If you've never been to a Trader Joe's, what are you waiting for? Milk right now, a gallon costs $2.27, their products are not overpriced for the most part. They pick foods with less preservatives and more natural but overall it's more like a gourmet store with awesome food. Weekends are always packed so if you have the luxury of going during the week, do it. It's my preferred grocery store but I still have to go to a couple other places to get things they don't have. I highly suggest you try it if you haven't yet. read more

Come with a list! Trader Joe's offers a good price point on many items that can make your pantry better. There is a decent cheese selection if you can't make it The Cheese Traveler. The snacks- it's the reason why I need a list when I come here. Cookies, trail mixes, mochi and lots of other delights. Recommendations: -Bananas. They always look fresh. -If you can't make it to the florist, the flowers are affordable option. -Triple Ginger Snaps. Chewy and there are crystallized pieces of ginger inside. -Rosemary Marcona Almonds. Savory snack and it's nice on top of salads. Personally, I don't think you can do all of your grocery shopping here especially if you have a bigger family or want items in bulk (toilet paper, foil, oil and etc). However, it's a fun break from the grocery chains in the area. Also, the staff is consistently friendly and helpful. It must be relaxed environment and all of the delicious snacks. Keeping my fingers crossed for two Buck Chuck, maybe we can get lucky. read more

My first Trader Joe's experience. What can I say about you? You excited me by the thought of something new. Something I cannot find in the city I call home. I could hardly believe my luck when I found a parking spot up front, when it seemed your lot is much too small. You were small, clean, and filled with people lured in by your promises of natural, organic, and fair trade certified. I tried your dark chocolate and some unsalted pretzels, an odd combo yes, but one to sustain any snacking urges I would run into in my nearby hotel room. Your employees treated me well but your prices were a bit too much for me to love. Your bags are the best in the biz, kudos to that. If I'm ever in Albany again, I may try you again, but I won't be jealous that I can't find one at home. read more

Why does this Trader Joe's have about 200 shopping carts in front of the store when the parking lot can only hold about 60 cars? I bet the carts at the front of the lines have never ever been used. I had heard the parking lot here could be challenging. It's certainly not well designed, but I've seen worse. When I first walked in, my initial reaction was that they had more check-outs than I've seen at most other Trader Joe's. That's a plus, but only if enough of them are open that you don't have a long wait to check out. I didn't have a wait, so that was a plus. For produce and meat - when a Trader Joe's is in a larger metropolitan area and competing mostly with places like Whole Foods, their produce and meat is going to be competitively priced. But in a smaller metropolitan area, where you're competing with grocery store chains like Shop Rite and Price Chopper, not so much. And when certain types of produce (e.g., bananas and peppers) are sold individually (bananas were 19 cents apiece), you can't make an easy determination if the price is competitive versus traditional by-the-pound pricing elsewhere. But I guess they want it to be a difficult choice so you'll say, "Okay, I'm here, I'll buy some anyway." The trick for any Trader Joe's is to find the items you like that are competitively priced. For me, that's a lot of their store brands - things like their pasta, soups, oils, cereals, etc. It also used to include native-caught frozen fish, but the amount of that in their inventory has been dwindling, and now places like BJ's are offering their own brands of frozen wild-caught fish at competitive prices. I was intrigued by the beer selection... did not fully investigate it, will check it out at a later time. Bottom line - If you shop at multiple places locally to get the best overall deals on your purchases, you can add Trader Joe's to your list. It's not necessarily the best place to go for one-stop shopping. read more

This is my favorite Trader Joe's location. The staff are always friendly and I always find what I am looking for. From my experience, it has never been super packed and I have always been in and out in a timely manner. There are also some samples of products that you can try before buying. Another huge bonus for me about this location is the parking lot (which is common in Albany, but being from Brooklyn this is a huge win)! read more

This market took a big hit from the coronavirus. Prior to March 2020 I would frequently visit it mostly for two reasons...flowers and coffee. They have a wonderful selection of both! The only problem since is most of the time you can't get in the place without waiting in line outside for varying lengths of time. When I notice there is a very short line or none at all I will deviate from my current plan to stop in, usually to buy flowers for our dining room table. They also offer a great selection of coffee and much of it is whole bean. Their wake-up blend is fantastic. Hopefully somewhere down the line the choking restrictions will ease somewhat. read more

Crew member Shannon is my hero. Pandemic, protest the world is crazy and shopping is complicated. Sometimes life comes at you fast and you need a hand, someone to remind you to breathe. I always find great food at Trader joes but the crew make the shopping excellent. Thank you for making a bad situation into a rose garden, Shannon H., You are a rockstar in my world. read more

Trader Joe's is the best grocery store in the Albany area and I can't stop raving about it. Everything is so good, reasonably priced, and fun. I love reading the little signs they have around the store, the staff is super friendly, and the wait to get in and check out is really short. read more

I love the Albany,NY Trader Joe's. So very well organized, especially during this pandemic. I drive an hour to get my groceries here. Great variety and quality food on an affordable price. They always have something new and they cater to healthy eating habits. Their employees are always go out of their way to help you. Thank you! read more

Could not live without Trader Joe's. The people are friendly and helpful. Food is awesome. Prepared frozen items are great and the outstanding selection of nuts. read more

Love it here! The staff is just so friendly they make every experience worth the parking lot hassle! Always reasonable pricing, great produce and selection of dairy alternatives. But really the customer service is what makes this place so great! read more

A wonderful addition to the Albany area. Used to drive 2+ hours away to get my Trader Joe's fix. No longer have to horde when I can drive to Colonie and find new and exciting items on a weekly basis. Love, love, love going to TJ's for fruits, veggy's, cereals and baked goods. Great prices and no high fructose or partially hydrogenated oils. Good clean food. read more

Once you make the mistake of coming here at 4:30 on a Saturday evening...or noon on a Sunday...or 5:30-6:30pm on a weekday, you'll never make that mistake again. Yet, despite having to park in one of the tight spots behind the store and schlep my bags back, and having to navigate aisles and dodge carts momentarily abandoned by their operators every 4 feet, I keep coming back. Although I would prefer not having to feel like my shopping mantra needs to be "every woman for herself," there are many gems here that are worth the added stress. As for produce, I really enjoy the "riced" broccoli and cauliflower, the precut butternut squash (no more hacking away!), as well as the good prices on bagged potatoes. The bagged pre-cut broccoli and cauliflower are a little pricy for the amount, but it's a good time saver. I like grabbing English peas, pea shoots, Kirby cucumbers, and arugula. A favorite occasional frozen food item of mine is the chicken tikka masala microwave meals. I also dig the mini chocolate dipped ice cream cones. So cute, and so good (just *try* to eat only one!). I think what I enjoy most of all is that I can stock up on healthy "staples" for a good deal less than at Whole Foods down the road. If you need "alternative" flours (maybe you're gluten free, maybe you're just trying to be a little more healthy) come here. Almond meal here cost about $6. The bag of Bob's red mill almond meal at Whole Foods cost me twice that (seriously!). Coconut flour cost just $3. Grab your spices while you are here, too. Garlic and onion powder, Harissa, paprika, peppercorns, Himalayan sea salt, and more -- all run about $3. I also found some of the best prices I've seen on almond butter, coconut oil, coconut milk and coconut cream, clarified butter, and olive oil. You can also get coconut oil in spray form -- great for baking! TJ's is also a great place to try something new at a good price. They have jarred preserved lemon if you want to try your hand at some Moroccan tagine dishes. Feel like hosting high tea? Pick up a delicious an tart jar of lemon curd. New to Indian food? Make it at home with a jar of curry or masala simmer sauce. For those on Whole30 who want to try to save some money, Trader Joe's stocks, at good prices, many of the (few) snacks that are approved on this diet: RX bars, Larabars, Chomps meat sticks, and Epic jerky bars. Oh, and SO many unsweetened freeze dried and regular dried fruit. And the nuts! Regular almonds, fancy rosemary marcona almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, cashews -- raw, dry roasted, salted, unsalted -- you name it! Most are well priced, too. You can make a pretty great cheese/charcuterie plate by combining some of the nuts and dried fruit with some quality cheese from the cheese section. They even have some prosciutto and other charcuterie by the meats. I don't often shop for my meat here, but they do have a couple of organic options (about $13 for a 3-pack of organic chicken breast, which was about $4 cheaper than at Whole Foods). I also saw ground turkey (not organic, but listed as "natural"), bone in (nonorganic) drumsticks, chicken thighs, a variety of pre-marinated chicken and beef, filet mignon (about $20 for 2), sausage, and ground pork. If you are someone who likes to give cards, like me, check out the greeting cards (near the back of the store by the beer). They cost .99 cents each and have such cute patterns and messages. They're a great deal. You can find really lovely flowers at fantastic prices (less than $1.50 for a bunch of daffodils, for starters). Although you may have to hunt for parking, bob shopping carts and people, and politely but sternly say "excuse me" to at least 5 people who find it a good idea to stop in the middle of the aisle to chat or read the nutrition facts on a container, the generally good prices, hard to find items, and friendly employees make it so worth it! read more

Like any TJs this place is like a zoo but it's really tidy and clean. I went when it was absolutely packed and having only been to the NYC store, I thought I'd have a long wait to checkout. There were so many registers open and I was rung up by the sweetest young guy. Will definitely stop by whenever I head to Albany for my haircuts. read more

Trader Joe's is unbelievably amazing. They always have fresh, raw, delicious, vegan, unique foods! They're prices are amazing! I am buying the same things I would in other stores. My grocery bill went from $280 to under $100. That is amazing. Who does love to save foods on organic food?! P.s. customer service was also amazing. Great staff. Even better store! Thank you Trader Joe's!!!!! read more

Love everything about this place. Staff is awesome and always happy to help. Always fully stocked and prices are fair. Anything you want to try you can before you buy. How can you lose? read more

Very happy that we finally got a Trader Joe's in the Capital District of New York. I was there for the Grand Opening today. It was quite well organized. Parking was surprisingly easy, thanks for the Colonie police there that help directed traffic to the overflow lot in the back of Macy's. It's a typical Trader Joe's, with their excellent quality store brand - no articial anything and quality ingredients. Friendly and helpful employees. Prices for products are competitive. This will be a regular stop for me. read more

YES! Finally! I admit I'm a little biased. I've been going to Trader Joe's with my family since I can remember. I was very excited when it opened and I'm sad to see all of these negative nancys. 1) PARKING I've been here about 6 times since it opened. Never once had an issue parking even the day after it opened. I think New Yorkers need to learn a thing called "patience" ;] 2) WINE No 2 buck chuck for me =[ Stupid New York 3) FOOD I could see why people wouldn't want to do all of their grocery shopping here but here are some good reasons to stop here depending on your shopping list. RAW Almonds $4.99 a pound Almond butter $5.99 Organic Grass fed beef $6.49 Seaweed Snacks $.99 (this is probably only on my list) ASST spices All around $1.99 (I haven't actually tried these yet) I also get these pre-cooked chicken breasts. As I have only recently began eating meat again I'm still new at the cooking meat thing, They are handy and great to grab for lunch. They are $7.49 for 4 (These prices are estimates. Don't yell at me if they are wrong.) 4) SERVICE. Have you ever been asked if you were "Finding everything okay?" at Hannaford, Price Chopper, Honest Weight or Fresh Market? Yah, me neither. The staff here is friendly and knowledgeable, If they don't know an answer they will find out for you. Over and out. read more

A few little known facts about why I love Trader Joes: 1. You can sample ANY product. Take it over the the Galley corner and ask the person preparing the day's samples. 2. They are very generous about returns, the few times I've had to return something. 3. They know how to pack your groceries 'right'. Bread never gets squashed, fruit rarely gets bruised, and cold stuff stays cold because they pack it together. This location is always clean, has polite staff, and is usually well stocked. Saturday's and lunchtime is usually the busiest time, so I avoid it like the plague. This locations does not have wine, only ales and beers. They do have fresh flowers, and surprisingly, a lovely selection of greeting cards which live over by the customer service desk. Some items are significantly less here than other grocery stores, but not always, so being aware of the typical TJ's price is helpful when creating a grocery list. read more

As a Canadian, I never knew the joys of Trader Joe's till I stumbled into this store in Albany and found my wallet losing $ and my stomach gaining weight. I cannot believe you can get great quality organic items for such affordable prices. I would have paid nearly 4 times the cost in Toronto. I bought organic almond milk yogurt, dark chocolate, dried fruits, and cookies. EVERYTHING I've tried was ridiculously tasty. I'm so grateful that I'm not living in the area because I'm sure I'd be gaining at least 10 lbs in the first month from this store. Everyone in the store is friendly to a fault... it's like they're all programmed to smile while tilting their head just slightly to the left. I'm sure they all use the same teeth whitener as well. Either way, this store gave me the most friendliest service I've found in the capital area. As for the parking lot, after 7 pm, it's fine... any time before that and you're waiting for at least 5 minutes for someone from the geriatric crowd to inch out of their parking spot to get onto the road. read more

I mean who doesn't love reasonably priced foods?! Love this place. Parking is tight but they are quick at the register so just stalk nearby and you'll snag a spot in no time! For those of you who are first timers, if you want to look like a pro put the cart on the cashiers side not yours. Happy trader joes exploring!! Must trys: sweet corn tamales (frozen) Vegetable gyoza (frozen) with trader joes sweet chilli sauce! read more

I agree with pretty much everything Matt W. said. Anyway, I'll put my thoughts here anyway... I was SO SUPER STOKED when a TJ's opened "locally" (almost an hour away). As someone who tries to live somehwat naturally/organically, all the online forums reference TJ's and WF products that I couldn't get. I recently got to TJ's for the first time. Perhaps the last. The parking was an abomination. Honestly, did they really think that Albany would have NO interest in an alternative food source? I also wasn't a fan of the "rush hour traffic" scenario: you got in line, and you didn't get out of line, just stuck your arm out to grab whatever item you desired. You followedthe same person around the store the entire time. What a pain in the ass. I didn't think the prices were that great anyway, although the selection of items I can't get at my local health food stores was kind of neat. The check out situation was confusing, I didn't even see the arrows until after the fact. read more

I had an amazing time at Trader Joe's. I mean the name is a little miss leading. imagine my embarrassment when I tried to pay for some gluten free brownie mix with a bunch of old Hess trucks... it was a pretty sweet deal for Joe, 3 trucks for one box of brownie mix. I mean I was trying to build a relationship. First deal is in their favor and all the rest are in mine. I have a lot of Hess Trucks at home, and I need organic grass fed beef. Sadly they only take cash. I will be going back but, I'll leave my extensive collection of Hess trucks behind. read more

What's with all the TJ's hate?!?! Don't Albany folks know a good thing when they see it? Guess not. I had been e-mailing (actually harassing) TJ's corporate for years begging them to come to Albany. When I heard they were finally coming, boy was I a happy camper. Whenever I was downstate I would make a point of stopping in to TJ's and would be sad and jealous when I left because we were missing out! But no, no more are we missing out on the amazingness that is TJ's. Yes, it's located on Wolf Road. Yes, the parking can sometimes suck (although literally every time I've come I've parked right up front best parking spot). BUT, still it's TJ's suck it up people! Oh, and they don't have wine...:( but that's NYS fault, not theirs. I typically come here about once every week or so and can't leave without spending about $50, but with that $50 you sure get a lot of great stuff. A lot of their produce is cheaper than the big grocery stores and they have the best frozen products. Even their marinated chicken breast are good. I also am obsessed with their hummus. I would stay away from their Greek yogurt and their cottage cheese (just isn't good). Some of their packaged stuff like the salads aren't that good. The prices are pretty damn cheap for the quality on most items. Even when it's crowded you barely ever have to wait in line at the register. They're usually almost all open and the employees are friendly and fast. My one big pet peeve is that they double bag the paper bags. Common, it's just a waste. Kind of upsets me, but I like to reuse them if I forget to bring my bags (which I hate to admit happens more than I'd like). Oh I love you TJ's. Thanks for coming to Albany! read more

Seriously, what's not to love about Trader Joe's?! OK - maybe the parking situation at their current location because they can get SUPER busy and it's not always easy to navigate. But, aside from that, I have nothing negative to say so I am sticking with a 5 star rating. I think I've had the same cashier ring me out the last 3 times I've gone in and he was probably the friendliest stranger I've ever spoken to. Seemed genuinely interested in striking up a conversation, and appeared to really enjoy his job. That's been the case with everyone else I've ever interacted with there as well. Aside from the service, the selection of products is great. They do have your staple items, but offer many specialty products as well. Most seem like a much higher quality than larger grocery chains, and oddly, their prices are comparable, if not better in some cases. I'm usually shocked at how cheap my total comes to at the register. Can you accomplish all of your household shopping needs here? Probably not, if there are things you want to purchase in bulk (toilet paper, paper towels, etc.). But, there is so much you can find here that an extra trip is worth it. read more

I like Trader Joe's but this is a total zoo scene every time I go. From the cramped parking lot to playing bumper carts in the aisles it's just not an enjoyable experience. They need to open up a second, larger location in the area. read more

Is the Trader Joe's, They are kind of all the same. I wouldn't go here for my regular shopping needs, but it's great for random one off items or for a stash of food to keep at work. The items are fresh selection is really good, prices are a little high but the service is good and it's well worth the premium you pay. read more

This place is a glorified convenience store for people who don't know how to cook. Everything is either frozen or pre-made. That being said. I took my time walking around looking at everything and filled my cart with a variety of things I normally wouldn't buy but decided to give a chance, given the hype. If for some reason it BLOWS ME AWAY I'll amend my review. read more

I am only visiting Albany for work. I am from/live the west coast. I love Trader Joe's. This Trader Joe's lacks the Trader Joe's ambiance. It feels like a dollar store with organic foods. The atmosphere leaves much to be desired. The location is horrible. The parking lot is a NIGHTMARE. I've been here a couple times this week, once after 5pm and it was full of the after work group so the parking lot was a waiting game.. I went a second time at noon for lunch and there was zero parking, no waiting, everyone was waiting. This morning I had a successful parking experience. At 1030am on a Saturday is the time to go. This Trader Joe's is overstaffed. I assume once the shine comes off Trader Joe's will reevaluate their need for employees and many will end up laid off. Over all, I got everything I was looking for. I like to eat fresh food, I can almost get over the over helpful and the crap parking lot. read more

Really glad that TJ's is here in Colonie. This is a good sized store for TJ's, with a big beer section, a lot of chicken/meat as well as the regular TJ fare. I thought parking might be a nightmare, but it wasn't at all, and I went on opening day. There is overflow parking in the back that is easy to get to. read more

I like TJ's. It's been years since I have been to one, but I just generally like their style. Avoid on weekends and other peak hours due to store size and parking situation (aka no spots). Good- Frozen foods that are good Lower cost organic foods Excellent TJ branded items Bad- Parking lot is straight up comical. I have seen people park in the back of the Macy's lot for Colonie Center and walk over, it's that bad. Store size- not the smallest TJ I have ever been in, but not big either. read more

I've been shopping, and loving, TJ's for 30+ years and searched out them wherever I traveled, until the Albany store finally opened. I've been doing almost all my food (and plant...) shopping there, and I especially appreciated what they were doing during the pandemic... Until - I went there a few weeks ago, and, to my Shock, saw employees leisurely walking around without masks... I asked a Masked employee what the heck, she explained that those who Claim to be vaccinated are free to do whateverrr... TJs also put the cash registered Extremely close together, so that I had to wait in the aisle in order to avoid making contact with the other parallel customer I am fully vaccinated, and am still wearing the masks I've been wearing since March 2020, and intend to continue - living in America, I do not trust others, for obvious reasons.. I called TJs Headquarters and they, rather rudely, informed me they are NOT gonna change their policy, unless state/local regulations force them to... Needless to say, I'm staying away; at least Whole Foods requires employees to be masked - ay Whole Foods!!!!!!!! read more

Parking WHAT PARKING!!!! I have been to this place about 15-20 times and every single time ,I had to wait 10-15 minutes waiting like a HUNGRY DOG to catch that one crooked parking spot . Despite parking I only return to this place because of its FRESH PRODUCE,GOOD PRICES and GREAT STAFF. read more

I love Trader Joe's. I was over the moon when they finally opened in the capital region. No more stockpiling groceries on trips home from the city or 2 1/2 hour car trips to stock up in Massachusetts. My favorite things are the TJ's brand organic chicken broth (a steal at $1.99 a carton), dark chocolate pound plus bars for baking (cheap and excellent quality chocolate), inexpensive Kerrygold butter and dairy items, reasonably priced and good quality vegetables, excellent canned beans, pasta and dirt cheap, tasty olive oil from Italy, Spain or Greece. Oh, and flowers! I love the selection of flowers that greets you when you walk through the doors. They're so affordable, how can you not buy yourself some? read more

We Are Regulars. I know that many folks in our area have Wegman's Envy, but I am so happy that Trader Joe's has arrived in Albany! The staff, products, service and prices are all fantastic. Ignore the parking challenges and just go; you'll be happy you did! read more

Oh, awesome. Well, except for the parking when it's a busy time of day...and I haven't quite figured out when to expect it to be not busy. This isn't your average supermarket. They have just about everything you'd expect to find (in terms of food) at a supermarket, it's just that most of their stuff seems to be Trader Joe's branded items. However, the vast majority of their stuff is super tasty and very reasonably priced. In addition, the service is very friendly and checkouts are surprisingly speedy. So, I'm a fan! read more

I'm shocked at the register every time. I really get a lot for my money at Trader Joe's. Their frozen section is the best. I stock up on easy-to-prepare meals, and my family ends up eating way better than if I'd just picked up nuggets and tots at Hannaford or something. By comparison, TJ's meals are way healthier, and FEEL way fancier! Also -- I don't know what wizarding school their cashiers/baggers attend, but they always manage to fit a cartful of items into fewer bags than I ever would have imagined. There's always ample space leftover in my trunk. The only downside is the parking, which can get VERY hairy, depending on when you go. I've done five or six laps before. Much as I hate "stalking" people who are loading their cars, that's often what I do. And one Pro Tip, especially if you need to take a left onto Wolf when you're done: Instead of exiting onto Wolf Rd., go out the back way. Take the road between the TJ's/Mattress Store building and the neighboring building. If you go that way, you can work your way back to the road for Colonie Center, which will take you around to Wolf, right at a traffic light. read more

I wasn't really sure what all the hype was about when I heard Trader Joe's was coming to the Albany area, but I soon found out! TJ's has a lot of great offerings: chemical free food, a wide selection of pre-made, even the fresh flowers here are very pretty and always well stocked. I'm a Kraft Macaroni and Cheese FANATIC and TJ's boxed mac and cheese is better than Kraft (and I seriously can't believe I'm saying that. Neither can my mom, fiance, coworkers, friends, etc.). It doesn't have all the crap in it that Kraft does either. The prices here are great. I'm pretty sure everything is cheaper than your typical grocery stores (Price Chopper, Hannaford, etc). The staff is very friendly and helpful. I don't think I've ever encountered an employee that hasn't been smiling and cheery. The only downside: PARKING. It's horrendous. For how crowded this always seems to be, it needs a larger parking lot. However, it is right off of a very busy road and it shares a parking lot with one or two other businesses. So the odds of expanding the parking lot are slim. However, if you can manage to get in to Trader Joe's before the crowds, I would definitely encourage you to do so. You won't be disappointed! read more

First thing I don't like about this particular store is its location. It is located in a small plaza-type area with only one entrance/exist onto a MAJOR road, so getting out of that plaza is very difficult when there is traffic. Furthermore, there are 5 other stores in that small plaza and the parking is very limited, so it can be very inconvenient. Substantively, Trader Joe's is good for specific products, but I definitely don't do all my shopping here. I come about once a month to stock up on certain things I can't find at other places. I like their Parmesan Pastry Pups. I also think some of their frozen food dinners are awesome, especially when you are lazy and don't want to cook and too impatient/cheap for quality takeout. Some of their chicken sausages are also really good. Sometimes their "fresh" veggies aren't as fresh, and expriation dates on some of their products are annoyingly short, so you have to eat them fairly quick after getting it. One good thing, all of their products are labeled appropriately if you have any allergies. Labels always contain info if there are any potential allergy-causing ingredients, such as gluten. Overall I found TJ's products good quality and good ingredients list (not much you don't understand/recognize). However their selection and store experience is also kind of weird. I never felt like I could get everything I needed in one place. read more

Prices here are amazing!!! Today was my first time here and I so impressed that I was able to find everything that was on my list and more. Since I've transitioned to a pescatarian it's been difficult to find decent price items . This will not be an issue for me no longer I'm so excited and in a few month I will be able to transition to a vegetarian Yayyy!! The only thing is parking lot is a little narrow so drive very slow and watch out for pedestrians. read more