Jersey Wine & Spirits

Went in looking for a white wine to accompany the meal I was going to have for lunch at Rumi Turkish Grill. The young man who helped me was very knowledgeable & recommended Estación Sauvignon Blanc from Chile. The wine was affordable, delicious & went well with everyone’s meal. Thank you.

Great in a pinch, but Red Feast on nearby Columbus beats this place in price alone. And they don’t seem interested in carrying more $ 10 – 15 priced bottles of wine (which is an art in and of itself, at least to find the good stuff from wholesalers.)
This is a good place for gift wines, not for your weekly consumption of table wine.

It’s a really nice place to shop! Friendly staff, treats for your dog, all that stuff. The beer and wine prices are ok– a little more than Buy Rite but not more than the selection, convenience and friendly atmosphere don’t make up for.
But my real complaint is the obscene mark up on liquor. I never buy liquor here because the mark up is obscene. For example a bottle of Kraken rum (a regular 750ml bottle) costs $ 45!!! Normally that’s a $ 20-​$ 25 bottle. If they’d bring their booze prices out of the stratosphere I’d happily pay an extra couple of bucks for the convenience. But twice as much? Nope.

There is a young women who always answers the phone she is not cordial of pleasant. Never has anything available, does not know anything about customer service and out of the 3 times I’ve spoken to her she hAs never been able to make a sale!!! losing business!!! She always has a reason for not making delivery.

This is my local wine and beer store. They have an amazing selection of wine and beer. The bourbon and whiskey choices are solid as well. Service is pretty good, but the people that work there aren’t knowledgeable about wine. Prices are reasonable, but most things are more expensive than Buy Rite. You are paying for the convenience of having such a great neighborhood booze supplier.

If you’re a transplant living in Jersey City, this is likely to be your go-​to. Unlike a lot of other stores in the area, Jersey Wines & Spirits has a great stock of beers, wines, and spirits in a well-​kept setting. Aside from the whole «can’t sell beer in the same store as wine/​liquor» thing, you could drop this place in Manhattan and nobody would know the difference. They do beer and wine tastings on Friday, which are great if you want to pick something up for the weekend and aren’t sure what to grab. There’s a lot to like here and in general it’s a good store, but a few things hold it back from being as good as some here profess it to be.
Speaking specifically to the beer, prices are mostly fair but often they get beat out by big discount stores like Super Buy-​Rite. That’s to be expected, as a smaller store like this has to rely more on proper curation and a knowledgeable staff. There are definitely a good range of styles and breweries represented, but the customer service is lacking. The staff generally doesn’t know all that much about craft beer; they’re not incapable of helping you, but they also aren’t going to make anything past a generic recommendation. Don’t bother calling with any sort of specific question about their stock. The girl who usually picks up the phone takes forever to check, and is usually unhappy to do so. Nobody has any idea of when special releases will come in except for the owner who won’t share much info. While he can be a nice guy, I got into an argument with him once about KBS. I asked whether they were getting any in, and he replied with a diatribe that KBS is better on draft. I don’t really give a shit if it’s better on draft, we’re not exactly drowning in kegs of the stuff here in NJ so I’ll take what I can get; either way, if I’m coming to you and asking for something specific, drop the smart-​allic answers and just answer the damned question. I know of other instances where he’s acted like a jerk to customers as well (some of which are on here). Another sketchy incident was when I had a conversation with him about how reasonably they priced Ayinger Celebrator due to their stockpiling of it early in the year, and how other places gouge like crazy on it. I returned a week later only to find that they had jacked up their price to be in line with other stores.
After awhile, I stopped going here regularly. I still stopped in once in awhile if I was nearby but I decided to give my regular business to Super Buy Rite and places like Good Beer in NYC. It’s the little things that can kill off your regulars. Customer service is big in beer stores, where except for limited releases you’re mostly selling the same thing. Why would I buy a 6-​pack of Weihenstephaner here when I can get the same pack for the same/​less money from someone who knows what they’re doing? And why would I patronize a place that doesn’t bother to take care of their regulars when it comes to limited releases? Maybe they’re better on wine and liquor, but Jersey Wines & Spirits is a middle of the road shop when it comes to beer.

When of the better spots in the area for wine. Pricey but many options to choose from that are not at other local shops.

I love this place and do you know why? The people. By far the nicest staff i ever dealt with at a liquor store. They are friendly, knowledgeable and are always willing to give an honest opinion based on your like. You are going to pay a little bit more than buy rite, but your supporting a local business that is passionate about what they do, and for that, I’ll pay an extra few bucks. On top of that they always Have a great beer selection, and an extremely unique collection of spirits and wines. Definitely worth a visit!

Best in Jersey City — really city-​quality wine & beer selections. Craft beer and supreme wine collection. Wine tastings & even a small cheese selection. Wish they’d open a wine bar inside!

Poor customer service from the older white male who was less than friendly when assisting me with my request for a bottle Verdi Spumante. All eyes seemed to be on this black chick the second I walked though the door. I will never go there again!

Best selection I’ve seen in the area. Up there with Sparrow and Giannone in Hoboken. Their prices are high, but that’s what you have to expect for good craft brews.

While pricey — you have to understand, you pay more for quality. Quality products, quality knowledgeable staff, and quality location (1 block from Satis Bistro — crucial before they got their liquor license).
The staff is amazingly helpful, and we’ve found some real gem wines there for a reasonable price. And — if you time your visit right, you get a little tasting of whatever they’re pouring that afternoon.

I go here, but I’m not happy about it. Jersey Wine has a very nice and balanced selection of wine, beer and spirits — particularly with craft beer — however, the service and prices make it a difficult store to endorse. The only reason I go here is because it’s right by my apartment and options are limited in this neighborhood.
The staff is generally rude and condescending. Some are nice, but I’ve ran into a couple rotten eggs. On multiple occasions. My girlfriend is from Napa, and the salesman overheard and informed her that Napa «does not make good wine» (everyone has their own preferences, and Napa is certainly no pinnacle of winemaking, but c’mon, give us some common courtesy).
Another time, I was looking for a bottle of Veuve Clicquot and was laughed at and told «we carry better stuff than that here — more sustainable, better value for the price.» Thanks, I don’t need a lecture about how I’m buying an inferior, mainstream label — I was doing it for a reason (it was a gift for a couple that doesn’t have very refined taste and would not have appreciated a lesser-​known, but better brand. Say what you will about it, but it was a calculated gift decision). I fully endorse trying to elevate and inform the customer, because that can be a rewarding experience and great way to get repeat business, but you NEVER talk down to a customer.
I could go on with at least two other stories like these.
Lastly, they’re EXPENSIVE. Shockingly. And I’m not cheapo. For identical products, you’re looking at a $ 3-​$ 4 premium on six packs of beer and $ 6-​$ 10 premium on liquor compared to a local liquor store. Roughly 30% additional markup across the board.
There’s a bodega-​esque, low-​end *looking* liquor store just up the block and to the right on Columbus, where you’ll get friendly (though not for expert recommendations, but they can point you to a bottle if you’re having trouble finding it) help and pay much better prices for a good-​enough craft beer and liquor selection (their bourbon collection is surprisingly deep considering what it looks like on the outside).
If you’ve got a car and some extra time, obviously Buy-​Rite is the way to go.

HUGE DISCLAIMER: I’m not built for drinking wine or spirits.
Why? I’ll give you a few reasons. I’m of Asian descent. I’m female. And despite my freakishly fast metabolism for all foodstuffs, I just can’t metabolize alcohol at all. I turn red. I get crabby. And hot. And really, really uncomfortable. So, at the risk of people thinking I’m pregnant all the time, I don’t really drink.
BUT, Bald One is genetically gifted in the ways of metabolizing alcohol, and he likes to indulge in drinking and brewing great craft beers with alcohol content rivaling that of wine. So it’s nice to have a shop in the neighborhood close enough to stroll into and peruse the selection.
Jersey Wines and Spirits does not have the same warehouse pricing as Super Buy Rite (see my review for that, too!) but what it does have is that chic, urban flair, small-​business feel, and yes, you can walk to it. That is a huge plus in my book. Any place that gets people out and about and walking to avoid the suburban belly bulge deserves an extra star in my opinion!
Great selection of all types of wines and American and Belgian craft beers. The menu for 30 Acres, the acclaimed new American restaurant next door, is pasted up in several places, and the staff is more than happy to provide recos on pairings. This block of Jersey Ave is one of my all-​time favorites in Jersey City: grab a bite to eat at 30 Acres with some wine or beer from Jersey Wine & Spirits, and then hop to Choc O Pain for some bread or dessert to bring home for the next day. Then pat yourself on the back for shopping locally!

This is a nice store for alcohol — they have a wide variety of beer, wines and liquor to choose from.
Prices are good and staff is super helpful — a much needed attribute for wine shopping :)

This is the one of the best local wine/​beer/​liquor stores in Jersey City. Their craft beer selection is awesome and their wine ranges from $ 9 bottles to $ 199 bottles. Something for everybody — from the wine snob to someone who just wants that cheap bottle of red.
Thursday thru Saturday they also have wine tastings on good, affordable wines — so always find myself grabbing an extra bottle.
Not only is it a great local business but you can tell everyone who works here is passionate about good drinks. You can tell they take pleasure in helping you find exactly what you are looking for.
Make sure to get a loyalty card. You earn $ 5 store credit for every $ 100 you spend. And if you love this place as much as I do it can add up fast!
(And coming here works out great if you want to eat next door at thirty acres who is BYOB!)

Great place! Very extensive beer selection. Pretty good liquor selection, but they have some unique things like NJ/​NY bourbon etc. I was always told you couldn’t call something bourbon unless it came from Kentucky, but anyway…
Love the place… we live right around the block and visit here all the time.

I first stopped in here after hearing a few others sing its praises, and I’ve been so happy I did.
I’m admittedly a craft beer snob, so I can’t comment upon the libations mentioned in their name, but I absolutely love the selection of brews they sell. Although the store is not that big, I still find myself spending way too long perusing the cases and shelves of delicious beer. Although they do sell a few six-​packs of mainstream beer, most of what they sell is from craft breweries, from the locals (Sixpoint) to West Coast (Ballast Point!) to Denmark (Mikkeller).
While you may find many of these brews in other stores, I’m willing to bet you may not find a staff as knowledgeable about them. They are a wonderful group of guys who will gladly talk beer with you and make honest recommendations. They haven’t steered me wrong yet.
As others have mentioned, some of their prices are not as competitive as some of their counterparts here in JC. But when you’re a craft beer fan, you know you’re not exactly buying a 30-​pack of swill anyway. Also, you know your extra buck or two is supporting small business.
I suppose my only criticism of this place would be that while they have some single bottles available for mixing and matching, I wish they had a bit more. I always like being able to grab a few 12-​oz bottles of random new beers. Having said that, however, they offer so much in the way of larger 22-​oz bottles, one won’t walk away empty-​handed or with a bag of his/​her same-​old, same-​old. Guaranteed you *will* find something new and tasty that you hadn’t tried before, or even knew existed.
*In addition to the varied beer and liquor selection, they also have novelties behind the counter: snagged some Cheerwine awhile ago. If you are from the South, you know what that’s all about. And if you aren’t, like me, you buy it for your friends who are and make them very happy.

This place is really great. They have a great selection of beer, wine and spirits. I was a little intimidated at first, trying to find something «nice” — but the guys who work there are non judgmental for us «novices» in the alcohol world.
Another perk: no snooki allowed! She lives down the street, but hoping she wouldn’t venture in here since she is prego!
I would give this place 5 stars, but the girl who works there sometimes is a little bitchy… sorry but you are!

These guys are passionate about what they do… and they do BOOZE well!
Any questions you may have are met with patience and classy advice. This is the closest liquor store to me now and I would drive further if it wasn’t good (BUT this place is GREAT!).
The selections of wine, beer and liquor are diverse and picked specifically by them. Therefore they are more than knowledgeable on their products. I love getting them started telling me about a specific beer I am interested in.
Always friendly, always witty and always there for ME!

What an awesome liquor store.
I could spend a substantial amount of time wandering around this place (except for the fact that I always feel a little like a bull in a china shop in these places, my own issues) and although the staff is attentive, ready to answer questions, make recommendations and very knowledgeable about what they carry in the store they don’t rush you but just let you peruse at your leisure. Nice.
Great layout by regions and type with prices to fit any budget.
A cooler for chilled items including a nice selection of craft beers.
Wine tastings, a loyalty card, doggie friendly, interesting window displays, extensive selections, chill vibe, and knowledgeable staff makes this place a must for your libation purchases.