Old-World Soul Meets Central Coast Cellar
Pacific Grove · Monterey · Mediterranean / European · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Fandango Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Fandango hits you like a well-curated wine shop in the middle of Pacific Grove — which is to say, you don't quite expect it. Champagne goes deep fast, and the California section has real ambition. This is not a list that was thrown together.
Fandango runs a legitimately serious cellar. The Champagne section alone spans from Domaine Chandon Etoile to a Bollinger R.D. 2000 Double Magnum and a 2006 Dom Pérignon, which tells you someone here has been paying attention for a long time. The California whites lean into the Monterey County home turf — Bernardus, Talbott, Lucia Pisoni — while also reaching into Kosta Browne, Kistler, and Paul Hobbs territory for the heavy hitters. There are genuine old-world surprises tucked in, like a 1998 Weingut Robert Weil Riesling Auslese and a 1998 Domaine Weinbach Gewurztraminer Cuvée Laurence that suggest a cellar with actual memory. The Bordeaux section digs into prestige territory — Lafite 1978, Cheval Blanc 1999, Pétrus 1981 — making this feel more like a destination list than a neighborhood afterthought.
By-the-glass specifics aren't published on the website, which is a frustrating gap for anyone trying to plan a lighter evening. Given the bottle price floor of $45, we'd expect the pours to be reasonable, but we can't confirm counts or rotation — ask your server before committing to a bottle.
Morgan Winery 'Twelve Clones' Sta. Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir 2023 — $54
Fifty-four dollars for a legit Sta. Lucia Highlands Pinot from a producer who actually knows this appellation — this is the bottle you order when you want to drink well without doing math all night.
Weingut Robert Weil Riesling Auslese Kiedrich Grafenberg 1998
A 1998 German Riesling Auslese from one of the Rheingau's best estates, sitting on a list surrounded by Napa Cabs and Champagne. Most tables will walk right past it. Don't. This is aged sweetness with electric acidity and zero peers on this list.
Caymus Vineyards Napa Valley 2023
At $175, you're paying a significant premium for a wine that's become shorthand for overextracted Cab at every steakhouse in America. The list has far more interesting options at lower price points — this one's for the table that won't hear otherwise.
E. Guigal Condrieu 2022 + Bouillabaisse
Condrieu's rich, floral Viognier character plays beautifully against the saffron and seafood complexity of a classic bouillabaisse — the wine's weight matches the broth's depth without overpowering the delicate fish.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Fandango is punching well above its coastal casual-fine-dining weight class with a list that has real depth, genuine age, and some legitimately exciting outliers. The markups keep it from true Rager status, but if you're in Pacific Grove and want to drink seriously, this is your spot.
Cannery Row · Monterey · Lounge
Chart House's happy hour wine program exists to keep your glass full while you stare at the Pacific — and on that level, at $8–$10 a pour, it succeeds. But if wine is actually why you're here, Cannery Row can do better.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Fisherman's Wharf · Monterey · Casual Seafood
Riva Fish House is a reliable pour for what it is — a casual, tourist-friendly wharf spot that keeps the wine list simple and the prices honest. Send a friend here for a glass of Chardonnay and the chowder; don't send them here expecting anything that'll make them rethink their relationship with wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Fremont / Beachfront · Monterey · American, Seafood
The Lantern Room is what happens when a hotel restaurant actually tries — a locally anchored wine list, a sommelier in the building, and enough interesting producers to make the steep markup sting a little less. Send a friend here if they love Central Coast wine; warn them to skip the Cab and lean into what this coast actually grows.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
North Fremont / Beachfront · Monterey · Seafood / Beachfront
Tidewater is riding entirely on its beachfront location, and the wine list makes no effort to be anything more than a functional afterthought. Stick to the glass pours, pick the most credible name you can find, and keep your eyes on the water.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Cannery Row · Monterey · New American with seafood, house-made pasta, and flatbread pizza
Lalla Oceanside isn't a wine destination, but it's a genuinely fair deal for what it is — a lively Cannery Row spot where the list supports the food without gouging you. If you stick to the Bernardus or the Albariño and grab a window seat, you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Monterey · Monterey · Breakfast / Brunch
The Club Room won't blow your mind, but it won't embarrass you either — it's a hotel wine list that at least has the sense to lean into its regional backyard. If you're already staying at the Portola, it's an easy yes; if you're driving across town just for the wine, keep driving.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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