Great Steaks, Forgot to Try on Wine
Downtown · Bloomington · Steakhouse, American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Janko's Little Zagreb’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Janko's reads like a grocery store endcap — familiar labels, zero surprises, and a strong suggestion that wine is an afterthought here. That's not a dealbreaker for a no-frills steakhouse, but when you're dropping $45 on a ribeye, you'd hope the wine program kept pace. It doesn't.
The list leans hard into California's most recognizable names — Josh Cellars, Apothic Red, Kendall-Jackson, Robert Mondavi Private Selection — and doesn't venture much beyond that comfort zone. There's no Malbec, no Syrah, no Zinfandel to at least shake things up for the steak crowd. The upper tier gets you a Robert Mondavi Napa Cabernet, which is at least a step up in quality, but even that's hardly adventurous for a steakhouse that's been around this long. The list appears frozen in time, and not in a charming, old-world way.
The glass program runs about 8-10 options at $8-$14, which is fine for Bloomington pricing, but you're largely choosing between the same California mainstream bottles you've seen a hundred times. There's no rotation, no seasonal add to keep things interesting, and no real incentive to go off the standard red or white call. If you're here for a quick pour before your steak arrives, it gets the job done — barely.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay — $36
Still marked up at roughly 2.5x retail, but among the bottles on this list it's at least a wine with consistent quality and decent fruit weight for the price. It's the least offensive value play here.
Robert Mondavi Napa Cabernet
It's not exactly obscure, but in a list full of entry-level labels, the Napa-designation Mondavi is a legitimate step up in concentration and structure — and most tables here are grabbing the cheaper stuff without noticing it exists.
Apothic Red
At $32 a bottle for a wine that retails at $10, you're paying a 220% markup on a blended table red that you could grab at a gas station on the way home. Hard pass.
Robert Mondavi Napa Cabernet + New York Strip
The Napa Cab has enough dark fruit and structure to stand up to a well-marbled strip without getting steamrolled. It's the one wine on this list that actually earns its place next to a proper steakhouse cut.
The Bottom Line
Janko's earns its reputation on the strength of its steaks — the wine list is just along for the ride and not trying very hard. Order the best bottle you can stomach paying for, focus on the beef, and don't overthink it.
Downtown Bloomington · Bloomington · Eclectic Cafe / Breakfast & Brunch
Come to the Runcible Spoon for the atmosphere, the eggs, and the coffee — the wine list is an afterthought and the restaurant knows it. If you need something in a glass, the Graffigna Malbec won't embarrass you, but don't build your evening around the wine program.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Side · Bloomington · American / Comfort Food
Cheddar's Bloomington is a perfectly fine place to eat a big plate of comfort food, but the wine program is an afterthought at best and a quiet ripoff at worst. Order a cocktail, order a beer, or bring your own if they allow it — just don't come here expecting wine to be part of the night.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bloomington · Modern Mexican
La Una Cantina is a genuinely fun night out — order the mezcal, order the tacos, and don't overthink the wine list because the restaurant clearly didn't. If wine is your thing, this is a cocktail night.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bloomington · Turkish / Mediterranean
Anatolia is a Wild Card not because the list is adventurous top to bottom — it's mostly not — but because a Turkish restaurant in a college town with 27 glass pours, a Gigondas, a Jadot Pouilly Fuissé, and an actual Turkish wine from Kavaklidere is doing something more interesting than the Caymus-heavy lineup suggests. Come for the food, skip the safe American blockbusters, and let the Kavaklidere or Gigondas do the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bloomington · Indian (Northern and Southern), Halal-friendly
Taste of India is clearly beloved for its food, and it should be — but the wine list is an afterthought that no one has revisited in a while. Order a mango lassi, a Kingfisher if they have it, or save the wine for a restaurant that's actually trying.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Side · Bloomington · Japanese (sushi, hibachi, and classic Japanese dishes)
Mori is swinging bigger on wine than any casual Japanese spot in Bloomington has a right to, and we respect the effort. The markups and the California-red tunnel vision hold it back from being a destination wine stop, but if you're already there for sushi, there's a genuinely interesting bottle or two worth finding.
Plays It Safe
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
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