Swift & Sons
Old-school glamour, serious California Cab muscle
Fulton Market · Chicago · Steak House · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walking into Swift & Sons feels like stepping into a 1920s meatpacking cathedral that got very serious about wine. The list lands on your table with the kind of weight that makes you sit up straighter. California and France are front and center, and they mean it.
Selection Deep Dive
With 400-600 bottles and a Best of Award of Excellence held since 2017, this is a list that earns its reputation. California Cabernet is the obvious heart of it — Opus One, Caymus Special Selection, Stag's Leap Cask 23, Far Niente, and Silver Oak Alexander Valley all show up, giving you a genuine tour of Napa's greatest hits. Tuscany punches equally hard with Sassicaia, Tignanello, and Antinori Solaia anchoring the Italian side. The white game isn't just an afterthought either — Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Kistler Chardonnay signal that someone thought carefully about the table that isn't ordering a bone-in ribeye.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty-five options by the glass is genuinely impressive for a steakhouse, and the range spans $15 to $45 a pour — so you can warm up or go straight to the deep end. Bollinger Special Cuvée is a strong opener if you want Champagne before committing to a bottle. Rotation appears limited, so don't expect to find something new every visit.
Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon — $60–$80 range
Alexander Valley Silver Oak is the entry point into the Swift Cab world, and it consistently over-delivers relative to its list price here. It's the move if you want the full steak-and-Napa experience without crossing into three-digit territory.
Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne
Everyone comes in locked on Cab and forgets that a dry-aged ribeye and a glass of Bollinger is one of the great underrated pairings. The richness of Special Cuvée stands up to beef fat in a way that most people don't expect from Champagne.
Opus One
Opus One is a reliable markup target at steakhouses nationwide, and Swift is no exception. You're paying heavily for the label here — the same money spent on Sassicaia or Solaia gets you more wine, more story, and fewer people at the next table judging you.
Sassicaia + Dry-aged prime ribeye
Sassicaia's Cabernet-Sangiovese backbone — grippy tannins, iron and cedar edge — cuts through the fat of a dry-aged ribeye without bullying the beef. It's old-world structure meeting the best cut on the menu.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Swift & Sons is the full steakhouse wine experience done right — deep cellar, strong California and Italian bones, and glassware that respects what's in it. Markups run predictably high for the format, but if you pick smart, you'll drink very well in one of Chicago's best dining rooms.
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