Springfield's Steakhouse Wine List Gets the Job Done
Downtown · Springfield · Upscale Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Flame Steakhouse & Wine Bar’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 Flame arrives looking the part — 71 labels, dimly lit room, leather menus — and for Springfield, that's a real statement. First glance reads like a greatest hits compilation of American steakhouse wine: Caymus, Rombauer, DAOU. It signals comfort over curiosity, which will suit most of the room just fine.
The list leans heavily California, and it doesn't apologize for it — Cabernet Sauvignon is clearly the star, with names like Caymus, DAOU, Robert Craig Affinity, and Coppola Diamond Collection anchoring the red side. There's a gesture toward Burgundy with the Albert Bichot Bourgogne Pinot Noir Origines, and the white side offers Rombauer and Groth for those who know what they want. What's missing is any real sense of adventure: no Rhône, no Italian reds worth talking about, no natural wine, no Spanish anything. This is a list built to match the ribeye and stop there.
Twenty-six pours by the glass is a genuinely impressive number and the biggest bright spot on this program — you can actually explore here without committing to a bottle. The range runs $8 to $39 and spans Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cab, and a handful of other whites and reds. The problem is that the glass list mirrors the bottle list's conservatism: familiar brands, safe picks, nothing that'll make you put your phone down.
Albert Bichot Bourgogne Pinot Noir Origines — Unknown — bottle pricing not confirmed
In a list dominated by California fruit bombs, this is the one bottle that shows some Old World restraint. Bichot's entry-level Bourgogne consistently over-delivers for the appellation, and on a steakhouse list in the Ozarks, it's likely the most interesting thing going.
Groth Sauvignon Blanc
Everyone's ordering Rombauer Chardonnay before they even open the menu. Groth's Sauvignon Blanc is the quieter pick — crisp, grassy, Napa-grown, and genuinely food-friendly in a way that big Chardonnay isn't. Most tables will walk right past it.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Look, Caymus is fine — it's just also on every steakhouse list in America at a markup that'd make your eyes water. You're paying for the name, not the glass. Something like DAOU or Robert Craig Affinity will drink just as well for less hurt.
DAOU Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon + Ribeye
DAOU's Cab is built for exactly this moment — structured tannins, dark fruit, enough weight to stand up to a well-marbled ribeye without bullying it. It's the honest answer when someone asks what to drink with steak.
The Bottom Line
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.
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
East Springfield · Springfield · American Grill
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
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
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
Marina District (Golden Nugget) · Atlantic City · Upscale Steakhouse
Vic & Anthony's is a perfectly competent steakhouse wine list doing exactly what a casino steakhouse wine list is supposed to do — just don't expect fair pricing or anything off the beaten path. Order the Decoy, enjoy your steak, and pocket the difference.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Beachside/Ocean Walk · Daytona Beach · Upscale Steakhouse
Hyde Park Prime Daytona is a dependable, well-run wine program in a room that knows what it wants to be — and mostly delivers. Markups will sting, but the sommelier, the depth, and the oceanfront setting make it the right call when the occasion calls for a serious bottle and a serious steak.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Cool Springs · Franklin · Upscale Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Franklin is a reliable wine execution at a chain price point — nobody's going home unhappy, but nobody's going home with a story either. Go on a Wednesday, hit the half-price bottle promotion, and drink better than the menu's markup would otherwise allow.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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