Menu
Menu
Tina and Brett
Restaurant Rating
Cost Rating
Food Type
Eclectic
The Camp 2937 Bristol St. Suite A-103 Costa Mesa, CA 92626
The pair’s unique wine-pairing dinners have become a staple for wine lovers in Orange County who want an elevated dining experience without all of the fuss often associated with luxury dining. The dynamic dining scene in Costa Mesa keeps getting better with the addition of the Old Vine Kitchen & Bar.
The idea of the Old Vine Kitchen & Bar goes back to 2007, when the restaurant first opened as the Old Vine Café. Mark McDonald, the chef-owner, wanted to build an elevated dining experience that featured California cuisine, high-quality products, and a sense of community among diners, but the concept evolved into so much more.
McDonald’s Old Vine Café was a community staple for 12 strong years, but he reached the point where he wanted to offer his guests even more. Mark partnered with the restaurant’s longtime sommelier, Kate Perry, to reimagine the concept and take the guest experience to the next level by really leaning into the wine component.
Kate was excited to create a wine list that steered diners away from varieties and producers they could find anywhere. Instead of Sauvignon Blancs and Cabernets, she hones in on varieties like Riesling, Lambrusco, Susumaniello, and Gropello. The current wine-tasting menu does have a Chardonnay, but this bottle is from New Zealand rather than California or Burgundy.
In 2019, Mark and Kate relaunched the brand, and the Old Vine has become a much sought-after destination for foodies and wine lovers alike ever since.
Old Vine Kitchen & Bar is located in The Camp, a very cool community redevelopment project in the heart of Costa Mesa, California, that features retail shops, dining, and service providers like a tattoo parlor, a Lagree fitness studio, and a pottery workshop.
The restaurant itself is casual and cool, without being pretentious about it. Regardless of how much or how little you know about food and wine, the owners and staff are warm, friendly, and welcoming.
The dining room has seating options for every type of guest. If you’re a bar diner, Old Vine has a large, wrap-around bar with several televisions so you can watch your favorite sports 
team. If booth seating is more your thing, the restaurant has several cozy half-booths for date night dining. And, if you want a little more room to spread out, free-standing tables are also an option.
Everything about the atmosphere and location of The Old Vine Kitchen & Bar is well thought out. The bistro-like feel gives the space a very inviting vibe for dinner, happy hour, or weekend cocktails.
Old Vine Kitchen offers an a la carte dinner menu and a prix-fixe tasting menu with a wine pairing option. The restaurant does an excellent job of making sure they’re meeting the needs of diners from across the spectrum of dietary preferences. In addition to the Original Tasting Menu, which always includes meat protein as the main course, the restaurant also has a Vegetarian Tasting Menu and a Vegan Tasting Menu.
When you go for the wine pairing option on the Old Vine Kitchen & Bar’s tasting menu, you really are getting a stellar deal. The pairing is only an additional $20. The menu includes four courses, so you’re getting four pours during dinner. When you consider the fact that one glass of wine can set you back anywhere from $12 to $20+, the restaurant is delivering great value to customers who choose this option.
As you may have already guessed, the way that chef Mark McDonald and sommelier Kate Perry designed this wine pairing experience is what initially attracted us to the Old Vine. To experience the full breadth of Chef McDonald’s talents, we tried the Original Tasting Menu and the Vegetarian.
Our entrees, the panko-crusted eggplant burrata and filet mignon with an Amish blue cheese demi-glace and fried shallots, were terrific, and each wine pairing really complemented both dishes. Chef McDonald’s creations were very good, but Kate’s wine pairings made them exceptional.
Restaurants owned by sommeliers always have killer wine lists, but if you want to bring a bottle from home, corkage at Costa Mesa’s Old Vine Kitchen & Bar will cost you $25 per bottle with a two-bottle max per party.
With Good food, good service, and great wine, Old Vine Kitchen & Bar is sure to please the toughest palates. The restaurant is open for dinner Tuesday through Sunday, as well as Sunday brunch and the rooftop bar serves customers every Friday and Saturday. With so many opportunities to enjoy the food, wine, and cocktails at this spot, there’s no excuse not to give it a try.
