Ralphs

One of my go-to spots for when I'm going to get groceries! Even though it's a little out of the…read moreway, it's always been very easy to go in and get out without any issues. Their self check-out lines are normally full so when checking out with staff, they are always very friendly. I also love grabbing pastries or donuts whenever I make it in the morning. I'll be here the next time I get groceries!

Worst cashiers in the area. A older white blonde lady with glasses was extremly rude to my family…read moreAnd I visiting from out of town. She had 6 people show ID cause one person bought a tall can after half of our group had bought bottles right before. While an older bagger was taunting us laughing. Worst cashiers. Crappy customer service would not recommend. NEGATIVE STARS IF I COULD

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Trader Joe's

4.2(104 reviews)

1.3 mi

I was in town for my uncle's memorial and stopped at this TJ's for a few necessities. The store was…read moreexceptionally clean and well organized, and every employee I interacted with was warm and welcoming. Dylan provided outstanding service at checkout -- attentive, courteous, and genuinely kind. It was a small moment that made a difficult day a little easier, and I truly appreciated it.

On my recent visits I noticed that there is a lot of ice accumulation in the store freezers at this…read morelocation. I exercise caution when buying food from a grocery freezer with heavy ice accumulation due to safety concerns. I hope this gets addressed soon.

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Sprouts Farmers Market

3.8(158 reviews)

1.7 mi

Mariano is offering some of the best customer service I have experienced in a long time. He needs a…read moreraise asap. Always so kind whenever I go through his check out line.

I was in the other week and needed help finding an item. Nicole, who was working on in store…read moreshopping took the time to help me locate my item as she was completing her in store shopping order. She was very friendly and helpful.

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Albertsons

2.9(46 reviews)

1.3 mi

Incredibly nice experience when I was looking for some skirt steak for an asada I'm doing this…read moreweekend. The gentleman and I went over different marinades we use, salsas, and other meats he uses so he has something for everyone. 10/10 to the staff! Overall, incredibly easy experience and definitely my grocery store of choice! Especially since there are so many goodies located nearby!

I'm done with this store. Every visit I have to wait in line to dispute charges. The last straw is…read morenow their carts will not work when I park in the parking lot next to the store, only the one in front. I had a cart full of stuff and it's raining and I have to walk it all over without a cart. BOO. I'll drive the extra few miles and shop at Vons on Turnpike. BOO

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Santa Cruz Markets

4.1(34 reviews)

1.2 mi

This used to be such a great store before they sold. The workers are extremely rude and don't care…read moreabout you whatsoever. Makes me so sad because it was so nice before. I doubt I'll ever go back in there like so many others are doing for the very same reasons. The food quality has also gone downhill. Older looking produce so old looking it has wrinkles all over it. Do yourself a favor and pass right on by this place.

One of my favorite local grocers - esp for their marinated meats, ceviches, salsas, and spices…read more Their shrimp ceviche is simply the best and sell out often! I've tried many spots and even a place like the Lure Fish house can't compare. Theirs is honestly flavorless compared to Santa Cruz market.. Their guac is also delicious! I come by here regularly to shop for pho spices individually, and a couple staples like cilantro, green onion, and limes. The only thing they don't have is cardamom but I visit Oriental Market for that. Also their bean sprouts are the best in the local area. I've checked sprouts, Ralph's, and even Oriental but they always are watery.. i think they don't store them right or receive the shipment properly. Santa Cruz has the best ones but you'll have to come when they are fresh! They are the best local Mexican market in Goleta imo!

Note the new parking along Hollister. All the better to visit the Market. And much more safe for cyclists.

Peruvian beans, tortillas, green salsa, Mexican cookies, etc:-)

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Marinated meat for a bbq on the backyard

Isla Vista Food

4.3(100 reviews)

3.5 mi

I'll support the IV Coop till I die. Not many places on earth where you can buy an 805 and salt and…read morevinegar chips and take it to the beach. Sad I went later on in the day this time, if you go earlier, they are usually more stocked up on their prepared foods made in-house! I like trying their different wraps/sandwiches and hummus dips. The staff are always kind. A college favorite but also a lifetime favorite

Wonderful coop Yes, small but crammed with reasonable,…read moreorganic groceries, produce, gifts, wine,

Refrigerated display packaged deli meats and cheeses. To the right, there is a shelf stocked with a variety of wine bottles.

Local farms eggs

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Smart & Final Extra!

2.9(36 reviews)

4.1 mi

Terrible customer service. There is an older woman who I always have problems with as she is always…read morepassive aggressive and rude with zero knowledge of how to properly bag groceries. I had one of my bags split open while trying to pick it up, leading to a glass container smashing open on the ground. I picked up the large pieces and threw them away, then went back inside to let one of the employees know of the incident. She was extremely passive aggressive. I find this quite ironic given that she bagged my items. I had to go back to my car to find new bags to transfer everything into before I could get it into my car. By the time I was done, I came back to return my cart and I could tell someone had mopped the area, but there were still shards of glass that were very visible. Extremely disappointed in the overall lack of common sense displayed. I will add the caveat that this location always seems to be understaffed. No matter how many customers I see in the store, there is always only one register open, which, again, displays an extreme lack of common sense by management.

A lot of these reviews speak of bad customer service and though I only interacted with two workers…read moretoday, they were very friendly and helpful and efficient.

Front entrance

Produce

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Picking up some groceries

Isla Vista Market

2.6(46 reviews)

3.5 mi

•$$$

I love the newly remodeled market. It's very clean and they're clearly prepping to put the deli…read moreback in! The selection is great. Love that they have fresh produce and they're starting to bring in fresh sandwiched and salads. They also offer deviled eggs, fresh cut fruit, hard boiled eggs, fresh baked goods and a fresh selection of flowers! There's a pretty decent wine selection too. The service has always been great and I love having this little market nearby!

I am so grateful in for this business, providing fresh produce for students in IV…read more If you're ever in a position to do deliveries to dorm rooms, please post on the uCSB parents Facebook page. We would love to support this service for our kids.

Tri tip Sammie's for Deltopia weekend.

Desserts!!

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Really great lunch options!!

Vons

2.9(65 reviews)

0.8 mi

I don't typically take the time to write reviews for grocery stores but I had a notably exceptional…read moreexperience while visiting at 8am this morning. Workers were all awake and alert, and I was kindly greeted by three, one of whom helped me locate various items I came to buy right away. I was in and out of there easy peasy

Love this store and the employees are so nice! Such a convenient location with fresh and stocked…read moreproduce/items. The store is inviting and welcoming. Prices are decent as well considering the economy.

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8 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Robin B.

2 years ago

i went to ralphs yesterday and today they have a very tall 300-pound man that is for sure a former convict that thinks he is still in jail giving me very mean looks every time i go there for months tonight he came behind my back and was laughing at me with another employee that lately has been great. the man never smiles, and he looks at you like he's getting ready to murder you this is total insanity this must stop i will film next time this is bullying harassment. it's easy to smile and say welcome to ralphs what's hard about having a kind attitude. read more

Evany C.

2 years ago

My god! The employees are so rude !! Management do better !! They look like they'd rather get hit by a bus than to work there. I didn't catch this guys name but he's a tall black guy and always wears a mask. I'm sure many of you have encountered him and can agree that he is a D***! Lack of employees , no one around to help, all the guys have a look on their face like " I don't care" but I do believe this is a result in poor management. read more

Monica P.

5 years ago

Great selection, But rudest, most disrespectful, entitled cashier on the planet...I'm fascinated this Ralphs don't hire or train for customer service. The cashier is "Bereket", the most rude cashier on the planet, he will go out of his way to make your cx a miserable one. The root cause is hiring, training and a passive mgmt system that is only passively managing employees. I protest this store. read more

Mary G.

110

141

4 years ago

Best staff in the area. Heather, Patrick and David always go above and beyond to be kind, professional. Today I needed cat food and a cake. These gems assisted me with the details to make a difference! The fried chicken is incredible! They carry the brands of food my cat love. Only Heather knows luvsome is the only brand my cat craves. I am so happy I have this store in the area. read more

Santa Barbara F.

10 years ago

The tattoo darker gentleman that calls himself the assistance manager needs to be fired. He belittles CUSTOMERS and I believe the whole 'grocery store' management thing has gone to his head. He has a very confusing sense of arrogance to him. I have been shopping there before you were born son, back off with your attitude! read more

Davina L.

8 years ago

Troy in the Produce department is extremely helpful. He really went out of his way to help me find an item that was clear across the store, and I appreciate his friendly service. The store overall has a good variety of items, and a good organic produce section. read more

Danny V.

3 years ago

Service, prices and very. well organized for shopping. Spent short time and was surprised by easy access and parking lot.

Gigi Z.

2 years ago

I love the flowers there everyone is so amazing I would recommend this place 1000000000%%%%

Ralphs - grocery - Updated August 2026

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I love the Trader Joe's on Milpas Street. The staff is always friendly and willing to walk you…read moredirectly to whatever you're looking for, which I really appreciate. The selection is extensive, and the prices are consistently reasonable. Checkout is quick and efficient--there are always enough cashiers, and most of the time there are only one or two people ahead of you (sometimes no line at all). The produce, meat, seafood, and dairy are always fresh, and the store is well organized with plenty of space to move around comfortably. The restrooms are clean and well stocked, which is another nice plus. They also have a great selection of fresh flowers and plants. Parking is usually easy, though during peak hours you may need to circle a bit to find a spot. Overall, a consistently great shopping experience

Only 2 stars. The market is good selling great products and…read morefood. There is no camera in that lot making it difficult a best for a police report. I was run over by a vehicle with injuries and it's been a debacle ever since.

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I recently purchased a lounge set from Cost Plus, and while the experience started with a small…read morehiccup, it ended on such a positive note thanks to the incredible staff. One of the tables appeared to be missing a leg, and one of the chairs we wanted was out of stock in the store. Carolina was so helpful in getting a new chair ordered for us and arranging for the missing table leg. The chair arrived quickly, but the leg took a bit longer, so I reached out again. That's when Jamie, one of the managers, stepped in. She immediately started problem-solving with her GM and came up with a few creative options to get us what we needed as quickly as possible. I really appreciated how proactive and thoughtful she was--she clearly cared about making things right. When we went back to pick up the replacement leg, we realized (after seeing the tables again in-store) that our movers had actually used the wrong leg on one of the tables--so we didn't need a new one after all! Even so, the level of customer service we received throughout the process was outstanding. Carolina and Jamie were both terrific--helpful, patient, and genuinely invested in helping us. It made all the difference. Thank you both!

Look, we shop at Cost Plus all of the time in Santa Rosa. We love the store. Wanted to share the…read moreexperience we had here in Santa Barbara. We stopped in to get some Christmas ornaments for our family. We picked out quite a few and went to the check out. The young cashier seemed lost. We were having difficulty with the app to check for coupons and from the store in Santa Rosa they would give us a number to text that would log you into their site to check you coupons. We ask the young man and he tells us there is no such number. We tell him we've done it before he again tells us no. We ask him to call or ask a manager who quickly gives him the number. Ok you don't know. Then ask for help. We bought maybe 25 ornaments and the cashier started throwing them all into a bag with no separation or anything wrapped around them. When we asked if he could at least wrap the glass ones he rolled his eyes and begrudgingly wrapped three ornaments. We'll see when we get home how many of the ornaments will still be intact. I love to see young people working but this young man needs someone to train him and observe how he interacts with customers.

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Foodland has been around forever and I love that. It's nice that we have the store because it has…read morepretty much anything you'd need. Things I think the could work on: -better produce quality. The fruits and veggies always look like they're on their last days. -cleanliness and renovations. For as big as the store is and as long as it's been around it really needs some TLC. -needs some major decluttering -would be nice to just see some love put into the building and business and bring it up to date overall. I grew up in this neighborhood and would like to see this improve!

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