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Categories: Grocery, Health Markets
Neighborhood: Near North SideNorth/Clybourn (Red)
Mon-Sun. 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"I love to shop here - they have a great produce selection including bell peppers, fresh garbanzo beans, ginger, garlic, eggplant and more -…" read more »
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**This review is for those wanting to eat in Whole Foods**
We went there for a late lunch because we have always heard great things about how good the food is. Definitely did not expect the HUGE selection of foods you can choose from. It literally took me 15 minutes to decide from which part of the food court to eat. My decision came down to a turkey burger and fries at the diner-style counter, the fresh wings, or the Chipotle-like Mexican food. Tacos seemed like the right idea and they were delicious. The person with me chose the portabella mushroom rice bowl and I had a little of it and it was delicious.
After we got our food, we had several options of places to sit, so we decided to go to the bar and have one of their dozen beers on tap and a glass of wine for her. It was delicious and I am definitely going to go back.
I should give this store an automatic five stars for the parking. Yes, the parking at the old store was tedious.
Where do I start. Every department is bigger and better than at the old store. Bar? Smokehouse? Imported soft cheeses? Sensory overload!
(But I think the hot food bar at the store on Huron is still the best of all Whole Foods).
Minus one star for the prices. Although I'm here often to pick up a few items, I feel guilty relying on this store for everyday items, it is still more of a splurge.
So, I'm walking down North Ave making my way to Whole Foods with Mommykins to grab a bite to eat before going into Best Buy. We get to the plaza that Best Buy shares with Whole Foods and I see the windows of Whole Foods covered up with paper. "Egads, Mommykins! Whole Foods is gone!", I exclaimed.
We sat there uber disappointed kicking rocks til I had the good sense to look South. It seemed like it slowly was rising from behind a rolling hill with an eminent light radiating from it's walls. Wooooahhhhhhhhh! I thought I heard a little old lady behind me say "Go into the light Carol-Ann" so I obeyed without hesitation.
When we got there I was too excited about the big banner outside that boasted of the store's 400 free parking spaces for someone who didn't have a car. I all but ran into the store once I figured out how to get in. Upon entering, I heard a choir of angels singing "Ahhhhhhhhhhh. . ." - you know, like they do in the movies - and unintentionally stood there in the way of other people trying to enter. It was Whole Foods Shangri-La!!! The Ikea of grocery stores!!!
!!!Danger!!!: Awesome Overload Risk
Neither one of us knew which way to go first. It was just so tantalizingly overwhelming that I almost started giggling to myself. We decided to go to the hot food bar to grab some eats. What we found was a food court. GTFO!!!! A food court in a grocery store?!?!?! *maniacal giggling ensues* The food court has restaurants from the area like Katsu and some other places that I can't remember at the moment. The salad and hot food bar is even more extensive than I've ever seen.
So at some point I stopped geeking and managed to get some food. We're exiting to pay for our food and come across an express checkout section, not just a couple lanes, but section. I say, GTFO!!! No more do I have to wait behind people who can't read or disregard the express checkout limit. No more having to watch people take forever to check themselves out because they are dense. This checkout can only handle small amounts and has a trained employee to handle the checking out. Score!!
I'm not even done! We go upstairs to eat and there are pleeeeeeeeeenty of tables. The bathroom is clean and modern with those cool ass Dyson wind tunnel hand dryers. There are couches and coffee tables near the bathroom for a more comfy eating experience and guess what, peeps? Wi-fi! All this and I haven't even shopped yet! Did I mention there is a little bar w/ a flatscreen that shows sports in there? How bout the holiday catering stations?? I'm telling you, it's a Whole Foods Shangri-La!!!
Okay, I'm warming up to this store. It's not a regular stop for me, but I do jog in from time to time to meet someone who works here. And while I'm waiting--why not sit down at the bar? Saturday or Sunday, enjoy some football. $4-$6 drafts of some really good stuff such as Goose Island Naughty Goose. Um, and the best thing of all is the list of $2 bottles, including some great Midwestern microbrewery selections such as Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald and Bell's Best Brown. TWO DOLLARS, people!
A couple weekends ago they had a jazz trio there in the bar area. That was neat. I might start coming earlier and earlier to meet my friend, because as long as you can get a seat, it's hard to beat two-dollar good beer.
Okay, okay, people. Stop splooging yourselves. Sure, it's bigger than its predecessor, but… Read more »
I'm updating my review to offer a suggestion - as much as I love this place I would love it even more if it had a juice bar and you could create/purchase fresh juice.
This is my heaven! Coming down the escalator it's like looking at a beautiful rainbow of colors. The… Read more »
An only occasional visitor to Chicago, I braved a solo EL ride from the South Loop, just to take a major field trip to this fairly new Whole Foods. It was so overwhelmingly stimulating! Where else can you shop while sipping on a biodynamically farmed organic sauvignon blanc? After my wine and cheese pairing and an hour or so of browsing, I decided I need a massage, and was able to get one on the upper floor, overlooking the main floor shoppers. After my massage, I was hungry so I headed over to the mini world-of choices offered within their ready-to-eat food area. I was able to sit at a little table in the sunlight, overlooking the Chicago River, while I enjoyed my lunch (and dessert). After dining , and now familiarized with the layout of the store, I returned to pick up a few of my favorite things:
A groovy SIGG water bottle,
a bag of "herbal essentials" yoga mat towelettes,
some clove, lavender, and sandalwood scented bath salts,
some organic baked goods
and a copy of Shambhala Sun magazine.
HUGE, but very helpful staff (and plentiful), fun services, and an overall unique shopping experience. A true field trip,and worth the scary ride on the train!
Most of the reviews here have hit the nail on the head with how great this Whole Foods is. I love the trail mix bar, the bath salt bar, and all of the other goodies that one can find at this Whole Foods but the reason I come here is for the ridiculously good grilled cheese. Seriously, folks. THE BEST I have had in a very long time. Stringy, melty cheddar on multigrain with fries and a Virgil's Root Beer is reason enough to come here.
I love leisurely strolling around this huge Whole Foods bright and early in the morning.
They have a huge bulk section, lots of 'food-court' options, and helpful staff.
The prices are a little high on some things, but in my opinion its worth it.
Okay, watch this:
http://www.youtube.com...
Now replace "to the chopper!!!" with "the brisket at the BBQ station in the food court!!!"
It's that urgent.
Prices on everything else are still high. Shocker.
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I went here many times before when it was called Foodlife and it was in Water Tower and I was 14 and… Read more »
What a magical place I stumbled upon by accident--Whole Foods--you amaze me.
While I knew of this brand new Whole Foods location, and had heard tales of its grandeur, I had yet to set foot in it. Amidst an adventure to fine matted frames for some fairly large prints (surprisingly difficult!), I took a right turn to avoid some traffic and the "street" I turned into was actually the beginning of the parking lot for this offensively incredible Whole Foods.
I parked on the roof, over looking the city...and my mind wandered to thoughts of camping out up there, the city lights shining down on me. But quickly I realized there were more important things to do: Explore!
There's not much I can add to what so many others have said before me. The sheer number of mini-restaurants and bars is nothing short of ridiculous, easily crossing waaaay beyond the border of the absurd. The fact that he salad/hot bar is about 5x bigger than the pathetic one at my Whole Foods location brought a tear to my eye. And let's not even bother with the overall selection of items to buy, I mean, really, let's not...because quite frankly it's not even believable.
I will say this though, for a store that wows you in every way possible, in a very overwhelming way, my favorite aspect is perhaps the most calming and serene: The upstairs, outdoor patio overlooking the river. It is a perfect spot to perch yourself with some goods from the salad bar for a peaceful lunch.
As a person who can only afford Whole Foods once in a blue moon, I have to say this place is unbelievable. I get so overwhelmed with all the amazing produce, cheese selection, seafood, meat, etc... It makes me want to cry, it's so beautiful.
I'm loyal to my local produce store down the street from me in the shady part of Logan Square, but I was recently able to drop $100+ at this Whole Foods and it made me so happy.
Plus, it smells really good in here for some reason.
So if you shop at Whole Foods weekly or bi-weekly even, don't take it for granted!!
Easily my favorite place to buy food. Now, I'm not rich and I can't afford to buy every little thing here, but I do come here for the produce, the occasional treat and bulk items.
Everything I've ever bought from here is DELICIOUS. The carrot cake gelato and cupcakes are to die for. Their pizza is amazing. Their fruits and veggies are always the best quality ever.
The people that work here are all so nice and helpful. I've even considered applying to Whole Foods cause it seems like such a nice environment.
Parking is FREE and they have a huge garage.
It always smells amazing and fresh when you walk in.
Great store and wonderful staff. The only negative has to and will
always be the cost. You do get what you pay for. This operation makes up for the poor customer service in the downtown Whole Foods store on Dearborn.
If I were a man, I think this place would give me an erection upon stepping foot in here.
I can, and do, spend upwards of a couple of hours in here. There's simply too much to see and explore. The beautiful, albeit expensive, produce, the meat department, the bulk foods, and the desserts-my god, the desserts!
I have loved grocery stores since I was a little girl. True story: my mom would ask me if I wanted to go to the zoo or the grocery store and I would always pick the grocery store. It's almost an insult to call this place a grocery store as it's so much more than that.
It's a true foodie's playground.
Whole Foods. You're so damned Yuppie and yet I can't get away from you.
Is it your vegetarian friendly hot bar and salad bar?
The 18,000 mini restaurants inside?
The adorable, tiny music and dvd selection that always has at least 3 things I want despite only having like 20 things at any given time?
Is it that you carry my favorite brand of yogurt and the Vosges ice cream pints and lots of seasonal, local veggies?
Is it that I can only get some of my almost-vegan staples from your impeccably clean aisles?
Is it just that I like to ride up and down your escalators for fun?
Yes. It is all of these things.
I love bars!
But not in the way you are thinking I bet...
This new Whole Foods delivers when it comes to bars that's for sure. Allow me to list the way that they line 'em up with some of my favorites.
First off though, there is an actual bar. Right as you walk in. Beers on tap. Clean glasses line the wall. A beautiful thing and thank goodness I don't work in the area! Dangerous!
The rest:
Wine bar
Trail mix bar
Antipasti bar
Soap bar?! (scoop up your own bath salts etc...)
Then not to mention all the different food areas from around the world! Asian, Italian, sandwiches, BBQ....you forget you're in a grocery store and start feeling like you're in the best cafeteria in the world!
I have to hand it to this Whole Foods - they have it down. Right down to the super duper fast check out lines that have actual people but they are FAST!
I'm coming here with the car next time....and it's gonna be oh. SO. GOOD!
Dear "Stuff White People Like" Brainchildren,
If you are in need of a headquarters location to compose your witty white-people lovin' prose, I would like you to consider retail space at THIS particular Whole Foods location in Chicago, for various applicable reasons. (I mean, hello...loads of stuff white people like up in here, LOADS).
But, here are my own personal reasons why being near to this Whole Foods make sense. None of which really have to work for you, but I am under the assumption you care about what I think here, so bear with me....
*Gelato! (However, I did not realize that "the Elvis" would taste like bananas). Oops. I hate bananas. But, I do love gelato, so I suffered through it.
*Pizza! (2 slices for $4 on Sundays? NICE!)
*Actually, an entirely huge "cafeteria" of sorts, ripe for the pickin'!
*Easy parking. (watch out for those prowling Prius drivers though, scary)
*Riverside seating...hello? Wow. Nice perk. Bonus for kayaker watching.
*Walk around the permiter and it's probably about a mile, great for exercise.
*Excellent beer/liquor/wine selection...there's even a BAR!? Happy hour after work? Yes.
I'm just trying to help out...thought this might be a good central location for capitalizing on your core values, plus...GELATO!
Best,
Colleen
ref: (http://stuffwhitepeopl...)
Just sayin'. :)
*ps. this is NOT meant to be offensive, whatsoever. I'm poking fun at myself. FYI.
This place is awesome. The best thing about this place is that they have their own parking structure integrated into their building, so there is no need to look for parking. Also, the parking is free.
I tried out their Mexican stand and their elote prepared with cream, salsa, lime and chile was great.
All in all, this place combines a supermarket, wine bar, beer bar, and quality fast food stops (Mexican, Asian, American) all under one roof. It is so good that I do not mind making the drive from the burbs.
There's grocery shopping then there's Sunday grocery shopping. This WF was made for Sunday grocery shoppers. The day of the week where you can screw around for two or three hours browsing food you can't afford. Oh you brought a list? Just throw that shit out right now cause you aren't gonna be using it much. You'll be so distracted by everything else in the store that you won't want to make that pathetic little chicken and pasta thing you printed out from the internet. I came here with the intention of getting a few chicken breasts, some beans and a few spices. Two hours later I walked out with an entire chicken, vegetables I've never eaten before, more spices than I'd ever thought I'd need, two pints of gelato, buffalo jerky (wtf), a very delicious and pricey bottle of olive oil and grapeseed oil, granola and a sense of culinary smugness.
I hate you Whole Foods.
I think the last time I felt so confused in a grocery store, was my first trip to Sainsbury's when I moved to London in 2003. It was similar to that feeling when you walk into a record store, knowing you like music, but totally forgetting what kind of music you like. I'm no stranger to Whole Foods, the chain, but this new one? WOW.
Fortunately, I had a list, unfortunately, hubby wasn't feeling great and I had to race through the place to pick up the ingredients I needed for dinner. And good gravy, was that disorienting!
From what I saw in my whirlwind race around the store, I know I have to go back and quietly wander aisle by aisle to figure out what's where. I'm definitely intrigued by all the little bars, salad, trail mix (!), wine....and the little food kiosks. The seating upstairs overlooking the store is really nice too...I like the openness of it all.
I will probably add another star or two when I journey back on a non-weekend, mid-afternoon, hubby-rushing-me trip.
Let me begin by saying that the new Whole Foods is absolutely beautiful. If you have ample time to complete your grocery shopping and you are looking for high quality specialty items, this is your spot. Hands down.
That being said, if you are doing your run-of-the-mill grocery shopping and your time is limited, you may be frustrated by the disjointed layout of this store. The new Whole Foods is a prime example of how marketing principles have affected the way in which commodities are presented to the consumer. Efficient shopping in this place is difficult to achieve. Partly because it is sprawling, but more because the notion of placing everything in parallel isles has been thrown out the window. They do have a few short isles, but you have to weave your way around the entire store before finding them, by which point you've filled your cart with everything you want and nothing you need.
I understand what Whole Foods is doing with the design of their new store and if I had an hour or more to spend grocery shopping (and endless dollars per week to spend on food), I might like it. As is, though, I find myself getting a little more annoyed with each trip. And, sadly, since this new store opened, I have been doing more and more shopping at my local Jewel. At least the layout of that place makes sense and lends itself to quick, easy shopping. Plus, they've stepped it up just enough with their selection of natural food, that I don't really miss Whole Foods.
I do have a problem shopping here.
Why? WF head Mackey has basically become the darling of the Wall Street Journal where he floats tons of wacky ideas about high deduction health care plans that reward healthy people and punish unhealthy people or tend to make it difficult for people with families to work here. OK, but do people "choose" childhood cancer or aneurysms? And, is pregnancy a "preexisting condition"? So, if Whole Foods is little better than Wal-Mart as a company why go in?
Well, truth be told, this store is awesome and provides one of the best grocery experiences in Chicago. I did not get an erection going in as one reviewer thought I might, but I visited with some friends from France to make dinner and we found everything they needed to make the meal we had planned. We went through the produce and were happy with the amazing quality and good selection among items. The prices were not amazing, but they were quite good for what we wanted. I like visiting a store where there is always something new I want to try.
What else rocks about this place? They have a nice front of store coffee shop and bar with what seemed like 20 craft beers on tap. This new "super" Whole Foods is one of the best groceries I have been to in Chicago. This place is light years ahead of that first store on Ashland north of Belmont which was (for me) the first Whole Foods I shopped at every week back in the 1990s.
When I am looking for fresh thyme, Humboldt Fog cheese, great bread (my French visitors thought it better than some Parisian markets!), and white anchovies in a lemon oil sauce I go find them here where I can have a nice beer as I consider all my hypocritical consumer choices and the fact that most CEO's are given to reactionary politics when it comes to unions and health care even if they sell "Fair Trade" everything! So, toss out the Utne Reader and go load up the truck and roll because there is plenty of parking in the garage for that Hummer or BMW SUV and you can save 15 cents for every bag you re-use.
Oh, and finding out that my guests were French tourists, they gave them a free "Lincoln Park" store bag (is this LP?).
Again, I'm not rating Whole Foods for their food. Only for their cheeses. This new store is now my "go to" place for cheeses in Chicago.
People at the huge cheese counter at this new Whole Foods store seem to know their products. It's nice to have someone make real recommendations, instead of telling me such-and-such cheese is the same as something else that I know it's nowhere near like. And they have a great selection. Not cheap, but great choices.
There is nowhere in Chicago that I can depend on for L'Explorateur, or Morbier, or fresh Epoisse. Or, heaven forbid, Zamorano. If I'm making a really serious cheese run, I have to go to both this store and Binny's in the South Loop, and maybe Fox and Obel's shrinking cheese department. But this place comes close to having most of what I want. Real expertise behind the counter counts for a lot. Ask for Maida - she's the best of them.
This place is huge! I went here looking for a few special items for a pre-thanksgiving dinner. They have an awesome selection of already prepared foods for those who lack cooking skills like I do. For lunch we actually tried out their pizza/pasta bar and mexican bar. Everything was delish and fairly affordable. Regular groceries on the other hand, not cheap by any means. However, I will stop by once in a blue moon.
I have been permanently scarred because of this place. It seemed like a perfectly harmless idea; take Maria F. grocery shopping. It started out well enough with a stop at the pseudo 50's diner they have in the middle of this monstrosity. I do adore red Formica and swivel stools and the gentleman serving us was lovely and charming and suggested a super yummy sandwich to Maria that he had created himself. We enjoyed our meal (although my hamburger wasn't really all that great) and had a nice chat before the nightmare, um I mean shopping began.
In all fairness it's not really Whole Food's fault. It's my own fault. I'm a quick shopper. I go in with a list, I allow myself no more than 10 minutes of browsing outside of that list and I am ALWAYS done with my grocery shopping in under an hour. I was not, however, prepared for the Maria F. grocery shopping experience. I certainly wasn't wearing the right shoes (even with my orthotic inserts I was in pain) and although I thought I was made sturdy stuff, I have to admit she nearly broke me.
This place is so massive and offers so many items great and small that I fear Maria went into a shopping trance. At one point during this adventure I took a 20 minute phone call. We spent 15 of those minutes in the SAME AISLE. Yes, it's shiny and clean and rather overwhelming what with their twenty different bacon offerings but by the food gods I didn't think I'd be shopping for almost TWO HOURS. If I had any warning about Maria's ability to ponder over a single food item for five minutes, I would have dropped her off, gone to see a movie and picked her up after.
In all fairness to her (as I don't want her to think I'm picking on her) I despise shopping in all its forms. Every now and a great then I'll get an urge to go browsing some resale shop and enjoy myself for an hour. After that, however, whatever hormone my body was secreting has dissipated and I regain my loathing for it.
So, to Whole Foods...it was an adventure. One I hope to never have again. However, I do appreciate you taking the time to keep the spotlight on me. Good lighting is terribly important to someone as terribly important as me.
When I first saw this place, I was completely speechless. I literally explored the place for 2 hours. No joke(grocery shopping is one of my favorite pastimes..)
Learned that this is the 3rd largest Whole Foods in the WORLD. First one is in Texas, and the second one is in England... (correct me if I'm wrong). Awesome! Ah, where to begin..
Nevermind. It'll literally be 3+ pages if I need to describe this place. JUST GO. I've taken my friends here and given them tours. LOL. Now THEY'RE in love with this place.
Oh yeah, FREE WI-FI ! They also have outlets so you can stay as long as u want while eating the healthy food! I guess it's a pretty cool spot to do hw/study ... if you don't mind the noise.
Hands down my favorite place in the world. LOL.. :X
OH i have so much to say about this place, and I am perfectly qualified to do so, having visited at least 1x/week since it opened.
Parking- excellent. Rooftop parking garage, great idea. You guys can battle for the teeny lot out front, I'll bypass you and be parked and inside the joint before you get done flipping each other off.
Produce- very good, typical Whole Foods produce, both organic and not. Also typically overpriced but some people are willing to pay "organic" prices. Note I put organic in quotes because I don't buy into the scam.
Frozen section, just okay. LOTS of ice cream with freezer burn. I only know this because my boyfriend is an ice cream freak. He won't buy his there. I have seen some freezer burn on other boxed, frozen food items. Maybe it's that there is so much in stock that it never turns over.
Love the body care section with shampoos, lotions, makeup etc. The baby section is good too, could find some cute gifts for friends' offspring. Seafood/meat/cheese typical of your regular Whole Foods experience.
.....let's just cut to the bitching. The food court. Love the concept, pretty much despise the execution. I love the diner idea and you can get a hot dog & fries for under $4. They also serve beer on tap. Excellent. Too bad the service is horrible (food sits forgotten under the warming lamps while you stand waiting for it). Buns are always dried out (again maybe not enough turnover?). The Asian-y noodle/sushi area, totally overpriced for the quality. Pizza, meh. Subs, meh (overpriced too), Mexican, probably the most disappointing of all. Really bad Mexican food. i could do better at home and I'm a white girl.
SKIP the salad bar and hot food bar. Wait, don't skip, RUN AWAY. I have heard many people complain about the toxic results of a trip down these lanes. Many hours spent on commodes if you know what I mean. Everything tastes the same too. And HORRIBLY overpriced. Buy your own salad fixins and save your wallet and your gut at the same time.
Wine bar- nice, cute, small. Good nibblins on the side. Good wine. Decently priced. Well done.
Most importantly, the bar. Wow does the service suck. First of all it's like they keep their beer menu under wraps and you have to wait in line to ask for a menu. Then if they give you one, you stand and wait while they chit-chat with each other before getting your beer. And they can't work the cash register either, then they look at you and laugh like it's so cute you've been waiting 10 minutes for a goddamn bottle of beer. Oh and please DO NOT POUR THE ENTIRE BOTTLE into my glass. I will do it, thank you. Because it takes YOU another 15 minutes to do it. Man this irks me like nothing other. I swear this bar is responsible for giving me high blood pressure.
Kudos for the $2 happy hour bottled beer- decent craft selections too. But EVERY DAMN TIME I go to the bar I get pissed off and say 'never again'. But it's those freaking $2 bottles that keep me coming back. Perhaps this is the new strategy for Whole foods. Shitty service and addiction-inducing beer prices?
Unfortunately I will probably be back. It's just too easy to pick up a shitty piece of pizza for $2.50 and a $2 craft beer and then grab whatever items you actually do buy at Whole Foods (for me it' s dog treats, coffee, magazines, wine and bath/body products).
A COUPLE MORE THINGS:
Turn the A/C DOWN! For Chrissake it is FREEZING in this store. Is this eco-friendly? And what about the escalators constantly running, is this eco friendly? And I have NEVER seen so much signage in my life. I can't even begin to fathom what went into the decor and signage in this joint. There is no way on earth you can convince me that this place has a decent "carbon footprint" (and if you can't tell already I don't buy into man-made global warming either).
To the people that are boycotting Whole Food because of the CEO's stance on socialized medicine. Pathetic. I thought you were 'welcoming and accepting' of alternate viewpoints. I'm glad you're boycotting because I don't have to run into you anymore. Stupid hippies.
Thank you to Peter G. for taking me to the new Whole Foods.
So I almost killed us in the parking lot, but we got into the store safely. Within 90 seconds of entering, PG hands me a sample of vegan chocolate cake. Then a vegan cookie. Wholly Bananas, it was the best vegan cake I've ever had. We needed to move quickly as we were in a time crunch, but I did walk through the produce section, my favorite. It was bright, colorful, and shiny. We also toured the wine and beer section (very important), which had a very large and nice assortment of booze.
Although we spent a good 10 minutes in front of the bakery (YUMMMMMMY!), we moved on and picked up some guacamole and chips. On the way, we sampled some more cookies and some Cajun shrimp.
This is a heavenly place to shop for food products. I will definitely be back to try their prepared foods and baked goods!
Hey I can't find the fucking deli...!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!
Its bad enough that they don't have pork salami half the time (at the other locations) and when and if they have prosciutto its like upwards of $20/lbs... what the fuck...
but seriously does this one not have a god damn deli?
beautiful aged beef display no doubt...
flip flop clad new dads, sure everywhere...
but do I really have to buy sliced meats in shrink wrap over there by the little black girl eating a sunday staring at me like I'm the first white person she's ever seen??? "look around sweetie!!!"
I wish there was a map and legend every 12 feet...
OH but the fish mongers are out in the open decrapping and decapitating.. nice.
No lotto no white tees... NO FUCKING DELI???
***also, if there is a deli I'd be more than happy to chill the fuck out. thanks yelp community.***
I'm normally on the fence about Whole Foods. I'll go there periodically, start picking random stuff up left and right, and then look at my basket and ponder where the hell I got the idea that I am some type of baller. I mean there's that, plus, it makes me feel uncomfortably yuppie-ish.
But one evening, as we pondered ordering delivery, my sister said she'd wanted to check out this new location and we should just go there and get something. In theory, this would actually be cheaper than delivery. $50 later, not so much.
But it was such a fun evening. This place is insane. There's a bar, yes, but we skipped it. We did purchase beer to go (a fun selection, plus I noticed some were cheaper than my local liquor store). There's a huge wine section. There's a shrimp/seafood soup bar with five types of seafood soup. That's kind of crazy, right? The cheese counter did not strike me as much larger than any other Whole Foods, but the bakery section was totally insane. Then there was the giant section of made-to-order food, plus some pretty good sushi to go, and the food bar... and actually, for $50, I got a fair amount of really good food/beer.
I cannot go too often, but the experience was a lot more magical than Jewel or Strack and Van Til.
I think the general consensus is THIS IS A GROCERY STORE AMUSEMENT PARK. I will RIDE YOUR AISLES until I run out of money, which will be sooner than later.
It took me about 45 minutes to find the nutritional yeast,but that's my own stupid fault. This place is designed so well, it is wonderful just walking down each aisle. It seems like the staff don't mind being there, either. Hell, i could live there. Next check!
This place is like the disney world of grocery stores. Everyone is really cherry and more than willing to be of assitance, I almost thought the employess would break out into song and dance. This place supercedes any other location in varierty and availabilty of stocked items. Pretty neat setting, they have a food court at one end of the store with access to the River for seating on a nice day. They really have a good representation of Chicago neghboorhood/food choices. Today's trip included barbacoa tacos (3) nicely stewed meat with flavor and choice of toppings. I have also had the salad bar which always leaves me wanting more as there soooo much to choose from but I have to remember that they charge by weight and this is not a buffet. Thumbs up to the whiz who streamlined the check out process, they have an express checkout and I have never had to wait more than 30 sec for a cashier even at rush hour.
Shake 'em up, shake 'em up, shake 'em up, shake 'em!
Yeah it was a good day (see what I did there, ya see!?) when I went to brand new Whole Foods... or if I'm keeping with the whole Ice Cube joke, "Ho Foods." Heh heh, aahh me.
There are many things to like about Whole Foods. I suppose I'll make a list, people go for that type of thing around here
1. They have a Dyson Air Blade in the bathroom!! That makes my sloppy ass like TEN TIMES as likely to wash my hands just so I can play with the damn thing. Beware though, if you go to the single stall one near the floral section there's always some old bag that's in there taking ages to make a big organic plop or something. Go at home, woman! Gross. Us normal people need to pee.
2. Now that I've got your appetites up, I can tell you that Ho Foods has a metric fuck-ton of food kiosks. My favorite is the diner where one can have the best hangover breakfast money can buy. Get the malt!!
3. Parking is bountiful. I need to be able to put my whip somewhere. "I gotta go cause I got me a drop top. And if I hit the switch, I can make the ass drop."
(I don't really know where I'm going with this. I obviously watched way too much Yo! MTV Raps as a kid.)
4. Most importantly though, Ho Foods hosted a wine bottle signing with the lead singer of TOOL!!!!!
Yes...Maynard James Fucking Keenan signed my Caduceus wine bottle! I didn't even have to offer him erotic pleasures! Now I'm wishing I hadn't. I can't help it though, he looked me with his smoldering black eyes, wearing a name tag that read "Esteban" (yes really, he's a man after my own hear) and before I could think I was like,
"Please sire my young and offer them protection."
To which he replied, "Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind."
And then I wet myself and Ho Foods asked me to leave.
I love this fucking store.
Well this is the first time I had been in this new one, I used to frequent the Lakeview location and wow, it was a little overwhelming. The amount of choices for food made right there was exceptional. Anything from beer in tap, to wine bar, to all the different foods was great to see. We only stopped in to pick up a beef tenderloin, which there selection of meats is immaculate, but it was hard not to walk out with anything else. Cannot wait to go back.
My oh my. You know that scene at the end of Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark when the ark gets put into that giant warehouse where you know it'll never be found again?
Yeah. It's like that.
A bit overwhelming, but lots of tasty treats in the plastic taster thingys (come hungry!) and their pastry shop sells stuff from Vanille. What more could you want?
The missing star is for the same reason I usually shop at Strack or Jewel (and no, it's not the prices).
Look, I get that you work at a grocery store, and perhaps your unfinished novel really will win you the Pulitzer and you think these 8-hour shifts are cutting into your moments of brilliance... but for crying out loud would it kill you to smile? Half of the people who work at Whole Foods are incredibly friendly, helpful and kind. The other half? Well, I'd just like to go in there with a box of cookies and balloons one day and yell "SMILE FOR PETE'S SAKE" and hand out treats to all the disgruntled-looking employees. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to ask someone behind some counter a question only to be sighed at. Sadly, this location was no different. I don't need you to tell me I'm pretty - a simple few moments of polite conversation will do.
But hell, there's a bar in this place. Drunkenness AND organic produce?? Count me in!
Whole Foods isn't the cheapest option for groceries, but the good experiences make it well worth it. Cleanliness, good variety and quality are all things that come to mind. This new store flies beyond average expectations, with a beer bar, a wine and cheese bar, Asian corner, gelato shop (try the grapefruit flavor!), and a diner...just to name a few amenities. And it seems that they are always stocked with samples, which we all shamelessly love.
It's neither within my financial budget nor my caloric budget to come here as often as I do, but it's SO much fun. So much to discover and so much to try. If you hate cooking, maybe coming here will inspire you. Or maybe you'll just get lured in by the crazy multi-ethnic salad bar. This place is like a shrine to good food. Love it!
In the end this place annoyed me more than it impressed me.
I will concede to the following:
* This place is huge
* This place has loads of parking
* The inside is really nice, cool and new
* There is more variety here than you'd find at any other WF or grocery store in the area
* They have a number of express lanes for light shoppers
* They have free samples, I tasted some cheese and a piece of sushi while I was there
* You can sit and enjoy your food and beverages from the many food stations inside or out on the Riverwalk patio
HOWEVER:
* This place is huge! I felt like I was in Ikea, but instead of funky furniture with weird names there was food. At least at Ikea I get a map.
* This place has loads of parking, but somehow it isn't enough! I got lucky and happened on a spot right away, but on my way out I was stalked for my parking spot. You would have thought people were at the mall on Christmas Eve, not WF late on a Sunday given the way cars were fighting for spots, stalking, stopping and circling like asshats. By the time I got out of the lot I had road rage.
* The parking lot has terrible signage! I thought I was going to cause an accident trying to get out of the lot because I had to practically run over the markings to read them; WF please invest in some reflective paint and better signs!
* It's called Whole Paycheck for a reason. I dropped in because I needed a few items and wanted to satisfy my sushi craving. Boy was I disappointed to learn that a simple spicy yellowtail maki was $8.40!!! That price for 8 pieces is ridiculous, I can get it cheaper (and likely better) at many sit down places.
* You can eat your meal outside on the other patio - across from the strip club.
I hope the novelty of this store wears off soon and the crowds recede a bit seeing as this is the closest store to my house. Dealing with this madness every time I need to pop into WF will drive me crazy.
P.S. WTF is up with the grocery baskets you pull around like suitcases? Seriously?! Get a fu*king cart!
At first this gigantic store was a bit overwhelming and I thought I'd need breadcrumbs to find my way out. Now that I shop there at least three times a week for various clients as a personal concierge (http://www.everbodynee...) I feel like the store is very nicely and logically laid out. Yes, the store can be a bit pricey on certain items but the quality of the products is amazing and the customer service of the employees is outstanding, especially compared to Jewel and Dominick's. I've also enjoyed eating in their large food court area. I like the mexican restaurant and love the sushi/noodle bar. I especially love that they have "lo-carb" sushi. It's sushi rolls made with out rice. I think they use rice paper or soy paper instead. Whatever, it's like eating salad in a roll and it's delish!!!
This place is located across from a strip club, so come prepared to have drunk white guys scream things at you as you're walking to the store to buy milk.
Normally, I'd just give a whole foods one star, but this one is special. Basically, it's a huge bar that also sells bananas.
At the bar near the main entrance, they sell kombucha on tap and they're going to have growlers for the kombucha sometime soon. Yea!!!
I've never been so elated to pay $7.99 for a cup of cut fruit!
Whole Foods is the grocery store of the gods. This is what our grocery stores will look like in Heaven (without having to pay, of course :-). The produce is so beautiful, the fish is so fresh, the pizza is so delicious. I can't help but just smile every time I go to Whole Foods and see the the gorgeous pre-packaged cut fruit. All different colors and just glistening. Nevermind that it's so expensive each bite is the equivalent of a dollar.
One thing I think is funny is the wine bar in the middle of the store...everytime I am there I see people dressed up, sitting in the wine bar smack dab in the middle of the store....just being wine-bar-y. I guess this place is the new Chicago hotspot? What's next...opening a nightclub on the 3rd floor?
Whole Foods is grocery store euphoria....come experience the feeling.
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