Zambrano Wine Cellar & Bistro

Amazing service. Amazing wine. Amazing owner. Amazing atmosphere. Need I say more!!!

(Cut to scene= take one) They open at 4:30pm on Friday… Party reservations for 7 (guests arrive on time) manager/​owner? comes out to tell us that they’re having some“small” problems and are not quite ready for us. No explanation. No apologies. (15 minutes pass. fade out scene) *crickets* still waiting…

Food and wine was great but they seemed very short on staff. No one at the hostess stand. We stood there for five minutes and then decided to find the staff and tell them that we had a reservation. We only saw one bartender and one waiter the entire time. It just seemed like a ghost town. Not really sure what was going on but at least the food was good.

The food was really good, but not good enough considering the short staffing. There was no hostess and only 2 servers/​bartender for the entire place. They acted annoyed when we asked for anything. They didn’t make any wine recommendations which was odd considering they have a pretty good wine selection. There weren’t any specials (at least they didn’t offer us any) and they didn’t ask about dessert when we asked for our check. I’d try it again but hopefully they will have better service next time.

As an overall statement, I would say the terrible service combined with high prices would not make me want to come back.
I came in on a Friday evening with a group of friends. The place itself is cute — very small, quiet, with a fancy sort of atmosphere. After sitting down, we all got glasses of waters and were given menus — pretty extensive for such a small place — and then sat without service for close to 15 minutes. Ridiculous, and annoying for someone who was ready to have a glass of wine in hand ASAP after a long week.
There were only 2 waiters I could see in the restaurant, so I already knew service would be slow. When one of them finally returned, he was absolutely confused. He didn’t introduce himself, looked around our table helplessly, and then looked at me (I was closest) and said «So, what do we want to do?» Not a good first impression.
We finally got our wines after a 10 minute wait, and then about 10 minutes after that a plate of bruschetta that we’d ordered as an appetizer. Someone ordered a second plate after that one was gone, and after a 20 minute wait, we checked in to see what the hold up was — turns out our waiter never put it in.
We did finally get our food — I got the Ahi Tuna — and it was pretty good, but not the best I’ve had for that kind of price. Overall, I was disappointed. For a place with so much potential, it was a disappointment.

Nice wine with a good selection.
Good selection of cheese and meats. However been here 30 mins and still haven’t seen our order.
Service friendly but very, very slow. Have to knock a star off the review for that.
If slow drinking of good wine and waiting are your this this place is for you.

Not many places earn five stars but Zambranos does just that. We had four of us tonite b’day for bro-in-law.His first time & my step sons
was a joy watching a Pizza hut lovin’ 13 yr old experience a filet mignon w/​red wine mushroom sauce. We all had the filets except for my wifes brother who had the seared salmon, he loved it! The table full of ladies next to us (at least 10) were having a screaming contest & the server asked if we would like to move, but we enjoyed our meals anyway. and can’t wait to introduce someone else to this special «hole in the wall».

I have to update my review. We went back to Zambrano’s it has been 6 months. And something went wrong. The restaurant looked the same. Small cute not fancy. But the service changed. It has gotten terrible. The price is high so expect good service. The place was not busy on Friday night. That is a red flag. The guy seated us right away. Then it went down hill. He did not care about waiting on us. There was 3 people waiting on 4 tables. And they kept walking right by us. We had to stop them for help. Needed bread for the pâté’. Had to ask twice. We did not get our cheese like we have in the past. I ask about that he said you can ask for the cheese if you want.
The food was good. But not the same I ask about the vegetables being different then what was on the menu. He said we have a new chef and they change things around. I said you should tell us that. He did not care. He also mention they have gone through 3 different chefs in 6 weeks.
The other tables were also getting mad. One table told the waitress not to charge them for 3 items they did not get. And another had to get up out of his seat to get his drink order. One waitress said she was leaving this restaurant. She was just trying help them out.
I don’t know if this place can be saved. They made us mad and the other people were also mad. They hurt themselves with bad service. And the owner may not be able to fix this.

I’m writing this review with a broken heart. I was expecting to write a 5 star review but this place has really changed and I’m having problems giving it even a 2 star rating.
We had been here several times before and the service and food were always second to none.
This place is pricy (our meal and wine about $ 120) so it’s a place for special occasions and this was special as it was our 21^st anniversary. We had looked forward to this meal for weeks because the food and service have always been perfect.
The time:
Friday night with 7:00 reservations.
The crowd:
Three tables inside and four tables outside on the patio. (dead night)
The servers:
3 servers.
The service:
To say the service was bad is not enough is an EXTREME understatement. The service was awful. The place was pretty much empty and all the three servers were doing was standing at the end of the bar chatting.
When they food was finally brought out they never came out make sure everything was correct (which it was not). We started with the Pâté which he server just put on the table and left. No bread to put the pâté on. When we asked for bread about 5 minutes later one of the servers said she would get some. 5 minutes after that our main server came and asked how things were (10 minutes now). I said we were still waiting for something to put the pâté on. Finally he went to the kitchen and got bread.
It was not just us with the service everyone was having the same issues. At the end of the meal, I fussed to the server that this place had gone WAY downhill and that we most likely would not be back. With that he said «well I’m sorry you feel that way» and walked away. $ 2 tip when it should have been $ 20.
The food:
We both ordered the Filet which on the menu came with mashed potatoes and asparagus. When the steak came out it came with what tasted like instant mashed potatoes which were crusty as if they had been on the plate under a warmer for a LONG time. Instead of asparagus it came with mixed grilled vegetables. This would have been fine if you liked the vegetables it came with but I did not. When I mentioned it to the server he said «We’ve changed chefs twice since the menu was written». THEN CHANGE THE BLINKING MENU.
The steak was very good but with all the other problems I could not enjoy the meal.
As we were leaving, I saw the owner had come in. I wanted to say something but I was so upset that all I wanted to do was leave. The owner of this place should notice that, on Friday night, his place was empty and realize there is something EXTREMELY wrong.
I really hate to say this but, for now, take your business somewhere else. I’d hate to see your special occasion ruined like ours was.

So glad we Unilocaled this place. Cute little wine bar. Great entrees. Limited selection however each entrée looked awesome.
Wine selection is phenomenal. Casey — our waiter was very knowledgeable with each selection. Great service.
Started with the cheese and meat selection. Great options. Had the escargot starter and it was awesome! Highly recommend it.
For entrees, we had the sea bass special and the chicken off the menu. Both were excellent.
Finished with the crème brûlée. Very good.
Overall the experience was awesome. We say on the patio and sadly — the fruit flies were annoying but not really anything they can do about.
Highly recommend it.

Amazing place. So QUAINT! The wine selection is amazing! Food & staff are incredible! Loved meeting the owner & his genuine interest in us!

Have been here 5 times now, and have to drop a star off my previous reviews. After sampling a couple other wine bistro’s in Fort Worth, Zambrano’s is not the best. Yes, they have a nice by-​the-​glass wine list (3 and 6 oz pour pricing), and a nice complimentary small bites menu, but over the last 6 months, nothing has changed other than 1or 2 wines on the menu. The service is very uneven, there appears to be lots of turnover, and when the owner is not there, there is nothing special about the wine knowledge of the staff that makes you want to make the effort to stop in and try and glass or two and learn something.

I stopped into this place after a night of watching the Parade of Lights. I wanted a place to sit down and sip a glass of wine.
Not only did I enjoy the wine selection, the cheese plate paired with my wine was delicious. I asked for suggestions and was not disappointed.
The intimate setting allows for a relaxing evening, even if you are out on the town alone. There is a small bar area. The staff are friendly and accommodating.
And the owner came by and shook my hand. It was a friendly gesture that didn’t go unnoticed.

Zambranos was the place that I really was introduced to wine thanks to Cef Zambrano — the owner. Yes he does love his wine! And his staff which has been there since I have started going has stuck by and all the girls are so sweet and just as knowledgable about wine.
It’s a quaint, small bar but don’t be fooled; the options seem to be limitless when it comes to consumption! All you have to do is describe what you want and they can come up with a perfect pairing. Do you only want to drink wine? Fine; you’ll have a nice cheese sampling paired with your selection.
I’ve come alone, on dates and with friends. It really doesn’t seem to matter the occasion, it’s my to go spot for sure when I just want to treat myself to wonderful company and wine.

We have been to Zambrano’s twice and had a lovely evening both times. First we went for dinner and used a Groupon. Everything was fine, but service was a little slow. Last week we went for an Orin Swift wine tasting event and it was so much fun. We loaded up on appetizers… the amazing escargot, the HUGE tuna appetizer, and two cheeses in addition to the cheese and charcuterie sampler that came with the tasting. We loved every bit of it and look forward to attending another event here!

Salmon with mashed potatoes, asparagus and carrots is phenomenal.
Escargot with melted cheese is delicious.
Their chef knows what’s up. I’d pay full price for this joint. Sprinkle in frequent Groupons… unbeatable value.

On my first night in Fort Worth my sister told me she was taking me to her favorite wine bar in the city, that place? Zambranos. A small litte spot on Houston street with some delicious food and a great wine selection. We ordered the pizza (yes we came to a wine bar and ordered pizza) that was AWESOME! And the filet mignon. An 8 oz filet that was seared to perfection and succulent atop some delicious mashed potatoes and some tasty, crisp asparagus.
I feel bad that I can’t recall what wine we had but after we ordered the owner of the wine bar recommended a red that went PERFECTLY with the dinner. I believe it was a Pinot Noir but I’m not positive. Either way it was delicious and so was the food.
If you’re looking for a great wine bar to visit in Fort Worth Zambranos is that place! Dark, romantic environment with amazing food and delicious wines!

Died and went to heaven! Cef is a doll as are the girls working here… like Teill… wonderful! I worked in FW for years and never knew this was here… now I am glad I have the opportunity to enjoy everything about it. I want the bar in my house… got to appreciate some rock and make sure you get the story on it from Cef. It is what is known as BADASS! Rub the herbs on the patio… it will make you happy. YUM Order some meat… caprese salad… and let the man you are with pick the vino… your lips will be happy and your heart will soar.

Zambrano is one of a limited number of wine bars in downtown Fort Worth. I find their wine list, warm hospitality and smoke free environment appealing. They have a small outdoor seating area, indoor dining area and a gorgeous illuminated amethyst wine bar.
I first wined at Zambrano in March 2012 and enjoyed the atmosphere enough to make it a repeat stop while working in Fort Worth this month. This time I got to meet the the owner Cef Zambrano and found him to be personable and knowledgeable about the restaurant business. Cef entered the restaurant biz by working as an employee at Del Frisco’s. After working in the industry for some years he opened Zambrano in 2007.
One of the waitresses asked what notes I like in a wine and promptly made some suggestions. I ordered a glass based on her suggestion and although found the glass steep at $ 12 (for what it retails) it was a good recommendation and did enjoy it. Notably if you purchase a bottle to go it is «approximately» 50% off. The wine I was drinking by the glass runs $ 42 a bottle but was told that if I purchased a bottle to go it would be «about» $ 20.
Both experiences I did not order food. The menu looks decent and what I saw being served smelled and looked enticing. Some of the menu items include ahi tuna, escargot, bruschetta, soups, a variety of salads, artisan pizzas, fillet Mignon and seared salmon.
Despite informing the waitress I had already eaten, both visits I was given complimentary cheese. You can always win me over with free cheese!
The employees are there when you need them but leave you alone long enough to enjoy your company, wine and cheese.
They have a happy hour that ends at 7pm but not 100% if it includes weekends. If you are staying at a nearby hotel, check if the free Molly Trolley runs nearby and avoid the hassle of parking downtown.

Another great experience at Zambrano’s! One my one scheduled day off this week, and with an already packed house, they were kind enough to find me a spot for their Frog’s Leap Wine Tasting.
After an introduction to all in house by owner, Cef Zambrano, the representative from the vineyard spoke briefly about their existence and how they formed. We were provided tasting notes on each of the four wines being poured that evening. The representative talked with us briefly, were were given a plate of cheeses, olives, and crackers to pair along with the wines. All of that service, pours, and tapas for only $ 30?! Enjoyed each of the wines thoroughly and even bought a pair to take home with me.
As always, thoroughly enjoyed myself and the great accommodations and service– see you all soon!