Oceanfront Crowd-Pleaser With Familiar Faces
Kailua Pier / Ali'i Drive · Kailua-Kona · Seafood & Steak · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Fish Hopper Seafood & Steak’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 view does a lot of heavy lifting here — you're sitting on the water on Ali'i Drive and the wine list lands like a greatest-hits album from a Costco wine aisle. Everything is recognizable, nothing surprises, and that's clearly by design for a room full of vacationers who just want something cold and drinkable.
Fish Hopper leans hard into California safe bets: Rombauer Chardonnay, Francis Ford Coppola Cab, J. Lohr, and a handful of Sycamore Lane bottles anchoring the budget end. The list covers the basics — white, red, rosé, sparkling — without venturing anywhere near interesting. There's no old-world presence to speak of, no Oregon Pinot to complement the seafood-heavy menu beyond a couple of Central Coast options, and no real reason to trade up. The Roar Pinot Noir is the one wine here that signals someone, at some point, was paying attention.
Glass pour specifics aren't published, but the roster of producers suggests a standard by-the-glass program pulling from the same lineup — expect Sycamore Lane and Line 39 as the house pours at the lower end and Rombauer as the splurge option. Rotation appears nonexistent; this list reads like it hasn't been touched since the menu was last laminated.
J. Lohr Chardonnay — Unknown
J. Lohr consistently punches above its price point and holds up better than the Sycamore Lane house options. If you're going white at a seafood spot, this is the move — reliable, food-friendly, and not embarrassing.
Roar Pinot Noir
Roar is a Santa Lucia Highlands producer that most tourists will scroll right past in favor of the Estancia or Line 39. It's a legitimate wine from a legitimate place, and it stands out like a sore thumb on this list — in the best possible way.
Francis Ford Coppola Cabernet Sauvignon
A Cab that's fine at a grocery store shelf price becomes a questionable decision at restaurant markup on a Hawaii oceanfront. You're paying for the name and the view, not the wine.
Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc + Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bread Bowl
Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc from Monterey has enough citrus and herbaceous brightness to cut through the richness of a cream-heavy chowder without getting steamrolled. It's the most thoughtful match on a list that doesn't try very hard.
The Bottom Line
Fish Hopper is a perfectly decent place to drink wine if you're already there for the ocean view and the clam chowder — just don't come expecting the list to impress anyone. Stick to the better California producers, avoid the house wine trap, and let the sunset do the work.
Waikoloa · Kailua-Kona · Hawaii Regional Cuisine / Asian Fusion Seafood Grill
Roy's Waikoloa is a reliable night out with food that outpaces the wine list by a full length. Drink the Sonoma-Cutrer with the butterfish, skip the markups on the obvious stuff, and let the view do the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikoloa · Kailua-Kona · Italian osteria with locally sourced Hawaiian ingredients
Pueo's isn't building a destination wine program, but it's doing something harder — keeping prices honest in a market that rarely does. Send your friends here for dinner; just know the list is a supporting character, not the headliner.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikoloa · Kailua-Kona · Beachside Hawaiian and Pacific Rim
Come for the sand, the sunset, and the Huli Huli chicken — just don't come expecting the wine list to match the view. Order the best white they have cold, tip your server well, and make peace with it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Alii Drive · Kailua-Kona · Hawaiian-style barbecue / plate lunches
We would never send someone to TJ's for the wine list — we'd send them for the smoked brisket and the ocean view. But if you want something in a glass while you eat, the list does just enough to keep you covered, and $12 a pour is fair by Hawaii standards.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kailua-Kona · Kailua-Kona · Hawaiian-inspired and pan-Pacific fare with a classic tiki bar
Don the Beachcomber is a genuinely fun place to spend an evening in Kona, and the cocktail program absolutely earns its reputation — so get the mai tai and leave the wine list alone. If you insist on a bottle, grab the La Crema, accept your losses, and watch the sunset.
Crowd Pleasers
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kailua-Kona · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary American and Seafood
Come for the manta rays and the sunset, order a cocktail, and make your peace with it. The wine list is a hotel afterthought dressed in markup we can't recommend with a straight face.
Crowd Pleasers
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Ogden · Ogden · Seafood & Steak
Market Street Grill is a reliable, comfortable seafood house where the wine list does its job without doing anything particularly interesting — you'll find something that works with your oysters, but you won't be texting anyone about it afterward. Go for the food and the classic atmosphere; the wine is there to support, not steal the show.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Embarcadero · San Francisco · Seafood & Steak
Angler is the kind of place where the wine program won't embarrass you or surprise you — it's calibrated, competent, and priced for a room where a $200 bottle is a normal Tuesday. If you're chasing value, look elsewhere; if you're chasing a great bottle with great seafood on the water, this earns its seat.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Kingsbury Grade / Stateline · South Lake Tahoe · Seafood & Steak
Chart House Tahoe is a beautiful place to watch the sun drop over the water, but the wine list is strictly an afterthought — safe, generic, and clearly not a priority for the kitchen or the chain. Drink the Riesling with your fish, order the Sherry with dessert, and save your serious wine budget for somewhere that cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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