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Main Street Wine Cellar
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
18 reviews for Main Street Wine Cellar
Came her again Saturday night and Sunday night! Yikes!! Note to self. If you are coming on a Saturday night phone in and book a reservation. We waited some time before finally grabbing a table on Saturday night. Which was a bummer but oh well. We learned our lesson. Also, they had a DJ playing on Saturday night. So, if you want a quiet dinner where you can hear each other talk then I would come during the week night as we did last Thursday. Food however was excellent! As always. This time we tried the dessert. All that I can say is get the "Butta" cake. It is like a soft, warm moist pound cake slash Creme Brulee. Yes, the top layer of the cake has that crust where they caramelize the sugar as they do with Creme Brulee. It's heaven in your mouth! It will make you say eff that diet and eat me!!
So, after telling all of our friends at Sunday brunch just how good this place/dessert was we came last night just for dessert and wine! I love Sunday's!!
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
10/24/2009
First time to this quaint little area in Seal Beach recently originally to go to an artist closing… Read more »
This is the place to go to when you're craving a nice glass of Malbec or a Riesling. As far as the food selection goes, you are limited to few items and the dishes do not always taste right. But paired with a nice bottle of Malbec, pretty much anything on their menu will taste more than okay.
Don't forget to sample their desert selection. They have some amazing truffles from the Chuao Chocolatier down in San Diego. My favorite is the Firecracker that has chipotle and popping candy to give you the jolt you'll need after the nice oenologic experience you'll have at this wine cellar.
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Went here last Friday with my boyfriend's family for dinner based on a little research on everyone's favorite website. I actually really liked almost everything about this place. It's in a good location, definitely one of the hippest places in Seal Beach for sure, I liked my wine....of course. I had both the sauvs and liked them both equally, but I'm easy to please. For a wine bar, they didn't have as many choices for wine as I thought they would. I loved the decor and ambiance, it's like rustic meets romantic, lots of hard wood, candles and beautiful lighting. There is pub table seating as well as tables, this place is great for larger parties. They also have these gorgeous almost floor to ceiling windows that open completely out onto the street, which I must have when I design my non-existent/imaginary beach house. Though, the downside to that was we were eating just before sunset and the sun was in half our table's eyes, but I wasn't sitting on that side so whatevs, I kid.
The food was simple and delicious. For apps we got a flight of cheese which we chose ourselves and we're all creamy and delicious, and also a charcuterie flight. For that we chose the spicy salami, prosciutto, and a spanish pork, which was by far my favorite. For dinner I had the bbq pork sliders which were excellent and I would definitely order them again. My boyfriend got the panini with duck and I tried some and could have eaten every morsel. The best thing on my plate were the potato chips that were homemade and seasoned with spices and cheese. The prices on the apps were a little bit high at 15 dollars for a flight of three, but for the amount and tastiness of the food, I thought it was great.
I would definitely go back here again for a date night or to get apps and wine before going out. The only downsides to this place, I would say are:
1. The noise- We were with an 83 year old woman and I literally had to yell out what type of wine I was ordering. It was quite rowdy in there, had I been with a different crowd, I would have reveled in it. I would say this place is definitely for the 20-something/30-something crowd....
2. The service was a little bit slow, just a little bit, but enough to notice.
Other than that, try the deli mustard! Seriously, you will not regret it. Oh yeah, they make their own pickles...mmmm, pickles.
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Oh man, I was here last night to enjoy some more two for one flights, my friend ordered the wild mushroom panini with gruyere and truffle oil, it was so good, I'm pretty sure we came close to wrestling for the last bite. So ignore my previous statements about the food and order that! You can get it with some kind of beef, but trust me it doesnt need it.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
9/2/2009
I love how laid back this spot is. Granted I've only been there on weeknights, its a nice spot to… Read more »
Walked in after dinner, so didn't get a chance to try any food, but the atmosphere was great and our server Andy was really cool and knowledgeable. There was great eclectic music and a 30's something crowd. I like the large open windows and dim lighting. Next time we'll go back to eat.
Things I appreciate about a wine place:
-Good food
-Cheap prices
-Non-pretentiousness from the staff
Main Street Wine Cellar has various degrees of all three. Good food? Yeah - definitely here. You know I have the palate of a six-year-old...and any place that serves a good grilled cheese and tomato soup has won me over. And it's true, amongst the duck/fig/brie sandwiches, they serve a good old fashioned grilled cheese. Soooo delish.
Cheap? Well...not horribly overpriced, but good enough. $12 for soup & sandwich, $15 for a flight of three wines. A bit overpriced, but I can deal.
Non pretentiousness? Mostly. Although, maybe I should start going to wine joints with a giant "WINE IDIOT" stamp on my forehead. Because, when I ask how this wine is and you tell me it's like a Pinot Grigio but stronger...I'll just smile and nod, even though I have no fucking clue what you're talking about. But, even so...they were nice enough. But it does seem for a wine bar, this is what they're lacking in a bit
Overall, a great place with loads of room for groups for bday parties and such. I'll definitely be paying them another visit...as soon as I figure out what a stronger pinot grigio is...
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We were very suprised about how delicious the food was---start to finish! The husband and I went here for V-Day but ordered off the regular menu. Started w/ a cheese and meat dish and... wowwwww. We probably could have ordered another. Our entree consisted of a pot roast and chicken dish (forgot the names), but good Lord was I in heaven! I never thought I would have such a euphoric culinary experience, lol... especially in Southern California. We're definitely coming here again. And I would recommend this place to EVERYONE.
If Main Street Wine Celler were a prince, he defintely would have swept me off my feet! Haha. LOVE THIS PLACE!
...one more thing to add. The interior is gorgeous. Definitely sets the right mood... romantic and intimate.
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Went here on a Saturday night and got the last table available in the corner. It was pretty loud inside, but not too bad as the night wore on.
We had a red and a white flight in addition to a couple glasses of sparkling wine and a glass of cab. Overall, the tasting wine was not too impressive, but I would like to return to order a bottle and sample more of the yummy food.
We had the calamari with polenta (yummy), the short rib sliders (delicious), and the medium and firm cheese plate (kind of scrawny, but that fig jam it's served with saved it for sure).
The service is awesome as well. Our server was very friendly and personable. The owner came by and personally checked on us and made us feel welcome. We must have spent at least 2 hours there, but for about the same price of going out to a nice dinner and ordering a bottle of wine, we were able to enjoy ourselves more while sampling lots of food and wine in a more relaxed environment.
I highly recommend Main St. Wine Cellar and hope to return soon !!!
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Made a second visit over the weekend. The first time, we would have given it an overall 3- star (mostly due to wine flights and service). That was about a month ago. The second visit clearly shows that the place has hit its stride. Here are the plus and minus - although the plus clearly makes up for minus:
1. Tends to be rather loud. It's a combination of the physical layout, and the "beer crowd". This group lounges around the middle table and pour over into the side tables - sometimes sloshing beer on the patrons. We overheard one group sitting by us commenting on this, and indicating they probably won't be back. Minus 2-stars
2. Wine list won't qualify for any Wine Spectator awards at this time. Very limited - lacks depth and variety. Nothing particularly unusual. While owner appears knowledgeable, the servers are 'okay'. Definitely hired the servers to appeal to beer crowd (see above). Minus 2-stars
3. Food? Outstanding. The cheese selections are varied, the charcuterie well balanced, and they have a great house pickle. The cranberry bread served with the cheese is a nice contrast to many of the selections. "Justin" is the chef, and despite his youth, is doing some very interesting things - fennel sausage with house-made mustard, braised short-rib sliders, etc. Would like to see more variety - but, this is a wine bar, so maybe more finger-type food. Lack of seafood samplers - would love to see some house-smoked fish. Plus 5-star.
4. Surprising selections at very reasonable prices. Despite my earlier comment about lack of depth and variety, there are some hidden gems and surprises on the list - and at a bargain rate. The tastings scheduled here look interesting and prices are reasonable. Plus 5-star.
Overall, a wonderful addition to the Seal Beach dining scene.
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An ok selection of wines with some beers also. This palce has the best seating in all of Main street, huge windows that open to allow fresh air in. If the palce is crowed it can be very loud. The food is outstanding with a very creative menu. The one thing that is an absolute must have is the dynamite truffle. The service is not the best and not to knowledgable. The seating is old church pews, I guess, so you don't stay to long.
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Can't say I really liked this place. Granted, we only came for wine, but the selection seemed abysmally low for a wine bar. There's like 8 whites and 10 reds. Nothing all that interesting in the selection either. The thing I did like, however, is that you can get half glasses of wine and the decor and atmosphere is pretty nice. I like the wine bar at Mory's in Naples better though.
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My hubby and I believe in date nights once a week...yes we don't have children yet. We are huge wine drinkers so our date nights tend to revolve around wine bars. We have been wanting to come here for a while, and so last Friday night we ventured out. After enjoying a yummy dinner at 320 Main, we walked to this wine bar to have a drink and check out the wine list. We have two bad reviews:
1. Sad to say we were very disappointed with the wine selection. One of their 3 pinot noir's was Poppy - which is a disappointing wine if you've ever had it, and it retails for about $16/bottle. They were selling it for $12/glass! We couldn't believe how pricey the wines by the glass were, especially considering the less than average wine list. But we figured we finally came in here, and we were already seated at the bar, so we might as well order something. Which leads us to our next bad review...
2. The place wasn't hurting for business at 9pm on a Friday, but there were still several open tables. We decided to sit at the bar. The girl behind the bar asked if we were there for dinner or drinks, and we said drinks. She handed us wine menus, and walked away. My husband wanted to leave as soon as he saw the sad and overpriced wine selection, but I convinced him to give it a chance. We each found an overpriced glass we were willing to try, so we closed our wine menus - you know the classic "we're ready to order" sign. Our waitress came back a couple times, only to chat with the owner who was drinking a beer and holding up the fridge. Another waitress came behind the bar & poured wine for the threesome sitting next to us, and walked away. I just need to note, all three employees looked at us sitting there at some point, yet our orders were never taken. And they weren't busy. Perhaps they could tell we wouldn't like their wine? We're embarrassed to say we waited for 10 minutes before we got up and left. That's 10 minutes of our lives that we will never get back.
The reviews on here look great, but sadly we will never be going back.
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I have heard rave reviews about this place from a lot of Seal Beach locals, so I decided to drag a couple of friends there and check it out. We loved it and had a great time. Our server was knowledgable and friendly, helped us select a flight of reds & whites. One of our group is a beer drinker and was pleased with the selection. The cheese plates and charcuterie selections are fabulous. The atmosphere is a little loud but convivial, a great place to hang with friends in a stylish atmosphere. You could wear jeans or an evening dress and feel perfectly comfortable. Prices are reasonable. We will be back.
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I have been here on several occasions and have to say both the food and wine are excellent. The ambience is also nice -- especially when the windows are open. The wine selection is more limited than I would expect, but it does rotate. Try the braised beef sliders and chocolate sponge cake!
I heard about this place through a good friend of mine and when I happened to have a Friday night off, I thought it would be a great chance to try it out.
I wasn't aware however that there was a Christmas parade going on that evening, so parking was a bit challenging, but we finally made it after a little bit of a walk.
The decor was cute, it's a small place, and because of the parade that evening it was packed. My friend and I were able to grab two seats at a long table in the middle of the room though and were greeted by the server almost immediately. I had been told that the menu changes frequently so I wasn't alarmed that the menus we were handed were simple sheets of paper...however they accidentally gave me an old version of it so that slowed us down a bit.
The wine selection is excellent, and with all glasses being priced the same it gave us a great chance to try a bunch. I started off with a glass of malbec, which was delish!
We ordered a soft cheese flight and the hummus appetizer to eat, and i ordered a glass of the poppy pinot noir-the wine was fabulous, great medium bodied, sweet, and had a great finish. The cheese plate was also excellent, and was served with a seasonal cinnamon cranberry bread. Now, I'm not one who usually enjoys fruit in my bread, but when i spread some of the brie on it and paired it with the wine it won me over. The fruit completely complemented the cheese....great choice. The star of the meal though was by far the hummus. Three different types of hummus came out on a large platter, with crispy sourdough bread slices. The portions were huge, and they were fabulous. There was a spicy one that was my personal favorite, while my friend really enjoyed what I think was an artichoke hummus.
At this point, I had only two qualms with the place. The noise level--rediculously loud, we were practically yelling at each other, casual conversation was impossible. And the fact that they had only one bathroom-the line was 4 deep when I had to go!
As we were leaving though, we encountered a third. After leaving the server a more than generous tip on the cc slip, and slipping the busser a ten for being so sweet all night and bringing us extra bread when we ran out, I was suprised to see the server running after us as we left. I immediately thought we had left our card behind, so I checked, but I had it. She came running up to us and accused us of having taken both copies of the receipt. Now I know it is bad practice, but I rarely ever even take my copy-I usually just leave them both in the book once I have signed. I told her that I had left it there, and she argued with me saying that she had checked the book right when we left and that it wasn't there.
I can understand a server wanting their deserved tip, but I can't understand arguing with a guest this way. Never once did she just ask if we could go back and resign another copy, she just kept insisting that we had pocketed both copies.
I hope she felt as stupid as she looked when two minutes later her manager came walking up behind her and told her that he had found both copies of the reciepts on the ground and that they had fallen out of the book when she had picked it up off the table.
I had half a mind to scratch out the original tip and readjust it for the way she had spoken to me, but the four glasses of wine I had just consumed made me a little nicer than I probably would have been otherwise :)
The wine and food definately made my night though, and I went to bed tipsy and full-just the way I like it.
I will definately be back, next time I'll probably pay in cash though, so she can get what she deserves if she drops that on the ground!
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After hearing mixed reviews on this place, i figured me and my wife would try it out. needless to say i was not thrilled with the service, or the wine. not a huge selection of wine by the glass and the few bottles i was very familiar with were extremely over priced. it also seemed like our servers first night of work, he wasn't clear on the descriptions of food, and lacked serious wine knowledge. i will however say the food is why I'm writing this review. absolutely amazing. i will consider ordering take out sometime but i think that's where I'm drawing the line on this place. very unfortunate
went back few weeks ago.. still unimpressive, horrible service and wine. The food this time wasn't as good, took forever and was cold, portions were smaller. Such a shame, just because the place looks good, doesn't make it good.
Main Street Wine Cellar is a great addition to Main Street, and a huge improvement over its predecessor (actually, there's no comparison; its predecessor was a fake wine bar and this is a real one). We first noticed this place as we were walking off our meals from Beachwood BBQ, and we were immediately attracted to the big, open window, reminiscent of Old Vine Cafe in Costa Mesa. It was pretty late when we walked by, so they were already closed, but the owner did come out and talk to us and invited us to come back another time. After perusing their menu, it looked so delicious that we knew we would come back soon. Sure enough, we made this our lunch destination for the following Sunday. We sat in front of the window and got a great breeze (actually it was sort of chilly that day, but after the heat we'd been having, it was refreshing). The place has that laid back Seal Beach vibe and is not at all pretentious.
The wine selection by the glass is not terribly extensive (IMO), but it is varied, and all the wines can be ordered by the half glass ($5) or full glass ($8). There are also a few wine flights available. The bar has one of those vinotemp-style wine dispenser/coolers for the wines by the glass, as you might also have seen at Morry's. Wines by the bottle are also available, grouped by price range rather than region or style. (That arrangement is actually super annoying when you're looking for something in particular). There are a fair amount of affordable wines by the bottle, and comparatively fewer in the upper ranges. Overall the wine selection doesn't excite me too much, but there are some good ones in there if you dig for them.
The real star here, though, is the food, in my opinion. I would come here again and again to eat, regardless of the wine. The menu is excellent wine bar fare, consisting of appetizers, salads, soups, grilled sandwiches, cheese plates, and charcuterie. We started off with artichoke & goat cheese bruschetta and a beet & arugula salad with goat cheese. Both were beautiful to look at and delicious to eat. We followed this with a grilled sandwich with smoked duck breast, brie, fresh thyme, and fig spread. ZOMG. I certainly inhaled my half. I was really tempted to order their Main Street Grilled Cheese, which has 4 cheeses and comes with tomato soup, but I had to save room for charcuterie. So we finished up with a cheese flight and a charcuterie plate; for our charcuterie we chose the smoked duck breast (again, since it was so good in the sandwich), serrano ham, and saussison sec. Everything was so good, we polished all that off as well. We threw in a few chocolate truffles for dessert (I'm pretty sure they were from Chuao Chocolates, which we had seen on the Food Network). Our only complaint is we were in the mood for a burgandy, and they didn't have much in the way of French wines. But we made due with a cab franc, which did the job.
All in all, a very good experience, we'll be back soon.
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Wine selection is fantastic, tastings are priced right at $8 and glass size is generous. Food selection (recently expanded) is a nice addition and the chef throws together some amazing dishes, nothing too large or too heavy thus perfect when doing a few tastings. Always a great crowd.
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