Gristedes

They flat out lie about prices. When an item didn’t scan they made up a price in front of me. Seriously?! While most of the employees are pleasant, I hate shopping here.

That this place continues to exist and still sucks so bad is beyond me. Fresh direct and Amazon deliver to my door and it’s cheaper and so much easier than a trip to that haunted house you call a grocery store. If we need some thing ASAP and can’t go to Zingones I will literally go and pay more at a bodega or walk 10 blocks to whole foods because the most expensive grocery store chain in America is somehow cheaper and 1000x better than Gristides. I wouldn’t care but for some reason the store is either immune to market forces or New Yorkers just really like dusty produce. I’m still waiting for a taxi cab style bailout request from Gristedes et al about the unfair competition from online grocers and regular grocery stores like WF and Trader Joes that are just better.

The most expensive grocery store I have ever been to, for no reason. Dirty, disorganized, and wildly overpriced. Extremely poor produce selection. Bad grocery selection in general.
Why does anyone go here? Because it’s really convenient if you live in this area. I’ve been suckered into paying sky high prices for the sake of convenience on a few too many occasions now and am upset by it every time. Word to the wise-​plan ahead and walk the extra 10 blocks to Whole Foods, because even they are a bargain compared to Gristedes.
Two stars because the cashiers have always been really sweet.

Overpriced and disorganized. Meat is average but so expensive. Staff could care less, seems like you are just getting in their way or taking them away from their smartphone. Do yourself a favor and shag your but 12 blocks north to Whole Foods, much cheaper and better quality all around.

Whole Foods is cheap compared to this Gristedes (well, really ALL Gristedes). Why it is so expensive is beyond me. The produce is gross. The store is dirty. The people there are not helpful. It truly is a terrible experience.
A gallon of organic whole milk here is $ 7.49. That same milk at Whole Foods is $ 4.99. For an extra $ 2.50, they better be selling this in a gold plated milk jug that carries itself back to my apartment on the back of Falkor, the winged beast from the Neverending Story. The only never-​ending story here is never shop at this store unless you are truly desperate.

i agree with everyone else who finds this a depressing experience between the physical store itself and the unconscious staff and the less than exciting offerings it really is a lousy way to shop. we are now in this neighborhood one year and i use Fresh Direct more than ever before, as I do Whole Foods at 98^th st. i treat myself to a taxi home – so much happier experience than this coal mine.

There must have been a shift in management or something! They have made a noticeable effort to clean up the store, and as of lately the cashiers are proficient and more professional. The prices are still astronomical, but it’s the Upper West Side…

Pricey, limited options, decent staff, amazing management. The prepared meals are decent if you add some condiments to it. I’ve come here a few times as I work nearby, but it isn’t the office’s first choice.

Clean with good selection and the prices are still better than the corner store. I am less freaked out here than the corner groceries, and for this neighborhood, I’d rather not pay $ 6 for a box of Cheerios. Gristede’s it is when I’m in town

Oh Gristedes. Where to even begin.
This place is convenient and consistent. They’ve got basic grocery items, but not even as much as most other Gristedes I’ve been in. The staff is mostly apathetic people who must’ve forgotten how to smile somewhere. Probably in aisle 9, because the prices there are way too high, even for New York!
I don’t understand how a grocery store can be so vastly different in experience from one to another. This Gristedes, unfortunately, falls towards the lower end of the spectrum.
I go here often, I know what to expect. For fruit and organic and anything you generally want «clean», go the extra bit to Zabar’s or Fairway or Trader Joe’s or the Whole Foods up on 90^th!

I am going to preface this review by confessing that I go here… a lot. I make a conscious decision to go to this grocery store when there are at least 3 or 4 within two blocks of it. With that said, I do not know why.
On a positive note, they seem to always have everything I need. On the negative side, it always seems to cost like…37 cents more than if I bought it elsewhere.
The staff is pretty off-​putting. They always seem like they are just hanging with their friends and customers are an inconvenience. The manager is always there and only adds to this culture.
The worst thing, though, is their produce section. I wouldn’t be shocked to find that they bought all the fruit that other grocery stores threw away. I feel like I won the lottery every time I find an apple that only has one bruise on it.
One day, I plan on walking an extra block in the other direction and going elsewhere. For now, I’ll keep sucking it up and accepting mediocrity.

Wow, this place has some horrible ratings. i’ve never seen a place with one bad review after another. I understand why I guess, but I don’t think it’s that bad. But then again, the stuff I buy from there are things like lunch meat, bread, (stuff that has to be up to par.) I think all the employees are nice. One person there that I despise is the butch white woman. She has short hair, dresses like a man, really redneck looking. She has a horrible attitude. Once I asked her a question and it was like I pained her to bother her. But the one young, black chick, Junta, (I think she’s a manager) she is sweet as pie. Love her. She’s always super helpful and we always exchange smiles whenever I’m in line. I understand what ppl say about the checkout girls, but I’ve never had a problem. They’re always happy and eager to help me. The prices are kind of expensive but we’re in UWS, it’s assumed. I think ppl should ease up. I go to this place often and will continue to go there.
I need a birthday cake this morning, and I went on Unilocal to find some numbers. I am going to Gristedes to get my bday cake. Hopefully it’s will be great. i’ll write follow-​up review if it’s horrible but I doubt it. Is it hard to screw up a cake? I could probably do a good job at screwing it up. :)

Finally I’m getting around to write a review on this place. I only come here if I have to, for last minute things. And whenever I pay the price at the cash register, I always wonder why I am not handed a glass of champagne when I walk in. Yeah: It is THAT pricey. Gristedes has a good sense of humor though, putting things like «NEW LOW PRICE» near a product that is actually still way more expensive than most other places nearby. They never really have cool ‘Wow… THAT cheap???’-kinda deals either. The place is not as clean, neat and organized as it could be. Employees walk around with this ‘If nobody else is there to help you, I’ll take ya…’-kind of attitude. Somehow I always manage to wait in line here, no matter what time I walk in. There is plenty of staff around to help out and plenty of cash registers, and it is never even really packed, but still things always seem to back up at the cash registers. Neither the cash registers nor the staff are being put to use efficiently. The staff is busy anyway, cracking jokes amongst one another, looking bored, with this ‘I can’t wait for this day to be over’- look in their eyes. Seriously, Gristedes: I’m okay with paying top dollar, but please make me feel a bit more like a valued costumer. Please. I like my local neighborhood businesses, and I love to keep them in business, but it would be nice if you would give me more reasons to keep coming back.

Have to agree with prior reviews. Wish I could say otherwise, as this is conveniently about 1 block from my apartment… unfortunately, having seen first-​hand the moldy cheese and less than stellar produce selection (horrific to a person accustomed to CA produce)…I will continue to do my grocery shopping all the way at Fairway and Trader Joe’s, or brave nearby bodegas before running here.

100% the worst grocery store in New York City. The staff is repugnant from the shelf stockers all the way up to management. The selection is dismal, and the prices are high. Most of the staff is found outside in front, in their aprons and store coats smoking cigarettes while unpacking food on the sidewalk. It baffles me how this is permitted by ownership, the city, and health organizations. Unfortunately this is the closest grocery store by far to my apartment. I was optimistic when I started seeing Shop Rite brand foods on the shelves that maybe new ownership was coming in, but that wasn’t the case. Shop Rite should be concerned that their brand is being associated with this cesspool.
I have also signed up for Unilocal specifically to complain about this store.

On the upside, Gristedes usually has everything I’m looking for. On the bad side, it’s usually old, rotten, or excessively frozen.
I’ll stop here for anything that’s already supposed to be inedible (i.e. paper products or cleaning supplies) otherwise I’ll trek up to Whole Foods on 97^th.

As a result of said complaints, I received word from the Department of Consumer Affairs that they inspected and issued multiple citations to this location. Keep on the lookout and understand that if you make a complaint, the City will follow up and act accordingly.

Is it possible to give zero stars? This is the worst grocery store experience I’ve ever had. I’m new to the New York area and wish to god I’d checked this site before setting foot in Gristedes. Honestly, I signed up for Unilocal JUST so I could give this place a horrible review. Was not surprised at all to see I wasn’t the first…
I wanted two things — garlic and tortillas. The produce section, as mentioned by all those before me, leaves a whole lot to be desired. The prices are definitely outrageous so when I saw pre-​peeled, pre-​packaged cloves of garlic for almost half the price of the other options, I went for it. Only, when I took the package off the shelf, I saw that the garlic in both packages behind it were filled with mold. Really? No one’s noticed this?
For some reason I, against my better judgment, still bought the tortillas (definitely did NOT buy garlic). Of course, when I got home and opened the package, I saw the tortillas were over a month expired.
Without a doubt, will never ever ever ever go back. There are far too many options on the UWS to put up with that. Really — how ARE they still in business?

This grocery is absolutely horrible. I live one block away, so it’s unfortunately right by me. If I’m ever in a bind for just one item when I’m cooking, I opt for the local delis instead of having to set foot in this dirty, dirty place.
The produce section is slim pickings (ha!) I needed some carrots and all the ones there were soft and mushy. How old do root vegetables have to be to become mushy? That is very concerning. I also looked for red onions, which were dry and cracked, indicating they were pretty old too. Had I eaten any of this, would I have gotten sick?
The staff is rude and ignores its customers. I don’t think it would be too hard to say, «hello,» to someone standing right in front of you.
Disappointing is the nicest thing I can say about this wretched place. It doesn’t even have low prices. The only reason people go here is because it’s the only grocery in the area. I, however, will travel down to 74^th to shop at Fairway, which has a much better produce section and more reasonable prices.

Ugh. I just moved to the neighborhood, making this the closest grocery store (and having been very spoiled by the Food Emporium on Broadway/​68^th). This place is the most atrociously organized grocery store I’ve been to.
The frozen food sections are scattered throughout the store — the meat and tiny Morningstar selection are in one aisle, the cheeses are in 3 different areas, the dairy/​yogurt in two. How is that efficient?
The produce looked okay, but there wasn’t much of a selection (in fact, lack of selection is a problem overall). I was looking for shallots and couldn’t find them so I saw an employee and said, «Excuse me.» No answer. Three times, I said «Excuse me.» My final response? The worker walked away from me. WTF?
The prices are on par or more expensive than Food Emporium, which I would understand if the produce or selection was as well. But $ 7 for a fridge pack of diet Coke is significantly more than I paid at FE.
I guess I’ll try D’Agostino’s a little further up on Columbus and hope for the best. Grosstede’s will not get any more of my business if I can help it.