They won me over with their sandwiches. Just get the sandwiches with some chips and a drink and you will be happy. Service was impeccable! read more

See all

I have been going to Balducci's since it switched over from Sutton Place gourmet many many years ago. Balducci's always had consistently high-quality food and specialty food. Since being acquired by Safeway/Albertsons, the "specialty", in a specialty store, has pretty much vanished. I still do believe that their bistro meals, ordered with care, can be a budget, friendly, yes, I do mean budget, friendly, alternative to fast food (herb, roasted turkey dinner with fingerling potatoes and green beans are $16 and can last for two meals) Their carrot cake, has always been exceptional and remains so The disappointing part is how Balducci's now stocks basically Safeway products and up charges considerably for them. (perfect example is their prepared coleslaw. ) Items like cucumber salad, herring nibs, and other items have disappeared in favor of commercially packaged items. I always found their fish to be fresh and flavorful, but now I have seen a decline in the quality of their fish. Recently , I went to get one of their wonderful cups of coffee and found that that Service no longer is available. I guess things change.However, I don't feel the change at Balducci's has been for the better read more

Dropped by to get a Fruit Tart and to see what else the store had. A good selection of bakery items, deli foods, hot foods, Sushi, Snacks, etc. There is a section with flowers, fruits and vegetables as well. It's pretty much a high-end grocery store. Employees are friendly and provide very good customer service. read more

See all

The clerk at checkout was a snotty brat. I asked him to help me locate the $10 off coupon I had just clipped before getting in line. He said "That isn't my job." I would not want an employee like that and hope Balducci's will read this review. read more

I wouldn't consider this store gourmet. They have a variety of items but the grocery store selection can be found at Whole Foods or Mom's Organic at a lower price point. They are up-charging and the customers shopping are very pretentious so I'd save your money and efforts by not coming here. read more

Great Egg Nog & Bistro Meal! I visited Balducci's last week for Holiday provisions. The store busy w/patrons & well stocked. They have the Best Egg Nog (rich/creamy), fresh from a local dairy-perfect for holiday celebrations. The "Bistro Meal" (a protein i.e. beef/chicken or salmon & (2) sides many options.) I chose beef brisket, mashed potatoes w/roasted squash. Generous Portions. The price has also increased. Delicious tender flavorful brisket w/carrots/onions. Creamy mashed potatoes-worth the price. The hickory bacon from the butcher a real highlight of Balducci's quality. Courteous Professional Customer Service. See Photos. read more

See all

I went to the deli counter to look at the bistro meals. The young lady asked if she could help. I said "I normally get the tenderloin, but it looks all shriveled up and dried out". She said "yeah that's because it's been sitting out all day. I don't make the food. I just serve it." She said it in a very friendly tone. Notwithstanding the nice tone it was a big turn off. I left the store without buying anything. Sometimes you have to vote with your wallet. read more

Balducci's at Wildwood Shopping Center in Bethesda is one of my favorite upscale grocery stores for high-quality produce, delicious prepared foods, and even wine--which is rare to find in Maryland grocery stores. It's a great spot to grab gourmet ingredients or a quick meal when you don't feel like cooking but still want something fresh and flavorful. One of my go-to items is their pre-made sandwiches, especially the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich--it's always well-made with great ingredients, making it an easy and satisfying grab-and-go meal. Their cakes are also a must-try, particularly the Strawberry Cake and Mango Mousse Cake--both are light, not overly sweet, and perfect for a treat or special occasion. Balducci's also has amazing produce, with a selection that's noticeably fresher and better curated than most grocery stores. While prices are definitely on the higher side, the quality makes it worth it, especially for things like fruits, vegetables, and specialty ingredients you won't find at standard supermarkets. Another huge plus is the wine selection, which is a rarity in Maryland grocery stores. It's so convenient to be able to grab a bottle of wine while shopping for dinner instead of making a separate stop. Parking is free and generally easy, though it can get a little crowded on weekends. If you're looking for high-end groceries, gourmet meals, and some of the best cakes around, Balducci's is definitely worth a visit! read more

Balducci's is an upscale grocery store, and the size is similar to a Trader Joe's. I don't know who would shop here regularly for groceries, since prices are on the expensive side. I came to this store twice: 1. to build a charcuterie board, and 2. for a picnic date, and it was fun to shop with my husband. For these reasons, check out Balducci's to make the date special and out of the ordinary. Both times came out to $80 for around 10 items. I can only speak for what I went there to shop for- They sell wine. They have a small produce section (grapes were $5.99/lb!). They have a wide selection of cheeses, and I appreciate that some had labels with flavor descriptions. You can find many different kinds of nuts and crackers here. They do have prepped charcuterie boards for sale, but they were unappealing on sight, and I would rather build my own. They have a hot bar, and ready made sandwiches, or you can have made to order deli sandwiches. I had the chicken noodle and my husband had a reuben, and they were delicious. I also love the large selection of chocolates- they have gourmet (Neuhaus!) and familiar brands from the low to high price range. read more

Today I had my very first experience at this high-end grocery store. When I walked in it seemed a little small, however they had all of the things that I was looking for. They even have a hot food bar, which is where I decided to get lunch for the day. The creamy chicken with pepper be and sun dried tomatoes looked too tempting to pass-up. I also got a couple of things to bring home, for example a 16oz pre-packaged top sirloin beef steak, and also a 32oz container of plain vanilla yogurt. This store definitely seems trendy, because the way that they arranged some of the products was simply beautiful. If I lived closer to the area, I would pass by here more often. read more

Balducci's - Grocery Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

Was in here first time in like 20 plus years cause I hear that people love it. Got a couple of Crab cakes that look like are lump crab meat. But they've placed a little lump crab meat on top of a cake that's entirely filler. My wife wouldn't eat it. A $17 crab cake sold there should be better. The frozen Phillips are better. Really disappointing. read more

The place is 40% overpriced after acquisition by Safeway corporation. Say do not promote local farmers local produce and the checkout counter manager they are very nasty and professional also the other charge for the low quality coffee so what it's two dollars plus no discounted refuse any area to eat salad bar it's so far away you have to go around the store overall it will not work in the McLean we need another small family owned supermarket with the local tax we don't need those huge corporations anymore read more

Balducci's - Grocery Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

There was way too much going on when you first walk in that my anxiety could not take it. Went to bathroom and it was very dirty and smelly. I tried to browse but could not stand to be in the store any longer. Did not buy anything. Maybe I just picked the wrong day to go into this store. read more

The turkey gravy and cranberry relish are great at Thanksgiving and Christmas time. The service is always very good except in the wine area. Ambiance Is great. CK read more

Balducci's catered my family's Passover. It was tremendous. The brisket was outstanding. The chicken and salmon could not have been better. I cannot say enough good things about Balducci's. So as to provide a service to the Yelp community, it is my practice to include the negative as well as the positive. In the case of Balducci's I have nothing negative to say. They are fantastic. read more

Way too expensive! No thanks! very product I looked at was so expensive it was unbelievable. I don't mind paying high dollar for something, but they were seriously over priced! I'll just go back to Moms Organic food store! read more

I used to shop at Balducci's whenever I was in Bethesda. I love the chocolate raspberry cake they make. But the last time I went, it was AWFUL. The staff seemed scared or nervous and a male customer said really insulting things to me while laughing with the guy working behind the deli counter. I understand they were sold, so maybe that's why they suck so badly. It was sad that the cashier EXPECTED me to be mean, and when I smiled, she was SURPRISED. How bad is it to work there? Are the customers being mean? Or just some of the staff? I won't go back. read more

I bought two fried chicken breasts today, for dinner. They looked great in the prepared food case so I was looking forward to having them with my wife. They were absolutely awful! I threw both of them in the trash. I think the chicken was bad before they were cooked. Balducci prepared food is more often than not just not up to the price they charge. Not to mention tasteless or gross... My wife and I feel the same way... read more

My mother passed away recently at a memory care in Kensington. We wanted to host a reception for her caregivers and thought of Balducci's. They have a lovely selection of both sweet and savory platters and we ordered plenty of both. The order process is really easy online. It also allows you to time delivery. We planned the reception from Chicago and there was a lot to think about but the interaction with Balducci's was the least of our concerns. Everything they delivered was abundant and presented beautifully and arrived on time. Such a great experience...I highly recommend. read more

GROSS! Long time customer due to overall quality of produce and prepared foods. However, purchased a sushi roll to eat for lunch and found a dead bug on top of the roll. Brought in to show the manager who did not seem too concerned. I am disgusted and will never purchase any prepared foods again until they improve their food sanitary conditions. read more

Deli staff was very rude, made a highly inappropriate comment about my ethnicity. Food overpriced compared to even other high end grocers. Frosting on cake was gritty and oversweet while cake was bland. We ordered 3 different Deli items and they were average, dry. Fresh cut fruit was fine. read more

Because I'm a pedantic Virgo and because improper use of the apostrophe drives me nuts as that pedantic Virgo, I'm starting this review by yelling at Balducci's about its sign that faces Old Georgetown Road: It is NOT a "Food Lover's Paradise" !!!! What you meant to say was that Balducci's is a "Food Lovers' Paradise". OK...now that I've got that off my chest, this place is indeed a terrific stop for Food Lovers! Their most excellent offerings of baked goods and their delicatessen are out of this world! And while I'm talking about their delicatessen, their made to order sandwiches are spectacularly delicious. My fave is a bagel with lox with everything on it. For under $10 it is a great deal, and I suspect that it has close to ten bucks in salmon alone, if you were to buy salmon by itself, as they really pack it! Super friendly and helpful staff, easy in and out with plenty of free parking in a strip mall at the corner of Democracy Boulevard and Old Georgetown Road in that area technically Bethesda, but more Potomac. read more

The pros: wonderful salads (the ramen, steak, and garden salads are my favorites); huge selection of specialty candy, gifts, and bakery items; great assortment of cheeses and olives; extensive deli and prepared foods section; good pizza... Cons: poor overall customer service--I'd say two out of every three times, the cashier will not be kind or civil. Today, the cashier did not say hello (after I greeted her), thank you (even after I did), she did not smile or look at me, ignored me when I made a nice comment, and then threw my receipt into my bag. What a downer way to end a shopping experience. Super busy on the weekends (the aisles seem fairly narrow) with a lot of people everywhere in a rush. The bathrooms aren't nice. Prices tend to be high. Worth a visit for a treat now and then. read more

An annoying place to shop. There were no cashiers so I went to self check out. There a young woman kept accusing me of stealing (not scanning items) and when I showed her on the screen i scanned the item, she did not understand me. Why have an annoying employee bother me when she could be on a cash register ringing me up? I won't shop here again. I will shop at Moms and Fresh Market where they are much more organized. read more

Wanted to give a shout-out to this yummy cake! Its chocolatey goodness is balanced well with a fresh layer of diced strawberries on top of the chocolate cream in between the chocolate cake layers. Bought this for my friend's birthday cake and it was very popular amongst all our friends/family! Got the dessert platter to share as well because I liked how it offers a variety of small desserts/pastries! My friend (who's birthday it was) especially enjoyed the cream puffs in it. read more

Balducci's - Chocolate Dipped Strawberries Cake - Grocery Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

I consider Balducci's a specialty market on a small scale that offers fresh foods, bakery items with seafood, deli, wine & beer sections. They offer catering services as well. The layout is tight with as much inventory displayed, positioned & shelved with just enough space to navigate around the store. Surprisingly, they have ramped up their plant-based products by adding Beyond Meat products, previously it was a small offering of Morningstar & Dr. Praeger's from the frozen section. During different seasons you can find particular products & gifts for the occasion. The price point is expensive compared to your run of the mill grocery items, as you're paying for the "specialty" aspect. The friendly & helpful customer service never skips a beat. read more

Balducci's - May not meet the mark today, 8.5.2020. - Grocery Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

While people joke that Whole Foods is whole paycheck, Balducci produce prices are on a whole other planet. Ridiculous prices for any fruits or dairy. I don't understand because their shelf items are comparable to Whole Foods for example, their yogurt is at 2-3 times markup than if you went across the street to Giant. Besides the ludicrous yogurt, milk, and fruit prices, I love their plants and flowers here when you enter the store, I like their tea selection, I recently discovered they had Stilton cheese here (although super high cost again). I regularly eat their ready made food and find their sushi one of the most fresh ones in the area and comparable if not better than sushi restaurants. I also love their deli and hot bar. The hot bar once had crab cake between two pieces of salmon planks. Never had such a delicious hot bar selection before. Huge chocolate and dessert selection, and I know a lot of people who get their fancy cuts of meats here. And that is how they stay in business. Not by people buying $9 per pound grapes. The staff here are also helpful and nice! read more

Balducci's - Sushi! Fresh fish always. - Grocery Near Me - Bethesda, Maryland

This is in regards to the mobile app. You used to be able to just provide a phone number for rewards. now you have to use the app and know what you are going to buy ahead of time before you go to the store. Worse yet when you use the self checkout and put your phone number in, it doesn't see the reward you clipped so you have to go to customer service. This has happenned multiple times. Terrible app. I spend too much time at the checkout trying to get things fixed. Rita read more

You call the phone number and it tells you to select Dept, you do and then you sit on hold until disconnected (I tried this with two depts.), and in my third attempt I stayed online as recording said you could stay online and be directly connected to customer service, but then you enter a loop where it says you have to choose a dept. (the customer service dept. line disconnects you too). So frustrating! Also, The App is impossible to use with ease so the nice service personnel at check-out have to spend their time instructing you. read more

I decided to treat myself to dinner here and it really was a treat as this place is the most expensive market in the area. I was super bummed when I got home and after I ate half of my salad that I discovered an insect in it. The other item I got was made in store and had a hair right on top of it which honestly I don't care about. I shed like crazy and my long hairs are everywhere in my apartment so whatever. But I reached out to corporate to let them know and they said someone would call me back about it and no one did. It's a bummer too because I live so close but sadly if I want to "treat" myself to fancy food, it won't be here again. Staff is always really nice here too. read more

Decent grocery store. Located close by the Montgomery mall. Tons of free parking. Accepts cash and credit card. If you need food for parties, they have a catering group who can handle it. Walking inside here, you get a sense that's it's like a Whole Foods, but more cozier. It's very clean and have your typical grocery items which is nice. The staff here are very nice and periodically come to you and ask if you need assistance. Top notch staff here. Recommend trying their fruit tart. It's massive and packed with lots of fruits. The catering staff here were extremely friendly. Please note that they will charge your credit card on the day you receive your catering item. So if you reserve on Monday for a Friday pick-up, your card won't be charged until Friday rather than charging upfront. They also sell cards and wines here too so definitely catering to people of all ages. The grocery store is HUGE so you won't have trouble finding what you need for your kitchen. read more

See all

The hors d'oeuvres/finger foods, catered by Balducci's at a gathering this past Sunday, was phenomenal. Items were fresh, varied, tasty, and so beautifully presented. The presentation rightly honored the dear person we were remembering and celebrating. She was by all accounts a first class foodie herself, with exquisite culinary skills. Fitting tribute indeed! ~Josi A read more

Food is awesome and the employees in the store are there to help. Having said that, don't even think of checking out unless you have "downloaded the App". Got into a fight with the store manager Pam who kept raising her voice and became angry with me because I only had 1 % power left on my phone and wasn't downloading fast enough. Really? Keep the discount - I go to Balduccis for the great food and hopefully nice shopping experience - not to be belittled because I "don't have the app". And then accosted " why not? It's been 4 months - you should have the app by now " read more

This store gets more and more frustrating to shop at. The app to get discounts is overly complicated and frustrating. What was wrong with just putting in the phone number? They now are checking ids everyone for purchase of alcohol. Clearly the 80 year old in line with grey hair and a cane was over 21. The choices of the takeout food haven't changed in 10 years. Make something new. The bakery items are overly expensive for the taste. I shop for a few items and go to Wegmans for better selection and quality. read more

If you are going to ignore me in favor of three other customers (who came after) when I'm trying to overpay for Brussels sprouts, you aren't worthy of my money or business. They are already disgustingly overpriced, I was wrong to assume that the high prices came with a basic level of fairness, respect and service. Silly me! I won't be back back and I would encourage you to stay away as well. They don't appreciate all their customers. read more

2 thumbs down. Tried the Manhatten cake from the bakery. The Vanilla cake was dry and completely void of flavor. The fudge layer was mediocre at best. The butter cream icing was just ok. Go across the street and get a cake from Giant and you will be better served. Bring back the old Sutton Place, since this place is garbage. BTW today's date is 12/9/24 read more

Little specially shop that has been around for years but a few years ago bought out by a large franchised. The store used to be better. Today I was disappointed in the customer service. The employees were rude. When I got a coffee I was told "do you know how much that cost, you have to pay for it" then my elderly mother was rushed out of the alis space by a grocery stocker. Also witnessed a man getting scolded for checking out with 15 items at self checkout instead of 10. There was no one behind him in line. Ridiculous the staff needs employe training customer service. We are pay the premium price here we should get treated better! read more

Balducci's is a specialty grocer ... used to be Sutton Place and like everything good, they got bought out by Wall St. and you need a fat wallet to shop here. They specialize in high quality epicurean eats. + Ambiance is old school shopping...small but filled with goodies and narrow aisles packed with people. Sensory overload for food lovers. They tempt you with yummalicious samples so do NOT come here hungry with your credit cards! You've been warned ;-). +++ Food-wise, B has a little bit of everything....bakery, chocolates, coffee, deli, fish, meats, fine produce and beers and wine. Difficult to find? Balducci's often have them. Their cheese offerings are one of the BEST in the country. I can't recall the name of the cheese we had a decade ago but I still can recall / taste the buttery creamy cheese writing this review. They are a specialty grocer, so this is a great place to pick up few desired items but not where you do your regular grocery shopping...unless you're money bags. Their quality is excellent and if you need something very fresh / best, this is that place. = Price is high....higher....no, Highhher ++ Service is better here. Staff is knowledgeable and HelpFul! Wait can be long during weekends and holidays. + Parking lot is free but often congested....yup, everyone who's parked is in the small shop you're heading to...so set your expectations. Bottom line, you'll lose few coins or rent, but Balducci's is a high quality grocer that has delicious morsels that brighten your table. read more

I love going to Balducci's because you will find really interesting things. For example, last year I saw a raclette maker and I've been thInking about it ever since. They have really great pizza by the slice. I like their selection of desserts and candies. Junior's cheesecake is hard to find, but You can often find it at Balducci's. I certainly would not shop at Balducci's for my every day groceries because they seem to focus on specialty foods. However, I give them 5 stars because it's a fun, decadent store to walk around in and ultimately spend $50 on things you didn't know you wanted! read more

So I don't typically leave reviews for grocery stores or markets, but last night, after calling numerous different butchers and grocery stores on my hunt for duck breast and hearing they weren't available, I stopped by Balducci's and lo-and-behold, guess what they had?? That's right, duck breast!! My boyfriend and I have been meaning to stop by here for a while now--especially considering the fact we literally drive by it every single day. After stopping by for the first time last night, we decided it surely would not be our last. Balducci's has an amazing (and potent) cheese section, their wine selection was also expansive, and they have a great meat section where you can get duck breast, duck legs, wild board, venison, and much more. On top of this, this place was Christmas galore--they had gift baskets laid out EVERY WHERE in the store and each one was beautifully packaged and had a different theme. The dessert section was also awesome--there's similar options as Whole Foods and I would say the quality is about the same too. The one thing I did notice is they have baklava which is one of my favorite dishes! There's also a huge variety of other specialty ingredients around the store. Overall, this is a WONDERFUL place to stop by during the holiday season or if you're looking for special meats or specialty ingredients. It's definitely on the pricey end so it's a place I will return to on occasion for a nicer date night at home. read more