Big List, Bigger Steaks, Zero Apologies
Hollywood · Hollywood · American, Steakhouse
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The glass-enclosed wine room tells you everything you need to know before you've ordered a drink — this place takes wine seriously. Four hundred to six hundred selections anchored in California and France, with price tags ranging from accessible to 'congratulations on your bonus.' It's a steakhouse list that actually earns the weight of its own menu.
California dominates and does so unapologetically — Opus One, Joseph Phelps Insignia, Dominus Estate, Stag's Leap, Silver Oak, and Caymus are all here, forming a murderer's row of Napa heavyweights. France holds its own with Chateau Margaux and Louis Jadot Burgundy representing the old world end of the spectrum. The list skews classic and collector-friendly rather than adventurous, which is exactly what a casino steakhouse crowd expects and Council Oak delivers without cutting corners. Gaps show up in anything outside California and France — if you're hunting Rhône, Spain, or South America you're largely out of luck.
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is a legitimate program, not a token gesture. You'd expect the usual suspects at a place like this — expect Duckhorn Merlot and Far Niente Chardonnay to show up here and anchor the pour list with recognizable quality. Rotation appears consistent rather than adventurous, but the floor is high enough that you're unlikely to end up with anything embarrassing.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $90–$120 (estimated bottle range)
Jordan is the quiet professional at this table — consistently well-made Alexander Valley Cab that drinks above its price point in most markets. At a steakhouse where bottles easily run $200+, Jordan gives you Napa-adjacent quality without the Napa markup inflation. Order it with the ribeye and don't look back.
Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Most people walk past Beringer because the brand lives at every grocery store, but the Private Reserve is a completely different animal — it's one of Napa's most consistent icon-tier Cabs and almost always underpriced relative to its cellar peers. On a list full of flashier names, this one quietly overdelivers.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, and at a restaurant with this kind of list depth, you're paying a significant premium for a wine you can find at your local Total Wine. It's not a bad wine — it's just the lazy pick that gets marked up the hardest because every table orders it on autopilot.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime dry-aged ribeye
Stag's Leap built its reputation on structured, elegant Napa Cab with enough acidity to cut through serious fat. The dry-aged ribeye brings the funk and the richness — the wine brings the backbone to match it without getting buried. It's a textbook pairing that actually earns the word 'classic.'
🔥 The Bottom Line
Council Oak is doing exactly what a high-end casino steakhouse should do with wine — a deep, well-curated list, a real sommelier in Juan Horta, and a room built to make bottles feel like an event. Pricing runs steep across the board, but you're also eating inside a Hard Rock property with a pool view and a wine room, so factor that in and order accordingly.
Hollywood · Hollywood · American, Latin
Abiaka isn't trying to be a destination wine list — it's a well-run, California-heavy program that knows its crowd and delivers on the steakhouse promise. Send a friend who wants a great Cab with their fire-kissed steak; just tell them to look past the Opus One.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Hollywood · Hollywood · Japanese, Sushi
Kuro is a handsome, well-executed restaurant with a wine list that does its job — if your job is selling recognizable California bottles at casino-hotel margins. Worth a glass if you're already at the Hard Rock, but don't come specifically for the wine program.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Hollywood · Hollywood · American, Seafood
GG's is a solid, no-drama wine list anchored in California at fair prices with a waterfront view that makes everything taste a little better. We'd send a friend here without hesitation — just don't go expecting anything outside the California comfort zone.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hollywood · Hollywood · Italian
Cipresso isn't reinventing the wine list, but it's doing the Italian-California playbook well enough to earn its Wine Spectator badge in a venue where the bar could easily be lower. Send a friend here if they want a reliable glass of something serious without doing their homework — just steer them away from the Pinot Grigio.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Denver · Denver · American, Steakhouse
Range is a confident, well-kept steakhouse list that won't surprise you but absolutely won't let you down — especially if California Cabs are your language. Just come in with your eyes open on pricing, and let Dan steer you toward the Jordan.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Geneva · Geneva · American, Steakhouse
The James is a dependable California-focused steakhouse list that earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for doing one thing consistently well. If you're there for the beef and the big reds, you'll leave satisfied — just go in with your eyes open on the markups.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Sauk City · Sauk City · American, Steakhouse
A Wisconsin supper club earning a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is genuinely surprising, and Green Acres earns it by stocking a focused, California-forward list that's built for exactly the kind of food it serves. It won't impress the natural wine crowd, but it'll take great care of anyone who wants a proper bottle with a proper steak in a historic room off the highway.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.