Small Island List, Big Globe-Trotting Ambition
· Honolulu · Hawaii Regional · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 3, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Mud Hen Water’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Twelve bottles, twelve by-the-glass options — that's a one-to-one ratio, which means everything on this list is actually available to try without committing to a full bottle. That alone signals intentionality. The price ceiling of $44/bottle and $11/glass in Hawaii is genuinely restrained, and the list reads like someone actually thought about what would work with the food rather than just filling slots with Kendall-Jackson and Josh.
For a 12-label list, the geographic spread is impressive: Alsace, Galicia, Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Corbières, Veneto, South Africa, Argentina, Spain, and California all show up. That's not an accident — this is a curated shortlist, not a shrunken big-box selection. The white-to-red ratio leans noticeably white and rosé-friendly, which makes sense alongside Hawaii Regional cuisine. What's missing is any domestic Pinot Noir or a serious Syrah, and there's no Hawaiian-grown wine to nod at local producers, which feels like a missed opportunity given the setting.
Every bottle on the list is available by the glass, priced between $8 and $11 — a genuinely low-friction, high-access setup. That range means you can work through several wines across a meal without the bill spiraling, and the spread is varied enough that you won't be stuck choosing between two Chardonnays. Rotation appears static rather than seasonal based on available data, so don't expect a surprise pour on a return visit.
The Bottom Line
Mud Hen Water's wine list is small, smart, and priced without the island markup you'd expect. It won't overwhelm you with options, but the options it has are well-chosen — and the ability to glass-pour every single bottle means you can explore freely. If you're eating there, skip the default and work through the whites.
Waikiki · Honolulu · Steakhouse
BLT Steak Waikiki is a competent, crowd-pleasing steakhouse wine list in a setting where you're mostly paying for the view and the popovers. If wine is central to your evening, call ahead and ask what's actually open — the list's documented depth isn't enough to guarantee a great bottle without some homework. Come for the porterhouse, manage your wine expectations.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Honolulu · Vietnamese
The Pig and the Lady is running one of the most thoughtful small wine lists in Honolulu, and the fact that it's attached to a Vietnamese restaurant makes it even more interesting. If you show up expecting a standard Southeast Asian wine afterthought and find Domaine Huet Chenin Blanc and a Hungarian pet-nat, you should probably order both. This is the Wild Card badge in its purest form — surprising, intentional, and worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Chinatown · Honolulu · American Brasserie
Livestock Tavern is a genuinely good neighborhood hang with a wine list that supports the food without embarrassing itself. The pricing skews steep for Honolulu (not unusual in Hawaii), and the program won't wow a devoted wine nerd — but if you're going for the smoked prime rib or the tavern burger, there's something on this list that'll do the job. Go for the atmosphere and the kitchen; treat the wine as a reliable co-pilot, not the main event.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Honolulu · Steakhouse
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.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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
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