Big Steakhouse Energy, Monday Gets Interesting
Ballston · Arlington · Upscale American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 27, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Fleming's arrives with confidence — a thick, polished wine list that leans hard into California and screams 'expense account.' The '100 Wines' program is the headline act, and it delivers exactly what you'd expect from a national steakhouse chain that takes wine seriously enough to put 'Wine Bar' in its name. It's not groundbreaking, but it's not embarrassing either.
The list is essentially a greatest hits of American wine: Napa Cabs, Sonoma Chards, and a predictable supporting cast from Champagne, Bordeaux, and a handful of Italian reds. You'll find Caymus, Jordan, Rombauer, Stag's Leap — the names every steakhouse in America stocks because they reliably close deals and impress clients who equate brand recognition with quality. What you won't find is much adventure: no Willamette Valley Pinot to speak of, no Spanish Tempranillo, no skin-contact curiosities. This is a list built for people who already know what they want, not for people who want to be surprised. France shows up respectably with Champagne and some Bordeaux, but it's clearly a supporting act to the California main event.
With 20+ options by the glass, Fleming's does better here than most steakhouses. Prices run $13–$25 a glass, which is in line with the room's energy and entree prices. The glass list mirrors the bottle list — California-dominant, recognizable producers — so don't expect anything off the beaten path, but you won't get stuck nursing a bad pour either.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 (Alexander Valley) — $185
Still steep at $185, but Jordan is the most honest bottle on the list — consistent, food-friendly, and genuinely enjoyable with a ribeye. Compared to the Caymus at $230 or the Stag's Leap Artemis at $210, you're getting a better drinking experience for less money. Retail is $75, so the markup still stings, but this is the best relative value in the Cab lineup.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (Napa Valley)
Everyone reaches for the Caymus because the label is familiar, but the Artemis is a more structured, serious wine with better aging potential and more complexity in the glass. At $210 it's still a markup gut-punch, but if you're spending steakhouse money anyway, the Artemis is the smarter Napa Cab on this list.
The Prisoner Red Blend 2021 (Napa Valley)
At $120 a bottle, you're paying a 167% markup on a wine that retails for $45 and is available at every Total Wine in America. The Prisoner is a perfectly decent grocery-store-tier red blend that punches well below its restaurant price tag here. Save your money.
Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay 2022 (Napa Valley) + Lobster Mac & Cheese
Cakebread's Chard is rich, buttery, and oak-forward — exactly what you want cutting through the cream and richness of lobster mac. It's a classic California Chardonnay doing exactly what it was built for. The $120 price tag is hard to love, but at least you're spending it on a combination that actually makes sense.
Monday — Fleming's 'Monday Wine' program offers 50% off select bottles every Monday in the dining room and bar. The discount applies to a curated list of higher-end bottles — details vary slightly by location. This is genuinely the best reason to visit on a weeknight; it makes the otherwise steep pricing much easier to stomach.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Fleming's Arlington is a reliable execution of the upscale steakhouse wine formula — well-stored, properly glassed, and deep enough to keep a table happy, but the markups are aggressive and the list won't challenge anyone. Come on a Monday, cut your bottle cost in half, and order the Jordan with your ribeye.
Shirlington · Arlington · American Brasserie
Carlyle won't change your relationship with wine, but it won't ruin it either — and on Tuesday, when everything on the bottle list is half off, it briefly becomes one of the better deals in Shirlington. Come for the prime rib, order the Jordan, and call it a good night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Westover · Arlington · Turkish and Mediterranean
Maya Bistro isn't a wine destination, but Monday half-price bottles and legitimately interesting Turkish pours make it a Wild Card worth knowing about. Come for the pide, stay for the Angora — just don't touch the Oyster Bay.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Ballston · Arlington · New England–inspired seafood & raw bar
Salt Line Ballston isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the list is smarter and more purposeful than most seafood spots in this price range. Send a friend here for oysters and Muscadet and they'll thank you.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
National Landing / Pentagon City · Arlington · Southern & Korean-influenced American
Succotash Prime's wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a polished upscale Southern spot in a hotel-adjacent dining corridor — safe, recognizable, and priced for expense accounts. We'd send a friend here for a reliable night out, not a wine destination.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
National Landing / Crystal City · Arlington · Modern Italian
Corso is a dependable Italian wine list in a neighborhood that could easily get away with doing much less — it doesn't dazzle, but it doesn't disappoint either. If the Wednesday half-price bottle rumor holds up when you call ahead, it might just tip into genuinely great value territory.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Clarendon · Arlington · Retail Wine & Takeout
Liberty To-Go is a genuine wild card — a tavern wine shop hybrid with a fortified wine section that would embarrass most dedicated wine bars, all priced without the usual Arlington markup. Come for the Barolo, stay for the Sherry flight you didn't know you needed.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northwest (Jefferson Pointe / Illinois Rd corridor) · Fort Wayne · Upscale American Steakhouse
Eddie Merlot's Fort Wayne is a reliably well-run steakhouse wine program — proper storage, real glassware, a sommelier on the floor, and enough pours by the glass to satisfy a full table. The list won't challenge you, and the markups will sting, but if you want a classic California Cab with your prime beef and you want it done right, this place delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
North Clinton · Fort Wayne · Upscale American Steakhouse
BakerStreet is a solid steakhouse wine list that does exactly what it promises: familiar bottles, fair enough range, nothing adventurous. If you're in Fort Wayne and want a proper glass with a proper steak, this works — just don't come expecting to be surprised.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Harbor Boulevard · Anaheim · Upscale American Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Anaheim does exactly what a reliable steakhouse wine program should do — proper storage, proper glass, knowledgeable staff, and a list full of wines people recognize and trust. Just don't come here looking for discovery; come here to drink something good with a very good steak, and manage your expectations on the markup.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.