San Francisco's Most Serious Wine Room
Fisherman's Wharf · San Francisco · American, French · Visit Website ↗
Updated September 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 5, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Restaurant Gary Danko’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Gary Danko lands like a phone book from a parallel universe where everyone drinks Rousseau and Krug before dessert. Over 1,800 selections, organized with the kind of precision that tells you someone here actually cares. This is not a list that was phoned in — it's a statement.
Burgundy is the clear obsession: Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Henri Jayer, Armand Rousseau, and Leroy all show up, which means this list is operating at a level most restaurants in the country can't touch. California holds its own with Kistler, Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, and Sine Qua Non — the kind of bottles that require either a special occasion or a very convincing argument. Bordeaux goes deep with Pétrus and Mouton Rothschild anchoring the prestige end, while the Rhône gets serious attention via Guigal's La Landonne and Chapoutier. Italy, Germany, and Austria round things out with names like Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, Egon Müller, and F.X. Pichler — proof that whoever built this list was paying attention to more than just what sells.
Twenty to thirty options by the glass is generous for a restaurant at this level, and the program reflects the same geographic range as the bottle list — expect Champagne, serious Burgundy, and California heavyweights to rotate through. The pours aren't cheap, but you're getting access to wines that rarely show up in glass-pour programs anywhere. If you're dining solo or just want to explore without committing to a bottle, this is one of the better glass programs in the city.
Chapoutier (Rhône) — $60
On a list that skews quickly into three-figure territory, landing a well-made Rhône from a serious producer at the entry price point is your play. Chapoutier brings structure and soul without the trophy-wine markup.
F.X. Pichler (Austria)
Most tables here are racing toward the Burgundy and California sections, which means the Austrian Grüner Veltliner and Riesling from F.X. Pichler gets overlooked. That's a mistake — Pichler is one of the benchmark producers in the Wachau, and at a restaurant with this much food finesse, a high-acid Austrian white is a genuinely great call.
Screaming Eagle
If you're paying Screaming Eagle prices at a restaurant, you're paying restaurant markup on top of a bottle that already costs a fortune at retail. The wine is real, the prestige is real, and so is the markup. Drink it at home where the pour costs you nothing extra.
Krug Champagne + Dungeness crab with cucumber, avocado, and Meyer lemon
Krug's richness and persistent bubble structure have the weight to stand up to sweet Dungeness crab while the wine's acidity cuts through the avocado and plays off the Meyer lemon brightness. It's one of those combinations where both things get better.
The Bottom Line
Gary Danko has held a Wine Spectator Grand Award since 2001 for good reason — this is one of the deepest, most seriously curated wine programs in California, staffed by people who actually know what's in the cellar. The markup runs steep, but when the list includes DRC and Henri Jayer, you're not here for bargains.
Embarcadero · San Francisco · Peruvian Seafood
La Mar is a great dinner — the ceviche alone is worth the trip — but the wine list is along for the ride rather than driving it. Order something crisp and cold, enjoy the view, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Union Square · San Francisco · American
The Rotunda is a lunch experience first and a wine destination a distant second — the list is safe, the markup is real, and you're largely paying for the address and the atmosphere. Come for the crab salad and the occasion, order something bubbly, and don't go in expecting a serious wine program.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Francisco · San Francisco · Wine bar & bottle shop
Bodega SF is what happens when someone actually gives a damn about the list instead of just checking a box. Twenty-six bottles, almost all pourable by the glass, priced fairly, and built around grapes most wine bars wouldn't dare touch — send your adventurous friends here and tell them to skip the safe picks.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
San Francisco · San Francisco · Wine bar
Fig & Thistle is for people who trust a short menu built by someone with a point of view — thirteen bottles, all pouring, all worth talking about. If you need a fallback Cab or a recognizable label to feel safe, this isn't your spot. If you don't, this absolutely is.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Francisco · San Francisco · Steakhouse
STK San Francisco has the bones of a wine program and the ambition of a hotel minibar. With only three by-the-glass pours, a list built entirely around safe brand names, and steep markups baked into the concept, this is a place to order a cocktail or splurge on a specific bottle you already know you want.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Francisco · Wine Tavern
Big Finish is doing something genuinely different — an all-glass list built around obscure varietals, serious fortified wine, and pricing that doesn't punish curiosity. Send anyone here who wants to drink something they've never tried before and walk away feeling like they learned something.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Huntly · Huntly · American, French
Houndstooth is the kind of place you'd never stumble across, which is exactly why we're telling you about it. Drive out, let someone else drive back, and let the list do the work.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Huntington Beach · Huntington Beach · American, French
Henry's is a reliable, well-tended California wine program with a genuine expert behind it — not flashy, but consistently good. If you're eating on PCH and want a bottle that was actually chosen with care, this is your spot.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West Fargo · West Fargo · American, French
Maxwells is the kind of wine program that earns real respect in context — a thoughtfully stocked, sommelier-guided list in a city where 'wine program' often means a Merlot and a Pinot Grigio. If you're passing through West Fargo or lucky enough to live there, this is where you drink.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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