Big Steaks, Forgotten Wine List
Downtown · Atlanta · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ruth's Chris Steak House (Downtown Atlanta)’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Six bottles. That's the wine list. At a national steakhouse chain known for sizzling butter platters and expense-account dinners, you'd expect at least a nod toward depth — but what we get here is essentially a patio menu masquerading as a wine program. It feels like an afterthought, not a feature.
The entire list reads like someone grabbed the top sellers from a big-box retailer and called it a day. You've got Caymus Cab and Whispering Angel Rosé doing the heavy lifting for the crowd, flanked by Duckhorn's entry-level Greenwing Pinot Noir and Cakebread's budget offshoot Bezel Chardonnay. There's a Trimbach Pinot Blanc that at least signals someone once consulted an Alsatian map, and Veuve Clicquot on the bubble side to keep the celebrations popping. No old-world depth, no surprises, no Burgundy, no Barolo — nothing that says this kitchen respects what's in the glass as much as what's on the plate.
All six bottles are available by the glass, which is the list's only real saving grace — you can try everything without committing to a full bottle. Pours run $13 to $32, which feels punishing when you consider what's actually in the glass. At $32 for Caymus by the pour, you're paying a serious premium for the privilege of drinking a wine your neighbor probably has in their garage.
Trimbach Pinot Blanc — $13/glass
It's the only wine here with a sense of place. Trimbach is a legitimate Alsatian producer, and Pinot Blanc is criminally underrated — crisp, food-friendly, and at the low end of the glass price range. Order this before the steaks arrive.
Trimbach Pinot Blanc
Most tables here are going straight for the Caymus or the Whispering Angel out of habit. The Trimbach is quiet, confident, and the only bottle on this list that suggests any curatorial thought. Don't sleep on it.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is a perfectly fine wine that has been marked up into absurdity at every steakhouse in America. You're paying for the label recognition, not the liquid. If you want a big California Cab with your ribeye, you deserve better than what this bottle costs here.
Greenwing by Duckhorn Vineyards Pinot Noir + Filet Mignon
Greenwing is Duckhorn's entry-level Pinot — lighter, red-fruited, and lower in tannin than the Caymus. That makes it the better call alongside a tender filet, where you want the wine to complement the beef without steamrolling it.
The Bottom Line
Ruth's Chris Downtown Atlanta is here for the steak, full stop — the wine list is a six-bottle shrug that treats wine as a revenue line, not an experience. Order the Trimbach, enjoy your butter-drenched ribeye, and don't expect the list to surprise you.
Decatur · Atlanta · Wine and Cocktail Bar
Amaro Bar is the kind of place Decatur quietly needed — a moody, wine-forward room where the list has a point of view and the staff can back it up. We can't quote you specific bottles or prices yet, but the regional focus on volcanic and Eastern European wines alone makes it worth a visit if you're tired of the same 12 bottles you see everywhere else. Go with an open mind and let the sommelier steer.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Italian bakery and cafe
Rosetta Bakery has no business having a wine list this considered. Eight labels, nearly all pourable by the glass, priced so fairly it almost seems like a mistake — and anchored by producers like Monchiero Carbone and Antica Fratta that would look at home on a dedicated wine bar menu. If you're nearby and want a glass of something genuinely Italian and genuinely good without paying downtown wine bar prices, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Smyrna · Atlanta · New American
Muss & Turner's isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — and that honesty is oddly refreshing. If you're in Smyrna on a Tuesday, the reported wine-focused night is reason enough to show up early, grab a seat, and let the shrimp and grits do the heavy lifting while you figure out what's on the list.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Atlanta · New American
Soho's wine list is built for people who already know what they like — California reds, recognizable labels, no curveballs. The markup is real (Faust at $132/bottle and Moët at $138 are tough to justify), but the by-the-glass depth gives you flexibility to stay in a reasonable range. If you're here for the food and want a no-drama pour, you'll find it — just don't come expecting discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · French
St. John's is running a lean, all-by-the-glass program that's more considered than it looks at first glance — a Vouvray, a Barolo, and an aged Languedoc Syrah on a 14-bottle list isn't an accident. The lack of bottle service is a real limitation for a French dinner, but if you're grazing through courses and glasses, the pricing stays honest. Worth a visit if you want something beyond the usual steakhouse pour.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Buckhead · Atlanta · French-American
St. John has the bones of a place worth drinking well at — a thoughtful regional spread, a dining room that takes itself seriously, and a menu built for wine-friendly food. But without confirmed list details or pricing, we can't promise the experience lives up to the setup. Go for the Welsh Rarebit and the mood, and ask your server what they're excited about on the list — that answer alone will tell you what kind of night you're in for.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chandler · Steakhouse
Bourbon & Bones is a steakhouse that takes its Champagne seriously — the sparkling selection runs deeper than most dedicated wine bars in the Valley, and the by-the-glass program gives you real options at multiple price points. The markups are steep across the board and the non-sparkling list is nothing to write home about, but if you're coming here to celebrate over a bone-in ribeye and a bottle of Dom, this list is built for exactly that occasion.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Gilbert · Steakhouse
Mastro's is a fine-dining steakhouse charging fine-dining prices, and the wine list reflects almost none of that ambition. Seven labels — all California, all safe, no flexibility for guests who want something outside the Napa Cab lane — is a hard sell when the rest of the experience is supposed to justify a big check. Come for the steak if you must, but lower your wine expectations significantly or you'll leave frustrated.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Greensboro · Steakhouse
Fleming's Greensboro is doing more than most chain steakhouses bother to do with wine — 42 by-the-glass options and actual Alsatian whites on a Greensboro wine list deserves acknowledgment. The markups are real and the list isn't going to surprise anyone who's been to a Fleming's before, but if you're eating a bone-in ribeye and want a proper glass without guesswork, this delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
