There is a Starbucks at this location that is randomly left unattended with no way of knowing when it will be staffed again. If you ask other employees in the store about it, they will all look at you like a deer in headlights and be useless. Also, if you ever shop here after 9pm, there will be a ridiculous obstacle course of stock carts in the way, blocking aisles, shelves, and refrigerator doors. Not sure how this wouldn't be considered a safety hazard, not to mention the obvious fact that it's terrible for sales and customer service to be blocking customers from the products they are there to buy. The time of day is no excuse. Don't be open for those hours if you can't properly accommodate customers who want or need to shop at that time. read more

I am extremely dissatisfied with this location's online shopping experience, customer service, delivery, and the frequent technical issues with the app. My experiences at the Porter Square Star Market have been consistently disappointing. When orders are mishandled, management has not provided effective assistance or solutions. But having a customer have to wait 7 business days to receive a refund, but you don't know this is the only funds that a customer has (money-wise, EBT, etc.). The Star Market app has ongoing technical issues, including frequent glitches, incorrect address selection, and problems with item substitutions. This is why it's hard for a customer to trust your app. These issues have persisted for over a year, resulting in orders being delivered to the wrong addresses. When I have contacted the store for assistance, staff have not taken responsibility or provided effective support, which is frustrating given the time invested in shopping. The process of using Uber and DoorDash for delivery is inefficient, often requiring customers to cancel and restart their orders, which is inconvenient and reflects poorly on the company. Star Market should address the app's technical issues, enhance customer service and delivery processes, and ensure customers receive timely support when problems occur. Additionally, policies with third-party delivery services like Uber and DoorDash should be revised to provide greater flexibility for shoppers. read more

The bakery did a great job on a custom cake order I had for my uncle's retirement cake. He loves the movie jaws and will love this cake! read more

Star Market - The bakery did a fabulous job decorating my uncles retirement cake! I definitely recommend them! - Grocery Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

This review is on their fresh pass program. I should've read reviews before buying a year pass. Deliveries are inconsistent. They are late, I get things that I did not order, items expired dates, someone else's order mixed in with mine. Very disappointed, never again, and I don't recommend read more

As a regular customer, I am deeply disappointed and humiliated by my experience today. After scanning all my groceries, a staff member informed me that some items had not been scanned, leading to additional charges. Their demeanor was rude and unprofessional. Interestingly, when I used a different machine later, it did not produce the same issue. Moreover, I felt uncomfortable when a security guard followed me while I retrieved an item I had forgotten. This behavior feels like racial profiling, which has unfortunately become a common occurrence at this store. This is not the first time I've felt targeted or profiled as a potential shoplifter. I have noticed troubling patterns regarding the treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals, people of color, and those with disabilities at this location. I have filed formal complaints with state authorities and intend to do so again if necessary. Just last week, I observed unsanitary "rats" conditions in the bakery section, which raises further concerns about the store's management. I strongly advise against supporting this establishment, as many staff members exhibit homophobic and racist attitudes and seem ill-equipped to accommodate individuals with disabilities. Local officials and state representatives will be made aware of these issues. read more

This is a great grocery store by Porter Square. I love coming by here for my shopping needs. This place is huge and everything is easy to find. The staff are friendly and helpful. I stop by here every time I am in Cambridge to pick up snacks and drinks. I usually pick up an iced coffee at Starbucks and wander through the store. You can tell it's fall now because everything you find is pumpkin flavored. read more

Star Market - a stack of twinkies - Grocery Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Very expensive compared to other alternatives, and full of many unhealthy food choices. Cashiers look very unhappy and underpaid. Greed dominates here. read more

Sigh, I tried their sushi and chicken wings (separately on different occasions), and both times I had the runs. It wasn't a pleasant experience obviously. The employees at food-to-go were nice and attentive. Just wish that the food was safe for consumption. I don't know how both times the food was bad, and I got the runs from it. Otherwise, Star Market is a decent grocery store with a good selection of items (just wish they offer Athletic Brew). -- Place is clean and quiet, with great lighting. read more

Adding to my earlier review a year ago just to say how well stocked this store is with such a good selection of goods. It is very bright and clean. They are hardly ever out of anything. I also love that they are open 24/7. If you need customer service, it's best to go up to the service desk because many of the employees on the floor do not know where things are. read more

This place is ridiculous why do you have 3 employees in the prepare food department and none of them will help you even after they look at you 3 times and don't acknowledge you even after asking for something like that ridiculous read more

I live across the street and come here multiple times a day because it's the closest store to my apartment. However they recently decided to rearrange the entire store in a way that makes NO SENSE, and have consistently jacked up the prices to a point where it's just getting ridiculous. With H-Mart opening in Davis, and Market Basket not too far away being FAR superior, I will no longer be using this for my weekly shopping. read more

I have been shopping here since 1994. I love this store! People are friendly, they offer shredded chicken, the sales are decent & it really is very reliable, long-standing. I so DO NOT understand the negativity towards this supermarket. I am really grateful that it is right on the Red Line, and has pretty much everything you need ( I cannot find frozen har gow anywhere...) read more

Star Market and I have a long history together. One of my greatest regrets from my first year living in Cambridge was that I didn't have the Star Market app. I could have been saving so much money! I could have known when the shrimp sales would happen instead of checking in person every day! But hindsight is 20/20, and I'm happy to be a loyal user of the app today. Yes, Star Market is on the more expensive side for most things. I will usually go elsewhere (Trader Joe's, Costco, Hmart Burlington) for necessities that are overpriced at Star Market. BUT their weekly ads and app-exclusive deals can be amazing, and you can get ridiculously cheap or free things. 25 cent 5lb bag of potatoes or pack of blueberries? Free kimchi with the Saturday Sampler? 67c/lb stone fruits? Whenever something I want is on sale (or free) at Star Market, I stock up. Especially during shrimp sales (it goes down to $4.97/lb, so I wait for that). And there's usually at least one good deal in produce so we're never lacking. So yeah, Star Market is expensive if you're not using the app and buying everything from there. But if you use the app to plan out exactly what great deals you'll take advantage of, it can really enhance your food supply. This location itself is spacious and nice, and I've always had a good experience interacting with employees. I always use self-checkout which works just fine. I would also recommend going earlier in the day for produce (especially if it's on sale), because usually at the end of the day only the beat up stuff is left (I'm looking at you, jalapenos). read more

The recent renovation is now complete. They widened the aisles; not sure exactly what inventory was dropped. They've fully doubled down on the self checkout model, doubling the number of kiosks available. Along with that, they've cut the cashier hours even more. Where once there was always at least one cashier available, more I've been plenty of times after 9 when there's not been any. Tonight at 9:30, I found a bunch of product with that were covered in slimy water. The help desk was already closed, and no manager I could alert. Striving for full automation, it seems. There was a cashier tonight, but she didn't have anyone to escalate it to when I told her. This is all in the name of maximizing profits while trying to skate by on customer service. read more

Feel strange reviewing a grocery store. But hey, you have to get your food somewhere. Can't eat out all the time. I don't understand why this Star Market has so many negative reviews. It's on the more expensive side of groceries if you compare it to something like Market Basket. But I have found that it had everything you've ever needed and proper stock. I needed to return something once and I remember there not being much issue with that. There is ample parking, although you have to be aware of wayward pedestrians and cars. Extremely close to the subway and bus stops, on top of being close to many residential neighborhoods in Porter Square. I'm also a fan of the hours being open late when you need them. read more

Dawn Business Manager, your eyes should be on your own employees like the one that is suppose to be watching the self service registers. She was on her cell phone one night I was there. I noticed another night she was actually working and closer to the registers and not on her phone so possible your supervisors caught that and corrected it but don't think the customers do not see more than your own employees do as some is just too obvious especially with the non stop homeless people in and out stealing groceries and so ignored by corp. That young female with an accent she knows who she is. read more

I'm a fan of this star market. They have local options, in the produce section, and offer a ton of local bread- e.g. from the When Pigs Fly bakery (which I love). I also think they have organic options in terms of other goods, and a varied international section (I like to be able to get Cento Italian products, and Goya products). Took them down a star because the whole store smelled chemical-y when I went last night. Maybe too strong a bleach cleaning product? It also didn't seem as well stocked :(. read more

I actually really like this Star Market. The selection is incredible. I mean, it's HUGE! I think the produce aisle leaves a bit to be desired but the prices are fairly cheap. There are huge rows with a large selection of goods and there are always plenty of sales going on. They have a great frozen food section and their pastries are phenomenal. True, the quality of the meat isn't as good as say, other supermarkets but it is priced accordingly. The staff are pretty friendly. At least they aren't overtly rude! They plenty to select from regarding nontraditional american sauces/packaged foods. I only wish I lived closer so I could come here more often. read more

A good resolution to a problem: bought snap peas (their house brand, Signature Farms) labeled "stringless," which had the toughest strings I've ever found on snap peas (or snow peas or string beans). Brought them back and talked to a produce manager. I can't think of a better response than how he responded--tried a few of the ones I brought back and agreed they were bad, offered to pull them from the shelves (and was going to get me a refund even if I didn't have my receipt, though I did). Can't really give 5 stars for it, since they were selling produce that didn't match the description on the package, but I was happy with how it ended. read more

So unhelpful honestly - I called trying to ask a simple question about whether they had a baking ingredient i needed. Kept getting re-transferred to a line where nobody ever picked up. This is why I go to market basket. read more

Two stars for Star. No make it one because even with a new floor it is an uninspiring place! 1--They're no longer open 24hrs. 2--They got rid of the Wild Harvest (natural foods/organic) section. 3--They supposedly blended those natural items into the regular groceries but I can't find anything and they've cut back big time on the healthier stuff. And even something as basic as Fig Newmans...nowhere to be found. 4--Boars Head meat in deli dept? This place is stuck back in the 50s and has no idea how to compete. 5--Yogurt selection terrible. 6--Bulk items poorly curated. Get with it Star or they'll open a Wegmans in your space! read more

Very good supermarket. I've been shopping at the Porter Square Star Market for over forty years, since I was a child with my parents. I stopped by about twenty minutes ago, wanting to order a sub. (The made-to-order subs at Star Market are a bargain, at $8.) After very clearly and pleasantly asking the clerk three times if I could do so, I was told the counter closed for the night at 7pm. Given that the store location as a whole closes at midnight, the to-order sandwich counter shutting down for the night five hours prior seems awfully early. I'm not expecting a response from corporate or a change in operating hours, given how these things tend to go, but I'm disappointed all the same. read more

Good prices. However, if you bring your own bags they will not bag your groceries. I went to put my bags on the belt and the cashier looks at me and goes "ah ah" telling me to take them off" I then proceeded to bag my groceries at the end of the station while the bagger stands there doing nothing. I have been a bagger in the past at different grocery stores and would always bag any groceries in any bags. What's worse is if you want to use their bags you have to pay for the plastic bags (as with all of Cambridge) so in a sense you are paying for the bagging service. read more

Another update.. I witness open and notorious theft almost every time I enter this hell-hole. Yesterday, a woman strolled out through the in door with a full basket of groceries without paying, right in front of a store employee. I asked him about this, and he says that "they'll fire me if I say anything." Should be the other way around. I called the corporate office and they also shined me on and provided little to no assistance other than "I'm sorry you feel this way." Meat department clerk is always "on break" and never at the station. Manager is never around to assist a customer because he has to do the cashier's work due to lack of staff. read more

I am not able to comment on prices since I do not do much comparative shopping. But the store is well stocked and the staff are more than helpful. Ask the location of an item and they will not just tell you but often walk you right to the product. The checkout staff also friendly. I do not like the digital sales because I never like sales available to some customers but not others. That's my sole complaint. read more

One of, if not the best, Star Markets out there. Unusually fresh produce and a relatively well stocked meat section. Large variety of hard to find regional specialties from Asian to middle eastern to central and south American. Friendly staff, willing to help find stuff. It gets busy so pick your time well. read more

Star Market - a stone wall with a tree in the foreground - Grocery Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Yikes. A sampling of products from my visit tonight: Broccoli crowns (not organic) - $2.49/pound Avocados (not organic) - $2.00 each Cumin - None in stock Hard to understand how this place can compete with T-J's or Whole Foods. read more

This place had only two things going for it: open 24 hours, and ability to get cash back when using a Discover Card. The second perk has now been virtually eliminated (esp. at night). The first perk is severely crippled by how incredibly slow and inefficient their service is. What hasn't changed: outrageously inflated prices (almost like convenience-store overpricing), and the worst management I've ever seen...was there the other night around 11pm, and they had just 2 cashier lines open, each with lines of at least 20-30 feet. Ok, so I get that it might be hard to recruit enough folks wiling to work the overnight shift for minimum wage, but the kicker was that there were 2 employees standing idly by at a 3rd register that was CLOSED, leisurely CHATTING! And the 2 cashiers who were actually working seemed to be mentally challenged by the cash register and credit card machines, because they seemed to be moving in slow motion and studiously avoided eye contact with everyone in line except for the immediate customer in front of them. It took me a good 15 minutes just to get out the door, by which time my ice cream was half-melted already from the summer heat and them being too cheap to run the AC at a decent temp. Ugh, thank the gods there's Market Basket just down the street...if only it were also open 24 hours. That seems to be the ONLY really good supermarket in the entire New England region! Anybody who has a car or bike and would actually CHOOSE to go to this dismal pit of a supermarket during regular business hours is either a masochist or a complete idiot. read more

This review has nothing to do with the products available or the efficiency of the shopping experience there. It does, however, give an indication of the disregard for a customer. Two months ago, I lost part of my wallet in the store. I returned to them a couple of hours later to inquire if it had been found. No one really checked but I was told no. I was forced to get a driver's license replacement ($25, I believe.). Last week I received a letter from their loss prevention department in East Bridgewater telling me that they had an item of mine. (two months later) I called and they confirmed it was so. They said they would send it out to me. Yesterday I received a notice from my local post office that they had a letter for me. I went there, and it was from Star. I had to pay the $6.25 postage on it. Star couldn't afford the postage, I guess. If only someone at the Porter Sq. store had searched for the item in their office when I originally inquired, I would have been spared the inconvenience of all this. read more

Where are the baskets? Why were so few lanes open? Staff were nice, but the checkout time doubled my time in the store. Had everything I wanted and was easy to find read more

just wanted to leave a review to appreciate the customer service! i ordered delivery using the app and received the wrong order, and the customer service representative who helped me on the phone was very kind and apologetic! read more

Awful store. Management does not care about customers. Old produce, and expensive! Been many times, never going back. Pictured: $19 worth of Brussels Sprouts... dish soap for scale. read more

Star Market - Today will be my last time at this awful store. Pictured: $19 worth of Brussels Sprouts... dish soap for scale. - Grocery Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Just your regular grocery store with a lot of different selections for both produce and other foodstuffs. The place does get pretty packed during weekends so make sure to come in with a lot of patience. One thing i do love is that they carry a lot of Goya products more than I've seen at traditional grocery stores. read more

Probably the worst grocery store I've gone to in the area. I always like to switch it up but this time it was a big mistake. I didn't like the layout of the store and there was a lot of unstocked shelves. I was disappointed at the climbing prices when there was less than adequate substitutes for a lot of goods. Safe to say I will keep looking around to find my perfect grocery store. read more

This is my go-to market during the COVID-19 pandemic. This location is massive, excellent layout, and a few blocks away from the Lechmere T (green line). This market is heavily patronized by everyone in The Avalon, Earhart, and Regatta apartment condos. By far the most convenient place to shop in Cambridge. The deli, seafood, and produce areas are extremely welcoming and feature a lot of great deals. read more

In a rush, I dropped by to grab a sandwich. I've had many good sandwiches at this Shaw's/Star Market over the years, but for some reason now they were all turkey or ham (and a double-pack of Italian subs which would have cost a fortune). No biggie, I grabbed a ham one. It was wicked dry, and had no mustard or mayo packets included, but meh, I was hungry. I was about to tuck into the second half when I detected a sharp, rancid odor. Upon closer inspection I noticed the ham was more grey than pink, and was already well on its way to going bad. Checking the label, I noticed the sandwich had a sell-by date of the day before, but judging by the condition of the meat it had gone bad before even then. Don't get the sandwiches here. read more

These stars are specifically for Kathy and Marie. The grocery store is an intense experience right now, and I would love to give these two lovely staff members a shout out for their levity and kindness. They were both genuinely cheerful during my experience with them at the register/bagging this morning. I hope they are being treated well and get some relaxing time away from work. Thanks, Kathy and Marie! read more

Pros - the receipt says that Kevin Bacon is the store manager Cons - this place used to have self check out lanes. now I have to wait 20 minutes to get through the line at any time of the day. I've even tried shopping at like 12:30 at night thinking that no one would be shopping. wrong move. They just put one slow cashier on duty. Sack up Kevin bacon, tell corporate that you're reinstalling self check out lanes. read more

Star Market - 3:50 pm on a Thursday. "Express" line - Grocery Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Terrible customer service as always. When I went to Star Market this morning I had the temerity to ask the butcher to grind up some meat for me. "We don't provide that service," he said. For once I wish Star provided some customer service. Their tagline should be, "charge more, get less." No one working there seems to care. read more

Unbelievable that they are no longer open 24 hours! This was one of only a few Boston-area full size grocery stores that was open 24 hours and I think in 2019 that changed. Now it seems that all Star/Shaws in the area are no longer open 24 hours. read more