Binny's Beverage Depot - South Loop

Chaney

District of Columbia

4.3/5  rDev +0.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Visited here on a recent visit to Chi-Town during the Christmas break. This is the Binny's closest to my brother-in-law's place.

Atmospheere: Hell, I don't know this area, so my brother-in-law drove. The area seemed nice, with this building kinda tucked away, but not far too off the beaten path. The inside was absolutely huge! I believe 2-3 stories full of all the beer, wine, and other alcohol-related stuff you can imagine.

Quality and Service: The service was good. A guy came up after he saw me toolbaggingly searching for specific items and asked if I needed assistance. Once I inquired about the FFF stuff, he informed me that their stuff usually goes out the door as soon as it hits the shelf. 8 cases of Zombie Dust he got in earlier in the week sold out within hours. Lots of micros here, especially imports (Belgians!).

Selection: Yeah, the selection here was incredible. They didn't have any FFF, but they had just about everything else distributed to the area... Pipeworks, Metropolitan, Half Acre, Revolution, you name it! I was particularly impressed with their stockpile of imported beers from just about every country under the sun. Simply awesome!

Value: Well, my only point of reference in the area is Printer's Row Wine Shop which was light years more expensive than this place, so I'd reckon to say it's probably about right for the area.

NOTE: They also have a tasting room that I didn't try on my visit. I'm sure I'll be back many more times, so I'll hit it up then.

01-03-2013 00:26:59 | More by Chaney

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.73/5  rDev -12.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | $$$$

Yet another Binny's for me to visit.

Like all Binny's it's pretty much a warehouse filled with all the booze you can imagine. The main difference here is the tasting room. That's a nice change of pace for me.

As with all Binny's the selection and quality are good. Never a complaint there. Service is pretty much non existent. Not that I'm every looking for any. My wife and her friend did have trouble finding a specific wine and they had to look for someone to help them.

The main beef with any Illinois beer store is the prices. Prices are always a bit higher and then add on the the completely insane sales tax and you have a perfect storm of shit.

They always have plenty of sour stuff for me to fill my cart with. So I will always stop while south of the border. Just need some soothing ointment for my ass after I check my empty wallet.

10-16-2011 19:59:32 | More by beerwolf77

pschul4

Illinois

5/5  rDev +17.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$$

The only bad thing someone can say about this place is that it' expensive (which isn't helped by Chicago Taxes). But their selection is unbeatable! Almost every time I go in there I come out with more than I went in for because I find something very interesting I wasn't expecting to find. This Binny's beer specialist, Chris Aiken, really knows his stuff and has helped me out so many times we're on a first name basis.
Overall this is my #1 go to place for beer while I'm downtown at school and I will continue to go back again and again.

Edit: Their other beer specialist, Jeff, is a total boss as well.

09-24-2011 18:35:14 | More by pschul4

AleWatcher

Illinois

3.79/5  rDev -11.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

So this is the southern most store that constantly has Daisy Cutter cans available.
It's that simple.
I live in the southwest suburbs and LOVE Daisy Cutter-- this poses a problem.

Well here's the two solutions;
1). My boss lives 5 minutes from the store so I have him grab me a case. I call ahead and the employees set a case aside at the registers so that my boss doesn't have to look for it. That's awesome.

2). From time to time I show up to work in the morning to find that we have a surplus of drivers and I can take the day off. Usually I spend the day at Three Floyds, but they don't open until 11... which leaves me with about 3 hours to kill. Cruising to the South Loop Binnys is the perfect time waster.

The beer selection is vast. Lots of imports and domestics. Toms of cold beer, and a tap room with lots of really good, and occasionally rare, beers being poured.

The prices are right in line with other Binnys locations... But the workers in the beer department seem less knowledgeable/concerned than at other locations.

Overall, this place is worth the stop if you're a SW burber looking for Chicago distribution without heading to the northside!

09-05-2011 14:04:41 | More by AleWatcher

htomsirveaux

Texas

4.16/5  rDev -2.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Stopped in here this morning, 18 Aug 2011.

Large selection, lots of regional stuff, national micros, and imports from all over. A couple of large rows plus a refrigerated wall of beer. I picked up several 4 packs of Half Acre, including a case of Daisy Cutter (4 or 5 cases out), Gossamer, and Over Ale, which have always been in short supply on my last few trips.

Service was not offered or requested, but they did offer me a Binny's card at checkout time for a $9 savings.

They also had Buried Hatchet and Pine Belt Pale (wtf are you taking away my trade bait for Southern Star?!).

Overall really the only quibble I have is that it would be better if they had more of the beer in coolers.

08-18-2011 23:36:27 | More by htomsirveaux

Lolli1315

Illinois

4.16/5  rDev -2.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

First place I have visited since moving to Chicago.

Large area dedicated solely to beer with both cool and warm selections although not surprisingly there is more beer outside of the cooler. Selection is outstanding and great for someone from Ohio who can't get some of these goodies.

Those at the store didn't seem too thrilled to be working, it may just have been the guy that was checking me out. That being said, it didn't hamper my experience greatly. Probably will be back there soon to not only pick up more beer, but also to try the tasting room.

08-18-2011 19:13:24 | More by Lolli1315

Eldalonde

Ohio

4.08/5  rDev -4.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 5 | $$

This place was out of the park. Absolutely huge. Biggest bottle shop I’ve ever seen. The beers were reasonably priced and their selection was fantastic! Really wanted to try the beers on tap and some cheese, but time wouldn’t allow for it. I would love to go back. Walk-in humidor had some nice sticks, excellent bourbon selection, and just an overall great place. Clean, roomy, nifty shopping cart escalator. Most of the staff was friendly and willing to help. One of the ladies at the register was a pain and really grated us the wrong way on the way out, but she’s an exception to the rest of the staff.

06-06-2011 21:09:54 | More by Eldalonde

drumminbrewer

Illinois

4/5  rDev -6.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

I have a lot of luck at this particular Binny's.

Same good prices as other locations. Something will always be on sale if you're on a budget.

I see a larger selection than the Lakeview or Lincoln Park stores. Out of season Allagash (Curiex, Victor, Victoria, Odyssey, etc), Belgian X-Mas Ales (St Bernardus, Gouden Carolus) & many Belgian sours seem to be more available here.

Nice that they have the "South Loop Tasting Room", I've had some great BCS on tap and the bartenders are polite.

I mentioned in another review of Binny's security is a bit obnoxious, but it's better here. They seem to understand that, along with plenty of cameras I'm sure, they have tons of employee's walking around making sure people aren't stealing stuff (Hence you don't have the 300lb tattooed guy glaring at you, always nice when you're trying to shop).

Service is good here also. People are busy but I more frequently hear "can I help you" here than I have at other Binny's locations. Same gripe as always about their website being out of date, but that's all Binny's locations. I'd shop their more frequently if I lived closer to the South Loop.

05-25-2011 17:39:01 | More by drumminbrewer

immobilisme

Illinois

4.28/5  rDev +0.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $

Binny's South Loop is the beer store that I most frequent.

It has a great selection of all beers available in Chicago. However, it can't be compared to the selection at the Lincoln Park Binny's. Lincoln Park gets the real rarities, while South Loop gets everything else. That being said, they always have a nice selection of Jolly Pumpkin, Half Acre, Founders, Arcadia, Bells, and any other Midwest brewery. I also have no problem picking up Lost Abbey and Firestone Walker, which is a fantastic bonus. Their Belgian and Scandinavian selection is not as good as West Lakeview or Lincoln Park Binny's, but it would be world-class in most any city.

I love the bar at South Loop though. The guys behind the bar know their shit and are not pretentious at all.

05-12-2011 03:23:09 | More by immobilisme

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

5/5  rDev +17.1%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Transcribed from notes dated 12 and 16 August 2010. Why? Because one visit was not enough on my way to Madison, WI and I just had to stop back in on the return trip.

What CAN I say about a place that has both a spiral staircase as its entry as well as offering valet parking? I liked that it was not far from CANal Street and as I ascended the steps, there was the South Loop Tasting Room! It does not begin service until 1500, so plan accordingly.

Looking aft, the right side began with a walk-in humidor followed by aisle after aisle liquor, neither of which really do it for me at this juncture. Since such was not my focus, I checked my bags at the Customer Service counter and headed for the multiple shelves of beer, pushing a cart as I proceeded. Beer in bottles, beer in CANs, beer in mini-kegs, singles, 4-packs, 6-packs, 12-packs, cases of 24, even 30-count cubes! Beer at room temp., beer in a bank of coolers that ran down the left wall, just past their "Gourmet Grocery". Yes, they had meats and cheeses for sale as well as a "Custom Gift Counter" for wrapping of presents as well as creating gift baskets. I grabbed a cart in order to really do things right and wandered around the store armed with my CANQuest (TM) list, looking for new CANs to feed the madness. I signed up for their club card at check-out and saved some cabbage by doing so. The staff was my kind of people - unobtrusive, as in leave me alone unless/until I have a question. Nobody stands over me when I am grocery shopping, so why must I be shadowed when buying beer?

Having satiated my quest, I headed for the South Loop Tasting Room to relax and have a beer.

04-17-2011 06:17:17 | More by woodychandler