A Grape in the Fog — Restaurant in Pacifica

Super cute wine spot with friendly staff and great happy hour deals!

I stopped in on a Monday evening around 6pm with a girlfriend. We sat at the front bar and browsed the menu. They were running happy hour until 6:30pm so we quickly ordered some wine and a cheese/charcuterie plate.

Ambiance - 4 stars. The place is cozy with a bar in the back and a bar in the front, then several tables for two or four. It felt part wine bar, part beach spot, and casual as can be, no pretentious winos here.

Care 2015 Solidarity Rosé Tempranillo - 4 stars. A really awesome, middle-of-the-road rosé. Not overly sweet, not overly dry. A perfect pink color. Tasted of strawberries and peach with slightly creamy notes. AND a portion of the proceeds go to breast cancer patients in Spain!

Aveleda 2016 Quinta da Aveleda Vinho Verde - 3 stars. Weaker on the mineral flavors than I was hoping for but still quite tasty, perfect for a summer day.

Cheese & charcuterie plate - 5 stars. Beautifully plated, quality meats and cheeses. Plenty of bread (and offers to bring more when we ran out)! I loved the variety in the types of cheeses and meats and the accompaniments of honey, nuts, craisins, mustard, etc. layered on the flavors. Quite a bit of food for two people.

Service - 5 stars. Both servers were very friendly, attentive to our needs, happy to give us tastes, and more than willing to make recommendations.

If I lived locally, I could totally see this becoming my go-to spot. Instead, I'll just have to make it a point to visit...

Atmosphere: Comfortably cultured. This isn't a place to swill cheap beer or 2 Buck Chuck and get hammered, but it's not so rigid that you can't talk, laugh, and enjoy yourself while here.

The clientele is a healthy mix of regulars, locals, and tourists. You can easily come here for a romantic night with your date, a good time with a few friends, or to meet new friends at the bar. Most folks quickly settle in and relax and are friendly.

Decor: Warm colors and a faux fireplace make the place feel like a safe home away from home. The walls are adorned with a changing cycle of local artwork that gives you new things to discover each visit.

There is a schedule of local and national musicians playing, as well as vent nights (Trivia, comedy, art showings ,etc.).

Service: If you want fast food style turn around, it's best to go somewhere else. If you want to be helped by people who will take the time to explain their menu to you (wines change on a monthly basis), and help you make selections - this is a wonderful haven.

They are freindly, efficient, and genuine in their desire to get you a nice wine, beer, or even soju drink, and keep to a leisurely pace that says "Relax, enjoy yourself!" An empty glass won't be empty too long, unless you are throwing back your wine in gulps!

This is definitely my favorite...

Unimpressed as was the focus of the young help who were more interested in themselves than me. So because the kitchen closed early my only choice for supper with them was chocolate cake? Jyeah. Really. Dude though, the 3rd grader in me jumped up for joy!!!!

Self important smart wine or beer suggestions by waitstaff are always a major turnoff to me. Watch "Wine for the Confused" with John Cleese if you don't get it. Anyway, so after a few beers and cake for supper which was actually pretty good because they made it that day....they said, I called it a day because seems they were so anxious to close up early. That was the pressure.. You know, because it's a holiday weekend. That bird won't fly back home.... but this is Pacifica.

So I don't even know why I bothered, had plenty of better food stuffs and libations in my room a few doors down. Ended up reheating some really nice tamales made by some abuela south of Stockton. Not my first choice, was ready to throw down some money and meet some people; you know, have some fun experiences worth remembering...