The Bloomin' Onion Deserves Better Wine
Southern Hills / Franklin Road · Roanoke · Steakhouse Chain · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 10, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Outback Steakhouse Roanoke’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Outback Roanoke is exactly what you'd expect from a corporate chain that put its wine program on autopilot sometime around 2009 and never looked back. It's not offensive — it's just thoroughly, aggressively unadventurous. The list reads like a Greatest Hits of grocery store staples, and not in a charming nostalgic way.
The backbone here is a predictable rotation of Aussie house blends, California standbys, and a token Malbec to cover the 'international' checkbox. The Mollydooker Shiraz-Cabernet blend is the most interesting thing on the list by a mile — Mollydooker is a legitimate South Australian producer — but its presence feels accidental next to the Clos du Bois Sauvignon Blanc and Alamos Malbec, both of which are solid enough wines stranded in an environment that treats them like wallpaper. There's no regional storytelling, no adventurous pour, no sign that anyone curating this list has ever felt a strong opinion about wine. The Kangaroo Court Shiraz-Cab lean-into-the-Aussie-theme branding is cute but tells you all you need to know about the priority level here.
Glass pours are priced accessibly — we're talking $7.99 to $8.99 — which keeps the stakes low and the disappointment manageable. The selection is the standard chain rotation: a Chardonnay, a Pinot Grigio, a Cab, and some version of the house Aussie blend. Don't expect rotation; what's on the menu today was probably on the menu when the Roanoke location opened.
Mollydooker Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon — $9
Mollydooker is a real, respected South Australian producer known for big, plush reds. Finding their name on a chain steakhouse list — even in a house blend format — at under $10 a glass is the one genuine win here. If you're eating a sirloin and you want something that won't embarrass it, this is your pour.
Alamos Malbec
Most people glance at 'Malbec' on a chain list and assume it's filler, and they're not entirely wrong — but Alamos is a Catena Zapata label, and even at the entry level it brings more structure and fruit depth than the generic Cabs flanking it. It's overlooked here because nobody's recommending it, but it's the quiet overachiever in a sleepy lineup.
Clos du Bois Sauvignon Blanc
Clos du Bois Sauvignon Blanc is a $10 retail bottle that exists primarily to have a recognizable name on a list. There's nothing wrong with it exactly, but ordering it at a steakhouse in Roanoke is a waste of a decision. You're here for beef — drink accordingly.
Mollydooker Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon + Sirloin Steak
A South Australian Shiraz-Cab blend was practically engineered for a slab of grilled beef. The Mollydooker house pour brings enough dark fruit and body to stand up to the char on Outback's sirloin without overpowering it. It's the one pairing on this list that feels intentional rather than accidental.
❌ The Bottom Line
The markups are honest and the Mollydooker pour is a genuine saving grace, but this list exists to check a corporate box, not to help you drink well. Order the Mollydooker with your steak, skip any bottle over $40, and keep your expectations calibrated to the Bloomin' Onion energy of the room.
Valley View / North Roanoke · Roanoke · American Chain
TGI Friday's Roanoke is a fine place to grab a beer or a Jack and Coke, but the wine program is a corporate afterthought with steep markups on bottom-shelf bottles. Order a cocktail, save the wine for somewhere that gives a damn.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
South Roanoke / Franklin Road · Roanoke · American
Shakers isn't a wine destination — it's a reliable neighborhood spot where the wine program does its job without drama. If you're here for ribs and a casual pour, you'll leave satisfied; just don't show up expecting discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Valley View / North Roanoke · Roanoke · Mexican
Abuelo's wine list exists to check a box, not to enhance your dinner — stick to the cocktails and revisit this list never. If someone at your table insists on wine, go Joel Gott and call it a night.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / Gainsboro · Roanoke · American Rustic / French-inspired Southern
The Pine Room is a great spot for a drink and a burger in a handsome historic room, but the wine list is an afterthought in a state with a legitimate wine culture worth showcasing. Order a cocktail or ask for whatever's on tap, and don't make a trip here specifically for the wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Roanoke · Roanoke · Bistro & Bakery
On the Rise is a genuinely charming spot for baked goods and brunch, but its wine program is an afterthought with three options and zero depth. Order the bread, skip the wine list, and grab a coffee instead.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Roanoke / Williamson Road · Roanoke · American
Hollywood's is a genuinely charming neighborhood spot, and the wine list is exactly what it needs to be for a casual lunch crowd — cheap, safe, and inoffensive. Don't come here for the wine; come here for the soup, and order the Riesling if you want something in your glass.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Red Cliffs / East St. George · St. George · Steakhouse Chain
Outback St. George isn't in the wine business — it's in the steak business, and the wine list makes that abundantly clear. Order the Chateau Ste. Michelle if you must, but you'd honestly be better off with whatever's on draft.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Loop 323 / South Tyler · Tyler · Steakhouse Chain
If you came to Outback for wine, you already made the first mistake — but if you're here for the steak and want something in a glass, the J. Lohr Cab at $10 is the only move worth making. Skip the Yellow Tail, don't overthink it, and save the wine budget for somewhere that deserves it.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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