Solid steakhouse pours, no surprises either way
Downtown Murfreesboro · Murfreesboro · Steakhouse / American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 1, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Alley on Main’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The Alley on Main opens its wine list like a greatest-hits album you've heard a hundred times — Caymus, Jordan, Meiomi, Kim Crawford. It's a California-forward, crowd-friendly lineup that matches the lively downtown energy without challenging anyone. Comfortable, familiar, and priced like they know it.
The list leans hard into Napa and Sonoma, which makes sense for a steakhouse crowd, but there's not much wandering outside those borders. If you're hunting for a Rhône, a Malbec, or anything with a little Old World grit, you're going to be disappointed. The producers on offer — Caymus, Jordan — are quality names but they're also the most requested bottles in every mid-range steakhouse in America, which tells you everything about the ambition level here. Forty to eighty bottles sounds like range until you realize half of them are variations on the same California Cabernet theme.
The by-the-glass program runs roughly 10-18 options and hits all the expected marks — something red, something white, something that sounds fancy enough for a date. Pours are priced $10-$18, which is fair for downtown Murfreesboro but not exactly aggressive value. Don't expect a rotating guest pour or anything that'll make you put your phone down.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $60
Jordan is a legitimately well-made Sonoma Cab that punches above its typical restaurant markup — if The Alley is pricing it anywhere near the lower end of their bottle range, it's the best quality-per-dollar on the list and a natural match for the ribeye.
Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc
Most people at a steakhouse sleep on the Sauvignon Blanc, but Kim Crawford is a clean, citrus-driven pour that cuts right through a cream-heavy pasta dish. It's the most underordered bottle at every table that orders pasta, and it shouldn't be.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is a fine wine trapped in a restaurant pricing nightmare. By the time a steakhouse marks it up, you're paying a significant premium for a bottle that's widely available at retail — save it for when you can buy it at the store and enjoy it at home.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon + Ribeye Steak
Jordan's structured tannins and dark fruit stand up to a well-marbled ribeye without bulldozing it — this is the classic California Cab and red meat combo done at its most honest.
The Bottom Line
The Alley on Main is a dependable neighborhood steakhouse wine list — nothing will surprise you, but nothing will embarrass you either. If you're here for the ribeye, grab the Jordan and call it a night.
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The Velvet Room has no business having a wine list this thoughtful for a cocktail lounge in Murfreesboro — and yet here it is. If you're coming for wine specifically, you'll be pleasantly surprised; if you're expecting a deep cellar, adjust those expectations before you walk in.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Murfreesboro · Mexican
Casa Tios is a Mexican restaurant that serves wine because people ask for it, not because anyone here is passionate about it. Order the margarita, or lean into the sangria — and save your serious wine night for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Murfreesboro · Bar and Grill
The Goat is a bar and grill, and the wine list knows it — this is an afterthought program dressed up with a price sheet. Stick to the Ste. Michelle Riesling or the Bakkanaali if you're feeling adventurous, and let the beer list do the heavy lifting.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Murfreesboro · Cocktail Lounge / Upscale Bar
One of Nineteen is a cocktail bar that quietly assembled a wine list worth taking seriously, and in Murfreesboro that's genuinely surprising. We'd send a wine-curious friend here without hesitation — just steer them toward the Italian side of the menu.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Rutherford Blvd · Murfreesboro · Japanese / Sushi
Wasabi is a fun spot for teppanyaki and sushi, but the wine list is an afterthought dressed up as a menu section. Order the plum wine, enjoy the hibachi show, and save the serious bottle for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Murfreesboro · Murfreesboro · Brewpub
Blackhorse is a genuinely good brewpub, and you should absolutely order a pint. The wine list, though, is purely functional — it exists so the person at the table who doesn't drink beer has something to order, and it doesn't pretend to be anything more than that.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· La Crosse · Steakhouse / American
Freight House is a dependable steakhouse wine list — fair prices, familiar names, no nasty surprises. If you're looking for discovery, look elsewhere; if you're looking for a solid bottle to go with a good cut of meat in La Crosse, you'll leave satisfied.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Casper · Steakhouse / American
Wyoming's Rib & Chop House isn't trying to win any wine awards, and it doesn't need to — the list does exactly what it's supposed to do for a steakhouse in Casper. Grab the Gascon, order your cut medium-rare, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Casper · Steakhouse / American
FireRock isn't trying to win any wine awards, and that's fine — it's a steakhouse in Casper doing exactly what it needs to do. The list is familiar, the markups are fair, and with 20 by-the-glass options, you're not going to go thirsty. Send a friend who wants a solid steak and a recognizable red without any fuss.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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