McCormick & Schmick's Seafood - Kansas City

The wine list at McCormick & Schmick's Plaza reads exactly like you'd expect from a national seafood chain — familiar faces, no curveballs, nothing to stress about. It's the vinous equivalent of a well-pressed button-down: not exciting, but you're not embarrassed showing up in it either. If you walked in hoping for a deep dive into Burgundy or a funky natural wine, you've taken a wrong turn.

The list leans heavily on California workhorses — Mondavi Cab, Sterling Merlot, Storypoint Cab — with token representation from Washington (Chateau Ste. Michelle), Oregon (Acrobat Pinot Gris), New Zealand (Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc), and a surprise back-bench of Graham's Ports ranging from 10 to 30 Year. That port selection is genuinely the most interesting thing on the list and feels almost accidental next to the Ecco Domani and Mark West. Old World presence is essentially nonexistent beyond the port corner and a Michele Chiarlo Moscato D'Asti. You're not finding anything to brag about to your wine group, but you're also not drinking badly.

Ten options by the glass, all priced between $7 and $9, which in 2024 is practically a steal for a sit-down restaurant with tablecloths. The selection covers the obvious bases — bubbles, white, rosé, red, even a Malbec — though rotation appears to be nonexistent; this looks like a set-it-and-forget-it pour program. What it lacks in dynamism it makes up for in accessibility: nobody at this table is going home broke.