Rosas Liquors

Don’t go here if you don’t speak Spanish.
Don’t go here if you want to find a decent beer that isn’t 6+ months over expiration.
Don’t go here if you want to save a buck or two (the Supreme Liquors a block away is roughly 1 – 2 $ cheaper on everything)
Don’t go here if you’re looking for selection.
Don’t go here if you’ve got a haircut in the past year and are white, because the staff (most of whom aren’t that friendly) will insist your ID is fake because the picture isn’t of you and go out of their way to try and make a mockery of you and refuse your 2 credit cards and 3 forms of backup ID.
Place sucks balls.

Rosa is dope. I don’t actually know her, but I like how she runs her store.
Not an incredible selection but all the staples (liquor) at prices comparable to the bigger liquor stores. It goes without saying, such a small place doesn’t compete on wine and beer selection.
I’ve only gone a handful of times so I may not have encountered all the staff but those who I’ve interacted with have been friendly.
I speak enough Spanish to understand what they’re talking about but they’d never know so I can assure you, they could care less who you are. In a good way! They’re not talking about you; la mayoria de los veces mis manitos hablando de como fue con ella borracha la noche pasada o algun igual.
I didn’t feel the need to review Rosa’s until they were open until 11p on the 4^th. Who else was? Go head, Rosa.

You don’t get a more authentic lens into the local Dorchester community than a liquor store on Dot Ave run by Latinos, referenced by Vietnamese, visited by African-​Americans and utilized by money-​conscious yuppies.
Rosa’s Liquors is a montage of cultures, all at a decent price. Don’t mind the moody woman behind the desk — she’ll mutter obscenities at you when she realizes you don’t speak Spanish (dude, I’m INDIAN, not Puerto Rican and not purposefully ignoring you) but serve you a good price on those limes you *need* for the late-​night mojito party in your apartment. Don’t mind the savage-​looking dogs tied up to the front door while their owners buy blunts inside — they won’t bite unless you ask them to.
This place is safe, despite looking sketchy. It has a fair selection of beers and liquors, but a crappy selection of wine (try Fields Station Liquors at the nearby strip mall). It sells cigarettes, smoking-​related paraphernalia, toothpaste and lottery tickets. It is crowded even when there aren’t any customers (do NOT come here drunk: you WILL end up falling over a random cardboard box).
But hey, it’s a liquor store on Dot Ave. It’s not trying to be luxe, and it’s not meant to be luxe. They give you soda water when you ask for tonic water. So what?
Try finding limes at a non-​sketchy liquor store in the area past 10:30 and *then* tell me about why this place sucks.