Amarillo's Most Dependable Wine Stop
Downtown · Amarillo · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Public House’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Public House bills itself as an award-winning boutique wine destination, and walking in, the claim doesn't feel entirely like marketing spin. The list sits in that 30-50 bottle sweet spot — big enough to have options, tight enough that someone actually curated it. For downtown Amarillo, this is a legitimate wine program.
The list leans California and Pacific Northwest with a nod to France, which is about as safe a trio as you can play — but it works for the room and the menu. You're not finding obscure Jura producers or skin-contact Ribolla here, and that's fine. Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay is a smart anchor for the Chardonnay crowd, and it signals the list is at least reaching for quality over pure brand recognition. The French section is worth watching — if it punches above its weight, that's where the real interest lives.
Eight to fourteen pours by the glass is a respectable spread for a New American spot in this market. La Marca Prosecco makes sense as an entry-level fizz for the crowd, and Meiomi Pinot Noir will keep the masses happy. We'd love to see more rotation and adventurous pours, but what's here isn't embarrassing.
Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay — Unknown
This is a legitimately good Chardonnay — restrained, vineyard-driven, and a serious step up from the usual restaurant Chard suspects. If the markup is fair (and the $$ pricing suggests it is), this is your move for a white wine at the table.
French selection (see list)
The France section is the wild card on this list. In a California-heavy program, any French bottles present suggest someone cared enough to diversify — and those tend to be the most interesting pours in rooms like this. Ask your server what's coming out of France before defaulting to the familiar stuff.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
Meiomi is everywhere for a reason — it's sweet, soft, and inoffensive — but at restaurant markup it's an overpay for a mass-production wine you could grab at any grocery store for $15. With Sonoma-Cutrer on the same list, there's simply a better option.
Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay + Blackened Salmon
The weight and texture of this Chardonnay holds up against the char and spice of blackened salmon without steamrolling the fish. The wine's natural acidity keeps each bite fresh, and the subtle oak adds a richness that makes the whole plate feel more complete.
The Bottom Line
Public House is doing more with wine than most of downtown Amarillo, and the $$ pricing keeps it approachable. It's not a destination list, but it's a reliable one — and for a night out with the elk tenderloin, that's more than enough.
Downtown Amarillo · Amarillo · Italian Steakhouse
Toscana is doing the most with wine in a city that doesn't ask much of its restaurants on that front. The markups sting and the list plays it relatively safe, but if you're eating in Downtown Amarillo and want a real wine experience, this is your spot.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
South Georgia / Soncy · Amarillo · American
Send a friend here for wine? Only if they lost a bet. Order a margarita, enjoy the riblets, and save the wine night for somewhere that's actually trying.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
I-40 West · Amarillo · Southern / Country
Cracker Barrel is doing exactly what it set out to do — serve comfort food at highway speed — and wine is an afterthought by design. Come for the biscuits, skip the wine list entirely, and nobody gets hurt.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
I-40 East · Amarillo · Southern / Country
Would we send a friend here for wine? Only if that friend had wronged us. Order the sweet tea, enjoy the rocking chairs, and revisit the wine question at your next stop.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Amarillo · New American / Fine Dining
OHMS is doing real cooking, and the wine list hasn't kept up — steep markups on grocery-store names don't match the ambition on the plate. Go for the duck confit, order a cocktail, and save the wine night for somewhere that's actually trying.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Amarillo · Cajun & Creole, Seafood
The Drunken Oyster is a genuinely fun place to drink wine with oysters in a city that doesn't offer a ton of alternatives — just go in knowing the markup is working against you on the bubbles. Stick to the still wines, order something from California, and let the French Quarter vibes do the rest.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
7th Ave / Dolores · Carmel By The Sea · New American
Seventh & Dolores isn't a destination wine list, but it's a respectable one that at least knows where it is geographically. Come for the steak, order the Wrath, and don't expect to go down any rabbit holes.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Vail · Vail · New American
Vin48 is a genuinely surprising wine program hiding inside a Colorado ski resort, and if you're a wine-first diner passing through Vail, it absolutely warrants a stop. The markups reflect the zip code more than we'd like, but the depth and curation of the list are the real deal.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Solvang · Solvang · New American
Root 246 is the rare hotel restaurant that actually earns your wine attention — a focused Santa Barbara County list with real producers, a sommelier who knows the material, and pricing that doesn't punish you for being curious. If you're passing through Solvang wine country, this is where you eat.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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