1st - there are a number of corkage threads on the CH Wine Board (or sites like Wine Berserkers) so you might want to check those out. You'll find that there are places in the US where it is illegal to bring your own wine into restaurants and others where it is so difficult to get a license, BYOB is encouraged.
Allow me a personal rant, briefly, on the very sad state generally of restaurant wine lists in San Diego. Usually boring, frequently filled with wines from the BIG distributors like Southern. Those sorts of places scream to me "bring your wine" because they won't put in the time/expense/effort to develop an interesting wine list.
Places like, for instance, the Patio on Lamont and Chloe that have half glass options, with some well considered wines on their lists are something I really appreciate. A small but well thought out wine list like at Wet Stone is to be appreciated as well. I would generally be unlikely to take a bottle to such places.
Now - for San Diego, I think the highest corkage that I have paid is between $25-$30. I have also seen limits on the number of btls that you are allowed to bring in, even if paying corkage. I'd say the general range if there is such a thing here is $10-$20 per bottle. My personal reaction is that when it gets over $15-$20 I'm thinking "high" in general. With that said, there is a lot that goes into it.
Wine service is an expense to the restaurant. Buying and cleaning glasses, training the staff, purchasing and storing wine, etc. I think we all understand as well that all forms of alcohol are profit centers for restaurants and I'm fine with respecting that and paying a corkage.
When I do take a bottle, I also try to make it a point to order a drink from the restaurant or, if with other people, even buy a bottle. I always offer to share a glass with the server or Somm. In my experience and assuming you are bringing a decent bottle of wine, I have been favorably treated with a reduction in or full waiver of the corkage; not always but it does happen.
As regards the reference to Addison, I wouldn't be surprised if they had a $50 corkage. They put a huge amount of resources into an excellent wine list, not all of which are "high" priced, allowing for differing opinion of course. When I've been to Addison, I look forward to what they have to offer that I won't see anywhere else in San Diego.
I agree with McGrath that if you are taking an excellent and somewhat high priced btl with you, you are still miles ahead even with a $30+ corkage as compared to what you might pay for a similar quality bottle at a restaurant.
1st - there are a number of corkage threads on the CH Wine Board (or sites like Wine Berserkers) so you might want to check those out. You'll find that there are places in the US where it is illegal to bring your own wine into restaurants and others where it is so difficult to get a license, BYO...
