Kansas City's Cellar That Earns Its Stripes
Kansas City · American, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 8, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed JJ's Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at JJ's lands with the quiet confidence of a place that's been doing this seriously since long before it became fashionable. Four hundred to six hundred bottles deep, with California, Bordeaux, and Burgundy forming the spine — this is old-school steakhouse wine done with genuine conviction. You know within the first scroll that someone here actually cares.
The California Cab contingent is stacked — Caymus, Silver Oak, Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, and Opus One all present, which reads as crowd-pleasing until you notice the French side of the ledger pulling equal weight with Chateau Margaux, Chateau Lynch-Bages, and a solid Burgundy section anchored by Louis Jadot and Domaine Drouhin. Italy gets its due with Antinori Tignanello and Sassicaia, two bottles that signal the list isn't just playing to the KC crowd. There's even a Port section with Graham's Vintage to close the night properly, which is a detail most American steakhouses completely ignore. The gaps are minor — more Southern Rhône or Spanish depth would push this into truly all-world territory — but what's here is cohesive and well-chosen.
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is a serious commitment, and for a classic steakhouse format, that's genuinely impressive range. We'd expect the usual suspects on the glass list, but the breadth of the bottle program suggests the pours are rotated with some intention. Veuve Clicquot Champagne by the glass is the kind of move that tells you staff isn't just phoning it in on the opening pour.
Louis Jadot Burgundy — $40–$80
In a list dominated by big Napa Cabs and Bordeaux heavyweights, Jadot Burgundy is where smart money goes — terroir-driven Pinot at a price point that doesn't require a second mortgage, and it drinks beautifully alongside the lighter protein options on the menu.
Graham's Vintage Port
Most tables skip Port entirely because they forget it exists. At JJ's it's on the list for a reason — Graham's is a benchmark producer, and finishing a steakhouse dinner with a proper Vintage Port instead of a dessert you don't need is the move most people overlook.
Opus One
The wine is legitimately great, but Opus One is the most predictably marked-up bottle in any upscale American restaurant. You're paying for the name recognition more than any surprise in the glass — the Stag's Leap or Lynch-Bages will drink closer to its actual value at this price tier.
Antinori Tignanello + PM Cheese Burger
Hear us out — Tignanello's Sangiovese-Cabernet blend has enough savory backbone and firm tannin to cut through a well-built burger without overpowering it, and ordering a Super Tuscan with a cheeseburger at a white-tablecloth KC institution is exactly the kind of confident move this list rewards.
The Bottom Line
JJ's is the real deal — a Kansas City institution with a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence it's earned year after year, guided by sommeliers who clearly built this list with intention. The markups lean steep as you climb the prestige ladder, but the depth, storage, and staff knowledge make it worth the trip for anyone serious about drinking well in the Midwest.
· Kansas City · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Kansas City isn't a wine destination, but it's not a wine disappointment either. Prices are fair, the South American focus makes thematic sense, and the VIK and Lapostolle picks show there's a ceiling here above the house pour. Come for the beef, drink the Eulila, leave happy.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Stockyards District · Kansas City · Steakhouse
A steakhouse list with a 22-pour glass section at $12 to $20 and a Bottle List that runs from 46 to 348. Start with the Emilio Moro Tempranillo at $12 or the Amigoni Urban Drover at $14, and put a glass of the Daou Cabernet next to the Kansas City Strip. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups, so confirm what is pouring.
Crossroads / Westside border (Southwest Boulevard) · Kansas City · Spanish tapas / small plates
A tapas-bar drinks sheet with glass/bottle pairs starting at 9/36 and a separate sherry-by-the-glass list. Start with the Reino de la Vina Tempranillo Reserva at 12/48 alongside the Paella Valenciana, or the Venta Morales Tempranillo at 10/40, and confirm prices because the sheet is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
River Market · Kansas City · French
A French-led list with 25 two-price wines up front and a long run of Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhône bottles behind them. Start with the Chinon Le Garenne at 42 or the Cornas 'Granit 60' at 88, ask which number is the glass price, and confirm prices, since the page is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Country Club Plaza · Kansas City · Winery Restaurant / American
A long, bin-numbered list that mixes dry wines, sweet wines and flavored sparklers on one page, with a Cakebread Cellars wine as its priciest bottle. Start with the $12.00 Pinot Noir or the $12.75 Winemaker's Barrel Reserve, and confirm prices at the Plaza location before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
North Kansas City · Kansas City · Italian-American
A glass list that fits an Italian menu: 24 wines from $8 to $13, with Barolo, Amarone and Brunello available by the bottle. Start with the $8 Capasoldo Pinot Grigio, or the $13 Banfi Chianti Riserva if you are ordering the Veal Parmigiana, and confirm current prices. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks list, not service, storage or markups.
Westwood · Los Angeles · American, Steakhouse
A Cabernet-first list with 30 glasses and a long bottle book, but no wine prices posted online. If you want a known price, the $9 happy hour Bonanza Cabernet by Caymus is the one posted figure, and if you want to step away from Cabernet, try the Il Bruciato Super Tuscan by the glass. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · American, Steakhouse
A very large list with a long glass section, from a $14 Muscadet to a $90 pour of Krug. Start with the $14/glass Mélon de Bourgogne, then look at the Arizona Selections page if you want an Arizona bottle, and confirm prices because the PDF says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Van Ness / Polk · San Francisco · American, Steakhouse
A serious steakhouse list with a glass program you can actually use: 32 pours by the stem from 14 to 99 and California Cabernet across eight pages. Start with the Keenan Cabernet at 22 by the stem, or step up to the Jordan Alexander Valley at 129 with the Porterhouse, and ask which vintages are current since the list is subject to vintage change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
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