Breadsticks Steal the Show, Wine Doesn't
Unknown · Billings · Italian-American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 5, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list arrives laminated, sandwiched between the pasta specials and the dessert tiramisu pitch. It's short, familiar, and entirely unsurprising — every label here is a brand you've seen at a grocery store endcap. There's no sense that anyone curated this list so much as approved it from a corporate spreadsheet.
Twenty-something wines split between Italy and California, which sounds reasonable until you realize the Italian section tops out at Ruffino Chianti and the California bench is anchored by Meiomi and Barefoot. The regional depth isn't there — no Barbera, no Vermentino, nothing from Southern Italy that might actually make you think. What you get is a list optimized for zero friction and maximum familiarity, which is a choice, just not a particularly interesting one.
Eight to twelve options by the glass, priced $8–$14, which would feel fair if the pours were from producers worth talking about. Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio is the ceiling here, and at chain-restaurant markups it's not the steal it might look like. Rotation is essentially nonexistent — this list changes about as often as the breadstick recipe.
Ruffino Chianti — $9
It's not exciting, but Chianti and red sauce is a combination that exists for a reason. Of everything on the list, this is the one that at least pretends to make sense with the food.
Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio
Consistently overlooked next to the Santa Margherita, and often priced a few dollars less. It's a lighter, cleaner pour that works better than people expect with the lighter pasta dishes.
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
You're paying a premium for a label that's marked up aggressively at every chain in the country. It's fine wine — you can get it for less at the liquor store two blocks away.
Ruffino Chianti + Chicken Alfredo
Alfredo is rich and heavy; the Chianti's acidity cuts through the cream sauce and keeps the plate from feeling like it weighs ten pounds. It's not a glamorous pairing, but it works.
❌ The Bottom Line
Olive Garden's wine list is exactly what it is — a corporate-approved selection designed to sell bottles, not spark conversation. If you're here for the pasta and the breadsticks, fine; just don't expect the wine to be part of the story.
Unknown · Billings · Steakhouse / Australian-themed
Outback's wine list is corporate on purpose — it's designed to be inoffensive, not interesting. Order the Koonunga Hill with your steak, and save your real wine curiosity for a restaurant that returns the favor.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Billings · Billings · Seafood
The prices are shockingly low, and credit where it's due — but a steal on mediocre wine is still mediocre wine. Come for the Cheddar Bay Biscuits, skip the wine list, and save your real bottle for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Billings · American Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse Billings is not a wine destination, and it doesn't pretend to be — but the gap between the quality of the food and the quality of the wine list is real. Order the Chateau Ste. Michelle, eat the rolls, and save your serious wine curiosity for somewhere that reciprocates it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Billings · Steakhouse
Bull Mountain Grille is a trustworthy place to drink decent American red wine with a big steak in Billings — just don't come expecting discovery. If the list had fairer pricing and a shred of adventurousness, this could be something; instead it's exactly what it is, no more.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Billings · American / Wine Bar
Bin 119 is the best wine answer Billings has, and that patio earns its reputation on atmosphere alone. The list could push harder on value and discovery, but as a reliable spot to drink well above your zip code's expectations, it absolutely delivers.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West End · Billings · Bar / Steakhouse
The Windmill Bar is a neighborhood bar that happens to have wine on the menu — and that's the extent of the relationship. Come for the Montana bar atmosphere and the cold drinks; leave the wine expectations at the door.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Northwest / 55th Street · Rochester · Italian-American
Olive Garden's wine list exists to check a box, not elevate a meal — it's priced above its station and assembled without much curiosity. Order the Chianti, eat the breadsticks, and don't come here expecting the wine to be the point.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Westdale · Cedar Rapids · Italian-American
Olive Garden Cedar Rapids is not a wine destination — it never pretended to be, and that's fine. But if you're sitting down here, order the Chianti, skip the Mondavi Cab, and save your serious wine drinking for somewhere that cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Topeka · Topeka · Italian-American
Olive Garden is not a wine destination and was never trying to be one — the list exists to move bottles, not to inspire anyone. Order the Il Grigio if you want something worth drinking, otherwise stick to the Chianti and save your wine energy for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.