The Wine List That Phoned It In
Airport Area · Irvine · Upscale Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ruth's Chris Steak House – Irvine’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list at Ruth's Chris Irvine and it feels less like a curated selection and more like a greatest hits album from 2007 Napa. Everything is exactly where you'd expect it to be, and that's not a compliment. It's a corporate list designed to impress people who already know the brand names — not to surprise anyone.
The list runs 100+ labels and stays almost entirely in California's comfort zone: Napa Cabs, Sonoma Chards, and a smattering of French Champagne for the celebration table. You'll find Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Duckhorn, Rombauer, Cakebread, Belle Glos — a murderers' row of recognizable bottles that look great on an expense report but offer zero discovery. There's nothing wrong with any of these wines individually, but the list as a whole reads like it was assembled by committee and hasn't been meaningfully updated since the Obama administration. International representation is essentially nonexistent, and there's no natural wine, no Rhône, no Burgundy worth mentioning.
The by-the-glass program runs 15-20 options at $15–$24 a pour, which sounds reasonable until you do the math and realize most of these are bottles retailing under $40 being poured at prices that imply something far more interesting. Rotation appears nonexistent — this is a static program. If you're here and want a glass, the Belle Glos Pinot Noir is probably your most interesting move, but don't expect anything that'll make you put your fork down.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley — $135
At $65 retail, the markup still stings at 2x, but Jordan is genuinely good wine — structured, food-friendly, and a notch more elegant than the Caymus that costs $60 more here. By Ruth's Chris standards, it's the least offensive bottle on the list.
Belle Glos Pinot Noir
Everyone comes here for Cabernet, so the Belle Glos sits largely ignored. It's a big, fruit-forward Pinot that holds its own against the butter-forward sides on this menu, and it's priced below the heavy hitters on the list. If you're splitting a bottle with someone who doesn't want red meat, this is your move.
Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
At $195 a bottle — more than double retail — Caymus is the most aggressively marked-up wine on the list and also the most requested, which means the kitchen knows exactly what it's doing. It's a fine, crowd-pleasing Cab, but you're paying a hefty premium just to say you ordered Caymus at a steakhouse. Don't do it.
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon + USDA Prime Ribeye
Silver Oak's Alexander Valley Cab is softer and more approachable than its Napa counterpart — ripe dark fruit, a little vanilla from the American oak, and enough structure to cut through the ribeye's fat without overwhelming it. Still overpriced at $175, but if you're going to spend money here, at least spend it on something that actually fits the plate.
The Bottom Line
Ruth's Chris Irvine serves perfectly fine wine the same way it serves perfectly fine steak — reliably, expensively, and without any particular imagination. If someone else is paying, fine. If you're paying, know that you're covering a lot of overhead with every sip.
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · American bar & grill
Yard House is a legitimately great spot for a cold draft beer and some bar food with a crowd, but nobody should be coming here for the wine. The list is overpriced, underdeveloped, and exactly what a national chain thinks wine drinkers want — which is to say, not much at all.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · Asian-inspired Chinese
P.F. Chang's Irvine Spectrum is never going to be a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — and on Wine Wednesday, with half-price bottles all day, it earns its keep. Show up with a group, order the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling at $15, and enjoy the lettuce wraps without overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
The Market Place · Irvine · American (Eclectic, Global-Inspired)
The Cheesecake Factory wine list does exactly what it's designed to do: give a table of eight something recognizable to order without anyone getting weird about it. Just don't come here expecting discovery — come expecting Meiomi, and you'll leave fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · American (eclectic, global-inspired)
The Cheesecake Factory does a lot of things well — wine is not one of them. Order a cocktail, split something bubbly, or save the serious bottle for a restaurant that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Irvine Spectrum · Irvine · Italian
BRIO's wine list is exactly what it needs to be for a polished Italian chain — safe, accessible, and unlikely to offend anyone. Don't come here chasing discovery, but if you want a glass of Chianti with your pasta in a comfortable setting, it delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Coast Metro · Irvine · Steakhouse
Mastro's Costa Mesa does exactly what it promises — a polished, deep, Napa-forward list in a room built for expense accounts and anniversaries. If you want value or discovery, you're at the wrong restaurant; if you want the definitive Orange County steakhouse wine experience done with genuine care, this delivers.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Marina District (Golden Nugget) · Atlantic City · Upscale Steakhouse
Vic & Anthony's is a perfectly competent steakhouse wine list doing exactly what a casino steakhouse wine list is supposed to do — just don't expect fair pricing or anything off the beaten path. Order the Decoy, enjoy your steak, and pocket the difference.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Beachside/Ocean Walk · Daytona Beach · Upscale Steakhouse
Hyde Park Prime Daytona is a dependable, well-run wine program in a room that knows what it wants to be — and mostly delivers. Markups will sting, but the sommelier, the depth, and the oceanfront setting make it the right call when the occasion calls for a serious bottle and a serious steak.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
Cool Springs · Franklin · Upscale Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Franklin is a reliable wine execution at a chain price point — nobody's going home unhappy, but nobody's going home with a story either. Go on a Wednesday, hit the half-price bottle promotion, and drink better than the menu's markup would otherwise allow.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
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