Bodega Ramos

Super friendly, very knowledgable, wines at every price point (well, no $ 4 or $ 4000 bottles that I could see…), great guidance on wines to fit what you’re looking for. This isn’t anywhere near where I live, but considering my neighborhood selection ends at Okocim and Modelo, this is worth an occasional special trip.
All that said, I should’ve gone with her first recommendation of the nebbiolo!

Great values, service and location (for me that is) make this my go to wine shop! Case discounts are offered. Their inventory is unique. You may buy that hard to find bottle of scotch or red wine here. Stop in for sure.

I’ve missed this place more than anything else since I moved out of the neighborhood. Keep it up, Mateo.

All the people that work here are extremely nice and helpful with suggestions, but not too pushy at all. Great selection here for beer which is what I’m usually looking for, but the one time I was buying whiskey for a friend, the owner made a suggestion and my friend loved it. Love coming here.

I don’t leave reviews often at all… but the professionalism, knowledge, and approachability of Mateo and his shop are second to none. It was refreshing to talk wine with a fellow wine-​o.
Cheers, Mateo!

I always love supporting businesses in our neighborhood and as much fun as Binny’s is, I will definitely stick to Bodega Ramos for wine purchases.
Mateo the owner is very friendly and helpful — they have a great selection of wines at really affordable price points. And there’s always a well stocked sale table of bottles for $ 10 — $ 15 — can’t beat that!
Mateo also carries a huge selection of whiskeys and bourbons — he pointed us toward Coursair’s Ryemageddon and it is fantastic! Smoky and smooth.

Great small local wine shop, with fantastic owners! Good selection, and great craft beers!

Wonderful little wine shop. I stopped in for a bottle before going out to a nearby BYO restaurant. The sommelier was very helpful, giving great descriptions, and recommended a great bottle that was perfect for our dinner.

Was looking for a place to snag some wine before heading over for an impromptu weeknight sushi dinner. Without a doubt this place go the job done.
What a huge selection of beers you have?! And you can actually tell me about the wines!!! WOW I’m sold already. The girl working was so nice and made me honestly wish I could come back more often. Its rare I feel to have such a good experience that you wished you lived close to a business, but this is how I felt after leaving here.
Wine tastings, amazing beer selection, and unprecedented service makes me wish I lived in the neighborhood. I wish more businesses were as accomidating as this one. Thank you again.

Mateo’s expertise is top notch! I walked in looking for some bourbon barrel aged beer (impossible to find in Chicago), and although he didn’t have exactly what I was searching for, he knew, from experience, something to match what I had wanted. Beyond this, he gave me great advice on choosing a good 12 yr rye.
As a little bonus, he offered all his customers tastes of a Chardonnay and a Tuscan.
All that is more than enough for a good rating, but then he went on to slip into my bag a bottle of the very beer I came in there for free! He said it’s his private stash that he gets from a friend down south.
This place is quality.

You’ve got a guy in Lakeview…
Actually, two guys in Lakeview. Mateo, the owner, and his trusty sidekick, Carl. As has been noted in other reviews, they are absurdly outgoing and infinitely knowledgeable.
Here’s an example of just how far these guys are willing to go for their customers. I was helping plan a bachelor party for a buddy of mine who loves wine. He’s a wine nut and I knew he’d appreciate his own private wine tasting at my new favorite Bodega.
I approached Mateo about doing a private wine or whiskey tasting as part of the bachelor party weekend activities. There was some back and forth as to when it would be and what it would entail but we finally settled on a day. The day before or the day of (I can’t remember which) I called up to confirm the upcoming wine tasting for a Friday night. «I thought it was Saturday», he said. Oops. Nope, there are 20 people, guests of both the bachelor and bachelorette expecting to show up for a wine tasting.
Regardless of whose fault it was for the misunderstanding (and I freely admit it was probably me), Mateo stuck around that night and entertained my guests with his .
I regularly stop in on my way home from work to re-​stock, try a new wine or beer, and shoot the bull with these guys. I highly recommend them.

Great little shop. I try so many Spanish wines from bigger liquor shops but it’s very hard to find the one that I like. I got one last week from this Bodega and it was the best. (The price was good too!)
So sad that I am not a Chicago local.
We’ll be back when we visit Chicago again.
I hope they do Wine tasting on drop in basis too because we only can visit during holidays…
PS: Their beer selection is great too.

My wife and I have been loyal Bodega Ramos customers since they first opened. We recently moved out of the neighborhood but still remain members of the wine club. I consider the employees so important that I feel embarrassed when I show up after not stopping in a month. They do tastings with regularity and the combined knowledge of the staff is unparalleled. Mateo’s previous experience allows him to land deals on wonderful rare finds.
On our many trips to different wine regions we have asked the staff for suggestions on where to visit and they have never steered us wrong.
I also participated in the inaugural whiskey club and was very excited to try different whiskey’s that I would never select for myself.
Whether you are buying a bottle, a six pack or a case of wine Bodega Ramos is the place to go.

A great little wine shop with tons to choose from and friendly owners to help you out. They also have a pretty fantastic craft beer selection. A tad bit overpriced, but its Lincoln Park, what do you expect?

This place is amazing. Not only does it have a fantastic wine selection, but the customer service is second-​to-​none. The owner, Mateo, is kind, genuine and always has your best interest in mind. My roommate and I are constantly impressed with how respectfully he and the other employees treat us, even though we’re in our mid-​20s and not exactly rolling in the dough. When we choose a less expensive wine, they never try to sell us on something more expensive. They give you an honest recommendation, plain and simple.
For a great neighborhood wine experience, check this place out. They also have wine tastings on the weekends, which are really fun. Definitely go here!

It was date night and I was told to wear my «wine drinking shoes.» What the hell?! ALL of my shoes are wine drinking shoes!
I had never heard of Bodega Ramos and that was probably a good thing because now I’m going to have to sign over all of my paychecks to the owner, Mateo, in exchange for cases and cases of delicious wines.
This store beats the pants off of any other beer and wine shop. Step up your game, LUSH and Binny’s. Mateo is coming for you!
In addition to being a great little shop, Bodega Ramos occasionally has a fun tasting {which you must purchase tickets for} where you can sample, sample, sample. Mateo is extremely knowledgeable about his beer and wines without one iota of pretension.
Bodega Ramos is a winos paradise.

Bodega Ramos is exactly what you’re looking for in a neighborhood wine shop. The owner Mateo, and manager Carl are both absurdly outgoing and friendly, and are always enthusiastic to talk wine and help you find exactly what you’re looking for.
The store has basically never failed me, and carries something unique to match every request I’ve ever had, whether I’ve wanted to splurge or keep it reasonable. Beer tasting Fridays, Wine tasting Saturdays, and a great wine club of the month that’s always accompanied by a nice preview and recipe pairing for both monthly wines (although I’ve yet to actually cook per the recommendation).
But really, you just have to go in and see for yourself. It’s tough to put into words just how much you can enjoy shopping for wine when somebody makes you feel so welcome.

The GF and I love Bodega Ramos. Mateo (owner) and Carl (store manager) couldn’t be better! You won’t find a better wine store anywhere. Everytime we go into BR, we end up with at least one bottle. They have beer tastings every Friday and wine tastings every Saturday. Mateo has a table set up with inexpensive wines, which haven’t let us down yet. We’ve tried at least 10 different bottles from that selection, and probably more than that from the shelves. Mateo stocks great craft beers too.
We’ve been part of the wine club that started in August. You get two bottles of wine alos with tasting notes and recipes. They have also talked about starting a wine/​dinner club.
This is a great store! I refuse to buy wine anywhere else. Everytime we walk in they treat us like the only customers.

Whatever your relationship with wine is — love, like, love-​hate, it’s complicated — you need to stop in this place. Bodega Ramos is a passionately run small business that values its patrons. Mateo, the owner, will always welcome you with a smile and by name if you hang around often enough. His knowledge of wine and his products is incredible and an invaluable resource. He is happy to offer advice and answer any question but doesn’t hover uncomfortably near. Whether by food pairing, price range, region, or type, I can honestly say he has nailed every recommendation.
The selection of wine and the price range it covers is spot on. With the key addition of some liquors and craft beer this little establishment packs in something for everyone. Still not convinced? Stop in for some of the free weekly tastings and a conversation with Mateo. It will bring you back as it has me time and again.

I was so excited when this small wine and spirits place opened. I was very happy with the selections and ecstatic that the owner has an under $ 10 shelf for some great wines when you just don’t want to spend a lot. And the beers in the fridge are cold and ready to go when I want something that tastes great.
I recommend to anyone who enjoys drinking and talking about wine and/​or beer.