Beer Bar With a Wine List It Regrets
Hamburg Pavilion · Lexington · American Bar & Grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 4, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Drake's Hamburg feels like it was assembled in about 20 minutes by someone whose main job was ordering kegs. It's short, safe, and exists mostly to give non-beer-drinkers something to point at. No one here is losing sleep over the Burgundy allocation.
Twenty to thirty bottles, nearly all from California, and the producers read like a grocery store endcap: 14 Hands, Dark Horse, Kendall-Jackson, Cupcake, Barefoot. There's no Pinot Noir to speak of, no Rhône, no anything that would make a wine-curious diner sit up straighter. The list doesn't embarrass itself on price — bottles top out around $45 — but it never gives you a reason to order wine over the craft beer list, which is clearly where Drake's puts its energy. Sushi is on the menu, and there's nothing remotely suited to it in the wine program.
Eight pours ranging from $7 to $11, which is honest money for a bar of this type. The problem isn't the price — it's that you're essentially choosing between shades of grocery-store California. Expect Cupcake Chardonnay and Barefoot Moscato to anchor the list while the Cab slots fill in the rest.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay — $9
KJ Chard is everywhere for a reason — it's consistent, crowd-friendly, and at this price point it won't hurt when you inevitably order a second glass to get through the game.
Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon
Dark Horse punches above its price tier more often than it has any right to. On a list this thin, it's quietly the most interesting red available — riper and fuller than the 14 Hands with enough structure to hold up against a burger.
Barefoot Moscato
There's a time and place for Barefoot Moscato. A bar with sushi on the menu is neither.
Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon + Big Burger
California Cab and a fat burger is one of the few wine pairings that actually works in a sports bar context. Dark Horse has enough fruit and grip to stand up to the beef without asking you to think too hard about it.
❌ The Bottom Line
Drake's Hamburg is a beer bar, full stop — the wine list exists as an afterthought and that's fine, as long as you order accordingly. If your table insists on wine, grab a glass of Dark Horse Cab with your burger and call it a night.
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