Fun variety of food choices, helpful staff, great flowers, food samples and the best return policy make it a weekly event.

Hate this Trader Joe's. They are always out of something I need and their carts lock by Applebee's, which is where I normally have to park because their lot is always full. read more

This location is clean, busy, and have very friendly employees. The shelves are usually well stocked with employees constantly looking for empty spaces to either restock or place new items. The checkout is usually fairly quick during the early afternoon. read more

I used to think that Trader Joe's was a place for hippies who liked to pay obscene amounts of money for organic food they could easily get at a chain supermarket... Then i started digging a little deeper into the Trader Joe isles... And now- I LOVE IT! From the Orange Chicken in the frozen isle(which is OUTSTANDING!) to the dried banana chips and mango slices, to the wide variety of power bars, to the crumpets and mini bagels... I LOVE IT! A HIGH 4 STARS! The only problem i have with Trader Joe's is the lines. There aren't many registers and the checkout can take a little long sometimes... On top of that(and I may sound like a jerk for this one, lol) but I wish the cashiers and customers wouldn't go over each others life stories during each transaction, lol. If you've been here before you'll see what i mean- everyone is too friendly! AHHH! But of course I joke, i joke... this Trader Joe's is really awesome! read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Alameda, California

Some things change. Some thangs don't. For reals? Mad trust, homie. This update is for my brilliant gal pal and Oaklander in Exile on the East Coast, ya'll... Dear...est M...ich-elle (maaaah belle...!) I am writing to update you on our coordinated efforts to prepare for the impending Apocalypse, which I have calendared for Friday. Got my teeth cleaned. Don't want to be judged a hypocrite. Pretty sure the kidney donation thing will cancel out some other official and as-of-the-moment, off the record misdeeds, but you never know. Crap. I just re-ordered checks, too. The sun may rise in the East, but I have seen the first sign of what is to come here in the West: Zombie Hands in the yogurt section. Evasive maneuvering, along the back aisle of Trader Joe's where the Cadet and I went for provisions. Splurged on six bags of their Fruit Leather Odds and Ends Thingies, (Ends & Pieces) which are a bargain at $2.49 for an 8 oz bag and are nutritious, delicious and easy to transport while evading rogue torch-wielding mobs of vitamin C deficient survivors. Serenity? Maybe. Regularity? Depends. I realize that I make light of incontinence products more than I *should* but I selfishly feel that I have earned that right. Have yet to coordinate meet-up point w/ IVY F. and her boys. We can both shoot n' cook n' hunt and do all manner of other practical/tactical bidness. There was a run on eggs and they were completely out at 8:15pm and the dairy section was already claimed by aforementioned Zombies, so I figure this Apocalypse thing has reached at least the ovo-lacto-pescetarians but I figure that Ivy can manage our own fowl, so I need to focus on alternate protein sources like beef jerky. I was once interviewed for an NPR piece vis-a-vis a local journalism student lackey who was very charming. They completely distorted my interview in the editing room and I was outraged. This was about the time I began to favour BBC and became automatically suspicious of all amputee journalism students with titanium limbs. If you recall, I failed my first driving test at the DMV because the proctor had a prosthetic left arm. It was the scary "Fugitive" death-struggle kind; it was a Hook-Hand. I botched backing out of the parking space because he entered the car, buckled up, and hooked the seat back (right behind my neck, of course) looking over his shoulder, expectantly. I forgot to put the car in reverse and drove forward, onto the curb. Laugh all you like, but judge me not, unless you do it to my face and it's on FriPocalypse the 21st. Okay, so I have a history with people who have prosthetic limbs. Most are fantastic. I think this former S.E.A.L. (he was built like one, and sexy-dangerous-gorgeous) at my old gym in Orange... lost his left hand mid-forearm (selflessly saving the world, of that I am certain) and was still the baddest mofo any day of the week. He was my excuse to get up and get prime StairMaster real estate. FriPocalypse Confession: If I were the last gal and he were the last guy on Earth, and we were charged with the responsibility of maintaining the human race, let's just say the world would be full of beautiful Amerasian Babies. Hooyah! On the record. I would to THIS day and until the VERY last day... do him for Kim and Country. I'm loyal that way. Hugh Laurie is my "official freebie" and yeah, the card is laminated. But I am an American Citizen so I kind of think I shoulder this dual burden - a Contingency Crush Confession, if you will. But we are speaking in the context of FriPocalypse, so don't think I'm a floozie or anything like that. I'm not. The [additional] truth is, I am actually HORRIBLE at recognizing famous people and have said the most terrifyingly banal, oblivious things to: Lionel Ritchie, Olivia Newton-John, Claire Danes and Jane Wiedlin - which is the worst, because I'd known her socially for years, but didn't connect her name with her fame. "I like your shoes; What's your dog's name? Cute purse - vintage Gucci!" if you MUST know. In corresponding order, of course. In my defense, Claire Danes and I were reaching for the same container of yogurt at Dean & Deluca and she won because I was distracted by her handbag. Obviously not because she had a prosthetic. As for what I said to Jane Wiedlin... It's actually two things. Different days, years apart. Equally funny-appalling. Even in full context, they are at the very least, mortifying and out of context... something beyond that. I just realized that my skin is literally peeling off my face. Not attributable to consuming Zombie Contaminated Yogurt but because I had a lactic acid peel on Saturday. Could this be a sign? Will other survivors refuse to share their FiberFul Ends & Pieces with me because I will be mistaken for a Zombie...? Am I simply employing every stall tactic in order to avoid telling you the thing(s) I said to Jane? I am. read more

Trader Joe's - Boo! - Grocery Near Me - Alameda, California

Super products, close to home and have almost everything when I don't patronize the Berkeley Bowl. People are friendly and helpful. Good buy on the flowers too. I love this place. read more

I'd say so far this is one of my favorite Trader Joe's in California. Today was my first time here and I enjoyed my grocery shopping, even though it was a mad house. I don't know if it's normally this crazy crowed, but I was able to find every single thing I needed. Since I didn't know my way around the store I asked a few employees for help and they happily pointed me in the right direction. I was able to get my fresh steak, veggies, bottle of Argentinean wine, beef jerky and a lot more stuff + a beautiful bouquet of bright orange flowers to liven up my day. The staff here is friendly and helpful and the check out process went smoothly. I enjoyed my shopping trip here so much that I'll make it a point to stop by again when I'm in the area. Thanks TJ's!!! read more

There are alot of trader joes around the bay area but this one is my fave to shop at. The staff here is very friendly, polite and professional. Everyone at the stores greets and welcomes each shopper. Especially Leonard the cashier hes awesome super nice and knowledgeable about all the food opinions trader joe has to offer which is not easy as alot of there food is seasonal. read more

Definite fan of the Alameda location! Great customer service. Organized. Lines can get a bit long depending on what day/time you come in, but the employees really do their best to get you in-and-out as fast as possible and have always been super helpful whenever I needed any questions answered or couldn't find an item. Compared to other Trader Joe locations, this particular location had way more registers open than I was accustomed and I never felt overly cramped at this location. Since my college years, Trader Joe's has been my go-to for various veggies, snacks, eggs, milk, and various other goodies! Also, can't help but love their little station where you can try some of their featured products for that week. The employees here were all super friendly and helped me whenever I couldn't find something (because it takes me a minute or so to get used to the layout of a new TJ Ha-ha) and the cashier even sparked up a convo with me and my dad so that's a definite plus! Loving your customer service South Shore Trader Joe's! Parking definitely shouldn't be a problem since it's located in the South Shore Shopping Center, so there's plenty of spaces! I will definitely be back to this location to fulfill my grocery and snack shopping needs! read more

Trader Joe's has many interesting items, most of it under their own house brands. I've been to many trade joe' s but buy very little cuz -comparision shopping is difficult: *t.j. sells veggie by the piece, other grocers by the pound *t.j. sells hot dogs in 12 oz packs, others 1-3 ib. *t.j. sells salads in 5 oz bags, others 8oz, 16oz. *t.j. mostly sells it's own generics, few name brands. sampling: t.j. spicy brown deli style mustard (.99) -didn't taste as strong nor spicy as the kind in hot dog stands. *t.j. green unsweetened tea (1.29) -faint jasmine flavoring. pour:mission st brown ale (22oz, 5.7%, 1.99) -almost full bodied ale, nice refreshing taste. missing a finish 2.75 stars foodnotes: -t.j. pricing seems cheap but they lack qualtity that name brands have. -t;j. may seem cheaper since the packaging is smaller and costs less. -lines usually short at t.j. -generic items (nuts) probably cheaper here read more

I want to say a big thank you for being proactive in keeping your customers safe and stress free. You allowed my elderly mom and me to go to the front of the line and once in we saw employees filling shelves with food and wiping down counters and baskets. Thank you again for the awesome service. read more

Normally, I love all the Trader Joe stores I've visited. Generally, the staff is friendly and helpful. Tonight, we were offended by the guy in the produce section. I won't call you out by name, but you weren't very friendly, and your curt manner was quite condescending. We asked you about the cotton candy grapes, and instead of explaining why you were out of stock and how popular they were, we had to play 20 questions to your "yep" and "nope" answers to find out when they might be available again. It was my first visit to that store, and unfortunately, you made it a poor experience. read more

Trader Joe's is one of my favorite grocery stores of all time. I'm usually broke but I don't ever feel guilty spending money on buying groceries from here. I try my best to ignore their new items because they're always releasing some new, tantalizing product...I just stick to vegetables, fruits, greek yogurt, and maybe some granola or hummus whenever I'm here. Even if the store is usually crowded and the lines are long, the workers here are amazing and you will notice that the lines move very quickly. Trader Joe's definitely can improve on having more recyclable packaging (please no more unnecessary plastic) and adding less sugar to their products, but otherwise, it's almost perfect and too good to be true. read more

The TJ's in Alameda is located in the South Shore Shopping Center. There is plenty of parking in the front or in the backside of the mall, though you might have to park a little further out during peak times since TJ's is next to a mega Safeway. It is a good sized store. The workers here are always friendly and helpful. If you ask where an item is located, they make the effort to walk you to the item's location. If mention that an item is out of stock on the shelf, they will check to see if there is anymore in back. Service at its best. What's convenient about having the Safeway next door is that you can go there after TJ's and get what TJ's doesn't carry. read more

OMG! The line is about 2-3 blocks long just to get in the store. I estimated about 2-3 hours wait just to get into the store. I turned around and shopped next door, Safeway, only 15-20 mins for checkin and out. I hope the insanity will die down soon. Still 5 stars for Trader Joe's. I love them. read more

Friendly staff is always helpful! They rarely don't have what you need & worst case, Safeway is right next door. Sometimes it's crowded too but what market isn't when it's rush hour? I love the samples they always have featuring new recipes as well! read more

Live to do the grocery here! Absolutely friendly staffs. Most of the stuff is in small package just enough to be consumed in a day or two. Soevusllyvenjoyed the frozen almond croissants! Simply delicio!!!highly recommended to shop here. read more

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The first time I have ever shopped at a Trader Joe's was the one in Concord over 20 years ago. At that time, I bought a container of Caesar salad and a block of sharp cheddar cheese, but I wasn't coming back to this Trader Joe's. It was nothing against the store and its customer service; it was just too far to travel from Alameda to Concord to purchase grocery items. Thereafter, I found out Trader Joe's had a store in Emeryville. This was much better...closer to home, but the parking was terrible - too narrow - and I always worried about auto accidents in the parking lot. So, my younger sister and I would take the shopping shuttle from MacArthur BART to this area on some of the Saturdays. Of course, we did our oohing and aahing at what they had, and me, wishing I had a little more cashola to purchase to my heart's content. A little over 10 years ago, Trader Joe's opened their store in Alameda (where JC Penney used to be) and I was expecting a bigger store. I was somewhat disappointed that they did not take the whole area that Penney's occupied...just half the area. I remember those palm trees in the front were just saplings - the branches haven't bloomed and they weren't as tall as they are now. They almost lost those trees one year because of a stormy rainy season. There were wooden beams placed on and around those young trees to hold them up. I'm glad to see they have withstood the test of time and the weather condition. The parking is much better at this store - more spacious and plenty around. I have already seen the Trader Joe's in the Lakeshore area and the parking there is cramped and crowded. As many times as I have shopped here with gift cards (ranging from $25 to $50) from family and friends all these many years, I have never written a review of Trader Joe's. Although they do not carry well known brands of certain products and some of the items are a little pricier compared to supermarkets such as Safeway and Lucky, still I like what they have. Besides the salad kits, fresh fruits and veggies, I usually get their menage a trois bell peppers (red, yellow and green), the 4-pack personal pepperoni pizza, garlic fries, mochi ice cream from their frozen food section. One of the best deals they have is the box of 12 peaches for $5.00 during the summer months (peach cobbler season...lol). Another favorite is their blackberry preserves. One time they ran out of this stuff and I had to switch to something else from another store across the way. (Hubby was not pleased with the switch.) Customer service is superb and their employees have always been helpful whenever I have a question to ask or they offer to help in any way when they see me with an inquisitive expression on my face. They also know how to place groceries neatly in a bag compared to other supermarket employees who just throw the stuff in the bag. read more

My excitement for Alameda continues with this great Trader Joe's location and staff. There are so many characters here. The lady with short hair who is always singing. The guy who looks like Michael Pitt and said to me one night with no emotion "Partying Tonight?" He's like an alien and he think he has special powers. The lady who has a full on mustache. . The lady who recommeded us tempura chicken-only to have her ring us up again and recommend tempura chicken again-so I explained we didn't like it all compared to the mandarin orange chicken and we all laughed about it HAHAHAHA-then she explained she likes low fat foods-but dude that tempura chicken has hella more fat in it than the mandarin and look at his it's the "crews choice"-so are you saying that me and my gf are the only ones in Alameda who don't get this ...dish ? I love that they have the same items as Safeway such as cereal and beer but they're like a buck cheaper. I seriously love this place! read more

Trader Joe's is one of my favorite shopping hangouts and there's plenty of parking, free coffee and food samples as well as reasonable prices for produce and staple items. Bananas are only 19 cents a piece which can't be beat especially if you buy the bigger sized bananas. And avocados are 99 cents each but most of the time you have to let it ripen. Don't buy the extra hard avocados as they do not seem to ripen on their own very quickly. I like to buy ones that are ripe and ready to eat. Greeting cards are only 99 cents as well. read more

Who would've thunk it that the first place I'd review in Alameda after moving to this island would be good old Trader Joe's? Then again, I've been absolutely OBSESSED with this grocery chain. For those of y'all who don't know, I am a grocery shopping fanatic. Supermarkets are my safe haven, as it allows me to browse and have control in a mostly peaceful environment. Often times I've felt like if I died, I'd want to see 99 Ranch in heaven (https://www.99ranch.com/). But it took me until after college when I finally realized that my true calling was Trader Joe's. Growing up, I never really went to this American chain. I always thought it was overpriced and had limited goods. Yet, after shopping there many times when I lived in Sunnyvale (https://m.yelp.com/biz/trader-joes-sunnyvale-2 ), I eventually saw the light. You see, unlike other markets Trader Joe's actually has a very wide variety of essential goods. Here you'll find Indian spices, Italian sauces, gourmet bread, as well as very fresh produce. I mean, it's TRADER Joe's so there's bound to be worldwide stuff. And the costs, contrary to what I used to think, are actually quite competitive. For example, I always come here for their $1.99 milk AND their $0.19 bananas. This Trader Joe's on South Shore Center was no exception to the rule. After moving in last weekend, I've come here a couple of times and have had pretty decent experiences. The market is decently sized and as usual has all the stuff I'll need for my cooking adventures. For instance, I've bought their cheap canola oil ($2.99), sun-dried tomatoes ($1.99), as well as their mushrooms ($1.99)! The only real downside about the inventory is that every product seems to be in smaller quantities compared to the ones I've been to. For example, both times I've gone they were almost out of limes and bell peppers. Probably the best thing that I'll always love about Trader Joe's, including this one, is their service! The staff members are always VERY friendly and make sure to put the customers first. First time I came here, one of the employees was joking around about how I said the "S word" on the premises. I'll give you a second to think about what that meant. Second time, my cashier was EXTREMELY HELPFUL to me. I was scrambling around trying to find a few items and he was very patient with me, pointing out exactly where I needed to go. Bless his soul for that! And in general, there's always someone handing out free samples to market their products! One other aspect that I truly appreciate about this specific Trader Joe's is the location. Because it's on the very south end of the island, there is a LOT of space. The South Shore Center is HUGE, and so parking is never an issue. I can't say this about the other Trader Joe's I've been to because parking is usually a nightmare (so many people and small lot = problems). Furthermore, the "S word" (aka SAFEWAY) is RIGHT NEXT DOOR. And so whenever I need something I can't find at Trader Joe's, I become a TRAITOR Joe and hightail it next door to Safeway. I'm so glad there is a Trader Joe's on the island. This market keeps me real sane in the head and I appreciate it. For the location and service I give it an "Omg, I'd travel 2 hours for this" rating! Shop well and prosper, read more

A good amount of items I was interested in were missing labels and pricing...store was clean enough and cashier was friendly. But yeah...displays could use more attention to detail. Happened some other times as well. read more

Trader Joe's I like you guys, Your have eclectic food from TV dinners, cookies and pies What I can't get a safeway, I can get from you But put you guys together, you're a dynamic two I also like your salad A lunch composed of your food is a fine ballad I like you fine and I like what you do Your stuff rocks, and kicks butt like kung-fu Trader Joe's, I mean what can I say, they're like safeway but a way cooler and hip safeway. You don't have boring food, you guys have a great selection of everything, you feel a little smaller, but that's fine, it adds to your "feel". It's not too huge, not too corporate, feels down to earth, you get my drift. I really like your vanilla ice cream coupled with your pear tarts. Lastly, your BBQ Chicken salad is bomb. I also don't go near your snacks section.... I don't have enough money for all that I'd want to try. read more

I live in Oakland and this is my go-to TJ's (at least, until they open up that new one on Lakeshore). It always has a better selection and parking than Emeryville or that horror-show TJ's up in El Cerrito. read more

Great selection of items at good prices. Located right next to a large Safeway on the front of the Alameda Towne Center. Lots of free parking in mall lots. Area is slow now because the mall is still under construction. The cool thing about Trader Joe's is that they try all their products before they sell them. I've been to maybe 5-8 different TJs locations, and this is the only place with nearly unlimited parking. Notes: Free parking. AC transit bus stop nearby. Located on Otis Drive side of mall next to Safeway, Applebees, and Mervyns. read more

This is the best trader joes in the Bay Area. It's big, they have more items, easier to shop in, and there is plenty of parking. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Alameda, California

I don't live super close to this location but tried calling 4x this morning to see if they have Brazil cream instock and they DIDNT ANSWER. Guess I won't be visiting lol read more

Cookie Butter Sandwich Cookies are amazing and I would rate a 5 Star. There are so many good food at Trader Joes so I'm picking the best. Have you try these Cookie Butter sandwich cookies? It comes in a 10 oz bag and often out by weekend. Let's see if we can wrap our head around this one... First we take Speculoos cookies, grind them up and make a spread out of them called Cookie Butter. Then you make butter cookies (real butter this time) and make a sandwich with the cookie butter between two butter cookies. What you have is a delicious combination of butter cookies and cookie butter spread. Is that too much butter for you! Also, did I mention they were healthy for you? Not! But who cares! Try it next time you're at Trader Joes. read more

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Praise Trader Joe's, not only is this store going above and beyond to keep us all safe during this troubling time, their obvious cleaning and safety measures are outstanding. The employees at this store are always friendly and helpful. More importantly shelves are always stocked and they haven't increased the prices simply because they have people over a barrel. I gladly wait in line to shop for an hour to feel at ease to get food. read more

I have been shopping at Trader Joe's at the Southshore Center on Alameda Island for the past twenty years. Typically, I purchase dolmas, salads, canned corn, Annie Chun's PAD THAI Noodle Bowl, carrot juice, kim chee (Korean vegetables), edamame, and other foods. For a three year period, I did all of my shopping at the Trader Joe's on Bristol Street in Santa Ana (2011-2014) California. The reason for this, is that I was employed at a law firm in nearby Costa Mesa, California. During my three years at this law firm, and during the previous ten years and during the subsequent ten years, I was writing patent applications for two global companies (Teleflex Corporation and Schering-Plough Corporation) and for several biotech companies. Unfortunately, today (Feb. 12, 2022) one of the checkers at the Trader Joe's supermarket in Alameda, CA was extremely rude to me. This checker treated me like I was a warm bucket of pig droppings. I cannot explain this, except it is possible that this checker is currently being treated for clinical insanity - - - and that today, he forgot to take his medications. In my opinion, customers who are bus drivers, customers who are ditch diggers, customers who are street-sweepers, customers who are accountants, customers who are university professors, customers who are patent lawyers, and customers who are medical doctors, should ALL BE TREATED WITH RESPECT. Because management at Trader Joe's does not subscribe to the beliefs that I now hold (and to the beliefs that I have held for my entire life), I decided to do all of my shopping at other grocery stores, such as at SAFEWAY and at NOB HILL FOODS. To summarize, I do not like to be trashed, and I do not like to be insulted. In order to avoid the vicious and bizarre behaviours of one of the checkers at Trader Joe's on Alameda Island, I will make every attempt to do my shopping elsewhere. Adios friends ! ! ! ! ! ! read more

This is basically the only place I buy my groceries. I noticed that the clerks and staff are always willing to help and usually have a good attitude. They always have something new that I haven't seen. The thing I most recently saw was sunflower butter chocolate cups, like Reece's cups. I thought that was so cool because so many people have nut allergies. I am always trying different spices they offer. Love their "Everything Bagel" seasoning. Their produce and meat always seems to be fresh. The prices are consistent and affordable. I don't have to worry about sales or coupons because the prices are usually the same throughout the year. I love Trader Joes's and will continue to be a loyal customer. read more

If you're going to announce a senior line from 8 to 9am, it should last from 8 to 9am. As a senior with a family (for which I do the shopping and cooking), and as a nurse who has to work hours that rarely allow me to be able to ever get to the store during the senior line time, I don't appreciate it when a disrespectful employee decides that it's close enough to 9am that he should be able to refuse access to someone who has just barely made it on time after rushing to get to the store. Then for a person who said he was the manager to argue and quibble that according to HIS watch it was 0900 (which of course, it wasn't when I first arrived to find nobody at the senior line entrance, and had to go to the other side), is just plain nasty. I won't be using Trader Joe's again. read more

I'm buying some stuff in alameda th southshore. It's only my 2nd time after the lockdown. It's just right to line up to go to store but unbelievably slow. The pacing of the line is just too slow. Lining up for 25 mins. And literally doesnt move at all unlike Costco and safeway. People would rather go to some groceries standing in the cold out here. Alameda management pls hasten the line. I hope after lockdown, Sprouts grocery will open in Alameda. Traders are loosing lots of patrons, they go to grocery outlet close to tunnel than line up here. The manager should strategize. Seniors should have a limit of time too. They linger too much in the aisle and normally hoard read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Alameda, California

cheap spices, cheap dairy, yummy fruit bars, friendly staff, and its right next to safeway! read more

Get your groceries after you go shopping at Kohl's! I like this trader joe's -- decent size, reasonable crowd, friendly staff. My only complaint is that today I waited for a long while in the 12 items or less aisle because of cashier error with someone's transaction. obviously an exception and not the rule. read more

My go-to location for all my usual TJ's pickups. I'm usually here weekly and try to avoid coming in later on Sunday's because it can get really busy and jam-packed (parking too). My favorite buys: -Prepared salads -Wine and beers -Triple ginger snaps -Cookie butter -Organic corn chips Overall it's cheap, catchy, yummy and convenient. I'll continue to do a majority of my shopping here or in Emeryville. read more

Trader Joe's - So yum! - Grocery Near Me - Alameda, California

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This Trader Joe's is conveniently located in Alameda's shopping center in South Shore. The place may be small, but it's packed with a lot of good and affordable quality foods. I save a lot of money by purchasing their refrigerated or frozen meals instead of eating out. read more

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Trader Joe's is getting better and better organic and cold press juices... Love shopping there... Parking can be challenging at busy times at this location... read more

This is my spot, I enjoy coming here browsing and buying, and trying new healthy alternative food items. I think the prices are fair, this Trader Joe's is medium sized, my favorite one so far from the ones I have been to. Clean, organized, and all the cashier lanes are always open, just the way I like it. read more

Trader Joe's - SOME GOODY GOODZ - Grocery Near Me - Alameda, California

My favorite grocery chain. My family has been shopping at Trader Joe's markets before the hipster era. They always have good prices on quality produce, food, snacks, flowers and drinks. Their meat department has been improving through the years. Quick turnaround on all their items and there's always a good crowd, even during non-rush hours. read more