Wallace

663 Vanderbilt Ave btw Prospect Pl and Park Pl, Prospect Heights

The Place: A chic and feminine wine bar in Prospect Heights with a distinctly boyish name. Go ahead, try and name a female Wallace. I’ll wait.*

The Time: Friday June 19, 5:15pm. I’m dogsitting my friend’s very sweet pup, and even though she lives only a 20 minute walk from me, I’m treating this weekend as a little staycation. On this beautiful summer Friday, I take a stroll over to Wallace, a newly opened wine bar by the folks behind one of my local spots, Black Mountain Wine House.

The Vibe: The exterior is a gorgeous burgundy (sorry but that’s the color!!), with a hanging wooden sign of their logo: a hand with long, dainty fingers holding a wine bottle and two glasses. Maybe I’m being judgy but this does not look like a hand that belongs to a person named Wallace!** It’s a small, narrow space, with a few banquette tables on the left leading to the bar. The space continues with a few teeny tables opposite the bar, and an open door to the outdoor patio. Since it’s insanely gorgeous out, I’m not expecting to see many people indoors, and I’m right–there’s one guy at the bar. The bar itself is a beautiful red marble, and the back bar wall is a large, post-impressionist mural of a landscape, perhaps of Tuscany or another famous wine region. It’s lovely and inviting in here, but nearly everyone who comes in after me wants to sit outside, and rightly so. The patio fills up fast, and I witness many couples disappointingly settle for an indoor spot. 

A glass of Lagar de Costa Naranjo and Castelvetrano olives

The Bartender: I mainly talk to Sebastian, and quickly learn that it’s his first day! He also works at Drink Lounge in Crown Heights, a spot that I’m not familiar with, but this tidbit of information causes the other bar patron to pipe up, exclaiming, “oh that’s where I know you from!” To which Sebastian quickly replies, “yeah, you drink Stella,” and while I’m sure he doesn’t mean it pejoratively, this is the most cutting remark I’ve heard in a long time. The bartender and server training Sebastian are ladies covered in tattoos who look really cool and if one of them told me her name was Wallace, I would amend every negative and gendered thought I ever had about the name.

The Drank: My partner Tom and I were in Barcelona the first week of June, and since we got back I’ve been craving all things Spanish. So when I see an orange albariño ($17, decidedly not the €6 I became accustomed to for one whole week), I have to get it. Wallace offers many wines by the glass, each with tasting notes, and though I don’t totally agree with the “cooked apple” part of the description, it’s delicious; bright, not too funky yet with a good salinity. There’s also a small menu of house cocktails, and snacks like a requisite charcuterie/cheese plate. I could go full Spain and get the boquerones, but since I’m getting a proper dinner later, I go for the Castelvetrano olives, sprinkled with orange zest ($8). Their kitchen is super tiny but from what I can see, their bread looks great so I might have to come back for one of those aforementioned cheese plates. 

Was I Hit On? / Did I Make Friends?: Besides my brief conversation with Sebastian, I keep to myself and my book. The Stella guy doesn’t try to chat me up, thankfully. Having worked in bars for so long, it’s hard not to listen in on the staff, especially during training. When the server starts making a drink ticket with Sebastian looking on, the bartender says, “no, make him do it.” Ugh can that be the motto for the rest of 2026?

Should You Drink Here Alone?: Yes! Based on how busy it was by the time I left, I’d say go on the earlier side and try to snag a spot in their coveted backyard. After the loss of LaLou nearly two years ago, Wallace is a welcome wine bar addition to Vanderbilt, even though I might start calling her Wallie, with a heart over the i.

* Within minutes of publishing, my mother texted me to tell me about the existence of Wallis Simpson, the socialite and Duchess of Windsor. Because of the difference in spelling, the challenge is still on!

** I’ve now been informed by the owners of the bar, Brian and Robert, that Wallace is the name of a character from a book they both love: Real Life by Brandon Taylor. The last page is even printed in the bathroom as an homage. Cute!