Trader Joe’s

I appreciate this store for its convince and good service. That said they are a very busy location with really difficult parking. Plus someone dinged my car with a shopping cart since there isn’t much space between the spaces. If you are familiar with Trader Joes you know they have a decent selection of produce and the basics. You’ll occassionally find yourself heading to Safeway for the items they don’t carry but it doesn’t happen THAT often. All in all this is a good store just try to park further away to protect your car.

Wow! I wish you were in San Jose! This store is spacious, clean, and has a variety of additional products than I usually don’t see, like more flavors for cereals, pop tarts, pre cooked meals, etc. (I shop at the downtown San Jose Trader Joes on the regular). I went shopping at 10:30am on a Sunday (a major no no dwn twn SJ) and it was not a crazy/​busy experience. Not crowded, check line moved quickly. I will be back!

I frequent Trader Joe’s for fresh veggies and their delicious frozen tiramisu to cancel out all the healthy veggies I bought.

I love this grocery store. Especially for american grocery. Their fruits are very fresh. I come here to buy things like fruits, crème fraîche, pasta, kale, asparagus, cheese etc. But do not buy the essentials like garlic, onion and the other basics here. Too pricey.
The other things that I mentioned I buy here is at a very very reasonable price.
I love to buy my eggs here as well. Their natural eggs are very affordable compared to other grocery stores.

Okay, now that three years has passed, I think a review update is in order.
This is still a pretty decent Trader Joe’s. Normally, I patronize the one in Los Altos, but I do my grocery shopping here whenever I’m in the area.
There really isn’t too much, in my opinion, to positively differentiate this Trader Joe’s from others. The only thing that comes to mind is that employees here have been consistently friendly and helpful. Can’t say the same for the Trader Joe’s in Los Altos.
There are two negatives that need to be addressed though:
— Parking SUCKS. This Trader Joe’s happens to be located in a very popular shopping center with straight-​up inadequate parking. On Fridays and Saturdays, in particular, you will likely find yourself looping through the parking lot looking for a space. My recommendation is to do your shopping in the morning. You’ll have much better luck finding a space.
— On a recent visit, my credit card was declined for some reason. I had been running errands earlier that day and did not have any problems with my credit card at other places. I called my credit card company and they didn’t see any dubious charges on their end and that everything was fine. I suppose that sometimes random things happen and credit cards get declined for no reason. In hindsight, I should’ve tried using it again to be sure, but there was a long line so I used my debit card instead.
3 stars

I love Trader Joe’s, but this is certainly not my favorite location. Parking is definitely a pain. I’ve been several times for salads only to find that they were out of stock of my favorites. My final complaint is the setup of the cash registers. They place crates right in front of the checkout area, causing much confusion when lining up to pay. With all the open space closer to the produce, you’d think they’d move the crates of random seasonal items a little further away from the registers…

I love Trader Joe’s!
You can always find good chocolates, frozen organic fruits for those green smoothies, and customer service is also A grade!!!

I love this Trader Joe’s, not only is it a wonderful shopping experience, but the prices are splendid and the quality is impeccable. I especially enjoyed shopping this evening at this location. When searching for the right balsamic vinegar, the associate, Lauren, was very knowledgeable and offered excellent cooking suggestions. He was very knowledgeable about the balsamic vinegars that the store carried and despite the 5 minutes to closure, he was friendly and approachable. He and every associate at the store is just incredible! I love this Trader Joe’s and I do all of my dairy, wine and fresh meat shopping here.

Love, love, love Trader Joe’s. I come to this location every week and am never disappointed. I know pretty much all the products by heart. Good, fresh products that are integral to my cooking and dietary needs.
As other reviewers have noted, parking can be an issue. But if you know the lay of the land, you can still score parking spaces near the neighboring apartments at any given time of the day.

I’m not sure why this Trader Joe’s gets such a bad rap, probably because of factors out of its control … like a terrible parking lot and awful drivers. When I came here on Sunday to pick up a few things for dinner, a prius had somehow … forcefully punted itself into a parking space, heavily damaging 3 other cars in the process and wedging itself between a tree and a light pole.
How do you even do that? How fast did you try to get into a parking spot? Seriously!
Aside from the parking, the staff here are friendly, and they are always well stocked in everything I’m looking for despite it being a Sunday night or some other time when the grocery shopping fever is high. Despite the HUGE lines as usual at most TJs, they do a good job in moving the line and keeping people on the go.
Solid for groceries!

Well-​stocked, friendly employees, and quick check-​out lines are keys to a good Trader Joes. Check on the first two, and while the check-​out lines can be a bit lengthy during peak hours here, they keep them moving pretty well. It’s a smaller store for a TJ’s (compared to others in the area), but they somehow manage to fit everything in there in a manner that doesn’t cause shopper collisions. Score.
Yes, it’s in a busy shopping center with PF Changs and Chipotle, so there is a lot of traffic post-​work. But even at 6pm, I’ve had no problems finding parking spots if you are willing to walk more than a few rows from the store (gasp! the horror! the horror!).

This guy’s are extremely professional. I had several situations when i needed product that was already sold. They called other TJ stores for me and gave an address where I could pick it up. It saved me a lot of time looking for that products in other stores. Thank you, Trader Joe’s!

I love this store, but then again I love all Trader Joe’s stores. They exceed my expectations every time, always trying to help the customer. Once my package of spaghetti was lost on the belt, and even though I didn’t pay for it, the clerk ran out to catch me in the parking lot and gave it to me free of charge. Their dried fruit, nuts and seeds are competitively priced, and keep my family on the go during the day.
Always a very clean store, with lots of fresh produce, and bakery goods. Great for kids too, since they have little kid shopping carts, for kids to help out and stay focused. As long as they don’t run over anyone in the process, and that includes my youngest son. Try to shop early in the morning to get a good space. Their milk stays fresh for over three weeks in my frig, and all of their cheeses too. Try their pumpkin cheesecake before it goes out of season.

I shop here two or three times a week on my way to work. TJ’s has ton’s of prepared foods which is handy if you forget your lunch, or don’t want to go out for lunch. Indeed, their kale and broccoli slaw salad with chicken meat is excellent!
The staff is friendly. So why 3 stars and not 5? There is no express line. I asked a cashier about it and was told that management did away it as customers weren’t self policing and staff didn’t want to say «It looks like you have more than ten items, please use the non-​express» lanes. So, I frequently find myself standing in line behind someone who has done a big shop. Often times the lines will start backing up, and if management notices, a manager sometimes comes over and opens another line.
This is the only TJ’s I know that doesn’t have an express line. I say bring it back, please!

I love this store. the employees are ALWAYS on the ball and helpful. The selection rocks and wow… affordable eggs, milk and produce… seriously, I am a struggling college student, I’d be dead of scurvy by now if it weren’t for TJ’s radical theory that people should be able to afford fruits and vegetables. Also their frozen meal stuff works out to be a way better deal than fast food and takes less time than cooking from scratch. So I can come home, spend ten minutes in the kitchen and then hunker down with dinner and homework.
I love that their pricing structure is «Needs are cheap and treats are extra» candy SHOULD be more expensive than a piece of fruit. (Safeway charges 89 cents for a candy bar and 3 $ for a honeycrisp apple, this is why people who need to watch what they spend are out of shape.) I also love their Joe’s Medium roast… it’s like 5 bucks a can for a really decent coffee.
Also I love that you can always get a little cup of coffee by the sample station.

A rather dishy man took my cart by accident when I was looking at the Pumpkin themed end cap goodies. He returned my cart and apologized and said my two boxes of coffee filters reminded him to get some, too. I laughed and said get two boxes so you won’t run out. He replied good idea and off he went to look for his cart. Here is the funny part; he left his Dijon mustard in my cart and I checked out with it! ;D. haha I didn’t need any Dijon mustard but I guess I’ll keep it.

You don’t fully appreciate what you have until you don’t have it anymore.
I recently moved to Mountain View and am horribly disappointed in the Mountain View Trader Joe’s. You can head over there for my review of that store. I am considering driving the 20 minutes each direction just to shop at this Trader Joe’s and avoid the Mountain View location at all costs.
The Sunnyvale Trader Joe’s is really great. It is always clean and well stocked. The staff is always very helpful and friendly. It appears that this store is managed very well. The only problem you will have is parking but Trader Joe’s can’t help being the best place to get your shopping done. Just plan ahead when going during peak hours as you will spend a few minutes fighting for a parking spot. If you don’t mind a little walk they do have complementary valet parking around the corner from Starbucks!

Cute trader joes with palm trees outside. An be tough to get parking, had to drive around a few times due to it bein placed in plaza. Smaller TJs, more than just a few items were out of stock some staff looked super miserable. Was pretty crowded but got what I needed and even though the cashier looked miserable she was an excellent nagger and she do wish us a good day. Not bad would go here if I need to but parking would probably be the worst part.

This trader joes is my go to do most of my grocery shopping for the week. They have items most available and in the many varieties compared to other trader joes. It’s also a lot bigger than the others I’ve been to, which is a plus because you’re not weaving your cart around other people’s carts. The only downfall to this spot is the parking, because it’s in a shopping center with Starbucks, chipotle, etc restaurants. I’d recommend not coming during peak lunch/​dinner hours because it’s very difficult to find parking.
I LOVE trader joes pre made salads and wraps when I’m on the go, and they definitely have the widest variety available. Other trader joes tend to run out of their inventory quickly, but workers here are always refilling whatever product is empty on the shelf. They have quite a variety of other foods you need too, so you’re never limited.
I love the workers here, because they make sure that you’re happy and satisfied before leaving. So other than the parking issues, there is absolutely no reason to not come to this trader joes!

Surprisingly good!
I’ve been to a few trader joes but this one is my favorite. They had more samples here than I had seen anywhere, as well as a larger selection of beer.
They do card here, so underage need not attempt, but the variety of local and imported beer was surprisingly high. I grabbed a 12 back for 11 bucks, so I was happy.
Other than that, it’s your run of the mill TJ’s which mean there are really good prices on some stuff and really high prices on others.
Just make sure to grab the new cookie butter ice cream or three. :)

Well, this Trader Joe’s is basically no different than some of the others. That’s both good and bad.
On one hand, they’ve got a great selection of, well, just about anything. Cold-​brewed coffee? Check. Coconut oil? Check. Fancy cheese for your next dinner party? Check. Good prices and a friendly staff round up the pluses here.
On the other hand, parking here is ALWAYS a mess. I’ve rage-​quit trying to shop here sometimes because parking is a disaster after 5PM. (I credit that to shared parking between TJ’s & the neighboring Chipotle, PF Chang’s & Starbucks).
So, this is a good TJs to visit if you’re in the area. Just avoid it during rush hour.

This Cherry Orchard Shopping Center Trader Joe’s is huge (used to be a Borders bookstore); the parking is shared with Smashburger, Chipotle, PF Chang’s, Sprint, and Starbucks. I try to get here before 9:30 AM (that’s the time that I’ve heard numerous cashiers mention as when the parking craziness begins), so that I don’t have to dodge cars in the parking lot (both as a pedestrian and a driver).
I got here a little after 8AM this morning. The parking lot was over ½ full by Starbucks. I parked near PF Chang’s.
There were close to a dozen shoppers already inside when I entered the store.
Their bread section includes Udi’s gluten-​free bagels, gf sliced bread, and gf hamburger buns. More Udi’s info at:
Some of my regular purchases:
Organic Russet Potatoes — 5 lb bag for $ 3.49
Gluten-​Free Battered Halibut Filets — 10 oz package for $ 8.99
Jalapeño Pepper Hot Sauce — 5 oz bottle for $ 1.99
Jumbo Wild-​Caught Sea Scallops — 1 lb bag for $ 17.99
Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Face & Body Sunscreen — 6 oz tube for $ 5.99
Mahi Mahi Burgers — Four 3.2 oz patties per package for $ 6.99
Kettle Cooked Potato Chips — package of six 1 oz snack bags for $ 2.99
Organic Chamomile Tea — box of 20 teabags for $ 2.49
Their gluten-​free battered halibut is similar to:
There is a good selection of breads, nuts/​seeds, salads, cheese/​dairy, snacks, olive oil, and smoked salmon.
They even sell greeting cards for 99 cents.
Some of the associates on the sales floor look right past customers, but the managers and cashiers are consistently friendly.
Most of the time, the cashiers are quick to open up a new register. I had one person ahead of me this morning, and a cashier told me to follow her to another register that she was opening up.
My cashier asked me if I found everything that I was looking for, and told me to have a nice day.
The restrooms are well-​maintained.
This is a spacious, clean, organized, and brightly-​lit store.
FYI Plenty of groceries for those that eat «regular» food, but they do have this:
Gluten-​free list :
Kosher list:
Vegan list:

I needed to go to a Trader Joe’s to pick up a few essentials for my meals this week and this was the closest Trader Joe’s near one of the two last existing Marie Callender’s in the bay area.
So this Trader Joe’s is located in the old Barnes and Nobles… or was it Borders? bookstore on El Camino Real. The parking situation is a little crazy as it was before when I used to frequent this area of Mathilda and El Camino. It’s a small lot for a large number of stores.
The layout of the store is similar to most other Trader Joe’s but one thing that irked me was the mish mash of organic and non-​organic foods. Perhaps that makes sense to do that, but considering this isn’t like many other Trader Joe’s where the Organics are in one section vs. the non-​organics as well as many other grocery stores… it breaks a pattern.
Other than that it’s very well stocked. I was able to find my granny smith apples, sweet potatoes, bananas, and lemons. One thing that also irks me is the molding produce among the others. There were smells and flies in the sweet potato pile which was sad. Though this happens on occasions at other locations.

General Review:
I had casually attended this Trader Joe’s location a couple times but last weekend was my first serious visit (1÷24÷2015). I did my research beforehand and asked around for what a Trader Joe’s newby like me should try. I mostly went for snacks this time but they had a good selection of produce and healthier options.
Pros:
–The location on El Camino is pretty central so you cannot miss it
–Very reasonably priced for the quality
–Per Trader Joe’s tradition, the staff is great and always helpful
–Pretty good selection of various items
–Awesome variety of items
Cons:
–Good luck finding parking
–Fairly small, but all Trader Joe’s are pretty small
Conclusion:
From what I’ve heard and read, Trader Joe’s treats their employees well and uses mostly ethically sourced ingredients. Combine this with an interesting selection of items and reasonable prices, Trader Joe’s should be a regular stop for anyone in the area (or anyone that lives near a Trader Joe’s actually).

I like my TJ’s and Sprouts being so close to each other– so I can hit two birds with one drive!
I have always been a huge fan of TJ’s. It makes me feel like a kid in a candy store. I love ALMOST everything about TJ’s, except – with this particular location – the following:
–Parking can be tricky, as it shares with several businesses (Starbucks, Chipotle’s, P.F. Chang, and a Game Stop) in the same small plaza and the turning radius is quite small. It is not wise to attempt parking in the plaza during lunch hour. Additional retail parking is available in the Cherry Orchard residential community next-​door.
–It can be difficult to locate items in this store. I cannot find sugar in the aisle I normally expect it to be. And I still cannot find almond flour, which I know TJ’s carries… The store is well-​sorted, but the items in the same category seem to be all over the place.
–Some people shop here like they were in Costco, with carts filled to the very brim and a mile-​long grocery list. I don’t mind unless I have to wait behind them to pay for my $ 2 drink. This store gets really crowded around lunchtime and after 5 PM.

I love this location of Trader Joe’s!
It’s relatively new so everything is sparkly and running very smoothly. They are well stocked and everybody is super friendly. Most importantly, each visit is very quick and efficient, and I never have to spend more than 1 – 2 minutes waiting in line (and even that is rare).
Recently, I’ve been frequently TJoe’s more and more especially due to their holiday limited edition items (can you say pumpkin spice and spiced apple?). Also, I have been trying to eat healthier, cook at home more, while balancing my schedule, and their convenient chopped and washed veggies, galore of fresh ingredients/​nuts/​cheese, makes whipping a salad up ridiculously fast, tasty, and fresh :) Last I saw, they had pre-​brined turkeys for thanksgiving!

Here’s an update of the yea/​nay for the pumpkin products:
⁵⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pumpkin bread & muffin mix: addictive.
⁵⁄₅: Trader Joe’s country pumpkin spice granola cereal. This is very addictive.
⁵⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pumpkin pie mochi ice cream: the pumpkin ice cream is very high quality.
⁵⁄₅: Pumpkin caramel danish kringle: super good. However, it’s off the charts with the saturated fat: 12 servings x 4 grams. Ouch!
⁴⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pumpkin spiced pumpkin seeds: very addictive. A little too sweet, tho.
⁴⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pumpkin butter: a winner. And it’s fat-​free.
⁴⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pumpkin biscotti: very good. The flavor is just slightly artificial.
⁴⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pumpkin bagels: very flavorful, great bits of pumpkin inside.
³⁄₅: Trader Joe’s dark chocolate pumpkin spice salted caramels: pretty good, but not as good as the dark chocolate salted caramels that are available during the holidays. the pumpkin caramel has a somewhat off-​flavor.
³⁄₅: Trader Joe’s nonfat pumpkin greek yogurt: The pumpkin flavor doesn’t quite work as a tangy greek yogurt, but, it’s «interesting.»
³⁄₅: Trader Joes’ mini pumpkin pies. solid. The highlight is the crystalized sugar coating.
³⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pumpkin pancake and waffle mix. I made a few belgian-​style waffles:
It’s meh. Not enough pumpkin flavor, and the texture is only OK.
²⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pumpkin cream cheese muffins: not as good as the pumpkin bread muffin mix. Too many empty calories.
²⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pumpkin cream cheese: It has an artificial flavor, and it’s a little too sweet. Plus it’s high in saturated fat.
¹⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pumpkin seed brittle: terrible. almost no pumpkin flavor; also, it’s too much like eating straight sugar.
¹⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pumpkin Joe-Joe’s: terrible. Not enough pumpkin flavor, and way too sweet.
¹⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pecan pumpkin instant oatmeal: terrible. Very off flavor.
¹⁄₅: Trader Joe’s pumpkin cornbread: It’s terrible. dry, flavorless, with no interesting cornbread texture. Stick to either the regular pumpkin bread, or the regular cornbread.
¹⁄₅: Trader Joe’s frozen pumpkin macarons. Defrost for 30 minutes. Meh. Way too soft, and the flavor is really artificial. The non-​pumpkin yellowish color is a turnoff as well. Stick with Trader Joe’s frozen vanilla/​chocolate macarons, which are great.

Well sorted Trader Joe’s located in the Cherry Orchard shopping strip on the corner of El Camino and S Mathilda.
The store itself has wide aisles and enough space to move along and get your TJ groceries. They seem to keep everything pretty organized — starting with cart collection, shelves, aisles at the checkout.
I like the friendly employees here and the fact that you won’t feel cramped in this big store. Parking can be tough at peak times.