Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Washington, D.C. Area
  4. Virginia - DC Suburbs
  5. Alexandria

Sonoma Cellar - Old Town Alexandria

4.4
4.4
711 Reviews
$30 and under
American
Sonoma Cellar is a new California-inspired wine tasting room and bistro in the heart of historic Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Offering an authentic California wine tasting experience, Sonoma Cellar will feature hand-selected wines from 180+ Sonoma County boutique wineries and 20+ Virginia-based wineries where guests have the opportunity to taste a number of varietals from these robust growing regions. Sonoma Cellar’s bistro menu will feature freshly prepared craft foods, designed to pair with the wines, and the gift shop will also carry a variety of distinctive wine-related merchandise.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 p.m.


Booked 14 times today

Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Dining

  • Cuisines

    American, Californian, Bistro

  • Hours of Operation

    Mon 11:00 am–10:00 pm Tue–Fri 11:00 am–11:00 pm Sat 10:00 am–11:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–10:00 pm

  • Phone number

    (703) 566-9867

  • Payment Options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress Code

    Casual Dress

  • Private party facilities

    We have a private dining room with an indoor capacity of 14. Outdoors we can accommodate 25 for wine tasting and appetizers. Give us a call and we may be able to work with your needs.

  • Neighbourhood

    Alexandria

  • Cross Street

    Lee Street

  • Parking Details

    You can pay for street parking or there are multiple public parking lots very close to the restaurant. Even better? You can ride the Old Town Trolley for free from the King Street Metro Station!

  • Entertainment

    On most Tuesday and Thursday evenings we have live acoustic music in the wine garden.

  • Additional

    Banquet, Beer, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Popular dishes

What 711 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4
4.4 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.4Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Washington, D.C. Area

    Great for fine wines

  • Virginia - DC Suburbs

    Great for fine wines

  1. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    vip
    1.0

    1 review

    Dined today

    overall1food2service1ambience4
    Sat for 25 minutes and received no service..very disappointed

    Is this helpful?

  2. MartinC

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on June 2, 2023

    overall2food2service1ambience1
    Place needs to be freshened up starting with a thorough cleaning. Menu needs to be expanded. Service was scattered. Seemed like no one running the place.

    Is this helpful?

  3. NatalieH

    New York Area

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on May 26, 2023

    overall4food3service4ambience5
    Amazing wine selection and wine service. Food however is extremely expensive ($20 for 6 slices of pita, some feta cubes, and nuts…). Highly recommend for wine just eat before or after somewhere else for better value.

    Is this helpful?

  4. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    8 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on May 20, 2023

    overall3food3service3ambience4
    I had been here before and loved it but was really disappointed on this visit. Food was mediocre- gnocchi was too salty, brussel sprouts were undercooked, and salad was bland. Service was good but food is disappointing so I won’t go here again.

    Is this helpful?

  5. JessinTown

    Washington DC

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on May 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Sonoma always has interesting wines available, and the staff has been knowledgeable and friendly each time we've visited. This was our first visit for dinner, and we were not disappointed! Both our dishes were delicious, and large enough to be filling without being too much. The back patio was very pleasant. I look forward to our next visit.

    Is this helpful?

  6. NancyK

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Love going to eat here. High quality food and drink. Recommend it highly.

    Is this helpful?

  7. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    6 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on May 5, 2023

    overall2food2service4ambience3
    Just okay. Not an amazing wine selection and the small plates were so-so. Nice location and good service.

    Is this helpful?

  8. ChelseaD

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on May 1, 2023

    overall2food3service4ambience1
    Small plates were tasty but a bit pricey, even for old town. Upstairs area was quite but looks plain, like it’s in mid renovation or incomplete. Staff was pleasant.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Jenai26

    Washington DC

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on April 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food here is awesome. The entire staff is professional, friendly & attentive.

    Is this helpful?

  10. JKVA

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on April 25, 2023

    overall2food3service4ambience2
    Several things were not available on the menu, including wine options, we is odd for a wine bar type of restaurant. The service was kind and apologetic, but overall not the greatest experience.

    Is this helpful?

  11. BrandonJ

    Washington DC

    8 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on April 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food, drinks and service were great! Dante was our wonderful server.

    Is this helpful?

  12. MuleDiner

    Washington DC

    26 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    26 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Wonderful service. Food is always delicious. Excellent wine recommendations by our server. He even brought us tastes of the wine to help us decide

    Is this helpful?

  13. Dojo23

    New Orleans

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on April 22, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    First time dining at SWC. Service was great, food was great. But I want to say a special Thank You to the hostess. I dropped a couple bucks when I left my seat. I was a few blocks from restaurant walking home, and in the rain she ran up to me to give back the money I dropped. That was a very thoughtful thing to do 😊 4/22

    Is this helpful?

  14. Puppymom

    Coastal Georgia

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Excellent food, service, wine selection, and option of eating outside in quiet courtyard or first and second floor intimate dining rooms. We’ve been here before, and will go again, always consistent with an emphasis on quality ingredients, and wine! Servers have always been well above average. with positive attitudes and knowledgeable of menu, as well as wine selections. The menu may surprise you there’s wonderful appetizers to lighter side options and multiple full size entrées. Something for everyone. Always a very enjoyable evening at Sonoma Cellar!!! It’s a bit of a hidden gem, in full site!

    Is this helpful?

  15. AliciaS

    Orlando

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on April 7, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Delicious food, awesome wine, nice ambiance and friendly staff who really know their wines. Can't go wrong here!

    Is this helpful?

  16. AlexandraN

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on March 31, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Would recommend absolutely. Great food and wine and very good service!

    Is this helpful?

  17. Kcp126

    San Francisco

    47 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    47 reviews

    Dined on March 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Excellent wine selection + fig & bree + short ribs were delicious!

    Is this helpful?

  18. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 24, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Overall great service and wine selection. My only suggestion would be to not get the gnocchi. For being priced as an entree, I was left extremely hungry afterwards.

    Is this helpful?

  19. Daniel

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 19, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Sanoma has become our go-to spot in Old Town for a glass of wine and cheese board. Great selection of wines, nice atmosphere, and great staff. Highly recommend!

    Is this helpful?

  20. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on March 18, 2023

    overall3food3service2ambience1
    Food was okay. One guest ordered a steak medium and it came out pretty rare. They asked it to be cooked just a little longer. The server was fairly passive aggressive the rest of the evening. We were also seated in a bizzare bright blue room with no decor on the walls. The food was decent and the downstairs seemed nice.

    Is this helpful?

  21. Mary

    Washington DC

    49 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    49 reviews

    Dined on March 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    We could actually hear our own conversation! Loved the variety of the menu, the attentiveness of the staff. Only negative was the chains hanging from the walls where art should have been. Even the chairs were comfortable! Will definitely be back.

    Is this helpful?

  22. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on March 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Absolutely delicious food and great flight of wines. Totally enjoyed the evening.

    Is this helpful?

  23. TeresaU

    San Diego

    50 reviews

    5.0

    50 reviews

    Dined on March 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Everything about Sonoma Cellar was absolutely fantastic! The service was prompt, and the food was lovely, especially the shrimp Crostini‘s! We each did a wine tasting, and our sommelier was very knowledgeable, answered lots of questions, was very patient, and overall this is the place to go! We walked out with several bottles, and lovely full bellies!!!! We had appetizers and a main dish! The mushroom risotto is absolutely dreamy, the beef short ribs definitely melt in your mouth! Thank you, Sonoma Cellars!

    Is this helpful?

  24. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on February 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Went in for wine tasting and wines that were for that day very good along with the Greek trio to go with the wine !

    Is this helpful?

  25. CourtneyY

    Washington DC

    14 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on February 19, 2023

    overall4food5service5ambience5
    Celebrating Valentine’s Day and our anniversary

    Is this helpful?

  26. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Sonoma Cellar is one of my favorite places to dine in Old Town Alexandria. Everything is excellent there, from the food to the service to the atmosphere. I highly recommend the peri peri chicken skewers for an appetizer and the Pacific Coast salmon with mushroom risotto is one of the best I've ever had. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for a quiet place to dine with excellent food.

    Is this helpful?

  27. Phil

    Washington DC

    20 reviews

    5.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on February 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food (Short ribs, Fish tacos) was excellent. Wine by the glass selection was varied. The setting is an old house with wonderful ambience.

    Is this helpful?

  28. CatriceM

    Baltimore

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 13, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    This was my 1st visit to Sonoma Wine Cellar, the beef short ribs were very good. I will definitely dine there a again, the staff were friendly & welcoming

    Is this helpful?

  29. EvamarieS

    Washington DC

    25 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on February 4, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    What a lovely place for dinner on a cold winter night! My friends and I had a nice table upstairs next to a window, giving us a great view of King Street while dining. All of the food was exceptional, we agreed. Three of us dining, we all had the French Onion Soup, which we were told the chef was contemplating making a permanent add to the menu. Yes! we told the waiter, the soup is really delicious with the right ration of cheese to onions. Two of us had the hangar steak and were both pleased it came out to our doneness requests. The cherry-horseradish cream with it was delightful! Our other friend had the turkey burger and said it was surprisingly juicy, as most he's had tend to be dry. And of course, we had wine. Don't miss the dessert trio, which was a nice touch to end a wonderful meal. We look forward to going back soon!

    Is this helpful?

  30. hoyamom

    Washington DC

    12 reviews

    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on February 3, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Everything was great, just hadn’t expected food to be so rich (but maybe it was our fault for ordering several heavy and cream-based items). We each had a cup of squash soup, then a seafood pasta and mushroom gnocchi to share among 3 people, all of which were very good and we had more than enough food (even an extra portion to take home). Wish the restaurant would have allowed us to order appetizer-sized portions of the pasta and gnocchi so that we cld have enjoyed a salad or something lighter with the heavier items. Really enjoyed the Sicilian Nero wine!

    Is this helpful?

  31. DJillD

    Washington DC

    12 reviews

    3.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on January 31, 2023

    overall3food3service1ambience4
    Wine was excellent. Food was okay but not as good as my regular local "wine bar." Cheese portions on board were very small and bread was just okay. Service was terrible. We were basically ignored and forgotten, maybe because we were only one of two tables there in mid-afternoon. We would have ordered more wine, but nobody ever checked on us once the food was delivered. I eventually had to get up and track down our check. Bad experience. Probably won't be back with the other options available.

    Is this helpful?

  32. AbeB

    Washington DC

    10 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on January 28, 2023

    overall1food1service1ambience1
    This is case of false advertisement. We placed a reservation at 3:30pm on 1/28/23 for the Alexandria Restaurant Week menu; keep in mind that no Sonoma Cellar advertisements stipulated specific start/stop times for Restaurant Week. When we arrived, we were told that the Restaurant Week menu did not start until 5pm. We explained to the waitress that the only reason we made the reservation was so that we could partake in the Restaurant Week menu options. The waitress said that the kitchen was "not prepared to serve Restaurant Week menu before 5pm." I then explained that none of the Sonoma Cellar advertisements mentioned a 5pm start time; her response was "I'm sorry." We decided to leave. On our way out, we heard the table behind us ask for the Restaurant Week menu, and again heard the waitress that it was not available until 5pm. This was either poor planning or deceptive advertising; either way, there was no attempt for customer recovery and we're not going back to Sonoma Cellar.

    1 person found this helpful

  33. Elsie

    Washington DC

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on January 27, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    We were celebrating our friend’s birthday and had an excellent meal and attentive service. Will return.

    Is this helpful?

  34. KenA

    Washington DC

    120 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    120 reviews

    Dined on January 21, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience3
    Great dinner and drinks. The staff were helpful and friendly. All and all a pleasant evening.

    Is this helpful?

  35. TeresaU

    San Diego

    50 reviews

    5.0

    50 reviews

    Dined on January 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Absolutely outstanding all of it! The hostess and servers are so polite, so personable, and spot on with any recommendations for wine and food! They were very knowledgeable about the ingredients in food, and which wines will complement! The food itself is lovely and full of flavor, good portions, Just amazing! This is the place you want to be! Join their wine club, just fantastic! We walked out with three bottles!

    Is this helpful?

  36. OpenTable Diner

    Richmond

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 8, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Beautiful little cafe! Service was great, and the food was delicious!

    Is this helpful?

  37. AlexC

    Charlotte

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great place for date night. Friendly staff. Good menu selection for wine and food. Highly recommend!

    Is this helpful?

  38. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 4, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Came here for my friends bday they were very nice and accommodating!

    Is this helpful?

  39. RichardW

    Key West

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on January 1, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Sonoma Cafe is always dependable. By that I mean your meal is served timely; the food is tasty; and the prices are reasonable. The ambiance is lovely in its historic but renovated building. It’s quiet inside which I especially like. Highly recommended.

    Is this helpful?

  40. JEZEats

    Washington DC

    11 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on December 31, 2022

    overall3food5service3ambience4
    The food is very good which makes it all the more of a bummer that this so-called wine bar can never really seem to get the wine part of things right. For example, on New Year’s Eve they didn’t offer tastings (except for a pre-mix set of 2 whites and 2 reds — with one glass so you are effectively mixing your wines and harming the tasting). In the past, when they did tastings, they would only do them with a single glass so they would essentially only pour one at a time. I was told that this was to save on having to wash glassware. As to the service, it was meh. This was not the fault of our

    Is this helpful?

Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitising

    • Surfaces sanitised between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitised menu provided
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitiser or wipes provided for customers
  • Physical distancing

    • Limited number of seated diners
    • Distancing maintained in common areas
    • Extra space between tables
  • Protective equipment

    • Waitstaff wear masks
    • Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
    • Contact tracing information collected

FAQs

Sonoma Cellar - Old Town Alexandria does offer delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. Sonoma Cellar - Old Town Alexandria also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (703) 566-9867.

Sonoma Cellar - Old Town Alexandria is rated 4.4 stars by 711 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

7:00 p.m.


Booked 14 times today
Google Map for Sonoma Cellar - Old Town Alexandria

207 King St, Alexandria, VA 22314

Additional information

  • Cross Street

    Lee Street

  • Neighbourhood

    Alexandria

  • Hours of Operation

    Mon 11:00 am–10:00 pm Tue–Fri 11:00 am–11:00 pm Sat 10:00 am–11:00 pm Sun 10:00 am–10:00 pm

  • Cuisines

    American, Californian, Bistro

  • Dining style

    Casual Dining

  • Dress Code

    Casual Dress

  • Parking Details

    You can pay for street parking or there are multiple public parking lots very close to the restaurant. Even better? You can ride the Old Town Trolley for free from the King Street Metro Station!

  • Payment Options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Entertainment

    On most Tuesday and Thursday evenings we have live acoustic music in the wine garden.

  • Additional

    Banquet, Beer, Cafe, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wine

  • Phone number

    (703) 566-9867

  • Private party facilities

    We have a private dining room with an indoor capacity of 14. Outdoors we can accommodate 25 for wine tasting and appetizers. Give us a call and we may be able to work with your needs.

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2023 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
Rentalcars Logo
OpenTable Logo