Table & Vine

ms11781

Massachusetts

4.05/5  rDev -9.6%
quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

Got a chance to visit this place last weekend while visiting friends just over the MA border in Connecticut. At first glance I thought they had everything but once I walked around for a bit I realized it was "almost" everything, but they had a lot of it, if that makes sense. Prices for the standard things were slightly higher than I've seen most places, but nothing too high that would keep someone from purchasing. Prices on the limited and rarer things seemed to be a bit higher than they should have. I was never asked by anyone if I needed help with anything but I did enter the store armed with a list so possibly that had something to do with it. The only real issue I have with this place is the extra you have to pay for breaking a six pack. Most places without a mix-a-six option that allow you to take a single from a six pack charge you for what one beer would cost in regards to the six pack (i.e. a single from a $12 six pack would cost $2). Two separate singles from different six packs that cost $11.99 rang up at $2.99 each here, which equals around $18 a six pack. Basically it costs you $1 per beer to break a six pack.

09-11-2010 03:49:01 | More by ms11781

beerboy563

Connecticut

5/5  rDev +11.6%
quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

The internet always seems to be the place where people like to complain about a bad experience. Whether its about a restaurant, car dealership, or whatnot. Well, this is not one of those posts.
I called Table & Vine this past Thursday to find out if they had any Green Flash West Coast IPA, since they were out the last time I was there. And living 45 mins away, this isn't a place I just swing by. So when I called I got Eric on the phone and he told me that they only had a couple 6 packs left, but he could set one aside for me. I said that would be great, but I wouldnt be able to get there before Sunday. He said he wouldnt be there Sunday but that was fine and would have it for me at the Customer Service desk. And I asked if it was possible to set aside 2 6 packs since it was for my brother's b-day. That was no problem either. So when I got there at 2:00 on Sunday, I went to the beer aisle to see what else I might buy. They had Racer5 6 packs priced at $12.99 and 12 packs for $18.99. Well that was a no-brainer. I asked, I think his name was Griffin(?), if he had any 12 packs cold, since I could only see 6 packs in the cooler. He checked, but no luck. Oh well, I would just buy the 12 pack warm. Then less than a minute later, he came back up to me and said that he would put 2 cold 6 packs worth of beer in the 12 pack box for me, and take the warm from the 12 packs and put those in the 6ers in the cooler. Then I took the Racer5 to the Customer Service desk, and wating for me behind the desk was my Green Flash. Now all this is what I call top-notch customer service!

08-31-2010 13:59:12 | More by beerboy563

Chico1985

Massachusetts

4.35/5  rDev -2.9%
quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

Pretty much the Julio's of Western Mass. Since I live in the area this has been my main store to get craft beer. Huge selection, but they are lacking in some areas that Julio's are not. They seem to price gouge a bit too, especially with limited hyped releases. I wish they also had a mix-a-six deal, if so this place would get alot more of my business. I tend to save my bigger purchases for other stores because of that. But like I said their selection is excellent and easily the best for the area.

06-27-2010 16:18:59 | More by Chico1985

MashenBrewer

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +11.6%
quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Here's the deal. I brew and brewed a lot years ago. Last year I see my brewery in the basement and... had to brew again. Now I am checking out home brew clubs and I am hearing about beers that only Michael Jackson could'd known. Where do I turn to find what these fellows are talking about? With luck I stop in at Table and Vine about 20 miles away.

I am walking along and it is like... a who's, who of labels. Huge, continental section, vast array of American, Microbrewery offerings. I am stumped, what to do / what to get? I stop a clerk (Eric) stocking the shelves and he makes a few suggestions. Fine, thank you very much.

Two hours later, I get to a club and pull these out and I hear a murmur at the end of the table. Then silence. Then a club member says in a bright voice. If you're going to be brining those beers you can come whenever you want.

That, my beeradvocate friends, is what you want in an establishment. A selection of stock that is, fresh/new, easy to find, organized, open, thought-out, good lighting, well represented in style, variety, region... It's great.

I am blown away. I come back a week later and ask to see the manager of the beer section, remember this place is BIG. I tell him that I am impressed and (Tom) says if you are looking for anything we don't have give me a little time and I'll try to find it for you. Amazing I am telling him I am looking at a really super collection... He comes back with... If you're looking for more.

I give up. I have seen many places but this one is excellent. It takes the keg! Did anyone here goto the free keg tasting they had? 40 kegs, 10 free samples + grilled burgers and lots of nice specialty snacks. Thank you Big-Y

05-29-2010 20:24:12 | More by MashenBrewer

WhiteOak

Connecticut

4.1/5  rDev -8.5%
quality: 5 | service: 2 | selection: 5 | $$$

Beer heaven?

Beer mecca?

Beer nirvana?

Those descriptions might be too religious...

How about beer utopia? That should be P.C. enough.

Table & Vine has an outstanding selection. As mentioned, bring plenty of money, because it is completely impossible to not fill at least a hand basket.

If I had to find a flaw, it might be that the German/Czech/Brit selection is not completely without gaps in coverage. And that I was one of eight customers having to wait in line for one cashier while a bunch of employees mill around, chat, and stock shelves.

This is a great wine strore too, and years ago when I was a serious cork dork, "Town & Country", its previous existence, was a destination.

05-17-2010 21:20:54 | More by WhiteOak

travduke

North Carolina

4.25/5  rDev -5.1%
quality: 5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Visted Table & Vine while on a Sunday search for some harder to find Belgians that I cannot get in Connecticut. We drive up not knowing what this place was like and drove up to the biggest liquor I have ever seen. I walk in and all I see is specialty foods, thinking I walked into the wrong store. I was wrong, this place not only has the best beer selection I have ever seen but also a gourmet cheese and food selection. I stopped and chatted with a rep from Opa Opa while he was doing a tasting. This was a great place and definitely on my go-to MA shops.

05-16-2010 17:42:44 | More by travduke

adirondack88

New York

3.85/5  rDev -14.1%
quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4 | $$$$

Table and Vine - well, what can I say other than you better bring your wallet. I got excited when I first walked in and saw the size of the place. The biggest problem I had with Table and Vine is that their beer is overpriced. To charge $69.99 for a case of Dogfish Head 90 IPA is being greedy. I can get Dogfish Head 90 IPA for $57.99 at Eddy's in Saratoga Springs, NY or at the Winooski Beverage Warehouse in VT. Most places that I have been to in the northeast only charge $9.99 a four-pack and if you multiply that by 6 you would only have to pay $59.94 a case, not $69.99. It's too bad because it is great to go to a place with a good selection, but I hate to walk out feeling like I got ripped off.

03-25-2010 02:46:36 | More by adirondack88

nopucophop

New York

3.9/5  rDev -12.9%
quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4 | $$

So I visited this place today after hearing many great things about it. I did drive 2 hours to get to this place. Now was it worth the drive? They do have a ton of beer. I was able to find many offerings not available in NY. The service was O.K.. They did tell me that I came at a bad time as far as inventory goes. I did find some unbelievable deals i.e. Anchor Steam Christmas Ale Magnum for 10.98 and Sierra Nevada Bigfoot for 8.99. All in all it is a place I will probably visit a couple times a year but it was not mind blowing as others have said. I think it made me realize how lucky I am to have the stores I do around me.

02-28-2010 03:24:54 | More by nopucophop

aerozeppl

New York

4.25/5  rDev -5.1%
quality: 5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | $$

I have been here many times and am finally getting around to putting up a review. This is a really cool store. Massive store that has beer, wine and liquor as well as an excellent gourmet food selection. They have a nice and varied selection of imports as well as a very nice selection of craft beer. I like that they carry locals. I always grab the Berkshire barrel aged beers here. They also have Opa Opa growlers which is a nice touch. Finally checked out the cheese selection this last time I was here. In a word excellent. I finally found dmeadows source of 1000 day aged gouda. The prices were in line with MA and they even have some good stuff on sale. Grabbed a six pack of Bigfoot for 8.99. I don't even want to know what it costs in New York. Fairly easy to get to off the highway which is always a plus. I wish New York laws would allow something like this. A destination stop for sure.

02-26-2010 17:20:41 | More by aerozeppl

woosterbill

Connecticut

4.25/5  rDev -5.1%
quality: 5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | $$$

I stopped here on my way back to CT from NH last weekend, and was quite impressed. The selection here is nothing short of phenomenal, with basically every beer I can imagine being available in New England - except Alesmith, which I know Julio's carries from time to time. T&V is clearly a great place to find whatever kind of beer you're looking for (and is nice and close to CT for all those great breweries that don't distribute here: Founders, Port, Lost Abbey, Green Flash, Bear Republic, etc). I didn't have anyone try to offer me advice, and the checkout took longer than seemed necessary, but no real complaints on the service end. The only reason I'll probably save my Mass beer runs for Julio's is the price - everything here is as expensive as I've ever seen it, usually a dollar more than my usual store; I mean, $11.99 for a four-pack of 90 min? The generally higher prices and (from what I could tell based on signage) the lack of a volume discount (like Julio's 15% off mixed six-packs) make Table & Vine a clear runner-up in the battle of MA beer store heavyweights.

Cheers!

11-10-2009 20:45:15 | More by woosterbill