Webster’s Wine Bar

She is the hostess with the mostess.
She was engaging, graceful and empathetic to my fate. I popped in overwhelmed from the punishing heat after an afternoon at the Logan’s Square arts Festival. She offered water without hesitation and the time to recover. I regret not ordering at least one glass of wine. Cold water and plenty of it was my only nourishment this afternoon.
It goes without saying that I highly recommend a visit soon.
I never caught her name. But, THANK YOU. I will be back.

This is one of my favorite spots in Chicago! Let’s start with the atmosphere: it is cozy, inviting, and you can generally have your table for the whole night if you want. (How often do you find that in the U.S.?!) Second: service is always top-​notch here: the servers check-​in with you, are friendly, are there when you need them, but not overly intrusive. Third: The food=Yum!!! The chicken liver mousse is probably the best I have ever had! (That’s saying something, because I never thought I’d find one to beat Bar Marta’s) The grilled broccolini was also fantastic. The servers let you order how you want, so you can order different things off the menu all night, which is great, as you don’t always want to get everything at once (Or within an hour). Finally, the wine is fantastic. I have never had a bad glass of wine here and there are some that I end up ordering online after trying them here.

This is my favorite wine bar in Chicago! I love their selection of reds — they offer unique variations from all over the world (served at the perfect cellar temperature) and their servers are very helpful. My favorite is to order tastings to create my own wine flight, and then cap off the night with a glass.
The bar itself is dimly lit and romantic — my favorite seats are the two comfy armchairs by the window looking out onto Logan Square, but they also have two separate bar sections.
Would highly recommend coming here!

Our group first enjoyed one of their wine tastings and then moved to the bar for some more wine and a few appetizers so I’ll comment separately on both.
First, the wine tasting. The tasting was well organized and the wines were plentiful! We were tasting Tuscan reds so it shouldn’t be a surprise that everything was really heavy. By the end, I was craving a white wine or, god forbid, water. (which was in short supply) The people pouring clearly knew their stuff and it was fun to learn about each wine in such detail. Because of the detail, there could be a bit of a wait sometimes but, over two hours, we got to taste them all. (A few times in some cases.) They served appetizers but they were slow to get them out and people acted like vultures when food did come. Fortunately, the eventually «caught up» and we got a few bites. It would have been nice to have crackers or something to cleanse the palette between glasses (and, again with the water to rinse glasses). But, all in all, I would go to another tasting there.
The bar was great. Bartender was knowledgable and helpful without being pushy. The food was really good and service was fast. We had the beet salad, the mushrooms in sherry and the moroccan vegetables. All were the right size and served quickly. We were there early enough that the place wasn’t overly crowded so no fighting for spots, etc.
We come to Chicago a couple of times a year. This will become a destination spot for us for sure.

This has gotten to be a
Fav place for some happy hour and evening socializing — great wine menu and great apps-​cheese plate is always great and the tavern fries were good
The staff knows about what to recommend if you have questions and
It’s not super packed

From glancing at these reviews, I would have expected much better from Webster’s. They really fell short. The wine was ok, they certainly have plenty of options. I would caution you to stay away from anything that listed «barnyard funk» in it’s tasting notes. I thought that sounded like a cute and intriguing way to describe earthiness, but oh no, it actually means funk in a bad way. I enjoy a lot of wine and have sampled plenty, but dear god, that stuff was foul.
The food was a huge miss. The menu seemed promising, but it was a total miss. The venison tartare didn’t taste like anything special. It was over powered by caper/​pickled flavor. I am also fairly confident that this got my guest and I sick.
The fritto misto was a plate of under seasoned tempura for $ 12 or $ 13. The price was a bit high for two large shrimp, three tiny calamari rings, two pieces of leek or asparagus and two pieces of pretty gross tempura fennel. The charred lemon yogurt dipping sauce was pretty bad as well — more like unnecessarily spicy, vaguely citrus mayo.
I’d recommend sticking to the wine and cheese here. We had a few cheese selections recommended by the waitress that were good. The bread was disappointing though, very basic and not very fresh tasting.

2.75÷5
Arrived on a Friday night and was glad my friends were seated ahead of me because it seemed like people were beginning to wait for their tables. I really liked their half sized glass portions that reflected the half glass price. Confused you say? Other places don’t exactly charge half price for half a glass, but this place held true. They had a big variety of wines to choose from and were easy to try many on the list: just be sure to order before your drink ends as drink service is very slow. My friend kept asking where his drink was and was often cheersing with water: not cool.
The food itself was pretty good. The meatballs had a good crust and the espelette peppers gave it an interesting twist since I never had an epelette pepper, but enjoyed. The bacon wrapped dates had the smoke shine through the bacon, but the sweet, gooey dates tamed the smokiness while the almond give it some texture.
With my Spanish wine, I also got the Mahon Curado (raw cow cheese from Spain) that was similar to a hard parmesan cheese. Instead of the house made apple butter (on the menu), the cheese came out with a white tea infused cherry preserve. WOW. That white tea flavor was bright upfront while the cherry preserve caught up in sweetness. I’d like a jar to go please…
I gave them a 2.75 instead of 3.5 because the server spilled my first glass of wine all over my menu and pants. This definitely wasn’t her first day, but I saw her cringe like it was. It wouldn’t have been too bad, but the server froze and just stood there, while I had to ask for a napkin before the stain set in. It seemed they were more worried about their menu then their patron as the bus boys were occupied cleaning the menu and leaving me in the dust. Also, no club soda at a wine bar? This should be a given. The wine spilled ALL OVER THE WORST PARTS: my zipper and… uuuuuh the area below the zipper. It was veeeery uncomfortable to clean and dry this part in the bathroom with people looking at me like I had an accident myself. I thought the server would’ve at least comped a drink or food item since she spilled wine on me but nope. I was a bit disappointed on their service: constantly slow drink service (our neighboring tables had quick drink service), and the lack of caring for spilled wines. Did all the staff have an off night? I don’t know, but I’m willing to come back, but I’ll be very cautious next time.

This is in my neighborhood. I love the atmosphere here. Whenever I find a place with lounge style sofas and intimate décor, I generally love it. I feel comfortable there alone or with a friend. They have a smaller menu with not too much variety but what’s on there is pretty good. I wish they had some more options. More small plate, tapas style options would be great. Everyone is quite professional as well. Don’t ask the manager about Sulfites though. He might bite your head off lol. He is quite knowledgeable about wine but a bit rough in dispersing that knowledge: P

Nice place. Interior is upscale but cozy. Not really my kind of drink list (wine) but I was able to find some beer. Good service.

After months of passing by Webster’s thinking, «I should check that place out,» I finally stopped in for dinner yesterday. They run a special on Sundays: $ 12 for a burger and glass of wine. For this special alone, Webster’s is worth a visit. The burger was one of the best I’ve had in a long time. Cooked to a perfect medium-​rare, the patty was nice and thick and was topped with some sort of delicious pepper aioli and pickles. The accompanying wine — a Lebanese red — was really excellent and paired quite nicely with the burger.
Aside from the Sunday special, Webster’s has a really great menu. The wine is front and center, obviously, but they also have a really good beer and food selection. I’m excited to visit again and try their other food and drink offerings.

Randomly came in on NYE with my bf and we were surprised what a great bar this is after walking by many times. Friendly staff and very knowledgeable on wines available, fantastic service and great atmosphere. We will be back!

Came here for a quick hour while we were waiting to be seated somewhere else. Decided to get a quick app and some drinks with the wife. I liked the feel of the place, it was really cozy.
The wife ended up getting a glass of wine, no clue which one she got but there’s so many choices. I ended up getting a cider that was on tap and it was pretty good. $ 8 for a smallish glass though.
We ended up just splitting the calamari which was pretty good. I usually like mine with more breading and more fried-​ness but this one was more squid tasting. Besides this place being a little pricey, it’s pretty nice overall.

The ambiance is relaxing and warm.
The prices are pretty high. But I’m a bit biased by my experiences in southern Europe where I like to go to «wine bars» that are basically just bars that serve regional wine and the prices are in the 3 – 5 euro range. In college I was given a lesson in smelling, swirling and sipping wine by another backpacker named Fabrice, completely without irony. Wine is a part of everyday life and everyone drinks it, no pretense at all.
We went with a groupon that included two glasses of wine and a charcuterie plate. The plate was probably the most expensive (without the groupon) but probably the largest charcuterie plate I’d ever seen on this or the other side of the Atlantic. Though the groupon was for two people the charcuterie plate could have easily fed four. It was the first time I’d ever taken home charcuterie in a doggie bag. The items, especially the pâté, were rich and delicious. The wine list is substantial and interesting, but they gave us half-​pours, a detail that we must have overlooked in the fine print on the Groupon.
Our server was cheerful, very informed and knowledgeable about the wines, and was able to make some intelligent recommendations.

We’ve been here twice now, and the second time was so amazing it warranted a review. We started with the Venison Tartare, which was perfect; Doug and I refer to it as «Midwestern Sushi» because it’s that fresh and delicious. We also got the pommes frites, which I’m not sure within what kind of magic they’re deep-​fried, but they’re the best we’ve had.
For vegetables, we got the ratatouille and the Waldorf salad, which were subtle and refreshing, respectively. The greens in the salad were both fresh and diverse.
The meat dishes were truly the crowning glory of the night. The hanger steak was the most tender, flavorful, and juicy beef we’ve ever had, and the cheeseburger melted in our mouths.
Other reasons to dine here, other than the food, involve the stellar service, the extensive wine list, the calm atmosphere, and the relatively inexpensive price tag. We will definitely return!

The service was so great I had to leave a review. I live in the neighborhood and I gotta say the service here gives Lula etc. a run for their money. Waiter recommend the perfect fortified wine for dessert and nailed it with the cheese as well. It’s not as pricey as you might expect looking at the classy atmosphere. It doesn’t seem to get much traffic, and seems to deserve more. Wine isn’t the hippest thing for a Logan Square spot, which favors cocktails and beer. Too bad, they don’t know what they are missing! I’d hit this place up over Billie Sunday across the street any day!

This is my new favorite spot
The chicken liver mousse was delicious and a large portion
Dates were an excellent appetizer
They have a great selection of wines by the glass and some varietals that are not very common

Everything here is excellent. The staff is friendly and the food and wine are quality. I’ve had the venison tartare (outstanding and a bit of an adventurous moment for me. Way more than enough food for one person. Try to have at least two other adventurous people with you if you’re going to go for it.), the meatballs (totally delicious), and several samples off of the cheese menu (uh, do I have to say more than «cheese menu?») You can definitely count on the bartenders for good recommendations on both food and drink.
The one tiny downside? Well, prepare yourself for a sudden lightening of your wallet. I realize that a single glass of wine in a restaurant will always cost more than is proportionate to buying the same bottle yourself, but some of the prices still left me a little winded. And – as excellent as it is – the food also seemed a touch higher priced than is fitting.
That said, if you’re coming here on a budget (like myself), it can still be done. You just have to be careful about your wine selections. (Even the less expensive fare proved to be delicious, so fear not!)
P. S. It definitely has a romantic, cozy atmosphere if you’re looking for an intimate date setting!

Amazing vino, personal service, and a fantastic atmosphere. Our bartender really helped us find the perfect wines all night. We sat at the bar and he gave us a sample of any wine we thought about. They also have a really cool history of how they got to Logan Square.

Extensive list of wines that our server was knowledgeable about, helping us pick out some great wines, including a Rose which I would generally steer clear of. And, they offer tastes so you can try a variety without getting trashed. I give the place a 5 for wine and service, but I brought the overall rating down because my meatballs were quite salty.
Great atmosphere and really comfortable. I’ll definitely be back.

Very convenient new location right off of the Logan Square Blue Line stop. The setup is just a little different from the old Webster location as there are 2 separate rooms both equipped with their own bar. They kept the library feel in one of the rooms which is cool and sparks nostalgia of the old location.
My party of 3 got a seat on the couch that is over to the right once you walk in the door. The menu is still quite vast with tons of wine selections. I was feeling like a rose’ since it was a nice summer evening. I tried all 3 rose’ options they had by the glass and they were all quite good. We worked up an appetite drinking so we ordered a cheese platter that came with 3 different cheeses recommended by our waitress. Very good as they came with bread in addition to some spreads.
The new location lacks the parking perks the old location had, but the spot is still good to gram some good wine

I love wine. And when I saw that this wine bar opened up close to me, I was super excited to check it out. Then I saw a Groupon for wine and a chef’s board for two people and knew I had to finally visit.
Webster’s has a great atmosphere that is laid back but still classy. Their drink menu is extensive, which made it hard to decide on what to get, but the waitress was knowledgable and gave me and my boyfriend a great recommendation. The chef’s board was also amazing! Nothing goes better with wine than cheese, and the cheese’s we sampled were divine (we went with Brie, Gouda, and Blue cheese). Along with the cheese we got to have three meats; we had Smoking Goose Coppa, Tete de Cochon (pig), and Duck. With the cheese and meat we got some spreads like spicy mustard and several jams. I had a great time mixing and matching cheeses, meats, and spreads all on top of toasted bread.
Definitely stop by for a drink and a bite to eat!
For more pics/​details check out:

Just moved to the neighborhood, and discovered this gem. Enjoyed the asparagus then the meatballs. Both were fantastic. The soft boiled egg on top of the asparagus was cooked to perfection.
Atmosphere is laid back with a twist of sophistication. Window seats are a premium and comfy.

I never understood why the owners of Webster’s Wine Bar would mothball Telegraph (which was finally reaching its stride as far as its food menu was concerned) and import their blander Lincoln Park sibling into Logan Square, name intact.
After finally dining here, I still don’t understand. Spite, perhaps?
It isn’t all bad, so we will get to the good first. Service was generally friendly, the American Accent cocktail is an excellent choice for Manhattan afficianados, and the wine selection is about five times larger than it was under Telegraph, with many affordable and off the beaten path offerings. That was a shortcoming of Telegraph I could never understand, so that is a welcome upgrade.
Additionally, some tables have been swapped out for couches, which creates the potential for relaxation and lounging. Sadly, the potential for lounging is throttled by all the downgrades.
First, whereas Telegraph had a more elegant, minimalist décor, Webster’s has regressed to undergraduate ideas of what a wine bar should be, stuffing the walls with bookshelves and wine bottles and stereotypes.
Secondly, the music is decidedly more middlebrow — Dire Straits was playing when I arrived, and at some other point in the evening I heard a series of bad reggae songs. Its entirely likely that my eardrums were poisoned with Dave Mathews, as well. While that may fly in Lincoln Park it isn’t appropriate in Logan Square.
Finally, the food is now just pedestrian wine bar fare. Gone are the creamy BBQ shrimp and grits (which was one of Telegraph’s finest dishes), the savory Spanish prawns, the venison. Instead we have your basic cheese plate, grilled octopus drowning in brown sauce, hidden in fried potatoes, and your basic beef tartare.
If Webster’s hires a better Pandora/​Spotify curate and some kitchen upgrades, it could be worth visiting. Until then, you should pass. Its sad, really. We deserved (and had it) so much better.

Love the new location! It’s perfectly situated on Logan Square with views from all the windows, comfy sofas, two bars and one of the best wine lists in the city.
And here’s a secret that clearly no one knows about yet as it should pack the place, but there is live entertainment every Monday night at Webster’s between 8:30 and 11. And not just any entertainment– great entertainment…for FREE! I went on the night Abraham Mellish was there (check him out as he is a great acoustical guitarist from Liberia who connects with everyone who hears him) — but the talent changes weekly so you may want to check out their website or call to see who is there on the Monday you pick.
Service was spot on and I love that the same chef from when this place was Telegraph is still in place as are some of my favorite food items like the meatballs and the mussels.
If you drive– parking is always a bit of a challenge around here but there is a large city paid lot across the street by the Blue line which is really reasonable.
Perfect for a quiet night out, date night, girls night or pretty much whatever night you are having, Webster’s does it right.

Webster’s Wine Bar is better than ever at its new location in Logan Square. The larger, intimate space is really conducive to a nice date or a larger group– they manage to pull both off.
What blew us away on our last visit was not only the service, but the food was outstanding! We had the following:
–Duck wings: fall off the bone deliciousness, melt in your mouth like pot roast
–Brussels sprouts: OMG these were heavenly!!! GET THEM!!! You won’t regret it!
–Steak Tartare: yum yum yum! Served with warm bread, homemade pickles and mustard.
–Mussels: Fantastic! These were huge and the broth was fantastic.
All of the food was some of the best we’ve had in awhile. Clearly the owners of this, the now closed Bluebird, and now closed Telegraph consolidated operations and now have it down perfectly.
I can’t wait to spend many more memorable evenings here. Cheers!

We came to Webster’s Wine Bar Friday night on a suggestion from my Bestie’s husband. He figured two classy broads like us should have our catch-​up in a classy place. Thanks for believing in us Bff’s Hubby!
I was immediately greeted by a server and told me I could sit anywhere. It’s super cozy and romantic in here. Definitely a good spot for date night. It’s got great combination of sofas and regular tables to choose from. It’s surprisingly large, with a room at the back, which is where we sat.
They had an impressive list of wines, a good selection of craft beers and a decent sized cocktail menu. Since my friend and I know nothing about wines and just know what liquor we like, we decided to stick with cocktails. I’m a whiskey gal, so I got the «An American Accent (is cute in Paris)» and the bestie got «Surf Rider». Both drinks were delicious!
As for food we shared the Antipasto, Dates, Pomme Frites, and the Green Salad. All were pretty damn good. For the dessert, we took our server’s suggestion and went for the Honey Pie. That’s probably where this fell short. It had an interesting taste. Not bad. Just interesting. To be fair, the pie was from Bang Bang Pie Shop, who I hear has great pies. This one just wasn’t our favorite.
Per usual, we stayed there for about 6 hours and the server kept checking up on us through out and she was super nice.
Overall, a great Date Night spot for lovers and besties, or just for a chill vibe from the rest of Logan Square. It’s in a great location, right off of the blue line. Parking was a PITA, but that was to be expected.