Big Room Energy, Small Wine Ambition
Midtown · New York · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed STK NYC - Midtown’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
STK Midtown hands you a wine list that feels like it was curated by committee — a committee that shops at Total Wine and prioritizes brand recognition over anything remotely interesting. With 139 labels on paper, it sounds substantial until you realize you've seen this exact list at a dozen other upscale chain steakhouses across the country. The hits are all here, and that's exactly the problem.
The list leans hard into California Cabernet and familiar white wine brands, which is exactly what the power-lunch crowd expects and exactly what keeps wine lovers reaching for the cocktail menu. You've got Caymus, Decoy, Bonanza, and Rombauer doing the heavy lifting — workhorses all, but there's no depth, no discovery, no reason to linger on the list. The sparkling section is anchored by Veuve Clicquot and Moët, which are fine but marked up for the room, not for your wallet. There's a nod to rosé with Whispering Angel and Miraval, which at this point are basically steakhouse wallpaper.
One by-the-glass option surfaced in our research — Bonanza by Caymus Cabernet at $9 — which is either a screaming happy hour deal or evidence that the BTG program just hasn't been updated anywhere we could find it. Either way, a 139-label list with a single documented glass pour is not a by-the-glass program; it's a placeholder. We'd expect a room of this size and ambition to be pouring eight to twelve wines by the glass across multiple categories.
Bonanza by Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon — $9/glass
If this is the happy hour price, it's genuinely the best reason to sit at the bar. Bonanza is Caymus's value-tier California Cab — simple, fruit-forward, and totally drinkable. At $9 a glass in Midtown Manhattan, we're not complaining.
Eroica Riesling
Nobody orders Riesling at a steakhouse, which is exactly why you should. Eroica — the Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Loosen collaboration — is a genuinely serious wine at an accessible price point, and it'll cut through a rich butter-basted steak in ways that Chardonnay just can't.
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut
Retail is around $60 a bottle. At a Midtown steakhouse, expect to pay well north of $120. Veuve is a perfectly fine Champagne, but you're paying for the yellow label recognition, not quality you can't find elsewhere for less.
Twomey by Silver Oak Sauvignon Blanc + Steak tartare
Twomey's Sauvignon Blanc brings enough herbal brightness and citrus tension to cut through the richness of a classic tartare without bullying it. It's one of the few whites on this list with enough personality to actually do something at the table.
The Bottom Line
STK Midtown is a great place to see and be seen, but the wine list is there to pad the check, not to excite you. If you're here for the experience, lean on the cocktails or grab a glass of Bonanza at the bar — don't expect the bottle list to reward any real curiosity.
NoHo · New York · Italian
Il Buco has one of the most compelling Italian wine lists in New York City — deep, principled, and staffed by people who actually care. The markup is real, so budget accordingly, but this is a room worth splurging in.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown · New York · Steakhouse
STK Downtown is a place where people order Champagne to celebrate, not to drink — and the wine program is built accordingly. If you're here for the vibe and someone else is paying, pop the Dom and enjoy it; if you actually care about what's in your glass, you're in the wrong room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown · New York · Upscale Seafood & Steakhouse
Three happy hour wines do not a wine program make. Ocean Prime is a place you eat well and drink safely — but if wine is a priority, this list will let you down before the bread basket arrives.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Midtown West · New York · Russian-American
The Russian Tea Room treats wine as an afterthought dressed up in Champagne flutes — five famous labels at punishing prices with no range, no by-the-glass program, and no apparent curiosity about wine beyond what looks impressive on a table. Go for the spectacle, order the caviar, but don't come here expecting a wine list.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
David Burke Tavern's list is a Chardonnay lover's comfort zone with a solid sparkling section propping up the top — but the narrow focus and steep pricing mean you're paying for familiarity, not discovery. Send a friend here if they want California whites and a glass of Champagne; send them somewhere else if they want to explore.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
Corima's wine list is proof that ten well-chosen bottles beat a hundred thoughtless ones every time. If you care about what's in your glass, this place is worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Laredo · Steakhouse
El Asador is clearly a destination for the food — the wood-fired steaks, the Tuétano al Piquín, the oysters — and the margaritas are probably doing heavy lifting at the bar. But the wine list is a placeholder, not a program. Five unlabeled, undated-for-rotation bottles at a polished steakhouse in 2024 is a miss. Come for the beef, order a cocktail, and hope someone eventually hands this list to someone who cares.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
The Domain · Round Rock · Steakhouse
Fleming's The Domain is a reliable, polished corporate wine program — the 43-glass pour options and some quietly interesting whites (Loosen Bros., Abadía de San Campio, Lucien Albrecht) give it more range than the steakhouse chain label implies. Markups run steep, especially on the sparkling side, so go in with eyes open and steer toward the underordered stuff. Send a friend here if they want a safe, well-executed wine experience with their ribeye — just don't expect any real surprises.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
Il Premio is a steakhouse that took its wine list seriously enough to skip the obvious plays, and the result is one of the more interesting Italian-focused lists in Atlanta right now. It's compact, priced fairly across the board, and built for exploration — whether you're going glass by glass through the Italian regions or just need a solid bottle of Chianti Classico at $72 to make a steak dinner feel right. We'd send a friend here specifically for the wine.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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