Fifty-Two Glasses and a Solid Safety Net
Hyde Park · Cincinnati · American, Seafood, Wine Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 28, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walk in and the wine bar is front and center — this place wants you to know it takes wine seriously. The list runs long and the by-the-glass program is genuinely ambitious for a national chain. It's not blowing any minds, but it's clearly not an afterthought either.
Over 100 bottles with international representation and a by-the-glass selection that would embarrass plenty of independent restaurants — that's the headline here. The list leans heavily on California and familiar international names: Jordan Cabernet from Alexander Valley, Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay, Whispering Angel from Provence. What you won't find is much in the way of discovery — this is a greatest-hits list assembled for broad appeal, and it succeeds at exactly that. Gaps in natural wine, grower Champagne, and anything remotely esoteric are real, but that's not really who Seasons 52 is trying to be.
Fifty-two-plus wines by the glass is the whole brand identity and they actually back it up. At $9–$18 a pour, the range is wide enough that you can work your way through the menu without repeating yourself. Rotation feels more corporate-calendar than spontaneous, but the sheer volume means there's almost always something worth ordering.
Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay, Russian River Ranches — $14/glass
Sonoma-Cutrer's Russian River Ranches bottling regularly retails around $22–$25 a bottle, so catching it by the glass at a fair pour price is a genuine win — especially for a Chardonnay that actually tastes like somewhere.
Whispering Angel Rosé, Provence
Yes, it's everywhere. Yes, the bottle is pretty. But Whispering Angel is genuinely well-made Provençal rosé, and most people ordering it here are doing so for the Instagram moment rather than what's in the glass — which means you can enjoy it without the irony tax.
Meiomi Pinot Noir, California
Meiomi is a $12 grocery store bottle that shows up on this list looking for a restaurant markup. There's nothing wrong with it as a casual sipper, but you're paying restaurant rates for something you could grab at Kroger on the way home. Spend the extra few dollars on literally anything else on this list.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough + Oak-Grilled Salmon
Kim Crawford's Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc brings enough citrus and green herb brightness to cut through the char on the salmon without fighting the fish — it's a clean, crisp contrast that works every time.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Seasons 52 is the rare chain restaurant where the wine program earns genuine respect — deep by-the-glass selection, fair prices, and staff who actually know what they're pouring. It's not a destination for wine nerds, but it's absolutely somewhere to send a friend who wants to drink well without doing homework.
Downtown · Cincinnati · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Cincinnati is a reliable, well-stocked steakhouse list that delivers exactly what it promises — big California reds, proper storage, and a bottle for every budget above $50. Just don't come expecting discovery; come expecting execution.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Over-the-Rhine · Cincinnati · Tapas / Mediterranean-inspired small plates
Abigail Street is a Wild Card because nobody walks into a tapas spot in OTR expecting Lebanese orange wines and Champagne from Bollinger — but here we are. The markup math on the tap program stings, but the top half of this list is doing real work and earns a recommendation.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North / Kenwood area · Cincinnati · New American / Grill & Wine Bar
Seasons 52 Cincinnati is a chain wine program that punches above its weight class on volume and actually tries — Monday half-price bottles are a legitimate reason to show up on a specific night. Just go in knowing this is a crowd-pleaser list, not a discovery list, and you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Mason · Cincinnati · West Coast–style American (brunch-focused cafe)
Maplewood Mason isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the list is fair, accessible, and has just enough personality (Stolpman, Jezebel Blanc) to keep it from being totally forgettable. If you're here for brunch, grab a glass and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hyde Park · Cincinnati · Italian (housemade pasta, wood-fired pizza)
Forno Hyde Park is a reliable neighborhood wine program that doesn't embarrass itself — solid Italian range, reasonable glass pours, and a Wood-Down Wednesday deal that genuinely changes the math on the better bottles. The markups on everyday bottles are hard to ignore, but if you time it right and order smart, there's a real dinner here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Newport (Greater Cincinnati Riverfront) · Cincinnati · Seafood
Chart House delivers exactly what it promises: a reliable, unadventurous wine list in a spectacular waterfront setting. Come for the view and the lobster bisque — just don't expect the wine list to match the scenery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Clive · Des Moines · American, Seafood, Wine Bar
Cooper's Hawk is a chain with a genuine wine identity, and in Clive, Iowa, that makes it a legitimate destination rather than just a convenient dinner spot. The by-the-glass depth alone is worth the trip — just resist the pull of the obvious and let the Muscats do their thing.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Crabtree Valley · Raleigh · American, Seafood, Wine Bar
Seasons 52 Raleigh is a reliable wine stop inside a mall-adjacent upscale chain — which sounds like faint praise, but the by-the-glass depth earns real respect. Just go in knowing you're paying chain restaurant markups, and order accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
North Naples · Naples · American, Seafood, Wine Bar
Seasons 52 is exactly what it promises: a dependable corporate wine bar where you can drink reasonably well without thinking too hard. It's not exciting, but it's not trying to be — and in Naples, that predictability is the point.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Stemless Casual
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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