Whilst waiting outside (public path) the store owner felt the need to challenge me by asking me…read morewhat I was doing and by telling me to move away. -Baring in mind I'm staying at the hotel next door and purchased an overpriced bong from him the night prior. He then threatened to tip a bucket of water on me from a window above (but pussied it) - before making his dog bark at me on command of "speak". Soft lad couldn't do nothing on his best day and knew it so he eventually shut up and backed off. If he had any sense he'd realise that his actions meant I actually stayed there longer than I would have and returned there whenever I wanted a smoke or waiting for a taxi hahaha Ps clean ya shop ya minger

Wine Lord in Hockley is the absolute GOD of off licenses!…read more When you walk into what appears to be a battered, old, derelict public house you are suddenly overwhelmed with floor to ceiling (and they are high ceilings!) shelves of every kind of booze imaginable. It's not a case of 'what do they have' but more a case of 'what haven't they got?!' Beers, ales, ciders of a zillion varieties, walls and walls of wine, Champagne, spirits, banned alcoholic energy drinks such as CRUNK JUCE and FOUR LOKO (they're allowed to sell off their current stock) - Wine Lord have it all. You can even satiate your late-night chocolate and ice cream cravings. This is a dangerous place! The store manager is a friendly guy of about 30 and he's really helpful. If you can't see what you want then just let him know and I'm sure he'll get it in stock for you. They always have great offers on and it's worth asking for recommendations. It's a great place to grab a few drinks for a sneaky summer picnic in St Paul's Square which is just round the corner. Put that Tesco Clubcard away and hit this little gem instead - you won't regret it. Wine Lord currently have a couple of Facebook pages. Make sure you add them both to get all the updates: https://www.facebook.com/#!/winelord https://www.facebook.com/#!/Winelord1

A newsagents, convenience store and off licence rolled into one!…read more This was very handy for me when I used to live and work in Kings Heath. They sell papers, sweets, crisps, soft drinks, groceries, alcohol, scratch cards and have lottery machines. It's fairly standard for the type of shop it is although bigger than most but what's great about this place is the friendly staff who always have a smile and a hello for you. They are very helpful and genuinely nice people which makes any shopping experience, no matter how quick, much nicer!

This is a handy store for me as my other half works in Kings Heath and I often find myself popping…read morein here to purchase a bottle of wine or some snacks, upon waiting for him to finish work. The lads that run this store are always very chatty and they are always full of jokes and anecdotes about their own lives. They always make me feel quite welcome and once, I embarrassingly had my card rejected, but they were really pleasant about it and let me leave the items behind the counter while I went to get some cash out. Normally I would feel too embarrassed to return, but upon my return, it was as though it never happened! Thank God! It is a standard off-license and convenience store and sells the usual alcohol, tobacco, snacks and the odd toiletries and household produce. The prices are fairly moderate. Good for those who live near York Road or who work in Kings Heath.

This is a nice little shop located on West Bromwich's High Street. I like this store, I like the…read morestaff that work in there; they are very friendly and always have a smile of their face which is always a good thing. My experience with Bobby's Wines has good and I don't have anything negative to say about the store. I've purchased a few alcoholic beverages from there and I've continued going there when I'm in West Bromwich because of their prices and that is the main reason. I like somewhere which doesn't over-charge but you still get quality products. They continued being competitive with their pricing and I feel that's what makes them a great shop. Their selection of products is reasonable, not the best but they sell the products which people around that area purchase- so that is fair enough.

Looking for an excuse to feel like a sophisticated vintage connoisseur, without actually knowing…read moreanything about wine? Then Loki is the place to be. Hidden away in the charmingly historic Great Western Arcade in the centre of Birmingham, this spot is a gem--like a treasure chest full of wine, with little tasting notes as the map. The magic happens with the tasting machines, where you can try up to 40 wines by the glass--not all at once, you rascal! Want to sample a few without committing to a whole bottle? You can try sips for around £1. It's a great way to find your new favorite drop without the commitment anxiety. Plus, they have these super cool self-service Loki cards, or you can (as I did) trade your credit card for a temp. Get guidance from the lovely staff if you're overwhelmed by all the choices (I was). The selection is as diverse as it is vibrant, with wines from all over the world, and the best part? They're all served at the exact temperature the makers intended--no warm, sad wine here. Looking for sweet wines, my partner and I enjoyed an airy Gewürztraminer, a super fantastic vintage port from Warre, and a delightful coffee-noted port from Penfolds. I also sampled a yummy, peppery and full-bodied Shiraz. While I didn't try the food, the menu looks like it would be the perfect pairing with any glass you pick. Cheese boards, meat boards, olives, focaccia, you know the stuff. Whether you're an aficionado or a casual enthusiast (like me), Loki Wine is a great spot for a laid-back yet luxurious experience. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Brum.

Loki is a technically a wine shop but it has a few unique selling points…read more 1. Phil is super knowledgeable and approachable. If you have a question about wine or need a recommendation he will help you! 2. The beautiful location in Great Western Arcade. The store itself is exceptionally stylish too, all wood shelves, tables made from barrels and a lovely upstairs seating area. 3. It's not just a shop- you can try wines too. You can pick up a card, load it with money, pop the card into the amazing wine dispenser (!) select a small or large taster or a whole glass, and the wine is dispensed into the wine glass you have taken from the rack above. There's a variety of decent reds and whites available. These are good quality wines so a full bottle isn't a cheap option. So having the option to have a good sized sample for anything from 90p-£2 means you can feel more confident buying the whole bottle. So when you've picked a glass of wine you like, you can take it upstairs, sit on the seats, order a cheese or meat board (from Anderson and Hill across the way) and have a completely relaxing afternoon. Even the olive oil is amazing. Highly recommended.

This small, high street off-license stocks a decent range of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes,…read moreand benefits from impressive prices and friendly staff. The store's owner is polite, welcoming and talkative and the shop's interior is remarkably clean and inviting, making every shopping experience here a pleasant one. On my visit, I purchased a large bottle of Jack Daniels for £19.99, which I felt was very reasonable, especially as the Sainsburys Local just opposite was charging £23.99 for the exact same product. Boldmere drinks store may be small, but what it lacks in size, it certainly makes up for in value!

To view this off-licence as a handy, pre-curry port of call is fair but doesn't entirely do the…read morebusiness justice. Boldmere Drink Store is, unto itself, a well-stocked outlet fronted by friendly staff - a nice combination that is unexpected, thanks to the rather bland name. Beer-wise it has plenty more than the usual supermarket-friendly brands and, while it may not have the widest range reflecting all the corners of Europe and Asia, a deep chiller makes up for it, full of competitively-priced tinnies and bottles. A tenner goes far, perhaps encouraging you to splash out on a curry after all. To top it off, where similar establishments branch out into crisps inside garish pipes, this place sells tomato-flavoured Snaps. Its booze may be bang up to date, but it must get its snacks via a rip in space-time. Even if the prices can't be 70s, this is surely the next best thing. All in all, this should be your booze-bet ahead of the national stores just doors away.

Good prices, post office sub station, friendly enough service. (AIE)…read more Staying close to this little neighborhood store. Lucky us. Beverage prices are fantastic. Spied some small sandwich and snack items. Candy, ice cream and dozens of other little items you might need at home or your travels. When I needed some explication or a statement repeated, the cashier was accommodating. Bought a birthday card. Filled it out and mailed it. This place might be small, but you'll feel welcome. Will be back. (American in England).

Offering remarkably cheap wine, beer and spirits, and delivering friendly customer service, this…read morelocal drinks store is pleasant, well-priced and definitely worth stopping by on a visit to Sutton Coldfield town centre. This deceptively spacious off-license really opens up on entry. It appears small from the outside, but in actuality, it offers two large rooms, stacked from wall-to-wall with a wide range of alcoholic beverages. The wine is very cheap in comparison with high street supermarkets and many beers are on bulk-buy offers. On my visit, the guy running shift was welcoming and friendly and I bought a large bottle of Disaronno for just £12! Some aisles in the store are narrow and feel a little claustrophobic, but C. Michael's Drink Store cannot be knocked for its great value, large stock and pleasant customer service. I'd definitely visit again.

Around the world in 80 beers, the World Cup of booze, the UN of bottled lager.... Biere, bier,…read morecerveza. Well, you get the idea. The biggest draw of the store is not only the range, but the sheer scope. We can all name a favourite bottled brew from Spain, Mexico, Thailand, France, Germany, Italy, Holland and Belgium. Many could name two, perhaps also listing their fave from Portugal, perhaps Greece or Japan. But this offy adds, to the already heady mix, beer from Cambodia, Cyprus, Austria and Zanzibar, among others. While the shop front may seem to not promise an awful lot - and of course, if you want a Twix, Lambrini or scratchings, you can still fill your boots - It remains a treat for connoisseurs, whether their heads are turned by a funny label or something straddling the line between full-body and light crispness. This isn't all smart-Alec code for a drunk's paradise, it's genuine - this place is effectively a beer boutique. You could do worse than shop here for the man who thinks he has everything. When was the last time he sunk a brew from Africa?

Drinks 2 Go is a smartly presented off license with late night opening hours at the university end…read moreof Selly Oak high street. One thing that is impossible to ignore when you ask any of the local student population about Drinks 2 Go is the affection many of them have for the place - the proprietor seems to have that rare gift of being able to make every customer feel wanted and valued, an unusual skill in this world of anonymous looking chain stores who's staff seem to have had their souls removed and replaced with a corporation specific service app. Proof of this affinity with the local student population is given in the many photos in the shop window of happy, drunken looking customers in the shop itself, often wearing the fancy dress outfits, presumably on rag week or some other student jolly. Selection wise, the shop is good, but not by any means comprehensive. There's something there to suit most tastes, and the selection does go beyond the average corner store. I particularly like the spirits selection, having purchased some very fine Polish vodka from there at a very reasonable price one evening before Christmas. Prices are pretty much as you'd expect, not too expensive, not particularly cheap either. In conclusion, I find there's quite a bit to respect about Drinks 2 Go, and quite a bit to like as well. A well run buisness with a friendly face. If you're studying psychology, are dressed as Batman and are still clambering for more booze at 3 am after five hours in a cheap drinks night, you're probably already there.

We all know that being a student and getting drunk go hand in hand, so Drinks 2 go which is located…read morein the student hub of Selly Oak is a very popular establishment. Friendly staff and great drinks prices make this place a great stop off to grab a few beers. This place looks cool and most certainly has more character than a supermarket or big chain off licence. On top of that they have better prices too which is obviously a big winner in the eyes of cash strapped students. This place provides a simple service at a small cost and is located in the perfect position on the Bristol Road. All in all a job well done.

This clean, sizeable off-license stocks pretty much every lager, cider, wine and spirit you could…read moreever possibly want and benefits from a large, shared car park and excellent prices. Bulk buy offers are advertised all over the shop and 24 cans of Skol can be purchased for just £14.99! Smaller packs of lager and single bottles, however, are nowhere near as well-priced and the staff here could definitely be a lot friendlier. On my visit, I purchased a 24 pack of Strongbow cans for £18.99; impressive indeed, but it would've been nice to have had a smile and some sort of greeting from the guy who served me at the counter.