Meat Is The Point, Not The Wine
Route 85 / 355 corridor · Frederick · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 13, 2026
RagingWine reviewed LongHorn Steakhouse - Frederick’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 here reads like a grocery store endcap — familiar labels, zero surprises, and nothing that demands a second look. It exists because a steakhouse has to have wine, not because anyone put serious thought into it. If you came hoping to find something interesting next to your ribeye, temper those expectations now.
Thirty bottles deep, and almost every name is a mass-market California or Washington State workhorse you've seen at every chain from here to Phoenix. Kendall-Jackson, Meiomi, Mark West, Woodbridge, 14 Hands — these are reliable crowd pleasers at the supermarket, but at restaurant markups they lose whatever value proposition they had. There's a token nod to Washington State with Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, which is at least a thoughtful grape choice for a food-forward context, but the list never strays far from safe. No Rhône, no Italy, no Argentina, no serious Burgundy — just a narrow lane of new-world softballs.
Twelve pours cover the basics: a couple of whites, a rosé somewhere in the mix, and a parade of reds dominated by Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. The $8–$14 glass range sounds accessible until you realize you're paying $12 for a Meiomi Pinot that retails for $16 a bottle. Rotation appears nonexistent — this list is set and forgotten.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $9
At the low end of the glass price range, this Washington State Riesling is the one pour that actually makes sense on a steakhouse menu — it has enough acidity to cut through rich sauces and plays well with spice. It's not a revelation, but it's a legitimate wine at a price that won't sting.
14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon
It gets buried under flashier labels like Meiomi and Kendall-Jackson, but 14 Hands Cab is a sturdy, straightforward Washington State red with enough dark fruit and structure to actually stand up to a grilled steak. Most people grab the Meiomi by default — the 14 Hands is the better call at the table.
Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon
Robert Mondavi's entry-level label retails for around $8 a bottle. Ordering it by the glass at steakhouse prices means you're paying close to bottle cost for a pour that belongs at a Tuesday night dinner at home, not next to a $35 Outlaw Ribeye.
14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon + Outlaw Ribeye
A big, well-marbled ribeye wants a red with enough structure to match the fat and char. The 14 Hands Cab brings dark fruit and mild tannins that won't overwhelm but will hold their own against LongHorn's signature cut. It's the most honest match on this list.
The Bottom Line
LongHorn is here to sell you a steak, and it does that job well enough — but the wine list is an afterthought at best. Order the beef, skip the wine, and save the bottle for somewhere that actually cares.
Downtown Frederick · Frederick · Wine Bar
If you've never had Black Ankle and you're anywhere near Frederick, this is the easiest yes we can give you — a rare chance to taste one of Maryland's genuinely great producers in a focused, unpretentious setting. The single-producer format is a limitation, but when the producer is this good, it barely matters.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Westview / Buckeystown Pike · Frederick · Peruvian
Mayta's isn't a wine destination, but Wine Down Wednesday makes it a genuinely fun, affordable place to eat and drink well enough. Come for the Lomo Saltado, grab the Malbec at half price, and don't overthink it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Route 85 corridor · Frederick · Japanese
Miyako's wine list exists to check a box, and it does that — nothing more. Order the sake, order a cocktail, or make peace with a Canyon Road pour and focus on the hibachi show.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Frederick · Frederick · Mediterranean / Meze
Ayse is the kind of place that surprises you — a Frederick meze lounge with a genuinely considered Italian-leaning wine list that punches above its weight class, even if markups and a static program hold it back from true greatness. Send a friend here, but tell them to skip the Amarone and ask for the Moschofilero.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Route 85 retail corridor · Frederick · Seafood / Grill
Bonefish Grill Frederick is a fine place to eat seafood, but the wine list is pure chain-restaurant autopilot — low risk, low reward, and no one in the kitchen or behind the bar is losing sleep over it. Order the Riesling at Social Hour, enjoy your salmon, and save the wine exploration for somewhere that's actually trying.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Westview · Frederick · Italian
Carrabba's Frederick isn't a wine destination, but it's a chain that actually tried — Italian-leaning list, credible producers, food-friendly pours. Send your friend here if they want a decent Chianti with their pasta and don't want to think too hard about it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Waikīkī · Honolulu · Steakhouse
Ruth's Chris Waikīkī is a dependable splurge for steak night, but the wine list is corporate comfort food — Napa-forward, markup-heavy, and unlikely to surprise you. If wine is the point of your evening, this isn't your destination; if steak is the point, it'll get the job done.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Proper
Houston · Houston · Steakhouse
Doris Metropolitan's wine list is quietly one of the more interesting steakhouse lists in Houston — fair pricing, a globe-trotting selection with actual personality, and a dessert wine program that embarrasses most dedicated wine bars. We'd send a friend here with confidence.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Francisco · San Francisco · Steakhouse
STK San Francisco has the bones of a wine program and the ambition of a hotel minibar. With only three by-the-glass pours, a list built entirely around safe brand names, and steep markups baked into the concept, this is a place to order a cocktail or splurge on a specific bottle you already know you want.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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