Big Steakhouse Energy, Safe Wine Choices
Downtown · Salt Lake City · American, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 5, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list here reads like a greatest hits album of American fine dining — Opus One, Caymus, Stag's Leap. It's confident, familiar, and unapologetically expensive. If you've been to a Ruth's Chris anywhere in the country, you already know this list.
The 150-200 bottle list leans hard on Napa Cabernet and Chardonnay, with Bordeaux and Burgundy making appearances for anyone who wants to spend even more money. You'll find Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, Stag's Leap Cask 23, and Penfolds Grange anchoring the prestige end. What's missing is any real sense of adventure — there's no natural wine, no interesting domestic outlier, nothing that would make a wine-curious diner lean forward. This is a list built for people who already know what they want and don't want any surprises.
Fifteen to twenty-five by-the-glass options sounds generous, and the count is respectable, but the rotation skews predictably toward safe California Cabs and oaked Chardonnays. Don't come here expecting anything poured by the glass that you couldn't find at a decent hotel bar. That said, quality is consistent and the pours are honest.
Chateau Montelena Chardonnay — null
In a list full of ego buys, Montelena is the one Napa white with actual credibility — restrained, food-friendly, and less marked up than the Cabernet heavy-hitters. On a steakhouse menu it's a smart opener before you commit to the big reds.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23
Most tables here go straight for Caymus or Opus One because the labels are recognizable. Cask 23 has the pedigree — it beat the French in 1976 — but gets less glory in this crowd. Worth the ask if you want something with actual history behind it.
Caymus Special Selection Cabernet
It's fine wine, genuinely. But Caymus Special Selection is one of the most marked-up bottles in the American steakhouse circuit, and the hype has long outpaced the juice. You're paying a premium for a label that's become a status signal more than a wine experience.
Opus One + Filet
Look, it's a cliché for a reason. The filet is butter-soft and the Opus One has enough Cabernet structure and polish to stand up without overwhelming it. If you're celebrating something real and money isn't the conversation, this is the move.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Ruth's Chris Salt Lake City is exactly what it promises — a polished, reliable steakhouse wine list with no surprises and steep prices to match. Send a friend here if they want a safe, high-end night out; steer them elsewhere if they're hoping to discover something new.
Sugar House · Salt Lake City · Steakhouse and Seafood with Scandinavian/European Influences
Kimi's earns its reputation as one of Salt Lake City's better nights out, and the wine program has real bones — a sommelier, a thoughtful Italian-leaning list, and proper glassware. Just go in knowing the markups are aggressive on the bubbles, anchor yourself to the Riesling if you're watching the spend, and let the room do the rest of the work.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
9th & 9th · Salt Lake City · Middle Eastern
Mazza isn't a wine destination, but it's doing something genuinely interesting by building a list around Lebanese producers that actually belong on the table with this food. If you're in Salt Lake City and want to drink something you won't find anywhere else in town, this is worth a detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Salt Lake City · Japanese and Sushi
Takashi is a great restaurant with a wine list that's just along for the ride — functional, safe, and a little overpriced relative to what you get. Go for the sushi, order the Cloudy Bay or the Oregon Pinot, and don't expect the wine program to keep pace with the kitchen.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Salt Lake City · Seafood and Raw Bar
Market Street Oyster Bar is a reliable spot for wine if you calibrate your expectations accordingly — this is a crowd-pleaser list built for a crowd-pleaser room, and it mostly delivers. Send a friend here for oysters and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, not for a wine education.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Cottonwood Heights · Salt Lake City · Seafood and Steakhouse
Market Street Grill Cottonwood is a dependable neighborhood anchor with a wine list that does exactly what it needs to — nothing more. Send a friend here for the oysters and the Sonoma-Cutrer; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Salt Lake City · Seafood and Steakhouse
Market Street Grill is a solid, dependable restaurant that deserves a more adventurous wine list — the oyster program alone could support something far more interesting than what's here. Come for the seafood, order the Sonoma-Cutrer, and don't spend too much time staring at the bottle list hoping it changes.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Denver · Denver · American, Steakhouse
Range is a confident, well-kept steakhouse list that won't surprise you but absolutely won't let you down — especially if California Cabs are your language. Just come in with your eyes open on pricing, and let Dan steer you toward the Jordan.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Geneva · Geneva · American, Steakhouse
The James is a dependable California-focused steakhouse list that earns its Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for doing one thing consistently well. If you're there for the beef and the big reds, you'll leave satisfied — just go in with your eyes open on the markups.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Sauk City · Sauk City · American, Steakhouse
A Wisconsin supper club earning a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is genuinely surprising, and Green Acres earns it by stocking a focused, California-forward list that's built for exactly the kind of food it serves. It won't impress the natural wine crowd, but it'll take great care of anyone who wants a proper bottle with a proper steak in a historic room off the highway.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.