Big list, chain DNA, steakhouse classics done right
Virginia Beach · Norfolk · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Updated August 2026
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 27, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Ruth's Chris Steak House - Virginia Beach’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Three hundred plus bottles on a steakhouse wine list sounds impressive until you realize about half of it is California Cab in varying price tiers. The list is polished in presentation — this is Ruth's Chris, they know how to dress a table — but flipping through it feels more like navigating a well-organized corporate spreadsheet than discovering something exciting.
California dominates, as expected, with plenty of Napa Cabernet anchoring the red side and a solid run of Chardonnay options. They've made a decent effort at international range — there's French Bordeaux (the Château Graves de Rabion St.-Emilion shows up), Italian bubbles, and some Oregon Pinot Noir representation via Belle Glos. New Zealand, Argentina, and Spain make cameo appearances, which at least breaks the monotony. But if you're hunting for anything off the beaten path — a Côtes du Rhône, a Grüner, a skin-contact anything — you're going to leave disappointed.
Eighteen by-the-glass options is a solid number for a steakhouse, and the spread covers the expected bases: bubbles, white, red, rosé. La Marca Prosecco and Chandon Brut give you two sparkling entry points, and Sonoma Cutrer Chardonnay is a reliable glass pour at this price tier. The rotation doesn't appear to move much — this is a set-it-and-forget-it program, not a place trying to showcase something new each week.
Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d'Acqui — $15
At $15 a glass for a wine that retails around $20 a bottle, this is legitimately the least punishing markup on the list. It's a sweet, low-alcohol red sparkler — not for everyone, but if you're finishing with the New Orleans-style Bread Pudding, it's actually the right call and the math works in your favor.
Château Graves de Rabion St.-Emilion
In a list this California-heavy, a Right Bank Bordeaux tends to get ignored by the table ordering the third round of Opus One. St.-Emilion at a steakhouse is a legitimately good move — Merlot-dominant, earthy, and built for red meat without the oak wallop of most Napa picks on this list.
Oak Vineyards Chardonnay
A $12 retail bottle priced at $23 is a 92% markup, which is aggressive even by steakhouse standards. This is the kind of house-pour-adjacent white that ends up on lists because the margin is great for the restaurant, not because it's great for you. Pass.
Belle Glos Pinot Noir + Filet
The filet is lean and butter-finished, and a big Cab can bulldoze it. Belle Glos Clark & Telephone is richer than most Pinot but still plays nicely with the tenderness of the cut — fruit-forward enough to stand up to the sizzling butter situation Ruth's Chris is famous for without overwhelming the beef itself.
The Bottom Line
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.
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
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
Wessex Hundred · Norfolk · Regional American
Gabriel Archer Tavern isn't a wine destination in the traditional sense — it's a living showcase for one Virginia producer, and within that lane it's well worth your time. Send a friend here if they want to understand what Virginia wine actually tastes like; skip it if they need options.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Franklin · Steakhouse
Char is a genuinely enjoyable steakhouse with a wine list that does the job without doing much more. The room earns its keep; the wine program is still a passenger rather than a co-pilot. If you're coming here for the Prime beef and the atmosphere, you'll eat well — just don't expect the list to take you anywhere the food isn't already going. Worth a visit, but bring your own expectations in check at the wine menu.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Diego · Steakhouse
The Grove Steakhouse is a solid pick if you're in a celebratory mood and want serious Champagne options with your cut of beef — the sparkling program alone is worth a look. The rest of the list doesn't take many risks, and the markups on recognizable labels are exactly what you'd expect from a steakhouse at a casino property. Go in with eyes open, steer toward the value picks, and you'll have a good night.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fresno · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Fresno is a reliable landing pad if someone else is picking the restaurant and wine takes a back seat to a great center-cut filet. The wine program isn't adventurous and markups at this tier tend to sting, but the service is polished and the experience is consistent. If wine is the reason you're going out, look elsewhere — but if it's the steak and wine is just along for the ride, you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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