Happy hour can mean many things in this town, from your standard $2 tacos and half-price drafts to special small plates at some of Bend’s finest restaurants. But of all the happy hours I’ve taken advantage of (and there have been a few) the one at the Wine Shop & Tasting Bar on NW Minnesota is perhaps most unique. Because it’s a shop, the setting is distinctly different from a bar or restaurant and, it turns out, a very nice alternative. On quieter days, this is the perfect spot for a nice glass of red with a book or a pre-dinner Belgian beer on special, but later in the week it can get lively. With high ceilings, dark red walls lined with paintings and racks of beautiful bottles, and clusters of festive patrons chatting around little black bar tables, it’d be easy to mistake the scene on a Saturday for a cocktail party or an art opening. The space, down to the long wide wooden bar that’s lower than normal and reminiscent of a rustic dining room table, really lends itself to socializing. Even the music, generally lounge-appropriate and at perfect background volume, enhances the mood. Adding to that, of course, is the ultimate menu for a wine-and-cheese affair-a long list of cheeses and charcuterie, great beer specials and over 40 wines, ports, sakes and champagnes available in tasting portions and by the glass. And the best part is that the party doesn’t have to end there. Because it’s a wine store first and foremost, you can buy a bottle or two of your favorites and keep it flowing wherever the night may take you.
What: The Wine Shop & Tasting Bar Happy Hour
When: 4:30-6:30 p.m., Tues.-Sat.
Where: 55 NW Minnesota Ave.
Specials: $1 off glass pours and sake cocktails; $2 PBRs, $2.75 selected imports and microbrews, and more.
Why: Happy hour doesn’t have to come with a bar stool.
This article appears in Mar 19-25, 2009.
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Second the recco. When the place is crowded (often), the owner, Melanie Betti, is all business, but on a quiet afternoon (more rarely), she’s great to talk to about wines, doing business downtown . . . and mainly wine.
The owner really know her stuff! When it come to all things beverage, Melanie is the best. I haven’t been to the Happy Hour, but I will make an effort to get there after reading this review.
Melanie, the owner, is amazing. She’s got one of the best palates ever, and she is totally unpretentious about it. You want good wine, at affordable pricing, not kidding, her bottles are cheaper than Newport and Fred Meyer most of the time, then go here. And, it never hurts to support your local downtown merchant.
My husband and I just love going here. We usually stop in for a couple of glasses before going to dinner. And, we’ve been known to stop in for a couple of more after dinner as well. 🙂 There is something always on the glass pour list for each of us.
you cannot beat the prices here. all i can say is during this economic downward spiral, it is nice to have a merchant that doesn’t gouge you. $3 imports and microbrews…c’mon, that’s incredible!
This place is great…always a great vibe, never a dull moment. And the beer selection is the best in town – Belgians, imports, microbrews.