Games First, Wine Dead Last
Entertainment District · Arlington · American bar and grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 13, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Dave & Buster's Arlington isn't really a wine list — it's a footnote at the bottom of a laminated menu designed for people who are about to spend $40 on ski ball. Nobody came here for wine, and the program knows it. What you get is a short roster of national brands that could have been pulled from any grocery store endcap.
The selection leans entirely on mainstream California names — Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay and Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon represent the ceiling here, not the floor. There's no regional diversity, no independent producers, and zero attempt to match the wine program to the crowd or the occasion. This is a list built for checkbox purposes, not for anyone who actually thinks about what they're drinking. Expect the same bottles you'd find at an airport Hudson News, priced accordingly.
By-the-glass options hover in the $8–$11 range, which sounds reasonable until you realize these are bottles that retail for $10–$15 nationwide. The pour count is thin — we're talking a Chardonnay, probably a Cab, maybe a red blend if you're lucky — and rotation is essentially nonexistent at a chain operation like this. Don't expect anything different on your next visit.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay — $9
If you're drinking wine here at all, this is your safest bet. It's a known, consistent product and at $9 a glass it won't destroy your evening financially. Low bar, but it clears it.
Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Nobody's ordering Cab at a D&B, which means your glass won't be sitting in a half-open bottle for days. Ask when the bottle was opened — if it's fresh, this is a drinkable, fruit-forward pour that holds up to the Buffalo wings better than you'd expect.
Any bottle purchase in the $30–$45 range
Spending $35–$45 on a bottle here means paying a 3-4x markup on something you could grab at Total Wine on the drive over. There's no dining experience, cellar, or service level that justifies a bottle order at this address.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay + Voodoo Pasta
The KJ Chard is oaky and round enough to stand up to a cream-sauced pasta without completely disappearing. It's not a revelatory pairing, but it's the least wrong option on a very short list.
❌ The Bottom Line
Dave & Buster's Arlington is not a wine destination — it's a place where wine exists only because it has to. Order a cocktail, play some skee-ball, and save the bottle for somewhere that actually cares.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.