Coastal Classics Done Comfortably, No Surprises
Unknown · Columbia · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 3, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at The Bluefish reads like a greatest hits album from a mid-2000s seafood restaurant — Duckhorn, Cakebread, Kim Crawford, Santa Margherita. Everything here is a recognizable name that somebody's aunt ordered at a beach house once. That's not a death sentence, but it does tell you exactly what this program is optimized for: comfort, not curiosity.
Thirty-eight labels with a heavy tilt toward California — Napa and Sonoma dominate the whites and reds — with a few gestures toward the Pacific Northwest and Italy. The white game is where the list makes sense for a seafood spot: Chateau Ste. Michelle 'Eroica' Riesling from Columbia Valley, Martin Codax Albariño from Rías Baixas, and Ramey Russian River Chardonnay all earn their place. The reds feel obligatory rather than inspired — Groth Cab and Duckhorn Merlot are fine wines, but they don't belong at a seafood table any more than a life jacket belongs at a wine dinner. There's no real deep-cut or regional surprise, and the list hasn't been pushed in any meaningful direction.
Twelve pours by the glass is a reasonable spread for a restaurant this size, running $6 to $12. The Mer Soleil Chardonnay Reserve at $12 a glass is the clear top-end option and at least gets you something worth drinking. The Prophecy Sauvignon Blanc at $9 a glass is the volume pour — it's fine, it's not embarrassing, it's just not interesting.
Chateau Ste. Michelle 'Eroica' Riesling, Columbia Valley — Not listed per-bottle, available on list
Eroica is a benchmark American Riesling — made in collaboration with Ernst Loosen — and it's the smartest call on this list for a seafood meal. Off-dry, crisp, and built for anything that comes out of the ocean. If it's priced anywhere near the lower end of this list, it's the move.
Martin Codax Albariño, Rías Baixas
Most tables here will default to the Chardonnay or Kim Crawford, and that's a shame because the Albariño is doing the most interesting work on the list. Saline, citrusy, and built for shellfish — it's exactly what you want with the crab cakes and most people walk right past it.
Cakebread Chardonnay, Napa Valley
At $78 a bottle, you're paying heavily for a label that retails around $40. Cakebread is a fine wine, but at that markup you're funding the name recognition, not the quality. The Ramey Chardonnay from Russian River is a better glass of wine and probably a smarter spend.
Martin Codax Albariño, Rías Baixas + Crab Cakes
Albariño is practically engineered for this — the wine's natural salinity and lemon-peel brightness cut through the richness of the crab without steamrolling the delicate flavor. It's the pairing this list was quietly built for, even if nobody's advertising it.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Bluefish plays it safe and the pricing reflects more confidence than the list deserves, but the core selection is competent enough for a solid seafood dinner with the right pour. Stick to the whites, ask about the Albariño, and don't let anyone talk you into a $78 Cakebread.
Forest Acres · Columbia · Contemporary American Bistro with Southern Influences
Tombo Grille isn't going to win any points for boldness, but it delivers exactly what Forest Acres wants: familiar wines, fair-enough execution, and a menu worth eating. Send a friend here for a reliable dinner out — just temper expectations if they're hoping to discover something new.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Irmo / Northwest Columbia · Columbia · Contemporary American-Italian
Travinia is a reliable neighborhood wine bar that gets the basics right — solid selection, good by-the-glass volume, food-friendly pours — without ever swinging for the fences. Send your friends here for a comfortable bottle with dinner, not for a wine discovery experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Sandhill · Columbia · Contemporary American-Italian
Travinia Sandhill is a reliable wine bar in a market that doesn't have many — not adventurous, not cheap, but consistent enough that you won't regret the reservation. Just steer clear of the obvious traps and you'll have a decent night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
St Andrews · Columbia · Japanese, Sushi
Inakaya Watanabe is clearly a solid neighborhood sushi spot, and the food likely earns its loyal following — but the wine program is an afterthought that nobody has revisited in years. Come for the fish, order sake if they have it, and treat the wine list as a last resort.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
The Vista · Columbia · Asian / Sushi & Pan-Asian
M Vista's wine list is functional, fairly priced, and completely unambitious — which honestly fits the room. Send a friend here for sushi and a casual bottle of J Lohr; don't send them here expecting a wine experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Shandon · Columbia · Italian-American, Pizza, Contemporary American
Za's on Devine isn't a wine destination — it's a neighborhood pizza joint that happens to have one of the best weekly wine deals in Columbia. Show up on a Wednesday, order a glass of whatever you like, and stop overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
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
Dayton Mall/Miamisburg · Dayton · Seafood
Bonefish Grill Dayton is a decent dinner spot for seafood, but the wine list is a national template — not a local program anyone actually thought about. Order the Nobilo, enjoy the fish, and save your wine ambitions for somewhere that has any.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central McAllen · McAllen · Seafood
Red Lobster's wine list exists to check a box, not to enhance your meal. Order the Riesling or the Sauvignon Blanc, accept the situation for what it is, and save your wine ambitions for a different night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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