Amazing what they pack into this little place... of course it's pricey - it's owned by "Whole Paycheck," but it's got the goodies on the way home. read more

Had a $8.99 sandwich. Too much bread, very little meat, veggies, etc... Customer service is mediocre...

The selection of grocery items is not always the best, but I go there for the meat and seafood department. the service and quality are very good. I especially like Kevin, very helpful. The produce is also excellent. read more

My neighborhood market developed a serious attitude when Whole Foods took it over a few years back. Why can't we just have a neighborhood grocery store? I don't want my grocery store to decide I'm only allowed to eat organics. I don't need to be tempted by overpriced deli and confections. Enough bitching. They do have very nice produce and great service and the place is always hopping. read more

I thought i had taken ill after eating here. It turns out there was another source. This is a nice store with a responsive staff.

My favorite neighborhood grocery store. Most of the time they have everything I need and only have to make one stop. Service is great! Produce selection can be lacking, but overall I love shopping here. read more

Awesome store in a cute, quaint neighborhood. Was the perfect call for a quick meal from the hot bar. Easy, lots of variety and inexpensive. Helpful staff and healthy food. Win-win. read more

Now that Whole Foods expanded their empire into NoBo with the acquisition of Ideal Market (Wild Oats), I was curious to see what elements of the Pearl Street experience would be duplicated and if Whole Foods would keep the small neighborhood grocery store vibe that I loved so much in Ideal. Well... I frequently visit Pearl for their hot meals and breakfast burritos and none of that is available in North Boulder. They do have pre-made sandwiches and custom made sandwiches, but you'll wait a long time for a custom made sandwich and if you buy a pre-made, you won't be able to locate mayonnaise or mustard packets for your sandwhich. The coffee bar is huge and a little too crowded next to the check out aisles. There is some tension between customers crowded in the coffee queue and customers waiting in the check out queue.The aisles are small and you'll feel some of the same stress you often do at Pearl- can't get past meandering and unaware customers blocking the aisle. I bought a croissant that was the size of a child's fist for 2.99. I complained the croissants were about a third of the size of Pearl and was told that they do not bake them there or get them from the Pearl bakery, they are brought in from Denver. So YES-they've managed to import a lot of the stress and high prices that making shopping on Pearl Street a somewhat unpleasant experience. The best part is the inadequate parking lot standard has been totally preserved. I expect to witness the punch outs in the parking lot in NoBo that Pearl Street was nationally infamous for. A few of the good things they've managed to keep-an olive bar, some good produce right in front, the flower section---though I've got mixed feelings about this as Whole Foods flowers tend to put locals out of business and I love Fiori Flowers which just relocated next to Vic's across the street. I guess I've got mixed feelings about the olive bar too as I've seen too many people stick their fingers in it. I love the new outdoor seating-the old concrete tables were too few and got hot hot hot in the sun. Talk about being on the hot seat! This review is typical of my feelings about Whole Foods. I go there, I keep spending, but I don't know that I always enjoy it. It's just better than the alternatives. ************** Review follow up---- Funniest comments ever about this place on bestboulderblog.blogspot.com This place is getting worse. Prices went up a lot this week-bulk oatmeal from .89 cents to 1.69 a pound. It also rankled me that they won't let you transfer your coffee card-so if you've got a coffee card started on Pearl, they won't let you use it here. Whereas, Vic's let's you get a coffee punch at any of their stores. read more

We bought a roasted chicken from Ideal last week. It was dry and over cooked. Probably sat in the cooker all day. We got salmon burgers the other day. So salty we couldn't eat them. Who salts a salmon burger? Won't be back. read more

Although this looks like an independent grocery store from the outside, everything inside is Whole Foods branded. It's basically a small Whole Foods, with all the basics you'd expect, in addition to specialty items and locally made treats. They have a small prepared foods section, with made-to-order sandwiches and a bakery/coffee area as well. They also have a well-stocked salad bar and a wide selection of prepared soups, although I was surprised at how few vegetarian soup options there were (IMO, soup is one of the easiest veggie-friendly gimmies there is, but perhaps they know something I don't. Oh, and it can be strangely difficult to find a shopping cart, although I think this is at least in part the nature of it being a pretty small store? read more

The coffee/juice/smoothie/bakery area is very poorly run. I lived a few blocks from Ideal from almost 8 years While I didn't love it, it was a nice place to shop, with friendly personnel. However, recently I've been ordering smoothing and green drinks and found them to be really poorly trained, giving inconsistent drinks and sometimes taking 20 minutes to produce one. Because I want to frequent my local store, I tried expressing my concern to management. That resulted in hostile treatment from the staff I complained about and managers who are ridiculously clueless about customer service 101. It was beyond frustrating and a waste of my time to try to work with them to affect change. That's the reason I am giving them only 1 star is because they show an unwillingness and an inability to be respectful of customers as well as to take in feedback and create positive change. read more

granted Ideal Market is really Whole Foods in disguise, and thus the items they sell are somewhat pricey. But I have to say that the convenient location and always enticing deli offerings, coupled with the super friendly staff make it irresistible. read more

I figured I should scope out my local market since I'm moving into the neighborhood soon. This was my first time here so I don't know as much as Dustin or Alexandra but I enjoyed the place overall. I liked how it's not as big as Whole Foods so you can get your shopping done faster and you don't have to deal with the crowd. It's a much more peaceful shopping experience. Although it's a little on the pricier side, if you live in the area, it's so convenient. I was very happy to find out that I can walk here from my new home. It's also nice to know that I can eat at Radda Trattoria next door and get my shopping done at Ideal all in one trip. read more

What Whole Foods Market should be: small, passionate, and friendly. They often don't have the wide variety you'd expect out of a gigantic corporation, but the feel is right. read more

Super cute mini Whole Foods in Boulder! We went for the free ice cream social for National Ice cream day and my kids loved it! Lots of friendly people giving away free ice cream, bubbles and dogs, what's not to love? read more

After living across the street from this store for a few months now, I can say that there are actually some staples here that are the same price as anywhere else, like milk, eggs and flour. It's mostly the produce and convenience foods that are hella expensive. read more

If you like and support the monopoly that Ideal Market has become - okay, enjoy shopping at yet another Whole Foods foods joint. But get this....Whole Foods forced the landlord to impose a 2 hour parking limit for the entire shopping center. If you exceed the limit they boot your car and charge you $70 CASH to get the boots removed. This is a terrible customer service policy. This is absurd given that many people plan multiple stops at the center - to shop at Ideal, eat at noodles and co. or Radda, pick up a prescription at Pharmaca, etc. You can easily burn more than 2 hours in a trip. The businesses other than Ideal Market (whole foods owned) suffer this draconian rule - and customers that get booted are unlikely to return. My friend got booted after we ate at Radda (next to Ideal Market). The manager of Radda actually reimbursed my friend for the $70 (and by the way, Radda is a fantastic place). The manager of Ideal was defensive and clearly struggling with trying to defend the highly questionable policy. Bottom line, shop elsewhere - don't bother with Ideal Market. It doesn't represent the small Boulder neighborhood vibe, it represents hostile customer disservice. Contact the manager at Ideal Market and Whole Foods corporate and let them know you don't appreciate their approach. read more

I would love to know if I am the only one who consistently buys food at Ideal and realize it's rotten when I get home or goes bad within 24 hours. Last week it was a bag of lemons, the week before that it was apples. Today my son opened a bottle of orange juice we bought yesterday and it exploded because of fermentation. I buy there when I have to but would love to know if I have extremely bad luck of are other people having similar experiences. read more

This store is going downhill fast. Last week, I was overcharged, AGAIN. Last two nights: No onions or cucumbers in the store. Worst of all, corporate has forced the butcher to stop making Italian sausages in house. The sausages that come from corporate aren't good. I was already taking 1 to 2 days of business a week elsewhere because of the sausages. After recent overcharge (AGAIN!), and regular produce shortages, I am about done. Its a bummer. Have been shopping here for 15 plus years. Its across the street. I am now going across town because I am so frustrated. Shame on you Whole Foods. We are your home town. Take care of us. read more

So I'm in the longest line ever and they are giving out cookies. Go ideal. Awesome customer maintenance. I knew I love this place...this just confirms it. Great way to creat raving fans! read more

hey..this was our store...we were a big family on 15th street in the 50's and 60's and each of us 7 kids took turns taking a dollar to Ideal Market and buying a pound of hamburger and some milk. Go easy on it...she has been in the neighborhood longer than any of you read more

I love to shop at Ideal. One reason is that the location is convenient. But beyond the convenience, I love the atmosphere. It is just the right size -- not too big, not too small. The people who work there are very pleasant and very helpful. If you ask where something is, someone will walk with you to the item. The produce is lovely. And it's so nice to walk in the front door, greeted by beautiful seasonal flowers and produce. I didn't give it five stars for two reasons. 1.) It is very expensive. I'm always shocked to see how much $$$ it costs to get so little. 2.) Its limited, "healthy lifestyle" selection means I almost always have to stop at a regular supermarket like Safeway to get staples like household cleaning supplies, etc. It's a delightful store. read more

Limited and disappointing selection of products, WARNING!! If you park longer than two hours in the lot (to shop at the other stores in that mall, or to eat food at the restaurent or coffee shop), their parking nazis will boot your car and it will cost you $70 cash to get out-- enforced even when the lot is empty! FYI: When Whole Foods bought Ideal Market, they made draconian parking enforcement a condition of their lease. read more

Perfect community grocery store! Great people. Everything you need fast. The produce and flowers are always fresh with a nice fish counter. Easy to get in and out so you can pick up what you need daily. read more

Ideal is such a wonderful part of our neighborhood. Courteous and helpful staff, great selection. I'm not a hug fan of whole foods as a chain, but Ideal is not like the horror show on 28th street. Great quality, great selection. read more

Austin is the landlord for the Ideal Market shops. I went in to one shop to eat lunch, then went to Ideal Market (Whole Foods) to buy groceries, and came out to a booted car! I was actually shopping at their stores and had to pay a 70$ fine!! Now, I have left multiple phone messages and have received no call back. I refuse to shop at the Ideal Market stores now, and I suggest you do, too. read more

This market is small but amazing; the staff is great and they always have a great produce and cheese selection. I run into a associate in the cheese department weekly, ask for Rebecca; she is so knowledgeable and always sends me home with great ideas and armfuls of good snacks to go with my cheese. It's the closest thing to a neighborhood grocery store and I just love it. Oh yeah, the flowers are pretty nice too. read more