saw how packed it was, and considering that I have been to my fair share of wine bars in NYC I really wanted to experience one in my hometown, so I made the decision to take my sisters for my older sister's birthday the following night.
Upon arriving the next night, we met a nice host, who explained to us that the menu was tappas style, we looked over the food portion of the menu, and my sister loved it so we decided to stay.
While looking over the menu our server arrive "Joceline" aka the red-haired girl with the stank attitude or something like that.
My sister being the one who isn't really a wine enthusiast simply asked a question about what the fruitier wine was and immediately the server got irritated by us.
She went ahead and explained the wine flights to us, resisting the urge to throw in as well:
"If you are on a budget here are some less expensive wines that I am sure you can afford if you don't want to spend too much."
Then she walks away...
We all just looked at each other and shrugged it off.
She comes back and we simply ask about portion sizes to determine whether or not we will need to order more. She tells us don't worry about portion size, she's sure it'll be enough for us.
*yes my sisters and I are thin, but not so thin that we would only enjoy one slice of cheese and a piece of apple to make us less hungry than we were*
We finally get to the order placing part and as I am ordering my other 2 sisters are confirming the food order. After ordering our wine, we tell her that we were ready to order food, and she tells us in not so many nice words that she wasn't ready to take our food order and walks away from the table... o.O
She comes back with our wine, then takes our order, after taking our order we ask her, does she think that it'll be enough.
She looks at us smirks and sarcastically says , "For you 3 I'm SUUURE it'll be enough".
5 minutes later she speeds pass to slightly stop and ask
"How's the wine"
My sister barely got out the words "fine thank y..."
before you verbally cut her off with an "mmhmm great" and breezed off again.
we got our cheese flight, and watched this girl walk to her other 3 tables and check on them and give them polite conversation but totally ignore our eye contact and body language suggesting we might want her attention, to order another cheese flight that she said would be enough....
The restaurant manager/ server in me couldn't stand it anymore and decided to go ask the host if they had any comment cards. He told me they were all out, but cared enough to come and check on the table himself, and continued to ask if there was anything he could fix for us.
After 15 minutes of completely being ignored by our server and listening to her talk shit about us to other staff members. I got up and went to the manager and voiced my concerns as our server stood behind her defensively. When I went on to tell the manager about how we clearly heard her talking about us referring to me as "that bald chick"
she pretty much caused a scene as to where the manager had to shoo her away.
Manager offered to comp our whole meal,
I refused, because I didn't come for my meal to be comped I came for my sister to enjoy her day, and paid for the cheese we ate and the wine we drank.
This was THE worst experience ever.
I was embarrassed for taking my sister to someplace that I spoke so highly about based on the reviews I read and the crowd I witnessed the night before.
I was more angry about the way that we clearly was stereotyped by this lady.
I know because I work in the restaurant business and it happens everyday.
I cannot say that I would never go back.
But I wouldn't go if this particular server was working again. -
Review from Caroline M.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 8/16/2011
Thank you, BWC, for getting me hooked on burrata cheese. This creamy, spreadable, sinfully rich cheese is $$$$.
A little teensy tiny portion at Whole Foods is like $14!! (unlike). And while I do not mind splurging on high quality cheeses every so often, this one is entirely too addictive. Must.have.now!!
When you try a bite of this super duper cheese, please remember to have someone nearby to spot you because you'll surely faint. And their grilled sourdough bread. Holy cannoli... I need to stop. I feel light headed thinking about it. A seriously amazing, yet simple, dish.
love.love.love.love.love!Listed in: I'm a chick & I don't "do"…, Addicted to Carbs, My 5 star worthy restaurants, Say CHEESE!, I'm a chick and I love brunch.
4 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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12/29/2008
Ok. I've had it. So much hating on one of my favorite restaurants....and I honestly don't know why.
… Read more »
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Review from Amber M.
Chicago, IL
7/6/2011
This pains me. Really! It does. I've been on the road for work for the last 8 months and have moved from Chicago a year ago. I have always made the trip back to go to Bin.
Yesterday will officially be the last time I patronize this place. I should have known something was up when I arrived on a Tuesday and it was EMPTY! I check the menus and sure enough, they got rid of their burger. The ONLY reason I really went there.
The worst was the waitress told us that we WEREN'T leaving. I feel bad for her, but why mess with something that's was the best dish on your menu?
New Exectutive chef = burnt sliders, terrible service, and lack of customers.
What a shame. -
Review from Meredith B.
Pittsburgh, PA
5/16/2011
This is such a fun place to go for a drink and a snack! I met my friend here on Friday around 5, before dinner elsewhere, and we really had a great time. The space is rustic, with brick walls and shelves full of wine bottles. We each ordered a flight, mine being the "Express Yourself" flight of versatile white wines.
When you get a flight, they give you a sort of wine-placemat, with the description of each wine written on it. There's a space for the glass to sit above its description; I think this is so helpful, because then we knew what to taste for, and if we loved one of the glasses we knew which one it was! I've had wine flights at other places without the description-placemats, and I completely forgot which one was which. This is way better.
All the wines were lovely, though I really enjoyed the bin 14 (a pinot gris) and bin 16 (a Gewurtzraminer). We ordered some baked goat cheese as well, which was served in a ramekin with some sort of marinara sauce, and bread slathered with arugula pesto. It was very good, creamy cheese, and made for a perfect appetizer.
I think it's a pretty good deal, to get a wine flight for $15 (it's essentially two glasses worth of wine), and you get to try so many lovely kinds. I've never been for dinner, but I'd definitely recommend it for the lovely wine choices and the wide selection of cheese and charcuterie! -
Review from Jen R.
1/25/2011
Mimosa flights!? Why, yes please - and you don't mind if I camp out here and stay awhile, do you? Luckily, service here is super relaxed and friendly, so you can pitch your tent for as long as you like. Umm...I'm still talking about camping, people.
Now to the important stuff. I came here knowing one thing - Mimosa flight + Me = #1 on My To-Do List. And for those with little nuggets who are just awesome enough to dig a good brunch - there's juice and milk flights for them, too. Anyways, after so much hemming and hawing (too much goodness on the menu), I went with the banana pancakes and a side of hash browns. The pancakes were fresh and delicious and light and fluffy, but...the hash browns were the best use of $2 in a long time. They came out looking like a big piece of pie, with an onion filling. Um, yes, I would come back for that alone.
Side Note: Check in on Foursquare and your first wine or cheese flight is only $10.
Yet Another Side Note: Oddly enough I did not leave with onion breath. That's not a comment of much importance, but I'm just saying you can enjoy some hash brown heaven and get your kiss on afterwards. -
Review from Kami T.
Chicago, IL
10/20/2011
I was surprised by Bin. They have a great selection of small plates, cheese flights and wine flights. The waiter was very helpful in making recommendations and the atmosphere is very cozy and unpretentious.
We ordered a wine flight and 3 of the small plates, which was sufficient for 2 people. I love that you can try a huge variety of wines and food without have to deal with huge portions. -
Review from Rhonda G.
12/21/2010
Brunch, done well.
Good food, good company, a server that only interrupted the chatter when necessary.
A mimosa flight is a fantastic idea!
The mimosa flight was nice though adding a traditional one into the mix would be nice. If you are into apps and things like that then you get a small discount on flights for checking in on foursquare. A discount for nothing? Sure.
I had the apple ricotta pancakes and they were quite good. As in, I finished all of them. Many of the items on the menu looked really good so I will undoubtedly make a return trip to try something else and get another mimosa flight.Listed in: Brunchy Bunch
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Review from Crystal K.
Chicago, IL
10/10/2011
Im a bit of a regular at Bin, as I live and work in the area. Wine flights are a great end to a long day at work, the vibe is very welcoming, and the staff is always super friendly and informative. I was excited to try the new additions to their fall menu, and it did not disappoint! After trying their new chorizo stuffed chicken dish, I fear I may have developed an addiction to the amazing jalapeno cornbread. This dish was literally the best flavor combo thats been in my mouth in months! Two yums up!
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Review from Rachel Y.
New York, NY
6/17/2011
Ummm probably the best place in the world!!! Todd (bartender) is amazing as well. Makes me shed a little tear because I really wish I lived in Chicago still.
Their mimosas and bloody mary's caused many of hungover Mondays. That little hash brown brunch slice of potato and onion is a slice of heaven.
The service is always spectacular. The only thing is that when I was doing the veg/vegan thing there really wasn't many options food wise for me....but what was i thinking anyway..Comment from Dan S. of Bin Wine Cafe 6/24/2011
You should come back and visit. We have lots of vegetarian… More » -
Review from Emily B.
Chicago, IL
10/10/2011
The bar tender was great at listening to what you like and dislike about wines. She was great about letting you try different ones and chose my favorite one right off the bat!
The management is friendly and also great at helping with choices!
The cheese, wine, and main course was amazing! I recommend the mac and cheese or the veggie lasagna!
The atmosphere is great as well! Great place to go for a date or meet up with friends to chat!
Def. will be back! (: -
Review from Stephanie S.
Chicago, IL
3/25/2011
I stopped in here for drinks with friends and didn't notice it was so big! It looks small from the front. We weren't eating so I will have to comment on that sometime when I go back.
The drinks were great! We had some Champagne cocktails. There are so many choices on their drink menu and I think the wine flights were really a cool feature too!
Great spot for drinks! -
Review from Meredith K.
Chicago, IL
5/11/2011
This review is just for brunch.
We arrived when it was not busy so we assumed we'd get our food fast which is good b/c we were starving!!
The couple next to us sat down after us - and you know how the story goes - they got their food, ate it, paid and left before we even got the old "your food is coming" line.
I got the mimosa flight and by this time was feeling buzzed.
I had the egg sandwich. The bread was really disappointing! Thin Italian bread, the kind they serve with cheese. It was not enough bread to support the eggs, sausage and cheese. BTW the cheese was American and the square slices that you get at Jewel. Shocking since we were at a place known for its cheeses! The house made chicken sausage had no flavor. I took it off.
But the potato and onion side. WOW that was good.
My boyfriend got the breakfast pizza. A regular sauce-less cheese pizza with a little salad and 1 poached egg on top. The menu says bacon but when you ask "where's the bacon" she says its a bacon vinaigrette. I know this because the other tables around us had the same reaction to it and asked the same thing. 1 egg for the whole pizza.
I like the food here for dinner but will likely not be back for brunch. It was a miss. My boyfriend is still mad about the missing bacon! -
Review from Michael C.
Chicago, IL
2/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stopped in here for drinks with a few friends on a Saturday night, here is my story.
The place is a great half-restaurant, half-wine bar. We were immediately seated without any question about if we would be ordering food or wine. We spent some time pondering the menu and each found a flight. As we looked over our selections, the waiter approached and was quite pronounced in walking us through his preferences and some tasting notes about our selected flights.
After ordering, the wine flights arrived quickly and the light appetizers arrived shortly after as well. Everything was delicious. The wines were top-notch and well composed as a flight. We all walked out thinking how fun and simple the experience was.
I would highly recommend this place as a starting location for food and wine, or a great mid to late-night stop for just wine. We thoroughly enjoyed this place and would recommend over the downtown location. -
Review from Lala S.
Chicago, IL
3/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love this place because it's not another pretentious wine bar. The price are very reasonable here as well. They carry a great selection and also hold fun wine tasting events and classes.
I've been there for their Jazz n' Juice event and it's a great bargain. Plus, you get super tipsy and discover new wines. mmmmm
it's also a great alternative to all the other "let's get totally smashed" bars on Milwaukee. You get to feel a little bougie for choosing a wine bar over Deba-douche. -
Review from Niti B.
11/27/2010
I was excited to check this place out since I am partial to Bin 36 in river north but to my surprise it didn't live up to its expectations.
I had a the express yourself flight of whites which wasn't too bad but the bruschetti and spread was awful.
First off the waiter didn't explain the spreads which were not listed in the menu and secondly they tasted awful.
I believe that the first of three spreads was a sundried tomato/hummus that lacked any real seasoning. The second tasted like a goat cheese and lemon zest spread that had too much lemon zest and the thirst was a cold white bean artichoke that tasted like it had been sitting out all day.
I wouldn't recommend this place for more than a glass of wine and place to catch up with a friend. -
Review from Lisa R.
1/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I met five girlfriends here last night for a GNO on a Friday evening. I'd never been to the cafe part of BIN 36, but I am a big cheese lover and a wine enthusiast. This place offered both in abundance. That, plus a great tapas-like menu of pizzas, charcuterie (for meat eaters, I am a vegetarian) and a lovely list of salads and assorted tastes of veggie like things and pates etc...
We started out with the Bin Cheese Selection, which consisted of six cheeses, bread crisps and apple slices. There was a blue, two goats, two cows and a sheep's milk cheese. Most were nice, none of them blew my mind. Except, the Rosemary manchego. Delicious.
We all ordered wine flights, the Bin 36 reds, the Sexy Flight, the Bubbles flight. Each flight had four tastes and all were well selected. The Bubbles flight had a very surprising Peruvian sparkling, which made me do a double take.
The service was really good. Our waiter was knowledgable, funny, sweet, attentive. At one point, we were there for so long that they started sending over complimentary items like the brown butter ricotta ravioli. heaven.
After a few flights of wine, we got a little nuts on the food and ordered in quick succession:
Fries with garlic aoili (amazingly good)
Red pizza, with roasted tomato and light cheese - delicious
Tempura green beans
Bleu cheese flight (the standout was the Roquefort double cream)
Arancini with the meat sauce on the side - yes!!!!
Calamari
Arugula fig salad, very niiiiccce
Hours passed, laughs were had, wine was sipped, it was great. The ambiance is good and on a very bitterly cold Chicago night, the warmth of the kitchen and the brick walls and Tuscan colors were welcome. -
Review from Cathy B.
Chicago, IL
9/13/2011
I used to frequent Bin Wine Cafe last year and loved it. I moved further north but returned a few months ago. I was excited to be back in Bucktown and couldn't wait to hang out at bin again! I went back for the first time since last year and couldn't believe how much the place had gone downhill. Apparently they have a new manager (who greeted us wearing cut off short short jean shorts). I asked about the previous manager and was informed he left along with the previous chef and entire staff. That should have been my first red flag...
We were seated very quickly but sat without drinks or a waiter for about 30 minutes. While we were waiting for our server we noticed the manager sitting at the bar drinking with friends. We still hadn't seen our waitress. Quite some time later we talked to our server and asked about some of the wines. I ordered the bubbles flight and received a smirk and roll of the eyes from our waitress. Drinks came out and we ordered our food. 15 minutes later the wrong pizza came to the table along with a cheese platter another table had ordered. We mentioned that the pizza was wrong and the cheese wasn't ours and the waitress responded by saying "ugh" grabbing our food and walking away. Meanwhile the manager and her hipster buddies were guzzling wine and looked to be having a blast... at one point the manager's buddy took off her shoes and wiped her feet with a napkin, which apparently the manager thought was hilarious. Our pizza arrived once again and it was horribly greasy and soggy. We ate, paid then went to Big Star for better service.
Despite our annoying dinner, we decided to give BWC a shot for brunch. Last week we made reservations for 10:00 on Sunday and arrived at 9:50. We had to wait 15 minutes for our table then ordered. My mother asked for the pancakes and was informed they would take atlas 20 minutes. Really? 20 minutes for pancakes? Our food came out and my omelet was cold. My father ordered the spring hash and received biscuits and gravy. Our toast never came out and we had to ask three times for a "bottomless" mimosa refill.
All in all, BWC used to be a wonderful neighborhood gem with friendly staff who treated everyone as though they were family. The food was outstanding and the atmosphere was inviting. New management = bad attitude, crap service and a vibe that is less than inviting. Things have certainly changed since I've been gone! -
Review from Ryan B.
11/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
Nothing terribly unique or amazing about Bin. The bloody Maria is a fresh and flavourful mix, with good kick, but no veggies. We had the day's special pizza, grilled onions and crushed garlic - the crust was burned on half of the pizza, which gave it an unpleasant charcoal flavor. Toppings were scant.
Service was attentive and courteous, which was appreciated, but the experience wasn't one I'd care to repeat. -
Review from Elizabeth S.
Chicago, IL
8/23/2010
Realizing it's officially my "Anniversary Month" in Chicago... (yes, this great city and I have been together for year & going strong)... I knew a toast & new restaurant experience was in order.
So, I happened upon Bin Wine Cafe via some solid Reader reviews. that particularly highlighted a nice sidewalk patio. (Perfect for a Chicago Sunday)!
SPACE: When we got there, the patio was small...and packed...but we were able to grab a cozy table inside. And with the "garage-door-wall" raised, we had a fabulous view for plenty of WP eclectic people watching - and the bonus of several unobstructed tattoo viewings.
(Always impressive eye candy for a chica who lives in LP; and more impressive, was that within the intimate space, we were able to speak comfortably while sitting very near other tables. I.G., No obnoxious yellers).
STAFF: sweet, honest, & super generous with "bonus" food tips.
FOOD: We had the Smoked Trout Salad and a Peach-Sausage-Caramelized Onion deal, which was a special....and amazing!
(Think: Crisp fuzzy peach slices...contrasting sweetness on the savory sausage...some croutons for texture...& red onion-happiness).
Both dishes had uniquely bold flavors and simple-sized portions. (I love being able to eat everything on my plate - and not feel guilty). We even had room for dessert - Creme Brulee. The insider tip, given from our waiter: eat the whole lemon wedge! (Beyond lemon drop-tastic).
WINE: last but not least...THE TOAST! There was a 1/2-off bottle special so we grabbed a Red NV: The Surveyor from Washington.
It was a good wine...and a really great price! (Plus I learned a 'lil about Non Vintage Wine: it's a blend of years...and can produce consistency).
And "consistency" pretty much sums it up: 3 dishes, one bottle...all great!
Cheers & thanks! -
Review from Alaina F.
Chicago, IL
11/18/2010
Based on other reviews and word of mouth, I had high hopes for Bin Wine. Unfortunately, I found this place to be extremely subpar.
We went here for dinner on a Tuesday night around 9:30 p.m. We sat for about 15 minutes before our server came over and quickly told us that the kitchen was closing in 10 minutes. Perhaps one would greet their table quicker if this was the case? Nah.
Anyways, we decided on the Bin 36 flight, tempura green beans, beet salad, calamari and the white pizza. The only thing that I would consider good was the green beans, which were lightly breaded and fresh. In all honesty, the rest of the food sucked. The beet salad had wilted, bitter spinach leaves which made it nearly inedible. The calamari dish was the strangest combination of squid, crab, ricotta cheese and wait for it.... chorizo. Way too much going on and not good.
Finally, the white pizza. Mediocre with an abundance of garlic. Like so much garlic, I woke up with the taste in mouth the next day even having brushed my teeth about 10 times.
Anyways, to put the nail in the coffin, the staff began closing down the restaurant in the middle of our meal; well before the noted close time. Maybe I'm a brat, but I think this is so rude. It was clear they were hurrying us out, which wasn't even necessary as we were ready to leave anyways.
I do have to say that the ambiance of Bin Win was nice and they play good music. Otherwise, I wasn't happy with the experience. -
Review from h h.
Chicago, IL
11/15/2010
I came here on a really crappy date. Crappy date? Are you there? Its me Margret! Next time you're sick stay home. I don't want you coughing up all over me. That was gross.
Anyways....
The crispy tempura green beans were sensational as was their extensive wine list. The burger I had was decent, but kind of not decent.
The menu for wine is very very user friendly.
The setting was nice, safe, and unpretentious.
The best part of dining here is the stunning and kind blondish waitress. ' -
Review from Bernadette A.
Fremont, CA
12/27/2010
Nice cozy spot to enjoy a wine flight or two, depending on how your liver feels after a night of drinking. I remember this sage advice, "The cure for a hangover is more alcohol!"
Now I don't think I was really hungover but I enjoyed their white wine flight which consisted of a riesling, gewurztraminer, and two other whites I can't recall. Uh huh...
Our waitress was very accommodating when we requested to sit outside so we can enjoy the sun (the weather gods were were in our favor that weekend).
All in all, a great wine bar I would definitely revisit! -
Review from Sarah L.
11/12/2010
Superior to its sister store downtown, the Bin Wine Cafe is more comfy and accessible. We go mostly for brunch, and then, mostly for the mimosa flight--often subbing a second pour of the pomegranate for the pineapple. I'm surprised more places don't feature a sparkling with strawberry juice, because it's delicious.
Outside of Rue 57 in New York, Bin Wine is my gold standard for preparing an omelet properly. With the sheer volume of omelets in the world, you'd think more kitchens would have it down, but it's an art and science that few have perfected. Their Eggs Bin-edict are also awesomely upgraded from the traditional with prosciutto and grilled tomato. Yum.
Two very minor gripes with the place: the potato casserole can get a bit mushy on the inside, while I prefer the crispiness of the edges. And they are fascists about ending brunch at 2:00:00 PM. We arrived literally half a minute past 2 and had to order lunch. I understand that you have to draw a line; it just made me sad, as I'd been dreaming of eggs all morning.
Service is great, enjoyable wine flights for afternoon/evening as well (or directly following brunch when you're extra thirsty.) -
Review from Colleen C.
Brooklyn, NY
Updated - 4/29/2010 1 Check-in Here
An upgrade, indeed!
Several lovely brunching ladies and I decided to take our mimosa show on the road, and skipped on over to Bin Wine Cafe for a brunch-cap.
What's a brunch-cap? Well, you know...like just "one more" before y'all head home. But, in the middle of the day. Typically Saturday or Sunday. Yes, I realize this may seem...irresponsible? Perhaps even borderline "problem," but as it were, it was really quite remarkable. Don't knock it til you've tried it, breakfast champagne has healing powers!
Mimosa Flight (genius). x4
*Strawberry (clear winner) - several additional ordered.
*Pineapple
*Peach
*Orange
Cheese Plate
*excellent selection of hard, soft, stinky, mild, colorful, muted cheeses. With crackers.
Service:
EXCEPTIONAL, especially after what I can assume was a bzzzzy brunch period. She was simply lovely and attentive.
Bin Wine Cafe is a relaxed, cute, contemporary little spot in Wicker Park. Add to the brunching routine, pop in for a glass of vino before heading out on the town, dinner, etc...very well rounded, and they've certainly erased my initial experience off the board.
Mimosa? Why, of course! Make it 4. :)Listed in: Mismosa Brunch
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/23/2007
This is a very generous 3 stars, really.
I was very hyped to eat brunch here. Yelp was giving it the… Read more »
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Review from Meghan P.
Chicago, IL
12/12/2010
The cutest most fun little wine spot in Wicker Park:)
My sister and I shared a salad and pizza and both were perfectly portioned and delicious.
Our sell was that we went all summer-y and ordered some house made sangria which you can purchase in the warmer months.
Recommend for a first date or meeting with friends... wine and food sharing is the best. -
Review from natalie v.
Chicago, IL
5/29/2010
I have been to Bin Wine Cafe for brunch before (a long time ago) and was not as impressed. Let me start out by saying that I love, love, LUHHHHHVE a good bloody mary. How about four? Four it is with the bloody flight. There's a regular one (w/horseradish), an Italian (with balsamic, basil and shaved parmesan), a Japanese (with wasabi and ginger) and a bloody Maria (tequila instead of vodka). The Italian one was my favorite, but they were all good.
Wine. It is, after all, a wine cafe...they have wonderful flights and will make recommendations for you if you tell them what you normally drink. I've never been given bad advice.
Cheese flights. I'm a sucker for a good cheese flight. They have many.
Ok, and the food. Pretty damn good food to top it all off! I had the breakfast pizza because it sounded interesting and like something I wouldn't normally order. It was cheesetastic as all pizza should be and even had a poached egg on top. Loved it. It wasn't as crisp as I would have liked, but it was still very good. Their hash browns are super crispy and served with sweet onions. The presentation almost looked like a piece of hash brown pie.
I love that they have a garage door/window thing that can be open on wonderful days...like today. The location is always for some great people-watching. It wasn't too busy because Wicker Park is a late-rising neighborhood.
I haven't been here for dinner in a long while, I think I'll be back again in the not-too-distant future. -
Review from Jonny P.
6/9/2011
I grew up with their former E.C. and have always enjoyed my experiences here. Great quality, variety & value. The menu shifts by season (as it should). A solid destination...
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Review from Brett D.
3/30/2010
Veni, Vidi, Vici, VINO!
We came, we saw, we conquered, we imbibed!! How Caesar ever managed to forget that last part is beyond me, fortunately for my fabulous foursome adrinkin', there was no shortage of grapes to partake in at Bin Wine Cafe.
Love the concept here... a relaxed environment to gather, taste, sip and savor. Been to Bin twice now, once for pre-dinner wine and champers and most recently for a much needed mimosa continuation following a not-so-champagne-saturated brunch. Monsieur, more bubbles, s'il vous plaît! Both experiences were positively fantastic with friendly service, cute - while certainly not stuffy ambiance - and, of course, really nice selections in both wine and effervescence, ahem, champagne.
Bin excels with some of my favorite flights 'o fancy, especially in red. Take note of the 'habla espanol?' flight featuring a delicious '05 Carmenere and the 'down to earth reds' group which takes us to the next level in full-bodied with seriously grown up wines aka complex grapes. Not for everyone, but definitely for the adventurous, expand your horizons with these leathery, sophisticated, dark fruits. Feeling a bit more lighthearted? The four-flavor mimosa tasting is an absolute delight as are the Bin cheese offerings! Yummy Spanish Cabrales Blue, French Brie, Cana de Cabra, Camembert, Chevre... the list goes on... and goes awfully well sliding down into my belly when accompanied by crusty bread and merlot jello.
While Bin Wine Cafe has yet to make it onto my list of go-to's for full on meals, it certainly has my heart as the perfect launch (or landing) pad anytime you find yourself hankering for wine time. The locale is perfect for heading off to a Wicker Park/Bucktown dinner or popping in while shopping in the area. Pop a bottle for me while you're at it, who can say no to pinot perfection?Listed in: Date Night!, Cheese + Wine = Oh-So-Fine, Get Your Grapes Off!
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Review from Amanda Z.
4/5/2010
In search of further Sunday-Funday action, of course we ended up at a place with mimosa flights...of course. And flight we did. Strawberry (we all ruled this the fave), pineapple, pomegranate and peach all in a lovely and rainbow-licious row. No matter our sipping styles, we cleaned up shop with these flights. Oh, and add one more full-sized strawberry for good measure. (Isn't that the point of a flight?!)
Be still, my brie-loving heart, they do cheese plates too? That proved irresistable despite just coming from brunch. Our chosen cheese plate was an assortment of six maaaahvelous cheeses (a delightful brie, of course!) accompanied by some toasty bread and wined out jello jigglers (true story, try it, you'll like it.) We all oohed and ahhed over the offerings and left nothing else but the platter for the take-back.
Ambiance is lovely, great for a date, or a casual lunch with the gals, Bin will not disappoint. -
Review from Meg C.
Chicago, IL
1/31/2011
Met up here with a group of friends for food and drinks last Friday. Ordered one of the wine flights and felt there was a decent pour in each glass. Each wine that was included in the flight was very good.
Service was great. Our server was very attentive with ensuring he had taken the table's order, empty glasses were taken away quickly and water was refill in our glasses when almost empty.
Food (pizza, fries) was Ok, however the Roasted Calamari was flat out gross. I had to spit it out, as did a few other people in the group. I had high hopes for the calamari since the server made it sound so delicious, but it was so rubbery that I couldn't even chew it.
Overall it was a good experience, but I would not order any food except a cheese plate here. -
Review from Angie M.
3/29/2010 1 photo
The situation: 4 ladies post-bottomless mimosa brunch in search of further champagne debauchery.
The solution: Bin Wine Café.
Having wrapped up brunch with my ladies at LOKal, but still feeling the need to keep the Sunday Funday going, we hop skippity jumped over to Bin Wine Café to keep the champers following.
And flowing it did! Enter the mimosa flight @ Bine Wine Café.
For $12.80 you get 4 pretty hearty (well, for a flight at least) pours of their pineapple, strawberry, pomegranate and peach mimosas. Fruity-licious with a bubbly punch made them not only pretty but powerful. The clear winner, the strawberry flavor, warranted an additional glass after the flight was finished.
To accompany our bubbly, we went with one of the cheese flights. Cause nibbles and bubbles go hand-in-hand, you know! I recommend the Bin Wine Café Cheese Flight consisting of 6 cheeses they say you can't live without. I'm a bit of a cheese neophyte, and let's be honest, there was champagne involved, so I'm fuzzy on the exact names and origins of the selected cheeses, but suffice to say they were all yummy. We got a bleu, a brie, some hard and some semi-soft cheeses with crunchy bread, apples glazed in honey and almonds and get this: wine flavored jello. Who thinks of this??? Bin Wine Café, that's who!!!
Also important to note: There are some serious hotties working the kitchen. For real! I couldn't help but gaze at the talent behind the scenes. Kudos to Bin for hiring cute men to prepare our food!
Sunday Funday success!Listed in: Cocktails, Dating 101, Chef Groupie
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Review from Charlene G.
Chicago, IL
9/7/2010
The menu at Bin Wine Cafe is pretty limited, but everything they make is done consistently well. I have eaten here many times and will never grow tired of the pizzas: wood-fired, smoky, and always with an excellent thin, crispy crust. Big enough to share, but why would you?
They also do salads very well, and sometimes offer them in entree sizes (perhaps the best bet for vegans. Note that vegan and vegetarian options are rather sparse overall, although their soup-of-the-day is usually vegetarian).
Brunch at Bin Cafe seems to be a well kept secret. I have never had to wait for a seat on Sunday morning, and the food and drink options are excellent. The Bloody Mary flight is highly recommended!
The service at Bin Cafe is friendly and attentive, although the food does not come out in an especially speedy manner. The atmosphere is cozy and warm generally, but it does get very loud when the place is full. -
Review from Andrea R.
11/5/2006
I'm a big fan of Bin 36 so I knew I would love the sister restaurant, Bin Wine Cafe. My friends and I had dinner at Coast (YUM) last night and wanted a wine bar nearby....Bin Wine Cafe was the closest I could think of so off we went.
I absolutely loved the atmosphere- much more low key than Bin 36, but still beautiful. My friend, who was visiting from St Louis, commented that Bin Wine Cafe (like every other place we had been to that day) was absolutely packed with women. She asked where were the men in Chicago and I did have to remind her that we spent the day shopping, eat sushi, and then at a wine bar...we'll have to hit the sports bars on her next trip to Chitown.
We had a drink at the bar while we waited for the table. There is this one dessert wine at Bin 36 that I'm obsessed with even though I can never remember the name. Fortunately the waiters at Bin 36 always help me out when I describe it. I expected the same helpful treatment at Bin Wine Cafe, but I guess not because the bartender basically handed me the dessert wine menu and told me to try to find it myself. I guess a more laid back atmosphere also means less helpful in this particular case. I did order a dessert wine and although it wasn't nearly as good as my favorite one at Bin 36 it was still pretty good.
We were seated after about 10 minutes and even though we were very full from our yummy dinner at Coast we decided to order some dessert here. Everything on the menu looked good so I asked the waitress what she recommended and she said the lemon cake without hesitation. The lemon cake arrived and we were all a bit disappointed at a first glance....it looked way too healthy (I'm a chocolate girl). However, after 1 bite I was very happy with the choice and can assure you that this delicious piece of cake was far from healthy.
I plan on going back to try the rest of the menu soon- it looks like a great destination for a girls night out and those pizzas looked pretty good as well! I'm also going to have to try their brunch after reading Laura W's review. Nothing beats breakfast pizza & a bloody mary for breakfast!
Edit 1/7/06:
Finally got around to eating at Bin Wine Cafe last night. The food was delicious! We had the cheese flight of the night and we ate it all- especially big fans of the goat cheese. Then we split the butternut squash ravioli (very good, but not as good as this dish at Feast down the street) and the white pizza (so yummy). All that and a bottle of wine made for the perfect meal.
Unfortunately, the service wasn't as good as the food. Our waitress was extremely inattentive and kind of rude. They don't leave the bottle of wine at the table when you order it so she took it with her and there were many times where we were waiting around for our wine glasses to be refilled. I asked her for some new silverware halfway through the meal after dropping mine (yes, I'm a klutz) and after waiting for 10 minutes I had to wave down another waitress to help. I realize it was a busy time on Saturday night, but hopefully Bin Wine Cafe will work on their service so that it matches the quality of their food! -
Review from Mike K.
1/13/2009
Did you know they have BINGO on Sunday nights? They do. Oh yes, they do.
You show up, they give you a card and some tokens and you PLAY BINGO while you enjoy your meal. If you win, and the chances are good you will since they play all night till they close, you can walk away w/ some key chains and/or a bottle of wine. Yes. An entire bottle.
Our table didn't win but hey, the tables next to us won multiple times so there is hope yet or there was a serious fix on against our table (I did find it odd "N42" was called every single game and we didn't have that on our cards - hm...).
Food is excellent (yes, try the pizza and the tempura green beans) and the wines are on the mark. Wishing Tree Shiraz, eh? I'll pick this up. -
Review from Erika G.
12/22/2007
Gorgeous, sexy-sexy dinner spot. Love the wine, but then, I love the other Bin 36 too. I didn't have a flight this time, but I love those too, and they are really a value for the price.
Next time I come here, I need to bring someone I can lick between glasses of wine to cleanse my palate. Yes, the place is that sexy! I loved the music . . . all paris-lounge-y, my kinda genre. The back bar is great - you can sit and eat dinner and chat with the (HOT!) chef while he's cooking your food. Fantastic restaurant theater. Next time.
But tonight, with my empty-chair boyfriend, I ordered the cornmeal-crusted cod. MON DIEU! I think there are two sticks of butter jammed somewhere, it was SO rich and delicious. Blown away by the delicious fish. Served with parsnip puree - which tasted like the richest, smoothest mashed potatoes infused with mayonnaise or something equally decadent. And root chips, crunchy vegetables!
My bro/sis in law had the gnocchi, which they are obsessed with, and did not disappoint. We shared the Heads of Romaine salad with parmesan crisps. I almost licked the plate, yes, the dressing was that good.
And the wine . . . Cuvee le Bec, the best. And . . . I bought a bottle after dinner in the wine shop before my sousy self forgot how good it was. The waiter was the cutest thing, and gave me a free glass of wine. But . . . like I said. It's a really sexy venue, and you need to bring someone you can lick between courses. I should have. Yum.Listed in: Wine and Cheese!
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Review from Elizabeth B.
Chicago, IL
3/16/2009
Lately, I have had some pretty mediocre dining experiences in this great city. For that reason, I was dreading going out to eat for fear of being underwhelmed yet again.
I am happy to report that Bin Wine Cafe has renewed my faith in eating out in Chicago!
6 girlfriends and I went here Sunday morning for post-St. Patrick's Day feasting. We were sat immediately and began drinking coffee while we waited for the rest of our party. As soon as I scanned the menu, I was nervous. My pant's size doesn't let on but, I am pretty picky about the food I eat. I generally dislike foods that I haven't been eating for my entire life. My family says I have 'white trash taste buds'; I just really like canned raviolis.
For this meal, I reached beyond my comfort zone and got a breakfast pizza. When the server brought it to us, my heart skipped a beat. Was that a poached egg... on... my... pizza? Blech. Instead of crying or refusing to eat it, I just went for it. I stirred the egg around on the hot pizza and swirled the salad around a it. The hot pizza ended up cooking my egg to the point where I felt I could mentally get over the "baby chicken" part. Then, I went in for the kill; I took a bite.
What happened in my mouth was magical. The pungent cheese mixed with the crisp crust and the salty ham (bacon?) was the perfect flavor burst. I had no idea that food could be this... um... exciting and interesting. It was simply divine.
I thank Bin Wine Cafe for creating this delicious breakfast and for waking up my taste buds. I recognize I need bigger balls when it comes to trying new foods. I think this was the perfect experience to get me started trying new things.
