Pablo's Mexican Kitchen

12 Rooftop Bar is a great place to watch the sunset and drink something cold — but if wine is your reason for coming, you're going to be disappointed. Order a cocktail, enjoy the view, and save the wine night for somewhere else.

J. Cody's is clearly here for the meat, not the wine — and honestly, that's fine, but at least price the bottles fairly if you're going to phone it in. Order a Shiner Bock, eat the brisket, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that returns the favor.

This is not a wine destination, and Red Lobster isn't pretending otherwise. If someone in your group insists on wine with their Cheddar Bay Biscuits, point them toward the Riesling and move on.

This is a margarita restaurant with a wine list stapled to the back. Come for the chips, queso, and frozen drinks — and leave the wine to places that actually care about it.

Fish Daddy's wine list is the dining equivalent of a reliable pickup truck — it gets you where you're going without any fuss, but don't expect it to take any scenic routes. Send a friend here for the seafood; just coach them on where to spend and where to save on the wine list.

Gate 12 is a genuine Wild Card: an airport terminal bar & grill with enough Texas wine ambition to make you look twice. The markup on the mainstream bottles is hard to defend, but if you stick to the Texas producers and time your visit for happy hour, you're eating and drinking well in a room that has no business being this interesting.