Wednesday Nights Make This List Worth It
Southside · Jacksonville · Hawaiian Fusion · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 23, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Roy's reads like a greatest hits compilation from a mid-2000s steakhouse — Caymus, The Prisoner, Dom Pérignon, all present and accounted for. Nothing here is going to surprise you, but it's not trying to. It's safe, recognizable, and built for the crowd that wants something they already know they like.
California dominates, with Napa Valley heavyweights like Caymus and Joseph Phelps INSIGNIA anchoring the red side, and the Lyric by Etude covering the more approachable end of Santa Barbara Pinot. Oregon gets a nod with the Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir, which is a welcome detour from the Napa parade. Bubbles are handled respectably — you've got the entry-level Bisol Jeio Prosecco all the way up to Dom Pérignon, with Taittinger and Veuve Clicquot filling the middle. What's missing is any real depth outside the U.S. and France — no Spanish, no Italian reds, no Southern Hemisphere representation to speak of.
We don't have a confirmed glass pour count for this location, and the list source leans on bottle-heavy presentation, so specifics are hard to nail down. What we can say is that the by-the-glass program, wherever it lands, almost certainly mirrors the bottle list — approachable California names that won't confuse or excite anyone. Wednesday's half-price bottle deal effectively renders the glass program moot for anyone who's even remotely serious about drinking well.
Joseph Phelps INSIGNIA — $304
This is the rare case where a restaurant is actually selling a wine below a reasonable markup. INSIGNIA retails around $250 and Roy's has it at $304 — that's a 22% markup, which in restaurant terms is basically giving it away. For one of Napa's benchmark Bordeaux-style blends, this is a genuinely good deal and the one bottle on the list worth splurging on.
Willamette Valley Vineyards 'Whole Cluster' Pinot Noir
In a list otherwise dominated by Napa muscle, this Oregon Pinot is the quiet overachiever. Most tables at Roy's are going to reach for Caymus by reflex, but the Whole Cluster offers something more interesting — earthy, savory, with a structure that actually holds up against Roy's bolder Hawaiian-influenced dishes without steamrolling them.
Caymus Napa Valley
Caymus retails around $80-90, and Roy's has it priced at $70 — wait, that math sounds wrong. Actually the markup data here shows $70 restaurant vs $300 retail for the Special Selection, which is a 329% markup and one of the worst value propositions on the list. You're paying a massive premium for a brand name that's become more about recognition than quality at this point. Pass.
Schramsberg 'Mirabelle' Blanc de Blancs + Roy's Classic Misoyaki Butterfish
The Mirabelle's bright acidity and clean citrus cut right through the richness of Roy's signature miso-glazed butterfish without competing with its delicate umami depth. California sparkling wine and Hawaiian fusion cooking is an underrated combination, and this is the pairing that makes the most sense on this menu.
Wednesday — Any bottle of wine priced under $100 is half off, available in the bar, patio, and main dining room. Cannot be combined with other offers.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Roy's isn't a wine destination, but it's not a disaster either — and that Wednesday half-price bottle deal (any bottle under $100, half off) is legitimately one of the better recurring wine promos in Jacksonville. Come on a Wednesday, skip the Caymus, and order the INSIGNIA if you're feeling flush.
Avondale · Jacksonville · French-American Bistro
Orsay is the kind of neighborhood restaurant Jacksonville doesn't have enough of — a French-leaning wine program with fair prices, real selections, and a room that earns a second visit. Send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Southside / St. Johns Town Center · Jacksonville · Contemporary American, wood-fired grill
J. Alexander's Jacksonville is a place that takes its steaks seriously and its wine list as an afterthought. If you're here for a business dinner or a reliable wood-fired meal, you'll drink fine — just don't expect to be surprised, and try not to look too hard at the markup on the Kendall-Jackson.
Crowd Pleasers
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Jacksonville Beach · Jacksonville · Modern Japanese / Sushi
O-Ku Jacksonville Beach is a genuinely nice spot to drink well with sushi, especially if you lean into the sake program where the real effort has been made. The wine list is respectable but unremarkable — and markups across the board mean you'll want to choose your battles.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Jacksonville Beach / Ponte Vedra · Jacksonville · Upscale New American with French and Mediterranean Influences
Restaurant Medure is the best wine list you're likely to encounter between Savannah and Orlando — serious producers, proper storage, a sommelier who knows the cellar, and glassware that respects what's in it. The markups are steep and the list plays it safe stylistically, but if you're celebrating something and want Bordeaux with your filet, this is the room.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Intracoastal West / Beach Blvd · Jacksonville · Contemporary American Seafood
Marker 32 is a beautiful room with a wine list that plays it completely safe — you won't drink badly, but you won't discover anything either. Send a friend here for the scallops and the Intracoastal view, and tell them to order the Chardonnay.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Riverside / Five Points · Jacksonville · Modern American / Southern-influenced
Black Sheep is exactly what a neighborhood restaurant wine list should be — fair prices, enough variety to reward curiosity, and no obvious embarrassments. We'd send a friend here for wine without hesitation, especially if they're sitting on that rooftop.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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