VJ Grocery

This store was featured in the 2015 film San Andreas about an earthquake that destroys San Francisco. The movie was lovely, thanks in no small part to the exceptional character played by Rock Johnson. It brought the neighborhood great joy to see the closeup scene next to the ATM at the entrance of VJ Grocery.
The lady (and I assume owner) that works the counter is a nice person. Unfortunately she seems to have developed a bit of a bad habit over the years. As pointed out by the reviewers who came before me, small charges can appear on the receipt. Today (May 21, 2016) I was shopping with my friend and colleague at VJ’s when he noticed a $ 1.29 charge for Biscuits that he didn’t order. The lady played it off as a leftover from the previous transaction. Boy did I believe her, but in retrospect (after my friend/​colleague talked some sense into me) I believe she’s a hustler!
Finally, this store is where I go to empty my change jar. While the groceries are pricey, I can usually find some items for around a dollar. They have nice patio tables outside that I use to count my pennies, so I don’t delay other customers in line.
Despite the lady’s bad habit, I give the store 5 stars for its position atop the San Andreas Fault Line.
© Daniel Himmelstein, released under CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication).

This is a great little corner store about ½ block from my home. They have a nice selection of wines, the store is always clean and unlike many other corner stores, it is well stocked. Tom is always pleasant to work with and really cares about the store and their customers.
This place has a good selection of snacks, frozen foods, cheeses, and dairy products. We have even found a few missing ingredients here when cooking at home and realizing that we are out of something crucial to prepare the meal.

I have been a long time neighbor and customer of VJ corner stone. It’s a friendly, neighborly place that caters to the NobHill and RussianHill denizens as well as the hotel guests at The Huntington Hotel, The Mark Hopkins, and The Fairmont Hotel.
One of my weekly «go-​to» places for everything from morning Hostess donuts, Band-​Aids, my favorite tortilla chips (Have’A Corn Chips :), pints of ice cream, cigarettes, and a decent wine selection. With consistent hours and friendly service: a reliable neighborhood resource whether it’s just to stop in for an ingredient or a mini grocery run.
I often buy flowers from them to brighten up my apartment or bring to friends — their tulip selection of late is colorful and they last for quite some time.
Tom, Johnny, and Sean are always welcoming & helpful! A great neighborhood corner store!

I have been a customer for many years and look forward to shopping there. Have not been disappointed as yet.

Come here every other day. Staff is super friendly and really has been a staple for the neighborhood for as long as I can remember.

I’ve been going to VJ grocery store for twenty years. It’s possibly one of a handful, of actual «MA and PA «grocery stores, left in San Francisco. Needless to say, after twenty years, you get to know the people behind the counter.
Spiro, who owns the store, but is seldom there, has great stories. A raconteur from Greece .
Tommy, his son in law runs the store on a day to day basis. I consider him a friend .
John aka Johnny K, is also a Greek. Very old school) If you have never visited this place, it’s worth it, just to meet him. He is always dependable to have a political or other worldly point of view. I guarantee you, he won’t disappoint. He has become a travel destination for visitors to the city.
Sean. (Chinese. Go figure) This woman has been working at VJ for thirteen years. She is always behind the counter, after three PM. If you want to catch up on the latest gossip, in Nob Hill, she is the person that you want to talk to. She hears it all, from the locals. If I’m away for a few days and want to catch up on the latest local news, I just ask her .
This store has the most interesting cast of characters you could ever imagine .
For tourists, this is a must see.
Clint Eastwood filmed in and around the store for two weeks, a few years ago. Watch the movie and you’ll see the store and apartments above the stores interiors. You’ll have to Google the film. There are pictures of Sean with Matt Damon on the wall.
Steve McQueen … If you’ve ever watched the film Bullet, you must visit the store. So much of the film was shot right across the street. This is where McQueen lived .
The «Rock «was filming in the same block last year, for one of his adventure films.
I don’t know why, but they shoot so many films in the block VJ market is on.
I would die of starvation, if this little corner store was not there. They cater to the needs of the public, as well as us locals .
A+ You will not find another like this place. If your visiting from out of town, make this a must see destination …

This place is awesome and convenient! When you need something and you can’t find the item your looking for anywhere they will order it for you personally. Always fun going there due to the great customer service and the personal feeling you get. Good prices and fresh items. Will never stop going there.

This is one of the few places on top of Nob Hill where you can get a cheap lunch. I stop in here for a piece of fruit, a cold drink, or a sandwich a few times a month. The older guy, Jerry, has amazing stories. Ask him to tell you about when they were filming Bullet with Steve McQueen in the neighborhood. Also the younger guy, Tom, is always really kind to me. I hope these guys stick around forever. They’re a Nob Hill institution!

Great local grocery store. Always have the essentials! Recommended to anyone. Friendly, efficient and accurate service.

What a great & convenient neighborhood market. It’s amazing that I always find what I need each time I pop in during my many visits to Nob Hill. Friendly & fun… you can tell that they treat all their customers like a little family. Can’t wait to see you all next time!

So happy to have this store in my neighborhood. All of the staff is great, especially Shawn. They have all the staples/​items you’d expect to see in a corner store, and I have always been satisfied with everything I buy there. The staff is very friendly with regulars from the neighborhood, and that’s a great quality for a small family run store.

I’ve been in the neighborhood for 4 years and this is my local convenience store. I run in here regularly for miscellaneous items, it’s your typical SF corner market with the standard fare. What makes it great is Tom who has always been super friendly. Fun fact: VJ’s has been in several movies throughout the years, most recently in The Rock’s San Andreas!

Old San Franciso Charm! VJ’s is a cozy and friendly little market atop of Nob Hill… as Tony Bennett sings «where little cable cars climb half way to the stars» this place is very convenient, good selection and has a warm staff. I am fortunate enough to live in the neighborhood so I appreciate the convinence. I see tourist from the nearby hotels picking up various items and they all seem so happy. Great wine selection too.

I really really dislike shopping here, and only do it if I’m desperate or SUPER lazy. Their selection of everything is terrible and you get the feeling that everything is expired. All of the produce looks overripe and when you go to the cash register, it seems like the staff just throw out random numbers. $ 1.50 for a tiny grapefruit? I think not.
A thorough cleaning would really do this place good, although it would be impossible to scrub out the terribly rude and inappropriate employees who work there. The few times I’ve been in there the employees have been having inappropriate conversations, fighting amongst themselves, or completely ignoring their clientele. The last time I went in there, the area around the register stunk to high heavens and a seemingly homeless man was asking the woman at the cash register to smell his rotting gloves RIGHT in front of me. I was absolutely horrified and ran out.
Basically this place is terrible. Do yourself a favor and take your business elsewhere — anywhere really, to save yourself a very unpleasant and expensive shopping experience.

The rumors are true… I stopped in to pick up a bag of chips and a kombucha. I asked for a receipt and there was the extra $ 1.25 charge. The excuse was the same, «must have been left from the last customer». Got the refund but never going back there again.

Location + basic stuff. And wine. So based to what to compare. It’s very mediocre but for a 1 m walk from my place for something missing for a meal (pasta /​sauce) that works. The real bummer their work hours

DO NOT PAY WITHOUT CHECKING YOUR RECEIPT. We were in San Francisco for a few days and not wanting to walk down the major hills we stopped in to VJ Grocery for a few items. It was closing time and the lady was a bit irritated and rushing. I paid by credit card and left. Later in looking at the receipt there were 2 items charged that I did not buy. 1 charge for a $.99 soda and another stating misc for $ 1.25.
Now that I see the other reviews this seems to be a scam.
Beware and shop somewhere else!

Do NOT shop here. Check your receipt, they are ripoffs!!! I will never go back. I live 3 blocks away and I will gladly walk a mile somewhere else before going back in here.
I have been here twice and both times I had a random extra $ 1.00 charge, from the same lady. I asked her about it the first time and she claimed that it must have been leftover on the register. That was a lie because there was a female who checked out less that 2 minutes before I walked up to the register. Fine, I don’t want to argue with you, just give me my dollar back.
About 6 months later, after I had already vowed to never go back, I caved and went in for a couple of items I needed for dinner. The EXACT SAME THING happened. I looked at my receipt, and a random $ 1.00 charge was the first thing listed. I couldn’t believe it. What a scam! I called her out on it again, and she again faked ignorance and said she didn’t know what happened. Liar, you punched it in yourself! I had her give me a total refund and I walked out of the store without anything rather than give them a penny more of my money.
If you do make the mistake of going here, check your receipt carefullly!

Vjs is the best! HIGHLY recommended. They are open everyday of the year (even holidays) and have everything I need. In addition to my necessities, I love visiting with the employees. Johnny, Sean, and Tom are awesome. Love all the employees! All part of my Nob Hill family.

I don’t know why all the reviews are so hard on this little grocery store. I certainly haven’t had any bad experiences with expiration dates.
For those of you who don’t want to wait a week before you fruit gets ripe, this is a good place to get sweet oranges, or other fruits that are ready to eat. I picked up a mango last night and it’s ripe and delicious. The tomatoes are ripe and taste far better than the flavorless kind I find at most grocery stores during the off season.
So I guess it depends on your perspective, but there are definitely good things to be found at VJ Grocery.