This is one of my go-to spots. I love the unique selection of wine. We moved here from California and one of our favorite destinations was Valle De Guadalupe, in Mexico. Finding wine from this region is very rare -- but this spot had several options to choose from. It also includes a great range from across the country and some of the best wine regions around the world. They even sell one of my favorite wines from a small producer is Paso Robles that is even hard to find in Southern California. They have a wonderful wine selection as well as non-alcoholic options such as Ghia soda. Being a longtime Californian, I loved the many options to try these non-alcoholic drinks known as Nootropics, aka herbal drinks that give you a relaxed feeling without the hangover. It's definitely not a buzzed feeling but more of an inner calm if you want to chill and wake up refreshed the next morning. The wines are reasonably priced. They also have a wide range of hard liquors. I'm not a heavy booze drinker so mostly come here for the wines and the Ghia soda. But it seems to be a nice selection on the hard liquor side as well. read more

I've lived in DC for a long time, and I'm embarrassed that I've overlooked this shop. Unlike a lot of liquor stores in the area, these guys really know a lot about what they're selling. I'm a bourbon fan, and they had a better selection and lower prices than many other shops, but again, it's the friendliness and knowledge that really makes the difference. read more

Great local spirits shop with prices that are competitive! Staff is pleasant and helpful.

This is a great neighborhood liquor store. Great options for liquors, mixers, beer, etc. Only con is that the wine selection is a bit limited. A pleasant, clean store with friendly employees, definitely recommend read more

Capitol Hill has Sneiders and Mount Pleasant/Columbia Heights has Irving Wine and Spirit. At the corner of Mt Pleasant and Irving Street, it's in the perfect location and has a wide selection of wine and liquor to choose from. They cramp in their goods, but this way it allows more options to choose from. read more

It's a very small shop but the brown liquor selection's solid and some of their pricing is pretty competitive to Schneider's. Budding mixologists may not be able to stable all their essentials in one go here, but they do carry small quantities for the eclectic. Staff is friendly and provides phenomenal customer service. Bargain bin offers little for classier drinkers; beer fridges have a good spread and the rack and a half of wine round out their inventory. read more

I admit that I can't add much more to the existing reviews except to highlight some points with personal anecdotes. I agree with Nick B. that Lee Irving Liquors doesn't have the most extensive selection but they will help you stock up on the essentials. Also, Nick B. is right about how friendly and trusting the cashiers are. They even lent their push-cart when I purchased two cases of liquor. The prices are typical but if you plan on restocking your bar (say upwards of $400), don't be shy about asking for a discount. They offered me 5% off. 3 Stars - There's something to be said about Mount Pleasant when there's five liquor stores within a three block radius; seven if you count the two by Tivoli Theater. I haven't been to all local liquor stores so Lee Irving Liquor will serve as the median standard for now. read more

Great liquor store with really expansive selection of everything - vermouths, cordials, scotches, wines, beers, etc. family owned and really down to earth. read more

A real favorite. Cheap 6-packs of IPA. Friendly owner. Didn't check for my ID, the day I had forgotten it. Always strikes up a conversation about sports, and always tells you to come back as you leave. Somehow, he knows i'm from Nebraska. It's the little things that count. The Redhook IPA comes out to $7.07 (you can see it there on the register) but the guy - the gray-haired guy who I assume to be the owner - he always says, "Seven." You try to give him that seven cents and he scoffs at you. "I thought we were friends," he seems to say. Come to the friendliest booze shoppe in town, located on the friendliest street in town, Mt. Pleasant Street. You may never go anywhere else. read more

My new neighborhood liquor store. Not the most extensive selection out there, but that is made up by the friendliness of the people who work there. The owner is a great guy, and always chats with me and gives me advice on stuff to try. Quite a change from the liquor stores I am used to, where you get looked down upon just because you might possibly be a student. I was actually pretty impressed with some of the beers they had, despite it being a small store. I especially liked their Belgian beers, noticing they had De Koninck, and I tried Grimbergen for the first time and really liked it. Mt. Pleasant is a great area in which to live, and places like this are a big reason why. It's a nice change to actually be recognized, with people who enjoy talking to you and appreciate your business. read more

Super handy because it has everything from beer and ciders to wines, liquors, and mixers. But with wine in the name, I'd hoped for a more extensive wine selection. I usually wind up grabbing some of their ciders. They have a great, rotating selection with interesting finds like the newest Anxo collab. For cocktail people, they usually have fancy shrubs, bitters, and Luxardo cherries. read more

This is hands-down my favorite Mount Pleasant/Columbia Heights ilquor store. It's not overpriced like the deVines wine store at 14th & Irving, or shady like... well all the other nearby liquor stores. In fact, it's less expensive than several of the substantially less friendly, clean, and inviting neighborhood stores. This store is fairly small but the staff is helpful and always volunteers to look in the back or in the high shelves for whatever liquor you fancy. It doesn't have the widest selection of whiskeys/bourbons, or gins, but for basics/standard liquors, it can't be beat. read more

I liked this place a lot. The husband/wife team (I'm assuming here) were really pleasant. They carry DogfishHead90 minute IPA which I adore - and it's cheaper than what Whole Foods charges (and they are the only other place I really know of that sells it.) Since I was headed to a friend's house I asked to buy a bottle opener - they gave me one that was dropped off for a promotion instead of selling me one (nice service there.) I would definitely shop there again. read more

Pretty good beer selection, although they clearly don't have an experienced beer buyer, because I've bought some pretty bad stuff here. I would not suggest trying any microbrews from a brewery you haven't heard of. That said, they do have plenty of decent stuff that I have heard of, for reasonable prices. They have occasional great deals on weird stuff like 24-packs of Rolling Rock cans. Staff is friendly, although the multiple signs about how you aren't allowed to have a conversation while they guy is checking you out are pretty odd. Liquor selection wasn't incredible, but prices were reasonable. read more

It doesn't look like much from the outside, but the guys that run this place are great. They actually have a very solid selection of beer and wine. I feel like the liquor selection is standard (it's always had what I needed). Best of all is the service though. Super friendly, willing to chat and answer questions. This is just the type of business that makes me love living in Mt. Pleasant. read more

Let me start off by saying that I bought Sam Adams Utopias here... Quite possibly the holy Grail of beer. Super friendly staff, decent selection of beer, wine and liquor. Did I mention they had Sam Adams Utopias?! The place is small and you could find a larger selection is elsewhere but the friendly staff is great. These are exactly the type of businesses I like to support... Which is why I just bought an ultra rare $300 beer from them! I'll definitely go back. read more

Irving Wine and Spirits - Utopias!!!! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

See all

Sq. ft. for sq. ft., the best liquor store in town. By which I mean it's small, so they can't fit everything, but boy, they cover a lot of ground with the space they have, especially in oddball liquors and liqueurs. Lots of quality and variety. Good on beer, too. A bit hit or miss on the wine. But for cocktail-making, if you can't find what you need here, you're up to some advanced wizardry. read more

Maybe it's because I live above the shop, but this place is great. They have a wonderful selection of beer and wine and bring you a healthy dose of fun. The cast of characters behind the counter are what make my interactions special. Herman is great. What a spirit. He's crazy like a shark, and knows more about DC than most people. Jesse's great and has made some exciting changes to the place for the better. Now only if they delivered... read more

Great shop for beer, wine, and spirits. The guys who work the counter are friendly and knowledgeable. Modest selection (though you can find something for any taste) and tends to be about a dollar more on six packs than grocery stores, which is the reason I'm deducting a star. That said, I'm happy to pay a buck more to support a locally owned business. Oh, and they allow dogs in! read more

Traveling from Boston to Miami earlier this year my girlfriend and I came across this absolute jackpot of a liquor store. Jesse the owner was fantastic and when he found out that I was a mental as anything Australian whisky collector he was more then happy to help me procure some rare whiskies and bourbons as well as introduce me to some awesome locally crafted brews and spirits which have not reached my part of the world yet. For any traveler from the land down under (or anywhere with high liquor taxes) visiting Washington DC a quick train ride to Columbia Heights and a short walk and you are guaranteed to be in liquor heaven. With prices sans the Australia Tax, I eventually left walking out well over my 2.25 liter Duty limit... a few hours and 20 liters later, to be precise (promise I'm not an alcoholic), and well over the duty free tax threshold I was one happy boy even after declaring everything back home I was still $1200 better off. Fantastic range, service and pricing and building up an appetite after shopping Jesse also pointed us in the direction of some of the best local food in Columbia Heights you can get (The best food all trip!!!). Every time I'm in DC ill definitely be heading back to fill up again. read more

This is the best local liquor,wine,beer store around HANDS DOWN! The prices are great and the selection is amazing. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. This is my go to store now. I don't know how they're able to stock so many of the limited release items like heady topper(from VT!) AND other rare release IPAs. I love coming to stores like this. It makes the whole neighborhood so much better...1000x much better than those other ghetto liquor stores in the area. read more

I moved to Mount Pleasant in November, and this has become my go-to liquor store. There are a couple of reasons. First, their selection of bitters and other associated cocktail additions is unparalleled. Second, they sometimes have Great Divide beers in stock, and since Hibernation and Colette are my favorite beers, I always stop in to check. Finally, the staff is helpful and friendly, and didn't judge me when I rolled in at 10AM to pick up negroni needs for a dinner that night. read more

This is my go-to booze store. The guys at the counter are nice, and the place stocks almost everything. They also have lots of tasty kegs and good recommendations. read more

So much nicer than CC Liquor, a few blocks away in Columbia Heights. Better selection of bourbon here, no plexiglass, and surprisingly, cheaper prices. My new favorite neighborhood liquor store. read more

I love this place. The staff is amazing, the store is clean and the prices are reasonable. I like that staff will smile and wave at you when you come in. read more

I was looking for a liquor that was very specific and rare. Even though they did not have it in stock, the staff was very helpful in finding a sufficient alternative. They went out their way to do some online research and were very helpful. They also have a very large selection of wines and beers (including locals) read more

I love this place. The owner is fabulous, well versed in all things beer and alcohol related. He gives you advice on beers, lets you know about upcoming beers you will be interested in, etc. They consistently have one of the best selections in town - and we have tried most beer stores! I couldn't ask for a better beer store! read more

Great business. Jesse will look out for you- got my favorite Christmas ale in December because he heard me talking about how good it is. Brought my mom in when she visited for a dinner party and he very patiently took her through his wine recommendations. The other staff is great too- and to me that is the biggest part of a great business! read more

Think you can get a better deal at Costco? Think again! The same bottles of liquor are actually cheaper here. They have a fantastic selection of beers, scotch, and bourbons. And if you aren't sure about what you want or can't find what you want, just talk to the owner or manager. Very nice folks. read more

They sure pack a decent selection into such a small space. They do a good job of putting together a good beer selection, and stock a decent selection of liquor as well. If you were looking for something particular that you don't see on the shelf, the guys that run this shop are very helpful and have special ordered stuff for me and made plenty of recommendations. Aside from that, I've never been to a more friendly neighborhood liquor store. read more

The selection is OK. The prices are good. It is pretty average in all aspects except that the people who run it are wonderful.