Los Angeles

Perch is a place people go for the view, the scene, and the Instagram moment — the wine list knows this and doesn't try very hard. Order something simple, enjoy the skyline, and save your serious wine drinking for a restaurant that wants to earn it.

Marino is a reliable, well-curated Italian wine list that earns its stripes on selection and staff knowledge, even if the pricing makes you wince on the everyday bottles. Send a friend here for the Guidalberto and the Franciacorta — just steer them away from anything under $60.

Da Michele's wine list is narrow by design and better for it — a focused, fairly priced tour through Southern Italy that most pizza spots in LA wouldn't dare attempt. If you're even mildly curious about Campanian wine, this is one of the better excuses in the city to start learning.

Water Grill is a reliable choice for serious wine with serious seafood — the list is deep enough to reward exploration, and the sommelier presence means you can actually ask for help. The markups sting, but this is Downtown LA and you knew that walking in.

This is a serious wine list dressed in a garden party — the depth is real, the sommelier is engaged, and if you're willing to pay the Bel-Air premium, the experience delivers. Just go in knowing the bill will reflect the hedge-lined address.

Kassi Club is a party restaurant with a wine list that punches above its vibe — if you ignore the markup and order Greek, you're going to drink well. Send a friend here specifically to work through the indigenous varietals; just tell them to skip the Chablis.

DAMA is a great place to drink a cocktail in a beautiful room — and that's genuinely not a bad night. But if you came for wine, the list charges Fashion District prices for grocery store ambition, and that's a deal we can't recommend.

La Pharmacie du Vin is exactly what Silver Lake deserves: a tight, opinionated natural wine list with real depth and a staff that actually knows what they're pouring. The markups will sting if you've been doing your homework at retail, but for a proper night out in a room that takes wine seriously, it's worth it.

Wife and the Somm is exactly the kind of neighborhood wine bar LA needs more of — genuinely curious list, staff who know their stuff, and a vibe that doesn't make you feel like you're being tested. The markups will sting if you're paying attention, but the overall experience earns it.

Mirabelle punches well above its zip code — a sommelier-led list with real depth, fair pricing, and a half-price Wednesday that should be on your weekly rotation. Yes, send your friends here. Send yourself first.

Milos LA is a reliable destination for Greek wine done with genuine conviction — just go in knowing the markups are as polished as the dining room. If Assyrtiko with whole fish sounds like your night, this is your place; if you're hoping for value-forward discovery, you'll leave a little bruised.

Otium is pulling serious wine weight for a restaurant most people visit for the food, and the combination of an eclectic 300-label list, knowledgeable staff, and a by-the-glass program with genuine personality earns it a Rager without hesitation. Send your wine-curious friends here — just tell them to actually read the list.

The Grill on the Alley is a dependable wine stop if you're already there for the steak and the scene — just don't come expecting a list that surprises you. Stick to Jordan or Stag's Leap, skip the Caymus markup, and let the room do the rest of the work.

Gjelina's wine list punches well above its Venice-casual exterior — this is a serious, opinionated list built by people who actually drink. The pricing stings, but the selection earns it more often than not.

CUT has the list, the staff, and the cellar to deliver a genuinely great wine experience — but the markup structure means you'll pay a Beverly Hills tax on almost every bottle you touch. Go in with eyes open, lean on the sommelier to find the relative values, and avoid anything you recognize from a supermarket shelf.

Spago's wine list is the real deal — a deep, thoughtfully curated program with genuine range and staff who can navigate it. The markups on trophy bottles are steep enough to sting, but if you're willing to explore past the obvious names, there's serious drinking to be done here.

Anajak Thai shouldn't have a wine list this good, and that's what makes it one of the most exciting places to drink in Los Angeles right now. Send every wine-curious friend you have — just make sure they actually look at the list before defaulting to a Thai iced tea.

Majordomo's wine list is the best argument for ignoring your preconceptions about a celebrity chef's LA warehouse restaurant — it's ambitious, well-curated, and staffed by people who actually care. Prices climb quickly, so go in with a budget in mind, but yes, send your wine-loving friends here.

Bestia is one of the few restaurants in LA where the wine list is genuinely worth the same attention as the food. Send your friends here — just tell them to ask the sommelier to choose.

Bavel is the rare restaurant where the wine list actually reflects a point of view — Middle Eastern and Mediterranean producers sitting alongside California naturals, all of it making sense with the food. The markups take some shine off an otherwise impressive program, but this is still one of the more thoughtful and unexpected wine lists in Los Angeles.

71Above has the list, the staff, and the setting to be something truly special — what holds it back is predictable fine-dining markup that punishes you for reaching toward the recognizable names. Come with a budget, lean on the sommelier, and stay away from the trophy bottles.

Wally's is the real deal — a 2,500-bottle list, real sommelier support, and a retail pedigree that means the wine is stored and handled correctly. The markups are steep across the board and will sting if you're paying attention, but for sheer depth and ambition, there's almost nothing like it on the Westside.

Wally's is the rare restaurant where the wine list is legitimately the main attraction — 3,000 labels, a knowledgeable floor team, and a cellar that can hold its own against dedicated wine bars anywhere in the country. The markups sting on the trophy bottles, but if you know what you're doing (or ask someone who does), there's serious drinking to be found here.

Esters is the rare wine bar where the list genuinely reflects a point of view — curious, producer-driven, fairly priced for what it is — and the staff can actually talk you through it. If you're in Santa Monica and care about what's in your glass, this is the first call you make.

Républiqué has one of the most serious and well-considered wine lists in Los Angeles, full stop. If you care about Burgundy or want to explore Alto Piemonte with a kitchen that actually earns it, make the reservation.

Caldo Verde isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's quietly one of the better-curated lists in South Broadway — focused, Iberian-leaning, and priced without malice. Come on a Wednesday and it's one of the better wine deals in the neighborhood.

Toscana isn't reinventing the wine list, but it doesn't need to — it's a reliable, Italy-first program with enough serious bottles to reward the curious and enough by-the-glass options to keep a table happy. Just budget for the markup and skip the Caymus.

The Nice Guy is a place where the room often upstages the list, but the list can absolutely hold its own if you order Italian and ignore the California reflex. Send a friend here for a Barolo and the Cacio e Pepe — just don't expect the staff to guide them there unprompted.

San Laurel is the rare hotel restaurant that earns its Wine Spectator credential — the Spanish list has genuine ambition and the bones are all there. Markups will sting and there's no dedicated sommelier to guide you, but if you know what you're looking for, this is one of the better places in Los Angeles to drink serious Spanish wine with serious food.

STK Los Angeles is a dependable California wine list for people who already know what they like — it's not going to surprise you, but it won't let you down either. Send a friend here if they love Napa Cab and a good steak; steer them elsewhere if they want to explore.