Whelan’s Liquor

I’ve been going here for years but am stopping today. After raising the price of New Amsterdam Gin a few dollars I switched to a cheaper alternative. Clearly this went noticed as they then jacked up the price for their cheapest gin by $ 2. After years of spoiled wines and rude service, happy to start buying across the street.

Everytime I go into Whelan’s, I get the sneaking suspicion I’m being watched. I also get the feeling I’m going to get schnookered. It’s not a good feeling and yet I keep going in there. Why? It’s convenient. Its two doors from Yes! Market. It’s also between New-​Ton Shin (see
) and Michigan Park Dry Cleaners. BAM! Get all of your errands done on the same side of the street!
Echoing Chris T., yes, you can get your basic hard liquor necessities and a few frilly mixers there. They do have bottles of wine. But not cellar quality. Expect your run-​of-​the-​mill labels such as Beringer and (ugh) Gallo. No more, no less. And *DO* watch out for those who are there to play the numbers.
With all of the suspicions of watching me and schnookering me, this place is still A-​OK with me.

Whelan’s is pretty much the least skeezy liquor store in Brookland. That’s about as back-​handed a compliment one can give, but so be it.
The scotch selection covers your basics and even some higher end stuff (the 16 year Lagavulin caught my eye), though the lack of Laphroaig is rather disappointing. Whelan’s has a wide variety of good rum available, save for the absence of my favorite Ron Zacapa. Bourbon is in the same boat… you got your essentials such as Knob Creek and Basil Hayden’s, but no special bottlings. They have Hendrick’s Gin, ’nuff said. I think I passed some wine on my way to the whiskey section, but I could be mistaken.
Whelan’s has off-​street parking which is nice and the staff runs a tight ship.
Just be sure not to get in the way of anyone wanting a lottery ticket lest you take a shiv to the spleen.