Fried fish and Finger Lakes in perfect harmony
Downtown · Syracuse · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 19, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Fish Friar’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into a counter-service fish shack and finding Chablis on the list is exactly the kind of pleasant surprise that makes this job worth doing. The Fish Friar is tiny, loud, and decidedly not precious — which makes the fact that someone clearly thought about the wine list feel like a small act of defiance. It's not deep, but it's deliberate.
Twenty to forty selections sounds modest, and it is, but the list punches above its weight class by leaning into wines that actually make sense next to fried seafood. White Burgundy and Chablis anchor the old-world side, while Finger Lakes dry Riesling gives the list a local identity that most casual spots wouldn't bother with. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (think Cloudy Bay territory) and Oregon Pinot Gris round things out on the new-world end. The red options are almost beside the point here — this is a white wine list wearing a fish shack's clothes, and that's exactly right.
Six to twelve pours by the glass at $9–$15 is a solid spread for a spot where your entree might run $14. The glass program skews white and coastal, which tracks with the menu entirely. We'd love to see more rotation — right now it reads like a set-it-and-forget-it situation — but what's there is genuinely drinkable and well-matched to the food.
Finger Lakes Dry Riesling — $36
At the low end of their bottle range, a dry Finger Lakes Riesling brings bright acidity, zero residual sweetness, and laser focus that cuts straight through fried batter. It's local, it's food-friendly, and it's priced like they want you to actually order it.
Oregon Pinot Gris
Most people at a fish counter are grabbing a beer or defaulting to Sauvignon Blanc, which means the Oregon Pinot Gris just sits there waiting for someone to notice. It's rounder and more textured than the SB, which makes it a better call for anything fried or creamy — and almost nobody orders it.
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc
Look, it's fine. It's always fine. But Cloudy Bay has become the Häagen-Dazs of wine lists — you're paying for the name recognition, and at a counter-service spot where markups can be unpredictable, there are smarter bottles on this same list.
Chablis + Fried clams
Chablis is basically the ur-pairing for briny shellfish — that flinty, mineral backbone and high acidity cut the oil and echo the oceanic salinity of the clams. It's almost textbook, except the classroom is a tiny fish shack on East Genesee and that makes it better.
The Bottom Line
The Fish Friar has no business having a wine list this well-considered, and we mean that as a compliment. If you're eating fried fish in downtown Syracuse and you're not ordering the Chablis or the Finger Lakes Riesling, you're leaving something on the table.
East Syracuse / Carrier Circle · Syracuse · Italian-American
Joey's is clearly a beloved Syracuse institution doing right by its food and its new space — but the wine list is running on autopilot and charging you for the privilege. Come for the Chicken Riggies, just don't come for the wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Syracuse · Italian / New American
A Mano isn't a destination wine list, but it's an honest one — fair prices, Italian focus that matches the food, and enough by-the-glass options to drink well without overthinking it. Send a friend here for dinner without hesitation; just don't promise them a cellar tour.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Skaneateles / Greater Syracuse · Syracuse · French
Joelle's isn't trying to be a wine destination — it's a French bistro that takes its wine list seriously enough to match the food, and that's exactly what it delivers. If you're eating here and drinking French, you'll leave satisfied.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Skaneateles · Syracuse · American, regional tavern fare
The Sherwood Inn is a reliable wine stop, not a destination one — the Finger Lakes selections are genuinely good, but the markups on crowd-pleaser bottles are hard to forgive. Stick to the local producers, skip the California staples, and you'll drink well enough in a room that earns its keep on atmosphere alone.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Skaneateles · Syracuse · Modern American, Fine Dining
The Krebs is a genuinely special place to eat — the setting, the food, the occasion of it all — but the wine program is coasting on the restaurant's reputation rather than earning its own. Until someone with real passion takes over that list, treat the wine budget as a tax and order accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Skaneateles · Syracuse · Italian, Tuscan
Rosalie's Cucina is a genuinely lovely spot to eat Italian in the Finger Lakes, and the wine list is coherent enough that you won't be stranded — but the markups are consistent and unkind, so come in with eyes open. Order the Di Majo Norante, skip the Jermann, and let the pasta do the heavy lifting.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · Seafood
Willi's is a wild card in the best sense — a casual Sonoma seafood bar running a wine list that belongs in a much more serious room. The by-the-glass depth alone is worth showing up for, and the pricing is honest by the region's standards. If you're anywhere near Healdsburg, order the Assyrtiko and thank us later.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Healdsburg · Seafood
The Marshall Store earns its reputation as a low-key, scenic spot for fresh West Coast oysters and smoked salmon — and if that's your mission, it delivers. But the wine program is effectively an afterthought: undocumented, uncurated, and not a reason to visit. Bring a bottle from one of the Healdsburg producers down the road, check the corkage policy at the door, and spend your energy on the food.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Healdsburg · Seafood
Nick's Cove earns a Wild Card badge because it's doing something specific and doing it with conviction: a seafood restaurant on the Sonoma Coast that built its list around sparkling wine and Chardonnay is a confident, logical bet. The markups get steep as you climb the ladder — Cristal at $750 and Dom Pérignon at $650 are priced for occasion, not for value — but there are real finds at the $80-$155 range if you know where to look. Come for the Failla, stay for the Radio-Coteau.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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