I enjoy shopping here because they have food products they cannot be found anywhere else. When I say this, I mean certain flavors of cereal, snacks, etc. Their meat selection is good, but the organic options are limited. The inside of the store is very dated, it looks like a grocery sorry form the 1970's, but it always clean. Their customer service is good as well. read more

This was the first time I have ever returned food for a refund, and unfortunately it happened on a busy Saturday afternoon while I was preparing dinner. I discovered mold on food I had purchased from the commissary, and I was not happy. I have been shopping at this commissary since 1995, so this isn't based on one bad visit. Over the years, I have watched the same issues continue without meaningful improvement. This is an extremely busy commissary, yet it routinely seems understaffed and understocked especially around military paydays, when increased customer traffic should be predictable. At times, it feels like there are more baggers than cashiers, and there are plenty of registers but not enough employees operating them. The facility itself also needs attention. Restrooms are frequently out of order, refrigeration equipment has had problems, and the parking lot and surrounding areas have deteriorated, including damage associated with overgrown trees. Food quality and expiration dates also need to be routinely inspected, particularly when customers are finding mold on products. The bakery and food-service areas have generally been one of the more consistent parts of this commissary, and I believe that deserves recognition. Military families depend on their commissaries. If stateside commissaries are going to remain relevant and demonstrate their value, they need proper staffing, maintenance, inventory management, food-safety oversight, customer service, and most importantly accountable leadership. After shopping here for more than 30 years, I know this commissary can do better. I hope today's experience leads to an actual review of these recurring problems rather than simply another refund and another customer walking away frustrated. read more

See all

The Good, the Bad, and the Extremely (Outdated) Ugly: My Honest Commissary Review; Let me start by saying: yes, the commissary has some great savings. But as the saying goes, you can't have it all and this place proves that. Let's start with produce. It's just ok. White /sweet onions always seem to be a little on the gray / moldy side. Check your potato bag before you buy it, there's usually one rotten one hiding in there, especially in summer. (Or bagged clementines). Stocking issues is another gamble throughout the aisles. Vendor-stocked items don't always get rotated, we found a pack of Myoplex that had been expired on the shelf for over 8 months. Sunscreen sitting there expiring within 4 to 6 months during summer, at a store steps from the beach, feels like an easy fix nobody's making. Check dairy dates too while you're at it. Deli prices are about even with Vons or Albertsons, so factor in the 5% surcharge and you're not really saving much, though the quality does beat packaged alternatives. The bigger issue is consistency: The Deli's hours of operation seem to depend entirely on who's working that day.(sometimes they close the deli one hour before store closure- insane! Vons or Albertsons close 10 minutes before store closing). Deli Cheese wrapped with parchment paper for one customer, not the next. Made-to-order subs available at 5pm on a Tuesday, mysteriously unavailable at 7pm or on a weekend, with zero signage explaining when the sub made to order window is actually open. A simple posted schedule would fix most of this. Meats are ok quality, fair prices, solid variety. No notes here. The bakery deserves real credit too. The cakes are consistently great, better than you'd expect walking into a commissary. Self-checkout is appreciated and works well. I applaud this commissary for the little enclosed area as I rather scan items myself, then to be rushed by the next person in line if I have to use the other checkout lanes. I notice commissary workers like to pack people one person after another and I need time to pack my items carefully- not be rushed. The AC issue -This seems to have given up entirely, whether that's the heat from the registers or a building-wide issue, it's noticeably warm throughout the store. And the price checker kiosks that used to sit in all four corners? Gone, with nothing to replace them. We need the price checkers now more than anything with the tags going digital.... someone say they are working on Dynamic Pricing? (Look into this!) But the real issue, and the one that could use the most attention, is the floors. There used to be a maintenance gentleman, older, glasses, always mopping, and the place was genuinely clean. These days, the floors are consistently disgusting. As someone with asthma and a dog dander sensitivity, I can tell within about 5 minutes of walking in that they haven't been properly cleaned, service animals or not. At this point, I've voiced these concerns to management for years as a retiree in the area, and I'd genuinely love to see a real renovation and consistent upkeep here, starting with those floors. The bones of a good commissary are there, it just needs someone to follow through. read more

Camp Pendleton Commissary - Grocery Near Me - Camp Pendleton North, California

This past Saturday, June 27, was my first visit to the Camp Pendleton Commissary. I'm grateful to my boyfriend for escorting me onto the base and for him suggesting we browse the commissary to pick up food together. We ended up purchasing bagel bites and Jimmy Dean's breakast croissants for our breakfast on June 28. It was a fun experience exploring the store for the first time! Very spacious commissary in Oceanside with a clean and well- organized layout. Every aisle was neat, fully stocked, and well maintained, which made it a lot more convenient to shop. Not everything is necessarily a bargain, so it helps to know the regular prices of the groceries you usually buy. I was thrilled to found some excellent deals, including Nature Made vitamins for just $4 and bags of Mauna Loa macadamia nuts for under $6. Overall, it was an enjoyable shopping experience! :) read more

They often have some decent deals so I like walking down the aisles to find the discounts. Not everything is worth buying here but if you're not in the mood to go out in town, it's usually a good option. Make sure to check expiration dates because they do sometimes have items on sale that are close to expiring already. read more

Didn't notify me that they weren't excepting WIC and their system was down before scanning any of the items I was trying to get on 07/26/2026. I wasted gas to go here just for the system to go down. When I asked the worker what time they will be accepting WIC again she didn't give me a clear time she just said "later today" then when I was trying to buy other items with my card it wasn't going through because of the system. She asked "is there any other cards or cash I could use. I told her no because otherwise I would've paid in cash if I had enough. I've gone here a lot and never been treated like this. It was a horrible experience bc I need WIC items for my 16 month old. read more

This spot is what it is, they seem to keep the store cleaned and stocked which I appreciate. The employees are always nice to me and accommodating Ambiance is a tad creepy if no one is in there because everything in the middle of the floor is untouched mostly because it is higher end retail stuff but it is still nicely done Thank you read more

Camp Pendleton Commissary - Front of store - Grocery Near Me - Camp Pendleton North, California

Sunday, 11-24-2024: We were here to pick up items for the Thanksgiving dinner at our daughter's house. This commissary is old but kept clean and organized. Their restrooms need some serious updating! It is usually fully stocked but it's Thanksgiving week! Anyhow, we were able to buy everything on our list except for poultry seasoning and buttermilk. It looks like both were sold out. The lines for the cash registers were not long at all and we were able to check out quickly. The cashier and the bagger were so nice and polite. We shop in here often since some items are a little cheaper than on the outside. read more

See all

Pros: lots of pull off coupons. Meat prices are the best in the area. Great deals on cereals, laundry detergent and snacks. Cons: prices are inconsistent and change from day to day. The produce isn't the best. read more

Camp Pendleton Commissary - Grocery Near Me - Camp Pendleton North, California

See all

Great selection of fruits and produce neatly organized great selection and pricing friendly employees only wish they carried canned grape leaves which are tasty and nutritious. read more

This Commissary is ok? The food you need to check dates with a Lack of customers stuff sets on shelf! Go for the good special offers! Kind of a ghost town! Employees are nice all around. read more

All Armed Forces grocery stores are operated by the Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA). So for the most part, no matter which military installation you're on, be it stateside or overseas, the commissary on base will have the same setup, look and feel. Yes, some are larger than others or offer more or fewer services, like deli counters, bakeries, seafood stations, etc... But if you've been in one, you'll recognize another. Even what is on the shelves will be the same. There will be some items tailored to the local area and special ordered items but pretty much everything will be presented and arranged in the same standardized fashion. This is a good thing, especially for family members who move from base to base on average every three years. This Commissary on Camp Pendleton is nice. It's large and serves a substantial population. It gets really busy so find the low-use time windows and your shopping experience will be a breeze. Post hoarding mode, everything seems to be back to well stocked. Shelves are full and aesthetically pleasing with everything nice and aligned and kept pushed to the edge. You know the neat grocery store look. They have the regular check-out lanes and then the express self-check-out area. I don't know why I call it "express" because most people using self-check-out appear as if they've never used it before. Sloooow. Other than that, the place is clean and neat and still one of the better benefits. read more

See all

Had a very bad experience here I've been to 10 diff commissary's and never had such a bad experience. My friend sent me to get her baby formula and GLORIA on register wouldn't allow me to use the formula coupon . So I called her and her husband showed up and used it just fine with the same person different last names !!! we're just trying to a feed a baby here and she was giving me such a hassle about it. read more

I've been coming to this commissary for years. It's always clean and plenty of store workers to help, if needed. I stopped by today, as I have been for the past few months since moving on base. I love that it's convenient for me on the way home from work, easy to get to and reasonably priced compared to some of the other big name grocery chains/off-base choices. They did just recently finally join the other stores with now charging for plastic bags. So, remember to bring your re-usable bags inside now, or you could just pay for a bag. Anyway, the reason for the 4 stars is that I noticed today that there is a different company now that runs the sushi counter. Prices are a little bit higher, so it was a little disappointing but I get it. Prices are going up with everything and everywhere here. Also, I always thought it should be bigger. We all know how big of a base Camp Pendleton is and how many people are here! It would be nice to have a big store like the one down south on Naval Base. read more

I've shopped at this location throughout the years since 2002; however, I now routinely shop here because we live on base. I haven't had any issues here, although I have learned the best times to go--and it's definitely not Friday-Sunday. Lol The Bakery/Deli is kinda lame, if I'm being honest, so if I want something of that sort, I'll go off base to Frazier Farms. The parking lot is horrendous here. Poorly laid out and needs reconfiguration for sure. I haven't had the unfortunate experience of walking out with expired items (granted I do look closely before adding to my cart). One time however, I did find pre-cooked pulled pork that had mold (under the label so not easy to see) and I gave it to a worker. If we all inspect as we go, and turn things over, it's not a big deal. The workers are doing their best. All-in-all, I appreciate not paying tax and absolutely see the cost savings. I can spend $85/wk on base, but off base--it would easily be double. (And that's not an exaggeration, sadly.) I use self check out because I'm rather particular about how my bags are packed, and most times I never carry cash (for tips). read more

It's a very big commissary! Items are usually in stock in this location. I know it's a bit of a drive from where I am but the staff are helpful if you need help to look for certain items. Clean and bright! read more

The option to order online and pick-up curbside is so nice. Everyone has been polite and helpful. The wait time in the parking lot can be longer than expected if you go during peak-hours. Had one mix-up on my order and the manager was super nice and apologetic when my husband went back to pick up our missing item. We will definitely be using this service over and over again. read more

De lo pocos lugares dónde puedo conseguir artículos del caribe. En lo personal me gusta venir aquí porque tengo acceso a un sinnúmero productos con excelentes precios en comparación con locales del área. Es de fácil acceso, con especiales todo el tiempo y bien localizado. Un plus es que tienen carritos con asientos para niños con necesidades especiales, para mi esto es súper conveniente. read more

I've got three syllables for you: SAND-WICH-ES. Nuff said. Just be aware: the line will get CRAZY long during lunch time, so plan accordingly. read more

This is one of those places where I don't know how anyone can complain. Using the Commissary is one of those privileges I don't take lightly and am grateful for use of this service. I was stationed at CP a long time ago (as was my grandfather) but I never used the Commissary when I was here. But I was close by and decided to stop in for some quick groceries. They are located very close to the main gate so it's very convenient. The hospital is located across the street so if you needed to get a prescription refill, you could drop that off and while you are waiting get your shopping done. It's a little smaller than other Commissaries in San Diego County but they have just about everything you could ever want or need in your grocery needs. I've read what people said about expiration dates and while I've never experienced that at any Commissary I've shopped at (over 40 years of shopping) everything I picked up was fresh and there was no problem with an upcoming expiration date. As for the store being busy on the 1st and 15th, well, if you are shopping on a military installation, you should know those are the pay days and of course it's going to be busier than usual. The people who work here are generally friendly and helpful. The store is clean with a large parking lot and easy to push carts. They have self-serve checkout lanes which I really appreciate. Overall, as with any Commissary, they provide great value and I'm very fortunate to be able to use their service. read more

I come every three months to shop with my mom. Even though I don't need much groceries, I still come to check out the goods. I manage to spend between $125-$200 per visit depending on how long it's been since the last visit. I try not to come during payday weekends since I like to browse the aisles without all the kiddos running around or electric wheelchairs blocking my way. I like to stock up on rib eyes and meats on every visit. Then the essentials veggies, fruits, eggs, cheese, misc... Lots of sales and promotions and you get some really good deals, especially when you use your coupons. The prices are very reasonable and when coming on non-payday weekends, the store is all yours! read more

Good prices (even for gas, and that's saying something for California). We came here to pick up a few things for breakfast/ lunch, as our hotel wasn't offering breakfast. On a side note- I don't mean for this to sound judgmental, but for one of the most well-known marine bases, you would think they would have a little bit higher standards. I saw marine wives walking into the commissary - their hair every which color of the rainbow, body piercings covering their faces, and too much skin showing (tattoos covering every inch of skin that was barely covered p in the first place). It was a little surprising read more

Prices are cheaper than out in town and sometimes even Costco, but make sure you check expiration dates. Avoid this place during the 1st and the 15th. I've always had pretty good customer service here. Will the employees stop you and ask if you need assistance? Probably not. But if you ask them to help you find something, they will most likely walk you over to the item rather than just telling you what aisle to go to. read more

I visited this place on Saturday. I would give it five stars alone for being a time capsule and a hidden gem. The interior of this commissary is a time capsule of the 70s to early 80's at least. Just look at the floor! Even the shelves and coolers haven't been updated since the 70s and 80s. If you want to reminisce with a bit of aesthetically pleasing grocery store nostalgia, put this on your list! But all joking aside.. it was well enough stock for our purposes during this visit. We were able to find hard to find items. And I would recommend camp Pendleton commissary to anyone! read more

coupons for "military store only" are for products that the camp pen commisary doesn't have. they've been handing these coupon flyers for a couple months, and they don't carry the products . no surprise. two stars is generous read more

Camp Pendleton Commissary - "military only" coupons for products that the camp pen commisary doesn't have - Grocery Near Me - Camp Pendleton North, California

Nothing but good things to say about this commisary-Thanks for all you do! Guilty pleasures? MRE's at the far end of the last regular aisle facing the first cooler:) Baked Julian pies across from last frozen aisle with other bread and pastry Unbaked Julian pies against the far wall in deli area read more

I have nothing bad to say about this commissary. Ever since I started grocery shopping here, I never go anywhere else! Everything is so reasonably priced and sometimes super inexpensive (YAY!) -- having the commissary card is worth while as well, of course...saving an extra .50 on something is worth cheering about! The lines are super long on weekends but I always plan to shop on weekdays when it's not as busy. Nothing to complain about here... just do my business and head home. The parking lot can get a little chaotic sometimes but that happens everywhere lol read more

Camp Pendleton Commissary - goodies! saved $13 w coupons! - Grocery Near Me - Camp Pendleton North, California

First of all, I recommend that all major destinations on base have signs encouraging everyone to get COVID vaccinated. That is the best way we can slow this COVID pandemic, especially this new highly contagious delta variant. Even those vaccinated folks need to keep wearing masks anywhere indoors. Yesterday I was surprised that there didn't seem to be any employee making sure that all customers put on their masks before entering the commissary. New regulations say that masks are required indoors everywhere on Camp Pendleton. Masks must also cover the nose without slipping down because the majority of COVID germs go in and out of the nose. When I entered the commissary, I saw one employee instructing another, but his bandana "mask" was below his nose; I motioned for him to pull it up. Outside the commissary, I wish posters would show which masks work the best (N95/KN95) and second best those blue surgical masks, with cloth masks being less effective against COVID and this new nasty delta variant. However, bandana-style, masks with valves, and "masks" that also cover the throat do not provide much protection. To protect all customers and employees, I recommend that the commissary provide and require their employees and baggers to wear (at a minimum) blue surgical masks and set and example by wearing them well-fitted over the nose. Set a regular schedule to make sure liquid sanitizer and wipe dispensers are filled all hours of the day. Everyone should be setting a good example for those people who are stubborn or superstitious anti-maskers and anti-vaxxers. The CDC has now said that COVID is now "a pandemic of the unvaccinated." I hope that on-base facilities, such as the commissary, begin to require that all employees be fully vaccinated AND wear good masks indoors. read more

I have made only a couple of reviews on YELP and they have all been positive. This is my first ever negative review. This commissary suffers from the worst customer service that I have ever experienced. It's as if the employees are annoyed that you are shopping there. I'm not going to get into specifics as I do not believe that management cares. After all, they have a protected government job with little to no accountability. As a retired Marine I am very disappointed with this establishment. We will not be shopping here again. Horrible experience!!! read more

I gave them a four star because of the tremendous selection of food they have. Food from Europe took me back to the days stationed in Germany. Everything was fresh and well stocked. Then came the check out. 45 minutes in line on a Sunday afternoon. Unreasonable. Only two cashiers were available to check people out. Unfortunate. read more

Camp Pendleton Commissary - Cart full of food. - Grocery Near Me - Camp Pendleton North, California

Just providing an update to old review. Newly returned to the area, I have the luxury of being able to shop here. This grocery store has everything you need and most of what you want. It has a great produce selection and seasonal fruits that are ripe and tasty. They always have rotisserie chicken to go and fresh sushi! This is my go to. If you have the ability to shop here, you should! read more

Not the best place to shop at, but also not the worse. I'm giving it 3 stars because the pros and cons balance each other out. 1. The "rewards" card is not based off of "spend X amount of dollars and receive X amount of points so you can get X amount off your next purchase." It's just a bunch of coupons which you literally could just get from the newspaper. They should've worded it differently. 2. Some of the employees are the rudest, some are the sweetest. For example, as I was in the check out line, the lady that checked my ID said, "Oh good, you're legal." In the most serious tone possible. Then you get the super sweet ones who hold up a conversation and tell you to have a blessed day. 3. Everyone's wife, husband, grandma, grandpa go shopping on payday so it gets hectic. 4. The fruit and vegetables suck and go back within three days. So I recommend going elsewhere and spending the extra bucks for better quality. 5. I like how majority of the toiletries and beauty and health products are cheap but I wish there was more variety. 6. I was told the "surcharges" are for the "electricity" of the building. 7. I'm not pregnant nor am I an officer but I applaud them for having parking spaces for people that it applies to. 8. The sushi at the sushi bar is pretty good. 9. There's a wide variety of ice cream which I absolutely love. That's pretty much it. If you're on a budget or wanna settle for less quality food, this is the place to go. read more

Go to WinCo it's cheaper and people are more friendly. Cashiers actually have a conversation with you and smile.

I went to this store about 10:30 his morning. #1 - I hate how you moved the meat dept around to shrink it. Horrible selection. What about smaller packages for seniors who are alone. I don't want to buy a family sized package of steak. #2 - When I went to check out, someone directed me to the register which is usually for a small number of items. There were 6 baggers sitting on a bench and no one to help the cashier to bag the groceries. I am physically incapable of bagging and pushing the cart to my car. I was led to understand that they have to "take turns bagging and only on the center registers." Is this true? What a horrible idea! As an 82 year old womn who has been shopping at this store from the day it opened, I cannot believe whatever is your motive for allowing this to happen. Some of those baggers have become friends over the years and now you are taking away their jobs. If customers have to bag their own or have the cashier do double work, it will slow service down badly. This store has really gone downhill over the last year. How sad! It used to be cheerful and decorated for holidays. Now the store is bland and unfriendly. No wonder I can always find a parking space. Thanks for reading this. I hope you can improve things soon or you have lost a 50 year customer. read more

Worst customer service by cashier Lourdes. Today 5/24/19, I went to the Commissary and grabbed the items I needed. I waited in the massive line to check out. Finally, it was my turn and a gentlemen sent me to aisle 1 which was a 6 items or less and my cart was full. The cashier scanned my ID and gave it back, but told her I had WIC and she replied, " Oh, I didn't know you had WIC or why they sent you here." She proceeded to scan the first bunch and the computer says non WIC item for frozen fruit; despite it being in the book. She immediately tossed them and by then I just wanted to forget the whole transaction. I grabbed my WIC folder back and she then said it needed to stay with her the whole time. She went down to the last WIC check and again, the computer said not a WIC item and tossed the two cereal boxes out of the way. I told her again, it's in the book. She took her time looking over it and you can see in the picture it was the right box of cereal. Also, anyone new coming up to the check stand, she kept saying it would be awhile due to WIC and showed them my vouchers. Mam' it's no ones business to know what I'm using to pay with. Now, I've been in customer service in the grocery level for about 14 years, as well as the Feds. This is not the first time I've been treated poorly while using WIC or non WIC to purchase items at the commissary. I also was a cashier and handled WIC and never once had an attitude to people who were on it, as you don't know their situation. I also know once you see the folder the first time to verify the signature, you hand it back to the customer. Due to the many issues in customer service I've experienced, it's a shame that I really won't be back at the commissary until something gets fixed. read more

The prices here are awesome! Definitely come here to save money. The only downfall is... it's madness!! It's always so busy. I would recommend bringing some sort of weapon, maybe a bat, to swing away at all the people trying to get all the good deals. Especially those old ladies, they make look small, but they're fierce. They'll shove you out of the way in a heartbeat to get that last box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. read more

I love shopping there the savings do not compare to any other grocery store. The baggers can be a bit slow but eventually they do their job. read more

Ah, the infamous Camp Pendleton commissary.. What can I say that others haven't? Ah what the heck! Things haven't changed... Yes most government officials want these dinosaurs closed now, I wouldn't blame them. Customer service is always a hit or miss. I love entering the store in odd time frames and dates to avoid the nasty crowd on pay days. Think ninja. Stop drop and roll... Fast paced and dodging everyone. I've tried the sushi at the deli and it's made me sick the last time I had some.. So NOPE sadly not ever getting that again... The bakery is okay, I believe they put crack in their chocolate chip muffins since it's a fight to the death to get to the last one whenever it's available. The only items really worth buying are the fish and or meats. The vegetables are always either porous or not anywhere near ripe. No win win on the fruit and veggie situation... Although sometimes you may encounter a stroke of luck!!! Another thing that grinds my gears is... What the heck happened to DRESS CODE??? What did you women think it was A OKAY to walk into a military installation with your COOCHIE hanging out? Who told you it was "GOOD TO GO" to wear your nipples hanging out or your "pajamas" out to the store? Girl I got kids and I still don't look like #%^%#%. If I can do it SO CAN YOU. Also, another grievance... Please explain to me why you have installed the new format of scanning ID's in the self checkout lane if you still have workers "looking" at your ID. Along with them being so GD rude?! Pointless job? Most definitely. I LOATHE coming here. I'd rather drive AWAY from it and go elsewhere... The only thing keeping me going in ninja style is to attain your damn chocolate chip muffins!!!That's with living on base and all. There.... That feels better. read more

Not a bad place for groceries, most of the time it's a lot cheaper than anywhere else and they have a pretty good selection, lots of German and again food choices, cheap flowers and great produce!but the lines to check out are super long sometimes it's worse than Walmart and that's why it's not a 5 star review read more

Prices are great. Produce and meat suck really bad. If you buy apples from them, eat them that day because if you let them sit for any longer (even less than a week) you will find mold inside them when you bit into them. Also, their meat tastes like leather. However, great place to get mason jars and canning supplies! Also, they have really good brands of dog food for much cheaper than anywhere else... read more