Steak-forward, wine-safe, no surprises
Bakersfield · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 23, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Ruth's Chris Steak House – Bakersfield’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Ruth's Chris Bakersfield is exactly what you'd expect from a national steakhouse chain — long enough to feel serious, safe enough to never surprise you. It's a corporate list done competently, with 150-plus bottles and a glass program that covers the bases without taking any risks. You're not here to discover wine; you're here to drink something that works with a ribeye.
California dominates, as it should at a steakhouse of this type — Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet anchor the list with recognizable producers like Belle Glos, Mer Soleil, and Ferrari-Carano. Oregon gets a nod with the Benton-Lane Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, and Italy shows up in token form with Santa Cristina Pinot Grigio. What you won't find is any adventurous detour into natural wine, grower Champagne, or anything a serious wine drinker would describe as a find — this is a list built for approval, not discovery. The $500+ ceiling on bottles suggests they're stocking some heavier hitters deeper in the cellar, but the everyday diner will likely stay in the $60–$120 range where the list is just fine.
Fifteen to twenty-five options by the glass is a solid count, and the range from $14–$30 keeps things accessible by steakhouse standards. The pours skew predictably California — Narrative Chardonnay on the lower end, Mer Soleil Reserve Chardonnay stepping it up, Sea Sun Pinot Noir for the red-but-not-too-red crowd. Rotation appears minimal; this is a set-it-and-leave-it glass program that gets the job done without any ambition.
Dry Creek Vineyard Fumé Blanc, Sonoma County — $14
Dry Creek's Fumé Blanc is a legitimately good Sonoma white — grassy, focused, and food-friendly — and at the lower end of the glass price range it's the smartest pour on the menu before your steak arrives.
Benton-Lane Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Most people at a steakhouse beeline for the big California Cab, but Benton-Lane's Willamette Valley Pinot is a more interesting glass — earthy, cooler-climate, and a genuine change of pace from the surrounding California fruit bombs.
Belle Glos Pinot Noir 'Clark & Telephone', Sta. Maria Valley
Belle Glos is a marketing triumph masquerading as a discovery — it's the Pinot Noir everyone orders because they've heard of it, and Ruth's Chris charges accordingly. You're paying a premium for name recognition on a wine that's pleasant but nowhere near worth the markup in this context.
Ferrari-Carano Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma + USDA Prime Ribeye
Ferrari-Carano's Cab has enough structure and dark fruit to stand up to the sizzling butter delivery system Ruth's Chris calls a steak — it's the most honest pairing on the menu and exactly why the wine exists.
The Bottom Line
Ruth's Chris Bakersfield is a reliable wine stop if your expectations are calibrated to 'corporate steakhouse': proper storage, competent service, and a list that will not embarrass you or excite you. Send a friend here for the steak; the wine is a supporting actor that knows its role.
· Bakersfield · Wine bar + brewpub
BottleShock has a great name and a wine list that hasn't caught up to it yet. Four labels — including a Prosecco and a Chianti Classico you've seen a hundred times — isn't enough to earn the wine bar designation. Until the list grows up, come for the brew side of the menu and treat the wine as an afterthought.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bakersfield · Hotel lounge
MI Greatroom is doing exactly what a Marriott convention hotel bar is designed to do — serve recognizable, inoffensive wines to people who aren't thinking about wine. There's no shame in that, but there's no reason to come here specifically for what's in the glass. Order the Maso Canali, catch up with whoever you're meeting, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bakersfield · American
Yard House Bakersfield is a beer hall that happens to sell wine, and the list makes no effort to hide that. Markups are aggressive, selections are safe to the point of being anonymous, and the only reason to open a bottle here is if your table voted against another round of IPAs. If you're wine-focused, redirect your budget to the Jean-Luc Colombo Rosé by the glass and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bakersfield · Steakhouse and Seafood
This is a wine program that exists only because restaurants are expected to have one. If you're at Sizzler Bakersfield, order a beer, a lemonade, or whatever they're mixing at the bar — the wine list is not the reason to be here, and it's not trying to be.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bakersfield · Hotel bar and small plates
Brimstone Bar isn't trying to be a wine destination — but whoever put Terre Rouge on the menu made a real choice, and that's more than most hotel bars can say. If you're in Bakersfield and you want something other than a mass-market Cab, this is the move. Just don't come expecting options.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown Bakersfield · Bakersfield · Latin American / Mexican / Spanish / American
Zama is a fun room with a wine list that plays it safe — the markups are real, the picks are predictable, but Wine Wednesday changes the math considerably if you time your visit right. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Riesling or the Bonanza, and enjoy the patio.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
· Hoschton · Steakhouse
Jacks is a genuinely fun neighborhood hang with solid food, but the wine program doesn't match the ambition of the kitchen. If wine is your thing, call ahead or bring your own if corkage is an option — otherwise, lean into the cocktails and enjoy the patio. We'd love to revisit this rating if they ever put some real thought into the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Point · Atlanta · Steakhouse
Malone's earns its loyal following on the strength of its pork chops and tenderloin, not its wine list. If wine matters to your meal, you may want to call ahead and ask what's available — or just lean into a cocktail and let the steak do the heavy lifting. This one's a food-first destination.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Acworth · Steakhouse
AG Steakhouse earns its reputation as a go-to for celebrations and big nights out on Lake Acworth — but the wine program appears to be in service of the experience rather than a destination in itself. If you're splurging on the filet or the Oscar-style halibut, budget accordingly for the bottle too, and don't expect the list to surprise you. A solid place to drink wine; not a reason to come specifically for wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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