Chain Pricing, Chain Thinking, Nothing to See
· Anaheim · Seafood / Steak · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 31, 2026
RagingWine reviewed McCormick & Schmick's Grille – Anaheim’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
The wine list at McCormick & Schmick's Anaheim is exactly what you'd expect from a national seafood chain operating near Disneyland — functional, inoffensive, and assembled by committee. Fourteen labels, all by the glass, priced between $7 and $9. It's a list built to move volume, not to inspire.
Every wine here is a recognizable grocery-store brand: Mark West Pinot Noir, Sterling Merlot, Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cab, Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio. There's nothing wrong with any of them individually, but as a collective they read more like a chain restaurant wine rack than a curated program. Regional diversity is essentially nonexistent — it's California with a couple of token exceptions like Wairau River from New Zealand and Don Miguel Gascon from Argentina. No Burgundy, no Barolo, no skin-contact anything. The list was almost certainly set at corporate and hasn't been touched since.
All 14 wines are available by the glass, which sounds generous until you realize the entire list IS the by-the-glass list — there are no bottles. Prices are genuinely fair at $7–$9, which is the one honest thing this program has going for it. Rotation appears to be nonexistent; this looks like a permanent fixture.
Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc — $9/glass
Wairau River is a legitimate Marlborough producer making clean, citrusy Sauvignon Blanc — and at $9 a glass, it's the most interesting wine on this list by a wide margin. Next to a plate of oysters or grilled fish, it actually makes sense.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
Most people skip Riesling at a steakhouse-adjacent chain, but Ste. Michelle is one of Washington's most consistent producers and their Riesling at $7 a glass is a quiet steal — especially if you're eating anything with a hint of sweetness or spice.
Sterling Merlot
Sterling makes perfectly average wine. Merlot from a brand that peaked in the '90s, at a chain restaurant, with nothing distinctive about it — this is the glass you order when you've stopped caring. You deserve better.
Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc + Grilled Atlantic Salmon
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and grilled salmon is a classic match — the wine's bright acidity and herbaceous citrus notes cut through the richness of the fish without fighting it. On this list, it's the most coherent pairing you can build.
The Bottom Line
McCormick & Schmick's Anaheim won't impress anyone who thinks about wine for more than thirty seconds, but the prices are fair and the Wairau River is a legit pour. Order the Sauvignon Blanc, eat your seafood, and don't overthink it.
· Anaheim · Southern / American
House of Blues Anaheim does a lot of things — live music, big crowds, Southern comfort food — and wine is clearly not one of them. Order the cocktail, enjoy the show, and save your serious bottle for somewhere that actually cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Anaheim · Wine Bistro / Californian
California Vintage is a genuinely fun concept — all-BTG everything, a solid California-forward list, and a format built for grazing and experimenting. Just watch the markups: the top half of this list gets expensive fast, and the value is almost entirely at the entry level.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Anaheim · Anaheim · Wine bar / small plates
Colony Wine Merchant is the Wild Card Anaheim didn't know it needed — a thoughtful, fairly priced list with genuine international reach tucked into a city better known for theme parks. If you're in the area and want a real glass of wine, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Anaheim · Speakeasy / Gastropub
The Blind Rabbit has nailed the aesthetic and completely phoned in the wine program. Five flat-priced grocery-tier bottles is not a wine list — it's a placeholder. Order a cocktail; that's clearly where the care went.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Anaheim Packing House · Anaheim · Beer Bar / Gastropub
The Iron Press is genuinely great at what it does — creative waffle sandwiches, serious craft beer, a fun Packing House vibe — but wine is not part of that story. Order a flight, eat a Monte Cristo, and leave the wine order for another night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Anaheim · Steakhouse
Fleming's Anaheim is a chain doing the wine bar thing earnestly — 42 by-the-glass options and a few genuinely interesting bottles buried in a mostly crowd-pleasing list. Markups run steep, but if you know where to look, you can drink well here without overpaying.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Vancouver · Seafood / Steak
Line & Lure clears the casino restaurant bar by a comfortable margin — fair prices, a thoughtful white wine program, and a Royal Tokaji that earns genuine respect. We'd send a friend here for a pre-dinner glass without hesitation, as long as they stick to the whites.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikiki · Honolulu · Seafood / Steak
Chart House Waikiki is giving you a safe harbor, not a destination — the list is functional, the by-the-glass selection is surprisingly broad, and a couple of smart picks exist if you know where to look. Come for the ocean views and the fish; just don't expect the wine list to match the scenery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Spa Creek · Annapolis · Seafood / Steak
Chart House Annapolis is a reliable wine list in a genuinely great setting — you'll drink well enough, but you're paying for the view as much as the pour. Go in with eyes open on the markup and lean on the California stalwarts that earned their spots here.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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