Seven Bottles Deep and Already Out of Ideas
· Laredo · New American / Latin Fusion · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 3, 2026
RagingWine reviewed El Capataz – Del Mar’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Seven labels. That's the whole list. At El Capataz Del Mar, the wine program is less a curated selection and more a footnote — something tacked on after someone realized the liquor license covered it. The prices are genuinely fair, which is about the nicest thing we can say here.
The entire list leans on two producers: No Curfew and AH-SO, with a cameo from Zestos and Begonia. There's no geographic ambition here — no Old World depth, no regional storytelling, no attempt to complement the Latin Fusion menu with anything remotely interesting. AH-SO's Garnacha lineup (red, white, rosé) does at least give the list a thin thread of coherence around a single grape, but seven labels total leaves almost no room for discovery. If you're hoping to find something that rewards curiosity, keep walking.
Five of the seven wines are available by the glass, ranging from $8 to $10, which keeps things accessible. The pour list mirrors the bottle list almost entirely, so there's no hidden treasure hiding behind a glass-only option. At these prices, though, ordering a glass is easy math.
The Bottom Line
El Capataz Del Mar isn't a wine destination — it's a restaurant that happens to have seven bottles on a menu. The pricing is honest and the Garnacha options from AH-SO offer a slight spark of personality, but this list needs serious attention before it earns a real recommendation. Order a cocktail, or grab the white Garnacha if you want to say you tried.
· Laredo · Steakhouse
El Asador is clearly a destination for the food — the wood-fired steaks, the Tuétano al Piquín, the oysters — and the margaritas are probably doing heavy lifting at the bar. But the wine list is a placeholder, not a program. Five unlabeled, undated-for-rotation bottles at a polished steakhouse in 2024 is a miss. Come for the beef, order a cocktail, and hope someone eventually hands this list to someone who cares.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Posada Hotel · Laredo · Steakhouse
The Tack Room isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it succeeds at being exactly what it is — a dependable hotel steakhouse list with some solid bottles hiding among the Cab parade. Order the Spanish or Argentine options, avoid the trophy-bottle markups, and you'll eat and drink just fine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Laredo · Spanish Tapas & Wine Bar
Taberna Laredo is the kind of place that wine-obsessed travelers bookmark and casual diners stumble into and never forget. If you're in Madrid and serious about drinking well at dinner, this belongs on your shortlist.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Laredo · Modern Mexican
The wine list at Cantina Laredo Laredo is functional, priced fairly for a casual chain, and completely devoid of ambition — but honestly, you're probably here for the guacamole and a frozen margarita anyway. If you do order wine, grab the Marqués de Cáceres Rosé and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Laredo · Italian
Johnny Carino's Laredo isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. If you're here, go on a Sunday or Wednesday, grab that half-price Albertoni, and keep your expectations parked firmly at 'Italian chain in Laredo.'
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Mall del Norte Area · Laredo · American steakhouse / ribs
Tony Roma's Laredo is here to serve ribs, and the wine list knows its place in the pecking order. Nothing wrong with it, nothing exciting about it — if wine matters to you tonight, manage expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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