Big Apple Finer Foods

Great local grocery store, has nearly everything that is needed and normally very well stocked and the goods are checked for freshness. They also have a great butcher shop in the back which has tons of options. The staff are great and very helpful. Highly recommend to locals or those in the area. Yes, the prices are a bit higher than a big chain but it’s supporting a small business. In the end to me it’s worth the time saved from driving, parking, and walking around a massive stores. I can be in and out in 5-10 min!

Nice neighborhood grocery store with a good selection of fresh foods. Easy place to grab what you need.

They must strategically price everyday items at criminally high prices to take advantage of people not looking at every price tag. 8 dollars per apple.. or 18 for a small container of pomegranate seeds..

I am not a person who asks for a Manager and complains. I typically don't write a review unless it's positive. But, I am so insulted by how I was just treated in this store, I am making an exception. I only shop here occasionally and have recently decided to try to patronize this store even though I have other options closer to where I live. I want to support a small business. I just stopped by to pick up some juice, and while I was there, I looked around to make sure that they carry things that I regularly buy. To my surprise and delight, they had a specific brand of goat cheese that I love and haven't been able to find anywhere else. I walked up to the register and in an effort to be friendly and give positive feedback, I told the cashier how happy I was that I found my goat cheese. Her response was: "Great. That's one less thing I have to worry about." I was stunned by her rude response, so I said: "I haven't been able to find it anywhere else." Her response: "Great. Now I can sleep tonight." Really?!?!?! In this economic climate?!?! I told her that she shouldn't be so rude, working for a small business. She told me she was being sarcastic. Because I've worked in retail and hospitality, I get that it sucks to work on a holiday weekend. Because I have also been a retail and hospitality Manager, I also get that with the price of groceries and this competitive market, your staff should provide good, if not great, service. Now instead of buying all my groceries there, I will only stop in for my goat cheese. Until I can find it somewhere else. FAIL.

This is the most overpriced grocery store I’ve been to in Chicago. The items are always marked up nearly double what I find at other stores, including other SMB grocery stores. Even more frustrating is I’ve found time and time again the price stickers don’t match the ring up price. The price sticker will be lower and it rings up a higher price. I’ve mentioned this several times to the sales associates when I notice this with specific items and they just met me with annoyance and rudeness. It’s never worth shopping here - regardless of convenience.

I was extremely disappointed to find mold on some of the items. Specifically, the almonds were visibly moldy, and the blueberries were far from fresh, also showing signs of mold. Given the high price point of everything in the store, I expected far better quality control. It’s unacceptable for any grocery store, let alone one charging premium prices, to sell products in such poor condition.

I have been shopping here for 2 years and the grocery store / butcher are just too overpriced. I’ll start with the butcher: so they have great quality meats and friendly staff but it’s easily $30 for a steak or $8 for chicken when you could find the comparable cuts for $12 and $4 at a jewel. The rest of the store is also expensive - from the avocados to the dry goods. The staff are mostly friendly (except one worker we all know who) but yeah lower your prices.

The butcher inside Big Apple is the best kept secret in Chicago, after hearing about it from a long time friend, we decided to give it a shot and I can never get my meat from anywhere else now. Dry-aged in house, you can see the meat’s aging when you approach. All steaks are USDA prime and the quality is unmatched. To date, we’ve had the ribeyes, skirt, NY Strip, pork chops and house made brats and everytime, we’re blown away at the flavor. Do yourself a favor and go here NOW!

This grocery has everything you'd find in a supermarket -- and more!! They carry the basics for Indian and Mexican customers. They have a first class butcher shop (separately owned). They have a full-service delivery business -- including their own fleet of delivery vehicles -- also a complete inventory of bread, rolls, bagels, etc. from major bakeries and wonderful, artisanal bread trucked in from a suburban bakery every day. The ambience is all business. The numerous staff are always replenishing the shelves. If you can't find something, you just have to ask the nearest staff-member. Over the past 40+ years I've lived in various neighborhoods along the lakeshore from Hyde Park to Streeterville -- this is the best neighborhood grocery ever!

A very fine selection for a small neighborhood grocery store! The fruits and vegetables have been consistently high quality which I wouldn't have expected. And then there's the meat and seafood section in the back. I don't think I've ever had better prime aged ribeye steak. It's worth a pilgrimage just for these beauties. (Far better than restaurant quality). I can't pretend that I make a great effort to get here since I live just around the corner but I highly recommend the place. Prices are what you'd expect to pay for first rate quality for all the fresh stuff. Other grocery items seem to be at prices competitive to other similar sized stores.

Step back into the 80's, with the poster paint on butcher paper posters announcing the various specials. What is great about this small but decently stocked grocery is the surprise sales. The staff are no nonsense and pleasant.

Great products and the baggers and cashiers are great, I've been a regular here for years. The two blonde women that work there (believe they are owners) are not very kind to me for some reason. But the staff is and the store does have great quality of products and a great selection. Would've given a higher review but because of the rudeness I do experience I'm giving it a 2.5 star rating.

The one woman was extremely rude. I don't like using the race card but, She spoke at me and gave me directions like I was a child. The other lady looked at me like I was about to steal something. Now, after reading the other reviews, I truly apologize to this store for assuming I was being discriminated against for being a person of color (that is a serious accusation these days). This was NOT a case of racism; it was merely an episode of them being a bunch of old C U Next Tuesdays.

This is definitely convenient to have in our little grocery store desert part of LP, but you are certainly paying for the convenience. I didn't have time to go all the way to Walmart or Mariano's so I stopped in and got 4 things - Arborio rice, chicken meatballs, red curry paste, and mushrooms. My total was $30! I compared with Mariano's prices and everything was at least $2 more expensive than Mariano's. Arborio rice is $8.99 at Mariano's, $11.99 here, etc. So I won't come here frequently but it is really good to have because they carry everything you could need. The butcher counter looked really nice as well and the staff was friendly.

I live nearby Big Apple foods and it's very convenient. I can always find what I'm looking for and they usually have some great hidden deals!

Good selection but expensive. Very bad service. Rude personnel especially when checking out. Very unpleasant experience.

this used to be my neighborhood grocery store. however i'm always met with hostile employees. i gave them a couple more tries but it's seems like everytime i go, im met with people irritated to work there. it's convenient but a cold environment

This small, local market is convenient, not too bad in terms of price and has most things you might need. It is definitely not a Trader Joe's, Mariano's or Whole Foods but it is a great option for those in the nearby neighborhood especially during the weekday evenings. The quality is not as good as the other supermarkets but it is decent enough. The store has handwritten colorful signs with the weekly specials and going this week, there were some great deals from fresh fruit to vegetables. The inside is very clean and neat. Some of the produce was wrapped in plastic wrap such as a set of 4 peppers while other items like leafy vegetables were out and not wrapped. In the back of the store, there was meat and seafood. My checkout experience was pretty good with no line and checked out within 5 minutes. Additionally, it is conveniently near a bus stop so folks can swing by after work very easily. For a local market, it is pretty good and convenient. I would definitely recommend coming here if you need a few items and don't have time to walk up or get up to the Trader Joe's or Mariano's around Diversey.

BEWARE: PRICE GOUGING DURING PANDEMIC. I live in the neighborhood and often come here when I need to pick up a few things, but I don't buy my weekly groceries from here because their produce is not great, they often have expired items on the shelves, and some of their prices are, honestly, exorbitant. Case in point: I recently stopped by here and saw they had Lysol disinfectant spray, which is now becoming regularly available after several months of it being sold out due to the pandemic. I didn't see the cost as it was on its own in a kiosk in the middle of an aisle, so I grabbed one thinking it cost the same as it does at Target, Walgreens, etc. Wrong. When I saw my receipt it said $9.99. A more than FORTY PERCENT markup. Every other time I've bought this bottle it was $6 or less. This store is blatantly price gouging and they should be ashamed of taking advantage of their customers in this way. Given the current situation with small businesses falling left and right, this store clearly isn't concerned with that, but they did just lose a customer.

I've been shopping here for about 2 years. The place is old fashioned and has that family owned feel to it. There's plenty of variety in their stock. The meat market is fantastic, the selection is good, fresh, and they have pre marinated food that's ready to cook. The prices are high, which you could attribute to being a family owned business and not being a chain. The food expiration dates are usually close. Make sure you check these, and give a good look at the food from multiple angles. I've bought moldy blueberries, and bagels here before at more than one occasion. I've never had this problem with other grocery stores- Marianos, Kroger, Jewel. Keep in the back of your mind the price of the things you buy. There's been several times where I've had to correct the price that was rung up. Blueberries are really bad, maybe more produce is. I give this place an average review based on its pros and cons.

I just moved to the area and have been walking 10-15 minutes down the street for more affordable options than what I thought was nearby... until I learned this weekend that Big Apple Foods is RIGHT BEHIND MY APARTMENT! Listen here, folks!!! I used to live in Brooklyn for a few years, so seeing these low-as-heck prices splashed across the window of this grocery store right behind my new home was refreshing and a joy to my budget-conscious eyeballs and wallet. I strolled in here for the first time last Thursday morning (8/4/2017) and the staff was welcoming, but not in an overwhelming way where you want to dodge any conversations -- they just give you a smile that makes you comfortable. Kind of like an, "If you need something, I'm approachable," feel, and I NEED THAT. I hate talking to people! It's terrifying, okay?!?! Also, the prices here are just fabulous. I know I already said it, but get a load of this: I bought a 1.8 Quart bottle of Tropicana (the good stuff! TROPICANA!) for $1.99, frozen pizzas for under $3... this place R O C K S. It's clean, the staff is knowledgeable and makes sure that if something's on sale, you get it for that price (dang registers didn't always catch that, but their staff did!). I also learned that they will shop and deliver for you, should you need it. AMAZING. I love this place and I'm so happy it's now my new neighborhood grocery store.

Mediocre mom-pop grocery shop in Lincoln Park. Not a big selection here, just stop in if you only need one or a couple items, not full on shopping. Not even a dairy section (or so inconspicuous I missed it). My own mistake for purchasing salmon here. It didn't smell or look good so I tossed it immediately. Otherwise other packaged items were fine

Thank you Big Apple Finer Foods for continuing to be so supportive as always. You have made this " Twilight Zone" on many levels manageable. The Covid Pandemic has been extremely scary but having neighborhood support from you has been so very helpful and important. Thank you for all you do for your customers. Our neighborhood grocery store has been a life saver once again. You are truly an important part of our community today and always. Thank you isn't enough to say . Know how important you are to us. You've saved us!!! Continue to be safe and healthy!

The butcher is great. However, when checking out in the grocery store, the staff has been rude and annoyed with our business most of the time. So much for shopping small and local in this case. I'll keep going to the butcher though.

I love this grocery store. I'm a fan of eating and cooking so going to a grocery store that has all the ingredients I need is important. However, what is even more important is getting those ingredients fresh. Big apple is always a hit because their meats are fresh, and their produce is fresh. Not only that, everyone who works there is so nice! They are always willing to help you find the best version of whatever you're looking for AND they try to help you find alternatives when they are out/ do not carry something. I can't say enough good things about this grocery store! Definitely check it out if you have not already. You will not be disappointed!

Horrible - why don't the cashiers and employers wear MASKS??? Was there yesterday and I was shocked at how close everyone was in that small store. To Management in this COVID-29 CRISIS -- MANDATE ALL EMPLOYEES WEAR MASKS! CUSTOMERS - do not patronize them until they follow this sensible policy.

The butcher counter is the star here. It's the reason why to Big Apple because it's wonderful. Everything else is mediocre/overpriced. The produce here is average quality and sometimes overpriced, but they really know what they're doing with their meats. My recommendation is to come here specifically to buy meat if you want to splurge on a fancy cut or variety.

This is great family-owned operation with a wide selection of specialty items that give this grocer a very European feel. The produce is fantastic with a seasonal selection of hard-to-find fruits and vegetables. One of the few places you will find quinces! I agree with other reviews that the butcher is absolutely excellent. Try a prime aged cowboy steak". The butcher said it would be the best steak I ever had. No exaggeration-he was absolutely correc

I visited this grocery store several times back when I lived right on Clark and Belden due to convenience. I just want to reiterate some of the comments others have made that were true for me: - Limited selection, and def more expensive than other grocery stores. There might be a good sale here and there for a specific item, but that's not always the case. Don't expect to do all your groceries here. - I never bought produce from there. - They surprisingly have some international foods for it being such a small shop. - Although the staff was never mean to me, you could def tell that they have a specific "type" of customer that they like to be nice to and I noticed other people have picked up on that, too. Overall, it's okay if you (literally) need one or two things, but otherwise you're better off going to Trader Joe's or even Walmart Express that's sort of nearby.

The butcher is amazing - they provide friendly insights and the meat is sourced well. The grocery store side?? Well, let's just say I had a nickel for every time I saw an employee smile, I'd have a nickel.

The pros: the place has decent prices and is conveniently located. Also, the majority of the staff are really nice people who are there to help. The cons: the place is unsanitary at best. A lot of the produce isn't in sanitary conditions. Most importantly, though, I had to walk by employees in the aisles who weren't wearing their masks at all. This is in August 2020, where masks are still absolutely required indoors and especially by the employees themselves. I won't be coming back here until Covid is "over".

I LOVE this grocery store, so much. I live down the street so I can walk here and I'm so grateful for that. I've gone there recently with the pandemic going on and I can honestly say they have been working SO hard to keep everything stocked which they do a great job at. A week ago they were out of a lot of frozen meat and veggies that I normally get and this past weekend they were completely restocked. They also were literally the only place in the area that had disinfectant and toilet paper. They have such a great variety of food; the only reason I give 4 stars is the close quarters in there. It's really hard to get around if there's a decent amount of people in there. So thankful for this little grocery store in the neighborhood!

I'm thankful to have this place for missing recipe ingredients that I'm missing and don't have time to get from big-box supermarkets. You'll find occasional sales, but generally, you're not going to find Walmart prices. For a local store, it's good to have around for and the selection is pretty decent. I like to support local business and keep this place around so I'll shop here once a week. Simple produce items are good in small quantities, but pantry items can be pricey.

Decent neighborhood grocery store. Not a whole lot of selection, but they do have a great deli in the back for fresh meats and seafood. As mentioned, the workers are all a little... mean. Not really the most pleasant people. This grocery store gets the job done for anyone in the area but if you are looking for a quality store with a lot of selection, go elsewhere. Shoutout to the peeps who sell the meat cuz they are always nice!

Buyer beware!!! COVID19 price-gouging all over this store! They even raised gallons of milk by $1. Also, the store is very small with tight aisles yet they line up cardboard floor displays regardless. Makes social distancing next to impossible. Also, there are only three registers in the store HOWEVER one is always tied up ringing out phone orders. (what happened to taking care of the LONG LINE of in-house customers FIRST?) And, to acknowledge a recent review, POS price management here is pathetic at best. Shelf tags do not match scanned price with an unacceptable frequency. Do youself a huge favor and go a few blocks North to the Walmart or South to Jewel.

A Walmart Neighborhood Market opened a few blocks away recently, and I wondered how Big Apple would be able to compete. After all, Walmart's selection is larger and prices are lower than BA. Let me tell you: Big Apple has QUALITY for its prices. Canned goods are canned goods, of course. But all produce and meats are NOT created equal. Big Apple's produce is only modestly more expensive than Walmart, but BA's goods are always ripe, fresh, and tasty. Walmart had strawberries for $1 a pound this week. That's an amazing price, but, upon inspection I found every container held at least one moldy berry. Others appeared to be partially frozen. No thanks. I'll spend $2.50 at Big Apple for the fresh stuff. I bought whole pineapples at Walmart--two per week for three weeks in a row. Six pineapples. Not one of them was ripe. Not one. The past two weeks, I've bought my pineapples at Big Apple. All four were sweet, golden perfection. The price difference? About a quarter. Basic slicing tomatoes? I bought one at Walmart on Tuesday this week. It sat on my kitchen counter until Thursday night. That's when I threw it away because its skin was wrinkling and black spots had developed...in just TWO days! I'm marching back to Big Apple for the good stuff this morning. I purchased a brisket at Walmart and slow-roasted it in the oven for 4 hours @ 250. It came out looking great, but the inside was insanely dry. Clearly, this was a lesser cut of meat with no marbling. Big Apples' meats are much more expensive, but for a special occasion I would never risk making my meat purchase at Walmart again. Sometimes you get what you pay for. And when it comes to veggies, fruits, and good cuts of meat, I will not hesitate to pay a little more for top-grade ingredients at Big Apple. .

I've ordered pick-up grocery a couple times now. We've always loved the Big Apple as our neighborhood grocery. Ashley who handles the pick-up orders is awesome to work with. She is super friendly & offers wonderful customer service. Highly recommend the butcher's counter as well.

Old time grocery store with a great butcher section. Some really unique items. My only critique is that it can be a bit pricey. But honestly, no more than Whole Foods at times. Friendlier service also!

Hey, Big Apple: Barcodes are here to stay so get on the bandwagon already! I know it's *hip* to be retro, but seriously what gives? Stop individually tagging each item, it's 2009 for pete sakes. While you're at it an automatic exit door would be nice too, but I don't want to be greedy. End rant. Anyway, it's no big surprise that some items are reasonably priced, and others are not. But, for a place to pick up odds and ends in a pinch it gets the job done. For a small market they have a pretty nice selection of certain items. Carnival is my usual go-to local market, but I was in the area and popped in to Big Apple for a few items. I was unimpressed with the selection of plastic bags, I almost gave up on locating snack-size bags, but with some determination I finally found them. I was impressed with the selection of pasta sauce the place carries; in addition to Classico, Prego and other standards they had Rao's and other "boutique" brands in stock. I ended up going with a bottle of Barilla sauce, couldn't beat it at $1.99 a bottle. I should've bought 2 more, hmph! Walking in here is like time traveling back to the '70's. The blue jacket/smock things the cashiers wear remind me of trips to the local Certified market (The Villager) with my mom back when I was in the single digits. In fact the whole place does, old manual cash registers and all.

I'll be honest, as long as they keep selling Vernors, I'll keep coming back. Michigan transplants (aka 1/4 of the LP population) know what I'm talking about. Nectar of the gods! Canada Dry does a decent job of curing a queasy stomach but Vernors is the MVP. Rumor has it, if you accidentally slice the tip of your finger off, Vernors can grow that back in about a week. That's how effective it is. (Note: please don't test that rumor) Anywho, Big Apple is an alright little store in a sorely lacking area. The prices are a trade off. Some things are far more expensive than you'd pay in TJ's or Walmart. Other things are more comparable. I can't speak on the staff because I'm often in my own world when I grocery shop. I hate grocery shopping, so I tend to power through it. The star of the show is the meat market in the back. If you stop in there for no other reason, stop in there for that. And if I find myself looking at an empty space where the Vernors normally is, well I guess I have myself to blame. You're welcome, transplants.

What an amazing community store! They are so helpful and caring. Visit this store you won't be disappointed. Excellent service and willing to go above and beyond

Employees are pretty rude. Not all, but the ones that are, ruin this place. Prices suck but that's expected for a small place like this. If they could work on the attitudes at this place to be more welcoming, this would be a great small shop. Also, really didn't handle adapting to the COVID19 standards very well either, kinda gross seeing managers, stockers and cashiers walking around without masks. Wish I could recommend, but sadly can't yet. They also constantly block the alley with their delivery vehicles also have seen employees personal cars parked back there idling which is super annoying. Has major potential to be an awesome mom and pop type shop but are hugely missing multiple marks. Avoid for now until they get it together.

This store has one of the best meat departments that I have ever seen. Their dry-aged steaks, lamb, and poultry are fantastic. They also have a surprisingly diverse selection of produce.

This is the BEST grocery store an butcher shop on the north side of Chicago! They have everything even though they are a smaller store and the delivery puts this store over the top. This store has been a lifesaver during the pandemic. The butcher shop has some of the best cuts of meat and heat seafood too!

I have loved shopping at the Big Apple for years. Great produce, large selection of staple items and even hard to find ingredients like specialty flours. The meat department is stellar. The people are friendly as well as helpful. I far prefer shopping at Big Apple to the experiences I have had at the Mariano's and Whole Foods in the area.

Wouldn't go if it wasn't so convenient. I live right at Clark and Fullerton. Two things: 1) Prices are way too high for the quality of their products. If you can, try somewhere else first. 2) The staff is not friendly. Very strange for a local/small business.

When I first moved to the area, I LOVED Big Apple. I really enjoy the retro feel and the familiar faces of the workers. However, in the last year I have noticed a decline in customer service. There is one woman who works there specifically that has been incredibly rude to me every time I go in. When in line I will hear her being as friendly as can be to the person in front of me but then when I get to the front she wont speak to me and I get an eye roll every time I try to start a conversation. The last time I was in last week, there was someone in front of me in line buying a lot of stuff and I didn't see the "lane closed" sign. I had one item and when I noticed I said "oh i'm sorry, I didn't see you were closed. I can go to the next line!" and I got a big sigh and she said "well I GUESS I'll take you since you just stood there... I was so uncomfortable and have never been spoken to in that way by someone in customer service. I've noticed a trend in the posts that the women that work here are rude to women who are younger. Maybe its that? I'm not sure. I just know that my days shopping here are coming to an end because of the rude cashier that seems to always be working.

This was my favorite store for three years until the last few months. The bakery variety in now limited and the produce is not what it was. Be very careful at the checkout. There has been a great deal of employee turnover in the last six months. I have experience numerous mistakes on my checkout receipt. I will go elsewhere unless there is a immediate need.

Similar to what others have pointed out, we had a very uncomfortable experience. Stopped by to check out the store but was surprised to see a store clerk follow us throughout, gazing at our pockets. They gave us a stare while we were getting out of the store, as if we are stealing something. Never had this experience before but glad to find that I am not the only one who observed this. Never going back!

1 star only because it didn't allow a - rating . Went in here to buy curry spice and upon walking to my car I realized that the bottom of the curry bottle which I had in my hand was broken so of course I just walked back to the store to do a quick change. Right ? Wrong the cashier that just cashed me out literally 1min ago asked me did I have a receipt like she didn't just cash me out , then shaked and inspected my bottle throughly just to tell me she doesn't see anything wrong with it even tho I showed her the crack and the curry on my hand. Her coworker then told her to just get the manager for some reason at this point they did way too much and I felt so uncomfortable in there so I just told them it was fine and left. I guess black people cant have issues here.

I have no real problem with this place other than the prices, but next time I stop by I'm going to have to pay more attention to the staff here like other people are writing. I have literally never been spoken to other than when I'm checking out. That being said, I would definitely not recommend this for all of your grocery shopping, I only head there when I forget something or run out of an ingredient while cooking. It's ridiculously expensive and if I bought my weekly groceries here I would just as soon eat out and avoid cleaning up because it'd be about the same price. Bottom line, good for a few items or something in a hurry. The produce is always fresh and they have a decent selection of anything else you might need. Decent sales too but it's nothing you ever really need...hence the reason I'm sitting here writing this while eating some frosted sugar cookies.

Are we all writing about the same Big Apple here? The majority of the staff is NOT friendly. Be prepared for a verbal assault if you, God forbid, ask for help. Or, a profoundly confused and hopeless look as if nobody realized groceries were sold at this store. Also, be prepared to get hit on by 2 special produce guys if you are a young woman. Come to think of it I've seen them hit on old ladies too so make that "if you have two legs and female plumbing" I really enjoyed the time one of the managers pushed me out of his way to gallop with reckless abandon down one of their small isles, clipboard in hand. While I don't mind small isles, an "excuse me" generally works better than a "supermarket sweep" mentality. These people will RUN at you, so if you're into playing chicken then shop here! Products are undeniably over-priced. Four dollars for a pineapple? Really? However, it is convenient to have the store in this area so sometimes I will pay the outrageous prices. They have a nice selection of products and some items are high quality. But who cares if the products are nice if I can't find them, no one will help me, and my wife is being sexually harassed ******BOARS HEAD MEATS in the back of the Big Apple Finer Food is a SEPARATE store. They are completely different from Big Apple. I shop at Boars Head Meats all the time. The products they sell are some of the best in Chicago. They couldn't be more helpful, knowledgeable, professional, and courteous. They are the reason I walk through Big Apple so frequently.**********************

ARGH! I'd rather take the 36 to the Walmart express! Seriously people are actually ranting and raving about this pathetic excuse of a grocery store because it's convenient?! Get the hell out of here! Big Apple Finer Foods is EXPENSIVE. Having just moved here we thought it would be a nice little cheap mom and pop shop, NOPE WE WERE WRONG! Food here is Expensive as FAWK! Hell you are paying whole food prices for commercial a$s food so why not take your butt over to whole foods and stock up?! Better yet, TraderJoes is up the street! I'd go through the snow and ice anytime than constantly run to this place for items! I can't wait for the other Walmart Express to open up! Oh my gawd! What a godsend.. I know they treat their employees horribly but shiet....the prices are amazing! LOL (I'm going to hell anyway.. so might as well fuel the fire.) Haha! We spent $50 bucks for 7 items?! The hell?!

Love, love, love this place, partially because it's right around the corner, but mostly because it's very high quality. They have an amazing butcher in the back that operates separately from the store (you pay for your meat at the counter). They make their own sausage in house and you can find about any cut of meat you could possibly want. If they don't have what you're looking for, they'll try hard to make it happen. Also, a pretty good selection of produce that's better quality than say Jewel or Dominicks. They also have a good selection of ingredients for different types of cuisines. To everyone complaining about the price, the small difference in price is worth it for the quality of the products. This definitely isn't a place you should come out of your way to visit (except for the butcher) if you have a great local market close by, but if you're in the neighborhood, Big Apple is the place to go.

This local place offers a good amount of various types of food -- even some international food options. However, I don't frequent this place because their prices are a bit out of touch. I remember coming here for 3 tomatoes and paying almost $7! However, when I'm in a pinch and need something, I do stop by. I just get little one-off things from here. I like supporting local places, but their prices hinder me from coming here more often. But their staff is friendly and they have a decent selection of foods and meats. Their deli isn't bad, either. Check it out, but don't forget your wallet!

I have never met more clueless staffpeople. I asked one of the staffers at the register what time they closed on Sundays, and she replied that she didn't know. Seriously? Who doesn't know the hours of the store at which they work? I could've overlooked that, but it being Easter and Passover, I noticed a matzah display. However, the boxes of matzah said RIGHT ON THE FRONT OF THE BOX, "Not Kosher for Passover." Um, what grocery store orders matzah for Passover that is NOT KOSHER for Passover? When I told the stock staffperson, she replied, "Well, I don't do the ordering here." Hello, attitude?!? The correct response would have been, "I'm sorry about that. I'll tell the manager." Girl, please. I'd much rather go to Lincoln Park Market, right up the street, to deliberately avoid Big Apple foods and their cluelessness.

I've been shopping here more often lately because Lincoln Park Market is dead to me. No, it's not perfect. I don't do any big grocery shopping here - I mainly just use it for milk or other random things I need to pick up in between trips to a bigger grocery store. I'd probably shop here more often if they updated their technology. If you buy produce, you have to wait for a guy to weigh and price it for you because their registers are still old school and they punch every price in. I will never understand why they don't invest in barcode technology, but whatever. It's just not the most efficient place to shop. And it's still small and cramped. But right now it's the best option in the 'hood. The staff is here is very nice, for the most part. Prices aren't insane. They do have a decent selection of groceries (even though they don't carry my cereal - sniff). And hey - unlike some other neighborhood grocery stores *cough* LincolnParkMarket *cough* Big Apple actually rotates their stock out. I've never seen an expired item or bad apple on the shelf. Extra stars for being on top of your shit.