Come for the Guinness, not the Grenache
Tipperary Hill · Syracuse · Irish Pub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Coleman's Irish Pub’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Coleman's is a Syracuse institution and an honest-to-god neighborhood Irish pub — the kind of place where the Shamrock flag flies out front and everyone at the bar knows each other's first name. The wine list reads exactly like what it is: an afterthought bolted onto a beer-and-whiskey operation. Nobody came here for wine, and the list knows it.
Fifteen labels, almost all of them familiar faces from the bottom shelf of your local grocery store. CK Mondavi shows up three times — Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot — which tells you everything you need to know about the curatorial ambition here. There are a couple of bright spots: Whispering Angel Rosé brings a touch of Provence credibility, and Dr. Frank Riesling is a genuine nod to the Finger Lakes, which is practically in Coleman's backyard. The Altos Del Plata Malbec rounds out an otherwise California-heavy list with a bit of South American muscle. Everything else is filler.
Fourteen of the fifteen labels are available by the glass, which is generous in volume if not in quality. You're essentially getting the entire list poured one glass at a time, which is convenient when you just want something wet and red while you work through a shepherd's pie. Don't expect any rotation — this list has the energy of something that hasn't changed since the last World Cup.
Dr. Frank Riesling — null
No price data available from the source, but Dr. Frank's Finger Lakes Riesling is the most legitimate bottle on this list — crisp, food-friendly, and actually grown nearby. If it's priced inline with the rest of the list, it's the clear move.
Altos Del Plata Malbec
In a list dominated by California house pours, this Argentine Malbec is the quiet overachiever. Dark fruit, some grip, and it holds up to Coleman's hearty pub food in a way that a CK Mondavi Merlot simply cannot.
Beringer White Zinfandel
There is no scenario at an Irish pub — or really anywhere — where you need to be drinking White Zinfandel in 2024. This one exists purely to round out the list. Leave it alone.
Dr. Frank Riesling + Fish and Chips
A dry Finger Lakes Riesling has the acidity to cut through the fried batter and the brightness to complement the fish. It's the kind of pairing that makes you feel like someone at this pub actually thought it through — even if they didn't.
❌ The Bottom Line
Coleman's is a great Irish pub that happens to have wine on the menu — emphasis on 'happens to.' Order a Guinness, grab a Jameson, and if someone at the table insists on wine, point them toward the Dr. Frank and move on.
East Syracuse / Carrier Circle · Syracuse · Italian-American
Joey's is clearly a beloved Syracuse institution doing right by its food and its new space — but the wine list is running on autopilot and charging you for the privilege. Come for the Chicken Riggies, just don't come for the wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Syracuse · Italian / New American
A Mano isn't a destination wine list, but it's an honest one — fair prices, Italian focus that matches the food, and enough by-the-glass options to drink well without overthinking it. Send a friend here for dinner without hesitation; just don't promise them a cellar tour.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Syracuse · Seafood
The Fish Friar has no business having a wine list this well-considered, and we mean that as a compliment. If you're eating fried fish in downtown Syracuse and you're not ordering the Chablis or the Finger Lakes Riesling, you're leaving something on the table.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Skaneateles / Greater Syracuse · Syracuse · French
Joelle's isn't trying to be a wine destination — it's a French bistro that takes its wine list seriously enough to match the food, and that's exactly what it delivers. If you're eating here and drinking French, you'll leave satisfied.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Skaneateles · Syracuse · American, regional tavern fare
The Sherwood Inn is a reliable wine stop, not a destination one — the Finger Lakes selections are genuinely good, but the markups on crowd-pleaser bottles are hard to forgive. Stick to the local producers, skip the California staples, and you'll drink well enough in a room that earns its keep on atmosphere alone.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Skaneateles · Syracuse · Modern American, Fine Dining
The Krebs is a genuinely special place to eat — the setting, the food, the occasion of it all — but the wine program is coasting on the restaurant's reputation rather than earning its own. Until someone with real passion takes over that list, treat the wine budget as a tax and order accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Redmond · Redmond · Irish Pub
JJ Mahoney's is a good pub for a pint and some fish and chips — but the wine list is purely functional, not worth seeking out. If wine is your priority tonight, eat here and drink somewhere else after.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Side Oshkosh · Oshkosh · Irish Pub
Dublin's isn't a wine destination and it doesn't pretend to be — but the pricing is fair, the Whitehaven earns its spot, and Thursday half-price bottles make this a genuinely smart stop if you're already here for the pub food. Send your wine-curious friends on a Thursday.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Sandy Springs · Atlanta · Irish Pub
O'Reilly's earns the Lazy List badge because the wine program is objectively minimal — and it knows it. But the Honorable Mention is warranted because the backstory is too rich to ignore. A wine distributor who opens an Irish pub and puts seven-dollar Wine'd Up Wednesdays as the entire wine offering is either the world's greatest troll or a man who understands that sometimes the best wine is a properly poured pint of Guinness. Either way, Wednesday nights are fun and the irony pairs beautifully with the fish and chips.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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