Down the Rabbit Hole with Syrah Wine Parlor

How does one set about creating an innovative venue amidst the veritable sea of restaurants and clubs which dot San Diego’s downtown landscape?

Standing out amongst such a crowd is akin to finding the lone dwarf amidst a group of midgets, or pinpointing the “real” blonde at a party. Whatever metaphorical reference you prefer, the point remains it is a difficult, if not impossible endeavor to distinguish any establishment in the highly-saturated San Diego nightlife scene.

Apparently, however, Matt Spencer didn’t get the memo; or perhaps it went through the shredder upon receipt. More than likely, as has been the case with a number of his already-successful business ventures (i.e. Firehouse to name one), the man said to hell with convention and sensibility and began nurturing the brainchild that would become Syrah Wine Parlor — the newest, and probably most distinctive venue in the Gaslamp Quarter.

At street level, a passerby could easily scamper past without so much as a second glance (an act which would certainly be to the bystander’s detriment). Much like a majority of the hippest bars and swanky hideouts of New York’s Meatpacking District, Syrah is located below the hustle and bustle of the city streets (more specifically, beneath Dakota Grill & Spirits on Fifth Avenue). 

The venue itself is primarily a wine bar, however, Syrah offers a full selection of booze for those looking for a more intoxicating (no pun intended) palate. Food here simply implies an array of meats, cheeses, olives and bread to accompany a glass or two of your favorite vino. Unpretentious, yet delectable…

At the crux of the experience that is Syrah, however, is the theme; the overwhelming sense of wonderment upon descending into the bar itself.

“We really wanted to go for this Alice in Wonderland-feel,” Spencer said of Syrah’s interior. “I initially wanted to do a really chic, kind of a wine cellar-feel, but Michael [Soriano, designer of the Pearl Hotel in Point Loma] said, ‘You know, you’re underground; you really want to make it like a descent into another world.’ A lot of places downtown are kind of boring, to be honest.”

And really, what could be more antithetical to monotony than a vibe mirroring one of, if not the most unconventional novels/animated films of all time… Save for perhaps, A Clockwork Orange (I said it first, Matt).

“When you enter, there’s these motion-detector birds that chirp, and behind them is a camera so that people inside the bar can watch what’s going on at the entrance,” Spencer continued. “To get in, you have to open the door out of a hedge, and then inside you’ll find these big Alice in Wonderland-type chairs. On the ceiling there’s actual wine vine and we also have firefly lights. It’s pretty random.”

Spencer’s words, however, while explicit, leave much to the imagination. To truly appreciate Syrah, on all levels, nothing short of a visit will truly suffice. 

And unlike similar establishments, Syrah isn’t merely a stopover prior to blowing your wad elsewhere downtown. First and foremost, drinks are reasonably-priced (shocking, I know). They really are… Hence, lingering longer or even making a night of it aren’t merely feasible, but downright tempting. Secondly, Syrah will undoubtedly prove to be a venue unto itself, as live DJ’s will be providing the aural stimulation.

“We did two separate things to make DJ’s interesting here,” Spencer noted. “One is, on slower nights when people are coming in to have a little wine and cheese, DJ’s can actually set up behind the bar; so when you walk in, you’re getting kind of a stage effect. You come around that Alice in Wonderland hedge wall, you look at the bar, and there’s a DJ up on ‘stage,’ and of course you have bartenders mixing pretty complicated drinks. I don’t know if they’re going to call themselves mixologists, but there will be a bunch of infused vodkas, a bunch of very interesting specialty drinks, and obviously a ton of wine. 

“But also behind the bar you’re gonna have a guy cutting up meat and cheese, a charcuterie guy. So you look, and think to yourself, ‘Wait a minute… the DJ’s actually set up behind the bar as well.’ That’s more of a Wednesday/Thursday situation. Friday/Saturday we have two other places where the DJ can set up. There will be a lot of acid jazz-type of stuff, downtempo… We’re going to bring in some live elements, like flute, trumpet, saxophone… 

“But then on the Friday and Saturday nights, we do want it to be an option for someone that would go to, let’s say Stingaree, Ivy or Hard Rock. Instead of going there, we want them to say, ‘Oh, let’s go check out that new place Syrah.’ You can still come here, you can still drink, you can still dance; but it’s a little bit of a different environment.”

Insider Tip: Don't miss Classiks Wednesdays at Syrah with DJ Scooter, rotating wine tastings, and the hottest industry crowd in San Diego. Learn more on the DiscoverSD Event Calendar.

Syrah Wine Parlor celebrated a soft opening on Friday, May 8 - view party pics. So down the rabbit hole you go friends...