Spokane's Comfort Food Spot Gets Wine Right
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Onion Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The Onion is the kind of place you already know before you walk in — a Spokane institution built around burgers, cold beer, and zero pretension. The wine list matches that energy: short, regional, and designed for people who want a glass of something good without a dissertation. It's not trying to impress you, and that's actually refreshing.
The list runs 20 to 40 bottles deep and leans hard into Pacific Northwest and California — exactly what you'd expect from a casual Spokane anchor. There's no Old World detour, no skin-contact experiments, and no esoteric producers hiding in the back pages. What you get is a focused, approachable hit list of crowd-pleasers that works for the room. Gaps are real — wine geeks will scroll to the bottom fast — but for a burger-and-beer joint, this list does exactly what it needs to.
Six to ten options by the glass keeps things manageable without feeling like an afterthought. The pours lean toward familiar varietals from the Pacific Northwest and California, which pairs logically with the comfort food menu. Rotation appears limited, but the real story here is the happy hour: half-price wine Monday through Friday from 3 to 6pm, and all day Sunday.
Akli Chardonnay — $10.50
At $10.50 a glass with a retail bottle sitting around $15, this is practically a steal. The markup is almost nonexistent by restaurant standards — you're paying barely above what you'd hand over at a wine shop, which almost never happens.
Akli Chardonnay
Nobody orders Chardonnay at a burger bar, which is exactly why you should. At this price, it's the smartest pour on the list and flies completely under the radar.
Unknown premium bottle
Without full list data, we can't call out a specific bottle — but as a general rule, skip anything here that pushes above $50. The list isn't built for high-end exploration, and you won't find the kind of cellar depth to justify splurging up.
Akli Chardonnay + Fish and Chips
A lightly oaked or unoaked Pacific Northwest Chardonnay and fried fish is a classic match — the wine's acidity cuts the grease and the bright fruit holds up against the batter without fighting it.
Monday–Friday & Sunday — Half-price wine during happy hour Monday through Friday 3–6pm, and all day Sunday.
The Bottom Line
The Onion isn't a wine destination, but with near-zero markups and half-price pours most of the week, it's one of the better deals for a casual glass in Spokane. Send your friends here for burgers and a guilt-free pour, not for a deep-dive into Burgundy.
Kendall Yards · Spokane · Winery and craft distillery tasting room with small bites
Browne Family's Spokane room is a confident single-producer tasting experience done right — fair prices, knowledgeable pours, and a genuine case for why Washington State deserves your attention. Send a friend here if they think Washington wine is just an also-ran.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
West Downtown / Riverside · Spokane · Barbecue / American Tavern
The Blackbird is a genuinely good barbecue tavern that simply doesn't care about wine, and the steep markups on uninspired bottles make that indifference expensive. Come for the smoked meats and a cold beer — if you insist on wine, grab the Milbrandt and move on.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Fondue / Upscale Casual
The Melting Pot Spokane isn't a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — but the Washington State anchors on this list are genuinely good, and if you stick to those, you'll drink well enough for the occasion. Come for the fondue experience, order the Ste. Michelle, and save the serious wine night for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Hotel cocktail bar and lounge with small plates
1919 won't blow any minds, but for a hotel bar in downtown Spokane it earns genuine respect for keeping Washington State producers front and center. Come for the room, stay for the Beresan — just don't expect any surprises in the pricing.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Hotel Rooftop/Terrace Bar
The Grand Terrace Bar is a great place to drink wine in Spokane — just not necessarily great wine. Come for the skyline, order the Riesling, and save the serious bottle hunting for elsewhere.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Spokane · Spokane · Wine Bar
Barrister is a genuine Wild Card: a serious urban winery tucked into Spokane's rail district that most wine travelers blow past on their way to Walla Walla. If you're in eastern Washington and you haven't stopped here, you owe yourself a visit.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Lake Geneva · New American
Turf. Kitchen + Tap looks like a solid resort wine program — broad enough geographically to suggest some genuine effort, casual enough in setting that nobody's going to quiz you on your order. We'd feel comfortable sending a friend here for a relaxed dinner with a decent glass of wine, but we'd stop short of calling it a destination for the list itself. Come for the views and the Choriqueso; the wine will take care of itself.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Sonoma · New American
El Dorado Kitchen isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's set up squarely in one, and the list reflects that self-awareness. Fair pricing, smart local representation, a few genuinely interesting outliers, and the full list available by the glass make this a reliable stop for a well-poured evening in Sonoma. If you're after a deep cellar or something truly adventurous, look elsewhere — but if you want to drink well without stress, this delivers.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · New American
Siren has a wine list that punches above its weight in a few key areas — particularly the by-the-glass whites and the Champagne bottle program — but the markup structure means you're spending real money to access it. If you're the kind of diner who wants to order Furmint on a Tuesday night in Atlanta, this is one of the few places that makes that possible, and that alone earns it a spot on the shortlist.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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