California classics done right, Wednesdays rule
Santa Clara · Seafood, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 10, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Birk's Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Birk's reads like a greatest-hits album of California wine — Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak, Rombauer all present and accounted for. It's comfortable and familiar in the way a dark-wood steakhouse should be, and nobody's going to argue with the choices. What you won't find is much surprise.
Birk's leans hard into California, and that's a defensible call given the clientele — Silicon Valley business dinners and special occasions, not somm competitions. The Napa Cab lineup is genuinely strong: Stag's Leap, Ridge Monte Bello, and Caymus cover a serious range of style and price. Chardonnay gets real attention too, with Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches and Rombauer holding down the butter-and-oak crowd. What's missing is anything outside California — no French Burgundy to compare, no Spanish alternatives for the adventurous table — so if you're looking to wander, you're largely out of luck.
Somewhere between 12 and 20 options by the glass, priced $10–$18, which is a solid spread for a steakhouse format. The range mirrors the bottle list — California-forward, crowd-friendly, no curveballs. Rotation isn't something they trumpet, so expect the same familiar pours visit after visit.
Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cépages 2019 — $76
A Sonoma Meritage blend that consistently punches above its weight — at $76 it's the most interesting bottle on the list at a price that doesn't require a second mortgage. Order this before you default to the obvious Cab choices.
Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Ranches Chardonnay
Everyone at the table is ordering the Rombauer, and we get it. But Sonoma-Cutrer's Russian River Ranches bottling is more nuanced, with genuine acidity and less of the syrup-in-oak thing — it's the Chardonnay for people who actually like Chardonnay.
Rombauer Chardonnay 2022
At $92 a bottle, you're paying a steep restaurant premium for a wine that retails around $35–$40. It's a crowd-pleaser but the markup is hard to justify — order a glass if you need your Rombauer fix and spend the bottle budget elsewhere.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Filet Mignon
Stag's Leap Cab has the structure to hold up to a quality filet without bulldozing it — the tannins are refined enough that the beef stays the star, and the dark fruit plays straight into the char on the meat. Classic call, but it's classic for a reason.
Wednesday — Half-price wine bottles on Wednesdays — the single best reason to plan your visit mid-week. Makes the steeper markups on Jordan and Silver Oak a lot more palatable.
The Bottom Line
Birk's has held a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2004 and the list earns it — if California is your world, you'll drink well here. Wednesday half-price wine night is genuinely worth planning around; the rest of the week, watch the markups.
Georgetown · Washington · Seafood, Steakhouse
An unpriced list that is easier to read for what it offers than for what it costs. If you want Bordeaux, ask for the 2020 Margaux de Brane Cantenac, or look at the Brunello di Montalcino in Sommelier's Selections, and get the price before you commit. This unrated guide covers the posted Beverage Menu, not service, storage or markups.
Back Bay · Boston · Seafood, Steakhouse
A beverage book that covers a lot more than California: 19 glass pours up front, then Napa, Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Rhône and Piedmont behind them. If you are spending, look at the Kistler Les Noisetiers Chardonnay at $175; if you are not, the Zlatan Otok Plavac Mali is the lowest-priced full bottle at $39. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks list, not service, storage or markups.
Bend · Bend · Seafood, Steakhouse
Brickhouse posts a steakhouse list with a long Washington Cabernet section and 6 oz glass pours from $12. Start with the $12 Green Wing Cabernet by the glass, or step up to the Eyrie Estate Pinot Noir at 85 for a bottle; if you are spending, the Quilceda Creek Cabernets in the Washington section run 425 to 475. Confirm today's availability and prices; this unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
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