Korean-American fusion with serious California-French ambitions
West Village · New York · American, Korean · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Joomak NYC’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Joomak — tucked into the second floor of Maison Hudson like a secret penthouse — the wine list feels like it has something to prove, in the best way. For a 22-seat Korean-American room above the West Village waterfront, the presence of Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Kistler Chardonnay on the same list is a statement. This isn't a restaurant that ordered wine as an afterthought.
The list runs 150-250 bottles with a clear two-lane focus: California and France, and they've done the work in both. Burgundy is the heart of the French side — Domaine Ramonet, Louis Jadot, and Domaine Leflaive anchor white Burgundy with genuine depth, while the California column leans into prestige Chardonnay and Pinot Noir through Kistler, Au Bon Climat, and Ridge. Domaine Drouhin Oregon is a smart bridge pick that signals the list-builder has range. The gaps are real — if you're hunting outside this Franco-Californian axis, you may come up short — but within those lanes, the list earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence.
With 12-20 pours available, the by-the-glass program is more ambitious than you'd expect from a room this intimate. The quality level tracks with the bottle list — don't be surprised to find something serious in the glass rather than the usual bulk-wine fillers. Rotation didn't appear to be a formal feature, which is a missed opportunity in a space this curated.
Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir — $60
Au Bon Climat is one of California's most consistent Pinot producers, and at the low end of Joomak's price range it punches well above its weight against the Burgundy-priced competition sitting next to it on the list.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir
Most tables at Joomak go straight for French Burgundy or California Pinot — but Drouhin Oregon is the quiet overachiever on this list. Burgundian sensibility, Oregon fruit, and usually better QPR than either of its neighbors.
Louis Jadot Burgundy
Jadot is a reliable house, but at NYC restaurant markups on a list surrounded by Ramonet and Leflaive, you're paying a premium for a label that's widely distributed and easy to find cheaper elsewhere. The upcharge doesn't track.
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet + Sourdough Jajangmyeon
The rich, savory black bean depth of jajangmyeon needs something with enough structure and weight to hold its own — Leflaive's Puligny brings the minerality and texture to cut through without fighting the dish. It's an unexpected matchup that makes both better.
The Bottom Line
Joomak is a wild card in the most literal sense: a 22-seat Korean-American hideaway above the Hudson with a wine list that would be at home in a much more conventional fine dining room. If California Chardonnay and white Burgundy are your lanes, this room is worth the reservation.
Midtown · New York · French Brasserie
La Grande Boucherie earns its place as a reliable stop for wine in Midtown, especially if you're leaning French. The glass list is genuinely wide and has some smart picks buried in it — the Fleurie and the Wiemer Riesling both punch above their price points. Markups trend steep as you climb the bottle list, so your money works hardest in the by-the-glass section. If you're here for the brasserie experience, the wine program holds up its end of the deal.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Steakhouse
BLT Prime's wine program is glass-only, which limits your options if you came for a big bottle moment, but the pricing is honest and the selection is more thoughtful than most steakhouses bother with. If you're keeping it casual and ordering by the glass, you can drink well here without feeling taken advantage of — and that's not nothing in this city.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
The Palm Midtown is not where you'd expect to find Puzelat and Ruth Lewandowski sitting next to each other on a wine list — which is exactly what makes it worth a second look. Six bottles is a short menu, but all six are defensible picks at prices that don't insult you. If you're in the mood to trust the list and not overthink it, this works.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murray Hill · New York · Classic American Steakhouse
Wolfgang's is a reliable steakhouse wine experience in the sense that you know exactly what you're getting: a list built around the bottle you already know, priced for the room you're sitting in. If you're here to close a deal over a Porterhouse for Two, the wine list will do its job without embarrassing anyone — but it's not going to surprise you, and it's almost certainly going to cost more than it should. Go in with eyes open and a strong second-choice red in mind.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is a rare thing in New York: a focused, regionally coherent program that commits hard to Greek and Eastern Mediterranean varieties without making you feel like you need a flashcard to order. The by-the-glass selection alone — 18 options, all under $18, featuring producers most wine lists wouldn't touch — makes this worth visiting even before the food arrives. If you eat here and order a Cabernet, that's on you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Italian
A long bottle list with Italian, Burgundy and Champagne sections, fronted by a 22-wine glass page. For a glass, try the Skerk Orange Wine from Friuli at 25/95, and for a bottle on a lighter budget, the Volpaia Vermentino at 60; upstairs in the café, the labeled list pours Palistorti di Valgiano's orange Tuscan blend at Glass $22. Confirm prices before you order, because the site's Upstairs Café dinner menu and the beverage PDF do not match. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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