Cool Building, Grocery Store Shelf in a Glass
Downtown · Flagstaff · American Gastropub
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The McMillan Bar and Kitchen’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The McMillan is a genuinely great room — a restored 19th-century building on Route 66 with real character and a lively bar scene. Then you look at the wine list and it's like someone printed off the Top 10 bestsellers from a Total Wine circular. The building deserves better.
Fifteen to twenty-five wines, almost entirely California and domestic, and the producers read like an airport Hudson News endcap: Josh Cellars, Meiomi, Joel Gott, La Marca. There's no depth here, no regional curiosity, no nod to Arizona's own emerging wine scene just a few hours south in Sonoita and Willcox. If you're hoping for something that sparks a conversation, you're going to be disappointed — this list exists to avoid objections, not to inspire anything.
Eight to twelve pours by the glass sounds generous until you realize they're all pulling from the same shallow California well. Rotation doesn't appear to be a thing here — the list feels like it was set once and left alone. At $9–$12 a glass, you're paying restaurant prices for wines most people already have at home.
Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc — $10
It's the least offensive option on the list at the lowest markup relative to what you're getting — clean, approachable, and at $10 a glass it won't sting as much as the rest. Damning with faint praise, but here we are.
La Marca Prosecco
Nobody orders the split, and that's actually your move. At $9 for a 187ml pour you get a cold, fizzy reset between rounds without committing to a full glass of something you might regret. It's the most honest thing on the menu.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
Eleven dollars a glass for a wine you can grab at Costco for $18 a bottle. The math is rough, the wine is sweet and simple, and Pinot Noir deserves better treatment than this.
Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc + Fish and Chips
The Sauvignon Blanc's citrus edge cuts through the batter and keeps things from getting heavy — it's a straightforward pairing for a straightforward dish, and it's the one moment on this list where everything clicks.
❌ The Bottom Line
The McMillan is a genuinely fun bar in a beautiful old building, and the cocktail program is probably where your money should go. If wine is your thing, this list will not be your night.
West Flagstaff · Flagstaff · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse is a legitimately fun place to eat a steak, but the wine program is an afterthought dressed up in a laminated menu. Order a beer, a cocktail, or just drink your weight in the complimentary bread — your palate will thank you either way.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Flagstaff · Flagstaff · Seafood
Red Lobster Flagstaff is not a wine destination, and it's not pretending to be — if you're here, you're here for the biscuits and the shrimp, and that's fine. Grab a Matua or hit happy hour for the $5 pours, and spend your real wine energy somewhere else in town.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Occasional
Acceptable
East Flagstaff · Flagstaff · Steakhouse / Australian-themed American chain
We wouldn't send a friend here for wine — we'd tell them to order a cocktail and enjoy the Bloomin' Onion without overthinking it. The wine list is a chain afterthought, and that's fine, but it earns no points for effort.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Flagstaff · Flagstaff · Italian-American chain restaurant
Olive Garden's wine program exists to check a box, not elevate your dinner — order what you came for (the pasta, the breadsticks, the vibe), and if you need wine, point at the Chianti and move on. If wine actually matters to you tonight, there are better options in Flagstaff.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Southside · Flagstaff · Mediterranean / Healthy / Vegetarian-friendly
Pita Jungle isn't a wine destination, but Wine Wednesday turns a modest, play-it-safe list into a genuinely good deal — $9 bottles with a plate of hummus and pita is hard to argue with. Come for the food, drink opportunistically, and set a calendar reminder for Wednesdays.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Flagstaff · Burger / American
Diablo Burger is a legitimately good burger spot that happens to have two wines on the menu as an afterthought. Come for the Cheddar Diablo Burger, order a beer, and let someone else worry about the wine list.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Old Town Temecula · Temecula · American Gastropub
Crush & Brew is the right move if you want to drink local without doing a formal winery crawl — the list is honest, the prices don't insult you, and the setting makes a glass of Temecula Valley red feel earned. Don't come looking for Burgundy; do come knowing exactly where your wine grew up.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Ann Arbor · American Gastropub
The Ravens Club isn't a wine destination — it's a late-night Ann Arbor institution that happens to have a functional wine list. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Gruet for $6, and let the spirits program do its real job.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Loop 250 / Retail Corridor · Midland · American Gastropub
Cork & Pig is doing more with wine than anyone should expect from a retail-corridor gastropub in Midland. The markups sting a little at the top end, but the Social Hour pricing and the breadth of the by-the-glass program make this an easy recommendation for locals who want something better than house red.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.