These folks are kind, provide amazingly smooth service, and just care about the customers. They are truly great!

Worst customer service ever. The woman at the front bagged our liquor poorly, the bottles ripped right through the bag and shattered as I was walking home and the store refused to take any responsibility in their error. They were rude, disrespectful and unapologetic when I called to let them know what happened. The woman ended up hanging up on me and refused to pick up any of my subsequent phone calls. Would not recommend at all!! read more

Tenley Liquor - Shattered bottles - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

While completely unassuming, Tenley Liquor is my go-to place to find unique bourbons, great wines, and tasty tequilas. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. read more

This place is over priced and they don't even have full inventory. I bought a pint of cheap liquor to experiment with a drink I was creating (You don't buy the expensive shit until you got it rIght). Shit cost me $10! I could have gotten a fifth for the same price somewhere else. The only positive thing is that they sell those small little chip bags for cheap so if your hungry; hey you got your place. Unfortunately I was in a bind but if you are not in a bind AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE! read more

EPIC Groupon Fail I brought my groupon here and they refused to accept it. In fact they were a bit mean to me. Never coming back. read more

Quaint little store in the perfect spot off metro... Prices are a bit high, but I usually buy in VA.. So DC prices shock me... Owner was super nice... Has covid plastic up and even though shelves were a bit empty was able to purchase what I wanted in the size I wanted... Loss of one star for pricing and warm soda but overall a great store. read more

If a zero start was possible that would be an accurate rating. The woman at the front proved herself to be needlessly difficult. Guess it's the world we live in, people can't do simple calculations to verify age. I'm in the process of getting a DC license at the time I had an out of state license that's been expired. She made it so difficult to purchase I had to ask another patron to buy my items even though my age could've been deduced from my ID; although expired. Having an expired ID doesn't stop the aging process!! Such a worker B she was with no thought at all, the government wouldn't even need to put obedience chip in her. Also the stores pricing for the area was ridiculous. read more

The location of this liquor store is pretty convenient in Tenleytown not too far from the red line metro station and the Whole Foods. The selection is quite varied. I've gotten a few bottles of interesting reds the last few times I've been here. There is also a good variety of Caribbean rums and other spirits. This place doesn't have the largest selection but it can help you out in a pinch. The price of my usual table red was a little higher than I expected but I go to this place for the convenience of not having to drive somewhere else to pick up liquor. read more

Pretty average liquor store. No wildly interesting beers or liquors here. I was bummed not to find a bigger local whiskey or beer selection. When we got here, the person working at the counter was on the phone and didn't really acknowledge us until we asked if they had a particular local whiskey. (She was apologetic that they didn't.) There are other, much better options near by. read more

I bought a large delivery ticket and was told when purchasing it that 'she' (I suppose is the owner) would offer me a discount. No such thing! On a $315 charge! ...it's not on their website that you can only get a discount if you are there "in person" after the riots have smashed the windows! I did not get an itemized receipt and called back. The receipt she texted me shows no names for the items purchased - just like a lemonade stand receipt! Who doesn't have the technology to print a proper itemized receipt for $315 worth of wine and beer? The delivery guys were stubborn for a cash tip and said she wouldn't pay them if I put it on my charge! Cheap and unappreciative management and she hung up on me when I said the $18.99 for the Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc retails for $13 at Giant! I thought her offer to me for a discount was legit. Advice - go to Cathedral Commons Giant with a proper box for wine and shop their terrific beer aisle with sales all the time. read more

Tenley Liquor - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

When we ran out of liquor at 8:30 pm on New Year's Eve, Tenley Wine & Liquor saved our collective drunk ass from premature sobering or a trip to another part of DC to find a corner store that might still have some malt liquor in stock. Tenley was open until 9 when all the Wine & Liquor merchants in Maryland were (presumably) long closed. All we really wanted was more vodka for our Flirtinis, and they came through with a double bottle of smirnoff for $19.99, but since their selection was so impressively large we also ended up with some sort of pomegranate liquor that I vaguely recall quaffing later that night. Tenley handled our group - a little gaggle of prematurely buzzed and giggly girls who ran in minutes before they closed - with dignity and bemused acceptance. I will always hold a soft spot in my heart for this fine establishment. read more

The owner (an older woman) is blatantly immoral, which is a shame because the son is very friendly and would be a great business manager/owner. Every interaction I've had with the owner, you can tell she's searching for ways to nickel and dime you. Clearly hasn't learned anything about the business world and the fact that happy customers will net you more money than sneaking a few bucks here and there and pissing them off (seems like she has treated others similarly based on reviews on this site). My personal interaction was in relation to a keg. When I went to pick up the keg, she was 40 minutes late opening the store and didn't apologize at all. I had a very specific conversation with her son on how to get the full deposit for the keg shell back upon returning it. When I went to return the shell, she tried to convince me to just leave the empty shell (that I paid for) because she told me I wasn't charged for it - she didn't even remember who I was yet somehow knew I "didn't pay" for something? She then made it very obvious she thought I was lying when I said I paid $30 for the shell, showed her the transaction on my credit card statement, and had her son reiterating that I had paid. She ended up searching through days of store receipts until she confirmed that I did pay for it. It was all for naught though because as soon as the son walked away, she refused to give the full refund. Questioning a customer's integrity at length (I'm talking like 15 minutes of back and forth) and then STILL not refunding them after all that frustration is a surefire way to lose a customer and make sure they warn everyone they know about your dishonesty. read more

Picture this. Two years ago. Christmas day. Dad says, "You drank all the Vermouth last night making Manhattans! We have a Christmas party tonight and need more!" I then frantically call around to all of the liquor stores trying to find one that is open. Tenley Liquors answers on the first ring. Jackpot. I speed over there, and send my brother in to grab the necessary mixer. Christmas is saved! Fast forward two years. I have not been home for Christmas is two years. I wake up Christmas morning, and what has Santa brought me? Well certainly not Vermouth. I did it again! It was like the Groundhog Day of Christmases. This time I know where to turn; off to Tenley Liquor! Prices here are slightly high, and the selection is just pretty good. But if you save my Christmas twice, FIVE STARS! read more

Another American University institution. Singh, the jolly Sikh owner of this establishment should change his name to Mr. 21. Why? When you turned 21 in Northwest DC, your first stop was Tenley Wine & Liquor. Show the man your ID, you're immediately greeted with a handshake, a t-shirt, and a business card. He knows how to make solid customers AND keep them. The store is always extra careful when it comes to making sure their clients are of legal age...they have to, with the heavy cop traffic in the area ready to crack down on AU's finest fake-ID carriers. There are always specials and sales of some sort when it comes to their beer, especially when buying in bulk. With Tenley Mini Market in second place, this is the number one frat party stop when it comes to stocking up on some beer. As for Tenley Rum/Vodka/Bourbon/etc., you get what you pay for - and sometimes, especially when it comes to make some potent Jungle Juice, it's just what the B.A. candidate ordered. While I'm still spoiled by Montgomery County liquor stores, I wouldn't think twice about buying my beer in bulk or a keg from Tenley WIne & Liquor. With the quality of customer service, ease of location and loading space, and simple rental services (for keg taps, buckets, etc.), Singh has made a lot of customers for (DC) life, and with good reason. Hats (or turbans, if allowed) off to you, sir - a true entrepreneur with a spirit for quality. Kudos. read more

If you really need a very distinct type of liquor in a matter of a day or two and the store near your house is unable to provide you with anything, may I suggest that you call these guys. They are extremely friendly and work hard to expedite your special orders. They've definitely helped me out in a pinch more than once.... As an overall liquor store, Tenley is also very nice. They stock a ton of stuff and keep the place clean and organized. Parking is really the only problem here, unless you are feeling confident that you won't get ticketed or towed in the Whole Foods or CVS parking lots, thereby making it moot. So next time you want to get your drink on, consider TW&L.... read more

This place is horrible. I got a keg from them and returned it late. I did not ask for the deposit back, which was $90, I only asked the owner for credit so I didn't have to leave another deposit next time. I had bought several kegs from them before. He wouldn't even honor that. I also looked at his prices and they are a ripoff, way above other local stores. Do not buy from here, they are scammers. read more

Once I was 21, Tenley Liquor was my local liquor establishment. Great prices, and the owner (an older Sikh man) is sweet as pie. They have a good selection of wines (usually they have sales, too), and the staff are friendly. Plus, they put up with the AU-crowd... props to that! read more

Oh Tenley, how I miss being an underage sophomore in college and drinking your "Tenley" brand Gin, Vodka, and Whiskey - mainly Vodka. Wait, no I don't.... Singh is the proprietor of this establishment and he is awesome. I believe that he and his wife run the place and they are very friendly. They have a good selection of liquor and wine, but their beer selection is only halfway decent. That said, you don't go there for the beer really, and they do offer Chimay and Delirium Tremens, so that's good. The best thing to get here is the kegs or beer - they keep it cheap and that's important. They have lots of specials, particularly for holidays or big games in sports - smart on their part. I used to go here all the time and would still be doing so if I lived there. Now all Singh has to do is offer a few tastings and he'd be as good as Modern Liquors in my new hood :) read more

I've been really happy with Tenley Liquor. The first time I went in there was on my birthday. When my boyfriend mentioned to the cashier that I had just turned number 21, the cashier gave me a card for 10% off all my purchases. But other things keep me coming back, too. Their prices are reasonable and better than I've found at other stores, even in Arlington. The selection is good, especially for what is a relatively small store -- I can still pick up a pack of Hardcore cider with my gin or whatnot. The people are also pretty helpful if you have questions. And of course, nothing says "classy" like the "Tenley brand" label. It also helps that there's no booze at Whole Foods, Safeway, OR Trader Joe's around here. read more

I wish I could give zero stars. Lacks in variety of alcohol and is very rude. They just push you to buy the most expensive alcohol instead of giving you what you want. So if you're planning to go here, make sure you know exactly what to buy so you don't have to ask questions or they will literally push you to buy what they recommend which is more expensive then what you were wanting to spend. Also, their alcohol is extremely overpriced and they say that they will "price match", but how are you going to price match when you lack in variety and don't even have the alcohol to price match it? *Right down the street is Tenley Market&Liquor which has a huge variety and the people are much more nice and helpful. Was an original customer at Tenley Liquor, but I will not be back. read more

it's funny how after you turn 21, it's just another liquor store. right? WRONG! i came here recently to get guinness for a shepherd's pie i was making and stumbled upon the reason why my faith was reinstated in this humble store:: one quiet six-pack of dominion root beer in the fridge. now, if you remember anything about my ray's hell burger review (http://www.yelp.com/biz/rays-hell-burger-arlington-2#hrid:JAzKZaUYJ6S7WRobep8ijg), it's that i mentioned this root beer and the need to have it in stock 24/7. i gave up searching after many fruitless attempts, and boom. found it in the place i'd least expect to. i love that this is a family-run establishment, too. my check-out conversation went something like this:: me:: uhm..do you have any more of this in the back? ::holds up dominion root beer sixer:: son:: hmm..i don't believe so, no. that's the last one. me:: well i'll take it! i've been looking for this EVERYWHERE! son:: ... ::awkward, judging laugh:: mother:: why, what is that? son:: well actually, mom..that's just root beer. no alcohol. mother:: ... ::looks blankly at me and follows with awkward, judging laugh:: i even got a free green jameson double shot glass, which i then proceeded to use taking double shots of dominion root beer while cooking my shepherd's pie, where the real beer went. which is almost as lame as going to a "dry" university and spending your weekends beer-bonging root beer. wait - what? that wasn't me.. read more

Tenley Wine & Liquor is a great place to visit when you're stocking up on alcohol. I've come here when I know I need a lot of different types of drinks. For instance, I came here on New Years, and they had all types of huge champagne bottles for sale. They were also offering bowls of chili to their customers because it was so cold outside! You tell me the last time you went to a liquor store and they fed you. Parking can sometimes be tricky here, but there is usually parking on the street behind the building. It's also located right off the Tenleytown metro stop. read more

What can you say about a liquor store that actually sells their own brand of alcohol? Kudos, that's what I say. The family that runs the place is very helpful, and the selection and convenience are great. I've been a loyal customer for years, and will remain one. read more

A little more expensive than Tenley Mini Mart, but you can find some good brew and wine here, and they usually have a few good things on sale. The most helpful staff member left to go be a teacher somewhere, but the remaining crew are always pleasant and helpful. This is a really nice place for the locals and drive-by'ers as well. read more

Very convenient store. Prices are a little high, but they always have what I need and everyone is always friendly. It can get a little crowded if you go at prime-time on a Friday or Saturday night (it is close to a University, after all), but overall I haven't ever had a negative experience there. I always feel "rushed" in most liquor stores where the employees are staring you down, but this one I feel like I can browse in like I'd like to be able to do in most liquor stores. You can't beat the location, either. read more

Needed to get a bunch of beer for a house party; went here b/c of the Yelp reviews that it was cheap & had parking. I walked in & was greeted by a man who asked what all i needed, i told him the list of the cases of beer i wanted, he went in the back, and a few mins later came out w/a dolly of beer, which he then pushed out to my car after i paid. $110 for 120 beers - good variety (from miller lite to harp). I was in & out of there in about 5 mins on a Friday evening. Great experience. 4 stars b/c they dont sell hard liquor. read more

Great liquor store! They delivered our bud light keg and provided updates on their arrival time so we knew what to expect. The process was very easy. I called and arranged with them in advance and they called me to confirm on the day of the delivery. When they arrived, they brought the keg inside, tapped it, and set it up with ice. Very nice guys and will be ordering with them again! read more

Have never had any problems with them before, short of the groupon fail mentioned, until i got a keg from them a few months ago. All went well (in fact, quite smoothly) until SIX WEEKS after when I was charged 90 bucks for failing to return the keg and tap even though i did. i called, and spoke to a man who just kept repeating that I needed my receipt. um, hello, that was 6 weeks ago! i am now going to need to dispute the charge through my credit card company. buyer beware. read more

I am a frequent flyer at Tenley Liquors (not that I'm an alcoholic or anything like that) and I cant imagine going anywhere else. I love their selection of beer and wine, not to mention their reasonable prices. More importantly, however, I love their service. They go out of their way to please their customers and really good human beings. I am really big on customer service, so thats why I appreciate Tenley Liquors even more. I am really tired of getting bad service, especially when you go those big chains where the employees really dont care about you or the business. It is quite the opposite here. I remember on my birthday, they gave me the coolest Bud baseball hat ever!! I thought that that was very sweet of them...no store ever cares normally to go out of their way to do that. Anyway, i highly recommend Tenley Liquors b/c of their great selection and unbeatable customer service. read more

The service here is beyond great every time I purchase alcohol. Whether I order it to be brought to me or I go in store, I am never waiting and get great prices as well. They really put their customers first!! read more

Great place, it's pretty small but there is a great selection and the prices are decent. I've never not been able to find something there. One annoying thing is the the liquor tax is very high in DC, and so the price on the bottle is usually a few dollars less than it ends up costing. Buy handles, not fifths, because the handles are just a few dollars more and much more alcohol, so a better price. Some advice: if you're not 21, don't bother here. They are very serious about carding. I come in all the time and they still always card me and scan the ID. If you want to use a fake, make sure it scans. read more

I'm sure they mean well, but extremely disorganized when I rented a keg. Reserved keg, valve, and bin 4 days prior to the occasion. When I showed up, had to delineate everything again and run another transaction when they didn't bring out everything to the car. Major confusion with the credit card transactions - was even handed back their vendor's signed copy at one point. The owner was arrogantly defensive when I pointed out the mistakes. Returned the keg, etc. two days later, to get my deposit refund - was told the transaction was never deducted from my account, so no credit necessary, only to find out it actually had been debited. When I called to question this, the owner was dismissive, impatient, and didactic, and then hung up on me. read more

there are a few places to stock up on liquor around the tenley area and i would have to say that tenley wine & liquor is the best bet to find what you're looking for at affordable costs. i haven't had any negative experiences...but then again, it's pretty difficult to go wrong selling liquor to the nearby college crowd. read more

Plus two stars for their friendliness and operating hours, but they are horrendously overpriced.

I had an awful experience with this place. I used to get kegs here all the time as they have some of the best prices for kegs. Over various transactions, they were always laissez-faire about return dates, as its hard to get kegs back to tenleytown if you don't have a car. Well, the last time I got two kegs and returned them a month later, they ate my security deposit ($120). Now, if they were firm about their return policy from the beginning, I'd concede that its my fault. Nice people though, just not a great experience... read more

The store owners are really nice and helpful. They have a good selection of beer, wine, and liquor and are located close to the Tenleytown metro. read more

This is my go-to liquor store in DC. They've got a great selection, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the prices are competitive for the area. There's no reason to go anywhere else if you're in DC read more

Horrible customer service!!!!! This place is a bit pricey, however I'm in Tennley Town so I expected as much. What I did not expect was a refusal to refund or exchange. I bought a box of Al Capone's which I do often. A few times I was over charged (they are supposed to be 2.99 but I was charged 3.99) the woman behind the counter assured me it wouldn't happen again, but she never offered me my money back or a capone for the value of the over charge. I didn't complain & continued giving them business. Today I bought a box & once opened I noticed there was something wrong with my capone. It had like cotton or something sticking out of the part you put your mouth on. Mind you, this is a NON-filtered capone. There should be nothing but tobacco in it. This may not be a big deal to some, but for me it was. I wanted another capone, not even a refund. Just another product to replace my defected one. When I asked, I was refused. Some weird excuse about needing to call the distributor, a bunch of BS basically. & as I stated early, I was already over charged on about 3 or 4 occasions. What really upset me, was that I come here so often & I haven't complained about being over charged. If I'm willing to work with the business (especially when it comes to money that they TECHNICALLY OWE ME) they should be more than willing to work with me. How I was treated was unacceptable!!!!!! & I will never return. GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE GOES A LOOONNNGGG WAY! read more

The woman behind the counter was rude and dismissive. Full disclosure: my ID expired in Nov. and I don't carry around my passport for grocery shopping. While she had every right to refuse to sell me a bottle of Ketel One, the whole interaction was strange and unfriendly. I'm 34 and look like a soccer mom. I was surprised she even asked for ID. Then surprised that she held the ID up close to her face and looked slowly back and forth between me and my picture. She practically tsked her fingers at me. Yeah, I know it expired over the holidays. Yes, I understand you can't sell to me now that you've seen it. But do you have to seem so happy about it? Is that normal proprietor behavior? Ugh. Maybe this place is great overall, but if she had been a little less confrontational I would have popped in next time I go to Whole Foods with my passport and just bought the vodka then. Now they've lost a new customer! read more