Click here to Join The
Wine Party.
It's Free!

     Symposium Wine Bar

“A wine bar carrying with it one of the most intriguing back stories: Two days before Sept. 11, owner Don Katz contracted meningitis, slipped into a coma and awoke weeks later to partial paralyzation and blindness. He overcame the paralyzation, but he's still without sight.

In Symposium, he's created a beautiful, moody lounge in grays and blacks streaked with chunky red chairs. The bar stays open until midnight through the week and until 1 a.m. on weekends.

Wines are divided into two main groups - whites and reds - and then further divided into light, medium and full flavors. Sparkling wine and ports are also available.

You can nosh on cheese and crackers and nuts, while staff has no problem if you bring in your own meal. (The plaza has California Pizza Kitchen, Fatburger, Houston's, Taleo and a few other restaurants.)

You can also order a flight of sake for $10. Beers are available as are mixed drinks made with the Korean rice liquor soju.”

“If you arrive during peak hours, nabbing a parking spot may be as hard as finding a good vintage, but the Symposium Wine Bar is worth it. Seated at the light-purple bar beneath the red pendant lights, you’ll forget that the funky spot sits on a strip between an optometrist’s office and a sandwich shop. Plenty of tables and bright, modern decor spark a metropolitan vibe. No need to be intimidated if you can’t tell a merlot from a wine cooler – this bar is made for you, says owner Don Katz. Friendly bartenders offer tips and some good conversation.

Can’t decide on one wine? Then don’t. Try one of the Wine Flights ($8 to $13), which feature decent-sized samples of three wines. The flights change all the time, so there’s always something new to try. I chose the "French Kiss," a trio of three French wines: a sparkling, a white and a red. My friend ordered the "Samurais and Geishas," a selection of three cold sakes. If you’re hungry, order one of the "munchies" plates. Our choice: the "Eat Your Meat Plate," an appetizer-sized selection of salami and prosciutto paired with sesame crackers. You can also snack on cheeses, pâtés, nuts and chocolates ($7-$15). For the thirsty designated driver, the bar also serves non-alcoholic beverages. Open 5 p.m.-12 a.m. Monday-Thursday; 5 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday-Saturday.”

SYMPOSIUM takes its name from the ancient Greco-Roman parties of abundant wine, conversation, and entertainment. Our guests will enjoy great wines by the glass, flight, or bottle, selecting from a list of boutique California, French, and Australian wineries. We have taken the guesswork and the attitude out of wine, with light and humorous categories such as "Lip Smacking" and "Smooth Talkers," as well as short descriptions of every wine on our menu. Non-winos will welcome our Asian vodka Martini’s. Try a cheese plate or a platter of mushroom tarts from our Munchies menu. Our dessert selections include a crème brulee cheesecake and chocolate truffles.