Possibly the worst Safeway in the district. Regularly long lines, understaffed cashier wise, and dirty. Still don't know why they can't have enough cashiers, only two registers open on a Saturday?! Quicker for me to put my items back and walk to Harris Teeter. read more

I try to avoid this Safeway when I can. The store feels run down and the lines are always insanely long. If you do need to go, avoid 5-7pm to miss the after work rush and make sure you wash any produce well. read more

This location is very convenient to the apartment I've lived in for the past 4 years - it's across the street from my bus stop, so it has in the past been 'my' grocery store for when I need to grab something. Granted, the lines are never great in any grocery store in the district because of the number of people who stop in to grab a few things (rather than driving to a store and loading up for the week), but this one in the past would be no more than a 10 minute wait on a standard night, with the expected 20-30 minute wait when people freak out over 2" of snow. This Safeway recently got rid of 4 self-checkout lanes (with one line feeding to the four), a little over a month ago. This leaves this location with 6 checkout aisles (2 of which are '15 items or less'). The manager has failed to grasp that more than 2 lanes should be open during peak hours, meaning after the typical 9-5 work hours this city has, the place becomes filled with 2 waiting lines of hell. Every day. Ever since the self checkouts were removed, the waits at this location now seem to stretch 20-30 minutes every night. Last night, I clocked it. Even though there were 8 people in my line ahead of me, I was in line for 28 minutes. Last week, on Friday, I stopped in to pick up a few items, but left the line and the store after 5 minutes of the line I was in not moving a lick. I got out, replaced the items I had picked up in their respective locations, and left the store because of the lines. Even though the Harris Teeter on Kalorama is an extra 5 minute walk out of my way and less convenient, the combined 10 minutes extra time still will reduce a quick trip to the grocery store by 20 minutes on a given night. Not to mention the Harris Teeter consistently has better and fresher produce. Oh, did I forget to mention that this location, on any given night, may look like it's been picked over as if the aforementioned snowstorm was going to take place? I've walked in several times over the past 4 years and found that this place either ran out of or isn't stocking basic produce like lemons, limes, green onions, bell peppers, or heck, romaine lettuce? And if they are stocking it, the leaves are wilted or the bell peppers are all shriveled and clearly past their prime? It's almost as if this location is run by Metro. Avoid it if at all possible, because it's clear the management doesn't have plans on improving things. read more

It should say a lot that this Safeway is the easiest grocery store to get to by bus and I almost never come. Yes, there is a bus that goes LITERALLY from the front door of my apartment building to the corner of Columbia and Adams Mill Road, a 3 minute walk from Safeway, but on most days you couldn't pay me to go here. On Sundays especially, the stock in this store runs low enough that you may not be able to buy milk, yogurt, or meat that doesn't expire same-day. I will say that the staff is usually pretty friendly, which adds one star to what would otherwise be the minimum possible review. read more

It's huge Needs customer service Typical grocery Can do better Price is ok Parking is good Little crowded read more

Just wanted to commend Chazvon as a checker at the Columbia Rd. Safeway. Incredible customer service. I was in one line to get checked out, he said he could check me, he grabbed my items on the conveyer for me-- and by the time I got over to put the rest of my things down, he already had the my other things checked out. Good, smart, short conversation. Nice touch. Then I picked up my things. I thought I had everything. He had been calling out to me, and finally he caught up wth me outside to hand me my other bag. Promote that young man. read more

Take it or leave it. This is certainly not D.C.'s finest Safeway branch. I only come here for basic items, and if I don't need to buy more than what fits in one bag. The selection here leaves something to be desired, especially when you compare it to the Giant in nearby Columbia Heights. read more

I'm apparently the neighborhood weirdo who rated the Harris Teeter at 2 stars and the "crappy" Safeway at 4 stars. I went today.... and - shock - the place is actually pretty nice post-remodeling. The produce is still lacking and the seafood still kinda sucks, but otherwise it's fine. And, keep in mind, they charge less for the exact same products than Giant and Harris Teeter. What's not to love about saving money? read more

The produce can be good one week, rotten or not even there the next. There are deals here and there (if you have a card) but occasionally the marked discount doesn't come through at the register, so you either make a stink about it or buy something at full price you were only interested in for the discount. This place is apparently one of the better Safeways in DC and I believe it. Though I have seen some BAD grocery stores, grocery stores that should've been taken out into the street and shot, that does not make excuses for this one. I can get a 20 lb. bag of cat litter for $5, so I keep coming back. And do what you can to avoid peak hours; it is a nightmare of screaming children, food stamps (I am only saying this because they take much longer at the register than cash or credit) and people using the express lanes who can't count to 15. read more

This place is the worst Safeway in the pathetic supermarket's chain, primarily because of the inept employees who don't have a clue about customer service. After today, I won't give them another dime of my money. Long lines in all checkout lanes, yet I counted four employees hanging around chatting & joking with each other; completely oblivious to anyone but themselves. I walked out & made my purchase at Harris Teeter. Good riddance, Safeway. read more

I have no fucking clue why I gave this place five stars before, but it's really decent compared to the other stores in the area. Unlike the Harris Teeter on Kalorama, you can count on them to occasionally have some sale items in stock, and the lines are usually pretty short. read more

While the place isn't stellar, it meets my basic needs. I generally have no problem finding basic items and reserve my more serious shopping for Costco, when I want to stock up. In this Safeway, the store is relatively clean, the aisles are spacious enough, and the cashiers are friendly towards me. And since I neither expect "Nigel" to greet me at the door with a glass of wine and a plate of cheese and grapes nor get too excited about ANY grocery store, I'm okay with this store. read more

There are almost always long lines here and they are frequently out of basics. Walking a little to Harris Teeter is usually a better option.

Awful staffing. Substandard customer service. Be prepared to wait at least 20 minutes to check out and be prepared to bag your own groceries. This location is understaffed no matter when I visit. Morning, night, mid-day, weekday, weekend. Just now only two lanes were open and neither was particularly efficient. Worse when I was finishing checkout I had no help banging the groceries and had to reach over the card swiping equipment and struggle to place the items while the clerk had moved onto the next customer. read more

I went here at about 7am on a Saturday to surprise my friend with balloons for her business. I waited at customer service but no one was present at the window. One of the team members was about to clock in and told me that the person that does balloons doesn't not report until 9am. Well that would've been too late because I needed them sooner. I wish it was posted on the website about the department times. This team member did tell me about the Safeway a few blocks away. She let me know that she had to go pick up stock from there and I could meet her there for the balloons. She even gave me the name of a manager to ask for if I didn't see her when I made it. So even though I didn't get my balloons here, thank you Vonda (I think that's how you spell her name) for meeting me at the other store and making sure someone assisted me. Great customer service! I didn't give 5 stars because the website does not state the times for each the department. It would've been helpful to know this so I could've had a plan XYZ. read more

This is a small, old, city Safeway. Being bilingual is useful for navigating the narrow aisles. (Bilingual in spanish and english, that is. Urdu won't get you far). The store is dark and kinda dirty, but for a dash-in to walk back home it's convenient if you live in the neighborhood. read more

I went to buy some produce and found everything in the entire aisle to be rotten. Go to Harris Teeter and spend an extra buck or two.

Our neighborhood Safeway. Has everything you'd expect at a smaller local grocery. Prices aren't outrageous. DONT go after work 5-7. The lines get ridiculously long around this time. read more

This Safeway, in a word, sucks wh is something to say coming from a 73 year old Adams Morgan long term resident. You can't find things, some personnel are rude, the meat counter help was dismissive to me, probably racist and agist. I'm steamed read more

Holy crap. Just when I thought this place couldn't possibly get any worse, they got rid of the self-checkout lanes. Ugh.

The lines at this location can become excruciatingly long. They seem to be well stocked for the most part for dry goods at least, however I'm not sure about produce and the deli section. They usually have nice discounts for beers and a fairly good selection of that. read more

Still a disaster. Yes, it's prettier, and the odds of finding all the ingredients in a basic recipe are much increased. Still, the staff continue to treat customers like the nuisance they clearly are and management is, at best, indifferent to the notion of customer service. And still I go back. Generally, I take it in stride, but last night I actually asked to speak to a manager, the first time I've done that in a very long time. I was told there was no manager on duty. A very creative way to cut down on complaints... read more

It's pretty decent for a Safeway in AdMo but the produce looked like it's been sitting there for awhile and the shopping baskets weren't particularly clean. read more

My expectations were so low when I walk into this Safeway -- I was delightly surpirsed when it was a lot less ghetto than I thought.....I might come back. read more

You will never find everything you need at this Safeway. They are missing important items and nothing is where you would expect to find it. Unless you go at off hours its going to take longer to check out than it is to find all of your items. They honestly have a look of shock and awe if you have a cart full of items in one visit. I would highly recommend walking the extra blocks to Harris Teeter. read more

This is a bit of an unfair review because it's actually for the 5000 block of Connecticut Ave Safeway and Pharmacy. The worst 2 store units in the entire DC area! If you needed your medicine and were in an emergency medical condition this would be a death trap! They are sooooooo slow it's painful to watch and even more so to wait. Each time I am here I have been the next in line and it takes a minimum of 20-30 minutes to be attended. You could literally cook a meal and come back and still not be seen. The stores freezer section is a nightmare. The ice cream is always soft. This store serves one of the highest income areas that Safeway serves and it performs like it's in Russia! The selection is horrible! The people move like the walking dead infecting one another. I imagine it will take a boycott from the neighborhood to shut it down long enough for a remodel that effectively serves us. One positive! They are a Good Rx pharmacy and I just saved over $100 on my medication. read more

Service is horrible. Cashiers are rude and lines are always way long. I try to avoid going here unless I have no other options.

This Safeway is the worst. In the heart of Adams Morgan and this store never has anything. They never have milk, toilet paper etc etc... The people that work there are not friendly and are only talking to each other and playing around. The lady at the deli department was so bad. It took me 20 min to get ham and I was the only on there. She was not friendly at all. I don't even think she made eye contact with me. I prefer shopping at Giant where they have everything in stock and are friendly. read more

Worst place ever to grocery shop. The customer service sucks! Every time I go to the deli department to get a sandwich or wrap I have to wait for 10- 15 mins for acknowledgement and services just for them to let you know they are out of EVERYTHING. Or what they have is old. It's so bad there. One time 2 of the employees were arguing and cursing really loudly right in front of the manager and were about to fight. They had no regards for the customers at all nor the store manager. Don't go here unless your desperate. read more

A few weeks ago, I encountered the worst service from this store. A cashier named Tiana was the most disrespectful individual that I've ever met. I got in her line and she gave me a really nasty look. She proceeded to tell me that she was taking anymore customers because she needed to go home. I got into the next line and I could hear her talking about me to the customer that she was helping. "Who does she think she is? She really lost her damn mind thinking that I was going to ring her up. She got me all the way fucked up!" This is not how you treat your customers. I understand that she was about to close her line but the conversation afterwards was very unnecessary. read more

Like other reviewers note, the store has no self-checkout and rarely (never that I've seen) more than two of their six lanes open. Lines are long and frustrating. The produce and product selection is poor and overpriced. If you can avoid this grocery store, I recommend you do. read more

Expensive, usually long lines. What more do you need to know? Update: with the removal of the self-service checkout lines and even LONGER lines now, I just removed a star. read more

I like the Spanish Safeway. Compared to the Safeways in Dupont it's terrific. The selection is much better. It's a bigger store with wider aisles, making it easier to navigate. Minuscule bakery section, which is weird & annoying. Nicer produce section than the Soviet Safeway. read more

This place is just about the dingiest grocery store I've ever been to. The shelves are always disorganized, the employees are surly and unhelpful, and the lines are always long. The cashiers take their sweet time checking you out and seem far more interested in their conversations with the other employees, and I've never seen more than three registers open at once, despite the fact that they have around 10 of them. There are a few upsides though... the Safeway Select brand products are pretty good and inexpensive, and occasionally they will have crazy sales (buy 2, get 3 free) on various items. This store is supposedly going to be remodeled soon; hopefully that will be the impetus to get them to not suck... until then, I'll continue to avoid this place. Side note: I shopped here for almost a year before finding out that they have a garage. Not that I'd ever buy enough groceries here to warrant putting them in a car, but good to know nonetheless. read more

Just went there at 2:45 on a Monday afternoon. I hadn't been in there in years, living closer to another grocery, but I was in neighborhood. Only one cashier! A line of about 6 people, several with packed grocery carts. No employees around to help. A line at the managers office. I emptied my basket and left. It reminded me of grocery stores 20 years ago, when they were more interested in personal time and breaks than customer service. Are the managers totally clueless? or don't they care. Avoid this relic if you can. read more

This store isn't great, and I avoid it at all costs. It's small and not all that well stocked. The fresh food section is terrible, often either under-stocked or over-run by flies (it's pretty gross). Checkout is an absolute nightmare and they always seem to be massively under-staffed. You can spend 20-30 minutes in line during rush hour, easily, with only 2 or 3 desks open. They do have a good wine selection and decent choices for beer. Honestly though, there's a Harris Teeter just a couple of blocks away. It's infinitely better! read more

They sell stuff that is expired. And the stuff is NOT AT ALL HELPFUL and cooperative. The cashiers are still fine, but the staff in general have not been trained . Will never go back, though this is the closest to my place. read more

The Columbia Rd. Safeway is a good, basic neighborhood grocery store. Sometimes their veggie produce isn't so hot - you can always trek over to Harris Teeter for better quality and a slightly higher price - but Safeway food is usually okay. Occasionally some section (water, chips, meat, etc.) will look decimated as if a hurricane was about to blow into town, but these instances aren't that frequent. As for checkout lines, Joe P. is always the best! read more

My first two star review! As is usually the case, I have to either be blown away or horrified to review a place, and this Safeway has inspired a review for the latter reason. It's a fine place for things a grocery store can't screw up - packaged, brand name things with a long shelf life, and non-food items (alcohol, toiletries) hence 2 stars. Plus it's in a very needed location, as there aren't other super convenient groceries for people in north adams Morgan except the "Teet" on Kalorama. Which is why it's a shame it's not quality. Im all but finished buying produce or fresh food here, because I've personally had at least 3 experiences with moldy or infested produce and have overheard - not once but twice - other customers complaining about cockroaches in the deli. The employee who was being reported to during one of these incidents seemed unsurprised. Even packaged goods are often left on the shelves too long. They're good about returns, but who's got the time, everytime? Lastly, as other reviewers have mentioned, should you be in the undesirable position of needing to use the bathroom at a grocery store, this is close to the worst case scenario. I can't imagine the amount of work that must go into keeping a large grocery store packed with fresh foods and operating cleanly, but unfortunately neither can the management here. read more

Wish the manager would tour the checout clerks to Harris Teeter or Trader Joe's to learn what customer service is all about. Judy is an exception but this morning as I was busy pressing in my Safeway number and credit card, the clerk was busy reading the sales inserts in the paper. When I finished and asked about help with my groceries, she snapped, "You didn't give me your bag." I had to retrieve my groceries from various places where she had dumped them. I ask myself time and again why I continue to go to this nasty place. It is close...maybe I need to benefit from the additional steps. read more