Stunning harbor views, forgettable wine list
Old Fisherman's Wharf · Monterey · Seafood and American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Old Fisherman's Grotto’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The view of Monterey Bay does a lot of heavy lifting here, and the wine list is content to let it. You open the menu expecting something that reflects the incredible wine country sitting literally in Old Fisherman's Grotto's backyard — Carmel Valley, Santa Lucia Highlands, right there — and instead you get a roster of grocery store staples priced like they're aged in a vault. The location promises more than the list delivers.
Thirty to fifty labels sounds like a reasonable list until you see what's on it: Robert Mondavi Private Selection, Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve, Francis Coppola Diamond Collection, Ménage à Trois. These are mass-market, supermarket-shelf bottles, and there's nothing wrong with drinking them at home for $10-$13 — but that's exactly where they belong. The local focus they advertise (Monterey County, Santa Lucia Highlands, Carmel Valley) never really materializes into anything interesting or producer-specific. Dom Pérignon showing up at $265 feels less like a curated splurge and more like a Hail Mary for celebration tables who don't know to ask questions.
Eight to twelve pours sounds generous until you realize the by-the-glass roster is almost certainly pulling from the same bench of crowd-pleasing nationals. There's no evidence of any rotation or curation program — what's on the list today is probably what's been on the list for years. If you're ordering a glass here, stick to something cold and simple and let the clam chowder do the talking.
Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma County 2020 — $58
Still a 190% markup on a $20 retail bottle, which is painful, but Martini Sonoma Cab is at least a legitimate wine from a historic producer — it's the least embarrassing option on a list that's mostly worse on value.
Dom Pérignon
At $265 it's not a steal, but if you're celebrating something real and you want one bottle that actually earns its place on this waterfront, this is the only option that doesn't feel like a regret. Everything else on the list is available at your local grocery store for a fraction of the price.
Ménage à Trois Red Blend California NV
A $10 retail bottle priced at $36 — a 260% markup on one of the most basic, anonymous red blends in California. This is a hard pass.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay 2022 + Award-winning clam chowder
It's not an exciting pairing but it's an honest one — the KJ Chard is soft, lightly oaked, and unoffensive enough to work alongside a creamy, briny bowl of chowder without getting in the way. Expectations managed accordingly.
The Bottom Line
Old Fisherman's Grotto is a genuinely fun place to eat seafood with a harbor view, but the wine list is a tourist trap dressed in a menu cover. You're better off skipping the bottle and ordering a cocktail — or walking five minutes inland where Monterey County's actual wine story starts to get interesting.
· Monterey · Brewpub / New American
Alvarado Street is primarily a brewery, and the wine list knows it — it's compact, unpretentious, and priced without gouging. But it also has enough Central Coast credibility (Comanche, Curran, Le P'tit Paysan) to surprise you. If you're in the group that wants wine while everyone else debates hop schedules, you're covered and you won't overpay for it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Carmel Valley · Monterey · Californian / Fine Dining
Lucia has the bones of a serious wine program — sommelier on staff, strong regional identity, and a setting in Carmel Valley that practically demands a good bottle. We just can't verify the specifics well enough to point you toward a particular pour or call out the markups with any precision. Go in expecting a deep, well-kept list with hotel-restaurant pricing to match, and let the sommelier do the heavy lifting. It's worth the conversation.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Monterey · Wine bar
If you're rolling through Monterey and want something more interactive than staring at a laminated wine list, The Wine Experience is a legitimate detour — especially for anyone curious about what the Santa Lucia Highlands and San Benito County are actually producing right now. We'd send a curious friend here without hesitation; we'd just tell them to skip any expectations of a formal dinner and lean into the tasting-room energy instead.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Acceptable
Carmel-by-the-Sea · Monterey · Continental / Fine Dining
Anton & Michel is the kind of room where the wine list serves the occasion rather than the other way around — and for a special-occasion dinner over beef Wellington or rack of lamb, that might be exactly what you want. We'd love to get a full look at current pricing before giving this a stronger endorsement, but the Central Coast regional focus is a legitimate draw for anyone who wants to drink local in one of California's best growing corridors. Go for the room, stay for the lamb, and ask your server what's drinking well off the list right now.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Monterey · Wine bar / Tasting room
De Tierra is a focused, fairly priced producer tasting room that makes a real argument for Monterey wine without inflating the ego or the prices. If you're driving the 68 corridor or wandering through the peninsula, this is worth a stop — just go in knowing you're here for one winery's story, not a deep-dive across regions.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Monterey · Wine Bar / Bistro
A Taste of Monterey is exactly what it advertises — a tight, local-first wine list that doubles as a crash course in what the Central Coast can do with white grapes. Pricing is honest, the regional focus is genuine, and the Wrath Falanghina alone is reason enough to pull up a stool. If you're eating along the Monterey waterfront and want something more interesting than a tourist-trap wine list, this is worth the detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Walnut / Retail corridor · Bentonville · Seafood and American
Bonefish Grill Rogers is not a wine destination, but it's not a disaster either — the list is safe, the glass pours are plentiful, and you won't feel cheated if you stick to the by-the-glass options. Send a friend here for the Bang Bang Shrimp; tell them to manage their wine expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Okemos · Lansing · Seafood and American
Real Seafood Company Okemos is a dependable neighborhood anchor where the wine list won't embarrass you or excite you — fair prices and familiar faces make it easy, just don't come expecting discovery. Order the La Marca with the oysters and leave the wine nerd hat at home.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Oregon District/Downtown Fringe · Dayton · Seafood and American
Jay's is a Dayton institution, and the wine list knows it — leaning on crowd-pleasing brands with markups that assume you're not shopping around. Come for the fresh fish, order the Beaujolais, and don't overthink the rest of the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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