So this Traders is not in the heart of UCI but it may as well be cause it's so darn close. Here was the lowdown of my most memorable encounter here: Cashier: "Hello" Me: "Hi" [long pause as she's scanning away at my items] Cashier: "So how's it going over there across the street" [by across the street she meant across the bridge to UCI] Me: "Oh, I actually graduated already" Cashier: "Really?! But you look so young!" Me: "Yeah...I get that a lot..." ...HAHAHA... I love traders cause their employees always seem super friendly and they try to start a conversation when they think is appropriate. I once bought a peche lambic here (which is extremely affordable here compared to other stores like bevmo) and brought it home only to find that the insides were slightly moldy around the cork. The next day I brought it into the store and had asked if I could swap it for the raspberry lambic and the customer service center was more than happy to do that for me. I love their customer service! Other nic nacs you can find in my grocery bag include: -flax seeds with blueberry (good for curbing afternoon sugar cravings, ladies!) -pork pot stickers -kale -wild atlantic salmon -pre-packaged salads -any kind of nuts. My favorite is sliced almonds -their nearly fat free frozen burrito read more

This is my go to groceries place. I love how it's so conveniently located. I love how the workers are so nice. I love how the prices are great. I know it's hard to eat healthy when you're a college student but TJ truly helps you. The prices are very affordable and the food taste great. Also it's so nice to go shopping here since the crew members make you feel so welcomed. They have a great selection of fruits, produce, bread, cheese, snacks and just about anything you can think of. Not only do they sell food but also home things! I love their face wash and bar soaps. Such a great deal since 1 bar is $1. I'm so lucky to have this TJ within walking distance since I can always go buy my groceries. read more

TJs is the best place to shop. -1 star at this location for the crappy parking, and inconvenient staircase in front of the door. read more

I come here to get my daily salads, and the customer service here is phenomenal. One guy even flipped my juice for me to give it a good shake. Overall good friendliness. I like the variety of salads offered here for 3.50-4 dollars. Has a good portion of meat, carbs and lettuce. A little bit of preservatives in the dressing, but hey its still better than eating that pizza or rice bowl with greasy food. Parking can get kind of hectic during lunch hour or just in general because of the proximity to UCI. read more

I live all the Trader Joe's stores. This one is close to UCI, Edwards Theater, Veggie Grill and Tender Greens. If your aren't sure about a product ask for a sample, most times they are happy to open one and share. Chocolate covered almonds with sea salt and Turbinado sugar is one of my favorites. Need a fast, easy and great tasting dip, buy a container of bruschetta and a boxed bag of cooked lentils and combine them. Good selection, nice people...bring your own bag and get a raffle ticket for the gift certificate drawing. read more

Ah what is there to say about Trader Joe's..I love it here. The most notable thing would probably be the staff. They're always super friendly and always helpful. They keep things clean and running shipshape (haha because you know the horn they have...all hands on deck..anyway.). I love the variety of food they have and all at pretty reasonable prices. Their pre-made frozen foods are pretty good too, surprisingly. I love roaming through each aisle and picking up random things that I don't really need, or know what to do with necessarily, but they seemed interesting so I'm going to give it a try! One thing that kinda bugs me are the people that hang around the outside right in front of Trader Joe's and ask for money or ask if you wanna save the Earth and stuff..just smile, say a simple "no thanks" and walk on by..don't let them reel you in (talking about you Green Peace people)! Ooh and dont' forget to bring in your reusable bags! You get a raffle ticket if you do bring one and you could possibly win a Trader Joe's gift card! I haven't yet but here's hoping! *fingers crossed* read more

I decided to write a review for Trader Joe's because one of my professors had this to say about Trader Joe's: "If you can't find a teaching job. You should work at Trader Joe's! I mean it seems like a good place to work, the workers are always happy!" That sums up the service at Trader Joe's. The workers are happy working there. They must get good pay and benefits =D. Anyways, onto the store. It's located right across from UCI. As an undergrad, I RARELY came here. Why? I thought it was expensive. Now as a graduate student at UCI, I'm EVEN POORER BUT I have come to like Trader Joe's in my life. It has great salads for a quick lunch! Salads are around $4 a pop. The salads are technically "2 servings" but I can finish it by myself and I'm still hungry which is why I'll also grab some fruit (nectarines cantelopes, or whatever is in season and looks super appealing that day). My favorite salad is the Harvest Salad with Chicken. I've tried the mozzarella & tomato one- ehhhh, wouldn't do that again. Trader Joe's has also introduced me to quinoa and masala.. YUMMY! (It wasn't this trader joe's, it was the one on bristol by south coast but I find most trader joe's are typically the same!) read more

My bf complains that I never give five stars.--its true, I'm a harsh critic. So why does Trader Joes merits five stars? Quality. Variety. Price. Service. Atmosphere. Grocery stores take note, this place is bar none. Quality: Look at the ingredients list on the back of their packaged foods. Notice anything? You should. Its all RECOGNIZABLE. No high fructose corn syrup. No artificial coloring. No preservatives! Variety: Ever tried freezed dried mangosteens? Gooseberries? Looking to try new Indian, Chinese, Thai, or French cuisine? Its here. Don't forget to check out their assortment of cheeses and wines. Price: Many of their items are comparable to the stuff at albertsons, vons, pavillions, etc. Service: I never had a bad experience with the crew members. They have always been friendly and helpful if I needed something. I also enjoy getting free samples. Atmosphere: Its feels very much like your neighborhood store. They always have fresh flowers and potted places outside or close to the entrance (I bought a miniature rose bush once and it was awesome). Crew members wear hoky hawaiian shirts and each of the check out stands is name after a specific island. IMHO, its kinda cute. Honestly I don't know how I could live w/o mr. joe. They give poor shmucks like me wholesome food without breaking the bank. If they ever went public, I'd definitely grab a couple of shares. read more

My favorite Trader Joe's location.. just down the street from me so it is very convenient. The store is well stocked for the most part, occasionally they run out of some of my faves but that is probably due to how very busy the place is. The staff is so friendly and attentive! always ready to answer any questions you have about the products they carry.. usually they do it with a smile.. try finding that attitude at some of the big box stores! The small downside is parking... it's horrible. but this is not a reflection on the store but rather how busy the shopping center is. Been coming here for years.. will keep coming back. read more

I love coming to this location because it's so close to my work! The only downfall is that the parking area isn't too good. But I usually go around 3pm so it's not crowded at all. I love Trader Joes because they have great portions especially because it's just me! I also LOVE their pre-made salads, greta to just take to work for lunch time :) I'm a huge fan of Trader Joes!! read more

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

I always love the products and the staff is so friendly! I can always count on fresh meat and produce!

They sure do cram a lot of goods into quite a somewhat small location. This is both a blessing and a curse as sometimes it can be difficult to get around. read more

A little pricey but still has a nice variety. It's smaller than the Trader Joe's I normally go to. I like to come here for spinach dip, but they only sell one kind, sometimes two, which expires in less than a week. This isn't a service problem, because those workers sure do work fast, but I really hate standing in lines here. My observation is that most people take minutes, regardless if they have a lot of things or just two items, takes them forever to find their wallets and pick a credit card. Whereas, I take less than 30 seconds and I'm out. I wish they would dedicate an express lane.. read more

Price is reasonable and quality is good. Almost I do all my grocery shopping here! Flowers are nice and low price. read more

Had a slight racist encounter with a cashier here today. My girlfriend was counting coins to pay for some groceries and the cashier said, "I understand it's hard to get used to a different currency. It happens to me all the time when I travel to other countries." He then grabbed 2 quarters and said, "These are 25 cents each." I understand this is Irvine and there are a lot of Asians here, but it's kind of unacceptable to assume all of us are not from here. I get that he was trying to be helpful under the assumption that we're foreign, but I'm 99% sure I have an American accent after living in California my entire life. read more

Wish they had this Trader Joe's here when I was an anteater at UCI!! Love this location especially since it opens until 10pm, whereas other locations open until 9pm. So it's perfect for us when we have a late dinner at one of the many restaurants in University Town Center and we need to go pickup some groceries afterwards! Staff is always super friendly, and love that this location also has the kid-sized shopping carts that have a sign "customer in training" attached to it. Too cute! They always offer the kiddies stickers each time we go. I just read some other reviews about winning a prize if we find the anteater. Totally trying it next time we head to this location! read more

This Trader Joe's tends to 1. have produce that can be hit or miss and 2. run out of the very things I am sustained on i.e. vegan pre made salads. As a 80 hour/week nursing student (yes, I said 80 hours/week), I need fast, easy and most importantly- HEALTHY! My definition of "healthy" contains lots of fruit, veggies, nuts, seeds and beans. I do eat dairy occasionally, but I definitely don't consider dairy "healthy" and therefore, try to limit my dairy intake. This TJ's has a plethora of pre-made salads, but unfortunately for me, most either have meat, dairy or gluten. Ugh. I don't consider microwaveable meals healthy, so the freezer section is out for me. I also notice that other TJ's have more pre-made foods that are vegan and healthy than this location. It's not perfect, but it's 10 mins from my house, so watcha gonna do? On the plus side, they have nice flowers this TJs and parking usually isn't too bad. read more

Conveniently located near UCI, great stop for college students. They have a variety of healthy options which makes cooking healthy meals easier. Prices are comparable to Albertsons and other local grocery stores. The selection of wine is great and affordable! Staff is friendly and helpful. read more

I like this Trader Joe's a lot, not because of the amount of items in their store, but because everyone that works here is so nice and knowledgeable. I have yet to meet a worker that was rude. The have the usual stock of items (that the other stores carry). I was looking for a particular wine a few weeks ago and they were more than willing to call other stores in the area to help me find it. That is SERVICE! read more

*Somehow has better selection than the other Trader Joe's in Irvine on Culver and Walnut. *Haven't seen cold beer on offer like TJ's in Irvine on Sand Canyon and Irvine Blvd. *Parking can be an event, but if you're not a spoiled suburbanite, it's manageable. Everything else that's great about TJ's has been said below. read more

It's a trader joe's. Isn't that enough of a description? I suppose the location is good cause it is closer than Albertsons just know what you need to get here since Trader Joe's can get expensive quick if you aren't to careful, however cheap goods can be had here. I tend to go here for drinks, baby carrots, sushi, and desserts. Workers here are also extremely nice too. All in all just another Trader Joe's read more

Hooray for Trader Joe's! I love the forever $1.79 eggs here! Forget the market fluctuations! Other things: -They have a great wine selection, as many reviews have noted. -Their selection of chips and other snackies are wonderful. -Great staff that seem to have lots of fun working here. -The store is clean and super well-stocked. -Conveniently located next to the UCI campus and neighboring apartments. -Hooray for their large selection of hummus! read more

I love this place which is just across road from my home. Great friendly service with a smile. My favorite worker is Peter who resembles so much with the movie star Russel Crow. All other workers are great too except one from whom I hope to get a smile someday while tasting a sample. read more

Since it's close to campus, it's really convenient for me to either walk or drive a short distance to get my groceries. It's less expensive than buying products at the other nearest grocery store - Albertsons. The only downside is that it doesn't provide all the necessary groceries like most stores - such as feminine products. read more

I was first introduced to trader joe's when I was attending school at UCI. This supermarket and albertson's were the 2 closest supermarkets in walking distance from the dorms. I always thought trader joe's was expensive since they specialized in organic and healthy items but I was wrong. This is the best fresh grocery store near UCI. When I go here, I always buy the veggie chips, the gala apples, the packaged salads, milk, bananas, orange juice, and sometimes when I feel like not eating healthy, I would get the mochi ice cream! You could basically buy anything here for an affordable price and that's why I recommend this place. read more

Trader Joe's - Samples!! - Grocery Near Me - Irvine, California

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DUDE, this place is open until 10pm! My boyfriend lives in Irvine and it's uber-convenient having a Trader Joe's within walking distance of his apartment. There is no reason to ever shop at any other grocery store anymore. read more

This is a smaller Trader Joes than some others, like the one on Culver/Walnut. So they don't always have everything I am used to getting at Trader Joes, like when the bigger one has Lychees for a whole 2 months solid, I was only able to get them at this location for like 2 weeks:( So this is why I give it 4 stars. If you're looking for something very specific, I'd say just call first. But as far as grocery stores go, Trader Joes in general always will rate high with me! They have a great selection of organic (just be careful because not ALL of their fruit+veggies are organic, but the organic ones are marked) food, an AWESOME seafood selection, VERY helpful friendly service, free samples and GREAT prices! I get the same amount of food here that I do at Whole Foods. At Whole Foods my bill always comes out to be about $250, here it is always under $100. I also really dig the shopping center this Trader Joes is located in. It's right next to the campus (Campus Drive, duh) and there's my fav Yoga place, Shakti Yoga, a cute store called Japan Lifestyle, a 24 Hour Fitness, a $2 movie theatre and a Veggie Grill. The parking lot is always busy and you might not get a spot right in front of the store, but I've never had a problem finding A spot or had to walk THAT far. I also think it's funny that people in Irvine find that a place open until 10 is AMAZING, just shows how early Orange County closes down! read more

Ahh. I can say I am a Trader Joe's convert. I used to think that this was a haughty grocery chain since they carry expensive organic foods products. Well out of curiosity and plenty of spare time after class, I decided to browse around and see what I could pick up. Although small, they carry products that I usually can't find elsewhere. I really like how they carry such high quality frozen seafood, like langoustine tails (heck, I don't know any other place that sells this!) and wild sea scallops. When I cooked them they were SO sweet and firm. Delicious! One time I couldn't find it and asked the cashier to ask someone to find it for me, and they gladly did. I appreciate how they take the time to satisfy their customers. Their take home two-serving pizzas are absolutely delicious. Fresh herbs are indeed fresh and fragrant, eggs and milk are cheap. Large collection of frozen desserts, yum. Trader Joe's is one of the best grocery stores there are. read more

This Trader Joe's is a nice one, albeit a tad on the smallish side. But give 'em credit for making the most out of a small space.Great selection considering the size. The thing that always places Trader Joe's slightly above all other grocery stores is the people -- and that's certainly the case here in the UCI store. Great people. Always helpful. Love the Trader Joe's free-range chicken eggs. And the organic pink lemonade. read more

Trader Joe's is the grocery I hit when I need frozen or packaged food. The selection is pretty unique compared to your typical Albertson's/Ralphs with only big brand names. I typically don't buy produce here since it seems a little more expensive and most of it isn't even organic. What's good in the refrigerated section: Rosemary Chicken & Rice Pilaf Turkey Bacon Grilled chicken (perfect for quick salads, soups, chicken pot pies, etc!) Frozen: Thai Vegetable wontons French green beans Mango Mochi Naan Quiche Frozen Fruit (great for smoothies) Misc: Triple Gingersnap cookies Trader Joe's Ketchup--for some reason this tastes much better than Heinz Condiments (decently priced and good quality) Organic Tea Tree bodywash There's some other yummy things there, but those were the only one's I can think of on the top of my head. But the best thing about trader joes is you can find something to make any meal and you dont have to walk a mile in the store to find what you're looking for. read more

It's pretty big--they carry just about everything you could possibly be looking for at Trader Joe's. They have a huge floral section, a huge alcoholic beverage section, and a great produce department. It's conveniently located near UCI in a cute little shopping center. The employees are super friendly just like all the other Trader Joe's employees I have crossed paths with in the past. I have a longstanding love affair with Trader Joe's, and this location just deepens that love. The only negative to this location is that parking can be difficult to find at times... read more

Love me Trader Joes. Always has friendly staff who are willing to help you find what you're looking for. Tons of different foods, from free range meats, to vegan delights... Delicious items for any foodie! read more

Whenever I am in need of gourmet ingredients for my cooking, I always resort to Trader Joe's. As a college student it's hard to be creative with grocery stores like Albertsons and Ralphs around. I love how this store's location is so conveniently located minutes away from class/my apartment making it accessible whenever I need to grub. If you haven't already, give the ready made meals a try (located in the back right corner of the store) they are delicious and inexpensive for the most part. And of course stop by their sample booth! read more

Even though Trader Joe's is not really a "real" market in my book, i must give them props for carrying this amazing speculoo cookie butter (see picture) and other healthy snacks. Their prices are also a little bit cheaper compared to Wholefood in certain items. They also has a large varieties of wine ( i don't drink wines so not sure if their wines are good or not). This store is clean and all the items are well organized. They have a great spread selection such as eggplant garlic or Artichoke antipasta spread. The coconut milk is also very delicious with cereals or just by itself. If you're a UCI student, you must visit this store at least once. PS: they have something called starving students event so yeah. Check it out read more

They have all the food that I want. The lines are never that long, and all the items seem to be well-stocked. I've been shopping here for two years and I've never had a bad experience. I honestly can't recall a negative interaction with anyone that works there. I find that most of their produce is decently priced but if you're really looking for a wonderful deal on things like grapes, potatoes, onions go to Sprouts. Due to the great value, I only buy cut flower bouquets at TJ's. read more

I called today to request a copy of an old receipt from November. **Jimmy** helped me track it down... in order to do so, he had to check the history of each register in the store. He then volunteered to fax it to me by way of Fed Ex across the street from him at no charge to me. Not only did he save me a trip ( I don't live very close), he also went out of his way, and paid to send me the info I requested. WOW, that's great customer service. And he had a great attitude the whole time. I've called other companies for the same thing (a copy of receipt for company records), and have been made to feel like a burden by doing so. read more

I love stopping in here to grab a quick breakfast juice and salad for lunch. They open at 8am, but I am not surprised that I'm never the only one waiting outside the door 5 minutes before they open. Everything here is so tasty and healthy for you! Compares to other grocery stores, prices at trader joes are hard to beat! Every single time I've come in, I was welcomed by a friendly crew member. They even open a new register so I don't have to wait in line. The little knock knacks by the check out stand are my biggest weakness but are better alternatives to the junk you see elsewhere I don't feel as bad to snag a couple! read more

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

I love the atmosphere and the products of the Trader Joe's here, since its also located at the UTC. I don't think its products are too overly priced since they offer a variety of products for different people. However, there's was a blonde cashier lady who was very rude during checkout, which made shopping very uncomfortable for me. I would totally come here again, but not for the service. read more

Everyone is always polite there. It has very good service (from the stock people, the managers and the cashiers) Food is always good and well priced. I love their variety, My only "hiccup" is that they have certain foods that I got used to that they no longer have (i.e Parmesan cheese , frozen artichoke etc ....) O ther than that.....very happy and and I will be back read more

Generally, when you are at Trader Joe's and you ask a employee where a certain item is, he/she will walk you to the item. Not at this Trader Joe's. When I brought it up to the manager so they will have consistency at all of their locations, he didn't seemed too concerned about it. Was just trying to help their brand but I guess they don't have the same customer centric culture here. read more