Surf's Up, Wine Program's Down
Ali'i Drive / Waterfront · Kailua-Kona · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Outback Steakhouse Kailua-Kona’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You're steps from the Pacific on Ali'i Drive and the wine list reads like a grocery store endcap circa 2011. It's a chain doing chain things — nothing here was curated so much as it was copy-pasted from a corporate spreadsheet in Tampa.
The list runs 30-50 bottles deep, which sounds like room to work with until you realize it's almost entirely California staples and a brief Washington State cameo. Beringer White Zinfandel, Meiomi Pinot Noir, Josh Cellars Cab — these are wines designed to sell, not to interest anyone who's thought about wine for more than ten minutes. Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling is the lone bright spot with actual regional character. There are no Old World options, no local Hawaiian producers, no surprises of any kind.
Ten to fifteen pours by the glass at $8-$14, which feels reasonable until you realize every single one is a brand you've seen at CVS. The rotation doesn't rotate — what's on the list today is what was on the list last year. If you're hoping for something interesting to sip while you wait on the Bloomin' Onion, adjust expectations accordingly.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $9
It's the only wine on the list with a point of view. Washington Riesling at a casual price point — it's got enough acidity to cut through anything on the menu and won't bore you to tears.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
In a sea of Cabs and Chards, most people overlook the Riesling entirely. Don't. It's the most food-friendly, most interesting bottle on the whole list, and nobody around you is ordering it.
Beringer White Zinfandel
It's on the list, sure, but so is tap water. At chain markup prices, you're paying restaurant margins on a wine that retails for $5 at the gas station. Hard pass.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling + Alice Springs Chicken
The Riesling's off-dry fruit and zippy acidity handles the honey mustard and melted cheese on Alice Springs Chicken without getting steamrolled. It's genuinely the best wine-food moment available on this menu.
❌ The Bottom Line
This is a chain wine program doing exactly what corporate tells it to — nothing more, nothing less. If you're in Kailua-Kona for the wine, you're in the wrong zip code and definitely the wrong restaurant.
Pawai Place / Kailua Industrial · Kailua-Kona · Hawaiian, Seafood, Hawaii Regional Cuisine
Umekes isn't a wine destination, but the pricing is honest, the glass count is surprisingly high, and the Riesling-with-poke move alone is worth knowing about. Send your friends here for the food; the wine will take care of itself.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ali'i Drive / Waterfront · Kailua-Kona · American pub fare and bar
Humpy's is a genuinely fun spot to watch a game, drink a craft beer, and catch a sunset over Ali'i Drive — but the wine list is an afterthought at best. If wine matters to you even a little, save it for a proper dinner elsewhere and come here for the cold beer and the view.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Hualalai Resort / Kaupulehu · Kailua-Kona · Italian-inspired coastal cuisine with Hawaiian and Mediterranean influences
Beach Tree is a reliably well-run resort wine program with real producers and a sommelier who knows the list — just come in clear-eyed that you're paying Four Seasons Hawaii prices for the privilege. If someone else is expensing it, order the Leflaive and don't look back.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Kuakini Highway / Inland Kona · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary American and Island-inspired seafood
Jackie Rey's is a reliable neighborhood spot with a wine list that matches its vibe: comfortable, familiar, and a little pricey for what it is. Send a friend here for a great meal — just tell them to go Sancerre on the wine and not stare too long at the Kistler price tag.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kailua Industrial / Pawai Place · Kailua-Kona · American pub fare, brewery, pizza bar
Come to Kona Brewing for the beer — seriously, the beer is the point — and if you must have wine, grab a glass of Cava or the sparkling rosé and enjoy the breeze. The wine list is an afterthought, and you should treat it like one.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kailua-Kona · Kailua-Kona · Asian, Hawaiian
ULU earns its Wine Spectator badge by doing the basics right in a setting that could easily get away with doing nothing right at all. Send a friend here for the ocean view and the fresh fish — just temper expectations on wine discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Route 28/Thruway Corridor · Kingston · Steakhouse
This is a chain wine list doing exactly what chain wine lists do: minimum effort, maximum familiarity, corporate pricing. Order the steak, grab a beer, or spring for the Chateau Ste. Michelle if you need something in a glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
University Town Centre · Morgantown · Steakhouse
The wine program at Outback Morgantown exists to fill a line on the menu, not to enhance your dinner. Order the steak, enjoy the Bloomin' Onion, and if you must drink wine, grab the J. Lohr Cab and make peace with it.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
Clark's isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's trying harder than most Atlanta steakhouses, and that effort shows in picks like the Aligoté and the Numanthia. If you're here for beef and want something smarter than the default Napa Cab, this list will reward a little attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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