Vino by the Sea — Restaurant in New York

CLEAR EXAMPLE OF GENTRIFICATION: I’ve given this store multiple chances over time, but it has consistently failed to deliver. While the selection of European wines and sake is fairly good, South American offerings are almost nonexistent. More importantly, the prices are extremely inflated … even by NYC standards … and difficult to justify.

Yes, it’s a small business, but that shouldn’t be used as an excuse for overcharging customers. There are countless small liquor stores across the city that offer fair pricing and much better service. Charging $2 for a reusable plastic bag, with no option for a free paper bag, is absurd … especially for a liquor store. In fact, most shops provide paper bags as a basic courtesy.

The store’s location in a partially low-income, historically working-class neighborhood makes these pricing and policy choices feel particularly out of touch. It highlights what many of us have witnessed firsthand: small businesses riding the wave of gentrification by catering to wealthier newcomers while disregarding the needs of longtime residents. This is not thoughtful growth .. it's greed disguised as boutique service.

Service is consistently lacking. I was never greeted or offered help, even while clearly struggling to enter with a stroller and no other customers in the store. Despite making several purchases over $100-150, we were never acknowledged as valued customers. To make matters worse, staff were openly drinking on multiple visits … a completely unprofessional and frankly concerning behavior.

The final straw was being asked, with a judgmental tone and expression, if I knew that a bottle I was purchasing cost $59 … even though the price was clearly displayed. It was not only rude, but clearly carried the implication that I “didn’t look like” someone who could afford it. And by the way That bottle sells for closer to $30-40 elsewhere (yes in small businesses as well)

I make a point to support small and local businesses … but I expect professionalism, fairness, and a sense of community in return. Unfortunately, this shop seems to embody the worst aspects of gentrification: high prices, poor service, and a disregard for the diverse community it exists within, except white hipsters or wealthier newcomers. I won’t...

I placed an order for a $59 bottle. They accepted my order 15 mins before closing and never delivered it. I then proceeded to make another attempt by making the same purchase again. I called Vino by the sea to check my delivery update and was told they do not see a purchase on their end although I was in fact charged. I was then recommended by sales associate Jamie to purchase directly from their site rather than a third party app in which they use for their consumers. I hung up and ordered on the site.. being charged another $50+. I called the location to confirm my purchase with Jamie who kindly offered a 50% discount due to the bad experience I exhibited for the past two days. During this time, I have three transactional charges and only one order was being delivered. Upon delivery, Jamie stated that he spoke with the owner Andrew and due to everything I've experienced they've thrown in a $19 bottle for free in addition to the 50% charge which I was satisfied with.... I THOUGHT. The next morning, I checked my bank account where the three charges were still in place AND the discount was not awarded. I called Vino by the sea for an update on what was going on. Andrew, the owner insinuated that I was lying and refused to go back and forth he stated. He stated that he was unaware of such discount being mentioned. So not only have I been charged 100+ for products I have not received but the attempt to making the experience better was ultimately a fail. Save your money, prevent a bad experience and overall headache by purchasing your liquor at a space that actually cares about...

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I recently visited Vino by the Sea and purchased two 4-packs of Surfside iced tea. I was shocked to find they were priced at $28 per 4-pack! The man working there explained, while opening the cases for me, that they price the drinks per can. However, everywhere else I’ve seen, a 4-pack of Surfside typically costs between $12 and $15. Charging $28 is outrageous! Just a heads-up—be careful of the extreme markup here.

In response to your reply

Thank you for taking the time to respond—I really do appreciate it. I’ve actually been to your store before and never had any issues, which is why this experience really surprised me. I fully understand that small businesses have higher costs and can’t always compete with big box store prices. I’m someone who truly believes in supporting local whenever I can.

That said, $28 for a 4-pack of Surfside felt extremely high, especially when the same product is consistently priced around $12–$16 at other local liquor stores.I understand bars charge more per can, but as a retail store, I wasn’t expecting to see what essentially felt like bar pricing.

I respect that you have overhead, loyal staff, and quality service, and I’m not questioning that at all—I’ve seen it firsthand. This was just a case where the price point felt beyond what most people would consider reasonable, which is why I felt compelled to leave an honest review.

Again, I appreciate the response and the explanation. I wish your business continued success—I just wanted to share my honest feedback from a customer’s...