Sav-Mor Liquors

One of the worst liquor stores in the Boston Somerville area the beer is extremely warm and the place is disgusting a complete dump do yourself a favor find another liquor store

«Discount Liquors» definitely caught my eye. I wasn’t sure if this meant damaged goods or an inappropriate ratio of alcohol to other parts, but I was ready to find out.
Turns out that most liquor really isn’t discounted by that much, maybe a dollar or two. They also make it more difficult by not showing the original price, just an orange sticker that makes you think the price has been marked down by a lot. Either way, nothing was more expensive than a regular liquor store, so I’ll take it.
They had a huge selection — pretty much everything that you could think of. They sold four packs and six packs and twelve packs and everything else packs. They even sold some single bottles of beer. They had some discontinued brews and some seasonals that had already disappeared most places. I don’t drink beer, but I assume beer drinkers would think this was cool.
They actually have a surprisingly good wine selection. «Eccentric» is the word I would use to describe it. Lots of bottles from random, international wineries, which are sometimes the best kind. It looks like some bottles have been there for a while, as they’re dusty.
This place is easy to get to — just take the Green E Line to Lechmere and either walk a couple minutes down the highway, or take the 87.
Pretty cool place, I’d definitely come back.

Have a large and fairly priced liquor and they have parking. Not the nicest place and the employees tend to be on the grouchy/​rude side! Don’t dare walk in there with 10
Minutes of closing to grab anything… less than hospitable! If you’re looking for recommendations or help go else where! But if your looking for a quick place to grab and go this is it!

Sigh. Despite being the closest full-​stock liquor store to my place, I have to stop buying beer at Sav-​Mor. Despite a wide array of craft beers, I’ve been burned one too many times after buying bottles well past the sell by date. A few have been a couple months past, one was just shy of being a year past. Is it going to kill me? No. Does it make for some nasty beer drinking? Emphatically yes.
For what it’s worth, six packs and cases stored in the fridge seem to be restocked at a reasonable rate, but those are limited to micro-​lagers and more commonly found brands like Anchor Steam or Sierra Nevada. I’ll continue to stop in for my bourbon and wine needs for sake of convenience, but I’ll be wandering to Albert’s on Cambridge Street when I want to try some new craft brews.

The big self serve beer freezer keeps the beer perfectly cold. However, they regularly run out of our brand, sometimes for several days, but have warm ones on the shelf. Maybe a system to check more regularly would help.
This location is super convenient. The a dedicated stop light makes entering and exiting really easy, but entering From route 28 South requires making a sharp (Probably Illegal) turn at the light or a quick u-​turn at the McD’s/Star market parking lot entrance.
There is plenty of parking.

Updating the review to reflect the comment from store owner:
Someone may factually inaccurate here, but it sure isn’t me. Their High West Double Rye was marked at $ 38.99– $ 10 more than other area stores. That’s why I asked the salesperson about it, because that price seemed WAY out of line.
He certainly didn’t correct me and say the price is really $ 28.99. Nor did he say anything. He just walked away.
We were standing by the bourbon, so that’s when I asked if they sold Buffalo Trace, which I didn’t see on the shelf. But apparently asking about the price of High West put me on the outs with your sales guy, because he wouldn’t answer my question.
You do not carry White Horse. Maybe you carry other inexpensive scotch, maybe you don’t. Maybe if your salesperson had helped me, I’d know the answer. Loss for both of us.
(Oh, and this was all AFTER the snarky reply we got when we asked if the spot we were parked in was okay.)
So I’m sorry, Michael W. of Sav-​Mor Liquors. This is on your store, not me. As I said in my last review, I have been coming here to buy liquor for our company parties for years– but I won’t be heading here again.

Good selection. Similar prices to other places, very fair.
TERRIBLE keg ordering experience. Stay away.
Ordered a keg of specialty beer for a gathering a week ahead of time, paid for it and left. Fast forward to pick it up a week later and they didn’t have it — no explanation, just «all we have is this» and then the front line cashiers attitude went to an 11 when I wanted an explanation and was a bit perturbed — refused to even acknowledge they made a mistake. I believe I gave them my contact info when ordering — but no pone call to tell me they couldn’t get the beer I wanted.
Your front line cashier, who I neglected to take note of her name, needs to find a job where she doesn’t have to deal with people. Also, an apology is needed, which hasn’t been received.

Great selection, helpful staff, but their product/​inventory is as old as dirt. If you go here get the quick selling beer and wine. The liquor is fine, no complaints there. However, I’ve given this place opportunity to change my mind but after picking up 3 – 6 packs of old nasty beer, 2 craft single bottles of old beer and 2 bottles of skunked old wine with brittle corks I’m done! Make a change sav mor your competition has my business. Go to Atlas or Kappys at least you can expect new stock.

I’d probably give something like 3.5 stars. I’ve seen a few better places but many many worse places. I’m glad to be near this place as they have a massive selection of beers, wines, and hard liquors. I’ve gotten to try several different imported beers that I hadn’t ever heard of before, and have yet to be disappointed. They also carry all the major beers and some local and lesser known stock too. There is always a good selection of seasonal beers as well (they don’t just carry the Sam Adams seasonals, they have a bunch of others too) The prices are pretty reasonable too, especially given the location. And I must repeat, their selection is truly, truly impressive. It would probably take you several lifetimes (and livers) to sample every different variety of beers, wines, and liquor this place has to offer. For now, the location and variety of this place make it my go-​to liquor store.

Huge selection, they are much better organized then they used to be a few years ago.
I love the bottle return– it takes EVERY thing, because there is hardly a micro brew that they don’t sell.
Lastly they have a sense of humor, which can be seen in their changing marque.

First things first, the sign is usually hilarious. They got an extra star solely for that. It’s big and has a large selection of beer (both craft and the cheap stuff) but it doesn’t feel particularly well ‘curated’(yes, I’m going to be that pretentious). It seems like they just buy a bunch of whatever the beer reps suggest and just throw it on the shelves. I don’t get a real sense of love towards the product here. The employees don’t seem particularly interested, either. I’m not expecting them to treat me like their new best friend but it’s always nice when you get more than a grunt and a ‘do you need a bag?’.

I go out of my way to shop ad Sav-​Mor liquors. The staff are friendly and the prices cannot be beat. They have an incredible selection of beer and if you are looking for a nice table wine to bring with you somewhere for dinner they have that too. Not the place to find a premier cru, but that is not why you should shop here. In terms of Liquor, they have a huge selection of everything and again at good prices. There is a grocery store across the street to complete your party order; however, in a pinch they also have mixers and disposable cups as well as a few other party supplies.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Since the remodel a few years ago, it’s no longer terrifying and filthy. Prices are still reasonable and the selection, while sometimes unreliable, is really broad. Employees have always been helpful.

Sometimes I forget it’s here, but when I’m in a pinch taking McGrath to Stop and Shop or trying to sneak out of kendall square the back way I am relieved to see this beacon of hope.
They have a great selection of Cider, and all the things you need in a liquor store. I’ve never experienced a line here, so it is a good place to hop in, get what you need and hop out. I also am all for liquor stores making it crystal clear you can walk into their fridge to shop. I hate having to guess!
There’s even a bottle redemption, so save your empties.

Was going to go for 4 stars, and then I thought… what would I change about this place, really? For good selection, no-​frills, well-​priced liquor stores, it is the best around. True, it is sort of like a warehouse, and the floor is often sawdust, the bottle return is sketchy, and sometimes it’s hard to find your specific craft beer among the hundreds on the somewhat-​disorganized shelves, but that is understandable from somewhere with such high volume turnover and great prices.
It’s not a guarantee that the particular staff member you ask knows exactly what they have and where to look, but they’ll find one who does, and I’ve only ever had them be cool and polite. Not fancy or anything, but honest and decent.
Some tips: (1) Don’t let the super tall Scotch shelves intimidate you — they often have great sales if you can see that high and someone will get down what you want. (2) You can go inside the big fridge and often it yields some hidden stuff… like if there’s no winter ale on the floor because it’s April but you’re dyyyyying for some, there might be a 12-​pack buried inside the fridge. (3) They usually have gluten-​free cider and sulfite-​free wine in stock, should you have folks who need it.

Anyone who has ever driven on McGrath Highway has seen the Sav-​Mor sign and its truly awesome, witty headlines. Whoever is in charge of that sign certainly has a sense of humor, but I wish the service was as awesome as the sign.
Speaking strictly for the beer selection, this place absolutely has some stuff. Plenty of craft brews, including a more than fair amount of them cold. The problem I have experienced here, every time, is that the people working the floor don’t seem to know what is going on. They are stocking the shelves, yes, but ask them to find something specific, and they will do exactly what you did for the 5 + minutes before you asked for help: look up and down the shelves randomly. There doesn’t seem to be any order or organization at all, just filling the open space.
One time, I was anxious to grab some Nugget Nectar, and happened to be a week or two early, but when I asked the nearest employee if they had it, he walked to the shelves, same as I had, looked, said he didn’t know, brought someone else, who looked at the same shelves, said they didn’t know, then walked over to the manager, who was hidden in a room near the front. When they asked him if it was in stock, all I heard was a booming «NO!» from the room, without seeing the manager.
The sign is awesome.
The prices are fine, the selection is fine, but it’s disorganized and don’t expect anyone to actually help you figure it all out.

Pretty sketchy around here but they sell cheap wine so I’ll go here if I need to, but the one in Medford is a bit better and definitely not sketchy.

I know this sounds stupid, but I’ve never checked to see if I actually save money at Sav-​Mor. The prices seem reasonable and they have a good selection, so I’ve never been disappointed.
Here’s the thing: they have a parking lot. They have a BIG parking lot. It is amazing! I live in Central and it’s tough to get a spot near a liquor store. That’s fine if you want to buy a bottle of wine or a six pack. But what if you want to buy two thirty racks of Miller Lite even though you’re 31 and should probably be upgrading? You don’t want to carry 60 beers on your 15 minute walk home! No! So go to this place, like me, and drive your cheap beer home like a happy person.

I moved to Massachusetts a number of years ago from Ohio. The first thing I had to get used to was the fact that in Massachusetts you can’t buy alcohol in grocery stores. You might think this wouldn’t be much of a problem since there’s usually a liquor store in the vicinity of most grocery stores. But because the liquor stores in Ohio compete with the grocery stores, they rely on a massive amount of selection. The variety of beer that you can find in an Ohio liquor store is astounding. Because liquor stores have less competition and because of the space limits in Boston, liquor stores in Massachusetts usually have a paltry selection. (Sometimes living on the East Coast is like living in the Middle Ages).
Sav-​Mor Liquors on McGrath Highway is the closest thing I’ve found to an Ohio style liquor store. The place has a Spartan appearance. It looks like a large warehouse. But there are rows upon rows of beer and liquor. You can find something at just about any price range and for nearly any occasion. The staff is friendly and helpful as well. The store has something of a quirky personality, and they put up a different message on their sign every few weeks or so. One of the only problems I’ve found with the place is that it is difficult to walk there, and it’s really only accessible to those with cars. Otherwise, it’s probably my favorite liquor store in the Boston area.

If you are squeamish, don’t go to SavMor. You’ll hate the cramped and sometimes dusty disorganized space and will be disturbed by the frankness of the staff.
If you don’t mind a little clutter and a bit of «that’s right tough guy» customer service, you’ll be just fine.
This place isn’t the cheapest for everything, but when you find a bargain, it will be a really good one. If I’m looking for a specific beer or spirit, I’ll check here first hoping to find a really good deal. If I don’t, I go to another liquor store that will have it, but at much greater expense.
The real reason I come back again and again is that SavMor is amazing for stocking up when you want to throw a party. They have a good variety of beer, spanning the color spectrum from pale to dark, and the prices are generally right.
With the amount of pretension creeping into the Ville I’m really happy that SavMor is SavMor. If the place offends you, head south. Cambridge will have what you want.