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Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
Neighborhood: Noe ValleyMon-Fri. 12:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
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"Hard work never killed anyone...but why take the chance?"
Yes, the ever-changing punchlines of the Urban Cellars sign have long been a highlight of riding down 24th St, but until today I had never bothered to shop here (partly thanks to Plumpjack up the street keeping my wine rack full). Unfortunately the inside is not as memorable as the outside. It's a small space and there's really not too much selection, very few descriptions, and the staff didn't seem all that eager to help me find something. On the upside, there was no shortage of bargain-priced bottles. And heck, I'd love a place like this in the Inner Sunset. But when I'm in Noe, I'm still a loyal Plumpjacker, Marina-Newsom pedigree or not.
As I write this, Urban Cellars has had their license suspended and is temporarily closed as a result. The suspension comes after selling alcohol to at least one minor. Thanks to this blog post for spreading the word: http://noevalleysf.blo... and to a commenter there for the link to the details of the infraction: http://www.abc.ca.gov/...
Why have I reviewed none of my local haunts?
Eric is the sweet guy who runs this place. Great selection of all sorts of wines. Wifey and I found our favorite rose there, from Provence. We break it out on special occasions. When we wed in our apartment, I dropped three bills on various bottles. Every one was a hit.
Try the Terra Rouge Muscat - divine.
I love this place. I think I might be there too often, but the selection is ever growing and changing. Not to mention Erick and his wonderful staff like Raul are happy to guide you through the process with a wink and smile.
Besides being a great wine store with plenty of top shelf and under $10 bottles, they also carry unique liquors, and a fabulous variety of Belgium-style beers .
Oh yeah, I also happened to walk by the shop the very windy day that the sign blew down. That was the first time I might Erick as he was sweeping up the broken pieces. The sign maybe gone but the love remains.
The mark of a truly helpful wine purveyor: as I took my $15 bottle of wine to the counter, he said it was fine but suggested a better $10 bottle. I was grateful. The guy here (I think his name is Raul?) has always been incredibly sweet and helps me pick out awesome bottles in every price range. This place truly earns its "as good as it gets" rating.
What an awesome wine store! Their selection is varied, and they're always well stocked with all of the best beers and wines for fairly reasonable prices.
And they have the nicest people, who obviously have a great senses of humor since they put a punny/funny saying pertaining to wine and spirits on their mini-billboard every week or so.
The joke is on one side, and the punchline is on the other side...and I've nearly crashed into a pole several times trying to read the other side as I pass by.
Oooh! I have a great quote to put on their big sign up above the door of the store!
"Men are like fine wine.
(other side)
They all start out like grapes, and it's our job to stomp on them and keep them in the dark until they mature into something with which you'd like to have dinner with."
Ok, I know it doesn't fit on their tiny sign. But I still think it's HI-LARIOUS.
http://www.funny-haha....
The guy who used to run this place isn't around lately i'm not sure if it changed ownership or what, but the new chap is cool and seems intent on keeping the spirit of the place alive. It's pretty friendly, on two different occaisions I had a free taste of some really awesome scotch..
They have a good selection of mid priced bourbons but the main reason i come here is it's the only place i've found in SF which has "Old Speckled Hen" which is one of my favorite beers ever. It is an english import, that has kind of like the smooth and creamy vibe of a guiness but in a lighter colored lager type of beer. Most excellent.
edit:
there's yet another different chap who is runnin the place here now. still mostly the same selection tho.
I don't lie, I don't know wine.
But Erick at Urban Cellar does.
I'm a wine newbie - wine people can sometimes be snobby, pretentious and kind of irritating when they talk about the nose, the tannins, the hint of this, the hint of that, the way the light shines through, etc...
They're only irritating, cause I don't know what they're talking about.
Erick wasn't like that at all, he was helpful, asked me what I liked, and totally courteous. I'm going back the next time I have a wine tasting party and when I feel like getting my wine on!
I agree with all of the other stellar reviews for this shop. This is a great shop and is far less intimidating than Plump Jack up the street.
I liked the old manager (owner?) who used to run the place. He always offered samples as you shopped and fancied himself a modern philosopher. He would run ideas by customers for potential quotes for the infamous sign outside which by the way is currently broken. Shop here so that they can buy a new one!!
The only thing better than the staff of days-gone-by is the current staff. Eric is great! Super friendly and knowledgeable. My roommate and I are regulars but I have seen him treat everyone with the same friendly exuberance as us.
Bonus: Tons of great wines for under $10, including a bunch of Argentinian ones that I would not have found on my own. Yet another Noe Valley favorite!
This is my favorite wine shop in SF and considering there are a ton on 24th Street, and we're avid drinkers, that's saying alot. The selections are top notch with prices ranging from $7.99/bottle to $100+/bottle and they're all tasty. The shop carries wines and champagnes that Plump Jack can't even get. That says alot about the owner, who's a great guy.
When you go by his shop, he always has clever quotes on his outdoor billboard, but also in the windows. My favorite so far: "There are three kinds of people. Those who can count and those who can't." Awesome! His goal is to help us smile and enjoy life. That's all the incentive I need to give him my business.
Good selection of wines, and - as they advertise - 50 wines under $10. Helpful employees and cool little store, too. Your place for wine in Noe Valley.
This isn't just your average liquor store. They have EVERYTHING in here. Fine wine. Booze. Beer from everywhere. It is a pleasure just cruising the joint to see bottles that you don't recognize...
That never happens at safeway.
Despite the fact that my Grandpa Dino was in the wine making business, my tastes in wine gravitate towards the hearty-dago-red end of the spectrum, and I rarely if ever can discern above the $15 a bottle mark.
But for those rare events where I require wine expertise that which goes beyond my paltry knowledge and/or uncivilized taste buds, I have a sure-fire method of picking out a good bottle of wine at Urban Cellars.
1.) Find the Proprietor
2.) Tell him what you want, and what your budget is. Details such as nuances, bouquet, and what you'll be eating with it are helpful, but not necessary.
3.) Tell him to pick it out.
I do this whenever I have a date with a lady that has a nose for good vino and I've gotten complements almost ever time....
I love browsing in this store, even though I know I'm just going to end up going home with another bottle or two of the chilled sparkling shiraz (I'm fighting waves of anxiety even by providing this much information about the best alcohol discovery of the year...). I come in here at least once a week for the intriguing international selection. In addition to a great chilled wine/champagne section, they have a wonderful assortment of microbrew and international beers, including La Chouffe (with the gnome!) and Hitachino.
I also keep coming back for the great service (despite the embarrassment of always buying the same exact thing and essentially revealing myself to be a boring, one-trick gal). The guys here are too gentlemanly to call me on this, however, and are unfailingly friendly despite my blaring predictability.
This place always cracks me up when I walk by. They have alcohol related slogans up that change week by week.
This is always my first stop on the Noe Valley liquor run. The prices are reasonable (usually cheaper liquor and beer than Plumpjack) and the selection is pretty good.
They don't always have what I'm looking for but usually have Pimm's, Boodles, and a great selection of Belgian Trappiste beer at dollars less then anywhere else. Like almost normal beer prices instead of jacked up fancy beer prices. If you're into Westmalle or Rochefort this it the place to go.
The staff always suprises me with their great recommendations and there are a ton of bottles under $15. The sign above the store changes frequently and are always amusing. This definitely adds local color to what is such a cute neighborhood already.
The Urban Celler introduced us to:
Castle Vineyards (in Sonoma)
Klinker Brick Vineyards
No attitude, helpful staff (every last one of them) and a great selection. Alas, I do wish that they had more chilled bottles ready to go, but it's small space so what can you do? Buy something you've never heard of based upon the sales clerk's recommendation.
Read the sign in the window!!
The sign on this shop is the only thing that brings any flavor to Noe Valley. Besides me, of course. This sign and me are the blackest things in this area of town. And I'm about as black as MJ, circa Bubbles.
The other great thing about this place is that the staff knows its wine. They can offer selections for any type of meal or occasion in any price range. Usually I just ignore all suggestions and go for "Bon Bon" Rose which is $9.99 a bottle with a label that looks like it was designed by a Japanese toddler. I love that stuff and you will too. However, do not touch it, they only get a limited amount in and all your "Bon Bon" Rose is mine.
Oh and the last thing I love about this place is that the other night when I came in here, one of the adorable employees was singing along to Britney's new jam, "Gimme More". When I started singing along to indicate that I was also feeling both him and Britney, we pretty much serenaded each other in a bizarre and lovely performance piece that was, in its essence, a homage to one of the greatest perform-a-tots of our time. May she rise again. I mean, when your kids are taken from you and given to Kevin Federline because he is a more suitable guardian, WOW. It's like my dogs being taken from me and given to Michael Vick. Or someone taking the only toy from a homeless kid dying from Leukemia and putting it into an incinerator. Actually, it's not at all like that but my point is, you done fucked up REAL bad when a white man with corn rows wins. They might as well just put the the boy into prison and the girl on a street corner to start selling because PAPA NEEDS SOME MORE SEAN JEAN. I'd honestly rather have Chewbaca or Bunnicula watch my kids. Really, Britney, GET IT TOGETHER. GIMME MORE. MORE SANITY. MORE SOBRIETY. MORE CLOTHING. I mean, fuck. Where are her handlers? Did she fire her mother? What about Dina Lohan, can Dina NEVER MIND.
Does nobody care? I CARE! I don't care as much as that awesome maniac on Myspace but I CARE. I miss wholesome whore Britney. Bring her back. Can't Justin take her back? Why does he get everything and she nothing?! And what the fuck? Wasn't Christina supposed to be the trashy one...what happened? Who woulda called this 8 years ago?? NOT ME. I thought Christina was headed straight for Hep C and Britney would be all married in a castle by the sea and shit. Man, I do not know how to call them.
went in needing to buy 6 bottles of wine for a dinner party on a budget. normally i find going into wine stores like these pretty annoying because of the weird elitist wine people vibes -- not here! just true customer service where the staff doesn't expect you to have as much knowledge as they do -- how refreshing! they ask the right questions and point you in the right direction based on what you tell them you are looking for...without an attitude -- imagine that? needless to say, this is the type of place you like giving your money to. customer service is such a lost art in this city. thank you urban cellars for raising the bar!
we obviously ended up with a great wine selection for the party, all bottles under $15.
A local little wine merchant, with a decent selection, and without having to trek around town to get something. Not too shabby a deal.
Hands down my favorite wine store in the city. Walid is charming, affable and really knows his stuff. I'll frequently call in ahead and just ask him to select items for me that I'll just pick up on the way home. While their selection is not as extensive as, say K&L, the personality and likeability of the store make up for it in spades.
Fantastic little neighborhood wine and fine beer and liquor store. Eric, the guy who's there all the time is helpful and funny and knows his wine. They always have good deals on wine (like great wine for under 10 bucks) and you can mix and match six packs with their gourmet beer selection. I love the smart ass sayings on the sign out front, makes my day when they I see the new one that they put up every month or so.
I used to live next door to this place- so I went in a lot. There are several places in Noe that sell wine- but none can compare to Urban Cellars.This place is great and the selection is possibly the best in the city. The friendly staff is always able to offer assistance and reccomendations. The only thing that would make this place better is if there were a tasting bar. The sign makes me smile every time!
The friendliness of the proprietor here has scared a few of my lady friends, but he's really a good guy who just wants you to have a great bottle of wine. And the sign really does make you smile every time.
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