Been going here since the late 70's. Great service with a great selection. When you feel the need this place will definitely take care of you. read more

Ray is the best! This is a close bodega to us so we always end up stopping by when I get that Diet Coke craving or we just really need some gummy bears. Ray is so kind and friendly and really makes this place what it is. He is a great example of neighborhood business owners who enrich everyone's daily life :) they also have cool snacks from Mexico and a wide variety of ice creams, chips candy and drinks! read more

This liquor center is what it's name says it is, a place with a lot of liquor and beer. They also carry a variety of snacks and prepare fresh coffee daily. They have lotto, candy, gum, and a selection of cigars if you are into that. They have some descent sales from time to time. The place is a mom and pop store with great friendly service. read more

Ray's Liquor Center - a liquor store - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Diego, California

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We have been living in North Park for a few years, and Rays in within walking distance of our home. Ray and Paul are some of the kindest, and funniest people we know. They truly are like family, and they treat you with so much respect and love. You can really tell that they care so much about their neighborhood and everyone who comes into their store. They really do make you feel like family. Definitely come by and grab a few drink, snacks and a great conversation. Their selection has a great amount to choose from! Thanks for always being kind and caring! No matter where we move to, we will always stop by to say hello to our friends and Ray's liquor store. (: read more

This neighborhood store is my favorite spot to stop in for a cold drink, bottle of wine or ice cream. My boyfriend loves to shop their frisbee golf collection and I always fill up my growler with their kombucha tap. Compared to farmers markets, it's pretty affordable to get my kombucha from them. They even have boosy booch (alcoholic kombucha). This is a locally owned and operated family business. They're always helpful and appreciative of their customers! Be back tomorrow! read more

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Screw the booze. Check out the flowers! I may have just stepped into some odd 6th dimension where those words were actually spoken, but seriously. 30th street is always in bloom thanks to this kick ass flower shop in Ray's parking lot. And for some amazingly awesome reason that defys logic, they sell flowers till like 10:30 at night! CRAZY! So here's the plan, when you show up at 5 after a hard day of work and purchase a 22oz bottle of delirium tremens, then proceed in getting smashed and making an asshat of yourself, sober up and return to rays at say 9:30, buy some sweet imported ginormous orchids for 5 bucks a pop, and make up for your silly ass. read more

Ray's Liquor Center - Flowers after Dark! WHoo! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Diego, California

I never thought I would review a liquor store but this has got to be the friendliest liquor store I've ever been to! Clean and had a large assortment of items to choose from at a good price. Ray's is definitely part of the North Park charm. read more

Whoever buys the wines for Ray's is doing a fantastic job. This is a great neighborhood liquor store with a good selection of wine and artisan beer. My bf and I picked up two bottles of wine over the weekend and we were so impressed. They also carry white wines in cold case, ready to go. I chose a bottle of Portuguese red because my Portuguese friend had told me Portuguese wines tended to be good because they don't export very much and whatever is exported tended to be of good quality. And it was, and for a great price of $7.49 a bottle. The bottle my bf chose, a Malbec from Argentina, at $12, was even better, better than a $12-glass of Malbec we have had in restaurants and wine bars. We will buy a half case of this wine. Maybe he will even buy flowers for me next time, from the flower stand next door. read more

I thought Chris' Market was my closest liquor store but since they don't have LIQUOR, Rays is the closest. I bought a bottle of Corralejo Blanco for $32 which is pretty competitive. I'm actually quite impressed that they even HAD that tequila. The guys that work there are really friendly and the store is super clean and organized. The flowers outside smell great! read more

Ray is like a member of the family community here and we all know and love him. He always greets customers with kindness and he is really nice to chat with! They have a HUGE beer and wine selection along with lots of liquor so if you need to get something for all types of people along with snacks and chasers, this is it! Love Ray so much read more

No... PP, are you nuts?? This place was awesome. I guess this is proof that sometimes you can hit the jackpot and love a place while regulars, on the other hand, learn to hate it. My friend Rachel and I Stopped here to buy our bottle of Smirnoff on the way to Mason's going away picnic. Holy crap, why would anyone bash this place? Granted, the parking is a bit tiny... but you're not there to party, just to buy the drinks and party elsewhere. The woman whose name I forget was super friendly and made a comment about how much she enjoys working at a family owned shop and this and that... she told me her name and asked me mine. Would I come here again? Next time I'm doing a house party type ordeal in North Park, yes. That means invite me over, Ryan. haha Sorry... I had to throw you out there. As far as price goes, I paid like $4 less for the large bottle of Smirnoff than at other places. read more

:-) It's family run. The people here are friendly... and its very close to where I live, so I guess you can call the area my hood. They know me at Ray's... and I buy my flowers outside (nice flowers, long lasting.... and the flower guy wips up a beautiful arrangement out of thin air! He'll make those 3 Peonies, and 2 Dahlia's look like a centerpiece arrangement at the Ritz! Serious.) I purchase my lottery tickets here. Someday they will sell me the winning numbers... Then it will be "ADIOS SUCKERS!" Until then, I will frequent Rays for that forgotten item at Von's, or Fresh N Easy... I will stumble in with my runny nose and buy NyQuil and DayQuil. I will get my stick of butter, cat food, or popscicle for the kids... I will buy cleaning products, bubbly water, soda and what not. Rays WILL sell me that winning lottery ticket.. DAMN IT!!! 4 Woofs.. I'm a fan, until I win... then yes, its "SO LONG SUCKERS!" read more

I've been coming to Ray's for awhile now and it's fantastic. Ray is very personable and friendly and is always up to help recommend a great beer or wine. They have an awesome wine selection and the prices are reasonable. They have all the random things you might need in a pinch - from batteries to hair products. read more

Went to drop off a UPS package. There are numerous signs you can see from the street and front that say this is a UPS access drop off and pick up point. I had some LED light tubes to return to amazon so the box is long but super light. After waiting 6 minutes for the man behind the counter to hang up or place the phone call he was on on hold (there were also two customers waiting to check out) he informed me they wouldn't take the box because it was too big. What a ridiculous statement. Will never return read more

We love RAYS! Really really nice people that are more than happy to help you out with all your boozing needs ;) They always ask about the kids and they have our continued business read more

I have been going here for like 13 years now. They have friendly employees and good snacks

If I could give them more stars I would.. Such a convenient location for a one stop shop in-between North Park and South Park, with reasonable prices. The selection of beer/alcohol is impeccable, in addition to quality cigars stored in a humidor. The staff is beyond friendly and helpful, which is such a rarity at other liquor stores in town. They go out of their way to learn your name, take the time to look you in the eye and spark a genuine conversation. They seem to truly care about what you have to say or any input you may have, and work to resolve any issues or problems that may arise. Please support this family-owned local business, they are truly good people and represent this neighborhood well. read more

This is the liquor store all others aspire to be: A spinning, well lit neon sign? Yep A highly trafficked corner in a pretty well- to - do neighborhood? Uh-huh So awesome that you used to have a tamale cart in the parking lot? Yessir So gracious that you house a pretty sweet family owned flower shop? Totes. Cocky enough to assume that you will sell 6 bottles of wine to any patron and they will get a 10% discount on said purchase? Mos def. Next to that advertisement, you will place a formal ad for your weekly Cereal special? You know it. Ray is a genius. Not only do they have salt water taffy at the counter, for your last grab n go needs, but they offer a full merchandise rounder of Ray's Liquor apparel. Ray's sun hats. Ray's canvas bags. Ray's windbreakers. Ray's mesh caps. Ray's panties. Ray's scarves. Ray's denim jackets. You know, a whole wardrobe of Ray's stuff. Fashion goes in cycles, you already knew. They do have a huge selection of liquor store stuff. The staff is all very nice, and the cashier that is always in there when I'm in there has almost completely lost his voice. I told him to drink some green tea with a drop of lemon juice and tons of honey. He said he only drinks Indian Tea. I told him green tea is from Sri Lanka which is near India. He almost lost his voice laughing. Okay, I don't know why that was funny, but I'll take the props! Another added bonus for this place: they were smart enough to purchase the good TV. Most all of the liquor stores in SD have that tiny normal tube TV behind the counter where the guy is watching Judge Judy or Nick at Nite or Novelas on Telemundo. No, Ray and Co. opted for the Circuit City going-out-of-business-special. A huge plasma screen that has a bright, crisp picture and the whole store can hear and see what is going on. Of course they have their CCtv behind the counter to make sure noone steals their Ray's ponchos, but you can watch Dancing with the Stars in there and comment with the guys if you wish. Ray's will be there forever. Thanks Ray. Bring back the tamale cart. read more

Ray's is your standard neighborhood liquor store, a place to get booze and chips. North Park seems to be blessed with an abundance of such places, but Ray's is a little nicer than most. They've got a great rotating sign, and the cut-flower vendor in the parking lot makes it feel welcoming. Last year there was a tamale vendor as well, who is sadly gone now. Ray's remodeled last year and I was hoping they would get rid of the mustard-yellow-painted-volcanic-rock veneer, but no dice. Maybe it will look quaint in 40 years. read more

If I can get my dispute (going on for nearly a month) solved, I'll upgrade it to 3 stars (as in my first review) as they sell empty cigar boxes that I can't find elsewhere. But beware if you use a credit card: the owner is likely to tell you that the charge didn't go through, and ask to charge you a second time. LIES. Also, you can't get a receipt that itemizes the sales tax....hmmm. Interesting. No sales tax collected, none to pay out. They carry no healthy food, just packaged snack junk, and their wines and beer and other drinks including water are 10-50% higher than at any other store in a two-mile radius. And regardless of how many decades you've shopped there, you'll need ID if you use a credit card. Nor will they add healthy foods/drinks they eat in their homes, like yogurt drinks (lassi, etc.). They say "We can't get them." Again, LIES, On the good side, most of the staff is friendly and attempts (often in vain) to be helpful, and they stopped staying open all hours, helping to diffuse the late-night vagrants. I wish they'd be more in tune with the community, but I totally understand that capitalism and profit is their goal, far and above the health of their customers. That said, I won't be shopping there except in emergencies, and this is sad, given my 50-yr history of supporting local businesses. read more

...wouldnt go in this spot if they were giving things away for free! thats all i gotta say about this spot. read more

Ray's Liquor Center - avoid. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is a complete joke. I have caught the bald guy many times overcharging me avoid this place at all costs. I only go here when my girlfriend wants flowers from the stand next door. They only have half the beer selection vs the Kwikstops. read more

What a great little shop! I went there specifically to pick up a bottle of wine for a friend. WATCH OUT- they have a crazy good selection of wine. It's like you're in a super market. The owner walked over and showed me that there was a selection of Napa Valley wines and then all kinds of Malbecs. He asked me my price range and what I liked and took his time selecting a bottle with me. When I told him it was for a friend, he took the price tag off and put it in a bag with a clear part for the label to show through. 5 star customer service. read more

I have been going to Ray's almost weekly for months. I usually buy wine. It's always been a fine experience. I recently went to get an expensive bottle of wine to celebrate. I bought it, took it home, and it was sour. When I purchased it, the man who sold it to me (I think he was a manager or owner) told me how great it was. I knew it was, because I had bought it before. I know what the wine is supposed to taste like. When it tasted and smelled sour, I knew (or so I thought) he would stand by his wine and exchange for another bottle. He eventually did, but after making me: 1. Watch him taste the wine. 2. Tell me REPEATEDLY that there was "nothing wrong with the wine" 3. Show me another customer's returned wine, saying, just like my wine, there was "nothing wrong with her wine" and the only reason she returned it was because "she didn't like it" 4. Said, "I'm not saying that you are doing the same thing, but this is nothing wrong with the wine". 5. Telling me as a small business he would take a huge hit for me returning it. (Side note: I own a small business. I would venture to say my business makes even less than his. If my customer returns a product, I except it with grace, because I would rather retain the customer than make them never want to return again). 6. Demanding my name and phone number so they can "call at a later date to discuss why I thought I needed to return it" 7. When I wrote my name and phone number down for him, and writing why I was returning it. I wrote "tastes and smells sour" he said, "so you think" I would not recommend to anyone. He does not stand by his products nor does he treat his customers with respect. The only reason I didn't just leave is because there was something wrong and I couldn't drink it and I had spent a good amount of money on it. read more

I just moved to South Park in August and I usually go to Chris' Liquor. I stopped in Ray's the other day, and i am so glad I did! Never mind that they have everything you could possibly need. The owners and all the workers are so freaking nice. Great customer service is hard to come by. I really appreciate this place... read more

This place is legit! I recently stopped in, in search of wine. Not for myself but for a friend. I had no clue as to what i was looking for. But the cashier helped me out tremendously! Didn't try to sell me the most expensive bottle either. I told him what I was looking for and describe the dynamics of the relationship between my friend and I and he hit the nail on the head! Then i proceeded to purchase a malt liquor beverage for myself. Great place to go to. Just a taste of what to expect when you keep traveling south and hit the wonderful South Park. read more

The giant Ray's sign is a fantastic landmark and they sell pretty much all the essentials. Let's see, in the last six months I've bought... several bottles of Jamesons, Drano, Perrier, M & Ms, toilet paper. What else does a household need? read more

Our family loves the folks at Ray's and the flower stand! They always remember who we are, what is going on and go the extra mile for our kids. read more

Ray's has great prices, and a great staff. That's not easy to come by in San Diego! I lived in the apartment complex directly south of this shop. When I moved there, they made me feel like a part of the neighborhood, and when I moved away they made a point to let me know that they would miss me. I miss this place. They also make a point to take requests for different types of beer, which is thoughtful. Check out Ray's! read more

Rays is where i go whenever I need anything! Well, not ANYTHING... But seriously, the are a bunch of friendly people and do have a great selection. Try them out if your ever on the area (30th and Redwood). Across from the Lundrymat (that's how they spell it for real) read more

I don't find their selection terribly exciting and I don't usually go into the store, but I do love the water machines out front. It's a little weird that they ID two people shopping together when only one is paying. I haven't encountered that at the other liquor stores in the area. read more

Ray's is a small mom and pop liquor store with nice average service and a pretty large selection to choose from, especially with wines. There is plenty of parking and is conveniently located. read more

thanks to Ray's i have had many horrid hangovers but im cool with that since its near by the people who work there kick ass and the flower stand smells great. :() read more

I love Ray's liquor! Where else can you get a a good bottle of wine and some fresh cut flowers? They also have a great beer selection, and yes, sometimes I'll get a candy bar or two! read more

Very professional, and good moral driven staff. In all the years since 98 I received a lot of support, guidance, and jokes from these folks. The selection of alcohol including wine is endless, beer too. The selection of energy drinks was superior, prices very good, and all of the people are ".nice to me. This is one of those places Ill never forget. I love Rays Liquor."The Party has just begun read more