Italy Meets the Pacific, Surprisingly Well
Waikiki · Honolulu · Italian / Californian Coastal · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Botanico Waikiki’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You don't expect to find Laherte Frères or Tenuta delle Terre Nere on a Waikiki wine list — this is mai tai territory, after all. But Botanico opens with a card that leans hard into Italian identity and mostly earns it. Forty-nine labels isn't a deep cellar, but there's real intention here.
The list is anchored in Italy with smart regional range — Franciacorta bubbles, Vermentino from Sardinia, Verdeca from Puglia, Carricante from Etna — rather than the usual Pinot Grigio-and-Chianti safety play. There's a Bindi Achille Sangiovese billed as a 'Baby Super Tuscan' that signals someone did their homework. The Californian contingent is thin but honest: Siduri Pinot Noir and Bonanza Cabernet are crowd-friendly without being lazy. The sparkling section is where Botanico really flexes — Contratto Pas Dosé alongside Laherte Frères and Veuve in the same list is a genuine statement.
Nine by-the-glass options spanning bubbles, white, and red is a reasonable spread for the list size. Prices run $14–$23/glass, and the range shows actual curation — you can pour a $14 Poggio Costa Prosecco or step up to the $23 Domaine Bernard Defaix Vieilles Vignes Chablis, which is a legitimate glass program anchor. The fact that the Capichera Lintori Vermentino is available by the glass at $16 is a quiet win.
The Bottom Line
Botanico is doing something genuinely unusual for Waikiki — building an Italian-forward wine list with real regional depth and mostly fair pricing in a place where restaurants routinely treat wine as an afterthought. The by-the-glass program alone is worth a seat at the bar. If you care at all about what's in your glass, this belongs on your radar.
· Honolulu · Hawaii Regional
Moku Nui is a casual Hawaii Regional spot that has no business running a wine list this thoughtful — and we mean that as high praise. Fair glass prices, a sommelier clearly making intentional choices, and enough variety to reward the curious drinker. If you're eating here, skip the default beer order and let someone at the table order the Vouvray.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikiki · Honolulu · Seafood
Azure is a genuinely lovely place to drink wine — the setting does a lot of heavy lifting and the France-Italy-Hawaii focus is a sensible match for the island seafood menu. Just go in knowing resort markup is real, and if the tasting menu with wine pairing is available, that's likely your best shot at getting something memorable poured without having to guess blind from the list.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Honolulu · Tasting Menu
Senia's wine program is one of the more thoughtful in the state — sommelier on staff, an Old World-focused list, and a Wednesday night deal where bottles at $65 and under get cut in half plus a tasting flight. If you're serious about what's in your glass, this is where you go in Honolulu. Book a Wednesday if you can.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
· Honolulu · Italian-American
53 By The Sea plays an interesting game: a short, all-glass list that punches well above its weight in the mid-range, anchored by a custom Failla Pinot and some genuinely thoughtful picks from Austria and southern Italy. Markups lean steep, especially as you climb the tiers, and the absence of bottle service means you're always buying by the glass. But if you stick to the $12–$31 range, this is one of the more curated pours you'll find in Honolulu — and that Grüner alone is worth the visit.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Honolulu · Steakhouse
The Capital Grille Hawaii's wine list does what the brand does everywhere — it's safe, corporate, and priced to capture resort-market margins. The Champagne selection is genuinely deep and includes some worthwhile picks like the Paul Bara and the Llopart Cava, but markups are steep and there's little here to excite anyone looking beyond the obvious. If you're here for a steak and want bubbles, you'll find something that works — just don't expect the list to dazzle you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikiki · Honolulu · Steakhouse
BLT Steak Waikiki is a competent, crowd-pleasing steakhouse wine list in a setting where you're mostly paying for the view and the popovers. If wine is central to your evening, call ahead and ask what's actually open — the list's documented depth isn't enough to guarantee a great bottle without some homework. Come for the porterhouse, manage your wine expectations.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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