St. Paul Grill
Old-school steakhouse charm, dependable pour
Downtown Saint Paul · Minneapolis · American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 29, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walking into St. Paul Grill feels like stepping into a 1987 power lunch — dark wood, white tablecloths, the kind of place where someone's dad is definitely ordering a Cabernet. The wine list matches the room: familiar, safe, leaning heavily into California and the Pacific Northwest. No surprises here, and that's mostly fine.
Selection Deep Dive
The list is a greatest-hits tour of approachable American wine country — Napa Cabs, Willamette Pinot, a lone Malbec from Mendoza to keep things continental. You've got Rombauer, Orin Swift, Turnbull, and Stags' Leap on the red side, which is exactly what the filet mignon crowd wants. There's no deep-cellar ambition here and zero old-world representation, but what's here is competently curated. The Willakenzie Pinot and Van Duzzer Pinot Grigio give it a small nod toward terroir-driven picks, which is a modest bright spot.
By the Glass
Nine options by the glass spanning $15–$25, which is reasonable for a hotel restaurant in this bracket. The range covers all the bases — white, rosé, red — without doubling down on anything interesting. Rotation appears static; don't expect anything new next visit.
Catena Alta Malbec 'Historic Rows,' Mendoza — $18
Catena Alta is a serious producer making age-worthy Malbec from high-altitude vines, and this cuvée punches well above its glass-pour price point. It's the one wine on this list that nods toward somewhere interesting.
Willakenzie Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
Willakenzie Estate is a genuinely good Willamette producer that most people at this restaurant will walk right past to grab the Orin Swift. Don't be that person — this is the most terroir-honest wine on the list and it belongs here more than the flashy stuff.
Orin Swift '8 Years in the Desert' Red Blend, California
It's a fine party wine, but at $25 a glass you're paying almost entirely for the brand recognition and the label. The fruit-forward California blend routine has a lower ceiling than anything else in the red section.
Miner Emily's Cuvée Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa + Filet Mignon
A structured Napa Cab with the weight to stand up to a center-cut filet — this is the most classically correct move on the list. It's the pairing the room was basically designed for.
✔️ The Bottom Line
St. Paul Grill isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't pretend to be — it's a reliable hotel steakhouse pour that serves its clientele exactly what they came for. Bring a Cab drinker, order the filet, and don't expect the list to challenge you.
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