One Producer, Five Options, Zero Ambition
Northwest Bismarck · Bismarck · Pub / Bar Food
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 15, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Old Town Tavern’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Old Town Tavern is less a list and more a brand loyalty pledge to Coastal Vines. Five pours, one producer, end of story. To be fair, nobody is walking into a Mandan neighborhood pub expecting a Burgundy deep-dive — but even by casual bar standards, this is thin.
Coastal Vines is the whole show here: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir. It's a California value brand built for exactly this kind of account — easy, inoffensive, consistent. There's no regional diversity, no Old World presence, no exploration of any kind. The list does what it needs to do for a crowd that came for the burgers and beer, but anyone looking for something interesting in a glass is out of luck.
All five options are by the glass, which means the entire wine program is a by-the-glass program — there's no bottle list to speak of. At $5 a pour on the house wine promo, the price is genuinely hard to argue with. The rotation appears to be zero: what's on the list today is what's been on the list.
Coastal Vines Cabernet Sauvignon — $5
If you're going to drink wine here, lean into the $5 promo on the Cab. It's not a revelation, but it's a perfectly drinkable glass at a price that's hard to beat anywhere in town.
Coastal Vines Sauvignon Blanc
Most people ordering wine at a pub default to Chardonnay or Cab. The Sauvignon Blanc is the better call — crisper, more food-friendly, and it actually holds up against the tavern's sandwiches better than the heavier whites.
Coastal Vines Pinot Noir
Coastal Vines Pinot Noir at this price point is rarely doing the grape any favors — thin, flat, and nowhere near what Pinot can actually be. Order a beer instead.
Coastal Vines Sauvignon Blanc + Burgers
A cold, crisp Sauvignon Blanc cuts through the fat of a tavern burger better than you'd expect — it's not a glamorous pairing, but it works, and at $5 a glass you're not overthinking it.
❌ The Bottom Line
Old Town Tavern is a solid neighborhood pub that happens to have wine on the menu — emphasis on 'happens to.' Come for the steak dinner and the patio, order a beer or a cocktail, and treat the $5 Coastal Vines as a convenience, not a destination.
North Bismarck · Bismarck · Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi
Kobe's is a fun night out for the hibachi show and the sushi — just don't expect the wine list to be part of that fun. Order a Japanese beer, grab the house pour if you need wine, and save the serious drinking for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Bismarck · Bismarck · Seafood
The wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a national chain — minimal effort, minimal reward. The $5 pours keep it from being a total write-off, but you're not coming to Red Lobster Bismarck for the wine, and nobody expects you to.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bismarck · Fine Dining Bar
For Bismarck, Pirogue Grille is doing respectable work — familiar producers, reasonable variety, and a glass program that won't leave you stranded. Just go in knowing the markups are steep, pick your battles, and let the 'J' Pinot or Sokol Blosser do the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Bismarck · Bismarck · Italian Chain
Olive Garden Bismarck is a fine place to eat breadsticks and catch up with family. It is not a fine place to drink wine — the list is predictable, the markups are punishing, and nobody here is losing sleep over the cellar. Order the Riesling or the Chianti Classico, skip everything else, and save the serious bottle for a different night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Bismarck · Bismarck · Steakhouse & Seafood
40 Steak + Seafood is doing exactly what a North Bismarck steakhouse should do with wine — safe, recognizable, and reasonably well-stocked — but don't come here looking for adventure or value. Come for the ribeye, pick Jordan or Goldeneye, and call it a win.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bismarck · Upscale American Fine Dining
Pirogue Grille is doing the right things for Bismarck — a real wine list, proper glassware, and enough by-the-glass options to keep a table happy. The markups trend steep and the list plays it safe, but if you want a serious bottle with a serious steak in the middle of North Dakota, this is where you go.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.