Ocean Prime
Big Room Energy, Surprisingly Decent Pours
Troy · Detroit · Steakhouse, Seafood, Sushi · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 22, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list arrives looking the part — thick, organized, and serious about its California bona fides. At 150-plus bottles, this isn't a list that was phoned in, though it does lean hard on crowd-pleasing Napa and Sonoma with the occasional European cameo to keep things honest. It feels built for the business dinner, the anniversary, the celebration where you want something recognizable and safe.
Selection Deep Dive
California dominates — Far Niente, Rombauer, Plumpjack, Orin Swift, and Justin's Isosceles all show up, which tells you exactly who this list is dressed for. That said, there's genuine range beyond the Napa comfort zone: Renato Ratti's Barolo from Piedmont, Trimbach Riesling from Alsace, and a nod to Willamette Valley and New Zealand give the list some actual backbone. The gaps are real though — Burgundy feels thin, Spain barely exists, and South America is essentially absent. A sommelier is on staff, which helps, but the list reads like it was curated for maximum familiarity rather than maximum discovery.
By the Glass
Eighteen-plus options by the glass is a genuinely solid count for a steakhouse format, spanning $12 to $42 and covering Champagne, California reds and whites, rosé, and at least one Italian. The Whispering Angel rosé at $18 glass is a reliable crowd-pleaser and moves fast here. Rotation appears minimal — this is a set program, not one that surprises you on a return visit.
Pinot Noir, Summer Dreams, 'Stargazing,' Sonoma Coast, 2023 — $50
Retail on this bottle sits around $60, meaning the restaurant is barely marking it up — a rare moment of restraint on a list that otherwise charges hard. Sonoma Coast Pinot at near-retail pricing alongside Chilean Sea Bass? That's the move.
Barolo, Renato Ratti, 'Marcenaso,' Piedmont, Italy, 2021
Most tables in this room are reaching for Napa Cab. The Ratti Barolo at $47 is sitting there quietly offering a proper Nebbiolo experience — tar, roses, structure — at a markup that's actually reasonable by Ocean Prime standards. It's the most interesting bottle on the list and almost nobody orders it.
Chardonnay, Rombauer, Carneros, California, 2023
Rombauer retails around $75 and they're pouring it at $28 a glass — meaning a bottle equivalent is running you north of $100 before you've even looked at the bottle list. It's a fine wine, but it's also the safe, buttery choice that half the table already knows, and you're paying a 168% markup for that comfort. There are better calls here.
Barolo, Renato Ratti, 'Marcenaso,' Piedmont, Italy, 2021 + Chilean Sea Bass
Hear us out — a lighter-styled Barolo like the Ratti 'Marcenaso' has enough acidity and savory depth to cut through the richness of a butter-basted sea bass without bulldozing it the way a Napa Cab would. It's an unconventional call that the sommelier will back you up on if you ask.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Ocean Prime Troy is a reliable anchor for a serious meal — the sommelier presence is real, the list has more range than the room suggests, and a few bottles are priced with actual fairness. Just go in with your eyes open on the markups and steer clear of the obvious crowd-pleasers if you want the best of what this list actually has to offer.
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