The Bread's Great. Stop There.
South Hill / Elmira Road corridor · Ithaca · Steakhouse · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 22, 2026 · How we review
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 Ithaca arrives like an afterthought stapled to the back of a menu that's mostly about ribeyes and buckets of peanuts. It's short, it's familiar in the worst way, and it signals immediately that nobody here lost sleep over it. If your expectations are low, they'll be met.
We're talking 10 to 16 bottles deep, and the roster reads like the shelf at a gas station that's really trying: Josh Cellars, Kendall-Jackson, Barefoot, and a cast of unnamed house pours hiding behind descriptors like 'House Red' and 'Premium Cab.' There's no regional story being told here, no interesting producers, nothing that would make a curious drinker lean in. California dominates by default, not by intention, and the international presence is limited to a Prosecco and a Champagne that exist mostly to justify a Valentine's Day upsell. The list isn't offensive — it's just completely indifferent.
Eight to twelve options by the glass cover the standard bases: Cab, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Prosecco, and a house pour or two. At $6.99 to $9.99 a glass, the price looks friendly until you realize you're paying near-retail for Barefoot. The pours are reportedly generous — Texas Roadhouse has been called out online for oversized glass pours — which is the one honest win here.
Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay — $8.99/glass
If you're going to drink chain-restaurant Chardonnay, KJ Vintner's Reserve is at least a known quantity — it's consistent, it's crowd-proof, and it's probably the most drinkable thing on the menu for the price point.
Riesling (by the glass)
Nobody at a Texas Roadhouse is ordering Riesling, which means it's probably the freshest bottle on the floor. With a ribeye? No. But with the Chicken Critters? That off-dry fruit actually plays.
House Red (bottle)
At $24.99 a bottle for something retailing around $8.99, you're paying a 177% markup for a wine with no name, no producer, and no story. Order it by the glass if you must, but do not commit to the bottle.
Cabernet Sauvignon (Premium Red, by the glass) + Hand-Cut Ribeye
It's the obvious call, and obvious isn't always wrong. A basic California Cab — whether that's Josh or a house pour — has enough fruit and structure to stand up to the fat in a ribeye without demanding your full attention. This is comfort pairing, not high art, and that's fine.
Wednesday — Texas Roadhouse chain locations have historically run a 'Wine Wednesday' promotion with 50% off bottles — but this has not been verified as active at the Ithaca location specifically. Call ahead before you plan your night around it.
The Bottom Line
Texas Roadhouse Ithaca is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — the list is short, the producers are supermarket-tier, and the markups on house pours are quietly aggressive. Come for the bread and the steak; if you need wine, order one glass and make peace with it.
· Ithaca · Southwestern / New American
Agava's wine program is essentially a placeholder — no producers named, no prices published, no apparent effort to connect the Southwestern-leaning menu to anything interesting in the glass. Ithaca sits in the heart of Finger Lakes wine country, making this omission especially puzzling. Order a cocktail, or bring your own bottle if corkage is an option.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ithaca · Hotel bar / seasonal restaurant
For a hotel bar in wine country, this list punches above its category — the Finger Lakes producers are legitimate, the Saperavi alone is worth a detour, and the overall curation signals actual effort. Pricing at a lakeside inn will likely sting, and without confirmed by-the-glass options or staff expertise, you may need to advocate for yourself. Come ready to order by the bottle, pick something local, and enjoy the view.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ithaca · New American
The Rook is swinging for something more interesting than its size suggests, and the range of regions and styles — Txakoline, Verdicchio, Barolo rosé, orange Garnacha — earns genuine respect for a 12-bottle list. Pricing skews steep at the top end, and the lack of any documented reds from classic regions is a real hole. If you're an adventurous drinker who's tired of the same wine list at every New American spot, this is worth exploring — just go in knowing you'll probably land in the $45–$56 range to find the value.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ithaca · Brasserie / New American
Simeon's wine list does its job without breaking a sweat — it's approachable, reasonably priced, and quietly proud of the Finger Lakes producers it stocks. The by-the-glass selection is the real strength here; if you're in Ithaca and want to explore local wine without committing to a bottle, this is a perfectly decent place to do it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ithaca · Northern Italian
Mercato is a well-regarded local staple with the right regional instincts — Italian roots, Finger Lakes ambition, and a warm room that earns its reservations. We'd feel comfortable sending a friend here for a solid bottle of wine with dinner, but we'd tell them to ask questions at the table, because we can't yet confirm the specifics behind the list. Worth a visit; worth a deeper look once a full wine list is in hand.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / The Commons · Ithaca · Irish pub, Irish-American gastropub
Kilpatrick's is never going to make a wine list worth traveling to Ithaca for, but it's a fair, unpretentious pour program that respects your wallet and quietly sneaks in a Pouilly-Fuissé and a proper Hugel Riesling. Come for the shepherd's pie, stay for the Alsace.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
AG is a genuinely strange wine program for a steakhouse, and we mean that as a compliment — if you're the kind of person who knows the difference between a Late Harvest and a 5 Puttonyos Aszú, this list will surprise you. Come for the red meat, stay for the fortified wine flight you didn't know you needed.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Point Casino · Las Vegas · Steakhouse
Silverado Steak House isn't trying to win any wine awards, and it doesn't need to — the list is fair, functional, and occasionally punches above its casino-floor weight class. If you're eating steak at South Point and want a solid glass without getting robbed, this list has your back; just stay away from the bottom shelf and head straight for the Davis Bynum or the Symmetry Meritage.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · Steakhouse
Clarks runs a leaner-than-average wine list for a steakhouse, but the curation punches above its size — the presence of the Normand Aligoté, the Juillot Pinot Noir, and the Pallières Grenache on the same list as Faust and Stag's Leap tells you the buyer has range. The full-list by-the-glass program at mostly fair markups makes this worth exploring beyond the obvious Cabernet order. If you're eating steak in Atlanta and want something more interesting than your usual Napa pour, this list rewards curiosity.
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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