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Texas Liquor
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Reviewed by RLVineh from California
2.87/5 rDev -25.8%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3 | service: 1.5 | selection: 4.25
2.87/5 rDev -25.8%
vibe: 2.5 | quality: 3 | service: 1.5 | selection: 4.25
I have become less of a fan of this store the more and more they continue to try to screw the Craft Beer community. I understand shops will mark things up, but this shop is ridiculous, there is a few premium bottles that can be purchased elsewhere for half of what they are charging here. On top of that, the service is subpar. The older man with the mullet and glasses almost seems bothered to be asked about questions about beers the store promotes on Instagram. If you're a craft beer fan I can see why it’s easy to overlook bad service and the huge mark ups, but I for one, am choosing to go elsewhere. Screw this place, after all that’s what they’re trying to do to you.
Aug 23, 2015Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California
3.86/5 rDev -0.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5
3.86/5 rDev -0.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5
A fairly standard smallish liquor store that happens to have a great selection of beers from all over. Some if it is refrigerated and some of it is warm on the shelf. Expect to pay more than other spots in the area. Service is pretty good, but you have to seek help if you need it.
Jun 23, 2015Reviewed by BeerProtector from California
2.8/5 rDev -27.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 1 | selection: 1
2.8/5 rDev -27.6%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 1 | selection: 1
this place has great display of selection....except selections aren't something that are allowed on the shelves in San Diego let alone at all in any retail setting...think of a certain society from Orange County. Double Retailing is illegal...no matter how good and rare the beers are. I just don't recommend being here when the IRS shows up for double taxation
Nov 15, 2013Reviewed by RyanLaw from California
3.74/5 rDev -3.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3.25 | selection: 4.25
3.74/5 rDev -3.4%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4 | service: 3.25 | selection: 4.25
I went here for the first time to buy some Russian River beers and was amazed at the great selection they had. The last time I was there, they were selling Pliny for $5 but they did not include it in their special (Buy 5 get the 6th for a dime) which I thought was a little cheap and didn't go over well with another customer. The cashier was also rude about it and told him "everybody knows that beer doesn't count."
Prices are also higher here than other places. I paid $15 for a bottle of Supplication and you can get it for $13 at another local store. Overall though, they have a good selection but just expect to pay for it.
Jul 26, 2013Prices are also higher here than other places. I paid $15 for a bottle of Supplication and you can get it for $13 at another local store. Overall though, they have a good selection but just expect to pay for it.
Reviewed by Seanibus from California
4/5 rDev +3.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
4/5 rDev +3.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
Very nice beer place. The selection is extensive, with a quite complete local lineup, good regional offering and a scattering of national standouts, including Dogfish Head and Victory from the East Coast. The store devoted as much as half its shelf space to beer, with a long series of cold coolers on one side and room-temperature shelves on the other. Nice balance between bombers and sixpacks. Prices seem reasonable for the area and the wine and liquor selection, to the extent I studied it, seemed pretty good. A must stop if you are in town.
Feb 15, 2012Reviewed by thebeerhound from California
4.94/5 rDev +27.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
4.94/5 rDev +27.6%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Stopped by this little shop on my way back from the Pizza Port Bottle shop to grab a coke for the road.
WOW! Was I surprised when I walked in to see a very cool bottle and package lineup!
They had a driver come in and I saw a bunch of new beers coming in. The owner Ryan said they just got Laughing Dog from Idaho and RJ Rockers from South Carolina in and a bunch of other beers!
He ripped into the boxes and I was one of the first to buy the Alpha Dog Imperial IPA and RJ Rockers Black Perle Ale.
I also grabbed some Green Flash and 2 bottles of Sculpin from Ballast Point.
Nice shop huge high-end wine selection, some nice spirits as well. I'll definately come back to check this place out when I'm at the Pizza Port Bottle shop.
Keep the new stuff coming Ryan it was like Christmas!
Feb 01, 2012WOW! Was I surprised when I walked in to see a very cool bottle and package lineup!
They had a driver come in and I saw a bunch of new beers coming in. The owner Ryan said they just got Laughing Dog from Idaho and RJ Rockers from South Carolina in and a bunch of other beers!
He ripped into the boxes and I was one of the first to buy the Alpha Dog Imperial IPA and RJ Rockers Black Perle Ale.
I also grabbed some Green Flash and 2 bottles of Sculpin from Ballast Point.
Nice shop huge high-end wine selection, some nice spirits as well. I'll definately come back to check this place out when I'm at the Pizza Port Bottle shop.
Keep the new stuff coming Ryan it was like Christmas!
Reviewed by Sammy from Canada (ON)
3.8/5 rDev -1.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5
3.8/5 rDev -1.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5
underated bottle store. Great selection of the locals, displaying their complete available product lines, and harder to get Califormia beers. Plus a very good Belgian selection. Priced at the going rate, with hours much more convenient than the Pizza Port bottle shop. Head here earlier in the day for the main stock, have some beer at the Pizza plant, and then hit the Pizza Plant bottle shop. Not much in service, just a lot of choice. An unusual discount if buy 6 or 12 but they take care of it at the cash.
Jan 18, 2012Reviewed by jdense from Oregon
3.66/5 rDev -5.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4
3.66/5 rDev -5.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4
Visited 8.11.11 while sourcing beers for weekend tasting.
Located a few blocks from Pizza Port San Clemente in a parking lot shared with a grocery store, Texas Liquor offers what they claim to be the best craft beer selection in San Diego County. While that may be debatable, they certainly have a top notch selection, my guess is about 500 beers.
The help was pretty tied to the lone cash register, so I was left on my own to roam the narrow aisles looking for goodies. About half their craft offerings where refrigerated, with a significant amount on tall shelves opposite the cold box. While I struck out on my intended goal (Ballast Point Sculpin, evidently there was a distribution 'issue) I was able to score a bottle of Alpine Exponential Hoppiness, which while on the tres spendy side was a very pleasant surprise.
Given the funky hours of the Pizza Port Bottle Shop, the (still) closed South Bay Liquor, this is the best alternative in north county, though you should expect to spend 15-20% more than you would at Total Wines and More. However, the allure of Alpine products, more than makes up for the rather pricey offerings. Worth a stop, but after being spoiled by Beervana's bottle shops, no world beater.
Aug 21, 2011Located a few blocks from Pizza Port San Clemente in a parking lot shared with a grocery store, Texas Liquor offers what they claim to be the best craft beer selection in San Diego County. While that may be debatable, they certainly have a top notch selection, my guess is about 500 beers.
The help was pretty tied to the lone cash register, so I was left on my own to roam the narrow aisles looking for goodies. About half their craft offerings where refrigerated, with a significant amount on tall shelves opposite the cold box. While I struck out on my intended goal (Ballast Point Sculpin, evidently there was a distribution 'issue) I was able to score a bottle of Alpine Exponential Hoppiness, which while on the tres spendy side was a very pleasant surprise.
Given the funky hours of the Pizza Port Bottle Shop, the (still) closed South Bay Liquor, this is the best alternative in north county, though you should expect to spend 15-20% more than you would at Total Wines and More. However, the allure of Alpine products, more than makes up for the rather pricey offerings. Worth a stop, but after being spoiled by Beervana's bottle shops, no world beater.
Reviewed by notchucknorris from California
4.44/5 rDev +14.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
4.44/5 rDev +14.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
I just moved to the area a few weeks ago and one of the things I was most excited about was the fact that I'm now walking distance to Texas. I absolutely love this place and while the selection isn't the best in San Diego, they get some fantastic stuff. The prices are average with some of the specialty beers they get coming in on the high side, but overall I'd say the prices are fair. When the buyer is there, he's great to talk to and he genuinely has a passion for beer, which is great to find. While they might not have the square footage of some of the other bottle shops in San Diego, they cram the space they do have with some good stuff, including a lot of beers I haven't found anywhere else. If you haven't checked this place out yet, I would definitely recommend it.
Jul 19, 2011Reviewed by DCon from Missouri
4.72/5 rDev +22%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5
4.72/5 rDev +22%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5
While driving from Pizza Port to Stone, we stopped at a gas station right by the highway and I saw a sign saying "Best Beer Selection in Town" on the outside. I immediately ran over and was in shock of what I saw!
Coming straight in, the liquor was almost all behind the counter and then the wine lined up on the back side of the wall. Signage was huge here and it was easy to navigate around.
There display bottles first on the shelves and then were 6 deep behind. I went for the ones behind and made sure the B.O.D. (if available) was in check. They all were! They also had back-up boxes of each brew and this was an option to pick from these.
They had friendly cashiers but no one was out and about in their store helping for those hard to reach bottles. The shelves were at least 8 feet tall and this was an issue... I used a small ladder to get 3 bottles of the AleSmith on the top shelve. Also, all of the brews were in alphabetical order!?!? This was different for me!
Unreal selection! This should be called The CarlsBADASS Beer Store! The beer took up more than 50% of the store with its shelves and then cooler that stretched all the way down the whole store. They even had a small section with limited/rare beers.
I was very pleased with coming here! Next time I'm in Carlsbad, I will be stopping at the Pizza Port Bottle Shop first and then here again!
Jul 16, 2011Coming straight in, the liquor was almost all behind the counter and then the wine lined up on the back side of the wall. Signage was huge here and it was easy to navigate around.
There display bottles first on the shelves and then were 6 deep behind. I went for the ones behind and made sure the B.O.D. (if available) was in check. They all were! They also had back-up boxes of each brew and this was an option to pick from these.
They had friendly cashiers but no one was out and about in their store helping for those hard to reach bottles. The shelves were at least 8 feet tall and this was an issue... I used a small ladder to get 3 bottles of the AleSmith on the top shelve. Also, all of the brews were in alphabetical order!?!? This was different for me!
Unreal selection! This should be called The CarlsBADASS Beer Store! The beer took up more than 50% of the store with its shelves and then cooler that stretched all the way down the whole store. They even had a small section with limited/rare beers.
I was very pleased with coming here! Next time I'm in Carlsbad, I will be stopping at the Pizza Port Bottle Shop first and then here again!
Reviewed by DoubleJ from Wisconsin
4/5 rDev +3.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
4/5 rDev +3.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
A collegue told me about this place a while back, but since I don't normally travel around Carlsbad, earlier today was my first real chance to give Texas Liquor a try.
Located off the I-5 in a small shopping center anchored by an Albertson's, Texas Liquor can hold its own with its selection of beer. There's a long shelf that runs in the middle of the store that seperates the wine and spriits from the beer. Beer is located on the left side as you walk in, half of it refrigerated, half sitting at room temp. Bottles are tagged with pricetags, which leaves out a lot of guesswork that I hate to do for myself. Two store clerks waited at the register as I looked through the generous selection: Kiuchi, Avery, Ballast Point, Gouden Carolus, Duvel Tripel Hop, Samuel Smith's, Fruli, Old Dubh 40, Alpine (no IPA's though!), and lots more. Most of the items I found to be a little more expensive than what I would normally find.
The hours at the nearby Pizza Port Bottle Shop are whacky, so at the very least (no disrespect) you could use Texas Liquor as a backup plan when you are craving to take home beer. Still, this is a very respectable store to drop by.
Jun 24, 2011Located off the I-5 in a small shopping center anchored by an Albertson's, Texas Liquor can hold its own with its selection of beer. There's a long shelf that runs in the middle of the store that seperates the wine and spriits from the beer. Beer is located on the left side as you walk in, half of it refrigerated, half sitting at room temp. Bottles are tagged with pricetags, which leaves out a lot of guesswork that I hate to do for myself. Two store clerks waited at the register as I looked through the generous selection: Kiuchi, Avery, Ballast Point, Gouden Carolus, Duvel Tripel Hop, Samuel Smith's, Fruli, Old Dubh 40, Alpine (no IPA's though!), and lots more. Most of the items I found to be a little more expensive than what I would normally find.
The hours at the nearby Pizza Port Bottle Shop are whacky, so at the very least (no disrespect) you could use Texas Liquor as a backup plan when you are craving to take home beer. Still, this is a very respectable store to drop by.
Reviewed by bohemiandonut from California
5/5 rDev +29.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
5/5 rDev +29.2%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
An utterly fantastic alternative to suffering the overcrowded, often understocked bottle shop at Pizza Port a few blocks down. The owner is friendly and seems to live for this moderate obsession. I asked him about Fantome and how hard it is to find the classic Saison of theirs these days and within seconds he was on the phone with the distributor to see what's up. (This was my first time at his shop.)
His prices are NOT exorbitant in the least (about the same as BevMo) and the atmosphere is relaxed and chill. He'll leave you alone to browse or let you know what's he's got in so new it's barely on the shelves. The selection is out of this galaxy as well.
This is easily my favorite bottle shop in San Diego County. Hit it up next time you're in the area. You won't leave empty handed, I guarantee it.
Jun 10, 2011His prices are NOT exorbitant in the least (about the same as BevMo) and the atmosphere is relaxed and chill. He'll leave you alone to browse or let you know what's he's got in so new it's barely on the shelves. The selection is out of this galaxy as well.
This is easily my favorite bottle shop in San Diego County. Hit it up next time you're in the area. You won't leave empty handed, I guarantee it.
Reviewed by Beerandraiderfan from Nevada
3.9/5 rDev +0.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5
3.9/5 rDev +0.8%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5
Came across this place by accident, when leaving the Pizza Port bottle shop. Didn't look like much on the outside, but what is inside, is golden. Unique set up, some stuff is in coolers, some on the floor, some in this giant wooden display thing.
Quality of the beers on hand is very good. In fact, I picked up more bottles here than I did at the PP shop. Alesmith, DFH, Port, Alpine, Stone, Ballast point, RR, basically all the Socal stuff is here.
Definitely pricey, but worth it on some of the bottles, definitely found lots of stuff here I couldn't down the street. I really only went in here for a bottle of water, don't let the outside of the joint fool you, there is some good shit inside, even if the help don't know much about beer.
May 06, 2011Quality of the beers on hand is very good. In fact, I picked up more bottles here than I did at the PP shop. Alesmith, DFH, Port, Alpine, Stone, Ballast point, RR, basically all the Socal stuff is here.
Definitely pricey, but worth it on some of the bottles, definitely found lots of stuff here I couldn't down the street. I really only went in here for a bottle of water, don't let the outside of the joint fool you, there is some good shit inside, even if the help don't know much about beer.
Reviewed by ThreeWiseMen from California
4.14/5 rDev +7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
4.14/5 rDev +7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
I can't get over the fact that Texas Liquor and Royal Palms had the same scores prior to me reviewing them. They're not even on the same level in my opinion. Maybe I'm missing something...
Texas Liquor has a very large and quality selection, chock full of DIPAs, barleywines, imperial stouts, barrel-aged specialties, and even a few sours. I spotted limited-release ales from Full Sail, Great Divide, Firestone, Russian River, Rogue, Flying Dog, and a host of other American craft breweries. Texas Liquor also boasts nice collections from Mikkeller, Kiuchi, and other non-American breweries. Although the selection may not rival the best beer stores in the greater San Diego area, it's certainly right up there with Pizza Port Bottle Shop.
I can't speak much about the customer service, as I only briefly spoke to the cashier. However, it's worth noting that Texas Liquor posts Beer Advocate scores under som of their staple offerings. They also cater to beer snobs by offering discounts on multiple individual bottle purchases: "buy six bottles, get one for $0.05"; "buy ten bottles, get two for $0.10." I like that!
About half of the beer selection is kept in wall coolers, while the offer half sits on shelves across the aisle. All of the beer is protected from direct sunlight.
With decent (a touch high) prices and a tremendous selection, this is a must-visit... after Pizza Port of course.
Mar 30, 2011Texas Liquor has a very large and quality selection, chock full of DIPAs, barleywines, imperial stouts, barrel-aged specialties, and even a few sours. I spotted limited-release ales from Full Sail, Great Divide, Firestone, Russian River, Rogue, Flying Dog, and a host of other American craft breweries. Texas Liquor also boasts nice collections from Mikkeller, Kiuchi, and other non-American breweries. Although the selection may not rival the best beer stores in the greater San Diego area, it's certainly right up there with Pizza Port Bottle Shop.
I can't speak much about the customer service, as I only briefly spoke to the cashier. However, it's worth noting that Texas Liquor posts Beer Advocate scores under som of their staple offerings. They also cater to beer snobs by offering discounts on multiple individual bottle purchases: "buy six bottles, get one for $0.05"; "buy ten bottles, get two for $0.10." I like that!
About half of the beer selection is kept in wall coolers, while the offer half sits on shelves across the aisle. All of the beer is protected from direct sunlight.
With decent (a touch high) prices and a tremendous selection, this is a must-visit... after Pizza Port of course.
Reviewed by wattershed from California
3.7/5 rDev -4.4%
3.7/5 rDev -4.4%
Picked up some 2009 Older Viscosity and a few quads both foreign and local. Was looking for some Lost Abbey Angel's Share but they appeared to be out. Got to the register and there was a lonely bottle of it on the counter display. Asked the older gentleman at the register, he dinged the stocker, and out of a box came a few more bottles fresh from the back.
Don't know if they were holding it back or not (seems like they'd leave it off the counter if that were the case?), but it was nice to leave with one of the things I had on my shopping list.
As for the price, I did a lot of bottle-turning to do some comps with other places in the area (Bev4Less, Bevmo) and found that for every bottle which had a high price, there was another which seemed to be a great deal. For what I purchased, yes, it was pricey, but had I been in the mood for some Sculpin, GDBC Yeti, or Consecration for example, I would have felt I was stealing.
Layout is simple - beer on the left, wine on the right. If I go in there enough I know I'll eventually swing an elbow and end up buying a shelf of broken glass, but that's my problem. :)
Jan 28, 2011Don't know if they were holding it back or not (seems like they'd leave it off the counter if that were the case?), but it was nice to leave with one of the things I had on my shopping list.
As for the price, I did a lot of bottle-turning to do some comps with other places in the area (Bev4Less, Bevmo) and found that for every bottle which had a high price, there was another which seemed to be a great deal. For what I purchased, yes, it was pricey, but had I been in the mood for some Sculpin, GDBC Yeti, or Consecration for example, I would have felt I was stealing.
Layout is simple - beer on the left, wine on the right. If I go in there enough I know I'll eventually swing an elbow and end up buying a shelf of broken glass, but that's my problem. :)
Reviewed by gwguest from Kansas
3.8/5 rDev -1.8%
3.8/5 rDev -1.8%
A great selection of local stuff, so if you're from the area I'm sure it's nothing too special. However, if you're from out of the region, they have all the beers you've ever heard about. It's really a great selection of choices from the west coat. They had a lot of seasonal and quasi-lmited stuff (Angles Share, Black Butte XXI, Bruery seasonals etc), but not a place I'd go to look for 'whales'. Exactly what I was looking for and right across the street from my hotel.
Staff didn't know anything about their selection or more than was on the bottle. You're on your own if you enter, but do enter.
Sep 24, 2010Staff didn't know anything about their selection or more than was on the bottle. You're on your own if you enter, but do enter.
Reviewed by i630 from California
4/5 rDev +3.4%
4/5 rDev +3.4%
Texas Liquor has the 2nd best selection in North County Coastal area. It is open during the day, which the PP bottle shop is not. The selection is good, and the prices are very reasonable. This is especially true if you buy a decent amount of beer. As we all know, craft beers aren't ever the cheapest. Texas usually has deals posted that give you discounts on your 7th 22oz bomber or your 11th & 12th 22oz bomber. If you're resourceful, you can put together a nice craft brew package. The service is available, but not overly insightful. There is always plenty of parking since it is adjacent to the Albertsons. I always recommend stopping in on your way to PP, especially if you're buying more than just a few bottles.
May 04, 2010Reviewed by yemenmocha from Arizona
4.15/5 rDev +7.2%
4.15/5 rDev +7.2%
Great location down the road from Carlsbad Port Pizza place. Good but not great selection, on the pricey side a little, and some of my beers that aren't supposed to have floaties in them have floaties. Grrrr.
Pleasant service overall, and parking wasn't a problem. They were actually open during the day, unlike the "bottle shop" adjacent to the Port Pizza.
Not all of the stock is necessarily on the shelf or refrigerator, so ask if there's more in the back. Also I'd refrain from purchasing the ones up at the register counter getting all of the outside light.
Apr 02, 2010Pleasant service overall, and parking wasn't a problem. They were actually open during the day, unlike the "bottle shop" adjacent to the Port Pizza.
Not all of the stock is necessarily on the shelf or refrigerator, so ask if there's more in the back. Also I'd refrain from purchasing the ones up at the register counter getting all of the outside light.
Reviewed by schuey1010 from California
4.15/5 rDev +7.2%
4.15/5 rDev +7.2%
Having seen the big sign on the wall, "BEST BEER SELECTION IN SAN DIEGO", I had to stop and check things out. The bottle shop was a bit empty too, so I would have been leaving Carlsbad empty handed.
I first noticed the stocked cooler of Scuplin, (which was nowhere to be found at the bottle shop). Then I noticed the buy 5 get one for a nickel, and the buy ten get two for a nickel. They had this sign in every door except where the Sculpin and others were so I figured I was outta luck. I asked, and he confirmed that all the singles were on that deal.
Their prices seemed reasonable to me too, unlike the earlier review from a couple years ago. The sculpin was $7.99 a bottle, which is the same price down at BP I believe. I also got a bottle of Victory at Sea (which I had earlier on draft at Stone) for $7.99, and a Sea Monster as well for the same price.
All said and done, I got 8 sculpin, the sea monster, victory at sea, and two other IPA's, one from Shipyard, and one from Oggi's for $86 with tax and CRV. Right around seven dollars a bottle for all those seemed like a great deal considering what I would normally pay for them.
Feb 17, 2010I first noticed the stocked cooler of Scuplin, (which was nowhere to be found at the bottle shop). Then I noticed the buy 5 get one for a nickel, and the buy ten get two for a nickel. They had this sign in every door except where the Sculpin and others were so I figured I was outta luck. I asked, and he confirmed that all the singles were on that deal.
Their prices seemed reasonable to me too, unlike the earlier review from a couple years ago. The sculpin was $7.99 a bottle, which is the same price down at BP I believe. I also got a bottle of Victory at Sea (which I had earlier on draft at Stone) for $7.99, and a Sea Monster as well for the same price.
All said and done, I got 8 sculpin, the sea monster, victory at sea, and two other IPA's, one from Shipyard, and one from Oggi's for $86 with tax and CRV. Right around seven dollars a bottle for all those seemed like a great deal considering what I would normally pay for them.
Reviewed by ocmpoma from California
3.7/5 rDev -4.4%
3.7/5 rDev -4.4%
visited on 23 Jan 10:
Stopped by today to poke around. As a side note, they've got a broad selection liquor.
On-topic, I was impressed with their selection. Lots of Belgians, plenty of crafts. Six packs as well as singles; however, a definite problem is that the singles are all larger bottles. So, if I wanted to mix-and-match some 12oz, I'm not sure if that's doable. They did have several beers that I haven't seen around, and I grabbed a Stone Bitter Chocolate and a Ballast Point Victory at Sea.
As others have noted, their prices are a bit high. A good reference point for me is Old Rasputin XII, which I usually see for 20 or maybe 22. They had it priced at 24. So, it's not outrageous, but it does cost more. Final assessment: A good place to go if Port's Bottle Shop isn't open and I'm pressed for time.
Jan 24, 2010Stopped by today to poke around. As a side note, they've got a broad selection liquor.
On-topic, I was impressed with their selection. Lots of Belgians, plenty of crafts. Six packs as well as singles; however, a definite problem is that the singles are all larger bottles. So, if I wanted to mix-and-match some 12oz, I'm not sure if that's doable. They did have several beers that I haven't seen around, and I grabbed a Stone Bitter Chocolate and a Ballast Point Victory at Sea.
As others have noted, their prices are a bit high. A good reference point for me is Old Rasputin XII, which I usually see for 20 or maybe 22. They had it priced at 24. So, it's not outrageous, but it does cost more. Final assessment: A good place to go if Port's Bottle Shop isn't open and I'm pressed for time.
Reviewed by nomomentwasted from Oregon
4/5 rDev +3.4%
4/5 rDev +3.4%
I work up here a few days a week in Carlsbad, and stopped by here on my lunch break. The element of surprise was definitely in effect, and I was pretty excited to see the rare beers they stock. Lots of Allagash, La Chouffe, Deschutes, Stone, some Russian River (Consecration, Temptation, Pliny/Blind Pig) good Belgians, large six pack selection, and really just a lot of harder-to-find brews all really nicely shelved and stocked.
My excitement was a bit curtailed, however, by the prices. I don't have a ton of money to spend, so I only buy a bottle or two of nice stuff at a time, and their single-bottle prices are steep. Chimay Blue, which is a nice bench-mark beer, is 14 bucks, whereas it's 11 in many other places in San Diego. Pliny and Blind Pig are 7 a bottle as well, which is more than most anywhere else.
Their saving grace may be their buy 5, get the 6th for a nickel, or buy 10 and get 2 for a nickel a piece, which ain't half bad, IF YOU HAVE IT.
I will be stopping by here again to pick some stuff up, just since it saves me the drive. I will probably only do so when I am buying in bulk, however. Still, quite a cool find and worth checking out for a big haul.
Sep 09, 2009My excitement was a bit curtailed, however, by the prices. I don't have a ton of money to spend, so I only buy a bottle or two of nice stuff at a time, and their single-bottle prices are steep. Chimay Blue, which is a nice bench-mark beer, is 14 bucks, whereas it's 11 in many other places in San Diego. Pliny and Blind Pig are 7 a bottle as well, which is more than most anywhere else.
Their saving grace may be their buy 5, get the 6th for a nickel, or buy 10 and get 2 for a nickel a piece, which ain't half bad, IF YOU HAVE IT.
I will be stopping by here again to pick some stuff up, just since it saves me the drive. I will probably only do so when I am buying in bulk, however. Still, quite a cool find and worth checking out for a big haul.
Reviewed by rmaste6282 from California
3.35/5 rDev -13.4%
3.35/5 rDev -13.4%
Well everyone else already said the story about being only a few blocks away from PP Carlsbad, and being pricey, but I had to chime in. The Pliny is $6.99 a bottle, and a Dorado was $8.99, that is $1.50 more than anywhere else. They try to make it a deal by buying 6, the 7th is a nickel, but they are consistently over priced. It's too bad, because they have a pretty good selection, especially California beers. The guys in there don't know too much about beer, but they seemed friendly enough. Maybe they will read these reviews and change their pricing.
Jun 02, 2009Reviewed by sloejams from Oregon
4.15/5 rDev +7.2%
4.15/5 rDev +7.2%
On my brief trip from LA to SD, I was hoping to get some beer adventure in. Sadly, that didn't happen in SD itself, so I figured I could stop in at Pizza Port Carlsbad for a drink and a growler fill. But was there just a wee bit too early and had to get my buddy back to LA post haste. From the Strong Ale Fest, I remembered hearing about Texas Liquor being decent so I figured it was my last SD county hope.
Strolled in and was greeted by a friendly shopkeep. I saw a pretty impressive selection of tasty treats, many of which I wasn't able to easily attain in Los Angeles. This made me quite happy. Some of the sticker prices seemed higher than I expected, but that came out in the wash since I purchased 6 beers - get the seventh one (lowest priced of them all) for 5 cents. The ones I picked up were all bombers in the $5-$7 range except the exceptional Dissident which was $12.99.
This is fine shop, perhaps not the shop that the Pizza Port Bottle Shop is down the road. But definitely worth a stop if you are in Carlsbad.
Nov 04, 2008Strolled in and was greeted by a friendly shopkeep. I saw a pretty impressive selection of tasty treats, many of which I wasn't able to easily attain in Los Angeles. This made me quite happy. Some of the sticker prices seemed higher than I expected, but that came out in the wash since I purchased 6 beers - get the seventh one (lowest priced of them all) for 5 cents. The ones I picked up were all bombers in the $5-$7 range except the exceptional Dissident which was $12.99.
This is fine shop, perhaps not the shop that the Pizza Port Bottle Shop is down the road. But definitely worth a stop if you are in Carlsbad.
Reviewed by raiser from California
3.85/5 rDev -0.5%
3.85/5 rDev -0.5%
I went to Texas Liquor on July 3rd 2008 while in town for the holiday. Was very impressed that almost half the store is dedicated to craft beer. They have a HUGE display cooler fridge running down the entire wall filled with cold beer goodies and shelving across from it with the same stuff at room temp.
I have to admit the prices were not the best around, but they had several items there that were of interest and the buy 5 bottles and get 1 for a nickel is the selling point. So I bought 10 bottles (22oz/750ml) and got 2 for a nickel each (12 total). I believe the total was around $80 and under $7.00 a bottle out the door. I can't really complain as I recall getting some interesting stuff.
After I paid he gave me a business card good for $10 off my next $50 purchase. Since I don't live there I still have it. I guess I might have to try and make use of it next time I am in town.
Anyway I think if you are a regular customer and buy in some volume the discounts can be had here. Obviously as a convenience liquor store they have to price primarily for the 40oz carry-out customer.
As for the service I think they are below par in that regard, but the selection and proximity to Pizza Port more than makes up for it IMHO. Worth a stop if you are in the area, just have a clue what the beers you are buying are really worth.
Sep 10, 2008I have to admit the prices were not the best around, but they had several items there that were of interest and the buy 5 bottles and get 1 for a nickel is the selling point. So I bought 10 bottles (22oz/750ml) and got 2 for a nickel each (12 total). I believe the total was around $80 and under $7.00 a bottle out the door. I can't really complain as I recall getting some interesting stuff.
After I paid he gave me a business card good for $10 off my next $50 purchase. Since I don't live there I still have it. I guess I might have to try and make use of it next time I am in town.
Anyway I think if you are a regular customer and buy in some volume the discounts can be had here. Obviously as a convenience liquor store they have to price primarily for the 40oz carry-out customer.
As for the service I think they are below par in that regard, but the selection and proximity to Pizza Port more than makes up for it IMHO. Worth a stop if you are in the area, just have a clue what the beers you are buying are really worth.
Reviewed by jakekohut from California
1.5/5 rDev -61.2%
1.5/5 rDev -61.2%
Wow! So I dropped by this place today just to see if they happened to have any Blind Pig in stock because the Port Bottle shop was sold out and I was stunned, they wanted $6.99 per bottle of Blind pig! I mean seriously I will never support this store after they price gouge over a beer that is sold at other places for $4.99 and they had pliny just sitting out in the open area with sunlight directly on it selling for 7.99 a bottle! They do have a good selection but any place that is into screwing customers over is no place I will spend my money. Thanks
Sep 07, 2008Reviewed by Floydster from California
4.3/5 rDev +11.1%
4.3/5 rDev +11.1%
Got off at Carlsbad Village Drive and drove only about a block or two, stopped here for one reason alone yesterday and that was the fact that they had Black Butte XX and 20th Anniversary Wit from Deschutes, could not find this stuff anywhere and was relieved to finally see some when I walked into this place, they had it in fridges and advertised out on the floor, location was literally right down the street from Pizza Port Carlsbad, huge selection but not really compared to the bottle shop or Holiday, still a nice surprise, spent twenty dollars on some change on those two bottles, this place had a lot of beer and mostly everything from down south in that area, even some older Lost Abbey beers, newer Belgians that recently made it into the United States, all the Bruery's bottles, Stone, Green Flash, Alesmith including the past two years of Decadence, Coronado, Lightning, Russian River, Firestone, Alpine, etc., place looked like a pretty standard liquor store with the cash register at the front, it was very clean which is expected more so in this area, lots of beer and I cannot emphasize that enough because i did not expect to see such a gigantic selection, will be stopping here from now on, especially when I go to Pizza Port, guy at the front was pretty cool and did not say much but friendly at the same time, a little expensive but worth it with the variety and rarity of some of the beers they are carrying
Jul 22, 2008
Texas Liquor in Carlsbad, CA
Place rating:
3.87 out of
5 with
50 ratings
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