Grill 23 & Bar

A wine list with 14,825 bottles tells you everything you need to know about Grill 23 & Bar's priorities

Grill 23 & Bar has a Google rating of 4.6 across more than 2,100 reviews, a World of Fine Wine White Star recognition, and a 3-Star Accreditation from the same body. The wine list runs to 2,540 selections backed by a cellar of nearly 15,000 bottles, with particular depth in California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Piedmont, Rhône, Champagne, Loire, and Germany. If you are looking for a Boston steakhouse that also takes wine seriously, this is the most defensible choice at the $$$ price point.

Book here when the occasion calls for a dining room that can hold its own against the wine you want to drink. Wine Director Brahm Callahan and a full sommelier team including Paul Lee, Tori Testa, Katie Stotler, and Erik Cancelmo run one of the deepest programs in the city. Chef Ryan Marcoux leads the kitchen, and General Manager Nick Heilmann runs the floor. The ownership group behind the restaurant, Chris Himmel, Ken Himmel, and Brian Sommers, has kept the address at 161 Berkeley Street in the Back Bay a consistent reference point for Boston's fine-dining circuit.

When to go and what to think about ordering

The editorial angle that matters most here is seasonal. Grill 23 operates an American menu at the $$$ tier, which at this price level means the kitchen is sourcing to season. New England's calendar is a genuine factor: spring brings local seafood and early produce; summer shifts the balance toward lighter preparations; fall and winter are when a serious steakhouse earns its keep, with heavier cuts, reduced sauces, and the kind of wine pairings where a Burgundy or a mature Bordeaux from that 14,825-bottle cellar becomes the obvious call. If you are visiting in winter, the wine list depth becomes more relevant than at any other time of year, and the sommelier team's fluency across Burgundy and Bordeaux is worth using.

For food enthusiasts who want depth rather than just a meal, the smart move is to arrive with a specific bottle or region in mind and let the sommelier team build around it. The list's $$$-tier pricing reflects a cellar stocked with serious bottles, not just crowd-pleasers, which means the value proposition improves the more you engage with the program. Casual drinkers ordering a house pour at these food prices will find better value elsewhere in Boston.

Practical details

How it compares

Against Boston's other dinner-only options at the $$$ tier, Grill 23 occupies a specific lane: serious American cooking with a wine program that outpaces most of its local competition. If you want Japanese precision, O Ya and Oishii Boston are the stronger choices, and for raw bar depth, Neptune Oyster is hard to beat. But for a room where the wine list is genuinely part of the proposition, Grill 23 has no direct local rival at its price point. Ostra competes on ambiance for special occasions but focuses on seafood rather than a broad American format.

Worth knowing

• The World of Fine Wine 3-Star Accreditation places Grill 23 in a small peer group nationally — comparable recognitions appear at restaurants like Le Bernardin in New York City and The French Laundry in Napa.
• If you are building a Boston fine-dining itinerary, see also Agosto for Portuguese-inspired tasting-menu cooking, Abe & Louie's for a direct steakhouse comparison, and 311 Omakase for a contrast in format.
• For a broader view of what Boston offers across all categories, browse our full Boston restaurants guide, our full Boston bars guide, our full Boston hotels guide, and our full Boston experiences guide.
• For wine program context from other leading American rooms, compare with Lazy Bear in San Francisco, Alinea in Chicago, or Single Thread Farm in Healdsburg.

Frequently asked questions

• How far ahead should I book Grill 23 & Bar? Booking difficulty is rated Easy, so a week's notice is generally sufficient. That said, weekend evenings and the holiday stretch from November through January fill faster given the restaurant's reputation for special occasions. If you have a fixed date, booking two weeks out eliminates any stress.
• What should a first-timer know about Grill 23 & Bar? Come for the wine program as much as the food. The list of 2,540 selections with a cellar of nearly 15,000 bottles is the differentiator at this price tier. At $$$, you are paying Back Bay fine-dining prices; the value is strongest when you engage with the sommelier team rather than ordering by the glass.
• What should I wear to Grill 23 & Bar? No dress code is published, but at the $$$ price point and with a World of Fine Wine 3-Star Accreditation, the room skews smart-casual to business-casual. Jeans are likely fine; trainers are a risk. If you are coming from a hotel like one of the Back Bay properties, ask the concierge for a current read.
• What are alternatives to Grill 23 & Bar in Boston? For a direct steakhouse comparison, Abe & Louie's is the obvious peer. For a more contemporary fine-dining experience at a similar price tier, Agosto offers a tasting-menu format. If seafood matters more than beef, Ostra is the most direct alternative. See also Alcove and Ama at the Atlas for lower price points.
• Is Grill 23 & Bar good for a special occasion? Yes, specifically for occasions where wine is part of the celebration. The combination of a 4.6 Google rating from over 2,000 reviews, a World of Fine Wine White Star, and a 15,000-bottle cellar makes it one of the most credentialed rooms in Boston for an anniversary or business dinner where the wine list needs to deliver. For a more intimate tasting-menu format, consider Agosto instead.
• Does Grill 23 & Bar handle dietary restrictions? No specific policy is published in available data. Contact the restaurant directly before booking if you have serious dietary requirements. An American menu at this price tier typically accommodates common restrictions with advance notice.
• Can I eat at the bar at Grill 23 & Bar? The name includes "Bar," and the format suggests bar seating is available, but specific seat count and bar policy are not confirmed in current data. For a Back Bay restaurant of this size and category, bar dining is standard; call ahead to confirm availability on the night.
• What should I order at Grill 23 & Bar? The wine list is the headline item, and the sommelier team's depth across Burgundy, Bordeaux, California, and Piedmont is the primary reason to choose Grill 23 over a comparable steakhouse. On the food side, American menus at the $$$ tier typically anchor on prime beef and seasonal sides; fall and winter visits align leading with the kitchen's heavier preparations and the wine program's strength in age-worthy reds. Specific dish recommendations require verified current menu data not available here.