Big list, big steaks, big predictability
Southwest Portland · Portland · Steakhouse
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 18, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ruth's Chris Steak House - Portland’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the wine list at Ruth's Chris Portland and immediately know exactly where you are: a national steakhouse that takes wine seriously enough to have a sommelier on staff and 200-plus bottles, but not so seriously that it's going to surprise you. It's a deep, professional list built to sell expensive Cabernet to expense accounts.
The list leans hard into the steakhouse playbook — California Cabernet is king here, with serious depth in that lane. What's mildly interesting is the international representation, including Penley Estate's 'Phoenix' Cabernet from Coonawarra, Australia, and a couple of Niagara Valley options from Reif Estates and Konzelmann that you rarely see on Portland wine lists. Italy gets a nod with the Santome Prosecco Rosé from the Veneto. It's not an adventurous list, but it's well-curated for its purpose — pairing with a slab of butter-finished ribeye.
The by-the-glass program runs 15-25 options, which is solid for a steakhouse format. Expect the usual suspects — a rotating Cabernet anchor, a Pinot or two, and something sparkling to open with. The Santome Prosecco Rosé is a smart, approachable opener before you commit to a bottle.
Cabernet Sauvignon 'Phoenix' by Penley Estate — null
Coonawarra Cab punches above its class — dense blackcurrant, firm structure, and a fraction of the price of the California heavy-hitters on this list. Worth seeking out here.
Pinot Noir by Konzelmann
A Niagara Valley Pinot on a Portland steakhouse list is genuinely unexpected. Most tables will walk right past it for a California Cab — their loss. Konzelmann makes honest, cool-climate Pinot that brings some lightness to a menu built around butter and beef.
Merlot by Reif Estates
Niagara Merlot is an interesting concept, but in a room full of better red options at a steakhouse, this one struggles to justify its spot on the list. The markup on a mid-tier Canadian Merlot at Ruth's Chris pricing doesn't add up in your favor.
Cabernet Sauvignon 'Phoenix' by Penley Estate + USDA Prime Ribeye
Coonawarra Cab has the structure and tannin to cut through the rich butter finish on that ribeye, with enough fruit weight to hold its own against a serious piece of beef. Classic combo executed with an interesting regional twist.
The Bottom Line
Ruth's Chris Portland is exactly what it is — a well-run national steakhouse with a deep, California-forward wine list, professional service, and prices that assume you're on someone else's dime. If you're paying out of pocket, lean toward the international picks and avoid the obvious bottles the markup gods are counting on you to order.
Kerns · Portland · American
Noble Rot is the rare restaurant wine program that would hold up as a standalone wine bar — deep list, sharp staff, fair prices, and a view that makes the whole experience feel earned. Send your friends here. Send yourself here.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Northeast Portland · Portland · New American
OK Omens is doing something genuinely uncommon: running a focused, adventurous wine program in a neighborhood restaurant without making it feel precious or intimidating. If you're the kind of person who wants to drink something you've never heard of and trust that the staff knows why it's there, send yourself here immediately.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Northwest 23rd · Portland · Rustic French / Northwest French
St. Jack is the rare Portland restaurant where the wine list earns as much respect as the kitchen. The French-Oregon axis is well-executed, the staff knows what they're talking about, and the pot lyonnais format alone is worth the trip.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · Portland · Mexico City–inspired tacos and small plates
Tope is a Wild Card in the best sense — a rooftop taqueria that's quietly assembled a natural and low-intervention wine list worth paying attention to. If you're eating here and only drinking mezcal cocktails, you're leaving half the story on the table.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Portland · Texan–Pacific Northwest, Wood-fired American
Bullard Tavern is the Wild Card badge in its purest form — a smoked-meat joint that snuck in a genuinely considered wine list without making a fuss about it. Send a friend here if they think good wine and good brisket can't coexist.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown/Waterfront · Portland · Seafood, Pacific Northwest
King Tide earns its Wild Card badge by hiding a genuinely curious, well-priced wine list inside what could easily have been a forgettable hotel seafood room. If you're eating oysters on the Willamette, you could do a lot worse than Domaine de l'Écu in your glass.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
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
· Irvine · Steakhouse
Bourbon Steak Irvine is running one of the most ambitious wine programs in Orange County — 225 labels, 31 by the glass, and a list with genuine personality beyond the expected steakhouse anchors. Markups get steep at the top end, but the by-the-glass range at the $15–$32 tier offers real drinking at fair prices. If you care about what's in your glass, this list rewards the attention.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Irvine · Steakhouse
The Capital Grille Costa Mesa is exactly what it is: a well-run corporate steakhouse with a Champagne list that punches above the room's ambition and a Chardonnay section that covers the safe California bases reliably. Markups are steep throughout and the list doesn't take any risks, but if you know what you want — a glass of Hartford Court or a bottle of Schramsberg before your steak — you'll be fine. Just don't come looking for discovery.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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