California Classics Done Right, No Surprises
The Market Place · Irvine · New American · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed June 22, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Paul Martin's American Grill – Irvine’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Paul Martin's reads like a greatest hits album from Napa and Sonoma — you know every track, and none of them are going to challenge you. It's a polished, approachable selection built squarely for the crowd that orders Rombauer without looking at the price. Safe, competent, and unapologetically California.
The 100-plus label list leans hard on California, with Napa Cabernet and Sonoma Chardonnay doing the heavy lifting. You've got the usual suspects — Jordan, Stag's Leap, Duckhorn, Cakebread — a reliable murderers' row of crowd-approved names that any steakhouse regular will recognize instantly. Oregon gets a nod, but don't come here hunting for a Willamette Valley deep cut or anything from the Old World. The list does its job, but it's essentially a curated airport duty-free selection for people who already know what they like.
Fifteen to twenty pours is a solid glass program for a casual American grill, and the range covers the main bases: big Chardonnay, California Pinot, and Cab-heavy reds. Prices run $12–$18 per glass, which is fair for Irvine but starts to sting when you're looking at Meiomi sitting next to Belle Glos at similar price points. No obvious rotation or adventure here — what's on the menu today is probably what was on six months ago.
Cakebread Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley — $14
Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc is consistently one of Napa's overachievers in this style — crisp, precise, and way more interesting than the Chardonnay-heavy list around it. It's the bottle that quietly punches above the competition here.
Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley
Most tables here are going straight for the Cab, but the Belle Glos Clark & Telephone is a genuinely expressive Santa Maria Pinot that gets overlooked. Richer and more structured than the Meiomi sitting near it on the list — worth the extra spend for a completely different experience.
Meiomi Pinot Noir, California
Meiomi is a $15 grocery store bottle showing up on a restaurant list at a significant markup. It's not bad wine — it's just not restaurant wine. Put that money toward the Belle Glos instead and actually taste something.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley + Prime Rib
Jordan's Alexander Valley Cab is built for exactly this moment — it's structured enough to cut through the richness of prime rib without overwhelming the beef with too much extraction or tannin. Classic California steak-and-Cab logic, executed well.
The Bottom Line
Paul Martin's wine list is the restaurant equivalent of a reliable sedan — it gets you where you're going without complaint, but nobody's taking photos of it. Send a friend here if they want a solid California Cab with their prime rib; warn them not to expect any surprises.
· Irvine · Brazilian churrasco (rodizio steakhouse)
The real headline here is the Monday–Thursday deal: half-price South American bottles under $150, available in both the dining room and bar. That's a legitimately good incentive to plan your Fogo visit mid-week. The wine list isn't pushing any boundaries, but at half-price it doesn't need to — grab something from Argentina, let the gaucho do his thing at the table, and call it a win.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· Irvine · Steakhouse
Fleming's Irvine delivers exactly what it promises: a wide, competent, California-forward wine list that covers all the bases for a steakhouse crowd. The markup is real — this is not a list for value hunters — but the by-the-glass depth is genuinely good and the Loosen Bros. Riesling at $11 is the rare honest deal hiding in plain sight. If you want adventure, look elsewhere; if you want a reliable glass with your ribeye in Irvine, this gets the job done.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · New American
Benchmark is a genuinely pleasant surprise for Irvine — a short, owner-driven list that punches above its modest size by leaning hard into Paso Robles producers who actually deserve your attention. If you're a Cab-or-nothing drinker, you might feel constrained; if you're willing to follow the owner's enthusiasm toward Law Estate Grenache or a Bodega de Edgar Tempranillo, this list rewards the curious.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · New American
Reunion Kitchen isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list proves it. Three by-the-glass pours from mass-market California producers, priced at a premium — this is a wine program on autopilot. Order a cocktail or a beer and save the wine for somewhere that actually thought about it.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Corona del Mar · Irvine · New American and Seafood
CdM is genuinely worth your Wednesday. Half-price wine on an already polished dinner menu is a real offer, and the room alone justifies a reservation. We just can't tell you which bottle to order yet — the wine program is opaque enough that you'd be flying blind without a server who actually knows the list. Come for the Dirty Pasta and the vibe; if the wine follows, consider it a bonus.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Irvine Business Complex · Irvine · Northern Italian Steakhouse
Davio's Irvine is the wine list equivalent of a reliable business-class seat — comfortable, well-organized, and priced at a premium you'll notice. The by-the-glass program is the real strength here; thirty options with some genuinely good producers mixed in means you can eat well and drink reasonably well in the same visit. If you're hoping to geek out on the bottle list or find anything that'll make you lean forward in your chair, keep looking — but for a weeknight dinner or a client meal, this gets the job done without embarrassing anyone.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Round Rock · New American
Whiskey Cake Round Rock isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the all-by-the-glass format keeps things approachable, the pricing is honest, and there are a couple of genuinely good pours hiding in a short list. If wine is your priority tonight, look elsewhere; if you're here for the vibe and want something decent in your glass, Chehalem and Altocedro have you covered.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Columbia · New American
Motor Supply Co. Bistro appears to put its energy into the kitchen, and that may be the right call — but three wines is not a wine program. Until this list gets a serious rethink, order a cocktail or call ahead to ask about corkage.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · New American
THREE isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. If you're here for cocktails or the bar scene, you're probably in the right place — but if wine matters to you even a little, this four-item lineup isn't going to do much for you. Order the House Champagne at $5, accept the situation for what it is, and move on.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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