Seattle's Steakhouse That Earns Its Grand Award
Downtown Seattle · Seattle · Steak House · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 5, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Metropolitan Grill lands on the table with the weight of something serious — 900-plus selections, dark leather cover, the whole bit. This is not a list assembled by someone who called a distributor rep once and called it a day. Wine Spectator has handed them a Grand Award every year since 2018, and one look at this list tells you they earned it.
Washington state gets its proper moment in the spotlight here — Quilceda Creek, Leonetti, Andrew Will Sorella, Cayuse Armada Vineyard Syrah — this is one of the strongest domestic Washington selections you'll find in the city, which makes sense given the address. Beyond Washington, the list digs deep into Burgundy (Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti), Rhône (Guigal La Landonne), and Italy (Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino, Gaja Barbaresco, Sassicaia, Ornellaia). California is well-represented with the predictable trophy bottles alongside some more accessible options. If there's a gap, it's that natural wine and anything outside the classic European-California-Washington axis is essentially absent — but that's a deliberate curatorial choice, not an oversight.
Around 20-30 options by the glass is respectable for a list this size, and the quality floor is noticeably higher than your average steakhouse pour. Expect the glass program to skew Washington Cab and Napa-adjacent — appropriate for the room. Don't come expecting a rotating pet-nat program; do come expecting a well-chosen Cab that actually tastes like it came from somewhere intentional.
DeLille Cellars D2 — null
Among the Washington reds on this list, D2 consistently punches above its price point — a Bordeaux-style blend from one of the Yakima Valley's most consistent producers. In a room full of trophy bottles, it's the wine that delivers genuine pleasure without requiring a moment of financial grief.
Cayuse Vineyards Armada Vineyard Syrah
Most tables in this room are going straight for the Cabernet, which is exactly why you should order the Cayuse Syrah instead. Walla Walla Syrah at this level is some of the most compelling wine Washington produces, and Cayuse's Armada is a stone-cold benchmark — earthy, meaty, with a savageness that actually matches the steak better than most Cabs will.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
At $225, you're paying a significant premium for a wine that retails for a fraction of that and has become increasingly industrial in style. On a list with Quilceda Creek and Leonetti in the same region and category, there's simply no reason to settle here.
Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 + Prime New York Strip Steak
Quilceda Creek is one of Washington's most serious Cabernets — structured, dense, with the tannin backbone to stand up to a well-marbled Prime strip. This is the local-legend choice in a room full of California imports, and it's the pairing that actually tells the story of where you are.
Monday — Half-price wine night every Monday — the single best reason to eat a steak on a Monday in Seattle.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Metropolitan Grill is one of the rare steakhouses where the wine list is genuinely worth your attention — four sommeliers deep, a Washington selection that beats most dedicated wine bars, and Monday half-price bottles if you want to play in the big leagues without the full ticket. The markups at the trophy-bottle tier are what they are, but find your lane in the mid-list and this place absolutely delivers.
Eastlake · Seattle · Italian
Serafina is a reliable Italian neighborhood spot with a wine list that matches its ambitions — cozy, competent, and a little expensive for what it is. Send a friend here for the pasta and Nebbiolo, but warn them to steer clear of the Prosecco markups.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Capitol Hill · Seattle · French / Northwest Seafood and Wine Bar
Bar Melusine is what Capitol Hill needed more of: a focused, France-forward wine program that actually earns its place next to the food. If you're eating oysters in Seattle, this should be in your regular rotation.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Magnolia · Seattle · Italian
Picolinos is the kind of neighborhood Italian where the wine list genuinely backs up the food, and that's rarer than it should be. Send your friends here if they want a proper Barolo with their osso buco without flying to Turin.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pike Place Market · Seattle · Italian-American with Northwest influence
The Pink Door is a reliable wine list in a genuinely great room — the atmosphere does a lot of heavy lifting, and the wine program is good enough not to get in the way of a memorable evening. Just watch the markups, stick to the Italian bottles, and let the trapeze act do the rest.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Capitol Hill · Seattle · Modern steakhouse with French-influenced Pacific Northwest cuisine
Bateau is the rare steakhouse where the wine list earns as much attention as what's on the butcher board. Markups keep it from being a total steal, but the depth, the staff, and the Pacific Northwest-first perspective make this one worth the splurge.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Belltown · Seattle · Italian
Tavolàta's wine list is exactly what a good Italian pasta spot should have — focused, fairly priced, and honest about what it is. If you're looking for a list to geek out over, keep walking; if you're looking for something that drinks well with great pasta, pull up a chair.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hartland · Hartland · Steak House
Palmer's is a reliable steakhouse wine list that delivers exactly what its suburban clientele wants — well-known California names, solid execution, and nothing too weird. If you're a wine adventurer, you'll want to temper expectations; if you're celebrating with a ribeye and a Jordan Cab, you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Town Square · Jackson · Steak House
The Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse has a sommelier, a Wine Spectator credential, and a list that knows its audience — which is Jackson tourists who want great steak and great Napa Cab, full stop. Send a friend here if they want a proper California red with a serious piece of beef; just warn them to skip Opus One and let Jordan do the work.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Milwaukee · Milwaukee · Steak House
Ward's House of Prime is exactly what it says it is: a classic Milwaukee steakhouse with a wine list built to match big cuts of beef. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is well-earned, but don't come looking for adventure — come looking for a great California Cab and a slab of prime rib.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.