Viking Hall Vibes, Wine Wednesday Worth Showing Up For
West Side · Grand Rapids · New Nordic / Farm-to-Table · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 28, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into The Sovengard, you're not thinking about wine — the craft beer hall energy, the longhouse aesthetic, and the smell of house sausages are doing most of the heavy lifting. But the wine list is quietly there, compact and intentional, leaning into food-forward European picks that actually make sense next to the New Nordic menu. It's not trying to compete with the beer program, and honestly, that restraint is kind of refreshing.
The list is short — we're talking a handful of bottles — but the curation has a clear point of view. German Riesling and Austrian Grüner Veltliner anchor the whites, which is exactly the right call for a kitchen that likes acidity, herbs, and fermented things. The reds lean Gamay and Beaujolais-adjacent, which keeps things light and food-friendly rather than muscle-bound. There's sparkling rosé from European producers rounding things out, and the whole list feels like someone actually thought about what you'd want to drink with smørrebrød rather than just loading up on Napa Cab and Pinot Grigio to keep the masses happy.
Six to ten options by the glass depending on the season, priced $9–$14, which is approachable for Grand Rapids without being a giveaway. The rotation tracks with the seasonal menu changes, so you're not staring at the same listless Chardonnay every visit. That kind of rhythm takes effort, and it shows.
French Gamay — $34/bottle
At the low end of the bottle list, a Beaujolais-style Gamay is the move here — light, food-friendly, and priced where it should be for a beer-forward spot. On a Wednesday, that $34 becomes $17. Hard to argue with that math.
Austrian Grüner Veltliner
Most people at The Sovengard are here for a pint or a cocktail, so the Grüner Veltliner sits overlooked — but it's genuinely one of the best food wines in the building. Peppery, crisp, and built for the kind of herb-forward, vegetable-driven plates the kitchen sends out.
Summer Bubbles Tasting (3 Sparkling Wine Pours)
At $36 for three pours of non-specified sparkling wine, you're paying a 100% markup over retail. The experience is fun as a concept, but the value isn't there — pour that $36 into a full bottle of Gamay on a Wednesday and you're winning by a mile.
German Riesling + House smørrebrød
The Riesling's bright acidity and subtle sweetness cut right through the rich, cured toppings on the open-faced sandwiches, and the two together feel like the kitchen and wine list finally got in the same room and had a conversation.
Wednesday — Wine Wednesday: 50% off all bottles of wine every Wednesday when dining in.
🎲 The Bottom Line
The Sovengard isn't a wine destination — it's a beer hall with a wine list that actually tries, which puts it ahead of most places that claim to do both. Come on a Wednesday, order the Riesling or Grüner, eat something cured, 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
Midtown · Grand Rapids · Gastro Pub / Contemporary American Comfort Food
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
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
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.