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Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
Neighborhood: LakeviewWellington (Purple Express, Brown)
Belmont (Purple Express, Brown, Red)
Mon-Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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Fantastic beverage store, really well organized. Amazing wine selection. My go-to place for cheap champagne for frequent toasting of everyday happiness.
If you want to know what to bring to my house, it's Veuve Clicquot, sweetiedarling.
But if I'm pouring you an elegant (IKEA $1.75) flute-full, it'll likely be Dibon (*snicker*) sparkling wine, recession-beater priced at $7.99 a bottle (less with your Binny's card!).
Binny Binny Bo Binny banana fanna fo finny me my mo minny BINNYS!!!
I feel like doing a cartwheel with some pompoms for this establishment. We were building our bar and needed suggestions for good liquor and wine. Every suggestion that was made ended up being a complete home run. It was depressing seeing the bill after ringing our spirits and wines but boy oh boy, what a way to go, with a glass of austrailian cabernet in your hand.
I'll be back. with a loaded credit card and fat pockets
Maybe it was a fluke how awesome the service is in Binny's! Nope this is my third time hitting them up for some much needed Riesling and guess what???? They are nice, friendly, and knowledgeable all the freakin time...ITS GREAT! Shout out to Mike for explaining how to let the wine breathe, what is the best cheap red wine to buy...(Im always looking for a bargain) Blackstone if you Yelpers are interested is cheap but delish!
Clean Slate if you like Riesling!!!!
I cant wait to stock up my little wine holder after my stock is gone.
Stumbled inside after leaving a Cub's game and then Murphy's Bleachers. As I walked in I noticed some people were dressed too nice to be buying alcohol. They were having a wine tasting! I only went inside to get a special bag of kettle corn that they have at the downtown location (check my review for it). The people that work here were very helpful with making sure I got my tasting glass and that I knew which booths to visit. The bad things about tastings is if I stay long enough I will start buying. I wound up buying three bottles of wine (2 rieslings and 1 moscato) for a total of $42.
I never saw that delicious bag of kettle corn that I got from the location on Grand Ave :(
I found a fabulous Italian wine while on vacation in Mexico, go figure. Every time we had dinner at the resort I wanted this wine. It had hints of fruit but was smooth and delightful. Anyway, when reality set in and I had to come back home I tried to track this wine down in various places with no luck. That is, until I met a very knowledgeable older gentleman working at Binnys. I gave him all the details I could remember and when I said it was "Luna something in a really ugly purple bottle". He knew exactly what I was talking about and I had it in my hands in moments. Thanks Binnys and thanks to the helpful gentleman who reunited me with my new favorite red.
Oh yeah, the wine is Luna di Luna Sangiovese/Merlot. Love it.
I am madly in love, and her name is "Binny." I'm convinced Binny is a female, and I desperately want to do naughty things to her that I cannot speak of on this site! I'm leaving my wife, and am going to permanently move into Binny's.
Seriously, I am like a child in a Toys R Us when I enter this unbelievably stocked liquor store. LIQUOR, BEER, & WINE----Binny's has it!
PRICES----VERY REASONABLE!
STAFF------ALWAYS FRIENDLY & HELPFUL
SALES-----FREQUENT
Unfortunately, every time I walk in, I do not leave without spending at least $150-$200.
I'm in love!
It's funny because usually in a large retail store, you don't expect to find great service, but this couldn't be farther from the truth at Binny's.
The staff is very knowledgeable about wines, and have answered my questions and over the years have heard them make great recomendations to others. Great prices and the best selection in town.
One of the few things I miss from Chicago. Low prices, awesome selection, and knowledable staff. A sure bet!
I think I may have been to just about every Binny's location in the Chicago area. I also went to one of their wine tasting events, which was like the Taste of Chicago only full of drunk people. Wait, forget I said that. What can I say? It's a giant room full of booze. You can't go wrong with that, right? I think I may have just outed myself as an alcoholic.
Beer geeks rejoice, this is your heaven. I find this one very similar to the location I'm used to in Highland Park right off Skokie Blvd. For me the only things I care about at Binny's are its beer, wine, and cigar selection. All of which are superb. Although certain beverages may cost you a little extra, don't hesitate to try something new. I always enjoy the changing of the season because their selection is always out of control. Currently, try some of the pumpkin ales. They rule.
They have such a great collection of IPAs and their staff is very knowledgable.
I once went in and asked for a South African wine witha goat on it. They knew what it was!
It's also great for fancy cheese and things you might want to serve at a wine or beer tasting party. And I like the added perk that even some of the weird beers, there is a 6 pack already cold in their fridge.
Buying only a cheap bottle
It's okay, they'll still make suggestions
Need something less popular
Never fret, Binny's has it
Yes, I come here much too often
Stop on by, you'll love it
I heart Binny's. I needed wine for a dinner party once, and not only were they uber helpful in helping me select a bottle, the guy continued to follow me around the store telling me his life story and asking me for advice on what to do about his baby mama. Kind of weird, but I can deal.
Then today my friend just *happened* to be coming over and well, Binny's is on the way, so I told her - er, asked her... to bring me wine. I told her what I wanted, and she walked in, held up her iPhone with my text message and said "where is this" and they helped her find it. And it was way cheaper than it was when I bought it at another place recently. Now I have wine to drink later because of Binny's helpful staff and my awesome friend.
Yay for Binny's. And yay for awesome friends.
I'll let everyone else rave about the wine selection or the cheap prices or the fun tastings. All those are true.
But the best thing about Binny's in my opinion has to be both the cigar prices and the customer service inside the humidor. It's usually a woman named Nina in there, and she'll tell you everything you need to know about each stoge and help you explore new tastes and provide the best mild smokes for friends that may just want a cigar but don't really smoke. On top of that, the prices beat almost any store I've ever walked in.
Maybe a true aficianado could tell you better than I, but if you're starting a cigar hobby and need a cheap place to get you on the right track, try this Binny's location...
This review is long overdue. Binny's is pretty much my significant other that doesn't talk back, takes a lot of my money, spends lots of time with me, satisfies me, and sometimes sends dirty emails promising goods at lower prices.
Before moving to Chicago from Ohio I never could have imagined that an entire establishment the size of one of our grocery stores would be filled with wondrous wine and liquor and even have catacombs. If by some odd reason you have yet to have the Binny's experience, you need to. I'd recommend checking out some yelper BYO lists then heading to Binny's pre-dinner. Perfection.
I was in desperate need of my favorite wine (Sonoma Cutrer, ftw), so I hiked the six block journey over to Binny's. I knew from previous purchases that my wine was $25.99 at Whole Foods, but I've been feeling a little broke these days, so I decided to go out looking for a deal.
So I'm under the impression that Binny's is the Midwest version of BevMo, yes? Long story short, I walk all the way to Binny's to find that my wine is $23.99. It's only two dollars less than Whole Foods? I was hoping for some mad dealz, yo.
However, I'm not knocking Binny's. They had some good California wines, so I'll be back in due time*.
*This afternoon
The castle has nothing on the South Loop Binny's, but if I lived up here I would have absolutely NO complaints about coming here to grab a fine craft beer or nice bottle of wine. Selection is still very good, although there was a better beer selection at the South Loop store (of course, it is bigger). No bar here either. The great thing about this location is that they have parking. It's impossible to find free parking in Lakeview but they have it here. That alone warrants a great review.
Probably the nicest Binny's I've ever seen (and I see a lot as I do promotions in them).
If you get a chance, CHECK OUT THE CATACOMBS!
SO cool!
"I don't drink often...but when I do, its from Binny's." Imagine it in the Most Interesting Man in the World voice from the Dos Equis commercials.
When I was hosting a bachelorette party and wanted to make our favorite drink from college (Pair o Titties - equal parts pear Woodchuck and Frambois), they had everything. When I wanted to find a bottle of wine that I'd drank six months ago but couldn't remember the name ("uh...it was white wine? with a brown label?"), they patiently helped me find it. When it was Japanese beer for a sushi BYOB, they had a rockin' selection. When I bought ten bottles of champagne, they didn't even bat an eyelash.
Insanely helpful staff. Wide selection. No skeezy liquor store vibe. Parking lot! Store club card with discounts! Five stars!
I just went here yesterday for the first time, and it was pretty great. Awesome selection. Free parking. Reasonable prices. I'm usually more of a liquor drinker than beer or wine, but there is still so much to choose from.
My only complaint is that they close so early. I wish I could access such a selection at least until midnight.
I headed to Binny's on 9:00 Saturday morning (don't judge!) and wanted to buy some wines that I had previously purchased. Being the flake that I sometimes am, I could not remember the names. When they ran my credit card, however, they pulled up my previous purchases. Genius! I was able to purchase the same wine without wandering the aisles and hoping I got the right one. Aces.
I really like this Binny's and the main reason for that is the staff. I have been shopping here for… Read more »
I could get lost in Binny's, wandering the aisles looking at all the goodies to drink. I'm most definitely a Binny's fan and this was solidified for sure just the other day.
Mind you I am not a Sake fan but needed the smallest bottle possible for the tempura meal I was going to be making with a friend. And when I say making I mean she made it and I watched.
I arrived at Binny's on Sunday at precisely 6:01 pm. They close at 6:00pm Silly me didn't bother to look at the store hours. No worries here. Since it was just after 6 pm the manager politely let me in but reminded me to hurray as they were closed. I asked him to direct me to the Sake and in 2 minutes found the $2.99 small bottle of Sake I needed and was out the door.
Thanks Mr. Manager for letting me in after hours and thanks for having a cheap-o bottle of Sake for me (a.k.a my friend) to use for cooking our meal!
I shall return. I need to stock up on Riesling again!
This is my preferred Binny's of the two that are within striking distance of my home. First, the people seem a lot nicer than in Skokie. Second, the store is more pleasant and welcoming, in lighting, signage, organization, etc.
Yesterday they were featuring a surprising variety of samples: St Germain (an elderflower liqueur), Harpoon beer, some froufy stuff that I avoided called Mimosa, and, best of all, Macallan scotch. Although their display instantly seduced me just before she spoke, the Macallan representative asked me as I walked past if I had ever tried their product. Ha, she had no idea. I told her yes, many times, and as a matter of fact, the Macallan 12 is the current libation in my bottom desk drawer at work. (I also told her the story about trying to tour the Macallan distillery last May but being turned away for lack of reservation. That tour is booked for weeks at a time. I tried to bribe both the counter-lady and the tour guide, but no dice. Those bastards have integrity.)
Anyway, they were tasting some VERY nice scotches--17-year-old Fine Oak, 18-year-old regular, and 21-year-old Fine Oak. Frankly, my favorite was the 17, and I have now put it on my short list for the next bottle to buy (see, that kind of marketing actually works). I was impressed the highly professional setup. She rinsed the glass between tastings, offered a Hershey kiss to complement the 18, and once she ascertained that I know a few things about scotch, we talked at length about the product and our mutual experiences. PLUS, the tasting glass with the etched Macallan name was a free souvenir.
So besides a wonderfully varied selection of domestic and imported beer (I don't shop for wine or spirits much besides scotch), this Binny's samples are top-notch. I always discover something interesting that I want to try, or an old favorite that I haven't seen in a while (yesterday it was Anchor Steam Porter and Wells Bombardier, respectively).
Oh Binny's how i love you so. I thought the best way to describe my love for Binny's would be in the form of a Haiku
Booze is Plentiful
Everything you need or want
Binny's you kick ass
Every winter I make the traditional Swedish Glugg. I find it very difficult to find a Gallon of good, sweet port wine anywhere. But I can always count on Binny's to have it. Very helpful staff every year I visit. I can't reveal my families secret recipe here but Its delicious!
My most frequented place to purchase booze. Why?
1. Easy park and pick up for gifts.
2. For the most part, seems like Binnys prices on wine are better than Sam's.
3. Generally, staff make good recommendations.
4. Beer selection is pleasing, can pick up a new pack or single bottle to try each time.
My experience with Binny's was nothing but great. I doesn't hurt my outlook on them that I was recently burned by http://cellarbrokers.com(google 'em, it ain't pretty), and as they say, hunger is the best spice.
First, let it by known that I am reviewing their online shopping experience, as I live in MN. I was looking for a very particular scotch that I had no luck finding in town. Of course Binny's had it in their huge selection. It wasn't exactly cheap, but I don't think there was an online spirits premium that some other places charge (I feel this way because I saw the same bottle elsewhere for twice as much.
It took them the 24 hours as promised on their website to process the order. I called during that 24 hours to check the status, and after just one ring I got a real live person on the phone who was very friendly. They didn't mind at all that I was a little paranoid because I had just got burned on a scam. In fact they were very understanding. They answered all my questions about shipping, and sure enough later that day the bottle went out. 2 days later it showed up on my doorstep (not literally, it was fedex so someone had to sign for it). The packaging was fan-freaking-tastic. It was like one of those projects in middle school where you make a box and put an egg inside and then drop it out of a 3rd story window to see if the egg breaks. Manning (P.) could have thrown this thing 60 yards without breaking it.
Next time I need a hard to find item, I want it to get here safe, and I don't mind spending the coin I will be going straight back to Binny's.
Don't forget to get a Binny's card - and sign up for their email list! They always have great specials and deals/coupons... and wine/beer/sake/cordial tastings (for an additional fee, usually $10-25) at their stores around town. I haven't been yet to a tasting, though, but just wanted to throw that out there.
Great beer selection too. Very impressed, I am. Need to buy more Allegash, I do. Stop speaking like Yoda now, I must.
Get thee to Binny's. You won't be disappointed.
God love these women and men. They know their craft, friendly and articulate. Looking for good Cote du Rhones....ask for Ray. He is a fountain of knowledge and has a good sense of humor. I buy wine from no where else.
My go to place for my bar items. It's great for odd things like hot pickled asparagus for Bloody's and Bleu Cheese Olives for Dirty's and the only place I know that carries my favorite wine: 2005 - Alois Kracher Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese No 4, say that 3 times fast ... Ha! Say it once.
The staff on the floor are pretty knowledgeable and helpful. The cashiers however, seem sad.
Don't forget your ID - their big sticklers for that.
Does anyone know what a LCBO is? If you've ever been in the lovely Canadian province of Ontario, you do, and that's what Binny's reminds me of. I used to live close to this location and would walk up when we needed to restock the booze cabinet. I think the selection is awesome - I could find just about anything I was looking for, and would sometimes just randomly buy a bottle of wine to try something new. Staff is friendly and helpful.
I enter Binny's
Me: ....
*Turns and looks left*
Me: ....
*Turns and looks right*
Me: ....
*Still standing in same spot since entering, manage to catch attention of employee walking by*
Me: Excuse me, could you tell me where the beer is?
Employee: The beer, huh? Good questions... (appropriately directs me to beer).
Yeah, it sounds like pure idiocy but that's how huge this place is. Yeah I could've walked around and eventually I would've found the beer section but I think it just happens when you enter; you sort of just stand there in amazement. Even if you had an idea of where to go you know you'd be too distracted to successfully find what you're looking for. Upon reaching the beer section, I didn't even risk it. I just grabbed two six packs and ran to the register. I knew if I actually took a moment to look I'd be in this place for 90 more minutes.
Binny's, if you want to come to California, I wouldn't mind.
This place is great! Not only do they carry a variety of items - - but the gift selection is also stellar!!!
Oh Binny's. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? A summer's day falling down drunk, I suppose.
I like walking in the door of this place. It's clean and well laid out, with wine and likka stretching as far as the eye can see. They have a great selection of all kinds of alcohol, along with mixers and garnishes and some snacks, just for good measure. Whether your tastes run to beer, wine, or spirits, they are likely to have what you need. When I was looking for Absente (legal absinthe), Binny's was my first stop. They had it.
The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful, though sometimes it can be difficult finding someone, especially during off hours. Last Easter, my hostess had very specific requirements of the wine she wanted for dinner. A salesperson was able to help me find what she wanted, and recommended a wine varietal I was unfamiliar with, which was a huge success.
I agree with Jayson that the name leaves something to be desired. But what (to continue the Shakespearean theme) is in a name?
One bit of trivia: the building in which Binny's is located used to be the Ivanhoe Theater, which is why is has the funky exterior. Worked well when it was called The Chalet; less so for Binny's.
Who doesn't like a liqour store with a membership card? Great place to sit during Pride!
Good for selection, but you should only go to a place like Binny's for something you can't find anywhere else. The prices ain't sailing, and the neighborhood place could use the business.
Now, as a rum connoisseur, let me tell you what you can find at Binny's that is hard to find else where. The best rums found here are Haitian or Guatemalan. They usually have Zacapa and Zaya, top Guatemalan brands that can compete with any rum on the planet, even Cuban. For a more affordable but still top brand bottle, go for Rhum Barbancourt, the rum of Haiti, and the age does make a serious difference (though if you can't afford it, the younger bottles are still good). And, since Bacardi is one of the most evil companies I know of thanks to their longtime sponsorship and direction of right wing Latin American terrorism (including an attempted incident that nearly killed thousands of Panamanians in 2000), if your looking for overproof rum (over 100 proof, or over 50%), stick to Jamaica's Wray & Nephew's, which can be found here.
And if you want any more tips on rum, I'll be glad to help.
I love me a trip to Binny's. The huge selection, bargain bin prices, and great cheese options make it more than worthwhile. They have quite a few bottles from small wineries in Sonoma, so scooping up a bottle always reminds me of my favorite vacation to wine country.
I also LOVE the Dagoba chocolate bars they have in the checkout lanes, and recently discovered a new fave- dark chocolate with vanilla bean and cherries. Yummy.
The only downside- the store sometimes feels like a combo of feet and garbage, and I'm not really sure where the odor comes from. Makes a tasting a little hard to maneuver, what with your olfactory system inundated with the grossest smell ever.
If you need booze, this is the place to go.
I only ever go to this location since it is so close to where I live, but I can only assume the other locations are just as good.
Hands down the best prices on liquor I have ever seen. Yes, sometimes you can find beer (particularly basic domestics) a little cheaper elsewhere, but even with beer, 9 times out of 10, Binny's will always beat the competition's prices.
Whether your a poor college student who goes to buy a $9.99 bottle of Smirnoff (yes, its really $9.99 everyday) or a spirits expert looking for a unique bourbon, or just a nice bottle of wine for dinner, Binny's caters to everyone.
The selection is incredible. If Binny's doesn't have it, you will be hard pressed to find it anywhere else in the city (maybe Sams....maybe). The beer selection in particular is exceptional. The must have around 1,000 different beers for sale. The best part is that unlike places like Sam's, there are way more locations in and around Chicago (Sam's has 4 while Binny's has 21).
If you are not sure what you want, just ask any of the floor staff. Everyone is incredibly nice and shockingly knowledgeable about whatever you are looking for.
Just a warning: if you ask the manager (stocky guy with a stubble beard) an open ended question like, "I'm looking for a good whiskey, what do you recommend?", be prepared for a whirl-wind, in-depth educational tour of every type of whiskey you could ever imagine.
Just the other day I went in and left with what has ended up being the best bottle of vodka I have ever had. And no, I'm not going to say what it is out of sheer greediness!
One note: the wine expert is sort of a snob, but I think being a little snobby might actually be in the job description of any wine expert, so I forgive him.
Great selection and service, especially in the delicious, yet underrated cheese section... which has become all the more important for my newly vegetarian boyfriend.
Specialty cheeses that won't cost a Whole Paycheck?
Nice!
If you like feeling warm and giddy and perhaps a little hoity toity - check out one of Binny's Champagne Tasting events. There you will sip an assortment of bubbly (My boyfriend and I loved the Veuve Cliquot Rose and the Grande Dame) while an expert on the stuff tells you all about the grapes and the region. On the night that we attended, a fetching Frenchman named Francois held my attention with his marvelous accent that was - how you say - ooh la la. As we sat in a cavern lined with wine bottles and nibbled cheese and crackers, we felt like we were in another country.
You leave feeling 'sparkly' and warm and with a bit more knowledge on a beverage that deserves much more attention than at the stroke of twelve on New Years Eve.
Cheers dahlings!
Neighborhood: University Village
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
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