Power Lunch Pours That Mean Business
Midtown · New York · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated July 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 25, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bobby Van's Park Avenue’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Bobby Van's Park Avenue arrives the way a managing director orders lunch — with authority and no apologies. Three hundred-plus bottles, dark wood surroundings, white tablecloths, and a room full of people who are definitely expensing this. It sets the tone immediately: this is a list built for Cabernet and confidence.
The list leans hard into California and the classic French regions — Napa, Bordeaux, Burgundy — which is exactly right for a Midtown steakhouse crowd that wants familiarity and prestige in the same bottle. You'll find the usual heavy hitters: Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Rombauer. It's not an adventurous list by any stretch, and you won't find a natural wine hiding in the corner, but what it does, it does with conviction. The Bordeaux and Burgundy sections show enough depth to suggest someone is paying attention, though the breadth beyond California and France is limited.
Twenty by-the-glass options is a solid number for a steakhouse, running $18–$30 a pour. The range tracks the bottle list — California-heavy, classically minded, no curveballs. Don't expect the glass program to rotate much; this is a Set & Forget situation, but the pours are well-chosen for the room.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $70
Jordan consistently punches above its price point in restaurant settings — structured, food-friendly, and a known quantity that won't embarrass you in a business dinner context. At the lower end of the bottle range here, it's the move if you want California Cab without the Caymus markup.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
In a room full of Cab drinkers, nobody orders the Riesling — and that's a mistake. Chateau Ste. Michelle's Washington Riesling is a genuinely good wine at a steakhouse, especially alongside the lobster bisque or as a counter to the richness of creamed spinach. It's almost certainly one of the more fairly priced bottles on the list.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is a fine wine, but it's also the most marked-up label in every steakhouse in America. You're paying for the name recognition and the table theater. The Jordan or Silver Oak Alexander Valley gets you similar territory with better value attached.
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime dry-aged ribeye
Silver Oak Alexander Valley is a little more approachable and fruit-forward than its Napa counterpart, which means it doesn't bulldoze the ribeye — it keeps pace with it. The wine's structure handles the fat, the dark fruit plays off the char, and you look like you know what you're doing.
The Bottom Line
Bobby Van's Park Avenue is a reliable, well-run steakhouse wine program that knows its audience and serves them well — just bring a corporate card, because the markups are as Midtown as the address. If you're here for a deal, look elsewhere; if you're here for a proper bottle of Cab with a serious steak, it delivers.
NoHo · New York · Italian
Il Buco has one of the most compelling Italian wine lists in New York City — deep, principled, and staffed by people who actually care. The markup is real, so budget accordingly, but this is a room worth splurging in.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Downtown is a place where people order Champagne to celebrate, not to drink — and the wine program is built accordingly. If you're here for the vibe and someone else is paying, pop the Dom and enjoy it; if you actually care about what's in your glass, you're in the wrong room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Upscale Seafood & Steakhouse
Three happy hour wines do not a wine program make. Ocean Prime is a place you eat well and drink safely — but if wine is a priority, this list will let you down before the bread basket arrives.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Midtown is a great place to see and be seen, but the wine list is there to pad the check, not to excite you. If you're here for the experience, lean on the cocktails or grab a glass of Bonanza at the bar — don't expect the bottle list to reward any real curiosity.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown West · New York · Russian-American
The Russian Tea Room treats wine as an afterthought dressed up in Champagne flutes — five famous labels at punishing prices with no range, no by-the-glass program, and no apparent curiosity about wine beyond what looks impressive on a table. Go for the spectacle, order the caviar, but don't come here expecting a wine list.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
David Burke Tavern's list is a Chardonnay lover's comfort zone with a solid sparkling section propping up the top — but the narrow focus and steep pricing mean you're paying for familiarity, not discovery. Send a friend here if they want California whites and a glass of Champagne; send them somewhere else if they want to explore.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
Il Premio is a steakhouse that took its wine list seriously enough to skip the obvious plays, and the result is one of the more interesting Italian-focused lists in Atlanta right now. It's compact, priced fairly across the board, and built for exploration — whether you're going glass by glass through the Italian regions or just need a solid bottle of Chianti Classico at $72 to make a steak dinner feel right. We'd send a friend here specifically for the wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Healdsburg · Steakhouse
Stark's is the rare steakhouse that treats wine as something other than an afterthought or a cash grab. The list is compact but genuinely considered, markups are fair across the board, and the full bottle-to-glass availability is a policy every restaurant should copy. If you're eating in Healdsburg and want to drink well without overpaying, this is a legitimate stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Albany · Albany · Steakhouse
Order by the glass and explore: the posted menu gives you Riesling, Chablis, Cahors and Rioja without a bottle commitment. Pentimento at $16 is our price-conscious red starting point. Check the current list before ordering; the complete cellar, service and storage haven't been independently verified.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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