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Categories: Fruits & Veggies, Meat Shops
Neighborhood: Noble SquareMon-Sat. 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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Stanley's is the BEST place for fruits, fresh herbs, vegetables.
Amazing Lithuanian rye bread, whole wheat pita, and deli items as well.
This is the FIRST place I go to shop for fruits and vegetables, after hitting Costco. This is the BEST place for fresh herbs, and a great selection of chilis.
Only after visiting Stanley's do I go to Whole Foods.
Excellent selection of high quality produce, herbs, vegetables, whole grain breads (pitas), spices.
I…
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Stanley's makes the Garden of Eden look like the La Salle blue line station.
My favorite section is where there is loose spinach that you use tongs to put into a bag. You can get a garbage bag full of that spinach for about 12 cents. Right behind the spinach is a drum of olive oil that you can sample in a shot glass. (If only Stanley's sold whiskey.)
There is an excellent selection of both organic and conventionally grown produce; everything is fresher and cheaper than any grocery store. There is also a section that sells meat and bread that I have not ventured to.
This is going to be a two part review.
Part One: Stanleys has excellent produce for cheap prices. They have it all, fresh, good quality. It is a fine vegetable store. It's cheaper and better than Jewel, Dominick's, etc.
Part Two: The people who shop at Stanley's are a-holes. I am sure not everyone is, but when I go there I end up being annoyed or injured by someone. It's usually an upscale looking, older white woman who runs into me with her cart and does not apologize. A cart running into your ankle is a lousy way to buy a tomato. I know you have money, but say sorry, I'm not one of your servants. Or some idiot in a giant SUV who cuts me off in the parking lot. I just want to fight and kill after these little incidents... but I got some cheap veges, so instead of killing I eat. In a month I'll be back for more.
I enjoy shopping at Stanley's, I am able to use the best fruit & veggies, even organic, on the cheap. Without any foodstuff going bad in the refrigerator. I buy what I am going to eat or cook in the next few days.
First of all as far as their meat department and their breads go, I would give them 5 stars. They opened a deli section before the summer and the meats they sell there are wonderful. I also love their breads. They have a delicious multi grain bread there that is low in carbs and calories and advertised as good for diabetics and I buy it all the time.
As far as produce goes, there is very little that I would buy there unless I were intending to use it that day. I have learned the hard way not to buy any fruit there ever. I'll buy onions and peppers and some herbs and possibly some winter vegetables. That's it. I have thrown out too much produce before learning my lesson. Things wilt and spoil the next day. A little watermelon goes bad in two days. Strawberries develop mold in one day. Maybe it's just me. I find I'm better off buying produce at Dominicks. To be far, I have not just run into this problem at Stanleys, I usually throw out produce I buy at any fruit and vegetable market with the exception of Jerry's!
How can they afford to sell produce so cheaply? No, seriously, some one explain to me how it works. Did it "fall off a truck?" Have other supermarkets labeled it all "almost definitely contaminated with E Coli?" Because unless that's how they're getting their produce, I really don't understand how they can stay in business selling me eggplant for 39 cents a pound. If those are the ways that they're getting their stock, then there must be a LOT of poorly guarded delivery trucks and/or unreported E Coli outbreaks in the city of Chicago, because their selection and quality is just as good as a supermarket's.
Screw it. I'm taking my chances. I love this place.
If I were 1) a vegetarian, 2) impoverished, 3) the kind of person who does grocery shopping daily, then Stanley's would be my favorite place in the world. However, being that I am only occasionally any/ all of the above Stanley's remains to be an only occasionally sorta place for me.
Kudos on the unbelievable produce selection (1), but the organization could use a little love. Why is it I never see those delicious [enter produce name] until I'm already at the register? I totally would have gotten some [re-enter produce name] if it hadn't been hidden by that shelf!
What Stanley's lacks in freshness, bee tee dubya, they totally make up for in price (2). I'm really not sure how they do it. I once saw whole watermelons on sale here for 50 cents. Not 50 cents a pound, we're talkin the whole melón. HOWEVER, no matter how inexpensive everything may be don't go stocking up -- a lot of their produce tends to go bad rather quickly (3). So unless you fit the 1-2-3 description above, I wouldn't get too overly excited.
I'm not sure what the rave is all about here.
I'm picky about my produce. There's no question about that. Not only am I from Iowa, I cook and I care about the quality of my ingredients. While on my last Stanley's excursion, I did, in fact, come across some spectacular looking finds here. The strawberries, for example, looked bright red, sweet, and delicious. The corn even looked fresh and edible.
However, I shouldn't dig through almost an entire bin/section of an item to locate something that's fresh and without the beginnings of mold. That goes for common items like tomatoes and jalapeños. I will say that a fair portion of things sold here would be acceptable if you were using it the same day. For most people, like me, things are left in the crisper for a few days and not much would hold up well for even that short amount of time.
I left with only a few items and ended up back at my local produce market. I'll stick to that or, in season, farmer's markets, in the future.
Stanley's has a DELI Counter now!
that's it... added a Deli Counter. I work a few doors down and with the lack of options in the neighbourhood it is nice to have this as another option for my Lunching Pleasure.
Great prices for the immediate Fruit and Veggie needs. Great Selection of Produce but don't stock up… Read more »
Stanley's PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, stock Tortillas!
It doesnt make any sense that you offer so much produce, tortilla chips, pica de gayo, guacamole stuff, but no tortillas?
Every time I go to Stanley's thinking I'll make vegetable tacos, tostadas, burrito pie, Mexican lasagna, etc....I get kicked in the face. No tortillas.
You offer pitas, naan, and many breads...but no tortillas. what the ef?
THE place for fresh fruit and vegetables....and my patented meet-that-guy move, aka grabbing the… Read more »
Was getting my car serviced nearby at the new Grossinger City location and decided to stop in here for some fixins for tonight's dinner. Corn on the cob was on sale for 10 for $1, and seedless watermelons for 89 cents. And these were just the deals outside of Stanley's. Inside, there are plenty more good deals and fresh veggies and fruits. As my wife has told me, be careful shopping at Stanley's. Many of the items are ripe and need to be used fast. Don't buy in too much bulk.
Stanley's also has a machine that knocks out fresh potato chips. I got a bag and boy, they were really fresh and really good!
Thank you, Stanley's, for making it affordable to eat healthy! I am so grateful this place exists, and I can get good quality affordable produce-- usually half the price of Jewel's and better quality. We left with like 5 bags of produce for under $30.
Oh, Stanley, you woo me so. My boyfriend didn't know what he got himself into when he introduced the two of us. Now I can barely wait for our weekend rendezvous. And better yet, you've turned out to be such a cheap date!
Your counterparts - that Dominick or even Strack & Van Til - don't compare to the value you offer me. Sometimes I wish your fan base wasn't as large then maybe I could spend as much time with you as possible without feeling the pressure to rush things. However, I will take what I can get and reminisce our time together whenever I snack on your delightful fresh goodies throughout the week. I must praise your workers - so efficient! I barely notice the wait when I'm with you. What a huge perk since your competitors seem to have gotten too big for their britches - with a price tag too large to boot!
Til we meet again (most likely on Sunday).
Sorry Stanley's it's over, I'm breaking up with you. All that was offered at my last visits were limp lettuce leaves and soft ready to expire vegetables.
Most of still my big gripe is the Equal Exchange coffee, again every variety empty. This is ongoing, for real can management be that dumb, constantly out=big seller. Perhaps we need to order more. This time when I asked if there was any in back, the guy was a crank. Maybe because he has been fielding the same question, so again...order more.
Not that it matters to me, because I'm done with you anyhow. Between, everything that I buy spoiling the next day and no coffee why bother.
Yes, I'll probably sneak in, Stanley's you with your dark hair, chiseled face and pipe I may falter, going back to an ex is familiar in a weak moment. However, I'm learning not to expect much and once I find a source for my coffee, you'll be gone from my life for good.
Overall pretty good, some of the veggies last longer, I like to buy the stuff that I see them just… Read more »
The only place in the city to buy produce. I came out of there this week with 4 huge bags filled with everything. Berries, a few melons, veggies, coffee, bread, lettuce, and milk all for $25. Unheard of. Keep on doing what you're doing, Stanley's, and we will have a weekly date.
I'm curious as to the restaurant across the street. Are they affiliated? Anyone?
I hate buying produce at the Jewels and Dominicks of the world because they are so expensive and I always wonder where the food came from. So I have been looking for a place to buy produce in the city and have finally found it. Most stores like this will make you feel like you are entering a dirty store because of all the fresh food, but Stanley's does a great job of maintaining a clean environment.
The cost of the produce is a fraction of what you would pay at the "normal" grocery stores and their selection is great. They even have really fresh spices and a nice organic section in the store.
I went on a Monday afternoon and it was pretty busy, so I can only imagine what the weekend is like (and I will always avoid it).
Stanley's totally earns the enthusiastic thumbs-up award in my book. It was pretty much the only spot that single-handedly kept my Memorial Day BBQ for 50+ people on an economically feasible plane. Hallelujah!!
Sweet corn was 10 for $1.... and tasted great! Beautiful jewel red strawberries straight from my homeland of Cali, also only $1... does it get any better than this?! Not really. I got everything I needed plus a few fun extras like bottled fruit smoothies and wasabi peas to boot. Don't go expecting Whole Foods quality produce, do expect to find great deals and decent product.
I could easily go on listing the absurdly cheap prices of the wonderful array of produce stocked at Stanley's, but I think you're picking up what I'm puttin' down; this is certainly *the* place to get all Supermarket Sweep style knockin' bizzotches outta your way and shoving as many champagne mangoes into your feeble cart as it can hold.
Initially I was really into Stanley's. I think I was just fooling myself. It seemed much easier to shop here in the winter and get consistently decent winter produce - hearty kale, sweet potatoes, root veggies - but for summer produce....it's a no go for me. Piles of wilted greens, fruit flies, bluh. Not a ton to be excited about during the summer.
It's sad when the best offerings at Stanley's "Fruit and Vegetables" are keifer, cheese, granola, and coffee.
Until we meet again in November...
Goodie gumdrops!
As of late I have come to the realization that, as a transplant from the pacific…
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I don't know what I would do without Stanley's. I usually buy my produce with plans to cook it the same or next day so Stanley's is always a perfect place to get it cheap. I've always been a huge fan of the Today's Temptations bread they carry and now that they have a deli it's even better. I've saved so much money over the years shopping here and the only thing that gets annoying is how popular they have become in the past few years...but good for them!
It's hard to think of another store where I can get a bunch of young coconuts, everything I need for salads, peppers and mushrooms,organic broccoli, onions and snap peas for stir fry, ham, cheese and bread, cream and cottage cheese, raspberries and a bunch of other fruits, plus all the fresh herbs I need, like mint and thyme and walk away spending only around $25.00. It really gets kind of crazy in there on the weekends...just a warning!
So you may be asking yourself: "what the hell is Hilary - a girl who lives in LA - doing reviewing a produce market that already has 284 reviews?!" Well, let's just say I have a strong need to express my envy, ok?
Stanley's is like a fresh produce wonderland. The market itself is small but clean and incredibly well-stocked. Everything is super-cheap... 10 for $1 is a constant theme throughout and the Oxnard strawberries I live close enough to pick up directly from the field yet still run me at least $3/pound here in Cali only cost $1/pound somehow at Stanley's. We did some serious damage, buying limes, lemons, corn, strawberries, potatoes, watermelon, etc. for a bbq for 70 people. All that combined with 2 snooty juice drinks from the cooler which made up $6 of our bill and yet somehow it was only $25 out the door! So yeah, I have some serious produce market envy, Stanley's. Thanks for that.
Great prices on produce! I just got sweet, delicious organic white nectarines there for 79 cents a pound! Insane! Thanks, Stanley's !
They also have a pretty good bread selection, stocked by lots of different vendors/bakeries, so you don't even need to make a stop at your specialty grocery store for bread if you're having a dinner party.
Stanley's is one of my fav parts of living where I do. The produce is always great---in the years I have been going to Stanley's I have never had a problem with their food. It is always affordable and fresh. In addition to their produce they also have fresh nuts, dried fruits, Intellegensia coffee, Amish eggs, fresh olive oil and more.
One thing to consider: The parking can be tight but it's never been so bad I couldn't find a spot.
A side note: I'm pretty sure that they have tapped into my IPOD...I mean they go from Madonna to Psychedelic Furs...
I have come out of hiding to review Stanley's fruits and veggies.
I wasn't even in the market for shopping, I was just dropping a friend off at work. Then, the strawberries and corn caught my eye. So, I decided that I had to stop.
Being from Iowa, I am super picky about corn. The corn manager said that it was fresh from Florida but still, I couldn't do it. I'll wait for my parents to deliver sweet corn to me in a few months.
I grabbed a few pounds of strawberries (and I don't even like strawberries) and they were super. Perfectly ripe, sweet, juicy. I loved 'em.
I grabbed a cantaloupe too! This is the REAL reason why I came out of hiding. I ate half the cantaloupe today for lunch because I couldn't stop! It was SO juicy and delicious. My pants got soaked from the cantaloupe juice while I was eating it but I didn't care, I just kept noshing.
I also grabbed a bunch of ingredients to make a Greek salad (which I have been eating on for 5 days) and all the veggies were fresh and delicious. I cannot say enough good things about this place. I'm usually an Aldis-junkie for veggies but Stanley's will be my store of choice from now on. I spent about $16 for everything and it was well worth it!
I love this place! I was so excited when I found it, that I raved about it to my roommate who looked at me like I was crazy. However, after 1 visit, she was even more excited than I was.
After reading some of the other reviews, I was a little nervous about my produce having a shorter shelf-life and put off reviewing until I had been a regular repeat customer. Stanley's is now part of my weekly or bi-weekly grocery run. The little bit of extra gas to get here is far outweighed by how much money I save. It's all produce and the prices are amazing. The last time I went, I got cartons of raspberries for $0.69 each! And they lasted 2 weeks! I buy all of my produce here and can finally afford to buy organic when I want to! (Sometimes organic fruit here is cheaper than regular fruit at Jewel...awesome) I rarely spend more than $10. (last week I spent $6.47 on everything)
Now, nobody is perfect and Stanley is no exception. When buying produce here, I rarely come with a list, but do have my staples in mind. This is a place where you buy what looks good and what is in season--how you should shop anyway. If something doesn't look good that week, I don't get it and look again next week.
I will continue to be a repeat customer at this year-round, open late, farmers market kind of place.
I've been on the prowl for a fruit and veggie shop to replace my standby that I left when I moved here, and Stanley's (while a bit out of the way from where I live) has filled this void. I LOVE IT!
Nothing beats low priced, high quality fruits & veggies. I'm a firm believer that good produce comes in all shapes and conditions, and the shiny, waxed covered apple that is the perfect shape and hand selected for Americans who "must have it that way" is all that is wrong with healthy eating.
A dent or an occasional piece of fruit that isn't perfect is nothing to get your panties in a bunch over. It's natural, and not stuffed with preservatives and sealed tightly in a cardboard box.
Saturday afternoons are a madhouse at Stanley's! I heard people say "I've never seen it like this before." I got fresh strawberries for $1, asparagus at 2/$1, kale and chard, and a bunch of other stuff on my grocery list, and it WAS SO CHEAP! The three lines were all equally long and kinda nuts, but what you gonna do? The Stanley's Secret is out!
Headed to the regular grocery after that, and kind of smirked in the checkout line with no produce besides a ginger root. Yay for Stanley's!
This is the only place in town where I can find in one place the kale, boc choy and red chard I need… Read more »
I spend hundreds a month on produce and though stanley's is cheaper than dominicks or jewel they still have a long way to go to be anywhere near a farmer's market.
The convenience of parking and being open past noon keeps me coming back. So if you are looking to drive to the store to buy some fruit/veggies, or if you don't like haggling for the lowest price on banana's stanley's is the best place in town.
side note: There is always a lot of people at stanley's and the lines are a constant. Just know ahead of time that there are people in every aisle and yes, some of them will judge your produce selecting. Unavoidable (at least for me).
I take away two stars because the last two times I've been to stanleys the vegetables have been terrible, although most of the fruit was still awesome. All the tomatos were bad, as well as the cucumbers, peppers, grapes, onions, strawberries, and bananas; and there were spiders in the grapes! yes....spiderS, there was more than one.... ew.
The fruit and vegetable store in Andersonville on Clark St beats stanleys, hands down. :(
Being an avid lover of fruits and vegetables (on top of being a nutrition major), I was in heaven… Read more »
The produce is phenomenal. The prices are incredibly low. Friendly staff and convenient location. Other various items (salsa, cottage cheese, chips, etc) are also quite delicious.
I'm excited about eating more of what Stanley's is offering. Thanks buddy! See you soon!
It was the high price of Dominicks produce that pushed me to do a search on cheap produce in the city. After a few minutes on Yelp I found Stanley's and Cermak Produce with a few great reviews. I've tried both but regularly visit Stanley's because it is a little closer to where I live and they have a greater selection.
The reason for the three stars? I've been noticing lately that if you don't eat your buys within a few days they'll rot or wilt more quickly than if I buy such things as Raspberries or Salad Mix from Jewel or the D.
There are other pluses such as the deli which seems to have a great selection.
All in all, I will remain a dedicated shopper of Stanley's but I will definitely be spending more time inspecting my fruits and veggies for ripeness.
Also, don't go on the weekend as a first timer. If you do, don't get a cart. Use a re-usable bag or basket. I've actually seen a yelling match between two Lincoln Park yuppies because of inept cart pushing/parking abilities. At first it was hysterical and then it turned ugly.
Stanley's Produce gets a solid 3.5 stars in my book. If I lived in the city, I'd give it 5 stars, simply because it's way better than shopping at the big box stores. Jewel and Dominicks sell produce that lasts forever because it's like plastic - unless you are buying organic, it seems as far away from a freshly farmed vegetable that you can get.
But alas, although Stanley's has a good selection of fresh produce and is wonderfully priced, I am lucky enough to be a suburbanite and live in between 3 Caputo's Markets. And Caputo's blows Stanley's away - thus the 3.5 stars for Stanley's. For a produce place, their selection and variety of produce is about 60% of what you can get at Caputo's; and Caputo's is inexpensive as well. And Caputo's carries deli, and canned ethic goods - so I can get most of my shopping done there. So, city dwellers, Stanley's is a great option for you, and if you are currently shopping at a big box, I would advise you to try out Stanleys one of these days. Otherwise, I'll stick with my Caputo's.
My friend Mike was trying to get me to come here for the longest time, because he knows how much I love fresh fruits and veggies. Holy shite! The first time I came here, I was smacked pow in the face with the deal on strawberries! 50 cents for a whole package! In competition with the 6 dollars at whole foods!?
Okay okay, the strawberries don't have the freshest organic flavor, and there may be some bad ones, but they're still damn good...and my wallet smiles huge.
A huge perk at Stanleys, is the olive oil table near the back. You can buy cheap olive oil (you bottle it yourself from huge jugs with a tap) -- the bottles come in three sizes, and they also have a basil oil. Yum. (5 dollars for the smallest bottle)
I make a HUGE fruit salad that I divvy up and it lasts me all week.. I'm talking green grapes, strawberries, kiwi, grapefruit, bananas, apples, plums, asian pears... and this salad costs roughly 12 bucks!
*they also have a decent organic selection and some great lebanese food near the dairy.
Now I need a t-shirt that says "I heart Stanley's."
How many people have contracted swine flu, and people are USING THEIR HANDS to pick through open stacks of spinach and mixed greens? USE TONGS PEOPLE! EWW. What are we supposed to do--Purell every tiny leaf to the point of bacterial elimination once we get home?
This place is filthy. No, I really mean it. Messy floors, no sneeze guard over the olives, mushy overripe tomatoes and molding strawberries left outdoors that look 1-2 days past due.
Granted, a lot of what I wanted isn't in season yet, and I shopped late Saturday afternoon. Still, there's no reason for this store to look the way it did. There's no flow to the way things are laid out except for the way they put their organic veggies in one area. And what's with the signage being so difficult to read and understand in some areas? One stack of navel oranges read 49 cents/pd. Another read 69 cents/pd. The organic navels were 29 cents/pd. Huh?
They had a lot of produce...but why did most of the fruit look smaller and of lesser quality than the selection in full-service grocery stores? Sure, they had a stack of Asian pears, but they were horrid looking--the skins were pot-marked and had little cuts; usually, these are the most beautiful pears in grocery stores. There was a sign that said they *should* have blood oranges; nope. Iceberg lettuce? Well, the heads of lettuce they had were sealed in plastic containers for $2.97/head. Ouch. Even worse were most of the dry goods--that seems to be where they make their most profit. A small container of pistachios was $7! At Jewell, that same bag would have been $4. A loaf of whole-grain bread here was $4.50; at Whole Foods it would've been $3.75.
It's not worth me taking a train and two buses to get here, then walk a block along a less than pleasant stretch of North Avenue (Note to Alderman: FIX THE BROKEN SIDEWALKS. Not everyone drives an SUV to get to retail stores around this area). Everything taken into consideration, I'll stick with my Lakeview Treasure Island for great produce. For you Lincoln Park/North/Clybourn shoppers with SUVs: this is your store.
Shopping at Stanley's today made me feel better about myself after blowing 85 bucks on 2 bags of groceries at Whole Foods.
Lots of variety, fresh fruit. They even make sweet potato chips right in front of you!
Stanley himself happily greeted us at the door and offered us a cart. Great place!
Usually you'll pay 1/3 of regular supermarket prices but some things are at equal price or higher so don't get too giddy. However, sales are random so you should luck out regardless. Just avoid anything that's not a fruit or vegetable and your world will be filled with bliss.
Oh and as you might guess the secret is out on this place on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays so just go at a different time.
5 granny apples
+ 1lb container of mixed greens
+ 1 package of cherry tomatoes
+ 1lb package of strawberries
+ 1/4 of a massive watermelon
+ 1 focaccia bread loaf (I'm addicted)
= $12 and some change
Had I grabbed a bigger cart I am sure I would have gotten quite a bit more.
Not only am I IN LOVE with this store, but now I can't make any more excuses about not eating healthy cause it's too expensive :)
I have to say, I'm a bit disappointed in myself that I hadn't tried Stanley's sooner. After suffering both poor quality and high prices at Jewel and high quality and high prices at Whole Foods, I was seeking an alternative....Stanley's fits the bill.
They have a nice selection of fruits and vegetables as any main stream grocery store does, but for prices that will leave you shocked as I was when I paid at the register!
There is also an organic section and a few dairy and dry goods. Daily specials abound. Though some of the items look like they could expire, my recommendation is to shop here like a European and buy only for a few days...not a few weeks worth and their products won't go bad on you.
I have to say I've tried the Honey Granola and it is very good, but they didn't have it the time I visited them :^(.
Great place and even better prices!!!!!
Stanley's is great if you understand what it is: the final stop for produce on it's way out, whether it's been languishing in other stores or has been too long on a truck. The produce is cheap and should be eaten within a few days. Most of the greens will wilt badly two or three days after you bring them home: SO EAT THEM FAST.
THE WORST PART about this place are the blockhead customers that feel the need to put everything in plastic bags and then get more plastic bags to put those bags into. Today I saw a man put three potatoes into plastic bags and then check out to put that bag into another bag. Dude, potatoes are grown in dirt - the dirtiest of things. You don't need two plastic bags for something that you're most likely going to wash when you get home anyway. In fact, if you're still even using plastic bags at the market, you should research the island of garbage in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, because you're building it. Oh, you're also a jerk.
What else can I say except they have great, fresh produce at an unbelievable price. I love shopping here!
I'm very impressed by this place. The selection of fruits and vegetables will beat any supermarket. The prices are superb. There is a very good organic section and even a deli. It's right off the freeway and they are open fairly late during weekends. They have some very good specials too. For example, this week, whole pineapples for $1.49. The specials are generally laid out in front of the entrance and right as you enter the store. There is also a dairy section with some really good eggs and milk. I highly recommend this place if you are a veggie/fruit eater.
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