Big Steakhouse Energy, Cabernet For Miles
· Honolulu · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Morton's The Steakhouse Honolulu’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Morton's Honolulu is exactly what you'd expect from a national steakhouse chain that has figured out what its customers want and decided never to surprise them. It's long, it's Cabernet-forward, and it reads like someone handed a buyer a checklist of 'wines that steak people order' and said, 'get all of them.' That's not necessarily a bad thing — it's just not going to make you feel adventurous.
Ninety-nine labels sounds like depth, but when the vast majority are American reds anchored almost entirely by Cabernet Sauvignon, you're really working with a narrower list than the number suggests. The Pacific Northwest shows up with solid entries — Canvasback by Duckhorn from Red Mountain and Chateau Ste. Michelle Cold Creek — and there's a decent sweep of Napa, from the entry-level Beaulieu Vineyard at $66 all the way up to Caymus Special Selection at $400. Paso Robles gets a nod via Austin Hope and Daou's Soul of a Lion, which at least gestures toward something outside the Napa-or-bust playbook. What you won't find: much Europe, any natural wine, meaningful white options, or anything that would make a curious drinker sit up straight.
By-the-glass options aren't confirmed from our data, which is itself a mild red flag — a list this focused on bottles at a steakhouse that almost certainly pours by the glass just means it wasn't worth publishing prominently. If you're flying solo or just want one glass with your ribeye, ask the server what's open and proceed accordingly.
Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County 2019 — $64
Benziger is a reliably made, organically farmed Sonoma Cab that retails well under $25. At $64 you're paying the steakhouse tax, but it's one of the more honest markups on the list and drinks comfortably above its price tier here.
Canvasback by Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Mountain 2018
Red Mountain AVA is one of Washington's most underrated zones for Cabernet — concentrated, structured, and genuinely age-worthy. Canvasback is Duckhorn's Washington project and it punches well above what most guests reaching for Caymus are thinking about. At $95 it's one of the better intellectual purchases on the list.
14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley 2018
This is a $12 grocery store Cab. At $47 you're paying nearly four times retail for something you'd buy at Safeway to bring to a barbecue. The wine isn't bad — it's just not a restaurant wine, and this markup is hard to justify when better options exist for not much more.
Chimney Rock Cabernet Sauvignon, Stags Leap District 2016 + Double-Cut Filet Mignon
Stags Leap District Cabs are known for their silkier tannin structure compared to the beefier mountain Napas — which makes Chimney Rock a natural match for the leaner, more delicate filet. You get the classic steak-and-Cab moment without the wine steamrolling the cut.
The Bottom Line
Morton's Honolulu gives you a competent, Cabernet-saturated list that will reliably satisfy the guest who came for a big steak and a big red — just don't expect any surprises, and watch the markup on the entry-level bottles. Send a friend here if they want comfort, not if they want discovery.
Waikiki · Honolulu · Latin American / Tasting Menu
El Cielo earns its reputation on atmosphere and food, but the wine program is a black box — and in a city where you're already paying tourist-tier prices, a list you can't see or trust is a list you should probably skip. Order a cocktail and save the wine night for somewhere that wants to earn it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikīkī · Honolulu · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Waikīkī is a dependable splurge for steak night, but the wine list is corporate comfort food — Napa-forward, markup-heavy, and unlikely to surprise you. If wine is the point of your evening, this isn't your destination; if steak is the point, it'll get the job done.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
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
Downtown Honolulu · Honolulu · Hotel Wine Bar
Vintage 1901 is a well-organized hotel wine bar doing exactly what it should — giving visitors something better than the minibar without demanding too much effort or knowledge. The port program is legitimately great and worth your time; the rest of the list is competent, if a little sleepy on value.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Honolulu · Rooftop Wine Bar
Tchin Tchin is a perfectly pleasant place to drink wine with a view, and nearly everything being available by the glass means you can graze without committing to a bottle. Just don't come expecting discovery — come expecting a solid pour and a great sunset.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikiki · Honolulu · Italian Pizza / Wine Bar
Appetito is the Wild Card of Waikiki — a pizza and wine bar that quietly punches above its tourist-strip surroundings with fair pricing, a Brunello on the glass list, and enough Italian depth to make the wine worth ordering. Send a friend here and tell them to skip the Bonanza.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Palm Beach Gardens · West Palm Beach · Steakhouse
The Capital Grille Palm Beach Gardens is a reliable wine stop if you're already there for the steak — just don't expect the list to excite you. Lean toward the glass pours, chase the value picks, and avoid the temptation to drop $30 on that Orin Swift.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Boca Raton · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Boca Raton isn't a destination wine list, but it's a functional and fairly priced one that does its job without embarrassing the restaurant. If you're here for the steak, the wine program won't let you down — just know what you're walking into.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Billings · Steakhouse
Jake's is doing exactly what a Billings steakhouse is supposed to do with wine — safe choices, name brands, and a Champagne section that lets people feel fancy. If you want adventure, you're in the wrong place; if you want a reliable glass of something Californian to go with your ribeye, you'll leave satisfied.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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