Trader Joe’s

There is free parking underground! I repeat there is free parking underground! You just have to wrap around the building when you are driving down Monroe and you will see the entrance off of the main street. I see so many reviews on here complaining of the parking situation and it’s a shame cause TJ’s is nice enough to provide free parking and for some reason many don’t know even though there is a big sign as you are walking into the store stating free parking.
TJ’s sells many addicting items. For example the best shrimp cocktail sauce in the world. Also why settle for freezer meals from a regular grocery store when you can bring a chicken vindaloo freezer meal to lunch at work for only about $ 3. Their salted chocolate covered almonds. Their nut and dried fruit section is awesome and nicely priced for the amount that you get.
They almost always are sampling something at their sample station when I make a visit. Last week was the their turkey chili from a can which was actually pretty amazing. So I appreciate them sampling things that I would not normally pick up. Also they always sample a beverage at the same time, always nice to have to help wash down the food sample.
The only thing that I’m not a huge fan of is the produce. I prefer to go elsewhere for produce.
They have a decent alcohol selection too. Great place to pick up drinks, snacks, etc. for a pot luck or a party. You’ll most likely be able to find score easily at finding something yummy that many people will like.

We love Trader Joe’s, wish parking was better but what can you do Monroe Street. Its also a smaller space for parking and in the store in general. I try to avoid the place on weekends. The staff are always friendly and helpful.
I like that they have affordable organic produce. They also have a nice selection of different foods you might not find other places.
I really like a lot if their frozen, prepackaged meals like their vegan and non vegan chicken tikka masala. I hear their Mac and cheese is good but have not tried it myself. Its nice when I’m on the go and then I dont feel too guilty about eating a frozen meal as I trust their quality and they have a good variety of healthier options.
I also love their frozen veggies section. Lots of nice organic choices. They have a good variety of frozen fruit for my smoothies too. I love the pre-​cooked frozen edamame for my son. They also have soy and coconut ice cream that is better than most other brands out there and it is super affordable.

I like this store and their triple ginger snaps. The only reason I am removing a star is because of the parking lot; but that is really just first world problems.

Nice store and just slightly overpriced products until you walk to your car and find a $ 25 PARKING TICKET!!!

Trader Joe’s is not for your full shopping trip. But it is an excellent place to find great buys on certain things. Their produce usually looks great and they have really good sales. Reading the flyer is the best way to find out what is new and on special.
I can always find a new WOW item that will be great for entertaining at home or a pot luck at work. One of my WOW items that I can not live without is the concentrated coffee. All I have to do in the morning is add water or milk and then boom, coffee. Microwave it or over ice. Put creamer in or add some in your hot chocolate for a «mocha» drink. I dislike brewing coffee for myself so I will always come back to Trader Joe’s for that.

For some weird reason, I always thought Trader Joe’s was just a place to pick up some specialty items. I never thought it was a place where I could get the majority of what I needed on my grocery list. Well, I was wrong, seriously wrong! I work on campus and sometimes I’d just drop by TJs to pick up a few things. But today I needed more than just a few things. I ended up getting everything on my grocery list :-) and that included some really awesome vegan meatless meatballs; yeah you heard me right! Now, I will say that I am NOT all about the Two Buck Chuck wine, however I did pick up some really nice Tempranillo for only $ 3.99 (in fact, I’m sipping on it while I type this review). Sure the produce department leaves a little to be desired, but I picked up some awesome organic avocados for only a buck apiece. Back in the day when we had a gaggle of kids at home, I don’t think TJ’s would suit what I needed, however this is the place if you’re just shopping for a small family!

Am I the only one who hates to pay to park? Trader Joe, I love you but I would visit more if I did not have to pay.
You always seem to have new and interesting food. I can find frozen riced cauliflower or great seasoning mixes. If you need anything obscure, chances are you can find it here.
I really like your gluten-​free products and wine options. That is 75% of what I purchase. I would probably shop here more regularly if I was not charged to grocery shop.

Love TJ its right by my house I just walk over there. The prices are great. Sometimes products are not there that you had but that’s the business.

I’m going to slow the hype train on Trader Joe’s for a bit. The produce, seafood, and the meats are pretty gross compared to what you find at Metcalfe’s or Whole Foods. (Not to be a wet blanket, but frozen «organic» chicken breasts preserved in some «special» preservative doesn’t inspire confidence.)
Trader Joe’s is best for stuff like nuts and raisins. People I know have also recommend fruit juices, which I don’t drink because I’m trying to limit sugar, and also liquor, but I don’t drink so I can’t speak to that.
Layout of the store is great with plentiful underground parking!

If I don’t make it into Trader Joe’s every other week, something is wrong. They have a great cheese selection that is reasonably priced compared to other stores in town for your party needs (or just your individual needs.) The frozen dinner selection (Indian especially) is terrific. I’m still working up the nerve to try some of the meat selection, which I was told is not very good, but I would like to give it half a chance.
The only reason I lopped off a star is that if it is after 5 pm or on the weekend, it can get insanely crowded and it can be hard to move in the store. Added to the mix are a slew of small kiddos, each pushing a pint-​sized cart into your legs while their handler is off looking at produce. Also the parking situation, even with the parking ramp taking some of the load off the street parking can be less than fun. I’d take the bus or bicycle on over.

Oh, TJ’s — you are a dangerous one. Whenever I wander in to «pick up a few things» without a list, I inevitably walk out with a random bagful of items that racked up a pretty penny at the checkout. Lots of items are really reasonably priced (or, frankly, downright cheap), but once you throw a few «ooooh, that sounds yummy» items in your basket it can add up quickly. That’s my own fault, though — you can’t blame the geniuses who invented Cookie Butter.
Some things that I’d suggest trying, in addition to the aforementioned addiction in a jar, are the Meatless Meatballs, Soyrizo, Cherry Chocolate Chip Soy Creamy frozen dessert, and the Ginger Almond Granola. I am not vegetarian or vegan or dairy/​gluten-​free, I just think those items are delicious. They’ve got a lot of stuff for you to expand your horizons on.
If you’re on a budget, make a list. If you’ve got some extra cash, poke around and try something new!

We all know TJ’s is awesome for it’s uniqueness, so after years of shopping at TJ’s (in 3 states) and never reviewing them I thought a tried and true TJ’s item recipe would be a nice idea:
TJ’s frozen chicken tenderloins (sauté in TJ’s olive oil and TJ’s minced garlic)
Add
1 sauteed onion and 1 container TJ’s sauteed Portobello mushrooms
1 jar TJ’s Thai Curry Sauce (the green sauce)
While you are making the above, make TJ’s Basmati Rice Medley and steam TJ’s frozen broccoli.
Wine: Viognier or Chardonnay, both in the TJ’s wine section.
Yes, the parking is not fun, but you should try the one in Santa Monica, CA! I must say though that it would be very nice of them (and logical) if they could validate the parking when parked in the lot right next to the front door. (minus 1 star for this)
I love that they hide stuffed animals for the little kids at this location. And their orchids are a great last minute gift.
I was a fan, am a fan, and will always be a fan.

Trader Joe’s hits the sweet spot between affordability and quality. I have to confess, I shop here mostly for the frozen and longer-​term refridgerated items, but I’m always happy. I can fill my whole freezer with reasonably healthy, well portioned meals that last almost a month for less than $ 100. Wine selection is great too.

This chain is a «one of a kind». They have a small sort of different items. Some items are very unique and can only be found here. It is very small and loads of locals here pushing their way through the crowd. It is a little on the high side of pricing… but you are getting local and small business items that are only found at TJ’s.

I do not love Trader Joes. I am fond of them however.
By far the biggest issue I have with them is size. Everything about them is small and cluttered. Even the parking lot is too damn tight. Not sure how people with large SUV’s or trucks manage to park CORRECTLY (key word) in their lots because it is impossible. You cannot walk down an aisle without there being 20 other people clutter there. It’s way too busy for me.
There are 2 items I am a huge fan of which are their box of Jasmine White Rice and their Penne Arrabiata. I am a huge rice junkie. Never thought I would be a lover of microwavable rice. You get 3 packs of rice in a box. It takes 3.5 minutes to steam in the microwave compared to the 20 minutes it takes if you make it on the stove or 15 if you make in a rice cooker. That alone makes me a fan. The Penne Arrabiata are amazing. There is so much you can do with them. Add chicken, add shrimp, add sausage, add veggies, etc. Like the rice, they are time friendly. Take only 7 minutes to cook in a sauté pan.
These are the main items I like buying from here. By boyfriend is a fan of their chicken strips. Me? Not so much.
I cannot grocery shop here. I mean, buy all of my groceries from here. They are too limited on what they stock and quite frankly, I don’t get down with the whole «Eat Organic» thing which most of their items are. Also, they are a bit $$$$. I saw their beef stew meat range from $ 8– $ 11 and only be enough to feed 2 people. I can go to Costco, get a pack that can feed 8 people for $ 17. Yeah… I just ain’t about that life.

Cheap wine. Booya! I came from WA where it was dubbed 3-​buck Chuck and was actually $ 3.99 but here, it is actually $ 2.99! Yessssss, solid win for Wisconsin here.
I do have to say, I have to mentally prepare myself for parking. You can either pay for the small lot right by TJ’s or fight out a spot in the lot below where every turn makes your wheels squeal and the spots are for cars you could probably throw because they are so small.
After you make it through parking, usually you have to fight the mob of people. This location is small. I kind of enjoy my grocery shopping experience and take in what the store has to offer but everyone here is bustling and I feel like I am always in someone’s way.
But…it’s Trader Joes. They have some fun food. Their juices are awesome. Beer selection is pretty legit. Produce is on par. I love their chocolate covered coffee beans. Yeah, I walk through and do find great items to snack on but they also have great options for actual meals.
I have never had an issue with the staff. I have also never really asked them any questions or needed help.

I’ve learned the hard way not to buy my produce at TJ’s, but I must say that the quality of produce at this particular TJ’s is much better than that of the TJ’s that I frequent when I’m at school in NY. There is also a much larger selection of fruits than I am used to. This came as a huge surprise to me, but it was a very pleasant surprise! :)
Regardless, I rarely buy any produce at TJ’s. With TJ’s, it is all about their frozen foods, canned items, and snacks (oh yes, the snacks!!). I love that I can find all the same goodies that I am accustomed to, even if I am miles and miles away from home. The only huge difference that I’ve noticed is that the beer selection here in the Midwest TJ’s is much more expansive than that in CA or NY. Not that I am complaining…
It also helps that most TJ’s are organized in the same way. It makes it easy to get in, get out, and get on my way!
Tip: I only recently discovered this, but there is a FREE designated TJ’s underground parking lot that you can access from the side street! Happy shopping!

The prices are great and they do seem to have decent quality products. But there are better grocery options in Madison. Like the Willy Street Co-​op, Jennifer Street Market, Hy-​Vee and Metcalfe’s.
Trader Joe’s is simply not worth traveling across town for. You can get better quality stuff elsewhere, and (good) cheap wine can be found at pretty much every grocery store. The Madison Trader Joe’s is very small and always overcrowded with college kids. The parking is a cramped nightmare. It’s just not ideal, unless you live nearby. When I was there last night it was a zoo, and it took way too much time to buy just a few items.

I am a little in love with Trader Joes in general, but the Madison location is especially great. I work very nearby and stop in several times a week for midday snacks in addition to my standard grocery run. Per all TJs, the prices are great – this is NOT whole foods! Most items, like milk and eggs, are cheaper than at the supermarket. The meat selection isn’t the greatest, but for every other food item, TJs is my go-​to.
As for this particular location, it’s nicely sized and always clean and organized. The employees are all extremely friendly and helpful. The only downside is that the parking is TERRIBLE. Since I work nearby I usually just walk, but the few times I have tried to navigate the underground parking lot have been disastrous. There are many huge concrete poles and no loop, so you have to back out and turn around – especially dangerous if you come in, realise there are no spaces, and have to leave. Really, it’s worth finding 2 hr street parking and walking – the lot is free, but it’s a real nightmare. Serious design flaws.

All are Trader Joe’s cut from the same cloth?
I almost got into an all out brawl with a staffer who tried (hard I might add) to convince me they’ve never sold lavender laundry detergent. Look, I’m just a guy, a guy who likes lavender, and they sold detergent in two different sizes for years. I’ve bought it. I didn’t see, and because I know things sometimes come and go, I asked about it, and I was met with such resistance and hostility… seemed very out of place for TJs. Not certain if it was just a rough day for them or if I was putting out something that just wasn’t being picked up. I’ll head back there. They do have decent pricing on non-​perishables, but the awkward run in with someone who looked like she was in a managerial role will keep my visits minimal at best.