Safe Harbor for the Seafood and Cab Crowd
Oceanfront Myrtle Beach · Myrtle Beach · Upscale American and Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Cypress Room at Island Vista’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 at The Cypress Room reads like a greatest hits album you've heard a hundred times — Rombauer, Santa Margherita, Kim Crawford, all present and accounted for. It's not an adventurous list, but it's competent, and the oceanfront setting makes even a familiar Chardonnay feel like a better decision than it probably is. Walk in expecting comfort, not discovery.
The 50–80 bottle list leans hard on Napa and Sonoma for reds and Northern Italy plus Marlborough for whites — a formula that plays well with the resort crowd but leaves serious wine drinkers wanting. Stags' Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon anchors the red side with some genuine credibility, while Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio and Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc do the heavy lifting for white wine drinkers who just want something recognizable. There's no meaningful exploration of Rhône, Burgundy, Spain, or domestic producers outside of California, which at this price point feels like a missed opportunity. The list does its job — it just doesn't try very hard beyond that.
The by-the-glass program runs 8–14 options, which is a reasonable spread for a resort dining room. Expect the usual suspects: something Californian, something Italian, something from New Zealand. There's no evidence of regular rotation or a thoughtful pour program, so what you see is likely what's been on the list since last season.
Stags' Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — null
No price confirmed, but Stags' Leap Winery is a legitimately good Napa producer — not the flashiest name on the block, which means it sometimes sneaks through at a relatively saner markup than the celebrity bottles. If you're ordering red, this is where to land.
Stags' Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon
Often overshadowed by its more famous neighbor STAG'S LEAP WINE CELLARS (yes, different winery), Stags' Leap Winery quietly delivers solid, structured Napa Cab without the name-brand premium most diners don't know to avoid. Worth ordering with confidence.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
Santa Margherita is the Pinot Grigio that taught America what Pinot Grigio was — in 1979. It's fine, but it's been coasting on that reputation ever since, and resort wine lists charge a premium for the name recognition. You can do better for less almost anywhere.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc + Shrimp and Grits
Kim Crawford's bright acidity and citrus-forward profile cut right through the richness of a butter-heavy Lowcountry shrimp and grits. It's not a surprising pairing, but it's a correct one — and sometimes that's exactly what you want with an ocean view.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Cypress Room is a perfectly acceptable place to drink wine if you're already staying at Island Vista and don't feel like going anywhere else. We wouldn't drive across town for this list, but we wouldn't send a friend away thirsty either.
Arcadian Shores / Restaurant Row · Myrtle Beach · Italian
Crave punches above its Myrtle Beach zip code on the Italian side of the list, but the markups are beach-town steep and the by-the-glass program needs more ambition. If you're here, dig into the Italian bottles and leave the California brand parade alone.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Coastal Grand Mall area · Myrtle Beach · Mexican
Abuelo's wine program is an afterthought dressed up as a wine list — four California bottles, grocery-store-level selection, and markups that don't reward curiosity. Order a margarita and don't look back.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Myrtle Beach / Restaurant Row · Myrtle Beach · Brazilian steakhouse / churrascaria
Rioz is a genuinely fun place to eat — the meat service is relentless and the energy is high — but the wine program is an afterthought in a room that deserves better. Order the Malbec, enjoy the picanha, and don't come here expecting anything from the wine list.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Myrtle Beach Intracoastal · Myrtle Beach · Seafood, Ribs, Burgers, Sushi, American Bar & Grill
Boardwalk Billy's is a fun spot to eat and drink a cold beer on the water — lean into that. The wine list is an afterthought stocked with recognizable labels that require zero effort from anyone involved, and the markup doesn't justify the selection. Order a cocktail or a local draft and save the wine night for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murrells Inlet MarshWalk · Myrtle Beach · Seafood
Drunken Jack's isn't a wine destination — it's a great seafood spot on a beautiful stretch of South Carolina coast that happens to have a wine list that won't embarrass itself. Order the Macon-Villages or Pine Ridge blend, watch the marsh at sunset, and stop overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murrells Inlet MarshWalk · Myrtle Beach · Seafood / Sushi
Wicked Tuna's wine list is a reliable, unfussy companion to a genuinely fun waterfront dining experience — it won't wow anyone, but it won't let anyone down either. Come for the sushi, the sunset, and the $2-off happy hour pours; just don't come expecting to geek out over the cellar.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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