WHINO

Stopped by for happy hour with a group of 6 ladies on a Friday night around 5:15. It was already pretty crowded but we found space at the bar and were promptly given water and menus. A few of us had wine, which was good. A few tried the cocktails, my friend who had the "sugar,spice and everything nice" cocktail said it was overwhelmingly sweet (I could've guessed from the name). Unfortunately, they were closing at 7 for a private event (tis the season) so we couldn't stay for dinner. We tried the Brussels sprouts, Korean BBQ wings, and the shishito pepper's appetizers. All were great, especially the sprouts. I look forward to going back for dinner. Service was good, no complaints besides the fact that they were closing early and I'd been on their website ans IG prior to arriving and saw no mention of it (not the servers fault!)

Whino is such a unique spot that combines great food with a truly cool vibe! The art displays throughout the space are stunning--they give the place an artsy, modern feel.The papas bravas were the highlight of our meal. They were perfectly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and seasoned just right. Between the amazing ambiance and the tasty food, Whino is a place I'd definitely recommend!

Great place for huge parties or corporate events. Great food. I love the sliders and veggie fries appetizers. Plenty of garage parking and located on the top floor.

Absolutely lovely bar and restaurant. Fun and interesting art was hung throughout with some displays near the front that captivated a lot of attention. The happy hour is for an incredibly generous amount of time and the location in the ballston mall is perfect with a nice view outside. The happy hour food options were really fun. We tried the wings with Gochujang were incredible and the grilled shishito peppers complimented the wings and drinks perfectly. This was a fun one for a post work hangout and I will be back!

I cannot recommend this place enough. They have a really large drink selection, including four mocktails which were very yummy. I'm planning to return for some of their flight options. The service was super nice and just the right amount of attentive. We ordered the steak bao buns, the mushroom ragout, the fried veggies strips, and maple something wings. All was delicious. They have an art theme and had original art for sale hanging which gave really cool vibes. Looking forward to returning! I made a reservation for a group happy hour and they set aside really nice space for us so I would also recommend it if you need to host a group event.

Whino provided an upscale, hipster tapas experience. There were a few standout dishes but other that weren't worth the price. The service was good although they were a little busy and didn't stop to check on us much.I loved the gnocchi. The texture was perfect, and the sauce complemented it beautifully. It was definitely the highlight of the meal.The papas bravado was a pleasant surprise. With many thin layers of potato, it was like a potato croissant. Delightfully crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.The Brussels sprouts were good, nicely roasted with a satisfying crunch and a balanced flavor.The tuna tartare (which was recommended by the waiter) was flavorful but too salty for my taste. I didn't like the avocado accompaniment--it tasted overripe and too smoky. I would have preferred bread instead of chips to dip.The charcuterie was good, with a nice selection of meats and cheeses, but I wished the portion size was a little bigger.The drink was refreshing but unfortunately was mostly of ice.Overall, the meal had its highlights, but there were a few areas for improvement.

Really cool atmosphere, especially with the artwork and the views! Sat at the bar and got the spiced hibiscus, swapped out the vodka for whiskey and it was so good!! The bartender was helpful and checked in every so often, which is always a plus. I'd love to come back for happy hour or dinner and see Whino in action.

Great drinks, great staff, great (although somewhat curious) food.I came here for an after work get together with a bunch of coworkers. Despite there being so many of us, the bartenders were so friendly and were able to get us all liabated quickly. We ordered a number of food items, but the sliders were by far my favorite. I was a bit confused when one of my co-workers mentioned that they had some chocolate covered chicken wings. I thought maybe he had had one too many but, sure enough, there were 'chocolate raspberry chicken wings covered with peanuts' on the menu. That's certainly... A choice.Not feeling particularly adventurous that day, I politely passed on those. The bartenders made me some fantastic Old Fashioneds. What I really appreciate it was that throughout the course of the night, they were consistently excellent, regardless of which bartender made them.Later in the evening, I was having a conversation with a co-worker about Spanish wines and how they're not my favorite. He was waxing poetic about tempranillos and I decided to give one a try. I might have to walk back some of my Spanish wine slander because that was a really great glass of wine!It's a little difficult to find this place because there's no signage inside or outside the mall that tells you how to get there (the venue is on the second floor of Ballston Commons). A bunch of us wandered around until we finally found the venue. If there's any feedback to offer, it's to add more signage so that people know how to find this place!

I cannot get over this awesome brunch deal! I think the plates are designed to be small plates but they can easily be a light meal. We ordered a carafe of mimosas and each had a $9 brunch plate. I got French toast! And I think we each ended up spending about $15 for a delicious light meal. The ambiance is artsy and fun. And the service was very pleasant. I have been here a few times now, and I continue to recommend this as the place to go in Ballston!

I visited for happy hour and tried the 'Want Some Candy' cocktail along with the wagyu slider. The slider was decent, but I didn't expect an $8 item, even if it's wagyu, to be half the size of my palm. The cocktail was refreshing but lacked a bit of flavor--it tasted like watered-down watermelon. They added an automatic 20% gratuity to my tab for some reason. However, the interior is beautifully designed, and the ambiance is pleasant.