Breadsticks Win. The Wine List Does Not.
Broadway · Idaho Falls · Italian-American
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 16, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Olive Garden’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 arrives tucked inside a laminated folder, sandwiched between the pasta specials and the dessert menu — which tells you everything you need to know about its priority level here. It's the kind of list designed to sell bottles, not to inform them. Nothing surprising, nothing embarrassing, nothing memorable.
We're looking at 30-40 bottles anchored almost entirely in Italy and California, which tracks for the concept but leaves no room for anything adventurous. The heavy hitters — Ruffino, Santa Margherita, Ecco Domani — are grocery store staples you've seen a hundred times, just marked up for the occasion. There's no real depth here: no Barolo, no Brunello, no interesting Sicilian or Venetian producer that might make you sit up straight. The list does exactly what corporate tested it to do: keep the decision easy and the margins healthy.
Ten to fifteen pours by the glass at $7–$13 is technically generous for a chain, but the selection is predictable from top to bottom. You're not getting rotation or seasonal excitement — this program is set and forget, the same bottles month after month. At least the entry price keeps it from being a total disaster.
Ruffino Chianti — $9
It's a workhorse Sangiovese that actually makes sense on this menu. Not exciting, but honest — and at the lower end of the glass pour range, it's the least painful choice on the list.
Dardano Cabernet Sauvignon
Most tables here default to Santa Margherita without a second thought, but the Dardano Cab is the overlooked option that actually has some structure to it. It won't blow your mind, but it drinks better than its sticker price suggests.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
You're paying a premium for a brand name that retails for $20 at any grocery store. The wine itself is fine, but the markup here is not — there's better value on the same list if you're willing to look past the label.
Ruffino Chianti + Lasagna Classico
Chianti and tomato-based red sauce is the most obvious call on the menu, and obvious isn't always wrong. The acidity in the Sangiovese cuts through the richness of the meat and bechamel without fighting the dish for attention.
❌ The Bottom Line
This is the wine list equivalent of unlimited breadsticks — comforting, familiar, and not something you'd brag about to anyone. Come for the pasta, order a cocktail, or bring your own bottle if they'll let you.
Idaho Falls · Idaho Falls · Steakhouse / Seafood / American
Jakers isn't going to win any wine awards, but for a steakhouse in Idaho Falls it punches above its weight on value — especially during happy hour when half-price house wines make a pre-dinner glass genuinely hard to argue with. Send a friend here for a steak night and point them toward the Willamette Pinot or the Lan Crianza; they'll thank you.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
East Idaho Falls / Hitt Road · Idaho Falls · Sports Bar / American
Buffalo Wild Wings Idaho Falls is a perfectly fine place to watch a game and eat wings — just don't let the wine list anywhere near your evening. Order a beer, order a cocktail, order a second order of wings. The wine program is an afterthought and it shows in every bottle markup and unbranded house pour.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Idaho Falls · Idaho Falls · Bistro / New American
Junkyard Bistro's wine list is doing the bare minimum — recognizable names, steep markups on the top shelf, and nothing to make you put down your phone and pay attention. Drink the St. Chappelle, skip the Cakebread Cab at that price, and save your serious wine curiosity for somewhere that earns it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Idaho Falls · Idaho Falls · American (Gourmet Burgers & Pub Fare)
The SnakeBite isn't a wine destination, but it's a Wild Card worth knowing about — a downtown burger joint that bothered to build a real wine list with fair prices and decent range. Come for the burgers, stay for the Pessimist.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Grandview / Snake River Landing · Idaho Falls · Seafood / Sushi / Grill
Smokin Fins isn't a wine destination, but it's a competent one — the list is safe, a little overpriced, and built to please rather than impress. Order the Kim Crawford, eat the ahi tuna, and you'll leave happy enough.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Idaho Falls · American Steakhouse & Bar and Grill
Jaker's isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be one — it's a solid neighborhood steakhouse with a wine list that does exactly what it needs to do. Send a friend here confident they won't be gouged or confused, just fed and poured reasonably well.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
San Marcos · San Marcos · Italian-American
The wine list at Olive Garden exists to check a box, not to enhance your meal. Order the Chianti with your lasagna, enjoy the breadsticks, and don't overthink it — this is not a wine destination.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Green (greater Canton area) · Canton · Italian-American
The Twisted Olive is exactly what a good neighborhood Italian-American restaurant should be for wine: fair prices, sensible selections, nothing embarrassing. We'd send a friend here for dinner without hesitation — just don't come expecting to discover anything new.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
East Casper · Casper · Italian-American
If you're at Olive Garden, you're here for the breadsticks and the company — and that's fine. Just don't come expecting the wine list to add anything to the evening beyond basic functionality.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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