Binny’s Beverage Depot

Nice large location and the hours are better than the Highland Park store. Open till 9 on Saturdays.
Service is always friendly.

This location is smaller than their Niles location off of Dempster and Milwaukee but the Skokie location is so close to me and that makes it really convenient. They also price match, all you have to do is clip the newspaper ad and they’ll gladly match the prices of Cardinal’s or Liquor barn.
Some of the big pluses — the excellent Scotch selection and knowledgeable people onsite to answer your questions on the different varieties of Scotch. Note: They do have a Scotch/​Whiskey hotline —
or (888) 817‑5898, now you know they are serious!
They have all of my favorites from Islay (I love the smokey flavor, it’s like licking a campfire) — Lagavulin (16), Laphroaig (10), Arbeg (10), Bowmore (10 and Legend), Bunnahabain (pronounced Bunny Haven), Caol Ila (10), Klichoman, are all available. They also have some other favorites — Glenrothes, Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Dallmore, etc.
I also love that they have San Miguel Pale Pilsner and Red Horse beer but they don’t have San Miguel Negra (their dark beer) at this location (you have to go to the Niles location). And that’s why this is a 4 star review.
They also have a great wine, craft beer, cider, ice wine selection. Make sure to check out their wide selection of stuff on sale, you can always pick up bottles of wine and beer, at a substantial discount — that’s how I discovered Steam Whistle beer (from San Francisco). Thank you Binny’s of Skokie, you get two thumbs up!!!

I’m giving them a five-​star rating because even though they didn’t have the scotch I was looking for, the staff member who helped me was very knowledgeable and gave me a comparable recommendation. It can be a bit tricky to get into the parking lot the first time from the west, but it’s doable.

Lousy for a Binnys. Poor selection and super narrow aisles so you can’t use your cart if anyone else in the aisle has a cart. But it’s Binnys so it gets three stars because there are decent prices and decent selection.

UPDATE: Binny’s has expanded its selection of amari since the review below was published. the manager at the branch i visit went out of his way to add interesting new items. overall, the available variety is better now than it was, so the stars go to 2 from 1. i still wish they hadn’t driven so many family outfits out of business, though, so i’m leaving the original nastygram for historical context.
from 12/​28/​2014:
this review is intended to encompass the entire binny’s brand, and not the skokie outlet specifically.
over the past few years, binny’s has driven every quality-​oriented business out of the market (Sam’s in chicago, DiCarlo’s Armanetti, e.g.) and the result is a disaster for taste. the latest casualty is amari: of the 18 examples stocked a year ago, only 6 remain. on the other hand, those whose discerning palates demand a wide selection of chocolate-​flavored alcoholic goo are pleased, as are connoisseurs of de kuyper, lite beer, and peppermint apple candy cane cough syrup. never was there a more egregious example of bully capitalism driving out taste and discernment. those of us with money can always buy what we want online, or have it shipped from new york or elsewhere in the civilized world. nevertheless, i want at least one review here to mourn the passing of the many fine businesses, and the selection they presented, by the tasteless mega-​corporation exemplified by binny’s. «if you can’t find it at binny’s it’s not worth drinking,» screams the commercial. those who believe that, to name just one example, Amaro Meletti is not worth drinking, are probably satisfied with what they can get here. the rest of us have to pay shipping from elsewhere.

Mike H. at Binny’s Skokie is one of the best in the business when it comes to Whisky. Very knowledgable and will always have a great recommendation of something you may have passed over. He is about value — not just what is popular and most expensive. I have been going to this Binny’s for years because of Mike. Keep up the great work!

Friendly, but generally not-​hovering service. Neatly organized and very accommodating for special items. We were on a recent scavenging hunt for the ingredients of a «true» Bermudan «Dark ‘N Stormy.» We had discovered that using our usual light rum didn’t make it «dark.» Also, we liked the Royal Jamaican ginger beer, but it made our cocktail «not official» because it was alcoholic (about 4%). Did you know that when folks in the Caribbean region talk about ginger beer, it’s primarily the NON-​ALCOHOLIC version (essentially, a more gingery ginger ale) they are referring to? Binny’s here has a section, way-​y in the back corner that has most of their non-​alcoholic mixers and stuff, including cans (as opposed to bottles for the hard stuff) of Gosling’s ginger beer for all ages.
With just the ginger beer (and some vodka), we’d have just the main ingredients for a Moscow Mule, which is fine too. But to get the authentic Dark ‘N Stormy, we also packed in a bottle of Gosling’s Black Rum. Ready to set sail!
This stretch of Dempster is very busy, since it leads to/​from the Edens expressway. But Binny’s very large parking lot can be entered and exited by two alleys that border their property. This might be a safer way to access it depending on your direction of travel.

The Skokie Binny’s has a great selection (I visit from out of state for work, and my husband sends me to Binny’s with an esoteric shopping list) plus — most importantly — generous, friendly staff who will help you find everything you need, make useful suggestions, and also go the extra mile — even the extra 255 miles! I was stranded in the parking lot with a seriously non-​starting car and a long, important trip ahead of me. Karen calmed me down and gave me some ideas to try, and Mike the assistant manager actually got my car running! Talk about going above and beyond. They really saved me I will be forever be a loyal customer. (And I found everything on my husband’s shopping list.)

This particular Binny’s location has a special place in my heart as it’s an annual tradition for my sister and I to go here, pick up some bottles of Johnny Walker for my uncle, for our yearly New Year’s Day festivities at his place. Binny’s has about 30 locations, and they offer a variety of wine, spirits, beer, gifts (wine stoppers, wine glasses, etc.), and even cigars. They also have events (such as seminars and tastings), and they have specials and deals frequently. There’s an expansive lot for your car, so finding a parking is never a problem; I suggest going through the local road to Gross Point Road so you don’t have to cross crazy Dempster!
+local beverage depot: D

Remodel is very nice nut it called for more employees. There’s two men here that would be best off not existing in life as a whole. I’ve never dealt with such horribly natured «customer service» representatives in my over 20 years of buying booze.
After dealing with one man twice, already, I’ll never shop at this location again.
Terrible Terrible man scaring away customers. He must be from Skokie.

Binny’s is still redoing the interior, but the results so far are a great improvement over the previous layout. The store is better organized, and it looks like they’re going to expand their wine section. In addition to a wide selection, Binny’s usually has the best prices for alcohol compared to other liquor stores. The staff are friendly and helpful staff, and there’s a large parking lot.

Went to the Binny’s in Skokie after their «renovation». Apparently renovation means trying to cram as much product as possible into the store. Who cares that the aisles are so narrow that you can not pass another customer? Who cares that you can not see the wine in the new bins? Who cares that a third of the bins are empty? Who cares that its now a cold and soulless place? Um, actually I do…
Guess I am going to shop at the store on Milwaukee instead.

Store was under construction when we visited so aisles were cramped and it was dusty; I assume that will all be fixed when the refresh is finished.
The staff were awesome, particularly Karen who chatted us up about beer and bacon at the register. She did not make us complete separate transactions to get our one bottle per person, which was delightful and courteous.
Staff seemed less knowledgeable about beer than other Binny’s locations, but were eager to talk about it and learn.
I think we blew Karen’s mind with our purchase of Rogue’s chocolate pretzel raspberry ale and telling her about their maple bacon ale.

Just like previous reviews, I’m here to continue to back up the legendary customer service you receive at Binny’s in Skokie. I drink beer, classic mixed drinks, and I love good wine. I feel like wine is a constant challenge. Every time I find a good bottle at an affordable price; it becomes sold out due to other winos like myself. We’re all a sneaky lot, I swear. You don’t find wine people just out in public getting hammered on wine. You don’t see many people out drinking wine by themselves either. I guess that’s why I love wine.
I found the most eccentric looking man out of the entire staff, and approached him with my dilemma. I wanted to get a nice bottle of wine for my parents and I didn’t want something that was hit or miss. This guy had entertainment value written all over him. I could tell right away that he took himself too seriously. He’s the kind of clerk you must approach slowly. So I walked up to him quickly, and in mid thought, and asked him my question. I made sure I was hyper. I tried to hold back laughter as I watched him shift gears. There was a dramatic pause as he collected himself. He then proceeded to help me pick something out.
After learning that my knowledge of wine was limited; scattered at best, he decided to try to educate me in a way where I would learn the appropriate vocabulary surrounding wines. It was even more awesome to watch him work at trying to find the patience to help me. If I tried to cut him off mid sentence, his body would stiffen and he’d stop talking all together; then I’d be met with an overwhelming look of disapproval. I loved it. I could tell this guy knew his wine. We went from Portugal to France in less than 10 minutes; but I think he felt rushed.
We finally settled on a Bordeaux, which I happen to know it comes from a «less than noble grape,» but I didn’t say anything. It was the way he described the flavor that spoke to me. I could also tell my clerk had enough of me. I took the bottle and I shook his hand. I think he might have recognized at the end that I really did appreciate his help and I wasn’t just harassing him. Really, every clerk in this liquor store is polite. I cannot imagine how anyone would be dissatisfied with their service.

I was in need of some applejack brandy for a recipe that I wanted to make. I searched all over Chicago and hit about 12 liquor stores and none of them had ever heard of it. At the last Chicago liquor store I tried the man working there also hadn’t heard of it, but he assured me that if I went to Binny’s they’d have it. When I got home I called this store and due to it being a Friday evening I felt pretty sure they’d be very busy and not willing to take the time to check for me. The young lady was very polite when I told her what I was looking for and put me on hold for less than a minute and came back on the line and informed me that they had 2 kinds in stock.
When I went there this morning I was walking around kind of dazed and confused by the choices and a man who works there asked if he could assist me so I told him what I was looking for. He immediately walked over to where the applejack brandy was pointed at it and asked if there was anything else he could assist me with. It was nice to get the same good service I’d read about here on Unilocal before I actually went there.
Next time I have a cooking recipe that calls for an unusual (or a common one) alcoholic ingredient Binny’s will be my go to place. Stop in and check it out they have a really good selection and great service too!

Horrible service! The cashier looked at me weird. I don’t know if that’s because I’m a minority and I had a lot of items in my cart or what. He was probably high, drunk or has a hangover. He was slow. He dropped my id after he looked at it and sarcastically said «oops, i dropped it.» What a D***.
I just spent $ 230.00 and i expect better service than that.
Cardinal’s has way better customer friendliness than this.

Why does this place make my heart beat faster as I step through the door? Well I can not say. I do not know the reason. Maybe because the endless possibilities of drink concoctions makes my creative side of me want to bust out like I am the next Tom Cruise from the movie Cocktail.
Perusing the aisles and checking out the price points actually made my mouth water. The pinot noirs, cabernets, and the merlots both local and international easily noted with the signage above. Checking out the abv %‘s and price points and prices makes my decision. I like to know if I am getting the most bang for my buck.
This particular day found me in the Rum aisle looking for Ron Zacapa for a friend and Jameson for the house. I had a date with James and Ginger as my off duty cocktail treat to myself and the hubby.
Usually shopping for items is stressful enough, but Binny’s has the store separated with signs above displaying where and what is to be found down the way.
The staff where helpful and friendly and offered to help me find what I needed. The manager offered to find me the Ron Zacapa anniversary special and encouraged me to other rums.
Come here for your libatious need, and do not forget to check out the Saturday tastings. Enjoy!

Binny’s is a huge liquor store, the size of most supermarkets, or maybe even bigger. Vast selections of hard-​to-​find wines, craft beers as well as all the macro brews, scotch, bourbon, gin, vodka, cordials – pretty much anything you’d desire is here.
Friendly helpful staff, good prices.
They have a parking lot if you drive, and for those of us who are car-​free, Binny’s is a quick walk west from the Dempster Street station on the CTA’s Yellow Line. Plus, they’re a five minute walk from Kaufman’s deli, where you can have lunch, or a nice Starbuck’s in the old Skokie Swift station house, where you can revive after searching the wine bins at Binny’s. Binny’s really has become the go-​to place for wine and spirits in the Chicago area, having absorbed both Sam’s & the Chalet chains.
They have a loyalty card for savings that you should sign up for if you shop here regularly.

I like this Binny’s because they still-​intentionally or not still have the old ‘Chalet’ sign out front, as if they are defiantly saying that we were something else once. I think some of the Chalet attitude still lingers since the floor space is focused much more on wine and in my experience, the staff seems to covers the wines and seem more willing to dispense advice on it than spirits or beers. Oenophiles in the area, you should come here. My most recent visit went all right for the most part except for the fact that I was waiting in line for what seemed like a 20 minutes-​I was lugging around 18 bottles of beer so, I think the hyperbole is warranted.
The checker must have been new or really nervous because he had to check with a supervisor and fellow checkers for things for the 2 people ahead of me. His neighboring checker even had an eye roller derby with all the trouble that he had to help out with and put up with the rush of people trying to get the 10% off booze. I will say he was friendly enough. He asked if I wanted a box to hold all my beers, but his inexperience reared its head again, I handed him a military ID to confirm my age and even after I showed him where my birth date was he wanted to call his manager over, not wanting him to have a hat trick of supervisor calls I dug out my driver’s license and got out of there.

I’ve always avoided Binny’s in favor of local liquors stores operating under the assumption that Binny’s would be the Wal*mart of liquors stores. (I take that back, I once stopped at a Binny’s and ran in to buy a mini bottle of bourbon off the end cap at the register because I needed a shot of bourbon for a recipe I was making. anyway…) I needed a few varieties of pumpkin beer and chocolate stouts for some Oktoberfest cupcakes I was planning to make, and this Binny’s was the most convenient liquor store between kayaking in the Skokie Lagoons and my house.
This may have been my first trip to Binny’s, but I don’t think it will be my last.
The building itself is a bit run down looking especially when compared to some of the other locations I’ve driven past.
The staff was supremely helpful. The lady at the register even clued me in to the wine chiller whirlpool thing they have in the back. I don’t know if they have these at all Binny’s but it sounded awesome. She was so sweet and funny as she conspiritorially told me I could toss a couple beers in there, I didn’t have the heart to tell her I’d probably never be returning to this particular Binny’s.
The craft beer selection was unparallelled, and there were at least 5 varietys of pumpkin beer within 15 feet of the door. (‘Tis the season I suppose.) It took me a while to figure out the organization system (It’s by brewer.) Part of me wishes they would organize by style instead, but I imagine you get used to it.
The prices were good.
I probably won’t even make it back to this Binny’s, but I’ll definitely be stopping by the Orland location!