Oliver’s Wine Bar

Loved everything about Oliver’s from the artwork on the walls (ask for the book if you’d like to know more about the artists or the pieces themselves), to the relaxed atmosphere, to the wonderful food itself.
I had the sausage and bell pepper pasta entrée and was pleased that they offered a gluten free option. The pasta was tossed in oil rather than drenched in a cream or a marinara sauce, which allowed the flavors of the sausage and the red peppers to shine. The sausage went a long way because it was ground rather than served in links, which allowed for a bit of sausage in nearly every bite (with minimal effort). The portion size was plenty without being to the point where one leaves overfull. Additionally, the prices were very reasonable with most entrees costing under $ 20.
After dinner, we had the chocolate cake, which was straight from heaven’s pearly gates. The actual cake itself was moist and a little savory and the frosting was light and very sweet. I would have licked the plate clean had that been a socially acceptable option. So good!
My in-​laws live in Red Wing and I will definitely look forward to an opportunity to visit again when we visit them in the future.

Just had a very nice meal here last night. Our server was attentive with a smile. Our tapas starters were all excellent. We tried the garlic shrimp, the Cajun shrimp, the spicy sausage and the bacon wrapped dates. Each dish came with a side of bread to be enjoyed with the tapas. The garlic shrimp was my favorite, I especially enjoyed dunking my side of French bread into the garlic butter concoction leftover after the shrimp were quickly devoured. As the main, we had the spicy sausage pasta (a little on the salty side but still good), the risotto (a mix of crunchy chewy and soft with bacon, cranberry, squash, and the unusual mix of flavor really worked — it was excellent), and the salmon with wild rice (the salmon tasted very fresh and cooked and seasoned to perfection — the added salt was just right in bringing out the freshness of the delicious salmon dish. The wild rice appeared to be cooked in a broth and was quite tasty as well. The chunks of carrots and zucchini had no added flavor and rather bland. They appeared to have been added for color just like the red pepper slices in our pasta dish. Would have liked to see some more flavor on these). We completed our meal with a chocolate cake and a cheese cake. The presentation was lovely but both were too sweet for our taste. As to the interior of the restaurant, it was hip and upscale (although the restroom liquid soap container was straight from a store with the brand label still on which didn’t quite fit into the overall upscale feel of the restaurant.). All in all, a very relaxing and satisfying meal in a very inviting atmosphere with excellent food and superior service.

We ate here tonight on a recommendation from the B&B where we were staying. Everything about the restaurant was great.
I had the Lemon Chicken Pasta and it was served hot and very delicious. The Triple Layer Chocolate Cake was the perfect complement to our meal.
We were particularly impressed with the cleanliness of the restaurant from the glasses and silverware to even the rest rooms. It is refreshing to see their attention to keeping things clean.
I highly recommend this restaurant!

We stopped in here on our river drive this fall. We didn’t know what to expect
Oliver’s was out of their olives! Oh NO! We would have loved to have tried them
«Oliver’s Olives — A variety of cured olives make for a simple but tasty Spanish tapa.»
Instead we had the Garlic Mushrooms appetizer. These were very good, but I still wanted to try the olives.
We both opted for the Sausage & Red Pepper Pasta. Spicy italian sausage, fresh red peppers, succulent mushrooms and parmesan cheese mixed with penne pasta. Served with a salad and our housemade focaccia.
We both loved it. I thought it could have been a tad spicier and my GF thought it was a tad spicy.
There are a few other items on the menu I want to try the next time we’re back in Red Wing.

Loved everything! I found Oliver’s online when looking for Spanish tapas near the Twin Cities. We traveled from St. Paul for the day to Red Wing and so glad we did. Everything we tried was wonderful.
Bacon wrapped/​bleu cheese stuffed dates! so good. The garlic shrimp was tasty and mild even with the touch of red pepper; even the olives were wonderful. We shared a couple of entrees between 4 adults after the yummy tapas. Lemon cream pasta with chicken was light, flavorful yet rich and creamy. The Enchiladas Italiana were really more like a lasagna (as noted on the menu) and the tomatoes were very fresh and delicious.
One more bright spot in this great meal was the cheesecake. It’s made in-​house, (by the hostess, I was told) and it was amazing. I can’t say enough about this dessert! When I stopped to compliment the hostess on the way out, she was so sweet and ended up giving me a hug.
I’m afraid that some people may not know the deliciousness that is to be found at Oliver’s. An adult woman at the table next to us ordered a grilled cheese. A GRILLED CHEESE. which is only on the very limited kid’s menu (4 items). Sure, maybe she has some weird dietary issues. Maybe she allergic to deliciousness. But I think that when faced with the menu at Oliver’s coupled with the friendly and efficient staff and great chef, they could accommodate a lot of dietary issues, etc. When I see an adult eating a grilled cheese (outside of their own home or a restaurant/​food truck that specializes in the most amazing grilled cheeses on earth) I imagine that adult to be severely lacking in imagination or simply scared to try something they have not had before. Who goes to a wine bar with a limited menu, specializing in tapas, and gets a grilled cheese? Sorry for the rant–
We will definitely be back. I hope that the people in Red Wing know the gem they have in their lovely town. Enjoy it, patronize it often, and don’t forget to order the cheesecake, any flavor available. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Don’t order white wine on the patio. I was looking forward to a nice glass of Sauvignon blanc in a chilled glass but got a warm plastic glass. This is a wine bar for Pete’s sakes!!! Serve it up right!

Amazing! Everything was fantastic! Lemon chicken pasta was incredible. Great almond cheesecake too. What a wonderful date night!!!

I’m not sure what changed since these prior reviews or if the rest of the reviewers have never really had great food. All I can say is «Wow, what a disappointment!»
My wife and I went here on a recommendation from the owner of the B&B we stayed at. We ordered the Cajun Blackened Shrimp and the Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates wrapped in Bacon.
Let’s start with the shrimp — I’m not sure of the last time I saw shrimp that small. I’m quite certain they were ⁶¹⁄₇₀ ct and pre-​cooked. They say in the description you can mop up the juice with the bread, but only if you like burnt butter and mystery spices.
Now for the dates — not sure where to begin, they were wrong on so many levels. They were lukewarm, clearly cooked earlier in the day and sat around because they came out in less than 5 min. The bacon was like a scrap of leather from the Red Wing shoe co. and because they sat around so long the cheese was not melted and the dates were almost hard.
We elected to not order a main course and left to find another establishment. I would you go elsewhere if you want to avoid a disappointment.

I visited Oliver’s on a trip into Red Wing with my coworkers. We had a large group and had to wait for a while to be seated, and the hostess seemed irritated that we didn’t call ahead. There is no waiting area.
I tried the House Chardonnay and the Pinot Gris. The House wine had a strong aftertaste, which the bartender said should remind you of vanilla greek yogurt. I wasn’t a fan. The Pinot Gris was light, sweet, and slightly tart — almost like a flat moscato — slightly lemony and a hint of pear. It was amazing.
The menu has a lot of options, most of them «hotdish» (which apparently is Minnesotan for «casserole»). It seems like a stretch to me to pay $ 17 for tuna casserole, but when in Minnesota… I got the Barley Hotdish, the only vegetarian dish on the menu. It was a bowl of barley, rice, zucchini, and carrots. It tasted fine, not great, and I was hungry again a couple hours later.
The house focaccia was very good — hot, dense, and lightly flavored with Italian spices.
I also tried a slice of cheesecake, which the waitress said was made in Red Wing. It was delightfully creamy and tart, and far too large for one person.
Our waitress was very sweet and attentive without hovering. She was funny and made friendly jokes with the group.
The overhead music was too loud and sad. They kept playing Norah Jones and Natalie Merchant. I think it was meant to be romantic, but it’s strange to have group bonding over the melancholy 90s soundtrack.

Stopped in for a glass of wine and an appetizer. Excellent service, excellent food. Recommend this wholeheartedly.

We visited 6÷25÷15 for our evening meal. My wife and I had four tapas plates: bacon wrapped stuffed dates (bleu cheese, I recall), chicken «boats» (can’t remember the actual name, but there is chicken salad with a little bite nestled in endive), garlic shrimp, and sliced beef with horseradish sauce. Terrific food, well prepared and served very quickly. We aren’t heavy eaters, but the 4 plates filled us completely. A young couple next to us had 5 plates and polished them right off. Our server was very personable, efficient, and attentive without being in any way intrusive. The bill, with a glass of house wine and three beers, came to $ 72 without the tip. Eliminate the alcohol and you could have our meal for around $ 45 plus tip. It is upscale for Red Wing, but upscale in a good way! It complements the other great places around Lake Pepin such as Harborview and Nosh. We have a nice choice of destination dining at last.

Excellent Paella like Momma would make. Stephanie our waitress, was very thoughtful and sweet. We thought is seemed a little too quiet on arrival (little early about 6 pm), but she soon had us trying a little of this and that, and ran some of the best wine shots to our table. The Rieslings were the best I’ve had in years– in fact it’s been years since I ordered one, but Stephanie made it all seem interesting and fun. I’m among those with a taste for ice water. The «Kung Fu Girl» Riesling, drool-​worthy! Again the best I’ve had. The family atmosphere and low key casual vibe was relaxing. My only thought after the meal was a little pricey for the smaller servings without the flair of some finer restaurants. The subtle almond, hint-​of-​lemon, cheesecake? Top marks. Prices are on the top end much like any fine restaurant, but without the pomp and circumstance. Due to pricing, I would have liked a little more, bread basket on the table extras. Otherwise, overlooked at half the price. Next time I would go all Tappas and try many of them. Watching the tables around us, they all looked fabulous.
Everyone there seemed engaging and thoughtful, not obtrusive. Staff were dressed neatly and casually talking in quiet areas like relations or close friends. I believe that made the atmosphere even more engaging. There was no cackling and staff were still very attentive, not overly so. Tables were beautiful woodwork and local art work created an artsy vibe. Patrons were casual, talking at tables together and it was never loud or overwhelming. 5-​stars for one of the best new restaurants in Red Wing. Photos attached.

The first place in Red Wing to offer smaller sampler plates. Every one of the seven items we tried were the finest food I have tasted. This is based on a frequent traveler that has eaten in many fine food establishments from LA to NY. Prices are very reasonable for such fine cuisine.

We visit Redwing a few times a year and finally got the opportunity to try Oliver’s. We made the drive from Apple Valley, MN and it was worth the trip. Service was great and the food was delicious! I ordered the lemon chicken pasta and would highly recommend it. We will be visiting again for sure!

Excellent tapas and wine selections at this Red Wing bistro. The waiter was very patient with our questions, as it was our first visit to a tapas bar. Each of the tapas that we ordered were delicious. Highly recommend a visit here when in Red Wing

Oliver’s has chosen to start their inaugural season with a small, but very good menu. All of our dishes were excellent. Their wine list is similarly short and quite good. A good addition to Red Wing’s resteraunts.

Excellent in every way! We had wine, tapas, and an entrée! Quality service and ambiance as well. It was nice to enjoy something downtown. Next time I’m visiting I’ll be sure to stop by.

Red Wing has suffered from loosing many of its good restaurants the past few years: Norton’s, the Staghead and Lilly’s. The original owners of Lilly’s have now gotten back into the restaurant business and it is Oliver’s Wine Bar. While Lilly’s was a coffee house and sandwiches for lunch time, Oliver’s is only open for dinner.
What a treat. Just down the street from the also recently reopened Staghead and the old Red Wing landmark Bev’s, is the new Oliver’s. The former Hallmark store has been converted into a spacious restaurant with an additional party room and bar area. The locals obviously are taken by the return of another fine dining option as it was quite crowded when we went a few nights ago.
The guys are just getting it going, so at this point the menu is Tapas selections and Pasta. We started with an excellent Cesar’s Salad and then had a Vegetarian Pasta, a rolled Roast Beef plate and a Shrimp plate. The Pasta was more than enough for a meal, with many of the people we talked to had ordered the same and were taking some home for the next day. The Shrimp was good and the Beef was fantastic!
There was a good selection of wine and not to overlook the beer crowd, the beer list looked decent as well. But I did go for the wine and it was a perfect choice for the Pasta.
How great to have another new place to eat in Red Wing. Watch out for the road construction this summer on Main, but this is worth the drive down from the Cities or from any of the surrounding area.