Happy Hour Hero, Bottle List Plays It Safe
Stonebriar · Frisco · American grill and sushi, contemporary Asian-American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 28, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Kona Grill Frisco reads like a greatest hits compilation — Caymus, Whispering Angel, The Prisoner, Rombauer. You've seen this list before, probably at four other upscale-casual chains in the same zip code. That said, the by-the-glass program is surprisingly broad, and the happy hour pricing makes a lot of this forgivable.
Thirty-eight labels sounds decent until you realize the California Cabernet section alone accounts for a disproportionate chunk of it — Caymus appears in at least three forms (flagship, Bonanza, and Sea Sun for Pinot). There's a nod to New Zealand with Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc and a token French presence via Whispering Angel and Veuve Clicquot, but don't come here looking for Burgundy, Rhône, or anything that requires explanation. Justin Isosceles from Paso Robles is the one bottle that suggests someone on the wine-buying side has a pulse. The gaps are real: no Spanish wines, no German Riesling, nothing from South America.
Twenty-eight by-the-glass options is a genuinely impressive number for this format — the problem is the spread skews heavily toward mid-tier California crowd-pleasers. Happy hour drops pours to $6–$9, which is where this program really earns its keep; at full price, options like Kim Crawford at $16/glass start to feel like a stretch. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority, so what you see on the menu is probably what you'll get for the next six months.
Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough, New Zealand — $9 (happy hour)
Craggy Range is a legitimately respected New Zealand producer, and catching this during happy hour makes it the smartest pour on the list — bright, food-friendly, and a real step above the Kim Crawford alternative.
Justin Isosceles, Paso Robles
Most tables here are ordering Caymus on autopilot, which means Justin Isosceles — a Bordeaux-style blend from one of Paso's best producers — gets ignored. It's more interesting, probably better food-matched to the sushi-grill menu, and gives you something to actually talk about.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
At $145 a bottle, you're paying a significant restaurant premium for a wine that retails around $85–$90. It's fine wine, but Kona Grill Frisco is not the place to drop a Benjamin-plus on Napa Cab. Order the Bonanza instead and save the flagship Caymus for somewhere that stores it properly.
Mer Soleil Silver by Caymus, Unoaked, Monterey County + Kona Signature Macadamia Nut Chicken
The unoaked Chardonnay keeps things bright and clean — no butter-bomb competition with the macadamia crust, just crisp acidity that cuts through the richness without bullying the dish.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Kona Grill Frisco won't surprise you, and that's kind of the point — it's a reliable, crowd-pleasing wine program built for a busy suburban bar crowd, not serious wine exploration. Come for happy hour, order the Craggy Range, and leave the $145 Caymus for someone else.
The Star / Lebanon Road · Frisco · Neapolitan Pizza
Cane Rosso Frisco isn't a wine destination, but the Tuesday and Wednesday half-price program turns a grocery-store-safe list into a genuinely compelling reason to show up mid-week. Come for the pizza, come back on a Tuesday, and don't overthink the wine.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Stonebriar Centre · Frisco · Asian-fusion, Chinese-inspired
P.F. Chang's Frisco isn't trying to impress anyone with its wine program, and it shows — this is a list built for familiarity, not discovery, with pricing to match. Eat the Mongolian Beef, maybe grab a cocktail, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that returns the favor.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
The Star · Frisco · Southern, Modern American Comfort Food
Tupelo Honey Frisco isn't a wine destination, but it's a fair one — and Wine Wednesday half-price bottles make it genuinely worth planning around. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Fried Chicken & Waffles, and grab a bottle without sweating the markup.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
The Shops at Starwood · Frisco · French Bistro
Bonnie Ruth's is a pleasant neighborhood bistro that treats wine as a supporting character rather than a destination — the list does its job without embarrassing anyone, but the markups are consistently steep for what you're getting. If you're going, go on a Wednesday when half-price bottles make the math a lot easier to swallow.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Preston Road / Stonebriar · Frisco · Seafood / Oyster Bar
Half Shells Frisco is not a wine destination, and it knows it — but Monday's half-price bottle deal genuinely changes the math. Come for the oysters, grab a bottle of Santa Margherita at half off, and call it a win.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Main Street / Eldorado Pkwy · Frisco · Pizza, Italian-American, Gastropub
Taverna Rossa Frisco is a solid neighborhood spot where the wine list won't embarrass anyone but also won't inspire anyone. Go for the pizza, pick the Chianti, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
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.