California Royalty Hiding in Casino Country
Lincoln · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 7, 2026
RagingWine reviewed High Steaks Steakhouse’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You're at a casino resort steakhouse in Lincoln, California — not exactly where you expect to find a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence list. But flip open that wine book and the California heavy-hitters show up immediately: Opus One, Silver Oak, Far Niente, Stag's Leap. This list means business, even if the setting leans more celebration dinner than serious wine destination.
The 200-400 bottle list is a California greatest hits album, and honestly it's a pretty good one. Caymus, Jordan, Duckhorn, Silver Oak, Stag's Leap — every bottle a recognizable name, which is either comforting or boring depending on your relationship with Napa Cabernet. There's real depth in the Cabernet category, which makes sense for a steakhouse, but don't come looking for Burgundy rabbit holes or anything from the Jura. Chardonnay gets some love with Far Niente and Chateau Montelena making the cut, but adventurous drinkers will find the edges of this list pretty quickly.
With 15-25 options by the glass, there's enough here to navigate a full meal without committing to a bottle — a genuine luxury at a steakhouse. The glass program skews predictably toward California reds and whites, which tracks with the room. We'd want to know what's rotating, but the sheer count suggests they're not just pouring house wine and calling it a program.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — null
Jordan is the sleeper on this list — not as flashy as Silver Oak or Opus One, but consistently well-made Alexander Valley Cab that punches above its price point. In a room full of Napa trophy bottles, this is the one we'd order without hesitation.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay 2021
At $98, it's not cheap, but Montelena makes one of California's most restrained, age-worthy Chardonnays — closer to Chablis than buttered popcorn. Most tables here will order the Rombauer. Don't be most tables.
Rombauer Chardonnay 2022
At $82, you're paying a serious premium for a wine that retails widely and has become the default order for people who don't really want to think about wine. It's fine. You can do better on this list.
Stag's Leap Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 + Filet Mignon
Artemis is one of Stag's Leap's more approachable Cabs — structured but not a tannin monster, which means it won't bully a well-prepared filet the way a big Caymus might. Classic steak-and-Cab logic, executed correctly.
Wednesday — Half-price wine night on Wednesdays — the best reason to make a midweek reservation at a casino steakhouse.
The Bottom Line
High Steaks earns its Wine Spectator badge — the California Cab depth is real and the Wednesday half-price night is a genuine reason to plan around it. Just don't come expecting surprises; this list is built to please, not to challenge.
South Lincoln · Lincoln · Modern Asian (Thai-focused with pan-Asian influences)
Issara has no business having a wine list this considered — and we mean that as the highest compliment. If you care about drinking well with your food, this is the most interesting wine list in Lincoln and it's not particularly close.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Haymarket · Lincoln · French-influenced contemporary American
The Green Gateau is a lovely room with a kitchen worth visiting, but the wine list is a 200-bottle monument to playing it safe and charging extra for the privilege. Send your friend here for the food; tell them to watch their wallet on the wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Lincoln · Wings / Sports Bar
The Watering Hole is a great spot for wings and a cold beer — the wine list is an afterthought and the pricing makes sure you know it. If you're here for a game and need wine, grab the Riesling or the Prosecco and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Lincoln · Lincoln · American grill and brewpub
Lazlo's South Lincoln is a reliable neighborhood brewpub that happens to stock a respectable short wine list — don't expect discovery, but you won't feel stranded if you're skipping the beer. Send a friend here for dinner knowing the wine won't embarrass anyone.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown / Near South · Lincoln · French-influenced contemporary American
The Green Gateau is doing something genuinely uncommon: running a deep, fairly priced, award-recognized wine program in a mid-sized Midwest city without making a big show of it. Yes, send your friends here — just tell them to show up before 6 p.m.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Downtown · Lincoln · Contemporary American, farm-to-table
DISH is doing something genuinely impressive for a mid-sized Midwestern city — a thoughtful, sommelier-curated list with real depth and serious producers. The markups keep it from being a true Rager, but as a Wild Card, it earns every bit of that badge: you simply don't expect this wine list in Lincoln, Nebraska, and that surprise is worth the trip downtown.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Eagle Ranch · Vail · American
The Wild Sage is your dependable neighborhood spot in Eagle Ranch — the wine list won't blow your mind, but it won't embarrass you at dinner either. Watch the markups on the top-shelf Napa bottles and stick to the mid-range, and you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Traverse City · American
Warehouse Kitchen + Cork won't win any awards for depth or ambition, but it plays its hand honestly — fair prices, solid local representation, and a full by-the-glass program that respects your wallet. If you're in Traverse City and want a glass of something local with a water view, this works.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Truckee · Truckee · American
Sunnyside is a casual lodge restaurant wearing a serious wine list under its flannel — the markup is steep and it won't win any awards for staff expertise, but the producer lineup is legitimately impressive for where you're sitting. If you're already at the lake, this is absolutely worth ordering a real bottle.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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