California Heavy Hitters Meet Asian Steakhouse Ambition
Irvine · Asian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Twenty Eight’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Twenty Eight, you'd be forgiven for expecting the wine list to be an afterthought — upscale Asian steakhouses don't always lead with their cellar. But this one has a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence on the wall and a sommelier named Kevin Ho running the program, which tells you someone here actually cares. The list skews hard California, which makes sense given the address, but whether that's a feature or a bug depends on what you're after.
This is a California-forward list built around the greatest hits: Caymus Cabernet, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Jordan, Far Niente Chardonnay, Kistler Chardonnay, Duckhorn Merlot — essentially the Spotify top 40 of Napa and Sonoma. With 150 to 250 bottles in the cellar, there's real depth here, but don't come looking for Burgundy rabbit holes or anything that requires explanation. The list was clearly curated to match the room — big reds for the wagyu crowd, plush Chardonnays for everyone else. It works, it just won't surprise you.
The by-the-glass program runs 12 to 20 options with pours priced between $12 and $22, which is respectable for the Irvine business corridor crowd on an expense account. Expect the same California-centric lineup in smaller format — this isn't a place doing obscure rotating pours, but the glasses are solid and the quality is there. Kevin Ho's presence means you're unlikely to get something tired or oxidized sitting in a half-open bottle from last Tuesday.
Jordan Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $12–$200 range
Jordan punches above its price point every time — it's the room's best-kept open secret. Elegant, food-friendly, and consistently well-made, it gets overshadowed by the Caymus crowd but delivers a better experience with food.
Kistler Chardonnay
In a room full of red-meat drinkers ordering big Cabs, Kistler Chardonnay sits quietly on this list waiting to be discovered. It's one of California's most serious white wines — rich but structured, nothing like the butter-bomb Chardonnays that typically dominate a steakhouse list.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, and everywhere it's marked up. It's a crowd-pleaser by design and a margin-builder by pricing — you're paying for the name recognition more than what's in the glass. Better options live right next to it on this list.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot + Braised Short Rib
Duckhorn Merlot has the plush texture and dark fruit weight to handle the richness of braised short rib without steamrolling the Asian-spiced braise. It's softer than a Cab but has enough structure to hold up — a legitimately great match.
The Bottom Line
Twenty Eight is a Wild Card because the concept — an Asian steakhouse with a Wine Spectator-recognized California-heavy list and an actual sommelier — is rarer than it sounds in Orange County. The markup is real and the list won't challenge you, but Kevin Ho and the quality of what's here make it worth ordering a bottle.
· 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
South Coast Plaza · Irvine · Seafood
Water Grill South Coast Plaza has built a white-wine-forward list that's genuinely well-suited to what's on the plate — smart European picks alongside reliable California anchors, and enough BTG options to keep things interesting across a long meal. Markups run steep in places, especially on the recognizable names, but the value plays are there if you know where to look. For a seafood-focused dinner in Irvine, this is one of the better wine programs you'll find without driving to the coast.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · Eclectic American
Rutabegorz isn't trying to be a wine destination — and that's fine, because the pricing is honest enough that wine actually works here as a casual add-on rather than a line item you regret. If you're eating here, order the Rancho Sisquoc Riesling and feel slightly smarter than the table next to you ordering the Josh.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · Steakhouse
Bourbon Steak Irvine is running one of the most ambitious wine programs in Orange County — 225 labels, 31 by the glass, and a list with genuine personality beyond the expected steakhouse anchors. Markups get steep at the top end, but the by-the-glass range at the $15–$32 tier offers real drinking at fair prices. If you care about what's in your glass, this list rewards the attention.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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