Great Beer List, Wrong Place for Wine
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · American bar & grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Yard House Irvine Spectrum reads exactly like you'd expect from a chain that built its identity around 130+ beers on tap — it's an afterthought dressed up as an option. A handful of supermarket staples printed on a laminated insert doesn't inspire confidence, but it's not designed to. This is a beer place, full stop.
The list is essentially a greatest hits of grocery store endcaps: Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay, Josh Cellars Cab, Meiomi Pinot, La Marca Prosecco. There's no regional curiosity here, no indie producers, and zero tension — just familiar brand names that won't confuse anyone or surprise them either. California dominates, which makes geographic sense, but the selection doesn't go anywhere interesting within that. If you've ever stared at the wine section at a Vons at 9pm, you've seen this list.
Roughly 10 to 15 pours are available by the glass, ranging from $8 to $15, which sounds reasonable until you realize these are wines that retail for $12 at most. The rotation doesn't appear to change — what's on the national menu is what you're getting, whether it's January or August. No flights, no rotating features, no real reason to order more than one glass.
La Marca Prosecco — $10
If you're going to drink wine here, bubbles are the move. La Marca is approachable, light, and better suited to the loud, lively room than anything red. Least painful markup on the menu and it goes with basically everything.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
Not exactly a secret, but Meiomi is the most food-forward wine on this list — soft, a little sweet, with enough body to handle the Korean BBQ Beef without getting steamrolled. Most people here order beer and skip right past it, which is fine. It's not a revelation, but it's the best red they've got.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
At $32 a bottle for a wine you can grab at Target for $12, the math just doesn't work. Josh Cellars is perfectly fine plonk for a Tuesday at home, but paying a 167% markup at a sports bar for the privilege is a hard pass. Order the beer.
La Marca Prosecco + Poke Nachos
The bright acidity and light effervescence in the Prosecco cut through the richness of the ahi and the crunch of the wonton chips without trying to compete with any bold flavors. It's a casual pairing for a casual dish — and probably the most fun you'll have with wine at this restaurant.
❌ The Bottom Line
Yard House is a legitimately great spot for a cold draft beer and some bar food with a crowd, but nobody should be coming here for the wine. The list is overpriced, underdeveloped, and exactly what a national chain thinks wine drinkers want — which is to say, not much at all.
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · Asian-inspired Chinese
P.F. Chang's Irvine Spectrum is never going to be a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — and on Wine Wednesday, with half-price bottles all day, it earns its keep. Show up with a group, order the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling at $15, and enjoy the lettuce wraps without overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
The Market Place · Irvine · American (Eclectic, Global-Inspired)
The Cheesecake Factory wine list does exactly what it's designed to do: give a table of eight something recognizable to order without anyone getting weird about it. Just don't come here expecting discovery — come expecting Meiomi, and you'll leave fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · American (eclectic, global-inspired)
The Cheesecake Factory does a lot of things well — wine is not one of them. Order a cocktail, split something bubbly, or save the serious bottle for a restaurant that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · Italian
BRIO's wine list is exactly what it needs to be for a polished Italian chain — safe, accessible, and unlikely to offend anyone. Don't come here chasing discovery, but if you want a glass of Chianti with your pasta in a comfortable setting, it delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Coast Metro · Irvine · Steakhouse
Mastro's Costa Mesa does exactly what it promises — a polished, deep, Napa-forward list in a room built for expense accounts and anniversaries. If you want value or discovery, you're at the wrong restaurant; if you want the definitive Orange County steakhouse wine experience done with genuine care, this delivers.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
The Market Place · Irvine · American
BJ's wine program exists to check a box, and it does that adequately — especially on Tuesday when the prices get cut in half. Come here for the Pizookie and the craft beers; treat the wine list as a backup option, not a destination.
Grocery Store
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.