Garden patio, serious bottles, California soul
Santa Monica · American · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed April 10, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Michael's’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Michael's lands with the quiet confidence of a restaurant that's been doing this since 1979 and knows exactly who it is. California and France anchor everything, and the presence of names like Marcassin and Domaine Leroy signals immediately that this isn't a list assembled by a food-and-bev director clicking around Wine.com. You're in the right hands.
With 200-300 bottles, the list is focused rather than sprawling — California Chardonnay and Cabernet get the most love, with Ridge Monte Bello and Opus One representing the Napa and Santa Cruz Mountains pinnacles, and Kistler filling the Sonoma Chardonnay slot with authority. France shows up properly, led by Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Domaine Leroy Burgundy, both of which would be right at home on a list twice this size. Champagne gets its own lane with Bollinger and Krug Grande Cuvée — not an afterthought. The gaps are real though: no obvious Southern Hemisphere representation, and if you're hunting Italian or Spanish bottles, you may be disappointed.
Fifteen to twenty-five options by the glass is a generous pour program for a room of this caliber, with prices running $14–$22 — accessible without being a bargain bin. We'd want to know how frequently the glass list rotates, and with a 'Set & Forget' specials program, there's reason to ask your server what's been open and when before committing.
Bollinger Champagne — $22 (by the glass, estimated)
If Bollinger is available by the glass anywhere near the low end of that range, you're drinking a house that Winston Churchill kept on retainer for roughly the cost of a cocktail. Order it before the menu, not after.
Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon
Most tables at Michael's are reaching for Opus One because the name lands. Ridge Monte Bello is the better argument — a wine that beat the French in Paris in 1976 and still doesn't get the reverence it deserves from diners who learned wine from a hotel minibar.
Opus One
It's a fine wine. It's also the most marked-up bottle on any California-focused list in America. You're paying a premium for the label recognition, not the contents. The Ridge next to it is more interesting and almost certainly better value.
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet + Wood-grilled fish
Leflaive's Puligny has the tension and minerality to cut through char and fat without disappearing next to a serious piece of fish. It's the kind of pairing that makes you put your fork down mid-bite and just sit there for a second.
The Bottom Line
Michael's has the bones of a Rager — serious producers, a real sommelier in Nic Vascocu, and a setting that earns the bottle prices. The markups keep it from the top tier, but if you're eating on that garden patio with a glass of Bollinger, you're not going to be complaining.
Santa Monica · Santa Monica · Californian, Italian
1Pico is a genuinely pleasant place to drink wine, especially if California and France are your comfort zone and the Pacific Ocean is your preferred backdrop. The markups keep it from being a destination list, but the bones are solid enough that a knowledgeable friend would send you here without apology.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Santa Monica · Santa Monica · Californian, French
Wally's is the kind of place you bring someone when you want to make a serious impression — the list is deep, the staff knows it cold, and Santa Monica has never had a better reason to order a second bottle. Yes, send your friends here for wine.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Santa Monica · Santa Monica · Greek, Mediterranean
Orla is one of the best places in Southern California to drink Greek wine, full stop — the list is deep where it counts, the staff knows what they're pouring, and the setting makes the whole thing feel like a genuine occasion. Yes, the markup will bite on the high end, but for a hotel restaurant with a legitimate Wine Spectator credential and sommeliers who actually care, we'd send you here without hesitation.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Santa Monica · Santa Monica · American, French
Mélisse is what happens when a serious kitchen and a serious cellar grow up together — the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence is well-earned and the list earns Rager status on depth and curation alone. Just know going in that 'value' here is relative: you're playing in a premium sandbox, and the house rules price accordingly.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Santa Monica · Santa Monica · Steak House
Fia Steak is the rare steakhouse where the wine list is worth the trip on its own terms — three sommeliers, 400-plus selections, and enough serious producers to keep a wine-obsessed table busy all night. Bring someone you're trying to impress, and let Patrick or Elias talk you into a bottle you wouldn't have ordered yourself.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Santa Monica · Santa Monica · Italian, Steakhouse
Capo is the real thing — a Wine Spectator Grand Award list that earns it on the floor, not just on paper. The markup is real, but so is everything else: the cellar, the glassware, the staff, and the room. Send your friends here for a special occasion and tell them to ask Mirco what's drinking well.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Roswell · Roswell · American
Canton St. Social is a solid neighborhood restaurant in historic downtown Roswell, and the wine program appears to be built for exactly that — supporting a good night out without overcomplicating things. We don't have enough sourced wine data to tell you what to order, which means your best move is to ask your server what's pouring well that night and go from there. Worth a visit for the food and atmosphere; the wine list is a work in progress as far as our research goes.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Worcester · American
The Boynton is a great neighborhood spot for a cold beer, a burger, and a game — and that's exactly what it should be. The wine program is along for the ride, not driving the car. If wine matters to you tonight, this isn't your destination; if you're here for the food and the vibe, order a beer and enjoy it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Atlanta · Atlanta · American
Hard Rock Cafe Atlanta's wine list is a Lazy List by every measure — grocery store brands, steep markups, no specials, and a rotating staff with little incentive to know what's in the glass. If you're here for the memorabilia and the atmosphere, lean into a cocktail or a beer. If wine is non-negotiable, the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling or Columbia Crest Cab will get you through the night without regret.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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