Swirl on Castro
Categories: Wine Bars, Beer, Wine & Spirits [Edit]
Neighborhood: Castro572 Castro St
(between 18th St & 19th St)
San Francisco, CA 94114 (415) 864-2262
- Hours:
Mon 1:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Tue-Thu 12:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Fri, Sun 12:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.
Sun 12:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. - Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Happy Hour: No
- Smoking: No
311 reviews
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
"It has been a while since I wrote my previous review. I have been back many times since. I appreciate the owner, Germain contacting me to…" read more »
35 Reviews for Swirl on Castro
For a while they had Sofia in the little pink can, which was divine to sip on the way out for the evening. Very pretty store and pleasant staff.
Bartender (possibly owner) #1: This is a big wine, I don't think it shows as well as it could in this flight, I think of it as a food wine. It's tight, so give it a few minutes to open up.
Me: Ok, I'll just swish it around a bit
Bartender (possibly owner) #1: You can SWIRL it, but never swish. We do not swish.
Bartender (possibly owner) #2: Honey, this is the Castro, we ALL swish!
And that pretty much sums up why I love Swirl. Unpretentious, irreverent and just plain fun. One thing to note: This place is about 3 parts wine shop to 1 part wine bar. The space boasts a wine collection that just begs to be explored. I can foresee significant chunks of my paycheck being sacrificed here in the name of building my wine collection.
If you are in the mood to stay awhile, you should know that the seating area is not large (I'd guess there was room for about ten back there) so this wouldn't be a particularly good place for a group. However, if you're traveling in twos or threes and find yourself in need of a tasty libation, by all means, check out Swirl, you won't be sorry.
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I went here to meet some friends who were well into 3 bottles by the time I had gotten there. Not a wine bar but it will do the staff was pretty friendly so I bought 2 bottles trying to catch up with my friends. But they managed to stay one ahead of me the whole time.
Average prices hardly any seating
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This is a wine shop with a small wine bar at the back. I love this place. The owners are so welcoming and pour wine at cost, so you can try out lots of wines before you go on to spend a small fortune in the store!
You can also bring in your own pupu platter (aka cheese and crackers) so that you don't get totally plowed on an empty stomach.
Great place to end a day shopping in the Castro (don't forget to drop by Citizen for great clothes) or before/after a movie at the historic Castro theater. I highly recommend that you catch one of the silent era movies with the whole film accompanied by the organ -- a sublime experience.
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This is not a wine bar. It is a wine store with a small tasting area in the back. I have no idea why they were deigned as being in the wine bar category. I found out this failing hard way when meeting up with friends under the assumption it was a wine bar. We ended up going to Yield in the Dogpatch. Thank god someone had a car...
As a wine shop, they're pretty good. They have a large selection, although it seemed pretty standard to what I find in most wine shops around the city and nothing really stuck out as making them unique except for their being a wine shop in Castro.
But, if we call them a wine bar, then we need to call Coit Liquors and The Jug Shop a wine bar as well, since they have similar tasting areas that while not as stylish, do allow people to taste wines. I mean, these guys close at 9PM. Again, not a bar.
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Love these guys. I'm not (yet) as knowledgeable about wine as I'd like, so to find a wine club that consistently sends me selections I really enjoy is a boon.
The staff is always personable and friendly, without being up in my grill while I poke around lookin fer new hooch.
I haven't been consistently wowed by their flights, so I often skip 'em. (That said, I've found some reasonably priced GEMS by trying their flights, so ya never know!) But I have made many AWESOME purchases of 20 buck chuck (or less) that are a phenomenal value for the $ based on their descriptions.
Every month's visit is a treat, and I wind up coming home with at least a couple of fantastic additional bottles when I pick up my club selections.
Yeah!
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Rude
Indifferent
Woman hating
Snarky
Aloof (unless your a cute gay boy)
Mediocre wine
Will never return. I've given this place 3 tries and each time I was ignored as if I was invisible when flabby middle aged men were fussed over (yet I'm the one with a fat wallet) No matter how charming I might be, or how much I put myself out there with questions or commentary I was totally ignored. I was also ignored when I sat that their little wine bar area for 10 minutes one Sunday before the bored guy at the counter bothered to come over and talk to me .
Who needs such bigotry? Not me.
I needed to find a gift for a co-worker who was leaving our company and, after thinking of several more creative and personal gifts that would have required more time and effort than I had, I thought that everyone appreciates a good bottle of vino.
The problem is, I'm no oenophile so I felt a little lost when I walked into Swirl. Well, the man who helped me put me at ease immediately. He patiently showed me several bottles in my price range and explained to me the differences and gave me some tips to value wines.
While there, I ran into a friend who was enjoying a flight of wines and I noticed that a little crowd in the back was thoroughly having fun with their evening tasting.
I'll definitely have to return to take advantage of all the fun stuff!
I stopped into Swirl to look for a good engagement gift for a friend. The selection was wide and unique- and the service was spectacular. The owner spent 10 minutes with me explaining the varietals and what his favorites were. He was friendly and down-to-earth, which I find very helpful when shopping for wine (who needs snobbery?)
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Things I love about Swirl:
5. That they categorize their wines in flavor groups like, "Big Reds," so you can check out what you want according to the dish you are making or the mood you are in. It's like a Dewey Decimal System for wines.
4. Jerry, the owner, is crazy knowledgeable about wine, but shows no pretentiousness. He's friendly and helpful and sassy.
3. The casual level of customer service from all staff there. I love walking in and telling the staff what I am cooking for dinner and having them pull out some options. If I tell them, "weeknight price ranges, please," they show NO attitude. I was once shown 'the cheapest of our good sauvignon blancs' with actual pride.
2. The wine bar is small and often filled, which means that you will meet people very quickly. Don't be afraid! Squeeze your booty in there , smile, and request, "what good reds are you showcasing right now?" You will soon have 4 new friends commenting on your wines and complimenting your new hairdo.
1. Timmyloo rocks my world! He's the staffer with the sweet smile and shock of red hair. Last night I went in there 5 minutes after closing... Oops! But as Timmyloo was tipping back an amazing Zin with a lovely drunken drag queen, he invited me to stay and sip with them. He's a wonderful conversationalist and every time I visit him he teaches me more about wine without coming across like a knowitall. Beware! Timmyloo will figure out your tastes and you will end up buying 4 bottles when you only came in for a glass! Of course, onlyt after he has sipped a few glasses with you. Salut to Timmyloo! I only hope that your liver is as strong as your humor and grace.
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Due to recent football *ahem* upsets, I am considering new colleges to claim as my own. As such, I visited Swirl on Castro with the Dartmouth Alumni Association.
Granted, I was the guest of my friend, a Dartmouth alum, but I could tell everyone knew I was considering joining, regardless of what my degree says.
But Swirl, Swirl was a great venue for the tasting/alumni gathering. Staff was friendly and good with pouring.
I've stopped in before to wander, but haven't actually purchased, so I don't feel comfortable giving a full five stars.
I will be back though, especially when my budget allows more wine purchases.
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Jerry the owner is super nice, first of all! I asked him about champagne options for an upcoming birthday for a friend and he made several recommendations after inquiring about her tastes, habits and the what not.
But even if he wasn't here I would love this place, it's adorable and cute and super welcoming. I bought a bottle of the Veuve Cliquot and saw that they also have a rose version of the champagne which means I will be back.
Small space but filled with different unique options. It's also really easy to navigate your way around the store if you are a newbie to the wine and champagne thing, as every section is clearly identified. And beyond the typical reds, and whites and champagne sections, they also label their sections according to one's tastes.........
I am told that they also do flights if you want to do a little tasting. I am going to be back. Swirl and I are destined for a great relationship.
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Nice wine shop in the Castro. Comes complete with tasting bar in the back (always a plus). SF has a gazillion wine shops, so what makes this place special? Well, the staff is polite, eloquent, and know wine. They do not attempt to up-sell you or belittle your choices. Check them out.
Tip: Another big plus is "the swirl," a special water vortex wine chiller that gets your libation of choice down to the right temperature in record time.
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This is actually a great little wine and liquor shop but given how busy they are and how they don't have prices on anything, it's become an annoyance almost every time to try and flag down someone to scan all the options I'm interested in. Plus their prices are higher than my usual places for French liquor and Belgian beer.
It also seems to cater mostly to people who drink wine and mixed drinks. I was annoyed that they only had Vya sweet vermouth in the small bottles because it "sells better". C'mon peeps! This is a great tasting vermouth that you can drink on the rocks and not just a mixer for martinis! Although they did say if I was a regular customer that they could order the normal bottles for me.
Mostly it's just too busy to let me browse and ask questions comfortably. But a great place for wine tastings.
My new favorite place in the Castro is this lovely little wine shop and bar. The bar is really small, there's four or five stools along the serving area and two small tables in the back. But there's a lovely little garden out back with lots more room for wine-loving Castroites, their cute little doggies and their lush gal pals visiting for the weekend.
We did a flight of reds for $11.50 and I would have taken home a bottle of each if I hadn't just bought a case of wine the day before. The wine cabinet in the corner of my living room has expanded to a set of boxes piled in the corner. The madness must stop somewhere. But, anyway, back to the review. If you have some time to ponder your selection, why not take a seat and try some out? In addition to flights, they'll serve tastes and glasses, poured with a heavy hand, God bless them.
Three favorite things about Swirl:
1) Really nice staff, not pretentious at all. As much or as little attention as you want.
2) I really liked the way the shop is organized. As you walk in, bubbly is the first thing on your right, and across from that is the booze. Wine occupies the whole right side of the shop. Most wine shops organize by origin or varietal, but Swirl is organized more by your personal taste in wine. One section is called something like "robust reds." There's also a small section simply labeled "Splurge."
3) I don't know a lot about wine, I couldn't articulate a good description of what I'm drinking or explain why certain grapes do well in certain regions. However, I really know how to drink the stuff. I mean, I have that part DOWN. I didn't recognize many of the wines here and that's pretty unusual for me. I really like that you could wander into Swirl and have a pleasant natter with the staff and go home with some fun new find.
If I'm spending the weekend in the Castro, wine is probably the only tasty thing I'll be taking home with me, at least if I pick it up at Swirl I know I'll end up satisfied. Wow, when did I become a dirty old woman?
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This is a terrific little wine shop with a great selection. The wines are organized in a very customer friendly way, which is appreciated by those of us who don't quite know all their is to know about wine yet, but are working on it. Though I have never attended one of their Thursday night tastings officially, I have stopped by to grab a bottle on Thursday nights and everyone seems to be having a good time. In fact, on one Thursday, one of the customers attending the wine tasting took me under his wing and talked me into trying a Spanish wine that turned out to be delightful. I will say that I haven't been overly impressed by the helpfulness of the staff, but that seems to not be the experience of other reviewers, so maybe it is just me.
AT LAST. A liquor store I can endorse without reservation.
Absolutely unparalleled customer service. The staff displays the kind of hospitality you would expect when visiting a friend's home. They know every bottle they sell inside and out, and are patient enough to make well-considered recommendations.
It is better than CATS, people! We will go there again and again!
ps. our dog is as welcome as we are.
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Great neighborhood wine shop. I have been coming to this store for the last year and have been happy each time I've left. The store specializes in smaller vineyards and carries mostly california wine. I especially like their Thursday wine tastings where they feature a different varietal. Their Pinot envy in the fall carried some wines that I still dream about. In addition, they had a thanksgiving wine flight that turned me on to a Pinot D'Alsace that I can't live without now. Having the wine bar in the store also allows you to try new wines and get to know their wonderful staff. I've found them to be all very enthusiastic and excited about wine and their suggestions to be helpful and spot on. Another gem for the Castro and a must try.
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Get your twirl on at Swirl! Got a bottle of ros for the in-laws there because it had a cool drawing of an octopus on it (yes I buy wine for the label art) AND it was fabulous. Then I got some high class booze there and it was very well recieved by whoever it was I drank it with. Swirl has buttplug shaped tequila and the staff totally jokes about it! Nothing worse then somber liquor merchants. Except maybe sober ones.
Well lit, clean displays, friendly service, clubby little wine bar full of intriguing people to get drunk with- er "taste" wine with, open later then 7pm on weeknights and a dog! Yay alky dog! They want you to go to rehab and you bark "No! No! No!"
This place is such a rip-off, the prices are over retail in many instances, and the service, such as it is, is a sad joke. The selection of wines is second rate, at best, and most of what's on offer is way overpriced. And forget about being greeted and made welcome, the only thing these guys want is your money. Period. Shop elsewhere and have a better time, better wine, and customer service.
UPDATE: Heard from the owner, Jerry, who threatened me in his emessage. He didn't bother to open dialogue, just displayed the source of the poor attitude I have encountered at Swirl, but this time it was very personal and explicit. And his use of vulgar language in his reply was pretty much what one would expect. I've had several interactions with business owners via Yelp, and this is the first time anyone has responded with such vile. Things must not be going so very well, and I think I know why. A fish rots from the top...
The bottomline for me is this:
high priced goods, questionable service, hostile owner. ZERO STARS
The star you see is because Yelp doesn't let one remove it.
This place is a real gem. It is a great wine shop with plenty of well thought out selections. But the real reason I like Swirl is that it's a civilized place to get a drink in the Castro. I'm starting to dread happy hours at Badlands but I still want to meet the boys (and girls) for a drink in the hood sometimes. Swirl is perfect. Always laidback, friendly service and a good selection of wines by the glass. And their Thursday tastings are fun. Reserve early or they sell out! A very welcome addition to the 'stro.
Just because it's on the Castro makes it more chic.
They have really nice decantors, the kind that you stop for and say "ooooh" while fogging up the glass.
They sell a sparkling rose called "Sex" that isn't bad and $16 not painful.
They do have a small bar of sorts with four chairs where you can buy glasses of wine in preparation of mounting the enormous hill to your residence.
This place is great if you are looking for a great wine under $20. Don't get me wrong, they carry more expensive wine but they have a fantastic selection of very good, affordable wine. Be sure to have a glass of wine in the back and talk to the locals. It's a lot of fun. Highly recommended.
Thank goodness for a respectable wine broker in the Castro. Wine tasting is commonplace here, as is a nice social gathering once in a while. Browse through some of the choicest bottles in the state, and wander through the sublime garden in the back.
In so far as their balance goes, they poured lead on the red and went light on the white, but if you're a worthy lover of deep reds like me, this place will do nicely.
The only annoyance that I could possibly think of would be that terrible noisy racket that starts playing as soon as you hit their website.
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Not only do they have a small but great international selection of wine, but they feature some excellent Belgian beers as well. They also have this device that can chill a bottle of champagne in six minutes, which I suppose comes in quite handy for all those last-minute chilled champagne needs.
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Swirl we did! Don and I were at the Castro street festival and really wanted a glass of good wine, Sunday October 7th. Low and behold we found ourselves right outside of Swirl. We had talked about coming here several times...it was kismet. We bellied up to the tasting bar in the back and spent a great time tasting individual wines and flights. We met a wonderful lady who lives in the area and stops in for bubbly.
The staff was friendly and very attentive, even though the place was hopping. They even accommodated a couple of furry four-legged companions. Since my husband and I have two such companions, we were happy to see this.
The wine prices are very reasonable. The staff very gracious. They recommended Zadin restaurant for dinner and were spot on.
We will definitely go back and spend more time at Swirl.
I thought that the selection here was nice and varied, but it was a bit pricey and for some reason, when I asked for advice about the wine (and I do ask way too many questions), I felt like I was annoying the person who worked there.
I can't say enough about this place. I wandered in to buy some wine for a friends dinner party and wandered out with 2 bottles of wine, 2 bottles of liquor and a warm fuzzy feeling. The gentleman behind the counter was exceptionally friendly (and has been every time I have been back). This is a great place to stock your wine rack and liquor cabinet. Sure, its not the cheapest place to buy alcohol, but the service is great and you're supporting a local business. Check it out!
Great selection of wine as well as specialty liquor. It's nice to pop in do a little shopping and have a glass of wine at the tasting bar in the back.
Staff are friendly and knowledgable.
Finally the folks who owned Friendly Spirits caved in, sold out and moved on. In their place we got the tounge-in-cheek "Swirl on Castro" which completed a total transformation of the space.
Walk in to the Castro's only international wine store with phenomenal staff and a great tasting bar in the back.
Unlike other stores, Swirl will ship single bottles, which can be tedious at other stores. All said, a great new addition to the neighborhood.
I am fighting rating inflation on my reviews right now, so I'm going to start with 3 stars, but let me immediately prefix that by saying this place is a prime candidate for going all the way to the top.
Not only was the bartender extremely down-to-earth (very important qualification in the hyped and rarefied wine critic world,) but their flight selection was clearly varied and interesting. Yes, the Shiraz labeled "Layer Cake" was a monstrously chocolatey mix of gob-smacking Aussieness, but hey, excess is not a mark of poor taste. It was a good match with the slightly more austere Nero d'Avola and Corbieres that ran alongside it in the flight.
The one other patron there was also fairly knowledgeable, so I take it that this is a place that is good enough to attract an discerning audience.
If there's any fault, it could be that they close too early (8pm) and have far too few wines (I would estimate the shelf space held a total of fifty wines in the 20-50 dollar range.
I will definitely be writing more. Watch this space!
it was a beautiful sunday afternoon and i had high aspirations to finish my work and studies.
well, after lunch that is, with a couple of friends. but after lunch, i definitely was going to study.....
well......after a quick stroll of course on castro street. hey! i never make it back into my old hood now that i live in the inner sunset, i thought to myself. quick stroll for a couple minutes....and THEN i will be a study MACHINE!
whoa. is this wine store new? my friend and i both stop. i choose to ignore the "WINE TASTING INSIDE" sign. we both peek in...bottles of grapey wonders surround with a cute mosaic tasting bar in the back.
**having mental anguish. my gre book and a bottle of wine are duking it out in my head**
"should we go in?" says friend
--3 flights and a glass of wine later--
wine:coffee::sleeping:studying
so much for vocab. You've ruined me Swirl.
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I love swirl! The staff is knowledgeable and the selection of wine is awesome.
Friendly, easy to navigate, Swirl is the opposite of an intimidating wine store.
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Never fail to have a positive experience at Swirl - either in the recommendations for vino or in visiting their sweet little tasting bar in the back.
My only criticism - a quibble, really, and one which is so minor that it won't detract from the 5 stars - is that I would love if they could switch their tasting selections a little more often. Occasionally we'll visit WEEKS later and the same wines we tasted earlier are still there. Other than that, this is a great wine shop/tasting bar.
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