It's a shame that this is the closest grocery store to us, because I pretty much have a panic attack every time I shop here. It's always crowded with lots of kids running around, not looking where they're going, and grouchy people pushing their carts into your ankles. If you need deli meats and cheeses plan on waiting half an hour, because there are always 10 people in line in front of you. This is a good store to go to to save money, but plan on having limited selection in some areas (peanut butter, whole chickens). Their produce is spotty. I rarely find a good tomato or avocado, but most of the other veggies are decent. I needed a foil pie pan a few weeks ago, and there were none to be found. I had to spend a little extra for the real deal. I can't complain too much, though. Being a poor barista, it's nice to know I can get affordable groceries nearby. read more

After 10 years of hearing stories about this place, I went here for the first time last night, camera in hand... and was sadly disappointed. The shoppers were basically normal. The nice fellow working in the new pizza counter filled me in on all the offerings. The pharmacist didn't care how much Claritin I wanted. Nobody in the whole store looked creepy or crazy. I had no troubles in the parking lot. Pretty soon they'll have a Starbucks, I'm sure. Last time I go to this HEB! read more

In advance, I do all of my grocery shopping here with very little exception. Is it the cleanest HEB on the planet? No. Is 78704 particularly clean? No. So it kinda fits in. Overall, Ive been pleased with the selection they carry at the HEB. Its very rare that Im looking for something and they dont have it. They're always friendly with plenty of lanes opened up so you dont sit there like a douche for 20 mins waiting for someone to yell out "PRICE CHECK." The selection of people is 2nd to none. I cant think of a better place in the city to peoplewatch. You have the yuppie cali people, hispanics, tattooed people, hipsters, hippies, techies, crazy homeless types, families, singles, lesbians/gays, etc. This grocery store _is_ Austin. It has the best mixing pot of people anywhere that Ive seen in Texas. Overall 4 stars and you wont come back with that deer in the headlights look at your wallet like the indie-stores and central market. read more

Let me preface this review by saying that I've no real problem the staff here. They're friendly enough, albeit a little slow. HEB IS THE PROBLEM. I'll go out on a limb here and go so far as to call HEB A CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE. Not only do they have a system (yes, I'm convinced it's by design) that overcharges customers for groceries every day with deceptive pricing and "on sale" items (that usually ring up NOT on sale), but this happens at their pharmacy too. ALMOST EVERY TIME--and I'm not exaggerating--I am overcharged by this stupid pharmacy. And by wide margins too. It's always "the system hasn't updated your insurance" or "it's saying you're no longer covered" or "that script isn't covered anymore". Good thing I catch it and make sure they get it right (which doubles or triples your wait time to get a simple bottle of pills you've been getting for years). I wonder how many elderly, not-mentally-sharp-due-to illness, unaware etc.patrons have countless amounts of money stolen from them. I can only imagine if a class action suit were ever brought up against Howard E BUTT's monopolistic empire. The only reason I visit the pharmacy is because they are the only ones who participate in the Health Alliance for Austin Musician's Health Plan. I'd go somewhere else in a second, otherwise. I wish some courageous journalists would do to HEB what they did to Whole Foods and start writing exposes. Boycott this shady company. read more

Good ol' reliable HEB. So glad I have you for... -real shampoo -kitty litter -affordable groceries -cleaning products -affordable flowers -bulk produce -eco-friendly cleaning products -friendly staff -affordable sushi Yes, you tend to be... -chaotic (even on Sunday mornings when the church crowd hasn't dispursed) -difficult to get in & out of (crazy drivers on Oltorf) Don't ever expand or remodel. I love having a classic HEB with an Austin-friendly state-of-mind! read more

Hands down the worst HEB I've ever visited but it's the closest to home so it gets used by default. We call this place "the HEB of broken dreams" and we long for the day that the good folks a HEB pool their money and buy the larger site across the street and do it right. The produce is scarey, the fish market is disgusting, the staff by-in-large inarticulate. They just 'remodeled' it but with limited effect. Still not enough parking and a rearranged interior just makes things harder to find. read more

Always crowded and dirty. Has better specials than the other(HEB'S) but my car got dinged the last time I went and they told me good luck , as they dont insure against damages. Parking is horrid read more

I laughed so hard when i saw the sign. H E Butt. My old boss pronounces it in a way that makes it sound like Itchy Butt? They have a mascot that is H.E.B. buddy. So that's Itchy Butt Buddy. Hahahahahhahaa... Oh so many hours of giggles. A giant super market chain and we got some beverages for the race at Circuit of the Americas the next day. And stuff for the hotel too. The songbirds at sunset in the trees of the parking lot are insane. It's loud. Groceries with buitlin humor and crazed avians read more

It seems strange that people call this HEB sketchy. The one I live by(Wm Cannon & S 1st) is sketchy, including a pawn shop at the entrance. The one I used to live near (183 & Manor) was super sketchy, where more people bought drugs than food. This one? Pretty decent selections, open 24 hours and a good cross section of Austin shopping through it. This is my default grocery store, since I'm usually shopping late. Sure, it's not fancy like Central Market or Whole Foods, but I'm also not paying a 100% markup for fruits and vegetables. read more

I know this HEB has its faults. I know it may not be the cleanest or best laid out. They used to have APD on duty at all times because it used to be more dangerous than it is now. Still, it's my neighborhood HEB and I love it. I know that it's busy even at 2 o'clock in the morning. I know that it's impossible to find parking and sometimes I have to park on the other side of the building. Still, it's my neighborhood HEB and I love it. I know that their bakery isn't all that great and neither is the fried chicken from the deli counter. It's still my neighborhood HEB and I love it. read more

During my time at St. Edward's, this was the go-to grocery store. That was back when going to bed at 1AM was, "Way Early," and I ran my errands around the 10PM-12AM hours. Back then, I could find parking at this HEB, there'd be a minimal wait at the checkout, and, of course, as always you'd have the interesting crowd come in from South Austin. Now that I work a typical office job schedule, this HEB is sadly no longer convienent for me. I've made the mistake a few times to come here around 6pm on a weekday and about 30% of the time, I end up leaving without finding a spot. Boo. When I do find a spot and go in, the lines are super long and there are not enough registers open. I've even had to give up my cart to someone looking for one when I was at the register because they had all been taken. So literally, you'll find a night and day difference here. Other than that, the store contents are what you'd expect to find at an above average HEB- which still warrants me liking it as a store... That, and it has been around for over 50 years. I just don't come here after work anymore. read more

I live in the 04 so this is the HEB closest to my casa. I have mixed feelings about this place, so I can only give it three stars. It's true that this place is a little worn, but I think that adds character. I agree with others that say this is a good place for people watching. I normally go in the middle of the night when it is less crowded. The people that you find there around midnight always remind me why I LOVE South Austin. As a grocery store I think this place is just so-so. The one thing that consistently pisses me off is that they stock the Horizon's milk on the bottom shelves and FAIL to restock when it runs low. I know this it a product placement strategy, but when I make a trip specifically to buy milk, it is disappointing to find that they have run out of everything except the store brand. read more

I have to say even before I moved to Austin I was excited to shop at a H-E-B but I do have a love/hate relationship with this one. Being a recent transplant to Austin, I was excited to have a H-E-B so close to my new pad but that's about it's only perk. As someone else so eloquently stated, "this place is crappy but you get use to it." It's great that it's so close to home, pretty big selection of goods but it can be kind of dumpy and run down. I appreciate that it's open 24 hours but don't expect to easily navigate the aisles after 9pm as you'll be dodging pallets forks. Also, if you want cosmetics; forget it because they're locked down. This place does make for some great people watching. Typical demographic is Mexican families and hipsters. Hit it up after 10pm during the week for a really interesting show. Good value, good selection. Bad atmosphere, bad layout. read more

Positives: Mmm, fresh tortillas. They have these at every HEB, but I really like to get these every time I come. They have a good selection of produce and meat and the people are really helpful. It's not as big as a lot of the other HEBs but it's easy to get around in here with a limited amount of traffic jams. Even on a crowded Sunday with the post-church crowd shopping, the lines move pretty quickly. Negatives: This HEB has limited parking almost all the time. I think this is probably due to the large number of employees who take the primo parking spaces. There's also this really weird stench that I always encounter as I pass between the bakery area to the meat area. I think it the combination of the fresh tortillas being made and the butchery, but I always want to hold my breath here. The central market-ish, organic section is kind of lacking--there's a limited selection of bulk items (no good figs, which I love), and usually a dearth of items in the refrigerator section. read more

This HEB is the closest to me, and while it is somewhat serviceable, i haven't always liked going, and i'm someone who generally enjoys grocery shopping. This HEB is often really crowded and caters to a diverse group of folks. the thing that's bothered me is when i've come here for specific items, more than once they've been out, with absolutely nothing on the shelf. it wasn't anything totally obscure either. That is my biggest complaint about this HEB - a grocery store that is often out of food that being said, the produce section can be ok, and for some reason, the store has grown on me recently read more

I have to admit that I am missing my grocery store in Orlando. (Trust me it's one of the very few things I'm missing.) This store is okay though. I like their bread. Love the cheese section. DO NOT go to the one that is at 35 & William Cannon. I went into such a diatribe after that visit that my friend told me I perhaps should just stick to Whole Foods. read more

This store is a little ghetto fab, but I will tell you that their sushi section is hands down the best one in the HEB chain. I've eaten HEB sushi (and sides) many times and it's generally decent, sometimes suspect, but I'd never compare it to restaurant quality in the past. Calamari Salad- Awesome **FAVE SIDE THEY HAVE Skinny Cucumber Roll (riceless)- Double awesome **FAVE ROLL THEY HAVE Potstickers- Awesome Edamame- Awesome (and comes with the coarse sea salt to top it with) Spicy Tuna Roll - Awesome Shrimp Spring Roll- Awesome And the guys that work at that counter are beyond nice. Kudos HEB. You're doing it right. read more

Alyssa in the services department was very rude to a gentlemen in front of me while I was standing in line. He didn't speak good English (clearly) and she was yelling at him because he didn't have an inspection form with his renewal paper for his auto tag. He didn't understand and instead of explaining to him, she raised her voice and said, "GO GET YOUR CAR INSPECTED" very loud and dismissive. Made me feel really bad for him. Don't work in services if you can't understand the basic customer service etiquette. read more

It's easy to see why the South Congress store is the 'Keep Austin Weird' HEB. The other HEBs have their own personality for sure & this one earns it's nickname. There is typically something interesting going on in the parking lot and/or inside....maybe it's the time of day/night that I go but I always see something at least partly eye-opening. Relatively clean for a giant chain with mostly budget items....the stock on the shelves is always dust-free and clean looking. Produce is mostly good, some things are excellent (peaches, avocados & peppers) other items are mediocre (tomatoes)..but it varies wildly. They have an excellent hummus & cheese selection! The seafood counter and meat departments are filled with farm raised seafood and factory farmed land animals. I abhor this type of thing so I hurry past it without looking. There unfortunately & sadly are a ton of people who do not share my sentiment. Terrible salsa selection.....read: salsa for white people who don't know the difference. It is seriously bad. Basically, if you need some canned goods, olive oil, corn chips, salad items, contact solution, cheap wine, crackers and some yummy cheese while navigating crackheads in the parking lot, this is your store! .....I'm actually headed there right now for tonight's salad fixings :-) read more

I despise this place!!! Yet I keep going back! Sometimes even as frequent as 3 or 4 times a week.... There is never any parking. The aisles are much to small and feels like miserable and endless game of bumper cars. If you have a question or need assistance, forget it! Now the good: I like the layout of the store once you get used to it. They have a pretty decent selection. I love the organic/ bulk/ health food area! The lines always go quickly! And if ever a grocery store epitomized "austin weird" it's the HEB on congress! And wait... COMBO LOCOS! I am such a sucker for these. I always get them because it is impossible to resist such good deals- sometimes I don't even like the products its just such a great deal! 4 stars for proximity, cheap prices, decent selection and addictability! read more

Thank goodness for 24 hour grocery stores! I've had a few mishaps while shopping here, but management has always resolved the event swimmingly, so kudos for management! Their selection is hit or miss, you'd think that a grocery store in south Austin would carry more esoteric products, but they do have the necessities. read more

Funny how I got here and started writing this review. Was looking at a grocery stock of a publicly traded company that is located in the Northeast. The stock sucks at the moment, and is falling quickly. So I decided to go to their stores on yelp to see what their customers said. I went to Brooklyn. My comments now. After reading what the Brooklyn customers are experiencing, and one gentleman here alluded to this as well. We have it very good, for the value, the service and the cleanliness of the HEB Stores, you just can't beat it. Especially for the everyday staples and HEB's private label brands. For the minor inconveniences experienced occasionally this is the grocery store to go to. Hey if your life is that complicated where you can't handle what I consider a short wait compared to other cities, then go to Randall's and pay much more for no better quality. read more

If I could give this PHARMACY negative stars I would! This is by far the WORST HEB Pharmacy to go to, avoid it at all costs.. They do not communicate with each other, they give you incorrect information and then make you feel like its your fault they are wrong, and every one there has a terrible attitude. Ariyana refuses to greet anyone and always has a snarky attitude, if you don't want to be nice to people then maybe find another job. This isn't off of a one time experience either, I have had her multiple times and every time she acts like she is too good to help any customers. Then we have the pharmacist, Jessica. Jessica who likes to tell you your prescription will be ready in 45 minutes and then wait for you to get there just to then tell you that there was a "mistake" and you can't pick up your prescription until the next day. No courtesy call before hand, just whoopsies we made another mistake again. The Jessica who likes to argue about what your doctor prescribes you and tells you each month a different "policy". Oh, and if you disagree with any of them or question why they do not communicate, then they threaten to call security on you. Well Jessica, how come when you tell me about your "company policies", I can walk out this HEB and call the one off 45th street and all of a sudden there is no problem? They can have my prescription ready, I just have to drive 20 minutes out of my way to get it. I don't know if this pharmacy has been informed THERE IS A GLOBAL PANDEMIC right now and in addition to be given mixed information, rude attitudes, and the frustration that comes along with dealing with this group of idiots, I now get to DOUBLE expose myself to a virus because they can't get there shit together. AVOID THIS PHARMACY AT ALL COSTS. GO TO WALGREENS OR CVS INSTEAD. I'M SHOCKED HEB'S CORPORATE ALLOWS THIS TO HAPPEN TO THERE CUSTOMERS. What a mockery and a joke of a establishment you have here! Just look at the reviews, I'm surprised they even have 3 stars currently. read more

I just moved here from Portland and love this place! Yes, it is not the prettiest and can be fairly "ghetto." But the prices are so great, people should be thrilled to shop here. Many items are half the price I was paying for groceries in Portland. And I've discovered if you're a morning person and go at 7 or 8 am, the parking lot is not full and the store is not very crowded. Most of the cashiers I've had have been friendly, though the one today was busy socializing and had to be called back to the register by the bag girl. The produce section could be better and a few things are overpriced. But mostly, it's a great bargain. read more

Right up front I really like HEB. It's a strange name for a grocery store but in general they are great stores with very good selections and decent pricing. They are endemic to the south Texass area and provide a good alternative for shopping vs Walmart etc.I like this particular location as it's not too far from my hotel I patronize in Austin and being on Congress it is easy to find. I don't find this location sketchy or unsafe at all. The selection of items is not as extensive as other HEBs but more than adequate for the neighborhood. read more

It's not my favorite H-E-B in Austin, but it sure is tons better than the one on William Cannon and South 1st. This one on Oltorf and S. Congress actually has a decent organic/health food section. Yes, it's a bit "ghetto" as the locals will say, but I've seen worse. The lines and the parking, however, can be a pain in the butt. And I sort of dig the dazzly turquoise backsplash behind the big, red letters. read more

Before I moved to Austin, I already had an apartment picked out near this HEB; to get a sense of the neighborhood's offerings, I read through these very reviews and found out this store was/is referred to as "the ghetto HEB," "the dirty HEB," "the HEB filled with crackheads," etc., and I was scared. Where was I going to do my innocent grocery shopping? Then I actually went there and thought, wtf? This HEB doesn't scare me... well, not really. Yes, there was some kind of incident involving a knife in the parking lot, and the parking lot drivers are way too fast and reckless, and I once saw a guy getting arrested out front, and I think I've seen drug deals toward the back... but the store is so high traffic that, statistically, there will be some unsavory aspects to the experience. A few highlights from a frequent shopper: - The selection of goods is "good enough" as far as HEBs go. I've pretty much always been able to find what I need. Worth noting that there's a nicer HEB and a less-nice one within 15 minute drives of here, if you ever want to change it up and experience either an eye-opening plethora of items, or a disappointing selection. - This store serves all kinds of people. I was once standing in line with a guy who said he was from Houston and couldn't believe how "weird" all us locals were - I guess that's because of the number of people with dyed hair/tattoos, and the big Hispanic families, and the single lonely dudes buying only 10 cans of salmon, and the dolled-up gals buying a lot of beer... he thought it was a negative, but he can go back to Houston with that attitude. I also used to go when the store had later hours and yes, there were some definite weirdos there, but I was in my pajamas looking for cookie dough at 2am... so who's the real weirdo. - This HEB's major downfall is that it is always busy. I almost always struggle to find a space in the parking lot. The lines are often long. Plan accordingly. Happy shopping! read more

The location is great, the diversity is even better. All they need is a cafe with chairs and coffee for the spectacular people watching there is to see. Check out aisle 9, it's full of goodies. The beer selection, organics, and everything in between is up to par. No complaints! read more

The selection here's okay, although it doesn't hold a candle to the one on 41st street. I mean, do they think they wouldn't sell *good* bargain wines and interesting beers if they stocked them at this store? Come on! I can live with a limited wine selection, though, and that's not my reason for writing this review. Rather, I just realized that for the second time in four months I came home without everything I intended to purchase - they just didn't bag it. Not cool, HEB. The first time it happened, I was MAD. It was a Friday night, I needed to be somewhere later and bring food, and they straight-up left out a bunch of key things I purchased (but definitely charged me for them). This time, they left out a few office items that I needed...which is why I bought them in the first place. Huh? Here's the thing: I have no issues whatsoever bagging my own stuff. I'll do it, no questions asked. But if you *say* you are going to bag up my purchases, do it. And, for what it's worth, I've never had this problem at other HEB's, either of the Central Markets, or Fiesta. Curious. read more

This HEB is always packed with lonnnnnng lines. It's because it's too darn small to handle the surrounding "neighborhoods". Yes multiple. Two of these stores next to each other would better suit the demand. Nevertheless, we all continue to shop there... The up-side to the over crowdedness, is a fairly nice store with decent prices, and a good seafood department and bakery. Blows away Randall's in these 2 departments. Bottom line: If you can deal with the people and waiting forever to check out then this is otherwise a good place to shop. read more

It's HEB. I shopped at the one in Hancock center for years & now I shop here. There's one employee that often collects the carts from the parking lot that has a death wish. I've literally seen him walk out in front of cars & then just stand there. Watch for him while trying to park in the packed grackle poop ridden parking lot. They've been steadily increasing their selection of specialty items, which is a plus. read more

Shopping at this store is usually a miserable experience. This is largely due to the store being overwhelmed with too much customer traffic. Parking is crazy. The checkout lines are long, even after midnight or early in the morning. About the only time you can get in and out quickly is at 6 a.m. when they unlock the doors. If that were all, it might not be so bad. But, it also seems like at least half the staff are either miserable, worn out, or don't give a rat's ass. There are some good employees here, so occasionally I get lucky and deal with somebody who hasn't mentally checked out from their job. Being completely honest, I usually walk out of here telling myself to avoid returning if it can be helped. The problem is this is the only grocery store near my neighborhood, so like so many others in the area, I either have to spend precious time and energy fighting traffic to get to a better store or bite the bullet and use this one. p.s. Watch out for the birds! There are hoards of birds covering every inch of wire of the power lines that criss cross this busy intersection. They are unbelievably noisy and, of course, drop tons of crap. There is nothing like this parking lot at 7 a.m. when it is 80 degrees with 85% humidity and screeching birds everywhere. Hellish. read more

Its a grocery store, so I will only give 3 stars. But been shopping here forever and don't mind that its a little dirty and full of people. I figure anybody who doesn't like it can move to another neighborhood or shop at Central Markup. I hope the grime stays imprinted on this location for years to come. Cool butchers here. read more

One of the only stores that carries Tri-Tip roast cut of beef http://i1323.photobucket.com/albums/u599/duchessinaustin/IMG_1634_zps3ea319ec.jpg, in Texas they like brisket, not from here, from the wild wild west coast. Tri tip is a really good roast, you can do many more things with it than a brisket, read more

H-E-B - Grocery Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Not bad for this part of town...Parking sucks, but fast and friendly service...

Years ago, when we lived in Austin, we shopped at the nearest HEB and didn't really think much about it. Good store. Decent prices. But then, eventually, we moved to Dallas. No HEB. So on return trips to Austin many years later we rediscovered HEB and what a transformation! Can't say enough about their house brands. This particular HEB was mega crowded on a late Saturday afternoon. My only regret is that, except for Central Market, we don't have an HEB presence in Dallas. HEB what are you waiting for? read more

I've lived in NY and LA so Linda, I feel you! This grocery store has everything I could possibly need so I probably shouldn't complain. However, I don't really like the way the store is laid out. It doesn't have a very good flow. You go through produce and then all of the frozen and cold items are along the backside of the store...it just throws me off...I'm not sure which way to go once I get back there. I also hated that the pita bread was part of the deli section instead of with the other bread items...that's just silly. Same goes for the cheese and lunch meat...deli section and then cheese section. Bothersome. I really like that there is a organic/health food section. I haven't spent much time there but I think it's a great idea. Pharmacy was great! read more

This is the grocery closest to my house, and its the one I buy the basics. The store is laid out well... good selection... the staff usually friendly and helpful. This place gets gold darned busy at times and that can really change the picture, but that has more to do with the shoppers than the store. Early (as in OMG its freekin early) mornings are the best time to shop, tho deli - bakery - seafood counters aren't open then. read more

Man oh man. When I lived in Austin, I HATED grocery shopping (and I now live in New York and LOATHE grocery shopping). Oh but what I took for granted! Wide lanes, cheap prices, store brands, plentiful produce and groceries in stock. I will say that they do lack some produce (brussel sprouts) and it is often in shabby quality (asparagus), plus their seafood counter isn't the best. But we always did our one stop shopping there, and the few things we couldn't find we would buy at Central Market or Fiesta. Also, as others have mentioned, parking is brutal at this HEB. The parking lot is pretty small for the large area it serves, so going here on a Sunday entails driving around the parking numerous times. But really, is that such a huge price to pay? I've always been on a budget (I'm jobless now and my wife was in grad school in Austin), so HEB was just what we needed. We would get all our groceries for no more than $60 a week. Not bad, not bad at all. read more

This is another HEB that you have to bag your own groceries. What's going on today I seen workers standing around just watching patrons bag themselves. I didn't see one HEB employee bagging groceries when I i was in line . All I seen was unhappy shoppers and grannies bagging groceries while the manager stood just watching doing nothing . 0 stars read more