Burgundy heavyweights hiding in a Midtown brasserie
Midtown East · New York · Steak House · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list lands on the table with the kind of weight that makes you forget you're in Midtown East. Four hundred to six hundred selections, anchored hard in France and Italy, with a sommelier — Liliia Kyiik — who clearly built this thing with intent. This isn't a steakhouse list assembled by committee; someone here actually cares.
Burgundy is the star, and they're not messing around — Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin, Leroy Bourgogne, and Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet all make appearances, which is a lineup you'd expect at a dedicated wine bar, not a brasserie on 50th. Italy holds its own with Giacomo Conterno Barolo and Gaja Barbaresco representing the serious Piedmont canon. Spain shows up with genuine muscle in the form of Vega Sicilia Unico and Pingus — two bottles that belong on any serious list. The gaps, if any, are modest; this is a program that earned its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2024 and doesn't look like it's coasting on the credential.
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is a generous spread for a steakhouse, with prices running $15–$45 — the top end of that range should be delivering something worth the climb. Rotation details are limited, but a list of this caliber at the bottle level suggests the glass pours aren't an afterthought. If Kyiik is running the program, expect the BTG selection to track the strengths of the full list.
Faiveley Nuits-Saint-Georges — $95–$130 (estimated range)
Faiveley's Nuits is perennially underpriced relative to its village-level peers and offers the Burgundy experience — earthy, structured, proper — without demanding you break the bank on a Premier Cru. On a list that runs deep into four figures, this is your entry point into the good stuff.
Leroy Bourgogne
Lalou Bize-Leroy's village-level Bourgogne gets overlooked because the name on the label is associated with bottles that cost as much as a car payment. But the Bourgogne Rouge punches well above its appellation — biodynamic farming, obsessive sourcing — and most people scan right past it chasing the Grand Crus. Don't.
Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot
Jadot is a fine producer and Clos Vougeot is a Grand Cru, so this isn't a bad wine — but on a list stacked with grower Burgundies and domaine-bottled heavyweights, the Jadot négociant bottling at steakhouse markup is the least interesting way to spend your Grand Cru budget. You can do better on this same list.
Giacomo Conterno Barolo + Prime Rib Cart
Conterno's Barolo is all tar, roses, and iron-fisted tannin — built for exactly the kind of fat-marbled, long-roasted beef that comes off a prime rib cart. The wine's acidity cuts the richness, the tannins lock into the protein, and you end up with one of those rare restaurant moments where the food and the wine actually make each other better.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Monterey is playing a different game than most Midtown steakhouses — the Burgundy and Barolo depth here is real, the sommelier knows her list, and the Art Deco setting gives the whole thing a sense of occasion. Markups run steep, as they do everywhere in this zip code, but if you're picking carefully, this list rewards the effort.
Midtown West · New York · Russian-American
The Russian Tea Room treats wine as an afterthought dressed up in Champagne flutes — five famous labels at punishing prices with no range, no by-the-glass program, and no apparent curiosity about wine beyond what looks impressive on a table. Go for the spectacle, order the caviar, but don't come here expecting a wine list.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
David Burke Tavern's list is a Chardonnay lover's comfort zone with a solid sparkling section propping up the top — but the narrow focus and steep pricing mean you're paying for familiarity, not discovery. Send a friend here if they want California whites and a glass of Champagne; send them somewhere else if they want to explore.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
Corima's wine list is proof that ten well-chosen bottles beat a hundred thoughtless ones every time. If you care about what's in your glass, this place is worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Village · New York · American
Cecchi's is first and foremost a bar, but the wine list is more serious than the neon and noise suggest. Steep markups are the main ding — but if you know what to order, there's real pleasure here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Steak House, Small Plates
The Corner Store is a reliable, well-credentialed wine list doing exactly what a good SoHo steakhouse should — France and California, done with intention, in a room that makes you want to order another bottle. Just watch the markup on the big Bordeaux names and let the Rhône or Burgundy side show you a better time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Tribeca · New York · American
Farra is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood wine bar, and the Wine Spectator nod is earned — just know that the serious bottles come with serious prices, and the no-sommelier setup means you're doing some of the navigating yourself. Worth it for anyone who knows what they want; potentially overwhelming for those who don't.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
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.