Four Bottles and a Prayer
· Chula Vista · Steakhouse Chain · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · August 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Outback Steakhouse – Chula Vista’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Take Vibe Match and we’ll tell you what to order here.
Wingman Metrics
You open the menu expecting a wine list and find something closer to a gas station shelf. Four bottles. That's it. The whole program fits on a Post-it note with room to spare.
We're talking two J Lohr Estates bottles — the Los Osos Merlot and Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon — alongside La Marca Prosecco and Sutter Home White Zinfandel. That's the entire universe here. No Chardonnay, no Pinot Noir, no old world anything, no half-bottles, no surprises. It's a list designed to offend no one and excite absolutely no one in the process.
No by-the-glass breakdown is listed on the website, so we honestly don't know if any of these four bottles are available by the pour. At a table full of people who want different things, that's a genuine problem. Order a cocktail and come back to wine another day.
The Bottom Line
The prices are fair but there's almost nothing to choose from — four labels is not a wine program, it's a placeholder. If wine matters to your dinner, this isn't your spot.
· Chula Vista · Steakhouse
Skip the wine list and order a cocktail or a beer — the wine program here is an afterthought dressed up in a long menu. If someone insists on a bottle, reach for the Rodney Strong and don't look too hard at the markup.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
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
La Jolla / Torrey Pines · Chula Vista · Regional California Cuisine / American Fine Dining
A.R. Valentien is doing something rare for a hotel restaurant: it's built a wine program that would stand on its own even without the Pacific Ocean views. Send your people here — just book ahead and don't skip the wine list.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Italian
Marisi is a reliable Italian wine list with genuine ambition hiding behind a steep markup structure — the producers are right, the regions are right, but you'll pay for the privilege. Go for the Produttori Barbaresco and the Pre-Phylloxera Barbera, and you'll leave satisfied.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
La Jolla · Chula Vista · Contemporary American
Nine-Ten is a genuinely good restaurant with a competent wine program — the sommelier is present, the list is legitimate, and the setting earns the price of admission. But the markups are aggressive enough that you'll want to be selective, because this list can eat your wallet if you reach for the obvious names.
Solid Range
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Gaslamp Quarter · Chula Vista · Modern Steakhouse / Contemporary American
STK San Diego is a perfectly functional steakhouse wine list — it does exactly what it promises and absolutely nothing more. Come for the atmosphere and the beef, lean into happy hour if wine value matters to you, and don't show up expecting to be surprised.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Cool Springs · Franklin · Steakhouse Chain
Outback Franklin's wine list is competent in the way a rental car is competent — it gets you where you're going, but you're not going to talk about it later. Order the steak, consider a cocktail, and save the serious bottle for somewhere that actually cares.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Scottsville Road Corridor · Bowling Green · Steakhouse Chain
LongHorn Bowling Green will get you through dinner without incident, but the wine list exists to fill a line on the menu, not to enhance your meal. Order the steak, pick the Ste. Michelle Riesling or the Josh Cab if you must, and keep your expectations exactly where they belong.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Scottsville Road Corridor · Bowling Green · Steakhouse Chain
If you're here for the Blooming Onion and a cold beer, you're in the right place — but the wine list is pure corporate wallpaper. Order the Chateau Ste. Michelle or the Alamos, skip everything else, and save your serious wine night for literally anywhere with a wine director.
Crowd Pleasers
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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