Armanetti

On its website, this 83-year-old family-run chain claims it’s the largest beer retailer in the city—and that its prices are Chicago’s best. Without extensive side-by-side comparison, we’ll concede, especially when we can usually walk out of here with a sixer of craft beer or a solid bottle of wine for under ten bucks. Staff might be more hands-off than other geeky shops around town, but they can definitely tip shoppers off to limited releases and hidden gems.