Garagiste Wine Room | Merchant

Great wine shouldn't have to be expensive. That's the idea behind Garagiste, a neighborhood wine bar in the Arts District by Eric Prato, a sommelier who formerly worked on the Strip at Bouchon. The list is extensive, featuring a variety of styles, countries, regions, and prices. Garagiste makes a point to champion the natural or low-intervention wine movement and small producers that aren't easy to track down. It's an industrial, modern space of brick and glass without a single television in sight. No kitchen either, but charcuterie plates are available, and you're always welcome to bring in outside food from nearby restaurants like Esther's Kitchen or Yu-Or-Mi. Garagiste doubles as a boutique wine shop and bottles are available to go with a 50% off retail discount. But if you plan to hang out for a while, there are more than 20 wines by the glass to keep things interesting. Happy hour is Monday-Friday 3-6 pm.
How to book: Walk-ins welcome. Garagiste recently launched an online store to order bottles in advance for quick pickup.

If the person(s) you have to shop for is just so incredibly difficult and/or you just don’t know them that well and/or you’re short on time and/or you are observing proper holiday party etiquette and bringing a host gift, the answer is wine. Pay a visit to the fine folks at Garagiste, a wine bar and retailer that specializes in the kind of juice you can’t just go grab at Target or Smith’s. Their inventory is stuffed with interesting wines from lesser-known, smaller producers from all over the world, and they roll deep with low-intervention labels. But you don’t have to be super into wine to find something fun. The staff here is incredibly approachable and accommodating; let them help you find something special for a gift or for yourself (maybe have a glass or two with some cheese and charcuterie while you’re there). The best part: every bottle on their list is for sale to-go at half off the list price (plus they’re offering an additional 5% off for Small Business Saturday).

Garagiste is a wine bar for people who don’t suck. If you’ve ever been curious about all these natural wines you keep hearing about, this is the place to visit; they’ll guide you through the experience without making you feel like a moron. The vibe is super casual and laid-back, just a touch rocker (think ‘90s new wave, grunge, and alt metal), and wholly approachable. If you like wine but hate wine snobs, this is your spot. It’s also a bottle shop, so if you try something you like, you can take a few bottles home with you (always 50% off the list price to take home). And if you’re snacky, they have some very nice cheese and charcuterie plates (and also some very nice beers and ciders for the non-wine-drinking guests).

Garagiste was founded by Mario Enriquez and Eric Prato, sommeliers who formerly worked at fine dining restaurants on the Strip, but are now following their own vision in the Arts District. It's a modern, industrial space with a record player serving up some background sounds while the bartenders serve wine in dozens of glasses, hundreds of bottles, and a few flights to round things out. Garagiste has special affection for low-intervention and organic wines, as well as cool stuff from small European villages. The bar is also a merchant. Every bottle is available on a retail basis at 50% off. Ask about curbside pickup (since we know how parking goes in the Arts District). Try the $5 tap wine during one of our favorite happy hours in Vegas (Monday-Friday afternoons).
How to order: Just walk in and discuss your preferences with a somm or bartender on staff. Sign up for regular emails to learn about the best deals before everyone else. Fair warning: they sell out quickly.