Beer Country. The Wine Didn't Get the Memo.
Oyster Point / Jefferson Avenue · Newport News · American / Brewpub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 30, 2026
RagingWine reviewed BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - Newport News’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the menu at BJ's and the wine list reads like the shelf talker section of a mid-range grocery store — Apothic, Dark Horse, Ecco Domani, all present and accounted for. This is a beer restaurant, full stop, and the wine program makes absolutely no effort to pretend otherwise. That said, the prices are shockingly close to retail, which at least keeps the insult light.
Twenty to thirty-five bottles deep and every single one of them is a brand you've seen at Costco or Total Wine. The California value tier is fully represented — Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve, Josh Cellars, 14 Hands — but there's nothing from outside the U.S., nothing with any age on it, and zero indication that anyone with wine knowledge touched this list. It's a corporate wine menu built for volume and brand recognition, not discovery. Gaps? Everywhere — no rosé worth mentioning, no sparkling, no old world presence whatsoever.
Eight to fourteen pours available, all pulling from the same grocery-brand roster on the bottle list. Don't expect rotation or anything seasonal — what's on the menu is what's on the menu, and it's been that way for a while. The Tuesday half-price bottle deal is the only real reason to engage with this wine program at all.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay — $10.25
On a Tuesday, this comes down to around five bucks a glass poured from a half-price bottle. K-J Vintner's Reserve is a workhorse Chardonnay that retails for under $14 — reliable, clean, and actually pleasant with the creamy pastas on the menu. At that price, it's hard to argue.
14 Hands Hot To Trot Red Blend
Nobody orders this because the name sounds like a novelty, but 14 Hands makes an approachable, fruit-forward red blend that holds its own next to BJ's heavier BBQ dishes. At $9.25, it's flying completely under the radar on a list full of more recognizable names.
Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon
At $8.75 a glass, you're paying nearly the same as the retail bottle price — which is $8.99. The per-glass markup is effectively 97% before you've even ordered a second round. Dark Horse Cab is a fine $9 bottle at home; it's not a fine $9 glass at a restaurant.
Apothic Red Winemaker's Blend + BBQ Ribs
Apothic Red is sweet, jammy, and low on tannin — which makes it one of the few wines on this list that actually plays well with sticky, sauce-heavy BBQ ribs rather than fighting them. It's not a sophisticated pairing, but it works in exactly the context you're in.
Tuesday — Half off select bottles of wine every Tuesday as part of BJ's national daily specials program. Applies to bottled wine only — glass pours not explicitly included. Best deal on the list by a wide margin.
The Bottom Line
BJ's is a craft beer destination that happens to sell wine, and the wine list reflects exactly that level of effort. Show up on a Tuesday, grab a half-price bottle of K-J Chardonnay or 14 Hands, and spend the rest of your energy on the deep dish pizza — that's the move here.
· Newport News · American Bistro
This isn't a wine list in the traditional sense — it's a producer showcase, and Second Street leans into it with a multi-course dinner format. If you're into Napa and trust the Spoto brand, it's a worthwhile evening; if you wanted options, you're out of luck.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Newport News · Italian
Carrabba's wine list does exactly what a chain wine list does: it keeps people comfortable and keeps margins high. If you're here for a business dinner or a family birthday, order the TerraMare house pour and move on — but don't come here expecting wine to be part of the experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · American
Cheddar's is a casual comfort-food chain, and the wine list reflects exactly that level of ambition — none. Order a beer or a cocktail and save the wine conversation for somewhere that wants to have it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · Steakhouse / Cocktail Bar
Steak & Tonic is a genuinely surprising find for Newport News — the wine ambitions outpace most steakhouses in its weight class, even if the execution can wobble and the pricing likely skews steep. It earns the Wild Card badge because it's the kind of place you walk into expecting a cocktail and walk out talking about the wine list.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · Wine Bar
Vino Noir Social isn't trying to be a Burgundy deep-dive — it's trying to be a good time in Newport News, and at these prices with a fully by-the-glass list, it mostly delivers. Send a friend who's still exploring wine and wants a low-stakes, affordable night out.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · Japanese / Sushi
Hayashi's wine list is exactly what it needs to be for a neighborhood sushi spot — fair prices, nothing weird, nothing special. Grab the Kung Fu Girl Riesling and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Telluride / Pine Street · Telluride · American / Brewpub
This is a brewery first, a restaurant second, and a wine destination never. If you want wine in Telluride, there are better places to spend $15 a glass — come here for the beer, order the burger, and let someone else handle the Pinot.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Francis Scott Key Mall / Route 355 · Frederick · American / Brewpub
BJ's Frederick is a great spot if you're here for a craft pint and a Pizookie — and you should be. But the wine list exists purely as a formality, and we'd feel bad sending anyone here specifically for a glass of something interesting. Order the beer.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Loop 323 / South Tyler · Tyler · American / Brewpub
BJ's is a perfectly fine brewhouse with decent food and great beer — the wine program just has no business being the reason you show up. Order a craft pour, enjoy your Pizookie, and come back to wine somewhere that tried.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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