Tokyo Elegance Meets Napa and Burgundy Firepower
The Strip · Las Vegas · Japanese · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 17, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Wakuda’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Wakuda, you half-expect the wine list to be an afterthought — a few sakes and some Champagne to keep the Strip crowd happy. Instead, you find 200-plus selections anchored in California and France, put together with genuine intent. This is a serious list hiding inside a very beautiful room.
The list leans hard into California and Burgundy, which makes sense given the Wine Spectator nod, and the heavy hitters are real — Opus One, Caymus Special Selection, Ridge Monte Bello, Kistler, and Domaine Leroy aren't filler names. France shows up with substance too: Louis Jadot Puligny-Montrachet and Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin give the Burgundy section actual credibility beyond the obvious labels. The range runs roughly $60 to $600-plus, which in Las Vegas is genuinely not shocking, though you'll feel the Strip premium on anything trophy-adjacent. What's missing is some textural contrast — a little more Loire, Rhône, or even Italian to give the Japanese menu more interesting play partners.
Fifteen to twenty-five by-the-glass options at $18–$45 is a respectable spread for a restaurant of this caliber, and the upper end of that range reportedly includes access to premium pours worth the ask. There's no evidence of aggressive rotation or a standout BTG program, but the presence of sommelier Luis Guillen on staff means you're more likely to get a straight answer than a shrug when you ask what's actually good tonight.
Louis Jadot Puligny-Montrachet — $60+
White Burgundy from a reliable négociant at the entry price point is the move here — mineral, precise, and built for the trout and sashimi that define this menu. It's the most food-friendly bottle on the list for the money.
Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin
Most tables at a place like this are reaching for the Opus or the Caymus. Faiveley's Gevrey-Chambertin is a quieter choice — earthy, structured, proper Côte de Nuits — and it's exactly the kind of wine that holds its own against Wagyu without bulldozing everything else on the table.
Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
It's fine wine, no argument there, but Caymus Special Selection is one of the most aggressively marked-up bottles in Las Vegas dining rooms. You're paying Strip real estate tax on top of an already premium retail price, and frankly Ridge Monte Bello does the California Cabernet story better for anyone actually paying attention.
Kistler Chardonnay + Confit of Tasmanian Ocean Trout with konbu and daikon
Kistler's weight and richness mirror the silky, oil-poached texture of the trout while the wine's acidity cuts right through the brine of the konbu. It's the kind of match that makes you stop mid-bite.
The Bottom Line
Wakuda isn't a wine destination in the way a dedicated wine bar is, but it's doing something genuinely interesting — pairing a focused, high-quality California-and-Burgundy list with Japanese cuisine that actually rewards that combination. If you're eating here, drink the wine; Luis Guillen knows what he's doing.
Caesars Palace · Las Vegas · French Fine Dining
This is where you come when wine matters as much as the food. The markup is Vegas-steep, but the cellar is world-class and the staff can navigate it. If you're celebrating big or chasing rare French bottles, this is the room.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Las Vegas · Restaurant
Lamaii is the rare Las Vegas restaurant where the wine list reflects a genuine point of view — the grower Champagne program alone is worth the visit. Send a friend here and tell them to order a Spécial Club.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · Steakhouse
STK Las Vegas is a bottle-list business masquerading as a wine program — three by-the-glass pours, a roster of safe California hits, and Vegas markups that'll make your eyes water. Order the Whispering Angel at happy hour, grab a bottle of Belle Glos if you're feeling generous, and save the real wine exploration for somewhere that cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Las Vegas · Restaurant
Diner Ross is doing something genuinely weird and kind of wonderful — a Champagne-forward list inside a Vegas diner is a wild card move that mostly works. Just don't show up expecting range beyond bubbles, and go for the growers before you default to the celebrity bottles.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Las Vegas · Steakhouse
The Palm Las Vegas is an unlikely wine discovery — a six-bottle natural and old-world-leaning list tucked inside a steakhouse institution, priced like someone forgot they're on the Strip. Don't sleep on it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Las Vegas Strip · Las Vegas · American, Italian
Alexxa's is a Strip restaurant doing Strip things — great location, recognizable bottles, pricing that reflects the real estate. If you're here for fountain views and a glass of Cakebread, you'll be genuinely happy; if you're hunting for value or adventure, look elsewhere.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Ashland · Japanese
Little Tokyo is a solid casual Japanese spot that simply doesn't do wine — and that's fine, because their sake is where the real action is. Come for the sushi, drink the sake, and don't stress about the wine list.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Mid-island · Hilton Head Island · Japanese
Hinoki isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — it's a solid neighborhood Japanese spot with a list that covers the bases, keeps prices in check, and won't embarrass you in front of a date. Order the Oyster Bay, get the omakase, and call it a win.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Appleton · Appleton · Japanese
Katsu-Ya is a perfectly solid Japanese restaurant where the wine list exists as an obligation, not a feature. Come for the katsu and ramen, order sake or a Sapporo, and if you must have wine, grab the Koshu and move on.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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