Hal's

Hal's wine list is unapologetically red-forward and California-leaning — you can almost smell the oak before you even sit down. Thirty-one bottles, thirty-one by-the-glass options, which means every bottle on the list is available by the pour. That's either a bold commitment to accessibility or a sign that no one's cracking anything they want to protect.

The list is dominated by California Cabernet Sauvignon — Franciscan, Quilt, Sequoia Grove, Frank Family, Jordan — respectable names, all of them, but arranged like a Napa greatest hits playlist on shuffle. There's a handful of Pinot Noirs (Belle Glos Clark & Telephone being the standout), a Duckhorn Merlot, and a Stolpman Syrah that hints at someone in the building with a slightly wider worldview. Europe gets a cameo: Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva, Carlos Serres Gran Reserva, Banfi Cum Laude, and the Paul Jaboulet Aîné Crozes-Hermitage from the Northern Rhône — the last one being the most interesting wine on the list by a wide margin. No white wine program worth mentioning in the data, no bubbles, no rosé — this list has a type and it's sticking to it.

Every bottle doubles as a by-the-glass pour, which means the selection runs from $10 to $36 a glass. That's a wide spread, and the range makes it easy to find something reasonable without feeling punished for not ordering a bottle. Rotation appears minimal — this reads like a static list that gets refreshed annually at best.