Napa's Greatest Hits, Lake Michigan Edition
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Steakhouse / Contemporary American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 25, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Pretty Penny Steakhouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The Pretty Penny feels like a steakhouse that knows exactly who it's dressing for — the Traverse City visitor who wants a polished night out and isn't going to overthink the wine list. You open it and immediately recognize every name on the page, which is either comforting or a little boring depending on what you came for. It does the job, and it does it confidently.
This is a West Coast Cabernet parade with a Michigan footnote — Caymus, Jordan, Silver Oak, Duckhorn, Rombauer, all present and accounted for. The 75–120 bottle range sounds impressive until you realize a significant chunk of that real estate belongs to the Napa-Sonoma greatest hits club. There's a gesture toward Pacific Northwest and a local Michigan section that we wish got a louder voice given where we're eating. The list won't surprise you, but if you came for a proper Cab with your ribeye, it delivers.
With 10–18 by-the-glass options, there's enough to work with across a full table without forcing anyone into a bottle. The pours skew toward the crowd-pleasing end — expect Rombauer Chardonnay to anchor the whites and something in the Cabernet family holding down the reds. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority here; what's on tonight is probably what's on next month.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — null
Jordan is the rare Napa-adjacent Cab that actually earns its price tag — structured, food-friendly, and not trying too hard. Relative to the Silver Oak and Caymus options on this list, it tends to be the more honest pour for the money. If the markup is going to sting somewhere, let it sting here where the quality holds up.
Michigan wine selection
Whatever they're pouring from local Michigan producers is almost certainly the most interesting thing on the list that nobody orders. Traverse City sits in one of the most underrated wine regions in the country — Old Mission and Leelanau Peninsula Rieslings and Pinot Noirs punch above their weight — and a steakhouse with a local section is worth exploring before defaulting to Napa autopilot.
Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is fine. It's also everywhere, consistently marked up aggressively at every steakhouse in America, and at this point it's more brand recognition than actual quality proposition. You can do better on this list for the same money, or less.
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon + Hand-cut steak
Alexander Valley Cab is the slightly more restrained cousin to the full-throttle Napa stuff — it has the structure to stand up to a serious ribeye without overwhelming it. Silver Oak specifically brings enough fruit and enough grip to make a hand-cut steak feel like the pairing was planned, even if you just pointed at the menu.
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Pretty Penny is a dependable date-night wine list in a beautiful lakeside town — not adventurous, not cheap, but competent enough to make your steak night work. If you're a wine explorer looking for discovery, you might leave a little flat; if you just want a solid Cabernet with a great meal on Front Street, you're in good hands.
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Brewpub / American Bar & Grill
Mackinaw Brewing is a great place to drink beer in downtown Traverse City, and nobody should walk in expecting otherwise. If wine is your thing, order the local Riesling, appreciate the nod to Michigan wine country, and let the rest of the list do its quiet, unremarkable job.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Slabtown / West Front Street · Traverse City · American tavern fare with waterfront grill classics
West End Tavern isn't a wine destination, but it's doing something right by leaning into what grows in its own backyard. If you're in Traverse City and want local wine without ceremony, pull up a patio chair and order the Riesling.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
US-31 South / East Side · Traverse City · Mexican
Agave is a solid casual cantina — the margaritas are the move and everyone at the table knows it. The wine list is an afterthought, and there's no shame in treating it like one.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Seafood/Raw Bar
Umbo is quietly one of the more interesting wine programs in northern Michigan, built with a clear point of view around Old World acid and seafood compatibility. The pricing is a stretch and the list could use more depth, but if you're eating oysters in Traverse City, this is where you want to be drinking.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Front Street · Traverse City · Steakhouse with Seafood and Contemporary American
Slate is a dependable steakhouse wine list that plays to its crowd — nothing wrong with that, but adventurous drinkers should zero in on the L. Mawby and call it a night. Send a friend here for a solid meal and a glass of something local; just don't expect the list to challenge them.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Union Street · Traverse City · Gastropub
7 Monks is a beer bar first and a wine program somewhere around fourth, but the short list is priced fairly, includes a local Michigan pour worth ordering, and doesn't try to be something it's not. Send a wine-drinking friend here if they're cool with keeping it simple.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / State Street · Bowling Green · Steakhouse / Contemporary American
Hickory & Oak is a genuinely good steakhouse with a wine list that's merely along for the ride — overprice, under-curated, and content to let the food do all the heavy lifting. Come for the ribeye, order the Jordan, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / near CityPlace · West Palm Beach · Steakhouse / Contemporary American
Meat Market Palm Beach is a fun room with a wine list that coasts on its crowd's brand recognition — come on a Wednesday, grab the Trefethen or order something off the beaten path like the Hillick & Hobbs, and you'll drink well. Show up any other night without a plan and you'll pay full markup for wines you could find at Total Wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown Jackson · Jackson Hole · Steakhouse / Contemporary American
The Restaurant at White Buffalo Club is exactly what it wants to be: a confident, Napa-forward steakhouse list in a room where the wine is expected to be as serious as the beef. The markups sting and the adventurous drinker won't find much to explore, but if you're here for a big California red with a big steak, the cellar and the staff will take care of you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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