Gold Cup Wine Bar — Restaurant in Middleburg

Checked into the resort and immediately wondered why this place had received 5 stars. The grounds are massive but under-developed. So much more could be done to make it more impressive and truly 5 star worthy. However, that's not what this review is about. Late night dining is not an option here. My partner and I decided to order in-room dining around 9:30 pm. Not considered the average dinnertime, right? The operator informed me that it was "rush hour", that is, a lot people were ordering dinner at the time and the wait was a minimum of one hour and forty minutes! Wth! We take a pass and decide we'd order something from the Gold Cup Wine Bar if we got hungry. The online menu included several options we might try and it closed at midnight so we had time. We venture down to the restaurant at 11 pm and take a seat at one of the high top tables about 5 feet from the bar. At least two servers brushed by us and intentionally didn't make eye contact. When we finally "flagged" a server down, she abruptly told us that we would not be served at the table and we'd have to sit at the bar if we wanted anything. When my partner inquired further as to why the server couldn't take five steps from the bar to deliver the food, the server's reaction was to feign total ignorance and indifference. No need to try to make sense of it plus time was not on our side. We decide to sit at the bar but soon learn that the menu online is not the late night menu that's available; bait and switch maybe???? The only dishes that were available included about four humdrum salads, four wraps (one with turkey, the others vegetarian) and some dessert. But before we could make our selection, the person behind the bar tells us they're all out of turkey. Again, wth! My partner decides to voice his displeasure while I walk away to try to find some other options. The attendant at the front desk acknowledged the inconvenience of the limited food options and offered us a ride to the nearby Safeway. And so that's how our story ends, we left a five star hotel to get cold cuts at the grocery store. This place needs to take notes from the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michael's, Maryland. Both are five star exclusive resorts and very expensive. Rooms start at $500 per night and the suite we had was over $1,000 per night. IPC's grounds are lavishly designed and beautifully manicured so much so that you see the natural beauty of the place from every vanish point. And, they have a "real" late night menu. Salamander, everybody who eats late doesn't eat like a rabbit! And how could you run out of t-u-r-k-e-y???? Also, the online menu should be a true reflection of what is actually offered at any hour. A tip to the venue manager, use some of the funds you get from your overpriced rooms and buy some real food for your guests who have to hike the sprawling, empty grounds, work up an appetite and end up woefully disappointed. Live up to your five star rating and get rid of your mediocre service. Sheila Johnson, you're better than this! UPDATE: Our stay ended very well. Although in-room dining for breakfast was disastrous (cold food, unwanted ingredients and a server who practically asked for an additional tip) In the daylight, the resort was very stately. The food options are limited but there are a number of decent restaurants nearby. However, the culinary aspect of the resort almost redeemed itself with the "butcher's block" at Saturday...

I have dined here twice with a group of about 20-30 colleagues; the first time was not great but this last time was absolutely appalling. I ordered my entree which came out without the cauliflower that was listed with the entree on the menu. When I inquired about the side, I was told that the entree does not come with a side and everything is a la carte. Not wanting to argue, I decided to move on with my meal without a side until another member of our party informed me that he ordered the same entree which certainly did come with a side. When I asked again, I was accused of not knowing the difference between a “garnish” and a “side”, which didn’t matter either way because they didn’t have the cauliflower “garnish” in stock and were not offering a substitute. Oddly, someone else at my table received an entire side of cauliflower not even 10 minutes later. I asked the server if I could order a side of fries separately and she then asked if I would also like a side salad in place of the missing “garnish” and I accepted (keep in mind, she offered). Not even 5 minutes later, the manager (Sonia?) came marching out to my table to scold me and attempt to argue with me about whether or not the entree came with a side for 10 minutes. She also told me that my “supervisor had already been informed” that the restaurant could not accommodate our large party and that I should have been warned not to expect good service. I finally told her that I did not appreciate her harassment and asked her to leave my table. She accused me of harassing her server and demanding multiple sides for free. WHAT?? Long story short, the lamb ribs I received were now cold (didn’t exactly come out hot to begin with) and I left without eating....

I can only comment on the bar as we didn't stay for dinner. If we go back, I'll update with that experience. However, for the bar, I was sadly disappointed. We really wanted to love this place - the atmosphere is really great which is why it's still getting 3 stars. However, the drinks were bad. $60 for 2 pretty standard whiskey drinks. The bartender, who certainly had no idea how to make a Sazerac (just tell me instead of trying to fake it), filled the glass 90% with crushed ice. Rule #1 in making whiskey drinks is that if you're using ice, use whole cubes and use sparingly. This immediately watered down my $45 Sazerac that was not made properly aside from the ice. Just not what I expect from a 5-star resort bar. I'd expect the bartenders to be better trained. Our other drink, one from the cocktail menu, was okay but was really lacking on whiskey and was quite sweet. Nothing special and not worth the price. We really wanted to love this place and hopefully next time we will. The food looked good, so that may be a redeeming point. Plus, the atmosphere both inside and outside are worth checking out. But next time, I'll be sticking with a glass of wine or...