Tiki vibes, short ribs, and natural wine surprises
Downtown Jersey City · Jersey City · Progressive American with Asian Influences · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Cellar 335’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You descend into a dimly lit basement that smells like tropical cocktails and sesame oil, and the wine list is the last thing you expect to be interesting — but it is. Forty-something bottles that lean natural and global rather than the usual Napa safety net. The room is loud, the energy is fun, and the list has something to say.
Cellar 335 isn't building a cellar for the ages, but what they've curated has a point of view. You've got South African Syrah, New Zealand white, California Pinot, and a Lebanese red blend from Wardy — that's a more adventurous geography than 90% of Jersey City's restaurant scene. The Wardy 'Les Terroirs' (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cinsault, Shiraz) is the kind of wine that makes you stop mid-bite and wonder why Lebanon doesn't show up on more lists. Gaps exist — depth is thin, there's no Champagne or grower sparkling to speak of, and the Old World coverage beyond that Lebanese outlier is sparse. But for a cocktail-forward tiki spot, the fact that they're pouring Whole Bunch Syrah from South Africa at all is worth something.
The by-the-glass program runs 8 to 14 options depending on the night, which is respectable for a place where the bar program is clearly the headline act. Selections skew toward natural and low-intervention producers — Hunky Dory and Bloodroot both show up, which signals someone behind this list knows what they're doing. Rotation feels more static than dynamic; don't expect a weekly pour swap.
Whole Bunch Syrah (South Africa) — $60
At roughly 100% markup over retail, this is the least punishing bottle on the list. South African natural Syrah has serious texture and smoke — it holds its own against the Short Rib Fried Rice and doesn't feel out of place in a tiki room.
Wardy 'Les Terroirs' Red Blend (Lebanon)
Lebanese wine rarely gets a seat at the table, and Wardy is one of the Bekaa Valley's most serious producers. A Cabernet-Merlot-Cinsault-Shiraz blend from Lebanon in a Jersey City basement bar is the most interesting sentence we've written all month — and the wine backs it up.
Broadbent Vinho Verde
Broadbent Vinho Verde retails for around $10. At $60 on the list, that's a 500% markup — the most egregious pricing on the menu. It's a fine, breezy wine, but you're paying six times what it's worth. Order the Syrah instead.
Bloodroot Pinot Noir (California) + Korean Style Wings
The savory-sweet heat of Korean-style wings wants something with bright fruit and enough acidity to reset the palate — Bloodroot Pinot fits that brief without fighting the spice. It's not a delicate pairing, it's a practical one, and it works.
The Bottom Line
Cellar 335 is a cocktail bar that accidentally has one of the more interesting wine lists in Jersey City — a Lebanese red blend and South African natural Syrah in a tiki basement is exactly the kind of weird we're here for. The markups need work, but the spirit of the list is right.
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
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Acceptable
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Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
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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