Jazz, Steaks, and a List That Delivers
Downtown Bellevue · Bellevue · Steakhouse and American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 1, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Bake's Place Prime reads exactly how you'd expect a Bellevue steakhouse to play it — California Cabs, recognizable Champagne names, and a few Italian heavyweights sprinkled in to signal seriousness. It's not adventurous, but it's not embarrassing either. The live jazz in the background almost makes you feel like the list is more sophisticated than it actually is.
Fifty-seven labels spread across Washington, California, and Italy with a clear steakhouse-first mentality — Caymus, Darioush, and Sea Smoke are all present, which tells you exactly who this list is written for. The Washington representation is genuinely solid, with Force Majeure Red Mountain and The Long Shadows Pirouette flying the local flag with credibility. Italy shows up better than expected: La Spinetta Barbaresco, a Viberti Barolo Riserva, Amarone from Tenuta Santa Maria, and a Chianti Classico from Rocca di Montegrossi give the list some Old World backbone. The gaps are on the lighter end — Burgundy is thin, there's no Riesling or Grüner in sight, and the white wine section leans heavily on Chardonnay.
Thirteen options by the glass is a respectable count for a steakhouse of this size, ranging from $12 to $22 a pour. The spread covers the bases — Champagne, Chardonnay, Cab — but don't expect the Barolo or Sea Smoke to make an appearance in the glass pour section. The top shelf stays bottled.
DeLille Cellars Chaleur Blanc (WA) 2023 — $60
DeLille's Chaleur Blanc is one of Washington's best white wines — a Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc blend with genuine complexity and cellar pedigree. At $60 on a list that charges $135 for Veuve and $170 for Caymus, it's the relative bargain hiding in plain sight.
Viberti Bricco Delle Viole Barolo Riserva 2017
Most people at a steakhouse are reaching for the Caymus or Darioush without a second thought. That's their loss. Viberti's Bricco Delle Viole is a serious Barolo Riserva from a great vintage with the kind of depth that makes a well-aged prime rib disappear. It's the most interesting bottle on this list and most tables will walk right past it.
Caymus Vineyards Napa Valley Cab Sauv 2021
At $170 a bottle, you're paying a significant premium for a label that's been riding its reputation harder than its recent quality warrants. Caymus has become the Ugg boot of California Cab — everywhere, comfortable, and not nearly as special as the price tag suggests. The Force Majeure next to it is a better wine at a better relative value.
Force Majeure Red Mountain Estate Cab Sauv 2019 + Prime Rib
Red Mountain Cabernet is built for exactly this moment — structured tannins, dark fruit, and enough acid to cut through the richness of a thick prime rib. Force Majeure is one of Washington's marquee producers and this is the bottle that earns its place on a steakhouse list.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Bake's Place Prime is a dependable wine list for a steakhouse night out — it won't surprise you, but it won't let you down if you know where to look. The markups sting a bit, but order the Force Majeure or the Barolo instead of the obvious hits and you'll leave happy.
Old Bellevue · Bellevue · Southern Italian
Carmine's is a dependable wine experience in a room that earns it — the Italian backbone is solid, the Marc Hébrart alone proves someone cared when building this list, and 13 by-the-glass options gives you real choices. Just mind the markups and steer away from the California name-drops.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Redmond Town Center · Bellevue · Steakhouse and Seafood
Matts' isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either. The Pacific Northwest focus is smart, the by-the-glass picks punch above the room's casual energy, and $9 oyster bar pours during happy hour is a deal worth showing up for.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Bellefield Office Park Area · Bellevue · Upscale American Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Bellevue is a reliable machine for a certain kind of corporate dinner — but the wine list is a profit center dressed up as a wine program, and the markups make that clear. Order the Belle Glos, catch Ruth's Hour if you can, and save the serious wine drinking for somewhere that actually cares.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Bellevue Square · Bellevue · Asian, Chinese-inspired
On a Wednesday, P.F. Chang's Bellevue is legitimately worth pulling up a chair for wine — half-price bottles with recognizable labels is a deal you won't find at most actual wine bars. Any other night, the list is competent but overpriced for what it is, and you'd be better off sticking to the cocktails.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Active Program
Acceptable
Lincoln Square · Bellevue · American, Global/International, Seafood
Earls Bellevue isn't going to wow any wine nerds, but it's a genuinely solid operation for what it is — fair prices, a few legitimately good bottles, and one of the best mid-week deals in Bellevue if you time your visit right. Come on a Tuesday or Wednesday and grab the Lingua Franca at half price; you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Old Bellevue · Bellevue · Contemporary Vietnamese
Monsoon Bellevue earns its Wild Card status: a focused Pacific Northwest wine list in a Vietnamese restaurant context is a genuinely smart move, and Wednesday half-price bottles make this one of the better midweek wine deals in Old Bellevue. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Pinot, and let the kitchen do the rest.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Santiago Park / Orange Hill-adjacent north Santa Ana · Santa Ana · Steakhouse and American
Orange County Mining Co. is a special-occasion spot that leans hard on its setting and its steaks — the wine list is along for the ride, not leading the charge. Come for the view and the prime rib, order the Jordan, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Fort Myers · Fort Myers · Steakhouse and American
Roadhouse Cafe isn't here to expand your wine horizons — it's here to give you a great Cab with a great steak in a great room with live jazz. Tuesday's half-price bottle night is genuinely worth planning around. Show up for the vibe, order the Jordan, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Broadmoor · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse and American
La Taverne is a well-run, properly staffed wine program inside one of Colorado's most storied resort properties — expect to pay for the privilege and the setting. If you stick to Jordan and Peter Michael and resist the siren call of the trophy bottles, you'll drink very well here.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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