This is a smaller store than Evanston, Niles, etc., so that does limit their selection a bit (particularly their N/A section. They don't stock the N/A wine I like and they have a limited section of N/A beer, even leading up to "Dry January"). For those who like THC drinks, they have fewer options as well. But I appreciate that they do keep some N/A items stocked here, as some is better than none! The staff here are very helpful as well. I had two folks ask me if I needed help (and they were able to help me) compared to the Evanston location where I had to wander around for 5 minutes just to find someone when I couldn't find a product that their website showed as being in stock, and ended up having to go up to a cashier to ask for help because there wasn't anyone on the sales floor. read more

Love this place!! My favorite place to buy bourbon or rye! Their prices are very good, staff are super helpful and knowledgeable!! I often find something that I've been searching for here that I can't find elsewhere. Skokie location is very good but the Lincolnwood store is the skokie store on steroids! read more

Binny's Beverage Depot - cars parked in a parking lot - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

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Purchased a specially packaged Bailey's 12 pack for stocking stuffers. Opened the package to discover bottles were expired. Donnie was very pleasant on phone and checked others that were put out and all boxes seemed to be expired. Returned for refunded. Just disappointed that there was no offer to purchase the single bottles for same price or any other solution except for to put blame on the distributor for dropping off out of date product. As I arrived, larger gift sets of Baileys was also being removed from display Check the expiration dates n any Baileys you've purchased! read more

Worst customer service at this location at Binny's. I was trying to find simple syrup and two workers chit chatting away didn't even bother to help me. I asked the security guard instead to help me. Avoid at all cost. Support the local liquor stores that actually care about their customers. read more

This particular Binny's location has a special place in my heart as it's an annual tradition for my sister and I to go here, pick up some bottles of Johnny Walker for my uncle, for our yearly New Year's Day festivities at his place. Binny's has about 30 locations, and they offer a variety of wine, spirits, beer, gifts (wine stoppers, wine glasses, etc.), and even cigars. They also have events (such as seminars and tastings), and they have specials and deals frequently. There's an expansive lot for your car, so finding a parking is never a problem; I suggest going through the local road to Gross Point Road so you don't have to cross crazy Dempster! +local beverage depot :D read more

This location is smaller than their Niles location off of Dempster and Milwaukee but the Skokie location is so close to me and that makes it really convenient. They also price match, all you have to do is clip the newspaper ad and they'll gladly match the prices of Cardinal's or Liquor barn. Some of the big pluses - the excellent Scotch selection and knowledgeable people onsite to answer your questions on the different varieties of Scotch. Note: They do have a Scotch/Whiskey hotline - spirits@binnys.com or (888) 817-5898, now you know they are serious! They have all of my favorites from Islay (I love the smokey flavor, it's like licking a campfire) - Lagavulin (16), Laphroaig (10), Arbeg (10), Bowmore (10 and Legend), Bunnahabain (pronounced Bunny Haven), Caol Ila (10), Klichoman, are all available. They also have some other favorites - Glenrothes, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Dallmore, etc. I also love that they have San Miguel Pale Pilsner and Red Horse beer but they don't have San Miguel Negra (their dark beer) at this location (you have to go to the Niles location). And that's why this is a 4 star review. They also have a great wine, craft beer, cider, ice wine selection. Make sure to check out their wide selection of stuff on sale, you can always pick up bottles of wine and beer, at a substantial discount - that's how I discovered Steam Whistle beer (from San Francisco). Thank you Binny's of Skokie, you get two thumbs up!!! read more

Binny's Beverage Depot - They say home is where your heart is and that's why I'm having a San Miguel Pale Pilsner on New Year's Eve. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Great service and always a good selection of alcohol. Matt was very helpful in finding me a perfect couple bottles of Italian wine. Thanks Matt! read more

Benny's always has great wine selections, values, and service - Today, Brendan was most helpful - Bravo! Patience is a virtue even for a demanding customer - and bedside manners never loses. read more

I was in need of some applejack brandy for a recipe that I wanted to make. I searched all over Chicago and hit about 12 liquor stores and none of them had ever heard of it. At the last Chicago liquor store I tried the man working there also hadn't heard of it, but he assured me that if I went to Binny's they'd have it. When I got home I called this store and due to it being a Friday evening I felt pretty sure they'd be very busy and not willing to take the time to check for me. The young lady was very polite when I told her what I was looking for and put me on hold for less than a minute and came back on the line and informed me that they had 2 kinds in stock. When I went there this morning I was walking around kind of dazed and confused by the choices and a man who works there asked if he could assist me so I told him what I was looking for. He immediately walked over to where the applejack brandy was pointed at it and asked if there was anything else he could assist me with. It was nice to get the same good service I'd read about here on Yelp before I actually went there. Next time I have a cooking recipe that calls for an unusual (or a common one) alcoholic ingredient Binny's will be my go to place. Stop in and check it out they have a really good selection and great service too! read more

Binny's Beverage Depot - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

My wife and I visited Wilmette to help deal with her deceased mother's belongings and estate issues. We were desperate for empty boxes for glassware, and called on Binny's for help. Gustavo (sp?) could not have been more courteous and helpful, and showed sincere condolences for my wife's loss. If we lived in the area, this would definitely be our one and only choice for beer, wine, and liquor! read more

I like this Binny's because they still-intentionally or not still have the old 'Chalet' sign out front, as if they are defiantly saying that we were something else once. I think some of the Chalet attitude still lingers since the floor space is focused much more on wine and in my experience, the staff seems to covers the wines and seem more willing to dispense advice on it than spirits or beers. Oenophiles in the area, you should come here. My most recent visit went all right for the most part except for the fact that I was waiting in line for what seemed like a 20 minutes-I was lugging around 18 bottles of beer so, I think the hyperbole is warranted. The checker must have been new or really nervous because he had to check with a supervisor and fellow checkers for things for the 2 people ahead of me. His neighboring checker even had an eye roller derby with all the trouble that he had to help out with and put up with the rush of people trying to get the 10% off booze. I will say he was friendly enough. He asked if I wanted a box to hold all my beers, but his inexperience reared its head again, I handed him a military ID to confirm my age and even after I showed him where my birth date was he wanted to call his manager over, not wanting him to have a hat trick of supervisor calls I dug out my driver's license and got out of there. read more

There is no other liquor store in the north shore with a better selection of wine and spirits than the Skokie Binnys! Their staff is knowledgeable, helpful, and patient. read more

Cannot say enough about this Binny's. Over the years, I've frequented several Binny's, but this location is truly my favorite. Bar none. The staff is courteous, smart, friendly and tremendously helpful. Jodi Pietrala, GM, is the "Bourbon Queen" and always knows the best offering for any meal, occasion, gift, etc. Salut! read more

Store was under construction when we visited so aisles were cramped and it was dusty; I assume that will all be fixed when the refresh is finished. The staff were awesome, particularly Karen who chatted us up about beer and bacon at the register. She did not make us complete separate transactions to get our one bottle per person, which was delightful and courteous. Staff seemed less knowledgeable about beer than other Binny's locations, but were eager to talk about it and learn. I think we blew Karen's mind with our purchase of Rogue's chocolate pretzel raspberry ale and telling her about their maple bacon ale. read more

I love shopping at this binny's!! Matt is always my go to expert on wine. Every single one of his recommendations has been great!! He is very knowledgeable about the selection of wines. If you ever stop in here be sure to ask for Matt!! read more

Binny's Beverage Depot - bottles on the counter - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Skokie, Illinois

Stopped in today while running errands in the area and Bill was helpful in finding some great brews for us. I love Binnys in general, but sometimes I am less than impressed with the knowledge of those in the beer department. Not at this store! Bill had some great insights and we appreciated his help. If in the area again, would definitely visit this location. read more

Placed a curb side pick-up around 1pm for one bottle of wine. At 5:45pm I still hadn't heard from Binny's so I decided to call. I spoke with Doc and said "I'm calling to check the status of a bottle of wine I placed an order for nearly 5 hours ago." He replies "ok, what do you want to know about the status?" In a sarcastic tone. Then proceeds to "look into" the situation. He returns to the phone and says "two customers took the last two bottles. We just got another shipment, and we have a case of the wine you bought." I said "great, I will be there soon." I arrive 25 minutes later, call Binny's Skokie and share that I am outside, and then am placed on hold for an extended period of time. Then their phone disconnects. I then decided to go inside to pick up my curbside order where Gustavo says "you're going to need a second bottle of this wine for how impatient you are." Completely uncalled, completely disregarded how they failed to be communicative with the significant delay, and then unnecessarily hostile in front of other customers. I will never go to this Binny's again, and strongly suggest that if you value being treated like a customer that you don't either. read more

Friendly, but generally not-hovering service. Neatly organized and very accommodating for special items. We were on a recent scavenging hunt for the ingredients of a "true" Bermudan "Dark 'N Stormy." We had discovered that using our usual light rum didn't make it "dark." Also, we liked the Royal Jamaican ginger beer, but it made our cocktail "not official" because it was alcoholic (about 4%). Did you know that when folks in the Caribbean region talk about ginger beer, it's primarily the NON-ALCOHOLIC version (essentially, a more gingery ginger ale) they are referring to? Binny's here has a section, way-y in the back corner that has most of their non-alcoholic mixers and stuff, including cans (as opposed to bottles for the hard stuff) of Gosling's ginger beer for all ages. With just the ginger beer (and some vodka), we'd have just the main ingredients for a Moscow Mule, which is fine too. But to get the authentic Dark 'N Stormy, we also packed in a bottle of Gosling's Black Rum. Ready to set sail! This stretch of Dempster is very busy, since it leads to/from the Edens expressway. But Binny's very large parking lot can be entered and exited by two alleys that border their property. This might be a safer way to access it depending on your direction of travel. read more

Add 1 star because the staff is very helpful. They don't hound you, but certainly make themselves available to answer any questions you have. Add 1 star for the location, I like that it's right off the Edens, can stop in on the way back to the city from the burbs. Add 1 star for the easy parking lot. Add 1 star because they have wine tastings. But wait, you're only tasting 3 wines on a Saturday? The Binny's in Chicago has 20 different wines to taste. Minus 1 star! No stars for the overall wine and cheese selection, as it's really quite pathetic here. I suppose it has to do with the size of the store, but if that's the case, stop stocking up on the crappy stuff! Get some good selections in there, that would make me happy, such as wine that you don't need an ice cube in to drink, and cheese that doesn't have to be thrown in a salad to choke down. (For the record, one should NEVER put an ice cube in wine). End Rant. read more

Why does this place make my heart beat faster as I step through the door? Well I can not say. I do not know the reason. Maybe because the endless possibilities of drink concoctions makes my creative side of me want to bust out like I am the next Tom Cruise from the movie Cocktail. Perusing the aisles and checking out the price points actually made my mouth water. The pinot noirs, cabernets, and the merlots both local and international easily noted with the signage above. Checking out the abv %'s and price points and prices makes my decision. I like to know if I am getting the most bang for my buck. This particular day found me in the Rum aisle looking for Ron Zacapa for a friend and Jameson for the house. I had a date with James and Ginger as my off duty cocktail treat to myself and the hubby. Usually shopping for items is stressful enough, but Binny's has the store separated with signs above displaying where and what is to be found down the way. The staff where helpful and friendly and offered to help me find what I needed. The manager offered to find me the Ron Zacapa anniversary special and encouraged me to other rums. Come here for your libatious need, and do not forget to check out the Saturday tastings. Enjoy! read more

Actually, I'd give it a 4+ for selection (and SOMETIMES price too) - but 3 because I just find the whole experience of shopping there to be annoying - it makes me just want to, well, DRINK! Also, on the weekends when they have all those little tables giving away free samples - it's mighty easy to get pretty drunk at 10am, just while shopping. MANY may consider this a good thing - and it might be - if one has an assigned "designated driver" that early on Saturday morning... Also, they don't seem to card samplers - which leads me to Elvira V. 's perfectly understandable complaint. But don't blame Binny's - they're just trying to protect their business (license, reputation, very existence.) When it comes down to that bottom line, the non-buying "customer" does not "come first". Easier to have that across the board policy than evaluate on a case by case basis - which would also make those slow lines come to a total halt. Just bring your ID - like you do when you go to a bar or a club - even if you're not drinking. read more

I love shopping here. I'm like a kid in a frigging candy store. You can fill up on incredibly good Spanish wine for really cheap. Granted, some of the $2.99 wine isn't great. If it sucks make sangria! Speaking of Sangria, they sell Glunz Sangria here. It's really, really good. Particularly if you're off to a party and are looking for something different to bring. Great beer selection too. They have some smaller, local micro-brews here. As well as individual shots of liquor in little pouches- think ketchup packets- right at the checkout line. Who needs that? They also have a cheese shop in the back staffed by great little older European women. Get the aged Manchego. These girls know their Fromage. read more

Nice large location and the hours are better than the Highland Park store. Open till 9 on Saturdays. Service is always friendly. read more

Binny's is a huge liquor store, the size of most supermarkets, or maybe even bigger. Vast selections of hard-to-find wines, craft beers as well as all the macro brews, scotch, bourbon, gin, vodka, cordials--pretty much anything you'd desire is here. Friendly helpful staff, good prices. They have a parking lot if you drive, and for those of us who are car-free, Binny's is a quick walk west from the Dempster Street station on the CTA's Yellow Line. Plus, they're a five minute walk from Kaufman's deli, where you can have lunch, or a nice Starbuck's in the old Skokie Swift station house, where you can revive after searching the wine bins at Binny's. Binny's really has become the go-to place for wine and spirits in the Chicago area, having absorbed both Sam's & the Chalet chains. They have a loyalty card for savings that you should sign up for if you shop here regularly. read more

I would rate this Binny's a 4.5 to 5. Two things impressed me about this location: 1) Their knowledge and 2) Their selection. First, I went in here once with instructions to purchase a bottle of wine, but I was only given a vague description of what to get. We didn't know the name of the wine, only the type. Yikes! How was I going to know what to get? So, I described the wine to one of the staff members, and he not only pin pointed the name, but he also knew what aisle and shelf the product was on. He knew dead on what I wanted...better than me! It was correct. I was the hero for the day! Mission accomplished. LOL Second, they've got an excellent selection. You can get low-rent nasty beers here, as well as the fine quality exquisite stuff. Something for everyone's taste, and wallet! Rare Vos (Belgium for 'Sly Fox') is a tough beer to find, even in Chicago. It's an Ommegang Belgium style brew made in Cooperstown NY. And they sell them here! Again, I was very impressed. I will definitely be back! read more

The only place I've found Shiner Bock so far. In case you hadn't heard, the beer from Spoetzel Brewery in Texas has finally come to Chicago, like manna from heaven. The only problem, it was $7.49 for a six pack (no twelvers available) which is really high- I expected it to cost around $5.99. Nevertheless, Shiner's worth it. Agreed with Elvira, carding the people who are with you is el stupido. read more

I've always avoided Binny's in favor of local liquors stores operating under the assumption that Binny's would be the Wal*mart of liquors stores. (I take that back, I once stopped at a Binny's and ran in to buy a mini bottle of bourbon off the end cap at the register because I needed a shot of bourbon for a recipe I was making..anyway...) I needed a few varieties of pumpkin beer and chocolate stouts for some Oktoberfest cupcakes I was planning to make, and this Binny's was the most convenient liquor store between kayaking in the Skokie Lagoons and my house. This may have been my first trip to Binny's, but I don't think it will be my last. The building itself is a bit run down looking especially when compared to some of the other locations I've driven past. The staff was supremely helpful. The lady at the register even clued me in to the wine chiller whirlpool thing they have in the back. I don't know if they have these at all Binny's but it sounded awesome. She was so sweet and funny as she conspiritorially told me I could toss a couple beers in there, I didn't have the heart to tell her I'd probably never be returning to this particular Binny's. The craft beer selection was unparallelled, and there were at least 5 varietys of pumpkin beer within 15 feet of the door. ('Tis the season I suppose.) It took me a while to figure out the organization system (It's by brewer.) Part of me wishes they would organize by style instead, but I imagine you get used to it. The prices were good. I probably won't even make it back to this Binny's, but I'll definitely be stopping by the Orland location! read more

It's no news that Binny's has a pretty good selection of beverages. That's already the expectation. But the added-value for me is that this Binny's on Dempster has such a great cheese counter and humidor. Cheese and Cigars - the things you look for when you buy good beverages. Makes my life easier in saving me the way to 2 other stores. read more

I stopped in for a dozen bottles of pink champagne - one of the fellows at the back helped me out, even going the extra mile to get some extra bottles from their storage room. Short lines, clean facility, and - naturally - well-priced consumer-level booooze. read more

Shannon and Jodi are the best!!! They always have great recommendations. Thanks guys!!

What more do you need, walk in humidor and scotch. I love going around the Holidays. Lots of reps giving out samples. What makes this a great Binny's is the customer service. I wanted to pick up a bottle of Sazerac 18 y.o. (damn good Rye - limited availability). Rye lost popularity in the late 80s and early 90s, so distillers stopped making as much. But among whiskey people its coming back. The problem is that an 18 y.o. bottle needs to sit in a cask for 18 years before bottling. So stuff coming out now was from 1990 or 1991 when they were not making lots). Anyways the Binny's in Lakeview would not put a bottle on hold for me to pickup later that day.... Skokie did read more

So I go in here after a long day at work to find some craft beer for dinner with my hop-head friends. This is the first time I have been to this location so I have NO idea where anything is. I grab a basket at the entry and notice a nice selection of warm craft beer immediately inside the door. I ignore those singing sirens and motor over to the cooler. I need cold beer, now. I see the usual suspects in the cooler, not a great or surprising selection, but some good stuff none the less. Racer 5, Lagunitas IPA, Stone IPA all get put in my basket. I mosey over to the Port selection and get a tawny for dessert. I grabbed an Otima as it's a great stand by but was hoping for someone who worked there to find me something new. No one was really around and I was too tired to go hunting for some help. So I cruise to the cash register, screeeeeechh..... NOW I find the beer aisle..... I am so flummoxed by the incredible selection of WARM craft beer I almost fall over. I grab another sixer of warm hoppy beer from some local brewery and toss it in the cart. As I am finally making my way to the registers, an employee eyeballs my selection and says "I want to move into your shopping basket" I almost peed my pants. That's the second funniest thing I have every heard in a liquor store. The first was in a store in Massachusetts, Dude : "So you are a Home Brewer.... ummm does that mean you are a Home Grower too?" Me: "Umm no, you need to move out of your parent's house and get a job." I only wish I had actually said that. read more

I've purchased my vodka here probably 3 times over the past year. Each time I felt vaguely like the staff could care less that I was patronizing their store. Last night, they proved it. On my way out of the house last night, I picked through the mail and saw the flyer advertising their Easter sale. Because I have to pass this store on my way to the I-94, I stopped in to make a purchase. First off, the shelf tag reflected the price listed in the advert. Secondly, the cashier rang it up at regular price and after I make him aware of the sale price advertised in the flyer [that also matches the shelf], he tells me with a straight face that this sale is over! I remind him that Easter is this upcoming Sunday. He pauses, evidently considering the date and then makes the argument that the sale starts Wednesday. I argue the shelf tag price and he calls over the General Manager. Thirdly, the GM tells me that because it hasn't been changed in the system yet I can't make the purchase at the advertised price. The price listed on the shelf meant little and the request from a customer meant nothing. UPDATE: After posting this review I spoke with their Director of Operations. After profuse apologies he said he'd send a gift card which he did. I received a $40 which didn't cover expense nor time for going back to the store to purchase that $38 bottle of vodka. Yay. read more

Horrible service! The cashier looked at me weird. I don't know if that's because I'm a minority and I had a lot of items in my cart or what.. He was probably high, drunk or has a hangover. He was slow. He dropped my id after he looked at it and sarcastically said "oops, i dropped it." What a D***. I just spent $230.00 and i expect better service than that. Cardinal's has way better customer friendliness than this. read more

Good selection given the smallish size of this location. Definitely not as attractive price-wise as Costco, but it's certainly more convenient and you absolutely know that they'll have what you want. I've had good service here as well. read more

This branch used to be my favorite to visit, until the last few experiences; -the staff, especially the tall bearded gentleman, refused to help my short question as he was on his "lunch break". Really??? you are standing in the store, and you can't even answer a simple question about desert wines because you are on lunch break? -things are, I guess, going very well because a simple change of address takes 60-90 days at Binny's!!! I believe the application for a US passport takes about 4-6 weeks, but these guys need a little bit more time than that. Time to find a true local store, unfortunately I don't think Binnny's cares anymore read more

Binny's is always a place I go to when I'm throwing a party or small gathering and I need drinks for it. Great customer service, they helped me look for a certain brand of whiskey I needed. Even though they didn't have it I still was satisfied with the service. read more

Great customer service, including the manager Gustavo, who was great with helping me secure a hard to come by whiskey. Will be back to this location. read more

To state for the record - I LOVE the Binny's in Niles. LOVE IT. But now that I have moved this location is closer to me. However I think I may need to suck it up and drive the extra distance because I always have a mediocre to poor experience whenever I go here. Case in point: I go to buy beer for someone I don't know all that well as a present. I ask the guy working there if he can help. He starts asking me all these questions "what does he drink? Light beer, ale, stout?" I say I don't know, but it doesn't really matter as pretty much any beer that isn't Budweiser is going to be appreciated. The guy starts getting huffy with me and insinuates he can't really help me because I won't narrow it down. I say OK, some kind of microbrew, and a stout. Also something really good quality. The guy sort of waves his hands around and then suddenly grabs a six pack out of a box he was just unpacking and says "here. this is pretty good." Really? How amazingly coincidental you recommend the exact one you are stocking the shelves with. ugh. Then I go to the wine department. I tell the guy I am going out to dinner and the restaurant recommends I bring a white wine as BYOB. I say I almost never drink white wine and is there something like a mild red I can bring or some kind of white that isn't really fruity/grape-y (because thats the main problem I have with whites). He says "grape-y. what does that even mean?" I look at him like you are kidding, right? "There are dry wines and fruity wines. I need a drier white?" I say. He brings me around to this Australian wine. I ask him to tell me about it. First words out of his mouth is "Oh it has a very strong tangerine/melon essence." I'm sorry, since when are tangerines and melons NOT FRUITS. I finally realize I am not getting anywhere with this guy and ask where my one standby of a white is (which is a boring wine but at least I have had it and it works in a pinch). He looks and says "oh this is dry. yeah, I guess this could work too." aaaahhhh! This plus our cashier who looked and acted like she just found out her rent went up, her boyfriend left her for a younger woman and her car was booted and towed. That or she just moved from Connecticut, since everyone has that same dour expression there. Sorry Skokie Binny's. Love your stock, love your prices. Do not love you. See you in Niles! read more

I arrived at Binny's as another potential customer was standing outside looking confused.. He said to me, "I think we are locked out".. I looked at my phone and it was 4:01.. (closing time is apparently at a rigid 4pm) I peered inside and a guy bagging up bottles for another customer as other customers were standing in line and others were milling about the store, just shrugged at me.. I just wanted 2 6 packs of Radler for a party.. I was very disappointed at the inflexibility of this store and apparent lack of customer service.. I hope none of their employees ever drive one mile over the speed limit. I'd rather pay a little more at Jewel or my local wine shop and be treated with consideration than go back to Binny's.. read more