Big Steaks, Bigger Markups, Boring Pours
Norfolk · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated April 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 24, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ruth's Chris Steak House’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
The wine list at Ruth's Chris Norfolk reads like it was assembled by someone who Googled 'popular wines' and called it a day. You'll recognize every label — which is either comforting or damning, depending on your expectations. Spoiler: at these prices, it's the latter.
The list touches California, France, Italy, New Zealand, Oregon, Argentina, Spain, and even Virginia, so on paper it looks like a world tour. In practice, it's a greatest hits compilation of the most recognizable brand names in each category — Whispering Angel, Decoy, Sonoma-Cutrer, Belle Glos. There's a lone local nod with the Williamsburg Winery Albariño, which deserves better company. Adventurous drinkers will run out of road fast; this list is built for guests who want to see a name they already trust.
Eighteen-plus by-the-glass options sounds generous until you realize most of them are chain-restaurant staples priced between $12 and $24 for a 6oz pour. There's no visible rotation or seasonal curation — this feels like a static program that hasn't been questioned in years. If you're drinking by the glass, you're essentially paying bottle prices one pour at a time.
Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay Russian River Ranches 2021 — $60
At roughly 100% markup over retail, this is the least punishing bottle on the list. Russian River Ranches is a legit wine — structured, cool-climate Chardonnay with real texture — and $60 is still not cheap, but it's the closest thing to a fair deal Ruth's Chris is offering tonight.
Williamsburg Winery Albariño Wessex Hundred VA 2023
Most tables at a steakhouse will walk right past a Virginia Albariño without a second glance, and that's a mistake. Williamsburg Winery makes a genuinely solid, food-friendly white that holds its own, and it's a rare chance to drink local at a national chain. Order it before the ribeye lands.
Marenco Moscato d'Asti Strev 2022
Sixty dollars for a $18 retail Moscato d'Asti is a 233% markup on a wine that's inherently light, sweet, and low-alcohol. This isn't a cellar gem — it's a dessert wine afterthought with an unconscionable price tag. Pass.
Belle Glos Pinot Noir Las Alturas Santa Lucia Highlands 2021 + Ribeye
Belle Glos Las Alturas is a bigger, darker Pinot than most — ripe fruit, good structure, enough body to hold up against the char and fat of Ruth's Chris's signature sizzling ribeye without getting bulldozed. It's the rare red on this list that earns its place at a serious steak dinner.
The Bottom Line
Ruth's Chris Norfolk is where wine goes to be recognized and overcharged. The food may deliver, but the wine list is a franchise template with franchise markups — come for the steak, order the Sonoma-Cutrer if you must, and don't expect anyone to surprise you.
Downtown Norfolk · Norfolk · American
Mermaid Winery is a genuine wine destination that happens to be in Norfolk — and yes, that still surprises us a little. The pricing leans steep and the staff isn't running a Master Sommelier class, but the list is deep where it counts and Wednesday half-price night is one of the better wine deals in the region.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Proper
Virginia Beach · Norfolk · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Virginia Beach won't surprise you on wine, and a few markups are hard to forgive, but the depth is real and the by-the-glass program is better than most steakhouses at this price point. If you're here for a special occasion steak and want a bottle that won't embarrass the meal, you'll find it — just avoid the house pours and do a little homework first.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Norfolk · Norfolk · Gourmet Market & Wine Shop
Taste Unlimited is a gourmet market that quietly outclasses most sit-down restaurants on wine curation and blows them out completely on price. If you're in Norfolk and haven't figured out that this is also a wine stop, you've been leaving money on the table.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Governors Pointe · Norfolk · Southern American
Vintage Tavern has no business having a wine list this serious in a suburb of Norfolk — and we mean that as a high compliment. The markups take some of the shine off, but a sommelier on staff, 400 bottles, and a genuine Virginia section make this the best wine destination for miles around.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Norfolk · French
Todd Jurich's Bistro is the most serious wine list in Norfolk, full stop — but you'll pay for that seriousness, especially on the French side. Go for the sommelier's guidance, order the Barboursville, and enjoy the fact that a room this focused on wine exists in downtown Norfolk at all.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Ghent · Norfolk · New American
Varia is doing something genuinely rare in a mid-sized market — building a wine program that would hold its own in Chicago or D.C. The markup isn't always charitable, but the depth, the cruvinet by-the-glass program, and the evident expertise on staff make this one worth the trip across town.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Plano · Steakhouse
Steve Fields clearly puts its energy into the kitchen, not the cellar — and at these price points, that imbalance is hard to ignore. Order the Evesham Wood if it's still there, and otherwise come for the steak, not the wine list.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Diego · Steakhouse
Greystone is a reliable, if predictable, steakhouse wine list — the kind where you can always find something decent but you'll rarely be surprised. Skip the Opus splurge, order the Paradigm, and you'll walk out satisfied.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Diego · Steakhouse
Morton's San Diego is spending more energy on the wedge salad than the wine list, and it shows. Come for the steak, order carefully, and don't expect much beyond the obvious.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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