Pueblo

Red Robin is a burger chain and makes no apologies for it — the wine program exists only because it has to, and it shows at every level from selection to markup. Order a craft beer from their actual solid tap list and save the wine for somewhere that cares.

The wine program at Red Lobster Pueblo is not a wine program — it's a shelf of familiar labels selected by a committee in a boardroom somewhere. Drink the Matua with your shrimp, accept that this is a Cheddar Bay Biscuit establishment, and save the real wine for dinner somewhere else.

Chop is a perfectly decent steakhouse wine list in a city that isn't exactly drowning in options — nothing on here will blow your mind, but nothing will ruin your night either. Show up on a Wednesday and drink the Lapis Luna Zinfandel at half price while you eat your steak, and you'll leave happy.

1129 is a genuinely fun riverwalk spot for burgers, green chile, and cocktails — but the wine program is essentially decorative. Order a cocktail, eat the empanadas, and save the wine nights for somewhere else.

Twenty One Steak is the best wine program in Pueblo, which is a real thing worth saying out loud. The markups sting and the list plays it safe, but there are genuinely good bottles here if you know where to look — and for a special night on the riverwalk, it delivers.

La Forchetta da Massi is exactly the kind of place the Wild Card badge was made for — a quiet, chef-driven Italian spot in a mid-sized Colorado city that's built an all-Italian wine list with genuine intention. It's not a deep cellar, but it's honest, focused, and worth seeking out if you're anywhere near Pueblo.