Standing a line 30 people deep. Middle of the day and ONLY three lanes out of 20 open! Ridiculous!

I visit IKEA once a year just to relish the chaotic experience of traversing this labyrinth-like establishment with hundreds of other people poorly navigating omni-directional carts. We collectively peruse microscopic vignette rooms utterly unrepresentative of typical American sizes or styles. It's dangerously easy to leave having spent several hundred dollars on flimsy, yet modern, furniture and unbelievably cheap home supplies that make even Walmart look like Whole Foods. I've always wondered what percentage of Craigslist's furniture sales are the Malm, Hemnes, and Lack brands being handed around to the highest bidder. For being so cheap they certainly do have high resale potential. Gotta get those Swedish meatballs. And admire the irony of an American flag toothpick being used to indicate you paid extra for a larger serving. read more

It's obvious their staff has been cut way back. Nobody in each section to answer questions about products or furniture. We wanted to purchase 2 items but with a lot of people ready to checkout, 16 lanes and only 4 open we'll go somewhere else. Hire more people! read more

I feel like IKEA appeals to me for a certain type of furniture or occasion. When you buy from IKEA, you will get AMAZING prices and they actually do have some pretty cute stuff. You must, however, be willing to accept the following truths: *Self assembly, which for me, is tantamount to death. I ended up adding extra nails to a dresser just to keep it together. Oops. *Your shiz may break in a year or so- and you'll still be glad because you may or may not have gotten your money's worth. *It's a freaking EVENT- you need paper and pencil and take yo notes, bitch, because this AIN'T TARGET! *You may or may not find yourself consuming sweedish meatballs with a fervor that is usually found in ravenous stray dogs. You'll think to yourself...what the hell...I don't even like meatballs! If you're okay with the above, shop away. read more

For an adult, IKEA is the equivalent to Chuck E. Cheese. There's an obstacle course for you to get lost in the maze of endless furniture, a food court for you to chow down in, and plenty of appliances for you to play with. I've been to IKEA a hundred times yet I still get lost in the maze. And with all the various furniture I get easily sidetracked and forget what I'm really looking for. Luckily there are maps throughout the store to get me back on track. The food court has amazing cheap food. The Swedish meatball combo of course is my favorite. I've also taken a liking to their Lingonberry drink. Is it just me or can I not resist touching all the furniture on display? I see the mattress section and immediately have an urge to try all of them. I also have an addiction with the kitchen section; I particularly like touching the glass jars. And of course they would have a bistro after you've waited in that long checkout line. But since you pass by it, you can't help but get their hot dogs, cinnamon rolls, and ice cream. A few items I particularly like are the IKEA chocolate bars, chocolate-filling biscuits, and apple-filling biscuits. read more

Rude tattooed woman in returns/exchanges. First off she had a huge tattoo that took up her entire forearm, totally unprofessional. She had an Attitude from the start, she asked "what's this wet stuff" on my return, I replied "I don't know, probably something wet?" She said I could only get the refund on my credit card if the card itself were present, this sounded ridiculous to me. She tried to make up for her rudeness by saying "are you having a nice day" I muttered a cold "yeah" this woman does not represent the customer service ikea is typically associated with. read more

Bought over $1000 worth of furniture for our new place. We went home early for the delivery. It never came. We called the store and they acted like it was our fault and said it was delivered, which it wasn't. They asked us to pay for a second delivery for the next day...um what?! We were hung up on and left on hold when the store closed. Where's our stuff? DO NOT GET DELIVERY!!!!!!! read more

IKEA is a necessary evil at times. I would spend a lot of money there if I could simply go in, grab what I need and head out. Instead, the store is designed to lure you through a maze of rooms and departments. All the while, you are forced to listen to inane piped music, while dodging double strollers and hurried hipsters. And no wonder they are in a hurry -- the travel path has to be at least a mile long. It is an overwhelming and unpleasant shopping experience, to say the least. The design aesthetics are nice, though, and the quality is tolerable for items you probably won't keep a long time. It is perfect for furnishing kids' rooms and first apartments, plus the occasional accent or storage piece. (I actually do covet the staged room with floor to ceiling darkwood bookshelves and entertainment console as an adult den.) As for personnel, morale seems low. Interaction ranges from mild disinterest to open hostility. Today, I made it through in 90 minutes (a tween scoping for new bedroom furniture will slow you considerably) and took my 6 foot long, 63 lb. purchase to the loading dock. Inexplicably, the loading area is barricaded with steel bars, plus a concrete bar on the ground makes it impossible to back in closer than 4 feet to the sidewalk, making loading a nightmare. The wind chill was 27 degrees, and sleetish rain was blowing sideways on us under the covered walk. I did not see the usual loading employees in yellow shirts or vests, nor did anyone acknowledge us or offer to help-- it appeared it was every man and woman for themselves. In our case, one middle-aged woman and an 11-year old boy. Another woman was pulled into the one place that did not have steel barricade, in front of the exit door. She was smiling and chatting happily as her things were loaded, and I wished I felt as cheerful. After several minutes of attempting to wrangle my purchase past the barricade and into my car without breaking it or soaking it in the driving rain, the woman drove away. I told my shivering son to push the cart down, as I backed our vehicle into the same spot so we could get loaded as soon as possible. When I exited the vehicle, a man charged toward me, shouting "Pull out now! Right now!" I was taken aback, largely because he had no IKEA identification visible -- no vest, shirt, logo or badge, only non-descript dark gray shirt and pants. Still not sure why he was yelling at me, I thought maybe he had been attempting to take the spot. He still did not identify himself as an IKEA employee. (And never did, though I surmised it from his walkie-talkie, which he brandished with bravado.) Raging about the fire marshall and fines, ordered me to move the car so he could help me load, which I did. I said calmly, "Sir, I am a reasonable person, and it wasn't necessary to yell at me." He ranted that I "should have known not to park there". (How exactly? There was no sign, and it seemed acceptable for the former customer.) He insisted that I saw him force the other car to move (What I observed was opposite -- she was smilingly there for several minutes without any noticeable incident.) He also said he knew because he had seen us standing there "the whole time". Why then didn't he acknowledge our obvious struggle in wet, freezing weather?! The man spoke brusquely to my son to step aside, and shoved the boxes in our vehicle. As I pulled away, I saw the man and another employee (again, no visible ID, but I had seen her assist in the store) looking in our direction and laughing. At this point completely infuriated, I attempted to call the store manager. Not surprisingly, after 10 minutes of key punches and holds, I still did not reach a manager, and gave up. I'll email the company headquarters instead. OVERALL: Products: 4 Atmosphere: 2 Customer Service: 2 Since the experience trumps cost for me, I seek other sources over IKEA. I wish it was not the case, as I like the products. read more

This place can be a real pain in the ass. It is a HUGE warehouse that can come across to some as "The Nightmare Factory". So........you walk into the store which will be your gateway to the maze which would give the Shining a run for its money. Along your way of modeled living spaces with signage for Swedish meatballs you will come across hobbit sized furniture. Couches that are so low to the ground you might trip over them. Beds that will send your back into spasms when you try to get out of them. The furniture which will be making you curse the heavens later when your putting it together is cheap and flimsy. You cant just run in and get something quick you have to attach your bib number and endure the hipster marathon. If you have a question good luck hunting down an employee worthy of a paycheck and name tag. You may find worthy objects for your basket, but is dealing with that whole fiasco while slowly becoming a zombie by the time you make it to the register worth it?? Food for thought. read more

If I could give this zero stars, I would... Awful customer service. Because the part that I needed to complete my order was on the third shelf, they sent me home empty handed with no offer to deliver to my home or no acknowledgement of my wasted trip. I haven't been to IKEA in over 10 years for just such lousy service, and after a while you think to yourself 'the novelty has to have worn off, it can't be as crowded as when it first opened. There's no way the customer service can be that bad still, they would have gone out of business long ago.' Unfortunately, none of these statements are true. It's as bad as it ever was. Please, please do yourself a favor and avoid this place like the plague that it is on our society. Shame on me for temporarily thinking otherwise. read more

I'm growing to like IKEA a little bit more.Sweet! But the first thing I saw was a print of Audrey Hepburn. I fell in love. I want to get that for my wall. At least get that one print and that's it. Then I was looking around and had an idea of what I wanted. Didn't buy anything. If I had a delivery truck and extra hundred, you bet I would buy furniture. I did some mattress testing, five mattress I tested to be exact and had a good idea which one I wanted. The food court or restaurant is in between the furniture section and the marketplace. There was 99 cent breakfast - Eggs, potatoes and bacon. I couldn't believe it 99 cents for all that. It wasn't a huge portion. The portion was fine as it is. Then I went into the Marketplace...the Marketplace.... I went through the Marketplace. Last time I was there me and my dad were desparate to get out. But not this time. I saw a French Press for $12.99. i couldn't believe it. $12.99??? Then I saw a thermist for $2.99. I stood there for the longest time. I was staring at it. In my mind I couldn't believe it. I was waiting for an IKEA employee to say "Hi how can I help you?" to wake me up. Then I was waiting for someone else to say excuse me. Then I was confused. I just left it there. Then I saw a 17 piece tupperware for $4.99. I left it there. I saw a bunch of candles that smelled so good. They were $1.99 each. I left them there. I went over to the prints. Oh there you are, Audrey. The epitome of class and beauty. I want to take you home with me so I can remind myself what a legend you are and how much I admire you. $50 good lord that's a lot of money. All of a sudden I had a thought in my mind. I remember that one episode in the Simpsons where they were recalling Maggie's birth. Homer and Marge were sitting at the couch. Homer says, "I remember I took it well when you told me you were pregnant" It cuts back to when Homer had hair. Homer runs upstairs and screams while he is tearing his hair out. Felt like doing that when I was at IKEA. But not in a bad way if that makes sense to anyone. read more

Attention Shoppers. If you think you can plan one of those easy-peasy, quick, in-and-out shopping experiences = IT DOES NOT EXIST HERE. The story goes something like this; I found Item on line (EKORRE Hanging Chair for my daughter) and took the URL and SKU with me on my phone = THIS should be easy, right? Once I entered the store, I left my kids there with food and water (OK, OK, truth was it was a slice of pizza, a soft drink, and an 'Don't kill each other....I'll be right back!') From there I quickly headed to the front of the store and used the entry-way kiosk -AAAAND this is where my troubles began. My initial excitement was quickly replaced by frustration because I could NOT locate the Mfg. Name EKORRE (this hanging chair is THEIR ONLY ITEM IN THE STORE. PERIOD.) - NOR could I locate the SKU. So to summarize how broken IKEA is in the 21st century, their in-store kiosk; 1.) Does NOT contain the same SKU # as on line store, 2.) Does NOT allow you to search by Manufacturer, 3.) Does NOT allow search by Product Description, 4.) Does NOT have a picture of the item. WTF? All of this missing capability is quite dumbfounding in this day and age.... Soooo.....I managed to stumble back to the Children's Section, but could not find anyone to help me locate the product = another buzz kill. After looking around for a bit, I found the item (in a box) and then headed back like a rat in a maze back towards the check out. Upon checkout, I was notified that the item actually comes in 2 separate boxes. Apparently there is some type of graphic on the box that I grabbed, but I'll be damned if I can decipher the IKEA hieroglyphics...AND the picture of the product on box was also not helpful, as it shows the completed product!!??! ~:-\ So I wait at checkout stand for 10 minutes while an associate to run back and retrieve the 2nd box I needed. All in all, IKEA's business model is to make you feel trapped like a rat in a maze (so you buy more products) - even if you are here for a quick pickup. My warning when shopping here is; Buyer Beware. read more

How in the world does ikea only have 3 stars?! I fell in love with ikea while living overseas. The Europeans are so much more practical than us Americans and I will always envy them for that. Ikea has everything that you could ever need for your home in every color. Yes, having to walk through the entire store to get to a specific area kind of stinks, but everyone can always use a few extra steps :) My only complaint are the instructions lol. Yes, I'm a visual person, but damn. Sometimes a gal just needs some verbal instructions to make it through putting together her dresser. read more

If you care to venture far from the safe haven of Austin, there are stories of a large blue box up in the far nether regions of Round Rock that contains vast caverns of Swedish treasure. There are also tales that tell of a darker place. They tell of a dark labyrinth full of twisty passages, all alike. They speak of evil, of a Grue that will empty your pockets and yet have you coming back to try your luck a second time. Some travelers mention that if you're over a certain age, nothing in your home should bear the wretched mark of IKEA. All of these legends are true. I know, as I have ventured to the Swedish lands many times. I have fought with the pocket emptying Grue and lost. Several times. I have learned to seek only that which I need and not be tempted with items that appear too inexpensive to be true. I have shamefully admitted that the bookcase everyone seems to admire actually is cursed with the brand of IKEA and no, I haven't lived in a dorm in almost two decades. Same with the outdoor chairs (based on the Poang design and aren't offered anymore) that are so comfortable. Also IKEA. The twisty passages really are twisty and it is very easy to get lost. I often fear that there will be a fire and I will perish in those dark caves. Other times I start to wonder if I really can live in just 384 square feet and will they please let me move into this room they've outfitted so nicely. It's a trap, surely. But there are meatballs, and they are tasty. Same with the cinnamon rolls. They are quite the treat for the weary traveler who has come so far and braved so much. And there is genuine treasure to be found if you are a careful adventurer. Without IKEA I wouldn't have the whimsical ice cubes shaped like stars and puzzle pieces and cost me all of $1 and have lasted over five years. What can you buy for a dollar these days that will give you five long years of enjoyment? There's a lamp that has lighted my way for an equal number of years while expressing my eclectic sense of style while simultaneously managing to look distinguished. There's also the bookcase and the chairs and a few other odds and ends I've picked up along the way. One day I'll return from my travels with the closet organizing solution I've been looking for, and I will tell myself, that's it. That's the last closet organizer I'm gonna need. Whatever else happens, I've got that closet problem handled. Any trip to IKEA is treacherous and fraught with peril, it's true. Yet, it is one that can be rewarding for the resourceful, courageous, and inventive adventurer. One should not let the dangers untold and hardships unnumbered from deterring you from returning with a caravan full of Swedish treasure and a belly full of Swedish eats. Just beware, for the Grue is waiting. read more

IKEA - There are tomes in IKEA, written in a strange and esoteric language. One whose knowledge has been lost to time. - Furniture Stores Near Me - Round Rock, Texas

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What can I say that you don't already know. IKEA blows all other stores away. You just cannot beat their swedish meatballs either. The employees, when you can find them, are awfully nice. Ikea is a great corporation and I love shopping here. Checkout is usually a breeze, you will stand in line some but it's not terrible as the cashiers know what they are doing. read more

I recently made my first and last purchase at IKEA, a Mandal bed frame (full size). After I assembled it and put the full mattress on it, I discovered the full bed frame is about 5 inches too long for a full mattress. In fact, the full frame is the same length as the queen frame (different widths). The store display was a queen setup with a mattress that IKEA no longer sells (a mattress that fills the frame completely). Since I had assembled the frame, IKEA would not accept a return. (They are discontinuing the Mandal bed frames.) So I made my last purchase at IKEA. I suggest you leave their junk and false representation in their store. NO NEED TO SHOP AT IKEA. I can get ripped off closer to home. Note: The draft of this review was from 2009; just completed and posted on 2013. And, no, I have not been back to IKEA. read more

The rating is for their customer service call center. I simply asked to be transferred to the store in Round Rock and they refused. I asked to speak to a supervisor and he also refused to transfer my call. I had been waiting on out of stock chairs to be replenished for some time and their website said they will be in stock on Saturday. Needless to say, their inventory is not 100% accurate on their site. The chairs made it out to the sales floor two days prior and they have sold out once again...another long wait for the next order. Ugh! Other than the customer service call center sucking butt, the store in Round Rock is a great place to shop for your furniture. The guys sitting behind the desks answering calls need to take note. read more

Take a xanax and don't follow the arrows on the floor, and you may make it out alive. The way I win at ikea is by hitting the clearance area first, literally entering backwards. I try to pre-shop on the website to get an idea for where i will have to go once i am in the store. Also using the short cuts helps, but they aren't entirely direct either. Ikea employees seem like they are trained to avoid interaction with customers at all costs, other than at check out when they suddenly offer the decency of eye contact. The real fun begins when putting items together at home. If the directions are confusing google it before you try to put items together, this has saved me major headaches. For some items you can find cool ikea "hacks" alternate ways to put something together or repurposing an item. If you are still reading, I know it seems like I hate this place, and I do! But..... there are deals to be found and if you put things together right you can get a longer life out of ikea furniture than most people give them credit for. read more

I like IKEA. It's modern and clean and you can easily go back a year later and find something that matches the furniture you have already purchased. I've only had one negative experience at IKEA (hence the loss of a star). The problem was rectified by management though. They manufacture everything in mass, so when something goes wrong, it goes very very wrong. I purchased a Poäng chair only to find that the fabric was cut incorrectly and all of the pieces did not fit properly. I went back to the store and found that all of the chairs were like that. I feel bad for the people that kept purchasing the item and haven't yet found out that it was defective yet. The manager issued me a refund and a gift card for my trouble, so that was nice. I have a lot of different furniture from IKEA. I think the rule of thumb is, be prepared to spend money. Don't go for the cheapest stuff made out of particle board or faux wood. If I had to name a favorite, I would say the Hemnes series. The dark black-brown color is pretty modern and nice. Anyways, overall this place is more stylish and solid then something you are going to find at walmart/target. Plus let's face it, it's really fun to go to IKEA and see all of the crazy room setups they have put together. One last note: They have much more in stock these days. They expanded the store recently and added garage parking. Both are very welcome changes. read more

If budget means more to you than quality, this may be the place to shop. Lots and lots of stuff in lots of colors shapes and sizes. Perfect for kiddies that are going to outgrow the colors and designs as they develope taste as they mature. I did buy 2 cheapo frying pans, because it is easier to toss a couple of cheap ones when I scorch the coating off because I got distracted in the kitchen, than to scrub scrub scrub to get the crud off the bottom of a high dollar pan I bought at the cook store. High quality Danish and Swedish furniture, I find very attractive. That's just not anything close to what I found here. Then again, if everybody liked the same thing, there would only be one flavor of ice cream. read more

This one star review is for the management and the returns/exchanges department. We got a large rug and it had a defect so we wanted to exchange it . Yes, that first four hour trip was for nothing!! The huge sign says RETURNS/EXCHANGES. We lug the very heavy rug inside the store and as usual there are lines a mile long. No one offers to help. Because the line is at least 15 people long I leave my girlfriend there and trek through the store to get a replacement rug. You know, to save some time. WHAT A JOKE. After waiting 41 minutes to get to the front of the line I'm informed that it doesn't matter what the sign says, they only do returns there. No exchanges. To get another rug I have to now go and wait in yet another endless line to pay for the rug. I carry the heavy rug to the back of the line and wait another 23 minutes. At this point in fuming so I ask to speak to a manager. This girl comes out, she seriously looks 12, and I explain the problem. She tells me "Oh..they should have done the exchange for you in the returns/exchange department". No shit Sherlock. She had zero concern, what a waste of space. read more

I have always been a huge Ikea fan until..."THE RETURN EXPERIENCE." I hope you never have to return anything to Ikea. The return area was short handed, a cashier closed her register with 5 people in line and without calling for assistance. The one person left acted like she had no idea what she was doing. We had to stop a warehouse guy to get him to call for backup. The cash supervisor came over and, instead of greeting us and apologizing, she kept her head down and walked to a register and yelled..."#60." She never make eye contact with any of us. What should have been a 5 minute deal turned into about a 45 minute nightmare for me and about 5 other folks. Beware of the Ikea Return! read more

If you don't get lost, you win at the Ikea game. Sometimes, you just want some inexpensive, semi-modern furniture and aren't afraid of the mediocre quality because hey, you get what you pay for. Ikea is the perfect place for that kind of furniture. Not only do they have cool furniture and room set-ups throughout the store but you can really find any kind of home knick knack at ikea for an insanely low price. Although I'm not an advocate of buying large furniture pieces here since the ones I've had have broken easily, the home items such as kitchen gadgets, cutlery, cups, plates, etc. are perfect items to buy. They're cheap cheap & nice looking! Try not to get lost during your visit & don't try the meatballs, they're not as good as you're expecting! read more

Love it... Poang chairs, inexpensive LED lights, mirrored medicine cabinets, pillows, dish towels, laundry bags, cabinets... whatever

Terrible service. Will never buy from them again. Paid for specific room delivery and installation. For installation they send you to task rabbit for people that are not even your service delivery. In addition upon delivery they did not take it to the room of choice and now my husband has thrown his back out as a result. IKEA customer service is unable to help. Call center with no supervisor never heard of such a thing. At any rate if i need to address my issue for a refund i have to wait 7-10 days or drive to the store myself. Completely ridiculous and the worst customer experience ever. read more

Go to IKEA to buy build-able furniture yourself and nothing else. The customer service here can be rather limited. I came in due to a home delivery missing an item. They said they couldn't do anything about it. I asked to speak to the manager onsite. Verbatim: "The manager doesn't want to come out on the floor because she is feeling sick and doesn't want to get customers sick." Really? This is the service I have to accept at IKEA? Giving 1 star because the person speaking on the managers behalf was a polite as can be about the situation. Honestly, you get what you pay for. I liked IKEA but this experience is really giving second thoughts about using them in the future. read more

Sensory overload. Cheap furniture. Pretty bright colors. A veritable "oooh shiny" playground. It's fun to go there and oooh and ah at everything and spend a few hours - but you can also, if you're dedicated and focused, get in and get out. Can't beat the prices for some stuff - cheap frames, kitchenware, lighting, etc. I'd honestly spend a little more money on the big stuff (couches, beds, etc), but it's a good way to fill out the rest of the stuff that doesn't matter as much. read more

Sitting in the IKEA restaurant last Sunday, eating meatballs with gravy and three big new potatos, a friend looked over at my dish and commented that it looked like fine dining at the Communist Cafeteria. And he's right. IKEA, to me at least, gives off a very Communist Marketplace vibe, what with the prices being cheap and the people bustling around and the "build it yourself" attitude and everything being arranged perfectly according to how much you make. Along with this, IKEA makes me feel like a clone. Just one person exactly like the millions of other people across the world who are working class and want a simple wooden chair for under $15 to go with my simple wooden table for under $20 at which I can eat my borscht. Call me crazy or call me nostalgic or paranoid or whatever, but I like it. I like that there's finally a store in the Austin area where I can afford *praise the LORD!* NEW furniture. In my entire life outside of mommy and daddy's house I have only gotten like, maybe 6 pieces of NEW furniture, and 4 of those were bought Sunday at IKEA. So yeah. I like IKEA. I don't care of it only lasts a year beacuase at $15.00 a chair and $20.00 a bookshelf, if all this stuff breaks on me I can afford to go back and get more NEW stuff again. read more

Oh IKEA, I love your clean, simple, efficient Swedish design. I also love that damn Daim candy you sell at the front of the store, but I digress. What I really love is that I can find some nice little baubles to make my house look like a home for a relatively low price. With particle board, funky little screws and an allen wrench, you help me make my new home look like I've been here for years. While I wouldn't call you quality, I will call you filling space on blank walls and offering a place to store my junk, and right now, that's good enough. read more

When the Swedish moon hit the July Austin air earlier this year, a sale was born at Ikea, and I was there! IKEA, in my mind, stands for "It Keeps Everything Affordable" because it truly does, but be advised to go there with some extra time and an open mind or you will not be able to understand IKEA's genius........ I had no idea what kind of a sale I was in for in July....It was just that everything aligned that day and I am happy to report that as I skipped through the maze of forgotten lists, I saw visions of bright color and adorable little treasures to spice up my beige home.... Okay, seriously, I have been reading your reviews on this awesome place, and I have to say, people coming here to buy HIGH Quality things need not do that!! This is not Ethan Allen, it is a fun, lighthearted place to go to merely either get GREAT DECORATING ideas or inspiration, or pick up a cool white chair or funky red lamp or how about an orange bathroom rug with some bright green towels to keep it secondary in your world? Their shower curtains are great, too, and IKEA can show you how to make a space look modern in lived in, even in you only have 410 square feet to do it in (which is common in places all over the world!!!) Some of the best things you will buy here will be by accident. For example, the .99 cent squeegie is AWESOME on bathroom mirrors and windows.....the dollar shoe horn, again, very long and looks like a red snake, but very helpful.....the 2 dollar bright pink plastic thing you shove your Wal-Mart or plastic bags in, PURPOSIVE as it is adorable.....or like the 4 dollar brightly colored small throw rug....awesome!! Those little toss on your couch to give it personality pillows for 4 or 5 dollars each, are incredible! They had 12 candles in a cute glass row in 12 different shades of red for 2 dollars on sale.....they sell energy-saving lightbulbs for a bit lower than Home Depot, and they have a nice particle board (not pearlized chestnut) book shelf for 40 bucks..... I could go on and on, and so I will for a minute...I have also gotten the 2 blue potholders for a dollar there and they wash up fine in the washer, I have gotten bright red circular mousepad for a dollar, CUTE place mats for the dinner table for next to nothing, the dishwashing brushes are around a buck and work great, and also got the plastic blue dog bowl (again, about a dollar) for water and my dogs use it every day of course.... So you see, you go to Ikea for the mayhem, not to spend millions of dollars, just go there and get inspired, you do not have to spend anything for that!! :) No big whoop! I also got some CUTE bright posters and bought the colorful frames to go with that make a room very fun.....So get to it!! Also, you can find some tremendous deals in the clearance section at the end of the yellow-arrowed road there to the right of the check out areas......that is always a good way to see how the quality really measures up... Do try the Lingonberry soda at the end.....it is different and good! I also like that you get 3% back on your next purchase when using a debit card....HAVE FUN! :) read more

I can understand people who complain due to bad customer service experiences or those who receive damaged furniture, those are legit reasons to complain and inform others of your experience. But folks who complain about the fact that you have to assemble the furniture yourself? I hate to break it to you, but that's the POINT. That is primarily why the prices are so low (not necessarily the quality of the product, etc). If you can afford to drop 3k to furnish your space with pretty, pre-assembled furniture and have it delivered to your door, good for you. If you're a struggling college grad who needs a bowl and a can opener for $3, IKEA is Sweden's blessed gift to you. As for the crowds, I don't expect it to be any different, as this is the only IKEA close to Austin and the place is enormous. Deal with it, or shop online. That being said, I am happy with everything I've bought from IKEA so far. The quality is excellent for what you pay for. read more

I had no idea that I needed roller skates for a trip through IKEA. I'm the type of person that likes to get in and out of a store as quickly as possible. If I can, I'll shop online to avoid getting stuck in a cattle congress. I only needed some stupid curtain clips, and they were the only place that I knew for sure had exactly what I needed. Little did I know I would have to walk at least a mile through the store to reach the one section I wanted to buy something from. Never again. I'll buy online before I go back in to that store in person. It is a giant black hole in the time-space continuum designed to suck all the minutes out of your day. read more

If you're not already familiar with Ikea, well, you're one in a few and you should probably go just to see what it's all about. It's definitely a shopping experience unlike any other. However, you should go armed with certain knowledge: 1) The products aren't as cheap as they seem. By pricing certain items low, they implant the illusion of being inexpensive and you start thinking everything is such a great deal. Beware of it and think twice. 2) You almost certainly will have to put it together, and you really won't want to, despite what you think in the store. IKEA instruction manuals come without words on them, so you have to decipher the strange illustrations in order to assemble your overpriced goods. 3) The furniture is cheap quality, despite the fancy testing stations and whatnot. It's mostly poorly (and imprecisely) made, so holes won't always line up right and colors do deviate from one item to the next (essentially, those 2 'identical' bookcases might not actually match). 4) Before you buy it, remember YOU have to get it into YOUR car. The same goes for all of the furniture, which is definitely going to be in a much larger box than you think. On the up side of things, IKEA has some stuff you can't really find elsewhere...like unique toilet paper holders. read more

put a disco ball and a bar up in here and you have a full fledged gay bar! straight men....beware! HEAVY cruising by all the queens up in this place! i felt like i was at a men's gym locker room, no doubt! yes, you have to put all the sh!t you buy from here together yourself, which i suppose is why everything is so inexpensive. and yes, everything is made from pressed wood and the quality is shotty, and the furniture is pretty much trashed after about 6 mos. of use. spatially though, everything is eye catching, and those swedish meatballs are delish! =P {==== *licks lips read more

In a nut shell: VERY POOR AND INCONSISTENCE CUSTOMER SERVICE, lack of interest to help the customers, lack of training among the front end team, errors in the purchase orders, bad attitude was received form the Cafe workers...and all of this with the excuse of "A is the busiest time of the year".... this is RIDICULOUS! I purchased over 1,500 dlls in various furniture items to later find out multiple errors among receiving units that I didn't even discuss or consider buying. All items were compiled together making it very difficult to know what parts are for what unit (specially modular items form the same line i.e. the Besta line). CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS seemed to be overwhelmed and avoiding customers. After I was advice to update my shopping order at every single department I visited, some of the reps gave me a straight answer of "I DUNNO HOW TO DO THAT" as a result of lack of pride for their work and lack of training from upper management, this is just embarrassing and UNACEPTABLE! IMPOSSIBLE TO GET IN TOUCH WITH MANAGEMENT. You will have to go directly to the store if you want to speak to a manager as I did. I tried calling Carsten J., store manager multiple times the same day I met with him but he never picked up the phone and no there isn't a voicemail to leave a message. The operator was not able to page him, not to mention the operator sounded short, rude and scripted. PURCHASE ORDER was really hard to understand if you don't speak the IKEA language. Take your time and be proactive to get the person at the check out to go over EVERY SINGLE ITEM and make some notes, they will come handy when you try to put together the items. TIRED WITH AN ATTITUDE, that's the best way to describe the cashier ladies in the Cafe. Rushing people along the line, unfriendly and not even a welcome or a thank you. On top of that, one of this cashiers getting upset because we didn't remove an empty rack where the clean glasses are. read more

I love, love, love IKEA. I hate THIS IKEA. I hate it so much, I will start this review with my cons: This IKEA's restaurant is smack dab in between the Showroom and Marketplace. WHY? Most other IKEA stores around the US are laid out such that you can eat before or after shopping. Not this one. In other cities I've lived in, I loved meeting up with friends for lunch or dinner at IKEA. Such an excursion is not easy at this IKEA. Many items that are in stock at other IKEAs simply aren't here. In fact, some of the least expensive items in all of IKEA's product range can only be found (in Texas, at least) at the Dallas and Houston stores. If you aren't going to provide me with a selection of items at even the lowest price ranges, then I simply won't make the trip to Round Rock. (And I don't, by the way.) Both of those are actually pretty big negatives to me. I don't have a decorating/furniture budget large enough to accommodate upgrading to midrange IKEA products. Of particular note is the Jall sweater organizer: It has four compartments and perfectly fits most apartment closets (height-wise). The Jall is not at this IKEA. Perhaps because someone higher-up thought we Austinites enjoy our gift-wrapping products far more than we enjoy being able to safely store our sweaters. (We don't, by the way.) My pros make up a paltry list: I like the hot dogs, the coffee, and the availability of high-end IKEA items in the "As-Is" section at reasonable prices. You're easy to locate. And...that's it. read more

BEDBUGS. Don't buy a mattress from them. I bought a NEW mattress that, unbeknownst to me at the time, had bedbugs in it. The exterminator showed me the evidence and walked me through the time table of my infestation. I didn't notice the problem until months after my purchase, but it was exactly how long it takes for eggs to hatch and for the second generation to propagate and start eating me alive. He showed me the spots that the second generation had left, and then showed me the older spots in a smaller area where the first generation had dwelt. And he said that IKEA had actually reported bedbugs to his organization around the time my mattress was in the warehouse/sales floor. He also explained that, being a Swedish company, their inspection standards for exporting are not as... shall we say, fastidious? I was not the first victim, and I would not be the last. Once you're 90 days past your purchase date, you're on your own. But it takes longer than that to develop a bedbug problem, and the suckers can live for up to a year without a single meal. Do the math, and decide how much of a gambler you are. Apart from that nightmare experience, I wouldn't give the place more than three stars on a really, really good day anyway. In the interest of being thorough, I'll review the rest of the place, though I think I had you at the first word of my review. There's a reason the furniture is so cheap, and socialist labor is only part of it. Their stuff is cheap because it is CHEAP. Flimsy junk with a reputation for not even fitting together half the time. Even so, I find everything in the store to be kind of an eyesore. It's all just trendy, modern junk. It's the perfect one-stop store for getting the most bang for your buck when helping your kid move into their first college dorm, but I can't imagine wanting to furnish even my humble efficiency apartment with this stuff. As for the food, I haven't actually had it, but it doesn't impress me at a glance. I don't see what all the hype is about. I can't imagine why people actually take road trips to come to IKEA. Why? Swedish meatballs? Give me a break. You can dismiss my review because of taste, as the food is unappealing to me and the furniture does not fit my aesthetic, but let me reiterate: Bedbugs. Don't risk it. Buy a mattress that WON'T be infested and WON'T wear out in a year and a half. Spring for a real mattress. This place is just not worth the "bargain." read more

This place has the worst returns process of any retailer I've been to. It's been an hour and there's probably 40 people waiting for their number to be called. 2 agents currently working the desks and nothing is happening. Really makes me want to shop somewhere else... read more

It's a great store with a cool concept. I just hate navigating through the store in its entirety because I feel like it's a never ending maze and it gives me anxiety. I do think that the store is set up intellectually, and things make sense. I'm not sure what I would do to change the layout but I sure would allow more shortcuts for those who do not have hours to spend meandering around the store. You walk through the showcase rooms where all the furniture is set up and then you walk through the marketplace where you can pick up the physical items you like. The furniture section of the marketplace reminds me a lot of walking through the aisles at Sam's Club/Costco. If you are in need of a particular item, I highly recommend looking online to understand what you're purchasing. If you walk in with no concept in mind, things can get really ugly. read more

Pros- Everything is well organized and Customer service is friendly. Awesome place to shop Cons- Checkout wait time takes awhile, and restroom are not clean nor have TP. read more