Skyline Views, Surprisingly Decent Pours
Downtown · Grand Rapids · Rooftop Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 28, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into IDC, you half-expect a wine list that stops at 'red, white, or pink' — it's a rooftop lounge, after all. But there's something going on here that's more considered than the vibe lets on. Twelve wines, all by the glass, with actual regional breadth and a local Michigan pour thrown in for good measure.
For a bar that could easily get away with four Kendall-Jackson bottles and call it a day, IDC makes some legitimately interesting choices. The Abbazia di Novacella Pinot Grigio from Alto Adige is miles above the commodity stuff, and the BOS Wine 'All That Is Gold' Riesling from Old Mission Peninsula gives the list a local anchor that feels intentional, not tokenistic. There's sparkling covered two ways with the Moët 187ml and Freixenet Rosé mini, which suits the rooftop occasion nicely. The red side is thinner — Ultraviolet Cab, Folk Machine Pinot, and the Three Wine 'Faux Pas' blend — functional, not exciting, but at least Folk Machine earns its spot.
Every single wine on the list is available by the glass, which is exactly right for a rooftop lounge where people are sipping, not cellaring. The range runs $13 to $24 and covers enough ground — sparkling, white, rosé, red — that anyone in your group can find something. Rotation appears minimal; this feels like a list that gets revisited seasonally at best.
Folk Machine Pinot Noir, Central Coast, California — $15
Folk Machine consistently punches above its weight as a producer, and at $15 a glass on a rooftop in downtown Grand Rapids, this is the best liquid-to-dollar ratio on the list. Light, food-friendly, and approachable without being boring.
BOS Wine 'All That Is Gold' Riesling, Old Mission Peninsula, Michigan
Most people at a trendy rooftop bar scroll right past Riesling — their loss. Old Mission Peninsula is turning out genuinely compelling wines, and having a Michigan-grown Riesling on this list is a quiet win. Order it before everyone else catches on.
Moët & Chandon Brut Champagne 187ml
Twenty-four dollars for a 187ml mini — that's a 6oz pour, roughly — of entry-level Moët. The math doesn't love you here. If you want bubbles, the Sommariva Prosecco at $16 is a far better use of your tab.
Arca Nova Vinho Verde Rosé, Minho, Portugal + Charcuterie or light bites
Vinho Verde Rosé is practically engineered for rooftop drinking — it's low-alcohol, slightly effervescent, and refreshing on a warm evening. Light snacks and salty bites amplify the wine's citrusy snap, and the whole thing feels exactly right with a skyline in front of you.
🎲 The Bottom Line
IDC isn't a wine destination, but it's a rooftop bar that actually tried — and that alone puts it ahead of most spots at this category. Show up for the views, stay for the Folk Machine and the Michigan Riesling.
Downtown / Amway Grand Plaza · Grand Rapids · Spanish / Modern European
MDRD is a Wild Card because it earns its badge the hard way: a hotel rooftop in the Midwest has no business carrying Bodega Chacra or a thoughtful local Michigan Pinot, and yet here we are. Markups keep it from being a destination wine list, but if you're already up there for the views and the paella, there are worse ways to spend your glass pours.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Grand Rapids · New American / Teaching Restaurant
A teaching restaurant that could embarrass a few actual restaurants on the wine front — fair prices, genuine producers, and a France-meets-Michigan list that has more intention behind it than most spots charging twice as much. Go in without expectations and leave genuinely impressed.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Grand Rapids · Fondue-focused American/Swiss-style chain
The Melting Pot's wine list is the dining equivalent of a reliable sedan — it gets you where you're going without any surprises, good or bad. Send a friend here for the experience, not the wine, but reassure them they won't be embarrassed by what's in the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kentwood / Southeast · Grand Rapids · Upscale Casual American
Cooper's Hawk Kentwood is exactly what it is — a well-run chain winery restaurant with fair prices, a crowd-pleasing list, and staff that's enthusiastic if not deeply expert. Don't come here expecting to find your new favorite grower Champagne; do come here knowing you'll drink something decent without getting gouged.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Midtown · Grand Rapids · Gastro Pub / Contemporary American Comfort Food
The Friesian is a neighborhood pub that happens to have wine — and there's nothing wrong with that. Come on a Wednesday when glasses are half price, order the Tempranillo or the Malbec, and stop overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Grand Rapids · Casual Italian-American, Sports Bar
Uccello's Downtown is a perfectly solid place to watch a game and eat a pizza — just don't show up expecting the wine list to match the ambition of the kitchen. Order the Nero d'Avola, grab it during happy hour if you can, and save your serious wine drinking for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Reno · Reno · Rooftop Bar
The Perch is a rooftop bar that happens to have a decent wine list, not a wine destination that happens to have a rooftop. Come on a Wednesday, order something from the Stag's Leap or Far Niente end of the list, and enjoy the view — that's the move.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Spokane · Rooftop Bar
Keylor Grand is the wine list equivalent of the view itself — looks great from a distance, solid enough up close, but not something you'd cross town for on wine alone. Wednesday half-price bottles are the real reason to make a reservation.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Main Street · Blue Ridge · Rooftop Bar
The Lookout is a sunset cocktail spot with mountain views and a wine list that exists because it has to. The view is the Rager here.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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