As far as chain grocery stores go, without going to Whole Foods (which is hellish to shop at) or specialty stores, this is probably as good as it can get if you want to pick up an interesting beer... More

As far as chain grocery stores go, without going to Whole Foods (which is hellish to shop at) or specialty stores, this is probably as good as it can get if you want to pick up an interesting beer spontaneously. We live right by this QFC, and we've been most impressed by their international beer selection. It's not a huge wall or anything, but it's way beyond the other QFC's (maybe the one in Capitol Hill has a good selection too but I don't know). The one that impressed me the most is the Red Rice Ale by Hitachino Nest in Japan http://kodawari.cc/engpage/kodawari/html/product_beer/red_rice_ale.htm , mostly because I hadn't even seen that in Japan. It's made from the ancient red rice (which is the only native rice to Japanese soil), and it tastes like nothing you've ever tasted. They have all the usual suspects - local microbrews, different stouts, ales, lagers, lambics, ciders (okay that's not technically a beer but I enjoy a good cider)... plus they have high quality/interesting beers like different Trappist ales and the red rice ale mentioned above. Well not to sound like a complete drunk, first and foremost it's a "grocery" store, and it does that pretty well, too. Good bread and produce selection (much better in quality than the Safeway next door), decent section of organic foods, great ice cream selection, etc. It also has SBC, a bagel shop, and FREE childcare. Their flowers are pretty good as well. The service is not too shabby either - whenever I had a problem with the self checkout machines I've always been offered a prompt refund. While QFC stands for Quality Food Center, we've been disappointed by other QFC's, and this one hasn't let us down - yet. So the next time you're shopping at the Village, go ahead, pick up an interesting beer just steps away.
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i eagerly awaited for my daughter to turn two so we could utilize the free child care at the university village QFC and it is so awesome to finally be "in". i am a big QFC fan, i like their prices... More

i eagerly awaited for my daughter to turn two so we could utilize the free child care at the university village QFC and it is so awesome to finally be "in". i am a big QFC fan, i like their prices and selection. this one isn't as big as the new capitol hill QFC but has a good selection of natural foods and organics mixed in with the other products. the lines have always been shorter than those at whole foods and the child care option makes it super attractive. the room is right next to the check out lines and is filled with different spaces with a huge variety of toys and play things. books, activity tables, art projects, dolls, dress up... the staff person (usually tina when we've been there) is a grown up who seems to enjoy interacting with the kids (rather than some bored college kid). they have a tight security system of matching wrist bands and signing in and out which is reassuring. they will also page you if there is a problem.
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The QFC store in University Village has a great selection for a big box grocery store. While it is not as good as Larry's, because of the level of cleanliness I would rather go to QFC than Safeway... More

The QFC store in University Village has a great selection for a big box grocery store. While it is not as good as Larry's, because of the level of cleanliness I would rather go to QFC than Safeway or Albertstons. This particular store also has a wide selection of kosher food and a great seafood section. There is a sushi bar, a Seattle's Best Coffee, a lounge where you can drink the coffee and watch CNN, and a bagel place. There is also a very good wine and beer selection. It can be very crowded on the weekends but it is so quite late at night that sometimes, you can study in the lounge without interruption. Prices can be higher than Safeway or Alberstons but they have weekly specials like many other grocery stores.
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I sometimes drive 20 minutes to go to this QFC. It's far superior in volume and quality to the QFC on Rainier near our house. And the free childcare is a total bonus!

I sometimes drive 20 minutes to go to this QFC. It's far superior in volume and quality to the QFC on Rainier near our house. And the free childcare is a total bonus!
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It's just QFC but as far as groceries go, it's a pretty good chain spot. The beauty of it all, the FREE childcare is great! My kids beg to go see "Miss Barbara" and I feel comfortable leaving them... More

It's just QFC but as far as groceries go, it's a pretty good chain spot. The beauty of it all, the FREE childcare is great! My kids beg to go see "Miss Barbara" and I feel comfortable leaving them in the play area. (And leaving my tots with a child care provider isn't something I do often.) You can shop or grab a coffee in peace while the kids have fun too.
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