Spain comes to LA, and it delivers
Downtown Los Angeles · Los Angeles · Californian, Spanish · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 10, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into San Laurel inside the Conrad Los Angeles, the wine list feels like a love letter to the Iberian Peninsula — and a confident one at that. This isn't a hotel restaurant that phoned in a generic global list; someone clearly cared enough to build something with a real point of view. The Spain focus hits immediately, and it makes sense the moment you see the food menu.
The list runs 150-250 bottles deep with Spain as the undisputed anchor — Rioja, Priorat, and Ribera del Duero all get serious treatment. Heavy hitters like Vega Sicilia Unico, Alvaro Palacios L'Ermita, and Bodegas Roda Cirsion signal that whoever built this list wasn't messing around. Clos Mogador from Priorat and Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva fill out the depth beautifully, and the inclusion of Lustau Sherries shows genuine range — not just the crowd-pleasing reds. If there's a gap, it's that California gets supporting-role treatment despite being in the restaurant's name, which feels like a missed opportunity on home turf.
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is a serious pour program, with prices running $12–$25 — reasonable for a hotel dining room in Downtown LA. We'd expect the Spanish selections to dominate the glass menu given the list's identity, making this one of the better spots in the city to explore Spanish wine without committing to a full bottle. No evidence of regular rotation, though, which keeps it from being a true by-the-glass destination.
CVNE Imperial Rioja Reserva — $45–$65 (bottle range)
Imperial Rioja Reserva is a benchmark wine from one of the most reliable houses in Rioja — consistently well-made, age-worthy, and widely underpriced relative to its quality. At the lower end of San Laurel's bottle range, it's the move if you want to drink something genuinely serious without reaching for the trophy bottles.
Lustau Sherry
Sherry is the most underappreciated wine category in America, and most people walk right past it. At a restaurant with this much Spanish DNA, ordering a glass of Lustau before or after your meal is exactly what the kitchen would want you to do — and it's almost certainly the most interesting pour per dollar on the menu.
Alvaro Palacios L'Ermita
L'Ermita is a genuinely world-class Priorat and we have nothing against the wine itself — but at a hotel restaurant where markups trend steep, this trophy bottle is almost certainly priced for the expense account crowd. Unless someone else is signing the check, the same region shows up in Clos Mogador for a fraction of the cost.
Muga Prado Enea Gran Reserva + Grilled Ibérico Pork
Prado Enea is one of Rioja's great traditional Gran Reservas — earthy, structured, with that signature dried-fruit depth that has been aging in oak for years. Against Ibérico pork, which brings its own nutty, fatty richness, the wine doesn't overpower the meat; it meets it. This is the pairing that makes you understand why Spanish wine and Spanish food evolved together.
🎲 The Bottom Line
San Laurel is the rare hotel restaurant that earns its Wine Spectator credential — the Spanish list has genuine ambition and the bones are all there. Markups will sting and there's no dedicated sommelier to guide you, but if you know what you're looking for, this is one of the better places in Los Angeles to drink serious Spanish wine with serious food.
Downtown Los Angeles · Los Angeles · French-inspired, New American
Perch is a place people go for the view, the scene, and the Instagram moment — the wine list knows this and doesn't try very hard. Order something simple, enjoy the skyline, and save your serious wine drinking for a restaurant that wants to earn it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hollywood · Los Angeles · Upscale Italian, Seafood
Marino is a reliable, well-curated Italian wine list that earns its stripes on selection and staff knowledge, even if the pricing makes you wince on the everyday bottles. Send a friend here for the Guidalberto and the Franciacorta — just steer them away from anything under $60.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Hollywood · Los Angeles · Neapolitan Italian, Pizza
Da Michele's wine list is narrow by design and better for it — a focused, fairly priced tour through Southern Italy that most pizza spots in LA wouldn't dare attempt. If you're even mildly curious about Campanian wine, this is one of the better excuses in the city to start learning.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Los Angeles · Los Angeles · Seafood
Water Grill is a reliable choice for serious wine with serious seafood — the list is deep enough to reward exploration, and the sommelier presence means you can actually ask for help. The markups sting, but this is Downtown LA and you knew that walking in.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Bel-Air · Los Angeles · Modern Californian with European/Mediterranean influences
This is a serious wine list dressed in a garden party — the depth is real, the sommelier is engaged, and if you're willing to pay the Bel-Air premium, the experience delivers. Just go in knowing the bill will reflect the hedge-lined address.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Beverly Grove / West Hollywood · Los Angeles · Greek / Mediterranean
Kassi Club is a party restaurant with a wine list that punches above its vibe — if you ignore the markup and order Greek, you're going to drink well. Send a friend here specifically to work through the indigenous varietals; just tell them to skip the Chablis.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.