Mister A's
Sky-high list to match the views
Hillcrest · San Diego · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
When you're sitting on the 12th floor with the San Diego bay stretched out in front of you, you almost forget to open the wine list — almost. Mister A's hands you something serious: 400 to 600 selections anchored in California, France, Italy, and Oregon, curated with the kind of intentionality that earned this place a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2023. This isn't a steakhouse wine list that coasted on Cabernet and called it a day.
Selection Deep Dive
The California contingent is the spine of this list — Caymus, Silver Oak, Stag's Leap, Opus One, Far Niente, and Chateau Montelena give you all the greatest hits without feeling like a museum exhibit. France shows up with real credibility: Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Louis Jadot Burgundy signal that whoever built this list knows their Côte de Beaune from their Côte de Nuits. Italy gets a seat at the table with Antinori Tignanello, which alone tells you the list has some edge to it. Oregon rounds things out thoughtfully with Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir — a nod to the Pacific Northwest that feels appropriate given the geography.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty pours by the glass at $15–$30 is a solid spread for an upscale steakhouse at this altitude — figuratively and literally. The range gives you genuine options whether you're opening with something white and bright or going straight for a red to anchor the ribeye. We'd love to see more rotation and a few wilder picks in the glass program, but what's here is well-chosen and properly served.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir — $60
In a list that skews heavily toward big Napa Cabs and French prestige labels, this Oregon Pinot punches well above its price point. It's the move if you want something elegant without committing to three digits.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
Everyone at the table is eyeing the Opus One, but this is the bottle that actually wins. The Judgment of Paris legend still delivers — structured, understated, and criminally overlooked when Silver Oak is in the same room.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is everywhere, and it's marked up everywhere. At Mister A's the price premium is real and the wine is the same big, jammy, overplayed bottle you could pick up at Total Wine. There are better Cabs on this list for the money.
Antinori Tignanello + Prime dry-aged ribeye
Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend has the structure and dark fruit to stand up to a dry-aged ribeye without bullying it. It's a more interesting call than the obvious Napa Cab, and it tends to start a conversation at the table.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Mister A's is the rare upscale steakhouse where the wine list earns its own night out — sommelier Nicolae Stefan has built something with genuine depth and regional range, even if you'll pay for the privilege. Send your friends here, but tell them to look past the Caymus.
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