Vintage Wine Bar & Bistro - Tria

[sweetsatingirl]

Wine bars have been popping up in Philadelphia. I have been to two of them - Vintage and Tria. I prefer Vintage, mainly because it isnt as pretentious as Tria. Also, the wine list at Vintage considerably more accesisble. The only critique I really have of Vintage is about one of its waiters - the male waiter with glasses. He is such a snot every time we are there. I am not sure if its me/us or if he is just that way in general. I stop by fairly frequently, and my friend Susan and I are starting to make a TGIF out of it.  The last two times that we went I felt considerably rushed. I ran into my friend Don (used to teach at Temple) and he decided to join us. As we were done eating, Don had to leave so we asked for the check. Susan and I were going to stay a bit longer and possibly order another glass of wine. So, we paid the check, Don goes to leave, the snotty waiter returns and I ask if its ok if we stay.....and he makes this face like "Well I would really really like to turn this table over." Mind you we had just spent over $100 between the three of us. He gets fairly irritated with me when I sit there and just have a glass or two of wine, while not ordering something from the menu.

I hope that th is info is useful....to someone! :-)

Vintage
129 S 13th St (Cross Street: Sansom Street)
Philadelphia, PA 19107 View Map
(215) 922-3095

Editorial Review - Embrace your inner oenophile at this casual wine bar.

New favorite bar

Posted by ajt141 on 10/04/2006
Don't pay attention to people who complain about the service...The service is beyond excellent. The food is brilliant. I'm fast becoming a proud regular at Vintage. I like it better than Tria, mainly because it's not the Rittenhouse crowd and it's soooo spacious. They also have a bigger food selection. The Ahi Tuna app with a ginger-citrus reduction made my eyes roll back into my head. I highly suggest it. Jen and Jason, the bartenders, are some of the friendliest, most approachable in the city. I'm very happy Philadelphia has this new gem!

• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

Good food and wine, but 25 percent tax?

Posted by organdonor on 09/30/2006
We had a great time at Vintage last night. Good food, good wine, but perhaps our male waiter (the one with glasses) didn't think we ordered enough, so he presented us a bill for $40 for the food and drink and tax of $12. At first we thought it was a simple mistake, but perhaps he added a 20 percent tip to the $3.50 in tax, in hopes that we would tip on top of that. We brought the mistake to the hostess' attention and she promptly fixed it. I'm not really sure how tax can be inflated. I can understand if a food or drink item was incorrectly listed, but how can tax go from $3.50 to $12 on a bill? The waiter didn't even acknowledge the mistake, so we think he did it on purpose. He had tried to upsell us throughout the evening, as a good waiter should, but he seemed annoyed that we didn't order appetizers, telling us that our entrees would take a while. So...it could have been a mistake, it could have been padding the bill. If you go, check your bill carefully!

• Pros: It's Tria with substantial food
• Cons: Spotty service
• Overall user rating: Average

Try the Vintage Burger....

Posted by capri817 on 09/26/2006
This is such a great bar/lounge amongst all the pubs in the neighborhood. It's classy but not pretentious. My boyfriend and I love to go there for happy hour (5-7pm). It has the best deals- $3 house wine and $2 lagers. It's also a perfect date place during the weeknights b/c it's quite. The vintage burger is amazing for $11 (the last time I was there about a few weeks ago)! Go there for happy hour and sit by the window. It's a great place for people watching.

• Pros: Happy hour, good food, relaxing
• Cons: not good for a large group
• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

Chill for hours

Posted by thunderground on 09/21/2006
The funky yet refined interior at Vintage is interesting enough to keep you peeping around yet subtle enough to lull you into that state of chill where you look at your watch and say, "it's WHAT time already?". Once you look, at that watch, you should decide it's dinnertime because Vintage has food/wine pairing choices unrivaled in the city. While the menu is not terribly extensive, it does go beyond the old cheese platter and what it lacks in number of choices it more than makes up for in suitability. The hostess/owner was very helpful taking this beginner (yours truly) through something she thought appropriate according to my tastes and the wine I had been drinking since I'd strolled in 2 hours before. All in all, service was fluid, the food turned out to be great, and I didn't have to seek out an ATM halfway through the night to pay for the rest. I would highly recommend this excellent new addition to this excellent new (and recently de-ghettoed) neighborhood. Thanks to the staff and chef.

• Pros: Expert Wine & Food Pairings, Ambience, Knowledgeable Staff
• Cons: not open for lunch. I like drinking the DAYS away too, guys.
• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

Best wine and food in the city!!

Posted by insiderestau on 09/01/2006
I've been to Vintage so many times it is hard to keep track. Great ambiance, great wine and beer selection and the food is better than most. Last week I had one of their specials...a grilled hanger steak topped with foie gras mousse (sp?) and sauteed vegetables...it was amazing. This place is so comfortable it's easy to sit for hours.

• Pros: Ambience, wine, food and lack of idiots
• Cons: Not open for lunch
• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

Great place for a before dinner drink

Posted by rachel19144 on 08/30/2006
While I did not order food here (we went down the street to Valanni for that) I really enjoyed my visit. My husband and I sat at the bar, where we ordered the "flight" (a three glass sampler of different chardonnays for $15) to share. The bartender was friendly, asking us if we enjoyed the wines, which was our favorite, etc. We will definitely go back, and may even get around to ordering food!

• Pros: Friendly bartender
• Cons: Too many choices!
• Overall user rating: Recommended

NICE WINE, POOR SERVICE

Posted by bobbyoshea on 08/26/2006
The bar is well layed out and the room is beautifully decorated. The selection of wine available was extensive although actually getting a drink was not so easy a task. The French bar maid seemed too occupied with her friends to be bothered with seving others or maybe it was her own consumption that left us ignored. I got the impression that the bar was opened more as a hang out for their friends to drink rather than serve the public. She also treated us with a snotty and huffy attitude maybe because we were distrubing her social life. Once the food actually arrived, it was good but again, had trouble with waiting even though it seemed like a slow night. Maybe they should make it a BYOB so that diners can actually have wine with dinner.

• Pros: wine list
• Cons: server
• Overall user rating: Recommended

Great wine, horrible service

Posted by rlf24 on 08/08/2006
The wine was fabulous however I might have drank more of it if the bartender would have actually come to serve me. Being in the restaurant service myself it was a disgrace how she avoided the customers at her bar because she was too busy drinking and socializing with some other customers at the other end of the bar. Even when she delivered the Olive plate that we ordered, which took over a half hour, she stated 'don't ask me which ones are which I don't know'. Very unprofessional! It's a shame because the atmosphere and wine were delightful. I would not recommend.

• Pros: Great wine
• Cons: Service
• Overall user rating: Not Recommended

Disappointed with Service

Posted by ba02138 on 08/07/2006
It wasn't the cuisine or the great wine list - it was the disappointment with the complete lack of service. The bartender - was also enjoying a few glasses of wine while she served others, so that could have been part of the lack of attention to customers. I went with a group of friends on a Monday evening simply to check out the place and enjoy a nice glass of wine. We decided to sit at the bar. The bartender got to us twenty minutes after we sat at her bar. Our food, a plate of olives took 40 minutes. We thought that perhaps they flew to Spain, Italy and Greece to hand pick the olives - realistically not the case. The mere fact that the bartender was drinking and not attending to guests, was a shame. It's a lovely atmostphere - ut wit that kind of service - I"ll not return. Why waste time in a place that doesn't want your business when there are plenty of bars in town that do indeed want business. My group of friends an I will opt out and go elsewhere when looking for a great glass of wine. We'll be at Amada.

• Pros: Atmosphere
• Cons: The Service
• Overall user rating: Recommended

a good place to start or end a great night

Posted by santamaria on 06/27/2006
I've been to vintage at 8pm and at 1am and each time has its charms. The mixed dinner crowd of pre-theater diners and young things in for some fuel for the rest of the night makes for a pleasant ambiance. The co-owners seem to be everywhere attending to everything - but the main thing to take from that is that they are THERE and that the place is THEIRS. So you can bet on consistent excellence. The owners and servers alike are knowledgable about every wine and food item carried. Lastly, the place has been fitted out with an eye to those who have learned to appreciate good wine accompanied by good food in a younger, hipper way than many will be used to. All in all an excellent experience, time and again.

• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

Good for wine-os!

Posted by feistysammie on 06/19/2006
Vintage is a hidden gem. Though the menu is quite small and does not contain many dinner items (mostly cheese dishes and appetizers), the wine is great, the service is friendly, and the atmosphere is artfully done!

• Pros: Excellent wine choice!
• Overall user rating: Recommended

Tria
123 S 18th St
Philadelphia, PA 19103View Map
(215) 972-8742

Editorial Review - Enjoy Belgian ales and German beers at this paper latern-lit upscale cafe in the neighborhood of Rittenhouse Square.

avoid weekends - poor service, snooty managers, too crowded

Posted by txhoya on 09/09/2006
this place has a tendency to get VERY crowded and is not a good place for a large group to meet. the liquor selection is good and the ambiance is worth a try for a swanky couple's night out. however, this place is terrible for groups > 4 people, due to its narrow size. case-in-point, a bunch of us (approx 20) went to this wine bar and after a few hours were refused service from the waiters, as the bar was too crowded. never in my life have i experienced that phenomenom. un-freakin-believable. don't waste your time here.

• Overall user rating: Not Recommended

Highlight of our trip to Philadelphia!

Posted by llatorre on 04/14/2006
We stumbled upon Tria on our recent trip to Philadelphia when we were out wandering around. The food and wine list were great and the server helpful, friendly and warm. We had two servers (one in training) and she spent a lot of time with us, going over our map pointing out other spots we would enjoy. I wanted to pack up the whole place and take it with me back to the SF Bay Area!

• Pros: wine and cheese lists, service
• Cons: none
• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

One of my favorite spots

Posted by jbelly on 04/05/2006
I was surprised to read a previous review stating they are annoyed with tastings. I visit this restaurant often and have never had anything but knowledgable, willing service--happy to let me taste a selection, at the bar or sitting at a table. I reccomend going with a bottle once you find something you enjoy. The descriptions are dead on...both with cheeses and wines. I wish they changed their food menu as often as there wine selection. I miss the Appeltaqua--(sp.?) The atmosphere could be cosier, however, the lighting looks sparse and cheap. They offer Tria cards for frequent visitors.

• Pros: selections, staff knowledge, service
• Cons: often a wait, small
• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

Not worth the stress

Posted by ksepielli on 03/17/2006
Tria pretends to take reservations but doesn't honor them. We were told twice that there was a 30 minute wait but upon returning well before the 30 minutes (and after being asked to give our name by the host... AND letting them know we'd be back before the half hour) were told that our table had been given to another party. Good food and nice atmosphere but with all the great restaraunts and cafes around, not worth waiting hours (literally) with no hope of eventually getting a table. Tria needs to make up their mind... be "reservation only" or "first-come-first-serve." Chaos is not a good business strategy... especially in the restaraunt world.

• Pros: unique food, good wine/beer, atmosphere
• Cons: disorganization, tiny portions, unprofessional
• Overall user rating: Recommended

Makes me want to move to Philly

Posted by cgracia on 01/18/2006
I was visiting from New York and looking for a quiet place to have a glass of wine. Tria was perfect! The mood was quiet yet lively, and everyone was very friendly. My wine was extraordinary, and the server suggested 2 cheeses to go with it and they were both heavenly. I will certainly return, even if it means an Amtrak ride!

• Pros: Excellent food, Awesome cheese, Perfect atmosphere
• Cons: Expensive
• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

Nice Glass

Posted by haroldkatz67 on 12/18/2005
The wine tastes so yummy on cold winter days in philadelphia. Great selection and nice wine glasses. Funky cheeses are not a good idea for a first date (mints would be a good idea)

• Cons: no more seth
• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

Terrible, Rude Service

Posted by rachreviewer on 12/16/2005
I recently visited Tria with a friend. I have been to a lot of wine bars and the best ones cater to wine lovers, like me, by allowing you to taste a wine before you order it to make sure it suits. In this regard, I asked the bartender to taste a wine before I ordered it. He gave me a nasty look and then grudgingly poured a small taste. When I asked if there was a fuller wine on the list he said there was and when I asked to taste it, to decide which wine I prefered, he nastily said "we're not a tasting kind of bar" and then turned around and told another bartender what I had asked for, as if it was an outrageous and unreasonable request. This is not the kind of service that wins repeat customers and I will never go back.

• Overall user rating: Not Recommended

Better B(u)y The Bottle

Posted by ritzgirl21 on 11/09/2005
By far the best bottle service in town--a safe haven from the circus Olde City has become. The wine list may be intimidating, but Tria's carefully selected wine offerings are quite good. The setting is intimite and I can think of no other place I'd rather get cozy and share some vine-inspired conversation with a loved one, friend, or family member. I love their glasses with Tria engraved at the exact point where you glass should be filled--nice touch.

• Pros: Romantic, Great Service, A Touch of Class
• Cons: Gets expensive, So-so food
• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

Awesome!

Posted by magelli on 09/04/2005
The wine, beer, and cheese choices and variety were outstanding. The service was prompt, curteous, and attentive. Our server knew the answers to most of the questions we asked about the various food and drink items, and if she didn't, she asked someone who did and provided us with the answer right away. This is a place I would highly recommend and that I will visit again and again. If you like good beer, wine, and/or cheese (the fundamentals of good food) you cannot miss out!

• Pros: food selection, drink selection, service
• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

Just GREAT!

Posted by isidc on 06/14/2005
I've become a regular at this little place. I love their salads, tapas and cheeses. Their wine selection is remarkable... love that you can get any wine by the glass, and do all this without breaking the bank. The service is great, and I've found it to also be a good spot for dinning solo. Great little gem a block from the Square

• Pros: Good food, Great wine menu, Great value
• Cons: bit small/crowed
• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

Perfect Afterwork Spot

Posted by illiquid on 05/30/2005
I love tria... when the bar is limited to one or two couples and the din is down to a low murmur. The weekends, tria is awful. It's graceful narrow aisle is congested with the obnoxiousites that overrun Rittenhouse area Friday-Saturday. Share a salads and stick to the excellent wine menu and you can't go wrong (i prefer the Santa Julia Malbec)

• Pros: Weekdays, Wine List, Ambiance
• Cons: Weekends, Crowds
• Overall user rating: Recommended

extensive wines by the glass....fabulous tapas

Posted by natdimambro44 on 02/15/2005
we were pleasantly suprised when we ended up at this under rated neighborhood spot and stayed for most of the night. Service was great-everything we ordered was perfect. we loved that you could get every wine on their list by the glass. It is also about time that a decent cheese menu was offered at a reasonable price here in Philadelphia (that didn't invove a stuffy waiter and a rolling cart)--this is perfect for those who like to try new and interesting tapas, cheeses and wine without breaking the bank--atmospher was cozy, understated and good for conversation.

• Pros: wines by the glass, staff, cheese menu
• Cons: small
• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

A great upscale cafe

Posted by rdfield on 01/07/2005
I found Tria to be a very comfortable spot in which to enjoy cheese and ale- two of my favorites for a light meal. One of the best things about Tria (other bars and cafes should take note) is that all the draft beers look and taste as they ought- meaning that the lines from cask to tap are cleaned at least weekly.

• Pros: excellent beers, exotic cheeses, value
• Overall user rating: Highly Recommended

Nice Spot

Posted by aperitif on 12/09/2004
I really like the idea of combining fermented products (i.e. cheese, beer and wine). The cheeses (which are all wonderful) are made even more interesting when combined with sides like dried cranberries reconstituted in tea infused with orange zest. The beer selection (a combination of German, Belgian and American) are nothing new to the Philly bar scene however the wine selection is good, broad and rotates fairly quickly. Customers are also provided with top flight stemware. The balance of the food menu is unremarkable. For instance I expected fresh Proscuitto and instead received sauteed chunks on a sandwich that came with asparagus. The atmosphere is very breezy and unpretentious.

• Pros: cheese, wine, atmosphere
• Overall user rating: Recommended