The worst (and please note the reviews, overwhelmingly bad, are skewed by someone who thinks this 200 square foot liquor store is the best arena in the USA and everyone must visit at least once ;-)).
I live insanely close to Madison Square Grapes, which means it used to be my default oh-no-we-are-out-of-drinks-for-the-party stop. Yes, the prices are super high, but convenience has its price, and that's how places like this stay open. They aren't particularly friendly, but that's ok. It's NYC. They offered up delivery at some point and I got delivery a couple times, paying by card over the phone and tipping WELL in cash (for a two block walk). Didn't stop them from challenging me, whenever I called, "ARE YOU GONNA TIP?"
We've also gotten three bottles of corked wine from here - apparently they don't treat good wine very well - and were pretty sanguine about it thinking, small businesses make mistakes, let's be chill (no pun intended). So added warning: don't buy wine here unless you are prepared to return it after the cork crumbles into the bottle and your guests make a terrible face.
Cut to: a couple people in my fam get COVID from a wedding where masks, outdoor setting, vaxx, and testing didn't seem to do anyone much good. I call Madison Grapes for delivery and they won't take my card over the phone, only in person. I'm like, half the people in the house have COVID, you don't want to meet even the negative ones face to face because....pandemic. We've bought from you a hundred times; we've spent literally thousands. Could you help your sick, but loyal, customers safely have a decent bottle of wine with their no-contact-delivery dinner? Sure, I can come by and buy from you but I am trying to keep YOU safe, and NYC booze laws allow you to take my CC by phone.
The guy says, and I quote, "I don't care if you're sick" (!!!). I inform him he's lost a very repeat business and he says, again, that he could not give a ****. WOW!! Guys, you are never seeing us or our dogs again. Forget those Clase Azul sales. You are SOL.
When you're the worst business near Penn Station, there must be a special award for that. read more