I am writing this review with a very heavy heart and a lot of sadness. I just talked to Joe, the general manager, and really liked him. Unfortunately, he doesn't know me and he does know his employees. The problems I had with the store were with Matt, the assistant manager. When I first met him in person he seemed noticeably uncomfortable. I just assumed he wasn't comfortable with my presence. I have a pretty assertive presence. I am also aware of a negative complaint about him made to me. He makes it very clear that he is married to the owner's daughter and the implication is that whatever he thinks/believes goes. I get that, but his communication skills were very poor. I have had a lot of deliveries from the store. Last week I had a delivery and asked for it to be at 1:30. I think it was because I had to go a few places before getting back home. I also had asked to talk to the delivery person and the woman at the register said she just saw him leave. When I got back home I buzzed someone in. A bit of background: I live in a five-unit apartment and all the tenants get a lot of packages and so we buzz in everyone all the time. The next day I learned that Matt actually delivered the groceries at 1:30 sharp, knocked on the door, but I didn't answer. Apparently, Joe implied that asking for a specific delivery time, which I rarely have done, is an example of asking for a lot. Perhaps it is, but since I don't usually request time specific deliveries I didn't see it as unusual. I believe he buzzed my apartment and knocked on the door. I must have been in the bathroom or somewhere in the back of the apartment, but I didn't hear the knock. Later when I went outside the groceries were sitting outside my door. I have a number of things currently occupying my mind and so I just wasn't focused on the delivery. Matt told me about this and that there were complaints about me from the usual delivery person. The usual delivery person had initiated personal texts with me and I did text him to ask about this situation. He had texted me that he had my back and so it would be natural to involve him in this situation. And of course, no one knew he had texted me ever. Matt acted like that it was just a horrible thing about the delivery situation. I'm sorry, but things happen. I had many deliveries and this has never happened. His skepticism had an accusatory tone to it. This is a small matter from a customer who has spent thousands of dollars and been shopping there for 20 years. Shortly after this delivery situation, Matt came up to me in the store and said I couldn't shop there ever again and started taking things out of my cart. I asked couldn't I have a second chance because no one told me there were any problems. He was adamant: "No". I decided to contact the owner. I googled the store and was pretty surprised to learn that the owner had yelled, grabbed, and shoved a homeless person. Reading that review colored my opinion of him a great deal. Instead of talking to the owner today, I was given Joe to talk to. He really was a kind excellent listener, and I'm a professional mediator. I pretty much begged to be given another chance, at least a two-week trial period. He shared with me that the deli had complained about my frequent calls when they were out of the Canadian Bacon for a month. That's true. And he said the Jane Kiosk felt I was high maintenance. I did ask them to cut the large cookies in half and to put them in individual bags. I know no one will be direct and tell me they can't accommodate my request. It's up to me to self-monitor and I should have done that with Jane's. I also know that I'm an extremely self-reflective person and respond very well to this kind of feedback. Many people tend to not understand that people change, because they themselves do not. I do and everyone who knows me knows I have a growth mindset. I do feel very strongly that they owed me a warning which they absolutely never gave me. Hopefully, those that read this review will understand that I am owning my part and also speaking about concerns on my end with this set of circumstances. Joe also told me that a number of people in the store had complained about me - one example being I'd stand for 20 minutes and talk to a checkout person. That's true, we had a long relationship and this person shared a lot with me over the years. Honestly, the other people checking me out for groceries were not people I had much contact with. I did have them cut my corn on the cob in half, but other than that, I didn't interact with the produce people. Whoever did complain, I told Joe I am capable of using the grocery store and being under the radar. He seemed to not believe that. That was pretty upsetting as I would have changed. If the employees are uncomfortable with me they would have the option to complain in the trial period. Sadly, I got a black and white answer. read more

The layout is so confusing. I couldn't figure out how to get into the checkout lines. The cashier saw me struggling to figure out where to walk and just watched me. They have a wide selection of baked goods, deli meats, cheeses, beverages, and other products. The prices are on the higher side compared to other markets. A pack of Yakult was $4.69 vs $3 at Safeway read more

They usually make good sandwiches but not today. I told the guy what I wanted; type of roll, meats, cheese etc. After I said I wanted roast beef, smoked turkey and swiss cheese he asked me what type of ham I wanted. I was as specific as I could be but it took another customer to translate my english into english. After all of that the guy makes the sandwich. It was ok until he added what must have been at least an ounce of salt. I asked for a little black pepper, I did not request any salt. The sandwich was ruined but at that point I was no longer near the store. I don't know if the guy sabotaged my sandwich, if it was an honest mistake or something else but in any event the result was the same. If I do go back there I won't let this guy make my sandwich. read more

See all

I ordered 13.99 tri-tip sandwich, and asked for a little cole slaw in sandwich instead of tomato, lettuce and pickle, mayo etc. when I was given the sandwich he had added $2.00 for a bit of coleslaw. He could have told me there would be an extra charge. No "thank you" no "can I get you anything else?" This had been my 2nd purchase of sandwiches within a half hour with same employee. Lacking customer service skills read more

I have been shopping here since I was a little kid in the 60s when my mom would give me a check. Yeah like that shit would happen today. Their produce is top notch. I love Antonelli's meat market that has anything you could possibly want. Sushi grade Ahi Tuna? Japanese A5 Waygu? Great seafood, poultry, and meats. Service is phenomenal and they will cut it they way you want it. Advise you how to cook and season it. Love their Deli too....try their Home roasted Turkey sandwich.....drool. read more

Cal-Mart Supermarket - the produce section of a grocery store - Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

Mac & Cheese has no flavor. Plus my hubby ordered a pesto chicken sandwich and asked for it to be toasted and when the lady gave it to him it was super cold. So he asked why it wasn't warm and they said he did not specify. Like when does anything "Toasted" come cold! She was super rude and took the sandwich and MICROWAVED it! Gross! Then to make matters worse, when he got back to work he bit into a soggy sandwich and it had NO PESTO!! Terrible service and food! Will definitely let all my friends/ colleagues not to go here anymore!! read more

2 stars for great food selection, beautiful produce, and it's clean. But when you check out the checkers treat you like garbage. It's as if they are doing you a huge favor and why are you bothering them by wanting to pay for your groceries. They would be happier if you went somewhere else. BTW the employees at Mollie Stones are very helpful and kind. If you can shop at MS I recommend it over CalMart. At least they appreciate your business. Maybe CalMart checkers don't get treated well by the company and that's why they are so rude? But I usually avoid shopping there if I can. This last time I went there I needed to buy makeup at Blue Mercury up the street. The sales lady at Blue Mercury said she has terrible experiences checking out in CalMart too when she goes to buy her lunch there for the day. It's a shame really, such great products. But bad customer service doesn't make any product worth it. read more

I live in the Richmond neighborhood and shop at cal-mart regularly. This morning, I witnessed a cal-mart employee approach a person who was sitting in the grass near the parking lot and appeared to be homeless. The cal-mart employee yelled at the person and then grabbed him by the collar and shoved him forcefully. When I told the employee to let the person go, the employee said that he was the store owner and said the person had stolen wine from the store. Needless to say, this assault was completely unacceptable. While I like your store, I will not be shopping with you any longer. read more

I stepped in and I felt transported back before my time inside this supermarket. Looks a supermarket appearing in a classic movie which makes this place charming. I was impressed by their grocery selections which is more on the modern side. A good place to grab groceries or a meal. read more

See all

I also love this supermarket because it has its own butcher. Love that they have a deli and a wonderful produce isles. And I was able to buy a Clorox spray. So they are out of those wipes too, but spray is just as good since I can use some towels or rags to clean up messes. I can't believe that I have to run around town looking for basic cleaning products, but it's the reality this month. Hopefully, everything gets back to normal soon. read more

I love this market..loved it for 45 years..since they were one with Bryan's..you can find just about anything upscale..ask and they might order it..have a pretty good ice cream section..all dairy..produce usually very good and an employee will help you select a good melon..again, for its size..it's good..prep food varies but by and large there is a good variety..excellent sandwiches..guess I can't recommend it enough..it's my go to..you probably should put on a little make up in this environment unless you're Pam Anderson..s read more

I only wish that I had taken pictures! Beautiful old school grocery store in laurel heights, with all of the latest and greatest culinary hits! The store is immaculate! Great produce either way mountains of organic and conventional items. The grocery section is chock full of faves and so many options in the frozen section. I found six varieties of gourmet heat em up croissants! The cheese monger had plenty of unpasteurized frenchies and the pasta salad was excellent. They even had my brand of prosciutto. Within is a Jane's bakery ( five star yum) and a Bryan's meat butcher for the carnivore in anyone. Think Korean style short rib. This place is a wonder. Great parking in front and back. Miracle. Service is fast and friendly. read more

Cal-Mart has been in business for more than 75 years. It isn't the most budget friendly place but there are so many other reasons to shop here. The produce is glorious and so fresh and beautifully displayed. The butcher and fish monger have the best of the best. The grocery department may seem small but the assortment is amazing. The deli department has wonderful house made items. Wine and liquor department has treasures. And there is a branch of Sweet Things bakery as well. The staff is so friendly and knowledgeable. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Whatever is the opposite of customer service is practiced by this establishment. I accidentally left my credit card there on a Friday, noticed it was missing on the Sunday, and was told on the phone that the card was there. When I walked over to retrieve it, the alleged "manager" refused to surrender my own property! And was rude into the bargain. Unless you seek high prices, low quality, incompetence, and rudeness, shop anywhere but here. read more

Love the deli!!!! We come here once a week to get our weekly supply of the fresh in house roAsted turkey, Mary's organic chicken roasted and egg potatoes salad. Produce is on the pricey side I usually opt out on getting veggies here. I paid for 11.00 for 2 lbs of asparagus which were conventional not organic. I get the best bacon from the meat department. read more

When I worked in the neighborhood, I would often stop at Cal Mart to pick up lunch or ingredients for dinner. It was a nice little neighborhood grocery store, so while in the area I decided to stop in to get a few things for my mom's birthday. Unsure if it's a sign of slow business, but there were areas of the store that looked "sold out" or bare. Struggled to find anything worth buying, so I went with something cheery like flowers. Although I wasn't really happy with the selection of flowers or the prices, I purchased a bunch of flowers and a bottle of champagne. I really overpaid for the items compared to nearby grocery stores, but didn't want to make another stop. Oh well, I guess not everything is the way it used to be in the city. Sorry to see this place go downhill, hopefully they can bounce back and bring life into this store - before it becomes a new Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. read more

If you want very rude service, narrow aisles, and poor selection, then shop at Cal-Mart. First time there, last time there for me. Only two people in the store were not rude. One, a guy behind the meat & fish counter. Apparently, that is a separate operation. Two, the Asian lady behind the deli counter - went out of her way to show me where something was. Old guy behind the deli counter - couldn't be bothered to wait on customers because he was too busy wrapping the leftover salad items (which means they will be mixed in with fresh items tomorrow - ugh) ONE HOUR before store closing time. Guess he has a hot date (yeah, right) right at 7:00 PM, closing time. Tall guy on register one (okay, my mistake, I went through the express lane with more than 15 items - didn't see the tiny sign they have - oh whip me with a wet noodle) = rudeness personified. Guess being able to ring up groceries gives him such a sense of power. Wooooo. Hmm, maybe he's in the same bus as deli-counter guy and in a rush to get out of there too. Ever read their slogan on their receipts? Read it for a laugh since it's 180 away from what they really are like. Are there better places to shop? Oh yes, definitely, but if you're a masochist then Cal-Mart just may be for you. read more

Cal Mart is nice and more expensive on California. I got some sushi and a gatorade. Fun to browse at Laurel Heights SF.

This used to be a solid neighborhood grocery store for me, but their prices are ridiculous now. This is not simply inflation, it's price gouging. Went in today for a few quick items, but left with nothing. They were charging $11 for a gallon of bleach, $20 for a 32 ounce bottle of non-organic cranberry juice and $7 for a head of organic romaine lettuce! I went across the street and got a gallon of bleach for $4.29 at Walgreens. Then headed to top quality Rainbow Grocery, where I got a 32 ounce bottle of 100% organic cranberry juice for $4.25 and a head of organic romaine for $2.99. I would have paid a total of $26.47 more for these 3 items at CalMart. I will not be shopping at CalMart again unless they offer reasonable pricing. read more

I purchased a sandwich this afternoon, roast beef no cheese. There was very little meat and the price was $13. That has to be the highest price for a deli sandwich in SF at any market. Why people shop here, beats me?! read more

terrible service. over priced. I returned 3 mush apples that were inedible and the manager started yelling at me. i will never shop there again read more

#105/2016 My lack of planning had me stop in, exasperated: I forgot to buy cilantro and limes I needed for dinner. I was immediately greeted by one of employees stocking a refrigerated case (Anthony). Just that simple connection with a customer put a positive spin on an errand that had me frustrated before I walked in. Rows of beautiful produce, the cilantro and limes were fairly priced; the limes were large and fresh (not those sad, small ones showing up at other grocery stores lately.) One thing that struck me: they sure devote a lot of space to hard liquor and wine. I guess the monied folks of Laurel and Presidio Heights like their "adult beverages"! Cheers, mate! read more

See all

DELI, I have been going to this store for over 30 yrs and I like everyone and all the departments with the exception of the deli. There is an older guy there that has been working the deli. This guy is the rudest person. Everyone else greet customers as if they are robots, not sure why the manager of the deli can't pick up on this. This place is my regular grocery store, I dread buying stuff from their deli. They are not that sanitary behind the counter. I will be going to Bryan's from now on. To bad. read more

FOR THE SANDWICH COUNTER Never experienced so much attitude ordering a sandwich in my life. There is an older gentleman who takes it upon himself to roll his eyes and scoff at you when you order. He's only done that to me twice though, one time he did smiles at me. The second gentleman messes up my ( and everyone else's) sandwiches every single time I order from him (it's happened 4 times now). It's so frustrating bc he doesn't write down your order and tries to recite it back to you while continuously messing it up so every time I try to correct him it just gets more confusing because he's already entirely wrong. He is a shorter man and you'll know when you get him because he will not be able to repeat any of the sandwich orders you give him. It's like every time you're ordering you already know he's going to mess it up, and it really sucks to have to walk back over from work every time to get me and my coworkers orders fixed. Please I'm begging you, ask your employees at the deli to WRITE DOWN the sandwich orders. As a fellow food service employee, there's no way I'd be able to remember each and every sandwich order from a person giving it to me once. It would just save time and stress on both the customer and workers ends. read more

Been going here for years. If you have a car, or any sense you wouldn't shop here. If you just have cents you cant afford it. I go to buy veggies basically. And thats on a need to have basis just because its a few blocks from my place. Normal things like bags of chips or oreos are expensive. Theres a walgreens 100 feet away. The hot food area looks so good. After living down the street for almost a decade, I still don't have the balls to get some cole slaw because its gonna be $14 when its $2.99 a lb at safeway. The sushi is good but often kinda old. It sits for a few days and you just gotta look at the color of the avocado. Cheapest roll is like $12 and the actual one you want is more, so just go to a sushi spot at that point.The mini pies below the sushi are fire. I got a pre made Po boy sandwich one time and it was moldy when I opened it at home (same thing happened with a burrito also). I asked a worker walking by the next time I was there how long the sandwiches sit there and he said they are all fresh. I just said "not my last one" and when I checked out he walked up and told the lady to not charge me for the sandwich. 3 points for Gryffindor. Also, show up after thanksgiving, christmas, easter, any holiday. Random stuff will be on super sale. I am still eating the bags of M&Ms from easter they were selling after. read more

Many of the employees at this store really go out of their way to help you. The deli counter is good. Antonelli's butcher shop is good. There's a free parking lot in the back with ample parking. They have most everything you need, and it has this odd way of making you feel like you're stepping back in time before grocery stores were nationwide super chains. It feels independent and "real", yet some of the customers are as shallow, narcissistic, and lacking in empathy as you can imagine, while others have depth, warmth, and compassion within them. Both types tend to return their shopping carts to the corral after unloading their groceries into their car, which is something you don't see enough today, sadly. You really meet all types of people here, but it's mostly a well-off customer base. It's a neighborhood store, so you tend to see the same people over and over again. Across the board, prices tend to be higher than you'd pay at Whole Foods, but the owners of CalMart seem to treat the employees like humans who deserve respect. The store manager does a great job managing the operations and hiring staff. If you have the room in your monthly shopping budget, I'd recommend you shop at CalMart, knowing that you're supporting a local, independent grocer who pays and treats their employees reasonably well. NOTE: info gathered from weekly shopping from May 1-July 1, 2022, generally 4-5 days a week. read more

The best produce in the city. I have been shopping at cal mart for almost forty years. I have moved far away and still continue to shop there. You cannot find the consistency of quality produce in few other places in the city. Staff are old timers which speaks of their good management and staff satisfaction. It truly is a family business where you can feel part of the family after all these years. Highly recommend it. read more

I don't know but the deli people suck! Bad attitude especially the zombie girl that never smiles and the guy(Gino) who made my sandwich got it all wrong. I ask for French hard sourdough, I got some soft bread not sourdough at all, and I asked for cranberry sauce on my turkey he forgot that, I said no mayo cause I'm allergic to mayo, I said lots of mustard, I saw he had mayo on my sandwich. I'm like wtf? I made him take it off. He didn't cut my bread all the way through that I couldn't even separate the sandwich, I had to go inside to get a plastic knife to cut it. Cala family you need to come up with a better sandwich system this one isn't working and get rid of the crappy attitude people you have working there. read more

At the end of the day, this is a fairly standard grocery store that will bail you out in a pinch if you need groceries or a quick bite, but I probably wouldn't come here for my regular grocery run. In terms of the grocery store, like pretty much everything in San Francisco, it has a good selection of items but is pretty cramped. There always seems to be a Calmart worker trying to move through the crowd with a bunch of boxes, or trying to stock stuff in pretty much every aisle. I know that it's necessary to keep the shelves full, but it's just a bigger problem than at other stores. I mostly come here for the hot food since I'm usually close by. Chinese food Wednesdays are alright, the sweet and sour chicken is decent and the fried chicken is hit or miss. They can get pretty pricey though for the quality. The macaroni and cheese is the cheaper option at 5.99 a pound, but it is overcooked and tastes like school cafeteria mac and cheese. But sometimes you just need something to eat, and it's not that horrible. It is somewhat pricey, but for the location, it's almost cheap compared to Bryan's just ~5 doors down. If it wasn't located in such a prime location, I probably wouldn't come, but it's right in the middle of everything. I definitely wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but I'm glad it's so close for when I do need something. read more

Cal-Mart Supermarket - Sweet and sour chicken and fried chicken - Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

I had the most unsettling experience this afternoon Tuesday July 7, about 3:00. The manager of the deli. was ranting and raving kept going on and on at his workers. The Four letter words where flying, it was so disrespectful to the employees and very unnerving to hear as a customer. I am still shaking from the experience. I have never heard such language and he kept going and going. I was trying to let him know people could him and hoped it would stop. It was unaware and it went on and on as I was continuing to shop. Overall I have found the employees at Cal Mart to be very helpful and courteous. You just don't treat people like that no matter what. Plus he was in an open environment and affected the shopping experience read more

The last two times the older woman, with the frizzy hair working the express lane has thrown my items as she scanned them, and was very rude. Today I have to write this review because she treated me like shit, but as soon as the white man behind me came up she was sweet as pie. Ummm why would you allow someone like this to working in your store. read more

I come here on a weekly basis and I have to say Cal Mart's employees have excellent customer service and their selection of food is great! Today I spoke with Bob who's in charge of the catering and deli area and he was extremely friendly and helpful! Will definitely come back to cater for events in the future. Also, their Sammies are fresh and delicious! read more

I have a hate-love relationship with this grocery store. Love: -Excellent selection of produce. All of their stuff is fresh, and looks beautiful. -They do have a large selection of items great gourmet items. I can rely on this grocery store to have items that are high in quality. -Pretty close to where I live -Their meat selection (Antonelli's meat shop - NOT affiliated with them; you have to pay separately) is great Hate: -Service: they are pretty rude overall. I don't know how these people got hired. One lady told me to take all the items out of my basket. Not to be rude, but if I'm paying $$$$ for food at this grocery store, I expect the service to be top notch. I wish they would just ask me how my day was going. I wish they would say thank you and actually mean it! -That everything is so expensive. Everything is marked up. I think it's over a dollar for one lemon. Chocolate chips are $13. Everything is ridiculous. -Parking lot SUCKS. It's narrow, it's full of old people who can't drive, thus they drive slow, clogging the one way in and out. You can come later in the evening to avoid all this though. read more

This is my new local grocery store and I just love it! The selection is pretty good, I'd like more local produce but still they have just about everything you'd need. The butcher has prime cuts and the good chicken. Parking is pretty good, that back lot gets cramped and some of the older patrons need a little help parking from the meter maid guy directing traffic, but it isn't that bad, and at least there is parking. The cashiers are nice and freindly. I just love it. It isn't a national chain with a million items and I like that about this store. read more

Woke up one day and decided I wanted an acai bowl. "Why not check out a new market?" the boyfriend asked. We ended up at Cal-Mart. Needed some Greek yogurt. 6-oz Fage was $2. Usually costs $1.20 or so. I shrugged it off. Needed some granola. The cheapest bag (which was on sale, by the way) was $6. Usually costs $3 for the same size bag. I shrugged it off. Needed some strawberries. I grabbed a box off the table. Then I looked back to check the price...it was $11. Usually costs me $6. Now THAT was the last straw for me. Don't get me wrong, there seems to be a large selection of fresh meat and produce, and some brands I've never heard of sprinkled here and there...but the prices are outrageous. I dropped everything, drove an additional 5 mins to Trader Joe's, and spent the same amount of money for 2x the amount of food (and same level of freshness). read more

Most expensive grocery store I've ever been in. For example a 12-oz tub of Philadelphia cream cheese is $6.79?!!!!! Nothing special about the basic selection or space at all. Checkout booths have an old-fashioned design that's unique but not accessible for wheelchairs, strollers, walkers, etc. read more

Cal-Mart Supermarket - Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

They don't take EBT... besides that good. Might as as well just go to whole foods or bi-rite though, and products but take EBT.

Neighborhood gem, not huge, but usually well stocked with all the fundamentals and some gourmet. The deli sandwiches and rotisserie chicken are great paired with the fresh Caesar salad kits they prepare daily. Quality meat department. The attractive bakery items are pricey, but convenient in a pinch when entertaining. read more

If you don't pay attention to the prices these guys have a pretty good selection of things. We needed some kite Hill vegan cream cheese and they had it. It was nine bucks but they had it. I would like to see the bakery have more vegan options as it's becoming very common and I imagine they're actually losing business to other places because of that. But overall this is a nice little market in the neighborhood. Though I do think that if someone came in here with a much more dynamic store and they could do some serious damage to Cal Mart's business.However good luck finding the retail space. read more

Definitely not my favorite grocery store to peruse - but if you happen to be in the area Cal-Mart is not a bad place to pop into to pick up some last moment produce and deli items. Cal-Mart has an old school grocery store feeling about it and you can tell that much of it's clientele have been going there for awhile. Many if not all of their items are over-priced here - but they have a decent organic section and I've heard solid things about their meats and sandwiches. I personally couldn't wait to get out of here - as soon as I stepped in. I normally love grocery shopping, but this place - felt too congested, the prices felt off, and I wasn't impressed with the layout. Unless you desperately need some food items here - I would highly suggest going to a different grocery store with more charm, more selection, and one which is easier to navigate. Trust. read more