Whole Foods Market

I love shopping at Whole Foods. There stores offer the highest quality products, meats, seafoods, and special dietary products anywhere. There employees are friendly and helpful and can always lead me in the right direction.

I had an outstanding experience with the kitchen manager Jim. This guy is awesome. He helped me find breakfast foods that align with my tastes and preferences and was a pleasure to interact with. Couldn’t have been more satisfied with my experience. Thank you.

What a great experience. The cashier gave me a free sample or a product I was curious about. Another employee gave me careful and thorough advice about some products to help fortify me before I succumbed to a bad cold. I was just starting my vacation weekend and I absolutely didn’t want to get ill. I was better in know time. Really wonderful people. The nicest people I’ve met were in Portland perhaps concentrated at this Whole Foods.

Let me start by saying how wonderful the employees are. They are a big reason I have continued shopping at Whole Foods — any Whole Foods. But the main reason to shop for groceries are the groceries themselves, and Whole Foods no longer has me as a customer.
I use to spend $ 100 – 200 a week there, probably $ 7,500 a year, up until last year. But then WF started to cut out a few items from inventory that my household enjoys. No problem, I understand shelf space is limited so if the majority of customers don’t buy a product, they drop it. I started buying items elsewhere. Then WF dropped a few more item. At one point, I was up to 4 grocery stores for a variety of things.
But WF did start carrying fresh squeezed PURE orange juice. They juice the oranges on-​site. The large container is $ 8.99 but it’s PURE orange juice. At home, we would add water to whatever level of orange juice taste we wanted, so it would last a little longer, usually half juice/​half water.
One day I was at one of the other grocery stores I have been going to and found they have fresh squeezed orange juice as well. The largest container was half the size of WF’s but the price was the same. So I continued going to WF every week, even though by this time I was only going there for the orange juice and a specific milk that my spouse prefers.
They dropped the milk a few weeks ago. And this week, I noticed the orange juice was no longer a bright orange color. It appears the WF orange juice has been watered down even though the label still says it’s all OJ. The price remained the same. The other grocery store still has OJ of the same bright orange color, and when we added four parts water to one part of that OJ, it’s color was closer to the WF OJ, but still brighter.
Yes, employees there are great and take care of the customer. But the company has no product left that I can’t get elsewhere with the same or better level of quality and often a better price.

Store was clean and employees were friendly.
Their hot foods deli is outstanding, so much to choose from.
Plenty of seats if you want to grab something to eat.

Howdy,
Of course I’m a fan, but this is about their Nachos.
I ordered the $ 8 nachos from the hot burrito bar with Beef Diablo & all the trimmings except jalapenos & while the portion was much bigger than I imagined which was nice the overall flavor was bland. Simply no flavor to be found.
Oh, yeah… I ate it. But I won’t be eating it again nor anything from the burrito bar as it is all made from the same ingredients.
Sorry, WF, you got it wrong this time.

I shopped late Thursday night to pick up some fresh produce for a drink-​making class I was teaching at a tradeshow. They had everything I needed, and the store was very clean. The part that stands out as exceptional was the service. Aaron produce went above and beyond –slicing a bunch of lemons and limes into wedges… TWICE! I came back Friday for more… It saved me a huge amount of time, effort and hassle over trying to do it with a plastic knife in my hotel room. I was (and am) enormously appreciative of the service that came with a smile.

Certainly not my favorite WF… Been going here consistently for lunch breaks and groceries the past few weeks. While this locale has a great bakery and always has vendors sampling yummy things, I’ve had inconsistent dealings with staff, some being warm and willing to help, others cold and rude.
I recently shopped at the WF in Hollywood, and several purchased items never made it into the bags. I still had my receipt. I’m not in Hollywood a lot, so I brought it up at this location.
The checker clearly had no clue how to rectify the situation (which is fine), and struggled for a while before calling a manager over. The manager was obviously not in a good mood and had me explain my situation again *in detail* and then told me I would have to go over to the customer service desk.
I explained that I was on my lunch and had already been in the store over 20 minutes, and still needed to eat. She then said that she would need to call the Hollywood location to verify they had found the unbagged items.
Now this is fine, only not with me standing there… In the checkout line still… Waiting to eat. I said as much and THE CUSTOMER BEHIND ME IN LINE actually suggested I go upstairs to the café and eat while she did that! The obvious solution.
She was obviously irritated and not wanting to help. And she never came up to the café. And I still have not been helped. I expect a lot more from Whole Foods, especially from management!

Nice, clean and awesome selection of wine and beer! Stopped by to pick up some water and ended up with 2 bags of wine and beer. Store is clean and the store staff was very helpful.

Whole Foods Market has a great location at the height of the Pearl. As usual, there are so many fresh and previously made foods of high quality available. This is a dream come true for those that love food. There are better locations in Portland than this such as their Hollywood District store, however it is nice that the Pearl District has so much in such a small tract of land.
I went in for a pastry. My choice eventually was the cupcake. Although nobody was standing at the bakery counter, as soon as an employee saw me waiting, I was helped. The cupcake bread was exceptional, though the frosting was okay, a nice package at two dollars. Leaving was easily. The culinary environment stimulated my vision.
Food lovers can rejoice at Whole Foods Market locations worldwide.

Organic and healthy options heaven! Take the opportunity to sample any vendors that might be there when you go. Explore the fresh made food selections including the salad bar, pizza, pastry case, and hot food sections. Service is assertive and helpful most of the time. Bring your own bag to get 10 cents off your purchase (or donate the 10 cents to a special cause).

I repeatedly find myself at this Whole Foods. I think a big part of that has to do with their validated 90 minute parking, which makes doing stuff in the Pearl just a bit cheaper. However, sometimes I’m just in the area and grabbing the food I need here is easier than stopping at New Seasons before going home.
Regardless, this is a great place to pick up some good quality food. They often have cheese samples… yum. No bulk, organic, dried cherries though. Haha… I’m so picky. Why don’t you have bulk, organic, dried cherries you hoity-​toity store you?
Anyways…
Cashiers are extra friendly. Don’t forget to validate parking when checking out.
Pro tip: They have three excellent coupons in the Chinook Book which allow you to walk away with free pizza and other good stuff.

Outside in the mornings, next to overloading Burnside, sits a big sign that reads «breakfast sandwiches». By sandwiches, this Whole Foods means burritos. I’ve been coming in for months and there are never breakfast sandwiches available anywhere in the store. Come on in, if you like burritos.
The quiche is usually what I get instead.

I’m a white, young professional that lives in inner Portland. I’m pretty sure I’m the target demographic for Whole Foods, but I will never, ever step inside this Whole Foods again. Why the fuck does this Whole Foods need an armed security guard patrolling the inside of their store. There is nothing as unappetizing as turning into an aisle with my cart full of organic quinoa to see a rent a cop packing heat, staring me down. Why does a grocery store, in one of the safest parts of town, in one of the safest cities of its size, need armed security? I haven’t seen armed security at the Safeway or World Foods that are a few blocks away.
Before you think I’m some anti-​gun hippie, I am myself a gun owner, but I believe they have their time and place, and Whole Foods in the Pearl is not the place.

EDIT: See «Investigation: NYC Whole Foods Overcharges» USA Today 6÷25÷15.
It’s Black Friday in this Whole Foods every day. Is rent is too high in Pearl? Are Oregonian wage laws overly onerous? Are the old Pearl retirees just too tempting a target to not scam? Whatever the reason, this Whole Foods has chosen to use every trick in the book to part you from your money. One of their favorites is never holding any inventory of their doorbuster product.
From cans of tomatoes, to wine, to chicken, to chuck roast, I’ve been tricked in by the outside clapboard only to be told that they’re out. «We’re all out!» That’s it, as if it were an accomplishment. I stand there waiting for the employees to continue the interaction… nope. No Customer Service effort here to save the day. NEVER a raincheck, NEVER saying when they’re going to get more in, and ONCE they suggested an alternative.
But the most tricksy thing of all is that the MEAT Department prices are often aggressively mislabelled. Failing to put the current week’s sale prices on UPC’s? Whoops. Drumsticks charged as drummettes? Ok… Huge packs of conventional chicken priced as Organic? That’s where I draw the line. The whole reason why this place exists is to discern the difference between the two.
It’s not silly mistakes that you wave off when prices err on their side 100% of the time. If they’re doing this stuff front of house, what’s happening in the back?
Avoid this place if you can and go to the locally-​owned World Foods nearby: Painted Hills beef, Carlton Farms pork, both organic and conventional produce and grocery. What’s more: reasonable prices. Especially in produce, identical items are significantly cheaper. Now these are the guys that really deserve your business.

Love this whole foods!
Their beer cooler is amazing and you walk right in
Also great baked goods samples
Value ³⁄₅
Atmosphere ⁵⁄₅
Service ⁵⁄₅
Quality ⁵⁄₅
¹⁸⁄₂₀

Yup, still holds true. Today they did not have a truffle salt, but overall I got in and bought a little this and that plus, hey 2 slices of pizza for $ 5 (sharing with a friend).
Minor note — they built modern, large restrooms in the MEZZ so no more code needed and usually bright, clean space for quick potty stop while out and about.

Oh, boy. The produce is woeful, absolutely woeful. It may be a notch cheaper than Zupan’s, but it is worse than Safeway. You’d even be better off getting your produce at City Target.
It is also very easy to pick on Whole Foods because of its clientele, and this place is no exception. But ignoring all of this, the produce is an insult.
The non produce items, like any other gourmet market, are marked up quite a bit.
And although the prepared food items normally are fine at Whole Foods nationwide, I witnessed a couple of pre-​school age children (encouraged by their Portlandy parents to wander free and serve themselve), using their hands to pick food off of the serving spoons and place it on their plates. So, that’s pretty gross.
I don’t plan on coming back.

Supports local farmers, small purveyors and charities – and did you know Molly the Trolly is an old bus stocked with good food serving low income communities, shut in’s and the «sick,» like at Legacy Hospital in the Alphabet district.
In the Pearl, there are food tasting and cooking events, some free and some pay for. Wine and beer tastings. Great place to stop for lunch, dinner or snack, lots of prepared foods, salads, meats, soups. Beef, pork, chicken, and seafood is sourced and rated to ensure you get the highest quality. Can be pricey, but don’t panic, go organic – eating organic is cheap health insurance. Eat real food, mostly organic, lots of variety, in small bites – live healthier. I always walk to Whole Foods with my pull cart too to get more exercise – got to work off all those samples in the store.

Yes, I know. Whole Food is the organic food evil giant. Well then, sue me for adoring this particular location. It’s too darned pretty not to love it. From the flower selection displayed at the entrance to the food by the pound bar that features tofu served 5+ ways, Asian green beans and noodles and 4−5+ soups (in addition to the 4+ soups sold in the seafood section =gumbos, chowders, Thai soup, etc.).
Special note/​experience: I kept saying along the journey that I wanted to have a west coast-​based cheese board but failed to actually make it happen. Lo and behold, the friendly man behind the cheese counter allowed me to lob off a $ 1.21 wedge to help ease the pain. What a sweetheart.
I highly recommend peaking your head in for some quick fruit on the go or purely out of curiosity.