I found where ALL the great employees work, Trader Joe's. I went in looking for wheat flour on a Sunday after. The place was SWAMPED. I spotted an e.ployee who was taking another customer to an item. Once she was done I asked her about the flour. Unfortunately they did not carry it. But she was very kind and we had a discussion about sour dough bread (which is what i am in the process of making.) On another shopping trip I was looking for chocolate covered coffee beans. I found a giant container of them. When I was checking out, the cashier asked me if found everything OK. I said I wish that you had a smaller container of them. (I was using them to decorate a cheesecake.) The employee said actually we have these smaller packages over here and grabbed one for. It saved me multiple dollars and I still have some left. They also have the best flowers...and they are reasonably priced. They also have cute plants as well read more

Trader Joe's - Recyclable bags - Grocery Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Always a joy to shop here. Everyone is friendly and helpful. The selection is complete and tasty. I am a regular customer and will continue to be. Love the tasty cookies and snacks. read more

Everyone is so friendly and helpful here. The place was super busy, but the cashiers still smiled and held great conversations.

I'm a regular customer at Trader Joe's, always see friendly faces and I am always treated with respect. Today is Christmas Eve and I went in with my mum to grab a few things, she had asked an employee if they had bullion cubes and was met with a really nasty look and attitude. (my mum is very sweet and respectful in her approach, we are aware that please and thank you goes a very long way) It left a very bad impression. I understand the holiday season is stressful for retail workers and service industry as I'm a part of it myself. But a friendly face can make someone's day, and it made us feel like an imposition for even asking a question. read more

Yeah I like Trader Joe's. I don't typically shop here. But when I do, it's been a good experience. During COVID19: max capacity in the store is 30 people. That also includes kids. Most customers are waiting outside in a line by the front door. The wait is 5-10 min depending the time of day. This last visit I waited 7 minutes. Walking in: there are two employees managing the carts and flow of traffic. I like their produce a lot. I recently started buying the frozen fish and have been pleasantly surprised by the quality. Easy microwaveable foods are good. I only get a couple of those. Snacks, cookies, crackers galore...it's easy to over indulge. Large wine and cheese selection! There's always something good to pick up. I recently saw more vegan items to try and they're great! I really like the vegan yogurt selection. Customer service is always wonderful! I recommend visiting. I don't like having to wait in line to get into the store. Not sure what that will look like in the winter but looks like no one complains. read more

Bigger Trader Joe's location. They have wine and beer! No liquor that I saw. Frozen section is well organized. Produce was fresh. Staff was friendly as always. read more

Trader Joe's has been a favorite of mine for over 30 years, even though I don't get to visit often enough he is always a welcoming old friend. There is always something cool to find, samples are fine, and beer and wine...Soo Fine...Always great just like the hard working Joe Employees, Always nice and happy to serve Me and All others Abound... This Review doesn't need more because you just need to explore for Yourself, Get there and be your own Grocery Guru. read more

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I love Trader Joe's! So many great options! Got some pretty good deals! Some stuff is obviously cheaper at Aldi or even Walmart and it's the same brand, but other than that I love it! I wish the cashiers would make a little more conversation with us while we checked out but other than that it's always a positive experience read more

I love Trader Joe's and have been shopping there every chance I get for quite a few years. The staff is always smiling and so helpful. I work in the DM area during the week and I go to TJ's enough that I am familiar with most of the staff. I encountered a newer employee I hadn't seen before when I went in December and she was not very friendly or helpful. I gave up on her and found another person to help me. This is not typical for this store. I thought about complaining but thought she might be having a bad day. She reeked of cigarette smoke, which was off-putting. read more

Love love this place! Moderately priced grocery items. Friendly and helpful staff. Smallerish store so you don't have to wade through tons of aisles. Vegan options. I love to browse the items in each aisles. Always yummy things to try. Unique items to try. Pretzels filled with peanut butter Turmeric and ginger tea Dried fruits and nuts Mini ice cream cones Cold brew coffee Any of their cookies in the round tubs Kettle corn Everything but the bagel seasoning read more

My family and I stop by this Trader Joe's every Sunday after church. While it is quite busy, the workers maintain a positive and happy attitude. In addition, the lines move quickly, even on busy days. Of course, those familiar with Trader Joe's know that the prices can't be beat. Trader Joe's has all of the essentials when it comes to dairy and produce. They also have a great selection of alcohol and various quirky exclusive trader Joe's products. I wouldn't be surprised if they opened another location soon due to the success, this location has had. Undoubtedly, the success has come from great management and great employees. I highly recommend Trader Joe's. read more

Trader Joe's - The pumpkin selection at Trader Joe's . - Grocery Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Okay I figured I should also rate my favorite grocery store instead of restaurants all the time . I love Trader Joe's and this location is phenomenal the crew is so sweet and they always have great advice, they are also honest if they have tried something or if they haven't which I appreciate very much. It's clean and it does tend to get very busy during lunch hour and very busy on the weekends. There are very fast at check out. Ps if you buy a lot of flowers like we do they even give you a little bucket to Put your flowers in. read more

Very friendly staff. Great variety of items. My only advice: Do not purchase a gift card. If there is a technical issue with the card, the company will not correct the problem. And yes, I had the receipt. Hope this helps prevent others from having the same experience. read more

I love trader joe! Prices are reasonable and they have really interesting and tasty items. This is a great place to go for fresh cut flowers and I love the frozen food section. Employees are super friendly and always ready to make a suggestion of something new to try read more

Another city, another Trader Joes. Of course I had to come and visit! I just stopped by to pick up some breakfast items for my stay and fresh fruit and snacks. I liked that it was walkable from my hotel! Been shopping this chain for over a decade and happy to visit a new one in a new city :) read more

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I don't live near a Trader Joes's, but so wish I did! I am glad I have family in West DSM to visit and grab some TJ essentials. This particular visit was my first time in a Trader Joe's, and I was not disappointed. During the pandemic, they are limiting customers in the store by monitoring customer count at the door. We didn't have a wait when we went around 7pm on a Friday. I wouldn't know what the wait is like during peak busy times. The store is clean, and the customer service excellent. The produce section was beautiful, and the frozen foods too. I really liked how the frozen foods were organized. There is such a wonderful amount of variety in the TJ brand itself. There were a lot of cookies, crackers and "healthy" snack items. I grabbed a few frozen items to take home as well as a bottle of the Green Goddess Salad Dressing! If you like fish, the Trader Joes's Everything but the Bagel Seasoned Salmon is delicious. I found it in the pre-packaged meat/seafood section. The wine section was large and organized to help you find exactly what you are looking for. I highly recommend visiting. You will find all sort of new goodies to try. Already making my list for my next trip to West DSM. read more

I can't believe when I reviewed Trader Joe's before I gave it a 4 stars.. What was I thinking, it's totally a 5 star place ... Always has been and still is! They have great music playing.. The staff goes out of their way to help you and to make sure you are finding what you need! They have so many great vegan options for meals, to snacks, to soaps etc. There produce is always fresh and priced great! I really appreciate this store.. They seem to work a little harder to make the experience of shopping good! I wish it was not way out in west Des Moines, but hey I like destination shopping! read more

Love Trader Joe's! Always a pleasure to shop there. I find new and old treats to enjoy! Friendly service and fun atmosphere!

When you say "dinner party," I say "cheese" and "flowers." (shortly followed by "I need to go to Trader Joe's." This new and shiny location is no exception to the rule that TJ's always has an abundance of fun and budget-friendly cheese on hand alongside flower bouquets ranging in price from $2.99 to $9.99. Every day is a great day to purchase a bundle when you're shopping here. I was able to purchase 3 bundles of flowers and 5 blocks of cheese for $30ish dollars - not shabby, right? (The dinner party was a hit in case if you were wondering...) I will say that I thought there might be some new/updated elements at this location given its newness. If you haven't been to a Trader Joe's yet, a few of the other standby items you'll want to check out include cheap and tasty wine ("two/three buck Chuck"), diverse frozen food options- I especially appreciate the frozen veggie/stirfry options - the edemame is cheap so I usually stock up and pre-chopped veggies that won't break the bank (ex. butternut squash, brussel sprouts, etc.). read more

Trader Joe's - Grocery Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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I think this is the biggest TJ's I have ever been to. They have everything you really need here. Good selection of flowers and plants and more importantly they have sandwiches and salads to go as well- You can make healthy choices with the parts they have ready for you to take home! Yes- $3 buckChuck! (They team that works here seem to be pumped up on the chocolate or coffee!) Easy parking as it's in a outdoor mall. read more

Trader Joe's - #Kind Bars - Grocery Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Trader Joe's is owned by the same people that own Aldi's They have had a long commitment to organic food. It's a family-owned German company so the store definitely has some European sensibilities. It has excellent organic choices at fair prices. For a single person or for a person of a certain age they have some wonderful frozen food opportunities that allow you to cook for one. I recommend their Frozen roasted potatoes which are usually yukon gold with peppers and they're frozen country potatoes both are nice options that you can bake and have a wonderful breakfast with. They also have some french onion soup that one person can make one serving for himself which is wonderful on a cold winter's day. Also great wine and beer choices! This location is busy during the normal time stores are busy so go during an off time and it won't be so bad Even during busy times there is plenty of parking and easy in and out. They do however have a ton of employees making the checkout process fast and easy. So they have lots of options for fresh or frozen food many and small portions which can help you with some interesting meal planning. If you haven't been I would recommend going and I'm sure once you go it'll be part of your regular grocery shopping experience. read more

Dang! 2:45 on a Monday and this place is packed! this is my second visit to trader Joe's. I picked up a couple items to try. They have lots of unique item. Unfortunately I started a diet today, so I spent a lot of time reading food labels. The check out lines were all full, but I didn't have to wait very long. pleasant efficient staff. read more

Great place for produce, fresh flowers and other various items! I love the plantain chips here! This is a great place to find snacks! Nice selection of alcoholic beverages too! read more

Love everything I've ever purchased from this store! My only wish is that they would have a location in Altoona or Ankeny for people on east side of DSM. Takes me over 30 minutes to get here so don't go often, if I lived closer would go more often. read more

Love Trader Joe's! The staff is always so friendly, full of energy, and ready to help! They always make our shopping experience that much better! The flyers are always filled with adorable commentary, great meal ideas, and they bring me in for whatever seasonal treats they have in stock! A great place to find unusual items not found at the big chains. Everything in my photo, except for the Aperol, is from a recent trip to Trader Joe's; the flowers are always a hit; perfect price for any budget to brighten anyone's day, and everything here made a perfect apertivo for us! read more

Trader Joe's - a table with cheese, fruit, and wine - Grocery Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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Going here makes me smile almost every time. The employees here are top notch. They go out of their way to help you and make you feel taken care of. No half eye contact at the check out line, full smiles and good conversation when they ring you up. I originally went here for the cookie butter but, I stay for the selection of health foods and quick meals. Plus...$2 wine that is fantastic! read more

Trader Joe's - Favorite product: cookie butter with a chocolate swirl - Grocery Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

Trader Joe's is a fun place to go, they have healthy options for an affordable price. The stores are very small compared to most grocery stores, but they have the stuff you need and want. Love the awesome diverse selection of goods here, glad I can get unique items here. One thing to understand for rookies here, they are heavy private label here. However, their private label is very high quality and not just a cheap copycat. If you research their practices you will find out that they have a very high standard on each vendors and very secretive as well. So feel confident when you buy their brand that it is of the highest quality. TJ's is a fun place to be, the people are always happy, it's always busy, the employees are fun, and they always have samples in the back. Overall great store to shop at, if you have never been check it out and stock up! read more

This Trader Joe's is small, and it's so easy to find what you want. They have a huge selection of healthy frozen items to choose from; I personally love a lot of the frozen Indian food entrees like Butter Chicken, and their frozen burritos are delish as well. I like this location because they offer a lot of things you won't find anywhere else (chili mangos - whaaaaat). I absolutely recommend heading here. And don't forget to pick up some cheap (but yummy) wine! read more

Boy can this place get you in trouble! It is like walking into Walmart with a list and coming out with a whole bunch of other stuff that you didn't know you needed! When I lived in Atlanta, GA, I was used to Trader Joe's so I was not as surprised at what this place offers. Reasonable prices, unique items, a great atmosphere, and something you want everywhere you turn! This Trader Joe's is PACKED with people. We have been driving past it quite a bit looking at the parking lot just waiting for a time that we didn't have to push our way through the crowd. Not sure how, but we did find a time and of course, bought way more than we anticipated. I wonder if it will continue to be this busy or if it will die down some once the newness wears off (and once Whole Foods is in town). Good addition to Des Moines! read more

One of my favorite grocery stores! The staff is awesome, helpful and friendly! Corbin is my most regular cashier and always so nice and inviting. The wine and beer selection is off the chain! At a very decent price and unique compared to the local grocery stores in town. The coffee is great and at a good price too! They have a wide variety of cow, goat, sheep and vegan cheese at unbeatable prices! They carry my favorite hummus I've ever had the edamame hummus. They have fresh cut flowers and a boat load of organic produce. I love trader joes and it's worth the trip out to west dsm! read more

Always amazing selection and service!! One of the friendliest stores!! The staff is so knowledgeable and always lends a hand! I love their selection being geared on organic and natural products! Store is always super clean and well stocked. Also the amazing samples!!! I wish the store was bigger, but they will order items if you ask if you know another trader joes has it!! Love trader joes!!! read more

Trader Joe's - Happiest place ever!! - Grocery Near Me - West Des Moines, Iowa

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This Trader Joe's is such an amazing stop! They always have a beautiful assortment of fresh flowers, the best fresh produce at awesome prices, but best of all, their staff is incredible. If you get to the checkout and a staff member notices your lettuce is wilted or soggy, they ring a bell, get help from someone else and make sure a fresher bag is brought to the front for you. They've got your back. Their frozen stuff is just downright incredible. It's innovative, fun and always brings something new to your week! But the best part? If you don't like it, there's a try it and don't like it guarantee. So if you didn't like it, you get your money back. I've personally never used this, but you can! The store is also incredibly accommodating. I have a service dog for a medical disability and one day they noticed a man following me and almost harassing me with questions, asking over and over about my disability and a staff member engaged me so he would go away and basically shopped with me to keep the creepy guy who was over interested in my service dog away from me. They went over and above that day to protect me as an individual with a disability and that's why Trader Joe's is the only place I shop. The staff here is AMAZING. Ask them questions! They know EVERYTHING and are SO nice! read more

I might as well just change my FB status to "in a relationship with Trader Joe's" since we bond at least once a week. I'm very grateful WDM has a TJ's. While I can't do 100% of my grocery shopping here (I like a few specific local things from Hy-Vee and extra cheap things from Aldi) TJ's takes care of most of my needs. What would a TJ's Yelp review be without listing my fave items?! -unsweetened shredded coconut -baby kale -fresh flowers -sliced plain brioche (to make sexy french toast!) -wine--duhhh -sweet potato crackers -TJ's brand sparking water -dried figs -candied pecans -teeny tiny avocados -smoked gouda (always priced cheaper than Hy-Vee) -lavender hand soap -basically the entire frozen aisle Happy shopping :-) read more

Can I just give a shout out to this place? We went from having a two hour drive to the closest TJ's when we lived in Wisconsin to a 10 minute walk in West Des Moines. So I have long been a fan of this store but since Covid 19 hit, I am even more of a fan. It's always my first stop on our weekly shopping outing. Only a limited number of people allowed in the store at a time. But there is an employee outside greeting everyone, wiping down carts and even though they are all wearing masks, you know they are smiling. Still plenty of employees inside to help you find what you are looking for. The produce is great and I can usually find those unusual ingredients (like jarred Harissa) that I need. It would be great if everyone wore a mask but although they don't require it, there is a sandwich board highly recommending it in a positive, humorous way. Shopping during this time has been really stressful but compared to other grocery stores, Trader Joe's has done everything possible to reduce the stress! read more

This TJs has everything I can think of what I think of TJs....with the kicker being AMPLE PARKING!!! And what I think of when I think of TJs are their TJ-specific goodies..... Everything Pretzel Chips PB-filled Pretzels Dark Chocolate Caramels PB Cups All their cookies & frozen treats that I have to significantly ration were all there & present & calling my name But traveling on business demanded I only get something small & portable & that didn't require cooking Enter new discovery.......seems every time I go to a new TJs I find a new temptation & this time was their Falafel Chips! Crunchable, dipable chips made from falafelly goodness! Pair those babies w/ some of their delish & flavorful hummus & we're talking a snackable Mediterranean delicacy that I completely wolfed down Gosh I could have gone crazy in that store so I rank this as a normal, usual TJs experience & add the fields & fields of available parking, I'm in total luv!! read more

Awe, TJ's, my love. Did you know you can try anything in the store? Just ask...they'll open it and let you sample it. That's part of the reason they have the little sample station in the back of the store. And there's always coffee back there too. The produce section is on the small side, but they still have everything! I've never not found something there, and it's always fresh and good. Other reviewers have mentioned the flowers, and I have to as well. The flowers are fresh, beautiful, and affordable! The wine and beer selection is awesome--lots of choices at affordable prices! I'm a little iffy on the 2 buck chuck (which is actually $3) due to some reports of the way it's sourced (with machines that collect rotten grapes, debris, etc. Admittedly, I don't know if that's 100% true, but I do believe there have to be compensating factors for the cheap price.), but other TJ's wine is higher quality, still at affordable prices (and yes, I'm sure lots of other wines are "harvested" by machine also. I admit I haven't done all the research...and I don't really care. I just want to drink wine.) Super duper friendly and helpful employees here too. Did you know they ring a bell to communicate with each other? It's a code. Finally, try the cookie butter. Everything at TJ's is good...the cookie butter is heaven. read more

I love me some Trader Joes. So happy its in the Des Moines area!!! We were looking for more organic and natural foods to eat and decided to stop by here to check things out. Prices here are extremely affordable as well. The sales people here are super friendly. I was debating on a few sauces and the cashier raved about the sauce I had picked out and reassured me that I had made the right decision. Score! A really great place to shop for healthy food (especially since there isnt a Whole Foods around....) AND you dont have to use your whole paycheck here! read more

I enjoyed this store. Love the variety of items they have to offer. The store was clean and assistants were friendly/helpful. If in the area stop in and give them a look read more

Brilliant. I no longer have to road trip to MSP to get my TJ staples. Now I just pop on over to West Des Moines and pick up those yummy frozen croissants, frozen 'just; penne, dried pasta, marinara, vanilla bean greek yogurt...the list goes on. I recently met the flower buyer for this location and she was lovely with all kinds of tips for keeping my beautiful flowers lasting longer. I have picked up alstroemerias here that lasted longer than 2 weeks! My mom just discovered their frozen kouigns amanns, another great breakfast treat that everyone that loves croissant should try. Psst...that famous pastry shop in NYC that sells cronuts makes these, calls them DKAs and they are actually their top seller. read more

A stormy cloud of confusion immediately set in upon walking into Trader Joe's. Why you ask? Well, there are several reasons, but primarily, it wasn't like anything I envisioned. This particular location was not large by any means and had an odd looking store front. From all the hype I heard about Trader Joe's over the last year or two I envisioned a glorious mix between a Whole Foods and a Cost Plus World Market; but I was pretty disappointed. A better description might be if a Vitamin Cottage and a Sunflower Market made love and the gave birth to a preemie. There are certainly a lot of TJ fan boys and girls, and the only thing I can think is that they're drunk off of all the 2 Buck Chuck (3 bucks, actually). None of the other reviews really explain what makes TJ's so awesome. So it's organic, it has a section of dried goods - beans, grains, and fruit, they have meats and cheeses and an ethnic frozen food section, and they sell booze, and by booze I mean beer and wine only. I guess when you're in Iowa it's hard to find organic goods, ethnic foods, and cheap wine...meh! I bought several items, but can't remember what they were, it made that much of an impression on me. TJ's is nothing new. Their prices aren't that much better compared to anywhere else, and honestly the selection didn't seem that great. The meats and cheeses aren't anything that I can't find at a local specialty shop or Whole Foods. Granted, Des Moines doesn't have a Whole Foods yet, so it makes sense for people to go bananas over TJ's. Wait until Whole Foods comes to town... This is just my first impression and trip to a TJ's, and I may change my mind one day, but for now I just don't understand. Fortunately, I didn't drink any of the Kool-Aid. read more