The staff is great - very knowledgeable, AND willing to help you learn from where you are. I have been there for different tastings (look them up-great options) and other times. What stood out was: great variety of options all seem high value (often less then buying at some of our favorite wine tastings in California and Washington), knowledge of each wine, teamwork - hard to know all of their inventory, but they work well together. What stood out in watching the staff across my many visits (often for a quick tasting on a Saturday afternoon) is their willingness to engage with each customer where they are at without being patronizing, but informative and collegial. They will just answer questions to a newby that just wants a solution for tonight's dinner party, educate someone who is interested, engage and discuss with the regular that has deep knowledge of a region, compare and contrast at the level each customer is at. Of course, mostly they keep it at - what you like is perfect for what you like. And they help you find something to appeal to that. They have a larger natural wine section with a lot of clarity on the different versions of 'natural' called out. Street parking, if you walk 20 yards on Elston, there is non-Private Equity Parking, and a Divvy stand nearby. read more

clean and well organized store with a really extensive natural wine selection which can be hard to find in Chicago. I personally didn't need assistance on this visit, but the wine sellers were very hands on with other customers so i'm sure they will be helpful should I need recommendations next time! read more

Vin Chicago - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

What a terrific wine shop! I had been wanting to stop by for a while, and this time I was actually in the neighborhood. A lovely selection of bottles curated by a friendly, knowledgeable, generous, and passionate staff. I'm always looking for savings on wine, and I found the prices here to be very reasonable, in some cases the cheapest prices on certain bottles that I could find in the entire country...! I'll be back my next time in Chicago! read more

Mike was super knowledgeable and generous with his time when helping us select wines for our wedding. He was candid about quality and pricing, really made the effort to listen to our needs, and was great at taking our personal taste into account, all while keeping our budget in mind. Over our last several experiences, it is clear the whole staff has a similar attitude. This store is a wonderful community hub for wine-lovers. read more

A lovely selection of wines to choose from, but my experience was marred by a lack of acknowledgment from the staff. While I walked around the shop, I passed by two associates who didn't greet me or even say hello, even though they acknowledged other customers. This was particularly disappointing since I was recommended to visit this shop to pick up wine for an upcoming dinner I was hosting. Great selection and price points. Very disappointed with the service as that's contrary to the reviews and word of mouth. read more

This is a great wine store with a massively knowledgeable and helpful staff. Their selection is quite good, as are the prices. They have a reasonable selection of good-quality beers and spirits as well. In the COVID world, they are limiting the number of people in the shop at any one time, but there was no wait when we arrived. They are now also doing virtual tastings and other such events, so check those out too. Great shop! read more

I used to think wine shops were scary. All those bottles, all those varieties, all those cool labels, it feels overwhelming. Here's why a shop like Vin Chicago should be your destination for your wine needs: 1) Shopping at a wine shop doesn't have to be crazy expensive. Tell them your budget, they'll find you something respectable, maybe even amazing. 2) Looking for something to pair with a specific meal or cuisine? They don't bat an eye when you say something like 'can I have something today pairs well with a Mexican chocolate pepita cake?' 3) They don't care if you know a lot or a little about wine. Vin Chicago carries more than wine, but for us the draw is the wine. Staff is friendly and prices are great. My only wish (and I have this issue with lots of vendors) is that there were email preferences for the mailing list other than simply being on or off it. read more

Quarantine has brought out the most creative side of humanity and I am here for it! My brother invited me, my husband and a couple of our friends to join a Virtual Wine Tasting Vin Chicago put on tonight. I didn't even know they do this weekly (i think its weekly) until now! But you better believe it won't be my last time joining. It was very fun and informational. We were able to pick. Up our wines earlier in the day, learn about them and the region they come from as well as ask questions to the experts....all from the comfort of our living room with 60+ people on Zoom. It was so much fun! Felt nice to have "plans" and "get together" with others. You can turn off the camera and microphone if thats not your thing and just listen and drink. The wines tonight were like $13 a bottle- so very affordable. Can't wait for the next one! Pro Tip: We got a charcuterie board from Tempest Market to snack on during the tasting read more

Vin Chicago - Virtual wine tasting on saturdays plus tempesta market charcuterie! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great little wine shop. Way better than Binnys. They have tasting notes on almost all of the wines and really fair prices. However the "warehouse" theme makes you wonder if they are selling wine at a discount or discount wine read more

I can't say enough about this wine retail model. So much interesting stuff, and the prices are more than fair. They believe in what they are doing, and don't care how long it takes for me to figure out what I want to buy. I get to look at my own pace, and they never try to control my shopping experience, but are more than happy to answer questions when I have them. And they usually know the answers. There are four sections to the store. Right when you walk in, there are the under $20 offerings. Sometimes there are some ridiculous deals there. And they're not always mentioned in the closeout list online. I don't mind, because the treasure hunt aspect is half the fun. I still remember one time I found a Portuguese white wine that was marked down to $5, when it usually goes for $15 to $20, for instance. They do an incredible job of finding deals for us. I spend most of my time looking in the Old World section in the next room. It also has a small section of natural wines. All the way in the back of the store is the clearance section. That is always worth a look. I often have good luck in there. The fourth room, on the other side of the store, is New World. Even if you usually drink Old World, it's always worth a look. Good collection of Orgeon in there, and versions of California that break the long held perceptions. Then it's time to grab my basket, grab the bottles I want, and ring it all up. I then get an email with notes on each different bottle I purchase. I know that my way is only one of many. There is no typical Vin Chicago shopping experience. I'm sure if you asked 100 customers how they shop at Vin Chicago, you'd get 100 different answers. Whatever price point you're looking for, and whatever type of wine you're looking for, they've got something. In sum, this model is true genius. There is no other like it. read more

Wonderful wine selection, very knowledgeable staff, competitive prices and wine tasting on Saturdays. What more could you want?

I was going to a friend's house for dinner. My friend is a gourmet chef and I wanted to bring wine pairings. The people at Vin were AWESOME and helped my select great wines to pair with the courses that were served. I'd go there again in a heartbeat! read more

Wonderful collection of wines and I have struggled to find good bottles in the city. Worth a stop.

9.3/10 You can find many great varieties of wine produced throughout the world. You may be able to find great deals as they offer sales quite often. There is no parking lot, just 15-minute standing zone. Make sure to keep your blinkers on or else you'll be ticketed. Best of all, they have a tasting every Saturday. 3 whites and 3 reds. Someday, you'll be fortunate to find them opening a vintage bottle. read more

Cool store! Staff was friendly and they had a wide selection of mostly wines but also had some liquor

This is a wonderful wine store. Staff is knowledgeable and extremely helpful. They have a wide variety of both common and exceptional wines. Our only regret is that we no longer live in Chicago so we can't go there all the time. read more

My new favorite place to buy wine! Wine Discount Center has a vast selection of wines and champagnes. It's organized very well and the store is very easy to navigate. The salespeople are very knowledgeable and not at all pretentious. I had selected a particular Cabernet and they told me that they carried an almost identical wine than the one I picked and that it was 4 dollars cheaper. Now that's customer service. I love that they don't steer you towards the higher price points. Bonus: they frequently have wines to sample to help make your selection process easier. It's how I discovered one of my new favorite Shirazes. Parking is quite easy on this stretch of Elston too - I've never had to park more than a few spaces away from their front door. Makes carrying those cases of wine to one's car much easier. read more

My brother was invited to a woman's house for dinner. He, being a neophyte then, appealed to his big sister for help in impressing her. I took him here to select a bottle of wine to bring along. He's been happy and married to her for ten years now, and counting . . . was it the wine? Could have been, I'm just sayin'! Excellent selection of ALL price points, and always changing. Buy a bottle or a case! read more

I guess there has been a name change and a facade improvement (see my picture) but the wine, knowledgeable staff and good prices remain the same. I am not a wine connoisseur. I walk in and ask for wine, give them my price point and then hand over my credit card. This system has worked well for me. My price point is usually moderate but I will always treat myself to one premium bottle in the mix. Even though the street is metered you can park right in front for free with flashing lights. read more

Vin Chicago - New name and new facade, same great knowledgeable staff. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A year ago, I would go to Vin for their Saturday tastings and wander their wiles and pick out a case. Now I order their quick pick cases for $199. I am never disappointed with the wines they select. A range of price and varietals. Easy online ordering and curbside pick up. read more

Vin Chicago Rocks!!! Yesterday, I helped host a zoom bridal shower with 30 guests. Vin Chicago helped me plan and execute a fabulous wine tasting We enjoyed a fun filled hour with Matt and Sean drinking two delicious wines , learning some fun facts about wine and chatting away with all the guests. The afternoon was better then I could have imagined! Thank you Vin Chicago read more

I've been buying wine here since the 20th century. Good lord! Where is my gold watch? The Disco is one of the hidden gems of Chicago because of its unassuming appearance on a dead stretch of Elston - not much to look at from the outside, but inside is quite simply the best wine store in the city. The Disco combines the customer service of a small store with the buying and pricing power of the big boys. The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable regarding the inventory, and the prices on the wine are, hands down, the best in the city - particularly so since Sams was swallowed up by Binny's last year. While the Disco cannot compete with Binny's on quantity, it more than holds its own on quality - not a bad wine in the store. The Disco also has a small booze and beer selection, which has recently appeared to become more competitive with Binnys, and particularly Foremost, since the last round of highway robbery by the Illinois taxing authority. So if you haven't been there yet, go! And tell them Eric sent you. read more

I want to give this place 5 stars because the selection of wine and pricing is so great. The staff, however, ruin the experience of shopping here. Whenever I've asked for suggestions it's always a super expensive bottle which is fine--but maybe ask your customers about price range or offer them wines in a range of price. More off putting than this though is their overall attitude to helping you find interesting new things to try. The attitude I've experienced multiple times can only be described as condescension. Most people aren't born wine lovers, they want to try new things and be told or educated about varietals etc. Anytime I've asked for a suggestion or a staff members' thoughts it's been "ok here this is good" or "hmm I see". No discussion about the wine, what is interesting about it, what makes that variety stand apart or where it exists within the realm of its style. It's just a total lackluster customer service experience. I could excuse it if the store was super busy but it's been almost empty every time I have visited. It sucks liking the selection and pricing here so much and having a totally disengaged staff. Every time I leave, I'm just dying to know more about what I bought and the other wine there. Who knows, maybe they will turnover staff and bring in people more interested in sharing their experience with wine and talking to people about what they are looking for and what they should branch out and try. read more

Dude, it's the TJ Maxx for wine-aholics. Elston Avenue provides not only a spectactular back drop (joking, its an industrial wasteland over here)...but also ample parking! Better to cart out your 40 bottles 'o vino, and not have to walk 3 miles. Prices are phenomnenal, staff is marvelous, space is unpretentious (read: don't let the bars on the windows scare ya, this is the real deal for wine drinkers on a budget, or not). Woooohooo! My nearly always empty wine rack I bought to feel like an adult might actually be at full occupancy thanks to this place! Drink up. They also have wine tastings/events several times a month, ask for the newsletter. read more

Updated my rating to knock the store down a star. While the selection remains about the same, the staff has been a bit "off" on my last few visits and it is no longer the welcoming store that I used to know. Consider the recent experience at one of their Saturday tastings. I tasted through a lineup of the approximately 8 wines that they had available and none of them lit my fuse, so to speak. Asked the guy who was pouring, who I knew to be knowledgeable/senior employee, whether he could recommend anything interesting. Wine guy (with healthy attitude): "Well didn't you find any of these wines interesting?" Me: "No" (walks away) If you're not going to have great service, I'd rather go to Binny's which has superior selection (actually, the service has been pretty good the last couple of times I've gone too). read more

A warehouse full of wine? Am I dreaming?? If I am, don't wake me up! And bring me a corkscrew! I went into Wine Discount Center looking for liqueur. I know, silly silly me. I was pleasantly surprised to find a huge selection of wine. The staff was helpful and recommended that I go to Sam's to find what I was looking for. I didn't have time to browse through the wines, but I will be back! I deducted a star because I didn't actually buy anything from Wine Discount Center and can't really speak about the quality of the products, but I have no doubt that once I return they will earn that final star. read more

This is my favorite wine shop by far. Beats Binny's any day. While the warehouse of wine is not as large, the personal service and selected wines for purchase out beat the competition. Yes, Vin will have your staple dinner wine like Santa Margherita, but Vin also carries a lot of unique, smaller producers. Don't let that shy you away--each wine has its own review and information tacked right above each wine stash! Whether it's a renown source or just Vin's employees, you can get a sense of whether you might enjoy the wine. Also, there are free wine tastings on Saturdays at 1 and you can park right in front of the store (with your flashers on) for 30 minutes. The prices for all wines are competitive, even beating out the competition's "sale" prices. The employees are super helpful and not pushy. read more

This place knows what it's doing- rounding up good price/quality ratio wines so it's hard to buy something that isn't reasonably good at a moderate to cheap price. Their mailing flyer is always loaded with thoughtful selections to pair with whatever upcoming holiday dinner you may need to stock up for too. Plus they don't just stock chardonnays and cabs- lots of varietals and regions are on hand to pick from! Their stock turns over pretty fast so you won't find a bunch of dusty bottles on the shelves either. I don't really think of WDC as a discount place, other than the warehouse atmosphere. For one, they have a helpful staff! And while the wines are priced competitively, you're just not going to be able to save that much on a $10-$20 bottle of wine anywhere. I really appreciate that their niche is that they offer a big selection of better wines in the lower price range. So the "discount" is mainly in the specific value selections they offer, not the actual price they offer them at, if you get what I mean? If these wines were offered in more of a liquor/wine store setting I'd bump to 5 stars, but I feel like I'm at costco here. read more

I wish I knew about this place sooner. It is unassuming and looks a little sketchy on the outside (bars on windows etc) but once you walk in it is a wine paradise. It is not always easy to find what you're looking for, but the staff are helpful and knowledgable. If they don't know something, they will ask instead of bluffing like some other places will do. We have had some amazing bottles there at a very reasonable price. There signs help describe the wine and provide the ratings, dryness, and whether it is ready to drink. They will also send you the wine notes for the wine you purchase via email. We haven't met a bottle that we haven't like- but there are some hits that just stand out. We never leave empty handed. In fact, it is hard to get out of there with one or two bottles. It seems we always have to get a cart with our finds! On Saturdays they have wine tastings - definitely something to check out. Very happy! read more

Wine, some beer, and lots of Wine, and people who understand and can explain wine willing to answer your questions, and great prices on great bottles of wine. I used to get my wine from Sam's, but then Binny's gobbled them up and that ended that. Won't go into details but will never set foot in a Binny's again in life. But back to Vin, a place that, like Sam's used to, offers great prices and exceptionally knowledgeable staff explaining (not selling) you wine. Yes, the parking is difficult sometimes and yes, it's fairly sterile inside, but inside you will find the wine you are looking for, regardless of price point, regardless of your knowledge of wine and I guarantee you will leave with at least one more bottle than you intended to buy going in. Definite go to place for small grower Champagnes that kick the crap out of the better known mass producers. read more

Wonderful place. Great wines in all price ranges, super-knowledgeable and friendly staff, fabulous e-newsletter too--they tell you about a great wine find and you reply to the email and say "i'll take two" and they hold them for you, paying for it with the credit card number on file. The only bad thing I can say about WDC, and it's actually worth only a half a star (I took a whole one off just to bring the place's average down) is it's a pain to get to via public transit. If only it were closer to a train line or major bus route (sorry I don't consider the armitage bus that major) it would be perfect. read more

I like the WDC for Location (staying away from the Clybourn corridor) Selection (simple to get in there and get a combination case of moderate or cheap or splurge on an expensive bottle). Knowledgeable and Friendly staff (get on the mailing list to get a sense of what you may want to buy, then go in and ask more questions. If you need get a bottle for a party, they will be happy to help with your selection.) Wine Tasting (I have not been but I'm sure it has to be a good time). read more

Vin Chicago exceeded our expectations. Always start your expectations low if you'd like them to be exceeded. We entered this facility believing that it was a wine warehouse. Boy were we surprised. It was a wine warehouse. But not just any wine warehouse. A wine warehouse that happens to play Michael Jackson music and offers delicious bread with their tasting events. Hot tip: you need to have some fats to go with your bread. We would recommend queso, oils, whipped butter, or maybe even ginger ale. Shoutout to Sean for wonderful hospitality. You really know how to have a good time read more

I used to go to Binny's or Teddy's for my wine purchases, or sometimes I bought from "The Wine Club" newsletter from the chain of Wine Club stores in California. Like others, I drove by WDC numerous times without stopping in, because the store is just not that inviting to look at, either outside or in. HOWEVER, comma, once I finally did stop, I realized that this was the wine store I'd been looking for all my life. Their selection is as good as it can be, considering the square footage they have, and you can get just about any style or price range of wine you'd want. Prices are the best around - period. Staff is knowledgable, and obviously delights in helping you find a great bottle (or case, or two!) for any occasion. Knowing that most of the staff has tasted most of the wines they carry is a great comfort - I've never gotten a bad recommendation. Bravo, WDC! read more

OMG!. This wine shop is a hidden gem. They sell over 100 different regional wines around the world. Don't let the outside of the store scare you, once you walk in and see all the wines, you will think you are at home. Every wine has a description card, explaining what are the characteristic's of the wine. This makes it very easy for a buyer to know exactly what he/she likes or dislikes in a wine. read more

So I found out about this place from Yelp..thanks yelpers for turning me on to a gem. I read some cool reviews and went to their website where I signed up for the newsletter. Lo and behold, the next day I get a email saying they are having a tasting for overstocks/closeouts and that prices would be up to 80% off! Whoa, Nellie, I got in my car faster than you can say, "Do I have a drinking problem?" The tasting was going on right in the front of the store and it was a circus..tons of people grabbing $2.99 bottles like there was no tomorrow. So I jumped right in and grabbed, too. I couldnt belive my luck...woohoo. The staff was so nice considering the craziness going on around them. If it were me I would have been cracking some bottles over the heads of some of those nutty folks. I will definitely be a regular here, seeing as I cant seem to keep my wine rack full. read more

LOVE THIS PLACE!!! LOVE IT! There are amazing wines at excellent prices (and even amazing wines at really high prices) but the good thing is that it's ALL GREAT WINE. Everything in the store has been sampled by the staff and they have ratings on all the signs. They also provide more detailed descriptions about taste and flavor. Whether you're getting an $8 or a $98 bottle of wine, you'll know what you're getting and you know it will be good. (unlike some place like Binny's or Jewel which is often times a crap shoot) The staff is supremely helpful. If you ask someone for advice they will guide you around and recommend things based on your liking, or their's. They can describe the aroma, the flavor, the finish. They can tell you what is good for straight drinking and what goes well with steak or fish. My Fiance and I plan on getting wine for our wedding here. Cheap! Cheap! Cheap! read more

Today I sauntered into Wine Discount Center and bought seven bottles. I've decided to start drinking heavily to forget about how annoying job searching is. Kidding. Jeez. I needed it for an art opening. I'm sharing with my friends. I promise. Anyway, desperate admissions of alcoholism aside, the prices were a little bit higher than I'd expected, but I think this was just b/c a sales rep was trying to exaggerate while luring my boss away from using the Two Buck Chuck, and she'd passed along this info to me. I did manage to buy all these goodies for less than $70 and I'm pretty willing to guess that they'll be better than the less than handsome offerings of good old Charles Shaw. The selection seemed pretty good, they have wine tastings, and they also have a selection of craft beers. As I was buying in bulk for an opening I wanted to cheap out a little bit, but I can't wait to come back and peruse the selection for my own personal enjoyment. I promise I won't drink seven bottles all by myself. read more

Why have I not come here sooner!?! I've driven past this shop on many occasions to get to Target or Stanleys, but never made it in because it looked so...well, ghetto. This past Saturday, I finally got a chance to explore WDC with the man-friend. He's a regular and informed me that they were having a huge blow-out sale. He wasn't kidding. I loaded up on some refreshing summer whites at 2.99 - 5.99 a piece. Now, these are wines that retail at $15 and up! Every corner you turned, prices were slashed down in red...I ended up with a whole cart full of wines I had never heard of but had excellent ratings. I also liked that they had three different tasting stations featuring all the sale wines so you could try before you buy. Knowing that I wouldn't have this chance again til their next sale, I loaded up with 16 bottles for $97. I am set for the rest of the summer and am looking forward for some fantastic reds to purchase in the fall. This is truly a no-frills kind of wine shop but the employees really seem to know their wine. Even without the sale prices, all their bottles are priced modestly. It beats any sale wine at Whole Foods or World Market! read more

Yes, it's in the middle of nowhere. Yes, there are bars on the windows. Yes, their awning logo uses an awful font. But please don't let any of those things deter you. Remember the joy of going to Toys R Us when you were a kid? Everywhere you turned, there was something awesome that you wanted to put in the cart? That's what the Wine Discount Center is for adults - only better because now you don't have your parents saying NO anymore! Sometimes being a grownup is awesome, right? :) I don't know a whole lot about all the fancy aspects of wine, but I do know that I like it. And the staff here is really helpful at showing me things I might like without being all wine snobby. It's refreshing (and so is the pinot - zing!). Venture down Elston to where you think the world might drop off into nothing, and there you will find Candyland. Woo! read more