Manny's Steak House
California Cab Country, Right in Minneapolis
Downtown Minneapolis · Minneapolis · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at Manny's arrives like the restaurant itself — heavy, confident, and not here to apologize for anything. This is a California Cabernet shrine wrapped in dark wood and white tablecloths, and it makes no pretense of being anything else. If you walked in hoping for a Beaujolais or a crisp Grüner, adjust your expectations immediately.
Selection Deep Dive
With 400 to 600 bottles and a clear thesis — California red wine is king — Manny's delivers exactly what a power-lunch steakhouse should. The heavy hitters are all present: Opus One, Shafer Hillside Select, Ridge Monte Bello, Far Niente, Silver Oak, and Caymus anchor a Napa-forward list that reads like a greatest-hits compilation from the Wine Spectator Top 100 circa 2005 to present. Beyond California, the list thins out considerably — this isn't the place to hunt for Barolo or Willamette Pinot. What it lacks in geographic breadth, it makes up for in depth within its chosen lane, and that lane is paved with old-vine Cab.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty-five by-the-glass options is genuinely generous for a steakhouse of this style, and the pours skew toward the approachable end of the California spectrum — think Jordan and Duckhorn rather than Hillside Select by the stem. Rotation appears minimal; this is a set-and-forget program that prioritizes reliability over discovery. Still, landing a solid Jordan Cabernet by the glass with a bone-in ribeye is not a bad night.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon — $80
Jordan is a workhorse California Cab with real pedigree — structured, food-friendly, and consistently well-made. In a list where triple-digit bottles dominate, Jordan consistently lands as the sweet spot between quality and wallet damage.
Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello
Every table is ordering Caymus or Silver Oak, which means Monte Bello — one of California's most intellectual and age-worthy Cabernet blends — gets overlooked. It's a completely different expression of California: earthy, restrained, built for the long haul. Order it and feel smug about it.
Caymus Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus is a perfectly fine wine that every restaurant in America marks up to the moon because people recognize the label. You're almost certainly paying a 3x to 4x retail premium here for something you could grab at Total Wine on your way home. The name does the work; the wine doesn't earn the restaurant price tag.
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Dry-aged prime ribeye
Stag's Leap brings that classic Napa structure — firm tannins, dark fruit, a backbone built for red meat — without the bombast of some of its neighbors on the list. Against a dry-aged ribeye with serious fat content and mineral depth, it holds its ground and elevates both.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Manny's is exactly what it is — a California Cab cathedral with a Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence to prove it's serious. If you're coming for adventurous wine discovery, look elsewhere; if you're coming to eat a great steak and drink great Napa Cabernet in a room that feels like 1998 never ended, this is your place.
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