Bodega Wine Bar

I first discovered Bodega Wine Bar during a networking event a few months back and I've been telling al my friends about it ever since. One of the things I liked about it was the ambiance and the environment of the place. It is a great place to go with a small group of friends or even to take your date. During the event we ordered their sangria, which was surprisingly delicious and refreshing. I'm not a heavy drinker and it was the perfect thing to sip on the entire night. The food was not memorable, but it wasn't bad. While we only ordered a few appetizers and finger food, it went nicely with our drinks and made for a great night out. Be careful with parking in the area, there are signs everywhere and finding a spot may take some circling around, but it is definitely worth it in the end.

Sometimes you want to class it up a bit. Bodega Wine Bar is a good place to do that. Their food is immaculate and their assortment of wine is quite impressive. I’m all about the sweet wine. If you are as well, I would recommend the Villa Alena and Il Conti D’Alba. I would also recommend their homemade hummus, which you can get as a group. They have daily happy hour specials. Definitely a great place to come and unwind after a long day! However, later in the night the vibe changes a bit, more of a mingling lounge feel.

I went here recently with a friend to try out a new spot. I liked the layout of the place and they had a nice selection of wine. We found it to have more of a lounge - nightclub feel just more approachable since you are in Santa Monica. The decor is well spaced, not over done and upscale contemporary. The service was prompt and friendly not pretentious or over-stressed like a Hollywood club. I recommend it for groups of friends, birthday parties, or hang out during an evening. We were there earlier so there was no one dancing quite yet. I am sure after a few glasses of wine people have no problem doing so. The music was a good mix of lounge - house - pop from what I recall, not bad. All in all it was a fun spot to hang out and have drinks with friends.

Something about Bodega Wine Bar perplexes me. When I first went inside the venue, it really looked like a wine bar trying to be a nightclub. Maybe it’s because of the really loud music being played by the DJ. I just think this venue is struggling to have an identity and just stick with it. Wine bar? Nightclub? Wine nightclub? C’mon! There’s beauty in simplicity. However, there are some good aspects about this wine bar. First is the wine. Bodega Wine Bar has a really good selection of red and white wine. Their appetizers are delicious as well. Their food and wine menu delights my adventurous and spoiled palate and doesn’t burn a whole through my wallet. The interior is very cool, modern and trendy, which attracts a lot of young people to it. The crowd consists of young locals living in Santa Monica who think Bodega Wine Bar is the most popular wine bar destination in Santa Monica. I beg to differ. What I don’t like is their loud music. If the DJ only played background music instead of loud house or Top 40 music, I would like this venue more and it would make sense to me. Loud music is annoying when it’s being played while I’m chatting with my friends over a glass of wine and appetizers. If I want to hear loud music I can dance to, I go to a nightclub, not a wine bar. Other than the loud music, Bodega Wine Bar is an enjoyable spot for the youth. However, if you think the loud music will annoy you, I suggest you go to the best kept secret in Santa Monica: Wine Expo. Behind this interesting liquor store is a small, private and cozy restaurant where you’ll be amazed by their wine and appetizer selection.

Bodega Wine bar is strange. When one typically thinks of wine bars, one does not usually think of drunk s***show dancing spots. But come here on a Friday or Saturday night and you have groups of girls and guys downing wine, dancing up a storm to the DJ and simply getting blotto. As you walk in, the first thing you notice is how enormous the room is. The bar is on the right and throughout the venue are great nooks for groups or dates to sit and drink and flirt. Throughout the middle are communal hightop tables, also good for drinking and flirting. The crowd is mostly 20-somethings, another sign of an a-typical wine bar. But if you know what you're getting yourself into, Bodega is one of the best and only wine bars in LA where letting loose and getting wild is strongly encouraged.

I am not a wine connoisseur but I hang out with people who are and they love Bodega Wine Bar so when I feel like dusting off my alligator shoes I head over there for a bottle of fermented grapes. Good looking and laid back crowd with a knowledgeable wait staff make for a great place to meet friends, a date, friends on a date or a place to unwind after work. Feel like having a bite of food? Don't be shy. Some fantastic culinary delights await you while having a drink. And if you need a place to recover afterwards and soak up the wine, Swingers Cafe is just a wish away!

Bodega is a good spot if you're looking for a classy, low key place to hang with a group. Dress up if you'd like, but it's not really necessary. Depending on the evening, parking can be a bit annoying - it's all street parking in Santa Monica which is generally a nightmare. You can sit at the bar, high tables close to the bar, or the semi-private lounge areas on the perimeter of Bodega (ideal for groups). Bodega Wine Bar is a great first date spot, or a first stop en route to something else on the Westside. If you do choose to spend your entire evening at Bodega, you'll have a great time. Just be aware that the more wine you drink, the more small plates you want - and it all adds up there pretty quickly.