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.
Ali'i Drive / Waterfront · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary Hawaiian Café and American
Island Lava Java is genuinely great for Kona coffee, breakfast, and that Ali'i Drive ocean view — just don't show up expecting the wine list to match the scenery. Order a pour of the Fleur de Mer rosé, enjoy the trade winds, and call it a day.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Honokohau Harbor (North Kona) · Kailua-Kona · Casual American bar & grill with Hawaiian influences
Harbor House isn't a wine destination, but it's doing more with 17 labels than most waterfront bars bother to attempt. If you're grabbing a harbor-view lunch or a casual dinner after a dive, there's a real, honest pour waiting for you here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Mauna Kea Resort · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary Hawaiʻi Regional Seafood
Manta is a beautiful place to drink wine — the setting alone earns a pass on some of the list's shortcomings. But you're paying resort premiums for a 27-bottle list that plays it safe, so go in knowing the view is part of what you're buying.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Mauna Lani Resort · Kailua-Kona · Upscale American Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Mauna Lani does exactly what it promises: a deep, California-forward wine list served in proper glassware at steep resort prices inside a flawless steakhouse setting. You won't discover anything new here, but if you're after a great bottle of Napa Cab with your Prime filet and an ocean breeze somewhere nearby, this list will not let you down.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Pawai Place / Kailua Industrial · Kailua-Kona · Hawaiian, Seafood, Hawaii Regional Cuisine
Umekes isn't a wine destination, but the pricing is honest, the glass count is surprisingly high, and the Riesling-with-poke move alone is worth knowing about. Send your friends here for the food; the wine will take care of itself.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ali'i Drive / Waterfront · Kailua-Kona · Steakhouse
This is a chain wine program doing exactly what corporate tells it to — nothing more, nothing less. If you're in Kailua-Kona for the wine, you're in the wrong zip code and definitely the wrong restaurant.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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