Supper Club Charm, Supermarket Wine List
East Springfield · Springfield · Seafood and Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 4, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Chesapeake Seafood House reads like the shelf you walk past on the way to the checkout line at Walmart. It's short, familiar in all the wrong ways, and clearly hasn't been rethought in years. To be fair, nobody's coming here for the wine — but that doesn't mean it has to be this thin.
Roughly 12-15 wines cover the entire list, and the heavy lifting is done almost entirely by Robert Mondavi Woodbridge across multiple varietals — Cab, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and White Zinfandel. Josh Cellars fills the 'step-up' lane with a Cab, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, and Cupcake Moscato shows up for the crowd that wants dessert in a glass. The one genuinely decent call is the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — a wine that actually belongs on a seafood-forward menu. Beyond that, there's no Old World depth, no regional diversity, and no real effort to match the list to the kitchen's strengths.
Nearly the entire list is available by the glass, which sounds generous until you realize it's 10-12 pours from essentially three producers. Prices run $6.95–$8.95 per glass, which is honest for what you're getting. Bottles top out around $28, so the glass-to-bottle math is reasonable — but the ceiling is very low.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $8.95
The only wine on the list that actually thinks about the food being served. Ste. Michelle's Columbia Valley Riesling is consistently well-made, has enough acidity to cut through a buttery broiled scallop, and at under $9 a glass it's the clear move on a seafood menu.
Roscato Rosso Dolce
Easy to dismiss as a dessert-wine curiosity, but this lightly sweet, low-ABV Italian red is actually fun with the right attitude. Order it cold, drink it with something spicy or fried, and stop overthinking it. It's the most interesting wine on the list by default.
Robert Mondavi Woodbridge White Zinfandel
There is no scenario in 2025 where this is the right call. It's sweet, it's flat, and it belongs at a gas station cooler, not alongside hand-cut steaks and fresh seafood. The Riesling does everything you might be reaching for here and does it much better.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling + Broiled Shrimp Platter
The Riesling's bright stone-fruit character and clean acidity slice right through the richness of a butter-broiled shrimp platter without fighting it. It's the kind of pairing that doesn't need explanation — it just works, and it's the most food-forward combination this list can offer.
❌ The Bottom Line
Chesapeake Seafood House is a genuinely charming Springfield institution with a kitchen that earns its regulars — but the wine list is on autopilot and has been for a while. Order the Riesling, enjoy your prime rib, and save the serious wine drinking for somewhere 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
South Springfield · Springfield · American Chain
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.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
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
Freedom Commons / I-88 Corridor · Naperville · Seafood and Steakhouse
Hugo's Naperville is a reliable, well-run steakhouse wine program that will not let you down and will not excite you. Come for the prime beef and oysters, order the Jordan or the Duckhorn, and don't look too hard at the markup on the Pinot Grigio.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · St. Paul · Seafood and Steakhouse
Kincaid's is exactly what it is — a reliable business-dinner wine list that keeps the table happy without taking any risks. If Monday's half-price bottle promotion holds at this location, it becomes a legitimately solid deal; otherwise, manage expectations and lean into the Port.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Cottonwood Heights · Salt Lake City · Seafood and Steakhouse
Market Street Grill Cottonwood is a dependable neighborhood anchor with a wine list that does exactly what it needs to — nothing more. Send a friend here for the oysters and the Sonoma-Cutrer; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.
Plays It Safe
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.