Aldi

I love Aldi. I really do.
If this location sold alcohol, it would get 5 stars.
As others have pointed out, Aldi is owned by the family that owns Trader Joe’s.
Many of the products they sell are the same thing, but with different labels.
This grocery store helps plug the gaping hole of shopping options in downtown and the near downtown neighborhoods.
Items are cheap.
Produce is generally fresh and high quality.
Meat choices are good and the quality is high.
Aldi carries a great selection of cheese, including many gourmet varieties for a decent price.
German specialty foods that come in are usually yummy.
I love, love their frozen spaetzle meals (like gourmet German mac and cheese) and their savory artichoke tortes, for example.
Worried about the neighborhood? I’ve never, ever experienced anything but friendly and kind people here, of all races, ages and nationalities. Good cart karma is a frequent practice here — wherein people sacrifice their quarter deposit and share their cart with an arriving shopper. Just be sure to pay it forward.
Checkers are super fast and efficient.
I’m thankful there’s a downtown option to compete with Cosentino’s high prices and Grand Slam’s limited selection of actual grocery items.
Shoppers — bring your debit card or cash. No checks or credit cards are accepted here.

Possibly the most diverse blend of people you can find in the city. Whenever I got to this Aldi, I am almost guaranteed a people watching show. Being on Troost and near Independence, along with some of the cheapest groceries you can find near the city core, this place can really bring some winners.
If you’ve never been to an Aldi there are a few quirks to know. Carts will cost you a quarter deposit. And the Isles are set up very linear but don’t feel you can’t return to another isle if you forgot the peanut butter.
Aldi store are usually understaffed compared to big box stores. Its not that they are short on workers, that is just a way for them to keep costs down for the consumer. If you can’t get a carton of milk because there is an empty milk rack in the way, move it yourself. If you need a box, grab an empty one off the shelves, they don’t mind. Expect to pay for bags if you need them. If you don’t need bags then you just saved a few cents! The lines are usually moderately long and you will probably have to wait. But just think about how you saved 26 dollars on your one gallon of milk you bought by not shopping at Cosentino’s.
Be prepared for a wait in the checkout line. If you are a die hard brand name person, this isn’t your store. If you want to find the cheaper but most likely better alternative to what you normally buy, shop here.
They don’t have fresh spinach or Swiss chard. This isn’t a place to buy booze either, but some stores do have wine I hear. Not sure if this store does or I am just blind.
They don’t accept credit cards but will take debit and cash. Why? Because credit cards cost the store money to install and a monthly cost as well as a cost per transaction. Not having them allows you to save even more money. YOU LIKE MONEY RIGHT?

Yes, «yay! I’m a fan» indeed. As a resident of Beacon Hill, I live in what can be described as a food desert. That is, there really aren’t accessible outlets for good, nutritional food within a reasonable distance. (Truman Medical Center is currently building a grocery store, but it won’t open for some time). So the Aldi on Paseo is a staple for me and many other neighborhood residents. I know grocery shopping on Paseo may not be the first choice for many people, but to echo previous reviews, it really is just like any other Aldi in the metro, or America for that matter.
Some reviewey-​bits:
This particular location does not sell alcohol (Head to the Sheffield/​Independence Ave locashe’ for $ 2.99 Winking Owl wine!) The cheap produce makes up for this fact– go ahead and grab some lemons for your cocktails at somewhere near 18 cents each!
There is usually a shortage of carts– just be prepared to pick up an empty cardboard box inside or bring your own canvas shopping bag in lieu of a bulky, somewhat annoying shopping cart — it’s all good.
Aldi is the picture of German efficiency. Don’t get intimidated by the quick-​moving lines and bustling employees. (In fact, they’re all extremely friendly.) You’re in control; choose your own adventure.
Lastly, yes, if you’re white you might find yourself in the minority while shopping there (or maybe not), go ahead and prepare to check your privilege at the door, it’s good exercise.

I very much enjoy Aldi! Prices are very good (i.e., low). As others have said, don’t come here if you’re looking for great variety, especially as far as meat and produce is concerned. I shop here mostly for staples, like pasta and potatoes (a 10 lb bag of Russets goes for about $ 2.50, and was recently on sale for just a little over $ 1!)
They also carry Central European style breads (packaged, for they do not have a bakery section) that you won’t see in other grocery stores.
The only «complaint» is that the employees seem to be automatons, but I’m there for the products, so it doesn’t bother me.

I’m a regular Aldi shopper because I can get a lot of my staples here cheap and then head to a regular store for the more specialized items.
I’d never gone to this particular location before, though, because the address made me nervous. But this weekend I was out of a few things and in a hurry, so decided to brave it.
It turns out I had nothing at all to worry about. This was just as good as any other Aldi, and it was a perfectly safe place to shop.
I’ve shopped at several different Aldi locations, so if I think of the best Aldi I’ve ever been to as getting 5 stars, then this would be a 4-​star. The only reason it gets a ding is that it was missing some of the baking essentials that I’ve been able to find at other Aldi stores.
However it does have one nice service that I haven’t seen at other locations. Normally if you forget to bring your own bags you have to hunt through the store to find empty boxes to put your groceries in. This location, however, collects the empty boxes and brings them to a bin in the front of the store for you. That’s a nice touch.
This is one of the most ethnically diverse stores I have shopped in. It was particularly cool watching a woman walking home with groceries in both arms and a 24-​pack of bottled water perfectly balanced on her head.

I know, I know. It’s Aldi. It’s cheap, it’s knock-​off, it’s lame.
…But really, it’s not!
Last year I moved into an apartment with a significantly higher rent than my last. I knew it would be worth it because I was within walking distance of my work. Fast forward less than a month from the move… my entire office was closed down and laid-​off. Great, great times.
Enter: any and all cost-​cutting moves I could find. I accepted I sometimes needed to shop at Aldi and to be honest, Aldi ain’t half bad.
No, you’re not finding a Trader Joe’s here (although Aldi the company OWNS Trader Joe’s) but you’re going to find lots and lots of staples and some stupidamazeballs prices.
They have great sales every week. Their «Fit & Active» line is, in a word, awesome. (I’ve stocked up on cereal bars and flatbreads at cheapy-​cheap prices.) Canned vegetables, bread (nice, whole wheat varieties) and cheeses are dirt cheap. Last week I found a ton of frozen Amy’s product on a huge discount.
Produce, while having a short shelf life, is at a glorious price. I found avocados for .49 cents that only needed to wait one day to ripen at home, while they were going for $ 1.49 at Cosentino’s. I mean. Really.
Need cheap staples? Bust out the debit cards and come to Aldi!