A French steakhouse pours like a wine bar
· Decatur · French Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 3, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Marcel’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Marcel's wine list is exactly 16 bottles long — the same number as the by-the-glass program — and that tells you everything you need to know. This is a glass-pour-forward operation, which for a French steakhouse is either a bold move or a happy accident. Either way, the selections make it hard to be annoyed.
The list skips the obvious French steakhouse playbook — no bloated Bordeaux cellar, no wall of Napa Cab trophies — and instead threads Old World curiosity through a compact but confident lineup. You get a 2000 Bodegas Urbina Rioja with genuine age on it, a Burlotto Barolo from 2021, and COS Pithos Rosso from Sicily, all sitting alongside a Sylvain Pataille Aligoté and a Zusslin Sylvaner from Alsace. The regional spread — Champagne, Loire, Rhône, Burgundy, Alsace, Sicily, Rioja, Napa, Sonoma, Piedmont, Bordeaux — is genuinely impressive for 16 labels. The gaps are real (no Côtes du Rhône quaffer, no easy entry Pinot for the table that just wants something uncomplicated), but the ambition here is worth noting.
All 16 wines pour by the glass, ranging from $18 to $44, which is either liberating or terrifying depending on your relationship with menus. The $18 Pax Mahle Syrah and $19 Urbina Rioja anchor the lower end with some serious pedigree, while the Billecart-Salmon Rosé at $44/glass is the splurge play for those celebrating something. Rotation frequency is unknown, but the current lineup is strong enough that a stale list would be a shame.
The Bottom Line
Marcel's wine list punches well above its weight for a steakhouse — the Urbina Rioja 2000 at $19/glass alone is worth the trip, and the broader list shows real taste and range across 16 well-chosen labels. We don't have enough intel on the food menu or service to make a full dinner call, but if you're eating here, this is a wine list worth paying attention to.
Decatur · Decatur · New American
The Deer and The Dove is running one of the most genuinely interesting wine lists in the Decatur–Atlanta area. The markup is fair, the by-the-glass selection is unusually strong at 22 options, and the producers skew toward the kind of stuff you have to seek out. We do not have enough on staff knowledge or glassware specifics to call this a Rager, but the Wild Card badge fits perfectly — this is the kind of list that surprises you, and that is worth showing up for.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Decatur · Decatur · Seafood and New American
Kimball House is doing something genuinely interesting for a neighborhood seafood spot in Decatur — the regional focus alone (Jurançon, Jerez, Loire) tells you there's a thoughtful hand behind this list. We'd send a wine-curious friend here without hesitation, especially if they're ordering oysters and want something more interesting than Chablis to wash them down. Just ask your server what's open — the staff reportedly knows the list well enough to actually help.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Decatur · Steakhouse
Kevin Rathbun Steak has built a by-the-glass program that takes wine seriously enough to include Chablis, Oregon Pinot, and Realm Cellars on the same list — that's not nothing. Markups trend steep at the top end, and without verified dish information we can't tell you what to order with what. But if you're eating here and skipping the wine list entirely, you're leaving the best part of the menu alone.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Decatur · Decatur · Seafood / Oyster Bar
Dorothy's is the Wild Card in the best possible sense — a Decatur oyster bar with a wine list that would embarrass half the dedicated wine bars in Atlanta. The by-the-glass program is deep, the pricing is honest, and the selection skews toward exactly the kind of lean, acidic, mineral-driven wines that belong next to oysters. Send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Decatur · Decatur · Wine bar / European small plates
Fawn is the Wild Card badge in its purest form — a wine bar that made genuine curatorial decisions and stuck with them, from the Assyrtiko to the pet nat rosato to the Tokaji. Bottle prices are fair across the board, the by-the-glass program is unusually deep, and the list rewards anyone willing to order something they can't pronounce. If you're in Decatur and you actually care about what's in your glass, this is where you go.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Decatur · Decatur · Italian, Mediterranean
Café Lily is your dependable Decatur neighborhood restaurant that happens to take its wine seriously enough to earn a Wine Spectator nod — nothing flashy, but never a disappointment. Go on a Tuesday, order the lamb, and let the half-price wine night do the rest.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Lakeside Market · Plano · French Steakhouse
Mignon is a dependable upscale steakhouse wine list — it won't challenge you, but it also won't let you down. Send a friend here if they want a classic Napa Cab with a great steak and don't need the wine to tell a story.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
River North · Chicago · French Steakhouse
The Alston delivers serious wine program firepower in a city that doesn't lack for upscale steakhouses. The markup stings on the high end, but the depth, proper service, and glass selection earn the badge.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
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