This store is always great to visit. We stopped by here on the way to the San Diego County fair in Del Mar. What I like about the store is that they always seem to have clean aisles, clean floors, and all of the items are put together very well on the shelves. When we walked in, we needed to find sunscreen, and there was a cashier who was nice enough to offer to help us find it. She directed us to where it was. The prices for the sunscreen are super competitive and very reasonable. I also found that they have the deli section near the produce department (on the left of the store). My husband and I peruse some of the things to see if we were going to have anything before we went to the fair. He ended up getting a packaged sandwich. I only got the sunscreen. It's always a good experience when we come here and we appreciate that Gelson is a small grocer in San Diego. read more

Love me some grocery shopping!! If you're a fan of Whole Foods and Sprouts than this spot may be your jam! With that said, you must have expensive taste. Quality over quantity baby!! Pros: - Parking jackpot - Tons of parking in Del Mar (rare and appreciated) - Beautiful location - Surrounded by other shops, makes errands fee a little bougie - Clean and spacious - Wide aisles, organized layout, and easy to get in and out - Fun fact - I can spend hours at a grocery store browsing through the aisles looking at new products. - Hot food and prepared meals - Chef's kiss - perfect spot for a quick lunch they never miss - Health food heaven - A health nut dream if your wallet can keep up! I was tempted to buy some yummy new products but hesitated due to the price point. But trust, it is well worth it. - Gourmet and hard-to-find items - Great for when you're feeling fancy or experimental - Local products - love supporting local vendors - Friendly staff - super welcoming and go the extra mile - Not too crowded even on a Saturday - that's always a plus! Cons: - Prices = emotional damage - You go in for snacks, come out reconsidering your life choices LOL - Regular items can cost more - Your basic groceries will definitely be pricier than standard markets - Upscale vibes = upscale bill - Go figure! Final thoughts: This place is perfect for browsing, treating yourself, or grabbing a solid ready-made meal. It's not your everyday budget grocery run especially in this economy so shop wisely. Great spot though when you just want to splurge and treat yo'self! Health is wealth they say! read more

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I decided on 6/22/26 to try on-line ordering and pick-up, directly on the Gelson's website, (not through Instacart). Well.....Gelson's has apparently not figured out how to efficiently organize this process. When I arrived at the store, I tried calling the phone # in the "pick-up" parking space - No answer. Then I went into the store and told the cashier I had an on-line pick-up. She did try to be helpful and directed me the deli counter where the rude employee stated "I have no idea what you are talking about." Finally, the manager was able to locate the items. In sum, while Gelson's had items not carried by other stores, the hassle isn't worth it, esp. when Ralph's and Von's makes on-line ordering and pick-up so easy. It starts with either answering the pick-up phone or sending a text in which you can notify the store that you've arrived. read more

A good spot to grab quality flowers for any occasion. This store is easy to get in and out of and is very organized. Their staff are super friendly and welcoming. They go the extra mile to make sure customers are satisfied. A relaxed vibe and tons of fresh food is available here. I'll be back soon. Thanks Gelson's for providing the area with high quality items at reasonable prices. read more

Gelson's Del Mar - Always a good reason to buy flowers - Grocery Near Me - Del Mar, California

We stop in to get some popcorn and more snacks Have nice inside very easy to see all bakery and juices, and clean bathrooms Our cashier was funny she made us laugh It was a good morning read more

The food here is amazing. They have whole chickens to go. They have a deli and a bakery. The service is great too. Michelle was our checker as we left and she is Amazing. We will be back too, Del Mar read more

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The prices are 3 times more than any other grocery store around. Also the cashier/manager with the long brown hair has a bad attitude problem. read more

5 STARS!!! I had to pop into Gelson's this morning for a few things. Karla, in the Deli, was very helpful and delightful as usual. Phil, in Dairy, was especially helpful as I tried to locate some coffee yoghurt. These two people are Superstars!!!! Nancy read more

Gelsons Del Mar...Stop selling birthday cakes. My daughter ordered a cake for me with 3 weeks notice. Cake decorator on vacation. Really? No substitute? No phone call to my daughter with this news? So my daughter decorated my cake. She did a great job! Cake was dry, could barely find or taste the raspberry filling and the chocolate buttercream frosting from the Pillsbury carton bought in the market, tastes better than what was spread on my cake. Never again. read more

Terrible customer service. The seafood section's guy has a disgusting attitude There's Whole Foods next door. Wish you trained your employees properly read more

The food areas were beautiful. A lot of good choices . There were salad bars and soups to pick from . - all were very tasty and fresh . I got some organic pears and good teas. Also I got some chocolate cookies. Go there and buy some special things you and your family can enjoy. Show them the world of beautiful food from around the world. Service was good and friendly. read more

Bought a pkg of corn 2 days ago, got home , opened the pkg, found molds at the end , took it back to return the next day, oh boy , what an attitude that manager had, I asked if he needs my card, he said NO, asked him again if it going back to my bank card, he then shouted ( you take the paper to the cashier. , she will give you credit). He could have explain instead of shouting, he acted like I am troubling him .,,,, and that cashier was not nice or friendly either , terrible customer service !!!! read more

This store needs business, it is huge with so much to offer but in competition for attention with Whole Foods across the street. WF has become, very busy, crowded, a shoplifter's paradise with a busy parking lot, the online giant owns not only the delivery service and its supplier, yet the shelves at Whole Foods is messy or it's depleted and I like the quiet, tidy and calm ambiance at Gelson's grocery market. The retail space has beautiful flower fabric tea towels and real wine glasses for purchase as WF doesn't have any. And the charming affordable cheese boards with dried fruit, fig jam, 3 types of cheeses and crackers included to go, is a yes for a repeat visit. If this store were to close, make this space into a 24 hour gym or a Northgate Market like the one in Costa Mesa, a Mecca of Mexican culture and food. read more

I went to Gelson's to grab something quick during my lunch break. I was ok with paying $9 for a burrito that allegedly had chicken as the first ingredient and allegedly 43 g of protein. But there was not even a sliver of chicken. Ridiculous. read more

Gelson's Del Mar - "Chicken" rice-beans and cheese $8.99 burrito - Grocery Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Come on Gelson's, $15 for a pound of ground beef? Seaside Market has a pound of ground beef for $7.

Deli prepared are barely par. Purchased a turkey sandwich and it had wilted old lettuce, old tomatos, the cheese tasted nothing like real provalone. It was more like airplane food and not what one would expect for the amount they charge and at a top end grocery store. Seemed like the were short staffed. When I asked someone for help at the deli because no one was there, they seemed quite annoyed. Obviously everything costs more at this store than the same exact items you would fined elsewhere. The place was clean and the floor plan made some sense although not completely. All fresh and refrigerated foods are typically on the outer perimeter of the store- the set up was strange in that the have some of their refrigerated foods in the center isles. read more

I cannot say enough about this store and in particular, Mimo Massayle. Recently I had a situation where I was not happy with a product and he happily gave me my money back even though it took me a week to address it. He even went so far as to roast and deliver green chili when an order got mixed up. Amazing customer service! I highly recommend shopping at this Gelson's. You will enjoy the shopping experience. read more

Crispy.  Lightly seasoned batter and chicken skin blended together so well they were as one.  Texture was amazingly delicate.  When I fry chicken I have a hard time getting the batter to stick.  Some places have batter that is too thick and you get blobs of batter.  Gelson's fried chicken batter is among my favorites.  Minimally seasoned with salt and pepper flavor was on the light side but I enjoyed it.  I showed up at 11am and the chicken was hot and juicy right out of the fryer.  On sale for $7.99 for 8 pieces this isn't a bad deal but the normal price is $9.99.  I'm on their email list so I can visit when they have a good sale.   I have been trying out supermarket fried chicken.  Ralphs I wouldn't get again.  Vons I would get when on sale.   Stater Bros I would get if I was nearby.  Gelson's is my favorite so far. Gelson's has a good drink selection too.  I like to pair a Birch Beer with my fried chicken.  The drink is sweet with that distinctive root beer like flavor. read more

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Actually Gelsons is not a small family business. Here's the Wikipedia entry that only covers up to 2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelson%27s_Markets read more

They can't get the Pachs bulk salt pricing correct. Maria, the rudest cashier, tried to overcharge me. I showed her the pricing on the table where the salt was She was clueless about the PLU and refused to look in the pricing manual at the register to see what the real PLU code was. She got some other # and tried to ring up about $10 more. Maybe for her pocketbook. I will go to Carlsbad, where they manage by the book and believe in charging customers the correct amount. read more

Gelson's Del Mar - Grocery Near Me - Del Mar, California

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I love shopping Gelsons. I didn't know they had built this location; I was happy to find it. Now I can do my shopping when I am out here in the area. This is a nice big location. They even have an area to sit and eat some goodies. Everything is clean and in order. I love all the different areas of the store. Cashiers are friendly and helpful. I will be back here to this location again. Fruit and Vegetables are fresh and love the cheese section too! Lots of parking and don't forget to download the Gelsons app for specials. read more

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Such a clean, organized and well laid out Grocery store. Had everything I needed and more! read more

Gelson's Del Mar - Probably the coolest Grocery store ever! - Grocery Near Me - Del Mar, California

Kudos to Kim. She is a Rock Star!! Her "customer service is second to none". The quality of her skills is consistently outstanding, exceeding my expectations every time. I had an urgent request and she put in the extra effort for me. When I encounter an employee with fantastic customer skills, I inform the company. This particular Gelson's is just wonderful. It is extraordinarily well-stocked with an incredible selection of items. It has a very parking lot. read more

Great store...clean, plant of inventory and quality...wonderful service! Special recognition to Jill in Seafood/Butcher

I would say 2.5 stars at this point if I could. A lot of the deli items are sky high priced and aren't necessarily organic and are often lacking flavor and any ingredients that would make them stand out. Pizza has gotten worse. Poke bar and salad bar often not fresh either. For $10 you can get a slice of pizza and small salad that are just ok, no not exactly a great deal. I would say Jimbo's and Lazy Acres have better deli stuff that are organic for the same price if not less and honestly better overall. This store is also lacking a self checkout but none of the other stores I mentioned have one either to be fair. Staff members are friendlier here than Carlsbad so I'll give them that. read more

The woman at the checkout was condescending and rude. It's the Friday after Thanksgiving--sorry if you have to work, but so did I today. Don't take it out on your customers. But not to worry, my family and I surely will not return to your location. Based on how empty your store always is, it's clear that you don't have much practice in customer care. read more

Rating ++++ food and service. We've been going there for and are not just pleased with the experience of the experience, we feel deprived when we have to shop anywhere else. read more

I just moved here from Portland and was amazed my the cleanliness and beauty of the store .. so many new ( too me ) amazing local products .. it's worth the price to be in an environment that's clean .. visually appealing .. great product and produce ( which is my jam ) read more

Nice selection of goods, but overpriced. The prepared item are good, but they can be hit or miss sometimes. The selection seems a little better at the Del Mar location. When they have items on sale, they can be cheaper than at a "normal" grocery store, e.g. Ralphs. Friendly and efficient staff. Nothing is never an issue when help is required. One of the few grocery stores where you don't have to load your items onto a conveyor belt. They'll pull items directly out of the shopping cart. Due to the horse shows in Del Mar there are a lot of horse snacks and other assorted horse items lurking on the shelves. A big issue is that all of the hot food items seem to get pulled before 5:00pm. If you are going there after work you'll be out of luck. read more

I've visited this Gelson's once in the past . They took over the prior Albertsons and Haggens. They're located in same plaza at McDonald's and Wells Fargo bank . Today was empty just as the previous visit . They also have a pharmacy which I didn't notice until today . Meat and seafood department to the back right of store . Pricey items even compared to Whole Foods right across the street . Poke bar is expensive at $16.99/lb and not a lot of options . They also have a per lb salad bar and hot deli section . It's discounted $6.99/lb on Tuesdays . They have a small sushi section too . I didn't realize there's a Peet's coffee inside ! I was going to visit the Coffee Bean a few doors down . There's also a Starbucks by Whole Foods . So it's nice to know there's another coffee shop to choose from in this corner . Iced coffee tasted quite good and I paid right at the deli . Only one type of milk available at condiment section . Decent samples available in departments. I liked the cake samples . They didn't have many single cookies available to purchase and didn't offer to sample any that were bulk packaged (even Vons does that ). Oh well. Maybe I'll buy bulk next time for a party to try out . Staff was ok . Not out of the way friendly or warm and fuzzy . Maybe it's because it's so quiet and sterile here. I'm not really sure . Hope they do well as it's a convenient location but just not sure what makes them stand out to Whole Foods or a standard supermarket close by . Lots of parking in front so that's another positive . read more

Stopped into Gelson's Del Mar for my favorite deli sandwich and picked up some muffins from their bakery. So disappointed when I got home I specifically asked for EZ Mayo EZ Mustard I got a sloppy soaked sandwich on hard stiff Croissant roll. Just look for your self in the photo. The muffins are another disappointment drenched in hard stiff thick layer of sugar! Have you ever had a cran/orange muffin with dry thick sugar frosting!? Awful! Terrible gross! Does not measure up to the Gelson Fine Grocery reputation! Take a look at blended chicken enchiladas!! Yes blended substance inside enchilada. This is the worst deli and bakery will never return. read more

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It has some things that no one else carries but it is NOT price competitive. I go only for items not found at Ralph's or Sprouts read more

I went to the meat counter and asked for a ribeye w a large cap since all the ones out on display were had virtually no cap. The lady said she'd check w the meat cutters in the back - and came back and said they could do it. Put the meat in the bag, went home, and there was still a tiny cap. At $35/lb I expect real service. read more

I have never been to Gelson's prior to yesterday. It wasn't on my radar, not in my hood, heard it was expensive, etc. But someone who came to my Friendsgiving soiree brought a pecan pie from Gelson's and....oh boy. I didn't even think I liked pecan pie. So that brings me to yesterday when I was craving something yummy for dessert and wanted to get my hubby a nice carrot cake. He's real picky about his carrot cake so I thought that Gelson's probably makes a tasty one if their pie was any indicator of the quality of their desserts. When I walked in I loved this store immediately. I've heard it's a pricy place and it sure looked like it. Nice organized displays and I found my way over to the bakery right away. I found a single serving of carrot cake that I knew my hub would like but trying to figure out what I wanted was difficult. There is just so many yummy looking goodies in their bakery. I was drooling over everything. I settled on two treats for myself (shhhhh don't tell Todd). One a crème brule cheesecake and another caramel white cake. I had the caramel cake yesterday and OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH MMMMMYYY GGGGOOODDD. It was delicious. I was licking the container it came in. My husband said his carrot cake was possibly the best he's ever had. I can't wait to sneakily try that crème brule tonight (no way am I sharing). I also grabbed a Thai peanut noodle dish from the deli for my lunch today and it was really yummy. They had some hot food selection s like tri trip that you could pick up too. Gelson's you definitely will have me back at your store soon for cake and to try more of your deli options. read more

Picked up my turkey dinner for eight on Thanksgiving day. The bundle (one bag, one sealed box) was ready to go, long before the pick up time of 12:45. Overall, a good experience with my family at the table during difficult covid times. Two suggestions.... They need to tell all customers that even though the turkey is pre-cooked, it needs to go in the oven for TWO HOURS before you serve it!!! This little factoid would have been helpful during the ordering process! That missing element pushed our meal time back by two hours:( Second suggestion...need massive improvement on the mashed potatoes. We followed directions and heated them up and the potatoes were watery, flat, grainy, soupy! Gelson's can do better! I want thick, fluffy mashed potatoes and got some pathetic porridge instead. Other side dishes, dinner rolls, and cranberry sauce were good. read more

I'm really glad that Gelson's markets have made it to San Diego! I've been shopping at them for years, when I was in LA or OC on trips, and have missed out on the product selection. They really excel at the hard-to-find & gourmet items. Products local to the area, like Sweetaly desserts from Carlsbad. They also have a great selection of Bundaberg sodas, where most people only have the Ginger Beers. They will also special order products for you, like a different flavor of something they carry. The hot food and the premade food case are very good. I have had many lunches from the case while on vacation. It's pricey, but upscale is. Regular items will be a little more expensive than at the regular markets. This market does have good deals sometimes on the gourmet items. read more

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Overall I was impressed. It's like they took a bit of every other chain in San Diego ( Whole Foods, Sprouts, Major Market, and Jimbos), put it all in a Vitamix and made a grocery store smoothie. Walking into this brightly lit superstore I noticed that it still had one similarity to Haggens. It was pretty empty around the lunch rush. While perusing the aisles I'd say the bulk of the shoppers consisted of well dressed AARP folks, a few women, and plenty of staff. Everything was well stocked and if I had more time I probably would have pickup up a few more items/brands that I've never seen before. The Service Deli was probably the best part of the store with all of the variety. Sandwiches - Ordering is a bit of a fiasco from their counter, still a work in process apparently. Tip, anyone in the service deli can take your order. Officially all deli workers can make the sandwich but usually your ticket gets dumped on the sandwich board. I'll chalk up the confusion / issues with this being a new store. The Sandwich itself was on par with Sprouts, a few bucks more.They did have options to add in sides from the Deli Case which was cool but the total was $10 to have that "Lunch Special". Positives - Lots of cool, never seen before items. Alcohol laced Popsicles? - Nice selection of beverages. All Bundaberg flavors! - Plenty of parking. - The Coffee Bean is located inside. Negatives - Hard Alcohol selection is weak especially for a store this size. Ralph's is far superior. - On the pricey side. That was Haggens demise. 3.5 stars - Need to work on their sandwich process.. read more

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Another new Grocery store in our neighborhood! funny how that's what we talk about when we get older! i was excited about Whole Foods...and not sure this will top that excitement... Trader Joes topped my enthusiasm about Whole Foods... i was done with the albertson's here... the replacement (haagen) was a flop... i have high hopes for Gelson's ....seem to have tons of fresh food and selection and not ridiculously priced. Let's see how they maintain their new fresh image. fingers crossed read more

Gelson's Del Mar - Grocery Near Me - Del Mar, California

You got to be kidding to sell this small bag of cherries for 22$. We didn't notice the price (it is 9.99$ per lb). If we had noticed it at the checkout, we wouldn't have bought this. We only noticed after we came home as we were in a rush to get out of the shop during this covid situation. read more

Gelson's Del Mar - Single cherry cost around 1$ as we paid 22$ +tax for this bag. Day time robbery. - Grocery Near Me - Del Mar, California

I love the amazing food choices--the store is beautiful inside. The cheeses, the wines, the deli and the hot food bar...I wish I lived closer--I would only shop there read more