Safeway

We have been loyal shoppers at this location for over 5 years, this last year downtown Bellevue has seen a boom in housing and will continue for at least a couple more years based on the apartments being built. The problem is Safeway does not staff the check out counters based on peak customer traffic, time and time again I wait in long lines. I have brought this up to management but nothing has changed, I guess they want me to shop at QFC, just up the road. I can’t be the only one frustrated with this issue, so finally I will go public since speaking to them internally has not helped. HIRE some extra checkers from 5−7pm! If you don’t others will find better options.

Was a 5 star store till Mgr Billy left and now some of the best workers are leaving also

After shopping at this Safeway over the last three months I’ve got to bring it down a star.
My reasoning:
— Produce selection hasn’t been the best lately.
— Pricing of organic items is often more expensive than Whole Foods.
— Organization of aisles drives me up a wall.
With that said, it’s still A-​OK overall.

Customer service is bad especially at the Deli counter in the late afternoon. The guy working at the Deli counter today at 6:20pm is the rudest Safeway worker I have ever encountered. He does not greet you, he does not smile, his face is long, he snarls and barks when you ask him a question. This is the second time I had encountered this same rude Deli counter guy. It seems he has the afternoon/​evening shift at the Deli counter most days. This guy lets his customers know that he is not happy to serve them. It is a very unpleasant experience for me today.
Food selection wise, it is not bad, salad bar is fresh and well stocked. I just hope there will be a different Deli guy the next time I am there

This is one of the nicest Safeway stores I’ve ever set foot in. Their produce section is so neat and organized. If you’ve ever watched MTV Cribs and noticed how almost everyone’s fridge is organized by brand and type of drink/​food, well, that’s how it looks here but with fruit and vegetables.
The frozen foods section is easy to navigate. Unlike most Safeways that have two or three aisles of frozen stuff, it’s just one long aisle with everything.
There is also a natural/​organic food section but it’s probably only about ¹⁄₃ the size of the frozen section.
My main reason for coming here so often is lunch. Whether you’re getting a fresh sandwich made, making your own salad, or getting something from the deli counter, everything is affordable and tasty. For Bellevue, it’s pretty difficult to find a filling lunch for under $ 6-​$ 7 but it’s normal here.
There is a $ 6 deal that gives you one hot/​cold entrée plus two sides. That type of lunch is at least $ 10-​$ 12 anywhere else.
Service is also friendly and helpful.

Open late! Open until 1am which is apparently rare for this area. I had a late flight arrival so was happy to find at least one place open to grab food and a bottle of wine before heading to my hotel.

It’s a nicer Safeway than some I’ve been to. The natural foods selection could be bigger, but it’s definitely improved since the last time I was there. But be weary of the check-​out lines. It can be sooo long and slow, especially if you go after work. I swear every time I go in there, they’ve only opened up two checkout lines, and everyone is standing in the middle of the store, waiting in line.

Wow, this could be the worst customer service I’ve seen in any store, of any city. Their phone tree is atrocious. If you call for assistance for customer service, plan on spending about 20 minutes and then getting hung up on. Then if you go down there on foot, plan on getting the runaround, dealing with language barriers, and no sincere help at all.

This is my new favorite Safeway on the Eastside and luckily it is very close to my gym. It is definitely the biggest Safeway I’ve been to and the cleanest.
The floral, deli, and wine departments are very nice and have a great selection compared to other stores in the area. The sandwiches, sushi, and deli lunches are great if you forget to pack a lunch for work. You can even grind your own nut butter at this store.
My only complaint is that I’m noticing a trend where grocery stores are relying on us to use the self-​checkouts which means they only have one or two cashiers. This can be inconvenient because if you use reusable bags or purchase manager specials, an employee has to come approve it at the self-​checkout kiosks. Please change this!
I find it better to park in the garage beneath the store then deal with hassle of maneuvering through the pedestrian traffic at the entrance of the store. You can end up waiting in your car for awhile.

I love my neighborhood Safeway! Friday wine tastings, Starbucks café and conveniently located by my place!
Recently they reorganized the aisles which took a bit of adjustment but now I’m back to knowing where everything is, which makes for a quick trip every time!
I love their bakery — I recently got my red velvet cake from there and it was beautiful and more importantly, delicious! The bagels and bread loaves have also been fresh and a very good price every time.
There’s also a full-​service deli, sushi bar, ice cream counter, florist, butcher and large wine/​liquor selection. The breakfast burritos from the deli are a go-​to for us, as they are cheap, fast and tasty.
My favorite time of week to visit this store is during their complimentary Friday evening wine tastings, where they generally feature a couple white and red wines and serve cheese & bread.
I’m able to find most things at this store. The only item I haven’t been able to find is pistachio oil, which my hubby recently discovered and likes.
During Girl Scout cookie season, you will find a table near the main entrance where you can stock up for the year.
Though we generally walk, there are two parking areas — one underground and another one that’s partially an open lot connected to a covered garage on the same level as the store. There’s also bike parking in-​between the two store entrances.
This store is also conveniently located near a Chipotle, Korean restaurant and Sushi Me (conveyor belt sushi) if you get tired from the grocery shopping and no longer want to cook your meal.

Great customer service. Never a long line. Clean and fully stocked. The avocados could be better though. And phoning them will be a problem. They never pick up.

Re-​upping to 4 stars.
There are three Safeway locations in Bellevue. This is the best of the three. The store is huge. It has a large deli and liquor section. There is even a fresh nuts counter. The main reason why I like this store the most is that the selection is better in every department compared with the other two.
I think this is much because there are several supermarkets like QFC and Whole Foods nearby. With the new H Mart opening down the street, I hope that this Safeway keeps up the good work and perhaps offer more deals to stay competitive.

When people say this Safeway is the safest, i have to laugh at that because there has been so much crime going on in broad daylight infront of the store by the garage entrance in 2014. It really isn’t as safe as people say it is. None the less, the store is indeed gorgeous! The inside is huge and the selection is wonderful. Even better than the Safeway on bell red road. The lines for checkout are indeed long but that doesn’t bother me because Safeway has great deals. Better than leading competitors like QFC. I rather go to Safeway more than anywhere else. I shop often in Bellevue and this Safeway is great. The deli like many Safeway stores could use some work but overall i enjoy my visit. But the safety is an issue at this store and not to mention how many accidents i’ve seen from people pulling out of the garage area. Me almost being one of those victims. Its a decent store that deserves a decent score.

This is probably the best Safeway I’ve been to in Washington. Not only does it look new and clean inside, but the parking lot has got covered parking as well. It’s kinda like a garage without the dungeon feeling.
I like that this location is conveniently located near the 405 exit and also next to Bellevue Square.
In terms of the groceries (cuz this IS a grocery store, after all), it’s got a large area for meats and vegetables. I would say the most unique aspect of this Safeway is that they have a nut counter — kind of like a deli counter but you know, for nuts. As a nut lover, I thought this was really neat.
One drawback is that I found the organic produce selection to be rather small. But if you’re not into organics then it makes no difference.

Hi I am girl who moved from west seattle and let me tell you the the safeway on 25^th and roxbury is WAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY better!
This bellevue location may be the crème da la crème of safeways, but boy do do their staff have the attitudes of wannabe thug. Seriously… I guess in order to shop here I have to dress like I am going to buy a designer bag… SORRY I JUST CAME TO BUY FUCKING CORN! Cause I am honestly tired of your secret shopper looking at me:) You think I didnt see you:)
Awesome lounge… crappy employees.
yup I said it. Too bad my ass might have to get my pistachio ice cream later.
And whats up with me asking where something is and everyone rolls their eyes that I can hear them roll? You guys are getting paid and union paid at that! I used to work for qfc, sooo suck it up!

I’m updating this review because I just found out that they have permanently removed the bulk food section. I’m so disappointed! QFC is just down the street, and I’ll try to be shopping there from now on. It’s really the straw that broke the camel’s back.
I also still recommend that If you do shop here, don’t go around 6 p.m. on a week night. There are very few registers open, and the lines are ridiculously long. I asked a cashier about it, and he said that management won’t let them put many people on the registers.
Other than that, I feel like the produce has improved a bit. Aside from the moldy red pepper I saw in the organic section on Wednesday, I’d say it’s not bad.

CUSTOMER SERVICES SUCKS HARDCORE DUDE THANKS TO ALEX.
The cashier guy that helped us on my lovely Saturday night, his name was ALEX. I double-​checked it through his name tag as well as on my receipt because he was SO RUDE & I knew that I was going to have to write about my horrible experience & how he contributed to it.
First of, we went there at like 10pm & there was no one who had access to the key to open up the liquor cabinet. How? She’s told us that there was only two of them but I didn’t understand why that was even a factor in whether or not someone has a key. You’re open for business, SOMEONE should have a key.
Okay, ALEX was our cashier & we originally were going to split the bill between my friend & I but when the total turned out to be just 26 dollars my friend told him that she would just pay for the entire thing. Guess everyone & their mom heard my friend say that she would take care of it besides our cashier ALEX so he continued to split it. When we realized that he didn’t hear us, I obliged & ran my card but the WHOLE FREAKIN’ time I was waiting for my card to process ALEX was mumbling under his breath that «well I did what you wanted… it’s not my fault.» blah blah blah. Dude, it wasn’t even an issue to begin with! At least wait until we walk away to start talking ish. I was a Customer Relations Manager for 6 years & ish like that would not fly. SUPER RUDE & he turned what was a non-​issue & escalated it to this review I am writing right now.
This happened just this last Saturday & even thinking about it makes me mad all over again, so rude.
& in case you didn’t catch his name, it’s ALEX.

Occasion: Buying Produce
Probably one of the better Safeway’s I’ve ever been to. It’s very clean, but maybe that’s because of Bellevue Standards? Will need to re-​evaluate, because for the first time in a very long time I handpicked everything fresh and I was in a rush! Maybe I was that lucky that I handpicked everything or maybe they actually had a complete robust selection of fresh produce. Great job today, Safeway!

I was reluctant to enter in a Safeway supermarket as the ones I know in California are old, crappy and with dubious stuff and staff. To my great surprise, unsuccessfully looking for a coffee shop open at 10 pm in Bellevue, I ended up here.
Big, clean, well lit, smells good, nice fall decorations, everything looking super fresh, excellent that wine aisle over there… I went to buy some milk (to make myself the coffee to the lack of open places at that time) and ended up getting tons of snacks as well.
Definitively, this is both for those living around here to do their weekly big grocery shopping as for the visitors in need of a quick fix of anything. And, actually, I could not find any other market around, so I guess this is the best bet anyways.

The first time I visited this store, about four years ago, I was given a tour by the person in charge of the wine section. I was planning a cocktail party and Washington State was still in full force celebration of the Blue Laws and I was having a difficult time finding the accoutrements on my list. The person helped me to find alternatives to the items that I was unable to find, very sweet!
This store now has a fabulous selection of liquor to go along with the nice wine choices. I enjoy the deli and cheese selections as well. When am headed out somewhere and need to bring breakfast, I get the fresh made breakfast burritos in the deli, they are fantastic and the price is reasonable. My burritos get a much better reception than donuts and I save quite a bit too!
The fresh fruit and vegetables are hit and miss, many times I am really disappointed in the quality and leave without the items I need. I buy fish in the seafood section and it is usually really good. The last time I bought some salmon fillets, some had so many bones that we had to toss it and run back for more. I was hosting a dinner party and it was so embarrassing!
The prices on beverages, frozen items and many of the other items can be perplexing. At times a twelve pack of soda will be priced at $ 8 for one, but if you buy two, you get a third free. I have also noticed some items with inflated prices, unless you buy ten of the same items. I have been noticing this more and more and having been making more trips to Target and Costco in for groceries. I don’t like being manipulated into buying more than I need to get a normal price. Safeway cannot convince me that $ 8 is a normal price for a twelve pack of soda! Some of the other «normal» prices are just as silly.
I really like this store, but as I said, because of their new pricing strategy, I only drop in a few times a month and spend about 20% of what I used to spend at this store.