Big Steakhouse Energy, Serious Wine Credibility
Dallas · Dallas · Steak House · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Stillwell's, the wine program announces itself before you even sit down — dark wood, leather booths, and the kind of room that says people here take their bottles seriously. The list is a Best of Award of Excellence holder from Wine Spectator, and with Jake Burlingame and Elizabeth McHard running the program, there's real intellectual horsepower behind every page. This is not a steakhouse that slapped together a wine list as an afterthought.
The regional pillars here are exactly what you want flanking a dry-aged ribeye: Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhône, California, and a strong Italian contingent spanning Piedmont and Tuscany. We're talking Pétrus, Romanée-Conti, Gaja Barbaresco, Screaming Eagle, Krug Clos du Mesnil — this list plays in the major leagues. The depth skews collector-tier, which is intentional; this is a destination list for people who want to drink something memorable. If you're hunting under $100, you may need to lean on the staff for guidance, but that's what Jake and Elizabeth are there for.
By-the-glass specifics weren't available during our research pass, but given the pedigree of the list and two dedicated sommeliers on floor, we'd expect a rotating selection that punches above the standard steakhouse pour. Monday's half-price wine program is a real signal that the team wants to move interesting bottles, not just park them on a list for optics. We'd strongly suggest asking what's open — there's likely something worth drinking.
Opus One 2020 — $525
In a list full of four and five-figure showstoppers, Opus One at $525 is the most approachable entry point into icon Napa without mortgaging dinner. It's still a splurge, but relative to Screaming Eagle at $2,850 or Pétrus at $5,200, it's practically a bargain — and it's exactly the kind of structured, full-throttle Cabernet blend that belongs next to a bone-in ribeye.
Gaja Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo 2019
Most tables at a steakhouse this caliber are reaching for Cabernet, which means the Gaja Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo at $650 gets overlooked. That's a mistake. Sori San Lorenzo is one of the great single-vineyard Barolos in Piedmont — angular, complex, with the kind of acid and tannin structure that actually cuts through rich, marbled beef better than a lot of California Cabs would.
Dom Pérignon 2015
At $325, Dom Pérignon is the easy Champagne order — everyone knows the name, it feels celebratory, and no one questions it. But with Krug Clos du Mesnil on the same list, the DP feels like the safe, obvious choice in a room that rewards curiosity. If you're going to spend serious money on bubbles here, spend it on something that earns it.
Gaja Barbaresco Sori San Lorenzo 2019 + Dry-aged bone-in ribeye
The Nebbiolo in Sori San Lorenzo has the acidity and tannic grip to stand up to the intense fat and char on a dry-aged bone-in ribeye without overwhelming the meat's natural funk. It's a more interesting conversation than the obvious Napa Cab, and it's the kind of pairing the sommeliers here will actually get excited to talk you into.
Monday — Half-price wine program on Mondays — a genuine incentive to explore the deeper end of a list that otherwise demands serious budget commitment.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Stillwell's is a serious wine destination wearing a steakhouse's clothes — the Wine Spectator credential is earned, the sommelier team is legit, and Monday's half-price night alone is worth putting in your calendar. The list skews expensive, but when you're sitting in that room with a great bottle and a proper steak, you'll understand exactly why.
· Dallas · Steakhouse
Y.O. Ranch's wine list does the job without doing much else — it's a safe, brand-heavy selection that keeps the room happy but won't make any wine drinker's night. Come for the beef, order the Malbec or the Il Poggione, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Dallas · Steakhouse
Y.O. Ranch Steakhouse takes its wine as seriously as its beef, which is rarer than it should be. The Cabernet runs deep, the global bench is real, the Coravin program lets you drink up, the markups are fair for the tier, and the Texas section gives the whole thing a personality. Skip the trophy-label tax, lean on the Rioja, the Pinot, and the homegrown Texas pours, and you'll eat and drink like the buyer clearly intends.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Active Program
Proper
Dallas · Dallas · American
Ellie's is a respectable hotel wine list that earns its Wine Spectator nod without ever threatening to surprise you — California crowd-pleasers at steep markups in a beautiful room. If you're celebrating or just want a reliable bottle with a great burger, it does the job; just don't expect the list to take you anywhere you haven't already been.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Dallas · Dallas · French
Mercat Bistro is the kind of French wine list Dallas doesn't have enough of — focused, French-forward, and priced without arrogance. If you're eating the classics, you should be drinking them too, and this list makes that easy.
Old-world-focus
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Knox-Henderson · Dallas · French
Knox Bistro earns its Wine Spectator nod with a focused, France-forward list that matches its bistro soul — fair prices, real producers, and a room that actually makes you want to linger over a second glass. Send your friends here; just steer them away from the Opus One.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Design District · Dallas · American, Steakhouse
Tango Room earns its Wine Spectator credential with a focused, well-sourced list and a sommelier who can actually guide you through it. Markups lean steep — this is a Design District splurge room, not a value hunt — but if you're dropping money on a serious steak dinner in Dallas, the wine program won't let you down.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Hartland · Hartland · Steak House
Palmer's is a reliable steakhouse wine list that delivers exactly what its suburban clientele wants — well-known California names, solid execution, and nothing too weird. If you're a wine adventurer, you'll want to temper expectations; if you're celebrating with a ribeye and a Jordan Cab, you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Town Square · Jackson · Steak House
The Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse has a sommelier, a Wine Spectator credential, and a list that knows its audience — which is Jackson tourists who want great steak and great Napa Cab, full stop. Send a friend here if they want a proper California red with a serious piece of beef; just warn them to skip Opus One and let Jordan do the work.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown Milwaukee · Milwaukee · Steak House
Ward's House of Prime is exactly what it says it is: a classic Milwaukee steakhouse with a wine list built to match big cuts of beef. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is well-earned, but don't come looking for adventure — come looking for a great California Cab and a slab of prime rib.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.