A couple weeks ago, I was looking for a solid place to celebrate Robbie’s birthday with friends and family. I settled on Vibrissa Beer, located in downtown Winchester on N Kent Street, and I am so glad that I did. This is the perfect place to have a birthday celebration or just get some friends together for good food and good drinks. We ended up with about 15-20 people, including some children, and Vibrissa is set up perfectly to accommodate that kind of group.
Price 💲💲💲💲out of 5
Vibrissa is definitely one of the more pricier options in the area. The cocktails to me were a little steep, averaging around $15 a piece, and they weren’t overly strong. The beer options were plentiful and seemed to be more reasonable in cost, and I liked that they offered so many different options, from a full glass to a half glass, and even more unique options like taster and even an entire growler. The food was also a bit pricey, but I do understand we are paying for value. I would say that the cocktails are the only thing that was probably overpriced for what you got.
Ambience 🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳🧑🍳 out of 5
Vibrissa has the best ambience of any spot I have been in Winchester. It has a nice indoor area with table seating, more casual lounge and sofa seating, and plenty of room to mingle. The building is huge so you will never feel overcrowded or be unable to find a place to sit and enjoy food and beverages.
The thing that truly sets Vibrissa apart, however, is their outdoor area. We luckily picked a beautiful evening to go, and we were able to get everyone outside underneath one of their covered cabana-like tables. They also have a grassy area for the kids to play, a firepit with plenty of chairs, and easy access from interior to exterior seating. All in all, Vibrissa passes the vibe check with flying colors.
Drinks 🍷🍷🍷 out of 5
We came for a birthday party, so there were plenty of adult beverages going around. Robbie was able to try both signature cocktails that evening, including the Hoppin Margarita with tequila, orange liqueur, and tropical juices. This was a pretty solid drink, but again, not overly strong with a $15 price point. The other cocktail was The Tipsy Bunny, which was a blend of aperol, prosecco, juice, and club soda. Same analysis as above – tasted fine, but seemed overpriced to me.
Since I was DDing that night, I went with an early evening beer, and when I saw they had a stout called Death By Chocolate, I had to try it. I am a huge fan of chocolate or coffee infused beer, and this one definitely hits all those earthy flavors I’m looking for. Loved this drink, and for under $5, I was able to get a drink that was really unique and flavorful. Would highly recommend this to any chocolate lover.
Food 🥩🥩🥩🥩 out of 5
The beautiful part about inviting a bunch of friends and family out to a celebration is that everyone can order food and we all get to try a bunch of different items. I was able to get my hands on their garlic cheesy bread, nachos al pastor, teriyaki wontons, crab rangoon wontons, the traditional wings, and the classic cheesesteak.
Garlic cheesy bread: this was pretty solid, nothing spectacular. I did love the spicy marinara sauce for dipping.
Nachos al pastor: if you have a group with you, I would highly recommend this massive plate of loaded nachos. The pineapple was the star of the show, as it paired so well with the juicy pork.
Teriyaki wontons: these were very good. Tasted like something you would get out of a traditional Asian restaurant. You would never know it from tasting it, but these are 100% vegan!
Crab rangoon wontons: what a cool and unique concept. These were the best appetizers of the night, and were a huge hit with our group.
Traditional wings: Vibrissa does wings right. They were meaty, sauced so well, and extra crispy. I had the Sweet Chili and Hot Honey sauces and both were spot on with the flavor.
Classic cheesesteak: it seems that many places outside of Philly like to use provolone cheese instead of cheese whiz. While this sub was really good, I do wish more places used real cheese whiz, as it just makes a cheesesteak much more creamy. They also have multiple side options, and this order came with crispy sweet potato fries.
Experience ⭐⭐⭐⭐ out of 5
Overall, I would highly recommend Vibrissa for a celebration or even just a date night out. The drinks, outside of the beer, feel a bit pricey, and the food is definitely on the more expensive side, but it is also made with high-quality ingredients, and you can tell the chef puts a lot of time and effort into creating interesting and unique dishes you can’t find just anywhere. Will absolutely be going back for our next group adventure!