Bacari Grill
California's Greatest Hits, Done Right
Township of Washington · Township of Washington · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 18, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Bacari Grill reads like a California greatest hits album — you know every track, and honestly, you're fine with that. It's the kind of list that makes a table of six happy without any arguments, which is harder to pull off than it sounds. The warm brick walls and lively bar scene set the right tone for a bottle of something Napa-forward.
Selection Deep Dive
Bacari's 100-150 bottle list is a California love letter: Caymus, Jordan, Duckhorn, Stag's Leap, Rombauer — the names your uncle drops at Thanksgiving when he's trying to impress people. There's virtually no Old World presence to speak of, and adventurous drinkers looking for a Burgundy or a Ribera del Duero are going to be disappointed. That said, the California producers represented are legit — this isn't a list built on grocery store shelf-fillers. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence they've held since 2000 reflects a consistent commitment to stocking the right bottles, even if the selection doesn't take many risks.
By the Glass
With 12-18 glass pours, there's enough here to keep most tables sorted without committing to a bottle. Expect the usual California suspects — Sonoma-Cutrer and Rombauer holding down the white side, La Crema and Meiomi covering Pinot duty. Rotation isn't aggressive, but the Wednesday half-price wine night makes the by-the-glass program genuinely exciting mid-week.
La Crema Pinot Noir — $35
On Wednesday's half-price night, La Crema by the glass becomes a no-brainer — solid Sonoma Coast fruit at a price that makes it easy to order a second pour without doing math.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2021
Most tables here reach for the Rombauer on autopilot, but Chateau Montelena is the more interesting bottle — the winery that rewrote California's reputation at the 1976 Paris Tasting. At $88 it's not cheap, but you're getting a piece of history and a Chardonnay with actual structure instead of vanilla-butter overload.
Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
At $145, Far Niente is the most expensive bottle on the list and the one most likely to leave you feeling the sting. It's a fine wine, no question, but the markup here pushes it into territory where you're paying mostly for the name recognition. The Jordan or Stag's Leap Artemis gets you 90% of the experience at a meaningfully lower price.
Duckhorn Merlot + Short Rib Sliders
Duckhorn Merlot is built for exactly this kind of rich, braised beef situation — plummy fruit and soft tannins that don't fight the meat, just wrap around it. The Short Rib Sliders are clearly the star of the appetizer menu, and this pairing makes both better.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night every Wednesday — applies to bottles and/or by-the-glass pours. Best night of the week to explore the upper end of the list without the full markup hit.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Bacari Grill isn't trying to be a wine destination — it's trying to be the best neighborhood spot in Bergen County, and on that front the wine list delivers. If you're going Wednesday and you like California Cabs, someone in your life should be driving you here right now.
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