The Prime Rib
Old-school glamour, Sunday nights are a steal
Mount Vernon · Baltimore · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed March 24, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list walks in wearing a tuxedo — heavy on Napa Cabernet, Champagne, and Burgundy, built for the kind of night where someone's celebrating something. It's a serious list for a serious room, and the pricing reflects that the house knows exactly who its audience is. You're not here to discover obscure Georgian amber wine; you're here to drink well with a slab of beef.
Selection Deep Dive
The 150-250 bottle list leans confidently into California and France, with Napa Valley Cabernet doing the heavy lifting alongside a respectable Champagne section featuring Veuve Clicquot, Billecart-Salmon Rosé, and Dom Pérignon. Opus One ($775) and Harlan Estate ($3,995) anchor the trophy end for the table that just closed a deal. Italy and Argentina show up, but they feel more like supporting cast than a reason to come. The real gap is anything under $60 a bottle that's genuinely interesting — the list doesn't work hard for the value-conscious diner.
By the Glass
Eighteen pours by the glass is a solid count for a classic steakhouse, spanning $13 to $26 and covering Champagne, Chardonnay, Cabernet, and a few supporting options. The range is respectable but not adventurous — you're not finding skin-contact Friulano here. Still, having Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé available by the bottle means the Champagne section is taken seriously, and that confidence carries through.
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 — $159
At roughly 77% over retail, Silver Oak Alexander Valley is the least-punishing markup on a recognizable Cabernet that actually drinks like a special occasion. It's the sweet spot between crowd appeal and relative restraint on the pricing — especially compared to everything around it.
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé NV
Most tables ordering Champagne here reach for the Veuve on autopilot. Don't. Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé at $210 is a more interesting, more elegant bottle — and at a steakhouse with crab cakes on the menu, it's genuinely the right call before the beef arrives.
Veuve Clicquot Brut NV
At $139 on a bottle you can grab for $55 retail, this is a 153% markup on a wine everyone already knows. You're paying for the yellow label's name recognition more than anything else. Step up to the Billecart or come on Sunday.
Caymus Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 + Prime Rib
Caymus is big, ripe, and plush — which is exactly what you want next to a slow-roasted slab of prime rib. It's not a subtle pairing, but subtlety isn't why you're at The Prime Rib. The wine's dark fruit and soft tannins lock in with the beef's fat and salt like they were made for each other.
Sunday — Select Half-Priced Wine List every Sunday
✔️ The Bottom Line
The Prime Rib is a reliable, well-run wine program inside a Baltimore institution — the sommelier is present, the list is coherent, and Sunday's half-price offer is genuinely one of the better wine deals in the city. The markups sting everywhere else, but if you play it smart (or show up on Sunday), this room still delivers.
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