West Lakeview Liquors

osusullins

Illinois

5/5  rDev +8.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

This is a beer lover's paradise. Far and away my favorite liquor store in Chicago. They always have a great stock of the highest quality of beers, and in the off chance that they are out of something, then they will special order it if it is available. Some of the kegs they have available on their keg list are simply amazing. The store is very intimate, but not cramped. It is very organized with the bottles easily accessable and easy to find if you know specifically what you are looking for. The staff is very helpful and friendly. I have had many conversations with the owner and she is an absolute pleasure to talk with. Parking is easy and it is in a great neighborhood. I can't express enough how much I love this place.

10-29-2011 02:40:26 | More by osusullins

onefmatt

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev -6.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | $$

Great liquor store, fantastic selection of imports and liquor. They a friends with Mikeller and have a great selection of their wares. Craft selection is always good and changing, sometimes hit or miss but always solid. Good local Midwest brews from 3 Floyds to Founders to Finch's.

What really sets this store apart is the beer events they will put on in the lawn out back. Just nice to have a store so involved in the craft beer industry. Cantillon Zwanze event back in September was a blast. I am more apt to give to those who give to the brewing community.

10-20-2011 03:11:37 | More by onefmatt

azorie

Florida

4.44/5  rDev -3.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | $$

this is a mail order review only.

I used these folks once, but was very happy with everything but the shipping costs. Not their fault I guess. I did a few emails with them and they were very nice and even got a beer for me that is rare. If not for the shipping costs I would use them more. of course that is true for most good shippers.

They packed the box very well and sure was secure. There were no leaks. The online store was easy to use, but what was in stock needs some work.

No idea what the store looks like inside.

09-27-2011 15:33:27 | More by azorie

jale

Michigan

4.64/5  rDev +0.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Came for the Zwanze day event.
I can't say enough how impressed I was with the beer selection at the store. So many beers I have not seen before. They have a very nice selection of higher end cheeses and unique food products. The staff are as nice as can be. They have a nice selection of beer glasses to go with the great beer available here. The owner is such a fantastic person. She is concerned first and foremost with the customers. This place knows beer and it shows. I will stop here every time I'm in the area. And by the way....Kristina throws one hell of a party.

09-19-2011 23:16:29 | More by jale

hooliganlife

Missouri

4.86/5  rDev +5.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5 | $$

Stopped by for zwanze day. Beautiful shop in a nice quiet area. Inside has lots of old world charm. Tons of wood through out. Looks like a small shop in europe. Everything was well kept and clean. Great bottle presentation. Very friendly service. Selection was amazing, found lots of wants. Tons of local, american, and euro offerings. From lambic to ipa, a solid represetation. Small deli selection and speciality cheeses. Some healthy frozen goods. Very small market looking. I will be back here for sure, love this place.

09-18-2011 02:29:07 | More by hooliganlife

TMoney2591

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev -6.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

Stopped in here after a small tasting down the street at Lush. I wasn't sure what to expect, frankly. It's a small place, kinda cramped, with warm beers on shelves opposite a wall of coolers (also filled with beer). This place has a decent-sized selection, one that seems to focus on imports that you won't find very often elsewhere. I collected a few smoked beers and headed off on my merry way. Some gems here, indeed. The guy at the counter seemed affable enough (I didn't press him for knowledge or anything), and I hear great things from regulars and semi-regulars. The prices are a tad high for my blood, but I chalk that up to Cook County and whatnot, to tell the truth (and it wasn't that bad, really). Overall, a great little place, one that I definitely plan on visiting again very soon.

09-07-2011 05:09:41 | More by TMoney2591

Davidpgibbons

Illinois

4.58/5  rDev -0.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

I stop here at least once a week to scan the selection. I usually always walk out with something. The staff is very informative, most of them know what they are talking about. They especially have a huge collection of mikeller, and very few spots have much. Lots of belgium styles and strongs! They also carry bluegrass brews which are somewhat hard to find in chicago. Usually when an anticipated beer comes it its never marked up and there usually isnt a limit. Overall worth a stop you will usually find something good and rare!

08-18-2011 02:38:59 | More by Davidpgibbons

Treebs

Illinois

4.44/5  rDev -3.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Stopped by here before heading over to a Cubs game.

The liquor portion of the establishment was sort of small, but the selection was outstanding. The Euro shelf space was actually much larger than the US shelf, but the cooler was full of 90% US craft so it made up for it. The establishment has a good relationship the guys from Mikkeller, so this is the spot to get your harder to find Mikkeller as it is usually full stocked with everything you can imagine. The service is also great. Always friendly and will go and look in the stock room if they think they have something that might not be on the shelf at the moment ( was able to get my Half Acre Meat Wave this way).

I didn't venture over into the grocery/deli section, but I hear it's got a very good selection of goodies and cheeses.

Price were reasonable for the area as well and anytime I'm in the area I will always come back and check this out.

08-14-2011 16:25:01 | More by Treebs

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.5/5  rDev -2.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Atmosphere: nice clean small bottle shop. They really do well with the space they have and have a lot of beer out for the limited room that they have. Not a single bottle has dust on it.

Quality: There are some nice quality beers here!

Service: Friendly and helpful. Staff made a nice beer suggestion to me for a barrel aged stout. I am really looking forward to trying!

Selection: decent amount of american craft beer even the canned craft beer! Bigger selection of imported from allover the world sorted by region its from! Huge Mikeller section!

Value: Prices are fair and reasonable. This is a nicestore to visist when your in the area!

08-05-2011 17:19:27 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

mulder1010

Australia

4.28/5  rDev -7.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

A-- Off Addison, near Wrigley Field. Very small shop. Wine in the middle of the store, beers in the coolers and in the back.

Q-- Clean and organized. Did a nice job of separating the foreign, local craft and craft beer. Especially considering the space that they have to work with.

S-- Excellent service. Had two questions and got a lot of help in a short amount of time.

S-- Impressive. Good Foreign stuff that not normally seen and really good selection of stuff within the Chicago area. Able to buy singles of selected beers was very nice and something not all that seen in the US.

V-- Good prices, good service and a good selection of beers. FFF, Flossmore, Dark Horse, Great Divide, Hitichino, and others make this a place worth going to in a big way. Thanks to Dunt and Alexander for the suggestion.

07-04-2011 02:16:03 | More by mulder1010