Live in the neighborhood and have been coming to Crespos for 4 years now. Love that they always greet my pup with a treat & one time when I had a big gathering they were so helpful to fill up my coolers with ice. Great convenience store to get alcohol/drink run, ice cream or other items you may need from a bodega. They are so genuine & really care for your business. It's great to support a local family business that has been in the neighborhood for decades over other corporations making their way into the area. read more

Highly recommend! They always have what I need, from cat food to beer to hand soap to frozen pizza. I come in once or twice a week and am always greeted with a smile and kind welcome. Jaime and Tony are the best guys! I love this place. read more

Yes....just another little shack to grab some booze!!! Nice older dudes hanging out and drinking inside/outside...helll even the guy behind the counter is flexing the rum hahahahahaha Sometimes in the summer they have a grill outside where these old guys eat while drinking rum....hilarious!!! Good spot to buy some booze for the train ride to the Sox game. :) SHake & bake seal of approval. read more

I love Crespo's, only because they are a total hoot. I love the fact that the grifters and winos of the area have a place to haunt. The nostalgia surrounding this place is abundant. I remember being 19 and going in here with my friend who had a fake ID and buying 4 bottles of Night Train a piece, only to proceed onward to a drinking binge at some miscellaneous party somewhere. You walk up to this place and you see the standard rusty window grates, the plastered price stickers in the windows from the past 20 years, and leaky and loud beverage coolers greet you as you walk in. I recommend this place, because of its history... cheap prices and visceral realism. Go here if "you've got a pair" otherwise go to yer little quaint yuppie wine shoppe... and get over yourself. read more

I am writing this review solely on the basis of the awesomeness of the store's owner. I came here to buy some wine with my friend, and somehow managed to lose my debit card in the process. I came in the next morning to ask about it, and he took the time to look everywhere for it, on the floor, outside, etc. I didn't find it, but he was very happy to help me look for it. Keep coming to this place, this guy deserves the business. read more

I am glad this place is in my hood. The owner, at least I think he is the owner, is friendly and talkative every time I go in. Prices are normal....run of the mill. Sometimes I think they find a random box of alcohol and just put it on the box. The last time I was there, the guy working the register didn't even know they had and had never heard of what I had purchased. My purchased/chosen alcohol was a fantastic find because I have not been able to find it anywhere....they stopped making it around 10 years ago. This place is easy in...easy out. Bike parking out front :) read more

I love you, but I hate you. You've provided me with a plethora of busch light as well as ice cream, but the generic chips are a wee bit of a bother. sell out, get some name brand sh#t in there! I mean, I know that 4 million flavors of pork o's are quite enticing, but for most, give an instant tummy ache thinking of them. also, comment on my boobs one more time and you may find yourself minus the rest of your teeth (all 3 of them). read more

This place is fine. Your typical open late corner store. (both in selection and slightly above average prices) Plenty of booze, random snacks, lotto tickets, and tobacco. Need beer or a bottle a whiskey? Stop by so long as your tastes aren't super picky you'll be pleased. read more

In a pinch crespo will do... A little while back I was checking out and had been left behind by my "friends." I was alone in the store with the clerk and he explained in broken english that he wasn't feeling so well because of his "cancer". I told him that was too bad and I hoped he'd feel better soon... Then he grabbed his stomach and repeated his "cancer" was acting up... Super awkward... He pulled out a crinkled piece of paper with a picture and said "this is my cancer." I was pretty relieved to see an old black and white photo of some dude with his dick wrapped around his arm like 6 times... I don't know if they have lotto... They do have some dusty nick knacks behind the counter that catch my eye... I've definitely been charged white boy prices (so make sure to grab beer dogs with prices on them already). These dudes actually kind of scare me in the way that your uncle might if he lured you into a pitch black basement to "show you something." Not that I've ever had it happen. read more

Don't be deceived by the sign outside that says "Finer Foods" in lovely detail. Actually, that wouldn't be possible. I hope that somebody actually has poor enough judgement to think that would have something of quality in there. The space is extremely cramped. I never can manage to interrupt the conversations amongst the Employee & Friends. The liquor prices are a bit steep and the selection is limited. If you're looking to grab a bottle, keep on walking. read more

Just another hole-in-the wall to get some liquor. Good prices and decent selection but nothing to write home about. I'm sure if you live nearby it's convenient, but nothing special. read more

This is my neighborhood store that I go to very often and I'm very disappointed. I went in to get a bottle for my friends for the night. Two other gentleman (also of color) came from the opposite direction and held the door open for me. I went about my way to get what I needed. The gentlemen exited pretty swiftly. When I got to the counter, the clerk asked me where my friends went. I let him know that I had no idea who they were. He basically profiled me and told me that he doesn't believe me. Apparently I think the other men stole from the store. He went back and forth with me about how he didn't believe that I didn't know them. If I didn't have any other place nearby to go then I definitely wouldn't have spent my money there. For a regular customer like myself to feel like I had something to do with such behavior, I was very upset. I didn't deserve that treatment at all and I won't be returning. read more

Pretty sure they were being robbed while I was checking out their selection. I couldn't find anything that I was really feeling as far as beer went, and at the time I was too chicken to ask for any of the hard stuff behind the counter, so we high tailed it out of there...and I swear the cops pulled up right when we were walking out. I'd probably go back, though...I'm a little braver now. read more

Your usual west-side corner liquor store with cheap 40s of malt, ice, and cases of beer, provided you can navigate the array of ne'er-do-wells settin' by the door. They're now trying to accommodate the influx of yuppies with Aussie wine, Ben & Jerry's, and the like. Especially friendly to girls, very reasonable prices, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. read more

alright so i must admit that i live across the street from crespo so i'm usually there at least once a day (booze, cigarettes, munchies, whatever i'm there a lot) so i must say that i LOVE it. i love the guys who work there and i love that i can go buy a 40 and be entertained. the random assortment of mexican type candies and chips are awesome. and is there's something you really need they usually have it (dish soap, oil, cereal etc) also it's entertaining to stand at the counter and look up because there is a ton of weird shit hanging on the wall. crespo, je t'aime. also they have an atm. and kabobs on the sidewalk in the summer. BOOM. read more

I didn't have enough money on my card to pay for my purchase. Embarrassing, whatever pay day is coming soon. He told me I could buy something for xx amount without over drafting. I said nevermind and walked out of there empty handed without signing any receipt. The next day I see my account was still charged xx amount. I called and the man told me that he was not there at 10:30 last night, it must have been the owner, and to call back tonight. I recently called and spoke to the manager, explained my situation, and he did not help me at all. He was very rude and defensive claiming he did not find a receipt (duh, I didn't sign for an imaginary purchase) and when I called him out on being rude he hung up on me. The man is a miscreant, now I have to file a dispute with the bank because this guy decided to make my account 0.00 and make a little profit. Even if it was a mistake, he could at least reverse the transaction or pay me under the table. I don't know what kind of establishment he is running. Mariana, he or one of his employees probably stole your card. Go to Danny's on Western, they're cheap, friendly, and always accommodating. read more

My business partner and I work very close to Crespo's. The owner, Tony, is a real human being. He truly likes people. If you pay him the respect he is looking for, he will be wonderful to you. There are very few business people in this world today who care-but he does. read more

Crespos is anything but "your usual west-side corner liquor store". I've been running a business for 4 and a half years across the street from Crespos and have been thankful for it. First of all this is a convenience store. For your convenience, this is open for you if you are in a bind and need batteries, gum, condoms, ice cream at midnight for your pregnant wife or cranky husband, a place to step into for safety or to get out of the rain, water if you're dehydrated, chips if you're starving, even the use of a phone in an emergency. Secondly, it isn't a finishing school and the guys working there might lack a little tact, but they are good people. This brings me to the more important part of the review. The owner is a highly intelligent and observant man who is doing more than providing convenience of everyday commodities for the Wicker Park community. He has a true care and concern for everyone in the neighborhood and reaches cross-culturally to bring people together. Without judgement, I have observed the owner catering to all customers with the same level of care. If he cuts-off the alcoholic it's because he may know his threshold. On this note, I've also seen the owner send out a few of his guys (subtly) after the "alcoholic" to make sure he gets to where he's headed to safely. The owner offers his employees a place to earn an honest living. These guys are some of the most funny and entertaining guys in the neighborhood. I've taken pride in this little corner that is actually quite culturally rich for Wicker Park. If you've ever wondered why this particular corner of Wicker Park can be so rich and diverse with such a wide spectrum of people while remaining peaceful and virtually crime free you can thank the owner for his compassion and interest to engage with each customer because he truly cares for the neighborhood's safety. I'm moving from Chicago and have to say that Crespos is one of those little places I'll miss the most. The owner has watched over me and my artists and students over the years, where despite "the robbers" one reviewer claimed to have seen and the "sketchy people" , "ne'er-do-wells settin by the door." has resulted in NOT ONE conflict, robbery, assault or negative experience since November 2005. The owner is a true gem of society, providing a mini cross-cultrual communication hub. it will be a sad day and a rough social transition if they ever have to close their doors. read more