Beer Bar That Actually Thought About Wine
Old Town Lansing · Lansing · Gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Zoobie's Old Town Tavern’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Zoobie's, the vibe is unmistakably beer-first — taps everywhere, a crowd that knows what they want, and a wine list that shows up quietly but without embarrassing itself. Seventeen labels isn't ambitious, but it's honest. This isn't a wine destination; it's a gastropub that made a reasonable effort.
The list leans heavily California with detours through Argentina, Spain, New Zealand, and a single Michigan local. You'll find familiar, approachable labels — Banshee, Chronic Cellars, Plungerhead — that play to the crowd without demanding anything of them. There's no real old-world depth to speak of, and the Italy and Spain representation is thin; the Montebuena Rioja is doing all the heavy lifting on that front. Gaps in Burgundy, Rhône, or anything remotely adventurous make it clear no one's losing sleep over the wine program here, but what they've chosen, they've chosen competently.
Fifteen of the seventeen bottles are available by the glass, which is genuinely impressive for a place like this and one of the list's real strengths. Prices run $9 to $14, keeping it accessible for a casual Tuesday dinner without a second thought. There's no visible rotation or seasonal glass program — what you see is what you get, month after month.
Llama Malbec Argentina 2022 — $11/glass, $42/bottle
Llama consistently punches above its price point as a straightforward, fruit-forward Argentine Malbec. At $11 a glass in a gastropub setting, this is the move if you want something drinkable without stress-testing your wallet.
Mawby Sex Dry Rose Michigan NV
L. Mawby is one of Michigan's most serious sparkling wine producers, and their 'Sex' rosé is genuinely fun and made with real craft. Most people at Zoobie's are reaching for a Cab or a Malbec — don't sleep on the one local bottle on the list that actually has a story behind it.
Banshee Cabernet Sauvignon California 2022
At $65 a bottle, Banshee Cab is the priciest thing on the list and retails for around $18-20 at your local shop. That's a steep markup for a solid-but-unremarkable Sonoma County Cab you can grab on the way home for a fraction of the price.
Montebuena Rioja Spain 2020 + Tavern Burger
Rioja's tempranillo-driven earthiness and medium tannins cut through a beefy, well-seasoned burger without overwhelming it — and at a gastropub that takes its kitchen seriously, this is the kind of pairing that makes the whole table smarter.
The Bottom Line
Zoobie's isn't where you go to geek out on wine, but if you're meeting friends for dinner in Old Town and someone at the table insists on a glass, you won't be stuck with regret. Grab the Malbec or the Mawby rosé, let everyone else argue about the beer list.
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Carrabba's Lansing isn't a wine destination — it's a chain with a four-bottle list that skews heavily toward one California region and ignores everything Italian about the menu. Come for the pasta, skip the wine program, or catch one of their Paso Robles wine dinners if the timing works out.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
East Lansing · Lansing · Mexican
El Azteco is a beloved college-town institution, and the wine list knows its place — it's there so you can technically order wine, not because anyone thought hard about it. Stick to the margaritas; they're the real program here.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Lansing · Lansing · American, Brew Pub, Bar
Beggar's Banquet is a beloved East Lansing institution and the wine list reflects that — it's comfortable, familiar, and a little overpriced. Come on a Wednesday when half-price bottles make the steep markups survivable, order the bubbles, and remember that the beer list is probably the real reason everyone keeps coming back.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
East Lansing · Lansing · American bar & grill
Peanut Barrel is a beloved East Lansing institution and a genuinely great place to grab a burger and a beer — emphasis on the beer. The wine list is a placeholder, not a program, and no one at the table or behind the bar is pretending otherwise.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Lansing · Lansing · Hotel Restaurant
If you're staying at the Crowne Plaza or just need a reliable glass of wine before a meeting in Lansing, Kindred Table won't let you down — prices are fair, the producers are legitimate, and nobody's trying to fleece you. Just don't come expecting discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Okemos · Lansing · Seafood and American
Real Seafood Company Okemos is a dependable neighborhood anchor where the wine list won't embarrass you or excite you — fair prices and familiar faces make it easy, just don't come expecting discovery. Order the La Marca with the oysters and leave the wine nerd hat at home.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· McMinnville · Gastropub
For a ten-bottle list at a McMinnville gastropub, this is punching well above its weight class. The Corollary Sparkling Rosé, Soter Origins, and that Oddero Dolcetto alone justify a look. We don't have pricing to confirm the value story end-to-end, but the selection philosophy is clearly not phoning it in — and in wine country, that's the baseline we should all be holding everyone to.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Riverside · Gastropub
Brickwood isn't a wine destination, but it's a genuinely fair deal — honest prices, lots of glass options, and a list that doesn't try to squeeze you. Send a friend here if they want a decent pour without overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Glendale · Gastropub
Bar Louie is a perfectly fine place to drink a beer or a cocktail, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up in column formatting. If wine is why you're going out, go somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
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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