Pre COVID, I enjoyed shopping here, although it was a bit hard to find less well known varieties of wine. But the employees were always so courteous it was worth it. That's changed. On my last visits, the same impatient dark haired young lady was at the register. Many when she ages she'll understand that you don't always move as fast as you'd like. And, don't even think of asking for a receipt. read more

I'm a local, and frequent this store quite often, it may not be a big deal to most people but in my world, NOTHING takes the place of good manners, after all these years of patronage, I have NEVER been told Thanks from anyone of the sales clerks at this store, it's a running joke among my friends, I don't know if it's the colleges kids that work there or maybe it's just the "fast pace" of this operation, but never and I mean never has anyone ever said thanks for your business. read more

if you're from out of state don't go they think your ID is fake and they "don't want to take the chance"

The kid behind the counter with the red hair has an attitude and he was on his phone. He did not say one word to me. I asked for a bag and it was like I asked him to do some really heavy lifting! GFB! Bring respect back!!!!!! read more

Place is expensive and do not take duplicate ids even with other prof of identification

Been coming here for many years and the staff is so helpful! I know nothing of craft beer so I asked at the counter for some ideas for a 60th birthday. Wyatt was awesome!! he took me around the store pulled out six beers from six different breweries then told me I could also get this as a gift basket. I picked up the basket today and was amazed how perfect it was! So beautifully done with popcorn, candies, treats, etc. I certainly didn't expect this, but was so very pleased and happy to give this gift to someone. It's certainly a gift idea I will use again. Thank you to everyone that helped me put this together Doreen Oliva read more

Holy liquor store Batman! Wow! Right outside the dry town of Ocean City lies an amazing liquor store. They carry all the esoteric wines and liquors we enjoy at really good prices. If we lived locally, we would get a club card. The staff is somewhat friendly and knowledgeable. The only real downside is the bathroom - Yikes!!!! read more

Worst service ever! Ordered some items through UberEats. Got a call about 10 minutes later from someone at the store saying some of our items were not in stock and that they couldn't change the order so I had to cancel it and just place another order for what was in stock. I did just that. 40 minutes after I placed the order, I get a text message that something else was out of stock. I messaged back asking if they could replace with something comparable. The person even sent me 2 pictures and I chose one. 5 minutes later, I asked how long the order was going to take and I received a response that someone was going to pack our order and deliver it. After ANOTHER 30 minutes, I called and was told they didn't know where my order was and that one of the delivery girls would be in touch. 15 minutes later, I get a text message from someone else saying to cancel my Uber eats order and place it through Drizly because they couldn't update my order because something else was out of stock! (Why didn't they say this almost 3 hours ago?!). I go to cancel my order and the app says it was still going to charge me! The store then says they can't refund me back and that I needed to call Uber Eats. By this time, some of my guests had already left so we didn't have a need for the items we ordered. Thanks for nothing! Oh and the store claims that they didn't know they were on Uber Eats! What kind of business are you running when you don't even know what apps you're on?!?! read more

See all

Is Circle Liquor really fabulous or delightful or that great of a place? Mmmmm, not really but considering your choices once you cross the 9th street bridge it's more like a necessary evil. Coming from PA this type of store is like something out of a dream where everything is everywhere sans crazy restrictions in terms of hours, sizes and needing to go to multiple locations for things. Supposedly this will be changing at some point in my lifetime but for now every June when I walk in here that part still wows me more than anything else. Parking here in season especially on weekends is insane which is to be expected and the other issue is that a fair amount of the staff have no clue what is or is not in stock or where things are in the store. So if you ask "do you carry Coney Island Hard Root Beer?" More than likely you'll either get a "duh" type of look or if you're lucky maybe the guy you're dealing with can shout out to somebody else who knows that it's hiding on the floor (cans only-no bottles) in the front right corner of the store sort of by itself. Also a word to the wise would be that if you're buying ice from here make sure you pay for it first then go get it out of the freezer on your way out. Any other version of that transaction will get you bitched at. Overall I would categorize this place as primarily a wine store that happens to sell other things on the side more than anything else. Not saying that's a good or a bad thing, just an observation. Considering the location and the clientele they serve in season the one thing I will say is that the prices overall are fair. Are they great? No, as you could go inland a bit and pay less no question but it's not that much of an issue as to be outrageous. In short for better or worse, it's the place to go in that neck of the woods, and considering the captive audience, it could be a whole lot worse than it is. read more

I shop here all the time. On my most recent stop, I needed a gift. They were great helping me choose wine, with several employees chiming in with opinions and suggestions. Their prices are in line with other stores in the area. The store is well stocked and always has what I need. I think it's hilarious that the bad reviews are all from people with duplicate licences, as if that rule doesn't apply everywhere. read more

I am a wine educator based in NYC and when I am anywhere near this area, (we have a place in Margate), Circle Liquors is my first stop. Incredibly diverse selection and price points. Today I was there selecting wines for an upcoming virtual class I am teaching. I cannot speak highly enough about Chester. He is THE man. He was so generous with his time and helped me to find the wines that would deliver in my client's price range. I love meeting a fellow wine nerd. I could have chatted with him all day. Never had a bad experience at Circle Liquor. Forever a customer. read more

going drizly with circle ? good luck with that. expected stupidity, ignorance, and complete incompetence and you still won't get the delivery. a) they ask you to set time date delivery time b) they change that time c) driver calls, say's he doesn't know how to get here doesn't leave his number for call back i get envelope number. call him. give inch by inch directions d) get message. They still can't find the place (even though this would have been the 4th drizly delivery through circle. e) call circle, they don't know a thing about it. have a line at the counter. don't know who called me or who I spoke to. read more

Went in here earlier tonight and was treated absolutely terribly. Went to check out with my two 6 packs of beer at the register and I was carded. The manager lady behind the counter handed my ID back and said "This is a duplicate license, you can't shop here". I was absolutely stunned. Almost as if it's a crime to shop there with a duplicate license. The beer selection was great, too bad I couldn't purchase any of it. read more

The cashier charged my Grandmom for a 90$ bottle of wine that she did not buy. Luckily she noticed on her receipt and went back to the store and they refunded her. Basically the cashier tried to scam an elderly person out of 90$ and was hoping she wouldn't notice. read more

DO NOT UBER LIQOUR FROM THIS STORE! I signed up for Ubereats yesterday and my family and I ordered food and Cutwater drinks from this store. An hour after the food arrived the liquor ordered hadn't and I did not hear anything from Uber or the store. I checked the ap and it said the store delivers the alcohol and to contact them regarding the delivery. Mind you I had been charged instantly for $42.00 when I placed the order. I called the store and the man who answered said "We do not deliver on Sunday's" and that he doesn't know anything about Uber or what they told me. I hung up and cancelled the order via the ap. Several hours later I checked and I was charged. The only contact for Uber is text, no number. They called the store and they denied saying they don't deliver on Sunday and that it was too late to deliver. So I was charged $30 for cancelling in the middle of them getting my order ready after being told they don't deliver on Sunday. What a scam. I will never patronize this store again. They are so hard up for money that they will lie to customers for $30. Pathetic. Oh and Uber sucks too read more

Love this place. Such a staple of shore trips that I've been going to for years. Love the prices compared to PA and descent selection m. $8.99 for a sizer of Leinenkugel bottles. read more

Absolutely awful and rude. For one, social distancing doesn't exist in the store. Then I was told my ID was no good because it was a duplicate. The reason it was a duplicate was because I'm from PA and my original ID wasn't real ID compliant so I couldn't board a plane. So I had to get a new ID after submitting additional documentation to the state. But that explanation wasn't satisfactory either. So I pulled out my global entry card. Still no good. That's two forms of ID, one issued by the federal government. AVOID read more

We were at the Circle Liquor for my brother's 21st birthday on August 16th,2020 around 1:45...We were very excited for him to buy alcohol and we wanted to take pictures quickly. One of the managers...he was in an Eagles hat started yelling in the store saying we were holding up the line. One of the other cashiers was so nice and told him we were taking pictures and the manager was like, "I want to go home, I don't have time for this". It made everyone feel uncomfortable. Shame on the manager ..very poor leadership and poor customer service! He was acting like a BIG baby! read more

This is my favorite liquor store in this area. The selection of booze here is the best nearby. Especially for all the poor people across the bridge in the dry town of Ocean City lol. Seriously though, I've always been able to find what im looking for here. Also, make sure you sign up for their loyalty card becuase that can give you discounts and you get notified of the in store tastings they have! read more

I created a yelp to write this review. I went in to Circle tonight (7/10/18) and had the most wonderful experience. I couldn't find a good bottle of gin to give as a gift and this young boy who worked there with black hair walked over and helped me. He didn't even look old enough to drink yet he was brilliant, he was so knowledgeable about gin and tequila I was thoroughly surprised. He went out of his way in the middle of busy chaos to assist me and make me feel special. A true model for quality customer service with a fun sassy twist! I wish I remembered his name, he definitely deserves a raise! read more

Have been buying at this store for a decade. There are closer ones to my home but go there because of selection, prices and helpful staff. Have seen bad reviews posted but mainly due to their policy on acceptable ID's. They are on the access road to Ocean City with tens of thousands of underage teens with false ID's trying to buy liquor. This is a fact not an assumption. So protecting their license by being overly diligent is just too bad for those complaining. read more

Considering I (and my giant family) spend our summer weekends in OCNJ, the dryest of dry towns, it's no surprise that over the years Circle Liquor has become our second home. After we get off the Expressway and before we get on the island, there is ALWAYS a stop at Circle Liquor to nab the requisite rum and vodka (for them) and beers (for me). With an EPIC amount of wines and liquors, I will say that the single aisle of craft beers sometimes leaves me wanting. However, from Cupcake Wines to Veuve Clicquot to Michelob Ultra to bombers of Ommegang, there truly is something for everyone in our party. It always fills my heart with joy seeing folks attempt to navigate the aisles with carts so full of boxes of Franzia, handles of booze, cases of Bud Light Lime, and mixers galore they can hardly see over the cardboard. The prices are fair and, as long as you find the right one, the staff is knowledgeable. They all have different sections they seem to know a lot about (the wine guy, the beer guy, etc) and an always-classy supply of ping pong balls (to use for whatever...) The parking lot is also spacious enough to allow drivers of all skill levels to get in/out without hitting other cars. And that's what I'm into. read more

Cirlce Liquor Store is a fabulous establishment strategically located right outside the dry town of Ocean City New Jersey. Since I am from Pennsylvania, I am easily excited by stores that carry beer, wine & liquor like Circle does. And they do it well! Circle had a bunch of hard to find stuff I wasn't able to locate elsewhere. For instance, they carry the Dave Matthews brand of wine (Dreaming Tree-highly recommend!) and also, wine from a small winery in Napa I visited called Madonna Estates. Bottom line-definitely stock up at Circle before venturing into OCNJ. It's a great spot and they will have everything you need! read more

They are the last stop before a weekend in Ocean City...and they know it. Mediocre selection (they didn't know where the Redds was, so they "didnt have it" but I found it) and the prices are steep, but not as steep as the next exit. If your staying in Ocean City... this is the best option you've got without a 20 mile drive. read more

I had a terrible and upsetting experience with discrimination and racism in this store. I went in this store with a good friend of color and the cashier refused to sell to him saying he didn't look like the picture on his ID despite him having multiple other cards in his wallet with his name on it that matched his ID. On top of that he is 33 years old and there is no question of him not being over 21. I had to buy the alcohol for him and the cashier gave me no problem despite me being even younger then him. Please do not support a business that is blatantly racist and discriminatory. read more

Woman behind the counter damaged an ID by snapping it in half and did not care to apologize about it. The manager said he was too busy to talk to an upset customer about it. How can either of these people be in a business to assist others who want to buy their products? They should probably learn the definition of empathy for damaging another persons property. read more

This store has a great selection of products period, particularly wine and beer. They also sell single cans from their vast selection of craft beers, which is beyond amazing for those who love trying a myriad of beers without having to buy an entire four or six pack. Honestly it's an amazing deal that I wish every beer store offered, especially as they have a ridiculously endless assortment of choices. Can't recommend this business enough! read more

Need to stock up on adult beverages before a trip to Ocean City? Make sure you stop at Circle Liquors, where their selection and prices will make sure that you, and everyone you are with, have enough to drink. I have never been in a private (non-chain) liquor store with a comperable selection of beers, wines, liquors, cordials, mixers, and delicious, soft white bread. Who knew? They also have great prices on liquor sets, which has led me to try some new things,including Bulldog gin which is a new favorite. If you give them your e-mail address, you can save some money on select items throughout the store, and it's totally worth it! They also have in-store events from time to time, which they use e-mail for. Give yourself some time to browse, too, and don't be afraid to try something new, just because it's on sale! read more

They don't sell liquor to anyone that has a duplicate ID. If you ever have lost your ID, you can't go there. Ridiculous.

Great friendly liquor store with reasonable prices and an excellent beer selection. Sign up for a Circle Club card to get extra discounts. *Bonus* they deliver into Ocean City 2x a day so you don't have to leave your comforts to get stocked up! read more

Terrible customer service. Went in there with my ID plus another form of ID since my license is a duplicate. Meanwhile, I purchase from this store at least once a week and have never been denied. Maybe these employees should get their eyes examined because they're not using them very well. read more

This place sucks. Have a duplicate ID because I had my wallet stolen, so they denied me. After arguing with them they decide to keep checking it and then bent the ID and snapped it. Then refused to discuss it and told me it's a fake. So after breaking my actual ID my friend who was 23 also got denied because his looked "funky". Already over priced to begin with - so never going there ever again. read more

Circle Liquor Store has been old reliable for me the last 9 years or so when I've gone down to my bud's shore house in Ocean City. It's the last spot before you hit the bridge, and they've got a pretty solid selection of beers at a reasonable price. The other day, I was looking for something smooth and sour and fruity for my girlfriend so we could sip on the beach. Circle pulled through, got ourselves some Dogfish Head SeaQuench. They've got a lot of non-craft beers in the fridge too. I'll always come here for my OC trips! read more

wine selection is deep and fairly priced (IF you get their 'club' card-pratically every bottle has two prices). beer selection is average, and shelves are a general mess, with at least a third of the stock missing prices. what's more, after searching ten minutes i never did locate a porter or stout-and couldn't get a word in edgewise with five employees up front (it was slow, there was no one checking out or even walking around) who were engaged in an intense discussion about their various schedules. when i inquired about all the missing prices was informed 'oh, i guess we've been moving stuff around lately'...it was obvious they could care less since the store's been their fifty years w/o a drop of competition and may well coast another fifty on fumes..if you're at all picky about cleanliness, organization, items actually priced or a bare minimum of customer focus, look elsewhere... read more

Went in, grabbed what i needed, got to the cashier who looked like a 5 year old and immediately he asks for two forms. Knowing I look young as well and being asked for two forms here before, I had it ready to hand to him. He tells me since my license is a duplicate I can't purchase anything per store policy. Their store policy is shit because i went a week ago and purchased just fine. read more

I went for a quick 6 pack pick up before entering Ocean City, the can selection was minimal but the bottles were pretty on point with a price. However, I have never been so heavily carded in my life. I am 25 presented two forms of identification but still had to bring my Father into the liquor store to verify my age for they claimed my ID was 'a duplicate'. I may look young but smart enough to know I'll never be back. read more

No other liquor store has the great selection they have and the knowledgeable staff that really knows the wines! The Christmas baskets are the best no store has the selection of hand picked bottle of shrink wrapped baskets are so nice!! And made to order anything you want in the basket!! The location is the best yes the city took away some of the parking lot that they fought to keep and lost some of the parking. Just be mindful to others! The delivery is awesome and curb side pick up is available. During the pandemic there was social distancing and only so many people allowed in the store and people at the door to check for Masks and give out if people did not have one for everyone's safety!! That said I did not see that in any other store. It is clean and has a great new mini bottles display!! Check it out !! The best wines also not in other stores!!!!!!!! Every year they do an appreciation and anniversary day giving away free hot dogs , pretzels, drinks, cookies!! To thank the customers! Pretty awesome! read more

This place is a big rip off. 20 % higher costs. Makes there money by being only liquor store before dry Ocean City. Guys come on dont gouge people. read more

Last liquor store before a dry city? Delightful. But seriously, super beer selection and wine selection. Really friendly too.

Love this store. Went to the another big one by the 34th st bridge yesterday and it was not great! Circle has a great selection an easy layout and good prices. read more