Great Views, Decent Pours, Watch the Markup
Downtown / Waterfront · Seattle · Seafood
Reviewed April 21, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You sit down, the Sound is right there, the light is doing something gorgeous off the water, and then the wine list arrives — and it's fine. It's a 120-bottle list that leans hard into Washington State and California, which makes sense for the room, but doesn't surprise you in any meaningful way.
The list does its job: Washington producers anchor the Pacific Northwest section, with Chateau Ste. Michelle showing up as the local workhorse alongside California names like Duckhorn. Kim Crawford flies the New Zealand flag, mostly for Sauvignon Blanc drinkers who want something clean and easy with their seafood. At 120 labels, there's range, but this is a crowd-pleasing list built for a tourist-heavy waterfront crowd — don't come expecting grower Champagne or Jura oddities. The gaps are real: minimal Italy, no serious Old World depth, and nothing that suggests a buyer with strong convictions.
Twelve pours by the glass running $11–$18 covers the basics and then stops. The range is predictable — a Sauvignon Blanc, something red from California, a rosé if the season calls for it — but there's no rotation or adventurous pick hiding in the lineup. It's serviceable for a pre-dinner glass while you watch the ferries, but don't expect anything that'll make you put down your phone.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc — $11–$13/glass
At the lower end of the glass price range, Kim Crawford delivers exactly what it promises — bright, citrusy, and clean — and it works hard against the Dungeness Crab Cakes. Not a revelation, but honest value in a room that can get pricey fast.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Canoe Ridge Merlot 2018
Most people sleeping on Washington Merlot don't realize Canoe Ridge is one of Ste. Michelle's better vineyard designates. It's warmer, rounder, and more structured than the standard bottling. Worth knowing about, even if the restaurant is charging you double retail for the privilege.
Duckhorn Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
At $95 on the list against $60 retail, the markup isn't the worst we've seen — but Duckhorn Cab at a seafood-focused waterfront restaurant is a weird call anyway. You're paying a premium for a bottle that outweighs everything on the menu. Save it for a steakhouse.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc + Dungeness Crab Cakes
High-acid, citrus-forward Sauvignon Blanc and sweet Dungeness crab is one of the more reliable combos in Pacific Northwest dining. The wine's brightness cuts through the richness of the cakes without fighting the delicate crab flavor. Simple, but it works.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Six Seven is a beautiful place to drink wine you could find at any upscale chain — the views are doing most of the heavy lifting here. If you're spending a special-occasion night on the water, stick to the lower end of the list and let the Puget Sound scenery close the deal.
Eastlake · Seattle · Italian
Serafina is a reliable Italian neighborhood spot with a wine list that matches its ambitions — cozy, competent, and a little expensive for what it is. Send a friend here for the pasta and Nebbiolo, but warn them to steer clear of the Prosecco markups.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Capitol Hill · Seattle · French / Northwest Seafood and Wine Bar
Bar Melusine is what Capitol Hill needed more of: a focused, France-forward wine program that actually earns its place next to the food. If you're eating oysters in Seattle, this should be in your regular rotation.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Magnolia · Seattle · Italian
Picolinos is the kind of neighborhood Italian where the wine list genuinely backs up the food, and that's rarer than it should be. Send your friends here if they want a proper Barolo with their osso buco without flying to Turin.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pike Place Market · Seattle · Italian-American with Northwest influence
The Pink Door is a reliable wine list in a genuinely great room — the atmosphere does a lot of heavy lifting, and the wine program is good enough not to get in the way of a memorable evening. Just watch the markups, stick to the Italian bottles, and let the trapeze act do the rest.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Capitol Hill · Seattle · Modern steakhouse with French-influenced Pacific Northwest cuisine
Bateau is the rare steakhouse where the wine list earns as much attention as what's on the butcher board. Markups keep it from being a total steal, but the depth, the staff, and the Pacific Northwest-first perspective make this one worth the splurge.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Belltown · Seattle · Italian
Tavolàta's wine list is exactly what a good Italian pasta spot should have — focused, fairly priced, and honest about what it is. If you're looking for a list to geek out over, keep walking; if you're looking for something that drinks well with great pasta, pull up a chair.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ambassador Caffery · Lafayette · Seafood
Bonefish Grill Lafayette isn't a wine destination, but it's not an embarrassment either — it's a reliable corporate list that plays defense, not offense. Order the Riesling, enjoy your fish, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Texas Ave. · College Station · Seafood
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
City Point / Waterfront · New Haven · Seafood
Shell & Bones built a tight, seafood-smart wine list that rewards the curious drinker, though the markups mean you'll feel it at checkout. Come for the oysters, order the Chiquet, and don't waste your money on the mini Moët.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.