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Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Uptown, AndersonvilleMon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
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this is an excellent liquor store for beer or wine. great selection, logically laid out, helpful, and knowledgeable staff.
they're not cheap, but with the selection they maintain, i wouldn't expect them to be.
as one reviewer mentioned, the best part is that they carry many of the beers that are available at hopleaf. so after trying a few new beers there, i can jump over here and grab some to take home.
and this is THE place for glogg. They sometimes have it available to sample as well.
This neighborhood corner liquor store is awesome. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. If you have something you have a taste for but don't know what to get, just let them know and they'll help you pick something out. I love the fact that they always carry some unique beers to try (like Young's Double Chocolate Stout) and they have a great Belgian beer selection (like Lindeman's Framboise). That is what this place is all about, unique selection. They even sell absinthe for those that are curious to try it, and have a great wine selection available as well.
This is not the place to get a cheap 6 pack of crappy beer though, you're better off going to Jewel up the street for that. However, if you want to try something more unique like what they're serving up at the Hopleaf, try this place.
My favorite liquor store.
The staff is super friendly and the selection is amazing. No, it doesn't have a million bottles under the roof. However, what it does have is a great selection of beer, wine and spirits.
Kegs are available, although they tend to gravitate more towards Miller products. Special order a keg? Not a problem.
They also have a good selection of cigars.
No, this is not the cheapest location to buy liquor, but if you really want a cheap 6 pack of Natty Light, this isn't the place for you. What I like most is that there is a very nice selection of Belgian 750's. Love it.
The owners all have great palates and if you ask them what they would suggest they can point you in the right direction. We went out for Indian and asked for a suggestion and got a great bottle that was priced right.
Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes.
Came here based on beeradvocate recommendation - and I was not disappointed. Bought 4 different 6 packs, a bunch of 750's and a couple of bombers of various beverages that don't make it out to NE for some reason (damn state liquor laws). Owner was helpful, selection was plentiful and also easy to get through. A huge cooler in the front room with most everything they have, as well as a large back room with warm cases/six-packs. Great place, and right down the street from the Swedish Bakery, this is the greatest neighborhood EVER.
Great store, I have been going there for years. They always have a new beer to try, they constantly get deals on crates of wine that they are allowed to sell for cheap and also have a surprisingly large selection of liqueurs if that's your thing.
If they don't have something you want they will probably be willing to order it for you.
The wine prices are right in line with what I see elsewhere and they are really good at keeping up with the beers that are hot over at the Hopleaf and therefore stock the same brands.
Very helpful and knowledgeable about the wine and beer they carry.
Once upon a time, I was a lonely college student who was forced to drink cheap beer and live in Evanston. Life, in short, was difficult.
On certain nights of the week, I'd venture south with friends for a couple glasses of our favorite beers at the Hopleaf. That is, until the day I realized that Andersonville Wine and Spirits, just kitty corner to my favorite beer stop, sold my favorite beers. EN MASSE. And FOR CHEAP. I changed up my routine and would stop at Andersonville Wine and Spirits after the Hopleaf and on the way back to Evanston. It was a little bit like being a tourist just picking up a memento to better help me remember my destinations past.
Then--miracle of miracles!--I moved to Andersonville. Now I need only walk a few blocks to pick up my Peach Lambics and Witkaps, St. Bernaduses and Tripel Karmeliets. I skip the wine selection here and take that up the block to In Fine Spirits (or Jewel-Osco, man, let's be real!). Stick with Belgians. Be happy.
Holy crap! How did I not know about this place 4 years ago?! I mean, I knew about it, but I had never stopped in. I thought it was just your run of the mill, neighborhood convenient mart / liquor store, but boy, was I wrong!
The minute you walk in, it is a liquor store, more than a quickie mart, full of wines from all regions; Italy, Germany, France, Argentina; and more than you thought you could find, and ones stocked from your favorite high caliber restaurant - quality reds and champagnes - and all for a fraction of the price! I perused their selection one night and was dumbfounded by the quality, and found my two good standbys; Alamos Malbec and Coppola Cigar Zinfindel, ones I could never find at any other local place.
In a decision crunch, and can't decide?! Ask the friendly people who work there. In my experience during my visit, they have been pretty knowledgeable about what they carry and what you may want to try from their selection, which is always a plus.
Some people might not like that the wine selection is very unique and that they don't carry the typical run of the mill standard type of brands either. But that also may be the beauty of it. For the quality, and the great price, it might be worth looking for your new favorite vino.
Great place to pick up some beer or wine if you're hitting up Icosium or Hammamatsu across Clark or Foster, respectively.
Little known fact - they stock many of the same beers that are served at Hopleaf. Clever on their part, I guess they should market it more. Due to copius beer consumption I noticed this myself.
Otherwise they have a pretty good selection for just a mini-sized store - way on the imports though as far as beer goes. If I'm looking for American beer I head down the street to In Fine Spirits. If I'm making a beer run and don't feel like going all the way down to Sam's or Binny's, Andersonville Wine and Spirits does the trick.
Dogfish Head Festina Peche, Pyramid "Audacious Apricot" Ale, and other fruity yumyum girly fluffy beers keep me coming for more! Duchess De Bourgogne Belgian Ale is delicious, and so many more that I need to try ASAP. Drinky drinky time calls for a visit here first.
I really miss living close to this place because it is well stocked and was extremely convenient to our home.
They have a wide variety of wines, beer and liquor. Often when you walk in they has specific wines on sale. We have purchased some good wines for a great deal as they appear to be turning over stock.
The workers are very friendly and if you frequent them they know your name (not sure if this a good thing in a liquor store). Don't be discouraged if they seem to be "watching" you. Given their location they have been a target of Mr./Ms. Five Finger Discount and what better way to curb that than to watch everyone.
Very knowledgeable on the wines they offer and will answer most if not all of your questions.
I would love it if they had K cider, otherwise they've pretty much got it covered.
I wish their prices were a little better, but I haven't yet found anything cheaper nearby.
I'm happy it's so close to my place and purchases from this store have definitely improved my evenings.
Its probably a 3 star liquor store but they gain a fourth for the following reasons:
Close to Hama Matsu. So if you're going for sushi there, you can grab a drink to bring in (if you forgot). Hama Matsu does not have a corkage fee.
Lots of pony kegs of various beers that you may want. This is an excellent way to have a small party and good beer... cheaper than lots of 6packs.
Don't let appearances deceive you - this little corner shop has some of the best craft beer and whisky selections around. I've found a few rare bottles in here long after they were sold out at the larger liquor chains in the area. They always have the latest offerings from Goose Island, 3 Floyd's, and Bell's. They know what they're doing here.
While I was training for the Nikeplus run, I strayed off to Andersonville Wine and Spirits. After drinking some Blanche de Bruxelles @ Paramount, I checked Binnys and Sam's online to see how available it was. Wasn't available online, so I tried my luck at Andersonville. To my amazement, they sold a 4 pk for $8.99.
I was toward the back of the store, and an employee didn't ask if I needed assistance, he just waited in my aisle watching me as though I was gonna fit a 750 ml bottle in my running shorts. I looked him straight in the eye for a few seconds until he got the message, and he walked off.
They have a decent beer selection, some prices are fair, some higher. I know I picked up a Guinness pack before and it was about a dollar or two more than other stores. But, for a neighborhood store, it does the job.
Love this store, and it's definitely my favorite nearby non-chain place (*cough* Jewel) to purchase liquor from(that is when I'm making an inexpensive liquor purchase, and thanks to the new city liquor tax, now save pricier purchases for the suburbs). Great stock of hard-to-find booze, liquor, or whatever else you wanna get. They seem to have a decent selection of cigars available, though I'm not a cigar smoker.
The owners are extremely friendly, and can quickly give a yes or no answer if they carry some hard-to-find liquor or not that you tried somewhere, say i.e. Hopleaf. And though they don't really do samples of liquor here, unlike at Jewel, I almost always seem to have at least one conversation each time I'm here with either a customer, or an employee about their favorite new beer(or whatever else) they've tried lately. That's definitely my favorite part about shopping here, besides the great customer service!
Great selection, but seriously? There's no need to follow your customers around the store as though they're going to steal something. That's bloody creepy. I didn't even feel like I could browse because an employee was constantly breathing into my shirt--I grabbed my sake and ran after a few minutes of that shit.
Maybe I'm finally getting sick of constantly being mistaken as underage.
I have lived a block from here for 3 years. They know my name, they know what I like, they make recommendations and they ask about my partner. What more could you want from your corner liquor store.
Being a wine snob, I love that they will surprise me with some great deals and stuff I dont see anywhere else. I dont mind the over-protection, they had this business back in the days when Andersonville was a little dicier so they have probably seen it all.
Now I might be biased because I live across the street, but honestly this store rocks. They have an awesome selection of unique beer and wine that far exceeds what I would expect of a corner liquor store. Just last night I wandered in to get some boring yet delicious bud light. I stopped by the display of large bottles and ended up getting an organic cider direct from England. Wow it was good, so good I plan to go back and get more asap. It would be perfect an a warm summer night with a burger mmm. Their prices are quite good too, and they do a good job of having a range of price points to suit anyone. Overall a great little liquor store that is conveniently outside my front door!
For a wine tasting I was going to I was having a helluva time procuring a bottle to bring. I had a very specific type of wine to get (region, varietal, price point) and whereas a couple other stores in Chicago had failed me, Andersonville Wine & Spirits came through last minute - just a mere hour before we were to be at the event. The SO told the guy at AW&S exactly what we needed and unlike the other places where I ended up getting bottles I could not bring to the tasting, we got exactly what we were looking for. Not only that, they were kind enough to keep in within the price point we were looking at for the tasting. If they were closer (than the two wine shops w/in a couple blocks) I might make them a regular go-to stop; once the weather warms up, more of a possibility.
Andersonville Wine and Spirits is a far better liquor store than many other liquor stores. Although they don't have the most incredible beer selection I've seen at a Chicago liquor store, all but the most picky of beer snobs will come away happy. Their wine selection is very good, as far as I can tell, which means that it takes me forever to find a wine, because I'm not very good at picking them.
They have a pretty extensive selection of liquors and liqueurs, including one of my favorites of the latter: Amarula Cream. This is an essential ingredient for a fun shooter, the Springbok. It's named after the national rugby team of South Africa, which only kept their name after the end of apartheid due to the intervention of Nelson Mandela. To make it use:
1 shot creme de menthe (preferably green, like De Kuyper's)
1 shot Amarula cream
The guys that run the place are very nice and will help you if you need it, and offer suggestions.
Ever realize at 9pm that you are running low on booze? But you really don't want to push the cat off your stomach and go buy some? Well - this place doesn't deliver to your door. If you want booze delivered, you've got problems. Yelp a good intervention specialist...
This place is really quite convenient for Andersonville-ites, its right on the corner of Clark and Foster - which technically means you could grab something before you get on the bus...the stop is right there! Nothing says evening commute like a 40 in a brown paper bag.
But outside of cheap & easy alcohol, they have a great wine selection, and hard booze. And the mixers! They even have cigarettes. Even though they are like $8.00 a pack. I know some of you smoke when you drink. Admit it.
Look, I know I should quit smoking. Its filthy. But so is my sister in law. And no one makes her stand outside at parties. OK, that's not true. No one even invites her.
At any rate, the store is clean, and I always feel kinda bad for having secret fantasies about the hot, dark, doe eyed, foreign sales staff. Pouring wine on me. Where was I? oh yeah. They are always sweeping. Forever sweeping, so you know the floors are clean.
They are open pretty late, but oddly, do not open early in the morning. So if you realize you are out of Baileys Irish cream for your coffee...suck it up. Your not gonna get it til they open.
They have a great selection of chilled white wines, and beer. I hate it when people show up at one of my cocktails parties and say "Ohhh, I brought this great bottle of white...but we need to stick it in the freezer because its warm."
Bitch, I want to drink it now! - especially if it merits telling me about it as soon as you walk into my house! you didn't even do the whole trendy kiss on each cheek and say "how are you?" No, its all "this great wine is warm..." ugh.
They give good suggestions if you ask, but don't offer them up - wines are broken down by region. So if you want to act like an Italian drunk look for Italy sign, so on and so forth. Get it?
I'd suggest going here, and with all the places that allow BYOB in Andersonville, this is a great and convenient stop to make.
Ok so like everyone who's already reviewed, I'm a huge fan of my new neighborhood liquor store. I just moved into the apartment building right across the street, and when I first started going in there, it was nearly every night, due to a rash of parties and dates with the bf to BYOB joints. I'm fairly certain they began to think there was a new alccy in town, and after about two days, the main guy that works the counter at night didn't even need to see my ID anymore. Shortly after, a different guy, presumably his brother, was working behind the counter, ID'd me, rang up my purchases and when he went to put my six pack in a bag, I told him I didn't need it, due to the proximity of my abode.
The next time I went in, my regular counter guy was back, and when I was done paying, he didn't bag my six pack, either. It was like they swapped info. They really seem to like knowing their customers, and while they don't have the biggest liquor selection (they really didn't have as many varieties of gin as a G&T lover would hope for), they do have a fair bit of cold beer and a large wine section, along with two different sizes of Delirium Tremens in the cooler, which, in my book, makes them aces. Head here if you're out in Andersonville and are in need of libation.
AW&S is a wonderful asset to the neighborhood. They have a great selection of reasonably priced wines. Always good deals to be had near the front (try the Picpoul on a warm summer night when you want a white that's inexpensive, crisp and refreshingly on the dry side). A good representation of French and Italians and plenty of California. A bit more Spain and Oregon would be nice, but as long as I have a nice range of French to select from, I'm not complaining.
They also carry many of the beers that the Hopleaf has, which is nice when you've found a great one there. There's a nice selection of cigarettes and plenty of top shelf liquors to choose from.
Friendly, knowledgeable staff. They make the best of the space they have. One of the best aspects of the neighborhood!
GREAT wine selection. :)
A friend calls this place "Buy Low, Sell High," but I have to disagree. I think the prices are actually pretty reasonable. The selection of beers is very good, and the staff is great. They've put real energy into expanding their selection, offering more "specialty" items such as port and grappa, which you might not expect to find in such a small store.
In terms of wine, finding what you want is a bit of a hit-or-miss proposition. I can't figure out the organization of the store, despite the fact that I've been going there for years. Of course, I have the same problem at Binny's. However, they generally have some featured wines at the front of the store, and those are often good bets. The staff is very friendly, and will help you as much as they can, but don't expect them to be sommeliers.
Always the place I go to purchase the "unneeded additional beer" after filling up at Simon's across the street.
These fellas are funny in that they don't put up with any shit. Personal favorite story: kicking two guys out for making out in the white wine section. "I mean they can grab each other's asses as much as they want, I don't care. Just don't do it in my fucking store."
Extremely knowledgeable in all things booze.
Excellent 750mL beer selection for those illegal early morning trips to the lake.
I asked for a recommendation for a wine with Indian food. He suggested this horrible Riesling (who would have thought Riesling could be bad) that was wayyy overpriced. I felt jipped. The reason why I didn't get it a worse rating b/c he did recommend a grenache that was actually very very tasty. Other options for affordable wine. Can't wait for that Trader Joes that's opening on Broadway!
Cheers!
Prior to moving to Chicago, my beer haven was Binny's. So to a certain degree I'm pretty spoiled, however this place delivers for beer. A small, but mighty selection of macro and craft brews to choose from all at reasonable prices. Nothing in the area really compares to what this place offers. If you are ever feeling adventurous about beer drinking or love true craft beers, then check this place out. They also have a very nice selection of hard liquor and wine on hand, but I'm only concerned with the beer.
NB: This place is now called "Andersonville Wine and Spirits."
Knowledgeable, nice staff. Great place to buy wine and beer in Andersonville - they have a really good selection from all around the world at all price points. The French wines there tend to be very pricey, but they've made some good choices on what to carry.
They also host occasional tastings at the Hop Leaf (went to my first one 5/17/07 and though there were too many wines - 30!- it was nicely organized and informative; found a couple of good chards and a bordeaux blanc that was quite good). Prices are decent and if they don't have what you need they'll try to get it for you.
What a fabulous little liquor store in walking distance from my place. Such nice employees. Love the beer selection. No, it doesn't have everything, but for the size it has a lot. And it is very convenient for the BYOBs nearby.
Excellent wine selection, I've been going here for 10 years. Ilias and Ramsey, the owners sons - and Gus, the owner, are adorable, knowledgeable and always up for a chat. A fantastic neighborhood resource! They always have a moderately priced red wine for me to try. Amazing beer selection, and an amazing saki selection too! They sell Arak, a yummy Syrian libation that is hard to find elsewhere.
It's dog-friendly, 'cos Ilias and Ramsey let me bring my pup in when I pop in for a bottle or two. And they pet him too, which is the way to my heart!
Fantastic place to buy a six pack or bottle of wine late night in Andersonville. The staff really knows what they are talking about and will help you select your perfect bottle of wine. Everything is organized by type and region, which makes wine easy to find. Beer is a little pricey, but you can find rarities like the many variations of Delirium Tremens here. A couple visits and you should be recognized.
This place isn't trying to be a specialty beer & liquor store like West Lakeview Liquors or Sam's, its meant to be a corner liquor store that has a very good selection and a somewhat odd charisma, and for that this is one of the best corner liquor stores I've been to in the city. Their prices are very good (Franziskaner six packs for $7.99 when they're $10-11 in other locations) and the guy behind the counter tries to do this magic trick thing w/ six packs where he holds open the plastic bag, picks up the beer slowly, then tries to get the beer in the bag as QUICKLY as possible. I was creeped out the first time he did this, but by the 3rd & 4th times I was pleasantly amused. Great business that I'm happy to support.
This place is ideal for picking up some interesting foreign or micrcobrew beer before heading to the lake. The prices are cheap, but they aren't really high either. The staff seems more bored than anything else, but hell, it's a liquor store, I'm not too concerned with their attitude. Given the option, I'd still run over to Foremost liquors for their selection, but this place is close, and not nearly as obtrusive as Binny's.
This place has a great beer selection. I have found stuff here that I can't buy at Binny's. They surely have one of the same distributors that stock the Hop Leaf across the street. They sell the big bottles of many Belgian favorites, single beers and countless microbrews and imports. I haven't made it to the rest of the store other than the cooler on the north wall. That's where the beer is and I go straight for it. Open late, too!
They carry my favorite cabernet--Lot 205 and for $1 less that Sam's. I also love that they are so conveniently located to my apartment!
Nice selection of Belgian beers here. Lots that you don't find anywhere else but sam's or binny's. Also a good place to pick up wine for home or BYOB places. The staff is very friendly, and everything is reasonably priced.
A great place for beer. They have many kinds that you don't see anywhere else but sam's and binny's. The staff is very friendly and remember you when you've come in at least twice.
Whatever you need, they have. Great selections with prices that aren't too steep. You have to pay to play my friends. Their staff is knowledgeable and friendly. They're open late and can make great recommendations for those who are on the lookout for new drinks of choice. From time to time they also have new wine samplings in-store. A great way to expand ones alcoholic palette. A bonus for me was that they knew me after just a few visits, and even remembered my beverage of choice. Made me feel like a real player. Thanks guys!
Neighborhood: Edgewater
Neighborhood: Edgewater
Category: Specialty Food
Neighborhood: Edgewater
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
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