Texas Cocktail Lounge With a Wednesday Wine Secret
Downtown Β· Waco Β· Cocktail Lounge Β· Visit Website β
Reviewed April 10, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walk into Lounge '93 expecting craft cocktails and you'll find a small but surprisingly deliberate wine list hiding in plain sight. It's not trying to be a wine bar β and that's exactly why the Wednesday bottle deal hits different. The range is tight, but there's an intentionality here that most cocktail lounges in mid-size Texas cities never bother with.
The list is compact β we're talking maybe a dozen SKUs β anchored by accessible Argentine sparkling, a local Texas Tempranillo from Becker Vineyards, and a Dom PΓ©rignon sitting at the top like a velvet rope. The Argentina-France axis keeps things focused but leaves a gap in the middle: there's no real red wine depth beyond the Becker, and white wine representation is thin. What you get is a solid opening act, a prestige finale, and not much in between. For a cocktail lounge in Waco, though, this is more thoughtful than it needs to be.
At least three glass pours starting at $9, including the Becker Tempranillo and Bollocini Sparkling β both of which are legitimate choices, not just table-wine filler. The glass program is small but priced accessibly, which means you can explore without committing to a bottle on a whim.
Bollocini Sparkling Wine β $22/bottle
A sparkling bottle for $22 in a lounge setting is a genuine deal β grab it on a Wednesday and you're paying around $11 for a festive bottle. It's not Champagne, but it fills that role for most tables without the guilt.
Becker Vineyards Tempranillo
Most people ordering wine at a cocktail lounge will reach for something familiar. The Becker Tempranillo is a Texas Hill Country wine that regularly punches above its $9 glass price β it's locally made, food-friendly, and completely overlooked in favor of generic reds at spots like this.
Dom PΓ©rignon Champagne
At $375, you're paying lounge markup on a bottle you can find at most wine shops for $200. The setting β however stylish β isn't the right stage for Dom PΓ©rignon. Save it for a place with proper Champagne flutes and table service that justifies the splurge.
Bollocini Sparkling Wine + Charcuterie Board
Sparkling wine and salty, fatty charcuterie is one of the most reliable combos in the book. The Bollocini's bubbles cut through the richness while keeping the mood celebratory β exactly what a lounge night should feel like.
Wednesday β 50% off selected wine bottles every Wednesday β 'Wine Down Wednesday'
π² The Bottom Line
Lounge '93 is not your destination for wine, but if you show up on a Wednesday with a friend and split a bottle of Bollocini, you'll have a better time than you expected. The Wild Card badge is earned β not because the list is deep, but because this place does more with less than almost anywhere else in downtown Waco.
Central Waco / Richland Mall area Β· Waco Β· American gastropub / brewery fare
BJ's wine list exists because it has to, not because anyone loves it β this is a beer destination first and everything else is an afterthought. If you're here on a Wednesday during happy hour, grab the $5 Dark Horse and call it honest; otherwise, just drink the beer.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Central Waco / Loop 340 Β· Waco Β· Casual Chain Italian-American
Olive Garden Waco's wine list is a corporate afterthought dressed up with Italian flags β gouge-level markups on supermarket bottles, no staff expertise, and zero ambition. Order the cocktails, drink the endless coffee, or BYOB if they'll let you. The breadsticks don't need wine anyway.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Southwest Waco / I-35 corridor Β· Waco Β· Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse is a great place for a hand-cut steak, cold beer, and line-dancing servers β but the wine list is essentially a placeholder. Come for the food, order a Lone Star, and leave the wine ambitions at home.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Waco / Valley Mills Drive Β· Waco Β· Steakhouse
Outback Waco's wine program is what happens when a corporate chain treats wine as a line item instead of an experience β overpriced grocery store bottles with zero staff expertise and zero reason to explore the list. Order the beer, order the cocktail, or BYOB if they'll let you.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Waco / near Richland Mall Β· Waco Β· Steakhouse
Saltgrass is here for the steak, and the steak is genuinely good β but the wine program is an afterthought wearing a price tag. Order the ribeye, split a bottle of Decoy if you must, and don't expect anyone on staff to help you think beyond that.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Woodway / Marketplace area Β· Waco Β· Steakhouse
135 Prime is doing more with a wine list than Waco has any right to expect from its steakhouse scene, and the weekly specials show genuine curiosity. Just keep your guard up when the dessert wine list arrives β that's where the house cashes in.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.