Big list, big markups, big steaks
The Greene · Dayton · Upscale American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 3, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar – Dayton’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Fleming's arrives with the confidence of a restaurant that has done this a thousand times — because it has. The wine list is thick, California-forward, and designed to impress a client on an expense account. It's polished, predictable, and priced accordingly.
The 100-plus label list leans hard into California — Caymus, Jordan, Cakebread, Rombauer — which is exactly what the steakhouse crowd in Dayton is going to order, and Fleming's knows it. There's international coverage in the sparkling and white categories, but don't come here expecting a deep dive into Burgundy villages or anything from the Jura. This is a list built around crowd-pleasing, recognizable names that deliver on the promise of a big night out, not a list built to challenge or surprise you.
The by-the-glass program runs about 20 options, which is genuinely solid for a steakhouse format. The Social Hour specials — Hayes Ranch Sauvignon Blanc, Sea Sun by Caymus Chardonnay, Pebble Lane Pinot Noir, and Josh Cellars Cabernet at $9 a pour — are the best deal in the building and worth arriving early for. Outside of Social Hour, glass prices climb quickly and the value calculation gets murkier.
Sea Sun by Caymus Chardonnay — $9
Caymus's more approachable label still carries the house credibility, and at $9 during Social Hour it's priced like a neighborhood happy hour, not an upscale steakhouse. Get here early and drink two.
Pebble Lane Pinot Noir
Most people at Fleming's are going straight for a Cabernet to match their ribeye, and that's fine. But the Pebble Lane Pinot is a smarter, lighter call if you're eating fish or a lighter cut — and at Social Hour pricing, you're barely risking anything by trying it.
Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
At $185 a bottle against an $90 retail price, you're paying a 106% markup for a wine you can find at any wine shop in America. It's a great Cabernet, but this is a bad deal. If you want Caymus, hit the bar before dinner.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley + USDA Prime Ribeye
Jordan's Alexander Valley Cab has the structure and dark fruit to stand up to a well-marbled prime ribeye without the overwhelming weight of a Napa blockbuster. It's the most elegant pairing on a list that defaults to bigger, louder options — though at $120 a bottle, you're still paying a steep premium for that elegance.
The Bottom Line
Fleming's Dayton is a reliable, well-run steakhouse wine program that does exactly what it promises — it just charges a lot for the privilege. Come for Social Hour, drink smart, and don't let anyone talk you into the Caymus at bottle price.
Miamisburg/Dayton Mall · Dayton · Steakhouse
The wine list is an afterthought dressed up in a laminated card — but the prices are fair enough that ordering a glass won't ruin your night. Come for the steak, drink the Coppola Cab, and don't look at the list too hard.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Dayton Mall/Miamisburg · Dayton · Casual American Restaurant and Brewhouse
BJ's Dayton is a beer restaurant with a wine list stapled to the back, and the wine list knows it. Come for the Pizookie and the craft beers — but if you do drink wine here, show up on a Monday and order something simple.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
The Greene · Dayton · Italian
Bravo is not a wine destination, and it doesn't try to be — but Wednesday nights at the bar with $7 pours of Ruffino Chianti and a pasta dish is genuinely a decent night out in Beavercreek. Skip the wine list the other six nights unless you're okay paying chain markups for supermarket bottles.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Dayton Mall/Miamisburg · Dayton · Seafood
Bonefish Grill Dayton is a decent dinner spot for seafood, but the wine list is a national template — not a local program anyone actually thought about. Order the Nobilo, enjoy the fish, and save your wine ambitions for somewhere that has any.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Dayton Mall/Miamisburg · Dayton · Italian Chain
Olive Garden's wine list is a corporate checkbox, not a wine program — markups are steep on bottles that retail for under $12, the list never changes, and nobody on the floor is going to steer you anywhere interesting. Stick to the Chianti or the Ste. Michelle Riesling, skip the Moscato upsell, and manage your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Water Street District · Dayton · Rooftop Bar
The Foundry Rooftop is not a wine destination, but it's a better wine stop than you'd expect from a hotel rooftop in Ohio. Hit it during happy hour Monday through Thursday and you've got a genuinely good time for not much money.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Highway 29 corridor · St. Helena · Upscale American Steakhouse
PRESS is the rare place where a 2,700-bottle list actually delivers — deep, well-stored, and staffed by people who know what they're talking about. The pricing is steep by any honest measure, but if Napa Cabernet is your religion, this is the cathedral.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Mauna Lani Resort · Kailua-Kona · Upscale American Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Mauna Lani does exactly what it promises: a deep, California-forward wine list served in proper glassware at steep resort prices inside a flawless steakhouse setting. You won't discover anything new here, but if you're after a great bottle of Napa Cab with your Prime filet and an ocean breeze somewhere nearby, this list will not let you down.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Appleton · Upscale American Steakhouse
Vince Lombardi's wine list won't win any awards for creativity, but it's competent, well-suited to the menu, and it won't embarrass the kitchen. If you're here for a prime steak and a reliable bottle of Jordan, you'll leave happy — just don't come looking for discovery.
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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