TJ's Highland Steakhouse
Serious Steakhouse Wine in the Midwest Heartland
Oshkosh Β· Oshkosh Β· American Steakhouse Β· Visit Website β
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You don't expect a 300-500 bottle wine list in Oshkosh, Wisconsin β and yet here we are. TJ's Highland Steakhouse walks in with a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence and a list that would hold its own in any major city steakhouse. The Highland theme is cozy and approachable, but the wine program means serious business.
Selection Deep Dive
The list leans heavily into the California-Burgundy-Bordeaux trifecta, which is exactly what a steakhouse should do β and TJ's does it well. You'll find names like Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Far Niente, Jordan, and Silver Oak anchoring the California side, while Louis Jadot and Joseph Drouhin's Chambolle-Musigny hold down the French flank with real credibility. Bordeaux gets a proper nod with Chateau Lynch-Bages, a fifth-growth Pauillac that earns its place next to a dry-aged strip. The breadth here β 300 to 500 selections β is genuinely impressive for a restaurant in a mid-sized Wisconsin city, and sommelier Meena Al-Ghetta's fingerprints are visible throughout.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is a generous pour program, and at $12-$22, the pricing doesn't feel punishing at the glass level even if bottles run steep. We'd expect the Caymus Cab to be a fixture on the BTG list β it always is β but we'd push staff to tell you what else is open and worth exploring. Ask Meena or whoever's working the floor; this is a team that talks wine.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon β $40sβ$50s (bottle estimate based on list range)
Jordan punches well above its price point in a steakhouse setting β it's structured enough to stand up to a ribeye without requiring a second mortgage. Where Opus One and Silver Oak get all the fanfare, Jordan quietly delivers the goods.
Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny
In a room full of Cabernet heads, Chambolle-Musigny is the wine nobody orders β and that's a shame. Drouhin's take on this delicate Burgundy village is silky, perfumed, and genuinely beautiful against a filet mignon. Don't let the lack of tannin scare you off.
Opus One
Opus One is a trophy wine, and steakhouses know it. Expect a significant markup over retail β you're paying for the name, the bottle, and the table flex. The wine is good, but it's never a value play, and at TJ's you can drink better for less.
Chateau Lynch-Bages + Dry-aged New York strip
Lynch-Bages is a classic Pauillac β full of blackcurrant, cedar, and enough structure to cut through the fat on a dry-aged strip. It's the kind of pairing that reminds you why Bordeaux and beef became a thing in the first place.
π₯ The Bottom Line
TJ's Highland Steakhouse is the kind of wine program that makes you do a double-take at the address β a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence is no small thing, and this list earns it. If you're within driving distance of Oshkosh and love red wine with red meat, make a reservation.
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