This is the mother of all TJs. The store is HUGE and has more of a selection than any TJs I've ever been to--and I've been to many a Trader Joes in the past few years. The staff is super nice, like...almost abnormally nice, but then again, walking into TJs instantly brings a huge smile to my face so I bet if I was being paid to be there I would be pretty damn happy, too. Even when it's super busy they've never run out of any produce, which was a problem for me in the past at the Modesto and Stockton locations. A few of my favorite TJ items: - pre-made reduced-fat greek and southwest salads. - champagne vinagrette - fat free feta crumbles - puffins - unsweetened vanilla almond breeze - pizza formaggio (comes with 4, frozen) - cuties - garden veggie lasagne (frozen) - eggplant hummus - indian flatbread read more

I can't begin to tell you how much better Trader Joe's is in California versus Georgia (where I moved from). I'm in love with them here! Below I listed a few of my favorite highlights, BUT I know every time I go I will fall in love with many more things. *This location sits in the middle of a shopping center so there's plenty of parking all around. *Great selection of produce, prepared and fresh meals, wine/beer/alcohol, frozen foods and holiday treats. *Clean store and stocked shelves. *Awesome prices! Especially on their cheeses. Compared to Whole Foods and even Safeway...these prices are fantastic! *Fabulous service. There are lovely people walking around making sure everything is stocked, as well as specialists in certain sections (i.e. wine, produce and meat areas). Overall...writing this review makes me want to go and pick up some goodness for dinner. You should too! read more

The San Mateo TJs isn't my 'usual' spot for shopping, but I was in the area and decided to stop in to pick up a few things. I will admit that I wish this was my regular TJs because they seem to have a larger selection of items than my home Joe's. The store is also much larger and spacious, meaning less bumpage and annoyance during peak busy hours. Staff, as usual, is friendly and I was in and out in a flash. read more

I've been to this location over 100 times in the last few years. I go here a lot. Great food, very fresh, clean location, organized and the prices are fair. I really like this location. Free coffee samples for the win! read more

After a massive meal at the Counter, then some riffing over at Guitar Center, we stopped in for a beverage run. Trader Joe's root beer is actually pretty solid! It's on the list to get again... read more

I fucking almost got run over by this little asian girl employee here on Friday night around 8:40 pm. She was walking briskly (faster than you should be walking with a shopping cart in any store) with a cart and not being very cautious about where she was going. It was at the end of the cereal aisle in front of the milk/dairy section. She giggled and said sorry. GIGGLING WHEN SHE ALMOST HIT ME. I didn't think it was very funny at all. Also, on Wednesday, I bought two bottles of wine here, and the cashier was so distracted that he didn't ask for my ID. He was busy talking and joking around with the female cashier behind him. I know for a fact that I don't look over 35. read more

I am a huge fan of Trader Joe's . But this place is just a-ok. Somehow they always run out of stock of things that I want and I didn't find the staff that helpful as against my regular TJs in San Mateo. read more

Staff was super friendly, especially Aaliyah, she was very supportive and attentive and made my whole shopping experience much more enjoyable! read more

Normally, I am very happy with Trader Joe's service but today I was very unsatisfied with their service. I was lining up for about 5 min and then when I got to the cashier, he told me he is closed. He could have told me while I was lining up that he was closing and not when I got to him. Then I moved to another line and waited there. When I got to the cashier, he told me again that he is closed. What is going on here! Why can't they tell their customers that they are closing while they see that we are lining up and not when we get to them. This is really bad service. Luckily, a nice employee came up and served me because she saw that I was furious!!! I hope Trader Joe's will have better customer service from now on. I understand their employees need their breaks, but please tell your customers ahead of time that you are closing. read more

I go out of my way to customarily buy, may be 5 or 6 items at T. J's because they are good. Local honey, nuts, trail mix, etc. They have a cellophane bag that contains about 10 little packages of trail mix that are good and practical to take when going for a little walk. What would be my unpleasant surprise when two days after I replenished my inventory I opened a little package which I have kept in my pants pocket for about one hour and found myself staring at a gluey-liquid little mess I was afraid to even open. I bought this package at exactly the same place on the shelve where I have been buying this product for a while. The package looks exactly the same as before except for the unbelievable content: "Peanut butter flavored chips", "Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips", "Cocoa Butter"....can you believe this c...p being sold as "Trek Mix"? The buyer deserves to be looking for a new job at McDonalds! Who wants to eat this garbage while trying to keep fit? read more

Trader Joes... It was OK. Ample parking lot, but the store itself is pretty small. The produce section wasn't very big and I was really hoping for a deli or seafood counter. I ended up getting some items here, but then having to go to whole foods to get the rest of my grocery list. read more

Much better than the TJ's on Grant: larger in size, friendlier staff, and they always have what I'm looking for. Several times I've been to the Grant location and they didn't my favorite hummus (cilantro and jalapeno) or salsa (salsa especial). Haven't had a problem with nearing expiration dates of their items or moldy pre-packaged produce (picked up one of those on Grant). BUT, i've noticed the lot is a bit more full, thanks to the opening of The Counter next door. They even reserved some parking spots just for The Counter. TJ should do that, too. read more

What can I say? Who doesn't love TJs? Friendly and helpful staff (for example... Today, someone noticed my hands were full and offered to fet me a basket). Good selection, and things stay in stock. Pretty good parking. Wide(r) aisles. Clean. Tasty samples. Fast checkout. Hooray for TJs! read more

A nice, clean, well-stocked Trader Joe's with plenty of parking -- what's not to love? The checkout lines are a bit difficult to designate and the aisles are a bit thin for the amount of shoppers bustling through, but otherwise this Trader Joe's is on par with all the others I've ever gone to. On a side note, I love the Kona Coffee Shortbread Cookies that I can only ever find at Trader Joe's... they are worth every penny! read more

My mom was there shopping, and she asked the man stocking the milk which product was the drinkable probiotic yogurt. He simply looked up and said "I don't know, read the labels". This is the 4th time something similar has happened. I guess they are just disrespectful to seniors. I've seen this behavior against other seniors... read more

The milkbox always looks immaculate. whoever works back there does an amazing job at keeping the dairy section stocked. one of the managers has no neck read more

Love this place!!! The only reason why I don't give them a 5 stars is because lately they're restocking their shelves during pick hours!! Stop doing that please!! read more

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for not making me brave the San Carlos locations parking lot anymore!!! I absolutely LOVE Trader Joes but haven't been shopping there a lot because I can't stand that stupid parking lot. Since this new location opened, I can see the light again! The cheese selection at this location also seems superior to the other TJ's I've been to. ROCK ON because I love cheese! They have a lot of items that are priced lower than at Safeway and you don't have to buy in bulk like at Costco. We always stock up on those Alsace pizzas, too. They're great for a quick weeknight meal paired with a salad. There are really just so many things at TJ's that I love that I can't go into it all here. I love TJ's and I adore the new location with the big parking lot!! read more

We occasionally stop in here while waiting for a table next door. The staff is friendly and helpful, the store is clean. well stocked, and a bit larger than some TJ's. It's too far to be my regular TJ's, but if I'm nearby, I usually stop in. read more

This Trader Joe's probably has the best parking ever. At least until the holiday shopping starts and ends! Even though I live closer to the San Carlos location, I avoid that place like the plague because I have almost gotten into three accidents by stupid ass people who aren't paying attention and are using their cell phones at the same time! ugh. Yes, its crowded just like the other locations, but at least the store is bigger and the aisles are wider. I try to come here when its not too crowded, right when it opens and right before it closes. Other than that, the products are just about the same. read more

I love that this TJs opened near my home. Most TJs are the same in the Bay Area, and this one is no exception, but it's 5 minutes away frommy home rather than 15 min. Big difference! I've been going to TJs since they opened their first store in San Mateo. I think that was 1999, and I've always shopped here for easy ingredients to create full meals. I really like the staff at this location. I was offered a cookie once at the register and while that I know that was a marketing ploy, it totally worked. I love free cookies! read more

4 1/2 * Trader Joe's San Mateo Healthy, exotic, organic foods Convenient sizes Super friendly and helpful staff Love the monthly newsletter and holiday marketing e.g., dozens of pumpkin-related edibles Atmosphere is like a neighborhood market; don't have to buy the institutional sizes read more

Shopping here is a health hazard. When I went to this store today, staff allowed in a woman with four children with her, none of whom were wearing masks. Children over the age of 2 are not exempt from the state of California mask mandate. read more

The reason I like Trader Joe's so much is because: 1. Great frozen food selection 2. Price is right 3. Good wine selection 4. Price is right 5. Great cheese selection 6. Price is right! read more

My go to place for unique grocery items. It's heavenly for my taste buds and a real treat to my eyes.The store is huge,has lots of great stuff.I always find what I want in stock.Parking space is always available.I get to try a sample of a veggie item sometimes.Staff is very helpful.Returns is easy. read more

Trader Joe's is my life. Despite living closer to this TJ's, I frequent the Delaware store more often due to it's proximity to work. In comparison to other TJ's, I do think this store is on the bigger side which is nice. The general layout is similar, fresh produce, then frozen goods, then the dry goods. I will say that the parking can be a bit of an issue at times. Or the traffic can be discouraging. After work traffic on Hillsdale causes a lot of lag. But the TJ's as a whole is solid. read more

I love love love Trader Joe's! This location is awesome because it's so close to my house and I can stop by on my walk home from Caltrain. The workers are all really friendly and I love the neighborhood grocery store vibe. Be sure to check out the samples they always have in the back corner. I always end up buying whatever they're sampling because everything is so good! Things that usually aren't good - like packaged lunches and frozen food, are all delicious at Trader Joe's. I love their sandwich wraps and their frozen Indian dishes are pretty good too. However, my absolute favorite thing is the Trader Joe's Pastry Bites...heaven in your mouth! Everyone I've introduced this to absolutely loves it. I have to thank my friend Annie G. for my intro there. Perfect snack for any party. read more

Every Trader Joes I've ever been to is great. The staff are always friendly and helpful, and the stores are always clean and well stocked. It helps that you can get a lot of stuff for a great price. This location is no exception. They offer a good wine and cheese selection for those that like wine and wine. They also have a ton of their own branded items, all of which are tasty and not over-priced. I always get my eggs there because they don't cost a ton and are very yummy, especially soft boiled (for those of you that like runny yolks). The veggies and salads there are great too. Some are pre-packed and others you can select and bag yourself. In the fall, they also sell brussels sprouts on the stalk for only $2.99, and you get a lot on the stalk. All you need to do to cook them is break them off the stalk, season them with oil, salt and pepper and pop them in a 425 degree oven for about 25 minutes, and they're perfect. read more

Love this place!!! Friendly staff and always happy to assist Take the pain out of grocery shopping read more

I like TJ's and all, but isn't really an updated version of the Yellow Revolution of the 80's? You know, the products labelled simply Butter, Beer Milk sporting the bright yellow background and simple labels. That's how I see it and to make matters worse, try visiting Berkeley Bowl and TJ's in the same day. BB has dozens of options for most products. Want yogurt? Choose from 20 different brands. Milk, choose from 20 different brands, Turkey Bacon, choose from 4-5 different brands. It's a special experience for foodies. Then, head over to spend some time at TJ's and you have zero options. At BB, you visit a butcher and he asks you how you plan to cook the protein so he can prep it accordingly. At TJ's, the meats are pretty disgusting. Brought home some steaks and opened them up, boy I thought they were DOA. But, it turns out that the lack of quality is more to blame than anything. Turns out they import the red meats from Australia and that's not gaining cool points with this guy. Not only does the meat smell funky when you open it up, it tastes of the same funk once it's been cooked. It's dreadful. So, as much as I enjoy the cost effectiveness of TJ's, I just can't continue to fool myself into thinking this is anything more than an updated Yellow Label service. read more

I had to write a review of this location just because of the convenience compared to other TJs. This location has ample parking, wide aisles that fit more than one cart, plenty of check-out stands, and really friendly staff. All of this in addition to the new, bright interior location. Since it is so big, they carry a lot of extras that other locations don't have. This is worth a trek out from the Delaware location. You'll be able to get in and out, and find everything you need, much faster and with a lot less stress! read more

Love this place. It's so huge! Can you believe that this used to be Good Guys?! The staff there is very friendly and always willing to help, which is a great thing. Food is always great and stocked. Great deals. A lot of parking. LOVE IT! read more

As an essential worker I get 30 minutes for my lunch break, there is always a long line for people getting groceries so I asked if I could just pop in and grab my lunch since I still have to work. The manager refused. Trader Joe's does not appreciate essential workers. read more

My favorite Trader Joe's. Most importantly the people who work here are super nice. Whenever I can't find something, they are happy to help, they actually come with me to look for the item. If they can't find the item, they go to the back to check. If they still don't find it, they check on the computer and let me know when the item will be in. That's what I call a customer service! Produce here is good, and reasonably priced. In the ever increasing prices in the Bay Area, Trader Joe's is the last bastion of quality and value. Location is great too. A lot of other stores around, a big parking lot - you can always find parking. Hillsdale shopping center right across the street. read more

packed on opening day! (at least, i hope that's why people seem to have forgotten how to use aisles to shop.) it's beautiful. the old tower records used to be here and it was so ghetto... i can hardly believe this is the same place. plenty of parking, open 9-9 just like the rest. read more

Excellent service and good products.

came here before my mom and i shopped at hillsdale mall. we only came here since my mom needed to buy some vegetables to made salad for lunch at her church. like any other trader's joe, they have friendly services/staffs. this place is very spacious and clean. like all traders joe, they have the wine and non-alcohol drinks, selections, meat, vegetables, fruits, snacks, vegetarian food, and anything else you can think of. there's a parking lot. read more

This TJ's has been added to my favorite list. It sits next the counter and across from the hillsdale mall. This TJ's is huge. Plenty of room to walk around. The employees are helpful and friendly. Finding parking may be a problem because they shares the parking lot with all the stores around the shopping center. read more

Nothing special about this location, solid just like other TJs. Parking can be difficult since it's across the street from Hillsdale Mall, so here's a tip: find parking off on the side (next to the Guitar Center), you have to walk a couple of minutes but I've never not found a spot there. read more

This store is my main grocery shopping source. I come here once or twice a week. They are always stuck well and even when something is missing on the shelves, they go look in the back and bring it out to you when you ask for it. Very friendly staff, always ready to help you. Great location of the store too, close to other big and small stores, very convenient. read more