Watergate Views, Serious Wine, No Scandals
Foggy Bottom · Washington · Italian, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed April 7, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Kingbird’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Kingbird at the Watergate Hotel, the wine list lands with the same weight as the room itself — heavy, deliberate, and very much aware of its own address. A 400-600 bottle program with DRC and Château Margaux on the same list as Bollinger and Sassicaia tells you immediately this isn't a hotel restaurant coasting on its zip code. Wine Spectator agreed, handing over a Best of Award of Excellence in 2025.
The list is anchored in the classics and doesn't apologize for it — Burgundy and Bordeaux form the backbone, with Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Château Lynch-Bages sitting alongside Louis Jadot for those who want the region without the retirement-fund price tag. Italy shows up strong with Sassicaia holding down the Super Tuscan end, and California gets its due with Kistler Chardonnay and Caymus Special Selection rounding out the New World corner. What's missing is any real adventurousness — no natural wine detour, no emerging regions, nothing that would surprise a frequent diner. This is a list built for power lunches and celebratory dinners, not for wine explorers.
With 20-35 by-the-glass options running $15-$40, the program covers enough ground to keep a table happy without forcing a bottle commitment. Bollinger by the glass is a strong anchor for Champagne lovers who want to start right. The range feels curated rather than lazy, though rotation doesn't appear to be a priority — what's on the list today is probably what was on it six months ago.
Louis Jadot Burgundy — $60
In a list where the ceiling is DRC territory, Louis Jadot is the entry point that actually delivers on the promise of the list's Burgundy focus — genuine regional character without the four-figure anxiety.
Château Lynch-Bages
Most tables here are reaching for the Margaux or not ordering Bordeaux at all. Lynch-Bages is a Pauillac that consistently punches above its fifth-growth classification and gets overlooked next to its flashier neighbors on this list.
Caymus Vineyards Special Selection
At hotel restaurant markup, you're paying a significant premium for a wine that's already priced for its name recognition rather than its value. The Caymus faithful know what they're getting; everyone else should put that money toward a Burgundy.
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay + Seafood Crudo
Kistler's restraint and texture — rich but not overwrought — gives the crudo's bright acidity and delicate protein exactly the right counterweight without steamrolling it.
The Bottom Line
Kingbird is a serious wine destination dressed in hotel clothes — the list is deep, the setting is dramatic, and the prices reflect both. Send your friends here if they want old-world gravitas with a Potomac view and don't mind paying for the privilege.
· Washington · Mediterranean
Zaytinya's wine list is one of the more focused and honest Greek programs you'll find at a mid-to-high scale restaurant in D.C. The by-the-glass selection is wide, the pricing doesn't insult you, and the Greek variety depth is genuinely impressive. If you've been waiting for a reason to finally figure out what Xinomavro tastes like, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Washington · Brazilian Steakhouse
Fogo de Chão's wine list is exactly what a national Brazilian steakhouse chain's wine list looks like: functional, familiar, and priced for margin rather than your benefit. The by-the-glass count is impressive on paper, but most of the options are labels you've seen at your grocery store for a fraction of what they're charging here. If you're coming for the meat — and you should be — stick to the Catena Malbec and enjoy the show.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Washington · Washington · Steak House
A 20-wine by-the-glass list with every pour between $14 and $30, split across four sparkling, six white, two rosé and eight red. With a steak, start with the $26 Clos Duval Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or the $22 Monte Antico Supremus; for the cheapest glass, take the $14 Dr. Loosen Riesling. Pour sizes aren't posted and the page is undated, so confirm today's wines. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown DC · Washington · Steakhouse
A steakhouse beverage menu with 30 wines by the glass and a bottle list that is mostly California, with some France, Italy and Portugal. Start with the $9/glass happy hour Bonanza Cabernet if you arrive in the window, or the Eroica Riesling, the only Riesling on the glass list, and ask for prices because regular wine prices aren't posted. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Georgetown · Washington · Seafood, Steakhouse
An unpriced list that is easier to read for what it offers than for what it costs. If you want Bordeaux, ask for the 2020 Margaux de Brane Cantenac, or look at the Brunello di Montalcino in Sommelier's Selections, and get the price before you commit. This unrated guide covers the posted Beverage Menu, not service, storage or markups.
Washington · Washington · Latin, Vegetarian
A wide-ranging list with 14 wines by the glass from $17 to $95 and a bottle book that runs from $60 to $1,275. Start with the $17 Eichinger Grüner Veltliner or the $20 Pêcheur Trousseau, and ask for the Natural Wines section if you want something low-intervention. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
North End · Boston · Italian, Steakhouse
A broad list with 29 glass pours, Italian and American bottle sections, and a From the Vault section that goes well into four figures. Start with the 2021 Mauro Molino Barolo at $26 a glass or the Batasiolo Gavi di Gavi at $15, and confirm vintages, since the list says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Fort Myers · Fort Myers · Italian, Steakhouse
Terra Nostra's posted list is built around Napa Cabernet, Brunello, Barolo and Super Tuscans, as its own header says, and its 20 glass pours start at $8. Start with the $12 J. Lohr Cabernet or the $13 Banfi Chianti Classico Riserva by the glass, or step up to the $110 Paulo Scavino Barolo if you want a bottle. Confirm today's availability and prices, since the list says both are subject to change; this unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or retail markups.
Madison · Madison · Italian, Steakhouse
Draper Brothers Chophouse is a dependable, California-forward wine list in a genuinely beautiful room — it won't blow any minds, but it will reliably get out of the way of a good steak. Send your friends here for the beef and the atmosphere; just temper expectations if they're hoping for a wine list that matches the ambition of the building.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
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.
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