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.
· Roanoke · Wine Shop / Wine Bar
The Jolly Grape has a brand that promises more than five bottles, three of which are the same grape from the same region. Until the list grows up to match the name, order the Peyrassol and call it a night.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Roanoke · Seasonal Small Plates / Wine Bar
Bloom is a genuinely wine-forward neighborhood spot in a city that doesn't have many of them — that alone earns it some goodwill. We'd want more list transparency before calling it a destination, but it's an easy yes for a date night in Roanoke.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
· Roanoke · American / Deli & Grill
Montano's wine list is inoffensive, modestly priced, and almost entirely forgettable — a functional afterthought at a spot where food and atmosphere are clearly the point. If you need wine, the Albariño is your move; otherwise, this is a beer-and-cocktails kind of place.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Roanoke · Fine Dining / New American
Table 50 does more with 68 labels than most fine dining rooms do with twice as many — the fortified wine section alone earns it a second look. If you're eating in Roanoke and care about what's in your glass, this is where you go.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Roanoke · Roanoke · Cocktail Bar with Neapolitan-style Pizza
Stellina is a cocktail bar that happens to have a thoughtful four-bottle wine list, which is more than most cocktail bars can say. If you're there for the vibe and the pizza, the wine program will take care of you just fine — don't show up expecting a deep cellar.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hollins / North Roanoke · Roanoke · Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi
Tokyo is a hibachi restaurant that happens to have wine, not the other way around — and that's fine, but don't make the wine the reason you come. Stick to the sake options, keep your glass price low, and enjoy the show.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Chula Vista · Steakhouse Chain
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.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
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
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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