The Steak's The Star, Not The Wine
North Lakeland · Lakeland · Steakhouse
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 6, 2026
RagingWine reviewed LongHorn Steakhouse’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 reads like a grocery store endcap that got laminated and handed to you between the bread basket and the blooming onion. Nothing surprises you, nothing offends you, and nothing makes you think anyone spent more than twenty minutes curating it. It's functional the same way a plastic fork is functional.
Thirty to forty bottles, almost entirely California mass-market brands — Woodbridge, Canyon Road, Apothic, Turning Leaf — with a lone Italian showing up in the form of Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio and a single Pacific Northwest rep in Michelle Riesling. There's no real regional story being told here, no small producers, no interesting grapes, and no sense that anyone considered what actually drinks well with a ribeye beyond 'red wine, probably.' The Beringer White Zinfandel is still on this list in the year of our lord, and that tells you everything you need to know about who's steering the ship.
Fifteen options by the glass is genuinely decent coverage for a casual chain, and the price ceiling of around $10.79 keeps it accessible. The problem is the range spans Apothic Red to Mirassou Moscato, which is less a curated selection and more a greatest-hits album from 2009. Rotation appears nonexistent — this list has the energy of something updated once a fiscal year.
Michelle Riesling — $8
Michelle is a legitimately solid Washington State producer, and Riesling is wildly underordered at steakhouses — which means you're getting something that actually has craft behind it at the same price point as everything else on the list. Off-dry, bright acidity, and it holds its own.
Michelle Riesling
Most people walk into a steakhouse and auto-pilot toward a Cab. That's a mistake when the Cab is Woodbridge. Michelle's Riesling from Washington is the sleeper on this list — a real winery making a real wine that nobody at this table is ordering.
Beringer White Zinfandel
It's 2024. There is no version of this that ends well for you. Move on.
Red Rock Malbec + Outlaw Ribeye
Malbec's dark fruit and soft tannins are one of the more forgiving matches for a well-marbled ribeye, and Red Rock is inoffensive enough to stay out of the steak's way. It's not an inspired pairing, but at this price point it's the move.
The Bottom Line
Come for the steak, order whatever beer they have on draft, and save the wine conversation for somewhere else. LongHorn isn't pretending to be a wine destination, and at least the prices reflect that — but the list has the ambition of a footnote.
· Lakeland · Italian
The Macaroni Grill Lakeland wine list is functional the way a vending machine is functional — it dispenses what you ask for without fuss or personality. The by-the-glass breadth gives casual drinkers options, but the markups on several bottles and the complete absence of anything interesting or Italian-forward make this a list you tolerate rather than enjoy. Order the Lambrusco or the Trapiche Malbec and call it a night.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Lakeland · Steakhouse
Texas Cattle Company isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list doesn't pretend otherwise — but fair pricing across 17 glass pours and a genuine quality tier anchored by Halter Ranch Cab make this a reliable place to drink reasonably well with your steak. If you're with a group that just wants something cold and red without a lecture, this list does its job.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Lakeland · Bistro / European
Bay Street Bistro earns its reputation as Lakeland's go-to for a romantic, upscale dinner — the food clearly punches above the city's weight class. The wine program, however, doesn't match that ambition: pricing skews steep relative to what's on offer, and there's no evidence of the curation or deals you'd want alongside a $40 entrée. Go for the Beef Wellington, but do your homework on the wine list before you commit to a bottle.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Lakeland · Italian
Carrabba's Lakeland is a place you drink wine at, not a place you go to drink wine. If you're here, order the cheapest bottle that sounds like Italy and focus on the food.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Lakeland · Seafood / New Orleans-inspired
Harry's Lakeland is a dependable pit stop — fair prices, an absurdly generous by-the-glass program, and a list that won't intimidate anyone. It's not a destination for wine, but it's also not going to ruin your dinner.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Lakeland · Food Hall (Multi-Concept)
The Joinery is a Wild Card in the best sense: a food hall that actually thought about its wine program, priced it fairly, and threw in a Greek white and some non-alcoholic options for good measure. Don't come here expecting a deep list, but do come expecting to drink something decent without getting gouged.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Irvine · Steakhouse
Bourbon Steak Irvine is running one of the most ambitious wine programs in Orange County — 225 labels, 31 by the glass, and a list with genuine personality beyond the expected steakhouse anchors. Markups get steep at the top end, but the by-the-glass range at the $15–$32 tier offers real drinking at fair prices. If you care about what's in your glass, this list rewards the attention.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
· Irvine · Steakhouse
The Capital Grille Costa Mesa is exactly what it is: a well-run corporate steakhouse with a Champagne list that punches above the room's ambition and a Chardonnay section that covers the safe California bases reliably. Markups are steep throughout and the list doesn't take any risks, but if you know what you want — a glass of Hartford Court or a bottle of Schramsberg before your steak — you'll be fine. Just don't come looking for discovery.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Honolulu · Steakhouse
The Capital Grille Hawaii's wine list does what the brand does everywhere — it's safe, corporate, and priced to capture resort-market margins. The Champagne selection is genuinely deep and includes some worthwhile picks like the Paul Bara and the Llopart Cava, but markups are steep and there's little here to excite anyone looking beyond the obvious. If you're here for a steak and want bubbles, you'll find something that works — just don't expect the list to dazzle you.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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