BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse – Plano

The wine list at BJ's Plano reads exactly like you'd expect from a place that built its reputation on craft beer and deep-dish pizza — it's an afterthought dressed up in familiar labels. Meiomi, Kim Crawford, Apothic Red: these are the wines of grocery store endcaps and casual chain dining, and nobody's pretending otherwise. That's not necessarily a crime, but it does set expectations firmly on the floor.

The list clocks in at around 20–30 labels, nearly all California with a token New Zealand and Italian entry to feel cosmopolitan. You've got La Crema and Hess Select flying the Chardonnay flag, Daou showing up as the lone Paso Robles ambassador with some actual credibility, and then Dark Horse and Apothic Red doing the heavy lifting for people who just want something red and inoffensive. There's no real exploration here — no Rhône, no Rioja, no anything that might make someone pause and ask a question. The gaps are wide enough to drive a beer truck through.

The by-the-glass program runs 12–18 options at $7–$12, which is genuinely accessible pricing for a casual night out. The selections mirror the bottle list — familiar faces, zero surprises — but at these prices you're not really being gouged, just gently steered toward the predictable. Rotation appears minimal; this reads like a set-it-and-forget-it program.