Trader Joe's is a national grocery chain that still manages to feel like a neighborhood store. Most products are their own private label, and you'll find a strong selection of organic produce, vegan options, and even fresh flowers and succulents right at the entrance. The back of the store has a nice beer and wine section--think Whole Foods-style offerings but at lower prices. For example, a six-pack of beer for just $4.99 isn't the best tasting, but at that price, it's hard to complain. Here's my biggest tip: avoid this store on weekends. I made the mistake of visiting on a Sunday around noon, and it was chaos. The underground parking garage holds maybe 20 cars, and the line to get in stretched onto the street. I ended up parking on the street in the neighborhood two blocks away, which wasn't terrible, but once inside, it was a different story. Every register line had 20-30 people, stretching all the way to the back of the store. Overall, Trader Joe's offers great prices and unique finds, but unless you enjoy battling crowds, I'd recommend going on a weekday. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

We made the mistake of going to Trader Joe's on a Sunday, and it was absolutely packed. The parking garage was full, so we had to park on the street--which should've been our first clue to turn around, but we didn't. Inside, it was shoulder-to-shoulder with shoppers. That said, we managed to grab a few items we wanted, and the checkout line moved surprisingly fast. We picked up the Pad See Ew, Paneer Masala with Rice, and a couple of ice creams. Everything we tried was tasty, and I was pleasantly surprised by how good the frozen Pad See Ew was. The portion size is on the smaller side, but at $4-5, it's a solid value. Note to self: avoid Trader Joe's on weekends; weekday trips are much better. read more

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While the products and aesthetics of this successful franchise seem formulaically laid out for a good experience, a number of the branded TJ products take on the optics of Russian roulette. A good example would be Australian style "Licorice Trio" bag. While priced to sell at a humble $2.79, and advertised as "soft", the actual texture, taste and mouth feel more resembled an alien food mimicry experiment gone awry. Lesson learned, going forward I will stick with the genuine article such as "Walloby". read more

The workers were soooo kind. One literally stopped what they were doing to walk me to what I was looking for. Great selection. I was able to find everything I was looking for. Great options for high protein Whole Foods. Parking was a bit confusing for me at first but I found parking near by. read more

I love going to Trader Joe's! They have great produce, some of my favorite snacks, excellent yogurt, a great wine selection and so much more. They also have great prices on many of their items. I love that I find something new to get every time I go. It's always my go to spot for cards and flowers. I even got some very good priced lavender plants earlier this summer. I have come to accept that Trader Joe's is always crowded. I have come at random and different times and it's always the place to be. Lines can sometimes move slow but the staff is extremely friendly. Because this Trader Joe's is located on Monroe Street they had to get creative with parking. They have a free parking garage under Trader Joe's, a few outdoor parking meters and the main floor meter garage parking. Personally, my car is a bit big to park in the free garage, it's very tight. I try to find street parking, otherwise I settle for the meters. read more

For healthy-ish, distinct grocery items TJ's is a fine place. We have some other options in Madison for lower cost and truly locally produced or grown food but in this part of Madison, TJ's is passable. As others have mentioned, prices can be up there, items aren't exactly local/low food miles, and fresh produce follows that. I come once or twice a year to get TJ's specific branded items I have come to know and love. Sprouted tofu in the split pack, Hold The Cone ice cream, chocolate lava cakes, lemon bars, chicken burrito bowl, the quinoa/millet chocolate chip granola bars, and frozen macaroons if I can get them. Coconut nonstick spray, coconut milk, and cauliflower rice too before they were common! To that point I've seen reviews complaining about TJs being out of things. It is my understanding that items are supposed to be limited run or seasonal here. In short, 4 out of 5 stars. My bill here is always more than any weekly bill at any other grocer in town, but it's serviceable for what it's supposed to be. Pro tip: The five star Madison groceries are the locally owned ones! read more

First time at this location as we were visiting Madison. Last few years we haven't had access to a TJs so we were very excited to go. The store overall was great, parking was free and easy to access. However, being unfamiliar with the store we did ask one floor associate where an item was and they did pause stocking to walk us to the correct aisle (very appreciated and we said thank you!) - only for that same associate to loudly comment to another coworker how silly it was we were unable to locate it ourselves as it was so "obvious" while we were still nearby to hear it. We didn't respond but it was extremely bizarre, rude and off-putting as it was our first time at that store. The cashier was very kind though and overall it was a good trip - just be wary of the floor crew's lack of customer service. read more

Decent size store. Underground free parking. Meters in the garage and on the streets. Why not 5 stars? * They gotten rid of the buttered herb jumbo butterfly shrimp. * OJ price went up and never came back down. * The Wisconsin theme bags changed years ago and it's time for a new design. * In all my years of patronage; I've never won a raffle. Hmm. * Could diversify staff more. * Orange chicken is made with dark meat. Bleh * I'll recommend just beware some of the things you'll adore will be snatched. read more

Love coming here for all the beauty dupes as they are an eighth of the price for the high end products. Everything here is great

They always make me feel uncomfortable shopping there, especially when I'm buying several bunches of flowers, they ALWAYS put me down and make me feel unwelcomed, like, I'm a customer too, I'm not clearing you out or anything, I'm just buying what I like and need! Just chill out! read more

Excellent customer service! Especially from Zoe. She helped me out with my groceries and even suggested a place in Madison to grab dinner. I'm a Californian so I may never come back here, but if I do I'd definitely shop here again! read more

A decent size Trader Joe's (TJ) located on the floor level along with residences upstairs. One downside about this location is probably their metered parking lot. Theres some street parking available but is very limited. In fact, I saw someone got a ticket because they didnt or forgot to pay for parking. This is REALLY inconvenient. Just your average TJ store. Nothing stands out really. I always come here for their dried fruits and also their frozen food selection. Theyre very affordable and is pretty good. On the days you dont want to go out or cook, these ready-to-eat frozen meals will save you some time. All you have to do is heat it up. The staff here were extremely nice! Inside the store is clean and neat, always stocking the empty shelves and helping customers all around. Theres also restrooms available by the juice bar in the back! read more

This place is great to come to. You get a higher quality product for a fair price. If you want a high quality olive oil this is your place. Inexpensive flowers to take home to the family, yup. Underground parking to not have to walk in the WI weather, yup. I honestly don't know what you would want that Trader Joe's doesn't have. I always try something new. This time I'm trying the bar soap. I have high hopes but for the price I can't go wrong. It would cost me double to get a quality soap at Woodmans or a Walmart. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

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Trader joes is my happy place. It is the best grocery store shopping experience. They make it fun by offering unique items and dishes for an affordable price. The staff (called crew) is always friendly and helpful. They make conversation with you as if you were friends. The only downside of this location is the parking is underground and can get really cramped. But in my opinion- totally worth it. If you have never been- get to Trader Joes! It will completely change your grocery shopping experience. read more

Let's get one thing straight: I love Trader Joe's. So much so that me and my college friends took some of our graduation pictures at our local Trader Joe's back in Davis. Trader Joe's is hands down my favorite place to shop for groceries and this one is no exception. Sure, it can be hard to find parking sometimes and on Sundays it's so packed with students and families with children that it can be a little hard to navigate but it's still Trader Joe's. The service here is always solid, even when they're busy they manage to have a lot of stock, and it's a great location with lots of cute restaurants nearby if you're like me and you've realized that shopping hungry is a bad, bad idea. My favorite TJs products include: mochi ice cream, their Moroccan Mint Tea, Soyrizo, Hold the Cone mini ice cream cones, goat cheese, frozen cauliflower rice, dark chocolate covered pretzels, and flavored kombucha. Long live Trader Joe's. read more

Trader Joe's - My happy place - Grocery Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

TJ's is my primary grocery shopping store. This location is nice with free covered parking. It can be a bit confusing because the parking upstairs is not free... But if you enter the garage from the side of Monroe and Lawn, it's the freebie side! There are several things I enjoy about shopping at Trader Joe's. Their philosophy is that too much selection (i.e., 8 kinds of ketchup to choose from) can be overwhelming for customers. So, TJ's typically carries one variety of each item. I am definitely one of those people who can be overwhelmed by choice - I have found myself in other grocery stores staring at the wall of 10,000 kinds of tomato sauce, paralyzed. But at TJ's I can just grab what I need, knowing that it will be good quality. There are times when I can't find a very specific item for a particular recipe, and those times I do sometimes stop somewhere else on the way home to pick up that item. I also appreciate the customer service. There are many employees walking around the store asking whether customers need help and they will go out of their way to make sure you get what you're looking for! I have had employees go and check in the back, walk across the store to help me find an item, or run to grab a better item at checkout if I didn't notice a bruised apple or something like that. And they always do it with a smile! Seriously, people are cheerful here. Pricing is a huge incentive for me too. The prices at TJ's are not lower for every single item, but overall my total grocery bill is lower here than if I shop elsewhere. I really like the ingredient lists of the food items at TJ's. There are organic foods available, but even for the non-organic items, the ingredients are simple and the list does not go on forever. It makes healthy eating a bit easier for me. Whenever I shop at TJ's, I leave happy and excited to cook at home. It makes grocery shopping enjoyable instead of a huge chore. TJ's for the win! read more

I can't believe I waited so long to go to Trader Joes! My experience exceeded my expectations. Parking was easier than I anticipated and the prices were lower or average compared to other grocery stores in the Madison area. Their flower section was impressive. They are fresh and reasonable priced and they have the best cards! I will definitely be returning to get more cards, flowers, and "Everything but the Bagel" seasoning! read more

Trader Joe's - "Bag of Sunshine" flowers given to me at checkout by Trader Joe's! - Grocery Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

Oh, TJ's - you are a dangerous one. Whenever I wander in to "pick up a few things" without a list, I inevitably walk out with a random bagful of items that racked up a pretty penny at the checkout. Lots of items are really reasonably priced (or, frankly, downright cheap), but once you throw a few "ooooh, that sounds yummy" items in your basket it can add up quickly. That's my own fault, though - you can't blame the geniuses who invented Cookie Butter. Some things that I'd suggest trying, in addition to the aforementioned addiction in a jar, are the Meatless Meatballs, Soyrizo, Cherry Chocolate Chip Soy Creamy frozen dessert, and the Ginger Almond Granola. I am not vegetarian or vegan or dairy/gluten-free, I just think those items are delicious. They've got a lot of stuff for you to expand your horizons on. If you're on a budget, make a list. If you've got some extra cash, poke around and try something new! read more

Trader Joe's is my steady dealer that gives me a straight shot of Kashi when I need it most. So, how is it that Kashi costs 33 cents more in Madison, Wisconsin than it does in San Francisco, California? Bah-humbug. Overall, this t-joes is like most other t-joes. Quality stuff at ok-prices if you have trial-and-error patience ... though you'll be lucky if its still in product-rotation the next time you return. Yes-yes's include pizza dough, greek yogurt, walnuts, dried montmorency cherries, unsulfured-oh-ya apricots, hummus, valrhona chocolate, frozen green beans, moochi ice cream, stone ground crackers, bubbily waters, and macaroons. No-no's include produce, OJ, chips, TJ brand chocolates, cheeses, wine, most of their overpriced frozen dinners. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

I've learned the hard way not to buy my produce at TJ's, but I must say that the quality of produce at this particular TJ's is much better than that of the TJ's that I frequent when I'm at school in NY. There is also a much larger selection of fruits than I am used to. This came as a huge surprise to me, but it was a very pleasant surprise! :) Regardless, I rarely buy any produce at TJ's. With TJ's, it is all about their frozen foods, canned items, and snacks (oh yes, the snacks!!). I love that I can find all the same goodies that I am accustomed to, even if I am miles and miles away from home. The only huge difference that I've noticed is that the beer selection here in the Midwest TJ's is much more expansive than that in CA or NY. Not that I am complaining... It also helps that most TJ's are organized in the same way. It makes it easy to get in, get out, and get on my way! Tip: I only recently discovered this, but there is a FREE designated TJ's underground parking lot that you can access from the side street!! Happy shopping! read more

Fun place to shop for interesting groceries. Good cheap wine. The chocolate covered pretzels stuffed with peanut butter are awesome.

Pros: Free underground parking with elevators into the shopping center, very friendly staff, large wine section, plenty of checkout lanes (as long as they are fully staffed). Cons: There is a covered parking lot connected to the main entrance - this is city parking and NOT free. Shocked by the lack of fresh produce. Small shoppe with random sections, seems disorganized, a bit aloof. Overall opinion: It's very hippie-dippie. Where's all the fresh produce? I was expecting A LOT more and A LOT better selection. Unless you don't mind your produce wrapped in plastic - they've got lots of that. I was most surprised by their extraordinarily large amount of desserts and sugar / processed foods. I was under the impression this was a grocery chain which promoted healthy options. Coming from Green Bay, we have a place called Fresh Thyme - which is a glorious place with a ton of fresh produce, bulk syrups like honey and molasses, bulk coffees, a juicery, a deli, and bakery. The overall cost is very reasonable. This is what I expected to compare Trader Joe's to, because I was told the two chains were similar. I was recommebded to go there for their "generous coffee and tea section." That turned out to be a farce. I think they have 4 types of company coffee and a handful of others. This place reminded me of World Market but without all the international items and without the furniture or beer section. I bought some coffee, lunch meat, bread, cheese, a bottle of wine and some eggs. $55. I thought HyVee was expensive. I recommend this place only for specific items like specialized flour or if you just need a gallon of milk or eggs. They've otherwise got a crap load of desserts! read more

A well-run, fairly busy Trader Joes. Staff are friendly.

Excellent groceries, employees, and exactly the correct size to move through quickly. Love all their TJ brand items and the wide variety. My faves are Mondrian orange chicken, Japanese Fried Rice, and deli meats. read more

The packaging is now recyclable in Madison, so it's not so much of a problem anymore. It is disappointing when they discontinue some product I really like, though. This seems to be happening more often lately. I wish there were some way to address this in-store, but all you can really do is write to someone at their corporate office. read more

I still remember when they were building Trader Joe's like it was yesterday! I can't believe they have been in Madison for about 10 years now. To begin with, they have a bounty of paid parking in the upper and lower sections of the building. In addition, there are plenty of street and metered parking around it. I adore how close it is to other businesses on Monroe Street, and how it's a quick stop on the way home from the west side of Madison. In continuation, they have a wide variety of organic and conventional produce and foods for your budget needs! I love how I can get a week or a little more worth of groceries for about $75! I also love the wide variety of alcohol they have at this Trader Joe's as well! Finally, the staff is impeccable. They are friendly and ready to help when you have a question! They also always have a smile on their face which is amazing! read more

I have not one qualm to announce about this TJ's! Not a single qualm. Parking is available via two lots (one off Monroe, the other off Spooner). Carts are always tidy, never massively dumped and sprawled in the parking lots or in the streets. The store is so tidy and well-maintained. Staff are always on top of tasks and helpful, friendly 95% of the time, and many come to recognize you after recurring visits! Produce is decent quality and I always find what I need. Specialty, holiday, and seasonal promotions are always fun too: pizza crust dough, my summer iced coffee concentrate and winter holiday panettone! YUM! A hidden gem IMHO: tea tree infused body care items. Body wash. Face scrub. Face/Skin cleansing pads. Oil. I'm drinking the TJ's tea tree kool-aid! I would head local for something like coffee beans, though. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

They have a decent selection of certain items and don't seem to run out too much. I'm a fan of their cheap coffee, cheap whey protein, and frozen fruits, and pizzas. During normal times I'd give them a 4.5. Recently it hasn't been a comfortable place to shop for a person trying to follow social distancing guidelines and stay 6 feet away from others. The worst part is waiting to check out. Yes there are feet decals 6 feet apart on the floor but it doesn't stop people still shopping from getting WAY too close, especially people going from the liquor department to different areas of the store. The store should set up better area to wait to check out and the staff should be more proactive in reminding shoppers to keep their distance. I'm not sure if I'll be back until COVID is over unless I figure out the less crowded and safer times to shop. read more

The staff here went above and beyond this morning. My 2 yr. old daughter was pushing the mini cart and managed to tip it over and bump her eye in the process. As you might imagine, there were many tears that followed, but I think more than anything she scared herself. It was then, as I scooped the groceries back into the cart that an employee came over to offer her a foot of stickers. Another came with an offering of string cheese. And finally, a beautiful bouquet of flowers. What a way to make a girl(s) feel good! Thank you Trader Joes employees! You have outdone yourself. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Madison, Wisconsin

My only complaint is that they need to also add one of these stores downtown and/or the east side! Trader Joe's has a great selection and the prices are so much more reasonable than other health food stores in the area. The Willy Street coop is a second best. I love that most products are free of artificial colors and flavors! The staff is helpful and friendly!!! Did I mention they need another location on the east side?! read more

I love this place. It's great when you live with just one other person because the packages of food are a little smaller, and we waste less. I love that this location has dedicated, free parking and I don't even care that it's sometimes hard to get in and out of. I could write for days about the Trader Joe's products I love...but just take my word that they are all good. I would love to see a second, larger location built in Madison. This store is great! read more

It was certainly about time that Madison got a Trader Joe's and it has become a staple of my grocery shopping. I can only give it three stars, though, because it's only possible to go there for only very specific reasons. My biggest complaint: EVERY PIECE OF PRODUCE IS WRAPPED IN PLASTIC. Thank you very much, but I am perfectly capable of cutting my own broccoli. And I actually don't mind if my asparagus is exposed to the air, it doesn't need to be in packaging. And don't worry about it- if I want a green pepper, red pepper, and yellow pepper, I can find all three separately, they don't need to be wrapped together. Other than that, I have just realized that you can't go to Trader Joe's with your usual shopping list- you have to go there with a specific Trader Joe's shopping list. They have some great simmer sauces and frozen dinner items (mmmm.....gorgonzola gnocci), but if you want staple cereals, crackers, or boxed items, you'll probably have to make a separate trip to a different place. But that's what Trader Joe's is for, I guess. Stock up on the cheap, but delicious, Charles Shaw wine and grab a few things to compliment your cheaper and more environmentally-friendly shopping at other stores and you will be content. read more

I stopped in at the Trader Joe's in Madison yesterday afternoon, and had the most amazing experience! Yes, I love the store and all the unique products I find there. But my experience at the checkout was awesome! A young lady and young man were ringing up and bagging my groceries. We made small talk and the young man asked me what I was up to for the rest of the day. I excitedly told him that I was going to visit my dad in the hospital and that he had been there since November 6, and this was the 1st time I was seeing him ( because of Covid restrictions) . The guy left and came back with 2 bouquets of flowers and a package of peanut butter cups to bring my dad!! I almost cried! There are still decent people out there! Even though this store is over an hour away from where I live, I will definitely come back as often as I can! read more

There is free parking underground! I repeat there is free parking underground! You just have to wrap around the building when you are driving down Monroe and you will see the entrance off of the main street. I see so many reviews on here complaining of the parking situation and it's a shame cause TJ's is nice enough to provide free parking and for some reason many don't know even though there is a big sign as you are walking into the store stating free parking. TJ's sells many addicting items. For example the best shrimp cocktail sauce in the world. Also why settle for freezer meals from a regular grocery store when you can bring a chicken vindaloo freezer meal to lunch at work for only about $3. Their salted chocolate covered almonds. Their nut and dried fruit section is awesome and nicely priced for the amount that you get. They almost always are sampling something at their sample station when I make a visit. Last week was the their turkey chili from a can which was actually pretty amazing. So I appreciate them sampling things that I would not normally pick up. Also they always sample a beverage at the same time, always nice to have to help wash down the food sample. The only thing that I'm not a huge fan of is the produce. I prefer to go elsewhere for produce. They have a decent alcohol selection too. Great place to pick up drinks, snacks, etc. for a pot luck or a party. You'll most likely be able to find score easily at finding something yummy that many people will like. read more

Orange Chicken, Guacamole, Three Buck Chuck, Frozen Brown Rice, Naan, Frozen Indian Dinners, Consume, Return, Repeat. I love this place so much. Just go there and eat all the things. You will be happy you did. read more

Ode to Trader Joe's, I've loved to visit your shop, to give my pantry and cooking a pop! Some basics you've had for years, And now you even have wine and good beers. Black Olive tapenade and Flax Seed Chips are my faves, Pick up my top ten, I can throw a party and still save. Keep up the good work, hawaiian shirts and local foods, And you'll stay in my heart, wallet and never be boo'ed. Love, Me, Loyal customer for over 15 years. read more

Is it just that I've drawn the short straw on locations, or is pain-in-the-ass parking part of Trader Joe's marketing schtick? I don't even have to be going to TJ's for it to make me angry. People dropping passengers off at the main door, just off Monroe, often backs up traffic on this major city street. If you do pull in, you wait for the drop-off driver, you wait for someone to pull out of a narrow spot, you get dirty looks for waiting while they back out, pull back in, back up, pull forward, straighten their car, yada yada yada. Parking. Such a to-do. It's the same way at the Minneapolis and St. Paul locations. It might all be worth it if there were enough things inside to make you want to go through the hassle. But the produce is average at best. The meats? Fresh? Frozen? Forget it. The packaged baked goods? Not bad but not great for you. So, what makes it worth the hassle? I like their sparkling lemonades. The staff is usually friendly. Other customers seem happy to be in the store if not the parking ramp. Finally, there is enough variety that coming here is an adventure. I usually find a new item or two take home and try. The fact that they keep me sharp and trying new products means that every now and then, I'll suck it up and pull in. read more

It's hard for me to be objective about this place because my favorite thing about it is that it reminds me so much of home. With that said, I think we can all pretty much agree that this is not and will hever be the kind of place where you will do all your shopping. It will however be the type of place where you go for things that you can only get a Trader Joe's. Things like Orangina, and pretty kickass one person dinners. The help here is definitely not as attentive as they are in other places but that doesn't take aware from my love of this place. One more thing that I love about this place is that even though it is a small little thing I have seriously somehow managed to spend over an hour in it, on several occasions. This place will always be one of my faves! They are always adding new things so it makes shopping here almost like an adventure. Did I mention that they also have samples. Not Costco status by any means but a little something to snack on it always popping in the back. Trades Joe's, keep doing what your doing! read more

I am a little in love with Trader Joes in general, but the Madison location is especially great. I work very nearby and stop in several times a week for midday snacks in addition to my standard grocery run. Per all TJs, the prices are great--this is NOT whole foods! Most items, like milk and eggs, are cheaper than at the supermarket. The meat selection isn't the greatest, but for every other food item, TJs is my go-to. As for this particular location, it's nicely sized and always clean and organized. The employees are all extremely friendly and helpful. The only downside is that the parking is TERRIBLE. Since I work nearby I usually just walk, but the few times I have tried to navigate the underground parking lot have been disastrous. There are many huge concrete poles and no loop, so you have to back out and turn around--especially dangerous if you come in, realise there are no spaces, and have to leave. Really, it's worth finding 2 hr street parking and walking--the lot is free, but it's a real nightmare. Serious design flaws. read more

I always find something new and delicious to try while wandering TJ's aisles. Wonderfully curated food selection, great staff, and a nice location in the heart of Monroe street. read more