Trader Joe's

Pros: Good value on imported and other food. It's one of the best places to shop for cheese, frozen foods, and cereal. Cons: Small store with crowded isles. more

I appreciate the whole European market feel. I'm not a fan of those cold-war style, wide-aisled, fluorescent-lit ancient chains. At TJ's, you can start to figure out which brands are good and which - not so much. But it's all pretty cheap, so who cares. BUT Why oh why - do these people with these carts and some gaggle of hipster-bred children think it's okay to park their carts perpendicular to the cheese so they can enjoy their sample of raspberry vinaigrette - like it's the best thing that's happened to them all day. And then they're so put out when you say "excuse me." Perhaps I should be a little more zen in life. And I will - elsewhere. Perhaps the yuppies could be a little less self-absorbed and consider that some shoppers are in a rush at the grocery store. more

Trader Joe's is rather small for a grocery store but it has heart and depth. The focus here is on fresh healthy products for a cheap price. The alcohol section here is known for its great selection and discount prices. Fruits and vegetable are not as appealing though because most are wrapped and sometimes look very beaten up. The deli and freezer section contain a selection that includes German ham, Irish butter, and Mochi ice cream. While some household products are available, this store focuses mainly on food. Service is very helpful and efficient but it can be difficult to shop here because invariably I need something that they don't carry. more

I gave it 4 stars because it's got some stuff you just can't get elsewhere: organic meat and chicken for regular-people prices, nuts and cheeses and jams for a fraction of what you pay at the Food Temple (Whole Foods). And some nifty stuff that's just unique, like the nut flours and simmer sauces. Also wine at the best prices in town. Service is caring and cheerful, and they don't make you carry membership cards, which I give them points for . And the free hot coffee and samples can perk up your after-work shopping experience. I haven't liked their house brands of most prepared-type foods, though. For example, frozen stuff: I've actually thrown away their burritos and tamales, because they just tasted kind of boring and blurry. And their house brand cookies would be ok to bring for a scout troop snack, but not what you'd want to serve if you had friends over for a really nice tea. The house brands are just blah, so don't put your expectations too high. Produce is more expensive and worse than Safeway, and you have to buy their little plastic packages of it. And their parking lots are in the running for the worst-engineered in the city. more

Even back in the late nineties this place had the latest organic, natural, health food. And now, since it does a good job of following the trends, it has more selection than ever. Sometimes it doesn't have everything I need, but most times I am completely satisfied. I love the attitude of the employees and the great food. They take things out of circulation if they start to decline in quality. THAT'S good business. Their buyers taste EVERYTHING so most, if not all, products are good. And affordable delicious food is a godsend for those with simpler budgets. more

For the not-so-affluent, Trader Joes offers bottles of wine for $3, that are actually better than some offered at triple the price, cereals and chips that undercut the prices of "health stores" and lots of things that make cooking well rounded meals easy. It's probably the best place for many university students to shop because of this. They have lots of prepackaged foods as well, but again, more interesting and less expensive than the fare of regular grocery stores. I'm often surprised by what they have that I would like! more

Alright, I know some of these titles are getting kind of lame. I just can't help it. Back to the point, Trader Joe's is a great place to go grocery shopping. I think of it like Whole Foods goes cheaper. I like to go there, but usually find that I need to go to Safeway to pick up the rest of the supplies for the week. My favorite buys there are Cliff and Luna bars (which are usually about a buck each), their premade salads which are great for taking to lunch (the Chinese chicken is a fav) and Trader Ming Soyaki (sounds stupid but is REALLY good--try mixing it into a turkey burger, and you almost forget you're eating just turkey). There is a small parking lot attached to the one in the U-district. Sometimes it gets pretty busy, and you made need to wait, but at least its available. more

I love Trader Joe's, they have interesting new foods to try out and a generally fun store to shop around in. The prices are reasonable and the employees are always very nice.......my only contention is their parking lots! I do not drive a large car and it still takes manuvering to avoid hitting a cement post. I say enjoy the shopping but park on the street. more

I love this Trade Joe in that its food is delicious. Parking never bothered me as I work a few blocks away and could aways walk over there. Food there are fresh with a good quality. I especially love Trade Joe brand truffle there and Mochi (a kind of icecream that they sell there. more

The only thing stopping me from going to this TJs when I go to work up in the U District is that the store is so darn crowded, small, cramped and the parking is a pain in the you know what. You have to drive in to the tiny little garage to park (and there's ALWAYS someone holding up the line to get into the garage, so there's a traffic jam on Roosevelt), or find a spot on the street. I wish TJs would have found a better location but I know why they picked this one. I wish they would move to the old greengrocer market up 45th that closed down a few years ago (and bums sleep in front of it). That place has more parking! I love TJs but I grumble when I think of this one. more

Love buying wine at Trader Joe's, but the actual event isn't fun. Like people before me have said, the aisles are super narrow and parking is a major headache. But once you're on your way back to your car with awesome wine, dried fruit and organic spaghetti sauce you'll find it's worth it. Their prices are great, too! more

IF ONLY I COULD SHOP "TRADER JOE'S" THROUGH DRIVE-THRU. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF DELECTABLES I MAY MISS THIS WAY BUT I HAVE MY STAPLE ITEMS AND I'D SELL MY SOUL TO SHOP BUT NOT DROP AFTER AN OUTING AT THE JOE'S. PARKING IS WORSE THAN STABBING MYSELF IN THE EYE WITH A PENCIL AND THE ITSY BITSY AISLES FOR THE BUTT LOADS OF IMPATIENT( I'M ONE OF THEM) PEOPLE WHO RACE FOR CART-PARKING WHILE PERUSING, IS HEINOUS. THERE REALLY IS NO GETTING AROUND IT HOWEVER... WHERE ELSE CAN YOU GO TO GET "ONE" THING AND COME OUT $80 POORER BECAUSE IT IS JUST THAT GOOD? more

I always try to avoid going to this Trader Joe's at lunch time. Its a small store and there are usually tons of people lined up at the sample section clogging up the aisles. Other than it being crowded I love Trader Joe's. Their bran muffins are excellent and there is a ton of cheap but good wine to choose from. TRY the pita chips, they make a good snack. I have also purchased the chocolate truffles and cant get enough of them. more

Trader Joe's has the friendliest cashiers ever. I don't know how they do it. They consistently avoid sullenness and snappyness in favor of friendliness and kindness. Trader Joe's won't have everything you need - refried beans with fat in them, cheap produce, and some spices and cooking ingredients are not to be found here. But what you do find is almost always delicious and reasonably priced. Students can afford to eat better than ramen and pizza when they come to Trader Joe's. I like their cheaper-than-Naked-or-Odwalla juices, cheap soy milk and tofu, and frozen entrees (many less than $2 and practically gourmet). more

TJ's rules - Frozen edamame, check. $6-a-six-pack ales, check. Ketchup better than Heinz, check. Australian licorice that dominates Twizzlers, check. A red, green, and yellow bell pepper all conveniently packaged in a shrink-wrapped container, check. Mochi, check. I shopped for a 4-day backcountry trip sourcing entirely just-add-water food here, and it was all delicious. I love this place, and the 2-buck-chuck is at the end of my list of reasons, not the beginning. more

The half of our food budget that doesn't go to the farmer's market goes to Trader Joe's. This emporium of eclectic fine foods makes it affordable to be a gourmet. From their $3 (quaffable!) wines to good, cheap olive oil, cheeses, nuts and dried fruit to their surprisingly fine frozen ready-made foods, TJ's gets lots of our business. Fun place to shop (friendly staff, interesting stuff) and great products! more

Trader Joe's is the best place to go for great (cheap) wine. The have a great variety of imported wine. Other places have a lot, but Joe's has the largest selection of bottles under $10 and I'm not talking Boone's here. All of you that have got used to the morning after wine headache - now there is a painless alternative and for a couple bucks more you'll be able to get off the couch the next day. p.s. not sure if they have Tollo (may have to go to the Campo for that one) more

Every time I go to Trader Joe's, I am amazed to find that it is actually true. They ARE well priced. They DO have inexpensive-but-gourmet balsamic vinegar, tomato sauce, and everything else. They're free-rane chicken is cheaper than the hormone-full filets from Safeway. Here's what you do: get some of their whole-wheat dough, extra-virgin olive oil, fresh mozzarella and basil. Make a pizza. Feel good and healthy and full. more

Dried mangoes, calimari steaks, salmon patties, strawberry soy milk, snack bars, potstickers, edamame, and lots of chocolate - all items we commonly pick up here on a college student budget. My fiance and I stop by Trader Joe's most of the time when we are in the area. This is where we get our quick-cook food - often managing to find healthy alternatives to Campbell's soup and ramen at affordable (though not ramen-cheap ;-) prices. Not quite as much variety as Whole Foods, but much cheaper and equal quality - and it sure beats Safeway! more

If you haven't gone, I don't know where to begin. If you have, I have to give a few specific food tips so that you don't miss some great finds. This store has great products, great packaging and service and best of all- great prices! Here are a few faves: tzatiki, great cheese selection, excellent veggie potstickers, great vodka pasta sauce (for 1/4 the price of Whole Foods) aussie licorice, edamame, endives for a good price, grass fed beef and organic chicken, great smoothie materials (frozen berries galore), 2 buck chuck (Charles Shaw wines),etc. Supplement your trip with some organic veggies and fruits and you are good to go! more