Vino Volo — Restaurant in Calgary

I want to start this review by saying I’m a huge Vino Volo fan. I always seek them out as they’re my preferred place to relax between flights. And provide a nice elevated experience in an otherwise hectic travel day.

However the Calgary Airport location was quite the opposite of everything I’ve experienced in the last 10 -12 or so years of them.

I ordered a flight of wine and was surprised to see how filthy the wine glasses were that I received my order in. One in particular was so awful I gagged at the site of it.

The server saw me push the flight away and didn’t offer to take it away or ask what was wrong I had to tell her the glasses were filthy and she said “oh it’s just water marks” and was about to walk away when I said “no, they’re dirty, I’m not drinking out of these”.

I’ve done enough dishes in my life to know the difference between cloudy water marks and glasses that aren’t properly washed with residue on them 🙄.

Anyway, She took the flight away and I watched her look at a few more glasses on the counter and she came back and insisted it was just water marks & gave me the following options - take the flight back and drink it as is or just have water with my sandwich. I guess cleaning the glasses properly was not an option so as I didn’t have my sandwich yet I just got up and left. I just didn’t trust that any dishes or prep surfaces would be clean. I mean they might have been, but I had completely lost my appetite at that point.

I then went to Chilis of all place and had my wine in a sparkling clean glass.

I didn’t take photos of the dirty glasses which I now regret because, so you could see them, but I honestly thought it was a mistake that would be fixed. But I guess not. I can’t believe she doubled down instead of cleaning the glasses.

As you can see by my review history I’m not in the habit of leaving negative reviews, and I’ll still continue to seek out Vino Volo at other airports but this one is a big miss...

I ordered an avocado toast and gin and tonic this morning. I could not finish the avocado toast because it was disgusting. The avocado spread was sour, as if it had been sitting in a refrigerator too long. The arugula was not totally fresh either. I asked if I could have hot sauce, but they didn’t have any. They didn’t have any salt, pepper, or other condiments out either. It took awhile for my water to come out; I didn’t want to try the avocado toast without water. On top of that, I ordered a gin and tonic which was supposed to come with a “splash” of lime. Instead, it tasted like there was barely any gin, but a lot of refrigerated lime juice. I originally asked if I could have an olive in my gin and tonic because I don’t like sweet drinks. I was told that, while they have olives, they’re not for cocktails. I should have left but I was starving and my flight was about to take off. I am never coming back again. The server asked if I like my food and...

I decided to try out your wine establishment on a work trip and was drawn in by the higher class experience.

I was surprised when I asked to taste a wine and was told that was not possible. The only place that I've been told I can't try the wine is at a dive bar.

There is jazz music playing, a great selection of drinks, a nice menu, fantastic staff, everything makes sense but that.

Flights are not a solution either. Wine drinkers don't want a flight. They want a taste.

This is a foolish decision that literally puts a bad taste in patrons mouths from the start of their experience and your staff has to work over time to try to correct this executive oversight.

You're a high class wine bar, not a dive bar - act like it and fix the customer...