After compiling your Santa Clarita Valley Happy Hour 2016 Update in March of this year doing this one, the Santa Clarita Valley Corkage Fee 2016 Update, took a wee bit longer as it proved to be more daunting.
Most restaurants don’t list corkage fees on their website or Facebook. Some don’t respond to emails or messages on social media. (Why hire someone to do your social media if they aren’t actually going to respond to your customers?) I went so far as to try and search “corkage” on restaurants in the area on Yelp, but soon discarded the idea as Yelp is an unreliable source, and it was time consuming. And to answer why I don’t call every single restaurant: I want a record in writing, so that I can be a reliable source!
So, for your ease, all restaurants in bold have been updated via direct email or a website for 2016. Those not in bold have the 2015 information. And, as I did with the Happy Hour list, I welcome your comments for any that I’ve missed or that you know about and would like to share the information.
[From Contributing Editor Michael Perlis: I know I’ve said this before, but please remember that BYOB is a privilege, not a right. When it is allowed, it should be appreciated, whatever the cost. Restaurants often base their pricing models on a certain percentage of alcohol sales to subsidize the food prices, so bringing your own bottle impacts that. Try to buy something off the wine or cocktail list, and tip your server as if you had bought your bottle at the restaurant. Also, call ahead to verify corkage policies, as they do change.]
Bold has the 2016 update.
Bj’s Brewhouse: Wine corkage fee is first bottle per table free, $7 / bottle thereafter.
Egg Plantation: $12.
Kabuki: $15
Lazy Dog Café: No corkage fee on wine brought in as long as it’s not currently listed on their menu, and any leftover can be taken home.
Le Chene: $15.
Margarita’s Mexican Grill: $15
Marstons: $10.
Newhall Refinery $15
Oaks Grille Valencia (Inside TPC): Non-member price is $20 per bottle (plus tax) and members are $12 per bottle. The charge is $12 per bottle for special events as well.
Persia Lounge: $15, 1/2 off during happy hour.
Piccola Trattoria: $15, additionally, if the party purchases another bottle of wine from our wine list on their visit, we waive the corkage fee!
Rattlers Bar B Que: $5.
Route 66 Classic Grill: $10.
Sabor Cocina Mexicana: $15.
Salt Creek Grille: $10.
Solita: $15
Southern Smoke BBQ and Brewhouse: $15
Vines (in Hyatt): $15.
Wine 661: No corkage on in-store purchases; $20 corkage fee for outside bottles.
Wolf Creek Restaurant: $10, and 40% off on all wines by the bottle on Tuesdays from 4pm until closing for Wine Lover’s Night.
Eve Bushman has been reading, writing, taking coursework and tasting wine for over 20 years. She has obtained a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, has been the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video, authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and recently served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits that may be answered in a future column. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com
Eve: We find your corkage fee website very helpful. Please keep this up. We appreciate the info very much.
Cheers,
We didn’t update for 2017 as it’s a lot of work and takes a lot of time. But we may… in the meantime my friend Judi Laing started this site that includes our little valley: https://corkageonline.com/