The Wine List That Forgot to Try
South Missoula · Missoula · American / Chain · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Applebee's Grill + Bar – Missoula’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Applebee's Missoula is exactly what you'd expect from a laminated menu tucked behind the happy hour specials — a short, safe roster of bottles that nobody consulted a wine buyer to assemble. It's not offensive, it's just indifferent, which in some ways is worse.
We're looking at 10 to 15 wines, almost entirely California-focused and skewing hard toward the kind of brands you'd find in the grab-and-go cooler at a gas station. The list checks the obvious boxes — a Cab, a Chardonnay, a Pink Moscato — but there's no depth, no regional curiosity, and zero evidence that anyone thought about this beyond hitting a flavor profile checklist. No Pinot Noir worth mentioning, no Rosé that isn't blush-sweet, no Old World presence whatsoever. This is a wine list built to not intimidate, and it succeeds spectacularly at that narrow goal.
With 8 to 12 by-the-glass options priced between $6 and $12, the BTG program at least has range in price if not in character. At these price points you're not chasing quality — you're chasing something to wash down your Riblets without thinking too hard about it. There's no rotation, no seasonal pour, no chalkboard surprise.
House Cabernet Sauvignon — $8
At the low end of the pour price range, it's the least bad option for a red — at least Cab has enough structure to hold up against the meat-heavy menu without completely falling apart.
Pink Moscato
Hear us out — if you're splitting apps and want something cold and low-stakes on a warm Montana evening, the Pink Moscato is self-aware enough to be the right call. Don't fight who you are.
Chardonnay
Generic California Chardonnay at a chain restaurant is almost always over-oaked, flabby, and served too warm. This is the wine equivalent of a participation trophy — it showed up, and that's the most we can say.
House Cabernet Sauvignon + Riblets
The sweet-smoky barbecue sauce on the Riblets needs something with a little tannin and fruit to cut through the fat. The Cab isn't exciting, but it does the job here better than anything else on this list.
❌ The Bottom Line
Applebee's Missoula isn't a destination for wine — it's a destination for Boneless Wings and a cold domestic beer, and there's zero shame in that. If wine is a priority, order a cocktail and save the bottle for somewhere that cares.
Downtown · Missoula · Breakfast and Diner-Style American
The Shack is worth visiting for the food and the Missoula nostalgia — but the wine list is two bottles deep and priced like it knows you have no other options. Order coffee, order juice, order whatever they're putting in the Vodka Fettuccine, and save the wine drinking for somewhere that's actually trying.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Missoula · New American / Global
Red Bird is the best wine option in Missoula by a comfortable margin, and the curation is genuinely impressive for its size and location. The markups are uneven enough to require some navigation, but if you stick to the Cristom and the Italian picks, you'll drink well without feeling robbed.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Missoula · French / European
The Pearl Café is doing something genuinely unusual — running a thoughtful, fairly priced wine program in a mountain city where most restaurants would coast on a generic list and nobody would complain. Send your wine-curious friends here without apology; just steer them away from the Ste. Michelle.
Solid Range
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Missoula · Sushi, Japanese
SakeTome is a Wild Card: a lively downtown sushi spot with a mostly safe wine list that hides genuine Oregon ambition behind a wall of crowd-pleasers. Come for the rolls, order the Meiomi by the glass or splurge on Walter Scott if it's available — just skip the Priorat.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
South Higgins · Missoula · Italian
Ciao Mambo isn't a destination wine list, but it's honest, fairly priced, and doesn't embarrass itself — which puts it ahead of most Italian spots its size. Send a friend here for dinner and point them toward the Planeta or the Torrontés; they'll thank you.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Missoula · Bar
The Top Hat is a live-music venue first, and the wine list reflects that honestly — approachable, fairly priced, and wide enough to keep most people happy. You're not going for the wine, but you're not going to regret the Rioja either.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
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.