On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Categories: Grocery, Beer, Wine & Spirits
Neighborhood: MidtownMon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"If being one of the cleanest and most well stocked liquor stores in town wasn't enough to make them uber-cool, Tower is also on Twitter…" read more »
Loading...
Why can't we have one close by, uh? .... wasn't this place used to be Winn Dixie back in the early 90's. A rather shitty one too. It was the place where you bought your beer and snacks and headed to park across the street for a quick picnic.
Anyhow, I love this place. The "generic" beer is damn great - especially the Mission Indian Pale Ale. It can pass for some of the best NW beers out there and only $5.99. My father-in-law buys cases of that cheap wine. I can only take some of that in strides, meaning after I'm "lit enough" that it doesn't matter.
It's a place for the frugal fellow being and worth every penny. Suck on that Whole Foods ( though I like you too but I'll keep having my love affair with Joe any day ).
Traitor Joe.
::stink eye::
I cannot explain away the multiple* rotten, seemingly expired frozen meals I've encountered in my freezer -- purchased only two days ago -- as anything other than systemic and deeply pervasive treachery.
How are you gonna do me like that, Joe?
I know you have a great return policy but when I'm standing by the microwave, starved for a quick bite before I go back to digging ditches, the last thing I'm interested in is getting my money back on chicken tikka masala.
What I want is for you to not suck in the first place.
- Bright blue spots on my buffalo burgers. Cutesy polka dots on my meat make me incredibly uncomfortable. The FDA agrees.
- Meals that come with no expiration date anywhere on them.
- Meals that come with an expiration date but it's arbitrary and means nothing because the contents were aborted sometime in the third trimester.
- Meals with clearly stamped old expiration dates gleefully line the shelves instead of being removed or at least moved to a clearly marked bargain bin: "40% off! Take chances with your intestinal lining!" like other first world nations do.
I guess the lesson to extrapolate from my lost lunchtime dollars, dear reader, is to always, always check the expiration date on things you've never even considered checking the expiration date on before.
And even then, have a backup plan.
Damn, Joe, I can't even look at you right now.
-
-
-
* Once I found one, I started going through the 2 week stockpile I purchased. Sure enough: TRAITOR.
Count me among the converts.
I used to think of Trader Joe's as a bootleg Whole Foods: limited items,…
Read more »
Proof that organic doesn't have to = expensive.
Their business plan cuts the middle man and that means delicious food (fresh, frozen, dried, chilled...) at a fair price.
When I was at Trader Joes last week, every employ was joyful & attentive. I actually noticed two different employs whistling as they worked. I thought only cartoon dwarfs did that!
Super impressed & highly recommend Trader Joe's over any mainstream food shopping source in Atlanta.
Trader Joe's is awesome. They have great prices with an eclectic variety of food. It reminds me of an inexpensive Whole Foods. They have a great crazy beer selection that can not be found anywhere else. Be careful!!! Some of the beer is VERY HIGH in ALCOHOL!!! Yummy as it is.... You may end up with the spins after drinking a few!
I want a Trader Joe's in each neighborhood!
I love the samples they have!! i sometimes wonder why i keep coming back. There's nothing here that I exceptionally enjoy. Everything I want i can find at Kroger. I get all of my daughter's Earth Best baby food from whole foods because of their sales. So, I guess I come to trader joe's specifically for their their, delicious wines and beer and sometimes for the granola.
I love their website. I also love their newsletter they send out, including recipes and a grocery list. It always makes me hungry and i always go shopping complete with my list, i buy globs of things and they end of getting severe freezer burn in my freezer.The meals that are lucky to be cooked always come out soggy and nasty.
I guess my point is-i have no idea why i continue to go to trader joe's, but I keep going back. I guess if I was a gluten-free, fat-free, vegan or vegetarian, kosher, or low-sodium kind of gal, trader joes just may be my favorite place.
I think there's just way too much going on in this grocery store for my liking...some call it eclectic, I call it too busy. it's a hodge podge of things, very overwhelming. I do like the fact that they have all of these quick, inexpensive meals, if I liked them they would come in handy. very convenient.
So why did i give it 3 stars? I have no idea. I guess I like the concept of trader joes. i like the energetic, whimsical vibe of the place, i like the staff and I love the free samples! Call me a hypocrite, I don't care!
They got pushed over to the three-star mark because of the staff training being so good -- otherwise I'd go with two right now.
This store is oddly organized, too cramped and (most recently) has sold produce and dairy that was already bad the day I got it home. I've had to return bread, avocados, shredded cheese blend and others -- for reasons that are still curious. have you ever returned groceries before? it's a royal inconvenience -- they should be paying YOU for letting them know their system has some kinks to work out.
But I digress, as usual. Make sure you check the freshness of everything you buy there and look for the good things, too, like the frozen banana waffles and great prosciutto selection. And, of course, the cheap wine ain't bad either.
I'd like to see the management staff react a bit more kindly when a customer brings something back in the store. the two guys I interacted with brushed me off like it was nothing. dude, your food is rotten. pay attention!
Time to build another one in the city (Castleberry Hill). Midtown is too busy. 20 minutes to check out last Sunday.
I love having Trader Joe's less than a mile from my condo, even if this particular location has horrendous parking lot traffic and tends to get really crowded on weekends. I can never find everything on my grocery list here, but I always end up discovering cool things I didn't go in there looking for, and I've never been disappointed.
Raves:
- Trader Joe's brand of anything is AWESOME (frozen foods, cereals, cheese... everything)
- very affordable
- the cheese selection is great (I love their lite shredded mozzarella and crumbled blue)
- great variety of the cheapest , tastiest store-bought hummus around
- their refrigerated salad dressings (low fat parmesan ranch and the champagne gorgonola pear!)
Rants:
- the parking lot is migraine-inducing
- the produce selection is high-quality, but not a huge selection to choose from
- not much of a bakery section
- not great for your heavy grocery shopping, but it's ideal for finding ingredients for a simple, gourmet meal at an affordable price
Definitely worth battling the parking lot traffic! Trader Joe's is a really great switch-up from the monotony of the typical Publix and Kroger shopping experience.
I went in looking for some quality grub. I recommend it for good meat/ fruit etc, you get the idea.
So I started Operation Bootcamp last week and had to get back into the rut of grocery shopping and eating super healthy! I usually do all of my grocery shopping here at Trader Joe's. This place is like Target to me...I cannot leave without just buying whats on my grocery list. They usually have a new item or two that catches my eye that I need to try! What I like most about shopping here is that they always have a good selection of produce and freshly packed items that are already cut up and stored so that I don't have to spend any additional prep time!
In addition, they have a large amount of vegetarian products that makes it easy for me to get my protein as well as different options! I'm especially liking the chickenless pulled bbq!
The staff is always friendly and the place is always clean. Don't forget to bring your own reusable bags to get entered into their weekly prize drawings!
I know that it's the Ikea of grocery stores (slightly foreign, and you always end up going around in circles)... but hey.... I'm for any company that actually thinks before they put something on the shelf. Especially when that something is cheap wine!
I know I've been single for a long time, but is it just me, or are people checking each other out at this location?
I swear they are...
Maybe I'm crazy? (or that other word that ends with a 'Y')
eh... I digress...
There's that Costco effect with their food, where after you eat it for a while you get burnt out on it... but there's always some new little discovery just around the next corner.
Oh crap! And have you had that raspberry sorbet!? It's like a berry had sex with a berry, had a concentrated baby with both parents traits, the parents murdered that kid, crushed it up into a pulp, froze it and then served it to you in a little paper cup!
I may need to work on my analogies?
Five words: green tea mochi ice cream.
Oh hell yes. Best little sweet treat in the land, and only $3.99 at your local TJ's.
I don't GET Trader Joe's. It's like meeting someone's crush for the first time. You've heard them go on and on about how wonderful they are, how dreamy, how smart. Then you meet them and you really can't see any of it.
I will admit, the 2 Buck Chuck is a Godsend for parties and off-pay weeks. They have some chocolate chunk cookies I need to stay far, far away from. I have been looking all over for sliced olives and finally found them here. But if it wasn't for people buying things and sharing them with me, nothing there would catch my eye and I never quite know what to buy from there. Their fruit is higher than what I can find elsewhere and staples like brownie mix and moscato are nowhere to be found.
I think they're a really good place to buy fancy-ish frozen meals for that 2nd to 3rd date range, where you want to entertain at home but don't quite know if they're worth home cookin!
So, here's the thing....
Trader Joe's is my stand by for most of my grocery needs, the produce here is spectacular, the cheese selection, and premade frozen vegetarian foods are ample and flavorful.
I stock up on pre-cut and peeled butternut squash, green beans, stir fry veggie mix, prepackaged spinach, and all manner of organic tomatoes. I love the Trader Joe's brand oatmeal, and juices(their version of Green Machine packed with kiwi, spinach, and pineapple is my absolute fave). Their selection of dried fruits and nuts, paired with their TJ brand vitamins are reasonably priced. Oh god, don't get me started on the mango Popsicles and pomegranate lollipops.
Its the only place in the area I can find Hansens Pomegranate Soda, and all the two-buck-chuck I can drink.
I usually avoid Joe's on the weekend where parking can get kind of hairy, but I suppose that can be expected, even the original TJ's in Pasadena Ca has a problem with parking, I suppose that's just part of the charm.
All right, so: I love Trader Joe's. I do. I love that their packaged food is made with more natural ingredients than not, without the high price tag you'd expect. I love their frozen foods and snacks. I love their well-priced supplements, personal care items, dog treats, and toilet paper. I love how they label all their cheeses as containing vegetarian or animal rennet. I really, really love their well-stocked, low-priced beer and wine section.
However: their produce section frustrates me to no end. It makes it impossible for Trader Joe's to be my primary grocery shop of the week. Instead, I only make it here every other week or so, and FOLKS. My dark chocolate covered almonds with sea salt and turbinado sugar don't last that long.
So, the produce: I hate how it's all insanely overpackaged, with styrofoam trays and plastic wrap, in flagrant opposition to their great reusable bag push. Aside from the waste, the packaging makes it impossible to check your produce for freshness and quality, plus you've got to buy four or six of something when you'd rather buy two, or three, or maybe you need five but now you have EIGHT. Ugh. The selection is also pretty limited.
All that aside, though, I was thrilled when I found out TJ's was finally coming to Atlanta and overall, I've not been disappointed. Those almonds will keep me coming back, at any rate.
So I went to Trader Joe's with my sister on a friday night at 8 o'clock.
Go ahead. Put me in the corner with a dunce cap on. We almost got into 5 wrecks circling the parking lot trying to find a spot. We finally gave up and went back the next day.
I can not blame Trader Joe's for this. That shopping center is a mess on its own during the weekend. Or week for that matter.
So, the next day, while we finally parked in a tow away zone (her idea, her car) we ran into the store to get some food for her birthday party. We managed to get everything we wanted, and visited with friends who were coincidentally shopping there in less than 15 minutes.
The reason I am posting this is because the guy at the register asked if we were having a party (maybe because we had 6 bottles of their wine) and I piped up that it was her 30th birthday party that night. So he said, as a present for her birthday, he was just going to GIVE her the flower bouquet we picked up as a party decor. Now, how sweet is that? That would not happen at Kroger or Publix for sure.
Now I am not saying this would happen every day at Trader Joe's, but we were really flabbergasted and appreciative. It's not very often that a chain store does something as nice as giving you a $10 flower bouquet for your birthday.
And this is why I love Trader Joe's even more.
After hearing many complaints from transplants about there not being a Trader Joe's in Atlanta, the… Read more »
Trader Joe's definitely isn't a one-stop-shop for all your grocery needs, but the store carries a few items that fall on my weekly food list:
* dried cherries
* well-priced fruit
* chicken sausage
* delicious ready-made Indian meals - My favorite is the Punjab Choley: chickpeas cooked in a super-spicy red curry sauce. Since these meals don't have to be refrigerated or frozen (and stay good for, like, a year), I can keep a stockpile of them in my cabinet and grab one when I need a quick lunch. I love to pair the Punjab Choley with TJ's frozen garlic naan bread.
I think TJ's sushi and ready-made sandwiches are disgusting. I also wish I could buy a single onion or one tomato, as opposed to an entire pack.
Additionally, I was extremely heartbroken when TJ's pulled its blueberry ice cream from the shelf. It was phenomenal!
I shop at Trader Joe's when I know what I'm looking for, but I always expect to hit up Publix afterwards, too, to retrieve some necessities that TJ's doesn't carry.
It was great while it lasted, but as a grocery store, I'm over TJ's. I'm over the bells, the bahamas shirts, the chalkboards... I'm over the fearless flyer and the word "Joe" translated into a bunch of different languages (I'm not sure why they chose Trader Ming, actually, when "Zhou" is a perfectly sensible Chinese name).
Admittedly it took me a couple of years for the novelty to wear off, and that's because there are some really great things about the place. For one, you *can* survive and be healthy off of TJ's food without spending much time at all in the kitchen. For two, the prices. People just love to compare Joe's favorably to Whole Foods, but I have recently come to the revelation that Whole Foods is a far superior establishment for my purposes.
I could ponder at length why I've lost that loving feeling for Joe, but I think what it comes down to is the odd combination of a) a lack of variety ( I can only eat frozen Indonesian rice with butter and raisins and the same combination of vegetables so many times) and b) the tendency to discontinue products I love (see, e.g. pear gorgonzola pizza).
At this point, TJ's is more of a convenience store for me, being close by and all. I pick up a bottle of wine for a party or a missing ingredient or eggs or milk. I'm still hooked on their vodka spaghetti sauce, too :)
I always seem to call this place Trader Vic's by accident...when I'm not calling it Winn Dixie. Don't get me wrong. It isn't malicious. I think that over the years my brain got done filled up and doesn't have room for names of new-fangled places from California. Winn Dixie used to be here and so shall it remain in the membrane of my brain. But this definitely ain't Winn Dixie. I remember shopping here and actually having to check the expiration date on my food to make sure they were still good before I put them in my cart. Yeah, it was kind of a crappy store, even by Winn Dixie standards.
But swooping in like yuppie manna from heaven, our friend Joseph and his trading partners have come to provide an alternative to the Whole Foods, merely an organically grown pine nuts' throw away.
Trader Vi--, er, Joe's isn't as large as Whole Foods. They never are. Instead, they serve as more of a neighborhood shopping store than a big box grocer. But the cheese is real cheap and you can find good deals on frozen entrees. And the beer...oh the beer! They have a selection to make a beer snob proud--so proud that when he crosses the path of the wine snob shopping next to him, they can go mano y mano in a full-fledged douche-a-thon. Don't mind me, guys, I just came here for the three dollar, Two Buck Chuck. But by all means, continue douching it up.
Where was I? The produce is fine, but not very extensive. There's not much in the way of big box goodness either, like cleaners and paper goods and, if you need a case of Mountain Dew or an air conditioner filter or the latest issue of Ninja's Illustrated Magazine, you're out of luck. That's Kroger and Publix territory. But of the stuff they have, they do a good job and you won't find nuts cheaper in Midtown without having to buy the dude a drink first.
The people are also perky. Frighteningly perky. They don't have that friendly, stoner vibe of Whole Foods employees or that on-work-furlough/house-arrest vibe that Kroger employees have. They're just....perky. But hey, there are worse things than perky. Stabby, for one, is much worse. But enough about Murder Kroger.
Four stars for Trader Vi--, er, Joe's. You're a fine addition to Midtown.
I love Trader Joe's. I love that there is a large selection of inexpensive European wines and cheese to go with them all. Throw in milk and eggs and bread without HFCS, and I'll forgive the small selection of produce.
I'll often pop by to pick up some brie, some frozen tamales, and a bottle of wine. And I'll walk out with some brie, a bottle of wine, some frozen tamales, another bottle of wine, seasoned tilapia, more wine, organic mayo, another bottle of French wine, oven-roasted turkey breast, and one last bottle of wine to fill up my handy Trader Joe's wine carrier.
Something about Trader Joes keeps reeling me in. Maybe the wine.
I'm joining the legions of others that are huge fans of this store. I was skeptical at first, thinking that the prices would be more in-line with Whole Foods than Kroger or Publix. I was really surprised when I stopped in last night to get a quick dinner and spent $15 on 10 items.
Pre-cooked, marinated chicken was $2.99, and the whole pack can probably feed me for a week. A rice bowl was 99 cents, (SHOCK!) and mini-ice cream sandwhiches were $1.99. I had to stock up on the essentials too (plums, Cliff Bars, milk) and all this came to less than $20.
Not knowing too much about the stores and how they operate, I want to do some more research on thier brand of products (everything in the store is some form of Trader Joe's brand, they even have Trader Ming's for asian food) and if not letting in outside vendors keeps their pricing low. I'm still "eh" about whether I would do the full grocery shop there, but for picking up a good dinner at a reasonable price, go Joes!
I have just recently converted to being a Trader Joe's shopper. I think I will always visit Publix and Kroger first, mainly because the parking is insane in that shopping center and there's just not as much room to move around in TJ's as there is in Publix. You end up standing behind someone looking at the guacamole and cold salsa for 10 min. before they move out of the way and you can get in there. But amidst all of this, I do love Trader Joe's! There frozen stuff is awesome, the eggplant cutlets are super yummy as are there veggie pizzas. I also really like their hummus and veggies. I've never noticed bad quality produce as someone said below, but there is a downfall; when you're living with just one other person you don't need 24 onions. I wish I could just buy one sometimes.
For cheap decent wine and some easy meals, definitely give this place a try.
Trader Joe's is my boyfriend.
Not my veggie or cheese boyfriend (I'm a little cheap, so sometimes veggies need to have as much DDT or insecta-wash on them for my pocketbook-- which I know I'd be cursing if I ever ordered those weird infomercial detoxing foot stickers).
Trader Joe's is my frozen food & sauce jars & rice boxes & salad mix & granola bar- boyfriend. He is my office lunch heaven boyfriend. Frozen french onion soup??? Sign me the hell up, Joe.
Lushily, he is also my 2 Buck Chuck boyfriend, by the Red wine caseful.
True story: A while back I was in the Midtown Trader Joe's and they had to evacuate the building. No kidding. Turns out some foolish employee completely failed to realize that canned crab meat needs to be refrigerated, even though it is canned. When you DON'T keep it cold, it has the tendency to go bad and expand and when some other foolish employee attempts to move it.. uh... kerblooey.
The entire store filled with the redolent stench of rotten Krab. It was seriously one of the nastiest things I've ever smelled, which is saying something, given the number of science fiction conventions I've attended.
All that aside, it's Trader Joe's, your place for funtastic kitsch tiki themed treats. They have a bunch of awesome treat-type foods, pizzas and candies and cookies and things like that which are fantastic, unless you're on a diet, in which case, uh, never mind. They also have a pretty great selection of wine and beer and etc. The Two-Buck Chuck (which is actually now Two-Buck-Fifty Chuck, I believe, is everything it's said to be, which is to say entirely mediocre and totally cheap.
Anyway, the service is endearingly polite (there's a requisite amount of small talk in the job description) and everything is pretty damned cheap, all things considered, except for the organic stuff, which is, as always, expensive as all get-out. Anyway, it's worth the 20 minutes over from Decatur every other week or so, and if you actually live in Midtown, it's probably worth taking a trip more regularly. It's not someplace to buy your staples, your bread and milk and toilet paper and stuff, but it's great for special event type treats.
Do it to it - I think they learned their lessons about the crab meat...
It took me a couple of years to warm up to Trader Joe's even though my wife loved it right away. I'd sit in the car while she went in or wander bored through the aisles as she shopped ... until I tried the the raw, crunchy, salt-free almond butter. Damn its good! Then I noticed they had reasonably priced chicken breasts frozen in a way in which they don't stick together. I liked those too.
I've heard so much hype about it. "Wha, you've NEVER been there?!". OK, so to stop being such a dork, I wandered on in. Well, I must admit that being such a dork, I walked right past the big plastic entranceway and walked almost to the very end of the building looking for the "actual" entrance. You know, the typical glass grocery store entrance with the words "enter" and "exit". I don't know if the plastic was a special setup that day or what. I haven't been back since, so I guess I'll never know.
As with some others on here, I was NOT warned that TJ's is NOT a garden variety grocery store. I was expecting the creme de la creme, the icing on the cake, bells and whistles, sunshine and lollipops... I expected Whole Foods times 10.
What I got was a LOOOOW budget-looking mom 'n pop reminiscent of a 7-11, BUT with a frozen food department and organic produce. Wha? Is THIS what all the hype was about??
I couldn't imagine hoofing it across town, passing a Publix at every half-mile, just to get a jar of salsa from TJ's! Are you folks serious?? It would make more sense to hop AirTran down to the border to get homemade salsa from a dude named Pepe.
I am a major Trader Joe's evangelist. I appreciate that here in Georgia they can all sell beer and wine (up in my former home of MA, only three stores in the state had liquor permits). This store is spacious enough to offer a wide selection of booze as well as the food favorites that I've come to depend on. Stock up on cereal, canned beans, soup in a carton, and frozen dinners that are cheap and halfway decent. Get your frozen fruit -- blueberries, strawberries, mango -- some yogurt, a tub of ice cream, organic milk, and go crazy making smoothies. Shop the tasty cheese section and select from an insane variety of crackers to serve with them. Pick up bottled stir-fry sauces, some tofu, and frozen veg. for instant dinner. Grab a bunch of frozen hors d'oeuvres, mixed nuts, cookies and chocolates for your next cocktail party. Oh, Trader Joe's... how could I live without you?
The only downside to the Joe is that their produce is not the freshest. Buy what you can use within a day or two if it's something perishable like greens or peaches. Hardier stuff like peppers and apples will last longer. But if you need a major produce trip, go to the farmer's market instead.
I'm a big fan of Trader Joes. Their produce is extremely expensive (considering how inexpensive a trip to the Dekalb Farmers market is), but is good if you're in a pinch. I definitely don't do all my grocery shopping there, but a pretty big majority of it. Their marinated meats are excellent. Always tender and full of flavor. The frozen foods are good, too, especially on those days you don't feel like cooking. I've tried everything from pizza to eggplant parm to spinach lasagna to stir fry, all with great results.
The staff is very helpful and efficient. One dude suggested these mushroom puffs and they were so damn delicious. By the way, someone below posted they got some stuff for free. Absolutely true. Every time I go there I get at least something for free. Maybe its a block of cheese or some Italian flavored soda. I never can tell what its going to be. But I guess they know me at this time b/c I always end up walking out with 2 cases of assorted wine..
What a cute little specialty store. Don't get me wrong, I don't do my regular shopping here, but pick up little things here and there.
It's a great place for quality meats (great hamburgers), veg, breads, produce, chocolate, cheese. wine. They also have a large selection of various snacks such as chips, peanut butter pretzels (yummy), dried fruits, candy, canned goods (french onion soup is good).
I can't emphasize how great the staff is. They all appear to enjoy their job and WANT to help you with your shopping. One time when I was there, they let a customer sing a Christmas song over the loud speaker. It's like Trader Joe's is a chain whose management consists of former hippies.
Just go and check it out!
I was very excited to hear that TJs was coming to ATL. Best party stock up store ever. And great snack food. Other greats:
-$10 orchids. $3 Tulips
-insanely decadent chocolate ice cream: CHOCTAL
-choco bonbons
-chocodipped biscotti
-yummy chocolate chips
-Belgian chocolate bars
(can you tell I like chocolate?)
-Five seed almond bars-you could live on these if you had to
-Emergen-C powder
-Their Mexican beer looks like it is made by Tecate, and it's tasty.
-DELICIOUS fake soy creamer
And how nice is a free mini cup of coffee and a snack. Gotta love it~
Yes, I spend $100 on unessential items every time I go there, but it makes me happy...
My first time at TJ's, I did not enjoy it one bit, but I have come to loooooooove TJ's for a few things:
1. Good wine for cheap! I think the 2 buck chuck is absolute swill, but they have delicious, $5 vinho verde, which is the perfect summer wine. Lots of other good wine, too.
2. Fantastic pasta for cheap. I love love love the flax seed pasta. 6 grams of fiber, lots of protein, tastes delicious, and $.99/pound. What a fantastic deal.
3. Stuff like Thai chile and lime peanuts. I used to keep them for when we have guests, but stopped because I always finished them off long before that actually happened. They are crack!
4. They have decent soy ice cream for a great price.
And so on. I usually go nuts and buy a ridiculous amount of pasta and such whenever I go to Trader Joe's, since it's not in an area I frequent too much these days. Still though, I think it is definitely worth the trek.
As a transplant from Los Angeles I was counting the days until this place opened. There was a scare about set-back (it was about 3 feet too close to Grady High School to sell alcohol, talk of lifting the building by helicopter ensued) but by some miracle that problem was solved.
I disagree with some of the other reviews in that this is not a "replacement" for normal grocery shopping. We buy everything here. The milk and eggs are cheaper, and most other things are comparably priced. The only thing I don't buy here is mayonnaise. Their's tastes funny.
You cannot beat their wine selection for the price anywhere in town. Find Collin if you need a recommendation. I once went in there with very little time and told him I needed 5 bottles of wine for around $5 a piece, and he moved like lightening to provide the best possible product in that price range.
Service here cannot be beat. I love getting to know the people. And somehow it just feels better to support businesses like this than other major chains.
They have a lot of good frozen stuff. Good for a single person like me who doesn't spend a lot of time cooking meals, but wants to stay somewhat healthy.
You can't assume everything you are getting here is "natural" and "organic", because it's not. I find that many people believe that, but you gotta read labels.
Anyway...I like the cheap plants as well.
Trader Joe's seems to be less expensive than regular grocery stores during these days ("these days" as in The Recession). I know at Kroger, bagged salad is around 4 bucks...at Trader Joe's...it's 2.50.
The nut covered toffee they sell there is DA BOMB.
oh, and I LOVE how they give out free samples of coffee, and they provide the option of stevia, blue agave, or regular sugar as sweetners!!
Trader Joe's, oh Trader Joe's...Joe's Knows!
It's so great to finally have a TJ's (as it was affectionately known to us in LA) in Atlanta. TJ's big selling point is that all of their products are artificial-stuff (preservatives, flavors, etc) free, so you're left with non-chemical goods going into your body.
But lest you think TJ's as a grocery store or an alternative Whole Foods, it is not. TJ's biggest sellers tend to be frozen or semi-prepared foods, in that you can't just throw it in the microwave, but you also don't have to spend hours deveining shrimp or slicing carrots. You DO have to do some cooking!
While they do offer a selection of fresh produce, and a dairy case, you won't find a butcher's shop or seafood case for custom orders.
And of course, everyone by now has heard of their (in)famous Two Buck Chuck...which isn't exactly two bucks here in Atlanta, but close enough.
Among my favorite items from TJs - the orange chicken (Trader Ming's), the various nuts (above the frozen aisle), and now their baking mixes (cornbread, french vanilla cake, truffle chocolate brownie), the tiramisu gelato (Trader Giotto's), which I'm partaking in right now ( :-p), their sausages, some of their pizza products, and their juices.
One quick caveat though - if you ARE buying fresh goods, be aware that they WILL spoil faster than you're used to - especially the breads. While I love TJs and make a trip at least once a week, I almost never get bread unless it's the day-of for a party or something. That whole no preservative business also means that breads will go stale or moldy within a day or two if not frozen. But lest you forget or not heed the warning, feel free to bring it back. TJ's has a great return policy, in that you may return the unused portion of anything you don't like, which I did once upon a time with a loaf of bread.
And the aquarium motif is fun too! They always commission local artists to paint their walls with murals depicting the local area. It's just a fun place to shop.
TJ's also has a pretty steady stock of their goods, but now and then they'll order something as a one-off...and it'll be awesome. When that happens, I'm always sure to go back within a day or so to stock up, just in case.
Bottom line - Trader Joe's doesn't pretend to be purveyor of anything other than good, artificial-stuff free foodstuffs, and for that, I can't fault them. And besides, who wouldn't like a staff that wears hawai'ian shirts and rings bells?
I recently relocated back to Atlanta from LA after three years out there during which time I became completely addicted and utterly dependent on Trader Joe's. If Trader Joe's had not opened in Midtown right before I moved back, I don't know what I would have done. The mere thought was terrifying.
Trader Joe's doesn't have the "normal" grocery store items (Diet Coke, Kellogg's cereals, Doritos, Twizzlers) but they have their own unique products sold under the Trader Joe's label. At first, this can be confusing - I mean, you go to the grocery store with a list of things to buy and sometime Trader Joe's doesn't have exactly what you think you are looking for. But, while you are looking for your specific items you start to notice a whole bunch of other interesting items and you either buy them or just remember that they are there. Then, as time goes by, you start to realize that your whole grocery list has become tailored to what Trader Joe's does have. Their products are so interesting and inspiring that you begin to eat things that include their products (or that simply are their products just as they are).
My pantry, fridge and freezer are all filled with TJ's now. The things I love:
. Really good and inexpensive pastas, rice, polenta, sauces, olive oil, vinegar, olives and canned goods.
. Their kalamata olives and roasted red peppers are excellent and cheaper than in other grocery stores.
. Their frozen food section with excellent staples like frozen veggies and seafood, the best frozen pizzas, mini tacos, potato latkes, gnocchi (with or without sauce), fantastic gorgonzola and walnut tortellini, mochi, Double Rainbow ice creams, Irish oatmeal, and many desserts.
. I love all their cereals, crackers, cheeses (cheap!), nuts and trail mixes, tortilla chips, and the fabulous peanut butter-filled pretzels. I was inspired to sit down and write this review last night when I opened a jar of their Southwest Salsa I had on hand - it was soooo good. I am addicted to the triple ginger snap cookies and to their gourmet chicken salad with almonds and currants (and goes really well with the baguettes they sell).
. The Trader Joe's wine section is fun and inexpensive. I really am not a huge fan of the Chuck (although, for 2.99, it really cannot be beat if you are sitting home on a Friday night watching your weekly Tivo). Trader Joe's also has a ton of other fun wines that are cheap enough to give them a try - some are great and some are just OK. I have also found some fun beers here.
. Their milk, eggs and dairy products are very reasonably priced.
I really could go on and on about the products I love there but I am sure you get the idea! They are always introducing new products, too (and they always have samples).
Their fresh produce can be hit or miss. I usually try to go to the Dekalb Farmers Market for fruits and veggies, anyway, but I do like the bagged arugula, sliced apples, shredded carrots and bagged brussel sprouts here. I buy bananas here when in a pinch.
I have learned (the hard way) to avoid this store on weekends. It's not really the store that is bad but the parking lot (I went last Sunday and not only was the parking lot really crowded but a car was on fire!). I usually try to go on a Tuesday or Wednesday in the morning but I know not everyone can do that; if you can, I highly recommend it. They also seem less likely to be out of stock on all their items if you go mid-week (Mondays are really bad for this since they get swarmed on weekends).
I really love Trader Joe's! It definitely is NOT a replacement for regular grocery shopping but it is awesome if you like to entertain or if you stupidly agree to help out a friend by promising to bring the appetizers for a party of 50. The frozen food section makes preparation for parties as easy as thaw and pop it in the oven for however long.
The majority of the produce is organic and looks delicious. There are also guacamole kits and other similar kits that put all the fresh ingredients together in one package so you don't have to worry about forgetting something. The cheese selection is decent and the prices are good.
The wine alone is reason to love this place. They have at least 3 Vino Verde's which is my favorite type of wine and its difficult finding it at other grocery stores. Plus the wine is really affordable, I can stock up my wine cabinet without breaking the bank. Oh and the $2 buck chuck is pretty good too (BTW, you can now get $2 buck chuck at KROGER now! Who knew?)
The products under the Trader Joe brand are always high quality and value. There is a low fat granola cereal there that has dried blueberries and strawberries in it and since I've had it, no other granola will do! I even like the TJ tea tree oil face wash.
I kept one star back because it can be a mad house and the parking does suck but I still love the place.
All in all, Trader Joe's allows people who don't have a lot of green to add gourmet touches to their meals and their parties and I think that's fabulous!
My trip to Trader Joe's went like this:
I walked in
I walked out
I should probably give it another chance considering that I went during the "Grand Opening" and it was crawling with people to the point that I couldn't move. But to be totally honest, I hated the store--period.
I hated that the store looked completely half ass thrown together. I hated the stuff on the walls that appeared to be painted by an old blind monkey cum artist. I hated the shelves, so short that I could see over them and clear across to the other side of the store.
I guess I'm just a typical chick who needs to be "romanced." Whole Foods loves me up with impeccable style and quality--I leave there broker than a mug, but I feel like I just went to the spa! Sam's awes me with sheer quantity--I leave there wondering what the hell I just spent $200 on but I know whatever it is, it won't run out til the year 2057!
Trader Joe's? Eh. I didn't feel the love and was just happy to leave.
Ok...I will be the one to say it.
I hate Trader Joe's.
This sort of store is exactly why I would prefer to eat anything BUT healthy stuff. Give me back the old Winn-Dixie that was here and pass me some boxed wine. Given the choice, I would rather go to Whole Foods for this sorta stuff just because they leave you alone and let you shop. I don't want to chat it up with a smelly neo-hippy on every aisle as I search for my food.
It's sorta creepy brite and there's no real "flow" to the place like you have in a real grocery store, selection isn't what the Los Angeles versions have and you take your life in your hands trying to park. I know a lot of people get real excited about these places and that's just fine, you can keep it. I'll be over at Crack Kroger thanks.
This is going to peeve some of you off, but frankly I don't care. Some one has to say it.
I would rather take a fork in the eye than shop at Trader Joe's.
Firstly, every one acts like they are stocking up for Armageddon ,with the insanity in the parking lot and in the isles. It's like you've all been hypnotized and can't help but block the way or careen into my cart or car.
The selection is limited to what they want you to buy and that is it.
There is no practical shopping here.
Almost everything is pre package and prepared. That's great for snacky foods or those grabbing something frozen.
I cook .I love to shop. But this place makes my blood boil.
I will concede to the fact that the majority of the items available are quality and some are even very tasty. I love the store brand truffles and the frozen burritos are pretty good.
But , a lot of the stuff is over priced and impractical.
How many of you rave reviewers have an uneaten bag of dried something or other, that sounded really yummy in the store., the back of your cupboard? Will you ever really use a 1/2 gallon of tupelo honey or that 1/2 pound of freeze dried walnut shells?
The check-out is a nightmare. Just so you know, it really doesn't get you out of there any quicker if you nudge your cart into the back pocket of the person in front of you.
For all the tasty offerings held within the experience is in no way worth it.
I'll be freaking out the clerks at the YDFM instead, thanks.
It wasn't until I learned about TJ's concept of cutting out the middle man that I appreciated them so much. It's a solid place to go and great for picking up semi-premade or premarinated foods. The prices are great and the people are so friendly.
I love this place!!!
Neighborhood: Buckhead
Category: Grocery
Sandy Springs, GA
Category: Grocery
Norcross, GA
Category: Grocery
Neighborhood: Buckhead
Category: Shopping
Neighborhood: Little Five Points
Category: Grocery
Whether it be migraine-inducing traffic, too-tight…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Someone on Yelp commented that many of my reviews…
Everything in Atlanta that has impressed me the…
These places have(at least) vegan food options,…
I have pretty discerning taste and there aren't…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
