Old-school steak club, wine list to match
Downtown · Minneapolis · Classic American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed March 29, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Murray's’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Murray's has been doing this since 1946, and the wine list feels like it knows that. It's confident, unambiguous, and absolutely not here to surprise you — this is a red-meat-and-red-wine program built for the downtown Minneapolis power dinner crowd. Nothing adventurous, but nothing embarrassing either.
The list leans hard on Napa, which tracks for a steakhouse of this era and ambition — you've got Chappellet Mountain Cuvee and Peju Cabernet anchoring the reds, both solid names that belong on a steak list. There's a nod to Willamette Valley whites and even a Barbera D'Alba from Mauro Molina in Piedmont, which is the most interesting detour the list takes. Columbia Valley shows up via Dunham Cellars Sauvignon Blanc, a reliable Pacific Northwest producer. The gaps are real though — no Burgundy, no Rhône, no aged bottles worth lingering over.
Ten-plus options by the glass is a respectable count for a steakhouse format, running $10–$25 a pour. The range spans bubbles (Pommery Pop, Bisol Jeio Prosecco) through whites and into reds, so you're not stuck sharing a bottle if your table has different appetites. The Illahe Cap Fizz from Willamette Valley is a fun outlier in the glass pours — a sparkling rosé that most tables will walk right past.
Cabernet Blend Chappellet Mountain Cuvee Napa Valley — $95
Chappellet Mountain Cuvee punches well above its restaurant list price — this is a structured, age-worthy Napa Cab from a producer that doesn't need to overpromise. Next to the Silver Butter Knife Steak for Two, it's doing exactly what it was made to do.
Barbera D'Alba Mauro Molina Piedmont
Nobody at a classic Minneapolis steakhouse is ordering the Barbera, which is a shame. It's the most interesting bottle on this list — Piedmont Barbera has bright acidity, dark fruit, and zero pretension, and it's almost certainly the most fairly priced red on the menu. Take the detour.
Prosecco Bisol Jeio Italy
Bisol Jeio is a perfectly fine Prosecco, but Prosecco at steakhouse markup is a tough sell when you could open with something more interesting. If you want bubbles, the Pommery Pop at least has a bit more character for the occasion.
Cabernet Peju Napa Valley + Silver Butter Knife Steak for Two
Peju Cabernet is ripe and plush without being a fruit bomb — it has enough structure to stand up to the butter-basted richness of Murray's signature steak without overwhelming the moment. This is the pairing the list was built around.
The Bottom Line
Murray's wine list is exactly what a 1946 Minneapolis steakhouse should have: safe, serviceable, and a little overpriced — but with enough solid bottles that you're not stuck suffering through dinner. Go for the steak, pick the Chappellet or the Barbera, and let the room do the rest.
Downtown · Minneapolis · Brazilian churrascaria / Brazilian steakhouse
Fogo de Chão Minneapolis is a reliably fun night out if you're there for the meat spectacle — and you should be. The wine list is a supporting cast that knows its role: keep people happy, don't surprise anyone, move on. If wine is more than an afterthought for you, lower your expectations before you open the menu.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Loop / Warehouse District · Minneapolis · Modern Argentinian Steakhouse
Porzana punches above its class for a Minneapolis steakhouse — the Italian and Argentine selections show genuine curation, and the Fenocchio Barolo alone justifies a serious wine order. Just go in with eyes open on markups and skip the entry-level bottles unless you're pouring by the glass.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lowry Hill · Minneapolis · Steakhouse and Wood-Fired Pizza
Burch has the bones of a genuinely great wine program — knowledgeable staff, proper storage, and a list that respects the classics — but the pricing strategy on the mid-tier and entry-level bottles will test your patience. Go big or go home: the value-to-quality ratio only really clicks once you're spending $200+.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / North Loop · Minneapolis · New American / Contemporary American
112 Eatery's wine list is punching well above its weight for a Minneapolis neighborhood bistro, with a genuinely distinctive Old World focus and producers that belong on serious lists anywhere in the country. The markups sting on a few bottles, but the curation earns enough goodwill to keep us coming back.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown · Minneapolis · French Bistro
Barbette is a wine list built by someone who actually drinks wine and wants you to as well — it's small, French, and surprisingly legit for a neighborhood bistro in Uptown. If you're a natural wine fan or just someone who wants good Beaujolais with steak frites, send your friends here.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Loring Park · Minneapolis · New American
Cafe Lurcat is a reliable, well-staffed wine program in one of Minneapolis's prettiest dining rooms — just know you're paying a premium for the address and the ambiance. Ask the sommelier for help navigating the list and you'll drink well; go on autopilot and order the obvious Napa Cab and you'll leave having spent more than you should have.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Murray Hill · New York · Classic American Steakhouse
Wolfgang's is a reliable steakhouse wine experience in the sense that you know exactly what you're getting: a list built around the bottle you already know, priced for the room you're sitting in. If you're here to close a deal over a Porterhouse for Two, the wine list will do its job without embarrassing anyone — but it's not going to surprise you, and it's almost certainly going to cost more than it should. Go in with eyes open and a strong second-choice red in mind.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Little Italy · San Diego · Classic American Steakhouse
A very long bottle book with Napa Cabernet, Burgundy and Champagne at the high end, and a glass page that keeps still wines at $14 to $35. Start with the $35 Fantino Barolo by the glass, or a $160 Silver Oak with the ribeye, and confirm prices before you go. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Madonna Inn area · Paso Robles · Classic American Steakhouse
The Gold Rush Steak House is a nostalgic, only-in-California experience where the décor and the prime rib are the stars — the wine list is a supporting character that does its job without embarrassing itself. If you're in it for the food and the atmosphere, you'll drink fine; if you're here for the wine, you're in the wrong zip code.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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