Whole Foods Market

This review is specifically about the sushi. I can't afford to go out to eat anymore. But I've been seriously jonesing for sushi, so I decided to try the Whole Foods sushi. I've already done Union Square: not good. So this week, I tried Williamsburg: not good. The rice is unseasoned, the fish also without any flavor; the tray, which is not inexpensive, comes with a tiny bit of Wasabi, which was oddly Gray colored. Slightly more ginger, definitely not worth the $23. I also got a shrimp summer roll with a spicy peanut dipping sauce. The sauce was yummy, although a tiny half a ramekin was all you got. The shrimp summer roll was deceptive in that the shrimp you could see through the translucent rice paper wrapper was not a whole shrimp or even a 1/2 shrimp, but a sliver of shrimp, which looked more substantial in the packaging. Biting into the summer roll all you tasted was lettuce. With your eyes closed and not knowing that there was supposedly shrimp, you definitely would not have known you were eating a shrimp summer roll. And since lettuce has no flavor and you only got a little, tiny bit of sauce, the whole experience was just disappointing. Not just bad cooking, but bad<br>retailing in general. The goal was not to cook and serve tasty, fresh and satisfying food: the goal was to get the most money from your customer for the least amount of poor quality product. I'm really on the verge of breaking up with Whole Foods. I feel like it's simply a vehicle for Jeff Bezos to make money<br>off of people he doesn't really like.<br><br>Also, the store has remodeled their seating area, which was already very small, to make it even smaller. All I wanted was some good sushi and to be able to sit down and eat it. When I finally located the new seating area. I thought it was full until I realized it was a couple, their child, a friend and one of those SUV sized strollers with a baby in it parked right in the middle of this small space.<br>The stroller blocked the few seats which were still available. I went outside to look for a bench. Couldn't find one, ate my disappointing summer roll standing up on the sidewalk. I came back in hoping for a seat, only to find the gigantic stroller still parked in the middle of the seating area with the 3 adults and one small child, just kind of chilling and blocking any other people from getting into this very small seating area. Isn't there an employee on the premises who could do something about that situation?

A guilty pleasure of mine used to be taking my big-back self straight to the bakery section and getting whatever tasty treats my eyes spotted with glee in my portly little heart. I love their cherry pie. The strawberry shortcake is amazing. The mixed berry frangipane is delicious, and pairing it with a reasonably priced Athletic Brewing IPA made for a perfect Friday evening.<br>Then my jeans got tight. Now I’m on a diet. 🙃🙂😩<br>That said, this Whole Foods location deserves credit. The customer service is great, the selection is strong, and the pricing is surprisingly reasonable for the quality. What stands out to me even more is the diversity of the employees. When I shop here, I see people from many different backgrounds working and being given opportunities. Black employees, Latino employees, South Asian employees, white employees, Spanish-speaking and non-Spanish-speaking workers. It feels like a place where different kinds of people can actually work and be treated as part of the business.<br>That matters to me because it is not what I consistently see in some supermarkets in my own neighborhood.<br>In the markets around my area, including places like Shop Fair/ Food Bazaar, C-Town, and others, I often see a very different pattern. As a Black customer and local resident, I repeatedly notice little to no visible Black employment in stores that serve communities where Black people live, shop, and spend their money. I cannot speak to what happens behind closed doors or what their official hiring policies are, but the visible result raises serious concerns for me. If a community is diverse, the employment opportunities in that community should reflect that diversity too.<br>This is not about taking opportunities away from anyone. Latino workers, immigrant workers, Spanish-speaking workers, and every other hardworking person deserve respect and employment. But Black residents and other local residents should not feel invisible in the very businesses that profit from their neighborhoods. A store serving a diverse community should not feel like opportunity is only being extended to certain groups while others are absent.<br>That is where the issue gets deeper. I appreciate this Whole Foods location, but it also shows a larger problem. Businesses in more affluent areas are often able to hire a diverse workforce because people from underserved neighborhoods have to leave their own communities to find better opportunities. People should not have to travel into neighborhoods they often cannot afford to live in just to find fair work, decent treatment, and a professional environment.<br>A community like mine should not simply produce workers for other neighborhoods. It should have businesses that create upward mobility inside the community itself. The people who live there should be able to work there, grow there, shop there, and see themselves reflected in the businesses that take money from the neighborhood every day.<br>That is one of the reasons I respect this Whole Foods location. It shows that a supermarket can provide good food, decent service, fairer pricing, and a visibly diverse workforce at the same time. It feels more community-minded than many of the local markets I have experienced, where prices are often high, quality can be inconsistent, and customer service is not always where it should be.<br>I would genuinely love to see a Whole Foods or a market with this same standard around Marcy Avenue and Broadway. A community like that could benefit from better access to quality food, better customer service, and employment opportunities that reflect the full diversity of the people who live there.<br>Every neighborhood deserves businesses that invest in the whole community, not just take money from it. This Whole Foods is a good example of what a supermarket can look like when quality, service, and diverse employment are treated as part of the standard. I hope more businesses bring that same standard to communities like mine, where opportunity should not have to be imported from somewhere else or chased outside the neighborhood.<br><br>The sushi 😘.

TOP TIER CUSTOM CAKES IN WILLIAMSBURG! Hanna at the bakery was the best in customizing our cake and making sure it was perfect for our friend’s birthday. Gonna come here every time i need a personalized cake for literally every occasion. 10/10!

Writing this as I’m going back home from this store. I went in to get my flowers for Mother’s Day. I picked 2 different ones & I wanted to make it as a bouquet TOGETHER because that’s the whole point right? The florist was there & I explained I wanted it COMBINED TOGETHER. Somehow someway she got confused? Because when I came back to get them ; she gave me two separate. I told her oh they’re nice but I asked for together. She gave me a look of annoying but how is it my fault if I clearly said it? She looked annoyed & was going to fix it but I said you know what? forget it is fine. I hate when someone acts annoyed over something that was out of my hands. I also told her (since I saw someone else) that I wanted a tissue paper with it as well. Not even that I received. Also giving it 2 stars because you would think for a $30 bouquet the roses would be perfect. They were the only “good” ones I found. I found out when I was checking out but on the paper with the rest of the flowers it said $15 but whatever, I was already annoyed that the two associates were demanding me to pay. Like duh? I know I have to pay first. In total I paid $53, is this $53 worth? Bc I don’t think so. I wanted a refund so bad because I’ve never had this experience & also to me, this is not $53 worth that’s totally insane, specially to not get it how I expected. I usually go to others whole foods & their flowers never disappoint but this one? Just go to a different one. The pictures make the roses look somewhat decent but I promise they’re not.

Beautifully Clean and Organized.<br>Very ADA ♿ Accessible.<br>Aisles are wide and there isn't super loud music blasting. Almost serene.<br>Downfalls .. as a Black shopper, they watch you like you are stealing before you even get on the escalator !<br>Throughout the store, the constant stares from employees and security is wild !<br>So my suggestion is to not even shop there if you are sensitive to this type of treatment.

I’m writing to share feedback regarding a recent in-store experience. A 2 days ago, I made a purchase totaling $103.98 and was assisted by a cashier I believe was register number two. During the transaction, I politely asked if it would be possible to check whether any of the items were eligible for Amazon Prime benefits or discounts.<br>Unfortunately, my request was dismissed without any effort to check or provide guidance. The interaction felt abrupt and unhelpful, which was disappointing. As a customer, I would have appreciated at least a brief explanation or a willingness to look into the request. All previous visits at this location I’ve never had this issue.

Lauren is an exceptional cashier I do not live in Williamsburg but I stopped by this whole food to pick up some stuff and she greeted me with the best smile and customer service. She packed my bags neatly as we had a calm chat. She is wonderful. 10/10 service

Hi WF, so thankful you all moved into the neighborhood, I shop here on a regular basis, so nice and close to my apartment. Always with fresh products and friendly staff which is much appreciated. Although I do love dogs, my only concern is the increasing number of non service animals so near the hot foods bar, please regulate this a little better. Other than that, thank you all and hard working staff!

The store is clean. Well organized and almost always well stocked.<br><br>I do have a problem with the Whole Foods shady practice. One example is the mushroom. The portion that’s planted, I believe is called the substrate. That part is very heavy and not edible. Huge pieces are left on them and we pay for that.<br><br>Another and more recent example is the asparagus. They leave a big portion of the woody stems on. The asparagus weigh more. This is so unfair to the consumer. I posted the picture for all to see.<br><br>I feel taken advantage of by this company 🤬

Best food market in the entire city. The location itself is in a very safe area. The staff are very professional and really helpful. They treat you as though your the owner. Every question I ask the staff I am met with respect courtesy and they always know what I want and where to find it. Whole food market and it staff get a five star from me and my family. The staff is so helpful please don't let them go.

Arguably the busiest Whole Foods we have ever visited. Goes to show just how long I will wait online for those little red sweet peppers they sell here in the fresh olive area.

Overall this particular Whole Foods is probably among the good ones in New York and the selection is fairly wide. The selection is hard to compare to European supermarkets though

Great selection of gluten free foods - also good selection of farmer’s market esque produce, love the mushroom packs! Typically busy but a pleasant shopping experience after 8pm on any day of the week

Excellent meat, seafood, imported cheeses, deli and organic produce. They have one of the best selections of fresh flowers and seasonal plants in Williamsburg - and at a good value. Their beauty, vitamin and dry goods selections are also impressive, although lacking many ethnic and international staples. The coffee bar just re-opened at the Bedford Ave door.<br><br>The quantity of employees picking here for the free, two hour Amazon delivery service sadly distracts from the in-store shopping experience. It already was insanely busy when it was just a grocery store - before Amazon turned it into a e-commerce warehouse as well. Otherwise 5 stars.<br><br>To avoid the lines and crowds, go weekday mornings, if you can.

Oh em gee!!! After the merge with Amazon, prices got so much better!!! Honestly, the only thing that shooed me away from Whole Foods was prices. But not anymore! Amazon Prime members get extra 10% off all sales items. And there’s always a separate section called Prime deals in which you can get a really good deal such as 10 bars of organic soap for $10. It would’ve costed $25 if you don’t have Prime membership! Great selection of fresh meat, fish and seafood. And there’s cheese selection is to die for. There’s hot meals counters and salad bar is also very appetizing. I’ll definitely come back!!!