French Soul, Northwest Heart, Killer Views
Pike Place Market · Seattle · French · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed April 10, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Maximilien’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walk in past the Pike Place bustle, sit down, and the wine list feels like the room — a little Parisian, a little Pacific Northwest, earnestly romantic. It's a 100-plus bottle list that takes both its French roots and its Washington wine pride seriously. The view of Elliott Bay alone might make you order a second glass.
The list splits its attention between French classics and Washington standouts, which is exactly the right call for a French restaurant in Seattle. On the Northwest side, Walla Walla Vintners shows up across multiple tiers — Cornerstone, Foundation, and the Elevation Series give you a real sense of range from one strong producer. Aluel Cellars adds some welcome texture with their NV Blanc de Blancs and a 2025 Sauvignon Blanc. The French side holds its own with bottles like the LaPorte Sancerre, though markups there can sting.
The by-the-glass program is described as extensive, which tracks with a list this size — you're not stuck choosing between two reds and a Chardonnay. We'd steer toward the Washington pours by the glass where the value tends to be better than the French imports. Rotation and freshness are harder to confirm, but the winemaker dinner events suggest the staff stays engaged with the list.
Aluel Cellars NV 'Frosted and Fizzy' Blanc de Blancs — Unknown
A Washington sparkling wine at a French restaurant in Pike Place? That's a story worth ordering. Aluel is a small, quality-focused producer and this Blanc de Blancs is a genuine find — the kind of thing you'd miss if you defaulted straight to Champagne.
Walla Walla Vintners Elevation Series
Most tables at Maximilien are going to reach for something French, which means the Elevation Series from Walla Walla Vintners often gets overlooked. That's a mistake — these are serious Washington wines from a producer that's been at it since 1995, and they drink well above their price point.
LaPorte Sancerre
At $50 on the list against a $25 retail price, you're paying a 100% markup for a wine that's widely available and not hard to find cheaper. Sancerre is an easy sell in a French restaurant, which is exactly why restaurants lean on it. Skip it and put that money toward something from Washington you can't get everywhere.
Aluel Cellars 2025 Sauvignon Blanc + Steak Tartare
A crisp, high-acid Washington Sauvignon Blanc is exactly what raw beef wants next to it — it cuts through the richness, lifts the capers and shallots, and keeps everything feeling fresh. Aluel's version has enough fruit weight to hold its own without steamrolling the dish.
The Bottom Line
Maximilien is a genuinely lovely place to drink wine — the setting does a lot of the work, and the list backs it up with enough Washington depth to keep things interesting. Watch the French import markups, lean into the local producers, and let the view of Puget Sound do the rest.
Downtown · Seattle · Brazilian Churrascaria
The real headline here is the half-price South American bottles — available Monday through Thursday, all day, on bottles under $150 — which turns a polished steakhouse into a legitimately reasonable wine night. The list won't excite anyone who came for the wine, but if you came for the meat and want a solid regional bottle at a fair price, this deal is worth planning around.
Plays It Safe
Fair
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Acceptable
Ballard · Seattle · Italian
A short, Italian-leaning list with most of its bottles in the Old World red section. Order the $11 Montepulciano by the glass, or the $69 Travaglini Gattinara if you want to splurge a little, and confirm prices on the day. This unrated guide covers the posted wine menus, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Seattle · Pacific Northwest / New American
A hotel wine list with a Pacific Northwest page up front, Champagne, Bordeaux and Italian sections behind it, and a separate glass list on the drink menu. Start with the $12 Treveri Blanc de Blancs at happy hour or the Mark Ryan 'Goldfinch Tavern Red Blend', and check the current list before you go, since the restaurant says menus are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list and drink menu, not service, storage or markups.
Lake Union · Seattle · Steakhouse
A long, Northwest-first steakhouse list with plenty of bottles under $100 as well as a $300-to-$550 tier of Leonetti and Quilceda Creek Cabernets. Start with the $20 Five Star Cellars “Prime” Cabernet by the glass, or the same wine at $55 on the bottle pages, and confirm prices because the list says vintages and availability change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Capitol Hill · Seattle · Italian
An all-Italian list that is easy to navigate: 11 wines by the glass from $13 to $30, a bottle list sorted by region, and $8 house wine during Apericena. Order the Soave at $13 or the $17 Kerner by the glass, or the Villa Venti Sangiovese with the tagliatelle al ragu, and confirm prices because the page says they are subject to change. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Central District · Seattle · Seafood
A mostly natural, mostly French bottle list that stretches from $60 Muscadet to a $455 Champagne, with a deep run of Jura, Savoie and Loire bottles. Start with the $60 Hautplanty Muscadet or the $72 Laurent Herlin Cabernet Franc, and ask about the list’s ◆ and ◉ key if you want help choosing between classic and wild. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
River Market · Kansas City · French
A French-led list with 25 two-price wines up front and a long run of Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhône bottles behind them. Start with the Chinon Le Garenne at 42 or the Cornas 'Granit 60' at 88, ask which number is the glass price, and confirm prices, since the page is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Union Square · San Francisco · French
A 66-page list that starts with a 20-pour glass page and moves quickly into Burgundy, Rhône and Bordeaux bottles priced in the hundreds and thousands, so decide early whether you are drinking by the glass or committing to a bottle. Start with the $20 Chablis or the $23 Corsican red, and confirm today's list because it carries no print date. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Meatpacking District · New York · French
A French wine list with a wide price ladder: $16 glasses, $40 half bottles and $60 full bottles at the bottom, Pétrus and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti at the top. Start with the $16 Famille Coulon Rhône white by the glass, or spend $115 on the Marcel Deiss Alsace pinot noir, and check prices because the two PDFs show different bottle prices for Delos. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
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