Great Olive Burger, Forgotten Wine List
East Lansing · Lansing · American bar & grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Peanut Barrel reads like an afterthought stapled to the back of a beer menu — which, honestly, is exactly what it is. This is a college-town institution built on cheap pitchers and legendary olive burgers, and the wine program makes no effort to argue otherwise. If you came here for wine, you took a wrong turn somewhere.
Eight to fifteen options, almost exclusively California commercial labels, with Salmon Creek leading the charge — a $7 supermarket bottle dressed up as a restaurant selection. There's no regional exploration, no vintage curiosity, no producer worth getting excited about. The list exists to cover the bases for the one table that doesn't want beer, and it does exactly that, nothing more. If you're hoping for anything beyond a generic Cab or a forgettable Chardonnay, the list has already let you down.
The by-the-glass program runs six to ten pours in the $6–$10 range, which is about the only thing it has going for it — you're not getting gouged. But low price on an uninspired selection is a bit like being thrilled your flat tire is only on one wheel. Rotation appears nonexistent; this list looks like it hasn't changed since the last time Michigan State went to a bowl game.
Salmon Creek California Cabernet Sauvignon — $8
At $8 a glass, you're not spending much, and for a bar whose whole identity is casual and unpretentious, it fits the room. Just don't expect anything more than a simple, fruit-forward pour to wash down your burger.
Salmon Creek California Cabernet Sauvignon
Not a gem by any stretch, but if you're committed to ordering wine here, the Cab is your most honest option — straightforward, inoffensive, and priced low enough that the disappointment is minimal.
Salmon Creek California Cabernet Sauvignon
Counterpoint: just order a beer. The wine list is a single-producer California commercial program in a peanut-shell-on-the-floor bar. The craft beer selection will serve you significantly better and actually reflects what this place does well.
Salmon Creek California Cabernet Sauvignon + Olive Burger
The soft fruit and low tannin on the Salmon Creek Cab won't fight the briny olive and beef combo — it's a benign enough partner that won't actively make the meal worse. That's the ceiling here, and we're being honest about it.
❌ The Bottom Line
Peanut Barrel is a beloved East Lansing institution and a genuinely great place to grab a burger and a beer — emphasis on the beer. The wine list is a placeholder, not a program, and no one at the table or behind the bar is pretending otherwise.
East Lansing · Lansing · Mexican
El Azteco is a beloved college-town institution, and the wine list knows its place — it's there so you can technically order wine, not because anyone thought hard about it. Stick to the margaritas; they're the real program here.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Lansing · Lansing · American, Brew Pub, Bar
Beggar's Banquet is a beloved East Lansing institution and the wine list reflects that — it's comfortable, familiar, and a little overpriced. Come on a Wednesday when half-price bottles make the steep markups survivable, order the bubbles, and remember that the beer list is probably the real reason everyone keeps coming back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
West Lansing · Lansing · Hotel Restaurant
If you're staying at the Crowne Plaza or just need a reliable glass of wine before a meeting in Lansing, Kindred Table won't let you down — prices are fair, the producers are legitimate, and nobody's trying to fleece you. Just don't come expecting discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town Lansing · Lansing · Gastropub
Zoobie's isn't where you go to geek out on wine, but if you're meeting friends for dinner in Old Town and someone at the table insists on a glass, you won't be stuck with regret. Grab the Malbec or the Mawby rosé, let everyone else argue about the beer list.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
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
West Lansing · Lansing · Casual American / Tex-Mex
Chili's is a perfectly good place to eat a burger and drink a margarita — we mean that sincerely. But if wine is your thing, this list will let you down every single time, and you deserve better than a $8 Barefoot pour.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.