California Reds, Sizzling Steaks, Zero Surprises
Downtown / Casino Row · Reno · Upscale American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 17, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Ruth's Chris lands like a greatest hits album — you know every track before it plays. Napa Cabs, a couple of Sonoma options, some Bordeaux for the table that orders the côte de boeuf and wants to feel French about it. It's polished, predictable, and priced for people who are already spending $60 on a ribeye.
The list runs 150 to 300 bottles deep, which sounds impressive until you realize roughly half of that is California Cabernet Sauvignon at various price points. Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak Alexander Valley, and Duckhorn anchor the list with the kind of names that appear on every corporate expense account in America. There's a Bordeaux section for credibility and a Chardonnay corner headlined by Rombauer and Far Niente — both crowd favorites, neither exactly adventurous. If you want Burgundy, Barolo, Rioja, or anything that didn't come from a winery with a gift shop and a waiting list, you're largely out of luck.
The by-the-glass program runs 15 to 25 options, which is a solid count for a steakhouse. Expect the same California-heavy lineup in miniature — a Rombauer pour is almost certainly on there, and that's not a bad thing. Rotation appears minimal; this list is more 'laminated menu' than 'ask your server what's new.'
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $95
Jordan consistently overdelivers for the price relative to what surrounds it on this list. It's elegant where Caymus leans extracted, and at a steakhouse markup it's one of the few bottles where you don't feel robbed.
Duckhorn Merlot
Everyone at the table is ordering Cab, and that's exactly why you should order this. Duckhorn's Merlot is genuinely serious wine — structured, age-worthy, and consistently underordered because the word 'Merlot' still spooks people post-Sideways. Their loss.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is fine wine in the same way that a hotel gym is fine exercise. It's everywhere, it's marked up to the moon at every steakhouse in the country, and the brand has been producing at such volume for so long that the magic is mostly nostalgia. Save your money for the Jordan or a second appetizer.
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon + USDA Prime Ribeye
Silver Oak's Alexander Valley Cab has enough fruit weight and oak backbone to stand up to the fat and char on a 500-degree-plate ribeye without bulldozing it. It's the classic steakhouse pairing for a reason — sometimes the obvious answer is obvious because it works.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Ruth's Chris Reno is a reliable, well-run steakhouse wine program inside a casino resort — competent glassware, proper storage, and a sommelier who knows the list cold. Just don't come here looking for discovery; come here knowing exactly what you want and prepared to pay full freight for it.
Downtown · Reno · American small plates, tapas-style, steakhouse-influenced
Sierra St. Kitchen punches above its weight for downtown Reno — the list has real producers, genuine range, and a sommelier keeping it honest. Just know the markups are real, and steer toward the Old World and Pacific Northwest bottles where the value hides.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Reno · Italian – Tuscan & Coastal
Calafuria isn't trying to be a destination wine list — it's trying to be the right wine list for this restaurant, and it mostly succeeds. Send your friends here if they want something Italian that doesn't feel phoned in; just don't expect fireworks beyond the bottle.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northwest Reno · Reno · Health-focused American café with organic, vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and paleo options
Great Full Gardens isn't a wine destination and it doesn't pretend to be — but for a health-focused café in Northwest Reno, the glass prices are honest and the pours are solid enough to enjoy alongside the food. Send a friend here for lunch, just don't tell them to order the Chardonnay.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · Reno · New American / Fine Dining
LuLou's wine list won't win any awards, but it won't ruin your dinner either — and in a city where restaurant wine programs often feel like an afterthought, that counts for something. Send a friend here for a solid meal with a bottle of Jordan; just don't expect to discover anything new.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Eldorado Resort Casino · Reno · Californian / Steakhouse
Roxy isn't a destination wine program — it's a competent casino steakhouse list with the right bottles for the room. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Jordan at half price, and you'll leave happy.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Verdi · Reno · Basque-American
Casale's Halfway Club is a place you come for the history, the hearty food, and the Picon punch — the wine list is a supporting actor, not the main event. But with fair markups and a few solid picks, it's more than good enough to keep pace with the meal.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northwest (Jefferson Pointe / Illinois Rd corridor) · Fort Wayne · Upscale American Steakhouse
Eddie Merlot's Fort Wayne is a reliably well-run steakhouse wine program — proper storage, real glassware, a sommelier on the floor, and enough pours by the glass to satisfy a full table. The list won't challenge you, and the markups will sting, but if you want a classic California Cab with your prime beef and you want it done right, this place delivers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
North Clinton · Fort Wayne · Upscale American Steakhouse
BakerStreet is a solid steakhouse wine list that does exactly what it promises: familiar bottles, fair enough range, nothing adventurous. If you're in Fort Wayne and want a proper glass with a proper steak, this works — just don't come expecting to be surprised.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Harbor Boulevard · Anaheim · Upscale American Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Anaheim does exactly what a reliable steakhouse wine program should do — proper storage, proper glass, knowledgeable staff, and a list full of wines people recognize and trust. Just don't come here looking for discovery; come here to drink something good with a very good steak, and manage your expectations on the markup.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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