Sky-high list to match the views
Hillcrest · San Diego · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
When you're sitting on the 12th floor with the San Diego bay stretched out in front of you, you almost forget to open the wine list — almost. Mister A's hands you something serious: 400 to 600 selections anchored in California, France, Italy, and Oregon, curated with the kind of intentionality that earned this place a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2023. This isn't a steakhouse wine list that coasted on Cabernet and called it a day.
The California contingent is the spine of this list — Caymus, Silver Oak, Stag's Leap, Opus One, Far Niente, and Chateau Montelena give you all the greatest hits without feeling like a museum exhibit. France shows up with real credibility: Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Louis Jadot Burgundy signal that whoever built this list knows their Côte de Beaune from their Côte de Nuits. Italy gets a seat at the table with Antinori Tignanello, which alone tells you the list has some edge to it. Oregon rounds things out thoughtfully with Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir — a nod to the Pacific Northwest that feels appropriate given the geography.
Twenty to thirty pours by the glass at $15–$30 is a solid spread for an upscale steakhouse at this altitude — figuratively and literally. The range gives you genuine options whether you're opening with something white and bright or going straight for a red to anchor the ribeye. We'd love to see more rotation and a few wilder picks in the glass program, but what's here is well-chosen and properly served.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir — $60
In a list that skews heavily toward big Napa Cabs and French prestige labels, this Oregon Pinot punches well above its price point. It's the move if you want something elegant without committing to three digits.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
Everyone at the table is eyeing the Opus One, but this is the bottle that actually wins. The Judgment of Paris legend still delivers — structured, understated, and criminally overlooked when Silver Oak is in the same room.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, and it's marked up everywhere. At Mister A's the price premium is real and the wine is the same big, jammy, overplayed bottle you could pick up at Total Wine. There are better Cabs on this list for the money.
Antinori Tignanello + Prime dry-aged ribeye
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend has the structure and dark fruit to stand up to a dry-aged ribeye without bullying it. It's a more interesting call than the obvious Napa Cab, and it tends to start a conversation at the table.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Mister A's is the rare upscale steakhouse where the wine list earns its own night out — sommelier Nicolae Stefan has built something with genuine depth and regional range, even if you'll pay for the privilege. Send your friends here, but tell them to look past the Caymus.
Rancho Santa Fe · San Diego · French-Californian Fine Dining
Mille Fleurs is the real thing — a serious cellar, a knowledgeable sommelier, and a room that earns the prices it charges. The markup is steep, but you're not paying for a wine list; you're paying for the whole production, and that production is very good.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Del Mar · San Diego · Seasonal New American with Sushi Lounge
Market is a well-run, sommelier-backed program that earns its stripes on quality and presentation — but if you're expecting fair markups or any sense of vinous adventure, adjust expectations before you sit down. Send a friend here for a special occasion, not a bargain hunt.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
La Jolla · San Diego · Steakhouse
Rare Society La Jolla is a reliable steakhouse wine list that nails the fundamentals without ever taking a swing. Send your friends here for a great steak and a well-known Napa Cab; send them somewhere else if they want to be surprised.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Carlsbad Village · San Diego · Modern French
Jeune et Jolie is the best wine list in North San Diego County and it's not particularly close. Yes, the markups reflect the fine dining ambition, but the depth, the staff knowledge, and the sheer thoughtfulness of the French selection make this worth the drive from anywhere in the region.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Carlsbad Village · San Diego · Contemporary American with live-fire cooking
Campfire is exactly the kind of restaurant wine nerds drive out of their way for — a focused, producer-driven list inside a wood-smoke-soaked room where the kitchen and the cellar are clearly in conversation. Send your friends here and tell them to ask what's open.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Bay Park · San Diego · Seasonal California and Italian Gastropub
Luce isn't a wine bar, but it's a neighborhood spot that respects wine enough to make it worth ordering — and that alone puts it ahead of most places in its category. Fair prices, a focused list, and enough variety to find something you'll actually enjoy.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Southwest / Time Corners · Fort Wayne · American
Catablu is exactly what it needs to be for its neighborhood — a reliable, thoughtfully maintained list that won't embarrass you on a date night or bore you entirely. It's not a destination wine list, but it's a solid supporting act for a kitchen that clearly takes food seriously.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Otay Ranch Town Center · Chula Vista · American
BJ's is a fine place to drink a craft beer and eat a Pizookie. It is not a place to drink wine. Order a Brewhouse Blonde, skip the wine list entirely, and save your wine night for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SanTan Village · Gilbert · American
The Cheesecake Factory is a perfectly fine place to eat — the wine list just isn't a reason to go. Order a cocktail, split a bottle of Santa Margherita if you must, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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