Columbus

Ivory & Oak is a reliable wine stop in a city that isn't exactly crawling with serious lists — the room is great, the pours are familiar, and the markup is the main thing holding it back from something better. Go for the steak, order the Merlot, and don't expect to be challenged.

If you're stuck at the DoubleTree and the flight is delayed, Houlihan's will keep you fed and adequately watered — but don't mistake that for a wine program worth seeking out. Order the Etude Pinot or the Malbec, skip the sangria, and manage your expectations accordingly.

This is airport-adjacent chain wine, full stop — familiar labels at inflated prices for a captive audience that mostly wants something cold and wet after traveling. Order a cocktail instead, or hit the hotel bar and call it a night.

The Rail Pub is not here to advance your wine education, and that's fine — it's a pub, it sells beer, and the wine list exists as an afterthought for the table that didn't want beer. Order the J. Lohr if you need a glass of something real; otherwise, get a pint and stop looking at the wine menu.

The Office is a solid sports bar with a real food program, but the wine list is an afterthought at best — two house pours do not constitute a program. Come for the pork chops and live music, order a cocktail or a beer, and don't expect anyone on staff to talk you through a vintage.

Chili's Columbus is not a wine destination — it's a margarita destination that happens to stock two anonymous house wines for guests who forgot to order a cocktail. Drink accordingly.

Outback Columbus isn't a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — but the pricing is fair, the pours are recognizable, and you won't be stuck drinking something terrible with your steak. Order the Chateau Ste. Michelle or the 14 Hands and call it a night.

Texas Roadhouse is not here to sell you wine, and the list makes that abundantly clear. Stick to the beer, the cocktails, or the Riesling if you insist — but don't come here with serious wine expectations.

If you're at Olive Garden, you're not here for the wine, and the wine list has fully internalized that fact. Drink the Chianti, enjoy the breadsticks, and save the serious bottles for somewhere that cares.

This is a wine list that was designed by committee to offend no one and excite no one, priced to extract maximum margin from people who aren't paying close attention. Enjoy the Chicken Bryan, drink water, and save the wine for somewhere that actually tried.

Buckhead Steak and Wine is the reliable anchor of the Columbus dining scene — no surprises, no revelations, but a solid California-heavy list that does exactly what a prime steakhouse wine program should do. Send a friend here for a big steak dinner; just steer them toward the Jordan instead of the Caymus.

11th and Bay is a genuinely good restaurant with a wine list that plays it safe — fair prices, recognizable producers, no edge. If you're in Columbus for the food and the river view, you'll drink fine; just don't come expecting the list to match the ambition of the kitchen.

Mabella's is a reliable dinner-out option in Columbus with a wine list that plays it completely safe — familiar names, steep markups, no real adventure. If you know what you like and you like Caymus, you'll be comfortable here; if you're hoping for a wine list that matches the ambition of the kitchen, keep your expectations in check.

Epic is doing more with wine than most restaurants its size in Columbus, and Wednesday half-price house wines make it worth a midweek detour on their own. The markups get aggressive at the top end and the list plays it safe with California heavyweights, but the bones are good and the Champagne section alone earns it a second look.