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Rob's No Frills
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 8 am - 9:30 pm
Sat-Sun 8 am - 8 pm
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
16 reviews for Rob's No Frills
16 reviews in English
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Review from Jon O.
3/11/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Rob's has been my local grocery store for the past 5 years.
We tried Food Basics around the corner and found the quality of products and selection at No Frills to be much better.
We have recently tried the Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens and, as wonderful as it is, we're back shopping at No Frills for our core grocery shop.
No Frills is a perfectly sized grocery store. It's large enough to have a selection, especially of international food for the recent immigrants that leave nearby, but not so large that it takes you 1.5 hours to finish shopping. The prices a reasonable (some items that are exactly the same are more expensive at Loblaws) and because it's in such a busy neighbourhood everything is usually very fresh.
One of the downsides is that there isn't as much effort put into ensuring the shelves are always fully stocked like there is at Loblaws. If you get unlucky you could enter the store when the meat section is completely empty or they're out of the type of bagels you like. It's the chance you take to save a little money compared to the big guys.
One thing I've noticed over the time we have been shopping at Rob's is that the staff is very consistent. There are several cashiers who have been working there for most of the time we've been coming. I swear I've never seen faster grocery store cashiers at any other store.The in-store staff aren't always very helpful and sometimes the store doesn't run as smoothly as a Loblaws.
Summary: Head to Loblaws if you want some freshly-baked Ace Bakery bread or something a little higher end from the butcher or fishmonger, but stick with No Frills for your day-to-day shopping. -
Review from Susan A.
Toronto, ON
2/5/2012
Once the thrill of having a smallish supermarket practically across the street from where I live wore off (took about 2 years), I allowed myself to notice just how much better the produce was everywhere else. This is still a terrific place to just "run out" and get that missing ingredient, providing it's not too esoteric. AND they now carry fresh salmon individually wrapped in styrofoam, which isn't a fish department but is better than nothing. But it's hit or miss most of the time, especially with the fruit and veggies. Sometimes I feel they get the 2nds from Loblaws. Other times you get terrific deals on decent produce.
Stay away just before the dinner hour when the check-out lines are long, and tangled up in stray/abandoned carts which cannot fit through the register. I'm usually in and out surprisingly fast, but always with the thought, "this place needs a consultant." -
Review from Mauricio A.
Toronto, ON
1/20/2012
Hey, my first No Frills review. Okay here we go:
Dropped by and asked, 'Do you have any 'Kiwis?'
Staff in fruit section said, "Kiwis? What is that?"
WTF?
Left Kiwi-less.
:-(
Otherwise, same as other No Frills.
Okay.
I am done. -
Review from Anna K.
Toronto, ON
11/28/2010
This is the cheapest place to get groceries in the area.
I go here specifically for a few things that are so cheap. Their no name brand is great and so cheap for groceries we go through often.They have tofu for $1.50, orange juice for $1.50 and really cheap Indian sauces and Chutney (fantastic jarred Vindaloo sauce and Mango Chutney for so cheap). They also have really good chocolate (hot chocolate, chocolate ice cream, etc.)
If you want beautiful, presentable produce, this is probably not the place to go. I often buy their bananas but I usually have to cut a lot of bruises off of them- same with the zucchini and apples. A lot of the produce is battered and bumped, but it's still very cheap.
The store gets crazy on the weekends and it's really really hectic trying to even get around, I don't even bother with a cart on these days because you can't move around the store. The store also runs out of a lot of the cheaper products by the end of the day (The cheap OJ is almost always sold out) and the stuff that is on sale FLIES off the shelves.
I guess my advice is to get their on the off days, and get the basics, you can really save a lot of money here. -
Review from Grainne M.
Toronto, ON
5/26/2011
I spent a month in Washington DC once upon a time. My local Safeway was affectionately known as "Soviet Safeway" because it was so grim and dreary. The lovely Whole Foods nearby made it look especially bleak. I like to think of this No Frills as "no eye contact No Frills". The clientele are quite mixed to put it kindly. There are some normal people, but many scary ones. By the time I'd made my way around to the baking section I was starting to absorb the atmosphere and think "what are you looking at? I could take you!". Considering I'm a midget who couldn't fight her way out of a wet paper bag, I can only assume the adrenaline from the fear was driving me slightly insane.
There are definitely bargains to be found. Far cheaper than Longo's/Metro/Loblaws for many things-although all of them have good prices at times if you shop the specials. The fruit and veg have looked pretty tired any time I've been in there. The effort required to find some edible produce meant far too much extra time spent actually present in the place. Probably best to go early in the morning.
Checkouts are packed together like sardines. The trolleys don't even fit through them all. One cashier I had was nice, another was surly. They were both moderately efficient though so I'm not too bothered.
So-worth a trip for the savings. My advice is to keep your head down and get in and out without too much dawdling. Remember-no eye contact! -
Review from Yumi K.
Richmond, BC
2/4/2011
I used to go there when I lived around there!! Now I moved so its kinda far, and don't feel like walking all of the way to there during the cold winter :-( but anyways, the price is good, the selection is good.... the only place that I will compare with will be Chinatown. :-)
but its SUPER busy during the weekends... and kinda get annoying... thats the only downside!! -
Review from Melissa F.
Toronto, ON
7/27/2009
This place is so cheap, SO cheap!!
the place generally has good selection and the food isn't thrown on the shelves unloved as you would expect in a budget grocery store.
The only place that is comparable in price is chinatown.
Sure it's not a designer grocery store, but i'll take the cheaper prices anyday. -
Review from Lindsey S.
Toronto, ON
12/10/2009 1 Check-in Here
Yes the area is sketchy, yes there is no parking, yes you have to pay for your cart...but it's a No Frills in the heart of the city....what more do you want.
I actually really like this place, if not for the great prices, the pretty good produce and the ok variety of the products then for the sheer entertainment of the patrons, myself included.
If you live in the area, this is bay far your best grocery store. For an urban location it's very big and carries a lot of brand name products. The store's layout very well, if you do the outer edges and work your way in. Make sure that you go with the flow and by that I mean start on the right - in your produce section and move around the store to the freezer section, then up and down the aisles. The only tight section is back near the entrance/produce area.
The hours are not that bad and if you get there really early, almost at opening, all of the homeless people in the area are just going to bed, so it will be more of a peaceful shopping experience for you.
I prefer this location to the other No Frills in the heart of the city - College and Parliament, but that location does have a parking lot and that makes grocery shopping so much easier. That being said, there is always a line up of cabs at the front entrance of this store to serve you. -
Review from L. T.
Updated - 3/29/2011
One star due to a problem that keeps repeating at this location!!!
In the past 1 year, I bought milk on 3-4 different occasions only to find out that the 2 liter carton milk was RANCID!
As a matter of fact, at almost ANY TIME, their milk cartons look BLOATED (=growth of bacteria that produces gas as a side-effect).
Although nonperishable items are ok, I stay away from milk section in this store.
If milk has this problem, I wonder whether meat would have the same issue.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/25/2009
In the mornings, great variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Keep in mind that several high-rise… Read more »
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Review from Madison A.
Toronto, ON
10/17/2010
I've been shopping here for 3 years and am 100% hooked. It's so cheap and has a good selection generally. However, you do have to put up with a few things: 1) They're probably going to be out at least some of the things that are on sale. 2) It might be really busy (especially on a Saturday...stay away!!). 3) There's not much in the way of parking. 4) You might have to dig to find nice produce. If you can deal with these things, you stand to save a ton of money!
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Review from kelly h.
Toronto, ON
8/17/2010
Rob's No Frills is my favourite discount supermarket. The produce is very fresh and the prices are awesome. The cashiers are friendly and fast, so even if you go during the evening rush, you'll likely find that the line moves fairly quickly.
I greatly prefer Rob's No Frills to Luciano's on Parliament, which always seems hectic and crowded to me. Rob's No Frills also seems to have fresher produce than the Food Basics around the corner.
Rob's gets bonus points for stocking Quaker Oat Squares. If you don't see them on the shelf, it's because I ate them all.
Don't be turned off by the neighbourhood. It's never felt unsafe or sketchy to me. -
Review from Isabel R.
Toronto, ON
1/11/2010
Really cheap, but very chaotic. Sometimes they are just out of stuff...ranging from ground beef to bananas to flour. They definitely need to work on their restocking time. Also, very small spice selection.
Though it's not great, some other reviews on here have really misleading information. There is TONS of parking...it's located right above a big parking garage. You don't have to pay for your cart. And the area really isn't that sketchy. It can sometimes be really busy, but it all comes down to the time you get there, like any other downtown grocery store.Listed in: St. James Town Hot Spots
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Review from Sean B.
7/29/2009
Cheap as hell. Decent produce. Product selection is ok but not great. Overall, good value and not a bad place to go for staples and essentials.
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Review from Luis H.
Toronto, ON
5/13/2011
Best prices on groceries hands down. What the store lacks in appearance, it gains with the hordes of shoppers amassing there on the weekend to take advantage of the best prices in downtown Toronto. Make sure to bring reusable bags to save on the city's five cent per bag surcharge.
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Review from Chris P.
Updated - 4/1/2010 111 Check-ins Here
In the last six months or so things seem to have gotten better at this store. There are fewer fights between customers at the check-out and the bitchy attitude-filled cashiers are gone and have been replaced with people who actual greet you with a smile and a hello.
Listed in: St. Jamestown, Sherbourne
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/30/2009 First to Review
If you like drama with your grocery shopping experience this is the place to be. About 40% of the… Read more »
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Review from roger w.
Toronto, ON
3/30/2010
i'm stoked that this place is near by!
it could be twice as big for the amount of people it has to service.
