Tannins wine bar sparkles with simplicity

In some ways, Tannins in Elmhurst is the fast-food equivalent of a wine bar. Want to sit down and order a glass of wine? No problem. Would you rather browse Tannins' selection and take home your own bottle? By all means, go ahead.

Yes, it's got the convenience factor. But unlike much of what you get at fast-food spots, quality is not sacrificed for convenience at Tannins.

Motif: Clearly, Tannins is not your usual wine bar. In fact, Tannins began as a wine store, and its origins are evident in the bar's setup. The quaint motif consists of a small, silver metal bar with seating and a few tables and chairs scattered throughout the room. Across from the bar is a refrigerator which encases different wines, beer and cheese. The large corner next to the bar contains shelves of many different wine bottles for purchase, and this is the main store section of Tannins.

Service: The service at Tannins is excellent. The employees know their wines and beer and were more than happy to help out customers who had questions about the drink menu.

Liquid consumption: Seeing as how Tannins began as a wine store, you had better believe the selection is top notch. There are a bunch of sparkling, red and white wines available such as: Avinyo, Kung Fu Girl, Hey Mambo, Barnard Griffin and Layer Cake. Also, be aware that there is a small corkage fee for bottles of wine. Not to be outdone, Tannins' beer selection is also very respectable with selections from Bell's, Two Brothers, Ommegang, Unibroue, Lagunitas, Victory, Bear Republic and Carlow. Do note, all beer is served in bottles, but Tannins plans to add a tap soon. As far as specials go, on Tuesday, select Two Brothers beer is $2 - an amazing deal. On Wednesday, there is no corkage fee on any bottle of wine with a purchase of a cheese flight. With a $25 bar purchase, you can receive 10 percent off a retail purchase on Thursdays.

Food: Tannins' food is catered to the wine crowd with various flights of cheese. Being that I was there alone, however, I just couldn't bring myself to linger over cheese. The sight of a man drinking and eating cheese all by his lonesome seemed to me a little sad. Tannins also has chips and salsa, dipping pretzels and pesto.

Sounds: I did overhear some music being played at Tannins, but it was barely audible. You don't need the distraction of music here, anyway; you should be focused on conversation and the wine list, so you can decide what you'll drink next.

Parking: While you could fight it out for a spot on the street, the more sensible option would be to use Elmhurst's free parking garage, which you can enter off East Schiller Street.

Overall: As I've mentioned, Tannins is not your normal wine bar. It's not trying to be overly flashy; rather, Tannins shines with its simplicity. This is a wine bar where you could be simultaneously taking a sip from a glass of wine while you browse bottles that are readily available for purchase. If you wanted, you could be doing so while drinking a beer. In fact, their Two Brothers special on Tuesday is one of the best suburban bar bargains I have ever seen. And if all of that is not enticing enough, they have cheese, and lots of it, but do bring a friend.