The Bloomin' Onion Deserves Better Wine
Oyster Point / Jefferson Avenue · Newport News · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · June 30, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Outback Steakhouse – Newport News’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
The wine list here reads like it was approved by a corporate committee in 2011 and hasn't been touched since. You get the distinct feeling that wine is an afterthought — something to upsell alongside a Bloomin' Onion, not something anyone actually thought about. It's functional, sure, but ambition is nowhere in the building.
Thirty to forty bottles, almost entirely locked into safe California reds and a handful of Australian nods that gesture at the chain's branding without really committing to it. The Australian representation beyond one or two labels is thin — ironic for a restaurant that built its entire identity around the concept. There are no real surprises here: expect big-brand Cabs, generic Chardonnays, and the occasional Malbec thrown in for the adventurous. The list exists to move volume, not to make you think.
Ten to fifteen pours by the glass, ranging from $7 to $16, which sounds accessible until you see what you're actually getting. The selection skews heavily toward inoffensive crowd-pleasers that won't challenge anyone or generate a follow-up question. Rotation appears nonexistent — this is a set-it-and-forget-it program through and through.
Mollydooker The Scooter Shiraz — $16
If it's on the glass pour list, Mollydooker is genuinely good juice — concentrated, ripe Australian Shiraz that actually suits a ribeye. It's the one moment the list punches above its weight class.
Mollydooker The Scooter Shiraz
Most people scanning this list will default to whatever California Cab is front and center. Don't. The Mollydooker is the only wine here with a real point of view — bold, jammy, and built for steak.
Kangaroo Court Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon NV
At $39 a bottle, you're paying three times what this wine costs at retail. It's a $12 bottle wearing a $39 price tag, and the restaurant is counting on you not knowing that. Hard pass.
Mollydooker The Scooter Shiraz + Ribeye Steak
Australian Shiraz and a well-charred ribeye is the one combination on this menu that actually makes sense together — the wine's dark fruit and pepper notes cut right through the fat.
The Bottom Line
Outback Newport News is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — which would be fine if the markups weren't quietly aggressive about it. Order the Mollydooker, avoid the Kangaroo Court, and keep your expectations parked in the lot outside.
Oyster Point / Jefferson Avenue · Newport News · Asian-American, Chinese
P.F. Chang's Newport News is not a wine destination — it's a chain restaurant with a corporate wine list designed to sell recognizable labels at comfortable margins. Come for the Lettuce Wraps and the Wednesday half-price bottles if you must, but don't come expecting anything interesting in the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
Oyster Point / Jefferson Avenue · Newport News · Steakhouse / Roadhouse
Logan's Roadhouse is a beer-and-bourbon operation that happens to list six wines as an afterthought — and it shows. Order the steak, order the ribs, order a cold draft; just don't come here expecting the wine list to do any heavy lifting.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Oyster Point / Jefferson Avenue · Newport News · American Steakhouse
LongHorn Newport News isn't a wine destination — it's a steakhouse where wine is an afterthought, priced to extract margin rather than reward curiosity. Order the ribeye, pick the least-bad bottle, and don't expect anyone at the table to talk about what's in the glass.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Oyster Point / Jefferson Avenue · Newport News · American, gourmet burgers
Red Robin is here to sell you bottomless fries and a good time, not wine — and the list reflects exactly that level of effort. Grab a craft beer or a soda, save your wine spend for literally anywhere else.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Oyster Point / Jefferson Avenue · Newport News · Tex-Mex and American Casual Dining
There is no wine program here, just wine-shaped options on a chain restaurant menu with markups that would make your eyes water if you checked the retail shelf. Order the margarita — it's what Chili's actually does well.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Oyster Point / Jefferson Avenue · Newport News · American / Casual Dining
Ruby Tuesday's wine program is an afterthought dressed up as a menu section — two Canyon Road pours do not a wine experience make. Order a cocktail, grab a beer, or just accept that wine was never the point here.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Boston · Steakhouse
STK Boston has the square footage, the lighting, and the noise level of a place that should have a serious wine program — instead it has 142 labels of stuff you've already tried. Order a cocktail, or pick the most interesting bottle you can find and move on.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chicago · Steakhouse
This is not the wine list you expect to find at The Palm, and that's exactly why it earns attention. Six bottles, zero filler, genuinely fair pricing — if someone's tending this list, they deserve a raise.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlantic City · Steakhouse
We wouldn't fly to Atlantic City for this wine list, but if you're already here, this is the last thing you expected and the best reason to sit down. Six bottles, zero safe choices — someone cares, and it shows.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
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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