Chain Vibes, Corporate Pours, Zero Surprises
Overland Park · Seafood / Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · September 16, 2026
RagingWine reviewed McCormick & Schmick's Seafood & Steaks – Kansas City’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at McCormick & Schmick's reads exactly like you'd expect from a national seafood chain — it was built by committee, approved by a purchasing department, and hasn't been questioned since. Fourteen labels, all by the glass, every single one a brand you've seen at a grocery store end cap. There's nothing offensive here, but there's nothing that says anyone actually cares about wine.
The list splits into a 'standard' tier at $7 and a 'premium' tier at $9 — a $2 jump that gets you from Chateau Souverain and Ecco Domani up to Clean Slate and Mark West, which is not exactly a leap into the stratosphere. Coverage hits the usual bases: Chardonnay twice, Riesling twice, a Cab, a Merlot, a Malbec, a Pinot Noir, a Pinot Gris, a Sauvignon Blanc, a Rosé, and a Prosecco. No Old World depth, no interesting domestic producers, no surprises whatsoever. If you've ever stared at a hotel bar wine list and thought 'I guess I'll have the Malbec,' this is that experience, sit-down edition.
All 14 wines are available by the glass, which sounds generous until you realize the entire list is BTG — there's no bottle program evident in the data. Prices run $7–$9 across the board, which is genuinely fair for what you're getting, but the selection ceiling is Don Miguel Gascon Malbec and Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc. Rotation appears nonexistent; this list is set-it-and-forget-it.
Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc — $9/glass
Wairau River is a legitimate Marlborough producer — not a supermarket ghost label — and $9 a glass is honest pricing for a wine that actually tastes like somewhere specific. On a list this flat, it stands out by doing its job.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
Most people at a seafood chain reach for Chardonnay on autopilot. The Ste. Michelle Riesling at $7 is the smarter call — a touch of sweetness, real acidity, and it handles anything coming out of the ocean better than a blob of oaked Chardonnay will.
Chateau Souverain Chardonnay
At $7 it's not a rip-off, but Chateau Souverain Chardonnay is the definition of anonymous — big, soft, and buttery in a way that makes the seafood taste like nothing. There are better $7 options on this same list.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling + Grilled Atlantic Salmon
The Riesling's fruit and acidity cut through the richness of salmon without competing with it — something the Chardonnay options here won't manage as cleanly. Off-dry Riesling and grilled fish is a reliable formula that the chain crowd reliably ignores.
The Bottom Line
McCormick & Schmick's isn't here to surprise you with wine, and it doesn't. At $7–$9 a glass the prices are fair, but the list is pure corporate default — grab the Riesling or the Sauvignon Blanc and put your energy into the food.
Overland Park · Overland Park · Steakhouse / Fine Dining
The Capital Grille Kansas City is a reliable splurge — the bones are good, the list has legitimate heavy hitters, and the Champagne section alone will make certain expense accounts very happy. Just don't expect any surprises, and watch the markup.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Leawood · Overland Park · Farm-to-table American
Rye Leawood is a Wild Card in the best sense — it's a brunch-centric farm-to-table spot that somehow assembled a thoughtful, geographically curious wine list in a market that usually plays it very safe. Send your friends here, steer them past the cocktail-adjacent glass pours, and point them at the Cava or the Hito rosé.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Overland Park · Modern American
Silo Modern Farmhouse punches above its suburban weight class with a white-focused list that shows genuine curation and pricing that won't insult you. It's not a destination wine list, but it's exactly the kind of reliable program that makes a neighborhood restaurant worth coming back to.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Overland Park · Overland Park · New American
Nick & Jake's wine list is a set-it-and-forget-it situation — functional for the casual diner, forgettable for anyone paying attention. Order the Moscato or a cocktail and move on.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Overland Park · New American
Tavern in the Village isn't trying to be a wine destination, but the all-by-the-glass format, fair pricing, and a handful of genuinely good picks — Picpoul, Sancerre, Riesling — make it more than worth a glass or two. Send a friend here knowing they won't get gouged, even if they won't get their mind blown.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Overland Park · French cafe & market
French Market is proof that a small wine list can punch well above its weight when someone with actual taste curated it. If you're in Overland Park and want a glass of serious French wine with your croque-monsieur, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Historic Seaport · Key West · Seafood / Steakhouse
The Commodore is a reliable waterfront pick — the wine list won't surprise you, but it won't embarrass you either. Hit the happy hour if you can, stick to the Champagne or the New Zealand whites, and let the view do the rest.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Cannery Row · Monterey · Seafood / Steakhouse
Chart House Monterey charges destination prices for the view and delivers gas station wine execution — the list is inoffensive, cheap enough, and completely uninspired. Come for the bay, order by the glass, and don't expect anyone behind the bar to talk you through it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Route 1 / MarketFair area · Princeton · Seafood / Steakhouse
Eddie V's Princeton is a reliable, well-run wine program that excels on its own terms — California-focused, sommelier-staffed, and properly stored — but it won't challenge your palate or your loyalty to the coasts. Send your California Cab-loving friends here without hesitation; send the natural wine crowd somewhere else.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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