DeCA Commissary San Diego

Love the prices. Now however I am not sure it is is a good idea if the merge with the navy exchange I can see the process going up.

I like this commissary. It’s huge and it’s got all the basics plus some things you might not find in other stores. However, I’m knocking off a star for fruit and veggie quality. It’s cheap, but that’s what you get. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gotten fruits home and cut into them only to find that they are rotten on the inside. It’s frustrating. There are always more bad packs of fruits than good ones. I see moldy fruits every single time I go here.
And this is just my personal pet peeve but A) I hate it when they don’t read the total out loud. I need to know how much I’m spending before I spend it. and B) The baggers work for tips only so they can be very pushy about taking your cart out for you. You have to be very firm when you say «No thank you.»

Clean. Awesome selection. Great friendly customer service. Deals galore from single items to items in bulk.

I slightly dread going to the commissary, but of course I will keep returning because I need the savings. I have been here at least 20 times since I have been stationed in San Diego and several of the staff members don’t speak very good English and at times are rude.
Also, I like to bag my own groceries because I bring my own bags. I don’t have to waste plastic bags or tip the baggers $ 5 for something I am capable of doing. Although every time I keep up, I almost always get a nasty look the moment I tell them I want to bag my own stuff.
So in conclusion, the shopping experience is great. They have a wonderful selection and the price is great. BUT, checking out is a heavy burden on there staff.

The thing that I like most about the Commisary is running into old shipmates while I’m shopping!!! :-)

There is nothing like saving 50% on grocerys, especially meat. I can get chicken for litterally more then half prices of that in town… Insanely awesome perk of being military. But since I am not military anymore I have considered being a vegetarian :-P.

I love this place!!! Beats shopping anywhere out in town any day of the week! It’s on base for one PLUS! And, it has the cheapest prices for everything!

This place was busy and I wanted to get out quick. Got some soda for cheaper and left. Looked pretty good though. Same parking lot as the big exchange.

Great place to shop for groceries! About 98% of the time, it is cheaper than buying from Albertsons, Vons, or Ralphs!
I really really like the fresh Romaine Lettuce and for the price range (.59-.89 cents per lettuce) it is really huge comparing to other produce/​grocery stores I’ve been to! (Sorry I really like fresh romaine lettuce! =p)
If you do not like crowds, avoid coming on paydays or even the weekends! Aisles are always blocked off with carts in the middle and people hogging up the pathways on these days!
Also use self-​checkout, only if you know how to use it, especially on busy days. It’s irritating on a busy day when someone who does not know how to use self-​checkout decides to use it and spends an hour there.
Other than that, its a clean supermarket, really organized. Sometimes they have mega case sales which I would suggest people to take advantage of because it’s almost like going to costco… sort of. But there are some good deals!

No Tax but there’s a service charge at the end so keep that in mind.
Bag your own groceries, to save some money on tipping I don’t usually carry small bills and even if I did the bagging job is usually pretty bad. Bags with one to three items so you end up with so many bags that are barely filled!
Prices are good and there’s a large selection of food and I like the convenience of that. As far as the produce goes it’s a hit or miss, as in all commissaries. The prices out in town are usually better too with fresher produce.
It’s definitely worth shopping here for the large selection and overall prices. Frozen foods and cold cereal are super cheap here too.

I have been shopping at this commissary for at least a year and overall it is okay.
The layout is excellent. The aisles are very large compared to the average grocery store. Of course the produce section is in the front to the immediate left. They have a vast selection of items such as Asian food. Overall the prices are cheaper than comparable grocery stores as well. The items are always stocked on the shelves. I’ve never had any issues of locating items that are out of stock.
There are cons though. On paydays it is a NIGHTMARE!!! Avoid paydays at all costs because it is crowded and the lines are very long. There are not many employees on the floor to help if you have to look for a particular item.
If you have access to the base, I recommend coming here to shop. You will save more money in the long run. Remember that baggers work for tips so show some gratitute and tip them at least five dollars.

The prices are great and it’s one of the largest commissaries that I have ever been in.
The staff is usually friendly and courteous, just don’t try to find help in the aisles or meat section because the employees will not be found. Baggers work for tips so make sure you have some ones on hand after checking out.
If you do not like crowds then do not come here around payday because it is a mad house!!!

I love the commissary and it’s staff just hate the other patrons.
My one complaint is when i go to get Kashi frozen dinners they are in the front of the store by the organic stuff. So naturally the frozen dinners are already defrosted by the time I finish shopping. I won’t bypass them either because by the time I am done shopping I don’t want to walk across the largest commissary in the US to go get them.

This is a good Commissary. I still wouldn’t buy any meat or seafood from any of the commissaries, but everything else is game. I love the selection of «ethnic» foods, toiletries, and non-​perishables. I buy produce from the farmer’s market, but there are a few produce items I don’t mind picking up from here if they are fresh and I am in need of them. Sometimes the produce looks tired and picked through, so keep that in mind.
Of course, the prices are awesome; one of the perks of being a military family is getting to shop here. If they got a butcher with no hormone meats and made a point to carry local produce, I’d shop here for everything. Otherwise, I keep it to non-​fresh foods and cleaning supplies. Still a great place to shop!

Love the selection.
Love how HUGE the store is which is why there’s room to have such a great selection.
Love how clean it is.
Dislike the lack of employees around to help you find something in this monstrous grocery store.
Dislike the overweight housewives with their 5 kids running around getting in your way & blocking all the isles.
Dislike how the baggers automatically start putting your groceries in their special weird bagger carts, forcing you to let them bring out your groceries, put them in the car in a way that you don’t want, while they proceed to stare at you until you give them a tip.
I feel bad for the 85 year old baggers who look like they’re about to have a heart attack & collapse, but the ungrateful teenagers are probably making more money in tips than I did working full time!
Maybe if I start shopping there first thing in the morning on wknds, or late in the evening when it’s hopefully not so crowded, and maybe if I can speak up to say I’ll take my own groceries out… then I’ll give it an extra star.

If there’s anything I’ll be missing about the Navy is being able to come here. The ability to completely fill up a grocery cart for $ 150 is definitely not unappreciated by this soon-​to-​be vet.
Cons: the people who absolutely have to come here on pay day making the aisles unwalkable and the produce. There’s a pretty bitchin assortment of fruits and veggies, but unfortunately it’s not always in top quality. Nothing to turn your nose up at though!
I love you, commissary.

32^nd St. Naval Base Commissary ROCKS! It stocks an incredible array of fresh foods and brands, everything is clean and attractive, and they offer specialty services like pre-​order deli.
Only drawback: frequently Henry’s grocery store beats the Commissary in produce prices, and sometimes major grocery stores offer loss-​leader specials for meat, etc. that are cheaper than here. Okay, I also dislike the surcharge, but the commissary does take coupons…
Easy parking, decent (to downright CHEAP) prices, orderly check-​out system, groceries put in your car for just a tip, and a location just off the 5 freeway… YAY!

I’ve been to other commissaries, and the one at Naval Station SD is by far the best.
I have fond memories of the old, old commissary (which is on the site of where the furniture/​toy store is/​once was — it’s been a while since I’ve been there) once stood. Going down the ramps from the bright veggie/​cereal aisle to the darker bread/​lobster tank section was always something to look forward to.
Then there was the old Commissary, which was right across from the Exchange. ‘Twas 1988, I believe, when that one opened. The «high tech» checkstand «Next Please» announcing thing was soooo cool. No ramps in the store, but arrows on the floor kept shopping cart traffic flowing.
Now the new Commissary stands. It kinda reminds me of the Ralphs Fresh Faire in Woodbury Town Center and Costco with its shiny concrete floors. Gone are the tiles, the arrows and the ramps. It doesn’t look larger than its predecessors, but it’s still nice and new.
A major plus is the Self Checkout. My mom no longer has to tip the bagger, which she loves! However, I don’t know how my dad feels about having a second job as a «Paper or Plastic» guy. Hehe!

The Commissary at Naval Base San Diego is probably the best commissary I have ever been to. They have just about everything you could want or need. It always ends up they are out of something we need and have to go to the regular grocery store to get it… and pay 3 – 5 times what it would cost at the commissary.
They have a huge deli section. For some reason you can not get a great sourdough round to save my life, but they do have a nice selection of ethnic items.
Don’t forget to pick up a few of those environmentally friendly reusable green plastic shopping bags. They sell them for under a buck!

COM-​MIS-​SARY or COM-​MI-​SAHH-​REE.
Before they opened the new one, which is bigger, brighter and more spacious, I’ve been coming here with my parents for our monthly grocery shopping trips. It’s mandatory that I go, or else they won’t get what I need.
With my own list at hand, I’m ready to start throwing things in the cart.
We usually start with the vegetables and fruits and move our way towards the frozen food & bakery section which is at the other end (where there is also an entrance, there are two exits in the middle)
They also have a «Red Ribbon» section. Filipino much?
Paper or plastic?
Baggers work for tips.
Oh yeah, SAMPLES! :D
They have some Costco-​esque/​Smart and Final sized stuff, like corn beef.
If you have a military id card or know someone with one, check out the commissary. Usually some of the items here are cheaper than what you’d find at Ralph’s or Vons. But don’t let that stop you from shopping at your local grocery store.