Rat Pack Vibes, Wine List Stuck in 2004
West Des Moines · Des Moines · Steakhouse, Italian, Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 13, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The room sells a fantasy — Sinatra on the speakers, retro-luxe booths, the whole mid-century supper club thing — and it mostly delivers. Then you open the drink menu and the illusion cracks a little. What you get is a sparkling-heavy, brand-name parade that reads more like a hotel minibar than a proper Italian steakhouse wine program.
The list leans hard on accessible, mass-market labels — Whispering Angel for the rosé crowd, La Marca Prosecco for the bubbles crowd, Korbel for whoever's ordering a Mimosa at dinner for some reason. There's a Paso Robles red blend from Harvey and Harriet and a Rosa Regale sparkling red from Italy, which at least show someone tried to add a little personality. But there are no serious Italian reds to speak of — no Barolo, no Brunello, not even a Chianti worth noting — which is a real miss for a place calling itself an Italian steakhouse. The Blanc de Bleu Cuvée Brut from California rounds out a sparkling section that has more bubbles than backbone.
The by-the-glass program is dominated by sparkling and rosé options, which is fine for an aperitivo moment but leaves you stranded once the ribeye arrives. If you're hoping for a serious red by the glass to take on the Steak de Burgo, the list doesn't have much of an answer. It's a glass program built for happy hour, not dinner.
Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava NV — null
Pricing isn't published, but Cristalino is consistently one of the better-value bubbles you'll find anywhere — real Cava, real method, and it actually tastes like something. In a list full of Korbel and Blanc de Bleu, this is the move if you want bubbles that don't embarrass themselves.
Rosa Regale Sparkling Red
Most people see 'sparkling red' and scroll past it, and that's a shame. Rosa Regale is a Brachetto d'Acqui — sweet, low-alcohol, deep ruby, with a strawberry-raspberry thing going on. It's genuinely fun and different, and in a list this predictable, it's the one wine that has an actual point of view.
Korbel California
There is no good reason to order Korbel at a steakhouse with Rat Pack ambitions. It's bulk California sparkling wine dressed up for a room it doesn't belong in. The Cristalino is right there — spend the same money and drink better.
Whispering Angel Rosé + Chanel No. 5
We don't know exactly what's in the Chanel No. 5 beyond its name suggesting something light and elegant, but Whispering Angel is at least playing the same aesthetic game — polished, crowd-pleasing, easy. It's not a bold pairing, but it's coherent, and sometimes that's the best a list like this can offer.
❌ The Bottom Line
Johnny's is a fun night out if you're here for the steak and the nostalgia — but the wine list is an afterthought wearing a tuxedo. Order a cocktail, grab the Cristalino if you want bubbles, and don't come here expecting the wine to match the room's ambitions.
Johnston · Des Moines · Wine bar / American
Louie's Johnston is exactly what a suburban wine bar should be — a big by-the-glass list, fair prices, and zero pretension. Send your friends here when they want to drink well without a side of attitude.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Clive · Des Moines · Steakhouse & American
Club Car is a reliable steakhouse wine list doing exactly what it was built to do: keep Cab drinkers happy and nobody walking out complaining. Don't come here for discovery, but don't leave without ordering the Jordan.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waukee · Des Moines · Japanese / Asian Fusion / Sushi
Wasabi Waukee is a genuinely good sushi restaurant that treats its wine list like an afterthought — familiar names, steep markups, and zero curiosity about what wines might actually sing alongside the food. Order the cocktails or sake instead, and save the wine discussion for somewhere that cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Ingersoll / Grand · Des Moines · Contemporary American
Louie's Wine Dive is the kind of place Des Moines needs more of — a real wine program in a no-pretense room, with Tuesday half-price deals that make experimenting genuinely low-stakes. It's not a destination list, but it's absolutely a destination night.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Clive · Des Moines · American, Brewpub
Granite City is a brewery that tolerates wine, and the list reflects that perfectly. Drink the beer — it's the whole point of being here.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Des Moines / Jordan Creek · Des Moines · Italian
Bravo! is a fine dinner out if the pasta is what you're after, but the wine list is purely functional — corporate-designed, safely marked up, and entirely forgettable. Order a glass of bubbles or the Chianti, make peace with your choices, and let the food do the heavy lifting.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.