Wanderlust Wine Co. - Shady Lane — Restaurant in Austin

The space is great, but the pour-your-own concept has some kinks. It's a per-ounce cost, and you don't know how much each selection is until you click through to the electronic screen to actually draw.

You are issued a card, and everyone's looks the same. Signs are posted stating that the venue takes no responsibility for lost cards, so if you inadvertently drop yours or leave it in the dispenser and someone mistakes it for their own, you will pay the resulting tab.

Also, be careful that the person before you hasn't left the spigot open before pressing Okay to pour, or your drink will go down the drain and your card will be charged.

The WL card may or may not be the actual amount you are eventually charged. For example, my Wanderlust card registered a charge for a pour that didn't issue any wine because the barrel was too low. When I talked to a counter clerk, I was told my credit card would show a lower amount than my WL card. I was mildly chastised for not noticing a thin line on the side of the wine's small screen, indicating barrel level. I wasn't told to look for this when given the first-timer instructions, and given that other screens stated Empty, why is it the customer's responsibility to gauge whether there is sufficient level to accommodate a request? Then, I was annoyingly directed and supervised for my subsequent pour, though I assured her I had successfully done another earlier.

The space itself is large, with a variety of sitting areas and comfortable furniture. Very East Austin vibe (Shady Lane). Parking is mostly limited to the surrounding streets, but free.

I found the self-serve thing more stressful than fun, at least until it is less error prone. I was not the only one confusedly attempting to navigate the system, and a laminated instruction sheet would have been really helpful. I noticed numerous people having coffee or soft drinks, and I may do the same if my friends and I meet up there again. A pleasant surprise at the end was learning it was half-price night, and my pours were...

Wanderlust wine Company is an interesting bar. I really don’t know what to make of it. We bought tickets from an Instagram post, which made it look amazing. It was really festive, but was underwhelming. You buy your tickets and it entitles you to a welcome drink, but you have to buy other drinks if you want to drink something else. The welcome drink was horrible. We couldn’t take more than two sips. Whereas people who walked in after us didn’t buy tickets, and while they paid one dollar extra per person than what we did, they were able to get any drink off the menu. So if you bought tickets in advance, you were screwed with your drink selection. The nice thing about this place is they really decorate it full of flights and it has a nice holiday feel. However the people there are not mingling around, they’re sitting down playing bingo. I just feel this isn’t the trendy crowd and was not what they make it out to be. It was a big disappointment. If you want to go off the holiday season for a beer, I think it would be a decent place. If you want to spend money to have horrible drinks and just sit around playing bingo, this might be for you. My recommendation is not to go. There are other places that are more festive and can put you in the holiday mood with laughter and...

This is a review for the wedding we hosted at Wanderlust Wine Co. off Shady Lane. From the moment we stepped into the space, we knew it was something special—bright, funky, and full of personality. It’s such a gem in the heart of Austin, and so easy for all of our guests to get to, which made everything that much smoother. Seriously, guests could not stop raving about how cool the space was. It was always amazing that the venue is inside so we didn't have to have a plan B incase Austin weather didn't cooperate.

What truly set Wanderlust apart, though, was the incredible support we got from their master of events, Margaret. She was amazing to work with—responsive, kind, and incredibly knowledgeable. She gave us fantastic recommendations for vendors that aligned with our style and made the whole planning process feel so much less overwhelming.

Our wedding day was absolutely magical, and so much of that is thanks to the beautiful space and Margaret’s guidance behind the scenes. We couldn't have asked for a better place to celebrate, and we’re forever grateful to Wanderlust Wine for making our day so memorable.

Highly,...