Restaurant
Unclaimed profileRustic Kitchen Bistro & Bar
Wilkes-Barre, PA · $$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Rustic Kitchen Bistro & Bar pairs a Tuscan villa setting with a beverage program that has earned a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for three consecutive years. The happy hour cocktail list includes six $9 drinks, among them a Pickle Martini, The Bourbon Smash, and a French 75. Wine by the glass is $7 during happy hour, and beer discounts cover drafts and domestic bottles.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Pickle Martini or The Bourbon Smash from the $9 happy hour cocktail list. For wine, the Montefresco Pinot Grigio or Ancora Montepulciano is $7 by the glass. A $4 draft Coors Light or Yuengling Lager rounds out the beer options.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- Guests looking for a full restaurant beverage program with a dedicated happy hour will find cocktails, wine, and beer discounts. The wine cellar and chef-selected pairings suit private events and cooking show packages.
- When should I go?
- Happy hour is the clear window for the $9 cocktails, $7 wines, and $4 drafts. The wine cellar is available for private events, and cooking show packages include chef-chosen pairings.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Happy hour pricing is $9 for cocktails, $7 for glasses of wine, $4 for draft beer, and half-price domestic bottled beer. Private cooking show packages include chef-selected wine pairings, with pricing not listed.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- A 260-seat Tuscan villa-themed restaurant with a Bar Café, main dining room, and a wine cellar for private events. The venue holds a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for the last three years and a Citizen's Voice Readers' Choice Award for Best Martini.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
Six cocktails at $9 during happy hour, including Pickle Martini, The Bourbon Smash, Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita, White Cosmo, Strawberry Martini, and French 75. The venue also received a Citizen's Voice Readers' Choice Award for Best Martini.
Menu strengths
- — Six named cocktails at $9 each during happy hour.
- — Citizen's Voice Readers' Choice Award for Best Martini.
- — House-infused spirits appear in the Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita and Strawberry Martini.
Standout selections
- — Pickle Martini — $9 happy hour cocktail.; The Bourbon Smash — peach infused bourbon, muddled blackberries & simple syrup, served on the rocks, $9.
- — French 75 — gin, lemon, topped with Acinum prosecco, $9.
Pricing: $9 happy hour cocktails
Wine
Happy hour wine by the glass includes Montefresco Pinot Grigio and Ancora Montepulciano at $7 each. The venue holds a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for the last three years and has a wine cellar for private events.
Menu strengths
- — Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for the last three years.
- — Wine cellar available for private events.; Chef-selected wine pairings on private cooking show menus.
Standout selections
- — Montefresco Pinot Grigio — $7 happy hour wine by the glass.
- — Ancora Montepulciano — $7 happy hour wine by the glass.
Pricing: $7 happy hour glasses
Beer
Happy hour offers $4 draft beer including Coors Light and Yuengling Lager, plus half-price domestic bottled beer. The selection is straightforward and focused on familiar domestic options.
Menu strengths
- — $4 draft beer during happy hour.; Half-price domestic bottled beer during happy hour.
Standout selections
- — Coors Light — $4 draft during happy hour.
- — Yuengling Lager — $4 draft during happy hour.
Pricing: $4 drafts; half-price domestic bottles
How it sits with the food
Private cooking show menus include chef-selected wine pairings for Surf & Turf, Beef Wellington, Braised Short Ribs, and Seafood Ravioli. The pairings are chosen by the chef.
Inebrious does not score kitchens, food or the restaurant overall. We review the beverage program only.
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