Local Wines, Waterfront Vibes, Zero Surprises
Downtown Monterey · Monterey · Breakfast / Brunch · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Club Room’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list here reads like a love letter to Monterey County — and we mean that in the nicest, most predictable way possible. You open it expecting to find Talbott and Morgan front and center, and there they are, right on cue. It's comfortable, it's local, and it does exactly what a hotel restaurant wine list is supposed to do.
The list runs 20–40 bottles deep and stays firmly planted in Monterey County and the Central Coast, which is genuinely the right call given where you're sitting. Talbott Vineyards Chardonnay and Morgan Winery Pinot Noir are the anchors — both solid regional producers that belong on any list in this zip code. Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc rounds out the headliners, and Bernardus is no slouch. The gap is everything else: there's no real depth beyond the obvious picks, no old-world detour, no wildcard bottle that makes you feel like someone actually curated this thing.
Eight pours by the glass at $12–$18 is a reasonable range for a hotel bar in downtown Monterey, though it skews toward the top of fair market value given the context. The selection mirrors the bottle list — Central Coast-focused, crowd-pleasing, predictable. Don't expect the glass program to rotate with the seasons.
Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc — $14
Bernardus makes genuinely good wine out of Carmel Valley, and if this is landing around the lower end of the glass range, it's the move. Bright, coastal, and actually relevant to what's on your brunch plate.
Morgan Winery Pinot Noir
Morgan flies under the radar nationally but earns its reputation in Monterey. Most people at a hotel brunch aren't ordering Pinot with their eggs — which means if you do, you're probably getting one of the better pours on the list with zero line.
Talbott Vineyards Chardonnay
Talbott is fine wine, but it's also the most recognizable name on the list, which usually means the markup is working hardest here. At a hotel restaurant with a captive audience, the flagship Chardonnay is where the margin lives. There are better values in the same pour range.
Bernardus Sauvignon Blanc + Avocado Toast
Coastal Sauvignon Blanc and avocado toast is not a revolutionary idea, but it works — the herbaceous brightness cuts through the fat and keeps the whole thing feeling light. It's brunch-appropriate in a way that a Chardonnay isn't.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Club Room won't blow your mind, but it won't embarrass you either — it's a hotel wine list that at least has the sense to lean into its regional backyard. If you're already staying at the Portola, it's an easy yes; if you're driving across town just for the wine, keep driving.
Cannery Row · Monterey · Lounge
Chart House's happy hour wine program exists to keep your glass full while you stare at the Pacific — and on that level, at $8–$10 a pour, it succeeds. But if wine is actually why you're here, Cannery Row can do better.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Fisherman's Wharf · Monterey · Casual Seafood
Riva Fish House is a reliable pour for what it is — a casual, tourist-friendly wharf spot that keeps the wine list simple and the prices honest. Send a friend here for a glass of Chardonnay and the chowder; don't send them here expecting anything that'll make them rethink their relationship with wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pacific Grove · Monterey · Mediterranean / European
Fandango is punching well above its coastal casual-fine-dining weight class with a list that has real depth, genuine age, and some legitimately exciting outliers. The markups keep it from true Rager status, but if you're in Pacific Grove and want to drink seriously, this is your spot.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
North Fremont / Beachfront · Monterey · American, Seafood
The Lantern Room is what happens when a hotel restaurant actually tries — a locally anchored wine list, a sommelier in the building, and enough interesting producers to make the steep markup sting a little less. Send a friend here if they love Central Coast wine; warn them to skip the Cab and lean into what this coast actually grows.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
North Fremont / Beachfront · Monterey · Seafood / Beachfront
Tidewater is riding entirely on its beachfront location, and the wine list makes no effort to be anything more than a functional afterthought. Stick to the glass pours, pick the most credible name you can find, and keep your eyes on the water.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Cannery Row · Monterey · New American with seafood, house-made pasta, and flatbread pizza
Lalla Oceanside isn't a wine destination, but it's a genuinely fair deal for what it is — a lively Cannery Row spot where the list supports the food without gouging you. If you stick to the Bernardus or the Albariño and grab a window seat, you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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