Hess' Your Independent Grocer

Check expiry dates! Can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked away paying full price for “long shelf life items” that have been expired for days. I never write reviews but it happened yet again so here we are

Upon entering, I noticed the aroma of freshly cooked donuts near the right entrance. While the scent is delightful, it became quite overpowering and lingered on my clothes and hair due to the cooking oil. It might be beneficial for the management to consider ventilation improvements. Otherwise, the staff was friendly, and the overall experience was positive.

Horrible store security guard followed my son the entire time and still checked his bag before he went to the cash my sin is mentally ill he had an episode because of what happened i dont recommended shopping here unless you're comfortable with discrimination against the poor

Consistently good markdowns keep me coming back, but labelling, organization and selection continue to dissuade me from rating higher. That being said it's still a good stop.

Everything is good the price, the quality and the service ; but it's missing a bicycle rack, i'm always hanging my bike in MacDonald or in the beer store ; will pleasent if you ad one, thank's

2 days in a row to get some skimmed milk in 2 leters carton and a worker said the are cutting down on 2 leters well they lost me as a customer for my groceries and I spend lots of money no service no go.

Small store but great stock and people that this store have the feel of a country grocery store

Despite the name it's not really "your" independent grocery. It is "a" grocery and it's not bad. I once got into a car accident in the parking lot. That was "my" fault.

The front desk staff. I find exceptional.
For example: I had made purchases at another store and with concern. I left them at front desk (so there was no confusion as er roof pf psyment)
I was nicely conferred that ot was not necessary to leave my purchases there.
The staff was genuinely concerned about me and the fact that it could go missing during my time shopping. Kudo's to Independant and making me feel safe.thank you

Nice store! Staff is friendly and helpful, however it is difficult to find someone at the checkout who knows how to property bag groceries. I asked the young man today if they received training in this, and he replied "not really". This is a really small thing that goes a long way!

Super dated store, especially for its location but the produce is always fresh and the shelves are always full.

It's a complete store - all essentials available - also do delivery service - neatly stocked up - slightly higher prices - good convenient location -will go again

Very nice and sweet employees and great selection. I lost my wallet here once. They saved it for me and I am so great full

High quality and a large variety of food choices at great prices!
Great selection of wines, & beer.

Why does cash guy#204 stand around with mask under his chin at his work station? We wear them. And he is not pleasant: (

So far I havnt had a single issue with this location the staff are awesome
Especially the 2 people who literally helped my gf find her coffee when she stupidly left it somewhere on the shelf in a random isle and it blended it and she couldn't find it

I hàd a very bad experience today at this place went to do a quick shopping the caissiere left when she finished with the custome before me without saying any thing i waited 3 to 5 minutes.
Then i went to next caissiere and told her what happened to me she said "sorry about that".
When i was leaving the rude caissiere came back and was serving another customer.
I was so uppsed wanted to complain to the manager but i was in hurry.
Never got before today so bad customer service.

Everything is becoming multi-buy to force you to buy more. I don’t want 2 of everything, and the prices to buy things individually are a ripoff.

Perfect rendez-vous halfway between Ottawa and Montreal. Family-friendly restaurant with copious meals. Also a truck stop and airstrip.

Nice store but you have to watch for pass date there is a lot of product and bread check date. Very expensive store went the Bissonnette at that store there was always good special and the product were not expensive like it is now. But the store is clean and there piece is always nice tasting not like some place the porch taste old. But at this Independent store the meat is A1 very good

Usually it's OK to buy a few items there. Most of it is way too expensive on low income. I'm always disappointed by the salad and herbs. Empty shelves, no parsley.or even no lettuce at all except for wilted one and dirty. NO real rye bread at all! I am just looking for regular bread that contains nothing but rye flour, yeast and salt. Who needs preservatives, sugar and all kinds of stuff inside bread?

I know what I want and I can get in and get out very quickly. Their delivery service is always dependable. I love the bakery <3

Not a very exciting store considering its location. On a plus side, shelves well stocked and staff friendly and helpful.

I saw rodent traps in this store under the bottom shelf in bread section against the back wall of the store not far from the meat section. This was the last straw for med.

Felt like I was cattle being rushed at the cash register. Ms. Teaghan was loudly redirecting people to other cash register and completely ignoring me. Had to bag my items and as soon has she was done adding the total, she ask for immediate payment and started on another client's grocery almost piling his items over mine, not respecting Covid-19 distanciation rules in Ottawa, ON. This is the 3rd times happening to me at this location in the past 6 weeks. Either she was having a bad day or she shouldn't be in that position. Most employees at the cash registers are rude and in a bad mood. So time to go to another store after 6 years. Lack of selection, empty shelves, high prices. Lack of fresh produce (and overprice), meat or baked goods (staled bread). I gave them enough opportunities to better themselves.

I can understand that covid changes things but you still have to use your judgement. I've been a loyal customer for many years, shopping at Hess Independent for myself and for a group of seniors. I was appalled by the service I received.

The store was closing and this was my last stop, I kindly asked for change AFTER I finished paying for the groceries. The cashier bluntly said no and refused to touch my money but she was willing to put her hands in my bags and dig out all my items one by one to refund my purchases as I asked after she refused. I had enough of the nonsense. Time to move on to something better. Farm Boy, Food Basics and Loblaws have better choice and better prices.

UPDATE: jan 27. I never returned. The people I used to drive there are going elsewhere with me. The owner (HESS) of this Independent Grocer doesn't acknowledge customer concerns.

It's a grocery store. But wouldn't have been so tired I would have spent the extra gas to get better prices, would have been well worth it.

I stopped going here over a year ago. Staff are VERY RUDE HERE. I will never go back here even if they were the last store in Ottawa!

Terrible customer service, my presence was an annoyance even though I wasn't at all imposing or rude, I think either she was having a bad day and was deflecting or she shouldn't be in that position

Not great customer service. Also, you should not be advertising a product if you do not have it and will not give a rain check. Think I will find a new grocery store. So long.

Not impressed with this store.i support all area store in my neighbourhood. But I will np longer shop here. Your website says your open till 8 o'clock.i was turn away at 6, was told store is closed.not good just service. This is not the first bad experience at your. Will drive out my way to shop elsewhere

A functional grocery store not much else you can get the basics here but don't look for fresh produce, meat or baked goods. Things go stale or are sold for discount very quickly. It caters to a number of senior living structures in the area.

For the location that this grocery store is, I find a lot of products over priced. A lot of seniors and low income people live near this location and I have no clue how they can do shopping here.

Bad experience today. If your bill seems high check it. They rang in my Starbucks ground coffee twice. So I paid 7.99 too much.

Used to be friendly but cashiers at express don't even smile.snarky at best I prefer Farm Boy across the street.always friendly and helpful

Very honest Staff.
Yesterday evening (while packing purchased merchandise into my backpack), I left on the window counter my both wallets, with money and credit cards.
Today in the morning, 1 hour before opening, they called me at home.
Even though I arrived at the Store before opening, they friendly returned both lost wallets.
Thank you Independent, huge thumbs up, this shows the class of the Staff!

Prices are always much higher than the other stores and the aisle layouts aren't the greatest. I always have a hard time finding what I need.

I only go to that store occasionally. Got a pretty bad service from one of the cashiers last time. No hi. I had trouble finding my wallet at the cash. He had too much attitude and rolling his eyes multiple of times. It was a transaction without any sort of communications from him. Obviously, no bye. That was a bad face for this store. I won't go back there ever again.

The produce is awful, overpriced little selection and not good quality. Everything else is fine but the produce is unspeakably bad. The only Berry they have here is strawberry. Maybe it's just today but this is really not good.

Security guards there profile me - be wary if your a person of color that you will feel scrutinized and profiled. High prices.

This is a good neighbourhood grocery store. They have a good selection and variety of foods, both fresh and packaged but they do not compare to some of the larger super stores in the area. It is very convenient with lots of free parking. They except all forms of payment and the staff are friendly and helpful.

Produce prices are outrageous. Stopped in as this store was on the way home and I could not believe the price of produce. Triple the price of the cheaper stores. Refused to spend the amount they wanted so had to go to a second store.

This place is legal grocery robbery. Don't understand why anyone would pay 20% more then anywhere in Ottawa. Metro is much cheaper then this place. I would recommend, if your looking for deals and bargains that this place won't help but to put a hole in your wallet. Stay away shop somewhere else, trust me youll save more!

Lots of holes on the shelf and missing lots of sales as a result. I know it's a "discount" store but you can't sell empty spaces (yet). Fill the shelves.