Blackwell’s Wines & Spirits

This place is awesome. All of the employees go out of their way to be helpful, and the selection is awesome. I’m a wino and this place is my downfall. There’s a huge selection and even a number of unique German beers that my boyfriend loves aka I’m no longer drinking along. Thanks blackwells, you rock!

Love this place. Dangerous because I came by to buy one thing then ended up with 5 great things. Found my favorite red– educated guess, a hard-​to-​find scotch — jura superstition, my favorite gin — nolet all under the same roof. And got some great gift recommendations.

After several (what I’m sure were quite annoying) emails, I was assured by Gary the bottle of 2013 Sea Smoke Southing Pinot Noir that I was purchasing was authentic. These are some of the most sought after Pinot’s in the world and anyone who is a Pinot Noir fan would know this! The waiting list for these wines exceed the supply and I’m just very grateful to get my hands on one of these rare bottlings. This was all made possible by Gary and the good people at Blackwell’s Wines & Spirits. Great customer experience!

Ordered online with these guys using their mobile site, and missed seeing their 6 min bottle order clause for beer. Instead of trying to reach out and give one of their customers the benefit of the doubt, they just cancelled my order. Missed out on a great opportunity to get a great brew. I am sure they are great in person, but whoever was managing the online orders was not very helpful. Won’t be order with them again anytime soon. Shame too cause their bourbon selection looked pretty stellar.

This is a neighborhood spot that is sincere in their efforts and their efforts are on target. They have a good selection of wine, spirits and beer. They understand the beverage industry and have reasonable prices. For example, I just bought a $ 16 bottle of Rhone Lirac (just a few miles west of Chateauneuf du Pape so how could it not be good?) which I thought was fabulous for the price. I’m not telling you what it is because I might just go back and buy out the stock :-). If you are tired of BevMo (and who shouldn’t be?), come here and shop around, you may find something you like. If you do, let me know!

This establishment is well stocked and has very helpful employees. The decore was nice and pleasant. The only downside of this place, which seemes like it usually wouldn’t be a problem, is the fact that it was a bit warm inside. This specific weekend there was a bit of a heat wave so I won’t mark it against them.
I did the $ 10 tasting with my girlfriend and we both found things we liked. The tasting consisted of bargin wines that were actually not all that bad! The range of prices for their tasting of 8 wines ranged from $ 13-​$ 35 or so. We ended up buying 3 bottles.
They stocked some of my personal favorites such as Robert Craig and some Stag’s Leap Wine Cellar for very reasonable prices! The Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars wines were pretty much the same price as it would have costed at the winery! (2012 Cask 23 for $ 250 and their Fay for $ 125. GET THE CASK 23 IF YOU CAN! Rated 97−100pt from Robert Parker. It’s a stellar wine that I bought right away after I had tasted it and the fact that you don’t need to drive up to Napa for the Winery pricing its amazing!)
If this was TL;DR for you. it’s 1) Good price 2) Good selection 3) Awesome wine tasting!

The selection here both online and in store is good. However the prices here are horrible and a lot of the rare beers they have on the site have extreme mark ups as if they were selling it second hand from another website. Now comes my experience with these people. I called in asking about a Beer that was on the newsletter 2 minutes after I received their monthly newsletter, which I have been a part of for a long time because I have place online orders before when I lived in California, I got tossed around and put on hold till I got to a person. I finally asked the question about purchasing this said beer and the response I got was «We’ll call you back» and then he hung up. Keep in mind I never gave them my phone number for them to call me back and before I can say something to the person (whom I assume was the manager) he hung up on me. Instead of waiting I just placed my online order for what I wanted. 3 minutes after I placed the online order I wanted I was refunded for my order. Said whatever I was buying was sold out, even though I added it to cart purchased it and even after all that it was still available on the website. I e-​mail them asking about why they refunded my order and not only that but did not complete my whole order for the stuff that was in stock and did not try to fix the problem in any way. This is the response I got from them «Larry, I didn’t hang up on you. There’s nothing I could do. I had people wanting to buy this, and I have no idea how you knew it was there. I had customers wanting to buy the beer, and the rules about six bottles are very very clear.“In the newsletter I had received from them there was no mention of buying 6 bottles and the fact they said I had no idea you knew it was there makes it even worse. I was on facebook 2 weeks after this incident and noticed someone saying they bought the same thing I was looking for without any said limit with no problem. I have contacted blackwells and have had no response OWN UP TO YOUR MISTAKES!!!

Blackwells has an amazing selection of fine wines at every price point, from cheap and cheerful 10 dollar malbecs to rare champagnes with the price tag to prove it.
They also have a colorful array of liquor a from around the world along with some locally distilled small batch booze.
Staff of friendly experts.

This is an online order review.
Placed my order on Friday afternoon got a confirmation saying that the bottle of wine would ship out by the end of the day. I realized that I entered the wrong zip code when placing the order, so they made sure to correct it before it went to FedEx. Sent me a follow up email to make sure that everything went smoothly as well. A+ for communication and speedy service.

OK. I am a beer geek. I admit it. If you are looking for some seriously geeky beers, they have a pretty good selection. I would not go here to «pick up a six pack for the fridge» but if you want to pick up some hard to find products, it is worth checking out.
The sales person was helpful and respectful without being condescending or pushy.
They also have a very wide selection of wines and spirits. I am not much of a wine guy. I looked through the whiskey section briefly and thought that they had a nice selection. I do not use much whiskey so I only glanced quickly.

If I could give this store zero stars I would. I went in recently and asked about a specific bottle of bourbon. The clerk said «We get it in from time to time, but even if I had that bottle, I wouldn’t sell it to you». I was absolutely appalled by this comment. The guy was a complete a**hole. I do not recommend this liquor store to anyone.

This place has a great collection and good customer service. I walked in looking for a Willamette pinot noir. The gentleman behind the counter took me straight to them and asked what I was looking for. Told him me needs and he suggested two bottles.
I looked online and the bottle was cheaper than suggested retail on
. The description on
also matched what the salesman said as far as taste, almost word for word.
As I was leaving the man was explaining the Carneros are to a customer. Growing up in that area, I can confirm that the information was correct. Great service, I’ll definitely be back.

I’m torn… I love Blackwells but my husband went in today and received terrible service from the man behind the counter. Rude and condescending sum it up. Seems like it was the same man that «helped» another customer and earned the store a whopping 1-​star review.
My guess is that the man is the owner, and, my suggestion is that if you aren’t happy with a mix of clientele patronizing your shop then move out of the neighborhood– try something more homogenous like the Marina or Pac Heights. However, if your goal is to introduce all San Franciscans to hard-​to-​find wines and — oh — makes sales, then put on your happy face. It’s not that hard.
Three stars for selection and the awesome staff there who are friendly and have great suggestions.

This is by far the best liquor store I’ve found in San Francisco. Great selection from cheap bottles of liquor and wine to distinctly tasteful of both. The beer selection is also top notch with many singles even some of the more knowledgable drinkers will drool over. I have only had phenomenal customer service here with either great descriptions or suggestions. Definitely more high class knowledge here. If your not looking for the only liquor store you should ever shop at go to your pricey corner store. Blackwells will continue to be the only wine spirits store I shop at period.

Two stars simply because of the impressive selection. But the gentleman behind the counter was beyond unhelpful. My girlfriend and I went in looking for an organic wine to bring to her mother. Perhaps there is no such thing as organic wine, I have no idea. But the guy looked at her for a few seconds and just said «I don’t carry anything organic,» in a flat, uninterested tone. No recommendations for alternatives, no follow-​up questions, no interest in helping us. Basically, we received a very polite «Fuck off away from my store.» Maybe it was her pink hair or our non-​fancy clothes. Next time I’ll bring a tie. Oh, wait, there won’t be a next time.
Edit: He replied to this review, and suggested that I brought in my own «negative self-​image,» and mentioned my weight. Highly classy establishment all around. Removing the second star.

Sincerely in awe of Blackwell’s. It may be unassuming and tucked away in the Outer Richmond, but it’s surely a hidden treasure worth discovering, over and over again.
I was attracted to Blackwell’s when I read they have Turkish wines in stock, like Kavaklidere Yakut (red, 2011, $ 14) and Kocabag Oküzgözü (red, 2012, $ 17). They have some whites that were not in stock when I was last there. The staff even knew how to pronounce the labels correctly. I’ll be certain to return.
In addition to the Turkish beauties in a bottle, there are Hungarian rosés, Georgian reds (from the nation of Georgia, in the Caucasus) and Greek whites and spirits, and of course, the obligatory and much beloved French, Italian and California favorites. The selection is impressive, diverse, and well-​priced with hard-​to-​find bottles. The selection almost seems a nod to its neighborhood and environs of Little Russia and other international communities.
Don’t neglect perusing the coolers in back with beers and chilled spirits from various regions around the state, country and world.
Staff is knowledgeable, attentive and communicative. They also sell miniatures, wine boxes, and other accoutrements for your wine-​drinking needs.
Pro-​tip:
Sign up for their e-​mail list and you’ll get invites to free wine and cheese tastings they host!
True story.

I have been looking for a particular type of vodka for a few weeks. It will be part of a celebration for a very special occasion I have upcoming. After calling over a dozen stores, Blackwell’s Wines and Spirits claimed to have 6 bottles in store. I attempted to call during regular business hours twice and no one answered the phone. Assuming their website was current., I made the over-​an-​hour drive to purchase the vodka.
After arriving at the store, I asked the girl behind the counter where I could find the vodka. She informed me they did not have that flavor in stock and offered me the same selections I can get at Bevmo. I informed her the website showed 6 bottles in stock and asked if it was wrong. I was informed that she «didn’t know why it would say that.» After explaining I had driven over an hour based on information on their site she told me she could order it and have it shipped to me. When asked if it would arrive in three days or less, she simply said «Oh I am not sure.»
I am not sure what the point of listing quantities on a website is if it is inaccurate. I am also confused what the purpose of having a phone you wont answer is. I do understand that mistakes can happen, and we are all at the mercy of technology. My actual disappointment comes from the total lack of empathy for the situation or offer of any solution that actually might meet my needs. It also ensures that I will be more than vocal about the lack of service or care Blackwell’s offers.

This is a great liquor store in Little Russia. There are some great bottles at this place. The service was nice and friendly.
However, I felt everything was a bit overpriced. You can get a bargain elsewhere in the city, but if you’re in the neighborhood this is a great place to try.

I have spent entirely too much money buying different types of beer from here. However, they have a wide selection of different craft brews and are constantly rotating in new items, which is why I always end up buying a beer (or two or three) every time I browse the aisles.
Service is very friendly and always willing to help out with suggestions :)

I needed to find a gift for a friend for his wonderful hospitality. Blackwell’s really made it easy. Just tell them what you sorta want and what price you sorta want to pay and they will direct you in the right direction.
I wanted to share our great Cali wines and wanted to pick a white and red… not too expensive… heck the white (which is really dynamite) was 22 bucks… and the pinot noir was 13 dollars. Both great one from Mendocino and one from Sonoma.
They were especially helpful in how to ship them safely.
Great local wine store that I will use again and would recommend to all local Unilocalers to check out.