Eastside trophy hunting done right
Bellevue · Bellevue · Steak house · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 9, 2026
RagingWine reviewed John Howie Steak’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at John Howie Steak lands like a thud on the table — in the best way. We're talking 800-plus selections across California, Washington, Burgundy, and Bordeaux, curated with a clear point of view. This isn't a list someone threw together; it's the work of people who actually care.
The backbone is serious California Cabernet — Screaming Eagle, Harlan Estate, Opus One, Caymus Special Selection — all present and accounted for, which is exactly what you want when you're staring down a Wagyu ribeye. Washington state gets its due respect with Quilceda Creek and Leonetti sharing shelf space alongside Col Solare and DeLille D2, a nod to the local terroir that too many steakhouses skip entirely. The French side runs deep too: Château Margaux, Château Petrus, and a Domaine de la Romanée-Conti allocation tell you this cellar is the real deal. Italy shows up with Sassicaia and Gaja Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo, giving the list international range that goes well beyond the usual token Chianti.
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is a serious commitment for a steakhouse, and Tuesday's half-price wine night turns that program into one of the better deals in Bellevue. We'd lean hard on whatever Washington Cab or Burgundy they're rotating through the glass program — with Scott Brown running the floor, the selections aren't phoned in.
DeLille Cellars D2 — Not listed
In a list full of four-figure trophies, D2 is a Washington Bordeaux-style blend that punches well above its price tier. It's the smart play for someone who wants serious fruit and structure without the Opus One sticker shock.
Gaja Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo 2019
At $650 it's not cheap, but at a room full of California Cab devotees, the Gaja almost always gets overlooked. Nebbiolo from one of Barbaresco's finest single vineyards, made by arguably Italy's most iconic producer — if you want to drink something nobody else at the table ordered, this is it.
Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
At $2,850 a bottle, you're paying almost entirely for the name and the bragging rights. Screaming Eagle is legitimately great wine, but that markup is a status tax, not a wine tax. Unless someone else is signing the check, your money drinks better elsewhere on this list.
Sassicaia 2020 + Wagyu bone-in ribeye
Sassicaia's Cabernet-forward structure and iron-tinged backbone are built for red meat. Against the fat and char of a Wagyu ribeye, it finds its footing — cutting through the richness while the wine's own depth keeps up with every bite.
Tuesday — Half-price bottles every Tuesday — one of the better weekly wine deals in Bellevue and a legitimate reason to plan around it.
🔥 The Bottom Line
John Howie Steak has earned its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence year after year for a reason — the list is deep, the staff knows it cold, and Tuesday half-price wine night is one of the best recurring deals on the Eastside. The markups on trophy bottles are what they are, but there's enough range here to drink well at multiple price points.
Old Bellevue · Bellevue · Southern Italian
Carmine's is a dependable wine experience in a room that earns it — the Italian backbone is solid, the Marc Hébrart alone proves someone cared when building this list, and 13 by-the-glass options gives you real choices. Just mind the markups and steer away from the California name-drops.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Redmond Town Center · Bellevue · Steakhouse and Seafood
Matts' isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either. The Pacific Northwest focus is smart, the by-the-glass picks punch above the room's casual energy, and $9 oyster bar pours during happy hour is a deal worth showing up for.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Bellefield Office Park Area · Bellevue · Upscale American Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Bellevue is a reliable machine for a certain kind of corporate dinner — but the wine list is a profit center dressed up as a wine program, and the markups make that clear. Order the Belle Glos, catch Ruth's Hour if you can, and save the serious wine drinking for somewhere that actually cares.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Bellevue Square · Bellevue · Asian, Chinese-inspired
On a Wednesday, P.F. Chang's Bellevue is legitimately worth pulling up a chair for wine — half-price bottles with recognizable labels is a deal you won't find at most actual wine bars. Any other night, the list is competent but overpriced for what it is, and you'd be better off sticking to the cocktails.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Active Program
Acceptable
Lincoln Square · Bellevue · American, Global/International, Seafood
Earls Bellevue isn't going to wow any wine nerds, but it's a genuinely solid operation for what it is — fair prices, a few legitimately good bottles, and one of the best mid-week deals in Bellevue if you time your visit right. Come on a Tuesday or Wednesday and grab the Lingua Franca at half price; you'll leave happy.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Old Bellevue · Bellevue · Contemporary Vietnamese
Monsoon Bellevue earns its Wild Card status: a focused Pacific Northwest wine list in a Vietnamese restaurant context is a genuinely smart move, and Wednesday half-price bottles make this one of the better midweek wine deals in Old Bellevue. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Pinot, and let the kitchen do the rest.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Capitol Square · Madison · Steak house
Rare is a reliable wine destination for Napa devotees visiting Madison — the list is familiar by design, the WS Award of Excellence is well-earned, and the setting delivers. Just don't come here looking for natural wine or anything that strays from the California playbook.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Brookfield · Brookfield · Steak house
Mr. B's is a reliable, well-kept steakhouse wine list that knows its audience and serves them well — just don't expect any surprises. If you're a California Cab loyalist heading out for a serious steak dinner in the Milwaukee suburbs, this is your spot.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Loop · Chicago · Steak house
BLVD Steakhouse doesn't reinvent the steakhouse wine list, but it executes the formula competently — solid producers, proper storage, and enough range to keep a table of Cab loyalists happy all night. Just go in with your eyes open on the markups and skip the trophy-bottle trap.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.