Cap N Cork Liquor

Cap N Cork LiquorCap N Cork Liquor
Cap N Cork LiquorCap N Cork Liquor
Store

1674 Hillhurst Ave
Los Angeles, California, 90027-5532
United States

(323) 665-1260 | map
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.89
Reviews:
20
Ratings:
26
pDev:
15.68%
View: Place Reviews
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Ratings by sloejams:
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Reviewed by sloejams from Oregon

4/5  rDev +2.8%
EDIT 1/31/07

Cap N Cork has fallen on some rough times. It used to be so good. Now the local section has taking a beating. There are still plenty of good local beers but the harder to find ones haven't been replenished in ages. It seems that management got a little carried away. They still have one of the best selection of Belgians around. I hope it can get back to its former self

OLD SCORE: 4.7

Cap N Cork is one of the best places to purchase beers in Los Angeles. The selection is on par with any other LA establishment: not the extensive variety of Bevmo but certainly the selections are better (one word: Fantome). It’s very similar to Red Carpet in Glendale, not an enormous beer area and all refrigerated – but with better prices. On Hillhurst, in Los Feliz, it’s a hip area (the new Beck album mentions the shop on his latest CD) but judging from their inventory, it’s an area not yet hip to quality beer. I live a 5 minute drive away, so I’m in there all of the time.

The proprietor (perhaps also the owner?) and a couple of the other clerks are knowledgeable and open to recommendations for future stock. They definitely have a small loyal base of beer fanatics, when something special comes in – it won’t be there long. The prices are decent – sometimes exceptional, sometimes a little much, more often than not it will be fine. I’m always looking for new spots to get great beer in LA; I’ve tried most of the usual suspects on Beerfly and still rate Cap N Cork amongst the best of them.

Beers regularly available (that you may not find elsewhere) - Belgian: Fantome, Achel. Orval, Petrus, Piraat, Karmeliet, Duinen, Kasteel, Duvel, Delirium, Augustin
US: Victory, Avery, Angel City, Bear Republic, Left Hand, Alesmith, Ommegang, North Coast, Anderson Valley, Lost Coast, Lagunitas, Mendocino, Rogue and many of the Unibroues from Canada
Nov 09, 2005
More User Ratings:
Photo of JayORear
Reviewed by JayORear from Pennsylvania

3.44/5  rDev -11.6%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5
Another one of those spots that I'll drop into, but won't make a special trip for. In many ways, it's your average bottle shop with a better-than-average beer selection. The staff can be a little aloof, and aren't that knowledgable about the stock, and no one has ever gone out of their way to help me the way they do at Bill's. The one thing they have going for them is that they'll sometimes have a crazy amount of some hard-to-find beer. For example, back when Backyard Rye first came out, they probably had three dozen bombers on the shelves with no limit. They've had some of the scarcer local stuff, Noble, etc., in serious quantity. I just get the feeling that those are the result of accident or happenstance, rather than any curated approach to purchasing.
Jan 04, 2017
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Reviewed by xxxxxxxxxxxxx from California

3/5  rDev -22.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3
Cap N Cork Liquor is a store that sells many varieties of craft, international, and macro beers. I am the person who posted the Cap N Cork Liquor photo.
May 24, 2015
 
Rated: 4.51 by Thepleasantimbiber from California

Mar 03, 2015
 
Rated: 4.25 by DCLAguy11 from California

Nov 19, 2014
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Rated by mig100 from Texas

3.75/5  rDev -3.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 2 | selection: 4.5
Neat and tidy, great selection. Just don't expect any of the people that work here to be nice to you or give a shit about you whatsoever lol
Aug 11, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by BeerBeast from Florida

Jun 08, 2014
 
Rated: 4.25 by SuperMario from California

Feb 15, 2014
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Reviewed by EchoParker from California

4.17/5  rDev +7.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.5
Cap N Cork has the largest selection of fine craft beers in the area. It is not Bevmo but they have a better product mix and it almost all refrigerated. Nice place but no real vibe.

The go to place if you live in Silver Lake or Los Feliz or Hollywood.

Great destination for quality liquor too.

George is the beer guy and he know his stuff. The other guys are soso at best.

Easy parking and good prices.
Feb 09, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by GRG1313 from California

Nov 19, 2013
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Reviewed by Jugs_McGhee from Colorado

3.4/5  rDev -12.6%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3.75
I live within walking distance of the Cap N Cork, so I end up coming here whenever I run out of beer or just want to poke in and see what's new. First things first: the employees are absolutely clueless. At best, they know if they're getting Deschutes The Abyss or not. I've tried to talk to them about breweries and upcoming seasonals and whatnot, and it's clear that they have no idea what I'm talking about.

No food is served here, but you can buy snacks. Just not pretzels. Chips but not pretzels. The horror!

Selection is above average, but they rarely get anything truly limited or special. A few overpriced bottles of red poppy sat here for a few months before someone cleaned them out. What I like about the Cap N Cork is that they frequently have variety boxes from breweries - moreso than you'll find at the Vons down the road. They also have a decent selection of six packs, but never the more sought after 6ers like Lagunitas Sucks. There's a fair amount of German and Belgian imports, but little of note. If you're after a year round six pack or if you're looking for an uncommon Californian bomber, this might be a good bottle shop to visit - if you don't mind paying a little more than you would elsewhere.

I usually see Lagunitas, Stone, Bear Republic, Victory, a couple Lost Abbey, Rogue, and various west coast options here. They have some stuff from Oregon but nothing like Cascade. Even their Deschutes selection is usually lackluster; they don't often carry even the seasonals. I've also seen Green Flash and Old Rasputin ($8.99 a four pack). Alesmith Speedway Stout is $11.99 here; that's $1.00 more than most places and & $1.50 more than BevMo! They do carry Sierra Nevada if that's your bag; I know they got Narwhal earlier this year (albeit at $10.99 a four pack). I've never seen Alpine here, but they did have The Bruery Oude Tart at an obscene price.

They don't seem to care about the age of bottles; old IPAs would definitely sit out here.

Elsewise, it's nothing to write home about. Just a decent bottle shop that really only makes sense for local residents in my opinion.

B-
Jan 19, 2013
Photo of mikedrinksbeer2
Reviewed by mikedrinksbeer2 from California

3.73/5  rDev -4.1%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4
This is a nice store for the area. They have a vast wine inventory, in addition to tall wall of hard liquors. The entire back wall is a beer cooler that even wraps around the corner some. The beer is laid out in a really clear way, Styles and Location mainly sorted. It's easy to find what you're looking for. I don't always find the rarest of options, but it's a nice array (Stone, Bruery, Russian River, Abita, many Smaller CA brews as well). The Staff isn't very knowledgeable, which is a shame, but they're friendly when checking out. The Parking is a plus, and the prices are a little high.
Nov 01, 2011
Photo of ithacabaron
Reviewed by ithacabaron from California

3.9/5  rDev +0.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4
Plenty of free parking.

The store is vast, one of those SoCal classics with a twenty-foot high wall of booze and a sea of wine. Beer is kept cold -- almost all of it -- with about 12 coolers, stacked end to end. Bottles that come from here are always nice and fresh. Organized by country and style, things are easy to find and a good selection of classics (Stone, Alesmith) and hot new kids on the block (The Bruery, etc.) are easily found. Great seasonal rotation, including hard to find one-offs from local breweries.

Service is nice when you're checking out, but otherwise non-existent.

A great snapshot of what beer drinking in Los Angeles looks like right now. Prices are a bit higher than I'd like, but they always are, aren't they?
Jun 06, 2011
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Reviewed by SubpoenaDeuces from California

4/5  rDev +2.8%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 4
This location has a solid range of beers from a variety of breweries, a breadth not depth approach to vending. They have Mikkeller, Uinta, Stone, west Coast offerings, Telegraph, Alpine (thank god), and plenty of other selections. You won't find many limited runs but I have seen Utopias there which is certainly a little different than most expect. It is also open later than most wine shops and it is fairly centrally located.

This location has its own parking lot, which may seem petty but in LA this is already a sigh of relief.

The owner has a pretty good grasp on what he has and is quick to show you new offerings. All in all, a pretty solid place that I would recommend to a friend, or fellow BA.
May 31, 2011
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Reviewed by BucBasil from Rwanda

3.7/5  rDev -4.9%
I was here today and overall the place made a pretty good impression on me. The entire wall is lined with beer coolers, and there were a couple of aisles as well, although the aisles were mostly for wine and liquor. Good selection, with some things that I hadn't seen before, but nothing too crazy. Good assortment of styles and geographic regions. The staff wasn't really involved much, but everything was pretty easy to find and self explanatory. Everything inside was well kept and clean and orderly.The location is great as well, a couple of blocks away from the Vermont/Sunset metro stop and in Los Feliz. It was kind of on the pricey side, but overall a good beer shop. I think I'll be stopping here again soon.
Jan 17, 2011
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Reviewed by augustgarage from California

3.85/5  rDev -1%
I've stopped in here a handful of times over the last year, and while they frequently don't have what I came in expecting to find, I always leave with something I hadn't heard of before.

Per previous reviews, all of the beer is in a wall length refrigerated case, with each door largely corresponding to a geographical location, style, or bottle size. Quality is generally very good, although several beers don't seem to turn over very quickly, so be cautious when picking out a hefe or an ipa. On the other hand, I tend to find ales that are no longer in production as well - especially limited Belgian releases - though nothing super-rare.

Besides the single bottles, they have a wide selection of 4 and 6 packs, cans, cases, min-kegs, and so on - largely from the West Coast, but including several gems from Belgium, England, Australia, Germany, Austria, etc. Prices can be slightly high (e.g. Temptation runs almost $26; and they mark-up their top-shelf whiskey quite a bit), but overall they compare well to anywhere else in L.A.

Spirit selection is rather good, and while their single wall presentation is impressive (though I wouldn't want to be working there during a strong earthquake), it doesn't lend itself well to browsing.

Soft drinks, mixers, snacks, and a few groceries are here as well since they still try to maintain an identity as a neighborhood corner store rather than a specialized liquor emporium.

I get the impression the business is family run, so the person behind the counter can be a surly and condescending middle aged man, an earnest enthusiastic young man, a harried but kind matriarch, or any combination thereof.

Worth a visit if you are in or near the neighborhood - though try to keep an open mind about what you hope to find within.
Oct 14, 2009
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Reviewed by bcarreon from California

4.15/5  rDev +6.7%
The place was very easy to find and park in the rear of the building. What impressed me right away was the wall of liquor and spirits behind the cashier counter. There had to be hundreds of bottles, all with readable prices and labels. The rest of the store layout was organized and easy to maneuver through. I went in looking for Fantome and found it right away in numbered fridge lockers. This system allows the owner to point you in the right direction without having to leave the cashier counter. The owner was very helpful and knowledgeable on his inventory. I really enjoyed the experience and will likely come back again to look at the selection again.
Sep 04, 2008
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Reviewed by FreightTrain from California

4.15/5  rDev +6.7%
I found this to be a very good place to buy beer.

First, the beer selection was quite large by any standard and entirely refrigerated, which some people love and some hate, but I love it because I know the odds of my getting a skunked beer are reduced. The beer refrigerators wrap all the way around two long walls, and are well-lit and well-stocked.

When I visited, I found an ample selection of craft and import beers. Crafts they had at the time that I can remember: Bear Republic, Lagunitas, Port, AleSmith, Lost Abbey, Ballast Point, Avery, RR (Devotion), Allagash, Anderson Valley, Victory, Deschutes, Stone, Greenflash, and others. They only had a handful of one-off or specialty beers from those brewers, but they had all of the primary offerings. The imports were also well picked (but I can't remember them as clearly), with plenty of good German, Belgian, and British options.

I was offered assistance from the staff and they thoughtfully packaged all of my purchases in cardboard wine boxes, even when I didn't have enough bottles to fill a whole case.

All in all, I was very pleased with Cap 'n Cork and all the bottles I've opened from there have been in great condition. I would love to have this as my local beer store.
Jun 29, 2008
Photo of charlzm
Reviewed by charlzm from California

3.7/5  rDev -4.9%
Visited on Monday afternoon, 06/23/08, at about 3:30pm.

The store is very clean and well organized. Almost all of the substantial floor space is dedicated to wine, and there are lots of spirits arrayed impressively on shelves behind the counter.

The beer is kept in coolers; I didn't count, but, if memory serves, they have about eight doors of craft beer. Impressive.

Lots of bombers, individual bottles and sixers of all the usual suspects that a moderately well-stocked LA area beer store carries. Nothing out of the ordinary (no Dogfish Head, Oskar Blues or Sprecher and very little Alesmith, Russian River, Lagunitas, Bear Republic or Ballast Point, for instance).

Decent selection of Belgian and German beers, and some nice English choices as well.

Even though I live only four miles away from this place, I don't think I'll be going back unless I'm much closer. And seeing as how I have never been to this neighborhood before, despite having lived in LA for 21 years...

A note about the service: I came up to the counter with $20.00 worth of beer and wanted to shop for more, but I really needed to use the restroom. I asked politely if I could use it, and the fellow behind the counter told me, "Sorry, no."

I told him it was a shame I couldn't buy more as I had to get to a restroom fast. This didn't sway him. I probably would have spent double that much if he'd have just let me pee in their restroom.

Maybe this is why I go so far out of my way to go to Walnut Liquor or Lone Hill - they never deny the bladder needs of their customers.
Jun 24, 2008
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Reviewed by DogFood11 from California

3.85/5  rDev -1%
I drop in here from time to time although its a bit out of my usual routes so it doesn't get near enough attention from me. The entire beer supply is stored in the wall lined coolers. The owner seemed eager to talk to me about his beer stock and pointed out some new seasonal offerings they just got in. Friendly guy and motivated. He also asked for any suggestions and I told him I'd take it easy on all the organic stuff and lean on some of the better local Micro's like ballast point, Lagunitas and maybe branch out for some east coast brews.

Selection: They carried 4 or 5 offerings from Stone and Rogue. 1 cooler was well stocked with some hard to find Belgians along with the usual suspects. I picked up some triple karamelite and a few bottles of poppering hommel. The biggest downside is the selection of American Micro's was decent at best. Tons of organic offerings from various brewers. They carried the line of Santa Cruz (Ughhh). They carry a line of SLO brewing (ehhh). I was excited to find Full Sail's LTD series in six packs, that was an easy choice.

Notes: Prices were on the high side especially considering there is a bevmo just a few miles away with a selection at least on par with this. Kind of a shitty part of town. Graffiti covered the bldg across the street from the cap n cork. Worthy of a stop.
Jan 26, 2007
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Reviewed by uberabr from California

1.5/5  rDev -61.4%
I went to Cap N' Cork today to pick up some beers I havn't been able to find. Their website listed about 10 or so that I wanted. When I got there, it was immediately obvious that they didn't have all the beers listed on the site. They have 1 wall of coolers full of beers...hardly enough for the thousands they have listed online.

I ended up not finding a SINGLE beer I had come for.

I talked to the manager, disappointed by their false advertisement. He said that they used to carry all those beers because they were a litle over ambitious when they first opened, but that they ended up having to throw most of them away due to lack of sales, and consequently they offer a relatively limited selection. I mentioned that I drove about 45 minutes to get there and didn't end up finding a single beer, and the guy gave me a half-assed "sorry." I then pointed out that they might want to change their website since it is just about completely wrong. No response.

This brings me to my next point: There is a psychological principle called the Sunk Cost effect. When someone drives an hour to get to a store because they supposedly have a large selection of rare beers, they will undoubtedly feel obligated to buy SOMETHING, even if they don't find anything they were actually looking for. They end up justifying the lost time by buying something they never wanted to begin with. I feel that Cap N Cork is, intentionally or not, utilizing this principle. Why havn't they changed their website? They've figured out that in sales, the number one priority is getting the customer there, it has nothing to do with the actual product. What a lame, immoral business game.

My last point: On top of not having the beers I came for, their selection of other beers was also sub-par. I couldn't find a single beer I'de like to try. Not a single Lagunitas, Stone, or Bear Republic beer. I guess if you're relatively un-established in the beer-tasting game, and you happened across this store, you'de be very impressed. To me, it was a let down. My local wine store has a much finer selection. Ironically, I found the Lagunitas I was looking for at a gas station on my way home.

What a lame store. I'll never return.
Oct 20, 2006
Photo of instrumentality
Reviewed by instrumentality from California

4.3/5  rDev +10.5%
This was my first visit to Cap N Cork. I'm used to holding out until my periodic trips to Long Beach to visit Vin de Pays, but after coming here, I may not need to go so far out of the way for good beer.

Their web site lists their massive array of offerings. I checked this against the first 25 or so of the Best of BA and found half a dozen I wanted to try. I also found several others I was curious about.

When I arrived at the store, I found that every single beer of interest that I found on their web site was also at the store. I can't speak to their service because I didn't need any--I just walked in, grabbed a basket, and started filling it. I ended up spending $80 on beer. It stung a bit, but I walked out with a couple of Trappistes Rochefort 10s, a Rochefort 8, a couple of Brasserie Des Rocs Grand Crus (what's the plural of Crus?), a St. Bernardus Abt. 12, an AleSmith Speedway Stout, and numerous other random selections.

They definitely had more of the top notch beers I wanted than Vin de Pays, but I get the feeling that their inventory is relatively static, so I may still be heading down to Long Beach to experiment on the unknown periodically.

I don't have a strong basis of comparison on price, but for quality of selection, this one is the best I've seen, definitely beating out BevMo. Again, I'm talking *quality*: BevMo might have *more* kinds of beer, but Cap N Cork has better options. And they're not so exclusive as to refuse to sell those delicious yellow assembly line beers we all know and love.

Based on a post I read on here this morning, I asked about the rumor that Three Floyds would be distributing there soon, and the cashier confirmed that this should come about in the next week or so, but he wasn't sure which of their offerings would show up (apparently someone else works there who is much more knowledgeable about beer). Could this be the first Three Floyds sighting on the west coast? I'm not sure, but it would definitely be my first sighting.

I read that Cap N Cork also serves food, but I didn't get there until almost 9:00 and the food area was closed, so I can't vouch for the quality. Not that I particularly cared...a 5 minute drive and I was eating paella and drinking sangria while my beer waited patiently for me in the trunk of my car. No wonder I feel like the bottom of a shoe this morning.
May 31, 2006
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Reviewed by JayTheFinn from California

4.2/5  rDev +8%
Fantastic! Best place to find quality beer in LA that I've found so far. Great selection of singles in all different styles. Not to mention a decent selection of good beers in six-pack as well. The prices are really low. I picked up a 22oz of Alesmith, Young's, Charles Wells and St.Peter's for $15. Oh yeah, there's also wine, snacks, sodas and a deli.

(Anecdotal aside: Two buddies were grabbing stuff while I was here. The first one just bought chips and a soda. The second was in search of the perfect beer for the evening. The first one got impatient and said to his friend, "Come on dude, you're not buying a car!". The second one totally ignored the comment, left his friend standing there and kept on looking until he found the right one. I say hooray for him! Don't bow down to pressure! Clearly quality beer is more important than a jerk, i mean, friend like that!)
May 01, 2006
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Reviewed by Naerhu from Japan

4.65/5  rDev +19.5%
I always come to this place when in Los Angeles, as this is the only game in Hollywood (excepting Bevmo). They have two things going for them that Bevmo doesnt, 1) really knowledgeable staff, one of whom, I hear is a BA, and 2) you can buy singles where that is often not the case at Bevmo.

Their staff is always really friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. They have even offered to ship to Japan especially for me. And gave me packing advice and always give me free packing materials (cardboard boxes and those shrimpy styrofoam things) for the beer I had purchased.

They always have Stone, Unibroue, and all the other usual suspects (listed in the other reviews), so I alwasy buy a couple dozen bottles to take back to Japan with me.
Feb 16, 2006
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Reviewed by soulgrowl from England

4.55/5  rDev +17%
After reading the other two reviews I made a point to visit this place. They didn't steer me wrong! This is a very impressive liquor store, I'd say a little better than Galco's in terms of selection and pricing, with a slightly less friendly staff, but with much better storage. I definitely make a point to stop by whenever I'm out in Los Feliz or Silver Lake. Highlights: obscure Belgian imports at very reasonable prices and a good range of the usual west coast staples (Rogue, Stone, North Coast, Lost Coast, Lagunitas, etc.), plus some very, very pleasant surprises (Hitachino Nest, Ommegang, Victory, and Fat Tire!). Storage is excellent, everything is refrigerated in the back. The only downside is that you can't buy singles.

Definitely worth the trip! They also have a decent array of wines... and just about every liquor under the sun.
Dec 05, 2005
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Reviewed by Rumrunner from California

4/5  rDev +2.8%
Update: 4/5/2005
I will leave my old review as is and just highlight the new Cap N' Cork.

The Cap N' Cork has moved across the street to a larger facility. A much cleaner and more respectable atmosphere. The spirit and wine selection has gotten larger and the wine selection is much more credible. They now have a small deli and make sandwiches. They also have a larger parking lot in the back. Everthing is an upgrade.

The beer selection is about the same. They have added a few and removed a few. Sadly they had no Fantome. They have added Bear Republic, Left Hand and Ommegang. Prices for some beers were very competitive. This is still a good but not a great place to purchase craft and imported beer. (End of update.)

Sometimes when a chance is taken, it pays off. I drove by this store and I decided to check it out. A pretty normal looking store from the outside. Nothing impressive. I step in. Pretty dingy and this place sure needs a face lift or just a mop and dust rag. Not the cleanest of liquor stores.

They carry plenty of wine and spirits. Chips, crackers and dips as well. The macro selection and mid sized breweries are well represented. In fact they have twelve packs and cases of beer stacked up all over the store. Mostly macros but some Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada Pale as well. There is very little floor space in this store.

Well the cooler is another story. Plenty of quality brews. Let's start American. Stone, Alesmith, Anderson Valley, North Coast, Firestone, Anchor Steam and a few others. A decent supply of German and English beers. They had a healthy supply of Mexican beers, Brazilian and even beers from Guatemala. I bought a couple of these. What the heck, I have never had Guatemalan beer before. Casta from Mexico is here and a couple of Czech., Chinese and Indian beers They also have a nice supply of Belgians. Fantome and Fantome Noel. Lambics and Abbey ales. A huge selection? No, but not bad. I am sure a Belgian beer drinker could find something to their liking here. A very nice supply of beers.

I put my selections on the counter and it immediately drew interest from a few other customers. It was the bottle of Fantome that did it. The proprieter and I talked beer for a few minutes while the customers looked shocked as we could find so much to talk about the beer I was purchasing. Maybe they took some knowledge away with them? The owner does love beer.

Overall a very healthy selection. The prices are about a buck more per selection than a few other places that I purchase beer. But in a pinch this place will do nicely.

I learned from just having a minute to investigate this liquor store that all routes must be explored and traveled. You never know what you might be missing.
Nov 07, 2003
Cap N Cork Liquor in Los Angeles, CA
Place rating: 3.89 out of 5 with 26 ratings