57905 Tue Jan 13 21:00:47 -0800 2004 13 2 Los Angeles Area 0 302785 I have purchased some very interesting wines lately and would like to enjoy them when I go out to dinner at places that are comfortable with this, like Cafe Bizou and Cobras& Matadors. I would appreciate any suggestions for other Westside and Hollywood restaurants with reasonable corkage fees and a positive attitude towards clients bringing their own wine. Thanks! Tue Jan 13 21:00:47 -0800 2004 0 Jamie 1 302804 What kind of wines are you buying...always on the lookout! Wed Jan 14 00:36:31 -0800 2004 302785 0 CKarious 1 302808 Some months ago some one posted a great list to this board with corkage at a number of area restaurants. I thought I'd printed it out but can't find it now. Of course there is always Josie's on a Monday and you might check and see what the situation is now at Amuse. Wed Jan 14 00:59:02 -0800 2004 302785 0 Dbird 1 302824 If you are interested, Richard Jennings posted a list recently on erobertparker, on the "bring your own" forum there. Cafe Bizou is indeed the deal at $3 corkage. Cafe Blanc used to charge only $5, but is undergoing an ownership change. Sawtelle Kitchen is friendly (I think $5). 2117 is also very reasonable and often waives the charge. Josie has free corkage on mondays. Lawry's is only $10, with good stemware and roast beast to complement a nice red. Opaline also is reasonable with good wine. The haughty anti-corkage award: Bastide and Ivy. Wed Jan 14 11:17:25 -0800 2004 302785 0 john gonzales 2 302825 If you're going to Ivy, leave your wine at home. They DO NOT allow anyone to open thier own wine. Very unfriendly policy. I've been once, will never go again. Wed Jan 14 11:29:23 -0800 2004 302824 0 LesThePress 2 302986 Mr Jennings list was lifted from this site. Here is the link to the original. Link: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/56370#293295 Thu Jan 15 19:55:18 -0800 2004 302824 0 Grog 3 303038 If you read the thread on the other site someone there also proposed that the list came form here. Richard said he never hit this site, but that the list was circulating around the L.A. "wine crowd". I've met him and wouldn't disbelieve him. Perhaps indeed it started here which is cool, and morphed. The inclusion of Guelaguetza's corkage policy makes it pretty clear Chows were involved. Looks like the list was then expanded. Doesn't matter does it? It's a list not some proprietary or creative content. Hopefully the corkage issue continues to be a discussed one, noticed by restaurants. I think a fair thought out policy can be a win-win. We need more Bizous and 2117s, and fewer Ivy and Bastides. IMO. Fri Jan 16 12:08:12 -0800 2004 302986 0 john gonzales 4 303042 Here are all of RickB's again, and I went through the replies to his list and picked up the other ones that posters mentioned and added them on to his list, (so that we can keep growing this as people chime in with new or updated information). Spago: $25 per 750ml Water Grill: $20 per bottle AOC: $25 per bottle, waived if 2nd bottle purchased Angelini Osteria: $10 per bottle Campanile: $20 per bottle Nouveau Café Blanc: $5 per bottle Valentino: $30 per bottle Josie: $20 per bottle, waived if 2nd bottle purchased; FREE on Mondays, 2 bottle max. Sushi Nozawa: “We don’t do that” (Shocker…) Melisse: $30 per bottle, waived if 2nd bottle purchased Parkway Grill: $20 per bottle Grace: $15 per bottle provided it’s not on the wine list; otherwise not allowed Sona: $20 per 750 ml, limited to 1 bottle per 2 guests; if wine is on wine list, not allowed Lawry’s: $10 per bottle Guelaguetza: $4 per bottle Dan Tana: $24 per bottle Pizzecoto: $8 per bottle Angeli Caffe: $10 per bottle The Grill: $15 per bottle Bastide: Customers not allowed to bring their own wine Patina: $20 per bottle Alex: $25 per bottle Ciudad: $13 per bottle Chinois On Main: $20 per 750ml Jiraffe: $20 per bottle La Cachette: $20 per bottle; FREE on Sundays L’Orangerie: $25 per bottle, provided it’s not on the wine list; otherwise not allowed Orso: $12 per bottle Vert: $14 per bottle Jer-Ne - $25 Akbar -$20 The Buggy Whip - $10 Ocean Ave. Seafood - $15 Chez Mimi - $15 James Beach - $12 Fritto Misto -- $1.50 per person Provence Cafe -- no corkage Fee's Mimi's Cafe (yes the chain) $1 per bottle Greenblatt's Deli charges corkage of $4.95 for wine bought in their deli Il Moro - $15 Cafe Bizou $3 The Ivy - Not allowed Kings for Fish - $10 $15 fee at La Paella Fri Jan 16 12:25:50 -0800 2004 303038 0 WLA 5 303053 An interesting question is when someone say 'if it's not on the list" what does that mean? Does that mean the very vintage one intended to bring or the sam wine of any vintage? I guess often it is the wine in ANY vintage, though that is somewhat different. I recently called L'Orangerie as I wanted to bring a very special, aged 89 Mouton. When I told them I wanted to bring it (without stating the vintage) I was told I couldn't as they had it on the list. When I inquired as to what vintage they said it doesn't matter, they have Mouton on the list. Well, to me a 98 Mouton is a very different than an 89. Didn't bring it. They did indeed have Mouton on the list though I don't think any older than 90, and there was no 89. The 90 was something like $500. We ordered a $70 bottle off the list, which really profitted them no more than allowing us to enjoy our special bottle. I wasn't really mad, just perplexed as I often am about corkage attitudes. BTW, as I stated above 2117 has a very low corkage, which is often waived, esp. if one orders something off the list. Opaline ($12) and gracious. Cafe Blanc has changed over unfortunately. Fri Jan 16 13:37:21 -0800 2004 303042 0 john gonzales 6 303069 We went with a group to L Orangerie about a year ago, what a ridiculous Corkage Policy. Trying to compare 89 Haut Brion to the "off vintage" they had on their list is a joke. The food wasn't bad but Chef Chris E has now left so the only reason to go would be because you can't get into anywhere else. I recommend LA CACHETTE, he was the chef during L' best days. Fri Jan 16 14:45:14 -0800 2004 303053 0 russkar 5 303065 Dan Tana is $6/ bottle per person. i.e. 1 bottle is $24 for 4 people. I often go with friends and they stick to the hard liquor and I bring a bottle of wine for myself and pay $6, a bargain. I think the interesting thing would be to bring 4 bottles and inform them that each person is drinking only from two bottles, thus $24 total -- 2 bottles for 2 people each. Not sure this would go over so swimmingly. Fri Jan 16 14:19:47 -0800 2004 303042 0 Fidelixi 6 303066 Thanks for the clarification. Don't hesitate to copy off the list onto an email form, fix or change as necessary, and repaste and post again, (which is all I did). All of the hard work was done by the original poster, now I would just like to see it kept as current as possible as a resource base for the LA Board. Fri Jan 16 14:28:23 -0800 2004 303065 0 WLA 1 302842 Josie in Santa Monica charges no corkage on mondays and on other evenings, if you purchase one of her bottles she waves the corkage on one of yours..... AND the food is fabulous. Wed Jan 14 14:23:23 -0800 2004 302785 0 dotrat 1 302857 Michelia on W 3rd St by the Beverly Ctr does not charge corkage. Wed Jan 14 15:59:12 -0800 2004 302785 0 Megan