Tuesday Saves It. Everything Else Doesn't.
Creekside / IH-35 Corridor · New Braunfels · American Casual · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 6, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at BJ's Creekside is exactly what you'd expect from a national brewhouse chain: a laminated insert that exists mostly to give non-beer-drinkers something to point at. It's corporate-approved, regionally shallow, and designed for zero friction rather than any real discovery. That said, the pricing is honest enough that we're not going to pretend it's a total waste.
Thirty to fifty selections sounds like range until you realize it's a greatest-hits of California grocery-store staples — Meiomi, Kendall-Jackson, Apothic, Dark Horse — with a token nod to Washington via Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling. There's no old-world presence to speak of, no natural wine curiosity, and no attempt to push beyond what corporate approves nationally. The list reads less like curation and more like a distributor auto-fill. That Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling is the only bottle on here with a genuine story to tell.
Ten to fifteen pours by the glass, running $8 to $14, which is the list's most functional feature for casual diners. The happy hour program drops Dark Horse pours to $5, which is actually below retail — a rare move for a chain restaurant. Rotation is minimal; don't expect seasonal updates or anything that wasn't on the menu six months ago.
Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon — $5
During happy hour, this pours for less than you'd pay at a liquor store. It's a mass-market wine, sure, but at $5 a glass you're not complaining — you're ordering another.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
Everyone walks past this to grab the Meiomi, which is a mistake. Ste. Michelle is one of Washington's most reliable Riesling producers, and this bottle offers real aromatics and crisp acidity that actually cuts through BJ's heavier dishes. It's the one wine on this list with a legitimate pedigree.
Apothic Red Winemaker's Blend
At $10 a glass, you're paying restaurant markup on a wine that retails for $10.99 a bottle. The math is brutal. It's a sweet, over-processed blend built for people who don't love wine — and at this price point, there's no reason to go near it.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling + Deep Dish Pizza
The Riesling's bright acidity and slight sweetness hold up against the richness of BJ's deep dish without getting steamrolled by cheese and sauce. It's a better call than reaching for the Chardonnay on autopilot.
Tuesday — All wine by the bottle is half price on Tuesdays as part of BJ's recurring Brewhouse Specials promotion. Applies at participating locations; confirm with this location directly.
❌ The Bottom Line
We wouldn't send anyone to BJ's Creekside specifically for the wine list — but if you're already there for the Pizookie and a Tuesday lands on your calendar, those half-price bottles are a legitimate deal. Come for the beer, and if you must drink wine, come on a Tuesday.
Creekside / IH-35 Corridor · New Braunfels · Steakhouse
Saltgrass Creekside is not a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — the list exists to sell bottles alongside steaks, and it does that competently enough. If you stick to Jordan or Stag's Leap and skip the grocery-store bottles, you'll drink fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Creekside / I-35 Corridor · New Braunfels · Steakhouse
Saltgrass New Braunfels serves a wine list that was assembled by a committee in Houston and hasn't been questioned since. It functions — you'll find something drinkable — but if wine matters to you tonight, manage expectations before you sit down.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · New Braunfels · From-scratch American comfort food with Hill Country influences, brunch and brewery
The Root Cellar is a brewery first and a wine destination never — but the list earns its keep with fair prices, a Texas wine you should actually try, and the quietly baffling joy of prosecco on tap next to a craft IPA. Come for the biscuits, stay curious about the wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Creekside / I-35 Corridor · New Braunfels · Asian Bistro
P.F. Chang's New Braunfels isn't a wine destination, but if you know what to order, you won't be stuck drinking something bad. Stick to the by-the-glass whites, avoid the trophy-label markups, and you'll have a fine night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West New Braunfels · New Braunfels · Seafood
The Reel isn't a wine destination, but it earns serious respect for sneaking Dutton Goldfield onto a po'boy menu and running Wine Wednesday like it means it. Come on a Wednesday, order the Pinot, and be pleasantly confused about where you are.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · New Braunfels · European-inspired tapas, bistro and wine bar
Favorite Neighbor is the Wild Card that New Braunfels didn't know it needed — a genuinely curious wine program in a town where 'wine bar' usually means a Malbec and a Pinot Grigio. If you're passing through Hill Country and want to drink something that actually required a decision to stock, stop here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Oak Park Mall Area · Overland Park · American Casual
Houlihan's isn't where you go to drink interesting wine — it's where you go to drink decent wine cheaply, especially on Wine Down Wednesdays when half-price bottles make the whole calculus flip in your favor. Send a friend here on a Wednesday with low expectations and they'll leave pleasantly surprised.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Gilbert · Phoenix · American Casual
Cooper's Hawk Gilbert is a perfectly competent house-wine-only operation with fair prices and enough variety to keep a table of six from fighting over the list. Don't come here expecting discovery — come here knowing exactly what you're getting.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
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.