When The Wine List Gave Up First
South Springfield · Springfield · American Chain · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 4, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list here is essentially the bottom shelf of a gas station cooler, presented with a laminated menu insert. Ten to fifteen options, all California, all brands you've seen in a grocery store endcap — this is not a wine program so much as a wine afterthought.
Everything here is a nationally distributed, entry-level brand: Sutter Home, Barefoot, Woodbridge, Beringer, Cupcake, Josh Cellars, Kendall-Jackson. There's no regional exploration, no vintage variation worth noting, no producer that required any curation effort whatsoever. The list skews heavily toward California and stops there — no Willamette Pinot, no domestic Rhône, nothing with a story. If your bar for 'selection' is 'red or white,' you're covered.
Five pours by the glass, all in the $6–$9 range, which is genuinely the most defensible thing about this program. You're not getting gouged — you're just getting Barefoot. The options rotate about as often as the décor does, which is to say never.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay — $8.49
At $8.49 a glass, this is the only wine on the list that's a step above grocery-store filler. Retails around $13, so the markup is reasonable, and for a chain Chardonnay it actually delivers some actual fruit character. Lowest bar wins.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Most people here are ordering a Bud Light or a Dollarita, so the Josh Cab at $8.99 gets ignored. It's a crowd-pleasing California Cab that at least has some structure to it — by far the most drinkable red on the list, and in this context that counts for something.
Sutter Home White Zinfandel
It's 2024. The Sutter Home White Zin is here purely out of inertia. Sweet, flat, and a relic of a wine era best left behind. Order literally anything else.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon + Classic Bacon Cheeseburger
The Josh Cab has enough dark fruit and soft tannin to stand up to a bacon cheeseburger without fighting it. This is the most honest pairing you can make here — straightforward wine, straightforward food, no pretense required.
❌ The Bottom Line
The markup is shockingly fair, but you're paying near-retail for wines you could grab at Walgreens on the way home. Order a cocktail, order a beer, and save the wine night for literally anywhere else.
Springfield · Springfield · Casual steakhouse with Australian-themed American cuisine
Outback Springfield isn't where you go to geek out on wine, and it doesn't pretend to be — the list is honest, the prices are reasonable for a chain sit-down, and the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling alone is worth knowing about. If you're here for a steak and you want something decent in your glass, you'll be fine.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Dirksen Parkway / Sunrise Drive · Springfield · American Chain
We wouldn't send anyone to Applebee's specifically for the wine, and we won't start now. If you're here, you're here for the food, the vibe, or the company — and that's perfectly fine. Just know that the wine list is purely incidental.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Springfield · Steakhouse
LongHorn Springfield isn't a wine destination — but with markups this low and pours this affordable, it's one of the better casual chain options in Illinois for a simple red with a big steak. Send a friend here for dinner; just don't tell them to geek out over the list.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Springfield · Italian Chain
Olive Garden Springfield isn't a wine destination, but it's not a wine disaster either — fair markups, a couple of genuinely decent pours, and prices that won't sting. Order the Chianti Classico, enjoy your breadsticks, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Springfield · American Steakhouse, Casual Dining
Texas Roadhouse is not a wine destination — it's a steak and ribs destination with a wine list that exists because it has to. Order a beer or a cocktail and save the wine drinking for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Springfield · Springfield · Seafood and Wine Bar
If you're here for the seafood, the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling has your back and the prices won't hurt. But calling this a wine bar sets an expectation the list can't come close to meeting — order your glass, enjoy the crab cakes, and don't think too hard about what's in the bottle.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.