Spencer & Daniel’s

Everything for much less — much much less.
Great tequila reposado’s and anejo’s for less than $ 15. There were many for $ 9.00 !! that were smooth, notes of caramel and a long finish. Also every other kind of liquor for CHEAP!
Alas — they’re closing because of lease issues on polk street. I am hopeful they will open back up somewhere else. They used to have 3 stores open all over the city — I’ve spend thousands and saved thousands every year for many years. The Dan’s — co-​owners both great guys and hired a smart friendly crew that is super helpful and go beyond to help each customer out.
could have been called: BARGAIN BOOZE BONANZA

I’m looking for a job at Unilocal!
The very first thing I will do after being elected to Unilocal is add a 6^th star so that Spencer & Daniel’s can be the only one in that class.
Seriously I cannot for the life of me believe that the staff who used to work here was so starkly different than the staff now. They are like candy they are so sweet and smooth.
I want to go just for the experience, though they do carry awesome wines to go with the great advice on what to take home.
You get the gist? No go see for yourself.

No longer just close-​outs.
Some where along the way, the Bargain Bank morphed into a wine shop. I’m sure that it was more complicated than then, but that’s how it felt to an outsider.
The old Bargain Bank chain specialized in manufacturer or distributer close outs. They had a modest wine and alcohol section and most items where heavily discounted. It was hit or miss, but fun to browse in hopes of the often elusive awesome deal. I’d estimate that about 25−50% of the time a bottle was undrinkable due to mishandling during it’s lifetime or simply poor execution. Other times, it was really nice; in addition to great wine, I found a beer from the Italian Alps that was my staple for one season.
As they became Spencer & Daniel’s, they stuck to the same formula. Only, now they had more. Still fun to look for a bargain. Just keep in mind that not everything would be good and judge the price accordingly. Still, it was useful to shop here when the budget was small (for instance when shopping for a low budget art opening; I’ll take my chances vs. two buck Chuck).
Recently, S&D have scaled back on the closeouts and started carrying more regular wine. Talking with the folks in the store, I get the sense that they are just learning about wine themselves. That’s great for them; it’s probably fun. There are some interesting things in stock, but it feels kind of random. Prices are OK, but not the lowest in town.
If S&D is your local wine store, it’s probably a benefit to have more reliable wine there. If not, there really isn’t a reason to venture across town. There are plenty of «regular» wine stores in town that have a better selection, lower prices and more informed staff.
Lastly, they appear to have a generous return policy. When buying a couple of cases of close-​out wine recently, they went out of their way to mention to me that I could return what I didn’t like. Sounds like a big advantage. However, when I did try to return the wine, I was told that the return period only lasted 14 days. More importantly, I was informed that this also applied to damaged or corked wine. Any normal wine store will always accept a return on corked wine; in most cases it doesn’t cost the store anything as the expense is covered by the distributer and finally by the wine producer (part of the cost of business when dealing with cork). Perhaps not unexpected when buying close-​outs, but they seem to be moving away from that business.
Still giving 3 stars due to the occasional fun of browsing close outs and their attempt to increase their knowledge.

Great deals on awesome wine. Ask the staff for help, they are very knowledgeable and friendly!

Good place to visit to find discounted wine that you wouldn’t find at Bevmo.
Prices are pretty good for what you get, but the cheaper stuff’s kind of a hit or miss sometimes.
If all else fails, ask the people who work there. They should be able to steer you in the right direction.

The skinny guy in black was full of attitude and seemed to resent me coming in. 20 minutes before closing time. how pathetic.
As many others noted, selection is pretty pathetic and chancy, you’re probably better off going to The Jug Shop a few blocks north on Polk.
There’s too many choices in SF for wine shops and nothing exceptional or redeeming about this grimy hole, and the guy with black hair all dressed in black’s attitude nuked any chance of me ever returning to give them a second chance.
If you don’t like being courteous, polite and helpful don’t work in retail, just be a good little hipster won’t you and unload the boxes out the back and save the rest of us from your attitude.

@barabara b. you said & I Quote «This store is nothing but a glorified cheap liquor store in the tenderloin (worst area in San Francisco»
1. This is not in the The Loin its Nob Hill/​Russian hill district.
2. The Loin is the new most popular neighborhood in the city & if you doubt that come down Polk street any weekend night & every bar/​club & lounge is packed.
3. How dare you call my hood the worst in the city, you clearly haven’t a clue when it comes to SF city hoods so therefore I’ll just assume your not a native!!!
But I digress back on subject.
This is a outlet not a fine wine store, they get bulk pallets of liquidation wines & other liquors. Anyone walking in can clearly tell that from the get go.
Wines here vary but you get great bang for your buck & for those of us who know our wines it pays off to go in & browse at least twice a week.
Or just ask the teller when new shipments come in.
The tenderloin & nob hill best neighborhoods in the city.

The store space was the old Bargain Bank a long time ago… and just a few store spaces north of the Swan Oyster is found a wine haven…
I got a great bottle of viognier, a Sauvignon Blanc, couple of Chardonnays, and a Pinot Noir that I can never seem to resist… that plus I found some Chang Thai beer (think a family member will love that one), all for exceptionally reasonable prices.
The selection is according to region, and according to grape, and I enjoyed looking around… fun is an understatement.
Be careful though, as this morning, after I picked up my China visa, there is major construction going on on California just east of Van Ness, so you won’t be able to access Polk from there… a few blocks are all cordoned off!

They sell wine for $ 2 (and other prices.) Sometimes this wine can be paired with dinner and sometimes it should be paired with a paper bag, an alley and a sleeping bag. If Forrest Gump were an oenophile on the cheap (or if a Tendernob wino needed an analogy for his hit movie) he’d have said, «Life is like a $ 2 bottle of wine from Spencer & Daniel’s…»

A little more than a year ago I went to a wine tasting hosted by Spencer Daniels. 20 — 25 wines were available for tasting and 18 — 23 of them were absolutely horrible. So I decided to never buy wine from the store.
A few weeks ago, my husband and I decided to drop in just for kicks and surprisingly Spencer’s had a very nice inexpensively priced bottle of Muscat Canelli that I saw marked up elsewhere. We bought that bottle and 2 or 3 others for under $ 26.
That day, I learned a lesson. You should give a place a second chance and that I should be less of a snob.

The wine here is delicious and affordable. We were flabbergasted to find a German, dry riesling* for $ 1.99. $ 1.99! My orange juice costs more than that. Of course, this bargain wouldn’t be so remarkable if the wine tasted like it cost $ 1.99. Surprisingly, the wine was really crisp and tangy, refreshing and highly drinkable. We also bought a nice Argentinian malbec ($ 3.99) and a dessert white wine ($ 3.99). We look forward to coming back again –where else can you get three good bottles of wine for ~$ 10?
*For other riesling fans, the wine we bought was the 2003 Havemeyer Riesling. You’ll find it in the back right-​hand corner in the fridge. Enjoy!

(See pic)
(See bottom for an update on ⁴⁄₃₀)
I am immediately writing this updated review because Groupon just has $ 10 for $ 20 wines on 4÷28÷2010. This is a discount of a discount of some really good wines!
I have gone back to this place many times and just last weekend, I spent less than 70 dollars for 11 bottles, of which 4 are half bottles, which are perfect if you want multiple wine pairings for an evening or just want to finish a bottle without storing it.
They carry a good variety of white and red, France, Italy, Australia, some South American and lots of Californian.
And this time they have cleared the aisles are bottles are on the proper shelves.
The store hours on Sunday is until 6pm, not 7pm, which is incorrectly stated on Unilocal but correct on the company website.
—
(4÷30÷10 update)
Fun but a bit sad fact, I learned that Spencer was a dog «who» had passed away.
I was fortunate enough to get a couple comp tickets to one of the wine tastings at Space Gallery. 10 wines that range from 6 to 10 dollars. While they did not pour the more pricey wines, the pours were generous and it was a fun event to look at some of the themed art. This time the theme is wind.
And they give away 10% coupons that last a month! So if you do shop at the store it’s a great deal to come have some drinks, mingle with the locals, and meet Daniel (owner) and Kristen (marketing gal.)

My wine purchases are driven by two things: 1) a cool label (that’s the marketer in me) and 2) a good price (I’ve never had wine that convinced me the different between $ 10 and $ 50 is worth it). So it’s no surprise I love Spencer & Daniel’s. Tons of unique and distinctive bottle designs and almost everything is priced to move.
I left with four bottles today, and I will be back for more. Much more.

What can we say?! We’re total fans of S n’D!
Their inventory always changes: there were times where we’ve walked away with a ton of food and no alcohol. Other times we come home with a few bottles of wine or some 40s.
Either way there are always great deals to be had. And if you have no idea what you like, ask the all-​knowledgeable Yuri, as he always has brilliant wine advice.
These guys also throw wine tastings at the Space Gallery down the street at killer prices! 16 wines for $ 10 will leave you feeling grrrreat!

Tips for being a recessionista (or just because your «fun money fund» starts to disappear doesn’t mean your taste does as well). Look for a good pre fixe menu (hello Unilocal Eats!). Comb through thrift stores/​consignment centers near hoity toity neighborhoods (hello vintage!). And of course, find yourself some good affordable wine. This last task can be readily accomplished with a trip to Spencer & Daniel’s. The selection is larger than your average grocery store, has better values than BevMo’s five cent sales and is a solid bet for an enthusiastic wine drinker or a person who can’t sip another glass of two buck Chuck again.
Spencer & Daniel’s is a no frills establishment. Or rather its set up like a mom and pop discount shop with better customer service. Handwritten signs are posted inside and out advertising specials, events or their wine club. The aisles are packed with oodles of varieties of vino.-reds, whites, blends, domestic and international including popular locales such as Chile, Australia, etc. Many of Spencer & Daniel’s offerings have the wallet friendly price of ten dollars or less. In fact, it’s completely possible to pick up two healthy reds or crisp whites for that prices. Still, not everything is a winner. Some of the wines have turned or are «off» in some way. However, the hits are much greater than the misses and learning a $ 5 dollar lesson is better than a $ 50 mistake.
While wine is the main draw, Spencer & Daniel’s also carries a smattering of other alcohol selections (beer, champagne, grappa and liquors). They also carry party supplies, snacks, gourmet-​ish condiments (a la funky gift basket) and cleaning supplies (?!). Not saying that its impossible that I would be picking up wine and remember I need dish soap, just not likely.
The employees seem to be a relaxed but knowledge bunch. I’ve always gotten a fair opinion or direct answer when I’ve asked for one. Oh yeah, I’ve also always gotten asked for my id too. Plus I’ll give the staff an extra bonus point for the way each of them have ensured each bottle is wrapped and bagged well enough to endure 45 minute treks halfway across the city. The wine club, $ 40 for 6 bottle a month, seems like an intriguing value for the curious/​adventurous wine drinker. So stop the hipster irony. Put down your PBR my broke ass friends, swing by here and pick up a ready white or red. Being a broke but fashionable wino in the fog is so much more classic San Francisco and classics never go out of style. Think about it.

I gotta say I’ve really come to love this place. You want cheap wine? I mean really CHEAP wine? Like, stuff you can barely pay for but won’t go blind if you drink it? This. Is. It.
I have yet to pay more than $ 5 for a bottle here, yet have never said myself upon first taste that the booze is undrinkable. Yes, it’s a low bar, but in a down economy and in an age where a pint of lager costs you $ 6 after tip (and you’re not at a ballpark) there’s is something to be said for a nice, yet CHEAP, bottle of wine.
(That said do pay attention to some of the notes next to the wine bottles. If they say a certain brand is only suitable for cooking then believe them.)
Additionally in the back there is a very motley selection of odd food brands at very low prices. I have had quite a bit of caution indulging in these, but I always take a look.

I ran across the website by Googling «wine» and came across
. I was looking for a Mother’s Day gift and fell into the Wine Club tab. Perfect!
The club is different than all the other ones I have seen. The main differences:
1. The same $ 40/​month other clubs charge for 2 bottles, I am getting 6!!! Now for giving a gift, most people would think that you spent a fortune, (which is completely fine with me.)
As a personal preference, when ordering $ 20 bottles of wine I would prefer to pick them out myself, and not be anonymous. With 3 for $ 20, to me a different story.
2. They will let you choose whether you want a mixed of red and whites, or ALL WHITE or ALL REDS. For my gift to a Mother with a new appreciation for all the varietals and appellations, having them mix and match is just what I wanted!
Daniel personally emailed me to thank me for my purchase, which I thought was very help in clarifying how the club works.
Thank you Spencer & Daniels, I will be stopping in next time I find my way SF.

Effen Good Red
Three Legged Red
Herding Cats Shiraz
Le Snoot Merlot
Mad Dogs & Englishmen
Or would you prefer some Pinot Evil, Vin Sanity, or maybe a Natural Blonde.
I was told to use the word inexpensive instead of cheap.
So at S&D’s you can find oodles and oodles of inexpensive wine, beer, etc. Some quite good, some … well … maybe not as good.
But hell, for $ 5.99, I’d try a Natural Blonde or a Red with long legs.
In the midst of all this, you may find a keeper or two.
And pick up some Alter Eco Fair Trade Rice while you are there.

Spencer & Daniel — the former less eloquently named Bargain Bank — is a liquidator. That means they sell things that other places can’t or won’t sell, often because the product or packaging was damaged, expired, or overstocked somewhere else. It’s a little like Russian Roulette because you don’t know which it’s going to be.
In my experience, however, the odds are stacked against you. We recently got a fancy bottle of wine and later learned that it had made its way to Spencer & Daniel’s from the insurers who had insured the lot after it had sat out in 100 degree weather. Boiled wine. We also brought home some raspberry jam that we later learned had an old «best use» date. (To be fair, the jam was perfectly tasty).
I like a good deal, but buyer beware. A liquidator is not really the same as a discounter, so the bottle of fancy wine that you buy here for next to nothing may not have the same history as the same bottle you buy at another retailer.

This place is like a ghetto BevMo.
I’m not saying that as a bad thing necessarily.
They don’t have as much alcohol as BevMo but it is certainly a lot cheaper than anywhere else I’ve seen.
I dinged it one star because the store itself is kinda dirty but they both really low end shit in plastic bottles (you know what I’m talking about) and some high end stuff.