Circle Wine & Spirits

I didn’t purchase wine here but I did come here for a bottle of upper-​mid-​shelf bourbon. The prices, as Rahul mentioned, were drastically higher than what you’d normally find. I’m new to the area so I’m not sure it’s fair to compare an independently run liquor store to a state store, but a bottle of Wild Turkey Rare Breed (around $ 38 a bottle at the Flower Ave. state store) was $ 54 here. Other bottles seemed to be the same.
The wine selection looked excellent though I have no idea how prices stacked up. And the owner and woman working were extremely friendly. I just couldn’t bring myself to shell out the extra cash for something I knew was priced high.

The beer selection is a little bit on the smaller side but has all of your domestic staples and then some. Their wine and liquor selection is also a decent size and has everything you would want — but maybe not your favorite brand. They were running a special on a wine and I grabbed that one. However, it didn’t ring up correctly. Luckily, I caught it before I paid. So if you grab an item on special make sure it’s ringing up correctly!

The beer selection at this store is better than any place I know in the area. It has just about everything from the best selling dishwater brews to a good cross-​section great craft brews. A particularly helpful feature are the rating tags — I’m not sure of the source — attached to some, not all, of the beers on display. Those tags have helped me to discover a number of very good craft beers I’d never previously stumbled across. There’s an adjacent parking lot which, unfortunately, is often jammed.

Circle Liquors has a spacious interior, which they have filled with a wide variety of wine, craft beer, and fine liquors. If I’m looking for something specific, they have it or a substitute spirit of equal quality.
Their prices can be on the high end but are generally reasonable.

Circle is one of my favorite places to be on Saturday afternoons because the store host’s free wine tastings that I help with 3−6pm. I love the friendly, helpful staff, they almost seem like family to me! Not only is the selection amazing but if you need help navigating the store, or need a great recommendation, Francisco will select you a great bottle to match your price point. If you can’t find a specific bottle you are looking for, the owners will even special order it for you.
The prices are some of the most reasonable in the district. You can get some quality wine here for much less than what you’d be lured in to get at Corked or some other wine bar further downtown.

It’s hard to find a fine wine store with great selection and prices to match, but I have found it. I can’t believe the low prices every time especially on highly rated value wines. The staff is so friendly and so knowledgeable. I have loved every one of their recommendations. Also killer wine tastings with free parking. What a nice pace from the bigger stores, where the service and individualized attention seems to be non existent.

Pros: Special wine tasting quarterly paired with promotional prices. Plentiful selection of wines.
Cons: No parking included.

This seems to be an old school type of liquor. You almost get the feeling this is where your grandmother came to buy her liquor. The workers tend to be nice and prices are ok. I like the fact that you can tind some really obscure beers and wines.

Got there at 8:55 on a Saturday. They close at 9. They locked the door as I tried to open it. I made eye contact with several employees and they just shook their head. It was rude. I won’t be back.

Indeed, many items are way overpriced.
Overall, the staff is friendly and they have a decent selection. But be careful, some items have a little premium you might expect to pay in this area, but others are way marked up. Today I saw the same bottle of tequila for half the price at another liquor store in Friendship Heights.
Just be aware and shop smart.

For the most part, I adore the selection of wines and beers, and the staff is (usually) friendly. This is usually one of my go-​to spots in Chevy Chase. This past weekend they had a killer wine tasting. The selections were varied and the vendors were knowledgeable. After tasting wine, I really needed to go «to the restroom». One of the workers told me quite rudely «We don’t have one». I was told that I had to walk to Starbuck’s. Usually, I wouldn’t have mind, but it was raining! Needless to say, I did walk to Starbuck’s, but I refused to walk back to the store in the rain. I went to another liquor store and got my wine.

Great selection but I don’t enjoy spending $ 10-​$ 20 more a bottle on premium liquor. Prices on premium Tequila were $ 10 per bottle higher than several other stores in the area.
I hovered around the tequila counter for about 30 mins before picking out $ 100+ of tequila and no one asked me if I needed any help even though there was probably only one other person in the store at any time. At checkout when I asked about a specific tequila and the guy at the register just grunted no without any further comments. I did not feel welcome or that my business was valued. Guess what liquor stores are a dime a dozen. Heck at these prices
will deliver the liquor to your door for cheaper all inclusive.
Best bet for top shelf alcohol seems to be stocking up at Total Wine in Laurel MD (best wine and top shelf prices) or Rodmans in Friendship Heights (best beer prices). In a pinch Calvert Woodley at Van Ness and Connecticut Wine at Cleveland Park both places have great service and fair prices.

This liquor store has really bad quality wines. There is a really bad selection as well. You would be much better going to a different place, which there are plenty nearby.

Magruders, Chevy Chase Liquors, and Circle Liquors. Circle Liquors is not the answer. Selection is good but save yourself the headache of the staff and go across the street.

They don’t let you buy if you are from PA and changed your name because there is a duplicate on the license! Extremely stupid rule! Cashier asked for a passport! Yeah cause I carry a passport on me when I travel in the states (sometimes I feel like I need one for Jeresey)! Completley stupid rule! Just cause I got married, I cant buy there! Its like they are discriminating against married PA women!

Good staff, good quality products, good selection of items and competitive prices.
No matter if you are looking for the basic beer or a fancy bottle of good wine, this is the place to come.
They have it, and they are helpful and friendly, and it will not cost you an arm and a leg to buy it.
Regular Saturday tastings, that bring out the crowds, not sure if it is the pretty girls or the samples, but it is always the place to be when they are doing a tasting.
Bring your own bag, as DC has a bag tax.

Circle Wine & Liquor is a wonderful addition to the Chevy Chase community. I am a huge wine fan and will go anywhere to find well-​priced good wine. In spite of their kind of unattractive exterior, Circle well exceeds my expectations every time. They have an excellent, well-​organized selection of wine and also a strong selection of liquor. Their beer selection is tucked in the way back and at first glance looks small, but I’ve heard that they have a good selection. I really don’t like beer, but I did notice that they have some really interesting and unusual choices. Their prices are very competitive. Also, they host tastings every weekend and some special events, which makes for a community-​friendly atmosphere.
The staff is extremely friendly and helpful; they always offer to help me find what I’m looking for and make good recommendations if they don’t have specifically what I want. They also remember me and what my boyfriend and I like, which is something I’ve truly never experienced before. The other day, I went in talking about a wine I had gotten from them, and they figured out the exact wine from memory, found me two bottles even though they were not going to be carrying it anymore, and gave them to me for $ 7.00 a piece. Overall, I love going there and supporting this local, lovely business.

Hands down, the best liquor store in DC. Great selection, fabulous prices. Friendly and helpful service. They’ll make a recommendation for what to bring to an intimidating dinner party, and won’t judge you if the next time you purchase something «price conscious» — it’s a delightful place!

Honestly, I’m a beer drinker. I don’t typically characterize different liquors, they all taste like gasoline to me. And I don’t know much about wine, I don’t have the income for that hobby. But Circle Wine and Liquor has a fantastic beer selection. If you can’t find a sixer or case of the beer you want in the fridge, head to the back right of the store and find the beer corner. I’ve found everything from Red Hood to Kona Lager. The prices are reasonable and the staff LOVES to talk alcohol. On occasion they offer a tasting of some select wines in the store. I know I said I don’t enjoy wine, but free alcohol is free alcohol.

You know the spot across the street has a bigger wine selection and a broader selection of fine liquors, to say nothing of the vast array of beers on offer, but this place has its advantages:
1. Big selection of different size bottles — want that jeroboam or a massive bottle of vodka? You will find it here.
2. No lines — if you just want one or two bottles come here and avoid the lines across the street.
3. More Irish Whiskey. Not that everything is about Ireland (well, OK, only the important things) but these guys have a broader selection than the three bottles the guys across the street have.