Cool Room, Sad Wine List
Old Market · Omaha · Sushi / Japanese-inspired · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 11, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The space is slick and the sushi menu has genuine ambition, so you'd hope the wine list would keep up. It doesn't. What greets you is a short parade of familiar domestic names that feel assembled from a regional distributor's starter pack rather than curated by anyone who actually thinks about wine.
The list leans heavily on recognizable California labels — Sonoma-Cutrer, Charles Krug — with a token Pacific Northwest entry in the Barnard Griffin Riesling. There's no attempt to lean into the Japanese-inspired menu with anything interesting from Alsace, Austria, or even a crisp Chablis that would actually sing alongside nigiri. The depth just isn't here: no by-the-bottle surprises, no natural wine curiosity, nothing that suggests anyone asked 'what actually goes with sushi?' when building this list.
The glass program covers the holy trinity of Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Pinot Grigio — which is to say it covers nothing interesting at all. The Barnard Griffin Riesling is the lone standout in concept, since at least someone recognized that Riesling and raw fish are genuinely great together. Rotation appears nonexistent; what's on the list seems to have been on the list for a while.
Charles Krug Chardonnay — $10
At $10 a glass it's the least painful pour on the list — not exciting, but it won't embarrass you and it's the lowest barrier to entry if you need something in your hand.
Barnard Griffin Riesling
Most people skip Riesling on a restaurant list without thinking twice, which is a mistake here. It's the one wine that actually makes sense with the food — the slight sweetness and bright acidity work with anything spicy or sauced on the sushi menu.
Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay
A $25 retail bottle poured at $13 a glass is a rough deal no matter how you slice it. Sonoma-Cutrer is a fine wine — at a wine shop. Here it's a $13 glass of something you could drink at home for less than the markup deserves.
Barnard Griffin Riesling + Blue Kani
The Blue Kani's sweet crab and presumably spicy or creamy elements get cut cleanly by the Riesling's acidity. It's the one pairing on this list that feels intentional, even if it probably wasn't.
❌ The Bottom Line
Blue Sushi is a genuinely fun spot to eat, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed in a nice room. Order sake, order cocktails, or bring your own if corkage is available — just don't come here expecting the wine to match the energy of the food.
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