Pearl Specialty Mkt & Spirits

I recently moved to the Portland area from out of state, and am used to being able to buy liquor in the same store as my wine and beer. Not like that here. UNTIL I found Pearl specialty Market & Spirits! The owner has gone to no small amount of trouble to allow the sale of liquor in the same space as the other adult treats I partake in. Literally hundreds of bottles of scotch and other spirits adorn the shelves adjacent to their excellent selection of wine, beer and cigars! Prices are good and I don't have to stop at another store on the way home. Winner for me! more

My wife and I had been shopping here for two years now. This Sunday we were out riding bikes and decided to pick up a bottle of rum to make summer cocktails for a dinner party later that night. I went in and my wife stayed outside to watch my bike. An employee watched us arrive and while I was shopping inside, he went outside on the sidewalk and demanded her ID. On the sidewalk outside the store! And she's 31yrs old and I'm 37, it's not like we're teenagers! When she didn't have her ID on her (we weren't even thinking about stopping, we were just riding around the neighborhood). This employee then found me in the store and told me not to waste my time because they wouldn't sell me anything! I can't image anyone going out of their way to be such a jerk. When I complained the clerk admitted to knowing us and seeing us many times before (we live in the neighborhood), but that ""rules were rules"" and ""they were just following orders"". After all the history of that phrase I didn't really think people said that anymore, and I certainly thought the usually enlightened people in PDX used a little more common sense. It was amazing how rude they were, and how much effort they put into being such jerks. Was it because we're an inter-racial couple? I don't know, maybe not, but now some of the other reviews make me wonder. All I know is that I won't shop here again. It's a little out of the way, but I've gotten so much better service at the liquor store on 10th Ave between Taylor and Salmon downtown near the library. Bottom line - I don't support businesses that make that extra-special effort to be rude. Cons: mean people more

i am a bit of a ""wineo"" just to say and went to a party at a friend of mine who lives in the pearl. I needed some vino pronto but it was 9:30 pm and as you know ,not a lot of decent wine shops are opened at this time. anyways, my friend told me to head down to the liquor store in the pearl. i had no clue they sold wine and great wine by the way! they had a whole wall of anything you could get anywhere else and more. great selection and they had a wine cooler that had some of the hottest wine action wines in the market, and the prices were surprisingly fair and that made me happy, if you go and know anything about wine...check out the 82 lafite ot the 96 claude dugat lavaux st. jaques! and if you are not super wine savy, just grab a bottle there is nothing underwhelming there. Awesome! Pros: great wine selection and champagne Cons: not opened later!!!lol more

Went in for some Tequila on First Thursday. I just thought this was going to be another liquor store but was very surprised to find a disco like party in the works when I got there. Sure I was able to get the Tequila I was after but I didn't expect to get booze in me too (and on me, that one guy needs to watch his step). The owner was more than happy to let me try some of the many wines that they were all drinking (I didn't know that was legal in the state) and most of them were great! I think I know were I'll be going to get my liquor and get liquored up on First Thursdays from now on. Sure the scene was a little too young for my typical tastes (I wonder how many of the girls had fakes) but with the generous pours they had for free, who cares! If you can manage your way around a few staggering folks and the staff that haunts you the whole time you can actually get a pretty decent selection and probably some free booze too. Pros: Free Booze Cons: A stain on my shirt more

wow - the pearl specialty market is amazing and i especially like their special events - it's not very often a liquor store goes out of their way to educate the community about various specialty wines and/or foods, and have events and giveaways so regularly. the service is amazing and the selection is great from a cheap night with the guys to a high-end, classy night with the girls. this is my new spot for anything and everything. i also LOVE the cooling machine for those quickie nights where guests are coming and i need to cool a wine bottle fast ! check it out, ask them questions because they know their booze and enjoy! Pros: good selection, great service, convenient cooling machine more

I was expecting this place to be super lush and extravagant, but realized it to be just another liquor store with some wine and beer, and a crappy selection of cheese and crackers. The people behind the front counter were completely snobby and rude, and follow you around like you are a criminal. I don't understand the hype, there's nothing specialty about this place! Pros: liquor Cons: everything else about the store more

Simply stated, a great place to go for all of your vices: Wine, beer, liquor, cigars, cheese & most importantly CHOCOLATE. Unparalleled selection (esp the wine) and expertise, staff is highly knowledgeable and helpful, hours are great, location is convenient and I always find parking around the corner (in the Pearl, I know!) plus its all wrapped up in a beautiful package! I have been so some shady liquor stores in my time, this one is not typical at all, very tastefully done. Pros: Selection, staff knowledge, ambiance Cons: NONE! more

Amazing selection of liquor! It is so nice to see a selection of quality products and not just the bottom-shelf stuff most stores are overrun with. The fact they also carry beer, wine, cheese, and all other sorts of gourmet food is a major plus and makes it more convenient that having to run around to several different stores. The atmosphere of the store is very welcoming, from the staff that is very helpful and friendly to the overall set up of the store that breaks the general how a liquor store 'should look' rule. more

Wow! All I can say is that I am impressed! Great store, great location, great people, and great selection! I am pretty particular about my liquor selection but I do have to say that this place has it all! And with excellent service! The staff is well informed on what selection is best and are extremely friendly. I came in not knowing exactly what I wanted but left extremely sastisfied (and not ripped off!). In addition, they have an excellent selection of cheese and champagne. And the chocolate! YUM! All I have to say is that its about time a place like this came into the Pearl District. Pros: Selection, Staff, Location more

Wow. That last reviewer must have been a disgruntled ex-employee or just smoking something really interesting. Either way, he definitely hasn't been into any other liquor stores in Portland. Anyone with a pair of eyes--and without an ax to grind--can tell immediately that this is completely UNlike every other liquor store in town. It's clean, well-lighted, and open. The shelves are always well-stocked and available to actually do your own shopping instead of having to ask some bored counter jockey for everything you want to look at. And they carry bottles that I've never seen anywhere else in Portland. Pros: killer selection, great service, fantastic hours Cons: don't take AmEx more

BEST LIQUOR STORE PERIOD!!! This store reminds me of the places they had back home in chicago. Everything you want in one place and it looks like a gallery in there. You dont feel like a criminal in there and everyone is really nice and knowledable too. I had an one hour conversation with Big Will, their wine man, and probably spent another 30 minutes talking beer with Brittany, their beer lady. And whenever im in trouble with my girl, i just pick up a box of chocolates on my way out and im all set. I love this place. Oh, and no brown paper bags. more

I have to agree with the other reviews, this place is amazing. The one thing that has not been mentioned is the beer selection!! Now granted, there are only about 50 varieties of beer, but you have to start somewhere right? The selection is vast from the U.S to Belgium, even Scotland. And FYI, they had just put the last of the Deschutes Abyss (that's right Abyss) on the shelf today. That won't last long. This place is great, when have we ever been able (in Oregon) to stop by a store at 9 p.m on a friday night and pick up a couple bottles of awesome beer, a bottle of wine, some spirits, and perhaps some cheese and chocolate to boot. What else do you need? It's one stop shopping. Nice job guys and keep up the great work!! Pros: Everything Cons: Not a one more

i have been buying bourbon in PDX for 8yrs now and i cant think of one store that has ever had this selection in their best day! it almost made me cry! rittenhouse 25 and 100 parkers 28, all four roses marks available in the state, its amazing what they have made available to us unworthy drinkers.....hail the pearl specialty!!!thank you and keep up the good work! Pros: ITS OPEN TILL 10pm Cons: none i can think of more

I've been part of the bartending scene for some time and had to stop in and check out what all the buzz was about with this new liquor store in the Pearl. If anything, this place surpasses the hype. As soon as you walk in the door the ambiance hits you like no other place you've bought liquor in this state. First of all , they are open and sell liquor till 10pm! Not only that, when you take your girlfriend and she wants wine and cheese, its all there in one place. I would love to have those backlit shelves in my home bar! The vodka selection will humble the most noted connoisseur: Jewel of Russia, Jean Marc XO (my favorite), Kroll just to name a few. They have everything not just top shelf but I felt like a kid in a candy store so I went a little crazy. I picked up several items that I either havent seen in other stores or its been a long time since I have: Chartreuse VEP, Pappy Van Winkle 20 year bourbon, No 209 Gin, Antica Formula Vermouth. The gf got a bottle of wine so I decided to splurge on a cigar. Some people dont know that all liquor in Oregon is at the same price so there is no difference in that sense store to store. I'm done shopping like a criminal behind burglar bars at other stores or not being able to touch the merchandise. Pros: Fabulous selection, excellent merchandising Cons: Parking is difficult in the Pearl as usual! more