John's Grocery Inc.

When you walk in it is a traditional mom & pop style local grocery store. Really good selection of beer (as well as wine and other liquors). As far as beer goes, there is a very good selection of Belgian beers, along with a decent selection of German and British beers. Some nice vintages (especially of J. W. Lees Harvest, '99 to present and various selections of barrel aged ones). Also a good selection of American beers (at least for ones available in Iowa it is very good). There is a large walk in cooler area full of American beers. The back of that cooler has different Macro selections though. They also have a John's Mystery pack of 24 beers for $20. It has some random beers, don't expect anything great but you get your moneys worth.

The people that work the beer department are pretty knowledgeable about beer and make good recommendations. Fun to talk to about beer and as long as they don't need to help someone, they are more than happy to talk beer with you.

The quality is good and they try to keep the beers as fresh as possible. They do what is possible to maintain there beer in ideal conditions.

Price is about what you would expect. Sometimes they have some nice sales on some decent things. Average price and it is normal to lower price for what you would expect in Iowa.

They now also own the place next door to the actual grocery store to hold their massive selection of glassware. Pretty good prices and a number of different glasses. You also get a free glass if you purchase $100 worth of beer (which you easily could do).

A great beer store, and one of the best or the best in Iowa. Really good selection for Iowa, really helpful and nice employees with a good price and quality. If you are in Iowa City or around the area check this place out. Highly recommend, especially given that it is a mom & pop style store that is great to support.

Also RIP John Alberhasky, I thought this would be a good day to express how much I appreciate your store. In Heaven there is now beer.

There's a lot to like about John's Grocery in Iowa City. You walk in and you feel like you've walked into a small grocery store. Shelves are kept well, and you're wondering as you're walking through the maze how to get to the beer. You'll see a sign which will point you into that direction, and the beer section can be divided into two parts; shelves of mostly imports, and a big walk in cooler of American beer. Many stores have begun to skimp on imports for American beers, however the imports also shine here. Lots of JW Lee's and Fuller's Vintage Ale on the shelves, Tynt Meadow, some lesser common German brands, and oh my that cooler has some surprises. Union Jack IPA for sale six weeks after its canning date, yes please! There's a strong level of commitment to beer freshness here, which is impressive for its inventory; I don't see leftover Dieu du Ciel that I bought from here three years ago which other stores may try to hang on to. Solid selection of beer glassware for sale too. Visible prices on the beers, quick checkout, a floor employee who helped me and was able to talk beer with me. This store is a winner

It's called Dirty John's because for years it was an unkempt neighborhood corner store. It was dirty.
It's not now but grown ups know that story about playboy magazine is a bunch of hooey.
People love John's. The selection changes with frequency. Convince whoever is working in the beer room to show you the basement. It's worth it.
Take a ride in the dumb waiter. It's worth it.
Sells more PBR than anything else, but the selection can be pretty awesome and there's freebies.
The staff is great.
Dig it.

This is the best beer-buying experience you can get. Friendly and helpful staff, good fried chicken, and a cozy environment with excellent selection and solid sales. Good events quite often too!

 

Doesn't seem like there is a recent review here so I figured I'd provide one. Stopped in here yesterday and was very impressed. Its a small simple grocery with a wine room and a beer room & walk-in cooler. Beer selection is quite impressive with a substantial craft lineup both in the beer room and the walk in cooler as well as a very nice selection of imports. With the imports there were lots of options however many were quite dusty and old. Store offered a nice singles section both in the beer room and in the beer cooler. Overall the selection was outstanding and a must stop for anyone in the area looking for craft beer. The beer manager Chris was really nice and was helpful in making recommendations.

 

 

Great find during my weekend in IA. Will definitely be back!

 

 

Unpretentious neighborhood corner grocery store featuring a "beer room" with a world-class selection of over 3,000 beers. John's boasts one of the largest selections of Belgian beers outside of Belgium, plus many from Germany, eastern Europe, and the UK as well. Everything is well organized by country and style. Go to their web site (johnsgrocery.com) and take the video tour to get a feel for what this place is like. You won't be disappointed.

 

 

 

Best place for beer and spirits in all of Iowa and maybe beyond.

 

 

 

 

 

A small grocery downtown.
They seemed to have a good selection. Nothing blew me away though. Its a grocery store so you can get some foods of course.
I'd recommend stopping if you are in the area.

Great place, a real surprise in Iowa. Lots of great beer to choose from. Most of the American craft beers are in the cooler so they are ready for drinking!

 

 

Best beer selection in town!

 

It's a little cramped, but it has a good selection and you are going to get decent service. Definitely worth going to if you are in the area.

 

 

Always stop in here when I'm in Iowa City...selection is consistently strong and broad.