Uptown Liquor

I like the way Unilocal asks me what keeps me coming back to a business. In this case, like duh, booze. That’s right, I like my booze. I would buy my booze by the tanker load if I could. But really, where would I store all that liquor in a small studio?
The folks here are always super nice and helpful. If what I’m after is not on the shelf, they are quick to offer their assistance by checking back stock. They are happy to offer recommendations and have a pretty decent selection of boozy goodness to choose from.
Another nice thing is that everything is out in the open so you can pick up and inspect any bottle you like. It’s not like the downtown liquor stores where all the liquor is out of reach behind unwelcoming counters.
From time to time, I have had the good fortune to arrive when vendors are offering tastings. I’ve tried some good stuff here on several occasions.
If you’re in the neighborhood of downtown this is a prefect place to get your liquor needs met. Oh, and bonus points because they have a parking lot.
2015 — Review # 69

Oof. Best liquor store in Portland? Do we only have like 3 liquor stores then?
Honestly, what the hell? This place is smaller than my apartment, located in a dank corner of a strip-​mall, has staff that mostly seemed too young to drink themselves, and prices that are pretty much dead-​on par for the course.
Now, that being said, they had plenty of booze and it WILL get you drunk. I have nothing against this place, but I seriously can’t imagine a more run-​of-​the-​mill liquor store.
I guess dodging the WA taxes is a big plus, but it’s hard to do real comparison since I’ve never lived there. I thought those 2DaysInSeattle billboards were promoting a new horror movie.
If we’re going to get into state comparisons… pick any from the tri-​state area and a liquor store like this would be considered so pedestrian it’s not even worth a review. There are liquor stores of this caliber or better practically every 2 blocks. In Jersey there’s a state-​wide chain called Joe Canals… literally 20−30x the size of this store with ninja staff writing their own mini-​reviews of local wines and liquors tapped below the product with tastings and entire aisles full of drinking accessories from martini glasses to ice picks.
Again, not saying that Uptown Shopping Center Liquor is BAD, but it is what it is. If this is the best liquor store in PDX then we are officially D-​league in liquor retail.
Alright, back to drinking.

Great selection of liquor and a good amount of it on hand.
Very friendly staff who are more than willing to assist you.
Much better than the liquor store on sw 10^th ave.
The only downside is that they are slightly more expensive than the pearl specialty liquor store.

A long overdue review. I gave up drinking spirits, Jan. 1^st 2014 actually Dec. 31^st, 2013. So my review is based on before 2014. Corner store in the Uptown Shopping center. Lots of parking, Great selections! Helpful Staff esp. RED :)

As a Seattle-​ite, I really enjoy crossing the border to do a little shopping. Especially with the phenomenal liquor taxes in WA! Parking wasn’t a problem for me, but I was here during the day on a weekday, so take that into consideration.
Coming to a place with helpful service, great selection, amazing prices, and exceptional browse-​abillity like the Uptown makes shopping for your annual selection of 3 boxes of liquor one of the best possible experiences, to boot! I got an amazing selection of big bottles, fancy liqueurs, specialty whiskies, and more for under $ 1000…which is not something you can even say is possible up in Seattle.
Make sure the trunk is empty, kids, I’ll be back next year!
PS. Kids, do not drink alcohol, it’s illegal if you’re under 21: P
PPS. I tried the Moonstruck Oregon Distillers chocolate box, as well, and am loving that it’s available on Amazon as well as from Uptown, considering the likelihood of me returning to Uptown anytime soon to get these amazing sweets!

I’m so torn between a 4 and a 5 star review!
This place is fantastic, Ruthie is a doll, and their liqueurs section is a bit of a dream. It’s super safe feeling inside, and probably my favorite liquor store in Portland that I’ve been to. They have grain alcohol for my limoncello and liqueur making needs, and the prices overall are quite fair. :)
Sometimes they do free tastings too.

I think this is one of the best liquor stores in Portland. Great selection, friendly service and easy parking. One of the main reasons my BF and go here is because of their great Grappa selection — they have more than any other liquor store in the area. I would highly recommend this place.

Really awesome liquor store in a great location. Parking is a pain in the a**, but it’s 23^rd — what can you do? Excellent selection of local and hard-​to-​find alcohols, great staff, exceptionally reasonable pricing. My new go-​to liquor store in Portland.

Friendly staff (especially Ruth, who’s a real gem). Good selection. Nice to be able to walk up and look at all the bottles (instead of straining to see them behind a counter). Very important to me (as I walk with Zoey most days and like to run my errands when possible) is that they are dog-​friendly. More than that, they keep dog treats behind the counter. Easily one of Zoey’s favorite spots!

Nice Staff.
Ruthie, cashier, has been there 20+ years.
Parking lot is pain. Staff will be eager to help.

I had a berry liqueur at a party and loved it, but couldn’t remember the name of the berry or the liqueur later. When I went to Uptown Shopping Center Liquor Store to buy a bottle, I just remembered that it was made of berries, had the most intense deep ruby color, tasted like liquid summer sun and that it was in a tall green bottle with a silver smallish label. Pretty lame, huh?
The very nice lady didn’t think it was lame at all. Without batting an eye, she walked right over to the liqueur, picked up the bottle, put it in my hands, and I was just in heaven. She agreed it was pretty damn wonderful. Oh yes, it’s Marionberry Liqueur out of Hood River Vineyards.
It’s not just this knowledge of their liquor stock or instantly helping out in a super friendly way, it’s also the cleanliness of the store and its light and brightness. The store feels safe as well. Some of the liquor stores in town are truly creepy if not seedy. I’ve been in one that frightened me enough that I walked out after being in the store for just a couple of minutes and without purchasing anything.
Anyhow, I’ve driven to this location for several years just because I like it and don’t want to go elsewhere. It’s frosting on the cake that I live within walking distance now. Give it a try some time. You’ll see the difference instantly.

BEST. LIQUOR. STORE.
In Portland.
No. Scratch that. Best store in Oregon.
Largest selection of Grappa here is especially what brings me back. Where other stores may have one or two– Uptown has at least a dozen.
And a knowledgeable, friendly staff.
Keep rockin it!

i’m gonna go ahead and join the cavalcade of glowing reviews of uptown liquors, and it’s NOT just because it’s pretty much the only game in town for me. (seriously, portland, get it together! i moved from san francisco, where you can get liquor ANYWHERE, and i am SPOILED!).
uptown has an amazing selection, multiple price points, ample room and space for browsing, a great, helpful, sociable staff, and some cool «novelty» attractions. yes, i can admit that i like to just LOOK at really really ridiculously expensive liquor sometimes. anyway, i digress. uptown rules. they even have other booze friends in ample stock, like cherries, olives, bitters, and mixers. PLUS they carry choice selections from distillery row– hot monkey, i’m a-​lookin at you! i make gourmet edible cocktails (read: jello shots) as a hobby, and they have everything i could ever want for my test kitchen.
AND, to top it all off as an added bonus for a dog-​mom, they always give my tiny one treats when i bring her in for a shopping spree. i’ve never ever had a bad experience here!

Ta-​Dow Bitches — Liquor Paradise!
I don’t know what’s keeping me from giving this place that last star, but in good faith I cant for what ever reason. I mean they even have free 1-​hour parking which is a huge plus for anything in downtown… I think it’s because I’ve been to the mountain top (BevMo) and there is no turning back. Since Oregon insists on raining on my alcohol parade by not letting me buy my liquor and beer at the same place, Uptown Liqueur will suffice. I mean I shouldn’t hold it against them for following the law… but I do… that 5^th star is reserved for rule breaking.

5 stars alone just for the fact that they carry Leblon cachaça here so I can happily make caipirinhas at home.
When I moved here from San Francisco last week, I brought my only bottle of liquor which happened to be Leblon and I was worried that once I ran out, I wouldn’t find it anywhere here.
So let me get this straight, I learned that here in OR, you can only purchase liquor from liquor stores only (I must say that I was pretty weirded out not to find costco sized 1.75 liter bottles of booze at Costco or regular ol’ liquor at Safeway or Trader Joe’s here) but are they all behind the counter?
I like that this store (as tiny as it is) has a good selection of liquor (including absinthe). I was able to find exactly what I was looking for and even picked up a bottle of 12 Bridges gin just because it’s a local Portland gin and since I live here now, why the hell not? (plus it’s in a really pretty bottle!)

Uptown almost certainly has the best liquor selection in Portland and quite possibly in the state. As Paolina T noted this is because they supply most of the better bars, hotels and restaurants downtown. Huge selection of single malts, bourbons, Irish whiskey — even vodka for those afraid of real booze. The staff has always been exceptionally helpful and friendly (and encouraged me to bring in my dog).

ALL LIQUOR STORES ARE NOT THE SAME.
Uptown may seem like a small strip mall liquor store with barely anything to offer, but that’s not true!
IT IS THE BEST LIQUOR STORE in the Portland area because it provides liquor to most of the restaurants and bars in Portland. What does this mean to the liquor enthusiast?
YOU CAN ASK FOR JUST ABOUT ANY KIND OF LIQUOR AND THEY HAVE IT!
Ever tried Lazzaroni’s Amaretti di Saronno? Tastes as good as their cookies.
Ever made martinis with Crater Lake Hazelnut Epresso Vodka? YUM!
Go to this liquor store, tell them you are looking for a particular taste and they will give you some great options!

This is my neighborhood (across the street) liquor store. I think it might actually be the only one I’ve been to in Oregon. I used to get carded every time, now I get an apology from the cashier (owner??) whenever a new guy cards me. (Somehow this is infinitely better than the Freddie’s employee who says «It’s ok, I carded you yesterday.») Sometimes they have in-​store samples, and they always have Jameson, what more can I say?

They have Root Beer Schnapps here!
This will help with my root beer float cupcakes I’m making.
The old gal in at the register is always nice and always takes out her glasses to peer at my I.D.

As a librarian, browsing is part of my professional repertoire (along with searching, finding, storing, etc). Uptown Liquor is one of the few remaining liquor stores where one can leisurely browse with unrestricted access to the bottles. No hurry here. No yelling over awkward countertops here.
Read labels, compare prices, give thoughtful consideration to whether you want the mid-​priced rum you know or the untested new guy with a joyful cock on the label. The friendly staff won’t rush you. And the extras section has a remarkable selection of bitters, from traditional to tangerine.