Old New York glamour, serious wine depth
Midtown Manhattan · New York · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Lambs Club’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into The Lambs Club feels like stumbling into a 1920s fever dream — all coffered ceilings and Art Deco bones — and the wine list matches the room's ambition. At 300-400 selections anchored in France, Italy, and California, this is a list that means business. Wine Spectator handed them a Best of Award of Excellence in 2024, and one look at the book tells you why.
The French contingent is the crown jewel here, with names like Château Margaux and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti anchoring the upper end — aspirational, yes, but their presence signals that the rest of the list was curated with genuine intention. Italy comes in strong with Gaja Barbaresco holding court, while California is well-represented across the prestige spectrum: Screaming Eagle, Opus One, Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay, Caymus Special Selection, and Stag's Leap Wine Cellars all make appearances. Louis Jadot rounds out the Burgundy section for those who want French elegance without the four-figure commitment. The main gap is anything outside these three regions — adventurous drinkers hunting Jura, Ribera del Duero, or Georgian amber wines will need to look elsewhere.
With 20-30 by-the-glass options, the BTG program is one of the stronger ones you'll find in Midtown, where most steakhouse-adjacent rooms give you six options and call it a night. We'd push staff for specifics on what's currently pouring from the Burgundy and California sections, as those are where the real action is. Rotation cadence is unclear, but the depth of the full list suggests there's real material to pull from.
Louis Jadot Burgundy — $80-$100
In a room full of trophy bottles, Jadot is the sensible play — reliable Burgundy producer, approachable price point, and genuinely good wine that holds its own against the Art Deco backdrop without requiring a second mortgage.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
It's easy to get distracted by the DRC and Screaming Eagle on a list like this, but Stag's Leap quietly delivers some of the most historically significant Napa Cabernet you can order — the winery that beat the French at their own game in 1976. Most diners walk right past it chasing bigger names.
Opus One
Opus One is the wine equivalent of a Times Square restaurant — famous, fine, but dramatically overpriced for what's in the glass. In a Midtown room that already carries a location premium, the markup on a bottle that retails at $350+ will make your eyes water. There are better California Cabs on this list for the money.
Gaja Barbaresco + Dry-aged prime ribeye
Barbaresco's structure and acidity were practically engineered to cut through the fat of a well-marbled dry-aged ribeye — the tannins do the heavy lifting while the wine's earthy complexity matches the char and depth of the meat. It's the kind of combination that makes the room feel even more special than it already does.
The Bottom Line
The Lambs Club is one of Midtown's better arguments for actually ordering wine at dinner — the list is deep, the setting earns it, and the Wine Spectator nod is deserved. Just go in knowing the pricing reflects the address, and steer toward the Burgundy and Italian sections where the real value lives.
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 · New York · Steakhouse
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
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
· Baltimore · American
Give the international and local sections a look before defaulting to Burgundy. Sula at $70 and Old Westminster at $90 offer different budget options. These are posted bottle prices, not guaranteed stock; confirm availability. This menu guide doesn't rate service or cellar conditions.
· Key West · American
Caroline's Café is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — the identical pricing across all five house labels makes that abundantly clear. If you're in Key West looking for something interesting in your glass, keep walking; if you just need a cold pour of Chardonnay with your lunch and aren't asking questions, $8 gets you there without drama.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Kerns · Portland · American
Noble Rot is the rare restaurant wine program that would hold up as a standalone wine bar — deep list, sharp staff, fair prices, and a view that makes the whole experience feel earned. Send your friends here. Send yourself here.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
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