Coastal vibes, serious French and California bones
Rice Village · Houston · American, Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Navy Blue’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walk into Navy Blue and the blue-and-white tile, breezy coastal aesthetic almost distracts you from the wine list — almost. Flip it open and you're looking at something with actual intent behind it: a France-and-California backbone that matches the kitchen's seafood focus with a bit more ambition than your average Houston dining room.
The 150-250 bottle list leans hard into France and California, which is exactly right for a place serving oysters and spaghetti vongole. Burgundy gets real attention — Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Louis Jadot selections anchor the white side, while the reds bring Ridge Monte Bello and Far Niente Cab for the California faithful. Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir is a smart bridge pick, and the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling nods toward acid-forward pours that actually work with shellfish. The gaps are real — if you want natural wine, Rhône depth, or anything from the Southern Hemisphere, you're looking at the wrong list — but within its lane, this one is focused and credible. Wine Spectator has recognized it with an Award of Excellence since 2023, and you can feel why.
Twelve to twenty options by the glass is a healthy pour count for a restaurant this size, with glasses running $14–$22 — reasonable for Houston fine casual but not exactly adventurous pricing. Sommelier Leonardo Ordaz runs the program, and that stewardship shows in the glass selection staying aligned with the bottle list rather than defaulting to generic bulk pours. We'd love to see more rotation and a few wild-card glass options to keep regulars on their toes.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $14
At the lower end of the glass range, this is the move for oyster service — bright acidity, zero pretension, and it actually does what a seafood wine is supposed to do. Most people skip Riesling entirely and that's their loss.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir
Everyone at the table is ordering Burgundy or California Cab, and meanwhile this bottle is sitting there doing both — Oregon fruit with old-world restraint, and at a price point that doesn't require a second mortgage. It's the pick nobody makes but should.
Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon
Far Niente is a fine wine, but at restaurant markup it's a $200+ bottle you can find at retail for far less. Unless someone else is paying, the juice-to-dollar ratio here doesn't hold up when better-value reds are on the same list.
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet + Spaghetti Vongole
Clams want white Burgundy the way biscuits want butter — it's not complicated, it's just right. The Leflaive brings enough minerality and citrus edge to cut through the brine without stepping on it. This is the pairing that makes the whole meal.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Navy Blue is a seafood restaurant that actually thought about its wine list, and in Houston that's not as common as it should be. The pricing runs steep and there's no half-price night to soften the blow, but with Leonardo Ordaz steering the ship and a France-California core that fits the menu, we'd send a friend here without hesitation.
Montrose · Houston · French
The Marigold Club is Houston's most interesting new wine room for anyone who thinks Champagne is a food group and France is the only country that matters — in the best possible way. Go on a Sunday, order the Delamotte, eat the Duck Wellington, and tip generously.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Houston · Houston · American, Italian
Milton's is the kind of neighborhood trattoria that surprises you — the room says casual pasta night, the wine list quietly whispers Biondi-Santi. If you care about Italian wine and you're in Houston, it's worth a reservation just to explore the bottle list.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Montrose · Houston · Italian
Marmo is hiding a legitimately serious Italian wine program behind a piano bar and a plate of hand-rolled pasta — and that's exactly what makes it worth seeking out. Send a friend here if they think Houston Italian restaurants don't take wine seriously; this list will change their mind.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Houston · Houston · Mexican (Oaxacan)
Xochi is doing something genuinely rare: running a serious Mexican wine program inside a serious restaurant, with a sommelier who knows the material and a list that earns its Wine Spectator credential. Send your adventurous friends here and tell them to skip the Cab.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Houston · Houston · Steak house
Taste of Texas is a Houston institution that takes its California Cabernet seriously — 30 years of Wine Spectator recognition backs that up. It's not a destination wine list, but if you're here for a steak and want a proper bottle to go with it, you won't leave disappointed.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Houston · Houston · American
State of Grace is a reliable, well-run wine program anchored by a knowledgeable sommelier and a list that respects both the food and the guest's wallet. If you want a neighborhood spot in Houston where the wine won't let you down, this is a safe and satisfying call.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
North Fremont / Beachfront · Monterey · American, Seafood
The Lantern Room is what happens when a hotel restaurant actually tries — a locally anchored wine list, a sommelier in the building, and enough interesting producers to make the steep markup sting a little less. Send a friend here if they love Central Coast wine; warn them to skip the Cab and lean into what this coast actually grows.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Scott's Addition · Richmond · American, Seafood
Lillian is the rare spot where the wine list is more ambitious than the address suggests — a focused, France-and-Italy-forward program with legit producers, a knowledgeable floor lead, and bottle prices that don't feel punitive. Send a friend here, tell them to sit at the counter, order oysters, and ask PJ what's open.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
River North · Chicago · American, Seafood
Terrace 16 earns its Wine Spectator badge and delivers a respectable, California-and-France-focused list in one of Chicago's most dramatic dining rooms. Just don't expect to be surprised — the wine is as reliable as the skyline view, and nearly as expensive.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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