Monday Nights Just Got a Lot More Interesting
Lincoln Square · Bellevue · New American/Bar · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 1, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Central Bar + Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The list reads like a greatest hits album of crowd-pleasing American wine — Caymus, Rombauer, Duckhorn, Whispering Angel. You know exactly what you're getting before you sit down, and that's both the comfort and the limitation. It's polished, safe, and built for the hotel-adjacent downtown Bellevue crowd who knows what they like.
Forty-six labels isn't small, but the range feels narrower than the number suggests — Napa Cabernet and California Chardonnay dominate, with a respectful nod to Washington state via the Figgins Estate Red Blend from Walla Walla and a few Columbia Valley pours. The Pacific Northwest representation could be bolder for a Bellevue restaurant, but the Figgins inclusion shows someone on the team is paying at least partial attention. There's a noticeable gap on the Old World side — no Burgundy, no Rhône, no Italian to speak of — and the bottom of the list bottoms out hard with Copper Ridge and Canyon Road as budget anchors. The top end reaches Dom Pérignon at $490, which is a flex, but the middle of the list is where you actually want to spend your money.
Thirty by-the-glass options on a 46-bottle list is an unusually high ratio, which is genuinely useful — you can build a full evening of pours without committing to a bottle. The glass price range of $12–$27 is reasonable for downtown Bellevue, though the $7 house pours (Copper Ridge Cab, Canyon Road Pinot Grigio) are doing the heavy lifting for budget drinkers. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority here — this looks like a set-and-forget BTG program rather than something that evolves seasonally.
Duckhorn Merlot Napa Valley 2022 — $70/bottle
Duckhorn Merlot retails around $40–$45, so this isn't a steal, but at $70 it's the most reasonable markup on a recognizable, reliably delicious bottle on the list. Come on a Monday and you're walking out with it for $35 — that's genuinely hard to beat.
Figgins Estate Red Blend Walla Walla 2020
Most tables at Central are ordering Caymus on autopilot, which means the Figgins Estate from Walla Walla sits quietly underordered. The Figgins family (of Leonetti Cellar fame) makes serious, age-worthy Washington reds, and this estate blend earns its place on any list it's on. If you're in Bellevue and skipping it for another California Cab, you're missing the point.
Caymus Special Selection Cabernet 2019
At $150 a bottle, Caymus Special Selection is roughly 3x retail, and that's before you factor in that this wine is already priced on brand recognition rather than quality relative to its peers. It's everywhere, it's marked up everywhere, and there are better Washington and Napa options on this very list for less money.
Stag's Leap Viognier Napa Valley + Hummus Plate
Viognier's stone fruit and floral aromatics with a touch of richness cut right through the olive oil and tahini in a hummus spread, and the wine's weight holds up to whatever's coming alongside it. It's a smarter opener than reaching for a glass of bubbles, and Stag's Leap makes a clean, well-structured version of the grape.
Monday — Every bottle $100 and under is half price on Monday nights.
The Bottom Line
Central Bar is the reliable downtown wine stop it needs to be — Monday half-price bottles are a legitimate reason to show up, and the Figgins pour reminds you there's a real wine region right next door. Just don't come here looking to be surprised.
Old Bellevue · Bellevue · Wine Bar
Valentina's is a genuinely pleasant neighborhood wine bar that earns its place in Old Bellevue — it's not breaking ground, but it's doing the basics with intention. Send a friend here for a date night glass; just don't expect a rabbit hole of discovery.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bellevue · American
13 Coins Bellevue earns its Wild Card badge by being a late-night diner that actually cares enough about wine to stock a geographically diverse list — not groundbreaking, but genuinely unexpected for the format. If Sunday happy hour is your move, this place becomes a legitimately fun spot to drink Washington wine over a Caesar salad at 11pm, which is a sentence we didn't think we'd be writing.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Bellevue · Bellevue · Hotel Lounge
BBellevue is the rare hotel bar that makes a real effort with wine, and it shows in the curation — Pacific Northwest producers, an orange pét-nat, and a Nebbiolo that shouldn't be this affordable. Markups are steep in places and the list won't change your life, but for a lobby bar in Bellevue, this is genuinely worth a stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bellevue · Brazilian Steakhouse
Novilhos isn't a wine destination, but it's a fair, functional list that respects your wallet and doesn't embarrass itself next to the meat. Order the Rioja, finish with Port, and let the churrasco do the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bellevue · Steakhouse
STK Bellevue is a reliable place to drink wine you already know at prices you'd rather not think about. If you're entertaining clients or celebrating something and need a list that won't confuse anyone, it gets the job done — just don't come here looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bellevue · Bellevue · Italian / Pizza
Mercato Stellina is a pizza spot that accidentally built a wine list worth talking about — the Italian backbone is legit, the Washington State picks are well-chosen, and the pricing is honest. If you're expecting a deep white or sparkling program you'll be disappointed, but for a Nebbiolo or a Syrah with your Neapolitan, this place delivers.
Small but Thoughtful
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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