cashier Luke is a SUPERHERO! Luke was efficient, held a great conversation, and made both my day and my friend's day (she was a trader joe virgin). Luke was friendly and made my friend want to become a regular Trader Joe's shopper like me! read more

Really nice Trader Joe's location in St. Paul. Only thing that I didn't love was the parking. I mistakenly missed the entry and then thought I could enter on the other side, while it turns out there is only one way in so I had to drive all over to get back to the correct side of the road to enter. I've read that TJs all over pick places that have challenging parking but this one wins for the worst situation I've yet encountered at a TJs. Once we made it into the parking garage it was super easy to get inside and find what we needed. Overall this location is well stocked and had everything we needed. Upgrade the parking and this is a five star grocery store for me. read more

I LOVE shopping at Trader Joe's but hated the parking situation at this location. The food, drink and flower selections are phenomenal and have great value! I especially love Villa Elena wine, frozen chocolate croissants, and frozen orange chicken. I DO NOT recommend their Filipino Adobo inspired frozen meals. I LOVE chicken adobo and was so excited to try it... but it was horrid. Service was fast and friendly. Ambiance is great except for the previously mentioned parking situation because of the very few parking spots near the front door, and the difficult underground parking ramp. Sorry, I have to take away a star because of the parking. read more

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I typically love Trader Joe's.......still do, but I am disappointed. I purchased garden roses (beautiful flowers) for a gathering I was having at my apt and asked a staff member how long they would last - "approximately 7 days". My event was in 3 days so I assumed this would work. Wrong. By the second day more than half had withered and I removed them from the bouquet, and on the third day, only one was left that resembled a garden rose, so I returned them with the receipt, but the woman at the customer help counter told me they last up to 5 days - and they can wither by the third day, which they did. No replacement was offered. I was basically SOL. She was kind and of course she said she was sorry. So was I. Here is my recommendation - As beautiful as garden roses are, do not purchase them, unless you are fine with them possibly withering on the second day. They definitely do not last 7 days or fI've days, or even three. read more

So I posted the following review for the Shoreview location and since I also shop here, I feel the same. You know, I was going to give this place 4 stars because the parking sometimes sucks. But seriously. Should I really be that petty??? So I made a mental list of the pros and cons. Inexpensive flowers? Check! Decent selection of produce? Check! A frozen aisle of items that make you go hmmm? Check! Plus they do the occasional sampling of something and it usually pretty good. Also, they OWN the self branded kick ass condiment market. The fried onion in pepper oil? Wow! The elote dip for chips? Can't get that shit in my mouth fast enough! The green bottle of jalapeño cream sauce? I will drown my eggs with that stuff! Plus the people that work there are all pretty awesome while dealing with us, the general public, who are in the grand scheme of things pretty f'n irritating. Honestly there is more but you get the point. Not worth knocking a star just because parking can sometimes be difficult. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - St. Paul, Minnesota

The Trader's Joe's are all about the same and that is a good thing. I've been discovering the breads which are the greatest, check out the large selection of chips and packaged leafy veggies. They sell bananas by the singles, which is different. This location has parking in front of the store and a ramp to the side, there is also a liquor store. I've never seen an indifferent or rude employee as everyone is friendly and smiley even if they have to pretend. read more

Very helpful and friendly staff. Parking is congested. Prices are very reasonable, however you sometimes have to kiss a couple of frogs before you find a prince or princess. Two princesses I've found are their Family Style Meat Lasagna and their Coffee Bean Blast Ice Cream. The lasagna is as good as you'll get at a fine Italian restaurant and very affordable, while the coffee ice cream is so strong I'm surprised the FDA doesn't require the caffeine content to be on the container. As a bonus it contains flecks of what I presume are coffee beans. It is somewhat bitter so if you are looking for sweet it may not be for you. For best results the impatient should zap it in the microwave for a few seconds; softening also improves the flavor. A great product. read more

Love coming for a late run to stock up with some delicious Gingerbread ice cream. I'm telling you it's so good and gets your right in the spirit of Christmas. I live that it has bits of ginger candy in there which makes it stand out to other artificial gingerbread ice creams. In the entrance you walk in and see there fresh garlands as well as small Christmas trees in a pot that give off grinch vibes. Ended up at check out with MIKE and MIKE was a blast to have! Honestly the energy I need to have 24/7! Happy to see people give off great service at this time. Ps. I come here every week because it's the spot to get your grocery shopping done(: and also a great place to get some gifts for stocking stuffers at a great price read more

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The parking is terrible, as is the layout of the store. All OFF brands I don't care how much money you're gonna save, step up to the plate and pay FULL PRICE somewhere else! Workers are average at best. read more

As usual as any Trader Joe's, this store is excellent. No complaints at all if only they eliminate anything from Israel due to its crimes against humanity. read more

An historic location, the second Trader Joe's in Minnesota and one of the first places in the state to sell booze on Sundays. The overall vibe is hectic during the weekend, but the products are exciting and the staff are all friendly and helpful. read more

Trader Joe's - A baby pineapple - Grocery Near Me - St. Paul, Minnesota

While there is no "bad" Trader Joe's, there are certain locations that could have improvements and this one it comes down to the parking which is why I am giving my review 4 stars. During peak hours, the open aired upstairs lot becomes crowded along with the basement garage lot. Regardless, shoppers like myself know this and still show up because of the location and fun customer service. I enjoy the typical food items, greeting cards, fresh flowers (they last FOREVER), $5 wine bottles and overall exploring new items just like you can at any Trader Joe's. If you are in Saint Paul and debating, don't let the parking lot fiasco scare you away - it's perfectly fine once you grab a spot I promise. Enjoy! read more

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One of my favorite grocery stores!! They are My Go To Place for cereals, snacks, canned fruit and soups. Chocolate covered anything-they have it!!! read more

I bought a salad in different market places but never I had once saw the most disgusting salad ever that I had to puke everything out of my system after getting sick. How in the hell, in a controlled environment you will find a dead fly in the salad. This company fresh and ready foods that supplies these salads have the most non existing sanitary standards. Also, when I brought this dead fly swimming in my salad bowl to Trader Joes. They asked whether the fly landed when I was eating my salad. No apologies whatsoever just playing the blame game to not be liable. Anyways, when you are trying to find every excuse out there to ignore your customers, this is the prime example of bs and a bunch of excuses that a unprofessional company would do. How in the hell a dead fly would be in a salad bowl when I just opened it? I recommend anyone to not buy any food here even preservative foods because Trader Joes don't care about their customers and those suppliers that they are contracted with have the lowest standard of cleanliness. Might as well as expect them to wipe their ass while making those foods for you. In Trader Joes we care for our customers so we provide you with the best quality of food that came directly from our trash. read more

Trader Joe's - Don't buy salad from Trader Joes! You will end up getting sick like me! - Grocery Near Me - St. Paul, Minnesota

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I just came here for the first time since COVID, and I really appreciate how strict they are with their capacity limit during the pandemic. I have been very effectively avoiding going inside stores while we work through this plague, but today I needed something right away. They have a properly metered line outside, and that makes me feel a lot better about going inside. It was really cold today, but I'm still glad I had to wait in a line. Trader Joe's is a grocery store chain that has fostered a very modern, urban, health-conscious clientele. But that doesn't mean they only sell health food. In fact, their chocolate-covered peanut butter pretzels are way more likely to kill me than the cloud of pestilence we're all hiding from these days. That said, if you are at all thoughtful about the minutae of what you consume, Trader Joe's has you covered. But if you're looking for the same kinds of brands you'd get at a giant supermarket, you'll be disappointed. The vast majority of what you get here is their own brand, or partner brands that really only do business with them. Also, this is pretty much just food-groceries. Don't expect to come here and get all your toiletries or hardware or magazines or makeup or anything like that. There's a little bit of that kind of thing, but you should just think of this as a place for food-groceries. Also, I always brace myself for some perilous parking at this location. They have a small outdoor lot next to the main entrance, and a small garage under the store, and this location's modest real estate has a severe impact on maneuverability. Just be prepared for that. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - St. Paul, Minnesota

Don't like doing this but I tried to contact TJ Corporate feedback and got no reply. Was in the store Saturday 9/28. Politely asked a guy stocking the shelves if/where they had uncooked pinto beans. Seemed like a reasonable query in a grocery store. His response was unmistakably snarky and hateful: "no we don't, that's not what we do!" Another customer nearby heard this and came over to ask me if I was ok. I worked retail. I get it. Customers are such an inconvenience but this fella's name badge said "Captain." After I sent the (still) unanswered message to corporate, I goggled "what is a Captain at Trader Joe's?" Answer: the general manager of the store. This person is leading the whole team with that nasty attitude. I won't be going back. Good luck read more

It was my first time ever going to the store, I was excited about it, but the workers weren't!! When entered the store, the workers at the desk didn't answer my question when I asked when they would be getting the mini totes? So I shopped and asked the cashier. read more

Closest TJs to where I was recently staying in south Minneapolis. It's a standard sized store with a good amount of aisle room as compared to some in Seattle, but things are set up differently which perplexed me more than thrice. I do still believe the best time to come to any TJs is a half hour before closing time, if you can swing it...has that nice ghost town effect, though stocker's are oft times loading then, it's still easier to skirt around them than the typical aisle hogs who are generally neither here nor there, but dead center so you cannot pass. They have a very small lot which is pretty tight to enter and exit, and a challenge when everyone else decides to depart/enter when you do, which seems to not really be associated with one particular time of day. Beneath the store you will find additional parking which is rather tight, as is the curved ramp to enter/exit..slow down! There is an elevator which brings you up...huge for carts, and even has a bench should you become exhausted during your 5 second ascent or descent one floor. Never had time to enjoy that, but I suppose you could always sit and enjoy the ride as others come and go...that wouldn't be awkward at all. They have reusable TJs bags representing not only Minnesota (make SURE you get one if out of state), but they also have Montana and Arizona, oddly enough...didn't feel right getting those until I've actually entered Montana or Arizona. Note to self...write headquarters about this... Staff offers fun banter if you start it. read more

I was so happy to discover this trader Joe's in Saint Paul. There is plenty of parking underneath with an elevator to get into the store. The store was amazing and had so many items I was excited to buy! The store was clean. Staff was friendly. Wine store attached with a great selection. I'll be back! read more

This was me and my sisters first time here and it was an amazing experience and great customer service! They had so many options. A very sweet guy checked us out and had great service and very friendly! He gave us a bouquet of flowers! He made us smile and immediately made our day:) I highly recommend!!! read more

Trader Joe's - A great experience with outstanding staff - Grocery Near Me - St. Paul, Minnesota

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I love this Trader Joe's. One time I was crying and one of the employees got me some flowers that we're going to throw away and gave them to me. It was one of the nicest things anyone's ever done for me. They always have the new snacks and usually always stocked on everything I like to buy. I drive from the east side to shop there! They're handling the Coronavirus situation the best out of any store I've been to. I feel pretty safe and comfortable shopping there. Now this next part isn't about the employees, or the store but about a creepy man who I encountered shopping there today. I watched him try to skip everyone in line to get in and he was told to go to the back of the line. As he's walking to the back of the line he's making a stink ass face at everyone in line and shaking his head at all of us. I ignored it. Didn't pay any attention. I'm just here to get my groceries. Then this old man gets right up next to me and is damn near breathing down my neck. When we are supposed to be 6 feet apart. I didn't say anything to him or acknowledge him at all and I just stepped to the side to avoid him. I was there shopping for someone who is quarantined under doctors orders because if they got covid they would literally die. I am taking social distancing seriously. I have loved ones in my life who have serious medical conditions. After I moved away from this man, not saying anything to him, he starts yelling at me and saying that he's the one who should be afraid of me because it's "people like you who are carrying the virus and showing no symptoms". This comment was 100% unwarranted and I didn't say anything to him or even look at him in the eyes or for longer than a few seconds prior to him saying this. I could tell he was in a bad mood and looking for trouble as soon as i saw him walking to the back of the line obviously pissed that he had to wait in it. His pompous ostrich leather boot wearing ass with a matching ostrich leather belt, expensive wool peacoat, raw imported denim jeans couldn't be bothered to wait in a line! Poor him. Let's all cry for the man baby who yells at young women when they don't get their way! He proceeded to continue yelling at me although I don't remember all what he said because I was pissed. I cussed him out back a few times because if you come to me looking for trouble you're gonna find it for sure. He called me mentally ill and let out an obnoxiously fake deep belly laugh, and spouted about how is colonizer ancestors survived the plaque. I told him don't start talking nasty to people you don't know then act surprised or play victim when we say some nasty shit back. Then he turned around and started shit talking me to people behind him, continuing to ignore the 6 ft rule and got all up in their space. They stood there and bobbed their heads the whole time like pigeons, cause that's what pigeons do. Someone could get shot right infront of a pigeon and it's just gonna stand there and bob it's head and peck at the ground, acting like nothing happened. Anyways, all the employees are great and doing a great job. This is the cleanest store I've been to since all of this has been going on and the employees continue maintaining a positive attitude and are kind and nice to all the customers. read more

I'm in a long-term relationship with Trader Joe's (they just don't know yet). But seriously, I love TJs and it's always exciting to visit a new one! I've been here a few times but I just don't love this one like I love most of them. Compared to other TJs in the cities, I'd say this one has a wider selection since they jam pack their shelves and every part of open space they can with product. So when I was looking for a seasonal item not at the downtown store, this was a good option! I'd give it 5 stars just based on TJs selection and having goods stocked. However, the one thing that's holding the review to 4 stars is the staff. The crew members aren't mean and I didn't have a bad interaction, however they don't go out of their way to say hi or smile like most TJs employees. That really surprised me because on a bad day those smiles really cheer me up and that interaction really makes a difference when doing something as simple as grocery shopping! The parking out front is very limited, but there's underground parking. The street is always busy too so it's difficult to get in and out of the lot. read more

The staff who work here are really nice and very friendly. Food is awesome and fresh, HOWEVER!!! The people who shop here kinda suck lol as weird as that sounds. I've tried coming in at different hours of the day but the type of people who shop here and very entitled pushy rude people... idk if it's because of the location because it's so close to summit avenue? I need to have a pep talk with myself before going in that people will push you stop right in front of you and cut you off and hover right next to you having no personal space and it'll be fine just thought I'd throw it out there if there are shoppers out there who don't like crowds, especially crowds like these. I come back though because the staff like I said is super cool and the food is awesome. read more

I stopped by the other morning with my coworker to get some wine. Yes, all of that was correct. I had never been to this location before (didn't actually know it existed), but it's pretty convenient to my office so it was a good discovery! The errand was originally to pick up some of the 4-packs of Simpler Wines that have been taking the internet by storm. [Side note - these are great. It's $3.99 for a four-pack of white or rose. And when you consider that it breaks down to $1 per glass of wine, it is the deal of the century.] As I would expect from Trader Joe's, the staff was friendly and helpful and the store was clean and inviting! It lost a star for the parking lot - it was a little weird turning in from the street. And it seemed like there was a surface lot AND an underground option? It was a non-issue because we were there at about 8:30 in the morning, but if I had arrived at a busier time and not known what to expect I would have found myself pretty frustrated. read more

Trader Joe's - Yes, I will have ALL of it. Thank you. - Grocery Near Me - St. Paul, Minnesota

Big fan of Trader Joe's. The private label product lines, the grind your own coffee, and the world's most underrated liquor store are just a few reasons to stop by. Like most stores make sure you are aware of certain price points before you go as some things are better bargains than others. Nuts and cheeses are great deals compared to a place like Cub for instance. Spices on the other hand are not and the selection isn't as extensive (the smaller footprint probably being the primary reason). Some things just cost more or less here and I'm not particularly sure the reasons behind that other than the costs associated with the sourcing of their products. What makes the place so interesting to me is the variety of items that I never knew existed and didn't realize that I needed (Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti for instance). It will take some time to work your way thru them all the items that I used to consider odd. Don't forget to stop in at the liquor store. Great deals on wine and beer. And its a fantastic source for cheaper but still good quality rums, vodkas and other spirits like that The rest of the store is just your generic grocery store (Produce, meat, dairy, etc.). Outside of Hy-Vee, Trader Joe's is my favorite place to shop for food. The only real downside side at this location is the parking situation. It can be a real chore getting in and out of there during busy times (Saturday afternoons/evenings in particular), but you do have an elevator from the garage up to the main level. Sitting on such a small lot they shoehorned the building and the underground parking into an extremely tiny footprint. Its location on a busy corner can make a left turn from Lexington into the lot more than a little dangerous. read more

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I've experienced better..... at the Woodbury location and other locations in general. I'm really not a fan of this location at all. While the staff is friendly and cheerful in a organic way and not a forced team huddle way, I just can't get with this location. Even though it's only about a mile from my home, many things seem to bother me and some before I even enter the store. 1. Taking a left onto the entrance road is a pain in the a$$. Rarely have I ever gotten the arrow. 2. The underground parking is a pain and hard to maneuver with all the concrete columns, dark lighting and cars straddling two spots. 3. Not a fan of the layout. 4. Trying to get past all the self- important label reading douches who sit there with their carts in the middle of the aisle contemplating which dried fruit to buy oblivious to the fact that there are other people besides them in the store. 5. Being irked because shoppers have no effin manners at this location and have no idea how to say "excuse me" 6. Smiley Trader Joe employee taking inventory on a busy Sat and standing with no signs of moving in front of the item I'm trying to add to my basket. 7. Getting that questionable look because I didn't bring my eco -friendly sustainable green woven recyclable bag, I'll recycle when I get home. Dill pickles are good- and their dried pasta is very cheap! Liquor store is nice. Store is just a hassle for me and the atmosphere at this location is stressful. read more

This review if for those of you who are familiar with the TJ's vibe - if you haven't been to Trader Joe's and this is your option to stop at: GO! This store is AMAZING. Unique products, cheap snacks, delicious dips and drinks. (Taking my rural family here for the first time was a blast) But now on this location in particular: This Trader Joe's is in the neighborhood so it makes for a quick and easy stop. The parking situation is crazy, but much better than a lot of other urban Trader Joe's out there. (There's an underground ramp!) They have a few less options than say, the Woodbury location, but it truly does have everything you need. Sometimes if you go on a Sunday or Monday evening you'll find that they've run out of A LOT of items. So be aware of this - and maybe stop elsewhere if you need essentials or want the TJ's favorites. The staff is nice enough but sometimes they are talking to each other the entire time they're ringing customers which is just... awkward? I feel like I'm intruding in who went to whose party last weekend (but also I secretly love getting in on all the hot gossip). The liquor store is super handy and always well stocked! Long story short - good for quick stops, LOVE that it's in the neighborhood, but if I have time I'll definitely go elsewhere (Woodbury, Shoreview, etc) read more

HUGE fan of trader joe's. Great food, awesome prices overall, and fantastic staff always. They almost have their own, authentic style with everything they do, from marketing to their customer service. I tend to come here when I need a lot of things. I usually make several trips to the grocery store but this is not possible at TJ's, there's just too much good food! They have samples out always too which can be a perk. The only thing would change are the hours, they close at 9pm most days. I would prefer 10-11pm for last minute/late night emergencies. Also they should definitely consider getting a BULK section! Great prices on all nuts and dried fruits, but it would be even more convenient if the customer could pick out the amount themselves. AWESOME PLACE, GO! read more

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I LOVE Trader Joes. The staff are so friendly and helpful, the selection of foods is great, the prices are always lower than I expect. AND the attached wine/beer shop is fantastic. But beware - all Trader Joes parking lots are notoriously awful, and this might be the worst. It's best to park underground here. read more

This specific Trader Joe's (TJ's) is a bit on the smaller side, but it definitely takes advantage of the space it has. There are multiple entrances and even an underground parking garage available! From the garage, there are stairs and an elevator available, which I appreciate due to the accessibility of the store for almost any human. I really appreciate the consistency of TJ's regarding pricing. For the quality of the product you are receiving, items are certainly priced right. For example, I buy my milk alternative here, due to being lactose intolerant. TJ's carries a delicious rice drink that is my absolutely favorite. For $3.29 and the delicious flavor, the half gallon is certainly worth it. I usually buy 3-4 at a time, due to often using this item. I also buy a lot of my adult beverages at TJ's. While famous (or infamous?) for their Three Buck Chuck, I find myself buying other options. While they don't have as large of a selection as a self-operating liquor store, I appreciate the selection they have and often find myself trying new things. One thing that stood out to me during this specific trip was the art in the bathroom (I know, random). It is humorous and I appreciate this authenticity in their decorations. The bathrooms are single-user and always in a clean condition. read more

I love Trader Joe's. I usually just go for specialty foods because I often times can't find normal things I need. (No cottage cheese? Ever? Or am I just blind every time?) Tasty things you can't find anywhere else with awesome prices. Employee's always seem happy and engaging. The aboveground parking is terrible and messy but the underground is great and much needed. Overall a fun place to shop for groceries and goodies. read more

I had an amazing experience here! The employees were all so helpful. I was buying a lot of flowers and they went out of their way to find more for me and saved me a trip to another Trader Joe's. They were all so kind and helpful! read more

Trader Joe's in Saint Paul is managing the COVID 19 crisis extremely well. They have shut down the underground parking in order to control the number of people on the premises. They are also wiping down the carts as you come in the door and personally offering you a cart. Very well done. read more

I love going into to Trader Joe's! It's so hard to control the spending in here, especially when tempted by the"free samples" of the day (located in the back by the dairy), and all the fun seasonal items that are also available! They do a great job of advertising various products at the end of the aisles. This location is right next to the entrance to 35E and Randolph in St. Paul. It's wedged into a residential area and can be a little nutso trying to get in and out of the parking lot especially being a busy street and/or at peak times, especially Saturdays when I typically go. There is a parking ramp underneath the store and while it can also get backed up, you can usually find a spot no problem. It is a small store but it's packed with so many goodies. Some of my favorite things to buy here are nuts and cheeses - mostly because of the exceptional number of choices and reasonable prices. The big olive oil bottles are generally a good deal. The TJ Spicy Chai Tea Latte Mix is something I frequently purchase here. As noted the seasonal things are awesome, they'll have pumpkin bread mixes and all things fall! In December, another fan fav is the TJ Candy Cane Joe-Joe's, oh my!! If you require your food choices to be organic or gluten free, this is the store for you. As well there are a number of fresh fruit and veggies. This store does not have all the typical brands you would find in a Target, instead many of the brands are Trader-Joe's brands or other off-brands. The grocery store is not to be outdone by the TJ wine store. Over the years they've added more hard liquor and beer. This particular visit, I discovered they've moved things around again and have a small refrigerated area for cold beer. If you're not uptight about your wine, they have a great deal on the Charles Shaw, $2.99 a bottle. I don't care what you say, the Cabernet is good stuff. :) if you catch yourself in there at just the right time, they also provide tasting opportunities. While I don't always find every ingredient in there that I want, if it was my only option for a grocery store I could make it work. read more

Trader Joe's - TJ wine and cheese! In the Yelp* bag of course! - Grocery Near Me - St. Paul, Minnesota

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What can I say? This is a Trader Joe's at its best. We're here at least once a week. I wish that it was a bit bigger like the one in Minnetonka, but that said, the staff here is super friendly and always willing to check the back for you if an item is out of stock. Would recommend going in off hours. Noontime on Saturday or Sunday and it's bound to be a zoo. We like to go late at night or early in the morning. If you go during one of those times, it's super easy. Underground parking helps a lot. Also, I wanted to give a shout out to the management. We once had an issue with an employee ruining a bunch of greens by cramming them all into one bag (he really squished them down). The managers there took our complaint very seriously and wound up giving us a ton of replacement greens the following week to make up for it. read more

The prices are always the same- no manipulating you with sales, and you get the lowest cost they can offer their product. Staff are usually happy and friendly. They are often singing as they work. The music is typically upbeat and fun. The store layout is easy to navigate and there is enough room to move around. I appreciate that there aren't 10 million choices for each item that you need. Decision-making fatigue has a hard time thriving because of this. There are a number of organic options at affordable prices. There are also a number of vegan and vegetarian options. They pay their staff a living wage, and offer them great benefits. I feel really good about shopping here because of this, and the nice environment and happiness of the staff are bonuses. read more

You know the drill: small store footprint with tight parking (but the garage works well here). Fair enough. But what shines here is the staff. Hard working and approachable. Certain Irish staff will brighten your day or week like a Yeat's poem coming across the wireless during wartime. I quite like the layout and appreciate the access from Interstate 35E. I'll admit: Trader Joe's is geared toward instant gratification and folks who'd rather not cook recipes. But the fruit and vegetable section meets most of my needs, the frozen section not healthy but alluring, and I've never been disappointed by the meats or cheeses. Personal faves: Wasabi mayo, marinated meats, and the frozen East Indian foods to pack for lunch. read more

Pretty standard Trader Joe's experience here. Clean store, friendly staff, good options to choose from. I'm staying from out of town so it was nice to stop into Trader Joe's to get some pre package veggies I can eat in the hotel and on the go. They always have a good selection and its nice to stop in somewhere familiar when you are out of town. The underground parking garage is a nice touch. read more

I've shopped at Trader Joe's long before they were ever in the Twin Cities. My grandmother lived close to one in Seal Beach California and I always loved their quirky mix of goods. What I've loved most since they opened locations in the Twin Cities have been their wonderful dried fruit and nut selections plus some of their specialty crackers. A recent experience with Trader Joe's has left me with very mixed reactions. So my regular turkey farmer left the business and I wanted to mind a bird that I knew was raised and processed humanely. So, when I saw that Trader Joe's had kosher birds, I thought that would be just the ticket. I've purchased kosher birds before and know to expect a little extra work pulling out some pin feathers and quill ends. I cannot tell you why you should expect more work, because from what I can tell there is nothing in Jewish dietary law that says you don't have to or shouldn't throughly pluck the bird. Anyway, imagine my surprise when I opened the bird (thankfully the night before our family feast) to find not just some pin feathers and quill ends, but literally hundreds if not thousands. To rescue our feast I got to work with a set of tweezers and began plucking. The biggest issue were all the quill ends, some well over an inch long and the thickness that would have made a nice quill pen tip. It looked as though the bird had been shaved rather than plucked. I'd certainly have preferred that whoever slaughtered this bird had just left the feathers on completely, because it would have been much easier to clean up if I'd had something easier to grip on to. 7 hours after I began, yes you read that right 7 hours, I finally had a bird ready to go into the oven. I then went out onto the Trader Joe's website and filed a product complaint. Several days later I had heard nothing from them so, I filed a second complaint noting that also I'd filed a previous complaint and asking someone to call me. This time I at least received a we received your complaint message, but no further response. Today, I finally called the store and asked to speak with a manager. When I explained the problem, she initially insisted that it is normal for a kosher bird to be prepared this way. I pushed back, again in my mind there is no excuse for this sloppy preparation. If I had needed to spend 30 minutes going over the bird fine, but this was ridiculous. I asked for a refund and she agreed to give it to me. I appreciate the refund. When I arrived at the store the manager with whom I had spoken was at lunch, but she had informed another manager and they were ready to give me a refund. However, this manager also wanted to insist that it is normal to have pin feathers and quills on a kosher bird. So my advice from here, do not buy Glatt Kosher birds from Trader Joe's. read more

Trader Joe's hits the Bulls eye so often with the products I've tried that they must get 5 stars. Here are my top favorites: #1 Rasberry, lemon and strawberry Fruit Frenzy bars - hands down the best popcicle I've ever had. I've got to have them on hand at all times; they sell out frequently so I grab 3 boxes at a time. #2 Paneer Tikka Masala - As good as I've had from any Indian restaurant #3 pumpernickel pretzel sticks - so crunchy abdominal good; sturdy enough to dip in just about everything. And an honorable mention must go to the seasonal Racine Kringle - only available a couple times per year at Christmas and Easter I believe. .. so incredibly delicious almond filling. And a little secret is that the price is even less than getting it directly from the bakery in Racine! Love Trader Joe's and the huge variety of goodies! read more