Great View, Grocery Store Wine List
Ali'i Drive / Waterfront · Kailua-Kona · American pub fare and bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 24, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Humpy's Big Island Alehouse’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You're sitting on a lively waterfront patio in Kailua-Kona with the Pacific doing its thing right in front of you, and then the wine list lands. It's short, California-only, and reads like someone grabbed a case from Costco and called it a program. The beer list is clearly where Humpy's put its energy, and fair enough — but if wine is your thing, you'll notice the mismatch immediately.
Ten to twenty wines, all California, with the visible anchors being Edna Valley Chardonnay, Rosehaven Rosé, and Josh Craftsman Cabernet Sauvignon — the kind of bottles you'd find stacked near the checkout at Total Wine. There's no old world representation, no Pinot Noir, no sparkling, no texture or range to speak of. This is a list built for convenience, not curiosity. If you came to Hawaii hoping to explore something interesting with your fish and chips, the wine list won't be your vehicle.
Six to ten pours by the glass, which sounds decent until you realize the roster barely changes from the bottle list. The happy hour pricing on the Edna Valley Chardonnay, Rosehaven Rosé, and Josh Cab is genuinely the best reason to engage with the wine program here. Outside of happy hour, the value proposition gets thin fast.
Edna Valley Chardonnay — Happy hour pricing
Edna Valley is a reliable Central Coast producer making clean, food-friendly Chardonnay. At happy hour, it's the most defensible glass on the list — honest wine at a price that won't sting.
Rosehaven Rosé
It's easy to overlook rosé at a sports bar, but on a hot Kona afternoon with an ocean breeze, a cold glass of Rosehaven Rosé is actually the right call. Nobody orders it, which means it might be the freshest pour on the list.
Josh Craftsman Cabernet Sauvignon
Josh Cellars markets hard and delivers little. A Cab Sauv at a humid waterfront bar in Hawaii is already a stretch, and paying pub markup for one of the most over-distributed brands in the country makes it a hard no. Order a local draft instead.
Edna Valley Chardonnay + Fish and chips
The Chardonnay's brightness and light citrus cut through the batter without fighting the fish — it's the most logical match on a list that doesn't give you many options.
The Bottom Line
Humpy's is a genuinely fun spot to watch a game, drink a craft beer, and catch a sunset over Ali'i Drive — but the wine list is an afterthought at best. If wine matters to you even a little, save it for a proper dinner elsewhere and come here for the cold beer and the view.
· Kailua-Kona · Pop-up Wine Bar / Events
Kona Wine Nights earns its Wild Card badge precisely because it defies the normal restaurant wine calculus — you're buying into an experience led by a sommelier, scored by local musicians, and framed by a Hawaiian sunset. We can't verify the specific bottles or pricing, so we're not going to pretend otherwise, but the concept is genuinely compelling for anyone who wants something more than a Caymus pour at a hotel bar. If you're in Kailua-Kona and want a wine night that feels like it was designed with intention, this is worth the ticket.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · Modern Hawaiian / Tasting-Style
CanoeHouse is a beautiful place to drink wine — the setting, the seafood, and the overall experience justify the splurge on a special night. But the wine program itself appears to be resort-standard: solid, Champagne-and-Burgundy-leaning, and priced for the zip code rather than the quality in the glass. Come for the view and the lobster tempura; don't come expecting a list that surprises you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hilton Waikoloa Village · Kailua-Kona · Steak & Seafood
Kamuela Provision Company has a stunning setting and almost certainly a strong kitchen, but its documented wine program is barely a program at all. If you're here for the view and the fresh catch, order something off the cocktail menu instead — one Chardonnay at a 3x markup isn't worth building a dinner around.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · New American / Hawaiian
Magics Beach Grill earns its reputation on atmosphere, not its wine program — and there's nothing wrong with that, as long as you know what you're walking into. If the sunset and the fresh fish are the draw, go for it; just don't expect the list to keep pace with the view. A happy hour window from 2–5 pm and again at 8 pm to close gives you a reason to order a glass without overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · Italian-Inspired / Casual
Kai is a great place to watch the sun drop into the Pacific with something cold in your hand — just don't expect the wine list to be the reason you went. The program is serviceable for the setting, but with resort-level markups likely baked in, the cocktail menu might be a smarter play. If wine is your priority, lower your expectations before you sit down; if the view is your priority, you're exactly where you should be.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Kailua-Kona · Seafood / Steakhouse
Huggo's is a reliable enough place to drink wine if you're already there for the view and the fresh fish — just don't come expecting value or discovery. The regional mix is competent, the setting is genuinely spectacular, and the list will get you through dinner without incident. If you're a wine-first traveler, this probably isn't your destination, but it's a perfectly reasonable stop if the ahi tuna is calling your name.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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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