Beer Bar With a Short But Honest Wine Card
Downtown Union Street · Traverse City · Gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 25, 2026
RagingWine reviewed 7 Monks Taproom’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
Seven wines for a taproom is exactly the right number — nobody's coming to 7 Monks to debate Burgundy appellations, and the list doesn't pretend otherwise. What you get is a tidy, unpretentious lineup that covers the bases without embarrassing itself. It's a beer bar that remembered wine drinkers exist, and honestly, credit for that.
The list leans California-heavy with Carmel Road and Broadside doing the workhorse duty, a nod to New Zealand via Wither Hills, a French rosé from Campuget, and — encouragingly — a local Michigan pour from Good Harbor on the Leelanau Peninsula. The regional shoutout to Good Harbor is the most interesting move on the card; it grounds the list in a place that actually produces wine worth talking about. The Caymus Cab feels like it was added because someone at a table once asked for it, and it'll keep getting ordered, but it's a crowd-pleasing name more than a thoughtful pick. No sparkling beyond L. Mawby's Sex, which is a Michigan-made fizz that at least has a sense of humor about itself.
All seven wines on the list are available by the glass, which is the whole program — there's no bottle-only tier or reserve list hiding behind a curtain. Prices run from $8.50 to $19, with most options sitting comfortably in the $9–$10 range. For a night when beer is the main event and wine is a supporting role, that spread is genuinely reasonable.
Broadside Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 — $9/glass
Broadside is a Paso Robles Cab that punches well above its price point even at retail — at $9 a glass in a taproom setting, it's the most honest pour on the menu and a solid red for anyone who wants something with some structure.
Good Harbor Pinot Grigio 2021
Most people in a Michigan taproom will reach for a familiar California name without noticing the local option sitting right there. Good Harbor is a legit Leelanau Peninsula producer, and ordering their Pinot Grigio is both the more interesting choice and a small act of regional loyalty worth making.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
At $19 a glass, you're paying a premium for a brand name that's been riding its reputation longer than it's been earning it lately. The Broadside next to it costs $10 less and is a more interesting Cab from a similar region — save the $9 and put it toward another round.
Campuget Rosé 2023 + Charcuterie or bar snacks
A dry Costières de Nîmes rosé has enough acid and freshness to cut through cured meats and salty bites without demanding a real meal — it's the right wine for the way most people actually eat at a taproom.
✔️ The Bottom Line
7 Monks is a beer bar first and a wine program somewhere around fourth, but the short list is priced fairly, includes a local Michigan pour worth ordering, and doesn't try to be something it's not. Send a wine-drinking friend here if they're cool with keeping it simple.
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Brewpub / American Bar & Grill
Mackinaw Brewing is a great place to drink beer in downtown Traverse City, and nobody should walk in expecting otherwise. If wine is your thing, order the local Riesling, appreciate the nod to Michigan wine country, and let the rest of the list do its quiet, unremarkable job.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Slabtown / West Front Street · Traverse City · American tavern fare with waterfront grill classics
West End Tavern isn't a wine destination, but it's doing something right by leaning into what grows in its own backyard. If you're in Traverse City and want local wine without ceremony, pull up a patio chair and order the Riesling.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
US-31 South / East Side · Traverse City · Mexican
Agave is a solid casual cantina — the margaritas are the move and everyone at the table knows it. The wine list is an afterthought, and there's no shame in treating it like one.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Seafood/Raw Bar
Umbo is quietly one of the more interesting wine programs in northern Michigan, built with a clear point of view around Old World acid and seafood compatibility. The pricing is a stretch and the list could use more depth, but if you're eating oysters in Traverse City, this is where you want to be drinking.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Steakhouse / Contemporary American
The Pretty Penny is a dependable date-night wine list in a beautiful lakeside town — not adventurous, not cheap, but competent enough to make your steak night work. If you're a wine explorer looking for discovery, you might leave a little flat; if you just want a solid Cabernet with a great meal on Front Street, you're in good hands.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Steakhouse with Seafood and Contemporary American
Slate is a dependable steakhouse wine list that plays to its crowd — nothing wrong with that, but adventurous drinkers should zero in on the L. Mawby and call it a night. Send a friend here for a solid meal and a glass of something local; just don't expect the list to challenge them.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Oak Street · Ashland · Gastropub
The Noble Fox is a brewpub, and you should drink like it — order a house beer and enjoy the atmosphere. If you're committed to wine, stick to the Collet or the Provence rosé and set your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Scranton · Gastropub
Backyard Ale House is a solid beer destination that treats wine like a legal obligation rather than an opportunity. Order a craft beer, enjoy the bar scene, and save the wine for somewhere that actually cares.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Bethlehem · Bethlehem · Gastropub
The Goosemen is a perfectly decent place to eat a burger and drink a beer — but the wine list is a cash grab dressed up as a menu. The Wednesday half-price bottle promotion is the only reason to think about wine here at all; on any other night, order something from the tap.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.