The Wine List Phoned It In, Pardner
Unknown · Bloomington · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed LongHorn Steakhouse – Bloomington’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at LongHorn Bloomington reads like the beverage aisle at a grocery store that got a Western makeover. You'll recognize every name on here — because you've seen them on end caps at Kroger. There's nothing wrong with that, exactly, but it doesn't exactly inspire confidence when you're about to drop money on a ribeye.
The list leans hard on California with Washington making a token appearance via Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — one of the few genuinely interesting bottles here. Otherwise, it's a parade of mass-market staples: Kendall-Jackson, Josh Cellars, Meiomi. No independent producers, no Old World representation worth mentioning, no deep cuts. The 20-35 bottle range sounds fine on paper until you realize half of it is just different SKUs from the same handful of brands.
Eight to twelve options by the glass in the $8–$14 range, which at least keeps the damage manageable. The pours skew predictably toward California Cab and Pinot Noir crowd-pleasers — great if that's your lane, limiting if it's not. Don't expect any rotation; what's on the menu today was probably on the menu a year ago.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $9
It's the one wine on this list that actually has a sense of place. Chateau Ste. Michelle makes a legitimately good Columbia Valley Riesling at scale, and at chain restaurant glass prices, it's the sharpest pick on the menu — especially if you're ordering the Wild West Shrimp.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
In a room full of Cab drinkers, nobody's reaching for the Riesling — and that's a shame. It's bright, slightly off-dry, and actually holds up to the spice and sweetness on this menu better than anything else on the list.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Josh Cellars is a $12 bottle at your local wine shop marked up to chain restaurant pricing for the privilege of drinking it out of a standard stem. Save yourself the math — it's not a bad wine, but you're paying a steep premium for convenience.
Meiomi Pinot Noir + Flo's Filet
Meiomi's soft, fruit-forward style doesn't fight with a tender filet the way a tannic Cab would. It's an easy-drinking match that lets the steak do the talking — which, at LongHorn, is the whole point.
The Bottom Line
LongHorn's wine list exists to check a box, not to elevate your meal. Stick to the Riesling or the Meiomi, enjoy your steak, and don't expect the wine program to be the reason you came.
· Bloomington · New American / Tasting Room
Mystic Kitchen is the kind of wine-forward spot that feels genuinely out of place in Bloomington, and we mean that as a compliment — a sommelier, a tasting room concept, and a kitchen that swings adventurous is a combination worth seeking out. We'd go, ask lots of questions, and let the staff do their job.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bloomington · Wine Shop with Food-Friendly Offerings
Le Marchand De Vin is selling wine, not a wine experience — and with three Napa Cabs as your entire universe, it reads more like a curated shelf display than a real program. Come if you specifically want Napa Cab at fair prices; come elsewhere if you want anything else.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Bloomington · New American
The Eastside BloNo has no business offering Gruner Veltliner and Grenache by the glass for under three bucks in central Illinois, and yet here we are. It's not a destination wine list, but the pricing is so aggressively reasonable that it earns a hard recommendation — show up, drink widely, and spend almost nothing.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Bloomington · Steakhouse
Logan's Roadhouse is a perfectly fine place to eat a steak and throw peanut shells on the floor — but the wine list is an afterthought, and the markup makes ordering a bottle feel like a small punishment. Stick to one glass of the Riesling or pivot to a beer.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Bloomington · Bloomington · Steakhouse/American
Jim's isn't trying to be a wine destination and it doesn't pretend otherwise — but the markups are fair, the selections are well-matched to the food, and there's enough range to keep things interesting for a night out. Send a friend here for the steak; the wine will hold up just fine.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Bloomington · Bloomington · American
You're not coming to Hy-Vee Market Grille for a wine revelation — but on a Wednesday, with half-price pours and half-price sushi, it's one of the better casual deals in town. Manage expectations, bring cash, and embrace the absurdity.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
SanTan Village · Chandler · Steakhouse
Bourbon & Bones SanTan has a reserve list that punches above its suburban strip-mall weight class — the Heitz Martha's Vineyard duo, Dominus, and the rogue Egon Müller Riesling are all legitimate gets. The pricing is unambiguously steep and the list has real gaps, but if you're celebrating something and want a specific California collectible with your ribeye, this is one of the more unexpected places to find it in the East Valley.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· White Plains · Steakhouse
This appears to be a Restaurant Week wine promotion rather than Benjamin Steakhouse's full list, and we'd want to see a complete menu before rendering a final verdict on the overall program. Based on what's sourced here, though, the wine offering is thin for a steakhouse of this caliber — if you're coming for a serious bottle of Cab with your dry-aged ribeye, call ahead and ask what's actually on the full list.
Grocery Store
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Pleasant Valley · Colorado Springs · Steakhouse
A compact, fully priced list of 16 wines with a glass and a bottle price printed for every wine. Start with the Angeline Cabernet at $10 a glass for a low-cost red, or the L' Ecole Merlot at $17 if you want the Washington bottle, and confirm prices since the page is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted wine 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.
List Variety
Markup
Glassware
Staff
Specials & Deals
Storage & Temp
