Best Wine Lists in Hawaii

Merriman's Restaurant Waimea

· Kamuela · Restaurant

The Wild Card

Merriman's Waimea runs a lean, genuinely curated wine program that rewards the curious drinker — and the happy hour $10 pours on a list that includes Sancerre and Failla Chardonnay is a deal you shouldn't walk past. If you're on the Big Island and want a glass of wine that actually reflects some thought, this is your stop.

Arancino at The Kahala

Kahala · Honolulu · Italian

The Wild Card

Arancino at The Kahala is doing something genuinely unusual for a hotel-adjacent Italian restaurant in Hawaii — it's built a list around obscure Northern Italian producers that most diners won't recognize, and that's exactly the point. Markups are on the steeper side and we can't vouch for glassware or staff knowledge from the available data, but the wine selection itself earns respect. If you know your Nebbiolo from your Barbera, this list rewards attention.

Kona Wine Nights

· Kailua-Kona · Pop-up Wine Bar / Events

The Wild Card

Kona Wine Nights earns its Wild Card badge precisely because it defies the normal restaurant wine calculus — you're buying into an experience led by a sommelier, scored by local musicians, and framed by a Hawaiian sunset. We can't verify the specific bottles or pricing, so we're not going to pretend otherwise, but the concept is genuinely compelling for anyone who wants something more than a Caymus pour at a hotel bar. If you're in Kailua-Kona and want a wine night that feels like it was designed with intention, this is worth the ticket.

Mina's Fish House

· Honolulu · Seafood

The Wild Card

Mina's Fish House isn't building a wine program — it's building a dessert wine moment, and that is a genuinely uncommon thing to find at a restaurant of this profile. If you're eating dinner here, you'll need to source your table wine elsewhere on the menu or order cocktails; this list doesn't cover that ground. But if you want to close out a Four Seasons meal in Honolulu with a glass of 2013 Tokaji Aszú or something out of the Madeira cellar, this is a quietly excellent place to do it.

Quiora

Waikiki · Honolulu · Italian

The Reliable

Quiora isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it doesn't need to be — it's a 22-label Italian restaurant list on a rooftop in Waikiki with an ocean view doing the heavy lifting. But the list is genuinely considered, the glass-pour selection is deep for the size, and pricing is fair by hotel standards. If you're eating here, drink the Tintero rosato or the Selbach Riesling and enjoy the sunset.

Botanico Waikiki

Waikiki · Honolulu · Italian / Californian Coastal

The Wild Card

Botanico is doing something genuinely unusual for Waikiki — building an Italian-forward wine list with real regional depth and mostly fair pricing in a place where restaurants routinely treat wine as an afterthought. The by-the-glass program alone is worth a seat at the bar. If you care at all about what's in your glass, this belongs on your radar.

CanoeHouse at Mauna Lani, Auberge Resorts

· Kailua-Kona · Modern Hawaiian / Tasting-Style

The Reliable

CanoeHouse is a beautiful place to drink wine — the setting, the seafood, and the overall experience justify the splurge on a special night. But the wine program itself appears to be resort-standard: solid, Champagne-and-Burgundy-leaning, and priced for the zip code rather than the quality in the glass. Come for the view and the lobster tempura; don't come expecting a list that surprises you.

Moku Nui

· Honolulu · Hawaii Regional

The Wild Card

Moku Nui is a casual Hawaii Regional spot that has no business running a wine list this thoughtful — and we mean that as high praise. Fair glass prices, a sommelier clearly making intentional choices, and enough variety to reward the curious drinker. If you're eating here, skip the default beer order and let someone at the table order the Vouvray.

Azure Restaurant

Waikiki · Honolulu · Seafood

The Reliable

Azure is a genuinely lovely place to drink wine — the setting does a lot of heavy lifting and the France-Italy-Hawaii focus is a sensible match for the island seafood menu. Just go in knowing resort markup is real, and if the tasting menu with wine pairing is available, that's likely your best shot at getting something memorable poured without having to guess blind from the list.

Senia

· Honolulu · Tasting Menu

The Wild Card

Senia's wine program is one of the more thoughtful in the state — sommelier on staff, an Old World-focused list, and a Wednesday night deal where bottles at $65 and under get cut in half plus a tasting flight. If you're serious about what's in your glass, this is where you go in Honolulu. Book a Wednesday if you can.

53 By The Sea

· Honolulu · Italian-American

The Wild Card

53 By The Sea plays an interesting game: a short, all-glass list that punches well above its weight in the mid-range, anchored by a custom Failla Pinot and some genuinely thoughtful picks from Austria and southern Italy. Markups lean steep, especially as you climb the tiers, and the absence of bottle service means you're always buying by the glass. But if you stick to the $12–$31 range, this is one of the more curated pours you'll find in Honolulu — and that Grüner alone is worth the visit.

The Capital Grille Hawaii

· Honolulu · Steakhouse

The Reliable

The Capital Grille Hawaii's wine list does what the brand does everywhere — it's safe, corporate, and priced to capture resort-market margins. The Champagne selection is genuinely deep and includes some worthwhile picks like the Paul Bara and the Llopart Cava, but markups are steep and there's little here to excite anyone looking beyond the obvious. If you're here for a steak and want bubbles, you'll find something that works — just don't expect the list to dazzle you.