Beer Bar With a Wine List It Regrets
Hamburg Pavilion · Lexington · American Bar & Grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 4, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Drake's Hamburg’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Drake's Hamburg feels like it was assembled in about 20 minutes by someone whose main job was ordering kegs. It's short, safe, and exists mostly to give non-beer-drinkers something to point at. No one here is losing sleep over the Burgundy allocation.
Twenty to thirty bottles, nearly all from California, and the producers read like a grocery store endcap: 14 Hands, Dark Horse, Kendall-Jackson, Cupcake, Barefoot. There's no Pinot Noir to speak of, no Rhône, no anything that would make a wine-curious diner sit up straighter. The list doesn't embarrass itself on price — bottles top out around $45 — but it never gives you a reason to order wine over the craft beer list, which is clearly where Drake's puts its energy. Sushi is on the menu, and there's nothing remotely suited to it in the wine program.
Eight pours ranging from $7 to $11, which is honest money for a bar of this type. The problem isn't the price — it's that you're essentially choosing between shades of grocery-store California. Expect Cupcake Chardonnay and Barefoot Moscato to anchor the list while the Cab slots fill in the rest.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay — $9
KJ Chard is everywhere for a reason — it's consistent, crowd-friendly, and at this price point it won't hurt when you inevitably order a second glass to get through the game.
Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon
Dark Horse punches above its price tier more often than it has any right to. On a list this thin, it's quietly the most interesting red available — riper and fuller than the 14 Hands with enough structure to hold up against a burger.
Barefoot Moscato
There's a time and place for Barefoot Moscato. A bar with sushi on the menu is neither.
Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon + Big Burger
California Cab and a fat burger is one of the few wine pairings that actually works in a sports bar context. Dark Horse has enough fruit and grip to stand up to the beef without asking you to think too hard about it.
The Bottom Line
Drake's Hamburg is a beer bar, full stop — the wine list exists as an afterthought and that's fine, as long as you order accordingly. If your table insists on wine, grab a glass of Dark Horse Cab with your burger and call it a night.
South Lexington / Harrodsburg Road · Lexington · Italian, Contemporary Italian, Seafood
Giuseppe's isn't a wine destination, but Monday night half-price bottles make it one of the better value plays in Lexington — show up then, lean on the seafood, and you'll leave happy. Any other night, the markups ask a lot and the list doesn't ask you to think very hard.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Lansdowne / Nicholasville Road · Lexington · Italian-American
Sutton's isn't a wine destination, but it's a perfectly reasonable place to drink a bottle of Chianti while someone else handles the cooking. The Tignanello alone earns this list a second look if you know to ask for it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Gratz Park · Lexington · New American / Southern
Jonathan at Gratz Park is the kind of reliable wine room you'd expect from a historic inn with a real sommelier — competent, well-stocked, and leaning safe. Pricing is on the steeper side and the list won't surprise you, but in Lexington, this is still one of the better places to order a full bottle with dinner.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Palomar / Harrodsburg Road · Lexington · Italian, Seasonal American-Influenced
Bella Notte isn't a wine destination, but it's a reliable neighborhood spot with one genuinely smart move: Thursday half-price bottles turn a steep list into a real value play. Go on a Thursday, order the Decoy Cab with a wood-grilled steak, and you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Lexington · Italian
ItalX is a dependable Italian wine list for a night out downtown — not exciting, but not embarrassing either. Send a friend here knowing they'll drink well enough, as long as they steer toward the Italian reds and away from the obvious tourist traps.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Summit at Fritz Farm · Lexington · New American / Southern
33 Staves is a perfectly competent hotel wine list in a city where nobody's really coming for the wine. Drink it for what it is, keep your expectations calibrated, and save the serious bottle hunting for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Main · Bozeman · American Bar & Grill
Bay Bar & Grille isn't a wine destination — it's a neighborhood spot where the wine list quietly does its job better than expected. If you're in Bozeman and need a reliably solid glass with your burger or steak, you won't leave disappointed.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Champaign · American Bar & Grill
Guido's is not a wine destination and makes no pretense of being one — this is a beer-and-cocktails bar that stocks six house pours so nobody goes thirsty. Come for the bar atmosphere; skip the wine list entirely.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Airport / East Columbus · Columbus · American Bar & Grill
This is airport-adjacent chain wine, full stop — familiar labels at inflated prices for a captive audience that mostly wants something cold and wet after traveling. Order a cocktail instead, or hit the hotel bar and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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