La Bodega is one of those hidden gems that restores your faith in Riverside. I've lived in Manhattan and LA without finding a comparable liquor store. It's like a jewel box of rare craft beers, curated wines and bourbons, but never pretentious or unwelcoming. The owner is renown for his personal service and the employees speak from experience. What sets La Bodega apart is how much fun it is to shop here. The counter is lined with mini-bottles, discounts and wild products like alcohol-infused whipped cream. I doubt I've ever left the shop without something whimsical and a beer I've never seen before. Japanese porters, German rauchbiers, triple-fermented Belgian ales, Sazerac and absinthe...yes, please! Amazingly, the stock is fresh and routinely rotated. There's no dust on the bottles or mildew on the labels. I don't know how they can move such an exotic inventory in the land of Keystone and Jack, but I'm grateful for it. If you're looking for an easy gift solution, you can even pay for items online for your friends and family to pick up. Really, what more do you need? read more

I do my best to patronize local - non chain businesses. This family owned business is one that is the backbone of Riverside. I even occasionally buy Lotto tickets here. I've been coming here so long that I don't even pay attention to the directional guides for parking. I park whichever way I feel like it. Turning into their parking lot from Central is the 'approved' way but I enjoy going the opposite direction from Laura Lane crossing through the Del Taco parking lot. I'm such a rebel. La Bodega carries a terrific variety of liquor, beer, wine and accessories. If you have a special request for let's say Appleton 21 rum they can go through their distributors to order it for you. They have kegs available for parties and also carry smokes (cigars/cigarettes) behind the counter. For Beer aficionados like myself they carry a large variety of microbrews both domestic and imported. It's always cool to see what new goodies they've gotten in. Look for the Crystal skull. From time to time I've gone in looking for the latest beer from The Bruery or other local breweries and have left hours later with whisky, wine, bourbon, cigars, glasses and chips. The staff doesn't follow you around but they do make sure you get help if you need it. The only 2 issues about my experiences here is the pricing. Most times what I'm looking for doesn't have a price sticker so I have to bring it to the counter to get the price or I'll yell across the store to ask how much and they will come over take the item to the register and check the price. It's a minor thing so I won't rate them lower for it but it is a little annoying. Their items can sometimes be a little pricey in comparison to the mega liquor stores but this place is convenient. A true Riverside treasure. read more

La Bodega Wine & Spirits - La Bodega sign - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Riverside, California

Remarkably good liquor store. They have high-end and low-end. They stock new releases right away. For example they were the only place in town that had Metallica's new whiskey in stock at Fathers Day. Most of the places I called didn't even know what it was. Check it out! read more

La Bodega is one of my absolute favorite businesses in Riverside. I cannot speak enough good things about them. First. their selection is unbeatable. Forget grocery stores or traditional "liquor" stores, they wont have everything La Bodega has I PROMISE YOU. They have all the basics along with unique flavored, rare, small batch, and imported spirits of your choice. Their wine selection is the very best. They carry my personal favorites which I usually have to go to LA to find. They also have chilled Champagne, beer by the keg, glasses, mixers, and snacks. To top it all off, they have a wonderful cigar selection. I really don't know why anyone would go anywhere else. Second, the service is insanely good. The staff is always so helpful and incredibly knowledgeable about all things liquor. Unlike most liquor stores where the staff wont even come out from behind the counter, here the staff is totally hands on. Third, the store is just freaking cool! Its so beautiful inside with wood floors and pretty glass cases filled with cognacs, scotches, and such in amazing crystal bottles. Please, you have to come check this place out, I promise you wont ever go anywhere else! read more

I LOVE this place. Not only is their selection some of the most expansive in the area, their service and prices are unbeatable. The store is always clean, stocked and has people willing to help. Feel free to ask them a question, they'll not only guide you to what you're looking for, they'll make recommendations as well, giving you their expert opinion. It's super easily accessible (across from the Riverside Plaza) with a huge parking lot. I used to buy all my liquor and wine from the bigger grocery stores, but this place has it so much better. The lines are never long, the people are always willing to help, and their prices are unbeatable! I highly recommend you come here next time you need any alcohol. I stocked up before my trip to Vegas with liquor from here and it was a wise choice! I've been converted and will come here for my alcoholic needs. read more

I love craft beer. So when I was visiting a friend out in riverside my friend said I had to check this place out. Walking into this place I felt like a kid in a candy store. They have a great selection of beers. They have a huge selection of 22 ounce bottles as well as a variety of different six packs. They also sell wine and other liquor but I was there strictly for the beer. Excellent place to pick up great tasting beer. They have a wide variety of craft brews from the the U.S. as well as a good selection of European beers. read more

La Bodega Wine & Spirits - Beer - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Riverside, California

Is there any point in trying to pretend you're not a filthy alcoholic if you're reviewing a liquor store on Yelp? Probably not ... If you're an alkie connoisseur, or fancy yourself one anyway, you really do need to check this place out. It's got a fantastic selection of just about everything. It's the hidden gem that always seems to have "that one drink you had but can't seem to find anywhere." It was the only location in the area where we could find JK Scrumpy hard cider (Freaking amazing stuff by the way). The staff is VERY helpful and knowledgeable. They know where everything is and know what they do or do not have in stock. And like I said, they seem to have everything. ME: Do you guys sell JK Scrumpy? WORKER: Yup, we just got in a shipment. ME: Oh cool. Well, umm, do you sell wine made in Siberia? WORKER: One bottle left. ME: . . . Do you sell fermented yak milk hand squeezed by Leonard Nimoy? WORKER: Mr. Nimoy just dropped some off. Okay some of those weren't real ... but you get the point. Now that being said, this is NOT the place to go to get a big pile of booze for a party like a birthday or your cousin's briss. This is the place for discriminating drinkers. Or hobos I guess ... seeing as how I'm pretty sure they sell Thunderbird. read more

Calling this a mere liquor store is somehow a disservice---it should have a grander name---Chateau de Elixirs of the Gods or something like that! The first time I experienced La Bodega was many years ago. I love to cook and the recipe called for something I had never heard of....I checked the "usual" liquor sources and came up empty...then enter La Bodega! Of course I found what I was looking for and SO MUCH MORE. As a dessert wine I love to serve Ice Wine and oh my---do they have it or what----a WONDERFUL selection...and their selection of tequila is over the TOP!!! I also have a couple of recipes that call for champagne - far less than a full bottle - and I don't care to just drink champagne all the time. La Bodega has SPLITS, rows and rows of them---more than I have EVER seen--any place. For the beer drinkers - you have entered heaven! And soda--check it out A great shop with helpful clerks! read more

I like booze. Without prejudice. If it's got alcohol content, most likely I'm drinking it. However, despite my general love for the sauce, I'm wholly oblivious to the subtle complexities of liquor, wine and beer. Even with my freely confessed ignorance, I was floored by this place. Rows upon rows of imported (and intriguing might I add!) beer selection: strawberry cream, banana bread, espresso. But more importantly, I was most impressed by the Hello Kitty Wine! Yes, I'm almost ashamed to admit this. ("Almost" being the operative word.) For roughly $30 a pop, a bottle of Pinot Noir with a super cute Hello Kitty emblazoned across the label can be yours! I wanted it so very badly, but even I couldn't justify spending $30 for a bottle of super cute wine that I'm never going to drink. That's like buying shoes and refusing to wear them to "preserve the workmanship." It's nonsense! read more

This place is phenomenal! Anything you could possibly want is right at your fingertips at La Bodega. The staff is incredibly friendly and accommodating. When my four year old daughter had to use the restroom they even escorted us through the back stock rooms. And I know how that must sound, why in the world would you take your four year old daughter to a liquor store? Well I wanted to pick up a nice dessert wine while shopping at the plaza, and this place is so clean and friendly and more like a boutique then a liquor store that I have absolutely no problem taking her there. The store has an incredible selection of wines, scotches, absynths, and just about every other type of liquor. The prices range from low end that you could pick up at the grocery stores to the very high end liquors that come in crystal decanters. They even called the distributors of my favorite beer (Palmetto) to see if they could order me a case, but alas they only distribute to the Carolinas :( They also checked to see if they could order a reserve wine that I enjoy direct from the vineyard!i All in all, it's ah-mazing. This lush's dream store! read more

when you make soup you get a bunch of ingredients and throw it in a pot. Sometimes you throw every ingredient under the sun into that pot. Once in the pot you add water and turn on the flame. This is the same basic recipe that BevMo and all the other corporate liquor stores use, but not La Bodega. La Bodega simmers that soup down and ensures only the freshest ingredients are put into the pot. This place carries seasonal beers, special releases, and all sorts of hard to find stuff. The best thing about this place is the knowledgable staff that knows exactly what you didn't know you were looking for. I was once recommended a Nebraska Brewing beer and nearly shat my pants when I tasted that bad boy. If you are looking for a cool gift to give that certain alcoholic, come to La Bodega. Smooth pinche tequilas or smooth muthafuckin' brandy in cool bottles, Bodega has something for all kidney punchers. read more

I came here for the first time today and I must say I was impressed. Easily the best prices in the area for a wide selection of alcohol. Today I came in to buy a bottle of Ciroc and then decided to buy a large 32 oz. craft beer all for under $30. The larger size handles are definitely the best deals! I saw they had a handle of Captain Morgan for $22 which is honestly a great deal. I will definitely be back next time I'm looking to buy a good bottle of wine or decided to buy in bulk! Check this place out! read more

I went in there this morning, at the suggestion of my son (who shops there regularly), and asked the young girl at the counter, who was VERY nice, if they carried vegan wine. She wasn't sure so she politely excused herself to go ask her boss. When she came back she said "he doesn't know". I'm thinking; "Well, if HE doesn't know, then who would?" She was still determined to find out on her own, bless her (she really was very sweet), and said she was going to go look at the wine herself to see if she can figure it out. Her boss must've heard her say that to me because he then yelled from where he was -- and I'm paraphrasing; "Just tell her we don't have any". It was something to that effect where clearly he felt she was needed elsewhere and didn't want her to finish helping me, nor try to find out whether or not they had vegan wine. His point was made -- and heard. My mid-twenties son has pricey taste in beer -- I will do my best to encourage him to buy elsewhere. read more

The customer service was great. I went in looking for a rare brand of tequila and they had it for a fair price.

La bodega always has an amazing selection and way more than reasonable prices. With such nice people no need to go to a nose in the air bevmo read more

Always a fun spot to come to even if I don't drink lol always have everything we want and some that my family has never tried thank me La Bodega!!! read more

Love this place! Great selection and awesome staff. This is my favorite place to get booze, and my one stop shop for parties and ordering kegs. read more

For a store that says LIQUOR in big letters out front would not do this store justice. Yes it has liquor, but some of the best liquor. Any one who knows anything about beers or craft brews needs to stop by here and check out their selection of local beers. Not only do they have beer but they have spirits at pretty low prices compared to any other store around the area. I always come in here to buy beers from Stone, Ballast Point, Green Flash Brewing, Russian River, AleSmith, Trappist Rochefort, and many more. Stop by this place for all your alcohol needs and support your local stores in Riverside read more

Staff is knowledgeable and willing to help selection is incredible, no other way to put it....beers, whiskeys, tequila, rum: they got it or at the very least they know about it and can get it if it's available Kimmy, who works in the beer section there, told me this week that you can actually order a lot of their stock from their website and that they'll ship it...might be something you'd be interested in if you live far away (but in state: no out of state sales) read more

If your looking for variety this place is the BOMB. I've found several hard to find boutique beers here, wine's, and some great vodka's.You can find any type of tequila, scotch, bourbon and some types I never even heard of. The staff is always helpful and filled with information about new spirits. If your looking for hard to find alcohol this is the place. read more

La Bodega is a great liquor store near enough to my office to justify a trip from time to time. If you can't find what you're looking for there, chances are you are looking for something that isn't worth looking for! I asked them if they had one of my favorite beers from a smaller brewery out in Colorado. They had some other offerings from them, but not exactly what I was looking for.. After asking about it, they put my name on a list for follow ups, and told me they would reach out in a day or so with their findings. I was very pleased when only a few hours later I received a call back from their buyer, who told me that the brewery hadn't been canning that particular beer for a while, but they had plans to bring some in next season. While I was bummed about the bad news, I was very impressed with the customer service here. Medium story short, we snagged some cheaper beer to get us through the move we were doing that day, and said our goodbyes. Good selection, good customer service, and good location! I will return! read more

Great selection! High end wines at that. I was quite impressed. Also the beers they can fill up a keg with will make you the super star at any Kegger! Though the prices of the wines are high. Selection is awesome but you'll overpay. Would give it 4 stars but I don't like to ever overpay for wine especially when I know I can get it for $10 cheaper elsewhere. read more

Aisles and aisles of interesting and hard to find drinks. I go here for j.k. Scrumpy's apple cider which they sell at the salted pig. Yum. They also carry Julian hard cider. The beer selection is impressive and have a lot of seasonal limited brews. Looking for alcohol? This place will have it. read more

Unreal selection and variety. Rotating beer selection. Different every time I go in. Always find something I've never had before. Great work. Easily the best beer spot in town. read more

If you are a beer fan like me then you NEED to go here! I have found beer here that I have not seen anywhere else in Orange County or the IE. Specifically, the only other place I have seen with Bitches Brew in So Cal was in Hollywood. They get an incredible selection of import and local craft beer. They get some of the hardest to find stuff out there! They also look like they have a great selection of spirits and glassware. I highly recommend the trip. But, beware, if you are like me you will spend at least $50! read more

One of the best liquor stores that's not a mega business chain. They usually offer some rare and limited edition brews by some of the best craft beer makers around. The selection of beer is pretty good. I've been trying to find a place that sells sours, and this place delivered. The prices are pretty good too, definitely hard to beat. Oh...and the service is good, and the employees are well-informed to help you with what you need. IF you're in the mood to try something new... you need to go here! read more

The warmest, friendliest and most knowledgeable and gracious team makes La Bodega my go to wine and liquor shop. Every time I step into La Bodega, I lose track of time  trying to decide which of my favorite wines I should get while chatting with one of the great staff members. I often discover new wines I never tried and end up buying a couple of new bottles and expand my selection. Can't say enough about the variety and selection available. The same goes to whiskey and bourbons. I hope this wine and spirit oasis in the desert continues to prosper for customers like to me to enjoy for years to come. read more

This is a cool spot to buy booze or a decent cigar. The selection of wine and liquor is amazing and I've found that the staff is easy to talk to. Comes in handy when you don't quite know what you're looking for or just have some questions. They also have this cool computer that will print out the recipe for almost any drink you can think of. Parking sucks but this place rocks. read more

Always the best selection of craft brews around. You can't beat their prices and the customer service. Always on point.

A day after I turned 21, I headed over to La Bodega because this was the place to get booze. Driving down to get booze for my 21st party was super easy. Drive down the 91 and you're there! La Bodega has parking in the back, where it is easy to park if there aren't a lot of cars in the parking lot. When you first look at this place from the outside it doesn't look like much at all. However when you walk in to the store it's like the motherload of alcohol. Beer, wine, spirits and different drinks! Vodka, Gin, Whiskey, Cognac and every other possible alcohol litters the shelves of these stores. They even have imported alcohol that you will not find anywhere else. The cashier had to do a double take when I went up to get what I needed for my party because the date on my license was super close. You can also pick up cheaper alcohol here than most stores but some of the stuff here was more expensive than regular stores. The 151 was cheaper than the surrounding grocery stores. The store divides their alcohol by type so make sure you go to the right section when looking for certain alcohol. The staff here is super friendly. They will always help you if you're trying to find something specific! They take cash and credit cards for payment. You must be 21 to buy alcohol (Duh!) here. If you're near UCR or you live in the Riverside area, this is one of the places to go to for your alcoholic needs. read more

This place is definitely a 5 star liquor store, La Bodega has a huge selection at fair pricing. It is a great relief to walk in and observe that the person behind the counter doesn't look like a creepy extra from a walking dead episode. The staff is willing to help if you need it, but won't get in your way if you're trying to just do a quick beer run to grab a handle of 151 and head home to cry alone in your dark living room read more

Hands-down the best liquor store in Riverside, possibly the best in the inland Empire. I consider myself quite the beer snob and I'm never disappointed with the selection on hand. Not only do they carry a good supply of the local craft brews, but from all over the United States and international as well. The wine selection here is very diverse. From your two Buck Chuck all the way up the ladder. The hard liquor, is also a deep selection. You can find yourself quite the gift box or a random special bottle of whatever you're looking for. You can also find a great selection of gift ideas that will make just about any alcoholic you're buying for happy in the end. Law bodega is where it's at. Don't waste your time running all over town trying to find something, they have it here. It's like a mini bevmo. I will make a special trip out of my way just to see what they have new in stock. read more

I may not be a beer store expert or anything but I shop for beer enough that I consider myself to be pretty knowledgeable in this area. La Bodega scores a high rating from me because they have all the things one would need while on a beer run. I live in SD and although I love my local SD County beers I also like to find things different and things I can't get every day. The selection here was great! I was able to find all the favorites that I love and tons of different things that I haven't seen before. I love trying new beers and La Bodega was able to help me do that. The service was superior as well. The guy helping me was very nice and even carried my large box of beer out to the car for me. Next time I in Riverside I will stop here again. read more

I rarely have reason to rate a liquor store unless it stands out. This place happens to be such. It is a small store but they hold a lot of style. The selections of liquor they have is expansive but the best thing I like about them is the stuff you rarely see in most liquor stores: the unknown brands. Here, I found all kinds of various stuff I've never seen or heard of before. This goes for both hard liquor and the beers as well. Customer service has always been pleasant when I've shopped here, and they're knowledged/helpful. This place definitely beats a regular liquor store. It has that whole Mom-n-Pop store feel to it. read more

I don't doubt that this is the best liquor store in the immediate area, but I guess I've been kind of spoiled. The beer selection is formidable, and not too pricey. They look to have a good number of wines, too, and a good selection of liquor. I also noticed that for a small liquor store, its selection of mixers is quite top notch. They have a good number of mixers that you would be hard pressed to find in any corner liquor shop or supermarket. And unlike most places, they will label some products with descriptions or awards they have won. But then I have to compare it against the superstore of liquor that is BevMo. And in that aspect, it tends to fall short. But don't be disheartened or persuaded to make the drive out to Rancho for the nearest BevMo. La Bodega will do you right, and only a few will be wont for more selection. read more

I'm not one to get star struck like a lot of beer lovers out there, but this place is amazing as far as selection goes. As one of the only places in Riverside where you can walk in and walk out with a huge smile on your face, they really know how to manage their selections. It's a family owned place, with a lot of direct import connections on a lot of spirits as well. The only thing I can grip on is the price vs. value. Although their markups are reasonable, one can argue they don't justify shopping here often. Aside from that, it's a great environment, the staff is hit or miss depending on the time of day you are there - sometimes they know their stuff, other times they don't have a clue...regardless of the situation they always are more than willing to have a conversation with you about your purchase or suggest something new. A must visit if you haven't already! read more

Very good beer selections. It's a bit cramped but I've found many things that I've never seen in OC or SD. So I've never left here unattached. Lots of stuff are unrefrigerated but you can tell lots of imports have been sitting their for God-knows-how-long. They have an impressive display of glassware too, so take a note of that. I would rate this place "pricey", it always costs few dollars more here than other stores, even more expensive than the Brurery Provisions. It's a bit inconvenient for me to get out here but it's worth the trip sometimes. read more

I absolutely love this place. It's like the Toys "R" Us liquors. They have just about everything you need in one place.

Love this place. Haven't been to bevmo or total wine since I found it Vast beer selection with some hard to find brews. Staff is friendly and always ready to talk brew. If your ever in the area and looking for good beers stop in...you won't be disappointed. read more

Very cool spot, huge selection of craft beers at super reasonable prices. Definitely worth going if you want to find new beers to try.