Chain Steakhouse Wine That Won't Rob You
Rosedale · Bakersfield · Steakhouse, American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 23, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Black Angus Steakhouse – Bakersfield’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list here is exactly what you'd expect from a western-themed chain steakhouse on Rosedale Highway — familiar labels, no surprises, nothing that's going to make you feel clever for ordering it. What does catch you off guard, though, is the pricing: these pours are legitimately cheap, and not in a 'watered-down well wine' kind of way.
The list runs 40-60 bottles deep and sticks firmly to California and domestic heavyweights — Chateau Ste. Michelle, Robert Mondavi, Kendall-Jackson. You're not going to find a grower Champagne or a skin-contact Ribolla Gialla hiding in the back pages, and nobody here is pretending otherwise. The regional focus is narrow by design: this is a crowd-pleaser list built to move bottles alongside ribeyes without making anyone think too hard. The gaps are obvious — no meaningful Rhône-style wines, nothing from the Southern Hemisphere, zero old-world representation — but within its lane, the list is coherent.
Ten to sixteen options by the glass covers the major bases: Cab, Chard, Pinot Noir, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc. The pours skew toward approachable, mid-tier producers that most diners already recognize and trust. There's no rotation program to speak of — what's on the list is what's on the list — but given the pricing, that's a trade-off most people will happily accept.
J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon — $11
Retails for nearly $14 a bottle, and you're paying $11 for a glass. The math on that is genuinely absurd. Seven Oaks is a real Paso Robles Cab — structured, dark-fruited, built for steak — and at this price it's the easiest call on the menu.
La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Everyone at a steakhouse reaches for the Cab, and that's fine. But the La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir at $12 a glass is a legitimately good pour from a solid producer, priced below retail. If you're not in the mood for a heavy red, this is the move — and most tables walk right past it.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
Nothing technically wrong with KJ Chard — it's just everywhere, including every grocery store in America. At $10.50 a glass it's not a rip-off, but you can do better on this list and spend less. Save the glass pour for something with more personality.
J. Lohr Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon + Prime Rib
Prime rib wants a Cab with enough structure to cut through the fat and enough dark fruit to match the richness of the beef. Seven Oaks checks both boxes without being so tannic it fights with the meat. It's the kind of pairing that doesn't need explaining — it just works.
The Bottom Line
Black Angus Bakersfield won't win any awards for adventurous curation, but the pricing is genuinely hard to argue with — you're regularly paying at or below retail for recognizable, food-friendly wines. If you're here for the steak, the wine list won't let you down, and it won't empty your wallet either.
Downtown Bakersfield · Bakersfield · Latin American / Mexican / Spanish / American
Zama is a fun room with a wine list that plays it safe — the markups are real, the picks are predictable, but Wine Wednesday changes the math considerably if you time your visit right. Show up on a Wednesday, order the Riesling or the Bonanza, and enjoy the patio.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Bakersfield · Bakersfield · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Bakersfield is a reliable wine stop if your expectations are calibrated to 'corporate steakhouse': proper storage, competent service, and a list that will not embarrass you or excite you. Send a friend here for the steak; the wine is a supporting actor that knows its role.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Bakersfield · Bakersfield · American diner, breakfast and comfort food
Black Bear Diner is a genuinely good diner doing genuinely good diner things — the wine list just isn't one of them. Order the pancakes, drink the coffee, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that returns the favor.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Ming Avenue · Bakersfield · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse is not a wine destination, and its Bakersfield location makes zero effort to pretend otherwise. Order the beer, enjoy the peanuts, and save your wine ambitions for somewhere that has any.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Bakersfield · Steakhouse
Outback's wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a national chain: safe, overpriced for what it is, and clearly an afterthought. Order a cocktail or a beer, enjoy your steak, and save the wine drinking for somewhere that gives a damn.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bakersfield · Bakersfield · Italian-American
Olive Garden's wine list is a corporate afterthought designed to generate margin, not pleasure — and the Bakersfield location is no exception. Order the cocktails, enjoy the breadsticks, and save the wine conversation for a different night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
River Road · Gatlinburg · Steakhouse, American
The Peddler is a legitimately great steakhouse experience in a gorgeous setting, and the wine list is competent enough to get the job done — but it's a supporting cast, not a destination. Order the Jordan, get the steak, enjoy the river view, and don't expect the list to surprise you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Parkway · Gatlinburg · Steakhouse, American
Alamo Steakhouse is genuinely great at what it does — the oak-fired meats are the draw and they deliver. But the wine list is purely functional, overpriced for what it is, and built for tourists who aren't going to push back on a Kendall-Jackson upcharge. Come for the steak, order a bourbon, and save the wine enthusiasm for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Lionshead · Vail · Steakhouse, American
Vail Chophouse is a dependable après-ski and dinner destination that plays its wine program straight down the middle — familiar names, steep but expected mountain-town pricing, and a list that won't let you down if you stick to the California Cabs. We'd send a friend here for the steak and the view, with a note to skip the Josh and go straight to Jordan.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
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.
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