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Grocery Outlet
Rating Details »
Neighborhoods: Hollywood, Northeast Portland
4420 NE Hancock St
Portland, OR 97213
(503) 282-5248
4420 NE Hancock St
Portland, OR 97213
(503) 282-5248
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
11 reviews for Grocery Outlet
I always come here first before heading to Albertson's or Trader Joes. I get almost everything on my list from GO. Although I'm a broke ass, so maybe my standards are a little lower than others.
Also, my Dad has been shopping GO since it first opened, so it's kind of in my blood.
I certainly can't do all my shopping here, because they don't have everything a regular grocery store does, but I do get most of my pantry and freezer items here. This particular location has a whole organic section too, if your into that.
Just check ingredients and expiration dates, and if you find something you love buy it all.
I probably shouldn't review this particular location, but I was out in the boonies when I went and I can't remember the name of the town. This place is too good not to review.
I was a bit apprehensive because I thought it to be more the dollar store of food, but my friend assured me. It was my first time going to Grocery Outlet, so I told the cashier chick that I loved the store, and that I was a 'Grocery Outlet virgin', so she gave my friends and I each a $5 off coupon because it was our first time in there (besides one). They have SUCH great deals. There's a type of hand soap my mom usually gets that's organic and smells wonderful. She pays $6.99 for it, and at Grocery Outlet it's $2.99. I bought her some it, and I am going to let her know where she can get it cheaper for the future.
We loved it so much we went back the next day and used our 5$ off coupons.
I would highly recommend it for bathroom products. They have Jason products and Alba Organics. I didn't think they would have organic products, but they do, as far as body products go, I didn't look through other stuff. Wait, I did get some Lindt Lindor Truffles from there, which tasted quite nice!
I ended up saving more than I spent, both times.
How could you not love this place?
I have been shopping GO since I was in college back in '97. One of my friends named it the Goofy Store, and the name has stuck.
If you have food/ label intuition, this is up your alley. Items sold here are of two types: (a) small companies making incredible food wtih limited distribution; (b) cheap ass megalo-corp low-grade crap from Arkansas. It's not rocket science.
I've bought items at the Goofy Store that would make a maggot choke. But that's part of the fun. They always have great prices, so it's not a big loss when something comes out unexpected.
This ain't Zupan's, so expect to have at least one pack of unattended, nose-picking Mexican children running around punching people in the balls. Think of Winco on steroids.
I was once a Grocery Outlet snob. Having had experiences at some of the gross, neglected, and unsavory locations (*cough*the Beaverton one, yuck *cough*) I had decided I didn't like this bargain market. But then Jacob G brought me in to *this* Grocery Outlet.
Once upon a time, not too long ago, this store was a Value Village. It couldn't not have been more than 2 years ago, because when I lived in the neighborhood, I remember driving by and seeing it. Therefore, all the fixtures, flooring, lighting etc in this store are brand spanking new. And the neighborhood lends itself to me not getting followed around and leered at by creepy men, which has happened at other unnamed locations, so another +1!
I've bought $90 worth of wine in here for $40. Now, my dad went ahead and took it upon himself to DRINK IT ALL before I got all but one bottle of it, but still! I hear they're having another super awesome wine sale soon and I am terribly tempted to go. But they've also got some nice wines in there just at their regular discounts for anywhere from $2.99 a bottle to, well, really expensive Elvis wine that's like $49 a bottle (which was an awesome markdown from the normal price if you can believe it).
I've found my favorite cereal for less than half the price at other grocery stores. I've found Pop Tart flavors that are against both God and nature. I've even found a gallon sized can of Wisconsin Nacho Cheese. Would I ever need a gallon of cheese sauce? Well, I like cheese, but I don't think I like it that much.
To me, it's good to know I can come here to find regular staples of my grocery needs as well as the occasional rare find. I love love love that they also have organics in both frozen and dry food sections here. I found some meatless meatballs that at Whole Foods or New Seasons are normally $5/bag; here, they were only $2.50/bag.
So, in closing; don't be a Grocery Outlet snob like I was. This Grocery Outlet is amazing.
This is a once a month place to shop. By no means take this as a place to pick up weekly staples.
I found some excellent deals here and was shocked to walk in and find a big ole bag of prosciutto for $3.49. Prosciutto! $3.49! I quickly snagged that along with some cleaning supplies and frozen vegies. At the end of it all I spent $20 on stuff that would have easily cost twice that at Safeway.
Once I got home, eager to have a snack, I opened the bag of prosciutto only to encounter the foulest stench that has EVER entered my kitchen. So foul was the stench that my 2 year old called to me from 2 rooms away asking me what that smell was within the first minute of it being opened. It promptly was escorted outside to the trash. OK. That was a waste of $3.49. Beware of the meats at Grocery Outlet.
I think people have this preconception about this place. Outlet? Can't be good. In these difficult times, saving a few bucks here and there is supposed to be a good thing, right? Like other reviewers, I don't shop here for everything, but there are certainly things that I can get here, that would cost me twice as much elsewhere.
I'd say I mostly shop here for snack type items, cleaning supplies and cheese. I bought a huge thing of laundry detergent here for $6. A name brand laundry detergent that easily would have set me back $12 at Fred Meyer's.
The cheese selection is pretty decent too. I'm not any kind of cheese snob, so someone who is might think the selection here is bunk at best. I can get some nice Wisconsin Colby Jack, Monterey Jack or Cheddar for $2.
They also have a pretty good sized organics section, which I'm guessing might come as a surprise to most people that have already judged this place before ever walking in the door. In the past I've picked up cans of beans, interesting juices and teas, pretty amazing chocolate chip cookies and Health Valley cereal in the organic section. The prices can't be beat anywhere in town.
I've never bought any fruits or veggies here. They don't exactly look great and I have other places in town (farmer's markets, Sheridan, etc.) that I get my produce from. The meats look ok, but have only bought some of their prepackaged sausages. All pretty tasty and again at very good prices.
To sum everything up, don't judge a book by its cover. You could be surprised at what you might find if you just walk through the front doors.
If you are an Intermediate/Advanced Shopper, Grocery Outlet is for you. They have lots of brands you will recognize, and these are the safest bets. But even then, it's important to read the ingredients (Chicken-of-the-Sea with MSG? blech) and locate the pull date.
I have bought some cheap but unpalatable bottles of wine, cheese that was weirdly crunchy (melamine?), and frozen pizza with freezer burn.
On the other hand, there are lots of staple items to be found at great prices. Best bets are: toothpaste, deodorant, cleaning supplies, tea, cereal (check those pull dates!) and canned food.
A bargain hunter, like me, will thrill at three or four bags of groceries for $40. But, be prepared for some disappointments later.
After seeing my bank account shrinking from $40/week shopping at the grocery store, I turned to Grocery Outlet and (almost) never looked back. Sure, some of the things they sell may have a sell-by date of tomorrow, but for the most part things there are good and cheap. Recent buys include 99 cents for some of my favorite cookies (Lu Pims), Oscar Meyer lunch meat, Campbell's Select soup for $1.49, Franz Cannon Beach Milk & Honey bread for $1.99 (over $4 at the Frederick Meyer!), mac and cheese 3/$1... There's also a whole aisle of organic products, if that's your thing. Also, a wine and cheese section with really cheap wine.
Last trip I spent $30 and got a hell of a lot of stuff. The icing on the cake is the part on the receipt that says what you saved- for one trip, it said that I saved more than I bought. That's crazy.
There's been a couple times where I've been burned by bad selections (frozen ground turkey, instant coffee) but for the most part, things have been pretty awesome. Meat, fruit, and vegetable selection is nil, so that requires a trip to Trader Joe's down the street or to the farmer's market that is in Grocery Outlet's parking lot every week. Or, as I do, go to the "regular" grocery store.
The grand opening for this store in the Hollywood District was on Saturday, May 10th. I happened upon it after wandering the Hollywood Farmer's Market. I have actually been to many of the GO locations around town so had some idea what I was getting myself into when I walked in.
Wow! Was I pleasantly surprised! Walking in I could tell that they had really planned out the store, setting it up similar to an upscale marketplace type store with a cheese case as you walk in. The wine section here was quite a bit larger than some of the other locations. I don't know, but I just loved the way they laid the store out.
The prices on their produce is usually killer as are most of the prices on their items. But you have to really watch the pull dates on perishible items. I got Yoplait Light yogurt 3/$1.00 but the pull date was just 5 days away. Most of the time the best I can do is 2/$1.00 on sale.
They have all kinds of funky brands of items that you may or may not ever even have heard of. Again, be careful with the pull dates. And if you shop other grocery stores, you'll find that some of the prices are not really that much lower. You just have to be savvy about how you shop here.
The other thing you need to remember is that if you really, really like something they have, the price is great, and the pull date is out there a ways, you better stock up. Next time it might not be there! I've certainly learned this the hard way.
I typically hit the GO once a week, picking up what I can find and then round out my grocery list at a competitors' store. I save money, find some unique items, and pour my money into a locally owned store.
I used to be a big fan, but Grocery Outlet is in the business of selling expired and almost expired foods for just a few cents off. It's just not worth the hassle.
Cheap-Cheap-Cheap Prices!!! This place is great for what it is, terrible for what it's not. Don't expect to be able to take a grocery list here and find everything on it. Do expect to get cheap prices on almost expired products. This store is new and generally pretty clean, with one exception, it smells pukey in the back of the store by the bread. If you need boxed snacks, or frozen/canned food then this is the place for you. This Grocery Outlet is a middle of the road OK place to shop.
