Big steaks, solid pours, no surprises
Downtown · Kansas City · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 27, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at 801 Chophouse arrives the way the room looks — dark, serious, and dressed for the occasion. It's an award-winning list built to complement a bone-in ribeye, and it doesn't pretend to be anything else. You're not here to discover an obscure Jura producer; you're here to drink well with a very large piece of beef.
The list leans hard into California Cabernet territory, which makes sense when your menu is anchored by USDA Prime dry-aged cuts. You'll find familiar, crowd-pleasing names like Daou and Justin sitting alongside more interesting callouts — Fontanafredda Barolo is a legitimate nod to old-world red meat drinking, and L'Ecole No. 41 Merlot shows someone was paying attention when they built this list. Oregon gets a seat at the table via Adelsheim Pinot Noir, and Argentina checks in with Catena Malbec. It's not a list that takes many risks, but it covers its bases competently and then some.
Eighteen-plus options by the glass is generous for a steakhouse, and the price range — $14 to $55 a pour — tells you they're not holding back on the top shelf. That's a real program, not an afterthought. We'd love to see more rotation or a defined seasonal selection, but what's here gives you legitimate choices before you've even opened the bottle list.
Adelsheim Pinot Noir — $14
At the entry point of the by-the-glass range, Adelsheim is a reliably well-made Willamette Valley Pinot from one of Oregon's most consistent producers. It's the move if you're not going full red-meat mode and want something that actually has some nuance to it.
Fontanafredda Barolo
Most tables here are going straight for California Cab, which means this Barolo is sitting quietly while everyone else grabs the obvious choice. Fontanafredda is a storied Piedmontese producer, and Barolo's tannic structure and dried cherry depth is actually a killer match for a dry-aged steak — arguably better than your average Napa Cab at this price point.
Rombauer Chardonnay
Rombauer is a perfectly fine wine that has been marked up aggressively at every white-tablecloth restaurant in America for the past two decades. You're paying for the name recognition here, not the juice. If you want Chardonnay, you can do better elsewhere on this list.
L'Ecole No. 41 Merlot + Bone-in Ribeye
Washington Merlot at this level has a dark fruit depth and structured tannin that holds up to the fat and char of a bone-in ribeye without the sometimes overpowering oak bomb you get from heavier Cabs. L'Ecole is the kind of wine that makes the steak taste better and vice versa — that's the whole point.
✔️ The Bottom Line
801 Chophouse does exactly what a downtown steakhouse wine list should do — it gives you enough range to drink well, a sommelier who knows the list, and proper glassware to match. The markups sting, but you knew that when you sat down in a room with white tablecloths and a dry-age program.
Crossroads / Westside border (Southwest Boulevard) · Kansas City · Spanish tapas / small plates
La Bodega is the Wild Card Kansas City didn't know it needed — a genuinely Spain-focused wine list with fair pricing and a half-price Monday that should be on everyone's weekly calendar. Send your friends here, especially on a Wednesday when the paella and a Rioja Reserva are waiting.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Columbus Park / Downtown Fringe · Kansas City · Classic Italian-American
Garozzo's is a Kansas City institution, and the wine list knows its lane — Italian classics, middle-of-the-road pricing, and zero pretension. Send a friend here for the Spiedini and a Chianti; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Brookside / East Brookside · Kansas City · Seafood-focused American / Oyster Bar
Earl's Premier is a wild card in the best possible way: a thoughtfully curated, seafood-focused wine list hiding in a Kansas City neighborhood spot. Send your oyster-loving friends here and tell them to start with bubbles.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Country Club Plaza · Kansas City · Seafood / Oyster Bar
Jax KC isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't need to be — but the list is smarter than the room might suggest, with a few genuine standouts that reward paying attention. Send a friend here for oysters and Sancerre, and tell them to skip the markups on anything California.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Freight House / Crossroads · Kansas City · Italian
Lidia's is a reliable Italian wine destination with a focused list and real sommelier knowledge behind it — the markups sting on the entry-level bottles, but Wednesday half-price wine night changes the math entirely. If you're going any other night, aim high on the list where the value is better.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Country Club Plaza · Kansas City · Steakhouse Bar
The Capital Grille bar is a reliable destination if someone else is picking up the tab or you're cherry-picking by the glass. The list is deep and well-managed, but the markup math is hard to ignore when you're the one signing the check.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
I-35 / North Creek · Laredo · Steakhouse
Outback Laredo's wine program is a national chain doing national chain things — predictable, overpriced relative to quality, and staffed by people who aren't expected to know anything about what they're pouring. Come for the Bloomin' Onion, stick to a cocktail, and save the wine order for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Creek / I-35 · Laredo · Steakhouse
Logan's Roadhouse is not a wine destination — it's a steakhouse chain where wine clearly wasn't part of the concept. Order a beer, order a cocktail, and save the bottle for a restaurant that's actually trying.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Mall del Norte Area · Laredo · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse Laredo is a great spot for a $17 steak and a bucket of rolls — the wine list is an afterthought and everyone involved knows it. Order a margarita, or grab the Ste. Michelle Riesling and call it a night.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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