Classic Steakhouse Pours, Napa Heavy and Safe
Downtown · Grand Rapids · Steakhouse, American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Chop House’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at The Chop House reads exactly like you'd expect from a white-tablecloth steakhouse in the Midwest: Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Duckhorn — the greatest hits, all in a row. It's a confident, unapologetic celebration of California Cabernet, and for a lot of diners, that's exactly what they came for. There's nothing wrong here, but there's also nothing that'll surprise you.
With 200–350 selections, the list has real weight to it, but the range is narrow by design. Napa Valley and Sonoma dominate, with Bordeaux and Burgundy making token appearances for the old-world crowd. You won't find natural wine, anything from the Finger Lakes, or a single producer trying something weird — this is a list built to sell Prime ribeyes, not to spark a conversation about volcanic soils in Sicily. The backbone producers (Stag's Leap, Duckhorn, Cakebread) are legitimate, but the list leans heavily on labels that double as status signals rather than drinking experiences.
The BTG program runs 15–25 options, which is a solid count for a steakhouse, and they offer both 6 oz and 9 oz pours — a nice touch that gives you flexibility without forcing a bottle. The selection mirrors the bottle list: California-centric, crowd-friendly, no real curveballs. Rotation appears minimal; this feels like a set-it-and-forget-it program rather than one that changes with the seasons.
Belle Glos Pinot Noir Las Alturas — $88 (bottle)
At a 60% markup over retail, this is the least-punishing bottle on the list. Belle Glos Las Alturas is a legitimate wine — rich, structured Pinot from the Santa Lucia Highlands — and compared to the 160–180% markups elsewhere on the menu, it's practically a bargain. Order this.
Frank Family Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Most tables reach for Caymus or Silver Oak on autopilot, but Frank Family deserves a second look. It's a serious Napa Cab from a winery with genuine pedigree, and at a 73% markup it's one of the fairer pours on the list. It tends to get overlooked because the label doesn't have the same brand recognition as its neighbors.
La Crema Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
A 182% markup on a $17 retail bottle is hard to stomach. La Crema is a perfectly fine grocery store Chardonnay — not a bad wine, but not a $48 wine either. At these prices, skip it and spend the extra few dollars on a glass of Cakebread, which at least justifies the room it's taking up.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + USDA Prime Filet Mignon
Stag's Leap makes a more elegant, structured Cab than most of its Napa neighbors — less fruit-bomb, more precision — and that restraint is exactly what you want against a butter-finished filet. It doesn't fight the meat; it frames it.
The Bottom Line
The Chop House delivers a competent, predictable wine experience that matches its food and its room — polished, reliable, and unapologetically conventional. If you're here for a special occasion and want a bottle of Silver Oak with your steak, you'll be happy; just go in knowing the markups are working against you on most of the list.
Downtown / Amway Grand Plaza · Grand Rapids · Spanish / Modern European
MDRD is a Wild Card because it earns its badge the hard way: a hotel rooftop in the Midwest has no business carrying Bodega Chacra or a thoughtful local Michigan Pinot, and yet here we are. Markups keep it from being a destination wine list, but if you're already up there for the views and the paella, there are worse ways to spend your glass pours.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Grand Rapids · New American / Teaching Restaurant
A teaching restaurant that could embarrass a few actual restaurants on the wine front — fair prices, genuine producers, and a France-meets-Michigan list that has more intention behind it than most spots charging twice as much. Go in without expectations and leave genuinely impressed.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Grand Rapids · Fondue-focused American/Swiss-style chain
The Melting Pot's wine list is the dining equivalent of a reliable sedan — it gets you where you're going without any surprises, good or bad. Send a friend here for the experience, not the wine, but reassure them they won't be embarrassed by what's in the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kentwood / Southeast · Grand Rapids · Upscale Casual American
Cooper's Hawk Kentwood is exactly what it is — a well-run chain winery restaurant with fair prices, a crowd-pleasing list, and staff that's enthusiastic if not deeply expert. Don't come here expecting to find your new favorite grower Champagne; do come here knowing you'll drink something decent without getting gouged.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Midtown · Grand Rapids · Gastro Pub / Contemporary American Comfort Food
The Friesian is a neighborhood pub that happens to have wine — and there's nothing wrong with that. Come on a Wednesday when glasses are half price, order the Tempranillo or the Malbec, and stop overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Grand Rapids · Casual Italian-American, Sports Bar
Uccello's Downtown is a perfectly solid place to watch a game and eat a pizza — just don't show up expecting the wine list to match the ambition of the kitchen. Order the Nero d'Avola, grab it during happy hour if you can, and save your serious wine drinking for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
River Road · Gatlinburg · Steakhouse, American
The Peddler is a legitimately great steakhouse experience in a gorgeous setting, and the wine list is competent enough to get the job done — but it's a supporting cast, not a destination. Order the Jordan, get the steak, enjoy the river view, and don't expect the list to surprise you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Parkway · Gatlinburg · Steakhouse, American
Alamo Steakhouse is genuinely great at what it does — the oak-fired meats are the draw and they deliver. But the wine list is purely functional, overpriced for what it is, and built for tourists who aren't going to push back on a Kendall-Jackson upcharge. Come for the steak, order a bourbon, and save the wine enthusiasm for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lionshead · Vail · Steakhouse, American
Vail Chophouse is a dependable après-ski and dinner destination that plays its wine program straight down the middle — familiar names, steep but expected mountain-town pricing, and a list that won't let you down if you stick to the California Cabs. We'd send a friend here for the steak and the view, with a note to skip the Josh and go straight to Jordan.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
