Great Views, Wine List Phoning It In
Cannery Row · Monterey · Seafood / Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Chart House Monterey’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The view of Monterey Bay is genuinely stunning, and then you open the wine list. Thirteen labels, all by the glass, all priced between $8 and $10 — it's less a wine program and more a laminated afterthought. The room deserves better than this.
The list reads like a supermarket endcap: Josh Cellars Merlot, Line 39 Chardonnay, Oyster Bay Pinot Noir. These are not bad wines, but they are the most conservative possible choices for a restaurant sitting steps from world-class Central Coast wine country. There's a token nod to Spain with the El Coto Crianza Rioja and a genuinely pleasant Château de Berne Rosé, but the rest is wall-to-wall mass-market California and Washington State. No local producers, no half-bottles, no cellar depth to speak of.
Everything on the list is available by the glass, which sounds generous until you realize the list is only thirteen wines deep — there is no bottle program to speak of. At $8–$10 a glass the prices are hard to argue with, but the selection does the heavy lifting in keeping expectations low. Rotation appears nonexistent.
El Coto Crianza Rioja — $10
It's the only wine here that feels like someone put a thought into it. El Coto's Crianza is a properly made Tempranillo-based Rioja with real structure and earthy red fruit — at $10 a glass it's the lone personality on a list full of crowd pleasers.
Château de Berne Romance Rosé
A Provence rosé in a sea of safe Cali pours. Most tables will reach for the Chardonnay out of habit and miss this entirely — but it's the right call with a bowl of lobster bisque or anything coming off the seafood side of the menu.
Josh Cellars Merlot
Josh Cellars is a fine grocery store wine. It is not a restaurant wine. At $9 a glass you're paying a premium for something you could grab at Safeway for $12 a bottle. Skip it.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling + Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi-Mahi
The off-dry Columbia Valley Riesling has just enough sweetness and citrus lift to cut through the richness of the nut crust without steamrolling the fish. It's the most food-friendly move on this list.
The Bottom Line
Chart House Monterey charges destination prices for the view and delivers gas station wine execution — the list is inoffensive, cheap enough, and completely uninspired. Come for the bay, order by the glass, and don't expect anyone behind the bar to talk you through it.
· Monterey · Brewpub / New American
Alvarado Street is primarily a brewery, and the wine list knows it — it's compact, unpretentious, and priced without gouging. But it also has enough Central Coast credibility (Comanche, Curran, Le P'tit Paysan) to surprise you. If you're in the group that wants wine while everyone else debates hop schedules, you're covered and you won't overpay for it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Carmel Valley · Monterey · Californian / Fine Dining
Lucia has the bones of a serious wine program — sommelier on staff, strong regional identity, and a setting in Carmel Valley that practically demands a good bottle. We just can't verify the specifics well enough to point you toward a particular pour or call out the markups with any precision. Go in expecting a deep, well-kept list with hotel-restaurant pricing to match, and let the sommelier do the heavy lifting. It's worth the conversation.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Monterey · Wine bar
If you're rolling through Monterey and want something more interactive than staring at a laminated wine list, The Wine Experience is a legitimate detour — especially for anyone curious about what the Santa Lucia Highlands and San Benito County are actually producing right now. We'd send a curious friend here without hesitation; we'd just tell them to skip any expectations of a formal dinner and lean into the tasting-room energy instead.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Acceptable
Carmel-by-the-Sea · Monterey · Continental / Fine Dining
Anton & Michel is the kind of room where the wine list serves the occasion rather than the other way around — and for a special-occasion dinner over beef Wellington or rack of lamb, that might be exactly what you want. We'd love to get a full look at current pricing before giving this a stronger endorsement, but the Central Coast regional focus is a legitimate draw for anyone who wants to drink local in one of California's best growing corridors. Go for the room, stay for the lamb, and ask your server what's drinking well off the list right now.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Monterey · Wine bar / Tasting room
De Tierra is a focused, fairly priced producer tasting room that makes a real argument for Monterey wine without inflating the ego or the prices. If you're driving the 68 corridor or wandering through the peninsula, this is worth a stop — just go in knowing you're here for one winery's story, not a deep-dive across regions.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Monterey · Wine Bar / Bistro
A Taste of Monterey is exactly what it advertises — a tight, local-first wine list that doubles as a crash course in what the Central Coast can do with white grapes. Pricing is honest, the regional focus is genuine, and the Wrath Falanghina alone is reason enough to pull up a stool. If you're eating along the Monterey waterfront and want something more interesting than a tourist-trap wine list, this is worth the detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · Seafood / Steakhouse
Huggo's is a reliable enough place to drink wine if you're already there for the view and the fresh fish — just don't come expecting value or discovery. The regional mix is competent, the setting is genuinely spectacular, and the list will get you through dinner without incident. If you're a wine-first traveler, this probably isn't your destination, but it's a perfectly reasonable stop if the ahi tuna is calling your name.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Harrah's Atlantic City · Atlantic City · Seafood / Steakhouse
McCormick & Schmick's inside Harrah's is a wine list on autopilot — safe brands, static program, and markups that remind you you're inside a casino. Drink the Port, keep your expectations low, and don't skip the cocktail menu.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Overland Park · Overland Park · Seafood / Steakhouse
McCormick & Schmick's isn't here to surprise you with wine, and it doesn't. At $7–$9 a glass the prices are fair, but the list is pure corporate default — grab the Riesling or the Sauvignon Blanc and put your energy into the food.
Crowd Pleasers
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
