Breadsticks Win. The Wine Does Not.
North Bismarck · Bismarck · Italian Chain
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 15, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Olive Garden’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 Olive Garden Bismarck reads like the aisle at a mid-tier grocery store — familiar labels, zero surprises, and priced like the restaurant knows you're not going anywhere else tonight. It's a laminated card, not a list, and it feels exactly that considered.
The lineup is a greatest hits of approachable American brands: Chateau Ste. Michelle covering both Riesling and Chardonnay, Robert Mondavi Private Selection Cabernet, Beringer Merlot, and Meiomi Pinot Noir holding down the California side. Italy gets a nod with Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico and Castello del Poggio Moscato, plus the chain's own Porta Vita house blends, but don't expect any regional depth or discovery. There are no grower wines, no interesting appellations, no reason a wine-curious person would linger on this list. It's designed for people who want something recognizable, not something good.
By-the-glass options mirror the bottle list — same predictable producers, same safe styles, all available in pours that won't offend anyone at the table. Exact pour counts aren't documented for this location, but the chain standard runs roughly eight to ten options. Rotation is essentially nonexistent; this list is set and forgotten each season.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $26–$28 est.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Columbia Valley Riesling is genuinely good wine — bright, balanced, off-dry without being cloying — and it's the one bottle here where the producer actually earns the shelf space. If you're drinking wine tonight, this is your move.
Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico
Most tables here will order Meiomi or a Moscato without a second thought, but the Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico is the only bottle on this list with any real Italian bones. It's a legitimate producer in Castellina, and Chianti Classico with tomato-forward pasta is a no-brainer that goes completely ignored at a restaurant that bills itself as Italian.
Beringer Merlot
At nearly 3x retail, Beringer Merlot is the worst value on the list by a wide margin. It's a $9 grocery store bottle wearing a $26 restaurant price tag, and it drinks exactly like what it is. Hard pass.
Rocca delle Macie Chianti Classico + Tour of Italy
The Tour of Italy — lasagna, chicken parm, fettuccine alfredo on one plate — is rich, tomato-heavy, and exactly what Sangiovese was made to cut through. The Chianti Classico's acidity and savory edge handle the red sauce and the cheese without getting buried, which is more than the Merlot can say.
The Bottom Line
Olive Garden Bismarck is a fine place to eat breadsticks and catch up with family. It is not a fine place to drink wine — the list is predictable, the markups are punishing, and nobody here is losing sleep over the cellar. Order the Riesling or the Chianti Classico, skip everything else, and save the serious bottle for a different night.
Downtown · Bismarck · Italian, Wine Bar
Anima Cucina is the kind of spot that earns Wild Card status not by being weird, but by being genuinely ambitious in a market where ambition is rare. We can't vouch for specific bottles until we see the full list, but the intent here is right — go in curious and ask your server what's drinking well tonight.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Bismarck · Bismarck · Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi
Kobe's is a fun night out for the hibachi show and the sushi — just don't expect the wine list to be part of that fun. Order a Japanese beer, grab the house pour if you need wine, and save the serious drinking for somewhere else.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Bismarck · Bismarck · Seafood
The wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a national chain — minimal effort, minimal reward. The $5 pours keep it from being a total write-off, but you're not coming to Red Lobster Bismarck for the wine, and nobody expects you to.
Crowd Pleasers
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Bismarck · Fine Dining Bar
For Bismarck, Pirogue Grille is doing respectable work — familiar producers, reasonable variety, and a glass program that won't leave you stranded. Just go in knowing the markups are steep, pick your battles, and let the 'J' Pinot or Sokol Blosser do the heavy lifting.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northwest Bismarck · Bismarck · Pub / Bar Food
Old Town Tavern is a solid neighborhood pub that happens to have wine on the menu — emphasis on 'happens to.' Come for the steak dinner and the patio, order a beer or a cocktail, and treat the $5 Coastal Vines as a convenience, not a destination.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Bismarck · Bismarck · Steakhouse & Seafood
40 Steak + Seafood is doing exactly what a North Bismarck steakhouse should do with wine — safe, recognizable, and reasonably well-stocked — but don't come here looking for adventure or value. Come for the ribeye, pick Jordan or Goldeneye, and call it a win.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Shreveport · Italian Chain
This is a chain wine list doing exactly what chain wine lists do: safe brands, predictable pricing, no real curation. The markups are real — Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay at $41 a bottle isn't the restaurant doing you any favors — and the selection never ventures beyond what you'd find at a supermarket. If wine matters to you, this isn't where you're going to find anything to talk about; if you just want a glass of something with your Chicken Bryan, it'll do the job.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Belden Village · Canton · Italian Chain
Carrabba's Canton isn't a wine destination and doesn't pretend to be — four reds and a seasonal dinner don't make a wine program. Order the cocktail, or BYOB if they allow it.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
· Chula Vista · Italian Chain
Romano's Macaroni Grill isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes no attempt to pretend otherwise. Order a $4 house red, enjoy the pasta, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
Grocery Store
Fair
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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