The Nice Guy
Mob-bar vibes with a serious Italian cellar
West Hollywood · Los Angeles · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 10, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walking into The Nice Guy, you half-expect someone to tell you the table in the back is reserved for Tony Soprano — marble bar, brass fixtures, booths that mean business. The wine list matches the room: unapologetically Italian with enough California muscle to keep the locals happy. It's a list that knows its audience and doesn't apologize for it.
Selection Deep Dive
The list runs 150-250 bottles and leans hard into the Italian classics — Barolo from Piedmont, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone della Valpolicella, and a solid showing of Super Tuscans round out the peninsula's greatest hits. California holds its own corner with Napa Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay doing the heavy lifting for the crowd that refuses to leave the New World. There's real depth here for a restaurant-bar hybrid, and the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2024 isn't just window dressing — someone curated this with intention. The gap is anything outside Italy and California; if you're hunting for a Loire Chenin or a Rhône Syrah, keep walking.
By the Glass
Twelve to twenty pours by the glass is a respectable spread, landing between $14 and $22 — fair for La Cienega on a Friday night when the room is packed three deep. We'd expect the BTG list to mirror the bottle program's Italian focus, which means there's likely a Brunello or Barolo adjacent option for those who want to go big without committing to a full bottle. Rotation isn't documented as active, so don't count on the list changing seasonally.
Amarone della Valpolicella — $90–$130 range (bottle)
Amarone is perennially underordered at Italian restaurants because people flinch at the name, which means bottles move slower and markups sometimes ease up. At a list topping out around $250, a proper Amarone in this range is the move for the table that wants something dramatic without going full splurge.
Super Tuscan (Tuscany)
Super Tuscans get overshadowed by the Barolo and Brunello heavyweights on a list like this, but they're often where the kitchen-to-table sweet spot lives — more fruit-forward, earlier-drinking, and versatile enough to work across the whole menu from pizza to branzino.
Napa Valley Chardonnay
At a scene-heavy West Hollywood Italian spot, Napa Chard is the safe order for the table that isn't really thinking about wine — and the markup reflects that. You're paying for the name recognition, not the experience. Spend those same dollars on something Italian and you'll drink better.
Barolo (Piedmont) + Cacio e Pepe
Barolo's tannins and acidity cut right through the fat of the pecorino and the heat of the pepper, and the dish's simplicity lets the wine be the star. It's the kind of pairing that makes you feel like you made a smart decision in a room where people are mostly ordering by vibes.
🎲 The Bottom Line
The Nice Guy is a place where the room often upstages the list, but the list can absolutely hold its own if you order Italian and ignore the California reflex. Send a friend here for a Barolo and the Cacio e Pepe — just don't expect the staff to guide them there unprompted.
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