Power Lunch Pours That Mean Business
Midtown · New York · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 25, 2026
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.
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
· New York · Restaurant
Corima's wine list is proof that ten well-chosen bottles beat a hundred thoughtless ones every time. If you care about what's in your glass, this place is worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Village · New York · American
Cecchi's is first and foremost a bar, but the wine list is more serious than the neon and noise suggest. Steep markups are the main ding — but if you know what to order, there's real pleasure here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Steak House, Small Plates
The Corner Store is a reliable, well-credentialed wine list doing exactly what a good SoHo steakhouse should — France and California, done with intention, in a room that makes you want to order another bottle. Just watch the markup on the big Bordeaux names and let the Rhône or Burgundy side show you a better time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Tribeca · New York · American
Farra is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood wine bar, and the Wine Spectator nod is earned — just know that the serious bottles come with serious prices, and the no-sommelier setup means you're doing some of the navigating yourself. Worth it for anyone who knows what they want; potentially overwhelming for those who don't.
Small but Thoughtful
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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