Armanetti Wine Shoppe & Beverage Mart

There is now a sign posted on the door at Armanetti indicating that they’re closing per court order on July 8. It may even be closed now – they haven’t been open the last three times I’ve walked by during standard business hours.

They were awesome when they first opened, but started falling apart years ago.
When they first opened they had great customer service. Very friendly and helpful. Now (err 6 months ago at last visit)… ugh
I had stopped in to find a bottle of bourbon about 12 months ago. Completely sold out of any and all whiskeys. Asked when they would have some in stock, the guy guessed in about three months. Stopped in 6 months ago, still no bourbon. Walked in, walked out.

This place is a dump. The manager/​owner treats everyone like crap. I’ve been in here three times and all three times, the guy treated me like I’m some kind of beer snob… well actually, I am.
I was only looking for some Daisy Cutter for my good buddy Rockzo when I asked the dude how fresh it was. I can’t repeat what he said.
In any case, I’m not going back. Too many other options in the city to get good craft beer.

I too, am a little surprised by the negative reviews, but all my experiences here have been fine, so that’s what I’m going to write about. I used to live around the corner and frequented here and Pelly’s quite a bit, but even now that I live in Bucktown I make the drive up here just about once every two weeks. Their craft beer selection has simply exploded since I lived there — they even had make your own 6 packs before Binny’s made it cool (side note: I like Binny’s just fine).
Every time I’ve walked in, the guy who has helped me has been really great and helped me find some beers that are similar to the ones I mentioned I’d like. They do free tastings most Fridays, and they even have a newsletter where they tell you what releases are coming in this week, so if there is a beer you are jonesing for, you can make sure to stop in and get it before its gone.
As far as pricing goes, I think their prices are well within the range of anywhere else you could go (some of the «hot» limited beers are more expensive that you might expect, but probably the same elsewhere). I’ve only bought wine from here once or twice, so I don’t have much to say about their wine selection/​prices.

After reading some of the other reviews I’m glad I didn’t have a run in with the owner, he seems to be a not so pleasant person. All I can comment on is the craft beer selection which was impressive. They had a few things we had been wanting to try and I really like places where you can buy beer by the bottle-​that way I can just try something out without making the commitment of a 6-​pack. I’m sure we’ll stop in again, we’ll just make sure to avoid contact with the grumpy old man.

I live quite literally across the street from this place — I would much rather walk a little farther to Pelly’s than shop here.
The owner/​shopkeeper has weird eyebrows and is very rude. Their prices are high.
I don’t think I should feel privileged to spend my money at a liquor store. And you selling me a bottle of wine that’s been sitting on the shelf for way too long doesn’t amount to you doing me a service.
Stay away.

UPDATE #2 (5÷30÷12): Their license was revoked on May 16, 2012. If this is the end of this establishment, all the better. Redirect all of your business to West Lakeview Liquors, around the corner. You will be all the better for it, and you’ll be supporting a great local bottle shop.
UPDATE (2÷3÷12): Originally gave 3 stars, but after having visited last night, unfortunately, I had to factor in the ‘value’ component of this establishment. Not sure what exactly happened over the last few months, but it seems that every recent major release has jumped in price at least 10% from what I remember being charged previously. Example: Boogoop — here, the price was either $ 16.99 or $ 17.99 a bottle (I was too shocked to recall the price with exact specificity). Around the corner, at West Lakeview Liquors, the price was $ 12.99. $ 4 – 5 more, two blocks away. Wow.
On the one hand, there are a number of things that this place does very well that surpasses what similar stores (Bodega Ramos, West Lakeview Liquors, Binny’s) provide to their customers in the area. On the other hand, there are times when the little things and the way they are handled by the staff of Armanetti’s make you think that you may be better off taking your business elsewhere — as noted in the numerous negative reviews posted over the course of the past few years.
With a carefully maintained beer selection that seems to be in constant rotation (this is a good thing), the variety that you can find here is only matched by Binny’s and Lakeview Liquors in the area. What you won’t get from the other places is the great communication that Armanetti’s provides to those on their mailing list, detailing when certain ‘rare’ or new release beers are released. Does this lead to times when the staff are not on the same page as the owner? Yes. (This sometimes leads to potential ‘snarkiness’ as mentioned by fellow Unilocalers). However, the mere fact that they provide a date (and, in the case of Bourbon County Coffee Stout, a time) when beer will be released does not mean that they should be derided for not having a particular beer at a particular time, or for the fact that they limit quantities (just like every other similar store in the area).
Are there better, more affordable options for wine and beer in the area? Yes. Does Mateo and his staff at Bodega Ramos provide a more welcoming and better customer experience (as well as better recommendations for affordable wine pairings) in the store? Absolutely. The competitive advantage this place has however is that they have the key relationships with their suppliers to get what people in the area want. For that, it is worth timing your visit to coincide with the latest releases. Above the supply advantage, simply avoid asking the owner questions about availability or craft beer in general (one must understand that the sarcastic responses you get are the result of he and his employees being asked dozens of times a day similar questions about the same rare releases) and you will find your experience here will be OK.

After 3 years of research around Chicago’s north side, I can confidently say that Armanetti’s is the area’s best place to buy beer. Their mix-​six selection is unbeatable. Binny’s recently started doing make-​your-​own six packs, but the beers that Binny’s throws out for mixers are often mediocre at best. Armanetti’s has the cheap stuff AND the really good stuff available, priced on a per-​bottle basis. Every time I come in, I manage to pick out 6 new types of beer to try out, which is made possible by their constantly rotating supply of seasonals.
MAIN POINT: If you’re a beer enthusiast, or you just got on the craft-​brewer bandwagon, you should be familiar with Armanetti’s.
Also, if you want to see just how moody and polarized the local beer drinking community is on Armanetti’s limited supply beer-​rationing policies, just go to the store’s page on Beeradvocate, where it’s listed as a «Worldclass» retailer scored 97 out of 100 (
). When people are this opinionated about a beer store, there must be something noteworthy about the place.

Well, I’ve been back twice since my last review a little over a year ago. If you want to get chastised for not buying more than you want, this is the place for you. When I asked for a recommendation on a bottle of Cabernet under $ 15, they showed me bottles for $ 30 and up. After reminding them of the price requirement, I was told «there are no good bottles for $ 15.» Ok, fine, you lost a customer, I’ll go to Bodega Ramos and get a fantastic bottle in my price range that Mateo recommends.
If you have questions about limited craft beer releases or craft beer in general, avoid the owner. You’ll get a snarky response about how you are privileged to be shopping there and then he’ll be of no use to you at all. Their selection is good, as long as you like paying a markup of 20% on six-​packs and bombers. I’ve taken my business to other smaller shops (Lush, Bodega Ramos) as well as larger ones (Binny’s) and will never go back to this establishment.

I am pretty blown away by the negative reviews I’ve read here because I think Armanetti is amazing. The reason i come here EVERY TIME is because of the fantastic, knowledgeable service/​staff they have here. Yes… they actually know about the wine and beer they sell!
And did I mention they are NICE?!? Non-snobs…if there is such a thing. The idea that the owner is rude and only cares about selling MORE booze has never even occurred to me. Just the opposite. I get friendly, knowledgeable, service every single time. They even help me haul it out to my car… with a smile!
Armanetti is a GREAT wine shop/​liquor store and I’m grateful to have them two blocks away from my house.

I’ve shopped at Armanetts for a long time. Their wine selection is ok– it’s just a local little place. What got them my business in the first place was that they carried a very hard to find cider that I loved and couldn’t find elsewhere… until a few weeks ago when I bought a few bottles that were obviously skunked and tasted horrible.
Having read the reviews here, I decided to look elsewhere and found out that the Binny’s in lakeview started to carry the cider at HALF the price.
Hate to support a big box store over the local merchant, but really, Armanettis? Twice as much? No thanks. Best of luck to you.

Whoa, I’m pretty shocked to read some of the reviews of this place that say the owner was really rude. I had a completely different experience. I walked in on a random weekday and met Steve, who greeted me and asked if I was looking for anything in particular. When I said, «No, I’m just looking,» he was very friendly and told me to holler if I needed anything as he went back to his desk. I’m not an alcohol connoisseur, but Armanetti seems to have a decent selection of unique and imported beers, wines, and liquors with prices varying from college student (under $ 10) to ballin’ (it’s all about the Benjamins). I did, however, see a couple beer shelves that looked sparsely stocked. I don’t know if it’s like that all of the time.
I picked out two different 750 ml bottles and asked Steve what the differences were between them. He was very helpful and when he rang me up, he told me about the store’s free tastings each week. He didn’t pressure me to buy more or tell me to «Get the F out» when I asked him questions as I’ve read in some of the other reviews. Based on my own experience, I’d go back.

It’s been at least 3 years since I last went here. I was «scared» away by other reviews on Unilocal.The other day I went against what people said and stopped by. Glad I did!
Soon after I walked in a guy asked if he could help me find anything. I nicely said I was just seeing what they had. He said let him know if he could steer me towards anything and let me do my own perusing. I then picked out a few beers and checked out. Of the beers I picked up that trip was Sieria Nevada 30^th Aniv. brown label. He proceeded to ask me if I had it or any of the other Aniv. beers. Also spoke about the yeast strain in Stone’s Old Guardian Belgo helps this barley wine not need to age.
Nice conversation, well educated beer aficionado guy, and best of all friendly service. Things have changed here apparently.

DO NOT GO HERE! As a man who knows and loves his craft beer, this could have been a solid addition to my craft beer store arsenal, especially being just two blocks from home. But with the horrid service, I avoid coming here altogether and strongly recommend you do the same.
The first time I came in, I had headphones on while I was checking out the store. Being my first time there, I wanted to look through the entire stock of beer to see what kind of stock they had and if they had any special releases. As soon as I walked in the door, I saw the large man at the counter (the owner?) put down his newspaper and could sense him watching me the entire time. He never asked if I needed help but just looked at me like I was about to steal something. Thanks.
Thinking that experience was a fluke, I came back looking for Bell’s 25^th anniversary a little while later. They were selling it by the bottle with a one bottle limit at a marked up price. I wanted to try it, so I grabbed one and another bottle of a limited distribution beer. I would have picked up more, but the prices just did not justify buying anything else. At the register, the owner gave me an irritated look, clearly annoyed that I was not buying more. «Just these two, huh?» Yes, I am just buying the beer I want to buy, thanks.
Being a glutton for punishment, I came back yet again, this time looking for Bourbon County Vanilla when it came out. I called ahead of time, asking very politely if they could please hold a bottle for me. No, I’m sorry, it’s first come first serve. When would they be getting it in? When the truck gets there. Today? Maybe. Thanks.
When I walk in, the display is somewhat out of the way to really discourage people from getting to it, unlike the fanfare the special releases get at Binny’s. It’s like they don’t want walk in customers to be able to buy «the best stuff.» So I grab a bottle, walk around, and end up picking up two more single bottles of beer, a 12 oz. and a 22 oz. When I go to check out, the owner says, «Just the Bourbon County Vanilla and a couple of limited releases? I shouldn’t even sell you these, I never see you in here.» Shocked, I responded that I had stopped in a few times. «Oh yea, I think I remember you coming in to buy other limited releases. You never buy any of the regular stuff.»
Wow. Maybe the reason that I only stop in for the limited releases is that I can only stomach dealing with this flagrantly offensive customer service when there is a new beer I really want to try. Oh, and when the prices are 10−20% over what you pay at Binny’s, is there really a choice?
At this point I have made the firm commitment never to come back. After just a quick glance at some other reviews, the owner has sworn and kicked out customers and several were afraid of violence. Even without seeing that side of him myself, I had a good idea it was lurking. If you need a good beer store recommendation, message me, but please, for everyone’s sake, do not go here.

A truly awful experience — and judging from other reviews on here, I’m not alone.
The prices here are very high — a couple dollars more per large-​format beer bottle than larger stores — but the extensive selection and convenient location seemed to make up for it. And, I thought I was paying for a higher level of service than the bigger chains.
A couple weeks ago, I spent over $ 100 on about a dozen high-​end beers. It turned out the cork on one of them had dried out and hardened, and wouldn’t budge. Even with a corkscrew and trying to carve through it with a knife, I could only get through it enough to get a bit of foam. The next day I brought it back, expecting a refund, or even just an exchange. When you’re paying $ 11 for a beer retail, it’s standard to expect this if there’s any problem. For reference, Trader Joe’s or Costco will take them back no questions asked even with nothing wrong — even an empty bottle if you just didn’t like it.
The owner looked at the disintegrated cork, and tried to say there was no problem. He got a corkscrew and tried to open it himself, and was unable to get it out. Then he told me he wouldn’t take it back because the cork wasn’t intact. Umm, that’s the problem, sir!
I expressed my disbelief at this policy, as the bottle was clearly defective and undrinkable. I explained that I have spent close to $ 1000 in his store. He said that since I am such a good customer, he wants to keep me happy and he’d make an exception and take it back — if I produce all my past receipts, on the spot, proving how much I’ve spent!
Then — I couldn’t make this up — he said that I «must be a drunk if I’ve spent that much», and that his customers aren’t drunks so none of them spend that much. Are you serious? You’re a liquor store owner! And one who specializes in middle to high-​end beer and wine at that!
I laughed, and he asked me to the leave the store. My girlfriend spoke up at this point and suggested that he wouldn’t be in business long treating customers so poorly.
He laughed at her and said he hears things like that everyday. I believe it.

This is a NICE liquor shop. One look inside and you’ll be hooked, that is if you have a penchant for great beer and good scotch. The best beers are on the racks, not chilled.

The place has gone way downhill in my book over the last year. Not sure who the kid is at the counter, but I hadn’t had to deal with him before this summer and I am not impressed. The guy in the back room who used to be helpful apparently must not like the way I look any more, or something since he never seems willing to help out when the kid has no idea what is going on.
Here are my last few experiences:
I was looking for a specific beer and they didn’t carry it and the kid made a comment that he’d ask the distributor about it next time. I asked if he wanted my phone number or something so he could let me know. He said no. I asked about it next time I came in, he remembered nothing about our previous conversation.
Next trip in I’m looking for a 12 of Shandy and didn’t realize that Lieni’ switched the 12 packs to cans. I asked if they had bottles and got a short ‘no, they don’t exist’. Confused since I had had them the previous year I said, that they had existed last year. He said all that exists in cans. It wasn’t until I got my Lieni’s newsletter that explained the change that I knew why. You’d think the dude could have spent 30 seconds to explain this to me. My guess is 1. he didn’t know and 2. he didn’t care to help me.
A couple days later I bought two mini-​kegs of Two Hearted on sale. The were both spoiled to the point where we couldn’t drink them. If they are that old, an apparently stored that poorly, don’t just put them on sale, throw them out. That same trip, I also bought a few other 12 packs and a couple other mini-​kegs. I was never asked for my Armanetti’s card during the transaction. As soon as I realized it, I pointed it out and the kid said it was too late, but I «only had a little over $ 100 worth of stuff I was eligible to get credit on. So, no big deal.» After that visit I tossed my card since my loyalty there was now no big deal.
My latest and probably last trip there I was looking for three very simple things that could be found at any corner market or Jewel: Summer Shandy, Honey Moon, and Founders Centennial. They had none of them. No apologies, no offer to help me find a substitute, nothing. Just a short and arrogant ‘no’.
So, I can no longer in good conscious leave my previously good review up. Walk the extra couple blocks to Pelly’s if you have to. As much as it doesn’t look as nice at least you know what you’re getting. In fact, you can get essentially the same selection and prices at Whole Foods with a much better attitude. Why shop local when it just isn’t as good?

Armanetti is a great neighborhood gem — we are lucky to live so close by!
The selection of liqueurs is smaller than, say, Binny’s, but the personal service and some of the more unique selections make up for it being a smaller store. The beer section is certainly expansive, you could try a different six-​pack every week and not repeat for over a year!
Once, we dropped in on a Saturday and one of the women working there was hosting a little mini wine tasting. We tried some lovely wines from California, almost all of which had been produced in very small quantities. It was a real treat to have wine that would be hard to find anywhere else. Also, the woman hosting the wine tasting was extremely knowledgeable — you could tell she knew exactly what she was talking about.
Parking in the back is a bonus! I’ll be stopping in later tonight to hunt for something unusual…

It is still a great local liquor store… I can come in here on a Sat evening and expect to be greeted by friendly staff (who hopefully will be giving out samples of wine, beer, or liquor).
There beer selection is great, the whiskey selection is great… I’m sure the wine selection is great but I’m not a big wine-​head.
I have never had any complaints, only good stuff to say about this place. Also their kegs are cheaper than the local competition

Thanks to my primo location (I practically live across the street), this is my go-​to place for booze. Even if I lived a block or a neighborhood away, however, I’d want to come here. Their selection is more than admirable for a neighborhood liquor store with a staff that is highly knowledgeable and helpful when it comes to beer and wine selection. Their discount card is a plus as well as the cleanliness of the place.
And they sell my favorite «kind of hard to find» beer: Lowenbrau.
Last time I went in, these two guys were trying to figure out what local brew to buy and the staff actually opened a bottle for them to try. Now that’s the kind of service that will keep me coming back.