Monday Night Half-Price Wine? Yes, Really.
Lincoln Park · Chicago · American · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · May 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed John's Food & Wine’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walk into John's and the wine list doesn't announce itself — the room does. Counter-service energy, intimate scale, polished food. When the list does land in your hands, it reads like it was built by someone who actually drinks wine and wants you to as well.
The focus here is squarely on France and California, and that's a feature, not a limitation — the curation is tight and deliberate. You'll find cru Beaujolais sitting alongside grower Champagne and Loire Chenin Blanc, with California Pinot Noir holding down the New World side. The Txakolina is an outlier that signals the list isn't just playing the hits. There are real gaps in coverage — no obvious deep cellar, no sprawling Old World section — but what's here has been chosen with intention, and a fresh Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2025 backs that up.
Specific by-the-glass counts aren't confirmed, but given the kitchen's counter-service DNA and the wine-forward ethos, expect a rotating selection that mirrors the bottle list's France-and-California backbone. With two sommeliers on staff — Tommy Ryan and Allison Wellborn — the pours are in good hands.
Cru Beaujolais (Gamay) — $62
Cru Beaujolais at this price point typically drinks well above its weight class — structured, serious Gamay that most tables will mistake for something twice as expensive. At a restaurant with fair markups and knowledgeable staff, this is exactly the kind of bottle you want to order.
Loire Valley Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc gets overlooked at most American restaurants because people don't know what to do with it. Here, at $64, it's one of the most versatile bottles on the table — works with vegetables, works with lighter proteins, works by itself. Don't sleep on it.
Champagne (non-vintage, grower or small house)
At $138, the grower Champagne is the biggest ask on the list. Not necessarily a gouge, but without knowing the producer or retail comp, it's the hardest bottle to justify blind. If you're feeling celebratory, sure — but it's the one spot where you'd want to ask the staff exactly what you're getting before committing.
Burgundy Chardonnay (village-level) + Seasonal charred vegetable plate
Village Burgundy Chardonnay has enough texture and acid to stand up to smoke and char without steamrolling delicate vegetable flavors. At $92 it's not cheap, but it's the kind of pairing that makes a vegetable dish feel like the main event.
Monday — Half-price wine night every Monday — applies to bottles.
The Bottom Line
John's is a neighborhood spot that punches well above its casual format — two sommeliers, a thoughtful France-and-California list, fair prices, and half-price bottles every Monday. Send your friends here, especially on a Monday.
Lincoln Park · Chicago · American Casual
Summer House is not a wine destination, but it's a reliable place to drink well enough without getting gouged on the low end — just steer clear of the big-name bottles where the markup climbs. Send your friend here if they want something easy and good; don't send them here if they're chasing something serious.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chicago · Italian
il Carciofo is doing something genuinely rare: building a wine list that treats Italian regional variety as the main event, not the footnote. If you're tired of the same Pinot Grigio and Chianti Classico circuit, this is exactly where you should be eating dinner.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Chicago · Chicago · Steakhouse
STK Chicago is here to sell you a night out, and the wine list is just part of the set dressing. If you care about what's in your glass, eat here for the steak and order water.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chicago · French Brasserie
La Grande Boucherie Chicago is a reliable wine destination for anyone who wants a French-focused list executed with genuine effort and the occasional smart value. The markups aren't shy, but the BTG program and specials take some of the sting out — go in with a plan and you'll drink well.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
· Chicago · Steakhouse
This is not the wine list you expect to find at The Palm, and that's exactly why it earns attention. Six bottles, zero filler, genuinely fair pricing — if someone's tending this list, they deserve a raise.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Loop · Chicago · Californian
The Oakville Grill earns its Wine Spectator credential and the sommelier duo makes this list accessible, not intimidating. Wednesday half-price wine night alone is reason enough to get a reservation — just let go of the idea that anything other than California is on the agenda.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Eagle Ranch · Vail · American
The Wild Sage is your dependable neighborhood spot in Eagle Ranch — the wine list won't blow your mind, but it won't embarrass you at dinner either. Watch the markups on the top-shelf Napa bottles and stick to the mid-range, and you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Waterfront · Traverse City · American
Warehouse Kitchen + Cork won't win any awards for depth or ambition, but it plays its hand honestly — fair prices, solid local representation, and a full by-the-glass program that respects your wallet. If you're in Traverse City and want a glass of something local with a water view, this works.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Truckee · Truckee · American
Sunnyside is a casual lodge restaurant wearing a serious wine list under its flannel — the markup is steep and it won't win any awards for staff expertise, but the producer lineup is legitimately impressive for where you're sitting. If you're already at the lake, this is absolutely worth ordering a real bottle.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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