Paramount Recreation Club
Speakeasy basement with a serious wine surprise
Downtown · Amarillo · Small plates and cocktails · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 13, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You descend into a Prohibition-era basement in downtown Amarillo and the last thing you expect to find is a wine list worth reading. But here we are. It's compact — 15 to 25 bottles deep — and it punches above the room's cocktail-first reputation.
Selection Deep Dive
The list leans California and New Zealand with a nod to Italian bubbles, which tracks for a place more focused on ambiance than wine curation. You've got Siduri Pinot Noir and Martin Ray Cabernet anchoring the reds — both solid, recognizable producers — while Crowded House Sauvignon Blanc covers the refreshing white corner. It's not a deep cellar by any measure, but someone clearly picked these bottles with intention rather than just calling a distributor rep and saying yes to everything. The gaps are real — no Spanish, no French, no skin-contact anything — but for Amarillo, the baseline here is notably above average.
By the Glass
Eight to twelve pours by the glass is genuinely solid for a small plates speakeasy concept. Mionetto Avantgarde Prosecco earns its place as the by-the-glass sparkler and does the job without apology. The rotation doesn't appear to change much, so don't come expecting seasonal surprises — what's on the list is what you get, consistently.
Crowded House Sauvignon Blanc — $$
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at a fair price point in a cocktail bar setting is a smart pour — crisp, food-friendly, and a welcome contrast to the dark basement atmosphere. Order this with whatever seasonal small plate they're running.
Siduri Pinot Noir
Siduri is a legitimately good Russian River producer that most people walk right past on a list like this. It sits quietly between the cocktail crowd and the Cab drinkers, and almost nobody orders it. Their loss.
Davis Bynum Chardonnay
Davis Bynum makes perfectly adequate wine, but Chardonnay in a dark basement speakeasy with small plates just isn't where this bottle shines. It's the safe order and it shows — skip it and go for the Sauvignon Blanc instead.
Siduri Pinot Noir + Seasonal Hummus
Light-bodied, bright Pinot Noir is flexible enough to work with a well-seasoned hummus plate — the acidity cuts through the richness of the oil and whatever seasonal toppings they're running without competing with the flavors.
🎲 The Bottom Line
The PRC is a cocktail bar first, a speakeasy second, and a wine destination third — but that third place finish is better than most of Amarillo is even attempting. If you're not a cocktail person, you won't feel left out.
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