Trader Joe's
1092 University Ave
(between 10th Ave & Cleveland Ave)
San Diego, CA 92103 (619) 296-3122
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
61 Reviews for Trader Joe's
I am still on a specialty market run and I still did not find a market that is better than other chain grocery markets. I heard that different Traders Joe have different items. I will try the one in Pacific Beach. They do have some organic items but not too much.
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Even tho' this TJ's is very crowded (I have the luxury of dropping kids off at school close to the Pt. Loma TJ's) I still come here when I need to grab something fast.
This is the Trader Joe's with the best vibe -- the stockers and checkers are always so cool -- never mind the sexual orientation or facial hardware -- and they are always able to chat you up about the food choices you've made or the booze you are buying.
I love watching the old ladies and old men gabbing with a heavily tattooed queen at checkout... it just seems so very 21st century and gives me hope for a new world.
We did discover that their ice cream selection is only 1/2 of the treats that await you at the Pt. Loma store... very sad.
Way to cram all the food into half of the store, and liquor into the other half, but hey, the selection on both sides are amazing. I like that you can find healthy stuff that actually tastes good, and hasn't been sitting around forever like at Henry's. It's also totally affordable even on a tight budget.
I blame this Trader Joe's for my slippery slide into alcoholism.
Hello, my name is Lisa and I love red wine. There. I've said it. I'm going to be one of those people who, in 30 years or so, could audition for Rudolph in any number of elementary school Christmas pageants, and TJ's is to blame.
See, it all started back when I was just a young, naive 20yr old, over in the UK visiting my cousin. This was my first real experience with the whole 'wine at the grocery store' thing, and he offered me a lesson that I have held close to my heart, even after all these years.
"Lisa", he said with a fairly thick Irish accent. "Never pay more than 5pound for a bottle of table wine. There are far too many good ones below that mark."
In BC, of course, government regulated liquor stores have a monopoly on liquor sales and so my sweet precious lifeblood is taxed beyond comprehension. A decent bottle of $10 red is a rare and valuable find. At Trader Joe's? Not so much. We go in and buy our staples (the veggie section is not the best, and I find that it goes off really quickly), peruse the soy ice cream selections, take a quick shot of juice, and dance our way to the wine aisle to fill up our cart. It took me three months to make it out of the California wines, for pete's sake. This month I'm launching a hard-target attack on Italy. (The shelves, not the country).
Yes it's crowded but the staff is friendly and really knows their stuff. There's always parking underneath Ralph's and, heck, Ralph's is right there for anything you can't pick up at TJ's. Well, anything that you can still fit in your car with all that wine, anyway....
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It was raspberry season and evidently somewhere in San Diego they were having a raspberry festival replete with raspberry everything, including a soon-to-be-crowned Rasberry Queen.
As I was standing in line, my checker (whose sexuality I'll leave up to you to figure out) was having a conversation with one of his co-workers about the upcoming high holy day of the delicious little berry.
He blurts out "I WANNA be the RASPBERRY QUEEN!"
I couldn't help myself - so I hollered at him:
"I THINK YOU ALREADY ARE!"
After a too long pause, the people in the booth started snickering, then laughing, then howling out loud - whew.
This is a lame ass review.
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This trader joe's sucks ass - and not in a good way. You practically have to wait in line just to look at the damn cheeses, and while you are in the cheese line you have to constantly move back and forth to get out of peoples' way. Wish there was a better one closer to the golden hill area.
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In the need for household basics for our vacation apartment, we fired up our GPS and put in Trader Joes and found our way here.
Like about every other TJs I've been to in my life, the parking lot is a mess. This one has the signature tiny spaces, and it's part of a bigger mall, so it's cut-throat to park.
Compared to TJs in Northern California, the selection here seemed slightly different on the fresh and prepared foods, and maybe a bit better. I could be making that up, as we were on vacation so everything seems better.
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Every Trader Joe's gets an automatic 1 star for being so freaking teeny tiny and such a clusterf^#% that I can't even hiccup without slamming my cart into someone.
And while this Trader Joe's is one of the worst designs I've seen yet (even Macgyver couldn't fashion an instrument smart enough to reach around the baked goods island to grab the mozzarella balls from the top of the case), it gets the additional 4 stars based on service alone.
I've dropped strawberries, had beer questions, forgotten items at the register and been an otherwise retarded shopper. BUT, it seems no matter what I get myself into, the staff always comes to the rescue. Rescue with a smile.
Thank you, Hillcrest Trader Joe's staff! You are helpful and kind, and you make it better!
I just had to leave a little note about my neighborhood Trader Joe's! The staff is so great...so friendly and so helpful--every time I'm in there! The store is organized, clean, and lovely.
Thanks guys and gals! Keep up the good work! I'll see you soon...Keep it clean San Diego!
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OK, yes people it's busy and crowded, especially if you shop on evenings or weekends. But if you've shopped at Berkeley Bowl most of your adult life, this is nothing.
But will you please stop complaining about the parking? Although I often ride my bike or walk to this TJ's, when I drive, I have NEVER, I repeat NEVER, failed to find a parking space, usually one fairly close to TJ's.
Here's the deal. not only is there parking in the surface lot in front of TJ's and Ralph's, there is also a small lot behind the TJ's. If you are disabled or too lazy to walk more than a few feet, this lot is your best bet.
However, there is also a MASSIVE BASEMENT PARKING LOT, that ALWAYS HAS TONS OF SPACES, and is cool and shady to boot. Plus it has a moving sidewalk thing and an elevator for the aforementioned lazy people (also stairs for those of us that don't mind a modicum of exercise in our day-to-day lives).
Because of my recent string of unfavorable experiences (and thus, the string of less than 3-star reviews), I had to find something to write positive things about, so here goes:
What's not to love about TJ?
I can get a cart-full of stuff and it sets me back maybe $45? I go to Ralph's and get into the 15 or less express lane and still pay $45. What am I buying???
Unique and tasty things, like the instant curries, simmer sauces, rice bowls, drinks/juices, snacks, I could go on forever.
$2 Chuck? It's cheaper to use in cooking than buying cooking wine...and it's not so bad to drink either.
Staff? Friendly! I find myself blabbing. Stop! I'm holding up the line!
Ok, so the minuses are
-congestion
-I discover something and then it's gone...either b/c everyone copies me because I'm a trendsetter or the samplings tell people it's really good and the stuff goes out of stock. Probably the latter. Would like to believe the former.
Ok, I feel better now.
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This is just about the only grocery store that I shop at.
After getting over my initial fear of this chain, courtesy of their freaky newspaper mailers, I have fallen in love with the variety and value of this store. They also have a great selection of prepared foods, frozen foods, and "partially prepared but heat up and pretend you made it" food.
They also have tasty samples of something new everyday.
This place would have gotten 5 stars but...
-1 star for crappy produce selection (be prepared to shop at Ralph's next door)
-1 star for the madhouse crowds just about all the time
Otherwise, a great place to shop.
trader joe's always has a special place in my heart. quality food and reasonable prices brings me back time and time again.
what annoys the shit out of me are all the hippie, dope smoking zombies who walk around as though they're the only ones shopping. move out of the way or stand back so others can shop at the same time. and shut your poorly-behaved kids up (or leave them in the car...preferably with the windows up on a hot day). don't listen to me; i'm just being mean.
Won store of the year 2007 for the whole chain....super cool and funny staff...Captain Laurie is the best ...The store is small and over crowded though...Sundays and Mondays are the worst days to shop because they have so little space to keep backstock they run out of things...the staff bust their ass to keep up though...Trader Joe's is the one grocery chain in the country that doesnt treat the staff like slave labor.
If this location isn't good enough for anyone, then why is it still so crowded? It's sad...
But aside from the congestion, I love it. They've discontinued a few of my favorite items, but there are things comparable available. The only one I'm really cranky about is the Blueberry Sauce I liked so much for putting on blintzes. They have an awesome variety of hummus, breads, cheeses, salad fixins, and pasta sauces (to name a few items.) The frozen potato latkes are life changing. Usually, I shop at both TJ's and Ralph's, but I get as much as I can at TJ's.
I absolutely adore most of the employees, too. Except that one lady who said my California ID wasn't a valid enough form of identification to buy alcohol. She sucked. But still, the manager got called over, and all was once again right in the world when he put her in her place.
It feels weird not saying more, just because I'm there so often, but Trader Joe's knows how much it means to me. I even bring my own grocery bags.
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As a loyal Trader Joe's enthusiast and even an employee for several months, it still remains #1 on my grocery store list! This location is especially fantastic and dear to my heart.
TJ's has excellent prices, an amazing staff (self included of course!), and innovative products. A lot of things get discontinued due to either price negotiations with suppliers, (The company is very strict on providing a value to consumers) or due to the fact that the stuff just isn't selling enough. The staff are friendly and amazing thanks to the management of the company which treats its employees surprisingly well. Also, they are willing to let you taste most anything if you ask, and you can get a refund on anything in the store you don't like... no questions asked.
The best time to go is still weekend mornings at 9:00am or weekday evenings at 8:30pm. Even at peak times, I've always found parking in the underground lot.
The crowds didn't bother me after working there for a while, and I definitely agree with the "park-your-cart-and-bring-stuff-to-it" method.
Yay TJ's!
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I love Trader Joe's. This location can be occasionally hectic but I've never waited too long. I never buy more than I can carry myself (where I live, parking is a challenge) so I don't have to deal with the shopping cart issue that others have mentioned.
I have invested in their reusable bags, and I LOVE them! Not only do you get entered into a drawing for using them, they actually make shopping easier, as the black and red insulated bags are easy to carry over your shoulder, they keep your groceries cold on the way home (no air conditioning in my car) and they zip closed so nothing falls out. Their other bags are great too. I use them for everything. I hate having plastic/paper bags floating around the house.
I was absolutely in love with their cheap Russian vodka, and then they had to discontinue it...But I've found a (slightly more expensive) alternative that is still good stuff.
For eggs, milk, cheese, and OJ, they're the cheapest! And everything they sell tastes so yummy!
The Good: TJ's as a whole is great business with items that you can't find other places. This is likely attributed to the fact that they are owned by two German brothers who also own one of the largest grocery store chains in Europe, Aldi North and Aldi South. Their quality and prices can simply not be matched. Moreover, this particular store is right next to a Ralph's, so if you can't find something at TJ's you can simply stop by next door.
The Bad: This is the smallest, most over-crowded TJ's I have ever been in. The parking situation is terrible and the wait to checkout is even worse. You'd be better off driving the extra five or ten minustes and going to another TJ's.
When are they going to open one up downtown? I was really hoping they would put one in in the East Village across the street from Starbuck's on Market but alas, they are putting in another friggin' Riteaid.
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The best part about this Trader Joe's (for me) is the location. I live in Little Italy and besides the Ralph's and Albertson's in Gas Lamp and East Village, respectively, there's not much else around for groceries.
Other draws are they have a lot of healthier alternatives and don't rip you off like Whole Foods. Although, they don't have EVERYTHING -- so going back to the point about location, there's a Ralph's right next door for everything else that Trader Joe's doesn't have.
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You know, Trader Joe's, it's hard to not like you as a store. Your food selection is great, your prices are reasonable and your staff is friendly.
With all that said, however, I have a major bone to pick with you. How do you justify setting up shop in Hillcrest in such a small space? There is absolutely nothing convenient about this location and that fact alone offsets the positives I mentioned before a few times over. I didn't even mention that parking in the shopping center is a bitch.
When will open a location in central SD the size of your La Mesa location? Maybe then we can talk and I'll consider doing business with you again. Until then, my money goes to Henry's on Park Blvd.
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+ it's trader joe's, so they have delicious food
+ they carry a lot of healthy options
+ they carry a lot of easy-to-prepare options... that actually taste great!
+ a nice alternative to your usual huge, unfriendly grocery store experience.
+ no matter how busy they get, it doesn't take long to get through the line, because they have really quick checkers, and plenty of them.
- tiny!
- they run out of things really quickly, so you have to go right when their truck comes, i guess.
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I honestly don't see what all the fuss is about. I've tried to like the place, but EVERY time I've gone there, I can't find shit! There's no selection in produce. You can barely make a salad with what they have to offer. Let's face it, since all I buy is produce then I'm pretty much up a creek if I go there. I've heard that they've got good spreads and other stuff, but I don't eat that soooo in my book to be a good grocery you must have all food groups. Especially in Cali where the fruits and veggies are just all so yummy.
They do have FAGE yoghurt that I buy on occasion to make Tzatziki. Other than that, you won't find me there.
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7 reasons why I love the Hillcrest Trader Joe's even though the aisles are barely wide enough for my (not-so) fat ass:
7. Double Rainbow Soy (Ice) Cream. Either in mango/vanilla or cherry chocolate chip, you will NOT even know this didn't come from a cow. So creamy and delicious. I think they sell this brand at People's, but I can never get over there, and Ranchos stopped carrying it.
6. Quirky checkers. They always have something interesting to say beyond "credit or debit," and I love that! Also, they're fast.
5. Generic versions of name brand items. For example, they sell a divine frozen cheeseless pizza with artichokes and carmelized onions that is exactly identical to the Amy's organics one, except it costs almost $3 less.
4. Trader Joseph and the Chard of Many Colors. I can't decide which is better: the name or the delicious pre-washed, ready-to-cook, nutrient-dense chard!
3. Pizza dough. It's a steal at $1.09, and so fun! I always forget that it's only supposed to be 12 inches and stretch it out to the edge of my 16 inch pan. Doesn't work.
2. Cute guys. There are usually some which is a definite plus.
1. Exotic European Truffles. They melt in your mouth (and in your hands) and are VEGAN?! And cheap?! Woohoo!!
Oh, and like others have said, just leave your cart at the end of the aisle and walk through to get individual items. Problem solved!
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Trader Joes and I have a secret love affair.
Unfortunately....after visiting this location TJs and I got into a lovers quarrel.
This TJ's was really small and lacking. Many of their shelves were picked through and bare and it seemed like I keep getting hit by roaming shopping carts.
I mean...they were out of edamame! Who runs out of everyones favorite soy bean???
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I love Trader Joe's, but I've completely given up on the Hillcrest location. It's too small, too overcrowded, and, like other reviews have mentioned, the empty shelves remind one of 1990 Moscow supermarkets. Who the fuck keeps hoarding all the Rosemary chicken breasts and lofat greek salads, damn it! It's difficult to steer a shopping cart through at ANY time, and I've seen two women arguing about trying to get through a mass of people jammed in the back area. Their verbal spar could have been a precursor to another trashy direct-to-video series, something like "Trader Joes Women Customers Gone Wild".
You cannot go during "empty" times because the stock will be gone. Trader Joe's is just too popular for this dinky location. Drive instead to Pt. Loma or even PB.
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Love Trader Joes---
I agree with Sarah G. -- who said that she's been having a secret love affair with this Grocery Store!
It is a fabulous place-- with often much better prices than you typically pay at other grocery stores. They have a wide range of their own label of canned goods; frozen foods; condiments; and even pet food. Love their Private Label stuff for the most part--- some of the best that I've tried.
This is moderately priced-- so if you are needing to "Stay on a Budget"-- then this is one of the best places to make your money go the farthest (next to Henry's). Amazing what you can get for your money here-- compared to a number of other grocery stores in town.
Charles Shaw (or as Wine Snobs refer to it--- "2 Buck Chuck")
Was first introduced to this when I moved into the El Cortez Apartments. They gave each resident a bottle of Charles Shaw-- and before I knew any better--- thought that it was a $24.00 (at least) bottle of wine. This was when they first introduced it--- noticed that their quality went down a couple of years after I had started to enjoy it. Wasn't sure what happened-- but began having headaches with this brand a couple of times-- a couple of years into enjoying it. Before that--- it was literally hard to distinguish between a high end wine that you'd pay $24.00 or more a bottle.
I'm giving this particular Trader Joes-- a 4 on a 5 Scale-- simply because it is often one of the more "Packed" TJ in town. This place is sometimes like playing "Bumper Cars"-- with the grocery carts, while moving down the isles. Feel that they may want to expand the size of this. It seems to be one of the more popular TJ's in town--- and could definitely be a bit bigger to accommodate all of the people who shop here.
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This place rocks! I am in love with Trader Joe! This is my favorite place to shop! I can buy groceries for my husband and I to have breakfast, lunch and dinner for about a week and 2-3 days for under 100.00! That's what I call a bargain!
I love the wine selection, the frozen goods, veggies, fruits, flowers...you name it! Everything is good. The pre-made salads are yummy and the hummus and other dips are really tasty! The breads are good too.
It's the best for the money! Inexpensive eats and good for you too. I suggest Trader Joes for anyone on a budget or if you don't like the regular store! I need to go now!
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I'm a loyal customer. Been shopping here for 3.5 years about every week. (Pointing a finger) I've made you rich Trader Joe's Hillcrest, you better keep up the good work.
I have a secret time I go to avoid the crowds. So secret it is, 9am on Saturdays when they open. Muhahahahahahah. I'm so smart.
Serious though, if Trade Joe's goes out of business then I'd starve. So keep going there people, just don't go when I do because it's a bitch to shop there when it gets busy.
I'll let ya in on another Trader Hoe's shopping technique I've masterfully developed. Whenever it gets too crowded at the Hillcrest store, I leave my cart parked somewhere while I go get all of my groceries by hand. I'd get an armful here and bring it back to my cart, and repeat. It takes a bit longer, but it's a whole lot less stressful. No more cart waltzes and bumper cars.
One lament on TJ's is that they changed the ingredients on the Chicken Masala(the one that comes in the yellow box) or I think they gotten rid of it entirely. I use to eat that stuff all the time for lunch. To me it was a restaurant grade masala meal.
New York Style Cheesecake for $5.99 is fantastico.
A QUART of Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough for $3.99 is a bargain.
The salads are good, a bit pricey but if you don't want to do the dishes and don't feel like making a salad, it's a good choice. The Italian Chopped Chicken Salad is a winner.
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This Trader Joe's is TERRIBLE. I used to go to this one or the one in PB when I lived in OB, and quickly realized how much nicer the PB location is. Then they built the one in Point Loma at Liberty Station and that one was even closer and the nicest/least crowded.
Now I live in City Heights, and have no car, so I ventured over to the Hillcrest location again. VERY disappointing. I was bumped into by at least 1/2 a dozen people who didn't bother apologizing, and everything I needed wasn't stocked. This Trader Joe's is overly crowded and chaotic. People act like animals there! I'm going back over to Liberty Station....
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It's true, this location is smaller than others that I have been to. But its a short walk from my boyfriend's place and when we are indecisive about dinner...it's always off to TJs we go.
I love their pizzas, pita chips, and various frozen items. Oh and their carbonated blueberry juice - which I discovered by walking by their sample counter - so don't forget to stop there.
I guess I am always too focused on what to eat (because usually I am starving when I am there) that I don't notice the amount of people...plus we usually go on off times.
The cashiers have always been friendly and helpful.
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Totally
Rad
And
Definitely
Everything
Rachel
Joneses
Over
Each and every
Day!
(Oops, that last one was supposed to be an S...)
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When the major chains were on strike, we totally quit going to Ralph's. That's when we started spending so much more time at Joe's. We had always gone there, but realized How Many great items they have. This one, like so many people have said, is just TOO SMALL. When I shop there I feel like I'm doing something good for my body. My mind, however? Not so much. Even during the day there are pockets of crowds--and even when the pockets are empty, the vibe persists. Bzzzzzzzzzzz. I can feel if from here, three blocks away. The staff are mostly helpful, but some of the patrons? Cripes!! I've been cussed out cuz my kid was making too much noise. (I poked him so he'd make more). Of course, I attribute that to the energy of the place, but it still isn't nice.
I wish Trader Joe's could take over, say, that new whateveritis they're building on Uni. Where the bad video place, wannabe sex shop and cactus r us used to live. I'm pretty sure it's going to be a new club, though. Good. Cuz we Really (eyeroll) need a new club. And a salon...
ps--my vote was no on wheelchair accessible, because I don't think on ecould navigate the aisles.
08/04/07
Minus one star for two reasons:
15, 000 frikkin employees on the floor at prime shop time. Hell, I
don't even think it was Busy. There were more staff there than
Shoppers! I had to dodge out of the way of some of those
employees, who Clearly have the Right Of Way...
There was a product on which the cardboard wrap had come
unsealed. I waited patiently for two staff to finish talking about Dog
Knows What so I could give them the product. Well, they weren't
gonna let Me stop 'em. So I say, "Yeah, so AnyWay... grr..." They
finally stopped and took the thing outta my hand, but not without a
couple o' Looks.
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Been a fan for almost 8 years now. I honestly don't know how people afford to shop at Whole Foods, Ralps, Vons, etc. for basics. I have saved thousands of dollars at TJ's over the years on simple items like bread and milk each week. The trick to enjoying TJ's is to shop in the morning - between 9 and 9:30. The employees are fresh and fun, and there is plenty of space to be had during off-peak shopping hours. ;)
Well, alright. Trader Joe's. Where do I begin? I shop here a lot, and obviously like the wares that they're offering, but it sure can be a cumbersome task at times. It's like any other Trader Joe's... overcrowded and organized like my office... all over the place. And, just when you think you've got your system down, they go and change everything around on you. No longer can you squeeze your way on in, grab your tenderly marinated tri-tip, tea tree oil soap and a bottle of Chimay. Now, you have to weed your way through about a hundred other people who are also baffled at the realignment of the products.
Then you HAVE to stop at the sampler bar and taste what they're promoting because it's nice to get a free bite of food and cup of juice in the middle of complete bedlam.
But, you know, all crankiness aside, I believe I can solve the issue with Trader Joe's crowd control problems. And while I don't usually dole out free advice to corporate stools, I'm going to break character and do so today. While this isn't the be-all-end-all solution, I do believe that this will exponentially make the entire experience more pleasant for the end user.
Ready for this earth shattering revelation? You sure? Here it goes... wait for it...
Stock your shelves after hours..
There. Nothing too crazy. Not asking a hell of a lot but I think that by taking the pallets of products and disinterested employees out of the aisles, while the customer is trying to practice some solid consumerism, would not only increase throughput on traffic, but increase the bottom line on unrealized revenue.
Plus, it might make the whole experience less ravenous.
All bitching aside, I sure like the goodies I fetch from there.
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I seriously love Trader Joe's, even if there are items that sadly don't cross state lines. You know, carried by a TJ's in one state, but not in another? Or when they discontinue items - that's a bummer, too. I still miss the frozen avocado halves & mixed mushrooms.
And like most, I don't really buy much in the way of produce here, unless there's a particularly good deal.
But for practically anything else, Trader Joe's rocks! The dairy (milk, eggs, butter, REAL heavy cream) is so very cheap and wonderful quality. The frozen meals, including pizzas, are delicious. TJ's is practically the only place I buy frozen vegetables; my current favorite is the Balsamic Roasted Vegetables. Oh, my god, you have to try them, they are amazing! The packaged gnocchi, the TJ's brand of cereals, the packaged nuts, all in my cart.
The marinated meats are terrific and how do I not mention the wines??
This location is a madhouse more often than not and the parking lot is cramped as hell, but it doesn't stop me. I do wish they'd open one downtown - I think the population density warrants another market and Trader Joe's would be a perfect addition.
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As far as I can remember Trader Joe's were the first stores to have handles on their paper bags. Kudos to that!
Overall great store but I need to warn people with some of my personal not so par things.
The Sushi is NASTY. The rice has the texture of an extruded paste. And it's usually dry, guessing cause it's been made elsewhere then trucked over. I find that true for their packaged sandwiches as well.
Produce is great but you can't count on them having what you want every time. Bummer.
Other than that, I love everything else about this place, but they've yet to listen to my request (countlessly dropped in their suggestion box) of coming up with a Chicken Sausage Variety Pack. That would be awesome.
I love this place. I bought my condo in Hillcrest for about 5 years ago and this place is one of the reasons I look back on it as a wise decision. Yes, my one and only complaint is that it is a little small, especially compared to the locations in PB and Liberty Station and thus, it gets crowded around 4-6pm and mid-day on weekends but screw it, ill list out while I love this place.
1) Its three blocks from my pad
2) The organic cuban style black beans
3) Friendliest staff anywhere, if they got any nicer, they would be giving the food away
4) Great selection of organic fair-trade coffee
5) Bitchin booze section, the Jamesons whiskey is easily 6 bucks cheapers than anywhere else Ive found and their wine section beats the sh*t out of the Ralphs next door.
6) I can easily spend twice the amount at Ralphs for the same amount of food I get at TJ.
Im there at least 3 times a week. I just can't see myself shopping at ralphs unless I run out of TP.
:-)
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The Point Loma location is the new TJ's to be. This one is just bad for a few reasons
1) Always crowded, long lines around 5:00pm (when people have just gotten out of work). It's hard to manuever the isles when there are 20 people in one.
2) Selection is bad. Because of it being so crowded, a lot of my favorite groceries are always out of stock, ESPECIALLY the small containers of Organic Vanilla Bean Yogurt. I've only seen in there 2-3 times in the millions of times I've shopped there.
Otherwise, the staff is the usually pleasant TJ staff you find when you read the register. That's the only aspect of this place that really stands out, sorry.
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It's Sunday afternoon - you know what that means: It's grocery time! So, light some calming candles, do some yoga, and now it's time to go to TJ's........... and that means CHAOS.
First, quickly move towards the carts. You may need to do a double axle somersault between the 12 other people looking for a cart, but you'll get one. Once inside the store, quickly bolt around the hipster employee unloading 50 cases of crackers. Never mind that it's 5:00 pm on Sunday, just get around him quickly. Get your crackers, then head quickly to the dairy counter. Again, you will encounter another dreadlocked employee unpacking boxes of milk. Remember, he will not move for you, so it's up to you to quickly move aside and grab your milk. Now, crawl under a few legs and grab some hummus, hop up and dive for some bread, jog between 22 other people and quickly grab some bottles of 2 buck Chuck. Since your near the crackers, maneuver around another employee stocking pita chips and grab your favorite crackers.
You're almost there.
Now, find one of the 42 lines that are scrunched together and get in one Quickly. Once at the cashier, be sure to unload your junk on their extra large 3x5 counters. Once they manage to stick all 300 pounds of your groceries into one bag, you're off.
Go home, unload, and take a nap.
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Too small. I know they can't help it, but they need to trade places with the Ralph's next door.
Go to the new Trader Joes in Liberty Station and you'll see what you are missing.... OMG, read that review for more 411.
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