Big list, big steaks, bigger markups
Country Club Plaza · Kansas City · Steakhouse Bar · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 6, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list lands on the table like a leather-bound encyclopedia — 350+ bottles, American-heavy, and built to impress expense accounts. It's the kind of list that signals seriousness without necessarily delivering fairness. You're in good hands, but you're paying for the room.
The list leans hard into Napa and Sonoma, which makes sense for a steakhouse but leaves adventurous drinkers with limited runway. Bordeaux and Burgundy make appearances and add some Old World credibility, but the real star power is domestic: Stag's Leap, Caymus Special Selection, Silver Oak, Jordan — the usual suspects all present and accounted for. There's nothing here that will surprise you, and that's sort of the point. If you came for a bone-in ribeye and a California Cab, this list was written specifically for you.
Twenty to thirty pours by the glass is a genuinely solid number, and the Capital Grille bar program leans into it — Rombauer Chardonnay and likely a rotating cast of Napa reds anchor the pour list. The selection skews predictable but the quality floor is high, and happy hour pricing on select glasses at the bar softens the blow a little.
Duckhorn Vineyards Merlot, Napa Valley 2019 — $135
At 145% markup it's still not cheap, but Duckhorn Merlot is the quiet overachiever on this list — genuinely excellent wine from a producer who's been doing it right for decades. Relative to everything else here, it's the closest thing to a fair deal on the bottle list.
Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2021
Everyone goes straight for the Rombauer, but Cakebread's Chardonnay is the more serious wine — less oak-bomb, more structure, and it actually holds up against rich food. Most tables walk right past it.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 2019
Jordan retails around $65 and it's a perfectly nice wine — but at $195 a bottle, that's a 200% markup for something you can find at your local wine shop without the dining room surcharge. It's the most egregious math on this list.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Dry-aged bone-in ribeye
Stag's Leap has the structure to stand up to a serious dry-aged cut without overwhelming it — the tannins do the work that the char starts, and the dark fruit plays well against the fat. Classic for a reason.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Capital Grille bar is a reliable destination if someone else is picking up the tab or you're cherry-picking by the glass. The list is deep and well-managed, but the markup math is hard to ignore when you're the one signing the check.
Crossroads / Westside border (Southwest Boulevard) · Kansas City · Spanish tapas / small plates
La Bodega is the Wild Card Kansas City didn't know it needed — a genuinely Spain-focused wine list with fair pricing and a half-price Monday that should be on everyone's weekly calendar. Send your friends here, especially on a Wednesday when the paella and a Rioja Reserva are waiting.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Columbus Park / Downtown Fringe · Kansas City · Classic Italian-American
Garozzo's is a Kansas City institution, and the wine list knows its lane — Italian classics, middle-of-the-road pricing, and zero pretension. Send a friend here for the Spiedini and a Chianti; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Brookside / East Brookside · Kansas City · Seafood-focused American / Oyster Bar
Earl's Premier is a wild card in the best possible way: a thoughtfully curated, seafood-focused wine list hiding in a Kansas City neighborhood spot. Send your oyster-loving friends here and tell them to start with bubbles.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Country Club Plaza · Kansas City · Seafood / Oyster Bar
Jax KC isn't trying to be a wine destination and doesn't need to be — but the list is smarter than the room might suggest, with a few genuine standouts that reward paying attention. Send a friend here for oysters and Sancerre, and tell them to skip the markups on anything California.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Freight House / Crossroads · Kansas City · Italian
Lidia's is a reliable Italian wine destination with a focused list and real sommelier knowledge behind it — the markups sting on the entry-level bottles, but Wednesday half-price wine night changes the math entirely. If you're going any other night, aim high on the list where the value is better.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Power & Light District · Kansas City · Upscale Steakhouse
801 Chophouse is a well-run, properly stocked steakhouse wine program that does exactly what it promises and nothing more. Send your friends here for a celebratory bottle of Phelps or a Lynch-Bages — just don't expect to be surprised.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Shrewsbury Street · Worcester · Steakhouse Bar
111 Chop House Bar is doing exactly what it set out to do — give Worcester a place to order trophy Napa bottles alongside a prime cut. The markups sting and the list won't surprise anyone, but if you know what you're looking for, you'll find it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Milwaukee · Steakhouse Bar
Mason Street Grill's bar delivers a dependable, well-housed wine program that earns its hotel-steakhouse reputation without taking many risks. Send a friend here if they want a proper glass of California Cab with a serious steak — just tell them to skip the Caymus and ask what's interesting below the fold.
Solid Range
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.