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Categories: Specialty Food, Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
5764 E 2nd StMon. 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Tue-Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
"Thanks for a great night, David and Gina. I love the idea of tasting 5 wines in a certain family for just $10. The night we went we were…" read more »
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it's a very chill spot, great ambiance for a date or a small party.
I didn't get to explore the store section as much as I would've liked, but I did end up grabbing a white riesling, which I have yet to pop open.
It was my first time experiencing the "Back Room," and I was looking forward to checking out this hidden place, but the whole experience was sort of contradictory and odd.
We walked into this dark, trying to be lush, but oddly decorated backroom and sit on the sofas. The sommelier comes over and explains the wine policy (In case you don't know, they don't have the liquor licence to pull full glasses of wine, so you can get flights, buy a bottle there and drink it, or get half glasses). So we opted for a couple flights and a couple appetizers.
He did seem knowleagable about the wine and it was nice that each flight came with a little cheat sheet, and I wish more places did that since I always forget what I ordered with flights. The wine itself was only okay for my taste. Then the 2 cheese platter (we subbed a meat for cheese) and Caresse flat bead came out. The flat bread was amazing! I don't know how it got such a delicate taste.. was it a certain type of olive oil? Was it the mix of tomatoes? So the food and wine was fine.
However, at closer inspection and as more rowdy guests arrived, I realized that the ambiance was not that great. As previously stated, there was definitely an attempt to create a speakeasy or dark, lounge look .. so if this is the case, then:
Why is there a portrait of cowboy boots above my head?
Why is the carpet all torn up and looks more like the type of material one would find a rug from a Marriott hotel in the Caribbean made out of as opposed to being actual carpet?
Why is hokey, way too loud for that environment music blasting from an I POD docking station?
Furthermore, why is a drunk college student who is attempting to flirt by speaking Spanish with the sommelier allowed to hook up her own I PHONE to the docking station?
If all these questions did not arise, I would have given more stars and I would return; however, this is not the case. Good attempt, but fell short.
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Everything, everything, everything, everything..
In its right place
In its right place
In its right place
In its right place
I walk into this beautiful dimly lit tasting room to the beautiful voice of Thom Yorke. I sink into an over sized sofa and cuddled up with a flight of reds. For this moment, everything was in its right place and the bittersweet nightmare of my life of subsided for a few short moments. If I woke up sucking on a bitter lemon, Morry's finished my day with sweet grapes.
Go for the wine, soak in the atmosphere and enjoy the tranquility of Morry's of Naples.
People thought this was:
Very classy... even if you arrive right before closing time, they will serve you with pleasure... I love this place. I JUST WISH IT WAS OPEN LATER
Well, 3 years and still no call back about getting me my Mangrove Jack Shiraz. (sound familiar!?)
The last words from the owner and a member of his staff "We'll call you as soon as we find it or, if not we'll call you too"
Well, I've been 6 hair colors, skirts have gotten shorter, shorter, longer,longer and longer and I'm now on Social Security living with my Rucas in a board and care!
I did buy some nice Pinot Noir & Shiraz [another] case of sour grapes again!
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The service here was "nice-sucky".
You know, like when your server is a really nice friendly guy that you'd probably enjoy having a beer with, who manages to engage in a little too much friendly conversation, but for some godforsaken reason he neglects to take your order until the third go-around. He's so nice, you almost feel guilty about writing a bad review, but then you realize, "Hey, you got my wine order wrong" and "Hey, you never brought me my spinach artichoke dip!" and you think "Where did our server disappear to? We haven't seen him in half an hour!"
Nice-sucky service combined with a room packed with people and a slow-to-turn-on AC makes for a sweaty, hungry, cranky kind of evening at Morry's.
The backroom does have a warm (not just temperature-wise) atmosphere and the bathroom (at least the ladies room) has super cool decor. I also noticed that their "fondue" was kind of fake, really-- just melted cheese with a single candle under it. What happened to fondue with a real fire? Or an electric heating element, a la "Melting Pot", so it stays, ya know... melty?
Things were so uncomfortable that I can hardly remember the wine I had. I ordered the most inexpensive "half glass" of white for 4.50 which seems a little steep considering it's just a half glass. I'd probably give Morry's another shot, but they seriously need to work on improving the efficiency, and just general SKILL, of the waitstaff.
People thought this was:
There are many things I liked about my experience at Morry's, and some things that, well, could be considered possible improvements.
I should mention that the whole evening (which officially started at 4:30 for us) was a spontaneous move caused by a scheduling snafoo. Hubby and I thought we were headed to an affair in Centrury City...so, we got all dolled up and in the elevator when he realized that the event is actually NEXT THURSDAY!
We decided it would be tragic to let our beauty go to waste, so we decided to treat some lucky venue that could serve us some food and drink. That's when we landed at Morry's.
The backroom didn't open till 5, so we perused the merchandise - which seemed reasonably priced. I think we may have even found a cool martini shaker that doesn't become hermetically sealed in the process of chiling alcohol.
Eventually we made our way to the back room - Wow, it's dark in there....but, they were just getting set up and lighting candles was part of this process. Still, if you're getting older and have menu reading issues, bring your flashlight/magnifying glass (i think this is one of those "as seen on tv" products).
So, the biggest minus (mostly for my husband, who was impatient, distracted, way too observant and hot from wearing a full suit when its 80 degrees out) was that it took about 10 minutes for our order to be taken and served. Everyone was just very relaxed....
The second minus was the price. Kind of expensive. I will elaborate further on that in a minute.
The rest was great. The servers were friendly and knowledgable and could appreciate a joke (even at their expense). The wine flights were pretty good - the food was very good!! We had a tomato mozzerella fondue and some caprese flatbread.
The bathrooms were so neato! Obviously, I only went to the woman's restroom, but it was really nice and very artistically decorated. There was an antique organ in there for some reason. I coulda played a little tune while I tinkled, but it was not plugged in....much to my disappointment.
Anyway, we had 2 flights of wine, 3 beer tastings, and one half glass of wine - along with the food and it totalled $78. That's kind of a lot.
On our way out - the cashier complimented my husband on how nice he looked (what am I, chopped liver?) - so, that pretty much means he will be back.
I do plan on going back, tho, too. I NEED to try the other fondues and flatbreads!!
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I want to love Morry's, I really do. But there is one lingering issue I have experienced twice now that I just can't let go.
During the sipping wine bus tour, a lady that worked at Morry's was kind of sassy and somewhat condescending in her attitude/tone to us when we asked to buy a bottle for the road. I let that go as maybe we were a bunch of drunk wino fools. But what does she really care if we want to BUY a bottle of wine from her business?? They were only getting a portion of the fee we paid for the wine tour, why not add to that!? This valentine's day, my bf took me here for our evening dinner. It seemed perfect, dark, romantic and wine! For the most part it was great. The food was good and I had lots to drink. I wish they had offered more options with the wine though.
Here was my issue this time, while we were waiting for our reservation, we walked around the storefront. My bf talked it up with one of the male workers about beer and what not. He had his heart set on trying one of the beers when we got inside and seated. We were the first in the room, as we had an early reservation. There was only one other couple in the room when we were asked by our server what we wanted to start with. So the bf asked for the beer. The server said, sorry we are doing a limited menu tonight. So the bf accepted this after he asked "even though it is just us in here?" About 30 minutes later, we see a couple sitting across from us, and he gets a beer. We saw another couple with a bottle of wine (not listed on the menu).
So here is kind of what I think, whoever is the micromanager at Morry's needs to get a clue. If it means more business and better sales combined with a better experience, shouldn't you make your customer's happy? The storefront staff is super friendly and helpful but it seems like the backroom has an issue with being helpful.
Now, let me just say, our actual server was nice and cool but I have a feeling he was told nothing other than the menu items. So MicroManager at Morry's stop it.
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I am a little late on my review, but I was on the stop #2 on the big red bus Lisa V already… Read more »
I recently visited Morry's to partake their beer samplers they have on Thursdays in the back room. It consists of 6 different types of beer from local and imported breweries. I was surprised at how many local breweries there were that made some good beer. Coupling the beer with semi-soft cheese from a local cheese shop really brought out flavors that I never experienced. The bartender was informative and the wait staff were casual and cool.
The bar and area has a very intimate setting and the bathroom has an old typewriter! I got a quick laugh out of that and proceeded to enjoy the beer and cheese and artesan bread.
I've been to Morry's a handful of times - mostly for meeting a group of girl friends for a nice night out. (We love the wine flights)
Morry's back room just has a very cozy, loungy, candlelit vibe that is very conducive to conversation (granted, you're not there on some night with an obnoxious crowd). Sometimes it can get a bit loud, but most of the time it's very chill.
The wine choices are nice. (I'm no connoisseur, so I can't judge.)
The appetizers are fab.
And the atmosphere is perfect.
Nice wine house...lots of selections. However, they do not carry my coveted Prisoner wine. Such a shame.
They also stock premium Tequilas, beer, Whiskey, Cognac, Chest Hair Miracle Growth serum. The highlight was discovering the secret back room where wine tastings, happy hour and dinner is held! Nice plush couches, cozy lounge setting, and a bar to belly up and enjoy that nice glass of Pinot.
The staff is very attentive and helpful -- although we were recommended a pretty bunk bottle of Syrah, but I won't hold it against them.
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Last night I had one of the most enjoyable holiday evenings. Rather than brave the crowd at the Naples Boat parade, I brought a friend to "The Backroom" wine and cheese bar, tucked in the back of Morry's.
We indulged in the very very yummy artichoke and spinach dip, the mixed mushroom pizza (who else has a pizza with fresh figs and truffle oil?), and to top it off the deliciously decadent caramel fondue - served with fresh apples, dark chocolate shavings, and this marvelous concoction of crushed macadamia nuts and toasted coconut. It was all so very yummy. My friend enjoyed to different red wine flights, but I stuck to my favorite sparkling Gabzy.
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This review is for The Backroom at Morry's.
Went here for the first time last night with a friend & my boyfriend. I love the dark room & the cozy couches.
We tried the bubblicious wine flight, which was yummy. I especially liked the Rumball Sparkling Shiraz. I never even knew sparkling shiraz existed! Food is good, especially the flatbreads. I'll definitely go back to this place.
I give this place a 5 star because of the atmosphere. Its just perfect in every way (other than the fact that its in Long Beach). Great place for a date and the staff know what they are talking about as far as wine. I used to work here so of course...I love it! Great wines- and if you like them you can buy them in front.
Fantastic place to get a variety of nice wines in one night (via their flights), Christoper at the back bar was prepared when I asked him to delight a staunch red wine drinker with something in whites...pushing your own taste boundaries is easy here and the vibe is just right for friends or a romantic night out.
This place is historical, *and* beautiful. Their prices have just gone up a little bit, and some of the tastings are hit and miss, but the tasting room (the back room, they call it), is gorgeous, dimly lit, nice music, with super friendly wait staff. Highly recommended. This would get a perfect 5 if they had better tasting wines here. They also don't have a "full" wine and beer license, so you can't get a full glass of anything.
Stop #2 of our Long Beach Wine Tasting via the Big Red Bus
Whoops. I had a little too much fun as I switched around stop #2 and #3.
I have been to Morry's many times and I do like that they have an updated decor vs. when I first moved came in here. But with that, comes higher $. It was nice that they were the most informative with the wines served this afternoon, but it also came with some attitude. Kudos for having a female Master Sommelier though.
Not to say that you can't be a wine snob and be on a tasting tour like this one.........but let's be real. Let's dumb it down, people. This was like a booze cruise. We are not spitting out the wine, nor are we swirling and making tasting notes after each of the sips. This was social drinking 101. Period. And that's why the curly haired guy employee at Morry's.... you get 5 stars because you were keeping it real. Laughs, jokes and just making us feel welcome. I can only imagine what the snobby gals might have thought when the 4th tour came through here.... probably not pleased how sloshed everyone was!
But I am very glad that we have Morry's in Long Beach. They have great gifts beyond just wine and also have a great packaging if you are buying multiple bottles. I often do this for clients when they are coming into town. And as much as the back room is kinda cool, I do wish there were windows back there. It seems like a shady little room with naughty things happening back there.........but second thought - I guess that wouldn't be horrible either.
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I can now count my years as A.M. instead of A.D. After Morry's. I did it. I went. I haven't been able to convince a guy to take me to the Backroom there in the 3 years I have lived in Long Beach. One date took me to Nico's, which is right next door. I was so close! So, I convinced a group of chicas to get their wine on with me (which really is the easiest task in all the world).
I've wanted to go to Morry's Backroom since I heard it had a backroom. This was 2005 A.D. According to Christi's Calendar, it is currently 2008 A.M. Three years. Although, I'm sad to say it might not have been worth the wait. It makes me sad to even type those words as I'm so disappointed. I thought I would have found my new jewel of the Naples Nile, the place to where I would bring all my houseguests, out-of-town visitors and my new roommate.
"Blasphemy," I can hear both Naples neophytes and regulars screaming. But, everyone has their opinions, and here are mine.
The darkness or the room was a turn off. Now, I do appreciate a dim-lit wine cellar like the rest of 'em, but we - an adventurous, fun, spontaneous, pretty, smart (and humble) group - actually held hands in order to enter the dark dungeon.
One waitress. Eight of us. Zero other guests. Easy addition, right? 1+8=awesome, attentive service. Not in Morry's Math Class. Our waitress was trite, short, rude and acted as if we were inconveniencing her. She offered no elaborations on wine, no helpful suggestions on flights. Nada. Now, wine people can be uppity and snobby; sure, but most of them at least try to show off. She was a no-show.
Naively navigating the flight list, we had options of bubblies, whites, reds, desserts wines, beers, etc. Something for everyone - even the girl who only drinks wine so sweet she should save money and just drink grenadine.
I do have to admit, however, that I have yet to meet a chardonnay that I like, let alone love. I was brave and ordered the West Coast Tour that featured a chardonnay and two reds. Almost any wine can make my taste buds kiss each other simply because of the ingeniousness that is wine, but that feisty grape chardonnay causes a 1-round UFC fight on my tongue. Flowery, oaky, yucky. You might think I'm crazy, just as I think my mom is crazy for dissing the Cab. What?
I loved it. Yummy. I bought a bottle of the chardonnay. I'm a sucker for a good wine. But, I'm also a sucker for a good service, which I actually - call me crazy - sort of expect these days. Especially in a pricey place that prides itself on being knowledgeable. Share the wealth!
The flatbread wasn't worth the price, and for those who are unaccustomed to certain customs, wine prices here are by the 1/2 glass. So when you see $6, think $12. Get flights, they offer a nice, heavy-handed pour.
Small crowd for a Friday night, definitely not a singley-mingley type of place. Good for a group since our own friends usually provide the best ambience.
Oh, and right now on http://www.morrysofnap..., you can join their cyberspace community and receive a $20 coupon on $50 or more. Besides my chardonnay, that was my second favorite thing of the night.
The three stars are for the 3 stars of my flight. i enjoyed them all.
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This place is a solid 3 stars. It would have gotten 4 if they didn't have to close so early. 10 pm on a Friday night??! Really?? I know it's because of city permits and stuff but that's really what bums out a girl who loves her wine!
Despite the hours, it's a cute wine store in the front and a surprisingly spacious tasting room/bar in the back. You have a variety of seating options: comfy couches, bar stools, and squishy ottomans. They, of course, have a decent selection of tasting flights to choose from and their apps looked tasty. I would have totally ordered 2 or 3 if I hadn't already eaten dinner. Maybe I should have tried their gelato.
This place is essentially an upscale liquor store with an awesome wine tasting room in the back. The store out front is not huge but has a decent selection of wines beers and hard liquor. They have a nice selection of European beers, especially from Belgium and Germany. It is a little pricey, but they do have some hard to find stuff, so I picked up a couple of different beers to try while I was there.
The tasting room is just out of this world. It's dimly lit with couch and coffee tables. No loud music, just a great place to sip wine and talk. They offer little trays of 4 or 5 samples. They are themed, like Italian (this is what I tried), Cabernet's, etc. There were 3 of us and we each got a different themed sample tray, and shared.
All of the wines were good, but nothing really stood out. We also ordered an appetizer, some tapenade and crackers. The tapenade was excellent!
The one downside to this place is parking, there just isn't much around.
We all enjoyed ourselves and would definitely go back.
hung out in the backroom for a college friend's birthday party. great low key wine bar to share wine and appetizers with friends.
i also liked that we were able to start the night here and then walk to crow's cocktail just down the street for some harder booze and a true bar crowd.
This place was much better when it was dumpier. Weird, I know, but true. I was a loyal customer (starting in 2001, lasting all the way up until the "make-over"). When they went under construction, the vibe changed. For the worse.
Since the renovation, I've been in a handful of times. It looks gorgeous (they've created a harem-style backroom), but let me tell you, they've imported the attitude from L.A. without the quality of wine or food to back it up.
For starters, the waitstaff are generally uninformed, snotty, and don't communicate with the front of the house (hello! If you offer a tasting, you ought to know if you carry the freakin' wines!!!).
Otherwise, you order decent food at outrageous prices. Like $2 for a tiny morsel of chocolate. And I mean TINY!!! I mean, a crumble of chocolate.
I'm not afraid to spend money on good food, good wine, and good times, but this place really needs to step it up. I was there last Thursday for the beer tasting, and it was pricey (15 bucks for six pathetic tastings) and the waitress was bitchy and clueless. She didn't even know they were serving tacos when that was clearly advertised on the flyer for beer tasting. And the bartender seemed to know all about it, so what was her excuse? I'm too bitchy???
C'mon, people. Try a little harder. You've got a lot of competition in Long Beach, so quit trying to be so L.A. One of the reasons we all love Long Beach so much is precisely because it isn't L.A.
Just work on good manners, good food, good prices, and good information between the front and back of the house. Is that so hard?
Personally, I'd prefer to give my cash to Wine Country or Vin de Pays, or a host of other wine bars in the area.
Morry's, you cleaned up the place, but you lost some good staff and loyal customers.
Update: 9/20/07
When I first reread this review, I thought, "Gosh, was I ranting or what?" But it still holds, because you know what?, Morry's is pulling the plug on Limerick's. They own the lease on that building and aren't going to renew. I guess they're going to let some relative do whatever he thinks is Irish to an already established Irish pub. Judging from what they've done to the beer room next door, it ain't going to be authentic, cozy, or remotely appealing to a beer crowd. Morry's, you officially have pissed me off. Ban on you! NO STARS.
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3 stars for the wine shop, 5 stars for the wine bar. I don't really do my wine shopping here; not quite enough selection for my taste. The wine bar, however, is a fantastic addition. The food is top notch. I have scoured the local restaurants for a good medium rare filet mignon, and this has been the BEST (that includes Sir Winston's at the Queen Mary, 555 East, etc.). It can get a bit noisy in the bar when it's crowded, but other than that it's a very classy atmosphere. The staff is very knowledgeable and attentive. Everything we've tried on the menu has been quite good, and the wine selection is usually interesting. Only real complaint is they no longer let you bring outside wine and pay corkage; all wines must be bought on premises. They have several selection of wine flights if you just want to do wine tasting.
--Update 11/25/06--
Unfortunately they no longer serve dinner at the wine bar. The new wine bar is now called "The Backroom" and serves small dishes (cheese, charcuterie, etc.) and desserts. Pity, as I miss their filet mignon.
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My review is for The Backroom at Morry's.
It's the wine bar hidden inside the liquor store. The bartender and servers are great! They're really knowledgeable in helping you decide on the well known wines or new labels. If you don't like it, they recommend something else. So you're not stuck on a bad choice! The appetizers are delicious but pricey. The decor is washed in warm colors to entice you to relax and enjoy good wine with friends. Great place to go after work or first date! ;-)
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All I can ask is "what the hell is happening to their menu?"
Last year we had one of the best meals of our lives at the Backroom. the entrees rivaled any 4 star restaurant in the OC/LA area. The steak was cooked to perfection and the presentation was clean and sophisticated. The pairings were exceptional and the dessert was well thought out.
Earlier this year we made a point to go to the back room and they drastically changed the menu. they reduced the menu to mostly appetizers, sandwiches, salads and truffles for dessert. It was still good but it didn't knock me out. Then i noticed that the staff seemed a bit "snotty" I had asked about a Pear & Lavender Vodka and they had never heard of anything like that and gave me that look like "what back alley ghetto drink are you talking about" They seemed a little more miffed when I mentioned that I purchased this vodka at Bristol Farms. They said that none of our brands of vodka has that flavor. Come to find that one of their brands, "Modern Spirits" is the exact same company that makes "Pear & Lavender" vodka.
Last night, we visited the back room and the menu was basically relegated to cheeses, & salami. For dessert, they served what seemed like chocolate toll house cookies, 2 truffles, a 7 blue berries, 2 thin apple slices and 5 grapes. It's still a cool look place to hang out for a night cap but don't go there hungry or expect great customer service.
People thought this was:
Have been twice now and love the back room. The discovery aspect of it alone is worth the trip. I had no idea it existed. I was meeting a friend and you enter through the liquor store and find yourself in this great back room that is dimly lit and surprisingly large.
The wine we had was great. We sat at the bar and the bartenders were nice and knowledgeable. We had the cheese and meet plates and they were delicious and the cheese was served at the proper room temperature and with great care.
They do flights of wine and beer on designated nights (haven't done this yet, but sounds great). My one gripe is that I was there one night when someone was running a wine tasting for a very large group and they were all wonderful, but the leader was so loud and obnoxious I almost thought he was kidding - but it ended shortly after we got there, so all was good.
It is pricey though so keep that in mind - but you must try this place.
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So I haven't Yelped about Morry's cuz I actually thought I already had! Sheesh--please excuse my 'senior' moment. (present and future)
I can't review 'The Backroom' because I have yet to partake, but I can Yelp about the 'liquor' store. (albeit an upscale liquor store) If you're looking for a wide variety of top shelf liquor, then this is the place. They've got brands seldom carried in most liquor stores and staff that are always willing to help you select something. They have a pretty decent selection of wine and beer, as well as cool gift ideas for your alcoholic pals.....but be sure to bring some cash-o-la cuz this place isn't cheap! Also, if you're ghetto (like me) and looking for a 40oz or some Jack Daniels, they won't have it.
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I love the back room at Morry's. It has dim lighting and big comfortable couches and pillows. They have a unique selection of beer and wine. They could increase the selection of champagne. They also serve cheese platters and chocolate truffles.
It has a relaxed, non-pretentious ambiance with good music. The servers are nice, but not the brightest. My friend put one of their lovely bread bowls on her head and our server didn't even notice - seriously :P
I wish they stayed open later than 10 pm, but where else can you go where they have a piano in the ladies restroom?!
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I've noticed that I tend to go on and on and on with most reviews so I will keep this one short and sweet. Enjoying an evening of wines can be expensive and intimidating, especially to those of us who aren't connoisseurs. Morry's can be a little pricey but it is NOT intimidating. The wines range from about 7 dollars a glass to 25+ so there are more than enough "value" choices. At the time (4-7-07) there was only one merlot and one reisling on the menu.
The lighting is nice for a date (maybe not a blind date -_-;;) and the glassware is freaking gorgeous! Our gay pal was quite tempted to purchase a set before we even got our wine. As for service, I must say that I am impressed. Our wine mistress was not only funny and informative but HONEST about all the wines we asked for. Great wines, great service, nice decor. We had already eaten dinner so we didn't try the cheese or chocolates. My pals and I are setting up an actual tasting for our next visit.
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Excellent all around. Tuesday nights are fabulous bargain evenings for all flight wines. Which means you get a huge variety for bang of the buck. Quite fantastic paired w/their assorted cheeses platter though a little skimpy on the servings.
Staff, stock & menu provided friendly, creative, detailed education for savoring selections to clueless connosieur-wannabe like me. ; )
My gfs & I enjoyed a subtle yet delightful time. Server was lovely (congrats on your impending wedding girl!) More friendliness came from the young hip proprietor & her other cool wine-mates.
We all are definitely coming back--let's just hope they won't get sick of our faces. jk. They're too super nice to tell us that anyhow. =D
Worth checking out: elegant charming but not stuffy notorious Backroom. See their website for details.
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**Please note that this review is specifically for the Backroom (wine bar), not the store.**
My friend wanted to have a small gathering here for her birthday last month, and I offered to set everything up. The employees seemed very helpful and were prompt with organizing everything. But when it came time to pay the bill, I was less than thrilled.
But let me start at the beginning. I arrived before everyone else and wandered into the back area (which I had never seen before). The Backroom was pitch black upon entering (it took about 20 minutes for my eyes to adjust to the dimly lit area), but from what I could see it looked very loungy and swanky. They had set up an area for us with wine glasses, plates, napkins, and silverware. The atmosphere was great (besides being too dark), with plush couches and antique-looking furniture. The bathrooms are also very cool--there's an antique organ in the women's bathroom and (I'm told) an antique typewriter in the men's. Both pieces are cleverly placed directly next to the toilet, which made for a few interesting pictures. (No, I was not taking pictures of myself on the toilet, haha--I just mean that I found the setup to be a good photo opportunity.)
Anyway, everyone arrived and we had to tell the "sommlier" (if you can call him that--all he did was pour the wine and say a sentence about each, which easily could have been read from the label of the bottle) that we were ready to start. We had also ordered a cheese plate ($90 for a few piles of cheese with some grapes and blackberries), and when he brought it out, we asked what kinds of cheeses were present. He hesitated and then pointed to a section and said, "I think that's cheddar." When we looked at him awkwardly, he offered to get the "cheese expert," who informed us that it wasn't cheddar but parmesan in block form. Now I love pretty much every kind of cheese (except swiss), but the sheer absence of cheddar was shocking to me. There was a great bleu cheese, some brie-like cheese, and another type (can't recall the name) that was quite tasty, but the majority of the platter was the block parmesan, which wasn't that great and certainly didn't deserve to take up 2/3 of the platter!
Anyway, for $20 a person we each got 2 whites and 2 reds, so he started us with a nice champagne (mind you, he didn't fill each glass all the way). The next white, however, was simply awful and very bitter. Of course he left us the remainder of the bottle for this one. But being the seasoned drinkers that we are, we finished it even though no one really cared for it. Next was a red that everyone liked, followed by another red that was so-so. And that was it. We scarfed down most of the cheese and took the rest in a to-go box, and then it was time to pay.
I noticed that the bill was $100 more than I was quoted, so I questioned it and was told that there was a hundred-dollar "wine expert fee." WHAT??? Wine expert fee? If I had known about this hogwash (the lady who gave me the estimate NEVER mentioned this), we would have never followed through with the event. I did all I could not to laugh in the guy's face (after all, like I mentioned earlier, all he did was mumble a sentence about the tannins before pouring and walking away) and told him that I was never made aware of this. After a bit of back and forth, he kindly told me he would remove the fee, which was greatly appreciated.
I was still incredibly annoyed, though. Who in their right mind would pay $100 to have someone read a wine label for you and mislead you as to what type of cheese you're eating? (Come to think of it, who in their right mind would pay $90 for a plate of cheese?)
To sum up, the atmosphere is great and we had fun, but we paid far too much for what we got. Morry's needs to hire few REAL wine experts if they're going to expect people to pay this extravagantly.
People thought this was:
Can you be more pretentious? I just wanted to buy a couple of nice bottles of wine to take to an engagement party in the neighborhood. No one even acknowledged me. I had a question about a specific food pairing and they looked at me like I had three heads. Now I know that I've got more than one chin, but not three heads. After no help, I just walked out and went to the BevMo over the bridge, where they were more than happy to answer my questions. And accept my money for the items I purchased.Too bad I wasted my time at Morry's.At least NOW I know better.
People thought this was:
I like both the store portion of Morry's and also the Backroom. We came here last St. Patrick's Day when we found 2nd Street to be a nightmare. I've been here a few times. Great place to try new wines and the wine flights are very nice. I haven't "loved" all the wines on the wine flights I've tried, but they were all interesting. The bar staff are usually quite friendly even though it seems challenging to get in and out of the bar, they have to duck down and go under the bar. Not fun. If you sit on one of the couches, they are very comfortable and it's a really smooth, relaxing atmosphere, upscale. They don't have a full bar but do have wine, champagne, beer and also Soju cocktails. The prices are a little high but the quality of the wines is usually quite good. The food/appetizer menu here is fairly limited, but I love their Marcona almonds appetizer. A cool place to mellow out for a few drinks. It's not a really big place but they do seem to be able to accomodate larger parties if reserved in advance. I prefer sitting at the bar. The shop is nice, they have some nice sparkling wine, champagne, and prosecco selections as well as some Limoncello I wouldn't mind checking out. Great wine selection. The bathroom here is really nice and large but quite dark! The one downside to Morry's in general is the extreme lack of parking. You are almost forced to valet because there is usually nothing available on the street and trying to park in the surrounding Naples neighborhood is usually impossible and quite frustrating.
People thought this was:
Sophistication without pretention -- that's Morry's backroom. The dark, lounge atmosphere and the fun of discovering new wines and beer make this a place I can go back to again and again. It's fun with friends or on a date.
The backroom is open from 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. On Tuesdays they have $10 wine tastings in which you can select from a flight (4 wines) of white or red. Tuesdays are $15 beer tastings, which is a great deal if you have a low tolerance like me (of late at least) because after five generous samples of strong beer (some are 10% alcohol, although the average is around 6%), I'm ready to curl up and nap on the comfy couches strewn with pillows around the room.
The "beer guy" picks different beers each week and you can ask him all about them because he's usually working behind the bar. In fact, a good tip is to get there before 8 p.m. so you can get a seat at the bar and also aren't rushing through your samples. My first time there, my roommate and I sat at a table and the waitress was so busy we were waiting with empty glasses for our next beer. I really liked one of the beers we tried that night, a Belgian Amber ale called Rare Vos, so I bought a bottle ($6 for a 25-ounce bottle).
The only reason I didn't give Morry's five stars is their limited menu of mainly appetizers. The artichoke tapenade and crostini is tasty although not enough to fill you up if you're hungry. They also have $25 cheese plates, olives and truffles. Eat before you go.
Sparky and I have been to the back room quite a bit. We find it a nice and quiet place to relax and enjoy drinks and a small bite. The consistently changing selection of wines by the glass and unique beer keep my husband and I busy trying new things. While the wait staff may not be the most knowledgeable they're friendly and attentive. The bartender on the other hand is well versed in the world of beer and wine and has offered up great suggestions. We have not sampled much of the food menu but always enjoy a cheese plate which is served with moderate portions and plenty of accompaniments. Parking can be difficult so we would recommend going a little early.
People thought this was:
wow. that back room sure looks swank! it's been a few years since I've been to this store but back then, I went into a back room that was a fridge with carpet and couches and had a wonderful hour or so tasting and learning about various beers.
this store is phenomenal.
well worth the trip across town.
such knowledgeable and friendly staff. such an impressive stock of wine and beer and this was the only place I could find shochu in Long Beach.
I'm absolutely due for a refresher.
People thought this was:
Quite a selection of wines for one place. I wouldn't go here for myself, but it's a great place for that last minute gift you forgot to get for your mother.
People thought this was:
I will update this review once I'd had the pleasure of experiencing the back room (I sneaked a peek on a sunday when the room is closed), but at first glance, Morry's carries some of my favorite Oregon vineyards, and as an Oregonian who loves her wine, I say this warrants a 5-star rating. Well done, Morry's. I may be biased, but if you're going to have biases, they might as well be for great wine, right?
Loved it!! This is how wine was meant to be tasted. The bottles for sale are a bit pricey, but the tastings on Tuesdays and the incredible service is well worth your $$$$. They have an extensive tasting menu and they were all wonderful. One of my favs in LB!
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Huntington Beach, CA
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Huntington Beach, CA
Long Beach, CA
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Long Beach, CA
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Signal Hill, CA
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Long Beach, CA
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