- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Crú - A Wine Bar
Rating Details »
3699 McKinney Ave
Ste 107
Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 526-9463
Ste 107
Dallas, TX 75204
(214) 526-9463
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Garage, Valet
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Fri, Sun
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
15 reviews for Crú - A Wine Bar
I have to admit that I drink a lotta wine. Since wine goes rather nicely with two of my other favorite things in the world--women and song--I suppose that my fondness for the grape is only reasonable. (However, these days, when it comes to women, my tastes have been reduced to a certain varietal and vintage.)
Despite my consumption, you can hardly call me a wine snob. No, you won't find me at some hoity-toity wine tasting, debating the merits of acidity and the climes of the region where the grapes were conceived; spitting out each sip after rendering judgment.
Simply put, I drink what tastes good--damn the critics. In other words, I know jack shit about wine.
A few nights back, after catching a movie at the Magnolia, my SO suggested that we roll into Cru for some wine and dinner.
Cru is a popular wine bar located next to the Magnolia in West Village. The space is snug, with perhaps room for 15 tables and the bar. It's a well-appointed and comfortable joint to enjoy a few glasses of the vino with or without dinner. On the night we were there the place was packed; not a single empty seat was to be had. But, after a brief wait, we secured a prime table in the far corner of the bar.
Unfortunately, I had left my glasses at home that night. And without glasses, anything on a printed page looks like Mandarin Chinese. So, trying to make heads or tails out of the menu was out of the question.
After sitting down, my SO asked what wine I was about to order.
"I'm in the mood for a little Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill right now," I said, smacking my lips.
My SO grimaced as if I had an errant nose discharge.
"They don't carry Boone's Farm," she said, rolling her eyes.
"Damn! A little strawberry wine would have accompanied the salmon perfectly," I said. "Okay, I'll have to fall back to some Thunderbird."
"You're not going to find Thunderbird here either, "she said.
"What? No Thunderbird? And I thought you said this was a wine bar! Next thing you'll say is that they don't carry Mad Dog."
With that, my SO kicked me in the shins under the table as hard as she could. It's been nearly a week and the bruises still haven't gone away.
"You're going to order a flight of California Zins and like it, you simple-minded bastard."
(My SO's terms of affection for me all follow along the lines of "dumb shit," "stupid-f___," and "dim-wit." Over the years, she has honed-in on my most shining attribute.)
But, I must say, I took an immediate hankering to each of the zin selections in my flight. So much so, that I attempted to order a bottle of each until the SO cut me off at the pass.
As for dinner, I had the poached salmon and seared shrimp. While I won't wax poetic about the flakiness of the fish, the succulence of the shrimp, and the balance provided by the couscous, I thought it was terrific, especially when considering I was in a wine bar.
The service was prompt and efficient. Our server was knowledgeable and on cue. Who could ask for anything more?
As for my SO's menu selections--who freakin' remembers or even cares? After all, she kicked me in the shins.
While I don't venture to West Village much these days, when I do, I'll probably give Cru another whirl or two or three.
And when I do, I'm wearing my glasses and hoping that I might find a bottle of Night Train on the wine menu.
People thought this was:
- Useful (8)
- Funny (7)
- Cool (8)
When it comes to wine... especially red wine... I will automatically be a fan of most wine bars. Location is always key. So Cru Bar would get a 5 for being smack in the middle of the cool & hip West Village of Uptown. It's always an added plus when you can walk to a wine bar as oppose to driving or cabbing it... the area sort of reminds me of a modernized Marina in San Francisco. I love the patio seating on the sidewalk and the intimate European ambiance would stimulate anyone to order a flight of their wine. My favorite that night was the Bergstom winery "Shea Vineyard" Pinot Noir. The recommended mussels and the sea bass were amazingly delicious. The service was was impeccable... Jacob was not only attentive but cool because i mentioned that quite a few of the shells of the mussels were empty and no extras were found in the broth... i later found out he credited that portion from the bill... i didn't expect that.
So why the 3 star rating? I know this place should easily be a 4-5 star, but honestly was not impressed with the exorbitant prices. Seriously the Bergstom is an Oregon wine... 2 glasses for nearly $60. Unfortunately, I know I will be back again, because of all the other reasons that I mentioned earlier. Just won't be going here every other night like some places in the city (SF).
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
Finally checked out Cru - overall impression is nice place! We shared 2 bottles of wine and a couple cheese plates over about 3 hours. Not sure why we didn;t order dinner, I guess because we weren't initially planning on being there so long. Oh well - it was a leisurely evening. The service was good, and it was a lovely night for sitting outside which afforded some interesting people watching as well. The down side? I think it is ridiculously over-priced. Though I enjoyed it, it didn't create a "must return as soon as possible" feeling, and not sure when I will be back.... maybe when I get a raise ; )
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
Uptown girl
Shes been living in her uptown world.
I bet she never had a back street guy
I bet her mama never told her why
This popular Billy Joel song was running thru my head as Melody L and I wined and dined this past Thursday evening at Cru, located in the middle of Uptown. Whenever I visit a new city I like to play the game "which neighborhood would I live in if I lived here" and Uptown is definitely "my neighborhood" in Dallas. The shopping- oh my! The restaurants- oh my! And of course the wine bar....why hello Cru!
Cru might have just been the perfect ending to a fun few days in Dallas. Great service, terrific food (see Melody L's description of the delicious mussels and cheese plate) and I loved every bit of my Sauvignon Blanc wine flight.
Sure, Billy...I'll be your Uptown girl.
People thought this was:
- Useful (6)
- Funny (7)
- Cool (9)
The sun was shining, a surprisingly mixed and festive crowd was clammering for seats on every patio in the West Vilalge, and very cute boys were asking me to hold their dog's leash while they ran into the Magnolia to buy some tickets. Wait, where's my ticket? Sigh, I bet you ask all the girls to hold your leash. Is it even your dog?! Yikes, sorry I'm back.
After catching a movie at the Mag (go see Burn After Reading) mi companion y yo were not ready to end the day. We had window shopped every store, perused the goodies in the frisky lingerie shop and banged on the glass where the Paul Frank used to be. Whhhyyyyyyyyy????? Does no one else want a bright green Velcro wallet with cute monkeys on scooters riding across it?! Oh I see, I guess you have too many T-shirts that say you're big in Japan and underoos decorated with blue raccoons, mini giraffes and worrisome bears reminding you of the days of the week. FINE. Then stay out of my closet!
Anyway yes, done with the movie, want to do something else, had enough shopping, BOOM. Time to go to Cru. Again the perfect lil' table was waiting for us. The waitress was very cute, super nice and always there to refill our glasses with the summer South African white. It was a bit fruity, but was perfect for a sunny day. I was tempted to order something from the menu again but A) I was still full from brunch and B) we were probably going to hold onto the night by grabbing dinner later. Anyone else have the Richard Marx song in their head now? Yes? No? Shall I sing it again? Hoooold ooonto the niiiight! Hoooold oooonto the meeeeemories! Oh jeez.
People thought this was:
- Useful (7)
- Funny (5)
- Cool (8)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/5/2008
Oh mi gato, I lurve this place! LURVE! I've passed this place an embarrassingly amount of times. I… Read more »
Don't let a 3 star review make you think this place isn't worth visiting because Cru is actually not a bad excuse for a wine bar. In fact, it would probably be pretty good if not for the price, which is by far the most upsetting factor involved. But I digress...
Cru is to bars what Taco Dinner is to tacos: an attempt to make something simple and enjoyable into new attempts to see how far you'll allow yourself to get into debt (I mean really, 10 dollars for wimpy tacos?). Why do I say this? Well the majority of all wines that Cru has for a selection are from California. Now I'm not a wine snob but I do know (now) that very few wines in Cali should be priced over 100 a bottle, especially next to some of the Italian and French options (even some of the Chilean ones too). Cali wines are good but not that good. Also, a bottle of Dom retail goes for 100. At Cru, expect to lay out 450 if you want to enjoy those bubbly grapes.
Our first selection was a Syrah from California for 55 that my friend picked. It was a bit high on the tannin, bit rough to drink, but not bad, but easily forgettable. I wanted something smoother to drink so I chose the Château Lassegue from Bordeaux (90% Merlot, 10% Cab Franc) that drank probably way too easy (Merlot from Bordeaux is almost heavenly). One issue I had immediately was our bartender actually wanted to cool it down some by dunking it into a bat of ice water to which I almost threw a fit and had him remove it immediately. Anyway, for all you Sideways fans, kiss my ass: it was a damn good Merlot but at 90 for the bottle, you just get that "Am I being played" feeling. Finally, one more bottle: a Chianti Classico "Riserva" (I couldn't find the name but it's the reserve Chianti that is about 100 for the bottle) and what a great way to finish off the night - not directly from the town of Chianti (made me wonder why it was called Classico and didn't have the rooster) but a great wine no doubt. Smooth as could be and drank as if in the zone (high in acid but the tannins were softer making it drink easy). This made me forget how much I was spending for a few fleeting minutes as I not only enjoyed that black berry sensation of a well made wine but the company I was in.
Now I don't think I'd tell anyone else to get 3 bottles at this place since you could walk out of there sober in a second when you see the bill. But they do carry some good wines and since it is a darker, relaxed, actually romantic place to do a wine thing, just be ready to spend money. Whatever you do however, do NOT let them chill your wine unless you really prefer that, not even the whites. Also, if you go on a Saturday, you won't get a crowd, which might not be bad, depending on what you are looking for.
People thought this was:
- Useful (8)
- Funny (4)
- Cool (3)
I really enjoy this place after work with friends. The wine list is fine, and the atmosphere is relaxed.
I had forgotten it for a while, but I do like curling up here with a someone and a bottle of St Emillion or a classic California cabernet. Very warm and enviting atmosphere when its cold outside.
Forgot to mention...the food is pretty good too and sometimes overlooked due to the unique winelist.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
Met a few high school friends here after work a couple months ago. We split a bottle of sparkling white wine, which yikes! I was not expecting to be that expensive, even split three ways. But the atmosphere was great, very cozy, I really love how the wine bottles line the walls library-style. I think it's a little too froo-froo pretentious-Dallas for me to go to regularly, but if someone else was picking up the tab I'd love to try some of their food items sometime.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
Even though I had just stuffed myself on pizza at Campania, my friend and I HAD to try the fried brie. Let me tell you...each bite was a little bit of heaven and went perfectly with my "European Vacation" wine flight. I have a feeling I'll be spending a lot of time at this wine bar. Unfortunately, their wasn't too much of a crowd that mingled, but it's great for a quiet night with friends or a date.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Cool (2)
We had a wonderful time at Cru the other evening for a friend's birthday dinner. There were eight of us and the service was extremely attentive, at times a bit much. However, the atmosphere is adorable. The walls are covered with wine and it is quite a small restaurant. You can go for wine and cheese, appetizers or full entrees. We enjoyed a couple of the cheese platters. While neither the cheese nor wine were the best I have ever had, the environment was fun and it was definitely worth a visit.
I had a couple of wine flights and it was interesting trying three different wines. They start with the cheap and get more expensive in the flight. There were probably two out of the six that were extremely tasty. For dinner, I took the waiters suggestion and ordered the seabass. It did not disappoint. It was grilled and seasoned to perfection with a tomato and lima bean sauce. I know it sounds strange but I ate every bite.
So, for a fun evening with friends or a romantic evening for two, Cru knows how to serve it up.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (2)
There are certain things in life that should be a challenge. Decathlons. Law School. Quantum Physics. War and Peace.
But drinking wine with friends? Not a time to strain your brain.
Meet Cru, the wine bar/restaurant that's been peppering Dallas with locations in the West Village and Plano. At Cru Wine Bar, the idea is all about relishing a truly exceptional glass. In fact, the relaxing experience is as important to the owners as your wine's vintage, grape or "flavor profile."
At Cru, you're sure to find a never-ending menu of top-notch, exceptional and even hard-to-find wines...but what you won't find is the attitude that accompanies many wine bars. Cru is for those who just love wine...plain and simple. So, get comfortable...you won't have to worry about long dissertations on a wine's heritage or the fussiness of a particular Sicilian grape, and no stuffy sommeliers to snicker at your tasting routine (or lack thereof). But, don't get me wrong, should you be inclined to "talk shop" and contemplate a vineyard's penchant for velvety finishes...they'll be more than happy to oblige.And since we all know that wine is best enjoyed with food, Cru has a menu of "Sharing Plates" including Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna and Cheese Fondue with Truffle Oil. Or try one of the chef specials, we recommend the "Sinful Experience of Italian Cheeses" and the Payaya entree.
Dcor-wise, Cru's has outfitted their spaces with rich woods, intimate candle-lit tables, and a secluded private dining area. But the real draw here is their towering two-story wall of wine that makes this lounge feel more like an old English parlor than a Dallas wine bar and eatery.
A word to the wise: Arrive early. As the word gets out, getting a good seat here will be all but impossible.
For more information visit:
Visit Cru Wine Bar at 3699McKinney Ave. Dallas. Reach them by phone at 214-526-9463
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
I'm a big fan of Cru and quite enjoy every time I get to go there. I was introduced to my two favorite rieslings here - the Dr. Pauly's Bergweiler and the Dr. Loosen's Chateau Ste. Michelle 'Eroica'. Both are excellent, albeit mad expensive when gotten by the bottle here (the going rate in a regular wine store is about $25 but it is upwards of $60 at Cru). That having been said, the ambiance is what drives me to this place over and over. I also love their sesame crusted ahi tuna, five cheese pizza and their fondue. The fondue here comes with fruits as well as crackers which is a nice touch (I wasn't aware that Granny Smith apples taste so good with cheese). Definitely worth going to.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Cool (1)
A good place to go on a nice evening. They have a small patio area out front and big doors to open so the inside has a patio feel where you can enjoy the evening, too. You can order flights of wine (think sampler) where you get partial glasses of 3 different wines from the same region or of a similar style. They also give you a card telling the inticracies of each of the wines, so you can learn what wines you like or dislike
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
I love Cru's wine flights, the decor and ambiance is dark and sophisticated, and the one time I ate there, the food was delicious. I love going to Cru with one or two close friends to catch up...it's very relaxing and you WON'T be disappointed with the wine selection! Only thing keeping me from giving this a 5-star rating is that the staff can be a bit pushy--as in, they seem in a rush to serve you and have you on your way. Not always, though. Great West Village location!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
My friends Kevan use to work here, haven't been back in years. I do remember their appetizer pizza to be wonderful.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
