River Views, Safe Pours, Occasional Surprises
Southbank · Jacksonville · Seafood and Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 24, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Chart House Jacksonville arrives looking exactly like you'd expect from a national seafood chain with a waterfront address — California-heavy, brand-name friendly, and priced like the real estate outside the window. It's not trying to surprise you, and it mostly succeeds at being exactly what it is. That said, there are a few smart pours tucked in if you know where to look.
The list leans hard into familiar California names — Cakebread, Duckhorn, Decoy, Line 39 — with a predictable emphasis on Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa and Sonoma. You won't find anything from Burgundy, the Rhône, or anywhere in the Old World that might make a wine nerd's ears perk up. The occasional Washington and Italian representative (Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, Mezzacorona Pinot Grigio) add marginal range but don't change the story. This is a list built around guest recognition, not discovery.
Eight by-the-glass options keep things manageable without being inspiring — happy hour pricing drops them to $8-$10, which is genuinely the best time to explore. The pour lineup mirrors the bottle list: California Chardonnay, California Pinot Noir, a Sauvignon Blanc or two. No rotating specials, no unusual grapes, but the happy hour window makes the math more forgiving.
Duckhorn Merlot — $49
At a 23% markup over retail, this is the rare moment Chart House isn't squeezing you. Duckhorn Merlot drinks well above its price bracket and is legitimately underpriced relative to everything else on this list — grab it while the math works in your favor.
Blank Stare Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley
Most people at a seafood chain reach for a Chardonnay on autopilot, but this Russian River Sauvignon Blanc is sharper, crisper, and more food-friendly than half the whites on this list. It flies under the radar because it lacks the brand recognition of Cakebread or Duckhorn — which is exactly why you should order it.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
An $18 retail bottle showing up at $52 is a 189% markup on one of the most ubiquitous supermarket wines in America. You've had this wine. You know what it tastes like. Don't pay three times retail for the privilege of drinking it with a river view.
Decoy Limited Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast + Shrimp, Avocado + Mango Stack
The Sonoma Coast gives this Chardonnay enough brightness and restrained oak to play nicely with the mango's sweetness and the shrimp's brininess without steamrolling either. It's a warmer-climate white that still has enough structure to handle the dish — and it's a better bet here than reaching for a heavier Napa Chardonnay.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Chart House Jacksonville is a reliable choice for a nice night out on the water, but the wine list is playing it extremely safe with markups that occasionally border on insulting. Go during happy hour, order the Duckhorn Merlot, and enjoy the view — just don't expect the list to challenge you.
Avondale · Jacksonville · French-American Bistro
Orsay is the kind of neighborhood restaurant Jacksonville doesn't have enough of — a French-leaning wine program with fair prices, real selections, and a room that earns a second visit. Send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Southside / St. Johns Town Center · Jacksonville · Contemporary American, wood-fired grill
J. Alexander's Jacksonville is a place that takes its steaks seriously and its wine list as an afterthought. If you're here for a business dinner or a reliable wood-fired meal, you'll drink fine — just don't expect to be surprised, and try not to look too hard at the markup on the Kendall-Jackson.
Crowd Pleasers
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Jacksonville Beach · Jacksonville · Modern Japanese / Sushi
O-Ku Jacksonville Beach is a genuinely nice spot to drink well with sushi, especially if you lean into the sake program where the real effort has been made. The wine list is respectable but unremarkable — and markups across the board mean you'll want to choose your battles.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Jacksonville Beach / Ponte Vedra · Jacksonville · Upscale New American with French and Mediterranean Influences
Restaurant Medure is the best wine list you're likely to encounter between Savannah and Orlando — serious producers, proper storage, a sommelier who knows the cellar, and glassware that respects what's in it. The markups are steep and the list plays it safe stylistically, but if you're celebrating something and want Bordeaux with your filet, this is the room.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Intracoastal West / Beach Blvd · Jacksonville · Contemporary American Seafood
Marker 32 is a beautiful room with a wine list that plays it completely safe — you won't drink badly, but you won't discover anything either. Send a friend here for the scallops and the Intracoastal view, and tell them to order the Chardonnay.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Riverside / Five Points · Jacksonville · Modern American / Southern-influenced
Black Sheep is exactly what a neighborhood restaurant wine list should be — fair prices, enough variety to reward curiosity, and no obvious embarrassments. We'd send a friend here for wine without hesitation, especially if they're sitting on that rooftop.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Springfield · Springfield · Seafood and Steakhouse
Chesapeake Seafood House is a genuinely charming Springfield institution with a kitchen that earns its regulars — but the wine list is on autopilot and has been for a while. Order the Riesling, enjoy your prime rib, and save the serious wine drinking for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Freedom Commons / I-88 Corridor · Naperville · Seafood and Steakhouse
Hugo's Naperville is a reliable, well-run steakhouse wine program that will not let you down and will not excite you. Come for the prime beef and oysters, order the Jordan or the Duckhorn, and don't look too hard at the markup on the Pinot Grigio.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · St. Paul · Seafood and Steakhouse
Kincaid's is exactly what it is — a reliable business-dinner wine list that keeps the table happy without taking any risks. If Monday's half-price bottle promotion holds at this location, it becomes a legitimately solid deal; otherwise, manage expectations and lean into the Port.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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