Seagram Building glamour meets serious bottle depth
Midtown East · New York · Japanese · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Lobster Club’s wine list and gave it The Rager — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
Walking into the Seagram Building to eat yakitori and stare down a wine list that includes Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Henri Jayer is exactly the kind of absurd luxury New York does better than anywhere. The list is thick, serious, and clearly assembled by people who know what they're doing — this isn't a hotel bar afterthought. Peter Marino's room sets the tone and the wine program matches it note for note.
The list runs 400-600 bottles deep with a heavy lean into the classics: Burgundy anchors the whole thing, supported by Bordeaux stalwarts like Château Pétrus and Château Margaux, Rhône heavyweights including E. Guigal La Mouline, and Italian benchmarks from Giacomo Conterno and Antinori. California gets its due respect with Kistler, Screaming Eagle, and Opus One representing the prestige tier. The Champagne section — featuring Salon Blanc de Blancs and Krug Grande Cuvée — is the kind of lineup that makes you want to skip dinner and just drink bubbles all night. Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée quietly signals that whoever built this list has taste beyond the obvious trophy bottles.
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is genuinely generous for a program of this caliber, and the pour list skews quality rather than just approachable. Expect to spend $16-$40 per glass, which in this zip code and building is not outrageous. Sommeliers Samara Seligshon and Axel Rosas are on the floor to help you navigate — ask them what's pouring well before you default to whatever you already know.
Antinori Tignanello — $Not listed — ask staff
Tignanello punches at a level that justifies its price almost anywhere, and in a room full of triple-digit Burgundy, it represents some of the best value on a list that skews expensive. It's a crowd-pleaser with actual backbone — Super Tuscan with something to say.
Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée
Most people at this table are ordering DRC or Jayer at eye-watering prices. Arnoux-Lachaux is the quiet genius move — village-level Vosne from one of Burgundy's most respected houses, with the same silky red-fruit soul at a fraction of the cost. Don't sleep on it.
Screaming Eagle
It's Screaming Eagle. It's Napa. It's a status symbol wearing a wine label. You're in a Japanese restaurant in Manhattan — the markup here will be painful and you'll spend the whole meal thinking about the price tag instead of enjoying the food. Let someone else order it.
Krug Grande Cuvée + Wagyu Sando
Rich toasty Champagne against fatty, umami-forward wagyu in a soft milk bread sandwich is one of those combinations that sounds like a flex but actually makes total sense. The acidity cuts the fat, the brioche-like character of the Krug mirrors the bread, and suddenly you're having the best meal of your year.
The Bottom Line
The Lobster Club is the rare place where a Best of Award of Excellence feels earned rather than inherited — a 500-bottle list built with genuine conviction, backed by knowledgeable staff, in one of New York's most iconic rooms. Markups are real and the room is expensive, but if you're going to spend money on wine in this city, this is one of the better places to do it.
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
· New York · Restaurant
Corima's wine list is proof that ten well-chosen bottles beat a hundred thoughtless ones every time. If you care about what's in your glass, this place is worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Ashland · Japanese
Little Tokyo is a solid casual Japanese spot that simply doesn't do wine — and that's fine, because their sake is where the real action is. Come for the sushi, drink the sake, and don't stress about the wine list.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Mid-island · Hilton Head Island · Japanese
Hinoki isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — it's a solid neighborhood Japanese spot with a list that covers the bases, keeps prices in check, and won't embarrass you in front of a date. Order the Oyster Bay, get the omakase, and call it a win.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Appleton · Appleton · Japanese
Katsu-Ya is a perfectly solid Japanese restaurant where the wine list exists as an obligation, not a feature. Come for the katsu and ramen, order sake or a Sapporo, and if you must have wine, grab the Koshu and move on.
Grocery Store
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
