Bold Cabs and Prime Cuts, Done Right
Downtown Milwaukee · Milwaukee · Steak House · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed May 1, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Ward's House of Prime’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Ward's House of Prime reads exactly like the room looks — classic, polished, and built for people who know what they want before they sit down. California Cabs lead the charge, with France and Italy filling in the flanks. No surprises, no adventures, just a well-dressed list that wants to sell you a great bottle with your ribeye.
The 150-250 bottle list leans hard into the California-France-Italy axis, which makes sense for a steakhouse but leaves little room for wandering. You'll find the usual suspects — Caymus, Silver Oak, Jordan, Stag's Leap — alongside some genuine heavy hitters like Opus One, Far Niente, and Chateau Margaux. Italy gets respectable treatment with Gaja and Ceretto holding down Barolo, and Biondi-Santi representing Brunello. What's missing is anything left of center: no interesting Rhônes, no Argentine Malbec for the value-seekers, no off-the-beaten-path producers to reward the curious drinker.
With 12-20 pours available, the by-the-glass program is decent for a steakhouse of this size. Expect the same California-forward lineup in glass form — think Cabs and probably a Chardonnay or two. We'd like to see more rotation and a stronger value tier at the glass level, but you're unlikely to get stuck with something embarrassing.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $40-$60
Jordan is consistently well-priced relative to the other Napa heavyweights on this list, and it actually delivers — structured, approachable, and made for exactly this kind of meal. It's the move if you want a proper California Cab without writing a check for Opus One.
Ceretto Barolo
Most tables here are going straight for the California Cabs, which means the Barolo section gets ignored. Ceretto makes polished, food-friendly Barolo that holds its own against prime beef in a way most people don't expect — earthy, firm tannins, a little tar and roses. If it's on the list, order it.
Opus One
Opus One is a legitimately great wine — it's also one of the most heavily marked up bottles in any restaurant setting. You're paying for the name recognition at the table, and at a steakhouse, that premium gets steeper. Save it for a wine bar where you can actually focus on the bottle.
Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime Rib
Montelena's Cab brings enough structure and dark fruit to stand up to the richness of prime rib without overwhelming it. It's one of the more classically built Napa Cabs on the list — no excessive oak, no jam bomb — which lets the beef do its job.
The Bottom Line
Ward's House of Prime is exactly what it says it is: a classic Milwaukee steakhouse with a wine list built to match big cuts of beef. The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence is well-earned, but don't come looking for adventure — come looking for a great California Cab and a slab of prime rib.
Story Hill · Milwaukee · American, Regional
A compact 12-wine list with glass and bottle prices posted, half-glass portions, and a bottle shop run by the same business. Order the $11 Famille Perrin Côtes du Rhône or the $11 Anjou Chenin Blanc by the glass and confirm current availability, since the menu is linked as 8-22-26. This unrated guide covers the posted beverage menu, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown · Milwaukee · American, Steakhouse, Seafood, Contemporary
A very large list with no by-the-glass section posted: 657 priced wines from $30 to $4,450, and Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is the biggest group at 93 entries. For a starting point, the $50 Jean Marc Martin Haut-Médoc Merlot 2015 is the lowest-priced wine in the "Sommelier's Favorites Reds", and the $70 Thorne & Daughters Rocking Horse White Blend 2023 is the South African pick. Prices carry no unit and the page is undated, so confirm both. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Brady Street · Milwaukee · American
A short, varied list: 35 wines, from Lambrusco and Mourvèdre to Napa Cabernet, with paired numbers from 11 to 15 and a Cruvinet box at 11 to 22. Try the 11 | 43 Pirates del Ebro Tempranillo, or the Selbach Riesling with the scallops, and ask which number is the glass price. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Riverwest · Milwaukee · Pub fare and brewery food
Lakefront is a beer hall with a one-line wine list: three Wollersheim wines at $9. If you want wine, start with the Prairie Fumé alongside the cheese curds and ask about pour size, since the menu does not say. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
Brady Street · Milwaukee · Italian-American
A friendly, easy list for a pasta-and-pizza room: 19 pours by the glass from $7 to $13, plus bottles from $36 to $90. Start with the $7 Wollersheim Prairie Fumé, or get the $10 Banfi Chianti Superiore with a bowl of Pomodoro, and confirm prices because the page is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Historic Third Ward · Milwaukee · Italian-Mediterranean
A bottle list with Greek, Sicilian and Lebanese bottles alongside Napa Cabernet, and Dom Perignon at $550. Start with the $40 Oenops 'Apla' or the $65 Château Musar 'Jeune', and plan around Wine Wednesday, when the restaurant says select bottles are half price from 5pm to 9pm. Confirm vintages and which bottles qualify before you order. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Washington · Washington · Steak House
A 20-wine by-the-glass list with every pour between $14 and $30, split across four sparkling, six white, two rosé and eight red. With a steak, start with the $26 Clos Duval Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon or the $22 Monte Antico Supremus; for the cheapest glass, take the $14 Dr. Loosen Riesling. Pour sizes aren't posted and the page is undated, so confirm today's wines. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Chicago Loop · Chicago · Steak House
A Napa-leaning Cabernet list with a Library & Reserve section that reaches 3,098 and glass pours from $13.99 to $49.99. Start with the $15.99 Broadbent Cabernet by the glass, or the $41.99 Stag's Leap Artemis if the ribeye is on the table, and confirm current availability since the list does not guarantee vintages. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Union Square · San Francisco · Steak House
A glass list that does the steakhouse job: 36 pours, a tidy Napa Cabernet set and prices from $13. Order the $15 Beringer Cabernet with your steak, or the $14 Guado Al Tasso Vermentino if you are starting with seafood, and confirm availability since the page is undated and Morton's says pricing may vary. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
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