Solid Monterey pours with a view
Cannery Row · Monterey · New American with seafood, house-made pasta, and flatbread pizza · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Lalla Oceanside Grill’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You're sitting on Cannery Row watching the bay, and the wine list shows up — 18 labels, nothing you haven't seen before, but also nothing that's going to embarrass you. It's a crowd-pleaser program built for tourists and locals alike, and it knows exactly what it is. No pretense, no deep cuts, just drinkable bottles at prices that won't ruin the view.
The list leans heavily California, which makes sense given the address — Morgan's Monterey Pinot Noir and Chardonnay anchor the local angle, and Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc gives you a proper Monterey County rep right there on the menu. Beyond the home state, you get a Rías Baixas Albariño (Ramon Bilbao), an Altos Las Hormigas Malbec from Mendoza, and a Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot from Washington rounding out the international coverage. The gaps are real — no serious Burgundy, no aged bottles, no interesting Rhône or Iberian reds — but for a casual oceanside grill, the list is functional and appropriate. The Beauregard Zinfandel from Santa Cruz Mountains is the one curveball that shows someone was paying at least a little attention.
Fourteen to twenty pours by the glass is a generous spread for a place this size, and the $12–$19 range per five-ounce pour is honest for the Cannery Row zip code. The 'big glass' option — a 12-ounce pour at $24–$41 — is either a genius move or a liability depending on how much you trust the temperature management. Rotation isn't aggressive, but the selection covers the bases: whites, reds, sparkling, and rosé.
Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc, Monterey County — $44/bottle
Bernardus is a serious Monterey producer and their Sauv Blanc consistently punches above its weight. At $44 a bottle steps from the Pacific, this is the smartest order on the list — local, crisp, and actually worth the pour.
Beauregard Zinfandel 'Ranch Estate', Santa Cruz Mountains
Most people at a seafood-forward spot like this walk right past the Zin, but Beauregard's Ranch Estate is a genuine Santa Cruz Mountains producer making structured, un-jammy Zinfandel that holds its own against the bolder pasta and flatbread dishes. It's the one bottle on this list that signals someone cared.
Bartenura Moscato, Italy
Bartenura is a supermarket staple at around $10–$12 retail, and there's no version of this story where it earns a premium restaurant pour price. Sweet, simple, and wildly overrepresented on tourist-trap lists. Save your glass for something local.
Ramon Bilbao Albariño, Rías Baixas + Cioppino
Albariño was basically engineered for briny, seafood-heavy dishes — the high acid and saline mineral edge cut right through a rich tomato-shellfish broth and make each spoonful taste cleaner. This is the pairing the menu is quietly begging you to make.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Lalla Oceanside isn't a wine destination, but it's a genuinely fair deal for what it is — a lively Cannery Row spot where the list supports the food without gouging you. If you stick to the Bernardus or the Albariño and grab a window seat, you'll leave happy.
Cannery Row · Monterey · Lounge
Chart House's happy hour wine program exists to keep your glass full while you stare at the Pacific — and on that level, at $8–$10 a pour, it succeeds. But if wine is actually why you're here, Cannery Row can do better.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Fisherman's Wharf · Monterey · Casual Seafood
Riva Fish House is a reliable pour for what it is — a casual, tourist-friendly wharf spot that keeps the wine list simple and the prices honest. Send a friend here for a glass of Chardonnay and the chowder; don't send them here expecting anything that'll make them rethink their relationship with wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pacific Grove · Monterey · Mediterranean / European
Fandango is punching well above its coastal casual-fine-dining weight class with a list that has real depth, genuine age, and some legitimately exciting outliers. The markups keep it from true Rager status, but if you're in Pacific Grove and want to drink seriously, this is your spot.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
North Fremont / Beachfront · Monterey · American, Seafood
The Lantern Room is what happens when a hotel restaurant actually tries — a locally anchored wine list, a sommelier in the building, and enough interesting producers to make the steep markup sting a little less. Send a friend here if they love Central Coast wine; warn them to skip the Cab and lean into what this coast actually grows.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
North Fremont / Beachfront · Monterey · Seafood / Beachfront
Tidewater is riding entirely on its beachfront location, and the wine list makes no effort to be anything more than a functional afterthought. Stick to the glass pours, pick the most credible name you can find, and keep your eyes on the water.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Monterey · Monterey · Breakfast / Brunch
The Club Room won't blow your mind, but it won't embarrass you either — it's a hotel wine list that at least has the sense to lean into its regional backyard. If you're already staying at the Portola, it's an easy yes; if you're driving across town just for the wine, keep driving.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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