Small list, big personality, zero pretense
Inman Park · Atlanta · Wine bar / tapas · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed August 3, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Kevin Rathbun's Krog Bar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Seventeen bottles, all pourable by the glass — Krog Bar isn't trying to overwhelm you with options, it's trying to make sure you actually drink something good tonight. The list reads like someone sat down with a sharp palate and a budget and made deliberate choices. That alone puts it ahead of half the wine lists in Atlanta.
The list punches across all the right regions without spreading itself thin — you've got Italian depth (Lambrusco, Barbera, Montepulciano, Chianti Classico), a nod to the Pacific Northwest with the Illahe Pinot Noir and Willamette Valley Pinot Gris, and proper Old World anchors like the Chateau Les Glories Sancerre and Viña Alberdi Reserva Tempranillo. The sparkling section earns its keep with the underrated Treveri Brut Blanc de Blanc alongside a crowd-pleasing Montinore Prosecco. Gaps exist — there's no Burgundy, no Bordeaux, no serious Riesling — but the picks that are here feel intentional rather than lazy. For a tapas spot, this is exactly the kind of list you want: versatile, food-friendly, and not trying to be a wine encyclopedia.
Every single bottle on the list is available by the glass, which is the whole point here and we respect it fully. Prices run $12–$25, which is honest money for Atlanta, and the range covers enough ground that you can build a casual tasting flight without asking anyone's permission. Rotation appears slow — this looks like a set list rather than something that shifts with seasons — but the quality floor is high enough that you won't feel stuck.
Viña Alberdi Reserva Tempranillo — $14
La Rioja Alta's entry-level Reserva is a legitimately serious wine with real aging behind it — you're getting a producer that plays in the same sandbox as wines costing three times as much. At this price by the glass, it's the easiest call on the list.
Treveri Brut Blanc de Blanc
Washington State sparkling wine still gets eye-rolls from people who haven't tried it, and that's their loss. Treveri makes clean, precise bubbly from Columbia Valley and it consistently outperforms its price point. Most people reach for the Prosecco. Don't.
Hill Family Estate Chardonnay
Nothing wrong with it exactly, but in a list full of more interesting white options — Sancerre, Pinot Gris, Gavi — a California Chardonnay at the top of the price range is the safe, boring pick that makes us sad. You came here for tapas, not a Napa tasting room.
Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco + Charcuterie board
Fizzy, slightly tannic, bone dry Lambrusco against cured meats and aged cheeses is one of the great low-key food pairings in wine. It cuts fat, refreshes the palate, and costs you almost nothing. This is the move.
The Bottom Line
Krog Bar isn't trying to win awards for its wine program — it's trying to make sure you have a great glass while you eat well, and on that count it delivers consistently. Send your friends here, point them toward the Tempranillo or the Lambrusco, and stop overthinking it.
· Atlanta · Spanish/Latin
Rock Steady keeps it simple and mostly gets it right — fair prices, every bottle available by the glass, and a few genuinely good producers mixed into a crowd-pleasing lineup. It's not a destination wine list, but it's a reliable one. If you're eating here, the Dr. Loosen at $15 is your move.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Asian
OK Yaki built a ten-bottle wine list that outpunches wine programs three times its size — every pick is intentional, the by-the-glass access is generous, and the pricing doesn't punish you for being curious. If you're eating here and defaulting to beer or sake, you're leaving the best part of the beverage program untouched.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Buckhead · Atlanta · Mediterranean/Greek/Middle Eastern
Pasha is a genuinely fun night out — the atmosphere is lively, the food lands well, and the crowd is into it. But the wine program is operating in the background rather than earning its place on the table. Until there's a public list with real prices and identifiable producers, we'd recommend asking the server what's open and ordering a glass of whatever they're excited about — or just start with a cocktail and see where the night takes you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Dunwoody · Atlanta · New American/Southern
Parkwoods is a dependable wine stop — nothing here will make you a convert, but nothing will embarrass you at a client dinner either. If you're already eating here for the fried chicken or the steaks, order the wine confidently; just don't expect the list to be the reason you came. The Backyard patio is genuinely nice, and a cold glass of something simple out there on a good Atlanta evening is its own reward.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Seafood
Phillips Seafood isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that crystal clear. The pricing is fair enough that you won't feel robbed, and the by-the-glass selection is broad enough to find something drinkable — but the list reads like it was assembled by committee using the most recognizable labels available. Grab the Mer Soleil with your crab, skip the Whispering Angel markup, and temper your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Atlanta · New American/Southern
Midtown Social is a bar with a wine list, not a wine bar with a kitchen — and the list makes that hierarchy clear. Pricing is fair relative to what's poured, and the $5 house glass program gives it a pulse, but this is the kind of list you drink from because it's there, not because it brought you in. If wine is why you're going out tonight, this isn't your spot.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Hartford Center · Hartford · Wine bar / tapas
Crush is the kind of place that makes you reconsider what a small-city wine bar can be — a thoughtful, eclectic list, a sommelier who's actually there, food that goes beyond the usual tapas playbook (octopus skewers, duck prosciutto, Basque cheesecake), and a room that earns a second visit. If you're in greater Hartford and you care about what's in your glass, this is your spot.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Atlanta · Wine bar / tapas
Krog Bar is the rare spot where a short list feels like a feature, not a limitation. If you want to drink well by the glass without committing to a bottle or decoding a 12-page novel of a wine list, this is your place.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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