Wednesday is the only night that matters
Downtown · Ann Arbor · American Gastropub · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 4, 2026
RagingWine reviewed The Ravens Club’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The Ravens Club walks in as a spirits bar that happens to have wine on the menu — and honestly, that's fine. The list is short, global in a hand-wavy way, and clearly built to support cocktail-first drinkers who want a glass of something reasonable with their burger. Nothing here is going to blow your mind, but nothing is embarrassing either.
Nine by-the-glass options cover the obvious bases: a Washington Cab, an Oregon Pinot Noir, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, and a sparkler from New Mexico in the Gruet Brut. It's a greatest-hits playlist with no deep cuts. The producers are approachable and recognizable — Chateau Ste. Michelle, Willamette Valley Vineyards, Tohu — but there's no sense that anyone went hunting for something interesting. The list exists to serve, not to excite.
Nine pours is a reasonable number for a gastropub, and the spread covers white, red, and sparkling without doubling up on anything obvious. The weekly Wednesday promo drops select wines to $6 a glass, which is where this list genuinely earns its keep. Outside of Wednesday, the pricing climbs into steep territory fast.
Gruet Brut — $16/glass
On a Wednesday at $6, this is a no-brainer — Gruet consistently punches above its price point, and bubbles at happy-hour pricing in a gastropub is exactly the kind of move we're here for.
Tohu Sauvignon Blanc
Most people at The Ravens Club are ordering the Pinot or the Cab. Skip the crowd and grab this Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc — it's bright, cuts through rich food, and at $15 a glass it's the most food-friendly pour on the list.
Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
At $68 a bottle, you're paying a premium for a label everyone already knows. Willamette Valley Vineyards is solid but not special, and the markup here doesn't justify the pour when you're eating a $13 taco.
Tohu Sauvignon Blanc + Blackened Catfish Tacos
The citrus and herbal snap of the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc cuts right through the char and spice on the catfish. It's the most obvious great match on the menu and almost no one will order it.
Wednesday — Whiskey & Wine Wednesday: select wines are $6 per glass; whiskey pours are 25% off. Runs weekly.
The Bottom Line
The Ravens Club isn't a wine destination — it's a late-night Ann Arbor institution that happens to have a functional wine list. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Gruet for $6, and let the spirits program do its real job.
· Ann Arbor · French-Inspired
La Serre is a genuinely beautiful room with a wine list that's still finding its voice — solid enough for a date night, not yet a destination for anyone who really cares about what's in the glass. Come for the mussels and steak frites, drink something French, and hope the list grows into the space it inhabits.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ann Arbor · Wine Bar / New American
Vinology is doing something genuinely interesting for Ann Arbor — a globally curious, fairly priced wine list with real depth by the glass and producers you won't find at the Italian place down the street. We'd send a friend here specifically for wine, which is not something we say lightly.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
· Ann Arbor · New American / Wine Bar
Spencer is a reliable wine bar doing exactly what it sets out to do — give Ann Arbor diners a comfortable, recognizable list with enough options to make everyone at the table happy. Just watch the by-the-glass pricing on the upper end, and let the Idlewild be your little secret.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Campus · Ann Arbor · New American / Hotel Restaurant
Eve is a dependable, well-kept hotel wine list that earns its place as Ann Arbor's go-to for faculty dinners and anniversary meals — just don't come expecting to be surprised. Order the Merry Edwards, skip the Stag's Leap markup, and let someone else handle the tab.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
West Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor · Upscale-casual Italian
Bravo! is a chain doing chain things with its wine list — predictable, approachable, and not particularly exciting. But the markup is fairer than most chains, the by-the-glass range is functional, and if you show up on a Wednesday, $7 Provençal rosé on the patio is a genuinely good time.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Downtown · Ann Arbor · Japanese-inspired ramen, noodle dishes, and izakaya-style small plates
Slurping Turtle is a genuinely fun spot to eat, and the ramen deserves your full attention — but the wine list is on cruise control and nobody seems to mind. Stick to a glass of Riesling or grab a beer, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that reciprocates it.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Yountville · American Gastropub
Goose & Gander is playing a different game than most Napa gastropubs — the Paul Hobbs curatorial thread pulls the list into genuinely unexpected territory, from Armenian Areni to Galician Godello, without abandoning the California core that belongs here. If you're in Yountville and want a wine list that gives you something to talk about, this is the move.
Surprising Depth
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Broadway at the Beach · Myrtle Beach · American Gastropub
Liberty Tap Room is a solid spot for cold beer, a burger, and a game on the screen — but the wine list is an afterthought and the pricing reflects zero effort to earn your wine dollars. Come for the beer, skip the bottle.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · La Crosse · American Gastropub
The Crow is a legitimately fun bar — just come for the bourbon and craft beer, not the wine. If you need a glass, grab the Elmaro Rosa to support a local producer and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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