Pacific Northwest Steakhouse Playing Napa's Greatest Hits
Downtown · Portland · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Jake's Grill’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Jake's Grill opens with a wine list that feels exactly like what it is: a downtown Portland steakhouse that wants you comfortable, not challenged. The heavy rotation of Napa stalwarts signals a kitchen that knows its crowd — expense account dinners, anniversary nights, groups who think Caymus is adventurous. That's not an insult, it's just context.
The list leans hard on Napa and Sonoma, with Stags' Leap Winery covering almost every varietal corner — Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cab all make appearances, which reads more like a winery sponsorship than a curated selection. There's a small but appreciated nod to the local scene with Willamette Valley Vineyards showing up for sparkling and Chardonnay, plus Rombauer holding down the crowd-pleaser flank. Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay from Santa Lucia Highlands is the most interesting geographic detour on the whole list. Don't come here looking for Burgundy, skin-contact anything, or bottles that require explanation.
Happy hour pricing tells the real story here — pours of Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling at $5.50 and Hedges CMS Red at $7.50 make for genuinely approachable glass options in a city where $15 pours are the norm. The by-the-glass program appears to rotate with the wine dinner calendar, which keeps things from going completely stale. It's not a destination glass pour program, but it gets the job done without emptying your wallet before the steak arrives.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $5.50
At $5.50 a pour during happy hour, this is one of the better deals in downtown Portland — Ste. Michelle's Riesling is a consistently clean, food-friendly wine that retails around $12, so the markup is refreshingly light. Order two before your entree arrives.
Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay, Santa Lucia Highlands
Most people at Jake's are reaching for Rombauer or the Stags' Leap Chard by name recognition alone. The Mer Soleil Reserve from Santa Lucia Highlands is the smarter move — cooler-climate fruit, better acidity, more interesting structure than the usual butter-bomb crowd. It's the one wine on this list that didn't feel like it was chosen by algorithm.
Elouan Pinot Noir
At $11 a glass on a happy hour list, Elouan sounds reasonable until you realize you're paying a 155% markup on a mass-market Oregon Pinot that retails for $28 and punches well below that. This is a bottle that exists to look like a deal while being the opposite of one — skip it and put that money toward a glass of something that actually reflects Oregon.
Stags' Leap Winery Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley + Ribeye steak
This is a steakhouse doing Napa Cab with a ribeye and honestly — sometimes the obvious call is obvious for a reason. Stags' Leap Cab brings enough dark fruit and structure to stand up to the fat and char on a properly cooked ribeye without needing to overthink it. Classic combination, executed in a room built for exactly this moment.
The Bottom Line
Jake's Grill isn't trying to be a wine destination, but fair happy hour pricing and an active wine dinner program mean they're making a genuine effort — more than most steakhouses at this price point. Send a friend here if they want Napa comfort with a side of Pacific Northwest pragmatism; steer the wine adventurer somewhere else.
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