Wednesday nights make this list worth it
Midtown · Grand Rapids · Gastro Pub / Contemporary American Comfort Food · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 29, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The Friesian's wine list doesn't try to be anything it's not — and honestly, that's kind of refreshing. Fifteen to twenty bottles, all familiar names, nothing that's going to make a wine nerd's pulse quicken. But at a gastro pub where the smoked chorizo porchetta sandwich is the star of the show, this list knows its lane.
The list leans heavy on the New World — California, Washington, Argentina, and Chile cover almost every bottle, with a lone Spanish Tempranillo (Dombrial) waving the Old World flag. You're looking at the usual suspects: J Lohr Cab, Echelon Pinot Noir, Tapiz Malbec, Trinity Oaks Pinot Grigio. Nothing wrong with any of it, but there's no depth here — no second-label discovery, no esoteric region to explore, no Italian or French presence to speak of. It's a list built for the guest who wants something recognizable, not something to talk about.
Ten by-the-glass options in the $7–$11 range covers the basics without making you feel cornered. The spread hits Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Cab, and Tempranillo — so whatever your table needs, it's probably there. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority, but at these prices, you're not asking for more.
Tapiz Malbec — $9/glass
Tapiz is a legitimate Mendoza producer — not a supermarket filler brand — and at $9 a glass in a gastro pub setting, it's the most honest pour on the list. Rich enough to hold up to a burger without demanding your full attention.
Dombrial Tempranillo
It's the only Old World wine on the list and most people here will order the Malbec on autopilot. Don't. The Tempranillo brings some earthiness and grip that everything else on this list is missing — and it punches above its price point.
Charles & Charles Cabernet Blend
Charles & Charles is a solid grocery store buy, but at gastro pub markup it loses its value proposition entirely. You can grab this bottle at Total Wine for under $15 — there's no reason to pay restaurant prices for something this available.
Dombrial Tempranillo + Smoked Chorizo Porchetta Sandwich
Tempranillo and pork is a Iberian classic for a reason — the wine's savory, slightly smoky character mirrors the chorizo's spice and the richness of the porchetta without drowning it out. It's the best food-wine moment this list can offer.
Wednesday — Half off all glasses of wine from 6 PM – 10 PM.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Friesian is a neighborhood pub that happens to have wine — and there's nothing wrong with that. Come on a Wednesday when glasses are half price, order the Tempranillo or the Malbec, and stop overthinking it.
Downtown / Amway Grand Plaza · Grand Rapids · Spanish / Modern European
MDRD is a Wild Card because it earns its badge the hard way: a hotel rooftop in the Midwest has no business carrying Bodega Chacra or a thoughtful local Michigan Pinot, and yet here we are. Markups keep it from being a destination wine list, but if you're already up there for the views and the paella, there are worse ways to spend your glass pours.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Grand Rapids · New American / Teaching Restaurant
A teaching restaurant that could embarrass a few actual restaurants on the wine front — fair prices, genuine producers, and a France-meets-Michigan list that has more intention behind it than most spots charging twice as much. Go in without expectations and leave genuinely impressed.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Grand Rapids · Fondue-focused American/Swiss-style chain
The Melting Pot's wine list is the dining equivalent of a reliable sedan — it gets you where you're going without any surprises, good or bad. Send a friend here for the experience, not the wine, but reassure them they won't be embarrassed by what's in the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kentwood / Southeast · Grand Rapids · Upscale Casual American
Cooper's Hawk Kentwood is exactly what it is — a well-run chain winery restaurant with fair prices, a crowd-pleasing list, and staff that's enthusiastic if not deeply expert. Don't come here expecting to find your new favorite grower Champagne; do come here knowing you'll drink something decent without getting gouged.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Grand Rapids · Casual Italian-American, Sports Bar
Uccello's Downtown is a perfectly solid place to watch a game and eat a pizza — just don't show up expecting the wine list to match the ambition of the kitchen. Order the Nero d'Avola, grab it during happy hour if you can, and save your serious wine drinking for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown / Riverfront · Grand Rapids · Modern Spanish
MDRD is a hotel rooftop bar that actually tried with its wine list, and in Grand Rapids — or anywhere, really — that clears the bar. The markups have some sharp edges and the list is short, but the Spanish focus is genuine and the Txakoli alone makes it worth a visit.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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