Trader Joe’s

If you want to shop at the worst Trader Joe store in America, come to the one in La Mesa!
Updating this now to 1 star. I emailed Trader Joe’s telling them how awful this location is. I mentioned the following:
1. no express lanes
2. parking lot is a nightmare (I agree with the reviews on people being assholes in the lot. I regularly would have people take my spot despite my blinkers being on where they act like I was never even there)
3. indifferent employees
4. constantly out of regular items including fruit like green apples and spinach
All I got was a voicemail back from someone at the store saying they appreciated my email and to call to address my concerns if needed. No, I wont because they don’t give a shit about my opinion anyway since they get enough people shopping here. MAKE A FUCKING EXPRESS LANE!!!
I was REALLY hoping that the Von’s turned Haggen’s now going to be a Von’s again, was going to end up being a Whole Foods (the only one not in N. County San Diego is all the way in Hillcrest. Why just there???), another Trader Joe’s (but knew that probably wasn’t going to happen due to to the proximity of the other Trader Joe’s), or a Smart N Final.
I’ve never been to Sprout’s in La Mesa but I think I will just do my «specialty» shopping there now because I give up on the Trader Joe’s in La Mesa. The whole experience there from the minute you are trying to park to even when you leave is awful and not worth it even if some of their items are awesome.
I was really sad to see Fresh N Easy go because I got what I wanted there versus Trader Joe’s in a faster, more pleasant way.
In the mean time I’ll just stick to Albertson’s and Costco (seriously even the experience at Costco on a Saturday or Sunday is better than going to this TJ no matter what time it is!!) for my usual groceries (bread, milk, Silk almond milk, cereal, fruit, veggies, frozen dinners).
I would go to the Trader Joe in Mission Valley if I was over there more often since that store is better stocked, has express lanes, and has a better parking lot.

Your standard Trader Joe’s with artwork on the walls proclaiming that it’s a local business and the checkout lanes named after local streets.

Went here today. Love the store and the selection. However, one employee of your is a complete douche. Waiting for a spot for about 3 minutes. The lady pulls out, and I am about to turn into the spot. Your employee with a white expedition type turns and takes it. How do I know it is a trader joe employee? He was wearing a blue shirt. I yelled out, «Really? You see my blinker?» He’s response, a smirk. Your lucky I’m more mature and not younger… You should make sure your employees actually look for spots and not be a douche.

I will keep this short because it’s Trader Joes and who doesn’t love this place. This location is pretty large compared to some others and there is ample parking. You can easily walk around this store and not feel like you are bumping into other people. The produce section is also quite larger than some other locations. Employees are always friendly like any other location. There is a great selection of products and the prices are great.

What can you say about TJ’s that everyone doesn’t already know? Sure, it’s a smaller, more boutique-​y grocery store with a limited (yet quality selection), that has some really great prices on particular items. This review is not about that… you already know all of this.
This is my favorite Trader Joe’s because it just feels good. It doesn’t seem as cramped, the aisles have a little more wiggle room, decent parking, the customers don’t seem as hipster and staff is friendly enough, but I do have one little gripe. I wish it was closer! Ugh, that is 100% my fault for living so far away so I can’t fault them for that.
So there you have it. In a nutshell this Trader Joe’s is nothing spectacular in the world of comparing Joe to Joe, but for me it’s that little unexplainable X-​factor that will bring me back whenever in range.

This store is one of my more favorite places to grab groceries for the week. I know most people are in love with Trader Joe’s store brand products more than anything but I personally don’t think they’re all too great. Their selection of fresh prepared foods like salads, wraps, soups are perhaps my favorite thing about it though. I like that they use the best quality ingredients possible to make them and their products never have sketchy looking veggies in them. The skinless chicken breast is pretty good here as well, I like that they’re individually wrapped to make it easier to freeze them. But with all their really good selection of food also comes a lot of bad things about this place. Trader Joe’s prices a bit out of control with some of them breaching past Whole Paycheck’s (WF) prices. I also wish they sold some of their fruit by the pound rather than by each one. While the prices are high, the quality of the stuff you are getting is still good though. Another thing that really bothers me about TJ’s La Mesa is the parking lot is a scene straight out of hell. The parking lot is way too small for how much business they do along with the other places in that center. I can only imagine that they have set a record for car accidents in a parking lot per square footage. If you ever come to this store during the weekend, god help you and your car. I almost had several people hit me while trying to maneuver around this place. I do really like coming here but almost a requirement to come during non peak times (which isn’t many). Trader Joe’s is a great place to get good groceries and products but they almost need to build another one close by to prevent the chaos.

The Mochi Ice Cream is the best… You can find all the stuff easily. There workers there are helpful.

I love the snack food and always stock up before a trip. What I never buy here is the vegetables and all the packaging that goes along with it. Some things don’t have plastic and Styrofoam but many things do. La Mesa is also a bit crowded.

This is like any other TJ’s but the parking here is terrible. The quality of food here is great, the prices are good and just about everyone has a reusable shopping bag. The layout is alright and they have a few sample booths like most TJ’s which I love. The produce is great and I love when they have Honey Crisp apples because they’re the best tasting apple. Well anyway this TJ is good in my book but I guess you just have to deal with the parking situation.

«The place is so crowded, nobody goes there anymore», paraphrasing Yogi Berra.
The parking lot is woefully inadequate for the high volume of customers the La Mesa Trader Joe’s brings in. Best bet is to park on the side or behind the building. No, best bet is to walk, but you will be leaving with lots of groceries, so that’s too impractical.
For quite a while I got my Two-​Buck Chuck here, a mysterious red liquid that almost resembles cheap wine, but now I buy better stuff, not that absolutely anything else wouldn’t be better.
The fruit kiosks are always well-​tended and well-​stocked. Produce prices are OK, not the lowest in town, though. But the quality is consistently good. Stock up while you’re here.
There is a very interesting selection of coffees, both whole bean and ground, and the prices of the various coffees are quite reasonable. I like trying new blends and/​or coffees from places I’ll never visit.
I confess to regularly buying several of Trader Joe’s house-​branded breakfast cereals, which are hands down, the best breakfast cereals I have ever crunched. And also for breakfast (or any other time), there is a wonderful selection of juices, many of them quite exotic.
One thing to remember is that the Trader Joe’s house-​branded items are almost always excellent quality, at a reasonable price.
On occasion, there is a small line for checkout, but T.J. manages to keep the lines flowing, unlike most other high volume supermarkets.
I shudder when thinking of the parking mess at the La Mesa location, but once out of my vehicle, I know I will enjoy the rest of the journey. I’m a fan !

I shop here all the time and you should too. Lol. It’s the poor mans Whole Foods and there’s nothing cheap about it. Not every product is organic or free of preservatives but it’s easy to sift through and find the good stuff. Very healthy choices. The staff are super friendly and always willing to help. It’s best to come in the mornings to avoid traffic. It’s a popular place for a reason.

This grocery store is always helpful. I am usually in this area when I am returning from Walmart/​Target/​Chuck E. Cheese. And, I need to buy just a few items… bananas, strawberries, milk, and spinach are usually on my list of things to buy. Plus, I run out quickly out of these items.
The biggest challenge for me is the parking area. Maybe that’s norm. But, it seems that this TJs is always busy when I am visiting. Once I do get past that part, it’s pretty easy.
The store is well organized, and people who work here are actually working stocking and taking inventory. Plus, I don’t feel like I cannot ask them a question if I cannot locate the item.
Overall, I give this TJs 4 stars for customer service and healthy choices.

Like other Unilocalers I’ve got a love/​hate relationship with the La Mesa TJs. See Walter K’s review for an excellent description of the parking lot and shopping cart debacles. Like Walter I only visit this store early morning to avoid the mob scene. But hey, here’s my input as to how Trader Joe’s could instantly solve the overcrowded problem. In Allied Gardens the Albertson’s recently closed and sits vacant. Allied Gardens is half way between the overcrowded La Mesa TJs and the overcrowded Mission Valley TJs. Hey Trader Joe’s, open a new TJs in the vacant space in Allied Gardens!

Stopped here to grab some food for dinner. This store doesn’t appear to be as big as the one in Mission Valley, but it still appears to be stocked with all the Trader Joe’s goodies that you’ve come to love.
Just like the Mission Valley location, parking can be difficult to find at this location as well. During those times, I can usually find parking off to the side or back of the store. Surprisingly the parking lot was not very crowded tonight (Saturday around 5pm) and I was able to find parking immediately.
They have a nice variety at the grab and go section of the store: salads, wraps, sandwiches, sushi, and entrees you can’t heat up. I ended up picking up some (chocolate + almond + cashew) trail mix, a turkey wrap (with spinach and swiss cheese), some fruit, and a few other items.
The employees at this location are just as friendly as other locations I’ve gone to. I was greeted and asked if I needed help finding anything several times while shopping.
Some reasons I’m a fan of Trader Joe’s: 1) the stores are clean and well stocked, 2) produce is always fresh, high quality, and priced very fairly, 3) employees are friendly and provide good customer service, 4) they have great goods and products, and 5) they wear cool Hawaiian shirts. I’d buy stock in this company if it was publicly traded.

Have never had a bad experience here. The staff is always friendly and they even gave me boxes for my latest moving escapade, which was appreciated. The parking is a nightmare, but that’s not the store’s fault.

I’m definitely a fan of this store. It’s close to my house, they have a huge selection of CHEESE, they sell frozen Indian meals for when I’m super lazy, and the produce here is great imo.
I always end up buying way more stuff than what I came in for, this is probably my only complaint, and I can’t hold this against my beloved Trader Joe. It’s just that they sell so many tempting items in here, damn them. I can never just walk past the bakery. I have no problem doing this at Sprouts, but not here.
Last night they were passing out samples of spanakopita and this refreshing watermelon and cucumber juice. So guess who ended up buying both? Yep, this sucker. In my defense, I have a growing boy who eats a lot of veggies haha.
Props to Walter M who told me that if you ask a Trader Joes employee to sample a product, they have to open it for you. I’m all over this now!
Service here is always good. The employees have never been anything but friendly to us when we shop here. Yesterday the cashier was even chatting with me about the aged balsamic vinegar I was buying, it was a new item, and he was telling me I’d love it bc he had just tried it that day.
A lot of Unilocalers are complaining about the parking lot here. I don’t rate a business on their shared parking lot and how other drivers behave. In the words of my little son: that’s janky behavior. I just park in the back of the lot during peak hours to avoid the drama.

Excellent selection of products with a view of quality for a reasonable price. We visit on a regular basis to buy fresh flowers, vegetables, fruits, prepared dishes, dairy, bread and frozen entrees. Trader Joe’s supplements our routine visits to Von’s for most of our groceries. Most highly recommended.

Who is Trader Joe and why haven’t I frenched him yet? I love shopping here, but my husband doesn’t. He says he hates it, but I know he’s the biggest liar ever because when there are Trader Joe’s food products in the house, he eats them all when I’m not looking and saves none for me.
I think he just refuses to take me to this location because he hates how crazy this parking lot can get. It gets hectic and people lack parking lot etiquette here sometimes so be careful. This, however, does not going to stop me from getting my organic, non-​GMO, and private labeled TJ products. It shouldn’t stop you either.
Here are more reasons to love and want to French TJ too:
–TJ’s is a foodies utopia
-$ 2 delicious wine that will get you hammered and pairs well with basically anything else that you get from TJ’s
–Cookie butter…*changes panties*
–WAY cheaper than Whole Foods (F*ck Whole Foods!)
–Super friendly customer service
–Sample station!!!
–Ethnic foods packaged in English
–Prepackaged meals
–Flavored nuts (the honey sesame cashews are da real MVP)
–Fancy ass cheeses
–ALL of the frozen ‘zerts (that’s short for desserts)
–ALL of the cookies
–ALL of the nut butters
–Cookie butter *changes panties again*
Trader Joe, I love you. Trader Joe, please respond.

Great location, huge selection of wines at various prices including the popular «Charles Shaw» brand.
I have been to this location several times and the staff are always friendly and knowledgeable of there products.
Plenty to choose from when it comes to fruit and vegetables (many are organic). They carry breads, cheeses, spices and seasonings, poultry, seafood and more.
When shopping here take your time, you will find things you want and products you may have heard about from the cooking shows enjoy the experience.

The STEEL CUT OATMEAL is the best money can buy (and the price is just as awesome!)
Trader Joe’s always has items that are unique to their business and browsing is always worth the effort as you never can tell what you might find.
I love reading the fliers that come in the mail because of not just their highlighting special foods but the articles that accompany them as well — very enlighten and not something I consider 3^rd class mail to toss in the trash or fireplace.
Staff is always friendly, helpful and fast at the registers presenting themselves as the business as a neighborhood competitor to be reckoned with.
only negative I would every consider is because they’re so busy night and day parking is always a problem (I should feel sorry for the businesses around them)