Spec’s Wine, Spirits, and Finer Foods

Decent prices, but not the lowest of course. However, they do have a decent deli and also is one of the 2 places that carry a particular vodka I like. You also have a good cheese department there if you want to try something really different.
Please don’t get me wrong. They do have a large wine and booze selection, but other places I frequent may also. They do give a cash discount if you have a Spec’s card, but no ATM. So carry wads of cash or pay more to use a CC.
Will I return and recommend it to others? Absolutely. It is also our fall back place to go if our go-​to does not have something in stock.

Not your average liquor store!
I am super impressed by this location, and the Specs chain in general. I used to work in the parking lot of this store and would come here for lunch almost every day. They have a full deli with incredible sandwiches for under $ 10. Great lunch option!
There’s a cigar room with an expert on hand for your cigar-​loving pals that make great gifts and sell ornate cigar boxes for a dollar or two.
The BEST thing to do here is to come here for their 2^nd Tuesday wine and cheese tasting that is FREE. Bring a wine glass and test out wines and enough hornet food samples for a full meal. If you find a wine you like that day, you can purchase a bottle at a discount that day! Pay with cash or debit to save 5%!
Lastly, the staff is amazing. Super knowledgeable and everyone is so so friendly. I always have so much fun coming in here.

I went to the Specs Fest this past weekend. Unfortunately, it really should have been renamed Cheese Fest since all the samples seemed to be cheese. I went a previous time and it had an abundance of various samples such as cheese, tequila, wine, beer, etc. This time there were only two wine companies, some summer sausage, salsa, and a billion cheese places. They also had some of the Specs deli samples that were pretty good. But I go to specs for alcohol, not food!
Even though I was disappointed in the cheese fest, I’m still giving Specs 4 stars. I come here every so often and they almost always have what I need. The only thing I’ve been looking for has been Ancho Reyes and every time I have gone there they were out. BUT at the Specs Fest, I was able to snag the last bottle on the shelf, making my dream of Ancho Reyes ownership come true. Overall, I’ll definitely be back to Specs but I probably won’t go for the Specs Fest again.

What are you looking for? You can most likely find it here, whether it contains alcohol or not. What makes this location unique among others in ATX is the sit-​down grill, which serves up the best cheeseburger in town and the best veggie burger, too. I will go out of my way just to get one, even when I don’t need booze. When I do need to pick up spirits, the staff is great about introducing better, lesser known tastes I otherwise wouldn’t know about. I never leave unhappy.

Can you give this place a negative rating? I just don’t think so. Seriously, it’s wall-​to-​wall booze and usually at a decent price.
Big plus for the fact that we were able to find a pretty rare bottle online and they shipped it to us! Apparently, it’s legal to do that if it’s in the same state? Either way, they made my day.
Get the liquor.

Great prices. Great service. Helpful employees. Our FAVORITE Liquor store!

The sign said best burger in Austin.
The actually burger sucked.
Dry.
Burnt.
No flavor.
No salt.
Cheese was stale.
And it was just awful.
Only highlight was that there was plenty of bacon, which was good… and the fries weren’t bad.
But really… the burger was gross. So burnt. So over cooked. I could have microwaved a raw patty of ground beef and probably turned out a better product.
And nobody cared… just blew $ 10 for a hockey puck of yuck.

If you are buying alcohol for an event (or even for personal consumption), please do yourself a favor and steer clear of Bradley. He assisted us while shopping for wine, beer and liquor for our wedding and the experience ended up being the worst out of our entire year of wedding planning.
For starters, he recommended only one wine brand and it was from Chile when we told him we were serving Italian food. Whatever, the price was right and we just went with it. He then tells us we need literally double the amounts of wine and beer that our bartender had recommended. After speaking with our bartender again we went with her recommendation, which turned out to be more than enough and we just finished returning several hundred dollars worth. We would have ended up with well over $ 700 worth extra if we had stuck with Bradley’s recommendation.
Also, when I called a couple weeks before the Wedding to confirm pricing I asked if the quote included the 5% cash discount and if there were any other discounts/​specials we could take advantage of. Bradley literally snorted into the phone and said very condescendingly, «yeah, I’ve already given you every possible discount. I mean. I’m not sure what else you want me to do». Just plain rude and his attitude was very much unappreciated for a perfectly fair question.
The main issue we ran into was Bradley misquoted us and we went to pick everything up we were surprised to learn that our total was $ 300 over what we were quoted. After crunching some numbers, it turns out that he had forgotten to plug the liquor prices into the total of the spreadsheet. Once again, Bradley handles it in the worst possible way and shows his nasty attitude. After figuring out that he made the mistake the FIRST thing he says is, «well this isn’t coming out of my paycheck». Doesn’t even apologize or try to make it right. His one and only suggestion before angrily walking away was to just not purchase the liquor so the total matched the price I was expecting. Obviously, that it is not really an option as were close to the wedding and had already signed a contract/​paid the bartender for supplies and garnishes specific to the cocktails and had already paid to have custom bar signs designed and printed.
The only reason I am giving them two stars is because the management there was genuinely apologetic and did their best to make a crappy situation right. I would have liked to see the liquor comped, but I understand that this cannot always happen and was ultimately satisfied with the solution we reached.

I am not a fan of Specs in general, but they have some of the uncommon spirits I seek out. The problem is I keep running into bad information in the wine department who will tell me there is no such wine that exists when I have had it many times or wrong information regarding vineyards. However, I get the wines elsewhere and the spirits there. They do make some good sandwiches so I recommend dropping by around lunch. Also a decent selection of specialized cheese. Try the Guinness Stout Cheddar cheese. Let it come to room temperature and when it begins to sweat, it is ready. Just eat it as is, no bread or crackers needed. Not even wine or beer!

Great Selection of everything we wanted (we stocked up for WWIII).
Great prices (pay with cash or debit)
All you could want for a liquor run to stock your house for you and guests.

Best unknown grill in Austin! I eat here at least once a week. The tuna melt and guacamole burger are perfect! They always have great variety of side dishes and salads that compliment your meal (if u don’t want the awesome french fries). The regulars I encounter there always joke about how nobody knows about this grill (because it’s in a liquor store).

This is my regular place to get my Soju and wine. I got a delicious Sociology brand wine the other day and my mom always has me pick up her Soju before heading to Kyle to visit. The demo individuals are always nice and really haven’t had too many issues with customer service here. Over all my experience has always been positive. The selection of food, wine and liquor are great …
This location is always quite convenient, being only 10 min from my apartment. I can always count on them having what I need :)

High-​volume store that never seems to have a shortage of helpful employees and great prices on a ridiculous variety of spirits, beer, wine and food!

Hiky toledo this place is huge. Food and boozes abound. Went looking for some Suntory whisky as a present. Unfortunately they were out. Got a Nikka Malt instead. The guys working the spirits section were pretty knowledgeable. Checkout was straightforward and friendly. A party superstore indeed.

Super cool place. So mad at myself for driving past it the past 2 months and just now checking it out! HUGE selection of beer, wine, cheese, party accessories. If you’re a beer geek, this is your happy place. They have a deli with a decent selection of homemade deli salads and lunch meat. They also have a grill menu. They market themselves as «Austin’s best kept secret» bc their burgers are so good. We agree. We got the burger with avocado among other toppings… can’t say much about the bun bc we are Paleo eaters so I didn’t eat the bun… looked tempting though! We split a fry for our cheat and man were they perfect. They tasted homemade. Whether they are or not, who cares. Huge burger, huge order of fries, and a drink for under 10 bucks. That’s a steal in my book. Check this place out for lunch and to stock your bar with beers that will impress your friends. You won’t be disappointed.

I like this Spec’s because it is one of the largest ones that I know of. They have a nice selection of pretty much whatever you need. I particularly like the grocery side and deli as not all Spec’s have this.
I like that I can always count on them to have plenty of options whatever my price range on alcohol, wine or beer may be at the time.
Their deli sandwiches and fries are delicious! I think it is a bit on the pricey side. I do like the selection of cheeses and other dry goods they have. Sometimes on certain end caps you can catch the clearance section and pick up some unique items you normally would not buy for a good price! I love a good deal and trying new things!
The reason I can not give this location more than 3 stars is because I find it a nightmare to get in and out of. The parking lot is constructed poorly and needs reorganized. My fiancé and I will literally avoid going to this location at certain times just so we do not have to deal with it and drive all the way to the Southpark Meadows location.

I have been to every Spec’s in the greater Austin area and I can say for certain that you will find a Spec’s at this location.
That incredible review has just put this review at the top of the page into perpetuity. Therefore, I feel like I must expound on why I gave such a praise-​worthy review.
First:
There’s liquor, there’s beer
but no cards from Fleer™.
–booty shake left, booty shake right–
I raise my hands to the roof,
but it’s too high, so I don’t touch the roof.
–raise hands, wiggle fingers–
BUUUUUUTTTTTTTT
When I spring on a shelf
with my ass-​shaking self
–ass shake wiggle on top of bottles–
Then I know I’m doing the Spec’s shuffle (patent pending)!
Everybody get down to Spec’s and do the shuffle
it’s sure to get the employees in a kerfuffle (oh god, I’m sorry)
with an ass shake left, and a booty shake right
everyone will know you’re too drunk to take home that night.

This place is HUGE! Everyone was very friendly, starting from the nice man that greeted me at the door all the way to when I was at check out asking about things to do in Austin. I did also notice that they have food too. I am so used to liquor stores that have limited selections. This is what liquor stores should be like!
Also… 5% off if you pay cash — you’re welcome.

I’ve driven by this enormous Spec’s several times, but never went in until a few days ago. Wowza! Yes, the building is large; however, you don’t get the full effect of just how massive this location is until you walk inside!
They have EVERYTHING! And when I say everything, they even have «Yoda» (someone changed the Soda sign — so funny — see pic).
No seriously, there is a huge deli with a dining area larger than some restaurants. All kinds of specialty food items, including but not limited to: the most amazing selection of cheeses from around the world; an entire isle of old-​school candies (including Fizzies — where did they find those?!); yay, enough hot sauce choices to make a gal like me, who keeps an entire shelf in the fridge stocked with things called «Colon Blow» and «Sauce Bitch,» very happy!; an Asian section that rivals some of the smaller Asian markets I’ve been to in Austin… I could go on and on.
After spending an hour perusing all of the edible goodies, I finally made my way to the beer area. Belgium, Belgium, Belgium! Yeah, they also have Coors Light and such, but why would you? Massive selection of types of brews: micro, craft, fruit infused. I’ve died and gone to beer heaven.
Wine…rows and rows and rows from 3buckers to $$$. All varieties, all blends, all around the world… including a fine selection of Texas vinos.
And, the largest collection of spirits I’ve ever seen in one place! I mean, this is the Sam’s Club of all things liquor. Walls and walls of bottled good stuff. I actually stopped in to purchase a kind of specialty Chinese liquor to take to an upcoming dinner (wink @Lily W) and thought who else would have it, or even know what it was, except Spec’s — and especially the largest Spec’s in Austin? Guess what? The associate knew exactly what I was talking about, took me right to the spot, and… they were out. The guy immediately said «let me check another store for you.» Success. No worries… just an extra trip to Airport Blvd.
Bottom line: I didn’t leave with what I went in for, but I did manage to fill up half a basket with stuff I didn’t need, or didn’t know I needed until I saw it, spent over 150 bucks, and had a good time doing it! Foodie boozer shopping nirvana! I’m actually glad this store isn’t closer to my home. I’d probably go bankrupt.

Spec’s is your supermarket of all things liquor, plus (usually) an interesting assortment of rarer foods and meats. They also give you 5% discount if you pay cash. I dig all that. However, the location of this particular Specs seems to have absorbed the bulk of the surrounding still-​developing, leftover Highland Mall vibe.
Yeah, I’m gonna say it; this Specs is kinda ghetto.
I don’t mean to imply that their products are any worse than the other Specs in Austin (although I feel like they have much fewer of the fancy foods than the one down south or up at Arbor Walk). I also had the feeling that the meats in the refrigerated case were just for show based on the clientele. But seeing as how several other Unilocalers say that the deli is outstanding, I could be wrong. Additionally, the vague smell of tobacco-​related products permeates the store, which they also sell a wide selection of.
So, Spec’s in general, A. This particular Spec’s, B-.

This is the Walmart of liquor stores, don’t go anywhere else.
5 stars for low prices and huge selection on any kind of alcohol. Lots of weird, local beers can be found here. This particular Spec’s also sells sandwiches and food so I like it bit better than the Southpark Meadows location.
*I included a pic of the salmon n’ cream cheese sandwich I had there today

May not been the best time to come here while everyone is getting their Christmas shopping done, but I did find a parking spot. I walked in and still amazed how big this store is. They have a wide assortment of liquor, snack items, and food products. I am not sure how much I really save shopping here versus a liquor or grocery store since I do not buy in bulk. I do notice they do not carry some higher quality of wines versus their competition. There were numerous people giving out wine samples. Most of the people were in the heavy liqueur section. It is fun to walk around.
Anyway I was in there to buy a nice bottle of white wine and picked up an Italian wine. They did have rum cakes from the Cayman Islands. This place encourages to use of paying by cash and even gives you a discount if you do.
The people there are nice and helpful. The parking is the main concern of this place where the front of the store can be a parking lot of cars trying to get out of the shopping center.