Cold beer territory that takes wine seriously enough
Pawai Place / Kailua Industrial · Kailua-Kona · Hawaiian, Seafood, Hawaii Regional Cuisine · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Umekes Fishmarket Bar & Grill’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Umekes isn't trying to impress anyone, and that's actually refreshing. You're in a loud, happy, poke-slinging Hawaiian seafood joint in a Kona industrial park, and the wine list knows exactly where it stands. Twenty-one by-the-glass options at prices that would make mainland restaurants blush with shame.
This is a greatest-hits list built for approachability, not adventure — California workhorses like J. Lohr, Clos Du Bois, and Cypress Vineyards anchor the reds and whites, with Oregon showing up through Solena and Big Fire on the Pinot side. There's a respectable international sweep: a J&H Selbach Riesling from Germany, Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, Black Cabra Malbec from Argentina, Zeepaard Shiraz from Australia, and a Chateaumar Côtes du Rhône keeping things French. Nobody is going deep here — no vintage callouts, no grower Champagne, no natural wine rabbit holes — but for a casual Hawaiian fish spot, the geographic breadth quietly impresses. The real gap is a bottle list; if one exists, it's nowhere to be found, which means you're drinking by the glass all night.
Twenty-one pours by the glass is a legitimately strong number for a spot like this, and the pricing between $5.50 and $10 a glass is straight-up generous by any market standard, let alone Hawaii. The range covers sparkling (Maschio Prosecco), sweet (Caposaldo Moscato, Beringer White Zinfandel), crisp whites, two Pinot Noirs, and a handful of reds — enough to navigate a full table's worth of preferences without anyone resorting to water.
J. Lohr 'Riverstone' Chardonnay — $9
J. Lohr Riverstone is a consistently reliable, well-made Chardonnay that retails around $14-16 a bottle. Getting it by the glass in Hawaii at this price is genuinely good math — grab it while the fresh catch special is still on the board.
Chateaumar Côtes du Rhône
Nobody orders the Côtes du Rhône at a Hawaiian fish bar, and that's exactly why you should. It's the most interesting red on the list by a mile — Grenache-based, food-friendly, and completely out of place here in the best possible way.
Beringer White Zinfandel
It's on the list, it's cheap, and there's absolutely no reason to order it when you're sitting in front of a fresh ahi poke bowl. This is a menu placeholder, not a choice.
J&H Selbach 'Incline' Riesling + Ahi Poke Bowl
Off-dry Mosel Riesling and raw ahi is one of the great underplayed matches in the food world — the wine's gentle sweetness and laser acidity cut through the sesame oil and soy, and the whole thing tastes like you planned it. You didn't, but nobody needs to know.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Umekes isn't a wine destination, but the pricing is honest, the glass count is surprisingly high, and the Riesling-with-poke move alone is worth knowing about. Send your friends here for the food; the wine will take care of itself.
Ali'i Drive / Waterfront · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary Hawaiian Café and American
Island Lava Java is genuinely great for Kona coffee, breakfast, and that Ali'i Drive ocean view — just don't show up expecting the wine list to match the scenery. Order a pour of the Fleur de Mer rosé, enjoy the trade winds, and call it a day.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Honokohau Harbor (North Kona) · Kailua-Kona · Casual American bar & grill with Hawaiian influences
Harbor House isn't a wine destination, but it's doing more with 17 labels than most waterfront bars bother to attempt. If you're grabbing a harbor-view lunch or a casual dinner after a dive, there's a real, honest pour waiting for you here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kailua Pier / Ali'i Drive · Kailua-Kona · Seafood & Steak
Fish Hopper is a perfectly decent place to drink wine if you're already there for the ocean view and the clam chowder — just don't come expecting the list to impress anyone. Stick to the better California producers, avoid the house wine trap, and let the sunset do the work.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Mauna Kea Resort · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary Hawaiʻi Regional Seafood
Manta is a beautiful place to drink wine — the setting alone earns a pass on some of the list's shortcomings. But you're paying resort premiums for a 27-bottle list that plays it safe, so go in knowing the view is part of what you're buying.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Mauna Lani Resort · Kailua-Kona · Upscale American Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Mauna Lani does exactly what it promises: a deep, California-forward wine list served in proper glassware at steep resort prices inside a flawless steakhouse setting. You won't discover anything new here, but if you're after a great bottle of Napa Cab with your Prime filet and an ocean breeze somewhere nearby, this list will not let you down.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Ali'i Drive / Waterfront · Kailua-Kona · Steakhouse
This is a chain wine program doing exactly what corporate tells it to — nothing more, nothing less. If you're in Kailua-Kona for the wine, you're in the wrong zip code and definitely the wrong restaurant.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.