This slice of Dubai Chocolate cake looked good, but was terrible. It was still frozen in some parts…read moreand the filling was tough to break up. Not a good piece of cake.

I work across the street so I come almost daily for lunch. Gary is such a kind soul every time I…read morecome he greets me with a big smile. It makes my day every-time he works!

It's been a while since I have shopped here. Location-wise it is not as convenient as other stores…read more It's huge and, at least in my mind, is not laid out logically. In some areas, it lacks variety. But, my recent stop just blew me away. I came in specifically for produce and was shocked at how much lower Winco was compared to the big-name stores. I still had my receipt from the previous week's shopping elsewhere so I started wandering around, comparing my list item for item. The difference was significant. The bulk section gives you everything from spices (You can buy just a little of something you don't use often.) and they had some interesting base mixes for things like gravy or hummus. I did pass by all the bulk candy. Even though they did it for me, I did carefully check out the Sanderson Farms chicken I usually buy elsewhere and their non-sale price was lower for the same brand and quality. I was looking a little lost and an employee did pop over to ask if I needed help. My cashier was fast and friendly. I'm not a fan of the self-bagging. It feels rushed when there is a long line and the bags are thin. I doubled most. They don't take credit cards. However, in these days of high prices, the minor annoyances are outweighed by the savings. I will be doing my major shopping here next week.

A fellow co-worker suggested to me to give WinCo Foods a try. This store's hours are 24/7 days a…read moreweek, with ample parking. The store itself reminds me of Costco. It has a huge entrance and exit area. As you walk through the store, there's stocked items on the left & right of you. There's also a incredibly large bulk section, from candy to pet food. This store has a vast variety of things to buy from bake goods to laundry detergent. Some items are 20 cent to 3 dollars cheaper than Walmart, but a large portion of items are the same price. Also, WinCo only takes debit cards, cash and personal checks. The only true standout is that it's open all the time, but if you want to buy a 3 lb pack of Jennie-O ground turkey, it's the same price at their competitors. I live several miles from Bell rd, there's a Walmart less than a mile from home, so......

Another city, another Trader Joe's! This time, we visited the Trader Joe's in Phoenix, Arizona, and…read moreonce again, I loved seeing how each Trader Joe's seems to have a little bit of the personality and culture of the area it's in. When we arrived, they had some of their plants outside covered by a tent, which made perfect sense given the Phoenix heat. Inside, the layout was pretty similar to the other Trader Joe's I've visited, but I did notice something different about shopping in a bigger city. At our Trader Joe's back home, we never need anyone directing traffic at checkout, but at the last couple of Trader Joe's I've visited in larger cities, they've had employees helping direct the line because it can get pretty long. The good news is that even when the line looks intimidating, it moves incredibly quickly. I was specifically looking for the chocolate sardines--I had seen them before and really wanted to find them. I couldn't locate them anywhere, but as we were checking out, I mentioned it. A woman immediately called someone over to help, and he came back with them before we had even finished checking out! Now THAT is customer service! Our cashier, Joey, was also super friendly. He chatted with us while we checked out and even told us about their partnership with a neighboring grocery store. I always appreciate employees who are willing to take a minute to chat and make the experience feel more personal. One of my favorite things about visiting Trader Joe's in different cities is that it still feels familiar. You can walk in somewhere hundreds of miles from home and immediately recognize your favorite snacks and products. At the same time, you get to see little differences based on the location and the people who shop there. And, of course, there are the samples! Who doesn't love a Trader Joe's sample? Overall, another great Trader Joe's experience. It's always fun to visit one in a new city, see what's different, stock up on familiar favorites, and maybe discover something new along the way. Phoenix definitely didn't disappoint!

"I told my therapist, 'I just want to be as happy as a Trader Joe's cashier.'" ― @ConanOBrien,…read moreX/Twitter Did I accidentally buy gummy worms with the functional equivalent of a built-in colon cleanse? Yes. Did the cashier look me in the eye and say literally anything helpful? No. I had to learn through social media that these innocent-looking little worms have allegedly sent people into emergency negotiations with their digestive systems. So now my bag of sweet-and-sour gummy worms remains sealed because I, for one, prefer my organ systems unchallenged. No warning. No, "Hey maybe don't eat these before a road trip." Just, "that'll be $3.99." One serving of these gummy worms, eight pieces, has 14g of fiber. That's 50% of your daily value! The only warning on the front of the bag is a cute little worm declaring that the gummy worms are, "not a low calorie food." At least the Trader Joe's, "Just a Handful of Pitted Salted Manzanilla Olives" for $0.99 were good. But the amount of olives I eat in one sitting, I would need the Costco size container.

O.M.G. After years…read moreof being deprived of quality foods and other groceries by our nearby Safeway, AJ's was like dying and going to heaven. So many wonderful choices, everything the Traitor Joe's wishes they had for inventory. We were there for an hour plus, walked away after spending more than $300 just for BBQ sauces, salad dressings, pickles, chocolates, pasta, canned tomato products, jams, jellies, cheeses, wines, liquor, every kind of spices, etc, we are denied by Safeway. If I didn't know better, I'd think that AJ's is owned by Raley's, which we shopped at for 30+ years. A lot of upscale, well-dressed people in the store... very high-end in nature and curb appeal. Wonderful selections in everything: beautiful produce, cooked food for hungry shoppers, a clean place to eat, and a superlative deli. Very nice people. Prices? Well, you have to pay for the good stuff. Yanno?

I'm from out of town. I needed a special floral arrangement and several friends recommended that I…read morecall Fawn at AJ's on Lincoln. I called and spoke with Fawn and she was so easy to work with. I then came into the store and she stayed late to help me. The floral arrangement was incredible! Thank you so much Fawn!

Best sushi in town. Not joking. They don't drown the sushi in eel sauce and stuff every roll with…read morekrab salad. Kim and her crew are super friendly and deserves raises. There is also a luxurious grocery store surrounding the sushi restaurant. The one place to get duck breast around here, that I know of. It's pricy and full of yuppies, but the selection of premium and imported foods is unmatched.

Having moved from the other side of town, the three closest AJ's to me had taken to bulking out…read moretheir breakfast burritos with cheap potatoes to save cost, which would legit give me enough carbs to need a nap at 9 am. Not what I expect from the bougie grocery store. This location still just fills 'em with protein, and they let you take two salsas per burrito. The fresh salsa is unabashedly spicy too. I also appreciate the old standby $1.50 gigantic, unsweetened iced tea selection. You cannot get iced tea this size at this price at a coffee shop, or even a gas station, anymore. Most of the prepared lunch/dinner foods are overpriced, but great in a pinch and the sizes aren't bad. The meat and seafood sections are solid, and I value that in a city where fish mongers and butchers aren't super accessible. The staff is friendly and efficient as well.

Joey with the harmonica at checkout was kind, funny, and brightened my day!! Thanks Joey!read more

We came for service dog training. My son is ASD and many times people don't understand he gets…read moreeasily overwhelmed...needs to reset. Today at check out, an older lady behind us was crowding us and rushing us.. the cashier, Joey, was so kind and spent some time talking to us. He deserves some extra accolades

My daughter and I stopped by this store since we were in the area, and we were pleasantly…read moresurprised. It's located in a shopping plaza with plenty of convenient parking. The store has a fresh, open feel that reminded me of Sprouts. Everything was well stocked, and the staff was friendly and welcoming. They offer an impressive selection of fresh produce, meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables, and many other grocery items. There's also a sushi restaurant inside where you can enjoy Happy Hour specials or sit down and have a meal. In addition, they have a pizza counter where you can purchase pizza by the slice, along with sandwiches, desserts, and drinks. We decided to try their flavored lemonades, and they were absolutely delicious and refreshing. Overall, we had a great experience and definitely wish they had more locations throughout the Valley. We look forward to visiting again!

This was my first time stopping by this AJ's Fine Foods to grab bread, and overall it was a solid…read morevisit with a few odd impressions. The first thing I noticed was the entrance it's positioned on the side of the building facing smaller neighboring businesses. It's a bit unusual and honestly made me second-guess parking and going in at first because the exterior gave off a slightly off vibe. The layout just feels like it could be clearer or more inviting. Inside the bakery section, a very friendly gentleman was going through and tallying up leftover baked goods. I asked what he was doing,( because I'm noisey lol) he explained they were accounting for what was left some items get sold and some get discarded. It did make me think about food waste and how leftover items could potentially be put to better use. I was still able to grab what I came for, and the service overall was good. It also seemed like they were in closing cleanup mode, even though the store was still open, likely due to a slow "happy hour" type period with very few customers. Only real downside for me would be visiting later in the day when it gets dark the exterior and setup don't feel the most comfortable at night. During the day though, I'd return again. The employees in bakery definitely deserves credit for being helpful and handling everything smoothly There's plenty of parking in front

First time at this AJ's location and I loved it. Lots of parking and the store is super clean. The…read morestaff is amazingly friendly . if you're in an aisle looking for something, you won't go unnoticed. They rush right over to help. The pastry section is fantastic with an abundance of fresh, delicious selections. Overall, a great experience and definitely a spot I'll be returning to.

With the acquisition by Raley's I stopped shopping here for so many reasons. I haven't been in in…read moremonths, and I used to go every single day. I had one of my fitness clients give me a card to AJS so I thought I'd give them one more shot. It's a $50 gift card & after choosing 4 items one of which was the sole container of arugula, not only was it not able to be used at the point of purchase, but had to use my own money because they couldn't get the card to work. The only offer was to call in and get the value of the card despite the fact that I had a receipt that stated it was $50. It's just nowhere near what it used to be service has gone so far downhill, selection is terrible -picked over-just highly disappointed once again by Raley's.

Service is excellent, nice and kind owner. Store is full of quality Balkan's food- especially…read moredelis. Great ambiance!

Five out of five! Best Balkan food store, lard always available for all the Easter European…read moregoodies, lady owning the store is awesome, and the ambiance is great!

This location was actually super quiet when I stopped by around 1 PM on a weekday, which made…read moreshopping really easy and stress-free. The store felt really spacious and clean too. There's mainly one aisle for the random fun finds like toys, kitchenware, and home stuff, but the freezer section had sooo many options. It's mostly self-checkout with one cashier at the front helping out. I didn't have a quarter for a cart, so I just tossed everything into my insulated bag while shopping and kept it open the whole time so it didn't look suspicious lol. And honestly... the internet was right. I managed to get at least a week's worth of snacks and lunch foods for under $50, which felt kind of unreal. I also did a little research beforehand on the cleaner ingredient options, and there were actually some really good finds. Plus there's plenty of parking outside, which is always a win.

When this ALDI location opened up, I went with my wife for their grand opening. I now get weekly…read moreads for them, and while the doorbuster items are great, I rarely go for the deals as most items are less expensive at Fry's or Safeway. At the same time, this location is closer to me than my nearest Fry's or Safeway, and if I just need a particular item, I may still head over to ALDI. I was there this past week, when I needed a few canned goods quickly for a canned food drive at work as well as some milk for home. I got in and out very quickly. ALDI is known for everyday low prices on quality groceries and home goods. They have fresh meat and seafood, produce, pre-made deli items, baked goods, frozen treats, and more. You can order online for curbside pickup or grocery delivery. You can get a cart to use for a quarter and when you return it, you get your quarter back. They are open daily from 9 AM to 9 PM. They accept payment through credit cards, cash, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and contactless payment. You can learn more about this particular store at https://info.aldi.us/stores/l/az/phoenix/4553-e-cactus-road/fc34. The store isn't too big but they have the basics. Bring a reusable bag to use or be prepared to pay for plastic bags at the store. Unlike the shopping cart, you won't get money back when you're done using the bags; however, if you have a pet to pick up after, the bags could be useful. I do appreciate the wide aisles as it is easy to navigate other people if it happens to be busy on a given day. But I do recommend also checking out their shopping ads in advance (again in case there are items advertised as on sale or their door busters). While this isn't my usual shopping option, I would still occasionally find myself in ALDI for a pleasant experience.