Crowd-pleasing pours for a burger-and-steak crowd
East Springfield · Springfield · American Grill · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed FD's Grillhouse’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 at FD's Grillhouse reads like a greatest hits of airport newsstands and grocery store endcaps — Josh Cellars, The Prisoner, Rombauer. Nothing surprising here, but nothing offensive either. It's a list built to sell, not to excite.
Twenty labels cover California, Argentina, France, Italy, and Washington in broad strokes. The California dominance is real — you've got Rombauer and Hess Alomi for Chardonnay fans, Bonanza and Josh Cellars for Cab drinkers, and The Prisoner for anyone who wants something blended and approachable. Catena Malbec from Mendoza and the M. Chapoutier Belleruche Rosé are the only hints that someone glanced outside the USA. Honig Sauvignon Blanc from Napa is a solid pick in a crowd of safe bets, but don't come here looking for a Burgundy or a Barolo.
Seventeen of twenty labels pour by the glass, which is genuinely impressive for a casual grillhouse — most places this size cap out at eight or ten. Prices run $6 to $9.50 a glass, which keeps the bar tab manageable even if the bottle markups tell a different story. The rotation doesn't appear to change much, so what you see is what you get.
Catena Malbec, Mendoza — $9/glass, $32/bottle
Catena is one of Argentina's benchmark producers and this bottle retails around $18-20 at most wine shops. At $32 on the list it's the least painful markup on the menu, and it holds its own against a ribeye without asking you to think too hard.
M. Chapoutier Belleruche Rosé, France
Chapoutier is a serious Rhône producer and Belleruche is their entry-level crowd-pleaser — dry, Grenache-driven, genuinely French. In a list full of California fruit bombs, this rosé sticks out as the one bottle with actual Old World bones. Most people at FD's will walk right past it. Don't.
The Prisoner Blend, California
At $85 a bottle, you're paying a premium for a label that retails around $40 and has been one of the most aggressively marketed wines in America for a decade. It's fine. It's also everywhere. That markup is hard to justify when you can grab the Catena for a third of the price and drink just as well.
Hess Alomi Cabernet, Napa Valley + Grilled steak
Napa Cab and a proper grilled steak is the least complicated call you'll make all night. Hess is a solid producer, the Alomi has enough structure to cut through the char, and it won't embarrass anyone at the table.
The Bottom Line
FD's Grillhouse isn't trying to be a wine destination, and it knows it — the list is safe, the markups lean steep, and the by-the-glass selection does most of the heavy lifting. If you're here for burgers and a decent pour, you'll leave fine; just skip The Prisoner and let Catena or Chapoutier do the work.
Downtown · Springfield · Sports Bar & Grill
The Dugout is a perfectly fine sports bar where wings get eaten, games get watched, and wine gets ignored — and that's the right call. Come for the BBQ Bacon Burger, leave the wine glass at home.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Springfield · Springfield · Farm-to-table gastropub
Farmers Gastropub is a reliable neighborhood stop where the food gets more attention than the wine list — and that's okay. Order the Tempranillo, enjoy the locally sourced kitchen, and don't come here expecting to geek out on wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Fremont · Springfield · Upscale Italian
Avanzare isn't reinventing the wine list, but it's doing the right things in a market where that's not guaranteed — real Italian producers, a few adventurous picks, and a happy hour wine deal that's genuinely one of the better values in Springfield. Take someone you want to impress, order the Barbaresco, and get there before 6 PM.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Downtown · Springfield · Upscale Steakhouse
Flame is doing what a downtown Springfield steakhouse should do — keeping the room happy with a recognizable, well-stocked list and an unusually strong by-the-glass program. It's not breaking new ground, but if you know what you want and pick carefully, there's a solid night of wine to be had here.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Springfield · Springfield · Wine Bar / Tapas & Small Plates
Cellar + Plate earns its Wild Card badge by doing things a mid-Missouri wine bar has no obligation to do — stocking real producers, offering genuine specials, and building a list with an actual perspective. It's not a destination in the national sense, but for Springfield? Send your friends on a Wednesday.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Springfield · Springfield · American
Ocean Zen has held a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2019, and the list earns it by being consistently fair and food-friendly, even if it never surprises you. Come on a Wednesday, order the J. Lohr, and enjoy the sea bass — you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Route 64 / Outskirts · Canandaigua · American Grill
Lock Stock isn't a wine destination, but Wednesday's half-price Wine Down with Dr. Frank's Riesling in your glass and $1 wings on the table is genuinely hard to argue with. Come for the deal, stay for the surprise.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Tahoe Donner · Truckee · American Grill
The Grille has a wine program that would hold its own in a proper city restaurant, which makes it a legitimate reason to seek out this lodge beyond just the mountain access. Markups are real and the Dom can stay on the shelf, but the Coravin program and the depth of California selections make this a genuine Wild Card worth your attention.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Downtown · Portsmouth · American Grill
Skip the Gas Light on any night but Wednesday — half off all bottles turns a steep list into a genuinely solid deal and makes this a legitimate downtown Portsmouth option. The rest of the week, order a beer.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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