Johnny's Italian Steakhouse
Rat Pack Vibes, Wine List Stuck in 2004
West Des Moines · Des Moines · Steakhouse, Italian, Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 13, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The room sells a fantasy — Sinatra on the speakers, retro-luxe booths, the whole mid-century supper club thing — and it mostly delivers. Then you open the drink menu and the illusion cracks a little. What you get is a sparkling-heavy, brand-name parade that reads more like a hotel minibar than a proper Italian steakhouse wine program.
Selection Deep Dive
The list leans hard on accessible, mass-market labels — Whispering Angel for the rosé crowd, La Marca Prosecco for the bubbles crowd, Korbel for whoever's ordering a Mimosa at dinner for some reason. There's a Paso Robles red blend from Harvey and Harriet and a Rosa Regale sparkling red from Italy, which at least show someone tried to add a little personality. But there are no serious Italian reds to speak of — no Barolo, no Brunello, not even a Chianti worth noting — which is a real miss for a place calling itself an Italian steakhouse. The Blanc de Bleu Cuvée Brut from California rounds out a sparkling section that has more bubbles than backbone.
By the Glass
The by-the-glass program is dominated by sparkling and rosé options, which is fine for an aperitivo moment but leaves you stranded once the ribeye arrives. If you're hoping for a serious red by the glass to take on the Steak de Burgo, the list doesn't have much of an answer. It's a glass program built for happy hour, not dinner.
Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava NV — null
Pricing isn't published, but Cristalino is consistently one of the better-value bubbles you'll find anywhere — real Cava, real method, and it actually tastes like something. In a list full of Korbel and Blanc de Bleu, this is the move if you want bubbles that don't embarrass themselves.
Rosa Regale Sparkling Red
Most people see 'sparkling red' and scroll past it, and that's a shame. Rosa Regale is a Brachetto d'Acqui — sweet, low-alcohol, deep ruby, with a strawberry-raspberry thing going on. It's genuinely fun and different, and in a list this predictable, it's the one wine that has an actual point of view.
Korbel California
There is no good reason to order Korbel at a steakhouse with Rat Pack ambitions. It's bulk California sparkling wine dressed up for a room it doesn't belong in. The Cristalino is right there — spend the same money and drink better.
Whispering Angel Rosé + Chanel No. 5
We don't know exactly what's in the Chanel No. 5 beyond its name suggesting something light and elegant, but Whispering Angel is at least playing the same aesthetic game — polished, crowd-pleasing, easy. It's not a bold pairing, but it's coherent, and sometimes that's the best a list like this can offer.
❌ The Bottom Line
Johnny's is a fun night out if you're here for the steak and the nostalgia — but the wine list is an afterthought wearing a tuxedo. Order a cocktail, grab the Cristalino if you want bubbles, and don't come here expecting the wine to match the room's ambitions.
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