Pretty Room, Punishing Markups, Forgettable List
Fashion District / Downtown LA · Los Angeles · Latin-inspired / Pan-Latin · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 21, 2026
Wingman Metrics
DAMA's wine list arrives looking like it dressed up for the room — and the room is genuinely stunning. But once you flip past the cocktail section and actually land on the wines, the energy deflates fast. This is a list that was assembled to not embarrass anyone, not to excite them.
The list leans on safe international crowd-pleasers: a Malbec from Mendoza, some Rioja Tempranillo, a Carmenère from Chile — all the Latin-adjacent hits you'd expect. There are flashes of personality, like a Txakoli from Getariako Txakolina and an Albariño from Rías Baixas, that suggest someone briefly cared. A Baja wine dinner event hints that Mexican wine could find a real home here, but those bottles don't seem to have made it onto the permanent list in any meaningful way. The gaps — no real depth in South American selections beyond the obvious, nothing adventurous from Canary Islands or Argentina outside Malbec — are hard to miss once you start looking.
The by-the-glass program runs somewhere in the 8–14 pour range, priced $14–$22, which sounds reasonable until you clock the underlying markups. There's no evidence of a rotating glass program or any curatorial effort — what you see is probably what you'll see next month too. For a cocktail-forward spot with this much Latin identity on the plate, the glass pours feel like an afterthought.
2016 Bodega Colomé Malbec Salta — $64
Still a steep 156% markup over retail, but Colomé is one of Argentina's most serious high-altitude producers and at least you're getting quality for the money. On a list this overpriced, this is your least bad option.
Txakoli (Getariako Txakolina)
Most tables are going to order the Malbec on autopilot. Don't. The Txakoli — bright, low-alcohol, slightly effervescent Basque white — is genuinely interesting and the most personality this list has to offer. Order it while the kitchen sends out anything fried or acidic.
2018 Scarpetta Pinot Grigio Friuli
At $48 a bottle for something you can find at Trader Joe's for $15, this is the list's most egregious value crime. It's a fine, uncomplicated Pinot Grigio — but a 220% markup for a crowd-pleasing grocery store white is a hard no.
Albariño from Rías Baixas + Crispy Squash Flowers
The Albariño's bright citrus and saline edge cuts right through the richness of fried batter while echoing any herb or cheese stuffed inside the flowers. It's the most food-forward pairing the list can actually deliver.
❌ The Bottom Line
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.
Downtown Los Angeles · Los Angeles · French-inspired, New American
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hollywood · Los Angeles · Upscale Italian, Seafood
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.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Hollywood · Los Angeles · Neapolitan Italian, Pizza
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.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Los Angeles · Los Angeles · Seafood
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.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Bel-Air · Los Angeles · Modern Californian with European/Mediterranean influences
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.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Beverly Grove / West Hollywood · Los Angeles · Greek / Mediterranean
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.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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