Waco's Best Steakhouse Wine List, Mostly
Woodway / Marketplace area · Waco · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 16, 2026
RagingWine reviewed 135 Prime’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at 135 Prime signals ambition — 80 to 150 bottles is legitimately substantial for a Waco steakhouse, and the presence of weekly wine specials suggests someone in the building is paying attention. That said, the dessert wine and port markups tell a different story, one where the house is taking full advantage of a captive audience at the end of the meal.
The list leans heavily California, which makes sense for a steakhouse crowd, with Kathryn Kennedy's 'Small Lot' Cab from Santa Cruz Mountains serving as the prestige anchor — this is a serious wine from a serious producer, not a vanity listing. What's more interesting is the international reach showing up in the weekly specials: Can Sumoi's Xarel·lo out of Catalunya is a genuinely offbeat pick that most Texas steakhouses wouldn't touch, and El Enemigo Chardonnay from Mendoza brings some Argentine ambition beyond the usual Malbec reflex. The gaps are in transparency — we can't fully assess depth across Burgundy, Rhône, or domestic Pinot, so the 'Solid Range' grade comes with an asterisk.
Ten to sixteen pours by the glass is a respectable spread for this market, and the weekly special rotation at least suggests the BTG program isn't just a set-it-and-forget-it afterthought. We'd want to see more consistent transparency on what's actually in those pours week to week before calling it a standout program.
Can Sumoi Xarel·lo, Catalunya — $50
A bright, textural Catalan white that punches well above its price class — this is the kind of thoughtful, food-friendly pick that earns its spot on a steakhouse list and won't break the bank.
El Enemigo Chardonnay
Most people at a steakhouse skip past Argentine Chardonnay without a second glance, but El Enemigo makes a genuinely compelling case — structured, not flabby, with enough tension to hold up against rich dishes. It's the underdog on this list that earns your order.
Sandeman Founder's Reserve Port
At $11 a glass against an $18 retail bottle, you're paying over three times retail for an entry-level Port that's available at every grocery store in America. Order the Dow's or Fonseca if you must have Port, but even those are marked up steeply — this one is the most egregious of the bunch.
Kathryn Kennedy 'Small Lot' Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz Mountains + Prime steak
Santa Cruz Mountain Cab brings a structure and minerality that Napa can't always deliver — it's leaner, more focused, and cuts through the fat of a prime cut without steamrolling it. This is the bottle you came to a steakhouse for.
The Bottom Line
135 Prime is doing more with a wine list than Waco has any right to expect from its steakhouse scene, and the weekly specials show genuine curiosity. Just keep your guard up when the dessert wine list arrives — that's where the house cashes in.
Central Waco / Richland Mall area · Waco · American gastropub / brewery fare
BJ's wine list exists because it has to, not because anyone loves it — this is a beer destination first and everything else is an afterthought. If you're here on a Wednesday during happy hour, grab the $5 Dark Horse and call it honest; otherwise, just drink the beer.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Central Waco / Loop 340 · Waco · Casual Chain Italian-American
Olive Garden Waco's wine list is a corporate afterthought dressed up with Italian flags — gouge-level markups on supermarket bottles, no staff expertise, and zero ambition. Order the cocktails, drink the endless coffee, or BYOB if they'll let you. The breadsticks don't need wine anyway.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Southwest Waco / I-35 corridor · Waco · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse is a great place for a hand-cut steak, cold beer, and line-dancing servers — but the wine list is essentially a placeholder. Come for the food, order a Lone Star, and leave the wine ambitions at home.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Waco / Valley Mills Drive · Waco · Steakhouse
Outback Waco's wine program is what happens when a corporate chain treats wine as a line item instead of an experience — overpriced grocery store bottles with zero staff expertise and zero reason to explore the list. Order the beer, order the cocktail, or BYOB if they'll let you.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Waco / near Richland Mall · Waco · Steakhouse
Saltgrass is here for the steak, and the steak is genuinely good — but the wine program is an afterthought wearing a price tag. Order the ribeye, split a bottle of Decoy if you must, and don't expect anyone on staff to help you think beyond that.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waco · Waco · American, French
One Thirty Five Prime is the best wine list in Waco and it's not particularly close — a knowledgeable sommelier, a well-kept California cellar, and a room that actually respects the bottle. Just go in knowing you're paying steakhouse prices for steakhouse selections, and you'll have a great night.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
Hal's delivers a competent, Napa-forward bottle list that does exactly what a steakhouse wine program is supposed to do — just without much surprise or value mercy. Send a friend here if they want a reliable big-red experience; warn them to leave the credit card breathing room.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Houston · Steakhouse
Perry's is a reliable steakhouse wine list — nothing that'll make you rethink your palate, but enough to drink well with red meat if you know where to look. The fortified and dessert wine section is genuinely worth your attention; the rest is competent but forgettable.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
New York Prime's wine list is exactly what it needs to be for its audience — safe, recognizable, and priced for expense accounts. If you know what you want and don't mind paying for it, you'll be fine; just don't come looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
