This Trader Joes is located in the Ballard shopping complex and is always crazy busy on Sundays when I visit. Staff members are easy to find. Check out lines can be pretty long, especially if you are just grabbing a quick lunch, but when busy they have always had all cashier lines available and staffed. I have not found an expired product at the location, which is something that is hard for me to say when shopping grocery stores. Being located across from a church with major sunday attendance, I am surprised this location does not have a better selection of grab and go beverages available though. They have a great mini lunch (wraps, salads, sandwiches) available, but only have cold single cans of Hansens Soda. Bottled water, juices, ect would be a very welcome addition (and of course a great revenue source!) read more

This is by far my favorite Trader Joe's in town (my second being the Queen Anne location). On a week day, you can find a lot of parking so it doesn't get too competitive trying to find a spot. The inside of the store is rather spacious and not crammed at all. I think they have a great selection of stuff and recently discovered their appetizer selection. If you're thinking of throwing a party, you can find a lot of frozen goods. Just defrost and microwave/bake and wa-lah, it is done. I had a mini party and served the mac and cheese balls and they were delicious. The roses are beautiful/fresh and also cheap. Most of the stuff here is really affordable. The only thing I dislike about most Trader's is that there is usually a street peddler waiting outside of the store to ask you to sign this or that or donate some money. I have nothing against people gathering around the area but they park themselves right in front of the door some times blocking the entrance. read more

My wife recently bought fresh potatoes and asparagus in the Ballard, WA store on her way to Bellingham. When she went to prepare dinner that night, the potatoes were loaded with decayed spots that could not be seen through the packaging. The asparagus, also packaged, was loaded with slime. Very poor quality. Shipped to the store this way or improperly stored by the store? read more

What can I say that hasn't already been said about Trader Joe's? Nothing, bu it's still great. This one is pretty great but parking isn't as good as the one in Burien. It's always busy but there is a good crew here. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Seattle, Washington

So I've started seeing this guy and cooked proper dinner for him. He didn't show me enough appreciation and I told him that from now on I'm just warming up TJ's veggie patties for him. "Yeah, we'll see how long THAT gonna last" he mumbled. "As long as Trader Joe's supplies veggie patties!" I said unfazed. Thus said, TJ, my mom's happiness depends on your insanely amazing veggie patties, store them up! read more

Full shelves and super knowledgeable and nice staff! Definitely my new favorite store!

Still great in my book. Lovin' those prices on wine and frozen meals. Buying groceries just got a hell of a lot cheaper... thank you TJs for always being there for me! read more

I love Trader Joe's. Love. LOVE!!!!!!! I used to frequent the one in the U district, despite horrific traffic at any hour, irritating parking and narrow aisles because that's how much I love this place. SUCK IT, U DISTRICT. NO MORE!!!! BALLARD HAS ARRIVED!! Easy parking, wide aisles, tons of natural light, an even bigger wine selection and staff that's just too friendly and welcoming to be impatient with. Not to mention the universal greatness of Trader Joe's - delicious, healthful products at ineffingcredible prices. I want to go there right now. I just can't get enough!! read more

Oh beautiful for spacious aisles and delicious snacks galore.... Your purple colored majesty makes shopping NOT a chore.... O! Trader's Joes! O! Trader Joes! I plege my faith to thee... And crown thy good in frozen foods... at prices I like to seeeeeeeeeeeeeee! read more

Ballard Trader Joe's Grand Opening Today: At last, the brand new Trader Joe's in Ballard is open for business. I, with some impatience and lots of excitement, stopped there moments ago after seeing the Now Open sign and since I already had a grocery list to work on, I figured I'd pick up a few things on it. The Ballard store would fit about three of the Queen Anne stores in it (according to a friendly employee) and there is plenty of parking in the building. They are handing out free reusable bags today and the Seafair Pirates are appropriately on hand for the grand opening . YAARR! (Wiping the drool from my lower lip) As it happens, I had my camera with me so I took a picture of the outside. I wouldn't count on taking any pictures inside though. It is Trader Joe's corporate policy that you can't take pictures inside the store; however, I found that out from an employee after, I had already shot one of the inside. Yoink! I feel like a Paparazzi. Exciting! So check out the beautiful new Trader Joe's this weekend. You'll find more of the quality groceries they are known for and more of the same excellent and friendly staff to help you. read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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Seriously... I am in love with Trader Joe's. Not JOE, but Trader Joe's. I have to avoid going to work out next door just because I know I'd spend a lot money and eat a lot. But, it's really hard to resist. First, good products here. Second, friendly staff. Finally, I love not to find for parking. I never keep alcohol around my place because I hate drinking alone. Until I found this goat cheese and olive spread in Trader Joe's. Man oh man, I decided to purchase some wine to pair with my goat cheese and olive spread. It was so good. I call Trader Joe's my Heaven. I am sure I will explore more goodies from here. And, my wallet will be thinner and thinner :-P read more

I waited for months and months for this location to open and, once it did, it took me forever to finally get myself over to visit it! However, I did and I was super impressed. This location is much better than many other TJ's that I've visited. I don't love the parking lot, but everything else is great. The layout is really spacious, which, for me, has always been an issue at other locations. There's a good variety of items and I can spend a long time just wandering and looking at what they have to offer. The staff was very friendly and at the time I visited (during my lunch break), the lines were extremely short. read more

As a California native, I thought I'd blended into Seattle pretty darn well ... until someone told me they were going to TJ's and I couldn't figure out why the hell they'd want to go all the way to Tijuana. It's not even our border town! So. TJ vs. TJ TJ: Ballard - Brand spanking new. Clean Full of delicious food and free samples! Plantain chips. Fage yogurt. And the awesome sesame wasabi dipping sauce that I'm newly obsessed with. TJ: Mexico Errr ... yeah. That is one dirty city. With strippers. And some of the meanest cockroaches known to man. They tried to eat my toes. No joke. Tough decision! I managed to get lost in the garage on visit #1, which might be a new record. But only because the garage is so big I parked on the bottom floor, then couldn't get into the stairwell from the street. I eventually found my car, thanks to my honking car alarm. And yay for a roomier store, AND the free bag I got on opening day, even thought I'd brought my own. Double yay for the bagger who chased me around while I was searching for my car, just to give me the sponges I'd accidentally left behind. Sorry TJ: Mexico. You keep your crazy drunken eighteen year olds and creepy strip bars. TJ:Ballard = the winner! read more

Shopping at TJ's is a schizophrenic experience: The happiness I feel when shopping at TJ's is always offset by the incredible angst and rage I have trying to maneuver my car into one of TJ's designated @#*$& parking spots (and/or watching other people hopelessly back their cars ten times into the same spot, while I sit and contemplate why there is no god). Whether it's the U-district or this Ballard location, TJ's corporate marketing staff gauges your love for their stores by making the parking spaces so small, getting your SUV into a spot and getting in/out of your car afterwards is the equivalent of suffering a massive vehicular wedgie. If your ride of choice is anything larger than a 2x4 mounted on two tin cans, good luck parking here. Came into this store looking for a chocolate cake for a friend's birthday. TJ's has an assortment of (cheap) chocolate cakes and other pastries at this location, but not U district. Got some seriously chocolate chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, which was very good and moist and a nice tiny size (serves 4-6). The unspoken rule of TJ's is that one cannot leave the store without partaking of its great wine deals. So two bottles of Chardonnay and one chocolate cake later, I was having a great conversation with the cashier about good cheap wines. This is another great thing about this place. Genuinely personable staff who don't make you feel like they're putting up with you like a Grandma in the nursing home. But once you leave the store and approach your car in the parking lot, the Psycho music starts up again, and your vision tunnels and closes in on your car - jammed between a Ford Explorer and a van. And then, all fades to black. read more

I am from CA., so Trader Joes is home to me. Sure I don't do ALL my grocery shopping here, but its great for essentials like cheese, olive oil, breads, pasta, milk, etc. Mostly, I go for the wine though. 2 buck chuck is the way to go(even though its $2.99 in Seattle!) I was super happy with this Trader Joe's location when I lived in the Fremont/Ballard area. Lots of parking, both street and in a lot. And has everything I needed. Great flowers available. Its nice to get a good quality bouquet of flowers at the grocery store, that won't break the bank either. I love this location because its close to 2 great lunch spots(The Counter AND Mikes Chili Parlor). Also, it is close to Fred Meyer, where I did the majority of my grocery shopping. The best thing about Trader Joes though, the price. You are getting unique quality products for the fraction they would cost at places like Whole Foods or PCC. I am always surprised when I stock up on wine, cheese, flowers, bagels, baguettes, frozen indian food and green beans(the best frozen green beans, only place I buy them) and all of it for like $20. Awesome! read more

Ballard Trader Joe's is the best Trader Joe's! Go ahead and try to prove me wrong. It has ample parking, wide isles, great selection, a hidden otter and salmon and a nice staff. Trader Joe's is no secret. Good food, great prices. The produce is incredible. I love their bagged butter lettuce. I live off their various hummus spreads, trail mixes and cheeses. All my friends swear the terriyaki tofu cannot be beat. Personally, I have yet to try it. The kiddo loves their juice boxes with silly jokes, their seasonal items like mini ice cream cones and their amazing fish nuggets. Also I've been really happy with their other products. Their tea tree facial wash and lavender oil are wonderful. They really make shopping a much better experience. read more

PARKING! PARKING! PARKING! A real garage! And not like the itty-bitty-make-me-want-to-kill-small-animals one on Capitol Hill. And stocked shelves!! Goodbye QA Trader Joes!! I love me my TJs, and am totally excited this one finally opened. It does get nuts on the weekend, which is typical. However, particularly bad on Sundays due to the Mars Hill Church minions heading over after services. Avoid at all costs post-service on Sundays. read more

This is my favorite Trader Joe's location in Seattle. Is there a rule written somewhere that Seattle TJ's locations need to have terrible parking lots? All of the others do (even the Capitol Hill location with their not-so-spacious garage). Ballard has the others beat, and the interior is more sizable, much easier to get around and dodge the other shoppers. Like kimber r. said, it seems so strange to have that much space in a TJ's (try the Bellingham or Eugene locations if you really want to see space). Wine, vitamins, cereal, bread, nuts, dried fruits, and chocolate! All the things I need to survive at great prices. Staff is super friendly, and happy to help if you need anything. read more

What is it with the blond curly hair guy who works at the cash register at the Trader Joes in Ballard?? Talk about a hostile person who does not know how to treat the customer. It was VERY apparent that he expected me to bag my own groceries. Not that I mind bagging my groceries, it is just that I wanted to see how much stuff cost and absentmindedly forgot to bag. When he had to do it, he threw my produce into the bag with such force, it bent my groceries. In a passive aggressive manner, he tried to stuff all my groceries into one bag. When I told him I wanted two bags as the groceries clearly were not fitting into one, he argued with me for about 5 minutes until he resumed his throwing of my groceries into the bag. I normally am a big Trader Joe's fan. The cashiers are nice and chatty. But, this guy obviously thinks he is too "Important" to bag customer's groceries. Talk about a awful experience. Go get another job where you dont have to be around people. read more

I just purchased $200 worth of food and was treated rudely by the cashier because I would not bag my own groceries! I saw several cashiers bagging customer's groceries so I do not understand why she was trying to make me feel guilty for not doing her job. I know some people like to bag their own groceries but the ones that don't should not be treated as if they are doing something wrong. I said thank you but she would not even look up at me and started ringing up the next person. Shame on you for treating customers this way. Would that cashier like to help me with my work on Monday and not get paid for it? When did it become an offense not to bag your own groceries? Isn't that part of a grocery store cashier's job? This has now happened on several occasions so I will stop buying at Trader Joes. Very disappointed. read more

I shop here all the time! It's my favorite TJ's in Seattle. Well organized, clean, excellent layout, roomy aisles, and friendly and helpful staff. read more

Although the Ballard store has some great qualities it does have a negative side. The loud and offensive demo station attendant with the rainbow Mohawk who curses and is extremely rude to patrons also has a vulgar mouth. My partner and I are raising our children to not curse and be polite to others. Now I am having to deal with them repeating the words that she was saying. I will not shop at any Trader Joe's nor will my family or friends. We have a tight circle and this is not proper business. And it seems the management does not seem to care. read more

Trader Joe's is an amazing store with great variety in products from frozen pre-made meals to self-branded non-perishable items to "fresh" organic produce. I absolutely love their selection. Unfortunately...I only shop at TJ's for their non-perishable items, eggs, and snacks and occasionally their supplements. Their "fresh" produce is quite a shame. Why are we, as a society, buying produce out of prepackaged bags? Is it really that much more convenient that they're pre-cut? I choose to hone my knife skills over disguised moldy, non-ripe, stringy, old, inedible so-called "fresh" prepackaged produce and meats packaged and shipped from who knows where, thank you very much. Plus, Seattle is a city alive with farmer's markets in every neighborhood; go and pay them a visit. They'll appreciate it, your body will appreciate it, and the environment will love you. tl;dr Great for nonperishable items, cheap wine, and snacks. Don't buy their prepackaged produce. Take the time to value good fresh fruits and veggies at your local grocer or farmer's market. read more

Shiny, new, pretty Trader Joe's I'm diggin it! Wider aisles, inviting sampling area with tasty snacks, and swift check out lines. Not that I follow my own advice, but best if you go during the off-peak hours. Avoid the weekend unless it's really early, and go during the week. There is something calming about shopping for groceries without a traffic jam of shopping carts and young children accompanying their parents. The parking situation is so much nicer as well. A word of advice, if you buy plants keep the receipt. The orchids I purchased, shriveled to death the very next day! I think it's hit and miss on the potted plants. FYI, be forewarned that it sits right next to the cultish, Jesus lovin', Mars Hill church in that big ol' creepy, gray warehouse next door. I carry a can of Raid in my purse that blasts 20 feet of poison in case some hipster in skinny jeans and a fitted tee tries to approach me about their evangelical bullshit. Other than that.. Don't forget your TJ bags! :) read more

The parking lot has tons of space to park. It freaked me out that I didn't rip my side mirror off when I parked my tiny car in the spacious parking spot. When I got inside, the isles had a lot of room between the shelves with no crowding whatsoever! Two carts passed one another without incident even. What the hell? I looked at my guy and said, "there's so much room for everyone to shop here! This is all wrong for a TJ's!" He agreed. We found the vitamins we came for within seconds then the canned tomatoes one isle over, seconds after that. No searching! I hated it. When we approached the checkout, there were several other shoppers approaching as well. Immediately, three cashiers opened their lanes to accommodate everyone efficiently. Hmmmm, our attractive and friendly cashier even smiled and laughed a little at my ridiculous joke about free coffee at Tacoma Screw down the street. It must be Ballard, that's all I can say. Dontcha know! I give them ten stars! read more

Opening day of this store was one of the happiest of my life! Trader Joe's is my go to store for quick-fix meals, and inexpensive wine and cheese. I have always loathed the parking and size of the U-District one, but it was my closest option. As others have mentioned before, this location has ample parking, and very roomy aisles. My only complaint is that they don't necessarily always carry the same selection that the others do....where are my Green Chile and Cheese tamales??? read more

Who doesn't love TJs? Sure, you can't always get EVERYTHING you love here. They can't seem to keep that convenient frozen rice in stock, and for some RETARDED reason, they stopped getting the canned (imitation Doubleshot) latte and mocha drinks which were the shiz, but they're still good, no - GREAT stuff here! The vanilla sandwich cookies are bait that will lead you right to hell. The pizza dough is a regular guest at my house, too. A guest that, like Hansel and Gretel, go in my OVEN. Mwa ha ha ha ha. Love ya, TJs, thanks for coming to Ballard! read more

How have I not written a review for TJ's yet? I love the selection, I always find what I need and if I go at the right time, I can get in and out in about 30 minutes! I always try to go early morning or early afternoon during the week as it is WAY less crowded! This is because I don't enjoy people allowing their children to run all over the place and running into other people's carts, waiting for them to move their cart out of aisles that can become very narrow when carts get backed up, or dodging people in the parking lot. As mentioned previously, the parking lot can be dicey, and it's a little tight if you have a bigger car. I noticed most people park in a middle spot and all spots to the left and right are open. But if it's not busy, you're good! Also, the staff is super friendly and helpful! Chatty in a genuine way and always keeps lines moving. read more

Thank goodness for a roomier Trader Joes with ample parking. So glad they chose Ballard as their newest location. Now I can toggle between Ballard and QA for variety (it doesn't take much...) I've also noticed since the Ballard TJ's opened, the QA TJ's isn't as crazy-crowded as it always was in the past. Like others, I am raving over the plentiful parking spots (either on the street or in the big new parking structure), wider aisles, overall spaciousness and all of the popular Trader Joes staples that we've all grown to crave. TJ's employees consistently provide friendly and helpful service. I was a little disappointed that they didn't have the Chilean carmenere wine that I like so much in stock (QA has been out of it for awhile too), but I swung by the Ballard location this afternoon and they had some on the shelf. But only 2 bottles were left, both of which I greedily snatched up. Hmm...and usually I'm pretty good about sharing. read more

Hooray for wide isles and room to swing my basket around! I don't get the Claustrophobia and Vertigo that I experience at the other TJ's! *cough* Queen Anne *cough* Having recently opened, they run out of the more popular produce items fast. I would recommend you get here early in the day to ensure that your favorite TJ's standbys are in stock, especially on the weekends. I expect supply to stabilize when the euphoria dies down. Despite having gobs of covered parking, the TJ faithful at this location still do not quite understand the concept of parking between the lines. But I guess it wouldn't be a TJ's afterall if the parking lot was in order. I just wish that they stop insisting that I can carry 2 basket-fulls of goods in one paper bag! Say it ain't so, Joe! read more

Man I love Trader Joe's. I used to be a Whole Foods snob. Now I never go there. Yes Whole foods is pretty, and a great place to indulge, but for every day use for the every day man, go to TRADER JOE's! In comparison to QFC and PCC and Whole Foods, things you MUST get here are: FRUITS! The selection huge, but berries, mangos (cut up for you!!) are a super super good deal. I love that so many of their fruits and veggies are conveniently cut up and bagged. Stock up on staples here! Recipe suggestion: You MUST GET their Middle Eastern pita bread, hummus, the caesar chicken (pre cooked an seasoned) package, and make some super delicious and healthy pitas. I just am amazed at how reasonably priced this place is, while being 'healthy' and 'green' and all that without charging you a crap load like Whole Foods. read more

AMAZING! The prices on everything are really good. 19 cent bananas! a huge produce section, great trader joe's brand items like juice. Oh! And every time I go in there, they have new samples and the employees are always stoked and full of energy, probably from the samples. You should shop here, NOW. Parking is usually a breeze as well if you use the lot or park behind trader joes. Don't park in front, thats tricky. *Oh by the way, check out the art work in the bathroom. Very naughty... err.. I mean nautical. read more

Finally! I was waiting for this Trader Joe's to open for a long time. There were times when I had doubts and went "that would be too good to be true" or "I keep hearing a branch will open, but where the hell is it?!". Well, it was all worth the wait. Welcome to Ballard, Trader Joe's. I went there a day after it opened. Yes, it was insanely crowded, however the parking garage is a big plus because I had no trouble finding a spot. A faint flash back of the time when I had to park at the U-district Trader Joe's parking garage... ugh, that was a nightmare. This was smooth sailing. Although it was packed with people, big isle space made it easier to maneuver around people.... even though I had to wait forever in line at the cashier. Well it'd just opened after all. Everybody wanted a taste of it. I've made several trips since then (I always make excuses to go there), and my experience has been satisfying. Always easy to park, wide isles, and staff there is pretty friendly and helpful. They don't carry everything I need, but that's okay. I still like you, TJs. read more

In general, I like Trader Joe's, but I dig the Ballard location because it's just off the bridge and mighty convenient when I'm in the neighborhood. They have all the standard TJ fare (good food, cheap prices) with all the standard TJ happiness (a week's worth of fresh eats for around $40). This is also my go-to place for buying spices. They're good quality and $2 for a bottle, which blows away the prices at Safeway. The 21 Seasoning Salute is a must have. The store employees are generally polite and courteous. Two things keep me from giving this store a 5 star rating, though: Sundays, and solicitors. 1) Do yourself a favor, and do not go on Sundays. Parking is absolutely insane because of the nearby Mars Hill Church, and even if you walk, shopping is somewhat frantic because the store is packed. Plus the chances are high that your favorite item is sold out, because...well, people are there to scoop up bargains. And I won't even mention the long lines at checkout (even though I just did). A far better course of action is to go during the week and enjoy a more leisurely, and less crowded, pace. 2) I understand that everybody has to do their thing, but being accosted by folks for donations/newspapers/etc. when going both in AND out of the store can be a bit much. It's especially annoying considering that these folks sometimes draw a small group of people around the entrance, which makes getting in and out a bit of a pain. Otherwise, this is one of my favorite TJ locations in Seattle. read more

This is a great Trader Joe's location. The staff seems sincerely happy, and the manager I spoke with several months ago (to name a couple outstanding workers!) said he'd been an engineer?, I think, but enjoyed his current work so much more. It shows! :~] read more

Jesus...Get this place to Austin...STAT. Tons of dank food at warehouse prices. It's like you're walking into whole foods and not spending your whole paycheck. I like how it is small, yet everything you really need is there. I loved the samples, the staff was very friendly and I liked how this location is tucked away and not terribly busy during the morning. Go there for food as there is a lack of health products and the toilet paper , etc is not really that big of a steal. But if you know what you are after or are going to get appetizers for a friend's party (if you have friends, this is the place. Save money, eat good. Austin is this a way. read more

I am sooo happy that Ballard has its own TJ! This store is very large compared to so many others I have been to. There is plenty of parking which is another wonderful plus to this store. What do I like from TJ? Just about everything! I love those handmade frozen pizzas from Italy. Smoked trout? Yummy. Flatbread and hummus? Oh so good. This store has a huge wine selection too! The staff have all been very friendly too! Thank you Trader Joes for making Ballard complete! read more

I hadn't yet ventured to the Ballard location and was getting antsy about it, so I finally decided to hit it up after my workout. I came with a small list of about 12 items. Needless to say, I completely forgot how dangerous it is for me to go in this store when I'm hungry. My 12 item list turned in to me overflowing my cart (a lot of which were bottles of wine). Lucky for me, Trader Joe's is cheap, so it didn't put me in the poor house. I ended up eating an entire bag of Snap Pea Crisps before I got home (I live about 2 miles away). The Ballard location is the best location I have been to because of the nice wide aisles and it's size. read more

Finally! A Trader Joe's near me that 1) has lots of plentiful parking and 2) has nice wide aisles. (I'm looking at you Queen Anne Trader Joes!). Now I don't have to drive all the way up to Lynn-Hood for my TJ's shopping needs. On an aside...I love that TJ's had that "Let's save the planet" feel but can anyone let me know if that's for real or just good marketing? They have that small market feel but they are a nationwide chain so I'm wondering if they really do have the best intentions - I find that their packaging could be "greener" - do I really need dog treats that come in a big cardboard box when a smaller box or plastic would do? read more

So the garage isn't that spacious. So what? Let your hair down and park a block away on a side street then walk. If their parking situation doesn't fit your vehicle needs then find someway around this. Okay then! Trader Joe's rocks. It's infamous for awesome prices on everyday food/non-food basics with an outstanding selection of unique products you wouldn't necessarily find at other large grocery stores. It makes sense in my head, just go with it. The produce is really improving. I typically get my fruits and veggies at PCC but I've been known to buy an onion and tomato or two at Trader Joe's because they can be decent. The meat and cheese selection is excellent and prices on flower bouquets are great too, if only I didn't always have to buy them for myself. Wah. Want to help me out with this dilemma? Also, and I must mention this because it's important: The employees don't appear to HATE their job! Ever go into other grocery stores and notice that most employees seem just plain miserable? At Trader Joe's, they look HAPPY, they smile, they don't have that pissed off look on their face when you ask them a question. I don't know, maybe they're valued as employees of the company? Maybe the benefits are good? They don't come home at the end of the day with whipping marks? read more