Joe ain't no shmoe, that's for sure! Trader Joe's is a fantastic little Grocery Store. Unless you have been living in a cave, you surely have heard of Trader Joe's and probably experienced it as well. Home of the famous "Two-Buck Chuck" ($1.99 bottles of wine), although as of a few years ago the price was raised to about $2.50. The workers at Trader Joe's always seem to be very friendly. It can get quite busy at times, but I have never really had a problem with having to wait too long to check out. Thank you Joe for keeping me alive! Here are common items that I buy here all the time: * Frozen Food for work-lunches. My faves include: Chicken Tiki Masala, Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken/Beef Burritos, Beef Tamales and some other Indian Food varieties. * Naan Bread - Garlic is best. I loooove me some Naan, and Joe's satisfies the urge! Just pop it in your oven, easy peasy! * Almonds (50% less salt) - These are delicious and good for you! * Beer! Who doesn't like beer?! They have a decent assortment of local brew. * Thomcord Seedless Grapes - These are a MUST try! Delicious! * Coconut Water - I rarely buy, but when I do its here because they have the big jug for $3 bucks. * Turkish Figs (dried) - Mmmmm! Other notable Misc. Items: * Greeting Cards - Pick some up and surprise someone with the old fashioned snail mail arrival of a real card. The cards are only a buck if I remember correctly. * Frozen desserts and their candy can be a real treat for those with a sweet tooth. Tips of the Day (for this location in Cary): If you're driving here on SE Cary Parkway from Highway 1 / 64, then take the right on High Meadow Drive just before you arrive and come in from the back way and park along the SE Cary Parkway side of the store to avoid the traffic mess at Kildaire Farm RD & SE Cary Parkway! Exit the same way. See you there! read more

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I love Trader Joe's and it is my all time favorite grocery shopping center, from here in Cary to Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn. There is no difference between the two. They offer fantastic food at higher than average prices, and that's why they don't get five stars. Otherwise, they are amazing and this is that place to shop. I understand the arguments that they don't have everything in the way that Food Lion has everything. I'm with that. But TJ is not trying to be FL, they are doing their own thing and if that works for you, then rock on. It works for me, so I rock on. Let me illustrate. Trader Joe's gives me better choices of lunch salad options than, say, Wal-Mart. I love the meatballs and pasta with mushrooms that come from TJ and I can't find any where else. Things like that comfort me. On top of all else, they keep their lines festive and moving and none of us love waiting. read more

Consistently good products and helpful staff. A few of my favorites include the beautiful floral bouquets, fresh salads & wine choices. Also have a good selection of health & beauty aid items and snacks. read more

Trader Joe's. The place inspires a legion of religious fans, and I can sort-of see why. But here's my problem with Trader Joe's: every time I shop there, I end up with a list of things I can't get there ... things I have to go to a "regular" grocery store for. If you like frozen and pre-prepared foods, you'll enjoy the neat and kitschy things here, but if you like to cook your own meals, it's easy to get frustrated. That said, Trader Joe's has great (cheap) organic fruit, a fantastic flower section and veggies a'plenty. So it's not necessarily a bad thing to go here ... it's just not going to be your one-stop shop for everything you might need. Or maybe it is ... in which case, it's a win-win. read more

Love Trader Joe's! The only qualm I have about them is that they are a bit overpriced, considering that they "eliminate the middleman" as they used to often tout (and maybe still do). You can count on this place to offer all the interesting and worldly foods that other grocery chains don't. Fresh produce is a bit more limited than other super markets' though. I especially love coming here for good deals on their chocolate bars, which are a great price for quality and ingredient combinations close to the gourmet brands. The only reason I don't buy more stuff here is, again, the prices. I like to stop by even if I don't have anything specific in mind to buy, because they're always experimenting to new products and limited edition items, which are usually great. They also offer great samples, and the service here is excellent. read more

I love Trader Joe's but this Cary location gives me anxiety. I often think I can stop here and quickly get what I need but once I get here, I think: I should have just gone to the Raleigh location - it would have been just as quick, or at the very least, would have been easier on my nerves. Trying to find a parking spot is horrific - between finding an empty spot and dodging pedestrians. Same with walking into the store - dodging the cars trying to find a parking spot and the people who walk like they own the place. Once in the store, there is no room to breathe. I walk in and I try to imagine the Raleigh store: is the Cary store smaller? It can't be - they look the same size - but I become claustrophobic in the Cary store and want to find what I need and get the heck out. Five stars for Trader Joe's, one star for the Cary location, which averages to three stars overall. read more

I'm a Trader Joes fan! Love this place. I believe this location is fairly new. I'm not from the area but stopped in to pick up a few items leaving the airport. The store is located in a very nice area what appears to be a new retail plaza. The store was well stocked, friendly staff. I went at peak time so the lines were long but they moved quickly. 5stars! read more

I love Trader Joe's and this is my favorite location. My favorite items are the cheap flowers, peanut butter, beer, and Greek honey yogurt. I don't even like yogurt but their Greek honey yogurt is amazing. They also have fair trade items such as chocolate and coffee. You can always find funky juice combos like carrot & pineapple which taste great. The staff is always happy, eager to answer questions, dishing out food samples, help, and more. Great selection of veggies, too! read more

You know, I always spend more than I anticipate here. TJ's has different items you can not find at other stores. Unique in its own way, but friendly in everyway. I always find the associates friendly and eager to feed you or assist you in finding something. With a smile ! I have never had bad or a hint of poor service here. Always " Top Shelf " . read more

Kindest employees work here in the whole world!! It's always so clean and stocked full and always have a great experience there! It's like Disney world for adults!!! The moment you walk in the doors it's like a beautiful sunny day with birds chirping and glorious flowers and plants and yummy baked goods and fun unique things to buy! But the best part, the people that work there!!! Highly recommend going! And smile!! You never know what people are going through! Have a blessed day! (You will if you go to Trader Joe's and get some flowers and dried mango) you can thank me later ;) read more

Excellent store for buying familiar and unusual items. I was spoiled by Trader Joe's in Chicago for years and admit I would drive 2 1/2 hours (one way) from central Illinois for their foods. Now retired, I live 10 minutes away and love the Cary store. It is A+++ read more

Always busy, clean, and organized TJs location. Love how it carries yummy speciality products at good prices. Some of the items I regularly purchase are low acid dark roast coffee, pastured eggs, soyrizo, tofu, kale cashew pesto, vegan yogurt, gluten-free gnocchi, grass-fed beef burgers, chili lime chicken burgers, gluten-free burger buns that are made of magic, gluten-free buttermilk pancake mix, banana chips, and port. Staff is always friendly and helpful. read more

Lots of products you won't find in the regular grocery stores. Many organic options. Wild salmon - yes. Little bit tight moving around with the carts. Long lines, but fast moving. Didn't see a self check out option. It didn't seem as expensive as Whole foods. I thought produce would have more options though. Flowers cheaper than Food Lion and Harris Teeter. Then I had to show ID for buying non-alcoholic beer lol. Free samples of food, coffee and wine. read more

I love TJ's for several reasons: 1. For the moment, I feel like I'm still living in San Francisco. 2. Belgian Chocolate Pudding 3. Soy Cream Mini Chocolate Sandwiches 4. Dark Chocolate Cranberries 5. Delicious coffee selection with all the right labels (Certified Fair Trade, organic, aromatic, etc) 6. Great organic selection 7. Best "healthy" pancake mix 8. French Village yogurt 9. Excellent customer service 10. ...and the bells that they ring every now and then! *Ding, ding!* Can I meet Trader Joe? I totally want to trade with him! Overall: This place is my go to snack store. It also has healthy delicious ingredients for every day cooking with added interesting exotic fare . Trader Joe, thanks for bringing an original California store to the east coast. read more

I love this place! The prices are great, the products are top notch, and the staff is all friendly. Something about Trader Joe's just keeps me coming back. There are certain things I get here that I can't get anywhere else, and they're way better than what I'd get at other grocery stores. The chicken sausage for instance is awesome. They have tons of flavors and I never see them anywhere else. They also have some yogurt that is some of the tastiest yogurt I've ever had. On top of that, the staff is all really friendly and helpful. They're always around to point you in the right direction, or even give you suggestions on items you might want. There's even a person walking around with a big question mark just so you can ask them questions. The Cary Trader Joes is like a smaller version of Wholefoods, but without the hipster snark. read more

Terrible!!! Line out front had to wait 10 minutes then get in the store and have to wait another 10 minutes just to get to a cashier! Don't waste your time go anywhere else but Trader Joe's. read more

First off I love love love Trader Joes. Ever since living in southern Cali this was one of the places I had hoped would make it to the east coast. I've been to Trader Joe's in plenty of states now and have seen all different lay outs of the store. However this Trader Joe's has got to be my least favorite of them all. Yes still 4 stars they still carry the same products that I love and the people go out of their way to help you and are very friendly. The Pros: - there is a Trader Joe's in Cary - cheap wine - cheap dog treats - great selection of organic food - great selection and prices on vitamin's - I love their facial moisturizer - you can't find good cheese at this price The Cons: - worst parking lot ever this shopping center is entirely to busy and they could have picked a much better location for this store - the store is small I find it intolerable to shop here on the weekends So obviously the pros outweigh the cons which is why I do shop here. Just be aware how busy this place gets and how obnoxious it can be to shop here on the weekends. read more

I love Trander joe. I have been to trader joe in both stores, one in Cary and another one close to the capital Blvd. Both of them are nice and have a lot of selections of peanuts. Their cookies and salsa sauce r excellent. The parking is a little packed for both places. read more

Thank Goodness - I'm back in the land of the Trader Joes! cheese bread 'british mufins' chocolate dried cherries chicken sausage Triple ginger snaps olive oils jellys pizza/marinara sauce salad dressings! I love that TJs house brand is usually a healthier version of a staple. (ie, looking at the applesauce ingredients are "apples. water" - Thats it.). Trader Joes mostly avoids HFCS etc. and generally makes you feel a bit better about your decision making ability. read more

I remember the first time I ever went to a Trader Joe's. The year was 2004 and I was already in Culver City for lunch, so I decided to stop by Trader Joe's on the way back and pick up some groceries. I had my typical grocery list, and I was looking for the basics; bread, milk, flour, sugar, eggs, and other simple items. I came out of the store 20 minutes later, angry and confused because I couldn't find anything I was looking for. What kind of crazy grocery store was this? There was no ingredients here, everything was pre-made! Years later, as I am working full time and have a young son, I'm at the point where I can no longer make all my food from scratch. On busy weeknights when I don't have 2 hours to make a meal, it really helps to have some ready-made food that I can just pop in the oven for a few minutes. I think I spend the most time and money in their frozen food section. My husband loves their orange chicken, I love their desserts, the single serving Indian foods are pretty good, and they have some frozen chocolate croissants that turn out as good as most bakeries. They also have some great wines at low prices. My favorite is the Dr. Beckermann Auslese which is a fantastic dessert wine. Every once in a while Trader Joe's will break my heart by advertising something seasonal like Marzipan Stollen and then run out of it before I get a chance to stop by. The store also suffers from long lines at every checkout. I really wish this place had some self-checkout spots like Kroger and Harris Teeter do. And occasionally, one of the foods tends to not turn out so well (there were some egg rolls I bought once that were horrible, they fell apart and tasted like crap). But in general I do like Trader Joe's and I think it's a great place to buy pre-made dinner items for cook-and-serve nights. read more

I'm a recent Triangle arrival from California. But don't hold that against me. Back in my old stomping grounds, I had access to no fewer than 3 Trader Joe's in a 20 minute radius. Needless to say, I am a TJ's addict. I was SO happy to find there's one in Cary!! Trader Joe's has excellent prices on many items: yogurt, cheese, cereal, frozen items...the list goes on. It's a bonus that many items are organic. They also offer tons of meat alternatives like fake corndogs. My husband lives on that kind of stuff and it's often cheaper than the regular grocery store. I love that they are always bringing in new items. It's like a little treasure hunt each visit. Chocolate covered ginger bites, anyone? Compared to the locations I frequented back in CA, this one is pretty calm, even on a Saturday afternoon. But it's a much better idea to show weekdays if possible. read more

Nearly all of my grocery shopping is done at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and the Farmer's Market in Raleigh. The problem with the Cary TJs is that they do not seem to have as much food from local sources (or, at least they don't point it out to shoppers). Most everything is packaged with their own label and cheaper than in Whole Foods. For some things, like cereal and frozen meals that need to be prepared in a factory, that's fine by me. But, I'd rather support our local farmers when possible and not pay to have food shipped around the country. Though, I'd be lying if I said I never bought any milk, eggs, or meat from TJs. It's great to have another option in the area. I usually shop here after work around 6pm, and it isn't too crowded. It is a small, very popular location that can get crowded on weekends. The staff are great, and I've had some good conversations while checking out. If you're getting sushi (which is good here), they keep a stash of chopsticks under the register. Sometimes you'll need to ask for them, but some staff will immediately ask if you want a pair. There's also a raffle for free groceries that you can enter if you bring your own bags. If I ever win, I'll give them 5 stars instead of 4 :) read more

Trader Joe's, Trader Joe's, how I love the....let me count the ways. A recent visit to the area demanded I swing by and stock up on my favorite TJ items and haul it back home. I've loved TJ's since first shopping there in LA long ago. I sure wish I had one nearby in FL, but the closes is over 1 hour away. "Attention, Trader Joe's! We need the love in Tampa, please!" This location had great selection for such small store, I particularly like their TJ's sauces and load up whenever I shop at one. read more

The Cary Trader Joe's is AMAZING! I was talking to a staff member at the WF road TJ and when I told her I was looking for an item I picked up at this TJ and she said, "oh, the Cary TJ is a notch above this one". WHAT?! I couldn't believe she admitted that but I appreciated her honesty. It is somewhat true. The Cary store is much easier to get in and out of and it isn't as crazy and hectic on the inside, although I don't want to complain because the WF road TJ is closer to me so I don't want anything to happen to it. This TJ has super fresh produce and always has plenty in stock of items I shop for regularly, i.e. dairy, frozen foods, etc. Of course, the Charles Shaw is always a must! read more

I do enjoy the Trader Joe's here in Cary - people often use the word "cheap" to describe the shopping experience. I'd modify that statement by using "affordable" instead. The quality of all of the store brand merchandise I've bought (particularly the frozen foods and chips) has been excellent. There's also a stand in the back of the store serving food samples and coffee, so don't miss that. Not the greatest selection in the world as this isn't a huge store (may have to visit Harris Teeter or Whole Foods if it's a specialty item) but the service and value are top par which is why Trader Joe's remains at the top of my list of grocery stores. read more

Yeah, it's a grocery store. But it's not your average grocery store. Do you get tired of the commercialized processed foods at the regular grocery stores? And do you like the quality and interesting goods at Whole Foods, but hate leaving your whole wallet there? In a nutshell, Trader Joe's is quality food at good prices. The staff and the store can be a bit quirky sometimes, but these are people having fun. The prepackaged foods are quite good, but less expensive than other stores. I think it is this combination of thrifty and tasty with a little bit of granola thrown in that makes them successful. The marinated raw meats have been a hit at our house, from pork loin to tuna steaks. Take them home and cook them up. Crackers, breakfast cereals, sweet treats, pre-made soups, condiments, etc. Note that you won't find the regular names there such as General Mills, Kraft, etc. Just about everything is their private brand. There are some things we still get from Kroger's. But we are getting a fair amount of our grocery's from Trader Joe's. Around Christmas they have Candy-Cane Joe's. Think Oreos with a peppermint filling. As they aren't available after December 31st, make this part of your year's food storage supply. read more

My favorite grocery store! The selection, prices, staff and creativity can't be beat.

The staff here is super friendly, apparently we walked in minutes before closing but no one said a word. We were in the store for 30 minutes and still no one said a thing, didn't realize our faux pas until the door had to be unlocked when we walked out. Apparently they stock the shelves in the evenings. This is the only place where I can find Ezekiel breads on a shelf and not in a freezer. The fresh flowers bouquets were beautiful and cheap. Lots of unique foods and cheap prices. Definitely my favorite grocery store! read more

I love going to Trader Joe's....but I especially love going to the Cary TJs! Everyone here is so friendly and helpful! And the store itself is always neat, clean, and has everything I'm looking for! I try to avoid eating frozen foods, but if I do eat them, I buy them at TJs. They have healthier options, not to mention unique and tasty selections. I'm a big fan of their frozen pizzas as well. The dried fruits are also a must-have and in the chip aisle? Go for the sweet potato chips! TJs prices are very affordable and you'll be surprised how much you can get for under $50. It's always good to know that the things you're picking up are a bit healthier too. Something I've noticed is that chicken broth is cheaper at TJs AND ORGANIC! Can't go wrong with that! read more

Trader Joe's is my weakness. I go in swearing I'm only there for one thing and end up leaving with 3 days worth of groceries. We used to live next to the infamous Trader Joe's in NYC by union square so our standards are pretty high. To be totally honest we were underwhelmed with the other location in Raleigh. That combined with the fact Harris Teeter is in walking distance from our current apartment, it's been a while since we've stocked up on our favorites. Alas, we found ourselves in Cary and stumbled upon Trader Joe's. We walked in for ginger chews and left with enough food to make 3 lunches, 2 dinners and a bunch of snacks. Clean, open, nice fresh selection and plenty of parking. It felt great to get some quality groceries we've been missing for a year. read more

I don't know how they do it, but TJs has great items at really low prices! I love getting their "Fearless Flyer" mailer and thinking about what great little items I'll find the next time I stop in. I'm a huge fan of a lot of their seasonal items, but there is *always* something delicious you can find here (cookie butter, anyone?). Yes, Trader Joe's is usually busy, but sometimes we've lucked out and been here when it's not packed (yay!). When it's crowded, expect to spend a little more time as other shoppers are reading labels or slowly walking from one display to the next so they don't miss any great finds. Despite the busy nature of the store, the employees have always seemed very friendly and helpful. When we purchased some shrimp nuggets (um, yes that's a real thing...and they're spectacular) the lady who was at the cashier took the time to tell us about how she made them into shrimp tacos which sounded fabulous! We also usually get some stickers for our little one which she loves -- she's even done double-takes after receiving stickers to make a mental note of the really nice person who gave her such an amazing gift (at least that's what I'm thinking she's doing in that double-take!). There really are so many unique to TJs items here that are just great. I love that the prices are reasonable too for such high quality items too!! There are some gf areas of the store (of course), gems in the frozen aisles, fresh fruit and veggies, meals ready to just heat and eat, and so much more. It really is a great smaller grocery store, and I'm likely going to only shop here more in the coming years! read more

I always love going into this Trader Joe's simply because of how nice the employees are! Seriously every time I come in and browse and check out I feel like I am in the only shopper in store. Everyone is so welcoming and they are always ready to answer my questions. Aside from the fact that I love the products they carry and what they stand for, I love how inexpensive and wide their beautiful selection of flowers is! read more

Every time I go to Trader Joe's, I think: "I should come here more often." During my most recent visit, I bought fresh mozzarella, TJ's feta, fresh red peppers, chicken andouille sausage, pine nuts, smoked paprika and dried pasta, all great quality and at better prices than I could find at Food Lion. The frozen grilled corn, "light" butter, and TJ's wine were comparable to what I can find at other local groceries. The staff is always friendly and helpful. Not every item is at a fantastic quality and price; it just depends on what you're looking for. I would never do all my shopping at Trader Joe's, but I have items on my list that I wouldn't buy anywhere else. read more

Store is clean, well organized and moderately priced for the quality you're getting. RUN, don't walk to get the Trader Joe's Pineapple Chips! I'm NEVER eating greasy potato chips again. My life is changed, the PERFECT snack food has been found! read more

Trader Joe's in general is a gift sent from heaven. With this trader joe's, be careful when you decide to shop here. Sunday mornings are good, and I am guessing weekdays aren't bad either. However, the Sunday evening rush, just makes things hectic and impossible. It'll take 15 minutes just to find parking, and then inside its a madhouse. However, the staff is always really friendly and helpful, I always find what I am looking for (plus inspiration for my weekly menu!) and this grocery store has the freshest vegetables amongst all the grocery stores I have visited so far. Also, every time you use a reusable bag, they give you a ticket for a chance to win a free bag of groceries! Woot! read more

The hubs and I decided to get on the "healthy train," so to ensure our success, I decided to forgo my usual grocery store and hit up Trader Joe's. I've been in TJ's (we're already on a nickname basis) before, but it's been awhile. It's not as big as the regular grocery stores you might be used to, but it is packed full of fresh produce, meats, cheeses, wine, beer and dry goods....all of which seem to be barely (if at all) processed, organic, and super healthy. You will not find your usual High Fructose Corn Syrup laden foods here! I was pleasantly surprised at check out that my bill was half the price it usually is at the grocery store down the road. I thought healthy fare, especially produce, was always more expensive?!? Not here! Grab some bananas for $0.19 a piece! I'll be back:-) read more

Trader Joe's continue to excel! I love buying my groceries there. I never shop from Harris Teeter or Food Lion even though those stores are closer to my neighbourhood. The staff is very friendly and always have something to say about the new items at the checkout counter (I mean, they choose to be nice even though they have to carry all those heavy boxes and there are kids and shoppers scooting around everywhere, getting in the way). Staff seems as passionate and excited about the TJ groceries as the shoppers! There's free coffee and new items to taste. The riced cauliflower for example - what a novel item to sell! I used to like their veg soup stock sachets but they stopped selling those - now they only have the chicken stock sachets. Their prices are low too. I don't know how they manage all this. I prefer TJs to Aldis... A very innovative, fun store. Wish they have more branches opening in and around RTP. read more

Trader Joe's is not close to me, however when I do make the trip out to them, I am never disappointed. Some of our favorites are their pizza dough, frozen fried rice, and our new discovery, their salsa. They have the freshest fruit and best selection of flowers. The beer selection is great too!! The employees are super friendly and always willing to help. Only "con" is that I can no longer find these chocolate covered pomegranate seeds they used to sell :( read more

Due to some great customer service I have upped to 4 stars. My previous review posting still stands!

Time/battle-tested items every household should have from TJ's: Creamy Tomato Soup Worlds Biggest Cashews (actual title) Milk Chocolate Covered Pretzels Individually Packed Trail Mixes Brownie Truffle Mix Feta in Brine (Cheese Section) Garlic Naan Bread Avocados Number Guacamole Charles Shaw (2 buck chuck) Gamay Beaujolais if they have it.' Apple/ Peach Baby Yogurt Organic Corn Chips read more