I used to love this store for produce and fresh fruit. No more.. in the last six months I have found their quality has gone way down. Fruits and vegetables spoiling within just a few days of getting them home. Brought home moldy bread a couple weeks ago. Lots of expired bread on the shelves. The bakery department is terrible. All of these foods used to be fantastic. $20 tasteless watermelon. Bought two of those with the same result. So disappointed. read more

I love Gelson's. They have excellent quality and they have great people who work there.

I've been here a few times and I am extremely impressed with the customer service that the staff provides. Eric is an amazing store manager. Very personable and very helpful. They have a great selection of healthy food and personal items too. The store is very clean and wel organized. I will be returning to this location and recommend it to everyone. Can't beat the customer service, which goes a long way nowadays. read more

We ordered a pepperoni pizza, and we expected it to have a good amount of pepperoni as one does. We get home and open the pizza ONE PIECE of pepperoni per slice. We call and ask for it to be remade and they say yes, we get there and we get the pizza, we open it to see if it was pepperoni. It has pepperoni, but the pizza looked terrible, it was a blob shape. It looked like they just threw it on the table and put all the ingredients on. On top of that once we confronted the worker, they were bing disrespectful, manager got called and we got our refund. Very well to say I will not be buying a pizza from here after that experience. read more

Overpriced and not a great selection for food. I would strongly suggest any other grocery store nearby. Staff is nice but does not compensate for high prices and eclectic food choices read more

THE WORST! The holiday meal is like airplane food. Disgusting! I was utterly embarrassed to serve it to my family.

The staff were amazing. I tried to buy a watermelon it was $20 so I didn't, their produce is way over priced but if you wanna have a good chat with the employees this is a great place for it read more

Denise the surly cashier needs some time off. On several occasions her sharp tongue has made me wish I had gone to Seaside Market where no one would dare talk the way Denise does to customers. Gelson's managers look like she runs the show because they don't do much besides socialize with each other. No wonder why they are not busy. read more

What we thought we ordered and what we actually received - photos explain it all. :( read more

Gelson's La Costa/Carlsbad - Delis Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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The Carlsbad location especially has a beautiful selection of home and kitchen accessories and decor. I have bought several beautiful things for my home, and they look as good as pieces that come from high end home furnishings stores. Also great for picking up a quick hostess gift. read more

I like this store however I was in today and wanted to use my $5 off coupon that they would take regardless of the expiration date in the past. I was told today I couldn't use it because they are not accepting coupons older than mid July 2025. Why not accept my coupon and tell me the new rule for next time? I was told I could come back with a newer coupon and get a $5 credit. I don't even want to go back anymore. Do they no realize it is embarrassing to the customer and inconvenient? read more

I went into the store to buy some White Claws, and as I reached for them in the refrigerator, an older male worker approached and started rearranging them--even though they weren't disorganized. It felt like an excuse to hover near me. As I walked to the register to pay, he continued watching me closely, making me feel as if I was stealing, even though I had no intention of stealing anything. I was simply there to make a purchase like any other customer. It seemed like he assumed I was up to something suspicious, which made for a disappointing and uncomfortable experience. I didn't catch this employee's name, but I remember seeing him behind the counter where cheeses and sliced meats are displayed, in the central area before the registers. To this employee: Please treat all customers with respect. No one should feel as if they've done something wrong because of an unfair assumption. To the store: Please consider improving customer service training. Better training could help employees avoid making guests feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. This happened yesterday 2/17/25 at the la costa location in Carlsbad at about 2pm. read more

Gelsons is one of my favorite places to stop by for lunch! There salad bar is always so fresh and has so much to choose from. For a healthy flavorful lunch it's a must! read more

Products are good but expensive but I like their deli, salad bar and hot food bar. Problem is the attitude of the checkers that work there. Most of the time they seem to be grumpy, outright rude or making it clear they would rather be somewhere else. Since they don't have self-checkout, you are at their mercy. God forbid you ask for a bag or to enter your phone number for rewards, it is like you have committed a crime with such requests. Christine O stands out for being particularly rude along with the old guy that wears a puka shell necklace. It isn't our fault people over 50 are checking groceries for a living, go on Zoloft or something and try and fake some manners. read more

Great food quality Good in-person customer service Clean and well lit store Terrible website functionality due to glitch-filled online application Help desk never called back. read more

Because I'm done with Ralph's, I'm on the hunt for a new grocery store.... so off I go to the local Gelsons. Easy parking, check number one. Very pretty and well laid out, check two! I'm liking this place. Might be more expensive but so far I've had two people ask ME.... how can we help. I needed cut up peppers and onions and he said hold one I'll be right back and did them for me. Nice! The counter and fish/meat department is spotless and great looking stuff. The salads and other side orders call my name and I go fruit salad and potato salad... Easy check out. Not bad price wise but for sure more. But I'm ok with that to have an option and great fresh food. I'll be back for some fried chicken! It looked good. And a steak or two... and fish, yes lots of fish! read more

I usually don't write reviews unless something really stands out - and the staff here were so friendly and accommodating that I had to shout them out! The store was also very clean and well organized. I had never shopped here before but I'll definitely come back. read more

Gelsons review was negative but the manager called me personally and apologized and made restitute. I am happy with the positive outcomes. Wendy E read more

Love the deli! Lots of parking and friendly staff. I always have a pleasant experience here.

Wow! I love this store!!! The quality of food is off the charts! The salad bar is so worth coming to! Their avocado dressing is phenomenal and what keeps me coming back! Everything is super fresh and top quality. The service in this store is unparalleled to any store I have ever been in around the world! You can feel the people here love their job and are absolutely the friendliest kindest humans. This alone makes it the whole experience worth the stop in! read more

I had a Too Good to Go pickup at The Pie Hole which I didn't realize was located inside of Gelson's - let me say, I'm so glad it was! This grocery store reminded me why I enjoy shopping for groceries. It felt so homey and welcoming and was very well-organized and clean. Every employee I encountered was kind and seemed happy to help which is always appreciated. We grabbed some snacks for my kids and I got a little antioxidant salad of avocado, cabbage, tomatoes, etc from the prepared foods deli area. They have a little place to sit and eat near the front of the store so we did just that and it worked fabulously. If we lived closer, this would definitely be a regular store for me! read more

Amazing number 11 turkey sandwich with stuffing, super yummy, alittle pricey but worth it, young lady trainee and other lady behind deli very helpful read more

This is a very fancy grocery store. Everything is so neatly displayed and it just feels very high class here. They have a lot of expensive brands here that I wouldn't necessarily see at a Safeway. They even have an olive oil and vinegar dispenser station where you can sample them! That is very cool. There was also a kombucha filling station. They had this special where if you text something to a number you got a $5 off coupon which was very nice and unexpected. I don't live in SoCal but I'll be sure to be on the lookout for this grocery store next time! read more

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Great place to grab anything non-perishable, and the staff is super sweet and helpful. Terrible store if you want non-expired food. Their deli meat, yogurt, and deli food is always expired and not at all fresh. I've gone so many times to purchase produce only to be disappointed with wilted wrinkly vegetables and fruit that goes bad in 2 days. Also, I've returned flowers three times the next day after purchasing, as they also died. Not sure what the deal is, especially since Gelsons is not even that affordable, but I will unfortunately continue to drive to Lazy Acres for quality food. Such a bummer. read more

This isn't my weekly go-to market because of the prices, but I always come here for pizza dough. They have raw Wolfgang puck pizza dough; ask for it at the pizza counter near the sushi area. We make our own pasta at home, but their pizza dough is better than any we've been able to make by hand. Buy it the same day you're going to use it. This is also the first place I ever had cotton candy grapes! Such a yummy treat. Service is outstanding. Parking is easy. read more

My husband and I were in the area for a conference, and a local pointed us to the wine bar at Gelson's as an alternative to driving to Temecula. To say we were blown away would be an understatement. Troy provided amazing knowledge about available wines, great service, and friendly conversation. The sushi chef came out and asked about our preferences and created a delicious masterpiece for us. Definitely a unique experience that we'll remember! read more

Gelson's La Costa/Carlsbad - Sushi made to order - Delis Near Me - Carlsbad, California

This store is for me "for treats only" cuz it's insanely expensive here! Their deli counter has lots of hot food to choose from - i.e. buffalo wings, chicken tenders, grilled chicken (choice of organic). Staff is super cool and give you a sample if you are unsure....salad bar has plenty of stuff to choose from. The Poke bar is best in town in my opinion! Wine selections offers weekly promotions. Great place to pick up hostess gifts, appetizers & "soul food" for big game nights ;) read more

Gelson's La Costa/Carlsbad - Delis Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I rarely shop at Gelson's because I've got closer options to me but came in to check out their pricing on items. The price of EVERYTHING has gone up so much that I needed to do my due diligence and expand, if necessary. Picked up 10 or so items to prepare dinner and items for the kids lunches and was appalled at how rude the cashier was to us. He grabbed groceries so forcefully from my 6 year old daughter who was trying to be a good helper by unloading groceries and had a can't-be-bothered attitude throughout the entire transaction. I had no idea what the total was either. I had to look. He looked so bothered as he stood there waiting for me to enter my credit card. No one was in line but I was clearly holding him up for something. He handed the receipt to me so rudely as well. Might as well had thrown it at me, he practically did. I won't ever shop here again. I'd rather shop elsewhere where there is a mutual respect. When we were in the parking lot, my daughter asked me why the man was so mean to her. I simply said. There are people in this world who are just not kind and don't have a good heart. He was one of them. Her response was perfect. He would probably be happier if he was a nicer person. read more

Yes. You will find items here you don't see at other local grocery stores. They have a terrific meat department I'm store bakery plus a nice hot food counter Price? Far more expensive than any other major grocery store chain. Smaller store so selection isn't also there read more

Gelson's La Costa/Carlsbad - New pizza station - Delis Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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North County's best kept secret is Gelson's La Costa's talented florist. Margaret has been single-handedly creating floral masterpieces for me the past few years. You can't beat the price and selection. Margaret's arrangements would sell for significantly more at the spendier stand-alone shops in RSF & LJ. read more

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I had a pricing issue with Barbara and Chuck the AGM swooped in to fix the issue. These guys are great and the other Gelson stores should be envious they are at this store. Way better than vrie location. read more

I LOVE WHAT THEY'VE DONE TO THE PLACE!!! This Gelson's recently remodeled and their new layout is truly spectacular! They even added an awesome Bar so you can have a glass of wine or drink before or after you shop!!! To me, Gelson's is a superbly balanced intersection between Lazy Acres, Vons, Whole Foods, and Albertsons. They stock higher end products, along with everyday ones, organic produce, and their prices are for the most part in line with their competitors. They have a stellar meat and seafood department, bakery, deli (they have nitrite free meats), and their dairy selection is broad and delicious. The cheese selection is outstanding and they even sell my very favorite "Parmesan Crisps". I also love their super yummy Poke area! The fish is always fresh and expertly trimmed and seasoned. As for the deli, my goodness, I seriously can live on their excellent selection of salads which are always fresh, innovative, and healthy. This Gelson's also gets my award for the BEST Fried Chicken in the area (sorry Church's). It's not overly salty, moist, flavorful and crunchy. Mmm! They also have really, really good Mac and Cheese, FTW! What makes this store genuinely shine is their management and staff! The checkers and baggers and always super cordial and dynamic. If you're looking for something on the floor a Gelson's staff member will actually walk you to where the item is located (are you listening Vons?). I recently had an incident where I was overcharged for one of the four salads I purchased. "Troy" and "Ted" handled the situation BRILLIANTLY! When I called they were quick to amiably respond and when I came in they corrected the matter immediately. They even comp'd me the salads! Yew! It seriously IS service like this that cultivates a loyal customer base and keeps them coming back! Cheers Gelson's!! read more

It's not nice driving to the store to pick up one last item a few minutes before closing only to find out that the doors are locked and the employees, from inside, are looking at you while knowing it's not 10pm yet... Will not use this store any more. read more

The appetizing/deli section looks a LOT better than it tastes. Super pricey and incredibly disappointing. read more

This nice Man Jean Luc was kind enough to write Happy Birthday on the cake. So nice and accommodating. So friendly. I appreciated that he was able to write Happy Birthday T on it. So grateful. read more

Gelson's La Costa/Carlsbad - People at the Gelsons Mkt here were so friendly. Thank you. - Delis Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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I have been going to Gelson's long before Gelson's. Some of the staff has been here for quite some time and quite some changes over the years. I love seeing them and love the whole shopping experience when I come to visit. Very knowledgeable employees (wine dude is on point) and very friendly. Al is a stand out- always a pleasure to check out with and catch up at the same time. His heart is in his work and I always look forward to seeing him! Thank you Gelson's staff as you draw an amazing community together with food, service, and each of your hearts! read more

Nice selection of goods, but overpriced. The prepared item are good, but they can be hit or miss sometimes. The selection seems a little better at the Del Mar location. When they have items on sale, they can be cheaper than at a "normal" grocery store, e.g. Ralphs. Friendly staff, but not as friendly as the staff in Del Mar. One of the few grocery stores where you don't have to load your items onto a conveyor belt. They'll pull items directly out of the shopping cart. The quality control could be better. The wife always finds bits of shells in her crab cakes. At these prices they could go down Camino Real and hire a day laborer in front of Home Depot to pick out the shells. It shouldn't be that difficult. A big issue is that all of the hot food items seem to get pulled before 5:00pm. If you are going there after work you'll be out of luck. read more

I do not normally shop for groceries at Gelsons but I do buy my lunch at this Fine store. I would like to add that I have returned to the deli for Kristen sandwiches in the deli department! They're deli food is delicious and variety to choose from full dinner options to soups, salads and of course deli goods. Sandwiches are unbeatable! Bakery goods are a masterpiece all deli and bakery foods are truly the best I have ever had, Delicious and fresh with highest ingredients. This store is top quality! I love their selection and friendly quality service from every employee you can tell they really care and love their job. Thank you Kristen! read more

We enjoy coming to Gelson's to get a glass of beer before we shop for dinner. More often than not, we end up having dinner at the wine bar. Alex and Leah (and Troy) have become our friends, and we enjoy the place more because of them. Since they have expanded their food menu, this has become a common place for us to have dinner- the sushi tower is the best! Pour some Yuzu and Ponzu over it and it's my favorite dish. The happy hour is . It's everyday 4-6. Even weekends! read more

Gelson's La Costa/Carlsbad - Best Stella north of the 8 and south of the 78. - Delis Near Me - Carlsbad, California

The pizza they make is delicious. I am giving them 1 star because I went there on a Saturday during my lunch hour to order a pizza and they only had 1 person making the pizzas and he was on lunch. They told me I had to wait 30 min to order which is when the attendant was due back. Unacceptable to not have a backup for when 1 person goes on break or lunch. With how expensive the prices are at Gelsons, they should have a back up for every dept. read more