400 Bottles Deep in a Train Station
Union Station · Kansas City · Steakhouse/Seafood
Reviewed March 26, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into a 1914 train station and landing in front of a 400-bottle wine list is not something we expected to enjoy this much. The room does the heavy lifting aesthetically, but the list earns its keep independently. This is a serious wine program wearing a historic-landmark tuxedo.
Four hundred selections is a lot anywhere — in Kansas City, it's a statement. The list leans hard into California's greatest hits: Caymus Special Selection, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, Stag's Leap Cask 23, Chateau Montelena Chardonnay. These aren't random trophy bottles thrown on a menu to impress; they're the backbone of a list that clearly had a point of view when it was built. We'd love to see more depth in Burgundy and Rhône to balance the Cal-heavy tilt, but the global reach is real and the cellar appears to be managed by someone who actually cares.
Twenty to thirty pours by the glass is genuinely generous for a room this size and this style. You're not stuck choosing between a house Cab and a house Chard — there's real range here. Rotation frequency isn't confirmed, but with a sommelier on staff and a list this size, the glass program has the infrastructure to be excellent.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley — unknown — see Sunday pricing
Jordan is one of the most consistently overpriced bottles at steakhouses across the country, but on Sunday when the entire list runs 50% off, it becomes a genuinely smart pour: structured, food-friendly, and a name even your table's skeptic will trust.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay
Most people at a steakhouse scan right past Chardonnay on their way to the Cabernet section. That's a mistake here. Montelena's Chardonnay is restrained, mineral, and age-worthy — nothing like the buttery pours this crowd usually expects, and all the better for it.
Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus Special Selection is everywhere, and everywhere it carries a steakhouse markup that makes the math painful. It's a fine wine, but at full price in a restaurant setting you're paying a premium for brand recognition. On a Sunday, maybe. Any other night, your money works harder elsewhere on this list.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23 + Filet Mignon
Cask 23 is built for exactly this moment — silky tannins, dark fruit, and enough structure to stand up to a perfectly seared filet without bullying it. This is the pairing you come to a place like Pierpont's to have.
Sunday — Every bottle on the wine list is 50% off all night. No exceptions noted. This is the real deal.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Pierpont's is one of the better wine programs in Kansas City, full stop — and on Sunday nights with the entire list at half price, it's one of the better wine deals in the Midwest. Show up hungry, bring a friend who drinks Cab, and let the room do the rest.
Crossroads / Westside border (Southwest Boulevard) · Kansas City · Spanish tapas / small plates
La Bodega is the Wild Card Kansas City didn't know it needed — a genuinely Spain-focused wine list with fair pricing and a half-price Monday that should be on everyone's weekly calendar. Send your friends here, especially on a Wednesday when the paella and a Rioja Reserva are waiting.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Columbus Park / Downtown Fringe · Kansas City · Classic Italian-American
Garozzo's is a Kansas City institution, and the wine list knows its lane — Italian classics, middle-of-the-road pricing, and zero pretension. Send a friend here for the Spiedini and a Chianti; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Brookside / East Brookside · Kansas City · Seafood-focused American / Oyster Bar
Earl's Premier is a wild card in the best possible way: a thoughtfully curated, seafood-focused wine list hiding in a Kansas City neighborhood spot. Send your oyster-loving friends here and tell them to start with bubbles.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Country Club Plaza · Kansas City · Seafood / Oyster Bar
Jax KC isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't need to be — but the list is smarter than the room might suggest, with a few genuine standouts that reward paying attention. Send a friend here for oysters and Sancerre, and tell them to skip the markups on anything California.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Freight House / Crossroads · Kansas City · Italian
Lidia's is a reliable Italian wine destination with a focused list and real sommelier knowledge behind it — the markups sting on the entry-level bottles, but Wednesday half-price wine night changes the math entirely. If you're going any other night, aim high on the list where the value is better.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Country Club Plaza · Kansas City · Steakhouse Bar
The Capital Grille bar is a reliable destination if someone else is picking up the tab or you're cherry-picking by the glass. The list is deep and well-managed, but the markup math is hard to ignore when you're the one signing the check.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
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