A Century-Old Room That Still Delivers
Atlantic City · Seafood, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Knife and Fork Inn’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into the Knife and Fork Inn, you feel the weight of 1912 immediately — pressed ceilings, dark wood, the kind of room that makes you want to order something expensive. The wine list matches the vibe: old-school, California-leaning, and not trying to impress anyone who just discovered Jura. This is a room built for Cabernet and steaks, and the list knows it.
With 300–500 bottles and a Best of Award of Excellence stretching back to 2009, this list has real bones. California dominates — Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Far Niente, Opus One — and the Burgundy section leans on reliable shippers like Louis Jadot and Joseph Drouhin rather than any grower-producer deep cuts. There's a solid Chablis from Drouhin and a nod to Oregon with Domaine Drouhin's Pinot Noir, which is a nice gesture toward balance. Don't come here looking for natural wine or anything remotely off-script — this list is a steakhouse greatest-hits album, executed with consistency.
Twelve to twenty options by the glass is a respectable spread for a room like this, and you're likely looking at the usual suspects — a Caymus pour, something from Jordan, maybe a Chardonnay to open with. We'd love to see more rotation and experimentation here, but for a landmark steakhouse in Atlantic City, the glass program does the job without embarrassing anyone.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $50–$70 est.
Jordan is the sweet spot on a list that skews expensive. It consistently overdelivers for its tier — structured, food-friendly, and a fraction of what Opus One will run you here. Order this with the dry-aged ribeye and don't look back.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir
Everyone in this room is reaching for a Cab, and that's exactly why you should order the Drouhin Oregon Pinot. It's the lone Pacific Northwest flag on an otherwise California-and-France list, and it's genuinely elegant — lighter, cooler-climate, and a surprisingly good match for the lobster or crab cakes.
Opus One
It's Opus One. You're paying for the name, the bottle, and the feeling of ordering Opus One in Atlantic City. The wine is fine. The markup at a tourist-adjacent steakhouse is not. Jordan or Caymus gets you 80% of the experience at a fraction of the drama.
Far Niente Chardonnay + Crab Cakes
Far Niente is a rich, full-bodied California Chardonnay with enough weight to stand up to the richness of good crab cakes without bulldozing the delicate seafood underneath. It's the rare Chardonnay that feels at home on a steakhouse list and still earns its place.
The Bottom Line
The Knife and Fork Inn is a legitimate Atlantic City institution with a wine list that respects its own history — California-focused, Burgundy-adjacent, and built for the kind of dinner that takes two hours and ends with a digestif. The markups are real and there's no sommelier to guide you through the deep end, but the bones here are strong enough that you won't go wrong if you stick to the sweet spots.
· Atlantic City · Steakhouse
We wouldn't fly to Atlantic City for this wine list, but if you're already here, this is the last thing you expected and the best reason to sit down. Six bottles, zero safe choices — someone cares, and it shows.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Tennessee Avenue · Atlantic City · American / Beer Hall
Tennessee Avenue Beer Hall is exactly what it sounds like — come for the beer, and come for the atmosphere. If your crew insists on wine, the Bezel Pinot is a worthy pour, but don't come here expecting a wine program that keeps up with the rest of the experience.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Boardwalk/Park Place · Atlantic City · Steakhouse, Seafood, Contemporary American
Park Place Prime is exactly what a casino steakhouse wine list should be — familiar, functional, and tilted toward the crowd writing checks. It won't thrill anyone looking for discovery, but if you want a solid Cab with your dry-aged steak and don't mind paying casino prices for the privilege, it gets the job done.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Ocean Casino Resort · Atlantic City · Italian-American
Superfrico is a reliable wine program in a setting designed to get you to spend money — and it mostly delivers without being a total shakedown. Send a friend here for a fun night, not a wine education.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Chelsea · Atlantic City · Italian
Boca Coal Fired Bistro is a reliable neighborhood Italian with a wine list to match — nothing you haven't seen before, but nothing to embarrass yourself with either. Stick to the Chianti Classico, enjoy the pizza, and don't come here expecting to be wowed by what's in the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
The Walk/Tanger Outlets · Atlantic City · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Atlantic City is a reliable, well-executed steakhouse wine program that does exactly what it says on the label — deep California Cab selection, competent staff, proper storage, steep prices. Send a friend here if they want a sure thing, not if they're looking to be surprised.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Shoreline Village · Long Beach · Seafood, Steakhouse
Queensview earns its Wine Spectator badge by doing the California steakhouse formula well — the setting is legitimately stunning, the list is reliable, and the Daou is a genuine steal in this context. Just don't come expecting anything that'll surprise you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Lake Tahoe · South Lake Tahoe · Seafood, Steakhouse
Kalani's wine program is exactly what it should be: polished, California-centric, and dependable for a mountain resort fine dining crowd. No fireworks, but you'll eat and drink well — just go in with eyes open on pricing.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pendleton · Pendleton · Seafood, Steakhouse
Plateau is the kind of place that surprises you — a polished wine program with two named sommeliers, genuine Pacific Northwest depth, and cult producers you don't expect to find east of the Cascades. If you're passing through Pendleton, this is absolutely worth a stop for the wine alone.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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