Joui Wine — Restaurant in Dayton

Been here twice now. Never once was I greeted upon walking in. I had absolutely no idea what to do, or where to go. Twice now I stood near the front waiting for direction, then went to bar never sat just waiting to see if someone would greet us. No one did. Went over to bottles area both times and walked around for at least 3-5 minutes. This time tonight I finally stated loudly I wish someone would greet us or help us. This was after three bartenders walked by us without saying a WORD. Please please work on your customer service cause I want to love this place. I love the aesthetic but the vibe is not good. Thought it was just an off Sunday first time we went, brought my friend back on a Saturday night (tonight) and still same experience. You can tell the bartenders had some friends there and were paying more attention to them. I wouldn’t have minded paying the $15 corking fee for my $20 bottle of wine if the bartenders were pleasant. I felt like i was an outsider, or like an inconvenience to the workers by being there. I most likely won’t be back, but truly hope the owner addresses this. She was there that first Sunday we went, and she was ultimately the one who helped us even if it was 5 minutes after we walked in. It has so much potential. I went with two different people on two very different days and had the same awkward, lousy, experience.

Updating this - we took Lauren up on her offer and she definitely took care of us. We’ve been in probably 8 times since and haven’t had an issue. Cute bar, and surprisingly delicious eats! Very accommodating bartenders who really know...

AT LEAST LAZY AND MAYBE RACIST ESTABLISHMENT I was there with a guest for the first time yesterday between 8 and 9 pm. It was not too busy and the place appeared to be appropriately staffed. When we arrived, we sat at the bar. We were given menus promptly and we ordered water. I told the server that we would have drinks and food but that we needed a few minutes to decide. For the next 10 minutes, the server attended to everyone at the bar except us. The carafes of water were already filled yet she made no eye contact with us and entirely ignored us. After 10 minutes, we left. The behind the bar server saw us get up and begin to leave and seemed to care less that we were leaving and or that we were leaving because of her poor service and inattention. I cannot help but wonder if her devil-may-care attitude had to do with the fact that my guest and I were a mixed race couple. I was prepared to spend at least $100 on dinner and drinks. I will never go back again. I certainly am willing to hear from the venue if they become interested in how bad my experience was yesterday and whether they can offer any benign explanation for such...

Everything we tried at Joui tasted unlike anything we’ve had in Dayton — in the best way possible. From the sangria to the cocktails (M&M & Coco Bongo) to each small plate we ordered. We tried the curried deviled eggs, the stuffed peppers, and the spicy soba noodles, every flavor was bold, unexpected, and totally unique.

What makes this place stand out is that they’re not trying to copy what every other restaurant is doing. They’re offering something new — truly different cocktails, fresh combinations, and a menu that feels curated to surprise you. In a city full of good food, Joui is doing something special. I hope more people get to...