Chain wine done surprisingly without shame
Lake Hamilton / Highway 7 South · Hot Springs · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 21, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Outback Steakhouse’s wine list and gave it The Reliable — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list here is exactly what you expect from Outback — familiar faces, nothing adventurous, and a layout designed for people who want a glass of red with their steak and no surprises. What actually catches you off guard is the pricing: these pours are legitimately cheaper than retail in several cases, which you almost never see at a restaurant.
Twenty-five to forty selections built almost entirely around California and Washington producers that live on grocery store shelves nationwide. You've got Chateau Ste. Michelle, Kendall-Jackson, Meiomi, Josh Cellars, and 19 Crimes anchoring the list — solid workhorses, zero risk-taking. There's a nod to Australia in the theme and the occasional label, but don't come hunting for anything from the Barossa or Clare Valley that would actually justify the concept. Gaps are everywhere: no Riesling, no Rosé worth mentioning, no serious old-world presence.
Eight to twelve options by the glass covering the basics — Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Cab, a red blend, Pinot Noir. Rotation is essentially non-existent; this is a set-and-forget program that Corporate probably updates once a year. That said, at $8–$11 a glass for bottles that retail at the same price, you're essentially drinking at cost.
Francis Coppola Diamond Collection Cabernet Sauvignon — $11/glass
Retails around $14 a bottle, and you're getting a glass for $11. The math is genuinely absurd in your favor — this is a drinkable, fruit-forward Cab that holds up to a ribeye, and the effective markup here is basically zero.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon
Everyone at the table is ordering Josh Cellars without thinking twice, but Ste. Michelle out of Washington's Columbia Valley is the more interesting bottle. It's structured, has real backbone, and actually comes from a winery that gives a damn about terroir — a cut above the rest of this list.
Meiomi Pinot Noir
It's everywhere, it's sugary, and it's built for people who don't actually like Pinot Noir. Nothing wrong with it as a product, but next to a steak it falls completely flat — too soft, too sweet, zero tension. Pick almost anything else on this list.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Cabernet Sauvignon + Outback Special Sirloin
The Ste. Michelle Cab has enough dark fruit and tannin structure to match the char on a sirloin without steamrolling it. It's the closest thing to a proper steak wine on this list, and at Outback prices, it's a genuinely good call.
The Bottom Line
You're not coming to Outback Hot Springs for a wine revelation, but the pricing is so surprisingly honest that ordering a glass feels less like a tax on your dinner and more like an actual choice. Lower your expectations on selection, keep them reasonable on value, and you'll leave fine.
· Hot Springs · Fine dining
Vault is a genuinely charming place to spend a special evening in Hot Springs — the room earns its keep. The wine program, from what we can see, does its job without distinguishing itself: serviceable, probably priced on the steeper side, and built to please rather than provoke. Go for the atmosphere and the food; just don't plan your wine nerd moment around it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Hot Springs · Italian
Little Italy in Hot Springs isn't pretending to be a wine destination, and that's fine — but a seven-bottle list anchored almost entirely by supermarket brands doesn't give wine drinkers much to work with. The pricing is honest and the Selbach is a genuine bright spot, but if wine matters to your evening, temper expectations before you sit down.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Hot Springs · Wine Bar
Splash Wine Bar is doing something genuinely worthwhile for Hot Springs — an almost-entirely-by-the-glass list with fair pricing and a few smart picks that go beyond the obvious. If you're rolling through town and want a real glass of wine without a lecture or a markup, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Central Avenue / South Hot Springs · Hot Springs · Sports Bar Chain
Buffalo Wild Wings Hot Springs is a place to drink beer and watch sports — the wine list exists to technically have one, not to be used. Order a beer, order a cocktail, or bring your own if they allow corkage, but don't let the wine list be the reason you're here.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Central Avenue / Commercial Strip · Hot Springs · Mexican / Tex-Mex
This is a margarita restaurant with a wine list that exists only so no one has to say there isn't one. Come for the fajitas and the frozen drinks — the wine is strictly last resort.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Highway 7 North / Outskirts · Hot Springs · Southern Country Restaurant
We wouldn't send anyone to Cracker Barrel for wine, and neither should you — the food is the point, the wine is a footnote. If you need a glass with dinner, grab the Gambino sparkling and move on with your life.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
Clarks runs a leaner-than-average wine list for a steakhouse, but the curation punches above its size — the presence of the Normand Aligoté, the Juillot Pinot Noir, and the Pallières Grenache on the same list as Faust and Stag's Leap tells you the buyer has range. The full-list by-the-glass program at mostly fair markups makes this worth exploring beyond the obvious Cabernet order. If you're eating steak in Atlanta and want something more interesting than your usual Napa pour, this list rewards curiosity.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Naperville · Steakhouse
Capital Grille Lombard is a reliable execution of a familiar formula — known producers, full by-the-glass access, and enough range to keep the table happy even if the list doesn't take many risks. Markup is steep across the board, but the Prüm Riesling at $11 and Substance Cab at $13 are genuine value plays hiding in plain sight. If you're here for a business dinner or a celebration and want wine without surprises, it delivers. Just don't expect the list to challenge you.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· San Diego · Steakhouse
Six wines at a chophouse is a wine program in name only. The Bordeaux-leaning selections suggest someone has taste, but with no pricing, no confirmed glass pours, and a list that could fit on a cocktail napkin, there's not enough here to send a friend for the wine experience. Order your steak, pick whatever red sounds least risky, and manage your expectations accordingly.
Plays It Safe
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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