Evolution Wines & Spirits

These guys know their stuff. Amazing selection.
They’ve really expanded my horizon on craft beers and wines! Very friendly staff. I enjoy Ricky’s enthusiastic knowledge of local breweries — *pipeworks* (so much pipeworks) *off color*
Oh and Charles who works on Saturdays is a wine god!
I don’t know what that other guy meant about proving your loyalty because they’ve always recognized their regulars. I noticed they keep stocked with what those customers ask for and even if their selection is low they have good recommendations. Great service!
Lastly, they let you bring in your bike and pets!

This place must be experiencing cash flow problems because their selection is almost always sparse. Wine, burbon, beer — you name it they’ve been out of it on my many trips there as they are around the corner.
Also they close early on Sunday.
My advice: go here if they are close and when they are closed or don’t have what you need go to one of the small groceries on Wabansia or North.

I stopped in here for the first time today. The two guys working were super friendly, super helpful, super knowledgeable — and funny as hell. They made two wine recommendations — both were excellent. The wine selection isn’t gargantuan — but it’s enough. The prices were great. Lower for the same bottle than other places in the neighborhood.

Want to love this great little shop full of wonderful beer. BUT I hate playing skunk beer roulette. More often than not our build your own six packs are more than half skunked. Visit vas on California and Milwaukee

Evolution is decent I guess. There wasn’t much of a selection and there were a lot of wines that can be had at binny’s. The problem is that Binny’s has the lower prices, so it doesn’t make much sense to drop into evolution outside of the convenience of being in the area. Since I’m always more than willing to do a bit of travel for bottles (and it’s not like Marcey Street is all that far), Evolution doesn’t really hold too much for me except for when I’m in a real pinch at the last second.

Ive been in quite a few time since they’ve opened. I always find the staff extremely friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. Never pushy and don’t try to upsell you — always offer me similar selections I’ll like based on my price point (and I usually end up loving them). They offer a less mainstream selection than W Grocer at more varied prices. But seriously, just tell them what you’re looking for and they’ll help you out!

The sales staff here is awful. They are beer snobs with no real understanding of beers or how to match a palette. Most often these mopes are buried in their iPads or iPhones disinterested in helping customers. To make matters worse is their beer prices are completely overinflated. Add an additional $ 3 on any 6-​pack you would get elsewhere. Worse yet, the store is a minor step up from a warehouse and poorly organized. The only thing this place has going for it is location. Most people in this area do not want to cross Western for beer, but I would gladly walk an extra block or two not to have to deal with these schmucks.

Went there to get a gift bottle of wine for a co worker. I was there on a Friday afternoon, and Charles works on the weekends and his help selecting a bottle of red was really useful. The clerk working then was more interested in being pushy, so Charles’ help was welcome.

who doesn’t deserve a big fat bottle of wine after a long hot hour at yoga?
love the peeps here — service is great, everyone is helpful. and they should be. whomever makes those signs is a damn genius. yes, i do «want this inside me.» «one bottle for the wife, 2 for the girlfriend.» that’s what i’m sayin’.
there is a section in sort of in the back by the fridge for bottle $ 10 and under. my favorite section, obviously.

Good selection (My guy likes hoppy beers with a citrus mellowness. I like malty stouts and ales. All were available in abundance). Justin knows his stuff. Prices are a bit steep, but it’s a locally owned place. If you are looking for rock bottom prices, go to Sam’s Club jerk.

It’s nice to have a quality beer/​wine/​liquor store close to home. Although W Grocer has a pretty good beer selection, there actually wasn’t anything close by before Evolution came along that was an easy place to go grab whatever you need for the evening. Friendly staff, and the selection is not massive but is thoughtfully selected. I think prices are very fair considering what type of place this is – something convenient with a much better selection than your corner store. I haven’t stopped going to Binny’s for major runs or when I think ahead, but Evolution is great for grabbing something within walking distance (or a short drive/​bike ride for those a bit farther away).
Also of note: there is a walk-​in portion to the beer cooler. It’s around to the left of the refrigerator doors, and gives you access to larger sizes/​more mainstream beers not displayed in the front cases. For a while, I did not know this.

Everyone at Evolution is extremely nice and really knows their stuff. They always have what I need in stock and if you are on your way home and know they’re about to close, call ahead and they will stay open for you! They have great wine and beer selections!

The first time in there, I was really disappointed with their craft beer selection. Well I just went in there and the selection was MUCH better. That said, the prices are really high and the cooler along the window, wasn’t even on so the amount of beer cold is pretty disappointing.
I will probably stop in here again to see if they have interesting beers from time to time, but the fact that they are a dedicated Beer, Wine & Liquor store, I was hoping their beer prices would beat Olivia’s or W Grocer… alas they did not.
Also, the place is a total mess and the story from reviewer Brad K. has me down on this place. There is too much jerking around in the world of rare/​craft beer. As a Craft Beer drinker, I will probably still make the trek to Vas Foremost for selection and price or stop in W Grocer for convenience.

Good place in Wicker Park to stop in and grab a nice craft brew, spirits or a good bottle of wine.
The staff seems really nice as they wanted to help me, but I already knew what I wanted. I like this place, but it looks like they have some work to do with the interior.

It’s amazing that, prior to Evolution opening, how hard it was to buy decent wine or beer in Bucktown. They have a great wine selection, and the people really, really know their stuff. It’s also becoming one of the better places to buy whiskey in the city. The prices are very reasonable, and the service couldn’t be better. It’s nice to be able to support a small, local wine shop like this… as opposed to dealing with the walmart-​equivalent of wine/​liquor stores (people who love wine will know what I’m referring to).
Excellent and much needed addition to the neighborhood!

FINALLY, a great spot to buy beer, wine, and liquor in the neighborhood. Unless you felt like a long (often cold) walk, or paying for a $ 12 six pack from Olivia’s limited selection, you were kind of SOL if you lived in the immediate area. The guys that work here are pretty awesome, and almost every weekend I’ve walked in to vodka and wine tastings. Stellar selection of microbrews and wines.