Old-School Red Sauce With a Pour to Match
· Jersey City · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 5, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Laico's’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Laico's is the kind of place where the wine list is not the point — the food is, the noise is, the neighborhood loyalty is. But that doesn't mean the wine is an afterthought; it just means expectations should be calibrated accordingly. This is a classic Jersey City Italian dinner house, and the wine program fits that identity without apology.
What we know about the list skews Italian and approachable — think crowd-friendly bottles built for tables of four splitting a carafe over Shrimp Fra Diavolo. The region focus leans Italy, with Pinot Grigio doing the heavy lifting on the white side, which tracks perfectly for a red-sauce joint of this vintage. Don't come hunting for natural wine or obscure Etna Rosso; that's not the room. The list exists to serve the food and keep the table happy, and by that standard it likely does its job.
By-the-glass specifics aren't publicly documented, but reviews consistently reference generous pours — which, frankly, counts for something. Expect the standard Italian-American shortlist: a Pinot Grigio, probably a Chianti or Montepulciano, maybe a house red that shows up in a carafe. Nothing revolutionary, but nothing offensive either.
The Bottom Line
Laico's has been doing this for over 30 years, and the wine list isn't why people keep coming back — the Chicken Francese and the neighborhood warmth are. If you're looking for a deep cellar or adventurous pours, this isn't your spot. But if you want a solid glass of something Italian to wash down a classic red-sauce dinner without getting gouged, Laico's delivers exactly what it promises.
· Jersey City · New American
Amanda's isn't going to make a wine lover's heart race, but it's doing the honest work: fair prices, enough variety to match a proper New American menu, and a by-the-glass program deep enough to drink your way through a multi-course meal without getting stuck. If you're in Jersey City and want a reliable bottle without a markup argument, this list delivers.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · American Bistro
Court Street's wine list is functional and fair — no embarrassing markups, a couple of genuinely good pours hiding among the Coastal Ridge, and glass prices that won't wreck your dinner tab. It's not a destination for wine lovers, but it's a perfectly fine neighborhood spot where you can drink the Rioja or the Sancerre and have a good night. Send your friends here for dinner; just steer them away from the mystery Champagne.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Jersey City · Jersey City · Italian
Il Tavolo isn't trying to be a wine destination, and that's fine — it's a reliable Italian spot with fair pours, sensible pricing, and enough range to keep the table happy. If you're in Jersey City and want a glass of Chianti that won't cost you a car payment, this is a safe and honest bet.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · New American
Anthony David's wine list is reliable without being exciting — it does the job for a casual dinner without making you work too hard or feel gouged at the lower price points. The by-the-glass program is legitimately strong for a list this size, and the Crémant de Loire is a smart pour. If you're a wine-first diner, this isn't your destination, but if you're coming for a neighborhood meal and want a decent glass to go with it, you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · Omakase
The food concept at Sushi by Bou deserves a wine list that actually thinks about raw fish, delicate flavors, and how wine interacts with a progression of courses — and this list doesn't come close to that. Seven bottles, mostly supermarket staples, with no pricing transparency and no clear by-the-glass program. If you're going for the omakase experience, consider asking about corkage or ordering Champagne and leaving it at that.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · Cocktail Bar and New American
Dullboy is a cocktail bar first and a wine program second, but the eight pours it stocks are more considered than anything you'd expect given the setting. If you're in Jersey City and want a glass of something genuinely interesting — not just Malbec or Pinot Grigio — this list earns a detour. Wild Card badge, fully deserved.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Lincoln · Italian
Lincoln Ristorante is doing something genuinely unusual: running a wine list in central Nebraska that would hold its own in most major American cities. The Italian focus is deep and well-curated, the by-the-glass program gives you real options, and the pricing — particularly on the reds — is fair enough that you won't feel punished for ordering well. If you're in Lincoln and you care about wine, this is the only room that answers that call.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · Italian
Sorellina has done something genuinely weird here — built an all-dessert-wine list and committed to it fully, with enough range and producer credibility to make it worth taking seriously. If you are coming here expecting a broad Italian bottle list to drink through dinner, adjust your expectations before you walk in. But if you want to spend an evening exploring Italian sweet wines poured by the glass at prices that do not insult you, this is one of the more interesting niche programs in the area.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· West Palm Beach · Italian
Sant Ambroeus Palm Beach is a reliable, if unambitious, wine experience — Italy and France, done cleanly, priced for Royal Poinciana Way. If you're here for the scene, the truffle pizza, and a glass of something Italian and uncomplicated, it delivers. Just don't come looking for value or discovery.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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