Lansing's Steakhouse Finally Takes Wine Seriously
Downtown Lansing · Lansing · Steakhouse, Contemporary American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Bowdie's, the wine list feels like it was put together by someone who actually drinks wine — not just someone who Googled 'steakhouse wine list template.' At 95 labels, it's not trying to be encyclopedic, but it covers the right ground for a chophouse with serious food ambitions. There's a sommelier on staff, and it shows.
The list earns its stripes by anchoring Napa Cabs and Bordeaux where a steakhouse should, then smartly stepping out with Willamette Valley Pinot, some Rhône representation via Kermit Lynch, and a Champagne section that goes beyond grocery-store bubbles — Paul Bara Grand Rosé Brut and Robert Moncuit Les Grands Blancs Extra Brut are genuine selections worth noticing. Lingua Franca 'Avni' from Oregon and Fisher 'Unity' from Sonoma show that whoever built this list has range beyond the obvious. Château De Rouillac adds a Bordeaux anchor, and Scavino covers Italy — the geographical spread across roughly 95 labels is well-curated rather than scattered. The weak spot: Argentina, Spain, and Italy feel like afterthoughts, present but thin.
Ten by-the-glass options is a reasonable spread for this format, spanning $12–$32 a pour. That top end is a stretch for a glass, but if it's getting you into something like Lingua Franca or Fisher, it might be worth the ask. We'd want to see the glass list rotate more aggressively — right now it feels like a fixed lineup rather than a dynamic program.
Kermit Lynch Côtes Du Rhône — $12
At the low end of the glass pour range, this is the kind of everyday Rhône that punches above its station — grenache-driven, food-friendly, and from one of the most trusted importers in the game. Order it without guilt.
Robert Moncuit Les Grands Blancs Extra Brut
Most people at a chophouse go straight for the red, but this grower Champagne from a small Le Mesnil producer is the kind of bottle that makes a meal feel like an occasion. Blanc de blancs with real tension — and it cuts through a ribeye better than you'd expect.
Quilt
Quilt is a perfectly fine Napa Cab, but it's a high-volume, heavily marketed label that you can find at any Total Wine for $35. At steakhouse markups, you're paying a significant premium for a wine that does nothing a better-value pick on this same list wouldn't do.
Lingua Franca 'Avni' + Smoked Duck Ravioli
Lingua Franca's Chardonnay has enough structure and savory edge to handle the richness of smoked duck without getting steamrolled — and it's interesting enough to hold the conversation between bites. A smarter move than defaulting to red with this dish.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Bowdie's is the best wine program in downtown Lansing by a clear margin, and the sommelier presence means you're not on your own navigating it. Markups are steakhouse-level steep, so come with a strategy — the value is there if you know where to look.
Old Town Lansing · Lansing · Gastropub
Zoobie's isn't where you go to geek out on wine, but if you're meeting friends for dinner in Old Town and someone at the table insists on a glass, you won't be stuck with regret. Grab the Malbec or the Mawby rosé, let everyone else argue about the beer list.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Okemos · Lansing · Seafood and American
Real Seafood Company Okemos is a dependable neighborhood anchor where the wine list won't embarrass you or excite you — fair prices and familiar faces make it easy, just don't come expecting discovery. Order the La Marca with the oysters and leave the wine nerd hat at home.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Lansing · Lansing · Casual American / Tex-Mex
Chili's is a perfectly good place to eat a burger and drink a margarita — we mean that sincerely. But if wine is your thing, this list will let you down every single time, and you deserve better than a $8 Barefoot pour.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Lansing · Lansing · Steakhouse / Roadhouse
Logan's Roadhouse in Lansing is here for the steaks and the bucket of peanuts, not the wine. Order a cocktail or a beer, and save your wine ambitions for a restaurant that's saving some for you.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Lansing · Lansing · Steakhouse / Grill
Black Rock is here for the sizzling steak theater, and the wine list is clearly an afterthought that nobody's bothered to revisit. Order a cocktail, spring for the Chateau Ste. Michelle if you need wine, and save your serious bottle budget for somewhere that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Greater Lansing · Lansing · Steakhouse
Morton's Lansing is a safe, well-executed steakhouse wine list that will satisfy a client dinner without anyone raising an eyebrow — or an eyebrow in excitement. Send a friend here if they want familiar names done properly; send them somewhere else if they want to actually discover something.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.