Kindred Spirits Wine Bar — Restaurant in Santa Clarita

A Disappointing Experience from the Moment We Walked In. My husband, adult daughter, and I decided to check out a new wine bar on Saturday, April 5th. We were genuinely looking forward to ordering a few wine flights and sampling some of the food—especially the arancini and other small plates. The venue looked promising from the outside, and we hoped to enjoy a relaxed afternoon on the patio.

When we arrived, the place was nearly empty—only two patrons sat at the bar. We requested a table for three on the patio, as my daughter had her 10 lb. miniature poodle with her. The woman who greeted us—whom we later learned was the owner—made an immediate and unpleasant impression. Her demeanor was cold and visibly irritated, and frankly, she came across as rude and unrefined. Without a smile or even basic courtesy, she told us we could sit wherever we liked and handed us menus, stating a server would be right with us.

Shortly after, the server arrived and informed us that dogs were not allowed on the patio unless they were service animals. I found this surprising, given we had already been seated and nothing was mentioned beforehand. I responded that it seemed to be the restaurant—not the building—that had this policy. She replied, “Maybe down the road, the policy will change.” I told her it didn’t matter—because we would not be coming back.

I was baffled as to why the owner even bothered seating us if she had no intention of allowing us to stay. Her attitude made us feel unwelcome from the start. My daughter, who lives in Beverly Hills, noted that her well-behaved poodle is welcome at many fine dining establishments—including Michelin-starred restaurants. Yet here we were, at an empty wine bar, being treated like an inconvenience.

The whole experience was disappointing and frankly appalling. Given that we’ve frequently driven past this restaurant and noticed it empty, we thought perhaps we’d give it the benefit of the doubt—despite hearing from locals that the food was subpar and the service was lacking. Unfortunately, those warnings proved true.

We are the kind of clientele any upscale establishment should want to attract—respectful, enthusiastic, and open-minded. The owner's rude and classless behavior not only drove us away, but reaffirmed what we’ve heard: this restaurant lacks the warmth, hospitality, and professionalism necessary to survive in this industry.

We left and went to the Newhall Press Room, where we were warmly welcomed, treated with respect, and enjoyed a lovely experience—everything we hoped this visit would be.

Sadly, I agree with the locals: this place will not last. The owner seems entirely out of touch with what it takes to run a successful business. It’s unfortunate—but not surprising. We will...

New, non-chain, places in Santa Clarita to eat and drink delicious things? Yes, please. We made a reservation at Kindred Spirits Wine Bar as soon as we learned it existed, any place that has a cheeseboard is a place that I want to go to and eat the cheese at. That doesn't mean that it's going to be good, but in this case it was really good.

It still has that new restaurant vibe. Everything is clean, the staff is really attentive. There are lots of seating options, including tables and seats at the spacious bar, and a separate room as well. My wife and I sat at a table near the bar, the place wasn't packed on a Thursday night so we probably didn't need a reservation, but never a bad idea to have one.

We had a flight of red wines, our favorite… And they were especially accommodating, giving us tastes of some of them before the flight came out so we could make the best possible choice. That was very generous of them, considering that the wine-tasting glasses are about the same size as the flight glasses.

There are great and unique vegetarian options on their food menu, including the Podi Fries – perfectly cooked skin-on french fries coated with Indian seasoning. These were delicious we would come back just to eat these again. My wife and I also shared truffle Arancini, coded fried rice balls on a marinara sauce… A classic Italian dish, again delicious. And we had the Grilled Romaine with Avocado and Cotija cheese – Nice looking dish with little tortilla strips on top… Not my wife's favorite iteration of this kind of dish, but we both generally liked it.

There are a slew of other vegetarian offerings, including Shuka, soups, and salads, flatbreads, and other small plates, such as brussels sprouts and a creamy Barada dish. The kindred lasagna looks pretty good too, so there are lots of opportunities, as vegetarians to come back try something different and have more of their quite extensive wine collection. We love this kind of place and are so happy that they've opened up here in...

The wife and I had such a wonderful evening at Kindred Spirits Wine Bar in Valencia! We chose to sit outside, and it turned out to be the perfect call — a mild but still evening under a gorgeous rising full moon.

The service? Absolutely top-notch. Our waiter was incredibly attentive, gave us spot-on recommendations, and made the whole experience feel special without ever being pushy. It's rare these days to get that kind of genuine, knowledgeable service.

The wine list here is great — definitely a step above most similar spots nearby. Christine went with the Hatcher Zinfandel, and I had a glass of the Domaine de la Verrière Les Ocres (a beautiful Grenache, Syrah, and Cinsault blend). Both were fantastic — full of character, perfectly served.

For food, we shared the Brie cheese plate (elegant and satisfying) and the Prosciutto & Fig flatbread (prosciutto, fig, mozzarella, arugula, and balsamic glaze — just awesome). Everything was fresh, balanced, and full of flavor — you could tell real care went into the dishes.

The setting has a subtle sophistication — it's tucked away on a quiet street near some upscale apartments and the Hyatt, so it feels elevated without being pretentious. Just right for unwinding with great wine, great food, and great company.

Between the excellent service, the delicious plates, and that unforgettable full moon rising over the rooftops, it was truly a memorable night. Can’t wait...