Best Wine Lists in Hawaii

Roy's Waikoloa Bar & Grill

Waikoloa · Kailua-Kona · Hawaii Regional Cuisine / Asian Fusion Seafood Grill

The Reliable

Roy's Waikoloa is a reliable night out with food that outpaces the wine list by a full length. Drink the Sonoma-Cutrer with the butterfish, skip the markups on the obvious stuff, and let the view do the heavy lifting.

Pueo's Osteria

Waikoloa · Kailua-Kona · Italian osteria with locally sourced Hawaiian ingredients

The Reliable

Pueo's isn't building a destination wine program, but it's doing something harder — keeping prices honest in a market that rarely does. Send your friends here for dinner; just know the list is a supporting character, not the headliner.

Lava Lava Beach Club

Waikoloa · Kailua-Kona · Beachside Hawaiian and Pacific Rim

The Lazy List

Come for the sand, the sunset, and the Huli Huli chicken — just don't come expecting the wine list to match the view. Order the best white they have cold, tip your server well, and make peace with it.

TJ's BBQ By the Beach

Alii Drive · Kailua-Kona · Hawaiian-style barbecue / plate lunches

The Wild Card

We would never send someone to TJ's for the wine list — we'd send them for the smoked brisket and the ocean view. But if you want something in a glass while you eat, the list does just enough to keep you covered, and $12 a pour is fair by Hawaii standards.

Don the Beachcomber Restaurant & Mai Tai Bar

Kailua-Kona · Kailua-Kona · Hawaiian-inspired and pan-Pacific fare with a classic tiki bar

The Lazy List

Don the Beachcomber is a genuinely fun place to spend an evening in Kona, and the cocktail program absolutely earns its reputation — so get the mai tai and leave the wine list alone. If you insist on a bottle, grab the La Crema, accept your losses, and watch the sunset.

Ray's on the Bay

Kailua-Kona · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary American and Seafood

The Lazy List

Come for the manta rays and the sunset, order a cocktail, and make your peace with it. The wine list is a hotel afterthought dressed in markup we can't recommend with a straight face.

Meridia at Westin Hapuna Beach Resort

Kohala Coast · Kailua-Kona · Mediterranean

The Lazy List

Meridia has the setting, the concept, and the menu to deserve a genuinely interesting wine list — instead it serves up resort-hotel boilerplate at punishing markups. Order the paella, drink the cocktails, and save the serious wine for somewhere that cares.

Miller & Lux Hualalai

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai · Kailua-Kona · American Steakhouse with Hawaiian Influences

The Reliable

Miller & Lux Hualalai is a resort wine list that doesn't embarrass itself — it earned that Wine Spectator nod, has a real sommelier in the room, and the dessert wine selection alone is worth a look. Just know you're paying Four Seasons prices for the privilege, and plan accordingly.

Island Lava Java Kona

Ali'i Drive / Waterfront · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary Hawaiian Café and American

The Lazy List

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.

Harbor House Restaurant

Honokohau Harbor (North Kona) · Kailua-Kona · Casual American bar & grill with Hawaiian influences

The Reliable

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.

Fish Hopper Seafood & Steak

Kailua Pier / Ali'i Drive · Kailua-Kona · Seafood & Steak

The Reliable

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.

Manta Restaurant at Mauna Kea Beach Hotel

Mauna Kea Resort · Kailua-Kona · Contemporary Hawaiʻi Regional Seafood

The Reliable

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.