The Wild Duck Wine & Spirits

Extremely rude owner. He seemed unwilling to help when asked about a particular wine and then yelled at me when at the register the price rang up a few dollars over the listing price. Although it’s conveniently located, there are far better options in the area.

The staff here are always helpful and make great recommendations. Prices are higher then what I usually expect but it’s also right in the city. Compared to other stores in the area it’s actually less expensive in the area. Friendly staff and great selections (wine always has beautiful descriptions for origin and how it taste).

Decent selection, but over priced and an extremely rude owner. Rest of the staff was fine, but the owner borderline harassed us thorough out our entire visit

This is my new favorite place to shop for wine. I love that they’ve taken the time to review everything they have, even the less expensive bottles, so I feel confident that I know what I’m getting.

I just moved to the North End and was excited to have everything (including this liquor store) in such a close proximity.
I stopped by to pick up some vodka. When I brought the bottle to the counter they asked for my ID. I gave it to them and they ran it through the machine… all pretty standard right? Well, for some reason my REAL DRIVERS LICENSE, ran through the machine as fake.
Someone, who I presume to be the owner, told me he could tell the ID was fake and that he wasn’t going to give it back to me! I had to threaten to call the police before he would give it back.
Call me crazy but I feel like a liquor store should have a properly functioning ID reader. Not to mention, the employees should be able to identify a real ID themselves.
Their selection was mediocre, and the owner, or whoever dealt with me, was rude.
Hanover Liquors is only a block away.

Love this place. I mean it’s a house of alcohol — what’s not to love?! It’s not huge obviously, but they have pretty much everything I’ve ever needed, and the people are super friendly. I would love stopping by here after a long day after work when they had tequila or wine «tastings». I’d just try one of everything, get a nice buzz and walk home. Bad day would suddenly seem better. Ahh… the good olé days. Great place!

With a good bit of help from Unilocalers, I spent a good part of 4 days strategically scouring Boston in an attempt to tap the Northeast craft beer scene. In that time, I visited probably a dozen liquor stores and numerous beer bars between the North End and Back Bay. Wild Duck was in my top three store finds.
From national-​distribution to rather obscure breweries, Wild Duck offers a pretty wide cross-​section of the American beer spectrum, from California (Anderson Valley, Ballast Point) to New England (Gritty’s, White Birch). They have the small Boston-​area craft breweries covered: Pretty Things, Slumbrew, Mystic. And there were a few that I rarely/​never saw at other stores: Maine Beer Co., Opa-​Opa.
My singular gripe with Wild Duck is that their beer cooler is devoted mostly to six packs of routine fare instead of the intriguing selection of 22oz. bottles on the shelves. Even then, when I inquired about refrigerated versions of the shelved stock, the staff started making calls to help me track down those beers at nearby North End bars! Made me feel like a rock star whose backstage rider didn’t get filled. I could get used to that!
If I lived in the area, I’d be a regular at Wild Duck. The selection was broader than most, and their service was above and beyond.

Stopped in last night on my way home (nice and close to Haymarket) to grab a new brew from Stone (Enjoy by IPA, strongly suggest picking it up). I had never been in before, but it was one of the only places in the city with it, and my friends from the North End said this was the place the locals go, and was pretty good.
Beer selection is alright, not anything special. Had a few micro and local brews, but not anything I haven’t seen before.
No mix a 6 always makes me sad, but it will get the job done if you need a quick adult beverage while in the North End.

The people behind the counter are all nice, and consistently so. They carry Allagash White AND Allagash Black. If that weren’t enough to draw you in and keep you loyal, they carry Duchesse De Bourgogne in big bottles (750mL?) so you can introduce that gem to your friends.

I needed to pick up a few drinks on the way to a friend’s apartment. I was very pleased with the selection of craft beers. I didn’t check out the wine.
Service was friendly and the prices seemed OK. I would recommend the Wild Duck if you are in the North End looking for a non-​convenient store libation option.

Yet another good wine and liquor store with a solid selection including some of Boulevard’s award-​winning brews. These guys had Samuel Adams’ new Alpine Spring seasonal too. There’s some tough competition in the area with the awesome Wine Bottega just a couple blocks away, but this is def a great place to stop by for any beer necessities.

they sell rogue!
i’d love for them to sell more rogue than just the dead guy ale!

I was walking through the North End, lost, looking for The Fish Market (Mercato del Mare) and when I found it, I decided I should get everything else I need for my dish (Mussels in white wine sauce) before I go get the Mussels. I walk out of Mercato del Mare and immediately see Wild Duck.
Walk in. Ask first guy I see if he could suggest a good cheap white wine for this dish. Price point — would prefer $ 10 or less. He points to a sad looking half empty shelf of YellowTails, Barefoots, and then points to a cardboard box «display» of Ugni Blanc and tells me it’s possibly his favorite white wine in the store, and it’s $ 9.99.
He seems extremely excited about what I was cooking and knowledgeable about the flavor profiles of all the wines I asked about. Had ample suggestions for what kinds of wines (and their flavor profiles) would go with what kind of foods.
I buy the ugni blanc. It’s delicious. I’m so grateful.

Hmm. My experience here seems to be completely different from other reviewers, so I feel like I should stop back a few times to see if I stopped in on an «off» day or something… but other reviewers seem to compliment friendly employees and good customer service, which was not my experience.
My only experience at Wild Duck was about a week ago when I stopped in to buy a pint bottle of whiskey. Never having shopped there in the past, I was pretty impressed by their selection of Italian specialty liqueurs and cordials! I asked if they carried Dimmi, which I saw advertised in La Cucina Italiana and would like to try. The cashier barely looked up from the register and said «Never heard of it» and went back to what he was doing, and the only other words to come out of his mouth were confirming the price of the whiskey and making change. Although I was put off by his unfriendly demeanor, I knew I’d visit the store again because of their selection of Italian specialty booze that you can’t find in my neighborhood, but that inventory is the only reason I gave Wild Duck three stars instead of two.
After reading these other reviews, I am willing to go back with an open mind and see if anything changes. Who knows? Maybe I came in on the day this guy’s dog died or something. If I go back and the employee (s) act like they’re glad I’m there, I’ll amend my review. If not, three stars it is.

I realized yesterday in passing that, of all the ducks I love — this one is probably my favorite.*
Friendly employees, an excellent selection packaged (!!!) into not much square footage, an extreme proximity to my apartment and reasonable prices for the location make this the beer, wine and liquor store for me.
*Explanatory footnote: Ducks I Love in order of importance:
1. Wild Duck
2. Peking Duck
3. Duck Tales
3. Duckhunt
4. Jemima Puddleduck
5. Ducking out of awkward situations
6. Donald/​Daisy/​Darkwing Ducktie
7. Count Duckula
8. Ducks on the Common
…
153. Duckboats

Great selection, SOOOOO expensive though. But that’s the North End!
Great beer selection, including DOGFISH which is crucial since I lived in Delaware for a few years.
Overall good selection on wine and booze, so check it out if you’re in the area… it’s definitely one of the only liquor stores on this side of 93!

Are you freaking kidding me? How has it taken me over a decade to find this place?
It’s unbelievable!
Damien’s review is my favorite, listing all the amazing things you can buy here.
I went in today and left with a bottle of Malbec, a 6-​er of Long Trail Pale Ale and Dale’s Pale Ale. If I had another hand to carry more, I would’ve gotten Bloody Mary mix, some vodka, and a giant bottle of my favorite beer in the world — Tripel Karmeliet. I purposely didn’t buy said favorite beer in the world, so I have an excuse to return. Very, very soon.

I love Jesus, but I drink a little.
Know what else I love? Free wine tastings after work on Fridays, a healthy variety of beer, wine, and liquor for the drinkin’, and the ability to play with neighborhood dawgs that come in with their alcoholic moms & dads! *burps & woofs*
The guys who run the store are pretty friendly and are ready and willing to chat it up with you, recommend a beverage, or feed your four legged friend a treat.
Whenever I’m in the neighborhood, this is my go-​to spot for liquid candy — and boy do I have a sweet tooth!

Mike knows wine better than I know your Mom. Biblically.
Want a 4pack of Maine Root natural sodas and a ringlet of Dale’s Pale Ale? Go here. Want Wrigley’s Doublemint and Harpoon Leviathan? Come here. Want wild caught salmon and PEI mussels? Go across the street (Mercato del Mare is the shit.)
Moe, Kevin and Mike are good people who run one helluva packie. I won’t buy liquor (or ginger beer!) anywhere else. Wine tastings every Friday, cheapskates!

This review is brought to you from the front window of The Boston Beanstock Coffee, Co. and lots of espresso.
The sign out front says that the name of this place is actually «The Wild Duck» and they have T-​shirts that tourists (I suppose non-​tourists too) can buy with their logo and «North End, Boston» written under said logo.
There is also a sign over the door reading «Beer Necessities.» Any convenience store that advertises itself as being a purveyor of beer necessities is 5 stars in my book… and perhaps worth a walk across the street to actually check it out in a bit.
(from looking in the window, it also seems like that have a wide variety of snacks and other typical convenience store paraphernalia)