I am not very easy to please...however the fine wine I bought from this place...pleased me. The owner and work's are very wonderful, especially that man with bright color hair behind the counter. He will not play my game...but you know who WILL play my game...the lady in the store with me...she was awfully rude to the poor boy working the counter, but he handled it with such dignity and respect I bet all the employees have. They also were incredibly helpful on helping me choose a wine for my next...game. The quality and service was far beyond my expectations and I shall be returning to this fine establishment in the near future. Disrespect this place and you WILL play my game... read more

Ambassador Wines & Spirits - Me sitting on a fine collection of wine - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - New York, New York

Best selection of liquor and champagne I have ever seen. The staff is really knowledgeable.

I stopped by because the Yelp photos showed more bottles than were listed on the website. Boy was I right. They have an enormous 2 story store with every imaginable wine. I was most interested in Port and Madeira. They have the biggest selection I have seen in NYC or DC. The prices are reasonable; probably a slightly lower markup than Total Wine has. read more

See all

These guys are super helpful, knowledgeable and fun to talk to. Found good French wine from their excellent cellar, a selection or spirits to rival a warehouse store and even some harder to find liqueurs. read more

Heaven for a wine lover. Recommended me something delicious in one minute flat. Reasonably priced as well.

They have a great selection and the staff is very friendly!! The vibes are good. The goth guy at the counter was especially nice and helpful. Yall should give that guy a raise. read more

this store is absolutely gorgeous and I had such a fun time inside. the owner was so nice and extremely knowledgeable. i saw billy the puppet in the store and he he just made the service so much better with his jokes. anyway this store is amazing and everyone should shop here!! support small businesses and shop local read more

Yes yes yes. Ambassador Wines is a terrific source for not only great wines and spirits but for the all but forgotten idea of customer service. They really are wonderful. read more

this store was so big and beautiful! the owner was very knowledgeable on his wines. i'm very picky with my wines and he had the patience to help me find the best one for me. he also recommended smaller brands opposed to bigger name brands. 100% recommend this place!! read more

Bought $300 bottle of champagne as a special gift to thank my sister and mom. They live 1 block away (no joke, the entrance to their building is on E 55th St.) They opened the champagne and it was totally flat. I called the store to ask them to replace it. They would not, unless we brought the flat bottle to them. I do not live in NYC. So I had to ask my sister/mom to march the flat bottle to the store, where the staff literally poured a glass to make sure it was indeed flat. I am so embarrassed. The worst thank you I have ever sent. All they had to do was deliver a proper bottle one block. I guess they were a bit sheepish too, because they threw in a bottle of wine in addition to the fresh champagne. But seriously - if I'm going to buy a $300 bottle of champagne via phone, I'm not trying to scam you out of another one. Please trust your customers a bit. I will not be back, and neither will my family. read more

Massive selection of a ton of wines and lots of great liquors! Has a basement that's also extensive.

Only been to this place 2-3 times but the customer service is so incredibly on point I had to step out of my food Yelp zone to write about it. The only name I really remember from the most recent experience was Adrian who's the man but truthfully every time I go everyone working is so helpful and accommodating, it makes me want to buy more than I need - unclear if that's good or bad but yolo!!! Best liquor / wine store if you're in the area. And check in for $2 off any purchase over $20!! I was too late to that but Adrian still gifted me a mini Casamigos because Ambassador Wines is the greatest to ever do it. One love ! read more

Ambassador Wines & Spirits - a wine shop - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - New York, New York

I went here a while ago. The people here are quite knowledgeable and there is a great selection of sake/shochu; much better than most other shops I have seen. This includes aged shochu/koshu which is my preference. There was a sake distributor there giving out sample and I bought a very unique type of honjozo which was a mix of unfiltered and filtered sake. Can't comment on wine outside of how much there was but the spirit section was good. The prices are high for a few but it's expected for the area. 4.5 read more

Great wine and spirit shop. Very good assortment of mid to high end bottles. Knowledgeable and friendly staff.

Wow, amazing service from knowledgeable staff is what gives this place five stars! Walked in to get a bottle of single malt before a Thanksgiving party and got expert advice from one of the guys there. Found a terrific whiskey around my price point and it was spot on. Whole transaction was fast and professional and prices are about what you'd expect for the east side. Plenty of options to get what you want and a dedicated team to make sure you pick the right bottle. Love this place. read more

Ambassador Wines & Spirits - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - New York, New York

Unmatched selection and service. Without a doubt nyc's top store. The last of the boutique stores that will not race to the bottom. The owner has integrity. A true gem. The staff tastes the products they sell and cares about their customers read more

A+ selection of alcohol, and a great store that doesn't mark up items ridiculously.

Amazing recommendations with the most knowledgeable staff. You give a price, they'll give you something that tastes double its price. I have never had a bad selection and I am grateful they deliver and in a timely manner. There's nothing bad I can say. They are the only store I will buy from and am so happy they are in my neighborhood. A+++++++ service and selection. Cheers! read more

I never review wine/liquor shops but Ambassador definitely deserves one. I come here all the time and the employees are beyond knowledgeable and friendly. They give great recommendations and are never trying to push any products on you. I've gotten great recommendations on wines, tequilas, and even cooking wine! I actually told the guy helping me what I was making and he said "I'm a cook too! This one's great!" as he handed me a mini bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon. PS- If you're a dog lover, they have a MASSIVE dog named Schlomo. He may look intimidating but he's the friendliest pup! Go say hi if he's hanging there! read more

Ambassador Wines & Spirits - My favorite Schlomo! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - New York, New York

Surprised about the good reviews. Anytime I have been in the store the customer service is horrible. Not friendly at all and on most occasions made me feel like I shouldn't be there. Spent a fair amount of money here as I live a block away, but now never go and will walk to other stores that have better pricing and better customer service. read more

This place is pretty epic - I stopped by randomly one day and was absolutely amazed by the sheer selection. It's actually quite overwhelming in terms of variety but luckily the great gents who mind the store there noticed I seemed a bit lost. They were quick to come over and ask if they could help. I had actually gone in to check out any Japanese whiskey they may have - yes I know it's overhyped and expensive but I want it anyway. I appreciated that they gave their honest opinion about any bottles I asked for and also could discuss pretty much any bottle in depth. While they steered me away from the Japanese options (since all of the bottles I was after were unavailable), I did discover a whole new world for Scotch. I'd always thought of Scotch as being limited to the big names and thus the big price tags. However, I've learned there are some excellent smaller distilleries as well as my favorite new option - the independent bottlers. Ambassadors stocks a decent range from Signatory and here you can get whiskey distilled by the big boys for a fraction of the price. This place is absolutely brilliant (although dangerous to my bank balance). read more

I'm not sure why this place has so many rave reviews. I suppose it's for the service but unpopular opinion I'd rather have good wines that I can look at on my own than service where I feel pressured. There is a decent selection but not many good deals. It was quite cramped I could barely move around and I felt pressure to buy quickly as a result instead of leaving innocuously. The prices of the wine are quite expensive so expect to pay 20+ as most wines are quite a bit above that price, and there were no sales that I saw when looking around. Astor Wine & Spirits is WAY better in my opinion and 100x as spacious, with well rated bottles on sale that are clearly marked with the deal and price. read more

I love this wine shop! Admittedly, I've only been there once, but I'm looking for an excuse to come back and would definitely go out of my way to stop by here again if I was in the general area. The staff is incredibly knowledgable and the wine selection here is amazing. Lots of great options at every price range and the employees are incredibly helpful. I would without a doubt recommend this wine shop to anyone in the area who wants a quality wine. A lot here is worth splurging on and even the more inexpensive options are solid. read more

Decent spot if you're looking for wine. Subpar at best for liquor. I searched the whole store for something drinkable and decide on Tito's vodka. If you're looking for liquor, another liquor store is probably best but they had plenty of wine and spirits. Just saw your response and had no idea all of that was in the store. I walked in and asked a question of the girl in the front. She never suggested I look around and see if something else could accommodate me. I had no idea all of that was in the store, hence my comment. I saw several men standing around (maybe one of them was you) no one bothered to help. I'm sure they saw I was struggling, I only stood there for 20 min trying to figure it out. Now that I know you have all of these things, maybe I'll give it another try and search through the 4,000 items and see if I can find something.. thanks! read more

I love this place! "...more than my luggage..." (that was for ALL the folks who know the best movie quotes)... Now this is for ALL those folks who THINK they know the best wine & spirit shop! If you have NEVER been to the Ambassador... then ya don't!... just sayin' I found this spot by "happen-stance"... I needed a good bottle of red... I like to think of myself as a "Wine Aficionado".... because I "whine" ALOT if I purchase a wrong vintage... Well... I walked into AMBASSADOR and it felt like I was walking into a Bway staged performance! The atmosphere is immediately inviting and super energized with enthiusiastic employees!... The "INTRO" was everything! I knew the type of reds I like to sip... full-bodied (the types that FILL my Soul).... And that's pretty much what I told the gentleman that helped me... ALL those choices can be OVERWHELMING... but he was able to narrow it down with a couple of questions and 2 or 3 suggestions... Loved that!... "easy peasy"... With his suggestion and two others employees chiming in from ALL OVER the shop... I felt "assured" and qualified when I left the AMBASSADOR carrying TWO bottles of a excellent red... AND... a fancy bottle of "tequila" to boot!... Yeeeezzz honey! I truly I am pleased about finding this place... even though I live on the Westside... BUT... My Bff on the Eastside now gets ALL her deliveries from the AMBASSADOR... She too LOVED their knowledge... their showmanship... their Performance! From the Westside... to the Eastside... With Love :) read more

Having minimal knowledge of wines, I entered the store probably looking like a lost puppy. I was searching for a bottle of wine to gift and was met by very professional and knowledgeable staff. After explaining what I had in mind, I was given a few choices, explanation of where each one originated from, and what made them unique. I was also given a specific recommendation, which I gladly took. Unfortunately, I didn't get to meet Schlomo the dog during my visit here! I also didn't realize there was a check-in offer until after I got home. Hopefully I'll remember it next time. read more

Great store! Great staff! Needed to buy a gift and was kinda unsure what to get. After a few questions they had some suggestions any of which would have been perfect. Now that I'm back in the city a few days I'm glad I found this store and will be able to stop in. read more

When it comes to wine shops, I am a deer in headlights. My husband wanted a bottle of wine to keep in our hotel room and we stopped in. Everyone was eager to help, I am beyond that with wine. So I declined the help, checked in on Yelp, and saved my husband $2. Yup, a friendly, neighborhood wine shop, that had exactly the bottle my husband wanted and $2 off. I'm a fan. read more

Don't think mainstream when you come here. Think unique but still reasonably priced. I was looking for a unique bottle of rum and though their selection was not huge they had a number of choices I would have been happy with which was quite a surprise since in most other places I see the same stuff over and over again where there might only be one different thing that stands out. On top of this customer service was there to help decide and I did not need to look for anyone. read more

This place is awesome. Amazing selection. Super knowledgable and helpful staff happy to spend any amount of time educating you about wine and spirits or giving a suggestion or pairing with special meal. Really nice ppl. Good prices especially for the one on one attention you get. Cutest monster dog ever that is super gentle named schlomo. We go in a lot just to see the dog and end up walking out an hour later with a new bottle of this or that. Overall just an absolutely superb neighborhood wine and liquor store. A lot of times theyll let you taste pretty much anything you want if your on the fence about buying it. Go here for all your wine and spirit needs in midtown east. You won't regret it. They know theyre stuff. Love these guys. Would give 6 stars if it was possible. read more

I love their selection, prices are reasonable and sales staff are knowledgeable. A store to die for...but only figuratively. Their COVID-19 safety practices are horrendous. Uneven mask usage by staff, nominal enforcement. I'd love to shop and spend lots more there, but if you value your life and want to patronize an establishment that values your life, too, this place might not be for you until we reach here immunity. read more

First off, this shop has an incredible selection of wines - I was looking for an assortment of South African wines and they had one of the best selections I've seen in the city. Then, outstanding customer service. Very attentive to all my needs for setting up a client gift delivery -- very positive and can-do attitude by staff and owner and they went the extra effort for redelivering our (large) order. read more

Is there a friendlier wine shop in Manhattan? You can't convince me that there is, because the folks at Ambassador were great! We stopped in after dinner to grab a bottle of wine. The store is well stocked with offerings ranging from $15 to "sky's the limit". No matter what you're into, they probably have something you'll really love, and that includes a wide offering of sake. We were hoping for a reasonably priced sparkler and the gentleman that helped us (Doug?) couldn't have been more helpful. He took us down to the cellar and explained that they won't sell anyone who doesn't actually grow their own grapes - so no VCP or Pommery for you, kids! When I explained what I generally liked, he grabbed a Cremant d'Alscace that fit the bill perfectly - and at $20, it was a good deal. There's even a store puppy. Alas, he had gone home for the day but as a consolation prize we got to see photos. Overall - great selection, fair prices and an unbelievably helpful and friendly staff. I'm a big fan. read more

I frequent this liquor store a lot because they carry so much! Walking in you see all different types of alcohol. I usually stop by walking back from Whole Foods if I feel like it's a wine kind of day. They have so many wines and it doesn't stop at the first floor they have a basement filled with more wines! My favorite room is downstairs in the champagne room. They have so many different types and a good range of price ranges as well. Their cider walk in fridge is also another reason I just keep on coming back. They have a wide selection of ciders that I just can't find anywhere else. I wish they expanded their cider fridge to include more because I'd probably stock up on a case of something if I really enjoyed it. They also carry a great range of whiskeys, tequilas, bourbons, sakes, you name it they have it! I also like the check in for $2 off. The service here is phenomenal. You walk in and if you're not sure what you're looking for they'll guide you in the right direction. The people really know their stuff. They also ask you about the price range which really helps you target what you'd actually buy. They have free tastings on Fridays which is highly appreciated because it's fun to drink while buying something to drink. They had a rosé and sake tasting just last Friday! This might be trite from all the other reviews that pointed this out but this liquor store is a little pricier than other ones. I bought some bottles here that was $5/$9 more than at another store. Even though it's pricier I really enjoy the the selection/customer service. They also answer your questions really quickly online or over the phone. read more

I can't say enough good things about this place. The high-level, incredibly helpful and friendly customer service that Ambassador Spirits provides is seriously beyond any other liquor store I've ever experienced! I walked in today SO sure that the type of wine I was looking for would not be available. Instead, someone not only immediately assured me they had it, but they also had different variations I was unaware of, along with similar brands, from this country and that country, and in this price range and in that price range... I was, quite simply, floored at the knowledge and educated suggestions that I was being offered. I decided to push my luck and ask about a tequila that I had a hard time finding in Manhattan - no problem! Then I asked about a specialized Kentucky bourbon my husband likes - knew exactly what I was talking about! They were the nicest people too, and the shop is far more inviting and interesting than your generic NYC liquor store. I left knowing that I'll be back to buy alcohol and support this business as much as I can. I think my experience can honestly be best summed up with something I said only a few minutes in: "Why didn't I ever just go here in the first place?" read more

Seriously AMAZING!!!!! Happy vibes all the way. I stopped by this place for the very first time, last night and I'm super glad that I did. I had to grab a last minute gift for a client and from the second that I walked in - the staff was incredibly welcoming. Smiles, happy vibes, and KNOWLEDGEABLE!! I mean these guys know their stuff! They had an in depth answer for everything! And made some wonderful recommendations. As far as the inventory, let's just say you can't go wrong with anything you buy from there. If you're the kind of person who enjoys something different, special, or with a story, you will love this place. And if you're not sure, just ask of the guys. They won't lead you astray. Definitely a fan! Side Note: I purchased 2 items : Hatozaki Small Batch 10 year Fukano Rice Whiskey read more

Ambassador Wines & Spirits - Hatzaki Small Batch Fukano Rice Whiskey 10 year - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - New York, New York

See all

This place is going to suck down a lot of my hard-earned dollars - good selection, friendly staff and a pleasantly large offering of Japanese, Korean, and Chinese varieties of rotgut to keep you well occupied and marinated. There is even a separate little cold room with a decent selection of sake - the varieties are a bit of the touristy labels but it still beats the hell out of what's available at most other places around the city. There is even a basement filled with some of the more expensive bottles of wine. read more

Ambassador Wines & Spirits - A decent selection of sake in a separate mini cold room - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - New York, New York

See all

This is a six star wine shop. From the first moment you walk in you know these guys are serious. I was quite pleasantly surprised by the price and the selection. I was greeted by Andre and he help me through the selection the purchase and the delivery. No doubt I will be buying my wines here from now on. read more

As a newcomer to the neighborhood , it brings me so much joy to have found this establishment . In addition to the largest selection of wines and liquor from all over the world., the prices and customer service are 2nd to none . I highly recommend to novices and experts of wine and spirits . 5 stars are not enough . The whiskey pricing is better then fair , it's the best . Not to respond to others but I don't understand the other review. The McKenna is 65.99 here. It's 85 plus everywhere else. Maybe he is looking at an older edition which I saw at 89. There is so much here it's hard to imagine. Lewis read more

Awesome wine shop with a huge selection of unique wines. Employees are very helpful. Love that they carry chilled bottles of every wine in the back, and you just have to show them the bottle that you want and you get a chilled one from the back! Decent prices as well. I will return! read more