Wine Bar Near Me: Vintage Chalkboard Pours at Augustine Wine Bar

Augustine Wine Bar opens at 5:00 pm without a printed bottle list, anchoring 13456 Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks with century-old vintage pours chalked directly onto hanging slate boards. Established in 2015 along the San Fernando Valley's primary dining corridor, this intimate 45-seat tavern transforms rare viticultural history into an approachable nightly ritual. Anyone searching for an authentic, unpretentious wine bar near me discovers vintage European glassware, a 1912 upright piano, and amber Edison lighting that cuts through the busy Sherman Oaks evening traffic. Rather than locking historical vintages inside museum vaults, the cellar team uncorks bottles from the late nineteenth and mid-twentieth centuries every evening for curious local imbibers. Whether stopping in for a quick mineral pour after work or lingering through an extensive tasting across decades, guests find deep cellar expertise paired with genuine neighborhood warmth.

The tavern was created by wine director Matthew Kaner and restaurateur Dustin Lancaster in collaboration with lifelong musician and vintage wine collector David Gibbs, who contributed thousands of rare bottles from his personal collection. Together, they designed a space where historic bottles from legendary estates sit comfortably alongside contemporary natural producers from the Central Coast and Loire Valley. The back bar is framed by dark mahogany shelving, vintage radios from the 1950s, and framed antique sheet music that reflect Gibbs's background in the recording industry. This distinct decorative identity sets Augustine apart from minimalist modern lounges, cultivating a lived-in parlor atmosphere where conversation flows naturally between strangers along the polished bar counter.

The chalkboard above the kitchen door serves as the focal point of the entire room, updated at 4:30 pm each afternoon with the evening's rare vintage selections by the glass. On any given night, you might find an 1874 French Madeira poured alongside a 1934 vintage port, a 1968 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, or a 1974 German Riesling Spatlese. Because these antique bottles are uncorked fresh daily, quantities are strictly limited to whatever remains in that evening's bottle. Sommeliers personally inspect each cork and evaluate clarity before the doors open, ensuring that every historic pour delivers pristine aromatic expression.

While rare historical pours command premium pricing scaling upward into three figures for nineteenth-century rarities, the everyday wine program remains remarkably accessible. Standard by-the-glass pours start at $15 for crisp Austrian Gruner Veltliner and fresh Italian whites, reaching $29 for single-vineyard Oregon Pinot Noir and structured Bordeaux blends. Dessert wine pours measure a generous two ounces and start at $15 for fortified cellar selections. For non-drinkers joining the party, Augustine stocks refreshing craft non-alcoholic wheat ales and hoppy IPAs at $9, while rotating local craft draft beers pour between $9 and $12.

The kitchen operates out of a compact galley space, turning out rich, wine-friendly tavern fare that complements both crisp whites and structured vintage reds. The signature 3 Cheese Plate costs $20, featuring generous wedges of sharp Saville cow's milk cheddar, four-month aged Spanish Manchego, and creamy French triple-crème accompanied by dark fig jam and warm Clark Street demi-baguette slices. Carnivores can select the 3 Charcuterie Plate for $20, loaded with spicy Calabrese salami, black truffle dry salami, and smoked speck served alongside coarse grain mustard and cornichons. For a heartier dinner, order the house Augustine Burger and hand-cut fries for $15, or the crispy fried buttermilk chicken sandwich with house slaw for $15.

Augustine operates strictly on a walk-in basis with no advance table reservations, which keeps the room lively and democratic throughout the evening. The front dining room holds eight wooden tables alongside fifteen vintage leather bar stools, while a secluded rear patio offers additional seating under heated string lights. Peak crowds consistently arrive between 7:00 pm and 8:45 pm, particularly on Thursday through Saturday nights when local studio professionals and neighborhood regulars pack the counter. If you arrive during this prime dinner window, expect wait times ranging from thirty to forty-five minutes, managed on a physical clipboard by the host.

To experience the cellar at a leisurely pace without waiting outside on Ventura Boulevard, aim to walk through the front door right at 5:00 pm opening. Arriving early gives you first pick of the vintage chalkboard pours before rare bottles run dry, as well as uninterrupted time to talk terroir with the bartenders. Alternatively, plan a late-night dessert stop after 9:45 pm, when the dinner crowd clears out and the room takes on an intimate candlelit salon ambiance. Solo visitors will find the far corner of the wooden bar counter especially welcoming for solitary reading over an aged Madeira.

Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks offers one of the Valley's most walkable commercial stretches, dotted with independent bookstores, mid-century antique shops, and specialty cafes. Before settling in for drinks at Augustine, take thirty minutes to explore the curated vintage mid-century furniture galleries along the blocks between Woodman Avenue and Beverly Glen Boulevard. Architecture fans can wander south of the boulevard into the quiet residential hillside streets, where lush eucalyptus trees shade preserved California ranch houses and post-war modernist residences.

If you encounter an excessive waitlist at Augustine on a busy Saturday night, excellent backup options exist within a brief walk or short ride along the boulevard. Walk five minutes west to Petit Trois Valley at 13705 Ventura Boulevard for classic Parisian bistro dishes and French cellar selections at their zinc counter. Another worthy alternative is Buvette at 14006 Ventura Boulevard, which offers relaxed Mediterranean small plates and regional French and Italian wines. Both spots maintain high culinary standards while providing an easy fallback plan if Augustine is at maximum capacity.

Augustine Wine Bar is located at 13456 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, between Greenbush Avenue and Woodman Avenue in the southern San Fernando Valley. Operating hours run Tuesday through Sunday from 5:00 pm until 12:00 am midnight, with the kitchen taking final food orders at 10:30 pm; the bar is closed on Mondays. Metered street parking lines both sides of Ventura Boulevard and becomes free after 8:00 pm, though careful attention should be paid to posted evening anti-gridlock restrictions. A dedicated valet stand operates directly in front of the venue starting at 6:00 pm for patrons seeking hassle-free arrival.

Public transit riders can utilize the Metro Local 150 or 240 bus lines that run east-west along Ventura Boulevard, with convenient stops located within one block of the entrance. Major credit cards, debit cards, and Apple Pay mobile contactless transactions are accepted throughout the bar, though cash is also welcomed. Dress code is casually sophisticated California style, equally welcoming to denim jackets, casual blazers, or relaxed evening wear. Guests seeking rare vintage tastings should inspect the chalkboard immediately upon arrival, as historically significant bottles cannot be replicated once the final glass is poured.