Deep list, steep markups, solid mainstream crowd-pleasers
Downtown · Washington · Seafood & Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed March 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list and immediately see the number: 450 selections. This is a serious program at a serious steakhouse, with the depth you'd expect from a Wine Spectator-approved spot. The sommelier on staff knows their bottles, and the Frank Family wine dinner series signals they're actively engaging with producers.
The list leans heavily California—think Napa Cabs, Russian River Pinots, Sonoma Chards—with a solid French supporting cast. There's real depth here: we're talking 4,640 bottles in inventory, not just a token cellar. You'll find accessible producers like Frank Family Vineyards and Zuccardi alongside splurge-worthy allocations. The downside? This is a corporate hospitality group (Lettuce Entertain You), so don't expect natural wine or orange wine adventures. It's classic, safe, and built for expense accounts.
25-30 pours by the glass is a strong showing for this category. The lineup includes approachable crowd-pleasers like Penfolds Max's Shiraz and Zuccardi Serie A Malbec, plus some thoughtful picks like Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah. They rotate seasonally and the staff can walk you through options without making you feel like you need a wine degree.
Zuccardi Serie A Malbec — $12-14/glass
Argentinian overdeliverer with bold fruit, available by the glass without the Napa tax
Stags' Leap Winery Petite Sirah
Most people skip Petite Sirah for Cab, but this varietal pairs killer with prime steak and shows what Napa does beyond the usual suspects
Far Niente Chardonnay
$108 for a $40 retail bottle is a 170% markup on a wine you can find everywhere—order something rarer at that price point
Frank Family Vineyards 2022 Carneros Pinot Noir + Florida Stone Crab
The bright acidity and red fruit of Carneros Pinot cuts through rich crab butter without overwhelming the delicate meat
✔️ The Bottom Line
Joe's delivers what you'd expect from a high-end chain steakhouse: a deep, polished list with knowledgeable staff and proper execution. The markups sting (200-300% is standard here), but if someone else is paying or you're celebrating, you'll drink well.
· Washington · Middle Eastern / North African
Maydan's wine list is one of the most geographically coherent and genuinely adventurous in Washington, DC — it matches the kitchen's ambition and then some. If you're willing to let go of the familiar, this is one of the best by-the-glass programs in the city for opening your eyes to what the wine world looks like beyond Europe.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Restaurant
Moon Rabbit's wine list is doing something rare: it's short enough to read in two minutes and interesting enough to talk about for twenty. If you care about well-chosen, adventurous bottles at prices that won't wreck your dinner bill, send your people here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Georgetown · Washington · French
Lutèce earns its Wine Spectator nod with a tightly curated French list that goes deeper than the cozy Georgetown bistro setting might suggest. The pricing skews steep once you move past the Loire and Alsace sections, but if you drink strategically — and let Chris point the way — this is a genuinely rewarding wine experience.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Washington · Washington · Spanish
Xiquet is doing something genuinely rare in D.C. — a tightly edited, Spain-first wine program inside a room that actually earns it. Four sommeliers and a Wood Spectator Award of Excellence since 2023 confirm this isn't an accident; just know you're paying for the setting as much as the bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Washington · Washington · Italian
Via Sophia is doing something genuinely focused in a city full of lists that try to please everyone — an all-Italy program with real depth, fair pricing, and a sommelier who actually cares. Send your friends here, tell them to ignore the Sassicaia, and order the Amarone.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Washington · Washington · Seafood
Truluck's is a dependable, well-run wine program that earns its Wine Spectator nod without doing anything surprising — California loyalists and Napa Cab fans will be perfectly happy here. If you want adventure, bring your own recommendations; if you want reliable execution with your stone crab, this delivers.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Scottsdale · Scottsdale · Seafood & Steakhouse
Ocean 44 has a genuinely good wine program wrapped in a frustratingly uneven markup structure — some bottles are fair, others are highway robbery. Come on a Sunday, skip the entry-level pours, and lean into the Napa headliners where the pricing at least makes a little more sense.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Downtown · Nashville · Seafood & Steakhouse
Eddie V's delivers exactly what a corporate seafood chain should: a safe, extensive wine list with markup to match the white tablecloths. It won't blow your mind, but it won't embarrass you either.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.