Esters Wine Shop & Bar | Downtown, Santa Monica, California, United States

Photographer: Emily Hart Roth

Photographer: Jakob Layman

Photographer: Jakob Layman

Photographer: Esters Wine Shop & Bar

Photographer: Jakob Layman

Photographer: Jakob Layman

Photographer: Jakob Layman

Photographer: Elise Freimuth

Photographer: Elise Freimuth

Photographer: Meghan Reardon

Photographer: Elise Freimuth

Photographer: Elise Freimuth

Photographer: Meghan Reardon

Photographer: Lindsey Huttrer

Photographer: Lindsey Huttrer

Message & Request Pricing

Esters presents an integrated wine shop, bar, and market experience in Santa Monica, California.

Esters invites guests to browse the wine collection, while sipping on a glass of Champagne, spend an evening leisurely exploring new vintages to pair with cheese, charcuterie, and composed dishes, enjoy a wine tasting class, or stock up for a dinner party at home.

The Lowdown

Type: Bar / Club / Lounge Historic Building Restaurant / Private Dining

Views: Cityscape Street

Style: Art Deco
Elegant
Fanciful
Sophisticated
Whimsical

Best type of Celebrations

Bachelor / Bachelorette Party

Rehearsal Dinner / Welcome Reception

Venue Setting

As a member of the Rustic Canyon Family, Esters is a partnership between restaurateurs Josh Loeb & Zoe Nathan and the group’s Wine Director Kathryn Coker and her husband, Tug. It’s a cozy, yet stylish, Santa Monica wine shop and bar where you can come for a glass of champagne and a meal, buy a special bottle for a friend, stock your wine cellar or all of the above. Tucked inside a beautifully refurbished 1937 Art Deco building, our retail area features floor to ceiling racks of wine focused on smaller, planet-friendly producers whose stories we know and love.

The seasonal menu primarily celebrates French bistro classics, with some Spanish, Italian and Californian influences. A variety of snacks and composed dishes for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch showcase ingredients from the nearby Santa Monica Farmers' Market, alongside artisanal cheeses and charcuterie. In addition to the 250+ wine list, beverage options include craft beer and cocktails showcasing small-batch spirits.

Given its multi-faceted, indoor-outdoor layout, Esters is available for everything from intimate private tastings to daytime showers on the sunny patio to cocktail and dinner parties throughout the whole space.

Capacity

Seated: 90

Buffet: N/A

Standing: 120

Fees

(Prices listed here are estimates only & are subject to change)

Price range: Join the party and sign in to view pricing

Does this include catering fees?: Yes

Additional charges: All pricing exclusive of tax, 20% service charge and 4% healthcare charge.

Insurance: Additional Insurance Is Not Required To Host An Event Here

Connect

Request a Venue Tour

Call: 310.899.6900

Event Logistics and Amenities

(Essential event logistics and amenities to ensure a seamless and memorable experience for you gathering)

Celebrations hosted here since: 2015
Curfew: 11 PM
Venue spaces: Indoor & Outdoor Venue Spaces Available
Catering: Client Must Use The Catering Provided By The Venue
Alcohol: Provided By Venue For Fee – You Must Use The Venue For All Alcohol Services
Music: No Amplified Music Allowed
Smoking: Non-smoking Venue
Eco/Green Events: Yes
Handicap Accessible: Yes

Amenities

Street Parking
Valet Parking
Wifi
Dining Chairs
Dining Tables
Onsite Restrooms

Venue Features

The scene:: Esters Wine Shop & Bar, which derives its name from the chemical compounds that contribute to a wine’s bouquet, is a wine shop, bar and restaurant in Santa Monica, CA, appealing to both shoppers on-the-go and guests lingering over intriguing wine and food. Co-Owner & Rustic Canyon Family Wine Director Kathryn Coker and her husband Tug join the group’s partners Josh Loeb and Zoe Nathan in this chic dining and drinking destination. The stylish, Parisian-inspired atmosphere with its lounge seating, expansive patio and spacious bar encourages socializing while browsing the 250+ wine collection from small producers with farming practices focused on soil health. Guests can pop open a bottle of natural wine with dinner, explore new vintages to pair with cheese and charcuterie during Sunday wine tastings and Monday cellar nights, grab lunch with colleagues or weekend brunch with friends, or stock up on party-friendly wine and provisions. Needless to say, the atmosphere is about curation and fun without any pretension – think of it as your neighborhood clubhouse...for wine.
Design:: Esters is located in the historic Telephone Building in downtown Santa Monica, a 1937 Art Deco landmark, next door to Co-Owners Josh and Zoe’s bold Southeast Asian-inspired brasserie, Cassia. Designed by Los Angeles-based Oonagh Ryan Architects (ORA), the intimate and elegant wine bar/retail hybrid integrates both aspects seamlessly, pairing modern motifs with an eclectic mix of new and vintage furnishings. A 20-seat, U-shaped bar anchors the 1,600-square-foot space and features a hand-plastered front with decorative molding and a fluted, white terrazzo and brass counter. A large, beaded crystal chandelier hangs above white marble bistro tables, farmed by a dark turquoise banquette and light charcoal upholstered-chairs. The wine inventory is displayed on floor-to-ceiling racks crafted from stained white oak and steel, while vintage or custom-designed tables, chairs and accessories contribute to the festive vibe of a Parisian flea market. Steel-framed windows salvaged from the landmark building have been gracefully repurposed into an enclosure for the high-end wine cellar, situated near a cozy nook with a rich green velvet loveseat (Kathryn’s favorite spot), linen-clad chairs and a white marble coffee table. Guests can also enjoy the California sunshine on an enclosed patio with colorful, white and jade green tile-topped tables or a tree-shaded, sidewalk parklet.
Standout venue features:: With over 250 different wines in the shop, the team is able to craft unique, private wine tastings and pairings for your party.

Fun add-ons to your parrty include an Oyster Bar, Seafood Tower, Carving Station, Caviar Station and Party Gifts featuring our housemade lavender almonds, bottles of wine, gift boxes and more.

In addition to Esters' own food, we're able to tap our sister restaurants to further enhance your private event with party cakes, pies and pastries from Huckleberry Bakery & Cafe, ice cream sundaes from Sweet Rose Creamery and elegant, mini desserts from the Michelin-starred Rustic Canyon.

We also do off-site events, where we can do wine tastings and bring a selection of cheese, charcuterie and oysters.

Awards & Notables

Awards, recognitions, or noteworthy achievements associated with the venue.

Co-Owner and Rustic Canyon Family Wine Director Kathryn Coker was honored by Wine Enthusiast as one of their “40 Under 40 Tastemakers” in 2016 and was one of Food & Wine’s “2017 Sommeliers of the Year.” She's also been featured as a wine expert in Condé Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, Seven Fifty Daily and more.

Esters has been featured as a top wine bar and dining destination in publiciations such as Los Angeles Times, Condé Nast Traveler, Robb Report, Los Angeles magazine, Angeleno, Time Out LA, Star Wine List and more.

Food Restaurants, Cafes, Bars, Lounges

This section provides insights into our diverse culinary and social offerings.

To go with the European-bistro vibe, the menu leans primarily French, with some Spanish, Italian and Californian influences. Chef de Cuisine Sheyna McCallister regularly sources peak-season ingredients from the famous Santa Monica Farmers’ Market (only a few blocks away) and makes a variety of jams, vinegars, pickles and more in-house. At Esters, Sheyna combines her love for Mediterranean cuisine and wine by crafting a pairing-friendly menu that features addictive snacks, artisanal cheeses & cured meats, fresh fish & oysters, an entire section dedicated to vegetables, and other seasonal, composed dishes. At 170 square feet, “the little kitchen that could” offers lunch, happy hour and dinner every day, alongside weekend brunch.

The broad and eclectic wine list emphasizes smaller producers and boutique wineries from around the globe, whose stories Kathryn, Tug, Sommelier Randall Middleton and the team know and love. Kathryn and Randall have judiciously assembled a list that appeals to both novices and Master Sommeliers, which includes great Burgundies (her personal soft spot), Grower Champagnes, funky biodynamic wines produced by little-known winemakers from Santa Barbara to Sicily, and more. In late 2019, Esters and the Rustic Canyon Family took additional steps to support a healthier planet by focusing on better farming methods that support soil health. All wines must come from chemical-free vineyards and implement one or more of the following practices: certified organic, practicing organic, biodynamic, dry-farm, no-till and regenerative. Kathryn has dubbed this initiative “Farming Matters,” with details outlined on Esters’ website, monthly themed tastings curated by Randall and stickers on all wine bottles that mark the practices—all in an effort to educate and empower guests about their buying decisions and offer more transparency behind the restaurant group’s sourcing.

There’s also a thoughtfully curated selection of local, craft beers, while Bar Manager Jonah Atkins’ seasonal cocktail program utilizes farmers’ market produce and premium spirits from small distilleries, many of which are local, organic and don’t use pesticides. There are classics such as Vespers, Manhattans, barrel-aged Negronis, alongside more contemporary, seasonal creations and a selection of mocktails.