Casino Steakhouse Markups That Should Be Criminal
Horseshoe Casino · Baltimore · Steakhouse
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Jack Binion's Steakhouse’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Jack Binion's arrives looking confident — 150+ labels, a Dom Pérignon at the top, plenty of Napa heavyweights to anchor the steakhouse fantasy. But flip past the trophy bottles and you start noticing something: this list is built to extract money, not deliver value.
California dominates here, which is fine for a steakhouse — but the selection leans hard on recognizable brand names rather than any actual curation. Caymus, Silver Oak, The Prisoner, Rombauer: these are wines people order because they've heard of them, not because they're the best bottles at the price point. There's a gesture toward France and Italy, and some token representation from New Zealand, Germany, and Chile, but nothing that suggests anyone thought hard about it. The 150-label count sounds impressive until you realize it's mostly safe commercial producers with a celebrity bottle or two sprinkled in to justify the room.
Twelve pours by the glass at $12–$16 is a reasonable range on paper, but we'd want to know what's actually in those glasses before getting excited. Given the retail markups on the bottle list, expect the pours to follow the same logic: familiar names at prices that quietly hurt you. Nothing here suggests the BTG program gets rotated with any intention.
Caymus Conundrum White Blend, Napa Valley — $45
At 80% over retail it's the least offensive markup on the list — which is a low bar, but here we take what we can get. It's an easy-drinking white that can handle a rich menu without drama.
Frei Brothers Reserve Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley
At $45 with a 125% markup it's not a steal, but Dry Creek Zinfandel alongside braised short ribs is a genuinely good move that most tables ordering Caymus will miss entirely.
Mark West Pinot Noir
A $12 retail bottle priced at $85 — that's a 608% markup on a mass-market Pinot that belongs at a grocery store checkout, not a steakhouse wine list. This is the list's most embarrassing moment.
Silver Oak, Alexander Valley + Braised Short Ribs
Silver Oak's Alexander Valley Cab has the fruit and structure to match the richness of braised short ribs without bulldozing them — it's the one bottle on this list that earns its keep on the table.
The Bottom Line
Jack Binion's is a casino steakhouse that wines by the numbers: recognizable labels, brutal markups, and a list that nobody passionate about wine put together. Order a cocktail, or spring for the Silver Oak and make peace with the markup.
· Baltimore · American
Give the international and local sections a look before defaulting to Burgundy. Sula at $70 and Old Westminster at $90 offer different budget options. These are posted bottle prices, not guaranteed stock; confirm availability. This menu guide doesn't rate service or cellar conditions.
Mount Vernon · Baltimore · Northern Italian
Try Lavignone at $14 a glass or compare a $52 bottle if everyone wants the same red. Sotto Sopra makes that budget decision straightforward. Prices come from the posted menu checked in September 2026; availability can change, and this guide doesn't rate service or cellar conditions.
· Baltimore · Italian
Facci's wine list is a quiet overachiever: all-Italian, regionally adventurous, and priced without greed. If you want to drink something you've never heard of and pay a fair price for it, this is your spot.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Clipper Mill · Baltimore · American, Farm to Table
True Chesapeake is a Wild Card in the best possible sense — a working waterfront oyster spot with a Wine Spectator-recognized list helmed by a sommelier who clearly cares. Go for the oysters, stay for the Weinbach, and don't skip the Muscadet.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Horseshoe Casino · Baltimore · Steak house, European
Gordon Ramsay Steak isn't going to surprise you, but it delivers a solid, award-backed California-and-France wine list in a setting where you'd half-expect to be handed a laminated card with three options. For a casino steakhouse in Baltimore, that's genuinely worth something.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Harbor East · Baltimore · Steak House
The Ruxton is the rare steakhouse where the wine list is a genuine reason to show up, not just a formality next to the beef. Send a friend here, tell them to skip the Caymus, and let Patrick Owens point them somewhere better.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
Il Premio is a steakhouse that took its wine list seriously enough to skip the obvious plays, and the result is one of the more interesting Italian-focused lists in Atlanta right now. It's compact, priced fairly across the board, and built for exploration — whether you're going glass by glass through the Italian regions or just need a solid bottle of Chianti Classico at $72 to make a steak dinner feel right. We'd send a friend here specifically for the wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Healdsburg · Steakhouse
Stark's is the rare steakhouse that treats wine as something other than an afterthought or a cash grab. The list is compact but genuinely considered, markups are fair across the board, and the full bottle-to-glass availability is a policy every restaurant should copy. If you're eating in Healdsburg and want to drink well without overpaying, this is a legitimate stop.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Albany · Albany · Steakhouse
Order by the glass and explore: the posted menu gives you Riesling, Chablis, Cahors and Rioja without a bottle commitment. Pentimento at $16 is our price-conscious red starting point. Check the current list before ordering; the complete cellar, service and storage haven't been independently verified.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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