So so overpriced and for what? Not worth it, especially the service deli. The hot food stuff they have there is ok but not worth the prices. And I'm pretty sure the mac and cheese is just pre-made Kraft or something like that. Definitely not homemade. read more

All other major grocery stores have allowed us to use our own reusable bags, except Gelsons, over last 60 days. Would Gelsons and OC Health Dept please get your act together and speak with ONE clear voice. What a bother, poor research, poor communications. read more

Nice and clean. Good deli food. Good employees Had more than everything I was looking for

Alice Grazziani helped me find a wreath I had purchased years ago at Gelson's. She did a search and found a wreath very close to the one I have, but now is falling apart from years of hanging on the door. Alice emailed me with updates and finally to when the product would be at the store for pick up. Excellent customer service! Gelson's always goes above and beyond! I will always shop at Gelson's. read more

Veggies and fruits are fresh, a wine selection is good, and I like their deli. However, the service varies depending on the employee. Some had attitude while the others were very nice. I just went there yesterday after a long time. (I was not going there for awhile since there was remodeling going on.) I did not see same employees I used to see. Not sure if there are still working. The male cashier was little rude and unpleasant. I wonder if there was any management change after Gelson's was purchased by PPIH. I will probably go back for the good quality groceries, but I would choose to go Bristol Farms if there is one in Irvine. read more

If ever I move to a new community without a neighborhood Gelson's Market, you can rest assured that I went kicking & screaming! I LOVE this place and the customer service they provide. And it's not just because I love to eat - I do. I'm no celebrity housewife, but when I walk through the door I am greeted with a warm welcome and choose from the finest selection of goods from freshly baked breads, tantalizing salads & produce or exceptional cuts of meats, poultry, fish. Nor am I an Iron Chef - but I have NEVER been misguided by my two favorite men at my local market: Ubaldo, who thrives in the Meat & Seafood departments, has taken me on the best culinary journey of discovery with the best cooking tips ever. And then there's Steve, who manages the Spirits aisles, and will explore options with me in order to pair the perfect beverage with my meal of choice. I encourage you to discover your own adventures here at this amazing specialty market and be prepared to fall in love with the people! read more

I have been a regular and frequent Gelson's shopper since the Irvine store opened. I am very pleased with the experiences I have there. I do wish the store management would discourage customers from grazing- reaching with hands into bulk candy bins to take a couple of pieces out to eat, sampling grapes and cherries, opening containers of blueberries AND SQUEEZING THE BERRIES. People sometimes do weird and disgusting things, but the customer is not always right, and the store management should not tolerate this behavior. read more

The gluten free chocolate cake that I ate from here was incredible! My work surprised me with a cake for my birthday this year and I couldn't believe they got such a tasty cake that was gluten free. I believe that it takes a few days for them to process your cake order when doing gluten free, but it's worth it. If it could be done faster and was a little cheaper I would have given it a 5 star rating. read more

Gelson's Irvine - Grocery Near Me - Irvine, California

Their Prime Rib in the Deli section, melts in your mouth ! When is this going on sale again ? So I can stop asking for so many samples ! Haha read more

I love GELSON , this particular one!!! The food quality , everything organized clean, they hv it all, and oh those german pickles that nowhere else you can find!!!! read more

I have known Sherine in floral for more than 10 years now. She is amazing! Today, I was helped by Yalda who is also amazing. Thank you for always going above and beyond for me. You are truly appreciated. read more

I went to Gelsons to try and find unripened plantains. I met the produce manager Ron and he is amazing. He went out of his way to give me info and even said i could email him to find out about produce. Thanks Ron you are awesome. read more

I wish I could shop at Gelson's all the time, but let's be realistic, this cannot be my all the time grocery store. First, I am not made of money and second, they have some great specialty items, and great meats, flowers and produce, but there is just some everyday stuff they don't carry and I am also not going to pay a fortune for regular sundry and grocery items when I can get it for way cheaper somewhere else. What I do come to Gelson's for is for what I think sets this market apart from others. They have absolutely gorgeous flowers here. Some unique varieties and they are super high quality. Awesome for a hostess gift or birthday bouquets. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/gelsons-market-irvine-2?select=t3EwQs9UJN-XDhUwfO-rCg As a woman who LOVES cheese, they have a fantastic selection. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/gelsons-market-irvine-2?select=_zb-64sj7JT-2lij4D9u2A Their bakery is also stellar with a wonderful selection of cakes, cookies and breads. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/gelsons-market-irvine-2?select=GG6AzgvtrUV9IOjBbc8jjg I am a pickle and olive fiend and they have the very hard to find Kruegermann Pickles here and some great olives and olive tapenade. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/gelsons-market-irvine-2?select=29xvWxDtyaWYLvxEziqiQw Finally, they have very high quality meats (great cuts of beef) and produce here and free recipes cards available that are great way to incorporate these items. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/gelsons-market-irvine-2?select=5yUohSoWopKuRtvkq0WPVw This place is always pristine-looking, staff is nice and it is fun to peruse the aisles to see some of the cool stuff they carry. Glad to be able to have this nearby so I can purchase great some specialty and high quality items and to supplement my other grocery shopping. read more

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I love this market! It's out of my way but when I have time and looking for veggies and fruits, I go to Gelsons. - Everything looks and feels clean - Staff are super friendly and helpful. I was the 2nd in line at the cashier but another cashier flagged me down and helped me at her station. - They have samples of oranges and grapes but I've had instances where they offered samples of things that weren't out. - There is a counter in the middle of the aisles making it very easy to ask for help when you need it. For some reason, I just feel extra good and accomplished every time I leave this place lol. read more

We have always loved Gelsons for their customer service, and the great products they have stocked on their shelves, as well as their bakery. But the last few times we have shopped here, we've had moldy tomatoes, stale Cheddar puffs that tasted awful, and some other issues with their food going bad, or expired. For the amount they charge for their food, there is no excuse to have this issue at their store. When you spend an exorbitant amount on groceries, you expect them to be top notch, fresh, and of quality. This is not the case with this store. Gelsons needs to fix these issues - until then, we will not be shopping here anymore. read more

I popped in to see what Gelson's was all about. I always saw it as a higher-end grocery store and wanted to see if I could find, on this hot day, some harder to find frozen desserts. I walked around and saw an employee preparing samples and, wanting to know what exactly was in these triangle-shaped samples, asked, "Oh, what are these?" She had a smug look and condescendingly replied, "They're for eating." Taken aback, I said, "Uhh ok. I get that.. but what is it? Its it just pita bread?" With a flat, unwelcoming tone she replied, "They're quesadillas." Still a bit surprised at the whole thing I took one and ate it. It didn't even taste good! I didn't even bother to look around more and just left. Lady, why you gotta be so rude?! First impressions matter, Gelson's. I don't care what you have, but this experience left me with such a bad taste (both figuratively and literally) that I know I'll never come here again. Take a page from Trader Joe's: have better samples and more importantly, teach your employees to not be so smug! read more

I am only reviewing their holiday meals. We got the spiral ham meal for 6 and it was awful. The ham tasted like it had been reheated in the microwave, the yam soufflé was just puréed sweet potatoes with a crumble on top, the veggies were frozen veggies with butter and seasoning, the mashed potatoes were a weird texture and tasted like instant mashed potatoes. I followed the directions exactly, and for $130 i got a banquet frozen dinner for 6-8. I was so disappointed, I was trying to make it so I could relax and spend time with my family on Christmas and it was absolutely horrible, I couldn't eat it. read more

Same as some other reviewer's, I have always loved Gelson's. The staff has always been friendly (that hasn't changed at all) wide variety (still applies) but the quality of bakery goods? Terrible and that's a real shame. Their bakery goods used to be unparalleled and I was so disappointed when I had picked up a few goodies for friends that were visiting (thinking how could I go wrong with Gelson's). It was downright embarrassing that I even served my guests these less than tasty treats. The sliced pieces of various cakes had that weird (what I call) freezer burn taste to them, uneatable. The same for the cookies that I happened to buy, tasted old and stale. And the person behind the counter assured me they were baked daily (I think not). Never again will I be buying from Gelson's. Such a shame that a place that was #1 in fine bakery goods has let their standards drop from 5 star's to -0-. read more

The meat department at Gelson's is amazing and I wanted to give Daniel a special thank you for getting my custom meat order perfect as usual. He is always very welcoming when I visit there and never gets annoyed at my special orders. Thank you for doing an excellent job! read more

I am a big fan of the cranberry-orange relish that contains chunks of pear, orange zest and whole cranberries - it's the impeccable balance of sweet and tart. Slather it, sandwich it, scoop it, layer it....just taste it. Cheers! read more

Gelsons does a lot of things right, but fresh fruit is not one of them...... The fruit bowl on the left is "Gelsons Finest " the other fruit bowl is from Albertsons . They both cost about the same. The Gelsons bowl was so bad, hard no color or taste it went into the trash. When I returned to Gelsons I curious to see if I had picked an off day last time for "Gelsons Finest ". Nope,they looked like the last bowl . So I found the Assistant Store Manager, when I showed him the photo, he was like a stone, not an apology or even an offer of a refund. Gelsons, send your produce buyer to Albertsons,they seem to know what they are doing when buying fruit! read more

Gelson's Irvine - Grocery Near Me - Irvine, California

Eek! Methinks not indeed. It's expensive. The customer service is questionable. There are much cheaper grocery options nearby with better service and the same quality. Don't waste your time and money here. You're too good to be overpaying and dealing with rudeness! (I'm just looking out for ya. You're welcome.) read more

I was going to leave this on their customer service website portal but it wouldn't send so it's goes to Yelp. It's 815pm and after my girls long soccer practice all they wanted was gelsons mash potatoes and corn dogs. We usually order this is Ladera Ranch where we live. Went to this locations because they were starving after practice in Newport. After purchasing the food from the store my girls were absolutely disappointed to find the hot dogs and mash potatoes were unedible. Corn dogs were rubbery and hard. Half of the mash potatoes were crusty and hard. Threw their whole dinner out and had to cook dinner for them at home. I understand it's late, but I expect much better from gelsons. At least tell your customers that the food has been sitting for along time and it may not be fresh because I'm sure they must know if they prepare and serve it. read more

"Man this place is going to be expensive..." I strolled into the supermarket with expectations of ridiculously priced fruits and gourmet caviar at the counter. I was right. Partly. There were 9 dollar raspberries that went for 4 at Ralph's and there was caviar at the fish counter. But there was also 9.99 per lb live lobster! 2 dollar satsuma tangerines that peeled so beautifully. 2 dollar Bartlett pears with meat ever so tender. Tims potato chips, 2 bucks. And the staff...so friendly! I left gelsons with my expectations of "everything is gonna be expensive" to "huh that wasn't bad at all". Smart shoppers will love it here! read more

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I've been going to this Gelson's for about a year now, and have to say, I have been going less and less these days. At first, I LOVED this place because the way the shelves are so perfectly stocked is an OCD person's heaven. I was in love. However, over time, I've become somewhat disenchanted with this place. It's literally 2 blocks from my house so it's convenient, but for the price they charge, I want exceptional quality. On several occasions, I've bought packaged noodles and other similar products here only to get home and realize they had expired months ago. My mother in law purchased a turkey here that was MOLDY and the manager didn't seem too fazed when she brought it back. The deli / salad bar are usually great, which is what has redeemed this Gelson's from 1 star to 2 stars in my book. The bread and milk will go bad too quickly, so don't bother purchasing either here. Gelson's PLEASE step up your game! My husband and I don't want to go here anymore because we don't want expired food. I'll drive the extra ten minutes to Whole Foods. read more

I absolutely love Gelson's. The quality products, the perfectly stocked shelves, and the employee's are very nice. So why two stars... their deli totally sucks. The employees working the deli counter work slower than turtles... yes, turtles making sandwiches, you can imagine how painfully slow that can be. I had two people in front of me to order a few sandwiches. I literally waited 45 minutes from ordering to checkout. That is just ridiculous for a deli sandwich. Stupid me for waiting. I hope the management can ramp up the deli employees speed to help the customers. read more

Gelsons Irvine has a new seafood bar with their salad bar and it is AMAZING! Ceviche, Poke, Lobster Louis! Better than most restaurants. Super fresh and delicious! My husband and I can't get enough! read more

This review is strictly for their catering. My mother's 50th birthday was last night, and I bought $375 worth of the private catering dishes. We picked up deviled eggs, artichoke bottoms, cheese platters, and salmon cakes. The cheese platters and deviled eggs were edible. the artichoke bottoms and salmons cakes were disgusting. The plate of artichoke bottoms were practically inedible, garnished with orange slices to the point where the plate looked like a 1950s house wife was preparing it for a block party, and honestly should not have ever left the kitchen. I date a chef, and picked him up on the way home from gelson's. after he commented on how shitty they LOOKED, i assured him they would probably taste great, since I had so much faith in Gelson's. i am genuinely embarrassed I put that out after tasting it. The salmon cakes were dry and unrecognizable. the garnishment and caviar on top were not able to save this dish. we threw away probably $200 worth of food after realizing our guests were not going to eat anymore. I love paying for good food, and happily do so very often, but this was ridiculous. NEVER AGAIN! read more

To begin, I just recently started shopping because the store is very clean and less hectic then most grocery stores (although a bit more pricey but you get what you pay for). The employees are very friendly and welcoming; however, today around 5pm while waiting in line. I had to wait at the checkstand while I waited for my cashier (Kelly I think was her name) to come back to the checkstand from who knows where. I thought this was an inconvenience especially from such a nice store. Then later her bagger comes over wearing bunny ears with a price tag so my guess is he did not pay for it nor will he. During this time I think that is very unclean for someone to put back headwear (especially an employee). I do love this store and plan to continue shopping but hopefully things like that can get fixed soon. read more

This review is for the deli. Ordered a tuna sandwich pesto earlier and it was good. Generous serving for a sandwich. Enough for two meals for me. Good option if you want a quick meal. read more

Gelson's Irvine - Pesto tuna sandwich without cheese - Grocery Near Me - Irvine, California

The bakery is BAD- no one even speaks English! They throw all your stuff in a bag and are NOT friendly at all! they need to get some better people working at the bakery asap, they shouldn't be able to charge what they do for such BAD service and they are also VERY slow. I will stick to their salad bar- the bakery is SAD. read more

This place is how a market should be operated. Wide selection of everything, especially their amazing butcher case. Even better around lunch time is the deli counter. They always have a big variety of hot or cold food, and they make sandwiches any way you want using Boar's Head meat. LPT: They have Illy coffee, including espresso beans. If you know espresso you know how important this factoid is. Lastly - awesome crew. Lots of smiles and eye contact and "can I help you find anything" without being pushy or phony. read more

gelsons is the best. the irvine store is super....ron and lupe in produce are superb. meat dept quality and service is as good as it gets. mary, maureen, dean keep the service quality of this store a great thing....you cant do better than gelsons, and irvine will win your heart!!! Sharon is one of the best managers you will ever find.....first class. Gelsons is the best you can find. not a place you will find every day!! read more

I can't say enough about Sherine, in Gelson's floral department! She is a fantastic ally when you're having an event of any kind. We had our daughter's wedding recently, in our backyard. Sherine created the bridal bouquet, the garland for the arch and four centerpiece arrangements. I've seen her work so I knew that what we picked up would be beautiful but it all surpassed our expectations. I will, without a doubt, be back whenever we need flower arrangements of any kind in the future. Sherine is so talented and thoughtful, she really cares about her customers and that is a comfort whether your occasion is a joyful one or one full of sorrow. read more

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I love coming to Gelsons for the bakery and floral department and deli mostly. Bakery: I was having a very difficult time trying to find my wedding cake on a budget. I my limit was $500.00. Many bakery's around Orange Country were upwards of that amount when delivery was all included. I called many places and had no luck. I didn't want a supermarket special either. Gelsons is not your average supermarket. I came into Gelsons to have my bouquets done and I totally forgot about there bakery. So I stopped there first and I saw the model of my wedding cake. I asked to see it and asked how much it would be. I was able to get it for $250.00. Delivery was a little more. Which was totally fine. I sampled the princess cake and red velvet right there and both were perfect. I was so relieved to have that checked off the list with money to spare! Then my flowers were of course perfect. Gelsons floral department is so beautiful. I absolutely love getting fresh flowers from Gelsons. My mom had my floral centerpiece done from Gelsons for my high school graduation party at Il Fornio in Irvine. The bouquet of flowers was all roses (my favorite) but were over 50 of them. It was stunning. It covered most of the table. Everyone stopped and asked where we found that many red roses. Gelsons! The kale salad is my favorite in the deli. So many different options and for a fair price. The atmosphere and openness of the store is nice as well. The aisles are wider than the typical grocery store. And I love how there are specialty items as well. Love Gelsons! They helped make my wedding day so special. read more

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So, we come here once a month for 3 things only. Roasted Chicken, Salsa and Tortilla chips. Thats it. Nothing more, nothing less. Normally. Not counting the Holidays. You figure that we could go anywhere for those three items, but no...we don't. The roasted lemon and herb chicken is almost as good as my roasted chicken and the salsa brand we get is the best all natural no preservatives salsa on the market. And the tortilla chips are, well just plain ol' tortilla chips, but we pick it up there, because the salsa is there. So, there. Yup, thats it. read more

Went there on Sunday to pick up a couple of items. Ended up stopping in the bakery section and to my amazement, I actually found Napoleons that looked EXACTLY like what I can get from an Italian bakery back in NY and NJ. With that said, of course I had to try one. I have to say it was close but not quite like I can get back east. Everyone knows the best Italian food comes from the east coast! Outside of the bakery, the selection there is good. You'll find some things that you can't find at Wholefoods or a good Ralph's but it is kind of pricey. Some of the everyday items you can find at a Ralph's cheaper but for specialty items, I'm there. read more

I love their deli items!! Having said that the reason for 1 star is the extreme snob attitude in the deli dept.!! Zero customer friendliness or Service!!! They act like their doing us a big favor as we purchase their delicious though very overpriced food!!! Bakery is excellent! Cashiers are nice!! Beware of deli workers ;) read more

I just returned from the Gelsons in Irvine. The extremely rude manager named Sharon followed me three times to see if my mask was completely covering my nose. It had slipped only slightly on one side of my nose when I walked by her. She was VERY RUDE when she asked me to raise the mask. I did so and she then followed me a bit later to harass me about the mask position. Talk about zero professionalism especially in a managerial position. How she gets any significant work done is hard to imagine. She acted like a total mask Nazi. I refuse to shop at this location while she is on her little work hours. She is a bad representative of a very good store. read more

Organized, clean, and good food in the deli- a lot of variations of food to choose from and it's fresh. Will definitely be back.