Safe Harbor for the Suburban Wine Drinker
· McKinney · American Asian Fusion · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 20, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Kona Grill McKinney’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The Kona Grill wine list reads like it was assembled by someone who Googled 'most popular wines in America' and then ordered accordingly. Seventy-five labels sounds impressive until you realize a third of them are Chardonnay, and every brand is something you've already seen at a grocery store endcap. There's nothing offensive here — just nothing that surprises you either.
The white wine section is doing the heavy lifting, and doing it in the most predictable way possible: Butter, La Crema, Sonoma-Cutrer, Rombauer — a Chardonnay parade that hits every suburban restaurant checkbox. Sauvignon Blanc gets a respectable trio with Kim Crawford, Seaglass, and the slightly more interesting Craggy Range from Martinborough, New Zealand. The Ecco Domani and Chloe Pinot Grigios are grocery store standbys that exist solely to satisfy guests who don't want to think too hard. Red and sparkling selections round out the 75-label count, but the bones of this list are white, California-forward, and deeply safe.
Thirty-six by-the-glass options is a genuinely impressive number, and it's the best thing about this program — nearly half the list is pourable without committing to a bottle. Glass prices run $11 to $19, which is fair for McKinney but still feels like a nudge toward the lower end of the rack. Chandon Brut and Chandon Rosé at $19 a glass are the ceiling, and they're fine, but you're paying cocktail prices for entry-level California bubbles.
Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough — null
This is the one bottle on the list that shows a little range beyond the obvious. Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc has more texture and herbal complexity than the Marlborough stuff everyone defaults to — and Craggy Range is a legit producer. If pricing is in line with the rest of the list, it's the most interesting dollar you can spend here.
Mer Soleil by Caymus Silver Unoaked Chardonnay, Monterey County
In a lineup stuffed with buttery, oaky Chardonnays, an unoaked option from a Caymus side project is genuinely useful. Most tables at Kona Grill will walk right past it for Rombauer, but if you're eating anything with Asian-leaning flavors — ginger, citrus, soy — this crisp, fruit-forward pour is the smarter call.
Veuve Clicquot
At $100 a bottle, Veuve is being asked to carry all the weight of 'fancy Champagne' on this list with zero competition and zero reason to be priced fairly. It's a fine bottle, but $100 at a suburban fusion chain for Yellow Label Veuve is a quiet gouge — you can buy it at Total Wine for $55 and drink it in your car before you walk in.
Mer Soleil by Caymus Silver Unoaked Chardonnay, Monterey County + Edamame Dumplings
Unoaked Chardonnay has the acidity to cut through dumpling richness and enough stone fruit character to mirror the subtle sweetness in the wrapper without fighting the filling. It's a lighter, cleaner pairing than anything on the Rombauer end of the list would manage.
The Bottom Line
Kona Grill McKinney is not a wine destination, and it knows it — this list exists to sell bottles, not to educate or excite. The by-the-glass depth is legitimately useful, but if you're somebody who cares about what's in your glass, manage expectations before you sit down.
· McKinney · Pizza & Pub
Cadillac Pizza Pub won't change how you think about wine, but it won't ruin your night either. Grab the Chianti with your pizza, skip the KJ Chardonnay, and enjoy the fact that you can get a decent glass for $8.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Craig Ranch / SH 121 · McKinney · American / Brewhouse
BJ's McKinney is a beer destination with a wine list that exists mostly as a formality — the Wednesday half-price deal is the only reason to engage with it seriously. Come for the craft beer and the Pazookie; the wine is just along for the ride.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
SH 75 Corridor · McKinney · Asian Bistro
P.F. Chang's wine list won't win any awards, but it's doing exactly what it needs to do for a busy suburban dinner crowd. Don't come here for a wine experience — but don't write it off either, especially if you know what to order.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SH 121 Corridor · McKinney · Steakhouse / American
Saltgrass McKinney is a reliable spot for a Texas-style steak, but the wine list is clearly not why anyone is driving out here. Unless you're sticking to the J. Lohr Pinot or talking someone into splitting the Hampton Water, you're better off ordering a cocktail and calling it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Craig Ranch / SH 121 · McKinney · Tex-Mex / Mexican
Blue Goose is a perfectly fun Tex-Mex night out — just don't come here for the wine. Order a margarita, eat the tamales, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that returns the favor.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West McKinney / Custer Area · McKinney · New York-style pizzeria
Durkin's is a legitimately good pizza spot that happens to have a wine list in the same way a convenience store has a wine list — it's there, it's functional, and nobody's proud of it. Come for the pies, order the beer, and if you must have wine, go Louis Martini and don't overthink it.
Grocery Store
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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