In the mood for some pink gin? Tomato-infused vodka? How about a fifteen-pack of cooter shooters? Well, my friend, have I got the liquor store for you. Downtown Wine & Spirits, quite frankly, is everything you could ask for in a liquor store: an incredibly varied collection, super-convenient location, fairly reasonable prices, and a really awesome staff. You'd be hard pressed to find two more gregarious fellows than Jeff (the wine) and Tony (the spirits), and boy do they know their drink. These guys can wax eloquent on anything that'll get you drunk, but they manage to avoid any snobbery as they do so. The store is nice and spacious, wine bottles are easily marked by country/region, and are expansive in scope. The best part is every other Tuesday they do free (that is to say zero dollars) themed tastings. It's a great way to expand your horizons and taste some liquors you would have otherwise likely never tried. As has been said, this isn't the place to go for a bottle of Zelko, but it's nice to indulge in some nice drinks every now and then. We can at least pretend to be classy for a night, right? read more

Only once have I found better beer selection in the great state of Massachusetts. I love coming here and pulling something new out of the import or craft brew slots. The wine selection is great, too. The prices are reasonable! read more

My fave booze shop in the area! They have got EVERYTHING here. Fun and funky gift alcohol, perennial favorites, and a buttload of wine. And, of course, lots of imports for my loyally English husband. Prices here are a little better than at Porter Sq's Liquor World, but of course there is only street parking (or the T). I am a big fan of this place - perfect for stocking up for parties or for choosing a classy drank for a fancy dinner. read more

4.5 Great selection of beers, wines and liquors. The staff is generally friendly and helpful. Parking lot available for convenience. If you feel like recycling your bottles-- the recycling center is outside so it is convenient and not too noisy --which is very nice! though the glass container is always full. read more

Beer selection is 5/5: Best beer selection in the area. The selection is also kept up-to-date which is nice (with new releases, seasonals, etc.). Lots of international beers too. Liquor selection is 2/5: This is basically a beer store. If you need a fifth of a generic liquor, you'll find it, but you won't have a lot of options. Prices are definitely on the expensive side, but you are paying for the access to the variety, and that you can buy a single of any beer. read more

The beer we bought had the wrong price label and the staff at the cash did not seem to care.

I bad a terrible service experience here. I have never been treated so poorly as a customer and with such impatience. It was pretty disappointing and I will now be taking my business elsewhere. read more

Great beer selection, good wines, good cider selection, and the staff (including me, I'd dare say), are pretty nice and knowledgeable over all. I can't really add more on the good stuff people have already said. That said, if people have a problem with being carded, well what do you expect? This place is right near Tufts and if college kids didn't insist on trying to pass fake IDs it'd be a different story. But they do & have so make the lives of the cashiers easier and just be prepared to show ID, whether you're 21 or 41. read more

How many cavernous fridges are located within your rearmost quarters, Downtown? How many craft brews and small batch offerings do you hold? The greatest virtue of this store would be the mammoth selection of wine and beer. Imports, local brews, specialty beers, domestic--anything you could possibly want. A fantastic place to explore new choices. The prices? Not so hot.. Today I paid 27 dollars for a case of Coors. It was disheartening. And as others have said, despite being at least a weekly customer, I get absolutely NO recognition at the counter. I might look young, but it would be nice to get at least a friendly nod or something. That being said, the employees are usually friendly and willing to provide help and advice when asked. Other pluses? Eclectic music. Courses and activities. Frequent vendor sampling. Hipness. Large paintings. Parking! If youre in the Davis area, Downtown is absolutely worth spending some time in. read more

HARD CIDER: best selection of hard cider in town, period. They carry Original Sin, Woodchuck, Woodpecker, Magners, maybe even Strongbow... I lost track, and that's impressive when most liquor stores carry two kinds if a girl is very lucky. I have also seen local specialty ciders made from particular varieties of apple, etc, just waiting for the day I choose to educate myself some more. There was even one time I drifted down into the beer aisle with the boy, and noticed they also have a great selection of lambic. I have no opinion about the attitudes of the staff; they ring up my purchases of hard cider, and this is all I demand of them. I'll add that there was interesting music playing last night as I wended my way to the cider and back... a nice touch. read more

I can't say a thing bad about it. Great beer and wine selection, parking, the people are nice, they deliver, and its reasonably priced. read more

I recently went on a trip to Turkey and wanted to treat my friends to a Turkish barbecue complete with the Turkish beer, Efes Pilsen. It was tough to locate at first, but the good folks at Downtown Wines & Spirits ordered it for me and it was in within a week. When I couldn't find it in the store, a salesman took me to it. I love when salespeople actually take you to the merchandise rather than saying, "It's on the back wall." Unfortunately Efes in the US is not as good as it was in Turkey, but that's another review for another day. read more

you are open on sundays. you always have the beer I want. you help me pick out wines when I want to look sophisticated. you have paintings of employees hanging in the store. you are everything I could want in a neighborhood liquor store, and you still card me even after 3 years. read more

Downtown is clean, well-stocked with local and New England beers, a staff that knows how their stuff tastes and what to buy for what dispositions. Also a great selection of European beers and from the Americas. If you ever need to make a trip to Davis by car, not a bad idea to use their free parking to pick up a six pack. read more

I walked in to buy a bottle of red wine for my girlfriend. I asked the guy in the store which he prefers because I'm not a wine connoisseur. He then rudely said "there are a lot of wines, I don't know what your girlfriend drinks." and walked away. So I picked one pretty much at random, and then grabbed a six pack. While I was in the other part of the store getting my beer, the guy that I asked about the wine was talking to the girl behind the counter and said "sure, like that f***** (homophobic slur) has a girlfriend." Among other racial slurs about people walking by outside, I couldn't believe the in store conversation when they thought no one could hear them- especially for an African American to be talking down about other minorities. If I hear this again, I am going to organize a community boycott. Not to mention, they lock the doors before 11. read more

Wine tastings, knowledgable staff, decent selection, sleeper location. It's the place to be between 5 and 7 pm on a Friday evening.

There are no winners here. I have opted to add this place to my BLACK LIST. The attitude of the whole staff is mind boggling. As if they've been trained to avoid the customer at all costs. When I asked what a label on the wine rack meant I was told it was something a rep put up to draw attention to it ("FMSHBY" or something or other). Once I gave one of the employees a compliment on their belt and she rolled her eyes at me and replied "It holds my pants up". Just go to Ball square or Atlas; the prices are better, the selection is better, and most importantly the staff is helpful and friendly. read more

I was overcharged on my total purchase of tequila + tequila mix. Either that or they labeled all the tequila mix bottles with incorrect price. Did not have the energy to go back into the store to address, especially since I had no receipt. If I pay cash for alcohol I typically do not need one. Only a couple of dollars, but really the principle of the thing. I have been here a few times and this is the first time it happened..... read more

These people sell old stale beer. I don't mean all their beer is old, but you have to pay attention, because they will very happily put stale year old shit on the shelves. I was in there there maybe a month ago and was excited to spot a six pack of a spring beer I really liked last year. It was oddly held together with some plastic thing, not the usual carton that brand has. And there was only the one. Then it dawned on me . . . it's kind of early for spring beers...hmmm, could this be from LAST year? So I asked an employee and they acted all embarrassed. They apologized, confirming it was indeed from last year and that whoever put it out shouldn't have, and they took it away. A couple days or a week later I was in there again and sure enough the same old six pack with weird holder was back in the fridge. I figured it was just an isolated incident. Then just last week I picked up a couple of 12 packs for a party. I was in a rush amd didn't notice the date stamped on the 12 pack until I got home. Again, old beer. I can confirm from the taste--its not totally stale, but its definitely past its prime. read more

Favorite stop for affordable wine and an incredible selection. Most places in Cambridge overcharge. The staff here is super friendly and helpful. read more

You might not be able to tell from the outside that this place is any different than any other average liquor store--but it is. Superb beer selection. (Peak Organic Pomegranate Wheat beer say whaaaaaat) read more

This is a great neighborhood liquor store. The staff is always friendly (they'll tell you where to buy limes when they're out for example) and the store often has wine tastings. Good selection of wines. Great hours - open 7 days a week. read more

I have to agree with the majority of the review. Super friendly staff, great selection and reasonable prices. I guess everyone else said it better than I could have. read more

I give Downtown 4 stars for their excellent selection of obscure beers, including Middle Ages, which I became a fan of while going to school in Syracuse. They also get props for being open till 11 every night, since I'm a night owl. I subtract one star because their prices are up there, but I can't take off more than one because of the awesome selection and friendly employees. Definitely a keeper! read more

Beer beer beer beer beer and more beer. I love the beer selection here, I've had some good luck with wine as well. But really my love for this alcohol mecca is in the vast beer selection and knowledge of such. read more

This liquor store is a joke. They charge higher prices than anywhere else in Boston (except maybe Beacon Hill). People pay the high prices because the prices are so poorly marked on the packages (if they are marked at all). Their redemption center is worse. They have 2 glass machines--both of which have been out of service for at least 6 months. If you ask the employees for assistance with any of the machines, they are extremely rude. You'd think with the exorbitant prices they charge, they'd be able to afford a new glass machine. read more

ok this place used to card me all the time in college, but now it's just insane. not to mention this place is super over-priced. I'll give it that it has an excellent selection, but it's still a ripoff. and they TRIPLE carded me. california ID - out of state, so they ask for a backup. I just happen to have my super old new mexico ID on me, so I hand that to her. clerk lady: "um do you have any other ID, like a credit card or something" me: "um what do you want? i have my work ID, my visa, my amex, my atm card, my other visa" clerk: "oh thats ok you know it's just that we're by a college and hahaha....." hahaha my ass. read more

I just went here to pick up some beers for thanksgiving at my parents. An employee asked if I needed help and I said no thank you. He proceeded to insult the beer that I chose and recommended something else. I said that I was buying for my parents and I didn't think they would like that choice and he said "well that's stupid". The customer service here is really lacking. I've been coming here for the convenience but after that interaction, I think I will find a new spot. read more

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. So many kinds of cider. So many kinds of beer. Wine. Yes. I love you. Marry me.

I wish I still lived in this neighborhood because this is probably my favorite liquor store. I love having a wide variety of imbibing options but I also don't like to be overwhelmed. They have a very thorough selection of imported beers organized by country of origin and standard to sublime domestic offerings. The liquor aisles ain't the most stocked but you can still find the basics and even some nice surprises. The staff is pleasant and helpful, which is a nice change from the typical beer run experience. I don't feel rushed and the cliente doesn't make me cuddle my Ephemere 4 pack closely for fear of someone smashing their bottle of Boones Farm into it. read more

This place has almost every beer you can imagine, including some micro brews from the states and brews from around the world! But besides the excellent brews, it has a decent selection of wines, the store offers beer and wine tastings, and occasionally, HUGE storewide wine tastings for FREE! And those can be absolutely disastrous... read more

They have a small parking lot behind the store, a decent redemption center, and a large selection of booze. The staff looks like they should be in Paste Magazine, which is neither a compliment or an insult. If I am heading to a party I head here. The store is clean and sections are clearly marked. read more

Only bought 'Gansetts from this place but a sixer of the pounders is only $5 a copy out the door.

Very knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful staff, best beer selection in Boston. Favorite thing about the store; they were playing indie-metal over the store's stereo, too cool read more

Reasonable prices. Excellent selection of all things alcohol. Awesome hours.

The only liquor store in Davis Square, but fortunately it's a good one. Well, there liquor section is actually a bit lacking, and I don't know anything about wine so I couldn't tell you if that is decent or not, but their beer selection is phenomenal! On one side you have coolers of great local regional and other American craft beers. On the other side you will find shelves and shelves of imported beers, sorted by region. I don't think you could ever run out of new beers to try here. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful, but you'll have to track them down if you want any assistance. The prices are on the higher side but the selection makes up for it. They also host wine and beer tastings, as well as being open 7 days a week. read more

I'm happy to update this review to four stars (it'd be four and a half if Yelp let me), because the manager contacted me and explained that their employee was just straight-up wrong about their policies, and they're addressing the situation by retraining everyone about their actual policies! Nicely handled! So yeah, other than not being the cheapest place in town, this one is definitely the best, and I would also say it's totally worth the extra ducets if you have them to go here. \o/ read more

They have a fairly large stock, but it's pretty overpriced. They don't have a very good Portuguese wine selection and what they have is over priced. They card me almost every time and I'm well over 40. They ought to know be my now seeing as I'm in there 2 or more time a week. I go here because it's in the neighborhood. I wish I had another option. There are 3 nice people who work here. The rest have some bizarre attitude problems and are downright rude. I'm not sure why they are employed in a business that involves customer service. read more

I go here all the time, awesome selection including stuff you really won't find elsewhere else. But one risk of awesome selection is you develop very old beer. I have purchased beers I know I enjoy that have obviously expired. But knowing that, you can find rare high ABV and kick ass sour beers here. I have rarely felt like I got any kind of deal (w/ the exception of the occasional mis-marked price. - thanks for the $13.00 750ml Hanssens kriek). Everything is about 10-30% more expencive than I find it anywhere else. But like I said I go here all the time.... and the selection rivals any other store in the area. I have been overcharged more than once which totally sucks. And it's kind of degrading asking for money back. Also I have never found the staff helpful. Especially if I need help. read more

This is the place to go for craft beer in Somerville/Cambridge. Beer selection is broken down by country for imports, with a huge selection from Belgium, and a good selection from elsewhere around the world. American craft takes over much of the rest of the store, with prices at similar levels to others in the area, usually a tiny bit cheaper than Ball Square and Craft Beer Cellar. They also have almost weekly beer tastings, and an insanely knowledgeable staff who is always great with recommendations. The wine selection is also very good. I don't drink as much wine, so I can't really say for sure, but it seems awfully large of a selection to me. The liquor selection is a bit small, but there is a good variety for the size. The buyers clearly try to have a good selection of craft and local craft spirits available, which can cut into space for some better known brands. This strikes me as a huge positive, but I can understand being frustrated. (Though really, who needs more than one or two choices between plastic handles of liquor?) The store even makes efforts toward a decent craft cider selection, and specialty alcohols like mead. Though I was sad to see this section shrink a bit lately. At any rate, you can find pretty much anything you might want here, most of which has both local and national craft available, and a knowledgeable staff to guide you into new booze which fits your tastes. With multiple tastings weekly, and no shame for going in to taste then leaving, this is a great place to have in Davis Sq. read more