Bordeaux-leaning steakhouse with polished bones
Buckhead · Atlanta · Italian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed October 26, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Luella’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Luella announces itself as a serious dining destination the moment you walk in — upscale Buckhead energy, white tablecloths, and the kind of room that suggests the wine list won't be an afterthought. A sommelier is on staff, which is a meaningful signal at a steakhouse in this price bracket. The expectation is a list built to match $100 bone-in filets, and that's largely what you get.
The program leans Bordeaux, which makes sense given the steakhouse DNA — big reds that can stand up to a bone-in filet or a plate of veal parmesan are the obvious play here. What we don't know yet is how deep that bench goes beyond the classics, or whether there's room for Italian bottles to match the Italian half of this kitchen's identity. A list anchored in Bordeaux can be either reassuringly focused or frustratingly narrow depending on how it's executed, and without full transparency on the menu, we can't call it either way. There's a sommelier in the building, though, and that usually means someone is paying attention.
By-the-glass specifics aren't published, so we can't tell you what's pouring on any given night. At a restaurant with a sommelier and this price point, you'd expect a handful of solid options rather than a rotating adventure — functional, not flashy. Ask the staff what's open; that's the fastest way to know if the glass program is worth engaging with.
The Bottom Line
Luella has the infrastructure for a genuinely good wine program — sommelier on staff, a cuisine that practically demands serious red wine, and a room that sets the right tone. But without a published list and with a Bordeaux-heavy focus at Buckhead prices, there's a real chance you're paying a premium for predictability. Go in with your eyes open, lean on the sommelier, and push them for something beyond the obvious — if they're worth their title, they'll deliver.
· Atlanta · Italian and Seafood
Atalian is doing something genuinely strange — a sparkling-only wine list at an Italian seafood restaurant — and we respect the commitment even when the execution leaves gaps. If you're in the mood to pop bottles, there's a decent range from entry-level Prosecco to prestige Champagne. If you want a glass of white wine with your pasta, eat somewhere else.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
The Battery Atlanta · Atlanta · Wine Bar & Bistro
Crú earns its keep as a solid pre- or post-game stop in The Battery — the Napa lineup is dependable and the rosé selection is bigger than you'd expect. But without pricing transparency or by-the-glass confirmation, it's hard to fully endorse. If you're with a table of Cabernet loyalists, you'll all be happy; if you're hunting for something off the beaten path, you'll need to look harder.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Atlanta · American Tavern
Hobnob is a neighborhood tavern that happens to have wine on the menu, not a restaurant with a wine program. If beer or cocktails are your thing, you're in good hands. But if wine matters to you tonight, this list will let you down — nine reds with no pricing transparency and no range to speak of. Order a bourbon.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vinings · Atlanta · Contemporary American
So has a wine list built to please a suburban dinner crowd without ruffling any feathers, and it largely succeeds at that narrow goal. The markup is real — most bottles sit at 3–4x retail — but the by-the-glass breadth gives you options to keep the tab reasonable. If you're a wine-first diner, this isn't your destination; if you're here for the scene and the food, you'll find something perfectly fine to drink.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Italian
Tavola Trattoria's wine program is five bottles deep and priced without apology — $101 for a Saracco Moscato is the kind of markup that makes you consider ordering water and going wine shopping after dinner. The list has no still wines at all, which is a strange call for an Italian restaurant. Order a cocktail or ask if they have a corkage policy, because this wine list isn't doing you any favors.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Italian
La Tavola is an Italian restaurant with a five-bottle wine list that stops at sparkling and rosé — no reds, no whites, no depth whatsoever. The pricing on what's there is difficult to justify. Unless you came specifically for Lambrusco or Franciacorta, you're better off calling ahead to ask about corkage.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fayetteville · Italian Steakhouse
Enzo puts in more wine effort than most Italian steakhouses in its zip code — the Nebbiolo and Barbera alone signal someone gave a damn about the Italian half of the concept. Markups lean steep rather than punishing, and having every bottle available by the glass is a real guest-friendly move. If you're in Fayetteville and want a credible glass of wine with your dinner, this is the play.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
River North · Chicago · Italian Steakhouse
A Tuscan-steakhouse list that does what the room promises: Tuscany and Piedmont reds, a Napa Cabernet block and 33 wines by the glass. Order the Caparzo Rosso di Montalcino (58) if you want the Montalcino name without the Brunello price, or the Prunotto Barolo (145) with the bone-in ribeye, and ask which number on the glass page is the pour. This unrated guide covers the posted drink book, not service, storage or markups.
South Street Seaport · New York · Italian Steakhouse
Carne Mare posts a short glass list of 15 pours from $18 to $36 that mixes Italy, France and California, with no bottle list on its menus page. Order the Nuraghe Crabioni Vermentino at happy hour for $12 (or $18 after); for red, the Italian pours include the $21 Feudo Montoni Nero d'Avola, the $22 Fattoria Grignano Chianti Rufina and the $35 Luigi Einaudi Barolo. Confirm the list and prices when you book; this unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
