Napa-forward and proud of it
Downtown · El Paso · Steakhouse
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ruth's Chris Steak House’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Ruth's Chris El Paso reads exactly like you'd expect — a greatest hits album of California Cabernet and Chardonnay, thick with names every steak lover already knows. There's nothing surprising here, but there's also nothing sloppy about it. It's a list built to match $50+ ribeyes, and it does that job competently.
Napa Valley dominates, with heavy hitters like Caymus Special Selection, Far Niente, Jordan, Beringer Private Reserve, and Duckhorn Merlot anchoring the list. Bordeaux and Burgundy make appearances as the obligatory Old World nod, but don't expect deep regional exploration or anything off the beaten path. The list clocks in somewhere between 150 and 300 bottles, which sounds impressive until you realize how many of those slots are variations on the same Napa Cab theme. If you came here hoping to stumble onto a grower Champagne or a Willamette Valley Pinot, you're at the wrong steakhouse.
The by-the-glass program runs 15-25 options, which is a respectable spread for a steakhouse. Standouts include the Browne Family Forest Project pours, which represent the best glass-for-glass value on the menu. Rotation appears minimal — this is a set-it-and-forget-it program, not a list that's refreshed with any urgency.
Browne Family Forest Project Cabernet Sauvignon — $11
At $11 a glass for a bottle that retails around $15, this is practically at cost — a rare moment of restraint from a chain that could easily charge double. Order it without guilt.
Browne Family Forest Project Chardonnay
Most tables here are gunning straight for the big Napa Cabs, and this Chardonnay gets overlooked. At $11 a glass it's an honest, food-friendly pour that works well before the steak arrives — don't wait for someone else to figure that out.
Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Look, Caymus is fine. But it's also the most marked-up, most predictable bottle on any steakhouse list in America. You're paying a serious premium for the name recognition, and at a Ruth's Chris you're almost certainly not getting the cellar conditions or the glass to do it justice anyway.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon + USDA Prime Ribeye
Jordan's Sonoma Cab is plush enough to stand up to the rich, buttery sizzle of a Ruth's Chris ribeye without the overt jammy sweetness of a Caymus. It's the more elegant call at the table, and it won't wreck your check the same way the Special Selection will.
The Bottom Line
Ruth's Chris El Paso is a reliable, no-drama wine experience for people who like their Cabernet as dependable as their steaks. You won't discover anything new here, but you also won't be disappointed — and that Browne Family by-the-glass deal is genuinely worth knowing about.
Downtown · El Paso · French / European
Pot Au Feu is the kind of place that takes its food seriously and gives the wine list a passing grade — not an A, but enough to hold up its end of the evening. If you're eating French in El Paso, you could do a lot worse; just order smart and don't default to the Jadot.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westside / Northwest (The Canyons at Cimarron) · El Paso · Steakhouse
Oak & Antler isn't reinventing the steakhouse wine list, but the Wednesday half-price promotion turns a merely adequate program into a legitimately smart evening out. Come on a Wednesday, order the Jordan, eat a ribeye, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · El Paso · Fine Dining
Cafe Central is running a world-class wine program in a city that most wine people wouldn't put on their radar — and the pricing is fair enough that you can actually drink at the level this list deserves. If you're passing through El Paso, this is a genuine destination worth building a trip around.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · El Paso · American
Anson11 is a reliable destination for a well-executed California wine experience in a city where that kind of list isn't guaranteed — just don't expect to be surprised. Send your Caymus-loving friends here without hesitation; send your adventurous wine nerd somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
El Paso · El Paso · Regional, Southwestern American
Mesa Street Grill isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it delivers a competent, fairly priced California list that holds up to the food without embarrassing anyone. Send a friend here for a solid dinner — just don't expect to be surprised.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East El Paso · El Paso · Seafood, Steakhouse
Landry's wine list does exactly what a mid-tier chain seafood house needs it to do — keeps the table happy without embarrassing anyone. Just don't show up expecting inspiration; show up expecting a cold glass of Vermentino and a solid piece of fish.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
Hal's delivers a competent, Napa-forward bottle list that does exactly what a steakhouse wine program is supposed to do — just without much surprise or value mercy. Send a friend here if they want a reliable big-red experience; warn them to leave the credit card breathing room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Houston · Steakhouse
Perry's is a reliable steakhouse wine list — nothing that'll make you rethink your palate, but enough to drink well with red meat if you know where to look. The fortified and dessert wine section is genuinely worth your attention; the rest is competent but forgettable.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
New York Prime's wine list is exactly what it needs to be for its audience — safe, recognizable, and priced for expense accounts. If you know what you want and don't mind paying for it, you'll be fine; just don't come looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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