Beer Hall That Forgot Wine Exists
San Marcos · San Marcos · American Grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 16, 2026
RagingWine reviewed 54th Street Restaurant & Drafthouse’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at 54th Street reads like it was assembled by someone who also orders the same burger every time — functional, inoffensive, and entirely forgettable. This is a drafthouse first and foremost, and the wine program makes zero effort to hide that fact. You're here for cold beer and queso, and the list knows it.
The list clocks in somewhere around 20-30 labels, split between California workhorses, a few Italian staples, and one token New Zealand entry. There's a Flowers Chardonnay from Sonoma Coast sitting next to Korbel California Champagne, which tells you everything about the curatorial vision here — or lack of one. To their credit, a Truchard Cab from Carneros and the Dry Creek Vineyards Chenin Blanc are actual wines with actual terroir, not just brand names, but they feel accidental rather than intentional. The rest of the list — La Marca Prosecco, Barone Fini Pinot Grigio, Centorri Moscato — is pure chain-restaurant filler.
You're looking at 10-16 by-the-glass options landing between $7 and $13, which is honest pricing for a casual American grill in Central Texas. Rotation appears to be nonexistent — this list is set, laminated, and left alone. Don't expect anything on draft or anything poured from a wine preservation system.
Gruet Blanc de Noirs Sparkling Wine — $13
Gruet out of New Mexico is a genuinely good sparkling wine that punches well above its price point. At $13 a glass at a drafthouse, it's the smartest pour on the menu — order it with the queso and don't apologize.
Dry Creek Vineyards Dry Chenin Blanc
Nobody orders Chenin Blanc at a place like this, which is exactly why you should. Dry Creek's version from Clarksburg is crisp and food-friendly — it's a real wine buried in a list designed for people who ask for 'something not too dry.'
Korbel California Champagne
Korbel isn't Champagne, and even at entry-level pricing it's a hard sell when Gruet is sitting right there on the same list. Save your glass pour for something that actually earned its bubbles.
Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc + Queso Dip
Whitehaven's New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has enough citrus brightness and acidity to cut through the richness of the queso without fighting it. It's the one pairing on this list that actually makes sense together.
❌ The Bottom Line
54th Street is a perfectly fine place to eat a burger and drink a cold beer — the wine list is just there because it has to be. If you're set on wine, stick to the Gruet or the Chenin Blanc and let everyone else order the drafts.
Downtown · San Marcos · Pizza
Valentino's isn't trying to be a wine bar, and it doesn't need to be. A tight, Italy-focused list at fair prices with a Sunday half-price program is more than most pizza spots bother with — and enough to make us actually enjoy the wine alongside the pie.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
San Marcos · San Marcos · Pizza / Bar
Pies & Pints is here for the pizza and the pints — the wine list is functional at best and overpriced at worst. Order a beer, or grab the Wyclyff sparkling and move on.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Island View Casino / Gaming Floor · Gulfport · American Grill
CG's is a solid spot to eat a burger before you lose money on the floor — but the wine list is as much of a gamble as the slots, and the house edge is not in your favor. Order a cocktail and move on.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Montrose / Fairlawn · Akron · American Grill
Beau's Grille isn't a destination wine stop, but it's a perfectly competent list for what the room demands — and Thursday's Retail Wine Night is a legitimate reason to plan around it. Send a friend here for steak and wine on a Thursday without hesitation; any other night, manage expectations.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
East Springfield · Springfield · American Grill
FD's Grillhouse isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it knows it — the list is safe, the markups lean steep, and the by-the-glass selection does most of the heavy lifting. If you're here for burgers and a decent pour, you'll leave fine; just skip The Prisoner and let Catena or Chapoutier do the work.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.