Tourist-Friendly Steakhouse That Actually Tries
Central Myrtle Beach (US-17) · Myrtle Beach · American / Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 21, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Carolina Roadhouse’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 at Carolina Roadhouse feels exactly like the restaurant itself — built to keep a broad crowd happy without rocking the boat. It's California-heavy, brand-recognizable, and priced for tourists who aren't going to argue. That said, there are a few genuine names buried in here that earn a second look.
Twenty-six labels with a strong lean toward California, particularly Napa and Sonoma, with some New Zealand, German, and Italian representation rounding out the edges. The producers aren't random — Freemark Abbey, Robert Craig, and Belle Glos are legitimate picks, not just grocery store shelf-fillers. What you won't find is much adventure: no Rhône, no Burgundy, no skin-contact anything. This list was designed to make the prime rib crowd comfortable, and it largely succeeds at that narrower mission. The gap in value-oriented bottles is real — almost everything skews $55 and up at bottle prices.
Here's something genuinely unusual: all 26 labels are available by the glass, which is rare and worth acknowledging. Glass prices run $7.95 to $13.95, meaning you can try the Loosen Bros. 'Dr. L' Riesling or the Belle Glos Dairyman Pinot Noir without committing to a full bottle — a smart move for a tourist-heavy dining room where tables aren't always on the same page about what to drink. No rotating program or weekly specials, though — what you see is what you get.
Loosen Bros. 'Dr L' Riesling, Mosel, Germany — $7.95
One of the best QPR white wines in the world at retail, and at $7.95 a glass it's the most honest pour on this list. It's bright, off-dry, and cuts right through the richness of ribs or salmon. Most people at this table will order Chardonnay by default — let them.
Robert Craig Affinity Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Robert Craig is a legitimately respected Napa producer that flies under the radar compared to the Mondavis of the world. The Affinity blend consistently overdelivers for its tier, and at $99 it's not cheap — but it's one of the few bottles on this list where the wine itself justifies the price tag rather than just the label recognition.
The Prisoner Red Blend, Napa Valley
At $85 a bottle, The Prisoner is a lifestyle brand masquerading as a wine. It's fine — sweet, smooth, crowd-pleasing — but it's also a $25-30 retail bottle that's been marked up to exploit its Instagram-famous label. You're paying for the name. Order anything else.
Belle Glos 'Dairyman' Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley + Grilled Salmon
Belle Glos Dairyman is a bigger, richer Pinot than most — it has the structure to stand up to a piece of fatty grilled salmon without bulldozing it. It's one of the few pairings on this list where the wine and the kitchen are actually talking to each other.
✔️ The Bottom Line
Carolina Roadhouse isn't a wine destination, but it's not an embarrassment either — the all-BTG setup and a handful of solid Napa producers make it a workable option for a steakhouse on the tourist strip. Just skip The Prisoner, order the Riesling, and keep your expectations calibrated to the zip code.
Arcadian Shores / Restaurant Row · Myrtle Beach · Italian
Crave punches above its Myrtle Beach zip code on the Italian side of the list, but the markups are beach-town steep and the by-the-glass program needs more ambition. If you're here, dig into the Italian bottles and leave the California brand parade alone.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Coastal Grand Mall area · Myrtle Beach · Mexican
Abuelo's wine program is an afterthought dressed up as a wine list — four California bottles, grocery-store-level selection, and markups that don't reward curiosity. Order a margarita and don't look back.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Myrtle Beach / Restaurant Row · Myrtle Beach · Brazilian steakhouse / churrascaria
Rioz is a genuinely fun place to eat — the meat service is relentless and the energy is high — but the wine program is an afterthought in a room that deserves better. Order the Malbec, enjoy the picanha, and don't come here expecting anything from the wine list.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Myrtle Beach Intracoastal · Myrtle Beach · Seafood, Ribs, Burgers, Sushi, American Bar & Grill
Boardwalk Billy's is a fun spot to eat and drink a cold beer on the water — lean into that. The wine list is an afterthought stocked with recognizable labels that require zero effort from anyone involved, and the markup doesn't justify the selection. Order a cocktail or a local draft and save the wine night for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murrells Inlet MarshWalk · Myrtle Beach · Seafood
Drunken Jack's isn't a wine destination — it's a great seafood spot on a beautiful stretch of South Carolina coast that happens to have a wine list that won't embarrass itself. Order the Macon-Villages or Pine Ridge blend, watch the marsh at sunset, and stop overthinking it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Murrells Inlet MarshWalk · Myrtle Beach · Seafood / Sushi
Wicked Tuna's wine list is a reliable, unfussy companion to a genuinely fun waterfront dining experience — it won't wow anyone, but it won't let anyone down either. Come for the sushi, the sunset, and the $2-off happy hour pours; just don't come expecting to geek out over the cellar.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
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