Steak First, Wine Very Much Second
West Side · Ann Arbor · American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 4, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Knight's Steakhouse Dexter Avenue’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Knight's is a beloved Ann Arbor institution, and the steakhouse energy is real — dark wood, lively bar, the smell of a properly cooked ribeye. But crack open the wine list and the love stops there. Fifty-seven labels sounds like a lot until you realize the program hasn't been curated so much as assembled.
The list leans heavily American, with Washington State Cabernet doing most of the heavy lifting — which makes sense for a steakhouse, but leaves you wanting more than one story. We couldn't confirm serious depth in terms of regions, growers, or anything that would give a wine-curious diner something to explore. If you're hoping for a Willamette Pinot, a Sonoma Chardonnay with some backbone, or literally anything European, you're mostly on your own here. The 57 labels are likely doing the numbers game without the range game.
Two. Just two by-the-glass options. At a steakhouse. We're not asking for a revolving list of 20 pours, but two options in 2024 is a policy decision, and not a good one. The Greenwing Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2024 is available in a 5oz or 8oz pour, which is at least honest about portion sizing — but that's the ceiling of ambition here.
Greenwing Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2024 (Monday, half-price bottle) — $21
At $42 retail markup is already steep on a $19 bottle, but on Monday nights when bottles go half-price, you're at $21 — which is actually just above retail. That's the only moment this list becomes worth engaging with.
Greenwing Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2024 (8oz pour)
Not exactly a hidden gem in the traditional sense, but the 8oz pour option is genuinely useful — it's closer to a third of a bottle and lets you commit to something with your steak without committing to the full bottle markup. Most places only offer 5oz. Take the bigger pour.
Greenwing Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2024 (bottle, non-Monday)
At $42 for a wine that retails around $19, you're paying a 121% markup on a mid-tier grocery store Cab. It's fine juice, but this is not the place to spend money on a bottle any night except Monday.
Greenwing Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2024 + New York Strip
Columbia Valley Cab and a properly seared strip is the most straightforward call on this menu — the wine has enough dark fruit and structure to hang with red meat without fighting it. It's not revelatory, but it works, and at a steakhouse that's the job.
Monday — Half-price bottles of wine on Monday nights, per the restaurant's Instagram. No confirmed exclusions, likely applies to standard list bottles.
The Bottom Line
Knight's earns its reputation on the food side, but the wine list is an afterthought — two glass pours, steep markups, and no apparent curatorial vision. Come Monday if you're drinking wine, or stick to whatever's on draft.
· Ann Arbor · French-Inspired
La Serre is a genuinely beautiful room with a wine list that's still finding its voice — solid enough for a date night, not yet a destination for anyone who really cares about what's in the glass. Come for the mussels and steak frites, drink something French, and hope the list grows into the space it inhabits.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ann Arbor · Wine Bar / New American
Vinology is doing something genuinely interesting for Ann Arbor — a globally curious, fairly priced wine list with real depth by the glass and producers you won't find at the Italian place down the street. We'd send a friend here specifically for wine, which is not something we say lightly.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Ann Arbor · New American / Wine Bar
Spencer is a reliable wine bar doing exactly what it sets out to do — give Ann Arbor diners a comfortable, recognizable list with enough options to make everyone at the table happy. Just watch the by-the-glass pricing on the upper end, and let the Idlewild be your little secret.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Campus · Ann Arbor · New American / Hotel Restaurant
Eve is a dependable, well-kept hotel wine list that earns its place as Ann Arbor's go-to for faculty dinners and anniversary meals — just don't come expecting to be surprised. Order the Merry Edwards, skip the Stag's Leap markup, and let someone else handle the tab.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor · Upscale-casual Italian
Bravo! is a chain doing chain things with its wine list — predictable, approachable, and not particularly exciting. But the markup is fairer than most chains, the by-the-glass range is functional, and if you show up on a Wednesday, $7 Provençal rosé on the patio is a genuinely good time.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Ann Arbor · American Gastropub
The Ravens Club isn't a wine destination — it's a late-night Ann Arbor institution that happens to have a functional wine list. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Gruet for $6, and let the spirits program do its real job.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
· Norcross · American Steakhouse
The evidence here points to a wine dinner feature list, not an actual wine program — and even by wine dinner standards, five bottles with no pricing and a mystery sparkling wine isn't inspiring. If you're eating at J. Alexander's Peachtree Corners on a regular Tuesday, we genuinely don't know what's on the wine list, and that's not a great sign. Order a cocktail, ask your server what's actually available, and don't plan your evening around the wine.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Rochester · American Steakhouse
CHAR makes it easy to try Finger Lakes wine alongside the steakhouse standards. Our move is Hosmer Cabernet Franc at $16/glass, with Panizzi Vernaccia at $14 for anyone leaning white. Check the per-ounce pricing before ordering a Coravin pour.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Worth · American Steakhouse
Del Frisco's Grille Fort Worth has a wine list the same way an airport newsstand has a wine section — technically true, practically limiting. Order the Tokaji for dessert, drink cocktails with dinner, and don't expect anyone to help you navigate the difference.
Crowd Pleasers
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.
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