Great Sushi, Forgettable Wine List
East Bayside · Portland · Japanese · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 14, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Watami’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Watami, the focus is clearly on the fish — and rightfully so. But when you flip to the wine list, the enthusiasm drops fast. What you find is a short roster of grocery-store staples priced like they have a Michelin star.
The list gestures toward some interesting territory — there's reportedly an Oregon Pinot Gris and a Grüner Veltliner in the mix, which would actually make sense alongside Japanese food. But they're surrounded by bulk-brand filler like Coastal Ridge Cabernet and Gemma Di Luna Pinot Grigio, bottles you'd find on an end-cap at Hannaford for $10. The sake program is presumably where the real effort lives, and honestly that tracks for a Japanese restaurant — we just wish the wine side showed the same intentionality. Alsace and Austria are smart directions for this cuisine; the execution just doesn't follow through.
There are somewhere between four and eight pours available by the glass, but the options skew heavily toward crowd-pleasing brands that prioritize name recognition over quality. Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc appears to be the most credible pour on the glass list, which tells you something about the ceiling here. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority — what's on now is probably what was on six months ago.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc — $30
At roughly 50% over retail, this is the least egregious markup on the list. It's not exciting, but it's a known quantity, and the bright citrus and herbaceous snap holds up reasonably well against lighter sushi preparations.
Grüner Veltliner
Most people at a Japanese restaurant will default to sake or reach for the Pinot Grigio without thinking. The Grüner Veltliner — if you can track it down on the list — is the smarter call. Its peppery, mineral-driven profile is a genuinely good match for clean fish flavors, and it's not a bottle your tablemates will have already ordered a hundred times.
Coastal Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon
This is a $10 retail bottle being sold for $30, and it has no business being anywhere near a plate of sushi. The markup is aggressive, the wine is anonymous, and the pairing logic simply doesn't exist. Order sake instead.
Oregon Pinot Gris + Maine Crab Roll
Oregon Pinot Gris brings enough weight to complement the sweet, delicate crab without steamrolling it, and the subtle stone fruit and creamy texture play well against the rice and any light seasoning. It's the one pairing on this list that actually makes geographic and flavor sense.
The Bottom Line
Watami is worth visiting for the sushi — the Maine crab roll alone makes the trip — but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up with steep markups. Do yourself a favor and lean into the sake program, or bring your own bottle if corkage is an option.
East End · Portland · Sushi / Japanese
Mr. Tuna isn't a wine destination — it's a great sushi spot that happens to have two sensible, well-chosen bottles and a local can that makes the experience feel intentional. Come for the hand rolls, drink the Vinho Verde, and don't overthink it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Bayside · Portland · Seafood
A fast-casual raw bar with a wine list that punches well above its category — the French-only focus is a feature, not a limitation. If you're eating oysters in Portland, this is where you want to be drinking.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Deer Isle · Portland · Seafood Fine Dining
Aragosta is the rare case where the wine program matches the remoteness of the drive — you come all the way out here and find a 3,475-bottle cellar waiting for you. Yes, send your friends. Send everyone.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Old Port · Portland · Seafood, American
Scales is playing a different game than the tourist-trap seafood spots on either side of it — the wine list is genuinely Old World-focused and well-matched to the food, which is rare and worth noting. If you're eating clams and mussels on the Portland waterfront, this is where you want to be doing it with a glass in hand.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Arts District · Portland · Seafood, Californian, Contemporary Mexican
Regards isn't trying to be a wine bar, but whoever built this list understands exactly what the food needs and went hunting for it. If you're in Portland and want a bottle that actually earns its place on the table, this is the move.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West End · Portland · French and Spanish
Chaval is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood brasserie in Portland — the list is small but curated by someone who actually cares, with pricing that doesn't punish curiosity. If you're open to going off the beaten path (xarel-lo, South African grenache blanc), this is a genuinely rewarding room to drink in.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Duluth · Japanese
Haru Ichiban is not a wine destination, and that's fine — plenty of great Japanese restaurants aren't. But if wine matters to you at dinner, this list gives you nothing to work with: no producers, no prices, no effort. Come for the food, skip the wine, and maybe order the Choya Plum Wine if you want something that at least fits the vibe.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Roswell · Japanese
Tanaka's wine list is functional in the same way a vending machine is functional — it technically dispenses what you need, but no one's excited about it. The pricing is fair and the Umeshu is a genuine bright spot, but seven bottles at a sit-down Japanese restaurant in 2024 signals that wine just isn't a priority here. Order the sake, or bring your own if corkage allows.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Jersey City · Japanese
For a Japanese lounge with a 21-bottle list, Stingray is doing more work than it has any reason to. The Grüner, the Loire whites, and that Grand Cru Champagne are all legitimate finds at prices that won't sting. If you're nearby and want something better than the usual sushi-spot house white, this is worth the detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
