Dorn's

Dorn'sDorn's
Dorn'sDorn's
Store

4140 NW 16th Blvd
Gainesville, Florida, 32605-3506
United States

(352) 378-0229 | map
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.87
Reviews:
24
Ratings:
28
pDev:
16.28%
View: Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
 
Rated: 4.09 by KensWorld from Florida

Oct 29, 2017
 
Rated: 4 by Satorn from Florida

Feb 12, 2017
 
Rated: 3.44 by Squire from Mississippi

Jun 26, 2016
Photo of Graham19840
Reviewed by Graham19840 from Florida

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3
Mainly a wine shop but has a decent selection of beer. Sometimes a couple surprises too. Also they have fine cheeses and are a liquor store. They do occasional wine and liquor tastings.
May 29, 2016
Photo of ZBowden
Reviewed by ZBowden from Florida

4.49/5  rDev +16%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 5 | selection: 4.5
This place has an interesting selection of beer, they have a lot of mikkeller beers and others you won't typically find, not too much local stuff but you can get that almost anywhere. The guy behind the counter was cool, willing to help and friendly.
Dec 10, 2015
Photo of DoctorZombies
Reviewed by DoctorZombies from Florida

4.19/5  rDev +8.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3
Great local package store. Allows single bottle buys. Competitive pricing. Wish it would expand selections. To update (7/27/15) I went last week and there are more beers, especially from overseas at very reasonable prices. Staff and owner Tom are super friendly and always helpful.
Feb 01, 2015
 
Rated: 2.25 by flbrewdaddy from Florida

Jul 02, 2014
Photo of TomB
Reviewed by TomB from Florida

3.51/5  rDev -9.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.75 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3
I go here once in a while hoping they might have something that the other beer/liqour/wine stores in town don't have or sold out of.

Service is good, though they have certain employees who specialize in their knowledge of beer, wine, or liquor. The beer guy is always friendly and knows his stuff, but if he's not there the other guys are just employees who while friendly and helpful aren't always able to answer questions about if or when they might have a certain brew you're looking for.

Dorn's is definitely geared more towards the Wine and Cheese crowd rather than the Craft Beer crowd. They have added some new variety to their beer selection(s), but the shelves throughout the store (beer and liquor section alike) always have gaping bare spots that look as if they simply don't order enough to fill the shelves or they're going out of business and starting to liquidate.

Not a bad place, but if you're looking for a larger variety of Craft Beer to choose from, I'd check Gator Beverage or Tipples before heading to Dorns.
Sep 10, 2013
Photo of cirtap
Reviewed by cirtap from Florida

3.43/5  rDev -11.4%
vibe: 2 | quality: 3 | service: 5 | selection: 3
I went on a weekday and was the only person in the store. First of all the service was excellent, the person at the desk was very friendly and told me about their weekly beer tastings. I asked what they had lined up this week and he went over all the beers they were opening. The list was pretty simple but it's a good concept for people just getting into craft beer.

As for the store itself, the selection left something to be desired. They had a few coolers of craft beer but mostly average stuff, and a shelf to the side had tallboys and 750's but mostly your usual stuff like Chimay. The prices were reasonable, but the selection wasn't good enough to make me a regular customer. I would definitely attend their beer tastings though because they are cheap and serve food as well.
May 31, 2011
Photo of aepb1
Reviewed by aepb1 from Maine

3.25/5  rDev -16%
A nice selection of bombers. Mostly belgians and they are just starting to get more local bombers too (local being tampa in this case).

They are a little more attentive to their wine shoppers or even cheese shoppers... they will engage in beer conversation if you start it but don't expect to be more than just greeted if you walk in and head back to the beer.

The price can be a little more than others but it's made up for by their bomber selection.

Overall, if you're in the neighborhood, I recommend you stop by if only to see some local beers.
Sep 18, 2010
Photo of bigguns68
Reviewed by bigguns68 from Florida

3.8/5  rDev -1.8%
I have been going to Dorns for years. They have decreased their beer selection, disappointing, but they do have a great wine selection, and the staff have always been courteous and knowledgeable. I will stop in time to time when I'm on that side of town but I don't go out of my way to find out its all the same beer selections. If you've never been then I would recommend going to at least get first hand experience of what they offer. Who knows, they may have something you can't live without.

I would say depending on what you buy, certain items may be pricier than others.
Aug 17, 2010
Photo of cb2rn
Reviewed by cb2rn from Florida

2.3/5  rDev -40.6%
Was in Gainesville today for another reason and I figured I would swing by to pick up a few Belgians. I found it to have a poor selection, not much better than the grocery store next door. A Chimay, a Westmalle, and a few assorted craft beers. Like another reviewer stated, this is primarily a wine shop (although I wasn't impressed with their selection of that either). If you are interested in generically available craft beers from Bell's, Dogfish Head, Shocktop, etc, then this is your place. If not, don't go out of your way.
Jul 07, 2010
Photo of PorterLambic
Reviewed by PorterLambic from Florida

4.2/5  rDev +8.5%
Considering this is foremost a wine shop, the selection was quite good. The build-you-own six-pack is nice,too.
Managed to pick up a few new things and that gets harder every day. :^{) The gourmet sodas from Sprecher and others was unexpected and quite cool as the wife doesn't share my fondness for the brewers art.
Very nicely laid out store, beer in the back but visible from the front door. The two guys working were friendly and helpful. The store was clean throughout.
Selection was good, not just a place full of megas and regionals and some token craft brews.
I put them in my GPS as a favorite for my next trip to the area.
Jan 17, 2010
Photo of drabmuh
Reviewed by drabmuh from Maryland

4.15/5  rDev +7.2%
Dorn's is a liquor, beer, and wine store with a cheese counter attached. They have a huge selection of wine and a decent selection of beer with several dozen different varieties. They sell beer both individually and in six packs (mostly cooled) along a wall of coolers. You can easily find several Belgians and craft American brewery selections such as Abita and Dogfish head. This place is a staple of mine in Gainesville. The last time I was there I picked up a 4 pack of Samichlaus bier for about 15$, pretty cheap for that beer.
I have never asked any of the staff for advice on beer but they are very helpful when it comes to wine and cheese. On the weekends there is usually a free wine tasting and a cheese tasting. It is a very chill atmosphere and there is no pressure. You are allowed to assemble your own six pack of beer. A very cool place.
Aug 28, 2009
Photo of azorie
Reviewed by azorie from Florida

3.55/5  rDev -8.3%
Well me and wife made the decision to visit Gainesville for the afternoon, so we hit beerfly and printed out the maps and this was 2nd place we hit. Its In a shopping center about half way.

It's a wine store mainlyand beer is back in left hand corner. They have a small selection of Belgians, but its a decent selection. I also seen some Dale's stuff you not get in Jacksonville. The main thing here is wine of course and cheese. Now I would go here just for the cheese, not sure how they do it, but they got real cheese in here. Well at least the labels seem to be the real deal. Anyway there were a few gems but nothing all that great. service was not really an issue as we were just looking mainly. we did buy some great cheese and a few bottles of Gueuze. If your ever nearby check it out, but come for the cheese and wine selection not the beer so much.
Jul 15, 2009
Photo of wspscott
Reviewed by wspscott from Kentucky

4/5  rDev +3.4%
My wife and I loved Dorn's in grad school for the wine prices, 3 years ago the beer selection was not that great.

We stopped in on a trip to FL a couple weeks ago to stock up on wine. The wine selection was still great, but more to the point, the beer selection has improved immensely. This is still not a place with a huge selection, but I picked up some Oskar Blues, Smuttynose, Weyerbacher, and a couple of random singles (they have no problem with selling singles). Prices were reasonable.

I talked a bit with the guy doing the beer tastings (a manager?), he is a definite advocate for beer. I wish Dorn's was doing the beer tastings when I live in town, sounds like a good time.

If you are passing through Gainesville on I-75 Dorn's may be worth the stop depending on where in FL you are heading, the state can be a very difficult place for a BA.
Mar 31, 2009
Photo of mitchellc
Reviewed by mitchellc from Florida

4.7/5  rDev +21.4%
Dorn's is kind of my go-to place whenever I am putting together a nice meal. In addition to the beer, they have a great cheese selection, a great wine selection, and are one of the few places in town to get locally-roasted Sweetwater Coffee. It's kind of a cornucopia of all of my guilty pleasures. It doesn't hurt that Fresh Market and Uppercrust Bakery are in the same shopping center, either.

Now, to the beer selection. As others have mentioned, they have a very nice selection of 750 mL bottles. However, I usually prefer 12 oz. to 500 mL bottles, and this is where my favorite part comes in: everything can be purchased for a reasonable price as a single. When I wanted to try the Okocim Palone that they had in the fridge (which comes as a shrink wrapped four-pack), they told me to just open it up and take one out. I don't remember the exact price, but I'm pretty sure it was less than $3. That's a lot easier for me to swallow than $11 or $12 for four.

They are not a beer megastore, and do not claim to be, either. They keep a good selection on-hand, though, which seems to rotate out quite frequently. Even if they don't have what you came in for, it should be noted that you will still leave with something that you're satisfied with.

I have yet to try it, but they offer themed beer tastings the first Tuesday of every month. I believe the cost is $15 and includes a take-home glass.

Update 28 March 2010:

Something that must be noted is that if they do not carry something, ask them about it. They will request it from their suppliers and get it in for you if all possible. It seems like they operate on the principle that if one person wants it, then a dozen others probably do, too.
Mar 26, 2009
Photo of mullenite
Reviewed by mullenite from Florida

4.3/5  rDev +11.1%
Went on my first trip to Dorn's today and I have to say I was very impressed, they had an excellent selection of 750ml bottles including Brooklyn Local 1, St. Somewhere, Chimay, Ommegang, and St. Bernarbus. They had two and a half shelfs for a warm beer selection and probably 5 or 6 cooler doors, though I didn't count.

Most of the people there did not seem too interested in beer but the guy behind the counter was knowledgeable and everyone was willing to help. Not to mention we were greeted by three different people when we walked in.

Overall a very good experience and a store I will be going back to.
Aug 29, 2008
Photo of bkilpatr
Reviewed by bkilpatr from Oregon

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
Dorn's is a wine, cheese, beer, and liquor store. Though the primary emphasis is on wine and cheese, they do have a decent beer selection as well. Dogfish, Bell's, Lagunitas, Sam Smith, and Rogue are some of the breweries I saw there. There are several coolers that store beer, as well as a few shelves. They also have a good selection of 750ml sized bottles such as Chimay and Ommegang. They're also the only place in Gainesville that I've seen the St. Somewhere beers. I don't know how their service is for beer, but for wine and cheese they are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Not the best store in Gainesville in terms of beer selection and variety, but easily one of the best stores for wine and cheese.
May 25, 2008
Photo of Portertime
Reviewed by Portertime from Florida

4/5  rDev +3.4%
Dorn's is a tiny, hole-in-the wall liquor shop in Thornbrook Shopping Center in Gainesville. They have an extensive wine collection but I was really impressed with their beer selection. The last time I went they had a very good variety of 750ml sized beers on racks and a lot of different seasonals that I had never tried before. They allow the "make your own six-pack" feature which is always good t try multiple beers without having to dump a lot of money. Also, most of the brews are available warm and cold which is good if you want to try something now or age it for later. They also offer a good selection of local brewery like Dunedin and Florida Beer Company. For their size they do have a lot to offer.
May 12, 2008
Photo of scottyshades
Reviewed by scottyshades from Florida

4.7/5  rDev +21.4%
This is the best place in Gainesville...
Service:Not only are the staff very friendly and knowledgeable, but they host wine and beer tastings...

Service: The staff is more than willing to help you find a beer or give selections...also, after buying some Hitachino Nest White Ale, I decided to buy some tonic for my vodka...the cashier noted that the tonic was a week past the expiration date so he gave it to me for free...

Also, when asking about the beer tastings, he said that the representatives that come to the tastings give out pint glasses to the tasters (Delirium was there last). when i bought my beer he gave me 2 glasses for free

The beer selection is good...they have all of the typical craft beers in 6/12 pack form...but where they shine is the 750ml beers...hard to find ones such as Hitachino Nest among others that you cant find anywhere but here
Apr 09, 2008
Photo of Zeckster
Reviewed by Zeckster from North Carolina

4.15/5  rDev +7.2%
Well first off I need to stress that Dorn's is a wine liquor and cheese store first. Purveyor of fine beers second. With that in mind they have an good selection of Beers, including the only Brooklyn Local 1 I've seen in town.

I know their staff is well versed when it comes with wine and cheese. However, I think they might be a little spotty about what beers to recommend. However, the staff is very helpful and kind so I don't know for sure.

They do have some beers I haven't seen in Wards at Gator Bev, but it's a bit of a trek for me.

***Update***
Dorn's just got a whole mess of new beer fridges installed and they look fantastic. I think they might have a new person in charge of the beer selection too, because the its totally good now. Also the past few times I've talked to the beer buyer and he's been super helpful. Totally a step-up.

They seem to love the Belgians, you'll find a few racks of the stuff. However, there's a good mix of other beers I haven't seen in town. A few from Kiuchi and the St. Somewhere.
Jan 22, 2008
Photo of ridedammit
Reviewed by ridedammit from New Zealand

4.35/5  rDev +12.4%
I agree with most of the other posters. dorn's is the best place in Hogtown
to get a quality beer selection. Since A and I liked wine and cheese,
it was a great place to get what we wanted. The selection was not
overwhelming but I would always find a different selection. They had
core beers (the unibroue stuff was always there), but the staff would
experimant a bit by briging in new stuff.

I would normally hit Gator Bev, since it was a 10 minute bike ride from my
old house, but anytime we were in west gainesville with a car we would
drop by.
Apr 28, 2006
Photo of Loki
Reviewed by Loki from North Carolina

3.55/5  rDev -8.3%
Quality: Very good line of craft beers. The only thing they had that I can't get in NC was Jolly Pumpkin, but if I lived here I would be pretty happy with the selection.

Service: Don't know, they were busy. I didn't need help and I was in and out.

Selection: Good, not great, but good. Several varieties of micros, imports, and craft beers. Selection is really just above average, enough to keep you sated, but not blow your mind.

Value: Prices seemed fair, didn't examine them too much as I didn't see much that I couldn't get at home.

Overall an average Wine, Beer, and Liquor store with above average beer selection.
Apr 04, 2006
Photo of LuckySevens82
Reviewed by LuckySevens82 from Florida

2.85/5  rDev -26.4%
So on my recent trip back up to Gainesville, I made it a point to check this place out.

Judging by the other reviews, I was expecting a lot more. As stated by someone previously, Dorn's is mostly a wine shop (and they do have A LOT of wine). There is also a small counter in the back that sells a wide variety of cheese, which was nice.

Tucked away in the back are several coolers with beer and a couple of racks with single beers on them. The selection of beers, while not terrible, is by no means great. They had a lot of Dogfish Head, some belgians, and a few others (ie. Jolly Pumpkin, Lost Coast, and Rogue).

The refrigerated cases weren't much better than the racks, with pretty much the same selection.

Service wasn't nearly as good for myself as it was for others. While I am sure that the folks there know their stuff about what they sell, my friends and I didn't even get a courtesy "Hello" when we walked in the door, let alone any help while we were standing there looking at the beer and wine selection for nearly 20 minutes.

Overall, I would much rather go to Gator Beverage, it's closer to the University campus, it's cheaper, and has a better selection (even if the people who work there don't know anything about the beer that they sell).

Perhaps I just didn't have a good experiance, but nevertheless, I'd rather spend my money at GB.
May 09, 2005
Photo of movingshadow152
Reviewed by movingshadow152 from Florida

4.7/5  rDev +21.4%
I consider Dorn's the premier store in Gainesville to find quality beer. While their only competitor, Gator Beverage, probably has a greater variety of beers, Dorn's consistently delivers on the quality of what they have available. The owner clearly goes out of his way to offer beers that he's never carried before on each order. Dorn's may not have every brew by a particular brewery, but they will almost always have the best examples of every brewery/style that they can order.

Like others have stated, the staff of this store are extremely knowledgeable about their products, and seem to try nearly everything they order. While this seems to be primarily a wine store, the owner and his wife appreciate great beer as well. I would consider Dorn's a connoisseur's store, offering only the best wine, beer, cheese, and even chocolates. Definitely recommended!
Mar 28, 2005
Photo of gabe
Reviewed by gabe from Florida

4.65/5  rDev +20.2%
As the other review states, this place is a wine store first. They do also offer, however, a fairly decent sized selection of liquors, cheeses, and specialty beers. The employees are very knowledgable on their offerings and are more than willing to offer their advice, help with pairings, etc. Very freindly people. I was impressed with the beer selection. They had most of the Rogue stuff, Chimay, Corsendonk, Duchesse, Unibroue, etc. Overall it is a good selection and a good cross section of many of the beers we all love to drink.
Oct 04, 2004
Photo of SetarconeX
Reviewed by SetarconeX from Florida

4.15/5  rDev +7.2%
Dorn's, I have to admit, is first and foremost a wine shop. I buy almost all my wine there, and wine is what the employees specialize in. That, and cheese.

They do, however, have one of the best selections of decent beer in Gainesville, perhaps slightly edged out by Gator Beverage, which is on entirely the wrong side of town for me. Most notably is a decent cross section of some of Rogue breweries better brews, and just about everything that Orkney Brewery puts out. They are also, as far as I know, the only shop in Gainesville which sells mead.

Well worth checking out.
Oct 25, 2003
Dorn's in Gainesville, FL
Place rating: 3.87 out of 5 with 28 ratings