Cheap pours, safe bets, sushi wins
North Melbourne · Melbourne · Japanese / Sushi · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 12, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Makoto Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
Fifteen labels isn't a wine list — it's a wine paragraph. But when bottles top out at $38 and glasses pour for $7-$10, you stop expecting Burgundy and start appreciating the honesty of the thing. This isn't a wine destination; it's a Japanese steakhouse in Melbourne, Florida that gets the job done without gouging you.
The list leans hard on California workhorses — Kendall Jackson Chardonnay, Hess Monterey Chardonnay, Castle Rock Pinot Noir — with a few international cameos from Ca'Donini and Principato Pinot Grigio out of Italy, Trapiche Malbec from Argentina, and a Madonna Sweet Riesling for the crowd that wants something soft and low-stakes. The wild card here is the Kikkoman Plum Wine, which is exactly as on-brand as it sounds and will absolutely delight half the table. There are real gaps — no Rosé, no Sauvignon Blanc, nothing from the Pacific Northwest beyond 14 Hands Merlot — but at these prices, the gaps are easier to forgive. Think of it less as a curated selection and more as a greatest-hits playlist for a dining room that knows its audience.
Twelve of the fifteen labels are available by the glass, which is quietly impressive for a list this size and a very good sign for tables that can't agree on a bottle. At $7-$10 a pour, you can experiment without wincing at the bill — order the plum wine as a starter, pivot to something red with your ribeye, and nobody gets hurt. Rotation appears nonexistent, so don't expect seasonal surprises.
Trapiche Estate Malbec — $26
A bottle of Trapiche for $26 at a restaurant is a genuine steal. This Argentine Malbec is fruit-forward and food-friendly, and at that bottle price you're barely above retail. Order the bottle, not the glass.
Kikkoman Plum Wine
Most people will scroll past this and grab the Chardonnay on autopilot. Don't. Served cold alongside sushi or a light hibachi dish, the Kikkoman Plum Wine is sweet, slightly tart, and genuinely fun — the kind of thing you'd never order at a wine bar but absolutely should order here.
Kendall Jackson Chardonnay
A supermarket staple that you've had a hundred times. Nothing wrong with it, but when the Hess Monterey Chardonnay is sitting right next to it at likely the same price point and actually has some regional character, there's no reason to default to KJ.
Castle Rock Pinot Noir + Hibachi Filet Mignon
Castle Rock Pinot Noir is light enough not to bulldoze the delicate char on a hibachi filet, and the bottle price keeps the whole evening in reasonable territory. The earthiness in the wine plays well against the teppanyaki smoke.
The Bottom Line
Makoto isn't trying to be a wine bar and it knows it — the list is short, the labels are familiar, and the prices are genuinely kind. Send your friends here for sushi and tell them to order the Malbec by the bottle; they'll be fine.
Downtown Melbourne · Melbourne · Elevated Regional American
The Landing Rooftop is a reliable spot for a glass with a genuinely spectacular view — hit it on a Wednesday when the wines go half price and the Cambria Chardonnay becomes the best deal on the Space Coast. Don't come here to geek out on wine; do come here to drink something decent while watching a rocket launch.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
West Melbourne · Melbourne · Floribbean / Key West-inspired American
Hemingway's Tavern isn't a wine destination, but it earns its keep with a list that's wider than the vibe suggests and a Wednesday half-price bottle deal that makes even the steeper markups disappear. Come for the tacos, stay for the Albariño, and thank the calendar for getting you there on Wednesday.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Melbourne · Melbourne · Greek / Mediterranean
It's a counter-service Greek grill in a strip mall that serves Xinomavro and Assyrtiko at fair prices — that's either a minor miracle or a Wild Card, and we're calling it the latter. Don't sleep on the wine list just because you're eating off a paper tray.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Melbourne · Melbourne · Casual steakhouse / Australian-inspired American
Outback's wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a national chain that treats wine as a revenue line item rather than a program worth caring about. Come for the steak, order the Chateau Ste. Michelle if you need a bottle, and save the real wine exploration for a different night.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Melbourne · Melbourne · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse is not a wine destination and makes zero pretense of being one — we respect the honesty, even if we can't respect the list. Order the rolls, order the ribs, order a beer, and let the wine page collect dust.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Melbourne · Melbourne · Steakhouse
LongHorn Melbourne's wine program is a checkbox, not a passion project — the list exists because a steakhouse has to have wine, not because anyone here cares about what's in your glass. Order the steak, grab the Riesling if you must, and save the bottle for a place that's actually trying.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Newport News · Japanese / Sushi
Hayashi's wine list is exactly what it needs to be for a neighborhood sushi spot — fair prices, nothing weird, nothing special. Grab the Kung Fu Girl Riesling and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Kingston · Japanese / Sushi
Sushi Makio's wine list is modest but functional, with honest pricing and a smart nod to Japanese wine options that most spots never bother with. We'd happily send a friend here for a low-key sushi night — just order the Yuzu Wine and leave the Cab alone.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · New Haven · Japanese / Sushi
Kamakura Sushi is a solid neighborhood sushi spot and you should absolutely go — just order sake, beer, or a soft drink and leave the wine list alone. The wine program exists in name only, and no amount of goodwill toward the kitchen changes that.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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