If you’re looking for a place to hang out with good company and experience an interesting cuisine, along with a bevy of drinks, then Vino Wine and Tapas is the place you have been looking for.

This Spanish inspired restaurant rarely sees a boring night, with live music, a bar, as well as a wine room and patio that is welcome for hosting parties big or small. The menu is structured in a way that allows customers to try just about every item without paying a hefty bill. The portions are small and the prices are low, so if you cannot decide whether to have the bacon wrapped dates, or the crispy fried eggplants, just try both and see where your craving takes you next.

“This is not the type of place where you order one appetizer and then a big entree,” said owner Alla Volk. “You kind of just casually try different things and enjoy the atmosphere and the people you are with.”

When dining at Vino, I noticed multiple groups that had remained at their tables hours after they had finished eating.- continually ordering sangria and wine while simply enjoying music, as well as each other’s company.

“This is one of my favorite spots in the valley,” said Northridge resident Allen Petrovic. “I’ve been to Vino three times and every time my friends and I have stayed until midnight.”

“We like to think of ourselves as more of a hangout spot than just another restaurant,” said waitress Star Hovakimyan. “People come here to simply sit outside and have a couple of drinks with a cheese plate and that’s it. They’ll stay for hours and thats the kind of reputation Alla loves having.”

The name of the restaurant might give some a sense of what their experience may be like. Wine and small plates. Rather than a three course meal, most of the diners at Vino prefer to order a variety of appetizers, and whatever the specials of the night are.

“When I first opened Vino, I wanted it to be a place where people can stay for hours because they keep wanting to try everything.The appetizers are very popular and people love to just kind of go with the flow. They’ll eat for an hour and then decide they want to try something else.”