Great fish, wine list just along for the ride
Pike Place Market · Seattle · Sushi · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 15, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Shiro's’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Shiro's is clearly an afterthought — and honestly, that's fine. You're here for some of the best nigiri in Seattle, not to geek out over a Burgundy selection. What you get is a compact, no-drama list that won't embarrass itself next to a plate of toro.
About 20-30 bottles total, which means this isn't a deep dive — it's a quick dip. The regional spread leans on New Zealand (Babich Sauvignon Blanc), France (Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne), and New Mexico (Gruet Brut), which is a quirky but serviceable triangle for a sushi spot. There's no serious old-world exploration here, no aged bottles lurking at the back of the list, and the producers skew recognizable over interesting. The Whistling Ridge White Blend is the one wild card, but details on it are thin enough that it's hard to know if it's a sleeper or just filler.
Six to ten options by the glass, priced in the $12–$18 range, which is honest for a Pike Place Market restaurant where the real spend is on the omakase. Don't expect the list to rotate much — this feels like a set-it-and-forget-it program rather than something a floor team is actively curating.
Babich 2018 Sauvignon Blanc — $40
Babich is a dependable New Zealand producer and Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is one of the most natural matches for clean, fresh sushi. At the lower end of the bottle price range, it's the most honest value on this list.
Gruet Brut
Most people overlook New Mexico sparkling wine entirely, but Gruet has been quietly making solid traditional-method bubbles for decades. It's an unusual call for a Seattle sushi menu, and if you're not ordering the Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne, this is the smarter bubble play.
Holloran Rosé 2020
At $42 against a $25 retail price, this rosé is marked up nearly 70% — which isn't scandalous by restaurant standards but stands out as the least compelling value on a short list. Nothing wrong with the wine itself, but you can do better here.
Babich 2018 Sauvignon Blanc + Chef's seasonal sashimi selection
Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc's citrus drive and clean acidity cut right through the fat of delicate raw fish without stepping on it. It's not a revolutionary pairing, but it's the right call at this price point and plays to the list's strengths.
The Bottom Line
Shiro's is a destination for the fish, full stop — and the wine list knows its place. It's short, mostly fair, and gets out of the way. If you want Champagne with your omakase, Nicolas Feuillatte won't let you down; if you want something with more thought behind it, you'll need to look elsewhere in Seattle.
Downtown · Seattle · Brazilian Churrascaria
The real headline here is the half-price South American bottles — available Monday through Thursday, all day, on bottles under $150 — which turns a polished steakhouse into a legitimately reasonable wine night. The list won't excite anyone who came for the wine, but if you came for the meat and want a solid regional bottle at a fair price, this deal is worth planning around.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Active Program
Acceptable
Ballard · Seattle · Italian
A short, Italian-leaning list with most of its bottles in the Old World red section. Order the $11 Montepulciano by the glass, or the $69 Travaglini Gattinara if you want to splurge a little, and confirm prices on the day. This unrated guide covers the posted wine menus, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Seattle · Pacific Northwest / New American
A hotel wine list with a Pacific Northwest page up front, Champagne, Bordeaux and Italian sections behind it, and a separate glass list on the drink menu. Start with the $12 Treveri Blanc de Blancs at happy hour or the Mark Ryan 'Goldfinch Tavern Red Blend', and check the current list before you go, since the restaurant says menus are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list and drink menu, not service, storage or markups.
Lake Union · Seattle · Steakhouse
A long, Northwest-first steakhouse list with plenty of bottles under $100 as well as a $300-to-$550 tier of Leonetti and Quilceda Creek Cabernets. Start with the $20 Five Star Cellars “Prime” Cabernet by the glass, or the same wine at $55 on the bottle pages, and confirm prices because the list says vintages and availability change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Capitol Hill · Seattle · Italian
An all-Italian list that is easy to navigate: 11 wines by the glass from $13 to $30, a bottle list sorted by region, and $8 house wine during Apericena. Order the Soave at $13 or the $17 Kerner by the glass, or the Villa Venti Sangiovese with the tagliatelle al ragu, and confirm prices because the page says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Central District · Seattle · Seafood
A mostly natural, mostly French bottle list that stretches from $60 Muscadet to a $455 Champagne, with a deep run of Jura, Savoie and Loire bottles. Start with the $60 Hautplanty Muscadet or the $72 Laurent Herlin Cabernet Franc, and ask about the list’s ◆ and ◉ key if you want help choosing between classic and wild. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
Sugar House · Salt Lake City · Sushi
A compact nine-wine list that sits behind a sake selection the restaurant calls the largest in Utah. Order the $8.99 Scarpetta Pinot Grigio or the $9.99 d'Arenberg Sauvignon Blanc by the glass, and take the Lambrusco if you are eating richer dishes. Prices come from the restaurant's online menu, so confirm them. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Baton Rouge · Sushi
Tsunami's wine list is built for the room, not the wine drinker — and honestly, that's fine. Show up on a Wednesday for the 25% bottle discount, grab the Cava or the Peju Sauv Blanc, and enjoy the view. Just leave the Caymus for someone else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Central Plano · Plano · Sushi
Sushi Sakana's wine list won't win any awards, but Wednesday's half-price bottle deal turns a steep, safe list into a legitimate reason to plan your week around dinner here. Come in knowing what you want and skip the Sonoma-Cutrer.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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