Great Burgers, Wrong Place for Wine
Riverside · Riverside · Burgers · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 24, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Islands Riverside is less a list and more a footnote — a few familiar names wedged between cocktail specials and a sprawling beer menu. This is a burger joint that knows exactly what it is, and wine is clearly not part of the identity. If you came here hoping for a thoughtful pour, recalibrate quickly.
Six to eight labels, all of them names you've seen on grocery store end caps: Copper Ridge, Kendall-Jackson, Ruffino. The California representation is predictable Chardonnay and Cabernet territory, and the sole Italian entry — a Ruffino Pinot Grigio — feels like it was added to tick a box. There are no small producers, no interesting regions, no surprises. The list hasn't evolved; it just exists.
All wines are available by the glass, which at a casual chain is less a feature and more a necessity — nobody is ordering a bottle of Copper Ridge Cabernet at a burger table. Six options total, rotating between house pours and the Kendall-Jackson tier, with pricing that feels inflated for what's actually in the glass.
Ruffino Pinot Grigio — $7
It's not exciting, but it's the one wine on this list that at least tastes intentional. Light, clean, and actually decent with a basket of fries. If you're drinking wine here, this is your move.
Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay
Dismissed by serious wine drinkers but actually well-made for the tier. At a burger chain, it's the closest thing to a wine with a real production story behind it, and it handles the food better than you'd expect.
Copper Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon
House wine at house-wine prices, but the value isn't there. Copper Ridge is a bulk-production label that retails for under $5 a bottle. Whatever they're charging per glass, it's too much.
Ruffino Pinot Grigio + Gourmet Burger with fries
A cold, crisp Pinot Grigio cuts through the salt and fat of a classic Islands burger better than any of the reds on this list. It's a low-stakes call that actually works.
❌ The Bottom Line
Islands Riverside is not a wine destination and makes no attempt to be one — the list is an afterthought bolted onto a beverage program built around beer and cocktails. Order a cold beer or a tropical cocktail, enjoy your burger, and save the wine for a different night.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.