Gates Circle Liquor Store

Deserves more stars if possible! Located off of Delaware Ave. and near Forest Lawn cemetery, Gates Circle has all of the high end to lower end wine and spirits your looking for!
The STAFF and Especially Dave who is the manager is very knowledgeable and will help you find that perfect bottle of wine for your meal or just to enjoy. They aren’t too pushy and will ask the price range your looking to spend!
Some of the popular wines are already chilled in a cooler! If you want a gift they have fun wine glasses and gift bags there too!
My boyfriend Dan and I have been there for their wine classes (used to offer them a few times a week) and will start up again in the spring! The wine classes will focus on various wines from different regions of the world. Dave keeps the class interesting and knows so many helpful tips on the qualities of the wines, what aromas you get from those wines, and of course what pairs well with the select wines. He prints you off a sheet you can keep too! A few types of cheese and crackers are there to taste with the wine samples. Usually 4 – 6 wines total for tasting. Then you can buy the wines at the end of the class with a 15% discount!
Gates Circle does have special 5 course dinners at local area restaurants too. A different wine is paired with each course. I think the next dinner is coming up soon at COCO on Main St., Buffalo. Look on their website

I love learning about GOOD WINE! I does make a difference to spend $ 10 – 15 a bottle vs. $ 7. I can taste the difference! So go and support the best wine and liquor store in the Buffalo area… GATES CIRCLE WINE and LIQUOR! SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES!!! Cheers ;)

As much as I want to love this local liquor store, time and time again, I am disappointed. While they have a good selection, the service is poor. Some of the staff members are rude and not very knowledgeable. There is a parking lot, which makes it convenient. Prices are fair. Go here if you know exactly what you want, even if it’s just ice.

I like going here because of it’s extensive selection of Bourbons and other various alcohols and its terribly convenient location It’s walking distance for me, but it’s also right on Delaware on your way into the city.
Parking is never too bad and I’ve seem them attendants helping people find people where to park.
The layout is open and easy to find things. The shelves are stacked only a couple feet tall so you can easily get a measure of the place the moment you walk in.
The staff has always been courteous and knowledgeable and they all seem to know what they like and what to suggest for you once you’ve given them and idea of what you’re looking for.
Plenty of high end and oddball choices as well as carrying plenty of local liquor too.
Prices do tend to be a few dollars above what you’d find at other liquor places, but you’ll be happy to pay this surcharge for the convenience.
Oh, they also deliver!

It’s February of 2015, which, if you weren’t living somewhere in the lower 48, is like the coldest February on record for most of the country. I needed to leave my wife and 2 kids at home in Buffalo for a visit down to my parents’ in NJ. After arriving in NJ, I checked the Buffalo weather and it was –3 degrees and snowing. Fearing for my wife’s sanity spending all weekend indoors with the kids, I called Gates and asked if they could deliver her a case of red wine. One of their associates grabbed a cart, asked what varietals she liked, and started walking around the store picking some choice wines. The wine was at our house in North Buffalo within the hour!

So my boss invited my family over to his house as part of a broader celebration for the holidays. I asked him what type of wine his wife liked, and he said, «Well, not too dry, not too sweet, red.» He was trying not to make us feel like we had to bring anything, but I figured why not.
I really don’t have an encyclopedic knowledge of wine, so I often ask for recommendations. So I walk into Gate’s Circle, and walk up to one of their customer service folks. She was a woman, kind of young. I told her that I was looking for a wine that had broad appeal, «red, not too sweet, not too dry.» The first one she suggested was Menage a Trois, which I laughed since it was a work function and I figured I wouldn’t live that down. She then suggested Apothecary Red, which seemed good. I bought that bottle.
I bring it to the party, and my bosses wife smiles. «Did [Boss] tell you that I liked this?» Me, «No, he just said reds that weren’t too sweet or dry and I asked the folks at Gates Circle for a recommendation.» She then tells me that her favorite and, as such, it’s the fifth bottle she’s received that night (a fact she is visibly happy about).
I have always been pleased with their recommendations.
I saw the wine advertised for a couple bucks cheaper at a different wine shop on the way, but you know? I will happily pay a couple dollars more for their expertise and to always be getting exactly the right stuff.

Staff is phenomenal. They know their wines and are far more respectful and nonjudgmental than I would be… it feels like they’re trying to get me the wine I want not the wine they want.
Great selection. I’m a total d-​bag when it comes to wine selection and layout. It’s by country and region. No one has to go sifting through a bunch of crappy Australian reds to find the French red they really want. This place has everything I could want in the exact order I would put it.
They make it really easy to pass through the vendage-​foxhole section but it’s there if you want it.

Located across from Forest Lawn Cemetery is this small liquor store.
While my favorite spot is a little closer to home, I have been here a few times in the past few months. Once because I was looking for organic vodka. They had it, but the price was a little more than I expected. I bought something else that was priced more reasonably.
The next time I was in a bind, had forgotten to bring a bottle as I was heading to dinner, where I had said Id bring the red. So I stopped in, the employee who helped me knew his stuff and was able to identify 2 bottles of red that worked really well for the dinner party. We really liked them and the price was fair. Neither were wines I knew, and that’s often a risk, but this time we were well steered. I have purchased more of one of the reds.
Then I was looking to restock the cellar with our favorite house white. Its not easy to find in this area, but I have been able to order it in the past. However, we found ourselves drinking the last bottle, and that meant I needed to find some right away. You know how it is. (If you don’t, good for you.)
I checked
and found that they had it. And on sale if you buy a case. Sign me up for that deal, we tend to buy by the case. (Insert any snarky comment you have, that’s how we do it here.) Now sadly they don’t sell it at the lowest price to start with, but I was in a bind. The case discount helps. However, I have found this wine a few dollars cheaper in other parts of the state.
So Ill buy it when I find it cheaper, but I now have a few cases to keep us going until I take another road trip. Nevermind that they were able to get it in a few days, no hassle and super nice. They do have a «membership card» thing, where you spend $ 250 and you get 20% of a future order, no matter how large or small. You get to choose when to use it too. That’s a good deal.
Easy parking, which you know I love.

If you don’t want to drive out of Buffalo to get a good bottle head to this place. The store is well organized, well stocked, clean and has really knowledgeable staff. On my most recent visit I needed help picking out a wine for a friend and the staff person was awesome, giving me honest (and funny) opinions from «That is sooooo good! I drink it all the time!» to «That tastes like band aids and peanuts.» Gates is a good stop to make!
They also have special events on a regular basis and a frequent buyer’s card.

There is no better place for personal, knowledgeable, friendly service.

I have a hard time getting out of here without half a dozen bottles of wine. They always have intriguing selections and the prices are always very fair – and often quite good deals. I’ve always received great advice from the staff here, as well. Highly recommended.

Good prices and location, decent selection, friendly staff.

This is my go-​to for wine. Incredible selection and excellent, excellent service. I cannot emphasize enough how awesome everyone is here. Staff is suuuuuper friendly, knowledgeable, helpful, very willing to work within your price range and all suggestions that I’ve received to date have been spot on. They label their staff picks for each type of wine as well, which are also always spot on. Love, love, love!!!

The folks at Gates have a great selection of Spirits, and wines. Their staff is very helpful and friendly.
Gates is two steps up from your average liquor store. I reccomend it!

There’s nothing bad I can really say about this place. The liquor selection is standard, great wine selection. The staff is very friendly and helpful. It’s a bit tricky getting out of the parking lot onto Delaware, but it’s a great place to go if it’s local to you.

Great service! Nice selection. Decent pricing.
My go-​to wine and liquor store. If you need a recommendation on what to buy, this is the place. The staff is very knowledgable and always friendly.

I stopped in today for one of my regional favorites that was sadly missing from my dinner last night. I learned that they have a Frequent Shopper Card which can be stamped with any (non-​sale) purchase of wine or champagne. Once filled (12 visits) it is redeemable for 20% off your next wine purchase.

There is something special about this liquor store… it always tempts me to buy at least one extra bottle of wine. Usually 2 extras.
The staff is friendly and attentive, always asking if I need help. They often have tastings with «staff picks» and discount the wines included. They have lots of useful literature about the wine near its rack, so I can pretend I know everything about vino.
Gates Circle is certainly not a mammoth like premier, and certainly doesn’t have as many different wine/​liquors or a store next door with beer and food, but still this is my shop of choice. It’s really close to home and has everything I need.

If you read enough of my reviews you’ll see the pattern of an alcoholic, but don’t let that pattern fool you I just haven’t gotten to the other businesses I frequent yet ;)
When you walk in you’ll see a wide variety of wine of all flavors and companies. You will be greeted by a kind and helpful worker as you walk through the store asking if you need assistance, but don’t worry they won’t follow and bother you like some types of businesses do. The knowledge of the folks that work here runs pretty deep. It’s not just a liquor/​wine store but also a place to learn about different vineyards from the folks helping you make a decision. You’ll even find there are taste testing stations there at times as well!
The prices are better than some of the liquor stores on Elmwood, which can get pretty ridiculous in price range as you go liquor store to liquor store seeing 5 – 10 dollar range differences for the same bottle just two blocks down the street. Stick with Gates Circle Liquor Store, you’ll never have a complaint.

I’m partial to this liquor store because I live a block away and am always walking down to grab a bottle of wine. That said, even if I did not live close, I would drive out of my way to go here.
Incredibly friendly and helpful staff. They will greet you immediately but won’t be annoying and hover as you make your selection.
The prices are all reasonable and they often have great sales on wine. Excellent wine selection as well — I always find what I’m looking for.

Was just back in here not to long ago for the first time since I left Buffalo six years ago. When i used to go here it was split into two sides, a convenience store side that sold mainly beer (good micro brews) and then the liquor store side. The stores inside then matched the other reviewers look of the outside, bit ghetto. But at that time it was one of the only places to get good beer in the city.
Well now this place is actually really nice looking inside. They have since converted to only a Liquor store and completely remodeled it since I was last in. They have a really good selection of wine and will definitely help you pick something out.
I was mainly there to see what they had for Scotch. Well the selection there was quite good, with some very good sales prices on brands like The Glenlivet and Lagavulin. Plus had some interesting ones I don’t remember seeing elsewhere.
Any store that has good Scotch at good prices knows what they are doing to bring me back. If you like to drink and are close by this place, it should be a regular liquor store stop for you.