Cheeseburger in Paradise, Cheap Wine in Purgatory
Boardwalk (Resorts) · Atlantic City · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Margaritaville’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list at Margaritaville and it reads like the wine aisle at a mid-sized Walgreens — familiar labels, zero ambition, priced to move. Nobody came here for the wine, and the list knows it.
Eleven wines, every single one available by the glass and bottle, which tells you everything: this list was built for convenience, not curiosity. The lineup runs Barefoot Moscato, Apothic Red Blend, Prophecy Pinot Noir — brands engineered for mass recognition, not quality. There's a token nod to the wider world with the Alamos Malbec from Argentina and Starborough Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, but they're outnumbered four-to-one by California commercial labels. No Burgundy, no Rioja, no Champagne — just a parade of supermarket staples dressed up with boardwalk prices.
All eleven wines are available by the glass, which sounds generous until you realize the entire list is eleven wines. Pours run $6.75 to $10.25, which is honestly not offensive for Atlantic City boardwalk territory. Rotation appears nonexistent — this list is set and forgotten, same as the Jimmy Buffett soundtrack.
Alamos Malbec — $10.25
Alamos is a reliable, fruit-forward Malbec from Mendoza that regularly retails around $10-12 — on a list this shallow, it's the one pour that actually tastes like it comes from somewhere with intention.
Starborough Sauvignon Blanc
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is almost offensively easy to drink — bright, grassy, and acidic enough to cut through fried food. On a list this flat, it's the closest thing to a personality.
Barefoot Moscato
At $7 a glass you're paying restaurant markup on a wine that costs less than a gas station energy drink. Sweet, simple, and available literally everywhere — there's no reason to order this here.
Starborough Sauvignon Blanc + Fish Tacos
The bright citrus and grassy snap of a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc cuts right through battered fish and any creamy slaw — it's the one combination on this list that actually makes sense together.
❌ The Bottom Line
Margaritaville's wine list is a placeholder, not a program — grab a frozen drink and call it a day. If you're dead set on wine, the Alamos Malbec won't embarrass you.
Tennessee Avenue · Atlantic City · American / Beer Hall
Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall is exactly what it sounds like — come for the beer, and come for the atmosphere. If your crew insists on wine, the Bezel Pinot is a worthy pour, but don't come here expecting a wine program that keeps up with the rest of the experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Boardwalk/Park Place · Atlantic City · Steakhouse, Seafood, Contemporary American
Park Place Prime is exactly what a casino steakhouse wine list should be — familiar, functional, and tilted toward the crowd writing checks. It won't thrill anyone looking for discovery, but if you want a solid Cab with your dry-aged steak and don't mind paying casino prices for the privilege, it gets the job done.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Ocean Casino Resort · Atlantic City · Italian-American
Superfrico is a reliable wine program in a setting designed to get you to spend money — and it mostly delivers without being a total shakedown. Send a friend here for a fun night, not a wine education.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Chelsea · Atlantic City · Italian
Boca Coal Fired Bistro is a reliable neighborhood Italian with a wine list to match — nothing you haven't seen before, but nothing to embarrass yourself with either. Stick to the Chianti Classico, enjoy the pizza, and don't come here expecting to be wowed by what's in the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
The Walk/Tanger Outlets · Atlantic City · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Atlantic City is a reliable, well-executed steakhouse wine program that does exactly what it says on the label — deep California Cab selection, competent staff, proper storage, steep prices. Send a friend here if they want a sure thing, not if they're looking to be surprised.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Boardwalk (Claridge area) · Atlantic City · Steakhouse and Seafood / Raw Bar
Dougherty's won't convert anyone to wine obsession, but it charges fair prices, pours everything by the glass, and hides a decent Pouilly-Fuissé and a good Provence rosé in a list most people will scroll past without looking. For a Boardwalk steakhouse, that's enough to earn a recommendation.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Boalsburg · State College · American
The Butter Churn is doing something genuinely surprising for central Pennsylvania — a thoughtful, well-sourced wine list that goes beyond the expected and rewards the curious drinker. If you're anywhere near State College and care about what's in your glass, this deserves a visit.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · State College · American
The Field is a tap bar first, wine program distant second — and that's fine, as long as you know what you're walking into. Order the Malbec, enjoy your burger, and save the serious wine drinking for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westside / Harrison · Olympia · American
Iron Rabbit isn't a wine destination, but it's a neighborhood bar that actually tried — and in Olympia's Westside, that matters. If you're already here for dinner, you'll drink well without a second thought.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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