International Market & Restaurant
Categories: Chinese, Grocery, Asian Fusion, Thai [Edit]
Neighborhood: Belmont/Hillsboro2010 Belmont Blvd
Nashville, TN 37212 (615) 297-4453
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
12 Reviews for International Market & Restaurant
This market has a great lunch menu and buffet. I once had the most amazing bowl of soup here... it was one of those days where your spirits are low and you just need a hug. Well I didn't get a hug but I did get a bowl of very spicy chicken soup and a bottle of beer which soothed me inside and out.
The place is definitely a no frills kinda spot. You get a tray and get in line. The room is very lived in. You could probably get a good taste of what's on the menu by licking the ceiling tiles. It's not a dirty spot like in a violating the health code sort of way, but it is a very independent shop that is more worried about cooking good food than up keeping the dining room.
Stop in for lunch and get something with chicken. I would also definitely recommend the soup.
I was just here last night when some friends and I tried to go to PM across the street and the wait was much too long. International Market has been around for a long time. The food is served cafeteria style and is a definite bargain. There were plenty of Thai and Chinese dishes to choose from, and the nice lady last night told us that we could also special order items from the kitchen. Honestly, it's not really my type of cuisine, so I couldn't being to tell you how it rates against other places. However, I know lots of people who love this place. Including the 8 other people I was with last night.
It's a fast and cheap lunch spot conveniently located. I agree with Sharon that it is kind of "no frills." You aren't going here for any kind of ambiance or to impress anyone. As their name implies, they do have groceries for purchase as well. If you need a quick and cheap Thai fix, I'd say give it a go.
This is a good lunch place if you're in a hurry or want to grab take-out. It's buffet style, which can be good and bad...good because it's quick and easy and you can see everything up front; bad because you can see everything up front (some looked as though it had been sitting out a while).
Needless to say, food is decent--I stuck with the Thai choices (spicy coconut chicken skewers and egg noodles with veggies) and would eat it again for sure. They also have various Chinese dishes...didn't look as appetizing.
In addition to the hot food ready to serve, there is a large non-fancy dining room, as well as "grocery" section containing a large selection of international foods, spices, sauces, etc.
Again--not my favorite place to grab Thai food, but I'll go back if I'm in a hurry.
While I haven't ever really done any shopping here, I've stopped in for a quick lunch on countless occasions, and I must say, it's a very tasty little place. It's right next door to Belmont (practically on campus), and it's the sort of place that caters to young people with big appetites and not a lot of cash.
I typically just breeze through the buffet when I visit the Market, and they have all the basics: Pad Thai, spicy and sweet and sour chicken, et cetera. Nothing there is the best I've ever had, but it's all pretty solid.
The staff at International Market is very nice, and because servings are large and prices aren't, it's the type of place that the locals frequent. I've bought little Asian candies and treats here before, but that's about it as far as the non-restaurant items. I know quite a few people do actually shop here regularly, and it seems like a great spot to pick up the essentials for your Chinese, Thai and various Asian cuisine concoctions.
I LOVE International Market! This Thai owned family restaurant has been around 30+ years. My family used to walk down the street to eat here as a child. The food is delicious and still reasonably priced in an age where everything seemd to be skyrocketing. Although their delicious papaya juice is no longer "on tap", you can buy a similar bottled product. Spicy chicken on a stick, crab wontons, the eggplant, and bamboo shoots are some of my favorite dishes. You can now even order specialty dishes from the kitchen in addition to ordering from the buffet classics. For dessert, treat yourself to the white rabbit milk candy, rice candy (comes with a sticker), or a fortune cookie!
The atmosphere here is casual and colorful with art, instruments, and import items displayed on the walls, and available for purchase on shelves lining the entrance way. Parking could be a problem as the area has become more congested with development over the years.
This place makes me so happy.
While I've never eaten here, all my friends love it and the smell in there today made me want to sit down and eat a second lunch.
All the stuff they sell is so, so sweet. Surprisingly, they sell a bunch of really cute and well-priced bags, necklaces, etc. They also sell well-priced and huge bags of jasmine rice.
They've got my heart.
I love this place. I've never had a bad meal here, although I did just have a lunch that was only "good." I have never ordered from their extensive buffett, in favor of ordering from the kitchen. I love the chicken satays, they are really amazing. The Panang is great, and the Tom Ka soup is great too. I get them both with chicken. You can also find some good imported teas and beers in their coolers. Everytime I have been here I have heard an asian person order in Thai (I assume). So that is a good sign to me. Very affordable too.
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This market is a great place to pick up groceries for your Asian cooking adventures, or just some exotic candy and gum with strange messages on it, and they also carry several kinds of Pocky!
I've always bypassed the buffet for the Thai selections that they make fresh to order. The Pad Thai with tofu is a huge, delicious, heaping plate, enough for at least two meals. It's extremely cheap and has never let me down. The place is right next to Belmont but never seems too overrun with students, I've always liked hanging out in the shop to have my lunch. The fried sweet potatoes make a great dessert!
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Excellent no frills nutrition at student prices. Have a seat at the window and watch the Belmont students wander by. A selection of international grocery items are for sale. Bongo Java is just down the street so its easy to spend a couple hours looking at the old four square houses, people watching or meeting friends.
The 4th star is for location.
I love this place. Its down the street from my house, so it is very convenient. The portions they give you are huge and the price tag is small, which makes for a great place to eat when you're on a budget.. and if you're like me and can't eat all the food they serve you, you take home the leftovers and have another meal for the next day. the veggie rolls are my favorite, especially when craving an egg roll. They also have a decent little asian market, which is great for when you need some hard to find asian ingredients. They finally started carrying matcha powder (which is green tea powder) that is a great little ingredient when you want to make an interesting treat (i use it to make green tea cheesecake). They also have black sesame seeds for a great price (just think of smokey flavored sesame seeds, so good). I also like to get a pack of the rice candy when checking out.. a nice treat to carry around in my purse. The staff here is really friendly, so thats another reason to keep going back. Also, I don't think its on their menu but you can order Thai Iced Tea when checking out.. one of my favorite things to drink (although it can sometimes be a little too sweet). I don't have a negative thing to say about this place. I think the owner of International Market also owns PM across the street... so if you're paying attention, you'll notice that employees are always running back and forth across the street to take care of both spots. I really hope Belmont doesn't run them out... as I've heard rumored before.
I'm not an Asian food aficionado by any means. Though I do enjoy Chinese food, before moving to Nashville my main exposure to it was at the buffet line of various establishments typically run by Latinos that included taquitos, fried chicken, and chocolate pudding right next to the sweet and sour chicken. International Market was my first taste of something different.
Now, I know that International Market isn't the pinnacle of Asian cuisine. It's not even my favorite Chinese restaurant in town (that honor goes to Chinatown near Green Hills Mall). But International Market was there first, so it gets a nod.
The staff at IM are always very quick and courteous, which considering this is a cafeteria style eatery, that puts you in the right state of mind right from the start. The Chinese options are fairly typical fare, but they are all consistent and tasty. I suggest the pepper steak over some fried rice if you're a first timer and not a vegetarian. I'm also addicted to the chicken on a stick, because really, any food on a stick automatically gets points just for being on a stick, right? And for dessert, skip the confections by the checkout counter, and opt instead for the fried sweet potatoes, lightly battered in tempura batter, which they've had all but one time when I've been there and are absolutely delicious.
I can't speak for the Thai options that IM has, but my girlfriend has had the Pad Thai with fried tofu on many occasions and has always enjoyed it.
International Market may not be the best place in Nashville for Asian food, but for the price (we always eat for far less than twenty bucks) and the portions, you really can't beat it for a good, quick, cheap meal.
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Your typical Asain market with the to-go buffet in back, except this one blends South Asain and Chinese fare in with its Thai buffet. The result is quite tasty, but not spectacular. Try the chicken and bamboo shoots in green curry. I give it 4 stars instead of 3 only because it is very cheap and, unlike most Asain markets, the place is laid out really well and you can spread out and spend some time at one of the many comfortable tables in the middle of the store.
update: second visit, the food was bland. downgraded to 3 stars.
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