Trader Joe’s

This may as well be a review for all TJ’s, since they seem remarkably consistent from Boston to DC at least. It’s just awesome that you can get so much food for much less than you’d pay at Whole Foods, while still getting pretty much all the staples. Their house brands aren’t bad. The TJ staff is also very knowledgeable about their products and can offer good recommendations. This store can often have a line that wraps around the back, but they also have a bunch of cashiers so it moves quicker than you’d imagine.
My one criticism, at least for this store, is that so often the produce is below average. Just this past week we had to throw out half the produce when we got home because it was bad (and not in a way you’d notice at first glance at the store). For produce I’d still recommend Whole Foods or a CSA if you can get it. But for the rest, this TJ’s is great, and it has free (albeit limited) parking downstairs.

Too much stuff, we’ve recently moved to DC and we found in Trader Joe’s everything we need for our fridge! Long line, but don’t scare! It moves forward quicker then it seems.

Why is Trader Joe’s the best grocery store?
–The staff is almost always in a great mood and are very helpful, likely because TJ’s cultivates a fun atmosphere AND (in general) they offer excellent pay and benefits.
–No rewards club, BOGO offers or other discounts. They just have great prices year round on all items, and not searching for little discounts helps reduce information fatigue.
–Tons of vegan, cruelty-​free options with good labeling.
–Great prices!
–Lines move faster than other places because they don’t weigh produce!
–No intercoms. They use bells!

Superbly friendly and helpful staff, as is the norm for all TJ’s I’ve been to. Kind of tricky to find if you’re relying on GPS but is fairly close to Foggy Bottom metro. Some must tries: Frozen Apple blossoms, frozen mini breakfast quiches, fire roasted salsa, frozen Greek cheese spiral, fig butter, bolognese sauce.

Talk about an efficient chain of stores, with exceptional produce and food products! I am still amazed at how much they pack into Trader Joe’s stores! I mean these store are half the size of your Safeway or Giant Food stores, but carry just as much inventory of high-​quality items.
I have been a huge fan of Trader Joe’s and this has to be one of my favorite locations in the DC area. Trader Joe’s is one of the few grocery stores in the city, where you can spend $ 50 bucks and actually have lots of food (something edible) in your purchase… other than seasonings, toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and dishwashing liquid. I mean… have you ever gone to the grocery store, spent a Benjamin ($ 100), and left out of there with barely anything edible to eat or at least last you for a week… lol…I have and would be scorned! Oops, sorry… I digress. At any rate, this is not the case at this grocery store. To be such a small store it is the most efficient grocery store that I have ever been to! It is always so well organized, fully stocked and the lines to check out move super fast! You will never see this at the major grocery chains in the city… Especially, at the first of the month… If you catch my drift!
The customer service at this location is on point too. Everyone is always friendly and the staff is very knowledgeable/​helpful with pretty much any product in the store. The produce is always fresh, the selection of items are well-​stocked and the meats are quality cuts. Not to mention, the prepared dinners and meals in the frozen section are incredible! They are a life saver when it comes to looking for a quick-​fix to dinner. Honestly, this place has saved me many of nights coming home from work late and not having the time to cook something healthy. You name it… Marsala Chicken, Vegetable-​Shrimp Lo Mein, Duck Confit, Gourmet Pizza, Chicken Tacos (my favorite & go to), Blackened Salmon… and the list goes on and on. The place has it all… at prices unheard of for the quality. You are bound to find everything you need here and more. Also, I find that they go out of their way to check their stock or locate just about any item that you’re interested in that is missing from the shelf.
The only downside to this location, is the parking. The parking garage at this location can get really bad (tight) and on weekends somewhat congested to enter/​exit. But in all, this is one of my favorite grocery chains and store locations to shop for groceries. Not to mention, the «Two Buck Chuck» wines. Even though it is no longer $ 2 bucks, these wines are the best deal around for keeping the wine cellar stocked for guest and friends popping over!
Thanks Trader Joe’s for keeping me on budget, great customer service, offering affordable organic food & groceries… and most of all… not costing me to spend a WT#%…‘Whole Paycheck!” when I leave… like somewhere else I will not mention here!
Five stars across-the-board…because shopping for groceries and prepared dinner meals have never been easier!
TIP: Two words…“Cookie Butter” Ice Cream! OMG… This stuff is addictive. Try it and see for yourself!

I go to Trader Joe’s every few months when I happen to be in DC to stop up on some excellent things: Blenheim extra choice dried apricots, their cashew pieces (although I wish they had roasted ones without salt), their sun dried tomatoes, and their red pepper spread with eggplant and garlic. They also have fish which doesn’t originate or get packed in China, which puts it ahead of Food Giant, Target, and Walmart.
They loose a star for their flimsy plastic bags, which can’t even stand up to the corners on the frozen fish bags or dried apricot bags. I’ve been to this particular Trader Joe’s twice. The first time they packed it all in so tight that I had an explosion of frozen from a ripped bag immediately outside the store, and it was a damn good thing that it happened there instead of in the subway. The next time I went in I explained that I’d like doubled-​bags this time. Well, the inner bag ripped before the cashier put the ripped bag into another bag. No, a ripped bag inside another bag does NOT count as double bagging.
They seem to be penny wise about saving plastic. If I pay $ 150 for three bags of groceries then I don’t want them on the street.

This particular tj’s has exemplary service! I work just across the street at a hotel and our staff comes here all the time to pick up amenities and groceries for our guests. Every time, the lines are long but FAST! Today Dudley helped me take 12 sparkling waters back to the hotel no questions asked! The employees here deliver without expecting anything in return, and I couldn’t appreciate the service and hospitality more! Go TJ’s west end!

Love Trader Joe’s.
On our visit to Washington, we were looking for somewhere to buy groceries at a reasonable price. Trader Joe’s was fantastic. The variety is excellent and prices great. They even had wine at very good prices .
Fully support this place.

Good Trader joes in terms of location and availability of grocery. Downside is the super long lines. I live a block away and there is literally a long line from the moment they open to the moment they close at 10pm.

A great place to grab a quick and cheap lunch if you live nearby, but beware: it does get ransacked by college students and the selection can be limited. Nothing like the lines at 14^th St location though. It is a bit smaller and difficult to navigate. When there are lines the store is WAY TOO CROWDED, so go during an off-​time.

I absolutely love all TJ’s, but I primarily shop at this location. The store is very well organized, the staff are very friendly, and the line is efficient despite always wrapping around the entire store. My only issue is that I always find them stocking out! I wish they could do a better job at keeping inventory because sometimes they can be stocked out on a certain item for weeks. Nonetheless, I would choose TJs over Safeway, Whole Foods, and basically any other grocery store.
I’m also recently vegan, and TJ’s has made it very easy for me to keep my groceries healthy, fresh, and affordable.

The West End Trader Joe’s never disappoints. Every time I walk into this location I am greeted by friendly faces who are ready and willing to help. When the store gets busy (which it does, at basically any and every hour of the day) the staff is professional and organized about getting the customers into a line that moves as fast as possible. In addition, the cashiers are amongst the friendliest people I have ever met. It could be because I’m always in a good mood when I go to Trader Joe’s, but I think has to do more with the actual employees and their attitudes!
As for the quality of the produce, I have never had an issue with anything here. It all seems to be fresh and the stock is constantly updated. For example, on my last visit I watched an employee take down almond butters from the shelf that were due to expire… It’s the little things that Trader Joe’s does that makes them an all-​time favorite in my book.

If you’re new to Foggy Bottom /​West End make your grocery list and buy everything at the Whole Foods. Save your receipt. Then go buy the same list at TJs. Easily ¹⁄₃ of the price and really decent quality (especially the produce which is always fresh from quick turnover). Big fan of the cheap Vinho Verde (Espiral) and the wine selection in general. Not usually a big frozen foods guy but grab the chicken potstickers and the Gyoza sauce and you will be happy. I feel like some things I buy from TJs go bad ridiculously quickly (yogurt) but that’s an easy sacrifice.
Go to Whole Foods when you need special cheese for hors d’oeuvres or a quick hot meal from their buffet. Go to TJ’s for everything else.

I know that Sunday night is without a doubt the worst night to go grocery shopping. However, I was pressed for time and stopped by this particular Trader Joe’s a few weeks ago on a Sunday night.
Let me just say, this place was a wasteland. The last time I saw a grocery store even close to being that empty was at the Safeway in Adams Morgan a few years ago in anticipation of a weekend of snow. This was much worse. Rows of empty shelves, no fresh produce (all the spinach, romaine, kale, arugula, carrots, bell peppers, brussel sprouts, etc. were gone). I saw barely a handful of packages of meat left. No canned tomatoes of any sort. The line to the cash registers snaked around the entire store. I promptly put back what little I had managed to find and left.
I love Trader Joe’s but I would not suggest going to the one in West End.

I only come to this location if I’m on my G-​Town walking excursion or contracting in the area, either or, it’s a good place to pick up a few items to hold me over.
This visit was for some OJ, I just love their fresh squeezed, as it has no other added ingredients such as sugar & such. & for the price for 64 oz at $ 5.50 or so, you can’t beat that. Also picked up some Smoked Salmon & Turkey Jerky for the snack home.
While I was waiting in what seems like the never ending line, they have a great display of Gourmet Gifts & Goodies for the holiday… I was going to purchase some of those items for some «Me Presents», I chose to wait to after the holiday LOL. They have Popcorn Tins, Greek Olives, Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar Sets, Bath & Body Products, condiments, candy & so much more… even with some speciality prices.
As with the other TJ locations, all have the same items, even with different layouts & the never ending or changing slight wait to be checked out.
At least with the wait, you are entertained by the ringing of the 1 – 3 bells — the amount determines the needs, the normal attire of Hawaiian shirts, yet with the holiday, the cashier’s are wearing Santa hats & when the wait is finally over, you are greeted with a TJ’s smile & hello… what a better way to spend your money. Especially with such a happy person like our Cashier Mahlon.
Not that I’m anywhere close to the age of the longevity of TJ’s, but I remember the store during my West Coast days. It’s pretty cool to see how it used to be a convenient store like 7-​Elven & Circle K, & now owned by the Founder of Aldi markets… grocery store evolution at its best.
I’d like the fact you can sample anything on the shelf… when can the wine be incorporated to that?! That could be the 4^th bell.

This is a fantastic TJ location. They have a wonderful selection of groceries, including salads and premade wraps/​sandwiches. I also like the vegetarian options — I recommend the soyrizo!

Trader Joe’s is undeniably my favorite place to by groceries.
This particular TJs is a little small, so it can quickly become crowded and the line can wrap around the entire store. Don’t get discouraged. Get in that calm place like when you are navigating the airport around the holiday season and carry on. The lines move fast and they have recently re-​laid out the store for more optimal line shopping (aka grabbing half your groceries while you stand in line).
Recently discovered a fantastic Vino Verde and Rose that are less than $ 5 and actually pretty good! Also a fan of my recent find of dehydrated broccoli — similar to kale chips but with a little bit more substance.

I adore this TJ’s! It is a very nice shopping experience and the workers are very nice. I was able to get every that I needed. Although the lines were long, the cashiers moved quickly. I was jamming in line to Stevie Wonder on the speakers. That was the icing on the cake!
The only con (it is a small con) is the small parking garage.

Foggy Bottom is like a grocery store desert and Trader Joe’s is the oasis. I had never been to a Trader Joe’s until I moved to DC, so I was a little hesitant to shop here because 97% of what it carries is it’s own brand. I had heard from several people how great the place was, though. Regardless of what people said, I was forced to go because the only other nearby grocery store is Whole Foods, which has ridiculously priced for food that isn’t that great and/​or bizarre.
The Foggy Bottom location is small and compact compared to other Trader Joe’s I have been to in the metro area but it has pretty much all of the same stuff as the other stores (perhaps just a smaller amount of said product that is displayed) and with the same great prices. Because of the lack of grocery stores, the place is always pretty busy, especially from 5:00 — 7:30 on weekdays and on weekends. At these times, the line literally wraps all the way around the store. The good news is how quickly the line moves! Thanks to the high volume of people, the fruit, produce, and meat is always fresh.
The staff is friendly, always willing to answer any questions, and will let you open anything (except alcohol) to try before you purchase it! Just as a warning, however, you will like whatever it is you’re sampling! I am actually convinced they secretly lace the food with cocaine because it’s that addictively delicious!
Make sure to get the FREE food sample in the back corner by the snack foods, the FREE coffee sample in the coffee/​bread aisle, and the FREE drink (usually juice or iced tea) sample at the end of the frozen food aisle!
Bottom Line: Trader Joe’s is amazing — great prices and a variety of absolutely delicious food!

My grocery love affair begins at Costco and ends with Trader Joe’s.
The Foggy Bottom location has been around for quite some time now and quite honestly my experience here beats out any TJ’s I’ve ever been to… ‘burbs included!
I have an immense and intense fear of people clipping the back of my heels with shopping carts which is usually exacerbated on shopping trips to Trader Joe’s but surprisingly this was not the case at this location. The aisles were wide and the shoppers friendly and efficient so instead of focusing on protecting my heels, I could take a look at all of the amazing goodness that the store had to offer.
In case you were: Thai Shrimp Gyoza, Speculoos Ice Cream, Sea Salt Brownies, Panko Breaded Tilapia, Organic Spinach and Arugula, Bananas for 19 cents a lb, avocados by the bag, and cheap ass nuts.
The grocery store line is intimidating but it goes by fast and they have free parking if you are taking a car.

This is the quietest Trader Joe’s at which I have ever entered and shopped… But that’s not saying much. It is your regular old run of the mill Trader Joe’s, but with the exception that I felt this one was much more designed on keeping you in the store, weaving through displays of food and other products in order to have you purchase more. Maybe it’s that way to keep people comfortably distracted by the crazy crowd sizes? Who knows, but. I definitely noticed it was much more of a labyrinth than other Trader Joe’s.
Still, this place has all that you’d expect from a Trader Joe’s– fresh produce at cheap prices, juices, dried fruits, dinner and lunch entrees, breads, canned goods, toiletries, nut butters, chocolate bars, granola/​energy bars, snacks and wine/​beer.
If you’re in the area and don’t feel like paying for higher prices down the street, this is a good choice. Just be ready for the crowded feeling, whether there is a huge crowd or not. Bring your patience, and you’re well on your way to an affordable shopping TJ-​style experience.