Buyer's beware. This store price gouges on wines and liquor to a point where it's greedy and predatory. It doesn't take much effort to find the same bourbons for half the price at Safeway or Total Wines or even Costco read more

I've been a customer for years (decades!), despite the bougie prices. I remember when they used to have wine tastings on Saturdays - back when they were open on Saturdays. That's what the star is for: the memories. But businesses run in the present, and in the present, these people do not answer their phone. I could not check that their posted hours applied to today (a perfectly sunny Wednesday after 2pm), but why would they *not* be open? I grabbed a wine bag and walked over. THEY ARE CLOSED. Again. "Inventory" is something you're supposed to do during the 130.5 hours each week that you're closed, so that you're prepared for the 37.5 hours each week you're open. If you can't handle your business with that much time off, you shouldn't have a business. Get it together, Blackwells. Until you do, we're done. read more

Blackwell's Wines & Spirits - A view of the closed store during posted business hours (about 2:20 pm on Wednesday, January 15, 2025). - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here looking for some tequila for our new year's eve party. Saw that they had a couple of bottles that I really wanted to try with my brothers so I picked up a couple of bottles. Price was decent and their service was great when I asked them if they had a bottle in stock in the back. read more

I am a repeat customer of Gary's (OK - you may not think that's such a big deal) ... BUT I'm a Hoosier (meaning I live, work and play in Indiana). Given that we have wine stores here in Indy (big box as well as boutique), you may ask why I keep buying from a small shop on Geary Street that's 2,000 miles away. While there is a soft spot in my heart for San Fran (as well as SoCal - given my years spent there), I simply get a really good price on "the good stuff," and have had nothing but superlative customer service and timely/well prepared shipment(s) from this establishment. And there also is the added benefit of "good karma" that comes from helping support a small, local (although not local-to-me) business. And those dogs just seem so darned cute! read more

Blackwell's Wines & Spirits - The Good Stuff (specifically, the 2021 Opus One) - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

I had a dental appointment on 25th and Geary. I love shopping in the varied small businesses. All important cards were purchased at Gables. But my latest discovery was Blackwell's Wines & Spirits, wow what a fabulous inventory, guided by a handsome dude, sharing rare finds. I just tried the red he recommended and it hit it, out-of-the-park. A loucious fruit forward with clean tannins cradling and balancing the fruit. I will never forget this fabulous wine and proprietor. Bravo read more

Blackwell's Wines & Spirits - A 2020 Marsannay. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

Incredibly rude and dishonest virtual customer service (Britany). Good and interesting selection but AVOID AT ALL COSTS.

If I could give it zero stars I would! Horrible customer service! I ordered a bottle of special edition Crown Royal that cost over hundred dollars. This was a gift that needed to be on time so I paid $48 to have 2- day delivery and it arrived 4 days late! The package was unopened and sent back-refused via FedEx in its original condition and signed for by MMEISON yet the owner has never credited me for a product they have in their possession. After several calls to the business, and after being promised several times that I would receive a call back-nothing! They still need to make this right! I would be very cautious if you are thinking of ordering from this business! read more

Wonderful selection of rums, including tiki favorites like Wray, Smith & Cross, Stiggins, and Probitas. Strongly recommend stopping by!

They have lots and lots of bourbons that are difficult to find. And the service was excellent - recommended things to me based on the flavor profile indicated by my choices. read more

EXCELLENT SERVICE !!! I was looking for the Akashi 5yr. Sherry locally but I couldn't find it here where I live so I went online and found it at Blackwell's Wine and Spirits in San Francisco. It was easy ordering and paying and they packed and shipped it out very quickly. Box was packed well and delivered via FedEx (you will need to have a person that's 21 years old or older to sign for it). I got an email alerting me of the delivery date and time. I will order from them the next time I'm unable to find it locally. read more

Beautifully and carefully procured selection. Attentive customer service. I would trust none other for guidance on a perfect pairing or festivity read more

I had been searching locally for Wild Turkey Honey Sting with absolutely no luck (lots of American Honey). I tried an internet site and they could not or would not supply the product. Finally I found Blackwell's who came through well before Christmas. Wonderful service, good price and fast shipping. Blackwell's is now my favorite go-to if I can't find a product locally. Thank you! read more

First time at this business. Professional, helpful and friendly service. My new go to store for spirits. read more

Blackwell's Wines & Spirits - a bottle of gold star - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

See all

COVID-19 Curbside/Store-Front Pickup Service Step 1: go to www.blackwellswines.com Step 2: pick out your tasty beverages Step 3: pay by Credit, Depit, G-pay, Shop-Pay, or PayPal Step 4: walk down there and pick up your booty Easy Cheesey Lemon Squeezey Blackwell's is one of my top 3 places in SF for Wine and Spirits (the other two being Healthy Spirits and K&L). In this particular instance they were the few places in SF that have the new Macallan Edition #6 in stock. And it was more expensive at K&L - which is a total rip since they are only pricing it higher because they think there will be more demand for this "collectable" bottle. Ug. Anyway, We were at The Gables next door and noticed that Blackwell's was open for curbside/storefront pickup so I avoided Step 1 & 2 above and sauntered on over. They were glad to take my order and along with the scotch I picked up a nice Calvados (Busnel) and an Brut sparkling (Scharffenberger) to make a special new champagne cocktail creation I call the French Kiss - like a French 75, but better. Special Bonus - my recipe for the French Kiss: in Champagne glass pour 1 oz chilled Calvados, 1/2 oz lemon juice, and 1/2 oz lavender simple syrup then fill with Brut Champagne or Sparkling and serve. Why I call it the French Kiss: The Cavados warms you up, the sparkling tickles the senses, the lemon makes you pucker up just a tiny bit, and then comes the kiss of lavender. ... Back to Blackwell's COVID-19 Safety Precautions - Small Staff - all wearing masks and gloves - No customers allowed in store - Plexiglass barrier at the register - Customers required to wear masks when picking up - Contactless payment (on-line or at register) - Hand sanitizer available at register - Delivery service available read more

Was a loyal customer to Blackwell's, spending over $6k with them. Unfortunately, my last order in May, FedEx made a mistake. ​I requested through the app and with a live rep to hold at their facility to pickup. FedEx mistakenly sent the box back to sender. I have picture and audio evidence of this. When I provided evidence to Gary, instead of working with me on a solution, he chose to shame me by asking questions like, "why would I ship to an adresss that nobody would be at?" I explained it's the same address I had 10 other shipments from him, and most people have to work away from home, without accurate ETAs from FedEx. Gary made no effort to leverage FedEx to fix their mistake and his only solution was for me to pay for the losses with him taking zero accountability or compromise. I offered him alternatives of ordering a similar size order to give him more business and offset the mishap, or credit for a future order. No effort to respond except to only offer that I can pay for the losses outright or refund less the losses. I did not authorize a refund, but I then noticed a credit in my card for $272; mind you, my invoice was $509. By that math, he is keeping the money for outbound shipping, as well as the cost of shipping to recoup the bottles. There were many opportunities and attempts to make good so I would happily support Blackwell's in the future, but not only was Gary unwilling to compromise, he was arrogant and rude throughout the process. One of the worst customer experiences of my life.​ read more

I ordered some bottles online for my husband for his birthday. We live in Nebraska and everything came out very secured and there was no sign of damage. The prices are great in my opinion. My husband and house guest really enjoyed it. The website has a very unique selection of spirits outside of your typical inventory. I intend to order more in the future to have a more diverse selection for our bar. Thank you for providing this service! read more

Blackwell's Wines & Spirits - Kula dark rum and Fuyu Mizunara finish whiskey - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ordered 2 collectible limited edition wolverine aviation gin bottles which arrived damaged due to some slight leakage which was contained against the bottle by cellophane wrapping, causing the labels to peel and seals to detach from the bottle. This obviously renders them useless as a collectible and as such I will not be able to re-sell them in future due to the broken seals. I purchased the additional shipping insurance just incase, however after I created the claim on the website it was quickly cancelled by this company with no explanation and no further communication regarding this despite multiple emails over the last few weeks asking for clarification or why it was cancelled. I contacted them via an email I had discussed the order prior to placing it and also the generic 'contact us' address, but I have been completely ignored!! Awful service and a useless product so I do not recommend. read more

Good experience overall with online ordering at Blackwell's. Note that they currently quote 24-72 hour processing time on orders (and in my case they used up every minute of it) due to the pandemic. I do think they should display this more prominently on their website (perhaps on a banner), but they do mention it on their shipping policies page so this didn't factor negatively into my review. Also, note that they sent me an e-mail shipping notification the day after I placed my order (literally titled "your order is on its way to you"), but as I mentioned they didn't actually hand over the package to the shipper for another two days after that. I'm guessing they only printed the shipping label and that's what kicked the notification out to me. So don't think that the notification means your package is actually already on the way. The order packaging was good; each bottle was secured in a foam shipper. The bottles that had cardboard retail packaging were removed from the packaging, and the packaging was folded flat and shipped in the box separately from the bottles. I always appreciate this as it keeps the boxes from being damaged during transport. read more

Without doubt the best service I have ever receive. The bottles were so well packaged they've survived a train wreck & Gary has been an absolute star sourcing some pretty rare whiskey. Highly recommended. Thank you Gary. kind regards Bob read more

I still stand with my review of a good product and sorry customer service. MY emails show the facts. I never dealt with the person Dita B., who wrote the reply. I did not threaten the business, nor did I ever get satisfactory answers when dealing with them by email. Horrible customer service even after the fact. read more

My wife and I were looking for a specific bottle of Rum (Grand Duque D Alba) and the BEST bottle of Dewar's (32 year old) for two very special friends. We had checked other websites and almost pulled the trigger UNTIL we checked their online reviews which were less than impressive, so we kept looking. Then we found Blackwell's. As it's family run we decided to go with them, figuring if anything went wrong it would be easier to rectify. WE WERE NOT DISAPPOINTED. The package came on the date promised and the cost of shipping to Kona, HI was reasonable as was the insurance. Both bottles were securely wrapped as to avoid breakage, of which there was none. We ordered online and they kept us informed during the entire process. For any "SPECIAL" liquor I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND Blackwell's. Tony Poggi Kona, HI read more

I order from them using their website. They have great service, and respond quickly to any issues. I recently inadvertently created a shipping problem and they fixed the issue I caused within an hour. Very good personal service! And their product selection is great too, I can find what I need and the site is easy to use. I highly recommend them and look forward to visiting them on my next trip. read more

I just had a great experience with Blackwell's! I had searched for Crater Lake vodka at all the usuals... Total Wines, BevMo and more and had no luck! I live near Reno/Carson City and wasn't having any luck. I found Blackwell's and sure enough they had Crater Lake and the price was very reasonable. I ordered a case and took advantage of the free shipping! 24 hours later, FedEx was at my doorstep with the case of vodka! Unbelievable! I highly recommend Blackwell's and will be doing more shopping ther ein the future! read more

Blackwell's Wines & Spirits - Crater Lake Vodka - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

If zero stars possible that would be my rating. Please read all reviews before selecting a business to use. Isn't it ironic that this Dita person responds to so many negative reviews saying customers are lying? Really defensive isn't she. Can so many negative reviewers all be wrong? Please use caution in selecting this business. If your bottle is shaped irregularly chances are it will arrive damaged. They ship in styrofoam "bottle" packing that is shaped for a wine bottle which may split in shipping if your bottle isn't that shape. Then it becomes a customer service issue where Dita os always right, not the customer read more

Never returned my call regarding delivery of Cassis liqueur despite stating that my local call would be returned. At the store the sales lady said that they didn't have it in stock; when pressed, she said it was available. A family business poorly run with little to no concern for local customers. Do not shop here! Not worth the effort. read more

My favorite part about walking into Blackwells is the smell. I feel like I've walked into another world. They have a broad range of wine from all over the world, different spirits and constantly have new items. The staff is wonderful, helpful and nice. They offer great recommendations when you ask. They are still open during the pandemic, so give this he t little neighborhood spot some love and some business. You can order online and pick-up at the store. read more

The selection at Blackwell's Wines & Spirits is decent, but their customer service is lacking. I came in to exchange a bottle of Old Ezra Bourbon for a more expensive bottle of Highland Park Scotch. The woman at the counter began processing the request. She told me that the Highland Park Scotch wasn't available at this particular location, but that it could be brought in from San Rafael. Then the manager of the day, a Caucasian woman with blonde reddish hair and light eyes, decided to get involved. The bottle was examined, suspiciously, three times even though it was in perfect condition. I was asked when it was purchased. I was asked if it was purchased at the store. I was asked what was wrong with it. I was asked if I had the receipt. Then the store manager told me that approval from the store owner, Gary, was needed because she "wasn't sure if exchanges were allowed." It made me wonder how long she had been working at the store that she didn't know it's rules and policies. All of this was done while the store manager continued moving bottles around on the shelf, without even looking me in the eyes. Like I wasn't important enough to look at. This made me wonder if racism was at play because I am Latino. Well, apparently another store employee called the store owner, Gary, even though I didn't hear any phone conversations, and then came back and said that no exchanges OR RETURNS were ever allowed, and that there were no exceptions. I looked around the store and did not see any visible signs that proclaimed that returns weren't allowed, without exceptions. I wondered why they asked me all of those questions and why they print receipts if you can never return any item. This did not seem to be fair business practice. I am considering reporting this incident to the BBB. I was visibly flustered and upset, and when I started speaking up, I was interrupted by the store manager who told me to move out of the way so that she could help the White woman behind me purchase a cheap bottle of wine. I walked into the store in such a good mood, and left with a bitter taste in my mouth. I have spent hundreds at a time at this store, including a $200 bottle of Blanton's Bourbon that I recently purchased online after receiving an email from the apparent store owner, Gary. And at the end, the woman at the counter who was originally helping me purchase the bottle of Highland Park Scotch, told me to purchase it myself online. There are other options (i.e. Total Wine & More, or K&L Wines) that sell the same bottles without the $20+ premium that Blackwell's charges. And those stores will take returns and exchanges, and also have diverse managers who know the store's rules and policies, and know how to treat diverse clientele. read more

Blackwell's Wines & Spirits - a bottle of old ezra 7 year old - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have always been very reluctant to order spirits online due to some horror stories about other stores/websites; however, I have been pleasantly surprised by the attentive, accurate and timely service I have received from Blackwell's. I have made 3 online orders (out-of-state), and have always received exactly what I ordered within five days or less. Their competitive prices and free shipping (with orders over a certain threshold) makes them a value as well. I especially appreciate how they ship their bottle's boxes -just in case I want to give them as gifts. read more

Great products. Nice establishment. Had some good tasting wine. Recommended to anyone who enjoys wine.

I selected this store because the promised delivery date was within needed range. However, I did not receive the wines on time. I reached out to the store and they maintained that it was because FedEx could not reach me. I called FexEx to investigate and FedEx informed me that the store placed a defective label, hence it was not delivered. This store charged me $18 for shipping and additional $18 for return back. I am speechless that I had to pay $36 for a defective delivery. What a waste of time and bad business practice. read more

As part of their radical reinvention of the wine retail world, Blackwells have taken some bold steps. I, for one, salute their vision to make it as difficult as possible for their customer to find a bottle of wine. After all it's the same principle as growing vines in Burgundy; the vines which are forced to work the hardest produce the finest wine. Blackwells are simply extending this time honored and noble principle to their customers. Their first small innovation was rearranging the shop to make it impossible to browse comfortably by making the gaps between the different wine sections too small to pass through. Now you have to walk around the whole shop to get to where you want to go. Genius! They then slowly started replacing staff, hiring new people and refusing to let them taste any of the wine, but encouraging them to ask the customer if they had any questions. This was when things started entering the realm of performance art. Then they starting going bold - by removing the signs above the various sections that let the customer know where different varietals or countries of origin could be found. The final step so far has been closing the shop on Saturdays and Sundays because after all, only plebs drink wine at the weekend. But I believe they have another grand innovation in store for us. i think they will one day simply remove all the labels from the bottles, leaving us nothing more than the red or white liquid with which to identify the wine. Its wine retail at its purest, brought down to its essentials - liquid in a bottle. Blackwells, I salute you and your grand vision. read more

This place is flipping awesome...period. Highly recommend. They have a great selection and will get it to you fast and well packaged

Can't believe how mad I am. Placed an online order on Dec 17th. Their website suggested I would receive the order on the 21st. They didn't produce a shipping label until the 19th. Didn't get picked up until the 22nd. It's not going to get to me in time for Christmas, is it? And sure enough it didn't. Thanks for NOTHING read more

This is a great liquor store in Little Russia. There are some great bottles at this place. The service was nice and friendly. However, I felt everything was a bit overpriced. You can get a bargain elsewhere in the city, but if you're in the neighborhood this is a great place to try. read more

Blackwells has an amazing selection of fine wines at every price point, from cheap and cheerful 10 dollar malbecs to rare champagnes with the price tag to prove it. They also have a colorful array of liquor a from around the world along with some locally distilled small batch booze. Staff of friendly experts. read more

Whether it's bubbles, blanco, or bordeaux, Gary and team always come through. They have a great selection and are super-friendly. Blackwells is an absolute gem in the neighborhood. Cheers! read more

My favorite local liquor store. I've been shopping here for 7 years. I'm always greeted with a warm welcome and good suggestions for gifts, and alternate options, if they happen to be out of something I like. Reading some of the negative reviews, I honestly don't know how they have the patience to deal with the entitled general public. "I'm off SAVING LIVES and my friend's birthday booze didn't arrive on time!" Yikes. I'm a critical care RN, and that level of self-righteousness is hard to stomach. I walk into this shop, I receive friendly service, I buy what looks good. If I place an order for delivery, I get that the world isn't always on an exact time schedule. I guess this just means I'll be enjoying my martini, on my balcony, watching the sunset, while the first world hysterics are stroking out. No worries, I'll still care for you, on my hospital ward, with a smile on my face. read more

Dear Blackwell's I am, as of my review today, the proud Yelping Duchess of your wonderful establishment. I love you and everything that you are. My bf and I make weekly trips (sometimes more frequent) here to stock up on wine... one might say we are, what you call, alcoholics, or perhaps one might say we have a "drinking problem", but it is always so hard to resist when it all tastes so good, like (and I quote that popular "Old School" line), "It tastes so good when it hits your lips!!". You have the most wonderful selection of wines and according to the Scotch loving bf, a good selection of Scotch as well (bleh says the Duchess, as she is too classy for Scotch). For one who is cheap, ahem, frugal with their spending, you make selecting wine easy by organizing your shelves according to price. Needless to say, I buy only Top Shelf, aka, $10-15 Wines. Another reason why I love you oh so much is that I drink mostly Rose wine, and unlike other wine shops (whose Rose selection is either nonexistent or severely lacking), you always carry a good variety of Rose, you even carry this little treasure, only the best for the Duchess!! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/k-4kB-vt-4MNKCXAkBYO9g?select=Pq_rWCMWmtD8ADepUiiA0A Your staff also has excellent customer service and fantastic knowledge on the inventory. I once came in and gave a staffer the name of a specific sauvignon blanc wine from New Zealand I had on a night out, and without blinking or hesitating, she replied no, but quickly recommended another SB from New Zealand and described its flavors to me, which sounded exactly like what I had on my night out. I gave it a try and I was in inebriated heaven.. no, I don't remember, but quite possible I could have been a wee intoxicated that night. One might argue that a downside to Blackwell's is the parking situation. As it IS located on Geary in the Richmond, parking can be a bitch. But fear not, you have found a solution with curbside service! If Yelp allowed it, I'd be giving them an extra star just for saving me that hassle and helping me get my drink on that much quicker! I heart you Blackwell's Xoxo, The Duchess read more

Blackwell's Wines & Spirits - Yeah baby, Bitch Bubbly - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great selection of wines. One of the better ones in the city. I love that they have Turley and Del Dotto wines. I went by myself one night and brought my boyfriend the very next day because he wanted to check out what they had.. Great price point. I will be back for more. read more

Blackwell's Wines & Spirits - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Francisco, California

TERRIBLE AND NONEXISTENT CUSTOMER SERVICE. My 500 dollar fedex delivery went to a wrong address. I called Blackwell's with a fedex case number to see how they could help and they didn't even call me back. I've spent almost over 2000 dollars on whiskeys in the last 3 months and they did not even give a return phone call. Do not order from here. I found another vendor already. So much for helping independent businesses. read more