Crowd-pleasing pours for the hibachi crowd
· Chandler · Japanese teppanyaki · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 30, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Benihana – Chandler’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The Benihana wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a national chain teppanyaki spot: safe, recognizable labels that won't confuse anyone but won't excite anyone either. It reads like a banquet hall wine menu, which, fair enough — this place is basically a theatrical dinner party. The good news is there are 34 labels to work with, which is more than nothing.
The list leans heavily on California Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, which tracks for a room full of people watching shrimp get flipped into their mouths. You'll find Rochioli and Far Niente sitting alongside Kendall-Jackson like an awkward dinner party mix — some genuinely quality producers next to grocery store staples. The sparkling section has range: Dom Pérignon and Ferrari Brut Rosé for the celebration crowd, La Marca and Nino Franco splits for the fizz-curious. Reds are present (Cabernet Sauvignon and blends are noted on the list), though without specific labels confirmed, that section is harder to assess. There's one French nod worth noting — the Domaine Jean-Paul Balland Sancerre, which feels like an accidental overachiever on an otherwise unadventurous list.
By-the-glass options aren't confirmed from available data, so we can't give you a pour-by-pour breakdown. If the bottle list is any guide, expect a handful of crowd-pleasers — probably a Chardonnay, a Cab, and something sparkling — at chain-restaurant pour prices. Worth asking your server what's open.
The Bottom Line
Benihana Chandler's wine list won't blow your mind, but it's functional and has a few genuine bright spots buried under the crowd-pleasers. If you're here for the show, grab the Rochioli or the Balland Sancerre and enjoy the flying shrimp.
· Chandler · New American
The Hidden House is doing something genuinely unusual for the East Valley — championing Arizona producers alongside accessible Old World options at prices that don't feel like a shakedown. The lack of sourced dish information prevents a complete picture, but the wine list alone is worth a detour. If you're even mildly curious about what Arizona winemaking looks like when it's done right, this is the place to find out.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chandler · Seafood
High Tide is a genuinely fun, lively seafood restaurant with food worth showing up for — but the wine program is an afterthought dressed up as a list. Twelve Chardonnays with no other variety isn't a curated selection, it's a gap in judgment. Wednesday half-price wine softens the blow, but the program needs a complete rethink before we'd call it worth drinking through. Order the Diatom, skip the Rombauer, and quietly wish someone had added a rosé.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
SanTan Village · Chandler · Steakhouse
Bourbon & Bones SanTan has a reserve list that punches above its suburban strip-mall weight class — the Heitz Martha's Vineyard duo, Dominus, and the rogue Egon Müller Riesling are all legitimate gets. The pricing is unambiguously steep and the list has real gaps, but if you're celebrating something and want a specific California collectible with your ribeye, this is one of the more unexpected places to find it in the East Valley.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chandler · Italian
Pesto's earns its wine bar billing for Chandler — it's a genuine neighborhood spot with a real glass program, live music, and food that's priced to let you spend a little more on the bottle. We can't verify every detail of the list from here, but the bones are solid enough to make this a reliable call for a casual date night with pizza and a pour.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Chandler · Seafood
Sea & Smoke earns its reputation as a polished neighborhood seafood spot, but the wine program isn't yet pulling its weight alongside a kitchen that's clearly swinging for the fences with Lobster Pot Pie and Chilean Sea Bass. Until we have a full menu in hand, we'd recommend asking your server directly what's pouring well tonight — and keeping an eye on that markup.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Sun Lakes · Chandler · New American
Stone & Barrel is a solid neighborhood destination in the southeast Valley where the food — especially the wood-fired pizza — is the main event, and the wine list is a willing supporting act. We don't have enough detail on the full wine program to send you in with a specific bottle in hand, but if you're going for a casual dinner with friends in Sun Lakes, you're unlikely to go thirsty. Come for the pizza, manage your expectations on the wine, and you'll have a good night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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