Casino floor hides a serious Italian cellar
Atlantic City · Italian
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Angeline by Michael Symon’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You're in a casino, so the bar is low — and then the wine list lands on the table and resets your expectations entirely. Three hundred to four hundred selections anchored by serious Piedmont and Italian producers is not what anyone expects a block from the slot machines. It's the kind of list that makes you want to cancel your plans for the evening and just drink.
The Piedmont section is the main event: Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, and Gaja covering Barolo, with Produttori del Barbaresco and Angelo Gaja holding down Barbaresco. That's not filler — those are the names you build a serious Italian program around. Brunello gets its due with Biondi-Santi and Banfi, and the Super Tuscans are predictable but crowd-appropriate with Sassicaia and Ornellaia both present. California rounds things out with Caymus, Jordan, Opus One, Sonoma-Cutrer, and Rombauer — nothing groundbreaking there, but it keeps the room happy. The gap is anywhere outside Italy and California; this list doesn't wander far from its lane.
Twenty to thirty options by the glass is genuinely strong for a restaurant of this format, with pours running $14 to $22. We'd want to know more about rotation — there's no evidence of an active program changing things up regularly, which at this price point is a missed opportunity. Still, the sheer volume of glass options means you're not stuck choosing between two Chardonnays and a Malbec.
Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco — $60–$80 estimated bottle range
Produttori is a cooperative that punches well above its price class — genuine Barbaresco terroir at a fraction of what Gaja costs. In a list loaded with splurge options, this is the smart play for anyone who wants to drink Nebbiolo without flinching at the bill.
Allegrini Amarone della Valpolicella
Everyone at this table is staring at the Barolo section, which means Allegrini's Amarone gets overlooked. It's a richer, more brooding expression that holds its own against anything in the Piedmont column — and tends to be priced slightly more accessibly in casino restaurant contexts where the famous names carry the biggest markups.
Opus One
Opus One is fine wine, but it's also the most marked-up bottle on virtually every resort restaurant list in America. You're paying for the name and the occasion, not for value — and in a list with Gaja and Conterno, there's simply a better story to tell for the same or less money.
Giacomo Conterno Barolo + Beef short rib pasta
Conterno's Barolo brings the kind of tannic structure and dried cherry depth that was essentially designed to cut through braised, fatty short rib. This is the pairing that justifies the whole trip.
The Bottom Line
Angeline is a genuine wine program hiding inside a celebrity chef casino concept — the Piedmont selections alone earn the Wine Spectator credential, even if the markups and no-sommelier situation keep it from being a true Rager. Come for the Barolo, order the short rib pasta, and try to forget you're in Atlantic City.
· Atlantic City · Cocktail Lounge
Nola's is a genuinely fun place to spend a late night on the Atlantic City Boardwalk — the atmosphere earns its stripes. But if wine is why you're sitting down, you're in the wrong seat. Order a cocktail, enjoy the music, and save your serious wine budget for somewhere that's thought harder about the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlantic City · New American / Wine Bar
The Iron Room is the kind of wine-forward bar Atlantic City doesn't know it needs — cozy, staffed by people who care, and refreshingly serious about what's in the glass. If you're in AC and want something other than $14 Pinot Grigio at a casino bar, this is your move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Acceptable
Golden Nugget Casino · Atlantic City · Steakhouse
Vic & Anthony's is a competent casino steakhouse wine list — it won't embarrass you and it won't thrill you. If you're already there for the steak, grab the Siduri by the glass and don't look too hard at the markups.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Margate City · Atlantic City · Seafood / New American
Steve & Cookie's isn't a wine destination, but it's a solid spot to drink reasonably well alongside excellent seafood and a live jazz soundtrack. If you're going Monday through Thursday, get there early and hit the bar before your table.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Atlantic City · Atlantic City · Mediterranean / Italian
Sofia isn't a wine destination, but it's a better-than-expected list for the Shore — especially if you lean into the Greek selections that nobody else around here is bothering with. The markups on the California staples will sting, so go Greek and drink smarter.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlantic City · Italian
Café 2825 is a celebration restaurant with a wine list to match — trophy Champagnes, premium California whites, and a few smart Italian picks that reward anyone who looks past the obvious. Prices likely reflect the occasion more than the liquid, but if you're in Atlantic City for a big night, there are worse places to pop a bottle.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chula Vista · Italian
Little Italy Ristorante isn't coming here for the wine — and at these prices, that's probably fine if you just need something cold in a glass. But nine labels, no Italian depth to speak of, and a list that hasn't been curated so much as assembled means this is strictly a cocktail-first, wine-if-you-must situation. If wine matters to you even a little, the food might be worth the trip, but plan to drink elsewhere.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chandler · Italian
Floridino's wine list does the minimum required to call itself a wine list — fair prices on uninspiring labels, zero rotation, and a by-the-glass program that's really just the entire list. If you want something to wash down a slice, the Folonari Chianti or Sassoregale are your best moves. But no one is driving to Chandler for the wine program here.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bellevue · Italian
Angelo's built a short, focused, all-Italian by-the-glass list and priced it fairly — that's a genuinely uncommon combination in the suburbs. We don't have enough intel on the food menu or staff to give it a full Rager endorsement, but the wine program alone earns a detour. If you're eating Italian in Bellevue and want something better than the usual suspects, this list rewards the curious.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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