Corkage
 

Hi all,

I travel to California routinely on business and it is quite common to bring your own wine to dinner there. Some restaurants charge a corkage fee and others do not. In the lakes region I have noted that even the good restaurants typically have a pretty mediocre wine list (except potentially O's).

Do restaurants in the lakes region allow you to bring your own wine? If so, what is the prevailing corkage fee?

Jetskier:D

call first
 

I can't think of any that allow it off the top of my head.

While I cannot speak for those restaurants in this area. I can tell you that in Massachusetts it is a violation of our liquor license to allow patrons to bring in their own wine. It is even against the Board of Health to allow patrons to bring in their own dessert cake and even milk for their baby.

Isn't there a Mexican restaurant in Rockport that allow's you to bring in your own? There was an LQ right next door.
Some friends took us there a looong time ago.

it depends....
 

The State requires that all restaurants that have license to serve beer/wine and or liquor purchase thier alcohol from the state on that license... all alcohol served in these establishments must be accounted for. BYOB is NOT allowed.

However, those restaurants without a license to serve alcoholic beverages may have a BYOB policy....

Woodsy

Magnolia..
 

it is in Magnolia, the Edgewater. Haven't been there in years - but I think this is the place you recall.

BYOB in Massachusetts
 

Gee, haven't lived there for going on 8 years, but grew up and spent MANY years in Mass. We used to go to Cambridge (in particular) and other towns and all restaurants allowed BYOB - even in Boston in Chinatown, if they didn't have a license... of course, I don't about today, the rules in MA have changed, you can now buy beer/wine on a Sunday---OMG!!

East of Suez, when open during the summer, has a BYOB policy. They will uncork it for you. Though there is no corkage fee. I do agree that the wine lists in a good many restaurants in the area, don't quite match the level of the food that they serve.

We always bring our own bottle to East of Suez. I also bring an opener. They would open the bottle for me, but since there isn't a corkage fee, I feel better doing it myself.

By the way, if you haven't been to East of Suez you are missing something. I had a trout there this past season that was to die for. Their regular menu is fantastic also.

The fee...
 

I think calling ahead is sound advice, but as for the fee... I've seen everything from $5 to $20 for corking.

Corkage Fee's in Mass
 

Whomever posted that Mass doesn't allow it by State Law was incorrect. Perhaps it is controlled by the local Towns but I know of at least one "chain" resturaunt (Il Forno's) with locations in Acton and Westborough that do not have liquor licences and allow you to BYOB (corkage is free).

Perhaps it's a stipulation if you HAVE a liquor license?

MA corkage
 

When I got married 15 yrs ago at a facility in MA they charged me a corkage fee because I brought in my own wine for the tables. (I worked for a liquor dist. and they were kind enough to give it to me for free.) The facilty did have a full liquor license.

Yeah, go back and read again. BYOB if the establishment doesn't have a license. I've never heard the bit about not bringing milk for a baby, I wonder about formula?

Il Forno is great. Locations in Worcester and Fitchburg as well.