Steakhouse Hits, No Surprises, Decent Pours
· Peoria · Italian Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 30, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Johnny's Italian Steakhouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Johnny's reads like a greatest hits album from the Napa fan club — Caymus, Silver Oak, The Prisoner, Duckhorn. You know these names. Everyone knows these names. That's exactly the point.
Forty-one labels split between crowd-pleasing Californians and a small but respectable whites section. The reds lean heavily on Napa and Paso Robles Cabernets and blends, with a few Pinot Noir options from Belle Glos and Twomey if you want to go off-script. The whites show more range than you'd expect — Starling Castle Riesling from Germany, Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, and both Lunardi and Banfi San Angelo for Pinot Grigio fans. Don't come looking for Burgundy, Barolo, or anything remotely adventurous — this list was built to satisfy a steak-and-Cabernet crowd, and it does exactly that.
Twenty-eight by-the-glass options is a genuinely strong number for a mid-market steakhouse in Peoria — glasses run $10–$16, which is fair without being cheap. The selection mirrors the bottle list: California-forward, approachable, and unlikely to challenge anyone. A rotating Moscato is the one wildcard on an otherwise static pour lineup.
Inkblot Cabernet Sauvignon, Lodi, California — $50
At $50 a bottle, Inkblot is the underdog of this list — a well-made Lodi Cab that punches above its price point while the Napa bottles climb past $100. If you want red and steak without emptying your wallet, this is the move.
Starling Castle Riesling, Germany
Everyone ignores the Riesling at a steakhouse, which is a mistake. At $46 a bottle, this is a legitimate food wine — off-dry, crisp, and genuinely useful against anything rich or sauced on the menu. The table next to you will order Caymus. You'll be drinking better.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, Italy
At $68 a bottle, Santa Margherita is one of the most marked-up brands in the Italian Pinot Grigio game — it's a fine wine, but you're paying for the label. Lunardi at $42 or Banfi San Angelo at $49 drink just as well and cost meaningfully less.
Pessimist Red Blend, Paso Robles, California + Filet Mignon
The Pessimist is a Petite Sirah-forward blend with enough dark fruit and structure to stand up to a filet without steamrolling it. At $65 it sits in the sweet spot — more interesting than house Cab, less of a commitment than a $140 Caymus.
The Bottom Line
Johnny's wine list is exactly what it is: a well-curated collection of American crowd-pleasers with markups to match the steakhouse zip code. You won't be wowed, but you won't be stuck either — and 28 glasses by the pour means you have options.
Peoria Heights · Peoria · New American
Fusion 45 is doing something genuinely ambitious for Peoria — a creative kitchen with Old World wine ambitions is not nothing — but until we can get eyes on the actual list with prices, we're cautiously optimistic rather than fully sold. Worth a visit, worth asking your server what's good to drink.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Peoria · Steakhouse
Bourbon & Bones has put real effort into building a Champagne list that would hold its own in a major city, but outside the bubbles section the list plays it safe and the markups are steep enough to sting. Come here for the occasion, not the exploration.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Peoria · Hotel Steakhouse
Oak & Prime is a reliable pour for a classic steakhouse night — safe, familiar, and priced accordingly steep. Don't come hunting for discovery, but know that the bones are solid if you stick to the right bottles.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Peoria · Peoria · Seafood
Red Lobster's wine list does exactly what corporate intended: give guests something recognizable to order without scaring anyone off. If you calibrate expectations accordingly — and let the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling do the heavy lifting — you won't be miserable. But you won't be talking about the wine on the drive home either.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Peoria · Peoria · Steakhouse
LongHorn Peoria is a fine place to eat a steak; it is not a fine place to drink wine. Order a cocktail or a beer, enjoy your ribeye, and save the wine night for somewhere that actually cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Peoria · Peoria · Steakhouse
Jim's isn't trying to win a wine award, and it doesn't need to — the list is honest, fairly priced by steakhouse standards, and built to serve the room. If you're in Peoria and want a proper steak with a decent bottle, this is where you go.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Fayetteville · Italian Steakhouse
Enzo puts in more wine effort than most Italian steakhouses in its zip code — the Nebbiolo and Barbera alone signal someone gave a damn about the Italian half of the concept. Markups lean steep rather than punishing, and having every bottle available by the glass is a real guest-friendly move. If you're in Fayetteville and want a credible glass of wine with your dinner, this is the play.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
River North · Chicago · Italian Steakhouse
A Tuscan-steakhouse list that does what the room promises: Tuscany and Piedmont reds, a Napa Cabernet block and 33 wines by the glass. Order the Caparzo Rosso di Montalcino (58) if you want the Montalcino name without the Brunello price, or the Prunotto Barolo (145) with the bone-in ribeye, and ask which number on the glass page is the pour. This unrated guide covers the posted drink book, not service, storage or markups.
South Street Seaport · New York · Italian Steakhouse
Carne Mare posts a short glass list of 15 pours from $18 to $36 that mixes Italy, France and California, with no bottle list on its menus page. Order the Nuraghe Crabioni Vermentino at happy hour for $12 (or $18 after); for red, the Italian pours include the $21 Feudo Montoni Nero d'Avola, the $22 Fattoria Grignano Chianti Rufina and the $35 Luigi Einaudi Barolo. Confirm the list and prices when you book; this unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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