Dependable pours for a steak night out
North Columbus · Columbus · Steakhouse / Casual · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 28, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Outback Steakhouse – Columbus’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Outback Columbus is exactly what you'd expect from a national chain — familiar faces, approachable prices, and zero pretense. It's not trying to impress you, and honestly, that's fine. You know what you're getting before you sit down.
The list leans hard into New World crowd-pleasers: California, Washington State, New Zealand, and a nod to Australia to match the theme. Producers like Josh Cellars, Meiomi, Apothic Red, and Kendall-Jackson anchor the lineup — these are grocery-store names, but they're grocery-store names that people actually like for a reason. There's no real depth here, no regional exploration, no old-world representation to speak of. What you get is a tight, safe, functional list built for people who want a glass of something they already know with their ribeye, and on that front it delivers.
Around 10-15 pours by the glass, ranging from $7-$13, which is genuinely fair for a sit-down steakhouse in 2024. The rotation doesn't appear to change much — this is a set-it-and-forget-it program — but the options cover the basics: a Chardonnay, a Pinot Noir, a Cab, a Sauv Blanc, even a Riesling. That's enough range for most tables.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $8
Chateau Ste. Michelle is genuinely one of the best QPR Riesling producers in the country, and seeing it on a casual steakhouse list at a fair price is a small win. It's off-dry, bright, and cuts through anything fatty on the menu — a smarter order than most people make here.
14 Hands Cabernet Sauvignon
Most people reach for Josh Cellars on autopilot, but 14 Hands from Washington State is the quieter overachiever on this list. Washington Cab tends to be darker and more structured than its California counterparts, and at this price point it punches above its weight alongside a steak.
Apothic Red
Apothic Red is a sweetened, blended California red engineered to please everyone, which means it really pleases no one at a steakhouse table. It's fine on a couch. Next to a ribeye, it just goes limp. Pick literally anything else on this list.
Meiomi Pinot Noir + Alice Springs Chicken
The Alice Springs Chicken — mushrooms, bacon, honey mustard, melted cheese — is a lot of competing flavors, and a big tannic Cab would bulldoze all of them. Meiomi's soft, fruit-forward Pinot has enough body to hold its own without fighting the dish. It's the move.
The Bottom Line
Outback Columbus isn't a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — but the pricing is fair, the pours are recognizable, and you won't be stuck drinking something terrible with your steak. Order the Chateau Ste. Michelle or the 14 Hands and call it a night.
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Vertigo shouldn't have a wine list this interesting — and that's the whole point. If you're anywhere near Columbus, Georgia and care even a little about what's in your glass, this place is worth the detour.
Surprising Depth
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Columbus · Rooftop American
Eighteen85 is a place to drink wine, not to drink well. Come for the view, order something cold, and set your expectations accordingly — the list won't surprise you, but at least it won't bankrupt you either.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Columbus · New American
For Columbus, Georgia, The Animal Farm's wine list is a genuine Wild Card — small but considered, fairly priced, and stocked with producers most local restaurants haven't heard of. We'd absolutely send a friend here with instructions to start with the Riesling and work their way through the whites.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Columbus · American / Bistro
The Loft is a great time if you're there for the music, the scene, or a solid burger — but the wine list is along for the ride, not leading the charge. Come thirsty for the atmosphere; manage your expectations on the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Midtown Columbus · Columbus · Seafood
Red Lobster 13th St. is not a wine destination — it's a seafood chain where wine exists because a menu has to have one. Order the Riesling with your lobster tail, enjoy the Cheddar Bay Biscuits, and make your peace with it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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