How to go
What: Wise Owl Wine Bar anniversary celebration
When: Sept. 11
Entertainment: There will be a grape stomp and live music, half-price appetizers from 4 to 8 p.m. and $5 drink specials all evening.
Where: 6206 Muhlhauser Road in West Chester Twp. next to the new Stone Creek restaurant in the business district. Call (513) 889-2500 or visit www.wiseowlwinebar.com to view daily features.
WEST CHESTER TWP. — The Wise Owl Wine Bar staff claims the most personable service around, and they plan to prove it on Saturday, Sept. 11, during the restaurant’s one-year anniversary celebration.
Before ordering chef Mike Yearms’ original tapas or tasting wine that sommelier J.T. Howard recommends, guests will be asked to pose for a photo so the staff can remember names, faces and dining preferences.
“Genuineness you don’t find in the restaurant business, and we have it here,” Howard said. “The big seller here is the intimacy.”
The rustic atmosphere with dimmed lights and an eclectic mix of tables and stools, feels like an upscale coffee bar. Howard said it is perfect for business gatherings, date nights, parties and after-hours gatherings.
The menu, like the restaurant, has an eclectic offering including finger sandwiches, smoked meats, empanadas, bruschetta and a hummus plate with candied peppers.
Ingredients are purchased at local farmers’ markets, and everything is made from scratch.
The wine selection includes 14 white wines and 13 red wines from around the world. Cost per glass ranges from $7 to $23.
Howard said it is his mission to ensure each customer has a drink that fits him or her individually, and he handcrafts cocktails and purchases wines with specific customers in mind.
“It’s like when you buy a suit,” he said. “You tailor it for the customer’s needs.”
Each month, he interviews guests in his wine club and tastes dozens of wines to personally build a case for them.
“It’s quaint. It’s comfortable. It’s definitely inviting,” said events planner Denise Mackey.
And despite the name, it’s not just for night owls. The restaurant is open 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. and features live bands from 7 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.
Under new management, Mackey said the bar has seen many changes, and the small staff quickly is attracting a following.
“We’re just kind of taking what they started, capitalizing on it and making it much bigger,” said Howard, whose management has increased business by 33 percent in less than two months in part because of the contacts he made while running the Mesh bar for three years. “I’d like to say that I have a very good following, and a very good reputation here in West Chester.”
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