The Occidental
Power Dining With a Cellar to Match
Washington · Washington · American, Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 7, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The wine list at The Occidental arrives like the restaurant itself — serious, heavy, and clearly not messing around. Seven-hundred-plus selections in a room that's been hosting presidents since Teddy Roosevelt's era sets an expectation, and the list doesn't flinch. This is old-school power dining with the cellar to back it up.
Selection Deep Dive
California and France anchor the list with real authority — we're talking Opus One, Dominus Estate, Chateau Margaux, and Chateau Lynch-Bages alongside the kind of Louis Jadot Burgundy lineup that actually rewards exploration. Italy gets a respectable nod with Tignanello holding it down for the Antinori faithful. The gaps are minor: if you're hunting natural wine or adventurous New World bottles off the beaten path, look elsewhere — but for classic, blue-chip selections executed with conviction, this is one of DC's best rooms. Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence since 2025 is well earned.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty pours by the glass is a generous offering for a steakhouse of this caliber, with glass prices running $14 to $25 — reasonable given the address and the pedigree. The selection skews predictably toward Cabernet and Chardonnay, which makes sense when half the room is ordering the dry-aged ribeye. We'd love to see a little more range by the glass, but what's there is well-chosen and properly poured.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cabernet Sauvignon — $14–$25 by the glass
Jordan is one of California's most consistent over-performers — structured, food-friendly, and never showy. By the glass at The Occidental, it's the smart order before you commit to a full bottle of something bigger.
Marchesi Antinori Tignanello
In a room full of Napa Cabs and Bordeaux heavyweights, Tignanello — that iconic Sangiovese-Cabernet blend from Tuscany — gets overlooked. It's a Raging Wine favorite on any list it appears, and at a steakhouse full of Caymus loyalists, you'll have it practically to yourself.
Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus Special Selection is a fine bottle in the right context, but it's one of the most heavily marked-up wines in America's restaurant industry. You're paying a significant premium here for a label that's become a status signal rather than a value proposition — the money goes further almost anywhere else on this list.
Far Niente Chardonnay + Lobster Bisque
Far Niente's Chardonnay is rich and textured without being a butter bomb — exactly what you want against a cream-forward lobster bisque. The wine's bright acidity cuts through the richness while its toasty oak notes echo the bisque's depth. Classic move, executed well.
🔥 The Bottom Line
The Occidental is the kind of place you bring someone you want to impress — the wine list is deep, the staff knows what they're doing, and the classics are all present and accounted for. Just go in knowing you're paying for the zip code as much as the bottle.
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