Empire Steak House
Midtown's Bold Red Stronghold Earns Its Stripes
Midtown East · New York · American Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Empire Steak House lands with the kind of weight you'd expect from a classic Midtown power-dining room — 400 to 600 bottles deep, anchored by Bordeaux and California Cabs that were clearly chosen with intention. It's a list built for the table ordering the Porterhouse for two and a bottle of something serious. No surprises, but absolutely no apologies either.
Selection Deep Dive
The backbone here is exactly what a Best of Award of Excellence recipient should look like: Château Margaux and Château Latour anchoring the French side, Sassicaia and Tignanello flying the Italian flag, and a California contingent that reads like a greatest hits — Opus One, Caymus, Silver Oak, Stag's Leap, Jordan. Brunello di Montalcino producers round out the Italian depth, giving the list legitimate old-world credibility beyond just the trophy names. The gaps show up in lighter styles — if you're not here for a bold red, the list thins out considerably. But if bold reds are the mission, this list delivers at every price point from accessible to obscene.
By the Glass
With 15 to 25 pours available, the by-the-glass program is above average for a steakhouse of this caliber — enough range to let a table of mixed drinkers find their footing before committing to a bottle. The quality of what's being poured by the glass isn't fully detailed in the program intel, but given the cellar they're pulling from, expect the pours to punch well above the typical steakhouse glass. Rotation appears limited, so don't expect anything surprising to show up mid-season.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $60–$100 range
Jordan is the smart play at a room full of three-figure Napa bottles. It's polished, food-friendly, and consistently reliable — the kind of Cab that doesn't need to prove itself but does anyway. In a list where Opus One is lurking, Jordan is how you drink well without the receipt regret.
Tignanello
Most tables here are locked in on Bordeaux or Napa Cab, which means Tignanello often gets overlooked. That's a mistake. This Super Tuscan brings Sangiovese structure with Cabernet Sauvignon muscle — a genuinely different experience that holds its own against any Porterhouse on the menu and typically sits at a more reasonable price point than the Bordeaux first-growths flanking it.
Opus One
Opus One is a great wine, but it's also one of the most marked-up bottles at every upscale steakhouse in America. You're paying a serious premium for a label that everyone recognizes, in a restaurant that will extract maximum margin from that recognition. The wine itself won't disappoint — the bill will.
Sassicaia + Dry-aged prime ribeye
Sassicaia's Cabernet-dominant blend brings enough structure and savory depth to stand up to the intense fat and char of a dry-aged ribeye without overwhelming it. The wine's backbone cuts through the richness, its earthy notes echo the crust on a properly aged cut, and the finish lingers long enough to bridge bites. It's the kind of pairing that makes the whole meal feel like it was planned.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Empire Steak House is doing exactly what a serious Manhattan steakhouse wine program should do — deep cellar, prestigious producers, proper storage, and a list that rewards the guest who knows what they're looking for. Markups are steep, but this is Midtown and you knew that walking in; the Wine Spectator credential is earned, not just displayed.
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