1 West Dupont Circle Wines & Liquors

circus_cat

Virginia

3.51/5  rDev -6.6%
vibe: 1 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$$

I don't know what one would say about the atmosphere of a liquor store. It's safe and in a good neighborhood (Dupont) but yeah...I'm going to give it a 1 because I think that will bring the rating I give it down to size (the selection part is going to skew it).

The service is okay. The people that work there are pretty nice but they are a tad all up in your face and follow you around a lot which is super awkward (they do have a huge store I guess, but still).

This place has the best beer selection in DC, maybe followed closely by De Vinos in North Dupont/South Adams Morgan. Period.

The problem is they think they can charge out the a$$. It's actually kind of infuriating. Skip this place unless money is no object for you--and then still skip it because it's contributing to their notion that they CAN charge this much and get away with it. They are a good 20-30% more expensive than the other stores in the area. It's not just beer either. I was comparing prices for a particular bourbon recently and it was $60 here and $40 at another place right down the road. I'm always tempted to go here because I live sooo close by but recently I've been annoyed enough with the prices to walk further to Connecticut Ave. Wine & Liquors.

NOTE: I REALLY wanted the average to go lower because the pricing is THAT ridiculous, but I can't say without being disingenuous that they don't have a really good selection of quality beers.

07-17-2012 17:06:03 | More by circus_cat

ATLhophead

Georgia

1.8/5  rDev -52.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 1 | service: 1 | selection: 3 | $$$$

This place is complete and utter bullshit. Save your money. I was excited to try a ton of IPAs that weren't available to me in GA. The owner lied to me about certain bottles that didn't have dates and said they came in on the truck "yesterday". I spent over $100 on brews here. He was just trying to make the sale. It's overpriced and complete BS. Connecticut Liquors was much better. Save your money and your time. I was lied to and no one appreciates that. It's bad business. Some of the breweries were FW, Troegs, and Green Flash.

EDIT: I just called the place to tell them about the beers I bought and the bad experience. They apologized without a care in the world and HUNG UP on me! DO NOT EVER FUCKING GO HERE! PLEASE BA's. THIS PLACE IS GARBAGE!

06-09-2012 23:19:49 | More by ATLhophead

jonmacklin

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -4.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | $$$$

Holy bajeezus is this place overpriced and expensive. quick examples: 120 minute was $25. yeah 25 effing dollars. UNREAL. De Vinos & the place directly across the street from them, Virginia Market, both have it for $10 - $11. Russian River Damnation was $28, I know RR beers are super hard to get but where available the beer sells for around $11. lastly sixpoint resin was $15 a 4 pack. connecticut ave liquor has it for $10

Bottom line, the place has some rarities and hard to finds, but you will pay a pretty penny for them. even the regular stock stuff is usually $4 - $5 more than anywhere else in town.

I would recommend steering clear of this place b/c its just waaay too overpriced and instead checking out De Vinos, Virginia Market & Connecticut Ave Liquors for also great selections with far more reasonable prices.

04-03-2012 11:51:14 | More by jonmacklin

fountainofyouth

District of Columbia

4.45/5  rDev +18.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

This is probably my favorite place to go hunting for craft brews. They have a very wide selection that shifts with seasons but not too much. (Great selections of imperial stout even in summer and IPA even in winter!)

They carry things I never thought I'd find in a corner liquor store. For instance, I stopped in today looking to get six-pack of Bell's Kalamazoo Stout, since I know they carried it. I was delighted to find next to the Kalamazoo Stout, six-packs of Bell's Cherry Stout, Double Cream Stout, and Porter. They also have a lot of 22 oz. bottles from around the country.

The staff are very friendly and offer assistance when you walk in. They also offer to take the beer you've selected and keep it on their counter so you don't have to search with heavy six-packs on you.

The only drawback is that the beer they sell is expensive, and because few places carry those brews, they sell at highish prices. Safeway sells a six-pack of Dominion Oak Barrel Stout for about $1.50 less.

10-13-2011 22:56:16 | More by fountainofyouth

nycjaacks

Florida

4.3/5  rDev +14.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

I’m in DC for work and found this joint through BA. I found their selection to be outstanding, well displayed and easy to find just about anything one could want. The prices were kind of high but it was worth paying a little more. I purchased a 6 pack of Palm for about a $1.50 more than I pay at home. The 750 ml’s were also a couple dollars more but I was here for quality not quantity. The one beer that I was disappointed in was Orval , they were asking $7 and some change. They also had the Oberon 2011 mini keg as well as some beers I’ve never seen before.
Overall the store was well worth the 5 block walk and confusion of Dupont circle. If you like clean well stocked stores this is your place. If you’re looking to save a few bucks, stay away.

08-06-2011 18:48:35 | More by nycjaacks

smakawhat

Maryland

4/5  rDev +6.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$$$

As things are with Dupont it's a pricey neighborhood.

The good thing though when you enter 1 West is that it's a very well organized store and extremely clean. That's the first thing you notice.

The second thing is there is an incredible amount of variety here, and there are some odd items that you may find here and nowhere else. Selection is actually excellent. However, there is a reason why there is a good bit of variety.

This is the most expensive store in the DC/MD/VA area I have ever been in. Everything in here is WAY overpriced, and that reflects often in the beer which has bottles that have in many cases been sitting way too long. Things here are also ridiculously overpriced, even worse than Olney Fine Wine and Beer (such as a 6er of GI Summertime for 13 dollars). However, there is a possibility you may find some hard to find items (at the time I write this, there were many bottles of Nightstalker still here, but they were way overpriced at $22 dollars!!!). I bought mine for $10 months ago.

If it's a beer that will keep no problem, but ecspecially for what they are charging?? I'd say it's not worth it. It's not just the beer, even the liquor prices here are outrageous. You can find the items they sell here in other places in DC without any trouble.

I wouldn't buy anything here unless it was a real obscure hard to find and worth it to me. But if it is... you just might find it here, but you'll pay through the nose to get it.

04-29-2011 21:29:34 | More by smakawhat

blackie

Virginia

3.8/5  rDev +1.1%
quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$$$

located a stone's throw from Dupont Circle, and just across the street from Paradiso

the fellow working the desk and the guys stocking shelves were pretty friendly, offering help and whatnot

selection was quality, numerous interesting bombers and 750's, as well as a very respectable lot of six-packs, both warm and cold storage, lots of light exposure for the room temp beers

prices pretty ridiculous imo, some items were a good 3-5 dollars higher than elsewhere, and essentially all of them ranging high

06-26-2010 20:21:36 | More by blackie

ryannaman

California

3.55/5  rDev -5.6%
quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5 | $$$

All I can say... is I am thankful to have experienced what true beer stores are.

I know good beer stores and this one is just average. I wish I could give much more accolades ... but when I was in DC I had much more a run in with good beer with better service elsewhere. I would like to see this store step up their beer game and I would stop by again if I were in the area. The one plus for me was that I could walk to this place. The place is nothing horrible... just not great.

If I could suggest one thing... be more personable behind the counter. I didn't even care to learn your name and I was in the store 4 times while I was in DC. Sad.

12-07-2009 00:08:30 | More by ryannaman

glid02

Georgia

3.95/5  rDev +5.1%
quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

This has been my go-to spot while in DC after The Wine Specialist was somewhat of a disappointment and Chevy Chase is too much of a haul.

Quality is good however there is a lot of beer near the front windows. Most beer is near the front of store and there is more in the coolers in the back. Be sure to sneak around and check out the side coolers as I somehow missed those the first few times I was there.

Service is good. I had a different experience than the gentleman below me as every time I've been in there I've been greeted and asked if I needed help finding anything. I've yet to ask for any advice so I can't speak to how well they know their stuff.

Selection is very good. Large numbers of bombers up front with a few six-packs and more six-packs, bombers, and a few singles in the back. As I mentioned before this is the best selection I've seen on the southwest side of town.

Value is not the best, it seemed about $3 too expensive to me however I have to adjust that for the slightly higher prices in the District in general.

Overall it's a bit on the pricey side but the selection makes it worth it.

11-08-2009 05:42:17 | More by glid02

TLove

District of Columbia

2.7/5  rDev -28.2%
quality: 3 | service: 1.5 | selection: 3.5 | $$$

DC is the type of cosmopolitan metropolis where good beer can be given its due respect. DC has great beer Meccas like Brickskeller and Brasserie Beck and great stores throughout NW DC. This is nothing special.

This spot was good for a quick pick-up downtown, but nothing worth travelling out of the way for. The owners use the location to justify hiking up the prices to the point where most large beers are an indulgence.

Selection is better than many, but again, not exceptional. Mostly big beers and six packs. A few I havent found elsewhere, but most are available in other good beer stores in DC. Decent selection of six packs and no skimping out on the cheap shit.

Other NW DC spots such as Rodman's and Chevy Chase Wine and Liquors have a far more extensive selection with better prices and far more personal service. The guys at the desk dont venture so much as to say hello until you walk to the counter to pay. They take no interest in you as the customer or offer to help.

03-11-2009 01:23:30 | More by TLove