How could I have overlooked this neighborhood gem for so long?! Working nearby for the last few years, I finally discovered that Downer Avenue Wine & Spirits is the small boutique neighborhood wine & spirits that could! I love craft beer, but I also love variety- and Downer's selection of single craft cans and bottles just can't be beat! Affordably priced and expertly curated, cold and shelved single beers are a great way to try the latest and greatest! Support Your Locals! read more

Downer Avenue Wine & Spirits - Love the single can selection! The Haul - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Great little neighborhood liquor store, variety for size and very helpful staff! If you need something quick, it's a great place to go to! Highly recommend! read more

this is my girlfriend and i's preferred store for wine in milwaukee. we love the variety and incredibly kind staff ! prices are really great as well (especially if you pay cash) and even though it is a smaller store you never feel cramped and you can rest assured that whatever you select will be good given the excellent curation on display : ) read more

In my mind I wrote a review for this business. Clearly my mind is confused. This is my neighborhood liquor store largely because of the great beer selections, decently priced wines, and wonderful staff. They also have a wine club which may be more helpful to those to drink more wine than I do. It's a small place but in a wonderful location on Downer. Definitely worth repeated stops when you need an interesting beer or wine for yourself or a party. I usually buy for myself. read more

They have a good selection a lot of the wine that i got in the past they no longer have. And i was told Hennessy is hard to find now which is something i didn't know, the size of the store is small but they still have a good selection. I've also joined their wine club and always something new to try and the emails they send out is also good with new wine in stock and deals read more

Great selection, incredibly friendly people, and just a really cool neighborhood spot. Highly recommend checking it out and buying your booze from here. read more

If you're looking for a solid liquor store on the Eastside of Milwaukee, look no further than this place, which has enough wine, spirits, and craft beer (along with the PBR/Miller Lite/Coors Light etc. staples) to satisfy any kind of boozy need you may have. The store is set-up pretty simple--the front two-thirds of the store contains racks and racks of wine from all regions of the world and any type that you can think of, and there's an entire wall of spirits situated behind the cash register, along with a little section to the right of the register with mixers. At the back is where the beer is--they have a cooler with individual cans you can buy, a walk-in cooler with craft 6- and 12-packs, and a 'warm' individual cans rack, where you can find cans of craft beer that aren't necessarily in season but are still good. My favorite part of this place is the craft beer selection--if I don't feel like going to Total Wine over in Bayshore or stopping at a grocery store on my way home from work, I know this place will have something that I'll want, no matter what time of the year it is. For the holiday season, they have an entire wall of special holiday-themed single cans and 6-packs, and I've found a ton of new Christmas beers here that I'd never heard of before and ended up loving. They did the same for the autumn season, with a lot of pumpkin and spiced lagers that were excellent. The only thing that holds me back from giving five stars is the staff--they can be pretty hit or miss. I've had some of the best interactions here with the staff, where the person ringing me up is entirely focused on the transaction and asks how my day is going and all that jazz, and then other times I've been rung up by people who don't even look at me and text while they're doing the transaction, or even one guy who just stared at me throughout the whole thing and just grunted when I asked for a receipt. Still, the great cashiers far out-number the latter kind, so I wouldn't be too worried about that when you go in. Most of the staff is very knowledgeable and more than happy to help you too if you're looking for something specific and you can't find it, or if you want a recommendation if you're open to drinking anything, so this is a great spot to stop if you're looking to find something boozy and delicious any day of the week. read more

Hmm. Booze nerd mini-heaven? Sure! *They've got boutique-y bourbons and a serious sake selection and a nice/relatively extensive mix of old and new world wines and an impressive collection of craft beers. *for their size, which is pretty freaking small Okay. So not every wine/spirit dealer can be a warehouse of booze. (Not necessary, but fun!) It's actually (and I speak from experience) almost more difficult to create a comprehensive and well rounded collection of great beer/wine/spirits when you're limited, spatially speaking. Each selection has to be that much more thoughtful, and that much more impressive. Each selection fills a niche. "What's the most affordable, standard, easy-drinking and accessible yet boutique-y bourbon I can find?" "Four Roses. Done." So Downer does this pretty dang well. There are a few things that I wish they carried that they don't, but on the whole, this little liquor retailer does a pretty awesome job. read more

Downer Avenue Wine & Spirits - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I'm a fan. They have a nice beer selection and some that are rare or limited. I think they'll even special order product for you, but not 100% sure. They have a good selection of wines and even have a wine club where you get points which eventually equals, free wine! Okay, $5.00 off a bottle of wine but still kinda free. Cute little shop that delivers what you'd expect. Breadsmith will sometimes give them their leftover bread so if you're lucky, you might get to take home a loaf for free. What better to soak up that booze you'll be enjoying? read more

Probably the best craft beer selection on the Eastside and that's saying a lot. These guys are serious about beer and wine. The owner is super friendly and has set aside limited runs or special hard to find beers for me on numerous occasions. I can't recommend this place enough. Stop by for a bomber, six pack or, a keg of your favorite beer you won't be disappointed. read more

Downer Avenue Wine & Spirits - My latest find at Downer Wine & Spirits, it was delicious by the way. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

For a few reasons, this has become my default destination for finding good craft beer: - Most of the beer is refrigerated, essential for preserving the beverage - Excellent selection of bombers...some unique stuff I don't find at other stores - Fairly priced single bottles - Helpful staff, especially during the day or shortly after 5 pm. These guys tend to know the stock well and when new stuff is coming in. For high-demand beers, they are honest about what they are getting. Ummm and it's close to my house. read more

This place is the perfect small, private, and very knowledgeable liquor store. They have a very selective selection. The one thing I love is that even if they don't have what you want, you can talk to the staff, explain it, and they will help you find something similar. They are very knowledgeable and know their products! read more

My Mom always told me, "Good things come in small Packages." I don't think she was talking about this store, but, hey, it fits! Extremely small, but packed with interesting Wines, Liquor and Beer. They don't waste space on wines you can buy anywhere. This is the perfect place to go if you are looking for something unique or different. I picked up a Spanish 2010 Burgans Albarino. It got 90 points from Wine Spectator and was only $14.99! Even though the space is really tight, I actually didn't have much trouble navigating the aisles in my wheelchair. Even if I did, the staff was very friendly, so I am sure they would have helped me out if I asked. read more

Great selection of wines and very reasonable prices. We were lured into the shop with the promise of "free tasting today" and ended up buying two bottles from a small producer in Chile after the tasting. I am actually drinking the Pinot Noir right now and it is great...and necessary after the drive from Milwaukee to Chicago! If you live in the area, check this spot out! read more

Decent selection, but everything costs 10-15% more than Otto's on Oakland (which is only a few miles north). The cost would be forgivable, except they have the worst customer service of any liquor store I've ever visited. The staff may have some knowledge, but getting them to share it is like pulling teeth. read more

Not a bad local liquor store option. Pretty good selection of craft beers (although not blow you away variety). Prices are higher than other places, but you expect that given the variety of inventory they hold. Service can range from friendly to less than friendly depending on who you are interacting with. Not a destination joint, but worth checking out if you are in the neighborhood and looking for some decent suds. read more

A whole lotta wine holy crap, a new beer cave! my liver thanks you read more

Downer is an excellent liquor store for its size. I'd say this is a top-2 liquor store in the City of Milwaukee. The beer and wine selections are extensive. If you want to buy individual bottles of craft beer they knock off 10% when you buy at least four bottles. They also have a walk in beer cooler, which is great both for shopping and cooling off on a hot day (which I confess I may have done once or twice... what can I say, this summer was really hot). The staff is phenomenal - both friendly and knowledgeable. This makes Downer Wine and Spirits the ideal store both for the alcohol connoisseur and casual clueless drinker alike. read more

Walked in a whim walked out with 3 bottles and part of a wine rewards club. The owner is nice and will walk your through flavors of wine to find the best one for you. The rewards program is pretty nice. You get 50 points for joining and then a point per dollar spent on wine. At 100 points you get a $5 gift card and at 200 points an even bigger gift card. Not a bad deal especially since it's based on price and you get the 50 bonus points. They also have mead! I am slowly expanding my love of mead and trying new things is the best way to do it. Overall I really like this place. read more

A fair share of my income goes towards beer, wine, booze and inebriation in general, so having this place right near my school and my residence only seems to amplify that. Not that it's a bad thing. Wine here is mostly California, and mostly red. They have small sections devoted to France, Italy and other wine regions of the world (think S. America, Australia, maybe a S. Africa or two). This is my only gripe, and it causes a one star down grade. Living next to Gloriosos for 3 years really, really spoiled me and my undying love of guzzling Tuscan Pinot's. Beer selection, on the other hand, is a wet dream for snobs like me! Respectably large selection of normal domestics, cans and bottles. Blah, Blah, Blah; onto the alcoholic goodies: stouts, porters, triples, quads, doubles, ales, bocks, they're all here,and there is all kinds of them to choose from. Most are sold by the bottle, so you can even build your own four pack of micro brews. They have large Liter sized beers too, and an awesome walk-in Beer Freezer. Employees here are super helpful and really know their stuff. You can spend a good 15 minutes bantering them about libations at the check out isle alone. Free Breadsmith bread with purchase late at night, too. Checkout the La Fin du Monde four pack here, its a steal! read more

This cute little liquor store has it all! Wines, hard liquors, craft beers, and domestic. Friendly staff, great selection and that neighborhood feel. Their prices are standard and the store is well kept. read more

This place was pretty cool. It's teeny, but packed with good stuff. The counter is funky and has some bizarre stuff on it - I think I recall seeing a container for people to donate to some sort of death ray fund or something. read more

This place is sort of an East Side gem. It's tucked away on Downer by some little restaurants and shops, and is not overly crowded with UWM students like some of the other liquor stores in the area. I'm a self-admitted beer snob, and Downer Wine & Spirits can satisfy my brew shopping needs. As others have stated, there isn't a lot of space but they pack it with quality products. Decent selection of liquor too! Prices aren't the absolutely cheapest, but they're not unreasonable and I don't hesitate spending money here. Employees are helpful. Bonus points for having a water dish outside for four-legged family members. read more

This is such a nice little liquor store! They have a great selection of beers, wines, and liquor. If you're thinking of a specific liquor you haven't been able to find-- go here. They'll most likely have it. What I love most about this place is the helpful employees. If you're picking up a bottle of wine for a dinner party, and unsure of what to get-- just ask one of the guys working there. I've always gotten great suggestions w/o the pretentious attitude. They also don't roll their eyes at you if tell them your price range for a bottle of wine. Always a plus. The prices are normal. They often have a sale selection of wine as well which can be fun to look through. read more

After a year of monthly trips to Downer (sometimes bi-monthly), I'm still on the fence. I'm a beer fan, and their everyday selection is very good, especially considering the size of the shop. I can usually count on them to have Black Husky, which is my barometer on whether or not a beer shop knows what they are doing. Good info, relatively decent access to special releases, and fair prices. The service is good, but doesn't blow me away. One of my major peeves when shopping for beer in a liquor store is when I ask a question and get a response like, "I don't know anything about that, I'm not the beer guy." When the beer guy is there, awesome service. They're part of my regular North-side loop from Whitefish Bay Sendik's, down Oakland to Kensington, Otto's, Downer, and eventually Whole Foods. read more

It's convenient since it's around the corner from my apartment but I'll shop anywhere else. Rude service, especially the older man with the ponytail who rolls his eyes at you and insults you if you ask for help. Also the store is small and doesn't enforce social distancing and gets mat at you for spacing yourself out between customers. read more

So nice! I just moved a few blocks away and decided to stop in after work for some canned wine (guilty pleasure, but great for the summer). They signed me up for a loyalty program and seemed genuinely nice when they welcomed me to the area. Definitely a new go to! read more

My liver is such a bitch sometimes. I have to keep reminding him who's in charge. "waaah wahhh Joe stop hurting me..." Shyadup. You'll get brown liquor and you'll like it. Downer Ave Wine & Spirits helps me fight the battle against my memories and internal organs. They have a friendly, knowledgeable staff who will talk booze with you for as long as you want. When I asked about something they didn't have and hadn't heard of, the dude was all, "Sheet meng, I gotta order sum a dat". It's small, almost boutique-y, but the selection is primo to the max brah. Really good special sales (stop in regularly, they change) and decent prices over all. They have some high end shit, so don't be surprised by sticker shock from the top shelf. Gift certificates are available and make a wonderful gift for your most favorite and sardonic yelper. Would give it a five star, but it's on Downer Ave and the denizens of that neighborhood couldn't appreciate a $10 liter of Gordon's if they were shanghaied to Beloit and stuffed in an old refrigerator with Tom Sizemore and a fuckin' raccoon. read more

It's amazing that a store this small, in this neighborhood, can have such a ranged selection and competitive prices.

Downer Avenue Wine and Spirits has quickly become my favorite place to pick up a six-pack, bottle of wine, or my favorite spirit (rye whiskey, for those of you might care). It is a relatively small space, but they still bring a good selection to the table. The staff are also very knowledgeable, and more than happy to help any customer make the right decision. On a recent visit I was pointed in the direction of rye whiskey I had never tried before. I gave it a shot and was enjoyed it very much. Thanks for the discovery Downer Avenue Wine and Spirits! read more

I honestly don't know the first thing about booze other than I like to drink it. But I do know I can find anything I'm looking for, and stuff I didn't know I wanted, at Downer Wine & Spirits. I've enjoyed every bottle of wine I've purchased there, and the prices are reasonable, too. That's it. Short and sweet review. I like it here, and will continue to shop here. read more

Downer is my favorite liquor store in Milwaukee. It is small but they pack so much in. My sister came to visit this weekend and fell in love with Malort (..?) so she wanted to buy a bottle before she left. Downer had Malort and we also walked out with a bottle of whiskey they recommended and some free "cake" because it was my birthday. The staff is knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. Keep it up DAWS! read more

Great prices with a great selection of wine and beer ! Staff has forgotten to offer my purchase onto the wine club multiple times but if I just remind them they will look my last name up and add it on :) Have an awesome price on high end liquors as well such as Hendricks ! Staff is super friendly and their emails always keep you up to date on events and promotions ---winning ! read more

This is a great little, local liquor store. They have a good selection of beers from Wisconsin breweries such as Lakefront and New Glarus, and I also found Duvel Special Edition Triple Hop, which was just fantastic. read more

Best liquor store on the eastside - hands down.

Edit/update... Konig Pils is a German beer, not Polish, and highly recommended by a guy I know, who likes beer.

This place has drastically improved over the last 6 months. The new beer cave is incredible and their selection of single beers is hard to beat. The staff has always been helpful and very knowledgeable. Great little liquor store! read more

Great team of employees willing to give advice and grab me a warm six-pack to take back to Chi-town!

A great local liquor store. One of the best beer selections on the East Side. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Not a large liquor store by any means, but they provide the customer with a personalized experience! Definitely recommended for any Milwaukee beer lover. read more

Downer Avenue Wine and Spirits is a hidden gem in Milwaukee. I have been going there for over a year now and their selection and pricing is unbeatable compared to both Whole Foods and online. On top of that, they really know their stuff. I have asked for suggestions on many occasions and they have never done me wrong. I have lived in many places known for their wines (Santa Barbara and Northern California) and Downer Avenue Wine and Spirits would be among the top 5% in those areas. read more