Classic steakhouse wines without the wow factor
Downtown Orlando · Orlando · Steakhouse
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · February 27, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bull & Bear’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list reads like a steakhouse template from 2010—heavy California Cabs, a token Malbec section, and the usual Napa suspects at predictable markups. Nothing here surprises you, which is both comforting and slightly disappointing depending on what you're after.
We're looking at a list that plays it safe: Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak, and other names your boss would recognize from corporate dinners. The California section dominates with solid but overplayed producers. There's a respectable Bordeaux selection for big spenders, but it skews toward recognizable châteaux rather than interesting finds. The Italian section exists mainly to check a box—a Barolo here, a Chianti there. What's missing is personality: no natural wines, no emerging regions, no staff picks that make you lean forward and ask questions.
The glass pour program sticks to the hits: a Napa Cab, a Russian River Pinot, maybe a Sancerre if you're lucky. Pours rotate seasonally at best, meaning you'll see the same lineup visit after visit. The selection works fine for steak pairings but offers little incentive to explore beyond your comfort zone.
Château Greysac Médoc — $68
Left Bank Bordeaux that drinks above its weight class—earthy, structured, built for ribeye without the $150 markup of bigger names
Produttori del Barbaresco Nebbiolo Langhe
Baby Barbaresco from a legendary co-op—lighter than the Cabs dominating this list but shows what Nebbiolo can do with steak at half the price
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Marked up to $140 for a wine that retails at $85—there are better Napa expressions here for less, and this one's everywhere anyway
Ridge Lytton Springs Zinfandel + Bone-In Ribeye
The peppery spice and dark fruit complexity stand up to char and fat better than the one-note Cabs—Ridge brings layers without overwhelming the beef
The Bottom Line
Bull & Bear delivers exactly what you expect from an Orlando steakhouse wine program: safe, serviceable, and occasionally steep. You won't drink poorly here, but you won't discover anything new either.
Winter Park · Orlando · Greek, Mediterranean
AVA MediterrAegean earns its Wine Spectator recognition by doing something genuinely rare in Florida: building a Greek-forward wine program with real depth and the staff to back it up. If you're eating here and not exploring the Greek section, you're missing the whole point.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Orlando · Orlando · French, Regional
The Boheme is the best wine list in the kind of restaurant Downtown Orlando needs more of — it's not groundbreaking, but it's honest, properly focused, and worthy of its Wine Spectator recognition. Send your friends here for a date night, order the Chablis to start, and resist the urge to default to Caymus.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
International Drive · Orlando · Brazilian Churrascaria
Texas de Brazil isn't a wine destination, but it's a smarter wine program than the I-Drive zip code would suggest, and Wednesday's half-price bottles make it a legitimate value play. Come for the meat, stay for the Achaval Ferrer.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Grande Lakes · Orlando · Italian, Mediterranean
Primo is a resort restaurant that takes its wine list seriously enough to back it up with a real sommelier and a WS credential — which puts it well ahead of most hotel dining rooms. Pricing is what it is in this zip code, but the Italian backbone and capable staff make it a genuinely good wine dinner if you pick smart.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Lake Nona · Orlando · Japanese
Nami is the kind of surprise that earns its Wine Spectator badge — a Japanese restaurant in Lake Nona that treats French wine with genuine seriousness, backed by a knowledgeable staff member who can actually guide you through it. Markups keep it from being a steal, but if you're eating omakase anyway, ordering from this list is the right call.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Orlando · Orlando · Brazilian Churrascaria
Chima's wine list does its job: it gives a celebratory crowd recognizable bottles that hold up to a carnivore's parade. If you're after discovery or value-hunting, look elsewhere — but if you want a solid Cab with your carved meats in a room that feels like a party, this delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· South Bend · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris South Bend is a reliable wine stop if you calibrate your expectations to 'polished chain steakhouse' and not 'serious wine program.' Send a friend here for a celebration pour — just steer them toward the Sonoma Cutrer and away from the Champagne markup.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· St. George · Steakhouse
Switchback Grille made a weird, committed bet on an all-dessert wine list, and honestly? We respect it. If you're ending your meal here, you're in better hands than you'd expect from a steakhouse in St. George.
Small but Thoughtful
Acceptable
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Posada Hotel · Laredo · Steakhouse
The Tack Room isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it succeeds at being exactly what it is — a dependable hotel steakhouse list with some solid bottles hiding among the Cab parade. Order the Spanish or Argentine options, avoid the trophy-bottle markups, and you'll eat and drink just fine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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