Blue Gene's Steakhouse
Four Wines, Zero Effort, Full Markup
Salt Lake City · Salt Lake City · Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 1, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Blue Gene's is less a list and more a bulletin — four bottles, total, sitting alongside a cocktail menu that's clearly where this bar puts its energy. This is a 21+ late-night hangout with pool tables and karaoke next to Urban Lounge, and the wine program communicates exactly that level of priority.
Selection Deep Dive
Four labels, four regions, zero coherence. Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, Barefoot Chardonnay from California, Kung Fu Girl Riesling from Washington, and Trapiche Alaris Malbec from Argentina — it reads like someone grabbed one bottle each from the checkout aisle at Smiths. There's no depth, no regional story, and no real nod to the steakhouse label the restaurant carries. Kung Fu Girl is a legitimately decent Riesling that doesn't belong in this company, and the Malbec is serviceable, but neither of them can carry a wine program on their own.
By the Glass
All four bottles are available by the glass at $6–$9, which is the one honest thing happening here. The problem is that when the bottle prices run $40–$45, you're looking at markups between 200% and 400% — Barefoot Chardonnay at $40 a bottle is a genuine offense when it retails for $8. Pour the glass and don't do the math.
Kung Fu Girl Riesling — $9/glass
At $9 a glass it's at least a wine that punches above its shelf position — off-dry, crisp, and at 200% markup it's the least egregious pour on the list.
Trapiche Alaris Malbec
Nobody's ordering Malbec at a karaoke bar, but Trapiche Alaris is a solid everyday Argentine red that holds its own — order it by the glass and move on with your night.
Barefoot Chardonnay
A 400% markup on an $8 retail bottle is the single worst value on this list. Order literally anything else, or just get a cocktail — which is what this place actually does well.
Trapiche Alaris Malbec + Unknown — no menu food items available
If Blue Gene's carries any bar snacks or meat-forward bites, the Malbec is your only real option — it's the only red on the list and it can handle something with weight.
❌ The Bottom Line
Blue Gene's is a cocktail bar that accidentally has a wine list, and it shows in every possible way. Come for the karaoke and the highballs — skip the wine unless you're really committed to that glass of Riesling.
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