Bloomin' Onion, Wilting Wine List
North Prospect · Champaign · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Outback Steakhouse’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
You open the laminated wine menu tucked behind the steak sauces and immediately recognize every single bottle from your local supermarket's $10-and-under shelf. This isn't a wine list — it's a grocery run with a 260% surcharge. The Australian theming promises something interesting; the list does not deliver.
The selection leans heavily on workhorse brands — Apothic Red, Cupcake Chardonnay, Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio, Jacob's Creek Moscato — the kind of lineup you'd expect at an airport bar, not a sit-down steakhouse. The one legitimately interesting entry is the Kangaroo Court Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon by Mollydooker, an Australian producer that actually has credibility behind it. Everything else is chain-wide filler with zero regional character or producer depth. If you came hoping the Australian branding meant serious Barossa or Clare Valley representation, temper those expectations immediately.
There are 8-12 pours available, which sounds generous until you realize they're all the same brands you've seen at every chain in America. Rotation appears nonexistent — this is a set-and-forget program managed by corporate, not by anyone at this specific location. The Little Boomey house pours at $7 are the volume play here, but you're essentially paying bottle price for a 5-ounce glass.
Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio — $9/glass
At a 223% markup it's the least offensive math on the menu — still steep, but comparatively the closest thing to a fair deal in a list that otherwise charges 260%+ across the board.
Kangaroo Court Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon by Mollydooker
Mollydooker is a legitimate Australian producer with a real following, and this blend is the only bottle on the list that didn't come from a supermarket endcap. Most tables will order Apothic Red out of habit — don't be those tables.
Little Boomey Merlot
A $7.99 retail bottle poured in a 5-ounce glass for $7. You're paying full bottle price for a third of the wine, and the wine itself is a non-vintage house label designed to taste like as little as possible.
Kangaroo Court Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon by Mollydooker + Outback Special Sirloin
The Shiraz-Cab blend brings enough dark fruit and weight to stand up to a charred sirloin without demanding your full attention — which is about as much as you can ask of anything on this list.
❌ The Bottom Line
Outback's wine program is a corporate afterthought dressed up in Australian branding, and Champaign is no exception. Order the Mollydooker if you must drink wine, but honestly, the cocktail menu will treat you better.
South Champaign · Champaign · Farm-to-Table / American
Harvest Market Farmhouse is a perfectly fine neighborhood wine program that punches above its weight exactly once a week — on Mondays, when half-price bottles turn a predictable list into a genuinely good deal. The rest of the week, it's a reliable pour with fair markups, just don't come here looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
South Champaign · Champaign · Italian
Napoli's isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the list is honest, the prices are fair, and the Italian bottles genuinely complement the food. Send a friend here for dinner without hesitation; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Champaign · Champaign · Diner / Cafe
Lazy Daisy has no business having a wine list this thoughtful, and that's exactly why it earns a Wild Card. Four bottles, zero pretension, and at least two genuinely interesting pours — we'd absolutely tell a friend.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Champaign · Champaign · Mexican
Fiesta Café is a genuinely fun spot for margaritas and big burritos, but the wine list is purely ceremonial — it exists so they can say they have one. Come for the drinks menu, not the wine list.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Champaign · Champaign · Steakhouse
LongHorn Champaign has a wine list that exists so you can say you had wine with dinner — not much more than that. If you're here for the steak, grab the J. Lohr and move on; if you came for the wine list, recalibrate your evening immediately.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Unknown · Champaign · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse is a perfectly good place to eat a steak and destroy a basket of rolls — just do yourself a favor and drink a beer or a bourbon instead. The wine list is grocery-store inventory at chain-restaurant markups, and no amount of country music can dress that up.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Flagstaff · Flagstaff · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse is a legitimately fun place to eat a steak, but the wine program is an afterthought dressed up in a laminated menu. Order a beer, a cocktail, or just drink your weight in the complimentary bread — your palate will thank you either way.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Peach Street Corridor · Erie · Steakhouse
The markup here is genuinely fair, which is the nicest thing we can say — you're not getting ripped off, you're just not getting anything interesting either. If wine matters to you, drink whatever's cheapest and put your attention where it belongs: the steak.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Side · Bloomington · Steakhouse
Outback Bloomington's wine list is functional in the same way a vending machine is functional — it technically delivers what you asked for, but nobody's proud of it. Stick to the Ste. Michelle Cab with your steak and don't spend more than you have to.
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.