A cellar legend hiding in plain sight
· Tampa · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 4, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Bern's Steakhouse has a reputation that precedes it — this is a Tampa institution with a wine program that's been taken seriously for decades. The list we're working with here covers sparkling wine almost exclusively, and within that narrow lane, there's genuine range and some genuinely interesting choices. It's not a sprawling 500-bottle tome, but what's here is curated with intention.
The 66-label list is anchored in American sparkling wine, with California producers like Domaine Carneros, Schramsberg, Sea Smoke, and Gloria Ferrer holding down the domestic side. The French Champagne section leans hard into Brut Nature and grower Champagnes — Benoit Dehu, Caillez Lemaire Pur Meunier, and A. Bergère Terres Blanches are not names you stumble across at your average steakhouse. That said, the presence of multiple Korbel SKUs (Brut, Extra Dry, Rosé, Blanc de Noir, Blanc de Blancs) alongside serious bottles like Schramsberg J. Schram creates a slightly uneven register — like finding a Camry in a Ferrari lot. The $36.95–$645 price window tells you everything about the range of ambition on display.
By-the-glass options aren't confirmed in the data we have, which is a gap worth noting — at a list focused entirely on sparkling, a strong BTG program would make this approachable for every table. Without confirmed pours, we'd advise asking your server what's open before committing to a bottle.
Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs 2021 — $36.95
Schramsberg is the gold standard for American sparkling wine and the Blanc de Noirs consistently punches well above its price point — rich, complex, and age-worthy from one of California's most serious producers.
Caillez Lemaire Pur Meunier Brut Nature 2016
A 100% Pinot Meunier grower Champagne with zero dosage — this is exactly the kind of bottle most steakhouse diners will scroll past, which means more for the rest of us. Earthy, precise, and a genuine conversation starter.
Korbel Extra Dry
Korbel has its place, but not at steakhouse prices alongside serious grower Champagne. You're paying a restaurant markup on a bottle that retails for under $15 — the value math just doesn't work here.
Domaine Carneros Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs Brut 2016 + Beef tartare
Le Rêve's tight, minerally Chardonnay-driven bubbles cut through the richness of raw beef and lift the herby, briny elements of a classic tartare prep — it's a high-low moment that earns its price tag.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Bern's is a legend for a reason, and even this sparkling-focused slice of its list shows a house that genuinely cares about what's in the glass. The grower Champagne presence alone makes it worth a visit — just steer clear of the Korbel section and spend a few extra dollars where it counts.
Tampa · Tampa · American
The Rez Grill isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it's doing the casino steakhouse thing better than it has any obligation to — a real sommelier, a Thursday half-price night, and a list that knows its lane. Come for the ribeye, order the Jordan, and leave before you hit the slots.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
SoHo · Tampa · American, Seasonal
Élevage is the kind of place that does California wine correctly without doing anything unexpected with it — the list is dependable, the setting earns it, and the Wine Spectator nod is deserved. Send a friend here if they love Napa Cab and a good steak; redirect the wine geeks to somewhere with more range.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Shore · Tampa · American, Steakhouse
Union delivers a reliable, California-heavy wine list that makes sense for a buzzy Tampa steakhouse with rooftop ambitions — just don't come looking for surprises. Send a client here; take a wine-curious friend somewhere else.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Tampa · Tampa · Seafood, Floridian
Ulele is a great restaurant that happens to have a competent wine list — not a wine destination that happens to serve great food. If you're in town for the waterfront, the smoked mullet dip, and a solid glass of California Chardonnay, you'll leave happy; just don't expect the list to keep up with the ambition of the kitchen. Wednesday's half-price wine night is genuinely worth planning around.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Water Street · Tampa · American, French
Boulon is a reliable wine stop in Tampa's growing Water Street corridor — the list is curated enough to respect, even if it rarely surprises. Send a friend here knowing they'll drink well; just don't send the friend who's hoping to find something they've never heard of.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Tampa · Tampa · American
Meat Market Tampa is exactly what it says it is: a well-funded, serious steakhouse with a wine program to match, and the Wine Spectator hardware on the wall is earned. The markups are real and the list doesn't stray far from its California-France axis, but if you're sitting down to a serious piece of beef and want a serious bottle, this room delivers.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
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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