California Cabs and Dry-Aged Beef Done Right
Avon · Cleveland · American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · March 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Strip Steakhouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The list reads like a confident steakhouse that knows its audience — California red drinkers who want something recognizable and good. It's not trying to impress you with esoteric picks, but there's enough here to respect. Eighty to 150 bottles is a real commitment for a market like Cleveland.
California dominates, as it should for a beef-forward room — Napa Cabs anchor the red side with names like Stag's Leap and Plumpjack doing the heavy lifting. But there's more going on underneath: Dr. Loosen Riesling from the Mosel shows up like a pleasant surprise, and Copain's Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir adds a lighter option for the table rebels. Italy and France get some shelf space too, keeping things from feeling completely one-note. The gap is Burgundy and anything genuinely old-world deep — if you're hunting for a serious Right Bank Bordeaux or a grower Champagne, you'll be disappointed.
Ten to sixteen pours by the glass is a respectable BTG program for a steakhouse, landing between $12 and $22. The Copain Tous Ensemble Pinot Noir and Broadside Margarita Vineyard Cab are the two worth ordering at the table. Rotation appears static — this doesn't look like a list that refreshes often, which means what you see is what you get, for better or worse.
Copain 'Tous Ensemble' Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, 2017 — $40s
Copain consistently punches above its price point, and the Sonoma Coast designation means more texture and brightness than your average California Pinot. It's the move for anyone at the table not locked into a Cab.
Dr. Loosen Riesling, Mosel, 2019
Nobody orders Riesling at a steakhouse, which is exactly why you should. Dr. Loosen is one of the Mosel's most reliable names, and that acidity cuts through rich beef fat better than most whites on this list. It's the sleeper pick.
Plumpjack Chardonnay, Napa Valley, 2018
Plumpjack is a solid producer but their Napa Chard typically retails in the $30-$35 range — at steakhouse markup it becomes a tough sell when Patz & Hall from Russian River Valley is sitting right next to it and offering better complexity for the category.
Stag's Leap Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, 2017 + Dry-Aged Ribeye
Artemis is the entry point into Stag's Leap's estate lineup — structured tannins, dark fruit, a little cedar — and it was practically designed to sit next to dry-aged beef. The fat in the ribeye softens the wine's edges and the Cab's grip handles the char. Classic for a reason.
The Bottom Line
Strip Steakhouse delivers a wine list that does exactly what a steakhouse wine list should — it keeps the Cab drinker happy without completely ignoring everyone else. Pricing is on the steep side, as expected, but there are a few smart picks in here if you know where to look.
University Circle · Cleveland · Regional
Table 45 is a dependable hotel wine list that punches above its Cleveland zip code — it's not adventurous, but it's not embarrassing either. Send a friend here if they want recognizable, quality bottles in a proper setting; steer them toward Jordan and Drouhin and away from the obvious crowd-pleasers.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Flats East Bank · Cleveland · Italian
Lago East Bank is a legitimately strong Italian wine program in a city that doesn't always get credit for having them — the WS Award of Excellence since 2023 is earned. Markups keep it from being a great value play, but if you're going to drop money on a bottle of Barolo anywhere in Cleveland, this is the room to do it.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Shaker Square · Cleveland · French
Edwins is one of the most genuinely interesting restaurant stories in Cleveland — a fine-dining French program run by people earning their place in the industry — and the wine list is good enough to stand on its own merits, mission aside. Send a friend here and tell them to order French across the board, from the escargot to the bottle.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Woodmere · Cleveland · American Steakhouse
J. Gilbert's is a reliable, well-stocked steakhouse list that plays it safe with California heavyweights and charges accordingly — nothing groundbreaking, but the Sunday wine deal is one of the better recurring specials in Cleveland and reason enough to plan around it. Come for the filet, drink better than you expected to.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Gateway District · Cleveland · Italian, American, Steakhouse
The Centro is a reliable pour for downtown Cleveland — the list won't surprise you, the prices will sting a little, but it's a competent wine program for a hotel steakhouse anchored in a beautiful room. Send a friend here if they want familiar bottles and a good steak; steer them elsewhere if they're looking for anything off the beaten path.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Cleveland · American Grill
J. Alexander's has no business having this good of a markup on their wine list, but here we are. It's a chain, it's comfortable, and it's offering pours like Austin Hope Cabernet at prices that would embarrass half the independent restaurants in Cleveland — send a friend here without hesitation.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fort Worth · American Steakhouse
Del Frisco's Grille Fort Worth has a wine list the same way an airport newsstand has a wine section — technically true, practically limiting. Order the Tokaji for dessert, drink cocktails with dinner, and don't expect anyone to help you navigate the difference.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Carson · Carson City · American Steakhouse
Glen Eagles is a comfortable, classic Carson City steakhouse with a wine list that's essentially coasting — one strong Port section surrounded by a whole lot of nothing. Come for the prime rib, order a Port after, and don't expect much more from the wine side of the menu.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Marcos · San Marcos · American Steakhouse
Outback San Marcos won't embarrass you if you order a glass with dinner, but you're not here for the wine list and nobody pretends otherwise. Stick to the Riesling or the Malbec and spend your energy on the steak.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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