Firelight, Bay Views, and Serious Bottles
Embarcadero · San Francisco · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Angler’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Angler arrives with the same confidence as the restaurant itself — open hearth blazing, bay glittering outside, and 600-plus bottles staring back at you. This is not a casual flip-through situation. You are being asked to commit.
Burgundy and California dominate the conversation here, and both are handled with real seriousness. Domaine Roumier Chambolle-Musigny sits alongside Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, while the California bench runs deep with Kistler, Aubert, Marcassin, Peter Michael, and Ridge Monte Bello — names that collectors chase and menus rarely stock. Bordeaux shows up swinging with Château Haut-Brion and Château Pétrus, and the trophy shelf includes Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Screaming Eagle for anyone ready to drop four figures on dinner. The list has earned its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence every year since 2019, and you can feel why — this is a curated, deeply sourced program that treats wine as the main event, not an afterthought.
Eighteen to twenty-eight pours on any given visit is a strong program, with glass prices running $15–$30 — reasonable for this zip code and this level of sourcing. The rotation leans into the same Burgundy and California strengths as the bottle list, so you can actually experience the list's personality without committing to a full bottle.
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay — $30 (glass estimate)
Kistler is one of California's most sought-after Chardonnay producers and getting it by the glass at Angler — if it's on the pour list — is the kind of access that usually requires buying a full bottle or knowing someone. Worth every cent next to the grilled oysters.
Ridge Monte Bello
Everyone fixates on the DRC and the Screaming Eagle, but Monte Bello is one of California's greatest wines and it's easy to overlook when you're being blinded by the trophy shelf. It has decades of track record, drinks magnificently with the wood-grilled whole fish, and won't require a second mortgage.
Opus One
A fine wine, no argument there — but Opus One is the most-seen name on ambitious restaurant lists, and the markup here won't be kind. With Ridge Monte Bello and Peter Michael on the same list, there's no reason to pay a premium for a label your aunt has also heard of.
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet + Butter-poached lobster
Puligny-Montrachet and lobster is a classic for a reason — the wine's tension and minerality cut through the richness of the butter while its stone fruit and cream notes mirror the lobster's sweetness. Leflaive does it better than almost anyone, and Angler's version of this dish deserves that kind of wine.
The Bottom Line
Angler is the real deal — a serious, deeply stocked wine program inside a restaurant that also happens to be cooking some of the best seafood in San Francisco. Yes, the markups sting, but the access to producers like Roumier, Leflaive, and Kistler more than justifies the trip.
Embarcadero · San Francisco · Peruvian Seafood
La Mar is a great dinner — the ceviche alone is worth the trip — but the wine list is along for the ride rather than driving it. Order something crisp and cold, enjoy the view, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Union Square · San Francisco · American
The Rotunda is a lunch experience first and a wine destination a distant second — the list is safe, the markup is real, and you're largely paying for the address and the atmosphere. Come for the crab salad and the occasion, order something bubbly, and don't go in expecting a serious wine program.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Francisco · San Francisco · Wine bar & bottle shop
Bodega SF is what happens when someone actually gives a damn about the list instead of just checking a box. Twenty-six bottles, almost all pourable by the glass, priced fairly, and built around grapes most wine bars wouldn't dare touch — send your adventurous friends here and tell them to skip the safe picks.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
San Francisco · San Francisco · Wine bar
Fig & Thistle is for people who trust a short menu built by someone with a point of view — thirteen bottles, all pouring, all worth talking about. If you need a fallback Cab or a recognizable label to feel safe, this isn't your spot. If you don't, this absolutely is.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Francisco · San Francisco · Steakhouse
STK San Francisco has the bones of a wine program and the ambition of a hotel minibar. With only three by-the-glass pours, a list built entirely around safe brand names, and steep markups baked into the concept, this is a place to order a cocktail or splurge on a specific bottle you already know you want.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Francisco · Wine Tavern
Big Finish is doing something genuinely different — an all-glass list built around obscure varietals, serious fortified wine, and pricing that doesn't punish curiosity. Send anyone here who wants to drink something they've never tried before and walk away feeling like they learned something.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Baltimore · American
Give the international and local sections a look before defaulting to Burgundy. Sula at $70 and Old Westminster at $90 offer different budget options. These are posted bottle prices, not guaranteed stock; confirm availability. This menu guide doesn't rate service or cellar conditions.
· Key West · American
Caroline's Café is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — the identical pricing across all five house labels makes that abundantly clear. If you're in Key West looking for something interesting in your glass, keep walking; if you just need a cold pour of Chardonnay with your lunch and aren't asking questions, $8 gets you there without drama.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kerns · Portland · American
Noble Rot is the rare restaurant wine program that would hold up as a standalone wine bar — deep list, sharp staff, fair prices, and a view that makes the whole experience feel earned. Send your friends here. Send yourself here.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
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