Serious Bottles, Serious Seafood, No Excuses
Flatiron · New York · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The list lands on your table and immediately signals that someone here takes this seriously. Four hundred-plus bottles anchored by Burgundy, Oregon, Napa, and Italy — it's the kind of range that makes you want to linger over the pages before you've even ordered bread. Brian Lieder's fingerprints are all over it, and that's a good thing.
Oregon and France are the clear twin pillars here — Domaine Drouhin and Adelsheim hold down the Willamette Valley Pinot Noir corner with real authority, while the French whites get serious with Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Louis Jadot Meursault sharing real estate on the same page. California chips in with Far Niente and Kistler for those who want plush, polished Chardonnay alongside their lobster. Italy earns its keep with Gaja Barbaresco and Antinori Tignanello — not obligatory name-drops, but wines that actually belong on a list this focused. The one gap: if you're hunting for value-tier everyday bottles, the $60 floor can feel like a wall.
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is generous for a seafood restaurant, and the program reportedly rotates with the kitchen's seasonal direction. That said, we didn't find evidence of an active rotation cadence or a dedicated BTG feature program — what's on the list feels like it's been curated once and held steady. Still, having Alsace Riesling from Domaine Weinbach available by the glass at a place like this would be a genuine win.
Adelsheim Vineyard Pinot Noir — $60
At the entry point of the bottle list, Adelsheim punches above its price tag — classic Willamette Valley elegance, food-friendly acidity, and a name that earns its spot at the table without demanding your whole wallet.
Domaine Weinbach Riesling Alsace
Everyone at the table is reaching for Chardonnay or Burgundy, and that's exactly why you should order this. Alsatian Riesling from Weinbach is one of the great seafood wines on earth — mineral, precise, and built for oysters — and most people walk right past it.
Antinori Tignanello
Tignanello is a fantastic wine, but it's also one of the most widely distributed bottles in the country — and restaurant markups on recognizable Super Tuscans are rarely kind. At a seafood-forward spot, you're also fighting the menu. Unless you're ordering the Dover sole and insisting on red, your money works harder elsewhere on this list.
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet + Dover Sole
This is about as close to a sure thing as wine pairing gets. Leflaive's Puligny brings that signature chalky tension and layered richness that mirrors the delicate, buttery character of Dover sole — neither one overwhelms the other, and both end up tasting better for it.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Oceans earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence with a list that's genuinely deep and expertly stewarded by sommelier Brian Lieder — the markups sting a little, but the quality and range justify the trip. Send a friend here if they want to drink seriously alongside some of the best seafood in the city.
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
Highland Street · Worcester · Seafood
The Sole Proprietor is a reliable, crowd-pleasing list that does exactly what a classic seafood institution should — it just won't thrill anyone looking for adventure or a fair deal on the big names. Order the oysters, pick the DuMol, and leave the Opus One for someone else's expense account.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Riverside · Riverside · Seafood
Red Lobster Riverside isn't a wine destination — it's a seafood chain with a wine list that exists because it has to. If you're here, drink the Riesling or the Prosecco, enjoy your biscuits, and keep your expectations calibrated accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Canyon Crest / Riverside Plaza area · Riverside · Seafood
Market Broiler Riverside is a dependable night out for seafood — the wine list won't excite anyone who's been paying attention, but it won't embarrass you either. Send a friend here for dinner without hesitation; just don't tell them to geek out on the wine program.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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