New Star-Ell Liquor

I really love how the guy in turban handle each n every customer with all his heart and fulfils each customer’s needs. He is so friendly and nice with each customer. Would love to visit the store more often!

- bought juice but saw it's past the best by date - asked if I could switch it for another one - got told "That's not June 20, that's June 28."

The attitude from a guy in turban is unparalleled, I really wish you get what you deserve, dude

Super nice owners and these guys have EVERYTHING! Pretty much any beer...mainstream, microbrew, hard to find or limited releases... they got it. You'll never get bored in trying something new here. Great liquor selection as well with reasonable prices. They also have great snacks and chocolate! A divis fixture for as long as I can remember

This place was VERY expensive for a liquor store and seemed to specialize e in the higher end items. I paid nearly ten bucks for two sodas, some tums and a candy bar! The people seemed very friendly. In fact, everyone in the store seemed to know kne another (or at least the guy behind the counter) and it almost seemed like a social club...I kinda felt like the odd man out but I held back my tears ubtil I left the store and had a good cry in my car outside...I was teased as a child and this brought it all back so if you have been through similar traumas as a child I would not recommend this place. Just to be clean that last part was a joke, I actually found the familiar, friendly atmosphere pretty cool 🥳

This is MY local corner store. Good variety of products, can usually find backyard BBQ/picnic essentials great selection of wine for a liquor store and pretty good deals on 750ml of hard alcohol from time to time. Employees have always been friendly. See you soon New Star!

The guys are very friendly and knowledgeable about where products are located. I strongly suggest this store for convenience and Quality.

They have a very extensive selection of beer and spirits - pretty much unparalleled in the local area. What makes this place stand out from other liquor stores is that they have not only a big variety but many come in different sizes (minatures, hipflasks, small bottles, regular size all the way up to jumbo sized) so you can get the right amount, at the right price point for your budget. They also have a decent wine and snacks selection, and they are open till late everyday.

Every time we go in there, the cashier/counter clerk is on the phone. As a customer, you have no idea. Then they start speaking. For a minute, you think one of them is actually engaging in conversation with you only to find out, they were not. They are on their phone, mostly ignoring the fact you exist & are standing right in front of them. It sucks- no smiles to see the regulars or "Hi- how are you doing?" There was one clerk in the beginning that was quite nice. Now he is gone, so....too bad I guess!

I passed two convenience stores that were closed at 10:15 on Saturday night. After COVID, stores still roll up that early? Luckily New Star-Ell was open otherwise I would've been repeatedly tripped by two stampeding cats wanting canned food. After quickly choosing my items, I got literally shoved aside by two slightly drunken twenty-something bruhs who high five'd each other they thought to buy little airline-sized bottles of liquor; I was in the way. Duuuude! The store's cat food and wine selection were fairly priced. I chose an interesting bottle of Pinot, paid and went on my way. Polite staff, clean, well-stocked. Recommend.

New Star-Ell is an anchor of the neighborhood. Joven is the man. He deals with so much craziness coming in and out every night and he keeps a cool head.

Went to this store today after a long time. The new owners have done a fantastic job . Everything is organized and clean. Very beautiful and extensive collection of alcohol.

Very nice and clean store.pretty much they have everything in the store.New owners are very nice and they got new cat 'WHISKY'

New Owners Review - They have added so many new items and now store is very well organized and people working there are very nice and helpful

I'm grudgingly revamping my rating because I do come here quite regularly, and 90 percent of what I like about it is the guy who's almost always working at night. He's friendly and efficient and talkative when need be and quiet when appropriate and just all kinds of wonderful. The 2-liter-diet-soda pricing is all over the place. If you buy the exact same thing five times a week, you might pay five different prices for it. It makes absolutely no sense. It's insane. They carry salted peanuts like you can buy at a baseball game, only in smaller bags. And those corn-nut-like snacks that are really delicious. They overcharge for crackers and cookies, though.

I don't know what to think about the new ownership. The bottles are all lined up on the shelves and they have a lot of them, but the people don't really interact except to ring up your purchase, so you have already know what you want and say "left, left, stop, now up, up one more, no,not that one, the one next to it" instead of like before where you could ask "hey do you have the other mezcals from this series?" and you'd get an education and a bunch of great recommendations. I miss the old staff.

They will surcharge you beware. The last owners did this and now I see that they are trying to do it again. If you use a card it doesn't matter what card it is you get a different total than what is shown on the monitor. Transaction was $10.85 with tax but my Apple Pay receipt showed $11.18. It was 3% swipe fee.. No sign of warning. This is a shady business activity that make me wonder what other shady things they do.. I understand there is a cost of doing business but if you want to pass it on to the customer, you need to be transparent & honest. Look how across the street the gas stations do this. Even nail salons will give discounts for paying in cash. Or better yet, just raise prices so it's not a gotcha later.

I came here after 2 weeks and new owners have completely changed the store.Store looks great and so many new items.Hugeee liquor selection.Very nice people behind the counter

A review for a corner store?! Why not? This shop earned it. It's better stocked than most of the stores of its ilk and hasn't added to the gentrification blight that the neighborhood has been experiencing. After looking at some of the reviews that accumulated here, though, I should be transparent and make mention that I don't rent kegs and have been paying cash here since the late 1990s (yeah, the 'hood and I go way back). As for the prices,... welcome to San Francisco.

I guess I am interested in old-fashioned, divey liquor stores and so I am wasting my time with this spot. I got a Parrot coconut juice after eating pizza on Diviz. Nothing special of course.

I am not reviewing based on any products but rather on customer service. I stopped by to purchase a soda. Wow, is what I thought when I walked out The gentleman that checked me out was so so nice and personable. I do not know his name or I would definitely share it in this review. Beyond the friendly was the ability to use a credit card for the one beverage. Following the payment was when the most impressive thing happened. He offered me a straw. I was thrilled. So from entering to departing all good things happened. I spent less than 3 minutes in total but walked out knowing this would be a place to keep on my list of great places to stop on a long walk. The biggest compliment is that this gentleman was able to make my experience memorable in a very brief encounter. Still thinking about it a week later so it was time to write a review. Amazing customer service!!

Easily the best corner store in SF. Friendly staff, incredible beer selection, and surprisingly diverse food selection. Truly the best

When my mom came to visit, she made it a point to catch up with as many of her old friends in the city as possible. Catching up also meant buying small 'hey, how's life," gifts. With 10 minutes to spare before meeting up with old family friends, my mom scrambled to find a place to buy something. New Star Ell-Liquor was one of the few stores in walking distance, and open. She darted to the wine section. She was looking for quality french wine on a low budget. The owner of New Star Ell-Liquor offered to help us, and went through his reasonable priced wines, advising us, and giving us a brief run-down of each one. He helped us buy a well-recommended french red wine, and even found a nice bag under the counter that we could put it in. Not your typical liquor-store customer service... New Star Ell-Liquor is also a superb place to buy kegs and boxed food items. The owners know the area well and if you're looking for some wine or beer recommendations, they're an excellent resource.

Price gouging is a pejorative term referring to a situation in which a seller prices goods or commodities much higher than is considered reasonable or fair. Guess what I just spotted at Draeger's in San Mateo? A bottle of Old Potereo 18th Century Whiskey! And guess how much they had it priced at? http://www.yelp.com/biz/draegers-supermarket-san-mateo#query:dregars $78!!! New Star's price? $118. Don't believe me? Call them! They have it there right now! The instant I saw that, I mouthed the words "Those Mother-bleepers!" Come on New Star! You mean to tell me that Draeger's the same place I tell all my friends not to buy their wine or spirits from because they are high end and charge a premium is less expensive less than you? Not only less expensive, but A LOT less expensive! But because these bottles are in high demand you feel like you can just charge whatever the Hell you want. Well I can shop wherever the Hell I want and I vow to never step foot in your store again.

It was 2AM, and I needed something for work and I forgot my wallet. It was a crazy night and these nice people gave me my stuff and I finished my work. They owe me $2 . I'll pay back one day when I visit SF again. thank you

New Star-Ell has a fantastic location in NoPa, which has lured me in wayy too many times despite their incredibly high prices on everything. Which wouldn't bother me so much if they had price labels on most things -- but they don't! Then I get to the register and it's 20 to 30% more than I've paid at other stores. E.g. today I bought a 6-pack of Diet Coke for the low low price of $7.34. Now note, there is a CRV (can tax), but there's no soda tax on Diet Coke... it's diet, there's no sugar to tax. So that's just a nutso price. I've had similar experiences with beer. You go in and pick up a standard 6-pack, like Deschutes or Sierra Nevada -- and it ends up costing about $14 or $15. If you go to Whole Foods you can usually get them for around $11 all in -- other convenience stores are usually $12. Anyway, I'll still probably stop in here once or twice a year just because it's RIGHT THERE at Divis and Fell. But it's definitely not a place you should default to!

If you've ever bought from this corner store, and ran your card as credit, check your online account. They added a $20 tip to my transaction so the receipt I received in person showed the correct payment but my online account showed an additional $20. Be careful. At first, I thought the charge was a mistake but when I went to correct the error, I realized the scam. They told me to take it up with my bank. I had also come to return kegs but in the end they would only grudgingly offer me half price when I name dropped the BBB and customers started to look over to our conversation. (Ended up going to Handy Deli and getting full price though I didn't get the kegs through them. Thank you Handy Deli for saving me from my New Star Liquor Nightmare!) When I ordered the keg from New Star, I brought an old keg in so I wouldn't have to pay a deposit on a new keg. I was told I could return it and another keg I had whenever no problem but that the tap was a different story. I would be charged $5 a day every day it was late. (They rent material for 3-days only.) I returned the tap within the time frame. When I went later to return two kegs there was a different "owner" there, who wouldn't buy them back. He said I could leave them, but I would get no money for them. He said he could get nothing for the kegs because I did not get them through New Star. (Not true as I later found out through Handy Deli.) It did not matter to New Star Liquor that when I made the purchase, the owner had quoted me at $80 if I return the kegs through New Star. It seems to me now that they said whatever to get my business knowing full well that they did not intent to keep their promises. If he had not also refused to correct the overcharge, I would chalk up the bad business to poor communication skills. However, the two offenses combined are enough to hammer the nail into the coffin. New Star Liquor is dead to me but Handy Deli lives on!! Thanks again Handi Deli for helping a competitor's customer for no benefit of your own! tl;dr: :( New Star is shady business, try Handi Deli :) for kegs, liquor, corner store needs

The best place to go to for high end liquor. Great selection and great customer service. These guys have been around for 30+ years, always a treat coming in. Oh and really good snacks!!

This has become my go to destination for beer in the neighborhood. Hands down New Star-Ell has the best selection, and it's conveniently located near Lower Haight, Nopa, and Alamo Square. During Halloween they had several pumpkin beer selections. Lately, I've been enjoying the Hitachino they stock. They also have a very large selection of wine, if that's your thing. So next time you're wandering around Divis looking for something, check it out.

This is a review for keg borrowing. They were very quick in acquiring the special order pony Pivo Pils from Firestone Walker. One-day turnaround is not bad at all -- great job by the manager and distributor to fix that up at a moment's notice. The price was a bit higher to Bevmo at $120 with a $50 keg deposit. I did not rent a tap. I signed the papers and was on my way. I noticed that they didn't affix the usual yellow sticker to the keg, just the paper, but didn't say anything since I was in a hurry. Pocketed the receipt and was on my way. I didn't look at the receipt closely, just kept it with me, and didn't notice the handwritten note on the receipt saying I needed to return the keg within 48 hours. I returned the shell a month later and got the runaround for the missing sticker and the handwritten 48 hour return note. This is the first place I've ever borrowed a keg where there's a timeline on keg return. Large and small businesses in St. Louis, New Orleans, BevMo in SF, all have no timeline for return -- just that you have your receipt. So I was kinda surprised about the note. But hey those are the rules they use. Anyway, they took the shell and said to call back in a day. Did so, talked to an owner who gave me a $35 refund, citing a $5/day fee past 48 hours for keg return and leniency because I hadn't read the rules. I get it that it's their right to refuse the deposit and all. But I wish they'd been more upfront about the fees since they're unusual (at least in my experience). I'll just go to BevMo from here on out to avoid these fees.

The prior reviews about this store charging you more than it should are right. I gave them my credit card for a purchase, they told me the "swipe didn't go through," and then they swiped it again. So I was charged twice. Customers should try to use cash at this place to avoid duplicative credit card charges. Also, the cashier thought I lied to him about my age, and then demanded to see my ID. It's not rude to card someone when she buys alcohol, but it's rude to ask for an age, and then accuse me of lying about it.

What an awesome liquor store! Yesterday before the big Yelp Duck Tour extravaganza, I was scouting the area for a good place to snatch up a few kegs... and lo 'n behold, this place was touted as one of the better deals in the city. Not only did they have a pretty great selection of kegs (Sierra Nevada, Anchor Steam, Lagunitas, etc...), they were about as cheap as you could hope for as well. Not 'cheap,' in the overall sense... but cheap in the world of purchasing kegs. They also seem to know their booze. They have a bunch of indie alcohols on their shelves (like Tito's vodka!), which is really cool to see. The two men running this store are pretty darn friendly as well! What more could you ask for in a neighborhood quick stop? OH - be careful when parking outside the place. For whatever reason, the rules for stopping your car along Divis are a little wonky. Citations suck.

Everyone who works here are extremely nice. I especially love the dog behind the counter... It's nice to see that someone cares enough to bring their love one to hang out and it brightens my day. I go in for the usual 'healthier' options, as they do care about the products they sell. Whether it's organic or the occasional guilty days and purchase chocolate treats. It's not only close but a good place to go because lately, it is hard to find family owned and operated businesses that keep it genuine/listen to clients needs. Prices are reasonable, too. I had to write this review before heading over now because it was long overdue for such a staple in the Alamo Square area. I hope this business never leaves as it is crucial to keep this place alive. Support them!

For those of us that are living this dirty, marriage-less, child-less, mortgage-less, home depot-less urban lifestyle, there is presious few that is more important than your corner store. The corner store is your everything: coming home after a long night and you know you're going to wake up super late and not have time to swing by your local coffee shop for some caffeine and a bagel? Corner store is there for you with a starbucks double shot and a clif bar. Tired of drinking lukewarm tap water? There is your corner store, with cold refreshing Fiji and Vosse. Had a super long day because your dumb ass decided to go to Bed Bath and Beyond for a garment rack after spending hours staring at spreadsheets, only to take the wrong bus and take over an hour to get home? There is the corner store, beckoning you in with a special on Carlsberg and a bevy of cookies to make you feel better. This place is a god amongst corner stores. A SUPER FANTASTIC selection of beer (heavyweights here, people! Delerium Tremens, Racer 5, Fin Du Monde, Leffe, and a entire wall of Belgian ales!), a big giant selection of regular booze (including baby bottles of fernet for after you eat that giant little star dinner), Alternative Baking Company cookies (they are vegan and therefore extremely healthy!), Amy's frozen pizzas and all the other usual stuff you find in a corner store. The guys are super friendly and I predict they are going to get to know me, or at least my money, very very well. They are also the owners of Ziryab across the street.

This place makes me feel like I'm doing something illegal. I walk up to the counter, ask for a few packs of smokes and put my bottle of wine on the counter. The gentleman behind the counter starts making chit chat...so i chit chat back, and for some reason all i can think of is the scene in Dazed and Confused when Mitch walks into the corner store and scores a six pack. All it took was the small talk, and he was able to score beer as a minor. Confidence and chit chat will get you far. He carded me after he rang everything up, and when he finally did say "you are over 21 right?" I of course replied, "yah..I'm almost 30." But what i should have said was, "Oh yeah. Just graduated." Then he would have replied with " Graduated. Congratulations. So are you off to college in the fall?" And if I was Mitch I would have said " Ah you know I'm still not sure. I'm working right now, for the city. I'm thinking of holding on to the job for a while. It's like, you know money in my pocket." To which he would have replied, " I hear that. Here's some more money for your pocket. You have a nice night tonight." But that's not how it went down...cuz i am pushing 30, and if he had asked to see it, there obviously would have been nothing illegal about the transaction. But those moments...reliving my youth, and remembering a cinematic classic....awesome. Oh, and if you ever need a keg super late...they got em.

I had been meaning to post this a while ago but sometime last year we ordered a keg of beer here for one of our parties. We figured it would be better to give our keg business to this little market instead of Bevmo, to support small local business, but the experience left us pretty cheesed. When he picked up the keg, my husband also rented a tap. One of their employees greased it up and got it all ready with no problems and when he got it home an hour before the party, we realized that the tap wasn't working with the keg we were given. We thought the tap did look a bit weird...what with the remnants of Greek letters and chipped glitter on it...but we thought, you know what the hell, maybe that's how they roll. Also, when an employee routinely hands you a piece of equipment and tells you it's going to work, you don't really think to ask questions. We chalked it up to a mistake and so my husband called them and drove back to the store to exchange the tap. We're pretty easy people and hey, shit happens...but the guys there were total jerks to him and pretty much accused him of trying to scam them by returning a broken tap that wasn't theirs to begin with. After a good amount of time spent on arguing with these peeps, they finally handed over a decent tap with no apologies ever having been made over the ordeal. So a couple of things here: A of all, my husband called ahead to tell them what was up with the tap, so their staff knew about the tap malfunction B of all, we're late 20s/early 30s working professionals. My husband looks like Waldo and is a total, endearing, non-threatening nerd. Clearly not affiliated with sorority girls even if he wanted to be, so why the hell would we be in possession of a Greek'd and Glittered tap and come back an hour later to scam someone out of a beer tap with it? Bitch please, we're too old for that shit. So yeah, so much for supporting these guys and nuts to giving our business to people who take no responsibility for their mistakes. One word: TRIFLING.

I ducked in here to grab a post-libation meal, seeing that, in typical SF fashion, no nearby restaurants were open at such a late hour. I'm not one to patronize liquor stores often, but I do know that they are stocked with the requisite chips, soda, and booze (among other things)--they've very high on the junk food content. Imagine my surprise to see this place actually carry healthy, organic food like those from Amy's Kitchen. The prices may be jacked up to convenience store prices, but being out a few extra bills is nothing compared to going to bed hungry...and hungover. I found the cashier to be on the authoritarian side, but I could only fathom what he must have to put up with when a rush of people from surrounding bars suddenly fill his shop after last call. While they're not open 24 hours, being open till 2 a.m. is still a huge bonus in this early closing city.

Best Liquor store I've seen so far in the City, hands down. I know what you're thinking: "Whoa, hey, that's a pretty bold statement there, jerk.." It is, mainly because New Star-Ell lives up to the hype. If you've read my other crappy reviews, you know I don't like to go for extremes. If you ever don't feel like braving Van Ness or the Stanyan St. parking to go to a BevMo, come to this place. They have a ridiculously good selection of 6 packs ranging from your German brands (like Hacker-Pschorr) to U.S. brewed stuff like Deschutes and New Belgium. As if you didn't already spend 15 minutes deciding on a 6-pack, if you turn to your left, they have a huge selection of single 12/22/24oz beers including those beautiful Canadians (Maudite and La Fin Du Monde) and the 24oz Hitachino Nest Beer (i don't think they even have that at BevMo). Need some glassware to drink your beer with? They have some nice beer glasses near the front. I realize there are so many other assets to a liquor store like selection of hard alcohol, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, etc but this store just features too much good beer to give it anything less than 5 stars. Finally, a liquor store that loves beer as much as I do...

I feel shameful that I never wrote a review of new Star Ell when I was actually living several blocks away from it. Great selection of everything a liquor store should stock--beer, wine, the hard stuff, snacks, sake... Plus the staff is friendly and the prices for kegs and things are very reasonable.

Need a keg refilled at 1:55am? EY...NO PRAHBLEM, GUY. New Star Ell has got you covered, slick. And you can roll back to your own house as a hero among mere mortals, & arrive to an army of applauding partygoers.

This place is so much more than a liquor store. It's more like a beer store, a wine store, and liquor store combined. Okay that sounds really stupid but seriously the selection of beers here rivals City Beer Store, and the wine selection puts BevMo to shame. Don't call it a liquor store. Also I love the way everything is organized in the beer section--not by type of beer but by brewery. They carry almost the entire selection of a number of breweries/beer brands here, including Avery, Moylands, Stone, Rogue, Sam Smith, etc. etc. It's unfair. Definitely check this place out if you wanna try some new awesome beers.

D: What are you eating over there? Me (on the couch after a night of wine and hookah at Ziryab and shoveling my face with chocolate): Nothing, GOD! All I know is that I woke up a few hours later covered in no less than four varieties of half-eaten Ritter Sport and a vague recollection of Mimi sailing into New Star declaring, "I need water!" and emerging with not only water, but thin tortilla chips and eggs(?). I also remember really friendly people at New Star, though I suspected that they knew that I was on the tipsy side. Perhaps it was the massive amounts of chocolate that I was buying. In any case, not only is the selection in general above and beyond your average neighborhood store, they have more Swiss chocolate than you can shake a stick at. Five stars.

I love the fact that I can walk about fifty yards from my apartment and find almost any beer, wine, snack, or other comfort food at this trusty little establishment. The ATM is also pretty nice, gouging folks a little less in service fees than most liqueries (not a word? I don't care) in the area. Why four stars, then? Well, for one thing, even though it's a liquor store, I wish it were open a little earlier (say, nineish?) since I find I'm out of milk usually around the time I've filled my bowl with cereal and toiletries the moment I enter the bathroom after waking up, and walking the extra fifty yards to Faletti's is almost unbearable in the morning. Also, the porn quality is a bit sub-par.

Excellent beer selection and a decent liquor selection. However their higher-end liquor is waaaaaaay overpriced. A bottle of Eagle Rare bourbon was marked at $100 there, and I have bought the exact same stuff for $45 elsewhere. I've only been there a few times, and each the staff has been short at best, and downright rude at worst. During my most recent visit, the guy behind the counter was on the phone the entire time, gave me a dirty look when I asked him to repeat a question at checkout, then tried to short-change me by $2. There are other places in SF with as good (or better) selection, and that don't price gouge, and that have much better service. Take your money there instead.

Mmm hmmm. First review on this account definitely deserves to go to my favorite neighborhood liquor store ever. Well only second to Ball Liquors in the steamy ass crack of the bay area that is San Jose, and I only like that place because its called fucking Ball liquors. What makes this place such a shiny little gem? Three words: Fin du Monde. And they carry Pimm's! Sure you can probably score Fin and Pimms somewhere else. But I happen to live four blocks from the place and like to put as little energy into procuring my sloppy sauce as possible. Plus their porno section is right out front by the main window, so you don't have to lurk around pretending like you're going to buy guaco chips and RC cola to find it. Sold. Oh yeah and in case Fin isn't your particular flavor they have a shit ton of other stuff to choose from. One of the best beer selections I have seen in quite a while. They probably have other stuff besides beer and porn, but I honestly wouldn't know. Not my department.

Oh where, oh where, has my Stella keg gone? Oh where, oh where can it be? 5 days pre- party: Phone conversation with New Star-Ell arranging delivery of keg details for Friday's party. Noticing an obvious language barrier between myself and the person on the other end, I repeat time and drop off location and ask for verification by read back. 4 days pre- party: Promoting and getting really excited for my own MN style Kegger! Can you say Jello-shots? One hour pre-party: Staring at phone waiting for it to ring thus manifesting delivery of Keg. 30 minutes pre-party: Call New Star-Ell to find that the night guy knows nothing about my Keg delivery request. He says he will check on it and call me back. 10 minutes pre-party: Call Chad P. to help me pick up keg. Chad P., in his sweet laugh, says he can't because he took BART in; however he would be willing to roll it down the hill for me... it would be fun, he says. Party time: Thankful that all of my friends like to be fashionably late, I pace in front of my window. Party time:30: Keg is delivered as promised by New Star-Ell. Delivery includes Keg, bucket for keg (huge bonus), and tap. Owner very gruff and no apologies made. Asked me where I wanted Keg. I pointed to my 4th floor window. Owner states they can't go into the building. His employee helps me take keg and supplies to the entrance and then in true gentleman fashion makes an excuse to help me to my apt with the Keg. Unfortunately the keg had to sit for an hour and then people still had to suffer from foam attacks on their lips and nose. I had to give them 3 stars for the stress caused by waiting for the delivery. Luckily I had enough beer to calm me down.

Always smells good, sells yogurt and stays open late. what more could you want from a neighborhood store. How about random people, fresh bananas and a super friendly staff???

They sell Lambic. Which a fruity girl like me sometimes contemplates selling her body for.

Awesome selection. Reasonable prices. You might not necessarily want to buy bud light here, but they offer very affordable prices for premium beers. Green flash, Lost Abbey, Ommegang, Unibroue and the likes are all available. They have a decent selection of hard alcohol and liquors as well, but I've never gone that route since the beer selection is so stellar. Friendly service is always a plus! I just wished that they offered tasty tasties - those delicious Snyder's of Hanovers Honey Mustard "bursting with flavor" bites. Nom nom nom.

The 3 brothers who own this place are the best. Friendly, helpful, upbeat. I couldn't ask for a better corner store. They're also opening up a Middle Eastern restaurant across the street. Can't wait.

So this place may be one of the best kept secrets in SF. So much so, that I seriously considered NOT reviewing it. Considering myself an amateur beer enthusiast, this place really has everything I want in a beer store. Tucked away at the back of what appearances looks like your average corner-store, is a HUGE wall of boutique beers for a really reasonable price. Their selection is only just beaten by City Beer Store and Healthy Spirits, HOWEVER, their prices are significantly cheaper. The owners are also super-nice. They may not be the crazy-experts found elsewhere in the city, but they always ask me if there is anything that I would like them to order, or that I think they should carry. They even offered to let me put my bike behind the counter where they can watch it for me when I just stop in for a few beers. If I have to make a beer run, I will walk the extra few blocks to go here EVERY TIME. PROS -Real neighborhood place. Family run -centrally located, easy access via public -AMAZING selection -very reasonable prices -very nice management CONS - -not a dedicated beer store. therefore, staff really isn't able to help you make a really knowledgable decision (but thats what beeradvocate.com is for)

My wife and I were on the hunt for a Japanese micro-beer called Hitachino Red Bean Ale. We drank it at a restaurant in Berkeley - and liked it except we did not realize it was $12 for regular 11 oz bottle. A quick search on yelp pointed us here. Glad to say they had not only had the beer we wanted, they also had another Hitachino beer as well. They did not sell it in six packs however they did sell it in the big jumbo size beer bottles. it was properly priced and we got two and a half times the beer we would for our money. This place gets pretty busy and they have a terrific beer selection - perfect for a little corner package beer store. Gave it a 5 for doing exactly what they offer the local neighborhood. Selection and price was good for this local!

It's 1:15am, your keg just ran out, there are 50 rabid drunks at your house... what do you do?? For the LOVE of GOD, WHAT DO YOU DO!?!?! ...you go to New Star-Ell on the corner and get a new one, that's what. Wow, that was simple... thanks, guys!

I went out for a run and my blood sugar started to drop (I am Type One Diabetic) and I ran out of my emergency supplies. I popped into New Star-Ell Liquor to buy some Apple Juice and the two store owners were so incredibly kind and patient with me as I was very flustered and out of sorts. THANK YOU to the kind owners of New Star-Ell Liquor for all of your assistance. Could not say more positive words about them!!

The closest corner store on the block. Great booze and munchies selection. They have a bunch of the Haribo candies and also english chocolates!! We've rented a few kegs from here and the prices are fair. My main complaint would be the price gouging on hard liquor. It hurts my pocket a little a bit each time I fork 25 bones for a fifth of vodka...

They get credit for having a decent beer selection (Dogfish Head, Avery, etc) but some of their liquor prices are downright insane. $108 for a bottle of Lagavulin 16?! You've GOT to be kidding. I think I'll make the trek to Bevmo and save $40 instead. In short, swing by for a six pack, but for for bigger purchases Bevmo is your answer.

Sometimes really friendly, sometimes not, but who cares, the beer selection is one of the best I've seen. The wine is decent, too, although I've gotten a bottle of chianti there that was just vinegar (I'm chalking it up to chance but would love to hear if this has happened to anyone else there). This was my old regular corner store until I moved away several months ago. The "Divisadero Farmer's Market" (laugh at irony of the name) was closer to me, but New Star Ell was much more favored. I've gotten a keg here before and it was cheap and the process professionally handled.