Cheddar Bay Biscuits Deserve Better Than This
South Topeka · Topeka · Seafood · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 2, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list arrives looking like it was designed by committee in 2011 and hasn't been touched since. Twenty-odd labels, every single one a name you've seen at a grocery store checkout aisle. This is a list built for people who don't really want to think about wine — and honestly, it succeeds at that.
California and New Zealand carry the whole show here, with a token Italian showing up via Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio and Washington State getting one seat at the table through Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling. There's no real depth, no surprises, and zero producer diversity — just the usual suspects: Kim Crawford, Kendall-Jackson, Meiomi. If you've ever stared at a supermarket wine aisle and thought 'this could be a restaurant list,' Red Lobster made your dream a reality. The closest thing to an interesting pick is the Ste. Michelle Riesling, which at least has a sense of place.
Roughly 8–12 pours available by the glass, running $7–$11, which sounds reasonable until you realize you're paying restaurant markup on bottles that retail for $10–$14. The rotation doesn't rotate — what's on the list today was on the list last year and will be on the list next year. At least there's enough variety to cover the white-red-rosé bases without much fuss.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling — $9/glass
Off-dry, bright, and actually built for seafood — it handles the Lobster Bisque and anything buttery without flinching. It's the one wine on this list that earns its spot on a seafood menu.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling
Most tables here default to Chardonnay out of habit, but the Ste. Michelle Riesling is the sleeper pick — more food-friendly than anything else on this list and underordered by a wide margin.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
A $13 retail bottle showing up at $30–$35 on the list. It's fine wine in the most literal sense — fine, unremarkable, overpriced for what you get. The buttery style also fights the kitchen's already-rich sauces instead of cutting through them.
Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling + Wood-Grilled Salmon
The Riesling's touch of residual sugar and crisp acidity plays well against the char on the salmon and keeps things fresh rather than heavy — one of the few genuinely smart combinations available on this list.
❌ The Bottom Line
Red Lobster's wine list is exactly what you'd expect from a national chain that treats wine as an afterthought — familiar names, steep markups, zero curation. Order the Riesling, enjoy the Cheddar Bay Biscuits, and don't come here looking for a wine moment.
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Grocery Store
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Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
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Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
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North Topeka · Topeka · Seafood
Red Lobster North Topeka's wine list is a functional, forgettable chain program — it won't ruin your dinner, but it's not the reason to come here. Stick to the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, eat your weight in Cheddar Bay Biscuits, and set your expectations accordingly.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Topeka · Topeka · Seafood
Red Lobster's wine program exists because a restaurant has to have one, not because anyone particularly cared when building it. Order the Riesling, enjoy the biscuits, and save the real wine drinking for somewhere else.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Crowd Pleasers
Steep
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Set & Forget
Acceptable
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