Airport Chain Wine: Exactly What You'd Expect
Airport / East Columbus · Columbus · American Bar & Grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Houlihan's – Columbus Airport Area’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 wine list at this DoubleTree-adjacent Houlihan's is exactly what you'd expect from a chain restaurant catering to travelers who just want something familiar after a long flight. It's a laminated insert of greatest hits — the kind of list assembled by a corporate committee somewhere in Kansas City, not by anyone who actually cares about wine. If you're hoping for a surprise, keep moving.
The list clocks in around 25-35 labels and covers California, New Zealand, Italy, and Washington State, which sounds broader than it actually is. In practice, it's a parade of grocery store shelf-talker favorites — Kim Crawford, Kendall-Jackson, La Marca — brands engineered for mass recognition, not for drinking well. There's no depth here, no grower Champagne tucked in the corner, no interesting regional American producer. It's a list that exists to minimize friction, not to offer anything worth talking about.
Eight to twelve by-the-glass options sound reasonable until you realize they're all pulling from the same short bench of commercial producers. Prices run $8–$14 a glass, which feels acceptable until you remember you can buy most of these bottles at Kroger for $12–$15 retail. The markup math doesn't pencil out in your favor.
La Marca Prosecco — $8
If you're going to drink here, bubbles are your safest escape hatch. La Marca is a crowd-pleaser Prosecco that's at least refreshing and hard to mess up. At the low end of the glass price range, it's the least painful option on the list.
Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon
Martini is one of the oldest Napa producers and their Sonoma Cab regularly punches above its price class. Most people at a place like this will grab the Kendall-Jackson out of habit, but the Martini is the more interesting bottle if you're going red.
Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay
KJ Chardonnay is a $14 retail bottle dressed up in restaurant pricing. You've had it a hundred times, it offers nothing new, and you're paying a significant premium for the privilege of drinking something you could grab at any gas station with a wine section.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc + Spinach Artichoke Dip
Kim Crawford's trademark citrus and grassy bite cuts through the richness of a cream-heavy dip better than anything else on this list. It's not a profound pairing, but it's a functional one — and at Houlihan's, functional is the ceiling.
The Bottom Line
This is airport-adjacent chain wine, full stop — familiar labels at inflated prices for a captive audience that mostly wants something cold and wet after traveling. Order a cocktail instead, or hit the hotel bar and call it a night.
Midtown Columbus · Columbus · Seafood
Red Lobster 13th St. is not a wine destination — it's a seafood chain where wine exists because a menu has to have one. Order the Riesling with your lobster tail, enjoy the Cheddar Bay Biscuits, and make your peace with it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Riverwalk / Downtown Columbus · Columbus · American
Denim & Oak isn't going to make anyone's wine pilgrimage list, but for Columbus, Georgia, it's a legitimately decent place to drink — fair prices, a deep BTG program, and Wine Down Wednesday as a reason to come back. Just steer clear of the Concha y Toro and head straight for the Orin Swift or the Oregon section.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
North Columbus · Columbus · American Barbecue and Grill
Smokey Bones is a perfectly fine place to eat ribs and watch a game — just don't come here for the wine. Order a cold beer, save your wine budget for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Columbus / Whittlesey Boulevard · Columbus · Modern American
Ivory & Oak is a reliable wine stop in a city that isn't exactly crawling with serious lists — the room is great, the pours are familiar, and the markup is the main thing holding it back from something better. Go for the steak, order the Merlot, and don't expect to be challenged.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Airport / East Columbus · Columbus · Hotel Restaurant
If you're stuck at the DoubleTree and the flight is delayed, Houlihan's will keep you fed and adequately watered — but don't mistake that for a wine program worth seeking out. Order the Etude Pinot or the Malbec, skip the sangria, and manage your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Uptown · Columbus · Pub
The Rail Pub is not here to advance your wine education, and that's fine — it's a pub, it sells beer, and the wine list exists as an afterthought for the table that didn't want beer. Order the J. Lohr if you need a glass of something real; otherwise, get a pint and stop looking at the wine menu.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Main · Bozeman · American Bar & Grill
Bay Bar & Grille isn't a wine destination — it's a neighborhood spot where the wine list quietly does its job better than expected. If you're in Bozeman and need a reliably solid glass with your burger or steak, you won't leave disappointed.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Champaign · American Bar & Grill
Guido's is not a wine destination and makes no pretense of being one — this is a beer-and-cocktails bar that stocks six house pours so nobody goes thirsty. Come for the bar atmosphere; skip the wine list entirely.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Riverfront · Fort Wayne · American Bar & Grill
The Deck is a great place to spend an afternoon — just don't come here for the wine. Order a local beer or a cocktail, grab a burger, and let the river do the heavy lifting.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
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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