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 →
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.
Uptown · Columbus · Fusion / New American
Vertigo shouldn't have a wine list this interesting — and that's the whole point. If you're anywhere near Columbus, Georgia and care even a little about what's in your glass, this place is worth the detour.
Surprising Depth
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Columbus · Seafood chain
This is a wine program in name only — three crowd-pleaser labels at chain markups with no soul behind the selection. Order a cocktail or a beer and spend your money somewhere it's appreciated.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Columbus · Rooftop American
Eighteen85 is a place to drink wine, not to drink well. Come for the view, order something cold, and set your expectations accordingly — the list won't surprise you, but at least it won't bankrupt you either.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Columbus · New American
For Columbus, Georgia, The Animal Farm's wine list is a genuine Wild Card — small but considered, fairly priced, and stocked with producers most local restaurants haven't heard of. We'd absolutely send a friend here with instructions to start with the Riesling and work their way through the whites.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Columbus · American / Bistro
The Loft is a great time if you're there for the music, the scene, or a solid burger — but the wine list is along for the ride, not leading the charge. Come thirsty for the atmosphere; manage your expectations on the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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
· Ashland · American Bar & Grill
Louie's of Ashland is doing what a neighborhood bar-and-grill should — keeping the list approachable, nodding to local producers like Abacela and Del Rio, and not gouging anyone in the process. It's not a destination for wine, but it's a comfortable place to drink something decent while you eat. If you're in Ashland and not chasing a serious cellar, you won't leave disappointed.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Topeka · American Bar & Grill
Blue Moose isn't here for wine, and wine isn't here for Blue Moose. Order a local draft and call it a day — but if you absolutely need a glass, reach for the La Vieille Ferme Rosé and manage your expectations accordingly.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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