I went in the store immediately greeted by Sammy. I I wasn't having the best day and he helped me picked out different kinds of wine and I ended up getting some really cool bottled tequila and Hibiki whiskey for my family. Sami was the best and the elections of wines here is of abundance and you get quality and great service at Wine Expo. read more

I was told what a bottle would cost at one price, but it was rung up at a higher price. I did not catch it until I had left the store and got home. I will never go back again! Buyer beware!!! Don't get robbed like I did. read more

I had a similar experience as another review they trick you into buying the wine telling you it cost a lower price then after you leave you see you've been charged quite a bit more I was supposed to pay $68 but the credit card was charged over 80 and that doesn't add up even if you add tax unless they give you some type of huge credit card surcharge with they did not even tell me I will never go back again read more

$48 for 24 cans of Modelo.. $36 at total wine. I love supporting local but that markup is absurd.

I was pleasantly surprised by the wine selections, picked a wine at the price point I wanted, Susan allowed me to borrow two glasses and we had a very enjoyable evening. Thank you read more

Wine Expo has the best selection of spirits and wine. They are also the kindest people by making you feel welcomed. I saw the owner give a neighborhood kid candy and that gesture said a lot. read more

Awesome tour and samples afterwards! The Stella Rosa gift glasses were also an added treat!

You know when someone says they're giving you a good deal, but they're really ripping you off? That's this place. And he did it with a smile. I know about wine. They have some okay cab selections. Owner gave me $10 off one bottle and $10 off another. These were roughly good deals. Then my GF sent me a pic of some whiskey she wanted. I didn't see it on the shelf. It was behind the counter. Price on the whiskey was $199. Guy says he'll take $50 off the price. Says he wants my business. I think I'm getting a great deal. I say I'll definitely be back. I get home only to find out how bad I've been ripped off. Most places have the whiskey listed at ~$100. I'm still pissed about this almost a week later. But some places you'll find it on sale for WAY less. Oh, and the receipt says no returns and no exchanges so I'm sure I'm not the first person they've ripped off. Screw this place and their shitty business practices. Total Wines sale price show as a reference. Highway robbers, this place is UPDATE: I wish I had known this business used surge pricing for their alcohol sales depending on how the wind blows (per their own comments). Regardless what the owner said in their reply, the fact they charged me $150 for something you can EASILY get for $100 is the point. The fact you can sometimes find it on sale for $70 to $80, when they tried to convince me that $150 was a good deal is the takeaway everyone should get from this story. read more

Wine Expo - A pic of a price at competitor. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Best place to try wine. I always feel like in Temecula or Spain. Great selection! Also, the wine tasting they have on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays is the best 20 for $20 is the best deal. The owner, Sammy is the best host in Santa Monica! Every time I come I feel like home. Highly recommended place and management! Thanks, Sammy!!!!! Great place!! read more

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Came here on a Saturday evening when my bf and I were looking for a new place to taste/buy some wine. We ended up going into the wine bar after being told about the different flights available. We got there at the right time, when it was happy hour, so all flights were 50% off! The guy at the wine bar suggested a flight to us based on our preferences, and we ended up buying a bottle of one of the wines we tried (Pinotage--with a 10% discount!) Since I'm a lightweight, I also needed some food to go with my wine. We ordered a 6 piece crostini plate. It was good, but I'm not sure if it was actually worth $6. It was basically slices of baguette topped with different cheeses and/or meats, which we could probably make ourselves for a lot cheaper. But, I still enjoyed the plate along with the wines. My bf and I are still fairly new to wines, so it's nice to go to a place like this where we can sample different flights at a good price. There are also other specials like 20/20. I bought a Groupon recently, so I definitely plan on going back to Wine Expo soon! read more

Wine Expo - Mixed Salume - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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This is the best liquor store in town. Especially if you're looking for tequila, champagne or vodka. I've known Sammy for 8-9 years now (back when he was at his precious location on Wilshire) and he is as honest and straight forward as they come. There is absolutely no better deal in town. He crushes Bev Mo, Costco, Vons, and other liquor stores prices. If you're looking for top shelf liquor, this absolutely the only place to shop. People who have bad things to say about this place have a negative IQ and prob think the earth is flat. Check this place out for yourself. It's the best. read more

Wine Expo - Top shelf tequila for bargain prices. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Sammy has an incredible selection when it comes to rare liquors. His prices are a little steep, even with discounts that he's willing to offer, so do come in expecting that. As someone who whiskey hunts on the regular, I'm very well aware of what retail prices should be and definitely know a markup when I see one. BUT important to mention is that is the norm for collectors, especially specialty items. I mention this as I've seen in other reviews the pricing complaints. It's important to know that quality product selection will typically come at a premium, especially for small businesses. Taking into account CA taxes as well as credit card fees, expect to factor that in. I have purchased quite a number of bottles at this point. My personal rationale is that supporting a small business that carries exotic selections during the pandemic can be justified. It is better to have a local business that continuously shelves a large selection than to not have one. Sammy is incredibly knowledgeable and knows every bottle very well. I wouldn't classify Wine Expo as a liquor store so much as a boutique wine and spirits shop. All of the bottles I've gotten from Sammy will be gifted and I don't mind overpaying a bit if it means seeing the delight on my recipient's face. Just note that this is to be expected and is IMHO a norm. All in all, great selection, great service, but minus one star for anyone looking for a cheap spot. read more

Wine Expo is kind of my little secret but I realize that's not too nice so here I am, sharing it with you. This place is a fantastic shop with great wines at fair prices with solid liquor and beer offerings too. However, the part that most people don't realize is the wine bar tucked neatly in the back... And that, my friends, is where you'll find me. What better way to figure out the wines you might be into than to chill in the back and take them for a spin? The bar menu offers dozens of wines by the glass or pre-set flights. They change the menu up every week or two so you can come here for years and try something new every time. The prices are fair already but the happy hour is where it's at, all the single glasses and flights are half off. Considering the flights are already cheap at $10-$15 you can see how much of a steal it is when they're half off. I love the flights, for me it's a great way to learn about wine. The bartenders here know so, so much about wine that I always leave a little more knowledgeable. When you really want to try some wine pop by on Mondays or Thursdays when they do their "20 for 20" which is one oz pours of 20 different wines for $20 which is hell of a deal. The lineup is a carefully crafted story starting with lighter wines on through full bodied and then wrapping up with dessert wines or port. I'm into it, and definitely happy I live within walking distance. I have zero complaints, what can I say. I come by and have a few glasses or a couple flights, then anything I like I just buy from the store on my way out. The owner is a super nice guy who knows his business and the bartenders can talk about grapes, wine regions, vintages, and the history of wine for as long as you want them to. Whether you're a veteran in the world of wine or just venturing in, Wine Expo is your spot. I know it's mine. read more

*Review for the tastings only* If you're basic or a college student you'll love this place. $20 for 20 very generous pours on Mon/Thurs Atmosphere is pretty bare bones, no A/C, self service, they do have some cheese plates and pizzas on the menu. The girl behind the counter only looked up from her phone to pour wine and tell me which # on the list was is -nothing more. Even on the bartenders choice you just get "Ok here's #8". Like really, just install one of those wine dispensers so I don't have to get her attention 20 times. The wine is mostly $10-15 Italian/Spanish varietals. I ended up skipping a few. I'd rather pay $20 for 5 decent wines at a place where I the bartenders have some enough enthusiasm and knowledge of the wine being poured. But again, if you're just looking to get white girl wasted but keep it classier than Stella Rosa and Netflix it's definitely good bang for your buck. Anyone with a halfway decent palate and standards maybe stick to the store. read more

Wine Expo - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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Even though it's a pandemic, COVID-19, Sammy has your wine & alcohol needs covered. Call in advance to make sure he has what you would like. Susan will also help you out with what ever you may need. The best prices in Santa Monica. Bring cash preferably and you'll understand why. Tell them The King of Champagne, Jerry, sent you. Please enjoy any alcoholic beverage responsibly & be over 21. They will treat you like a friend & family member. Enjoy your experience at the Wine Expo as I always do. read more

Wine Expo - Inside store - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Sammy is the BEST! I've been going here for years and when I moved back East, I still come here when visiting friends in LA. He makes the best wine recommendations, just tell him the occasion. The bar in the back is incredible and has an epic 20 for 20. Whether you have a small order or looking for the "hard to find" liquor, Sammy will take care of you. read more

I frequent wine expo on a weekly basis. Variety like no other. The staff is friendly, provide for a great atmosphere, optimal choices and overall great value. No other place can compare their extensive beer selection. Matter of fact, I've purchased some rare, hard to find cuban beer here. Like the beer, the wine and liquor sections provide great gems and new taste bud discoveries. What makes Wine Expo really special is Sammy, a very friendly and knowledgeable person one can rely on for advice and suggestions! Thanks Sammy! read more

Best selection of wine and spirits in one store than I've ever seen. Sammy, the owner, is a gem! read more

Sammy is the best and always has a great selection and prices! It will continue to be my go-to place for wine and whiskey.

I am involved in the Restaurant Industry. Wine Expo has "THE BEST" Selection of Rare & Popular Wines & Liquors from Brands & the Vintages you want! Sammy and his staff have given me incredible advice for Special Events and have done an incredible job Catering Events Pre Covid. If You love to get exactly what you want to your doorstep, never worried about opening a bottle or popping a cork, Call them and ask for Sammy. He is a hard working community oriented small businessman who appreciates his Patrons. I suggest buying in bulk for a discount :) read more

I love the Wine Expo and I'm not even a big fan of wine. I was introduced to Wine Expo by fellow yelper and Wine expert Ben G! He invited me over to the Wine Expo on a Thursday night, what I didn't know then that I know now was that the Wine Expo has an AWESOME deal called the "20/20 Night" which are offered on Monday and Thursday. What happens is that EVERY Monday and Thursday you have a chance to taste 20 different wines in a wide variety of styles for just $20 (exclusive of tax and tip) in their Bar. And each week's wine selection is different!! You get to hang out at the Wine Expo, sample the wines and eat different food they offer. It's a popular event! And there's always a food truck there too! What can get better than this? They have their own parking lot too@! read more

Sammy, the owner at Wine Expo, is absolutely fantastic! He goes above and beyond to make his customers feel like family! If you're looking for a special micro beer that's difficult to obtain Sammy is your guy! Moreover, his prices beat anyone's in the city and he's an independent! Once you experience Sammy's Wine Expo, you won't be shopping anywhere else. Thank you Sammy for always going above and beyond to make me feel like a valued customer and friend! !!! All the best, Andrea Wheeler read more

Bought a deal on Living Social or Groupon....can't remember which. The owner said it was open, go on back....a snotty bartender said it wasn't open....and she sat at the bar while the nice & helpful bartender ran around like crazy. It was open, the food was ok, the wine was good....but the snotty bartender, who wasn't on the clock, but sat at the bar reading a book, ruined the place for me. I mentioned something to the owner as I left....he said people love this bartender....maybe she gives away free wine....I can't imagine this bartender being good & helpful. NOT a good experience. read more

If you want real guidance, great prices, and wine experiences that will turn your friends green with envy, this is the place. Ali will stir you to the best and price's are right. His vast selection is more about quality and value than brand names. You can pay hundreds of dollars for a name but would you not like to know you have a wine or champagne that makes the wine "experts" curious where you found this gem. Whether it's spirits or bubbly Ali will set you on the journey to discernment. Your friends will be jealous of your expertise and you will be drinking great wine and champagne while everybody else is drinking corporate blends. And don't forget the "Speakeasy" it has wine tasting, small bites and the greatest live music in Santa Monica. If you want a special date with the feel of light evening on the Rambla, enjoying tapas and sampling wine, this is the place. Remember, Living well is the best revenge! read more

This was a fantastic wine tasting. The $20 for 20 tastes of wine was superb. They also have flights of 5 beers in case you're brining picky boys. Jeff the great was our excellent bartender. He knew our names and our favorite wines before the end of the night and was extremely knowledgable about the wine. The have an appetizer called orgasmo de la boca. I'll let you read in between the lines lol. It's a small bowl of delicious olives. I'd really suggest it along with the cheese plate. They pair excellently with the white wines. My favorites were the number three and the moscato. I ended up buying two bottles of the moscato. It was that delicious. Jeff the great let us finish off our flight of 20 wines with the moscato. He deserves a raise :) This was a great wine tasting. You should try it! Great number two of my daily wine tasting in CA for sprig break. Moms are the best! read more

Wine Expo - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I came here after work with a group of coworkers for the 20 for 20 deal. When I first walked into the liquor store, I thought the place was going to be really ghetto. It actually was not bad, the way they designed and decorated the wine tasting room looked pretty nice. The bathroom was clean, but they only have one. I always need to eat when I'm drinking, especially when I come straight from work and didn't eat dinner. We ordered a few food items for our party, and all of them took forever to come. We had two different flatbread pizzas, which are frozen flatbreads that they bake in a toaster oven on the bar counter. They only have one toaster oven, but they have so many parties seated in here at one time, so each of these flatbreads took at least 40 minutes to arrive after we ordered. I also ordered a cheese platter, which I assumed would be fast since it doesn't require the one toaster oven, but it still took ~25 minutes to be served! It was ok, but overpriced like their other food. I'm not big on wine, so I didn't really like the wine part. My favorite was definitely #20! 20 for 20 is obviously not a wine tasting, but rather something where people in their 20's go to get drunk off cheap alcohol. I may have enjoyed it more if I actually liked wine, but since I don't, the ambiance here was not one that I would prefer. I prefer going to establishments where people go for a drink, not to get drunk. read more

I accidentally came in many years ago looking for Hiram Walker Kirschwasser, when they were on Wilshire, Jerry's Liquor. Not only do they have it, their price was great! Sammy, the owner helped me a very professional, knowledgeable and kind person. Now I go to his store for my wines my favorite is Caymus. They have very nice selection if you don't see it he'll get it for you at a reasonable price. Sammy takes care of you. The store is organized and nice staff as well! read more

Food (& ratings): - N/A: came here to shop for wine & scotch gifts. see Service. When: - last week of Dec Crowd: - locals Interiors & Service: - Interiors (4): simple open layout. low-end to high-end liquour. Intimate tasting room adjacent in back. - Service (5): knowledgeable and helpful staff!!! I forget name of nice gentleman that helped me but he recommended both wine and scotch. Then introduced me to tasting room to try a Pinot Grigio that was recommended (b/c I didn't have time to sit down and enjoy, he knocked off a gift accessory for my purchase). On occasion, they have food trucks outside so you just order, bring in, and have either some flights or tastings in the back. What a great concept! Overall: - Definitely coming back here for next wine tasting & food truck night. read more

I come here about every week to purchase from Sammy's large selection of wine and liquor. He always has great recommendations on what's best and what has the best value. On top of the great service, Wine Expo has the best prices and selections in the area. Additionally, Sammy is great to work with when purchasing alcohol in bulk for large events in the Westwood/Santa Monica area. Great deals! read more

Wow! So many good reviews. I'm presuming most were from the previous owner? I love my wine and usually buy from Wine House (about 1-2 miles away) or Costco. Walked in here today as Wine House is closed to the public (online orders only) and I needed to buy a couple of bottles as gifts. Hot Damn! The absolute HIGHEST prices I've ever seen in my life. Every bottle is about 30%-50% higher than ANYWHERE else. After walking around the store a bit and in shock due to their prices, I just couldn't do it, for the principle alone, purchase any wine from this place. But I needed a gift bag for 2 bottles. The lady behind the counter showed me some boxes for two bottles. They were very thin, flimsy and cheap boxes, so I didn't ask the price and picked one. IT WAS $9.99 for a box that would sell for 29 cents. These were HORRIBLE quality. I was too embarrassed to back out and she must have realized the joke and rang it up for $8.99. Came home and picked two bottles from my own collection to give as gifts. I couldn't even get the cheap $10 box to fold and hold the wines, so I ended up using one of my old gift bags. I spend about $400/month on wine. When the Wine House closes to the public, small stores like this should take the opportunity to steal away their customers. But no such thing here. Such a waste of time walking into this place. If you buy your wine here, even with a discount, you're way overpaying. read more

This store has an interesting selection, comprised mostly of their own direct imports (making it hard to price compare) and close outs. Contrary to their self-asserted pat on the back, they are full retail and fail to discount by the case to boot. Of course, when called on this, they simply have the convenient refrain, that the wines are already discounted--the retort to this falsehood is bull shit. This store continually pawns off on unsuspecting customers overpriced wines they market that others do not. You may well find an interesting bottle or two, but if you can endure their endless self-congradulatory BS, buy what is cheap! If you pay over $20 for their wines you're overpaying BIG time. In particular, while advertised as the "World Champage" headquarters, they are a pure rip off when it comes to bubbly; this is why they refuse to sell the standard brands. Of course, they will tell you that these brands are but commercial swill rather than the esoteric labels they do sell. Since when is Dom Perignon, Veuve, or Louis Roderer, etc. commercial swill? Boys, its what is in the bottle that counts, nothing else. Who is kidding who. A wine store sells wines that people buy and its nonesense to think that a store would not sell a wine simply because ite was overcommercialized. Wake up and smell the cork people! Try The Wine Exhange, The Wine Club or LA Wine Company or online if you want to be a smart shopper, not a sap! read more

Best place to view a broad selection of quality wine. I come here about once a week and Sammy (manager) always has a new recommendation that I love. Easily the most convenient and fastest liquour store in the area. read more

SUSAN!! She's the best. Please please enjoy 20 for 20 in the back. She's so great and the quality of wines are wonderful. read more

Wine Expo - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Santa Monica, California

Great selection of wine (and beer), including some chilled wines and champagnes. Staff is very friendly and helpful. They also offer wine tastings and a casual sitting area in back to have wine or beer with small or large group of friends. The sitting area is also big enough to host a private event like a birthday party. Perfect place to grab a bottle of wine and relax. read more

This place is so cute! When you first enter it looks like a liquor store full of different types if wine. Almost like a bevmo or total wine they have helpful advice with each and every bottle with different parings of food etc. Then you walk in more and it's a bar with different tables set up. My friends and I got the flights of wine along with the cheese plate. The truffle honey is to die for! For the price I thought they would serve you more wine in the glass than they gave. I was left ALMOST buzzed with not enough bread/cheese/truffle honey. read more

Helpful staff. Selection has variety. Cool events. Parking lot. I love how involved they are in social media... the twitter account is active and hilarious! I picked up two (red & white) organic italian wines here for thanksgiving... (a modern & single girl alone but awesome, wine and cheese thanksgiving :) It was my first time buying organic wine but they were very helpful in suggestions, explaining differences and explaining the store set-up since it was my first time there. Picks 1. Riseis, Pecorino, White: http://www.agriverde.it/cantina/vini_dettaglio.php?id=93&idcat=42&lan=eng 2. Natum Montepulciano D'Abruzzo DOC: http://www.conexport.com/agriverde~30/natum-montepulciano-d-abruzzo-doc~20.html Conclusion: Both great choices, great experiences, I'll be back... even though I only drink once a month! :) read more

Wine Expo - Organic Italian white & red wine purchased for thanksgiving :) both amazing! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Santa Monica, California

When I arrived into Los Angeles my friend took me here, I was never been or seen a wine tasting like this. Most of the wine tastings I experience are California wines, and I love California wines. Wine Expo wine list are from Europe and it's awesome! To taste wine European wines is one thing but to taste 20 tastings for $20 bucks is phenomenon. Wine Expo also has a cheese and cracker plater you can order with your tastings. This place is a hipster/trendy hidden wine tasting. I had some of the best wine tasting I ever had here, and it was fun being here too. The crowd is very cool, a very Hollywood like of crowd that was here. I like that. read more

I've been coming here for awhile now, I get excellent customer service and deals. Not to mention, wine expo has the best selection I've ever seen. read more

Wine Expo - the entrance of a wine shop - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Santa Monica, California

I'm willing to give this place another try because I'm sure there's more potential than when we went on a Sunday evening, which was pretty empty. I'm not sure why everyone raves about the crostini because to us it was just baked sourdough with a little bit of stuff on top. Our mixed platter had pepperoni, anchovies, sundried tomato and garlic cheese--each on a different bread. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/75q2kaEU1q8fQFJVDvyxUQ?select=ZUI5fn9GWaSsMXIsvpaMag Though not very exciting, it's nice bonus when you get a free sampler by checking in on Foursquare! Our cheese and meats assortment platter was also underwhelming http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/75q2kaEU1q8fQFJVDvyxUQ?select=Tc0aC8HCJD58xX5VI2jPmw. I did appreciate that the bread/crackers to cheese/meat ratio was perfect. The meats were very underwhelming, some tasted like just odd deli meat (I'm actually not sure what animals they were... prob should've asked =/). Cheeses were better, but we couldn't even finish some of them--particularly the gorgonzola. It's good but we didn't need a huge slab of it. No cheese breath for me thank you! Service-wise was friendly, but we were anticipating our bartender to talk a little about the wine that he served for our flights. He never even mention the wine's name so we had to constantly refer back to our menu so it would've been nice to learn a little more about what we were drinking. If it weren't for the Groupon, I don't think I would pay full price for the tastings. We tried the most pricey one is the $33/red flight and most of the wines were from Europe). And though the wines were good, they were overpriced for the quality. Next time I'll come during happy hour. read more

Wine Expo - Crostini (top to bottom: pepperoni, anchovie, tomato, garlic butter) - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Santa Monica, California

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SCAM! He told me was giving me discount on a few bottles but ended up charging me full price and not give me a receipt, so didn't find out till I checked my statement at home. Very dishonest business, will not be returning. read more