29 Wines — Restaurant in Hampton

Visited on recent Thursday evening (6/26) This was recommended as a Black owned business so as a group of 4 black women we were eager to support. We all live out of state and were excited about all this place had to offer. First off, we were expecting a 'Wine Bar' vibe. Nice, jazzy music, a variety of wines, a light cool environment. Though nice, this is essentially a bar. Not a wine bar, just a small bar with a few tables. For some unknown reason there were no prices were listed on the menu. NOT A 1. Very strange. Last time I checked, this was not a Michelin star restaurant in NYC with white table clothes Why would you make your customers ask for the prices of EVERYTHING?? Crazy.

I ordered a Sangria and the Brussels sprouts. Both were awful. I am a former bartender so I know what goes into a Sangria. The taste was soooo strong I almost choked. I knew immediately that it was wrong. After asking I learn the server used Rum. There is no Sangria recipe that calls for Rum that I've ever heard of. I had to get the drink cut with soda and grenadine. A Sangria isn't a drink made in order to get you drunk. The Brussels Sprouts were deep fried whole and breaded. I thought they were chicken nuggets upon first glance. There were not good at all. A quick flash fry, and cut in half, drizzle with balsamic dressing, a bit of feta cheese and a few pecans or other nuts is all that you need.

Disappointed and my girls felt the same. Over breaded cauliflower that wasn't eaten was left on the table as well.

I was eager to support the business but it's clear that they need to tweak the menu to highlight the wines if that's what the place is supposed to be. A fresher, lighter menu with published prices would also help. Perhaps a few more months to settle in and focus may do the place good. As it is, I left...

I’ll start with the positives. The owner is nice and the staff are cool. It’s hard to find good help these days so I can definitely give them that. I understand the place is new so hopefully this is helpful advice that the owner and staff find constructive……..

The idea of 29 Wines is great. We need a good wine and whiskey place in Hampton. But the execution was lacking. The wine selection is not good at all. I can find all their bottles in total wine. I’d like to go to a wine bar and find an interesting and thoughtful wine list. And our wine glasses were all dirty.

Next, the whiskey. There wasn’t a great selection of that either. I know as a new bar getting started you probably shouldn’t order a ton, so I don’t fault them for a small selection. But we also ordered old fashioneds. And they weren’t properly made. (Bourbon ppl know what a good old fashioned is.) It’s hard to call yourself a whiskey bar if you can’t nail an old fashioned.

The ambiance was meh. The atmosphere didn’t meet my expectations for a wine and whiskey bar. The gold crushed velvet tablecloths and fake candles floating in water reminded me more of a church function. I get the colors are maroonish and goldish. (Like red wine and white wine. Cute!) But the gold can come from soft candlelight from real candles and the red can come from a small arrangement or something that fits a vibey wine/whiskey bar atmosphere. Other reviews are raving about the atmosphere, and I’m like “has anyone ever been outside of Hampton Roads?”

The food was ok. We ordered the salmon bites and charcuterie. The plating of it all felt cheap and kinda boring too. Not everything needs a little bed of lettuce.

I would love for this place to succeed but as of now it’s really...

I recently visited this establishment hoping for a great experience, but I left very disappointed. I sampled 29 wines, and unfortunately, most lacked depth and flavor. The food was bland and poorly seasoned, which made the entire tasting feel underwhelming.

The servers, while friendly on the surface, didn’t seem knowledgeable about the wine or whiskey being served. They gave vague answers and didn’t provide the kind of guidance you’d expect at a tasting event. It felt unorganized and unprepared.

When I brought my concerns to the owner, she did apologize and offered a partial refund, which I appreciated. However, it became clear that the business is not ready for the kind of attention and clientele it’s trying to attract. The atmosphere also felt uncomfortable — at times, even unwelcoming — and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there were underlying negative attitudes among some of the staff.

As a Black customer, I truly wanted to support this Black-owned business, but professionalism and preparedness matter just as much as community support. Right now, this business needs a serious reset: better training, better food, and a clearer sense of purpose. I wouldn’t recommend it until major...