GREAT place to pick up a bottle of wine. The service is very friendly, enthusiastic and eager to help. When ever I visit my sis in Brooklyn we always pop in here for a bottle and I have always been very pleased with what we get. Last time I was here, I got a bottle of the best Chianti I have ever had. Great prices too! read more

When I first started visiting Smith and Vine, I thought I knew something about wine; borrowed knowledge from my totally wine obsessed brother, but enough to get around a wine shop and confirm the differences between grapes, regions, countries, hemispheres. Of course, that's a great start, but what does it really taste like? Well, now I have a better idea. Thanks to the wonderfully attentive and knowledgable staff and owners of S&V, I've learned a great deal about wine, and figured out both what I like, and what I should look for in wines from regions/makers I'd never even considered. I'm probably one of those people who, according to some reviews, take over the attention of the staff, thereby ignoring others, because I want to know and love hearing about what's new, what the winemakers are like, how small the limestone caves are, etc. There is a handful of great wine shops in NYC; this is one of them. read more

Nicely edited selection that capitalizes on its minimal space with a lot of under the radar finds and a few bottles of everyone's favourite grapes. A staffer struck up a conversation with me about my choices and their enthusiasm feels unaffected and genuine. The room is beautiful, the crowd brisk and the staff friendly--and I'm basking in the good graces of the first bottle. It can't get any better than this. read more

I have not had one bad wine from the $10 table. Everything has been great. I barely know what to look for in wine beside the type so it has helped me enjoy bottles upon bottles. The stock on the $10 table is also pretty well rotated leaving me with new choices most of the time. read more

i am totally perplexed at the people who have had bad service here-- i go in often and everyone has always been extremely helpful. There's always something reliable (red and white) on the $10 and under table, and they had a great rose selection this summer. My only gripe is the champagne/cava/prosecco section-- its limited, and perhaps I have different tastes than whoever does their purchasing, but I've not been impressed with the sparklings (and the prosecco is always the same bottle I see at local restaurants and other wine stores in the area--ech). However, all that aside, it's always a happy day when I walk in and they're listening to hip hop. How many wine stores have that? read more

I agree with several of the other reviewers concerning the folks that work at S&V. I used to live in the lower east side, and September wines is a similar store- small and well chosen wines, young and mildly hipster staff. The difference between the two is that by the 4th time I went to September, I was greeted by name and one of the staff started telling me about a wine they thought I'd really like, given the one's I'd bought in the past. When I'm the only customer in the store at Smith and Vine, I don't even get a "hello" when I walk in the door, and have never been asked if I wanted any help or frankly any interaction. I've actually had several experiences where my entire transaction is completed without eye contact or a single word spoken. It'd be eerie if it wasn't so obnoxious. I say this as someone who has probably spent well over a grand at the store in the last year, so I'm not some random customer either. Smith and Vine has an ok selection, not spectacular, but clearly better than anywhere else in the neighborhood, which is the only reason I keep going back. If I had any alternative, I'd use it only due to the issue of strange attitude there. It's too bad, really. Update, 4/20/09: they seem to have taken some of these reviews to heart, or maybe just are feeling more social- definitely big improvement in the general friendliness. Nice to see! read more

One of my favorite neighborhood staples! They moved and are now between Union and President. I always leave with a smile from my interaction with these guys. read more

Worst customer service ever. Two women at the register rambling on about the wine industry. Can't be bothered to look up as I make my purchase or tell me how much they are charging me as they swipe my card through. My fault for even bothering to shop on Smith street though. Save your money folks and go to Wright & Goebel on Flatbush. read more

Came here to grab some wine for the byob across the street at zaytoons. Got two nice bottles of chilled white wine for $10 each. They gave nice plastic bags to put the wine bottles in. read more

Poor customer service. I was looking for a specific brand of wine that was for a gift. I asked the sales associate or manager that was on the floor stocking the shelves. His response was nope and turned around to give us his back and continued doing the work he was doing. So immediately I started to walk out because he was rude and clearly not a very good sales man. As we were leaving he loudly said if you looking for a wine in that price range we don't have it. How rude! He should of showed me something similar to what I was looking for and asked some more questions to make a sale. was looking for a brand that was inexpensive but what my secret Santa requested. I felt that he assumed I was in the wrong store because he assumed I could not afford the selections the store sells. Which is very much not the case. I will never return there and continue to go to my regular store on Court St where they know how to treat customers. read more

Selection is well curated and fantastic. Staff are friendly, enthusiastic, and always very helpful. Prices are solid for NYC.

the selection seems impressive, but in that yohji yamamoto-we-only-carry-12-things kind of way. if i were buying a bottle of amaro, great. but for a liquor store that i can visit on a regular basis, nah. (also, the staff needs to work on their inside voices. it's a small store. there's really no need to yell.) read more

First, I must admit, I am a wine idiot. I love the stuff, and am always bummed that I forget to take the label information off a bottle after drinking it and before trashing it. Because of this I, time and time again, walk in Smith and Vine like a moron asking for help. I LOVE the wine selection at Smith and Vine, and the selection chosen for me is always a hit. I do have to agree with other reviewers that the staff there isn't jumping up to help and, sometimes, I do feel like I am interrupting a conversation going on among the hip staff members to get some knowledgeable direction. However, once I have the ear of one of these wine aces, they are totally with me, helpful and they always choose well. This makes me wonder if, perhaps, they are told to hang back until someone comes to them asking for help. This doesn't bother me, as I hate walking into a store being incessantly barraged by a clamor of, "Can I help you???" The only thing I do wish was that when I did muster up the courage to walk up to the get some help I didn't feel like a shy 5 year old interrupting a bunch of adults in conversation. That's all I'm saying. Other than that I LOVE Smith and Vine!! read more

Solid Single Malt collection; alot of choices off the beaten path, not your ho-hum selection here...Very helpful and friendly staff. Prices are not bad at all... read more

We've been coming here for years as we are huge fans of the $12 and under wines and love the coziness of the store.

Love it. This place is a block from my house, the people are so nice and they always have a little table set up in the middle with wines $12 and under. PERFECT! read more

Okay I'm at discount wine buyer at this stage in my life now. Their $12 and under table is unremarkable and I have purchased two bottles for 10 or $11 there were absolutely putrid- I actually spilled down my sink drain I love wine and I like alcohol and I'm on such a tight budget as a freelance writer (BTW don't annoy a freelance writer and try to outsmart them-no matter what we're usually poor and we have champagne taste and beer budgets).This wine shop is typical hipster- overpriced, pretentious and usually 2 to $3 more for their discount wines than you could find at let's say Astor wines in the village. Much better selections elsewhere I'm actually more comfortable going down to the Hoyt Street quote-unquote ghetto area will you buy wine through bulletproof glass at least they're genuine. read more

This is why I would move to Brooklyn. Cute, funky little wine stores that know their neighborhood.

Being a creature willing to embrace vice on a moderate scale, I decided a few years back that if I am going to fall into the well of fermentation, it would be on the vino. Wine is where it's at baby, so why do you want to head for Smith and Vine, right down on Smith St. with all its top notch restaurants and shops? It's for the island, set up in the middle of the store, and the great selection of under $10 wines on that island. The variety rotates pretty frequently, so what better way to start learning about what you like uncorked. The shelves lining the store are decent, but finding the old stand-bys can be fruitless at times. read more

Kathy R! Are you kidding me? That's the beauty of this store. They pay attention and help you select without all the pretense. Sure you might have some woman hawking Portuguese wine samples if there's a tasting but you need to get over your fear of people, not this wine store. I've bought a ton of wine from this place and it's not even my favorite shop in the hood. It's on my way home which accounts for 75% of my purchases and they really have to select a good stock solely because of their space restrictions. The fact that they can actually aid you with a pairing for dinner or just to drink is bonus. And if you have a cheese in mind they can pair it over at Stinky Brooklyn. It's a one two punch for novices to serious folks. read more

Favorite wine shop in the area. Their discount section is divine. I just wish their mid-shelf liquour wasn't so over-priced.

While wandering around Trader Joe's Wine Shop, I realized how I missed the extremely well-curated under $12 table at Smith and Vine. In four years of buying wine there, I've never had a wine I didn't like from here. read more

great neighborhood wine store. I love their selection. The staff is so great- knowledgeable without being pushy or snooty. I have been going here long enough that now on occasion one of the staff members nudge me to try things they think I will like based on my previous purchases. Never do they nudge based on $, btw. And they have a GREAT bargain table. I have found quite a few gems that are my "go to" wines to keep on hand (all under $12). read more

$12 and under wine table is awesome for a broke ass grad student. Seems like they have a good selection for all different price ranges. Also, the staff is helpful/nice. read more

We like wine, and we like this shop, enough to make sure to stop by to shop here each time we come up to Brooklyn to visit. We've landed on some nice finds, and new ones, too, thanks to the conversations we've had with the staff. read more

I think this is a pretty great store except for one big BUT. the descriptions are totally useless and beyond that, EXTREMELY ANNOYING. i sit there and waste my time reading them, and it isn't till i get to the end that i realize they have told me NOTHING. and then, stupidly, i move to the next wine and read the next one. again. useless. FOLKS: if you are going to take the time to write a write-up, please have it say something useful!! Fat Cat, down Court Street, does a much better job with write ups. otherwise, it's a nice store. it could easily be a 5 star place. please please please read this and change the write ups. it's SO SO SO annoying. (everyone i know agrees.) read more

S & V is the place to go!!! The staff are wonderful, informative and very personable! The atmosphere is catered for you to have an enjoyable wine buying experience with the music and the curated wines! Very affordable, although you will be thinking you are sipping wine thmillion bucks!! Best wine and liquor shop in bk!! And DELIVERY!! read more

My favorite little shop! They have excellent prices on very good wines. There's always lots to choose from on their $10 - 12 table. The staff is very friendly and accommodating - they know their stuff and are casual, knowledgeable pros. If you've never purchased from Smith & Vine, go there today! read more

You could not ask for a better neighborhood wine shop than S&V, and that is saying a lot in a neighborhood with so many great wine shops! But S&V definitely stands out, by virtue of their unique offerings, incredibly friendly and helpful service (and advice), and of course, treats for canine customers (ok, so our dog made us write that) read more

smith and vine has gotten me into so much trouble. why make it so easy for a wino like myself to find good quality, delish wines for such little money that im simply forced to buy four bottles at a time? ive trundled over here post-dinner/post-brunch on smith street many a time to bring some of their sweet nectar of the gods home to my couch. the staff is always really helpful and seemingly unfazed by statements such as: "i really need to get a bottle of an italian red that looks expensive and tastes good but is also really cheap because its for someone i hate." also, every time ive careened to their door right at closing time, they dont even make me beg to get let in for 5 minutes. i only wish i lived next door. read more

The selection seems good, and the $10 table is a great idea. It's a funky little store that seems like a perfect fit for the neighborhood. And I've had a couple of perfectly respectable experiences with staff there. HOWEVER, I've also been completely dissed a couple of times--once with a friend from out of town, to whom I'd bragged about my "great" neighborhood wine shop--and those experiences have really turned me off. I've had a similar lukewarm reception at Stinky, their cheese shop up the block. I was so angry after the last debacle that I sent an email to the info address on their website, and I never got a response. Frankly, I think these guys should watch their backs, especially in the current economy. Alienating customers just isn't smart when you're in a service business. (And believe me, with many years of experience in similar businesses myself, I KNOW I'm not a difficult customer. Far from it!) read more

Very engaged and knowledgable staff helped me to meet some very specific requests and price points- wonderfully curated!

I just feel the employees are more interested in being immersed in their own conversation rather than selling wine. There are so many good reviews but I feel the service is lacking major hospitality. With BWE not very far plus next to TJ's and Wright & Goebel (WHO DELIVERS as well but super fast) - both of these two wine stores provide great hospitality. Every boutique wine store carries bargains! You make your choice on what's important to you. read more

Worst customer service I've encountered in a long time. The older woman working the cash register had an open bottle and glass behind the counter. With wine-stained lips she scoffed at my request for her description of the three bottles I wanted to purchase. She slurred "it's a Dolcetto" for a description. Astonishing. Do not give them your money. read more

good stuff. interesting picks in the value section. i appreciate the care put into your selections.

I have been here a few times and it's always failed to impress. The staff is nice but rarely offers to help unless I specifically ask for it. I've had so many bad suggestions at this point that I wonder if they just don't have good selections or if the staff knows nothing about wine. My gut, the latter... but not 100 percent sure. Need to find a better wine store in Carroll gardens if it exists. This one just doesn't cut it for me. read more

love this place, open late, and right now they are offering a 6 pack of wine for your Thanksgiving needs.

Excellent, well-priced selection of wines and spirits, super-friendly staff AND exceptionally dog-friendly. I love everything about this place. The staff knows their stuff and have ZERO attitude. I love how there is practically ALWAYS a wine tasting going on. Seriously a great place that adds to the charm and pleasure of the neighborhood. read more

I couldn't ask for a better local wine store. Good $12 and under wines, great mid-range wines and a comprehensive liquor section to boot. To people whining about how people working at the store actually want to (gasp!) have conversations with their coworkers: get over it! If what you want is someone screaming "Can I help you find something!?" the second you walk in the store, and you can't handle asking someone for help or a recommendation like an adult, go to the Gap. The staff is friendly and helpful and they know their stuff. read more

great selection of wines, including some well chosen affordable ones. staff is super nice and helpful and knowledgeable. can i make 2 complaints tho - get rid of the plastic bags, and replace the "funny" little wine descriptions with real ones - they are not helpful. read more