Yakima

Mickey's Pub isn't a wine bar and doesn't pretend to be, but the Wednesday half-price bottle deal makes it genuinely worth a stop if you're already in the neighborhood. Stick to the Pacific Rim, skip the Conundrum, and enjoy the fact that you're drinking Columbia Valley Riesling in Yakima for next to nothing.

Xochimilco is not a wine destination, but it's doing more with its wine list than most restaurants twice its ambition level. If you're eating in Yakima wine country and want something local in your glass with your enchiladas, this is a legitimate option.

AntoLin is a genuine local find: unpretentious, fairly priced, and pouring a tighter roster than most Yakima tasting rooms twice its size. If you're rolling through downtown Yakima and want to drink something real, this is your stop.

Cowiche Canyon isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's doing right by its backyard — local producers, fair prices, and a patio that makes the whole thing go down easy. Send a friend here, order the Syrah, enjoy the sunshine.

Zesta Cucina isn't a wine destination, but it's doing more with 15 glasses than plenty of restaurants do with 50. If you're eating in West Yakima and want a solid, honest pour without getting gouged, this is your spot.

Rooted is doing something genuinely worthwhile: a tight, local-first wine list that treats Washington producers with the same respect the kitchen gives its farmers. It's not a destination wine program, but for a quick dinner in Yakima, this is exactly the list you'd want in front of you.

Crafted is the kind of wine list that rewards curious drinkers who want to explore the region they're sitting in, not just order something familiar. It's small, it's local, and it's built with care — send a friend here and tell them to skip the Champagne.

Cowiche Canyon is doing the right things with Washington wine in a setting where it would be easy to just coast on grocery-store brands. The markups keep it from being a great wine destination, but as a neighborhood tavern with genuine regional character? We'd send a friend here without hesitation — just steer them toward the JB Neufeld and the Owen Roe.