Kings Wine Bar

Kings Wine Bar was birthed in late August after a long build-out that had the neighborhood aching with curiosity and anticipation. Perhaps part of the collective itch was due to the fetching logos, designed by underground poster gurus Aesthetic Apparatus, plastered in the windows months before the doors opened that veritably said, “Yeah, we get the vibe.” And it was indeed, to paraphrase a famous hipster, a slow train comin’. According to one of the owners, Samantha Loesch, they wanted to get all the details just right. Judging from the response, their aim is true. Visually, the dusty red trim bounces off pale wheat- and umber-hued walls that, along with the vintage lighting above the black lacquered bar, create a warm, crowd-flattering glow. Better still, the relaxed, friendly service nicely dovetails with the homey takes of easy-on-the-wallet comfort food from chef Peter Maccaroni and his kitchen. Maccaroni spent a few years at The Sample Room, and the brief but tasty menu shows some great lessons learned—most notably, nothing on the dinner menu is priced above $16, with half devoted to little plates of $7 or less. Take the addictive and kitschy house-made Tater Tots or the deliciously Sicilian-inspired Marsala wine–soaked chicken meatballs. There are four well-chosen tap beers and changing wines by the glass from the wide-ranging bottle list. It might have taken longer than expected, but Kings proves that sometimes the reward is worth the wait.

4555 Grand Ave. S., Mpls., 612-354-7928, kingsmpls.com