Trader Joe’s

I love this TJs! It’s smallish and pretty standard for a Trader Joe’s. The staff is hit or miss. The people on the floor have always been helpful but occasionally I get a less than chipper checker. That’s life though. No big deal. TJs employees seem to work really hard and manage weekend crowds well.
The real reason I LOVE this location is Cece who is often handing out the samples in the back. She is such a delight! She always remembers us and calls us by name. She seems to adore my toddler who adores her right back. She talks to him and acts so impressed with whatever new thing he’s learned this week. She even comes out and gives him hugs when she sees him. And he always asks to «go see Cece» when we’re anywhere near this TJs. She is an exceptional employee and our family just loves her!

Good selection of fresh food.
Good customer service if you need to ask for something u can;t locate.
Quick check-​out lines.

I really like Trader Joe’s. A lot of people place trader joe’s as pricey, but I don’t really think that shopping here is too expensive. Trader Joe’s has more than reasonable pricing considering the value they give. The workers are really nice and helpful as well.

It’s a smaller Trader Joes, but they definitely pack it all in somehow.
I don’t dare shop here after 3pm because you can’t get through the aisles, but if you are able to get in when they open at 8, your experience will be great!

Love this store! They always have everything on my grocery list and I love the choice of organic produce. The staff is also so friendly and nice.

My favorite grocery store to do all my shopping at. Downside is it’s always busy so it’s hard to maneuver around people to get everything you want.

I forgot to get his name, but a tall blond guy helped me out and he was SO nice! I’m not really a baker, but I have to make a vegan dessert, and he was helpful, showing me the little symbols and even checking the back to look for cookie butter! He was friendly with everyone, and I wish I had had the chance to tell him to his face but I was in a rush.

I shop here once a week. The service is amazing. A small store with those long semi trucks out in the parking lot before they close, never worry… T J’s has gone towards the trend of carrying their own label, or products they buy and package under the TJ label just as Costco and Whole Foods has. This saves them money and strengthens the brand but I believe it reduces product quality. I tend to buy organic produce on Sunday at the Farmer’s market but by Thursday I always need something and Trader’s will have what I need

What’s not to love about Trader Joe’s? I especially love this Laguna Niguel location. There’s ample parking, but what makes this my favorite Trader Joe’s is the kind faces that work here. They genuinely seem to enjoy their jobs and are happy to help and provide opinions of their favorite Trader Joe foods.

I’ve noticed that stuff I buy here often doesn’t last a week. The tortilla sell by date is like the day I bought them & they’re moldy by day 5. The chopped kale tastes like it was sitting around chopped for a week. The prepared foods are meant to be consumed the day you buy them or maybe the next day. I cook weekly so I need my groceries to be really fresh & I need them to last a week. I have better freshness luck at Albertsons of all places! If you can shop & cook a couple times a week you’re probably fine. And you can’t beat some of the things here, like wintry blend coffee & coconut cream. I love trying their new specialty items.

I LOVE Trader Joes. But I cant stand going at 5:30 — 6:00. It gives me a heart attack. Especially this location because its so small and not only does everybody come to get groceries after work, but the ENTIRE staff is stocking food while people are trying to shop! Theres 3 staff members in each section of every part of the store… plus all the rushing shoppers, its so hectic. I wasnt able to get into the juice aisle tonight because there were two people stocking things in that same aisle and 3 customers taking a lifetime to choose something… Why cant they re-​stock in the morning, then noon and then right before closing time?! It sucks because I stopped going for 3 months until tonight i just needed to get some things and I realized its just not worth the stress.

By far the best Trader Joes in South OC! Everyone is always friendly and I see familiar faces every week. Samples are always new and different, which is exciting. Good value and healthy options, like organic chicken & veggies.
95% of the time they have everything, but occasionally out of some items, which is a bummer, but they’re always restocking, which is always nice! However, dodging workers as they are re-​stocking can somtimes be a bit of sport.
Healthy food, friendly staff, makes grocery shopping fun! Trader’s two thumbs up!

This review is for Trader Joes in general as well as specifics for trader joes in laguna Niguel.
In general The trader joes ever since they started making everything in house vs import, we not only have lost the authenticity of the product but also lost the taste. For instance, the Mozzarella there, 0 flavor. I tried to find the «best» fresh mozzarella they had and even bought two versions so I can serve the best tasting one for my homemade margarita pizza I was making, and both were disappointing. Literary tasted like water, nothing no favor. It’s sad that by trying to save cost by «trying» to resemble imported products they used to carry, they began to take away the best thing trader joes used to offer– products from around the world with big flavors! I see more and more the trader joe brand has replaced the imported products. It’s a shame.
Now for the location specific review, very limited store, limited selection, small, very American like products, lacks culture but then again it’s in the OC what else can you expect.

I love Trader Joe’s do you have a great single serving items produce specialty items cheeses great little sampling just a fantastic store and friendly staff

The customer service here is awesome! They have the nicest and most helpful employees. Yes, it’s a little cramped inside, but manageable. Wish they carried coconut sugar… but they usually have everything I need.

Every time I come in here the parking lot is insane and the people are terrible inside! Tjs never has what I and I mean ever! And If I ask someone about it They act like I’m bothering them. Also, please tell me why they are always stocking things all hours of the day?! It’s not that healthy here and the prices aren’t any better than whole foods which is way closer and always had what I need! It’s too bad. I wish the employees were nicer too, I bagged everything and is all the lady said was, «here you go» And handed me my receipt. I guess she doesn’t care that customers keep her employed!!! And she was lazy too.

I have been a big supporter of Trader Joes for years. Employees are great and service is outstanding. I do weekly grocery shopping here for breakfasts, lunches and dinners. However, STAY AWAY from the pre-​made salads, specifically the chopped italian salad. I got such bad food poisoning at work today (the product was purchased sunday evening and was not past its experation date-​I actually watched the lady re-​stock all the salads)! I have never experienced this in my entire life.
Time is money and I lost 4hrs of my work day due to a salad!!!
I remember there being recalls for tainted chopped onions and hummus at Trader Joes a while ago… Trader Joes-​Please be mindful of the products that you put out for your customers.

Oh my! The frozen Joe’s Diner Mac n Cheese is amazing. Best frozen dish I’ve had, and rivals some of the best Mac n cheeses I’ve ever had. Highly recommend

I love Trader Joes! They have so much good stuff, but more than that. They have a staff that seems to be the same since I started going there in 1993, who are always friendly and glad to see you!
SELECTION: They have a very thoughtful variety of premade and staple foods. There are only a couple of things I can’t get there that makes me need to go to another grocery store. Usually organic vegetables and artichokes in water. But a very complete selection in general! I also LOVE that I can get RAW NUTS AND SEEDS here! Very important to be able to prepare those from raw as the roasted ones go rancid on the shelves sitting in the plstic bags. I am headache-​prone, so I am sensitive to this. Buying them raw, soaking in Vitamin C powder water for 15 minutes, roasting them myself and then freezing them… Perfection. They keep forever, last 6 months and are SO healthy this way.
QUALITY: They have good quality things for the most part! I know there is a question of the quality of «organic» products from Mexico; some say good, some say bad. But I just wash everything thoroughly. I stay away from the products that come from Japan or Taiwan or China; and you do have to watch it there as they do have stuff like that. I get headaches from some of the prepared foods, so I just stick with the basics!
PRICES: Great. My basic rule is that I can generally find a good product cheaper here than any grocery store, so usually shop here first and just go get what I couldn’t find at TJs at another store, like Whole Foods, that is pricier. What I find are the best bargains here are their Organic Pomegranate juice, Organice Froze Veggies and Berries, Organic Sprouted Breads, Olives, Organic Salad Mixes, Yogurt, Milk, OJ and Organic Pizzas. They have the best prices anywhere on those and I get them all the time.
STAFF: Always nice, always friendly, always serving up something yummy to try! One of the nicest things that happened here was that I had bought a bunch of the pomegranate juice and was loading it in my car. I hadn’t quit secured the bag but saw the guy with the carts, and went to give him mine when one of my bottles fell out and broke! He not only cleaned it up with a smile. he went back IN and got me a NEW ONE! Stellar.
They also will accept a PICTURE of a moldy veggie or lemon (it happens!) instead of you having you carry that stinky thing around until you make it back to TJs. You can just keep your receipt, take a picture of the mold and the date on the product and they have given me a new product just from that. Very nice and takes away the inconvenience of having to run back to the store when you discover it.
Ok, love you guys! Stay sweet!
xoxo
Suzi

The smallest Trader Joes happens to be the best one. Not even the psycho upper middle class plastic surgery lizard people can make me dislike this store. Not even people letting their welps run crazy through the aisles with minishopping carts can make me stop going. Not even the lunatic widows that complain about cinnamon brooms can hold me back!!! Even suffering the gauntlet they call a parking lot wont push me away.
Ever been to the Ralphs across the street and suffered at the hand of the troglodytes that are employed there? I have. Its the worst. They should be wearing bibs to catch the drool falling off their lower lips. Dont go there!
So put on yoga pants, tons of make up and dress like you just went to the gym (you totally didn’t go…) and head down there.