After Sideways, it seems like everyone has a wine tasting these days. The Echo in Echo Park has their Irregular Wine Tasting during the summer and wine shops like the Wine House in West L.A. host their self-proclaimed “hottest ticket in town” Friday nights. But when I read that the Buffalo Club, the supper club/nightclub on Olympic throws an event called “Wine Tasting Under the Stars” on occasion, I checked into it.

From CitySearch:

Like a classic speakeasy, the entrance to this hidden joint is evident only by the valet stand on an otherwise industrial-looking road. Inside the velvet curtain, the main dining room is flanked by a heavy wooden bar stocked with bottles of Dom chilling in sparkling silver tubs. Most of the action is on the patio, where diners carouse under a canopy of trees and Chinese lanterns.

Meant to be enjoyed on a warm summer night, the wine tasting series takes place in the club’s “English garden lounge” (aka outdoor patio) opened to a starry sky on a clear night– if you’re lucky in Santa Monica. Guests are taken through an informal tasting of six different wines by Chad Ortis, The Buffalo Club’s sommelier. Each event also includes written wine notes and an assortment of breads and artisan cheeses. And those who stay for dinner get a 50-percent discount on wines from the Buffalo’s wine list. But dinner can be an expensive prospect at this swanky, overpriced restaurant. Entrees range in price from $25-$36 for American seafood/steakhouse classics.

Apparently the patio transforms into a dance club on weekend nights with music ranging from DJs to cover bands, but there’s a cover of $10-$15 and even that may not guarantee your entry. Even being a fashionable PYT may not gain you entry. Readers on CitySearch complain of long lines of 50-year-old men and attitude from the staff, but that just sounds like a typical night in Hollywood. I guess it just stands out because it’s on the Westside. All the more reason to check out the wine tasting to get a baby peek at the venue and it only costs $30.

The Buffalo Club’s last event (called “Thunder From Down Under: Australia and New Zealand”) of this series is Wednesday, September 28th and the wines featured are Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc.

1520 Olympic Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Reservations required: (310) 450-8600 ext. 0
Price: $30 per person