Savvy Cellar Wine Bar & Wine Shop

Very nice little place. We had the bubbly and international sampler flights. We enjoyed both and had a flatbread with green and red pesto. Mmm the flatbread was warm and tasty. We would recommend it and we will be back.

Great place! Cozy and convenient. Stopped in after buying our new car down the road. Received a brief lesson from Jackson on sparking wines vs champagne. I love helpful as well as knowledgeable sommeliers! Jackson was polite, friendly and attentive! Had a very nice time. The snacks were good too! Meat platter was extremely fresh and tasty!

Nice, conveniently located little gem of a wine shop/​wine bar. Perfect for when you’re making a connection from VTA to Caltrain and have about 30 minutes to kill or if you’re in the Mountain View area in general.
The location is unique — a converted train station — and you can definitely enjoy the rumbling and the blast of train horns as the trains pass by — it definitely adds to the ambiance :)
In addition to wine bottles, they offer many different wines by the glass, as well as selected artisan beers & ciders. For nibbles, you can choose an assortment of small plates which include cheeses, crostini & warm flatbreads, and charcuterie assortments.
Staff is very friendly and knowledgeable and they are always willing to pour you a small taste before you commit to any particular wine.
Plenty of seating — and they have a really nice outdoor patio area for when the weather is good! The third Saturday of the month is Trivia Night — so much fun!!!
~ 4 stars overall for a fun, quaint and inexpensive way to kill some time after work or when catching a connection. It’s also fun to plan an outing here and enjoy some tastings from the various flights they offer. I recommend!
# 321

I have gone here twice because I have yet to find another wine bar near Castro St. The first time I went, my friend and I split a chocolate cake and each got a glass of wine. The chocolate cake was terrible to say the least. It tasted like it was from Costco (and I genuinely think it was because it even looked the same). They didn’t even heat the cake. To make it worse, the slice was about $ 7, which about how much a slice of cake at a very good bakery would cost.
As for the wine, they have a seasonal menu, which is really important in a wine bar because you go to a wine bar to taste new wines. The first time I went, I got a Gewerstameiner, which was lovely. The second time I got a Pinot Grigio, which was also good.
Anyways, most of my judgement on how much I like a wine bar is based on the ambiance and the service. The server was friendly and helpful when picking out the wine. In the summer, it is very nice to sit outside at night. It’s not the best because your view is either of Castro street or the CalTrain station, so both not very exciting spots. Despite that, the nice chill breeze and quaint seating area make it a nice place to just chill. As for sitting inside, it was unspectacular. It was almost dry. The inside seating is either the bar or one of the small tables. There isn’t a nice comfy couch/​lounge area, so it’s not very tempting to hangout.
Overall, the wine is okay and in the summer it is a sufficiently pleasant place to go for wine and chatting. However, if you can go somewhere else, you should.

Savvy Cellar hosted my bridal shower this past August and we couldn’t be more impressed. My bridesmaids told me it was really easy to plan with the Savvy staff. They were very flexible and allowed us to bring in our own desserts and decorations. They hosted 20 of us with ease! Thanks, Savvy, for hosting my bridal shower!

Wonderful place for a date or girl’s night. I came here in the evening and we sat outside on the patio area. Cozy environment, friendy staff, and great selection of wines. Highly recommend the Riesling!

Lovely place to come for some wine and cheese. The patio is where it’s at. Good service and good wine.

I wish that every Caltrain had a wine bar like this one. Its an easy place to meet up with good friends. Stay, have some drinks, then catch your train going your separate ways. It is also right on Castro Ave so you can easily head to dinner afterwards. Savvy has an ever changing menu of wine flights, you can order by the glass, or you can pick up some bottles. They host trivia nights and wine tasting classes as well.

Wife and I stopped in for a quick tapa and glass of wine. The servers were awesome and very polite. Wine was exactly what we needed! My wife had the sangria and it was perfect for a 95 degree Saturday! Would definitely stop by again when I’m in the area. Cheers!

Love the location here. Staff is friendly and helpful. Good for small bites and relaxing time with friends without the volume and chaos of bars.
Pretty much in downtown, at the caltrain /​VTA station. It makes for my favorite waiting spot bc it’s easily identifiable and, well, wine :)

Since I moved to Orange County, I’ve become obsessed with wine bars; that’s doubtless because I haven’t found any good ones in OC yet. While my quest continues, I find myself drawn to revisiting old favorites in the Bay Area when I’m there, and this one is right in my former backyard :-)
Savvy Cellar was built in a unique location — a converted train station.
Given that, the ambiance is surprising welcoming, and the acoustics are pretty good, but you can still tell it was used to be a train station when trains go by. Their web site touts «Sommelier-​served wines rated 90+ points», and the have over 40 wines by the glass, as well as selected artisan beers & ciders. You can pair your wine or beer with an assortment of enticing small plates which includes Artisan cheeses, Crostini & warm flatbreads, and Charcuterie assortments.
On my first visit, I decided the place was a keeper after I spent some up close and personal time with the currently featured Cabernet flight:

o 2009 Obsidian Ridge, Red Hills Lake County, CA
o 2009 Château Moulin Delille, Saint-​Estephe, Bordeaux, FR
o 2009 Laird Family «Jillian’s Blend», Napa Valley, CA
At first blush, I ranked these from top to bottom in that order; the «Jillian’s Blend» was quite unapproachable; it had almost overpowering tannins and was quite acidic as well. However, after ten minutes all three started to open up, and the Château Moulin started to shine; after twenty, even the Jillian’s Blend opened up to the point where it almost seemed worth cellaring at the right price point. A fairly impressive flight all things considered.
For food, my friend and I shared:
— Artsian Cheese Board — international selection of artisan cheese with baguette & other accompaniments.

Unfortunately I didn’t note the names of the three international cheeses, but they were good quality and very enjoyable, especially the brie.
— Baked Fig & Chorizo — dried Mission fig and chorizo wrapped in prosciutto, served warm with balsamic vinegar & mustard.

I distinctly liked this dish; it reminded me of the bacon-​wrapped dates at Vault 164, and it wasn’t long for the world after it arrived at our table.
Our server that night was friendly, but he was decidedly under-​gunned for the level of the crowd by the time we left. On subsequent visits, I’ve noticed that this is a pattern, so at times when the level of the crowd is high, it’s best to have a good flight in front of you to savor, and then enjoy the many people watching opportunities from a window table.
The third Saturday of the month at Savvy is Trivia Night, and one Saturday I brought a troupe of hardy Unilocalers along with me to partake. The company was great of course, and Savvy’s TN was quite fun and different. It wasn’t particularly well attended (we almost outnumbered everyone else), but the questions were a challenging mix of pop culture, history, and (of course) wine lore! Teams write down their answers to questions that are read aloud by the bartenders. Answer sheets are then collected and scored; our team won! The prize was a bottle of wine, which we immediately drank to keep the party going…
The food here is decidedly good for a NorCal wine bar (which makes it exceptional by SoCal standards), though it’s not as good as Gravity or Vino Local in Palo Alto. Pair that with the outstanding selection of wine AND the fact that there’s a link in the Blue Line/​Little Star pizza chain right across Castro Street, and Savvy is a solid four-​star dinner or after-​dinner destination.

My husband and I were walking through Mountain View on a Sunday afternoon and noticed this cute wine bar. It seemed like the perfect place to relax and enjoy sipping some wine. I loved that they had flights so we could have some variety. I had the Tiny Bubbles flight of champagnes. He had the French Reds flight. I looooved the Cuvee Rose with the Pinot blend. It was amazing! Their artichoke/​jalapeño dip was delicious and the perfect amount for the two of us to share. I knocked off one star because of the sound of Caltrain going by every few minutes. Understandably this is something they can’t change. The outside patio is great, but it made it very difficult to truly relax and chat when the loud horn was so loud and disturbing.

A nice little wine bar right next to the Mountain View Caltrain station on Castro. There’s plenty of indoor and outdoor seating and it’s super accessible. Great for an after work drink or a little weekend wine break.
What’s good?
— friendly, knowledgeable staff
— international wines from a changing menu
— great snacks (different olive oils to taste)
I also like that they host tasting events and wine classes. Check out the calendar on the website. Great wine bar in the neighborhood!

This 1 star is me being generous. This place is dishonest. Living across the street for 18 years, we were happy to see a wine bar in the area. Last year we finally went in. Had a glass of wine. Since that time I found various charges at random times of each month or two, and different amounts. My bank asked me to try and resolve with the merchant first. I sent them emails and received no reply. I tried to leave voice messages, their mailbox is perpetually full. My bank has since honored my several disputes and credited back these charges. Though I did have to cancel my credit card and have a new one reissued. This is a cautionary tale to check your bank statements for charges from Savvy Cellars, once you have visited them…

Everyone needs a cozy neighborhood wine bar. Sure, the prices are a bit steep, the marcona almonds never quite taste right, and the loyalty program app doesn’t actually work, but there’s zero competition, so sometimes you take what you can get. After all, it could be worse. They change their wine list monthly so there’s always something new to try, their small snack menu hits the spot, they have an awesome little patio, and the guys working there are knowledgeable and helpful. And did I mention they have a champagne flight?
Sure, I’d change a few things about Savvy if I could. But it’s something that is sorely needed in this neighborhood. At the end of a long day, or the middle of a sunny Sunday, if I want to relax with a glass of wine somewhere other than my living room, Savvy is where I’ll be.
3.5 /​5

Went here with a girlfriend to do a wine tasting. We decided to do the white wine flight and the bubbly flight instead.
The service here is great. A little slow, but attentive. But that’s the kind of attention you want when you’re just drinking wine with a friend. We ordered the flatbread which wasn’t very good but enough for a snack for the price.
They change their menu on a month to month basis which is nice nad have a loyalty program as well. My friend and I want to become regulars here! We went on a Sunday and it wasn’t too crowded. It is a small store, but quaint and homey and right by the Mountain View Caltrain station!

I have a Jekyll/​Hyde thing going on with Savvy. Are you likely to find me there any given weeknight? Yes. Is it the awesomest? No.
Pro: there’s finally a wine bar in downtown MV
Con: there’s finally a wine bar in downtown MV, and their only competition is Cascal, which isn’t really a wine bar at all
Pro: it’s really near Caltrain and you can get a glass while waiting for the train or waiting for your buddies to get off the train
Con: it’s really near Caltrain and you lose your mind listening to train noises
Pro: it’s a relaxed atmosphere and the bartenders (I think they might only have 3 – 4 total) are very friendly
Con: everyone thinks the same and it’s essentially a bunch of regulars who know the bartenders very well
Pro: they focus heavily on their wines, subsequently the wine selection is very nice and they’re very good at matching your tastes with what they have
Con: they focus heavily on their wines, and their food essentially consists of items bought at Costco kept in big containers
You see what I mean? Everything is a double edged sword here. Hopefully they don’t pelt me with corks next time I walk in.

Normally, my reason for stopping here — booze for the train. However, I recently stopped in a sat at the bar to enjoy my beverage, and I enjoyed it!
Bartenders seems very friendly. They really seem to care about the wine they’re serving — recommendations, tastings, etc. It’s a small place, so it isn’t too difficult for them to look after you, but they do a good job.
The atmosphere is nice — it’s basically what you’d expect a wine room in Mountain View to be like. Enough said, right? :)
Prices are a bit high — $ 7-​$ 8 for a beer. Haven’t had wine yet, but I’m sure that varies dependent upon what you get. They also have a small menu — cheeses, breads, and so on. I was surprised to see that they do things like trivia occasionally.
If you’re waiting for a train, great place to go check out. Or perhaps even skip your train, wait for the next, and enjoy a beverage.

Came here with a group of coworkers and had a fun time sitting outside enjoying the company and weather. The service was friendly and fairly prompt.
I’m not a vino enthusiast so my palette is still learning the ropes. I ordered the muscat (because I wanted something sweet) and boy was it sweet — like syrupy sweet. I had a sip of my coworker’s riesling and it was more palatable (get that if you’re new to wine!)
Also our table ordered their cheese plate and charcuterie sampler plate. Their portions were a bit small for how much you’re paying, but the selection was pretty good.
The main con of sitting outside is hearing the roaring CalTrain horns passing by every 15ish minutes. Maybe I’ll try again when it’s the weekend and when CalTrain isn’t running as often.

After strolling around the Mountain View Art and Wine festival, we found ourselves at this quiet little wine bar.
The wine selection is decent and prices are standard. I got a glass of Riesling and I think it was about $ 12. We also got a charcuterie to share and the meats were FANTASTIC. There was some sort of prosciutto, thick cut salami, and another thick cut of a semi-​spicy red salami (kinda looked like pepperoni??). The prosciutto was my favorite among those.
All in all, a great place to hang out and catch up with friends. It was pretty quiet when we went but I would imagine it to get a bit louder on a weekend night.