The Rolls Are Better Than The Wine
Unknown · Champaign · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 11, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Texas Roadhouse’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 Texas Roadhouse reads like the shelf tag at a gas station convenience store — Barefoot, Yellow Tail, Kendall-Jackson, and not much else. It's not trying to impress you, and it doesn't. Come for the hand-cut steaks and the warm rolls; the wine program is clearly an afterthought.
We're looking at somewhere between 10 and 20 labels, leaning heavily on California supermarket stalwarts with a Yellow Tail cameo from Australia to keep things 'international.' There's no regional depth, no interesting producers, and zero evidence that anyone curated this list beyond calling a distributor and accepting whatever showed up. If you're hoping for a Napa Cab with some actual pedigree or even a halfway interesting red blend, you will not find it here. The list begins and ends at brands you can grab for under $10 at your nearest Kroger.
Six to ten glass pours sounds reasonable until you realize they're all pulling from the same shallow pool of mass-market bottles. The price points look friendly at first glance — $6.49 to $8.99 — but when you do the math, you're paying 2-3x retail for wine that retails under $10 a bottle. There's no rotation, no seasonal swap, no sign of life.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon — $8.99/glass
It's the least bad option on this list. At 167% markup it's the most honest pour they've got, and it's at least a recognizable, consistently made Cab that can hold its own next to a ribeye. Damning with faint praise, but here we are.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay
Most people will grab the Cab and call it a day, but if you're eating the Grilled Chicken, the KJ Chard is the only white on this list with any actual structure. It's not exciting, but it works harder than the Barefoot alternatives sitting next to it.
Barefoot Moscato
At $6.49 a glass you're paying $246% markup on a bottle that retails for $6.99. That's more than three glasses' worth of retail wine in a single pour. Barefoot Moscato is fine at a picnic — not at a steakhouse, not at these economics.
Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon + Hand-Cut Ribeye
A ribeye wants a red with enough body and fruit to stand up to the fat and char, and the KJ Cab is the only pour here that even attempts that job. It's the closest thing to a proper steak wine on a list that otherwise has no business near a steakhouse.
❌ The Bottom Line
Texas Roadhouse is a perfectly good place to eat a steak and destroy a basket of rolls — just do yourself a favor and drink a beer or a bourbon instead. The wine list is grocery-store inventory at chain-restaurant markups, and no amount of country music can dress that up.
South Champaign · Champaign · Farm-to-Table / American
Harvest Market Farmhouse is a perfectly fine neighborhood wine program that punches above its weight exactly once a week — on Mondays, when half-price bottles turn a predictable list into a genuinely good deal. The rest of the week, it's a reliable pour with fair markups, just don't come here looking for discovery.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
South Champaign · Champaign · Italian
Napoli's isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the list is honest, the prices are fair, and the Italian bottles genuinely complement the food. Send a friend here for dinner without hesitation; just don't send them expecting to discover anything new.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Champaign · Champaign · Diner / Cafe
Lazy Daisy has no business having a wine list this thoughtful, and that's exactly why it earns a Wild Card. Four bottles, zero pretension, and at least two genuinely interesting pours — we'd absolutely tell a friend.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Champaign · Champaign · Mexican
Fiesta Café is a genuinely fun spot for margaritas and big burritos, but the wine list is purely ceremonial — it exists so they can say they have one. Come for the drinks menu, not the wine list.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Champaign · Champaign · Steakhouse
LongHorn Champaign has a wine list that exists so you can say you had wine with dinner — not much more than that. If you're here for the steak, grab the J. Lohr and move on; if you came for the wine list, recalibrate your evening immediately.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
North Prospect · Champaign · Steakhouse
Outback's wine program is a corporate afterthought dressed up in Australian branding, and Champaign is no exception. Order the Mollydooker if you must drink wine, but honestly, the cocktail menu will treat you better.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Flagstaff · Flagstaff · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse is a legitimately fun place to eat a steak, but the wine program is an afterthought dressed up in a laminated menu. Order a beer, a cocktail, or just drink your weight in the complimentary bread — your palate will thank you either way.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Peach Street Corridor · Erie · Steakhouse
The markup here is genuinely fair, which is the nicest thing we can say — you're not getting ripped off, you're just not getting anything interesting either. If wine matters to you, drink whatever's cheapest and put your attention where it belongs: the steak.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Side · Bloomington · Steakhouse
Outback Bloomington's wine list is functional in the same way a vending machine is functional — it technically delivers what you asked for, but nobody's proud of it. Stick to the Ste. Michelle Cab with your steak and don't spend more than you have to.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.