A Steakhouse That Actually Takes Wine Seriously
· Irvine · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 14, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar Irvine’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Seventy-nine labels and 43 by-the-glass options is not a small program — Fleming's is clearly making an effort here, and the sheer volume of pours available tells you this is a wine bar wearing a steakhouse's clothing. The list skews safe and recognizable, which fits the room, even if it won't surprise anyone who's been paying attention to what's happening in California wine country.
The list leans hard into California — Sauvignon Blanc gets a disproportionate amount of real estate with Honig, St. Supery, Silver Oak, and Pascal Jolivet's Attitude all present — which is coherent if you're building a list for steak-and-Sauv crowds. Sparkling gets a decent runway with Schramsberg, Moët & Chandon, Mumm Napa, and Chandon all represented, covering price points from $48 to $116 a bottle. There's some gesture toward the old world — Loosen Bros. for Riesling, Abadía de San Campio for Albariño, Lucien Albrecht for Alsace — but these feel more like supporting characters than a real international commitment. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay round things out, though the producers are largely who you'd expect at a chain steakhouse in suburban Southern California.
Forty-three by-the-glass options is genuinely impressive for a steakhouse and represents real commitment to letting guests explore without committing to a bottle. Prices run $11 to $45 a glass, and the range spans sparkling, whites, and reds across multiple regions. The Loosen Bros. Riesling at $11/glass and Mionetto at $12/glass give budget-conscious drinkers a real entry point, while Moët & Chandon at $29/glass and Schramsberg at $28/glass anchor the top end.
The Bottom Line
Fleming's Irvine delivers exactly what it promises: a wide, competent, California-forward wine list that covers all the bases for a steakhouse crowd. The markup is real — this is not a list for value hunters — but the by-the-glass depth is genuinely good and the Loosen Bros. Riesling at $11 is the rare honest deal hiding in plain sight. If you want adventure, look elsewhere; if you want a reliable glass with your ribeye in Irvine, this gets the job done.
· Irvine · New American
Benchmark is a genuinely pleasant surprise for Irvine — a short, owner-driven list that punches above its modest size by leaning hard into Paso Robles producers who actually deserve your attention. If you're a Cab-or-nothing drinker, you might feel constrained; if you're willing to follow the owner's enthusiasm toward Law Estate Grenache or a Bodega de Edgar Tempranillo, this list rewards the curious.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · New American
Reunion Kitchen isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list proves it. Three by-the-glass pours from mass-market California producers, priced at a premium — this is a wine program on autopilot. Order a cocktail or a beer and save the wine for somewhere that actually thought about it.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Corona del Mar · Irvine · New American and Seafood
CdM is genuinely worth your Wednesday. Half-price wine on an already polished dinner menu is a real offer, and the room alone justifies a reservation. We just can't tell you which bottle to order yet — the wine program is opaque enough that you'd be flying blind without a server who actually knows the list. Come for the Dirty Pasta and the vibe; if the wine follows, consider it a bonus.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Irvine Business Complex · Irvine · Northern Italian Steakhouse
Davio's Irvine is the wine list equivalent of a reliable business-class seat — comfortable, well-organized, and priced at a premium you'll notice. The by-the-glass program is the real strength here; thirty options with some genuinely good producers mixed in means you can eat well and drink reasonably well in the same visit. If you're hoping to geek out on the bottle list or find anything that'll make you lean forward in your chair, keep looking — but for a weeknight dinner or a client meal, this gets the job done without embarrassing anyone.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Coast Plaza · Irvine · Seafood
Water Grill South Coast Plaza has built a white-wine-forward list that's genuinely well-suited to what's on the plate — smart European picks alongside reliable California anchors, and enough BTG options to keep things interesting across a long meal. Markups run steep in places, especially on the recognizable names, but the value plays are there if you know where to look. For a seafood-focused dinner in Irvine, this is one of the better wine programs you'll find without driving to the coast.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · Eclectic American
Rutabegorz isn't trying to be a wine destination — and that's fine, because the pricing is honest enough that wine actually works here as a casual add-on rather than a line item you regret. If you're eating here, order the Rancho Sisquoc Riesling and feel slightly smarter than the table next to you ordering the Josh.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Plano · Steakhouse
Del Frisco's Plano delivers a wine list that does its job without doing anything exciting — it's competent, recognizable, and priced for a room where the company card is doing the heavy lifting. If you're here for the steak and want a bottle that won't embarrass you, the list handles that. If you're here to drink well on your own dime, the markup will sting.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SanTan Village · Chandler · Steakhouse
Bourbon & Bones SanTan has a reserve list that punches above its suburban strip-mall weight class — the Heitz Martha's Vineyard duo, Dominus, and the rogue Egon Müller Riesling are all legitimate gets. The pricing is unambiguously steep and the list has real gaps, but if you're celebrating something and want a specific California collectible with your ribeye, this is one of the more unexpected places to find it in the East Valley.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· White Plains · Steakhouse
This appears to be a Restaurant Week wine promotion rather than Benjamin Steakhouse's full list, and we'd want to see a complete menu before rendering a final verdict on the overall program. Based on what's sourced here, though, the wine offering is thin for a steakhouse of this caliber — if you're coming for a serious bottle of Cab with your dry-aged ribeye, call ahead and ask what's actually on the full list.
Grocery Store
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
