Smart & Final

We do most of our grocery shopping here. They have most things we need. Their produce section is much better than it was, but I still prefer Sprouts for that and for meat.
The employees are not always effusively jolly, but they are courteous and helpful. Checkout is usually timely enough.
I’m pretty pleased with this store.

The bigger Smart & Final in Pasadena. Always blasting that AC, but it has everything you really need.

Great place to buy large cans and items for parties. They have a lot of «buy 4 to save» items which I don’t really like but overall it’s still a good deal for buying bulk, but not costco bulk.
The staff here is very friendly and can help you look for things as well!

This place has things I would get when I cannot do a costco run. However they don’t carry the bag of green onions like they use to. If you want then they have them at the monrovia store.
After the remodel of the place I know it has been years I have been here less. The produce has it improved nor has the meat department.
They use to en really helpful out in the isle when you see someone, the Customer service us nit quite the same

I just walked out of the store right now, looking for the vegetable medley and the baby kale. they only had a very limited amount of each, (2 to be exact) and in each bag of the vegetable medley the cauliflower was brown and the broccoli looking old. I went to the plastic box of baby kale, and that too was looking old and dilapidated. I don’t know if it is because it is a Sunday night, or what, but now I’m about to drive across town to the other smart and final on Fair Oaks, where I usually go. fresh produce is respected by most people, so I don’t know what’s happening here.
—9 minutes later—
I am now at the other smart and final 1 Fair Oaks Avenue. It not only has a. Of everything, but everything is very fresh. I wish I would have taken pictures at the smart and final that I just left from, but I didn’t think about it. I will however take pictures of how fresh and stocked this final store is on Fairoaks.

Ghetto Ass employees. No Smile
Or Hello just look at you like they just died. Where’s the customer service. I smile at my job even if it’s 7Am. No customer service at all. This one guy who works there was pretty Cool but that’s it.

It’s a whatever. It’s smart and final! Overall the place was clean, and I found exactly what I wanted. There was one issue that pissed me off. A well off Indian lady took it upon herself to use the express lane to ring up a $ 240 bill. Well over the 10 item limit. Can you say selfish. What a #&!*@!!!

This place is clean and well laid out, so why do I think this place stinks?
I was in line for about 15 minutes because a woman ahead of us was obviously not financially stable, and her debit or credit card just kept being refused. The store clerk, obviously afraid of his supervisor, did not call for assistance. Finally the supervisor came, the woman sent for her husband who had been sitting in a car outside, and HIS card went through.
Then it was my turn. I got my purchase, and handed the clerk a $ 100.00 bill. He stared at it and examined it for about five minutes, and I quipped that he must not see them that often.
He said that he needed to check further. He did not seem to be familiar with U.S. currency. Also again, obviously scared witless of his boss. As I was about to just walk out, he mumbled in broken English the wrong change amount.
If I ever again shop here, next time there is an issue in the checkout line, I’ll definitely just walk out. I have done that before at stores, and walking out, leaving behind stuff that needs to be re-​stocked, sends an effective message. When employees feel they cannot share problems with managers (whose job is to manage), that wastes everyone’s time.

(Select opening comments from other Smart & Final Review:)
Ahh, Smart & Final, the supply store for AYSOs and Little Leagues across Southern California! With nary a card or a membership fee, the casual shopper can herein purchase packaged goodies in bulk at prices that will allow the snack shack markup at your favorite youth sports venue to turn a tidy profit indeed! Hey, most stores even carry Cracker Jacks… Try finding those at Wal*Mart (actually, don’t bother… They ain’t got’ em.)
Ever wonder where to purchase those little paper nacho boats, or the paper hot dog bun holders, or a 1,000 pack of those paper cups you get when you visit the dentist? Smart & Final!
If you’re not affiliated with youth sports organizations (or the American Dental Association…), don’t worry– you’re welcome here, too! As the eldest of six boys, our family gatherings are always well attended. Good thing Smart & Final sells bulk meats, burger patties, hot dogs, buns, drinks, a five gallon bucket of pickles… They got you covered here. 24 all beef hot dogs with buns for a total under $ 10. Put that in your Weber kettle and smoke it, Mathilda!
I love the Pasadena Smart & Final. It’s a pretty spacious store with a well appointed grocery section. As a carnivore with latent Neanderthal genetics, I like purchasing giant cuts of meat here, then playing butcher freezer at home. Fact is, most of it never sees the freezer, ketosis being a hobby of mine.
The proximity to Target and Osh is an added bonus. Sure, you have to sidestep the panhandling Sisters of our Lady of the Pointless Miracle at the exit, coffee can a’jinglin’ with seed money… But the savings on a giant tub of Red Vines makes it worth it.

I love Smart & Final mostly for their competitive prices on their Torani Flavored Syrup. They seriously have every imaginable flavor (within reason) and even sell the accompanying Ghiradelli mocha syrups as well. Parking is fine, the lot is small but there aren’t any shortage of spots. I can’t say how fresh the produce is… I mainly stick to dry goods or syrups here.

Ok people it’s Smart & Final, not Sam’s Club or Costco. There are bargains here without having to pay a hefty membership fee like the other guys.
I have to say that I was disappointed with this location due to the lack of organization in the aisles which were cluttered, leaving little room to navigate your cart through.
The staff here were friendly and helpful for the most part which we appreciated.
Are the values here better than your regular grocery store or Sam’s and Costco’s of the world? To me, I say no. We saw numerous items in their produce and dairy section that were the same price at Von’s where we can complete a whole grocery visit… not just buy certain items from S&F (they don’t offer all the little things you need from the regular grocery store).
Final verdict? You will save money buying here, but don’t expect huge savings. Also, be prepared to visit your regular grocery store to grab those little items you’ll need.
Go get your bargain hunt on!
Cheers!

I come to Smart & Final for one thing, those flavored syrups for coffee drinks. I don’t really buy anything else there. They’re like a mini Costco, if you’re looking to buy some food items in bulk.
Parking — the lot is always packed, but it’s not as packed inside.
Customer Service — everyone here was friendly, but no one really went out of their way to offer help.

We stopped in Smart & Final on Thanksgiving Day Eve while out bargain shopping for donations for Union Square Homeless Services in Pasadena. I’d love to be able to donate pricey items from Whole Foods or Bristol Farms but let’s be honest, I don’t have the sort of disposable income sitting around so we do good deeds on budgets :)
My boyfriend and I picked up some pies from here, which were all priced extremely affordable, even less than the Baja Ranch Mexican Market we hit for round one prior to this stop. This visit also provided me with the opportunity to check prices on other items, such as… Wine :) Surprisingly, they had really great prices on quality bottles.
We picked up a few other things for the fridge for ourselves, Eggos, coffee creamer and sodas for a family gathering.
I have shopped Smart & Final before when preparing large dessert items for cub scouts many moons ago.
This is an affordable alternative but definitely not some of the items I’m use to purchasing from Whole Foods or Trader Joes.
If you’re purchasing in bulk I’d say they give Costco a decent run for their money with no membership required but a fraction of the size.

Smart and Final… that’s where you go… to save time and money… shop like a pro! Shop! Shop like a pro… Shop!
After I’ve romped the tree-​hugging earth friendly Whole Foods for two-​hours, it’s time to get real and «shop like a pro.» In other words, you are smoking crack if you buy alcohol or water at Whole Foods. Like I love Whole Foods, but there are just some things you don’t buy there. Dude… the Smart & Final on Colorado Blvd sells Lagunitas IPA beer in 12-​packs, Perrier and Arrowhead water WAY cheaper than Whole Foods.
I mean, don’t get me wrong. I wouldn’t eat their produce or meat if it were free. But who cares about that? Not everyone in the world is yet convinced that insecticide in your vegetables (I mean GMO food) or force-​fed open-​sores chicken is bad for you. I respect that. And geez, to be honest here, I do regularly eat at restaurants that likely serve this stuff to me, so, I take it back. I might eat their produce or meat if it were free.
Oh, and I don’t have any pets, but if I did, I’d buy pet food at Smart and Final too! I used to have a cat, that regularly licked her own butt after pooping. You know what I’m sayin? I’m okay with feeding GMO, feedlot horsemeat to a pet. (FYI, I don’t ever tell that to people at the PETA meetings though.)

Quick! We need to pick up some last minute stuff for an event! Don’t have time to brave the parking and lines at Costco (don’t have a membership card)? Head on over to Smart & Final! They have a great selection of items to buy in bulk, and for those who don’t necessarily need so many items, they have plenty of smaller packages as well.
The staff here are great. While in line, they asked us if we needed help getting all our things into the car. There wasn’t a lot of stuff either. They had also asked the lady in front of us, who did have a lot of stuff. When we got to the car, we were loading the items into the trunk, and one of the guys who collects the shopping carts also rushed to us to ask if we needed help loading our stuff. So nice of them!

Have only gotten oatmeal for work and granola bars for hiking. All I have to say about that.

I rarely ever go to Smart & Final, but because one of the weekly ads was advertising a «Great American Tilapia Fillets 3 lbs or Red Snapper Fillets 2.5 lbs» for $ 9.99, I thought I’d go check out their fish to see if it was really indeed American Tilapia fish. Finally when I get there, I look at the packaging to find out that it says «Product of China.» Oh yay… That was pretty misleading. x| So I put that package down and didn’t buy it. I ended up going to Trader Joes to buy my fish instead. At least their fish is a product of the USA.
Other than that product, Smart & Final’s price for Florida’s OJ 89 oz size was very good — only $ 3.99 when it cheapest price over that which I’ve seen recently for the same item was $ 4.49 at Albertsons. Most of the time that OJ in that size is $ 4.99 or higher in price.
Lines can be long at times.

Generally good service, clean, they even can help people to their cars.
It’s HUGE after they remodelled. Finding stuff seemed a little more difficult now but employees are generally friendly enough to tell you where things are (don’t expect perfection though lol)
Parking lot always seems to be full, groceries always pretty fresh, prices can be a little high. but i guess you can’t help it with everything else going up.
Cashiers very friendly: D

24 hot dog buns for $ 2.49? Yes, please!
I love going to Smart & Final when I have to buy bulk for an event. They have everything ready in one place to put a party together.
Their Smart & Final brand products are really great in both quality and prices. The parking is convenient and they always have shopping carts available. The store is always clean and the staff is always nice.

I am not sure quite how to view this place even after walking through every aisle, granted it was my first trip to smart & final and well I am frankly amazed a bit about how its structured. They have very little fresh food. Most of their products are prepackaged including meats cheeses fruits and vegtables.
As I wandered around the store I noticed that some prices were good, some were not so good, and many were cheaper than some surrounding stores but much more expensive than Costco.
I ended up getting a few items here that seemed to be decent deals but did not beat out competitors major sale prices, however the pricing was better than regular sales pricing.
Well I will say that I could see myself shopping here on rare occasion but it was just not a great enough store to be frequenting regularely. Especially as most everything was prepackaged and I would like a much bigger fruits and produce selection than they have here.
Happy shopping campers: D