"We stopped at this wine shop on Washington called Wine Knows....oh, I just got that!!" Yes, I uttered these words to my sister and totally laughed my ass off! What a moron I am! We were killing some time before my nephew's birthday party and I wanted to check this place out after reading their excellent Yelp reviews. They are tucked away in a secret strip mall and you wouldn't even notice them there because all the signage on the building is identical and it's set back from the main road a bit. The place is well organized by type of wine and the racks allow for nice storage of their stock. We walked in while the owners or staff were having their lunch and we didn't want to interrupt with a lot of questions so we probably didn't have the full experience we could have had should they have not been busy. We both explored the store...me, the wine and the hubby found their beer selection. I chose a very nice German bottle of pinot grigio for my girlfriend whom always allows me to drink her wine when I'm visiting and a bottle of wine to take home and add to my collection which by the way, I need to start drinking before my husband kills me by drowning me with cabernet! This is not to say they are overpriced, but we spent a little more than we probably should have on a few bottles of wine. Its a good thing they are located so far from home, otherwise, I might be a regular! read more

Wine Knows - Store front. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

So, I happened upon a wine tasting fundraiser happening at Wine Knows on a Saturday night and decided *shrug* why not? First thing I realized was that I actually drive past this place every day and didn't really pay attention. But my navigation got me successfully to the door. Stepping through the door is a bit overwhelming for a wine novice like me. Literally, my only wine-based verbiage was Moscato D'Asti... Blessedly for me, there was a list of wines for the testing, both reds, and whites. And the owner and (I believe) his wife was serving the guests. When I let her know that I had no clue what I was doing, she suggested that I go down the list. I explained to her my immature taste buds and she described each wine as she poured a taste-sized portion in my glass. (By the way, I forgot all of the names but that isn't her fault.) Between tastings, we were treated to snacks and browsed the extensive selection of wine to avoid getting too loopy. There was a wide array of wines from regions worldwide and craft beers galore. I wonder if there is such thing as a craft beer tasting? However, the store is a hidden gem. I can't wait to get back and try another wine. read more

Wine Knows - the inside of a grocery store - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Grayslake, Illinois

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The owner is rude and arrogant it appears he is too busy getting high on his own supply talking with others and ignoring non regulars. The pricing is not that good either. Go to Jewel or Binnys for better service and pricing. read more

Phil is great. It's a friendly place with a laid back personality. If you have a few minutes on the weekend you may be able to get a sampling. Have an open mind and you will not be lead to bad wines. Also note there are many fine spirits and micro brew beers as well. If you are looking for a selection that is great and not cookie cutter like all liquor stores this is the place to try. read more

Great selection of wine and beers Always open for a tasting owner will match you likes with wines you may like at any price point. Knowledgeable and neighborly. Better than buying at big box or chains. read more

Great Italian wine selection Small produced wines And fun Wine tastings yay read more

We stopped by on a weeknight about 7pm. No one greeted us or asked if we needed anything. We wandered a bit and the selection was nice and it seemed well organized, but the prices were all handwitten and taped to the shelves...and not everything had a price. I'm all about non-chain small-town business shopping, but there's something to be said for a big-box style look where everything is priced and easy to read. I did have to ask a question so walked to the front desk. My question was answered but the gentlemen wasn't very personable. It was almost like he was too busy or he thought my question was stupid. (Granted I am not a wine connoisseur but please still treat my question nicely.) We did end up buying some beer and a few bottles of wine but we won't be rushing back. read more

I loved this place when I lived in Grayslake. Great selection of gluten-free beers!!! Always had positive experiences, and the wine tasting is fun! Highly recommended! read more

Family owned, great selection of wines. The owners are so friendly and ready to help. The prices are friendly as well!

I love wine knows! By far one of the nicest and most knowledgable business owners I have ever met! I am a bartender who is always looking for exciting new cordials and spirits And I'm always satisfied when I leave here! They have an exquisite selection of wine from all regions, they have very unique liquors that you don't find anywhere else. This is not the type of place to go if you want an average bottle of ketel one, but more so are looking for a unique organic unknown vodka. Superior taste, and superior quality! There is always a great music playing and I love the learning and sampling experience. Love this hidden gem . read more

This place is awesome! Friendly owners with excellent knowledge of wines. Phil speaks candidly about wines and wine ratings, and is confident enough in his opinions that he has no need to project any pretentiousness. The wine (and beer) tastings (both the small and large) are wonderful. I have learned about many different grape varietals through the tastings. Besides the tastings, the beer selection keeps me coming back. Given the area they have allotted to beers, the selection is relatively extensive, and there always seems to be something new that I want to try. read more

This should be your go to spot for an awesome array of micro-brews. Oh and, yes, they also have a huge offering of delicious wine. This isn't where you stop to find Miller Lite or Budweiser. There is a vast selection of Illinois breweries (Solemn Oath, Pipeworks, Only Child, Zumbier, etc) and a lot of great out-of-state options too. I've been most impressed that pricing is comparable to what you'd find at Binny's or other big-box liquor stores. Phil (the guy you want to ask for if you have questions) has a great knowledge and passion for wine. Frequently you can find a good beer/wine tasting as well. Long and short - go here for your beer/wine/spirits. The service is great, the prices aren't too bad and the experience is delightful. read more

If you're a beer geek or even if you're just getting into craft beers, this is the place to go! The wine is an amazing selection too, but I'm not much of a wine guy. I'm talking about BEER BEER BEER, not MGD, not Budweiser, I'm talkin real beer that's not mass produced for quantity over quality... I'm talking about the stuff you don't find at Jewel or your typical liquor store. They have an amazing selection of craft brews from around the country as well as high end import brews from around the world. They get in new stuff all the time, I'm amazed by the selection every time I visit, which is normally every week or so. TIP: Don't just look in the fridge, they have a large assortment on the floor as well. Seriously, if you like good beer, go in and see for yourself! Why I love this place: Incredible selection, very fair pricing, very friendly and knowlegable people, free beer and wine tastings regularly... yep... free! I've been coming here for the last 3 years that I've lived in the area and I've been watching them grow, especially on the beer side of the business in the last year now. They also have some great sake's and liquor. read more

I visited this store for the first time over the weekend, based on a friend's recommendation (and the need for unique alcohol selections for a party). Where at first it might seem intimidating based on the rows of wines, stay for a few minutes and this little store will open its arms and welcome you. Head to the back of the store, and the proprietors will have you tasting their "daily samplings" of wine. The tasting station was FULL when we came in, and yet they still made room for us. Unlike other wine stores, this shop seemed to breathe personality, with laughter and fun radiating from the sampling section of the store. Where one might blame the flowing alcohol, I think it's more... the owners are fun people, looking to share good wine and conversation with the locals. These aside, they have some very solid wine selections, both red and white, several VERY cool beer offerings that you won't find at the local supermarkets, and even some unique hard liquors (they had, for example, some vodka flavors I've never heard of but want to go back to to experience!) If you're looking for something different, head here - the prices are fair, and the spirits are really worth it! read more

I truly don't know why I bother giving this place a chance. Every time I try to spend money there I'm ignored and left waiting. The clerk does not engage you nor ask if you have questions, even though he's not doing anything. I try to support local, but they make it too hard. I'll just buy my wine at Binny's, where they actually wait on you. read more

Phil is about as knowledgeable as you will find when it comes to helping select the perfect wine. Wine Knows has a great selection of budget friendly as well as "splurge" or special occasion bottles of great wines. They have many wonderful events open to the public for tastings and samplings with local and regional wine reps. By far the best wine shop around. Craft beer selection is outstanding as well. Always something new and interesting to take home and try. read more

Small liquor store that that focuses on wine. They have a small but quality filled aisle for craft beer and some spirits. I can only comment about the beer since that is all I bought but the prices were standard. Not as good of a selection as DiCarlo's in Mundelein or as cheap as Woodman's in Kenosha but the best in between those 2 stores. A good local place that also has tastings. read more

What a great little wine shop! The owners, Phil Grenier and Lawrence Schwarz, are veterans of the wine and spirits industry who decided to open their own shop. They have free wine tastings most every Friday night and numerous special events, including wine dinners at local restaurants. They also frequently have a table at the Grayslake Farmers Market. Phil writes an informative and entertaining e-newsletter each week that is worth subscribing to. I should add that each time I have gone to one of the shop employees with a question about wine pairings, they have come through with excellent and inexpensive recommendations. The shop also carries a good stock of microbrew beers from all over the world, as well as a small but interesting selection of fine liquors. read more

When I go visit my mom and we feel like drowning our sorrows in beer and/or wine, I ALWAYS go here for the product. It has a GIANT, JUPITERIAN, BIG, HUGE, LARGE selection of wine and beers, no other store within 20 miles has such a great selection of wine, spirits and beers. Prices are market standard. They also have neat events! Absolute best selection of wine and beer in central Lake County. read more

Phil at Wine Knows really understands wine, and has built a strong following. He carries good wines, knows most of them personally, and is always ready to make a recommendation (without being pushy or pretentious). Also has a great specialty beer selection. Carries Gluten Free beer (which is really appreciated by my wife). While not the cheapest source, the service makes it worth not driving to Binny's or DiCarlos. It's nice having this high quality wine shop in town. read more

Phil always has a great selection of wines to choose from. Not just that but his knowledge of f wine is amazing. Truly a place that needs to be visited when in the Grayslake area. read more

Walked in and no one greeted me ... the owner and workers were just chilling and drinking while the store was open, which I thought was a little odd. There was no help offered .. Also, they had a poor selection of wines read more

Absolutely love this place. The owners are awesome, the environment is clean, and it's just a good experience being there.

It's great to have a unique wine and beer store in town with a knowledgeable owner. He only stocks microbrewery and small, family wineries so you won't find the same old stuff here. Instead you'll find a wide selection of wines and if he happens to be doing a tasting when you arrive, you get to try before you buy. Phil will do his best to recommend wine pairing having had a long career in restaurants, distributors and now over a decade with his own store. While no one can judge anyone else's preferences, I've found his recommendations hit or exceed my expectations the vast majority of times. If they don't match perfectly, they are still good wines. Finally, his clientele that I meet when he has a tasting are friendly and knowledgeable too. I learn a lot from them and like to compare notes on the wine we taste. read more

We love Wine Knows. They are ALWAYS helpful and provide insight and advice for what is good.... and they even will give a taste on Fridays and Saturdays. Its way better than a Binnys. And they even give a good story or two. We'll always go back. read more

Looking for an interesting wine or beer to bring to a housewarming, or other event? Stop in here because they have some you're familiar with and others that are just funky. read more

Great wine shop and excellent selection of craft beer. Nothing from the big distributors. This is all craft, from the craft speciality distributors and small self distributing brewers. Knowledgeable staff. Friendly and helpful. They do wine tastings at time, I think they might do some beer tastings but I haven't seen any. Great little bottle shop. read more

Good, unpretentious wine shop. Great recommendations every time- they always ask our price point and give great suggestions at reasonable prices without being judgmental. They also have a great craft beer selection. read more

Was introduced to this store through some friends. Some of the best selections of wines around and craft beers. This place is simply my go to place for wine. read more

Great selection. Staff very knowledgeable and helpful. Great for hard to find craft beers and wines. Very reasonable on prices and no hipsters snobs at this location!! read more

Great place to select wines or beers. Nice selection of both, and helpful staff for pretty much anything you're looking for

Great place for wine and beer, they really know their stuff.

Great people. We are new to wine and they took our hand and showed us the ropes on a Friday night. I was intimidated by the rows and rows of wine selections but they make it easy for you if you ask! We checked out the specialty beer selections too. Happy to support a local business! read more

Best boutique Wine Shop I know! Awesome wines from small Distribution Companies you won't find the common wines here! Awesome beers, awesome tastings, Amazing tunes while you browse or sample with Phil. The one thing I'm missing in my new new neighborhood, I'll be making a trip for sure monthly haul! Cheers to Phil at Wine Knows keep up the good work! read more

They might have a nice store and great selection, but one of the most rude and apathetic business owners I've ever encountered. His wife was even more unfriendly. Completely horrible read more

Great selection at affordable prices! Lots of wine tastings. Phil is very helpful. Best place to buy wine in the area, and I should know!

They have quite the selection here, but it is a lot of basic wines. I prefer more abstract and difficult to find wines. They have a few rarities, but not the best in my opinion. Tons of stuff here, friendly service, but need more different kinds of wine. Add plum wines, ice wines, wines that are popular in other countries like Japan. Prices seem fair, and pretty good amount of craft beers as well. Wish they carried more mead and cider variety. Overall a great place. read more

Exceptionally helpful staff and an insane selection! Never had anything but a great experience here and always manage to find two armfuls of beer I haven't tried yet. read more

Wine Knows is the best place to find a wine for a particular meal or event. Phil always knows exactly which wine to serve with any food. He stays in the requested price range and always picks a winner. It's also the best place to find a gift for someone and his tastings are always so enjoyable. Love this place! read more

A real gem. Not an enormous inventory, but well chosen selections and very knowledgeable service.