Mob-bar vibes with a serious Italian cellar
West Hollywood · Los Angeles · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 10, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into The Nice Guy, you half-expect someone to tell you the table in the back is reserved for Tony Soprano — marble bar, brass fixtures, booths that mean business. The wine list matches the room: unapologetically Italian with enough California muscle to keep the locals happy. It's a list that knows its audience and doesn't apologize for it.
The list runs 150-250 bottles and leans hard into the Italian classics — Barolo from Piedmont, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone della Valpolicella, and a solid showing of Super Tuscans round out the peninsula's greatest hits. California holds its own corner with Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay doing the heavy lifting for the crowd that refuses to leave the New World. There's real depth here for a restaurant-bar hybrid, and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2024 isn't just window dressing — someone curated this with intention. The gap is anything outside Italy and California; if you're hunting for a Loire Chenin or a Rhône Syrah, keep walking.
Twelve to twenty pours by the glass is a respectable spread, landing between $14 and $22 — fair for La Cienega on a Friday night when the room is packed three deep. We'd expect the BTG list to mirror the bottle program's Italian focus, which means there's likely a Brunello or Barolo adjacent option for those who want to go big without committing to a full bottle. Rotation isn't documented as active, so don't count on the list changing seasonally.
Amarone della Valpolicella — $90–$130 range (bottle)
Amarone is perennially underordered at Italian restaurants because people flinch at the name, which means bottles move slower and markups sometimes ease up. At a list topping out around $250, a proper Amarone in this range is the move for the table that wants something dramatic without going full splurge.
Super Tuscan (Tuscany)
Super Tuscans get overshadowed by the Barolo and Brunello heavyweights on a list like this, but they're often where the kitchen-to-table sweet spot lives — more fruit-forward, earlier-drinking, and versatile enough to work across the whole menu from pizza to branzino.
Napa Valley Chardonnay
At a scene-heavy West Hollywood Italian spot, Napa Chard is the safe order for the table that isn't really thinking about wine — and the markup reflects that. You're paying for the name recognition, not the experience. Spend those same dollars on something Italian and you'll drink better.
Barolo (Piedmont) + Cacio e Pepe
Barolo's tannins and acidity cut right through the fat of the pecorino and the heat of the pepper, and the dish's simplicity lets the wine be the star. It's the kind of pairing that makes you feel like you made a smart decision in a room where people are mostly ordering by vibes.
🎲 The Bottom Line
The Nice Guy is a place where the room often upstages the list, but the list can absolutely hold its own if you order Italian and ignore the California reflex. Send a friend here for a Barolo and the Cacio e Pepe — just don't expect the staff to guide them there unprompted.
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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
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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
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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
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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
West Toledo / Reynolds Corner · Toledo · Italian
There's one reason to come here for wine: Thursday. Half-price bottles on a standing weekly basis is a genuinely good deal, especially on the Santa Margherita. Any other night, the markups are steep and the list doesn't justify them.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Toledo/Monroe Street · Toledo · Italian
Carrabba's Toledo isn't a destination for wine — but it's not an embarrassment either. The Ruffino Chianti Classico alone earns its keep, and if you stick to the Italian side of the list, you'll drink reasonably well without drama.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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