Our 8 Favorite Liquor Stores In Chicago
By Anthony Todd in Food on Dec 3, 2015 4:15PM
As any drinker knows, the opportunities for great imbibing have increased exponentially over the past few years. Cocktail bars are popping up every week on every other corner, but what about the home drinker? Without great liquor stores, you can't make any of those awesome cocktails at home. Having a well-stocked, carefully chosen home bar is a serious step on the road to sophistication, and these stores will help you get there.
The wall of whiskey at Fountainhead Market
Let's get this one out of the way first. There's no way to avoid it—and why would you want to, when they have the most comprehensive selection and some of the best prices. We take this chain for granted here in Chicago, but when people from other cities come to visit (especially from states with controlled liquor distribution like Pennsylvania and Iowa), they marvel at its awesomeness.
Locations around Chicagoland
Warehouse Liquors.
This charming South Loop store is largely focused on wine, but they have a surprisingly good selection of spirits as well. They've got good hours, though sometimes you have to content with local students and tourists looking for a hotel bottle. We're particularly fond of their displays - each little shelf of spirits is nicely arranged and invites browsing, and we've lost a few hours roaming their spirits wall. Plus, we always want to play on their ladders (don't do it).
634 S. Wabash Ave.
This new store adjacent to Fountainhead is rapidly becoming a go-to destination for whiskey lovers around the city. It's tiny, but it's selection of rare bourbons, whiskeys and scotches is unmatched. In addition, they've got a big selection of unique single-barrel selections, bottled specifically for Fountainhead, and they stock all of Chef Cleetus Friedman's brewing collaborations.
1966 W. Montrose Ave.
Infinite Spirits.
We've always loved this small wine and spirits shop in Andersonville. Many people skip theirs spirits selection, but if you're looking for craft and local, they've probably got it. More importantly, their really nice staff has probably tasted it or it's already open on their little bar, so they can give informed recommendations, which is important when you're about to drop $50 on something you've never tasted.
5418 N. Clark St.
China Place Liquor City
If you haven't poked around Chinatown, you've never been to this South Side spot, as it's a tiny bit buried in the strip mall. However, if you're looking for any asian spirits for a mixing project, or just want to experience something you've never had before (like Moutai) this is the place. Don't expect a ton of service here (we've never had much luck asking questions) but honestly, just pick a couple of things and start experimenting. And if you're looking for sake, this is one of the best places around.
2105 S. China Place.
The interior of Independent Spirits.
This Edgewater boutique is the shop for serious home mixers. They've got obscure, hard-to-find spirits, every bitter you can imagine, and some seriously awesome bartending tools. You want those cool crystal mixing glasses you've seen behind the bar at your favorite spot? This is where you should go. They know everything there is to know about spirits, they'll point you to the right bottle and you're guaranteed to go home happy.
5947 N. Broadway Ave.
Liquorama
It's not often that you find a midwestern liquor store that focuses on tequila - most stick to the brown spirits - but if you're a lover of agave-based drinking, this place is worth going out of the way for. They've got a great stock of everything else, of course, but they've got hundreds of varieties of tequila and that kept our attention for quite a while.
4430 S. Kedzie Ave.
You might be thinking "Wait, aren't they the place with all the salamis?" Yup, they are - but if you go upstairs, you will find one of the largest selections of Eastern European liquors around. We once joked about doing a tumblr of the obscure liquors of Gene's, and you could probably keep yourself busy for a few years with all of the liqueurs and brandies they've got in stock. A great browsing adventure, but also a great way to add a twist to your regular cocktail routine, and they've got a ton of tastings on weekends.
4750 N. Lincoln Ave.