A Wine Bar In Name Only
· Olympia · New American / Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Dockside Bistro & Wine Bar’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
The word 'Wine Bar' is right there in the name, so you'd be forgiven for expecting something serious. What you actually get is a 13-bottle list that reads like the grab-and-go rack at a mid-tier grocery store. The promise and the reality are not on speaking terms.
Every single bottle on this list clocks in at exactly $45 — which is either bold pricing simplicity or a red flag depending on how charitable you're feeling. The roster is wall-to-wall mass-market labels: Kim Crawford, Santa Margherita, Wolf Blass, Fat Bastard, and Wayne Gretzky make appearances, which tells you this list was built for brand recognition, not discovery. There's a token nod to Old World with a Classico Chianti and a Chilean Cab from Perez Cruz, but neither is here to impress anyone. Thirteen bottles for a place calling itself a wine bar is thin — a neighborhood bistro with no wine ambitions would have an excuse, but a self-described wine bar does not.
Eight of the thirteen bottles pour by the glass at a flat $13 each, which sounds accessible until you remember these are largely $12-$15 retail bottles being served at near-bottle-price per glass. The selection rotates exactly never — what's on the list is what's on the list, full stop.
Perez Cruz Cabernet Sauvignon — $45
It's the one bottle on this list that has any real pedigree. Perez Cruz makes solid Maipo Valley Cab with actual structure and depth — it punches above its weight class and stands out immediately against the brand-name crowd surrounding it.
Wakefield Shiraz
Clare Valley Shiraz is persistently underrated, and Wakefield does it well — it's fuller and spicier than most people expect from an Australian Shiraz at this price point. Among this list, it's the sleeper.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
At $45 a bottle, you're paying a steep premium for a brand that retails for around $20 and has been coasting on its 1980s reputation ever since. There are better pours for the same money right here on this short list.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc + Seafood — any grilled or pan-seared fish on the menu
It's a predictable pick, but it earns it — Kim Crawford's grapefruit-forward, high-acid profile is a natural match for Pacific Northwest seafood. If you're eating fish in Olympia, this is the path of least resistance that actually works.
The Bottom Line
Dockside leans hard on the 'Wine Bar' label but delivers a flat, overpriced, mass-market list that doesn't back it up. Order a cocktail or a local beer and save the wine for somewhere that cares.
Downtown · Olympia · Pacific Northwest brasserie / American
Cascadia Grill isn't a wine destination, but it's a fair and functional list that won't leave you feeling ripped off or bored — and in downtown Olympia, that's more than enough to earn a return visit. Take a Washington bottle, order the salmon, and enjoy the Bigfoot decor.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westside / Capitol Mall · Olympia · Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi
Fujiyama is a fun night out — but the wine list is an obligation, not an attraction. Stick to sake or cocktails and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that returns the favor.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Percival Landing / Waterfront · Olympia · Seafood-focused American
Budd Bay Café is not a wine destination, but it's a perfectly functional place to drink a decent glass of Washington white while watching boats drift across Budd Inlet. Send your friends here for the view and the chowder — just steer them toward the Barnard Griffin and away from the Sutter Home.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Eastside · Olympia · Grocery café with mixed American and Asian options, plus full wine and beer retail
Ralph's Thriftway shouldn't be this good at wine, and that's exactly why it earns the Wild Card. If you're in Olympia and need a bottle — or ten — skip the chain stores and come here first.
Surprising Depth
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Capitol Lake / Westside · Olympia · Wine Bar / Cocktail Lounge
Swing's upstairs lounge is the kind of place that surprises you — a Cayuse Cailloux and a Clos de Lambrays Grand Cru don't belong on a list this size in a city this small, and yet there they are. Markups push steep on the top shelf, but there's enough here to make it worth the trip if you know where to look.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westside / Harrison · Olympia · American
Iron Rabbit isn't a wine destination, but it's a neighborhood bar that actually tried — and in Olympia's Westside, that matters. If you're already here for dinner, you'll drink well without a second thought.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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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