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My wife is craving for some of my Korean barbecued beef short ribs (Kalbi) for the weekend so we headed out to fog town's Kukje Super Market.
This place is packed with Korean goods. They have a fish/seafood section, meat, produce, frozen foods, snacks, sweets and more.
I've prepared beef short ribs bought from other places before, but it just didn't quite do it for me. Besides the reasonable prices, I really like the rib cuts here; they're just right in marbling, flavor, and for the grill. You can get your short ribs pre-marinated or plain prepackaged. They also have other popular packaged meats from thin sliced beef to oxtail.
We're big fans of Korean food! We ended up with a little over five pounds of the plain Korean beef short ribs, a bunch of green onions, a big jar of sliced spicy Kimchi, toasted seaweed snacks and some ready to eat side dishes (banchan) - seasoned spinach, seasoned bean sprouts, and roasted fish cake along with oriental style noodles (jap chae).
The weekend forecast is looking good - hot, sunny and stuffed...
I've lost count of how many BBQs and parties I've gone to where I'll just stop in here and grab some pre-marinated meats. They have them in small containers (the bulgogi ones are almost twice the size of the kalbi ones), which is enough for 2-4 people. A larger group? Get two or more containers. And the meat department display case has large tubs of marinated meats if one prefer it non-prepackaged.
This is a large store for mainly Korean foods (there's a whole fridge section of different brands and sizes of kimchees, awesome). It is also a grocery store, but is cleaner and felt less claustrophobic than other Asian markets. Of course, there also are Japanese and Western foods, and a decent collection of sochus and sakes, with some foreign beers thrown in for good measure. The service is ok, like most reviewers have said, as they sometimes give you an suspicious look if you're a foreigner. Not too hard to find, but it gets busy at times and the parking lot is small. This is also in weird-layout DC and mapping it is suggested.
There is an eatery inside this market (http://www.yelp.com/us...), and it is very good.
4 stars for the great food for a great price!
(1 star) slow service
thank goodness i found kukje! their restaurant inside has some real tasty korean dishes. this joint is my default saturday lunch spot and their tofu soup is what i always get; not inferring that their other dishes are bad, but tofu soup is just my favorite! my friends always get their sushi dishes and they're tasty as welll, so you pretty much can't go wrong here!
i don't even know what esle to tell you... if i could upload my tastebud memory and have you guys try it you guys would be hooked too.. uhhh... soo goood.
hands down cheap very tasty korean food!
*drools*
I've been here multiple times and I always get lost "knowing which" exit to get off at. Yesterday, I got off the "eastmoor" exit and I was detoured to DMV in DC.
Parking is limited.
Prices on food - I haven't done any comparison shopping. Though I think this is the closest Korean Supermarket around (Geary and Japantown too far).
HanKook in Santa Clara is great because you can weigh/select your own "panchan". Whereas this is already measured for you.
There are mini container/makeup kiosks in this store.
Whenever kalbi is on the menu, I come here to buy the beef, short ribs. I've tried another place to cut the meat, but I ended up getting miniature steaks! That was just not the right way! The short ribs must be thin and Kukje sells you a pack of 20 for only a little over $20. It's fresh and well kept.
The staff is nice and I love the kim chee from here. The market's clean and has great goodies to look at.
I enjoy coming here especially for ready to go foods. This place is like any Asian market except it's not as messy or dirty. They have a little restaurant eating area where you can order Korean food too.
I've had spicy beef noodle soup here and it was pretty dang good. But it was really expensive, at $10 a bowl. Whenever you eat here, they serve a bunch of little kimchi vegetables dishes that fills you up even before your main dish is ready. I also like the sushi & kimbap they have pre-made. I believe one hour before closing time, they mark all the pre-made foods half off, so if you're looking for cheap food this is the place to get it.
I highly recommend this market and restaurant for anyone wanting to try Korean! :)
AWESOME. Great Clean Korean market... and i don't even need to drive down to Santa Clara for it! They have a nice little restaurant in there too. I miss that place now.
This is my new* go-to place for big boxes of ramen, soju, and delicious Melona bars. Everything a growing Korean girl needs!
I just wish their ready-made Korean food was tastier and cheaper, like the food at Koreana in Oakland. I always get an inexplicable craving for kim bap when I stroll through the aisles of a Korean supermarket, but I never feel like dishing out $5 for 2 rolls of kim bap when I know that I can get the same at Koreana for $2.50.
They do have a nice selection of dduk (Korean rice cake), which I looove. I usually try to eat them secretly in the car while driving home since my mother likes to tell me frequently that all that glutinous goodness will go straight to my ass.**
_________________
*Used to be Koreana when I still lived in Berkeley, but now that I've been forced to move back home, following the tragic fate of many other members of the class of '09, I've had to switch to Kukje.
**Dear Economy,
Please get your shit together so I can find a job and not have to live with my Nazi mother.
Sincerely, Jen.
Kukje is like the anti-Asian market. Unlike most Asian markets, which have a myriad of food from different nations, Kukje only has Korean food, which has a heavy overlap with Japanese food. Chinese bok choy is so ubiquitous, one could find it at Trader Joe's or Safeway -- but not here. One will find, however, lots and lots of garlic. Considering how much garlic Koreans consume, one would imagine they sell some decent garlic. Surprisingly, the garlic here isn't fresh at all. On close inspection, you'll easily find that a lot of the garlic has already started to grow mold -- especially the peeled ones in tubs. The produce section is extremely limited -- one will surprisingly find a wider selection of portable grills here than leafy greens. Hell, they don't even offer basic staples like fresh chicken. The only chicken they sell is frozen drumsticks, frozen wings, and some very scary unrefrigerated chicken thighs that have been marinating in the open air forever.
Do not touch the seafood, especially the thawed "fresh" shrimp. Virtually all shrimp in the US is frozen at the farm. If it's thawed, it's already starting to go bad. Kukje's shrimp sit out all day, and by the afternoon, they've started to turn colors and smell foul. Basic rule: if fish smells fishy, it's rotting. Don't believe me? Go walk up to the shrimp here and take a whiff.
I might go here for the dried Japanese goods and basic Asian pantry stuff like soy sauce or rice, when I can't be bothered to look for parking in the Ranch 99 center nearby. I'm never touching the meat and seafood here ever again. Last time I did, I was sick for two days.
P.S. Someone needs to tell the management here to hire a nanny, instead of letting their kids run around the store all day, and dear gods, at least a single person who knows proper English. Kukje's signs would make them an all-star on http://Engrish.com.
I love kukje, i can pick up all my korean needs here! great for bbq meat. lots of little snacks and random things to look at. korean blankets, thermos, cups, tea maker (some of this stuff can get expensive), what's with the 150 dollar rice cooker for serving of 2. psh. but either way, oh yes, try the cream puffs in the bakery!
My affection for grocery stores is vast. When we lived in Daly City, we would frequent Kukje for the their pre-marinated meat (all you have to do is slap it on the grill at home), their banchan bar (complete with a giant selection of kim chee and with jap je), and (our favorite, though I don't know the "real" name) their Korean "sushi" rolls. Also inside is a tofu restaurant -- deliciousness.
On a recent weekend, we stopped here and had a delightful snack and a lovely walk down memory lane.
Why I come here:
Toasted Seaweed (nearly impossible to find this particular brand - it's in Korean so don't ask)
Banchan
Bohae Bokbunjajoo(a case of 4...booyah!)
Soju
Takara Plum Wine
Great selection of meats for your Korean BBQ (already marinated if preferred) and even your Shabu Shabu (pre-packed and good to go) needs.
And the crème de la crème - they have a makeup counter here. That's right my makeup.holics. They got Shiseido and a sweet display of false lashes.
One star for raping us on the pricing. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find some of said items at any of the other Asian markets so bend over I must!
I never knew this place existed! Take a mental note when you visit . . . don't come here hungry or you'd come out poor! This market offers a plethora of goodness!
Awesome! Fresh Korean sushi close to home.
Mmmmmm... :) :) :)
Sometimes I miss my mom. More specifically, I miss opening the fridge and seeing mountains of small Tupperware containers with new experimental banchan. Yes, banchan. Whenever I get these pangs of wanting and hunger, I head over to Kukje to get my fix of the essentials. My favorite snacking food is definitely kimchee fried rice and I bet most Korean kids can remember their mom adding all the leftover banchans in a pan with rice and calling it lunch.
I wish I could make an army of banchan without worrying about it growing fuzz in the time it would take me to eat it all but for the comforts of home, I'm happy to pay through the nose for food that reminds me of home and a healthier diet overall.
Their Kukje brand kimchee has elevated them to another level all together. I bought one and waited a week to open it, only to find that it was perfectly fermented enough to make kimchee jeegeh out of it. Better than that, their butcher speaks Korean, English and Spanish. When I approached the glass I was expecting some form of Spanglish but he instead asked what I needed in coherent Korean. I shamefully had to do a double take but in hind sight was quite impressed.
I think the ladies who man the cashiers must see a lot of girls like me 'cause they usually give the knowing look of an older sister and ask how school is going. That's cute.
This is my Korean market away from home...ah, how I miss Super H Mart. Kukje is probably the biggest… Read more »
**This review is based on the restaurant inside Kukje supermarket and the sanitation of it**
This review is about an experience about a year ago. Mind you, the selection and the set up was not as elaborate as it is today and **their sanitation habits may have changed**. Today they have a whole selection of deli/take out/side dishes with marinated meats, kimchi, seaweed salad, dragon rolls, California rolls, seaweed salad, ect. This is the only Korean store that I have found on my side of Daly City (bordering San Francisco) that has this wide of a selection of food and grocery items.
BUT I've had one bad experience from the restaurant that I just can't get out of my head:
It was my third time ordering from the restaurant, I became obsessed with their Korean soups that come with a bunch of yummy side dishes- excellent serving for the price. I decided to eat there because they have a nice set up on the right side corner of the store, with a bunch of tables and a small bakery next to it. I didn't have to wait too long for the food either, it was out within 5 minutes. It was close to the middle of the day, so there was a good 15 or so people eating at the tables. It was about 10 minutes into eating my food, when a middle sized rat comes staggering into the dining area from the kitchen area. The rat was a pretty big sized rat, probably full from the food, but he was staggering like he was sick. It wasn't long for the customers to realize it because it was taking its time walking through the open floor. Soon enough, people were screaming (men and women) and jumping onto their chairs to avoid touching it. A counter person came with a broom to push the rat away from under a table and it scurried away, behind another a wall near the bakery. It could be possible that in any other restaurant, customers would leave and ask for a refund after seeing that. But everyone who was standing on chairs or standing on the side, about to run at the sight of the rat, calmly sat down and finished their meal.
As I recall, no one left right after seeing that rat. But after that experience, I still come back to this store once in a while to buy groceries, and sanitation standards seem to have changed. I avoid the restaurant.
i find everything i want here and their open till 10pm. its a bit pricey but it has what you need and its super clean. doesn't smell like fish like some places do. well, i like this place cause it also has a little korean restaurant in one corner. I like how everything's very neatly stacked . meat looks very fresh and yes, i recommend anyone to go here if you cook asian food or want a korean snack. they have to cool looking kimchi; something i might buy when i drop on by again... And the restaurant, i thought it was okay.
Been going to Kukje since they opened this location. Over the years their prepared foods (the deli section, I guess) as gone way down in quality. I do not buy any of their prepared deli foods. (I don't mean the restaurant inside the store, which I think is owned & operated by others.) The prepared foods at First Korean Market on Geary Blvd. are much better, IMO.
Here's why I am writing this review: yesterday I bought a large jar of Kukje's own kimchi (they sell several different "brands"), brought it home, opened it, and the kimchi was SLIMY! I have never seen kimchi like this! Even if kimchi is old (i.e., fermenting for a long time) it should not get slimy. Old kimchi should be just sour and lose its crispness. Gross! I will not return to Kukje.
One more thing: Kukje's prices on other Korean/Asian staples are on the high side.
Ne :)
Without this market, life as I know it would not exist. How could I get my fresh kimchee or the batter for those tasty seafood pancakes? I love their restaurant and the meat section has all pre-marinated meats for those summer BBQ's of Kalbi and Bulgogi. A vast selection of Korean Sho-chu and beer. Fully stocked produce with helpful workers that are eager to answer your question.
Plenty of parking and never much waiting in line here. Such a great place! Thank you for being there for my food intake!!
My K-Town woman took me here. Wow....another eye candy place I just discovered. So this is where all… Read more »
Always been told, and I always said...I must have been Korean in another lifetime.
Fried chicken...check
Big jar of kimchi...check
japchae...check
banchan...check
seaweed...check
marinated meat...check
snacks...check
Holy crap. Kukje is awesomeeeee. I can spend an hour in here looking at everything, trying to figure out if I can cook the food authentically or if it'll taste like crap. I've been too afraid to try and make dukk boki with ramen because if I ruin it I'll taint the dish for myself forever. The market is always stocked with fresh fruits and veggies, lots of meat, lots of delicious side dishes, tons of snacks, tons of drinks [soju or aloe, anyone?]...you cannot go wrong in this market.
Yeah okay some of the items seem a bit over priced but I could not and will not live without Korean food.
I loved going here for their Kim Chee, Kim Chee stew and their Korean sushi. I will once in awhile get their chicken wings which are pretty good too.
After coming here so often I stopped almost completely because their prices aren't really the best. Their Kim Chee Stew was giving me diarrhea every time. And all their Kim Chee taste the same.
I miss shopping at this market. They have great pre-marinated meat thats great for bbq! I love the Korean side dishes they have out there. YUM! I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! Their produce is ok. I havent seen any bugs on my produce yet!
Prices are about average ( I think)
I have yet to find another Korean market like that one in my area.
It's a little pricey for what they have, but this aint LA, so where else are you going to go?
The parking lot is really small but there usually aren't too many people here anyhow. The supermarket is really nice and clean. There is a wide assortment of korean goodies here and there's even a restaurant and little beauty shop here. The items here are expensive, compared to a chinese place, but there are certain things here u probably won't find elsewhere.
My favorite part about the supermarket is their cooked food. The sushi is cheap and pretty good. The little chicken wings used to be a lot better, but now the flavor just isn't there anymore. Everything there looks so delicious!
I ate at the restaurant with a friend once and have to say its well priced for great tasting food. I got the BiBimBap and my friend got the bento box. The meal comes with a couple side dishes but not as impressive as other restaurants I have been to. The service is great and quick as well.
I haven't really been to an exclusive Koren Market, but I don't find the need to. This place is super close to work & my mother's, so anytime I'm in the mood - I stop by.
Things I absolutely enjoy
* Sesame BBQ Chicken wings - for ~$5.00 possibly fill up 2 people
* Seasoned SeaWeed Wrappers - I can't find them anywhere else. I'm not gonna tell you the brand, because I might not find them ever!!
Everything is super organized. Easy to find an navigate. The isles also are wide enough to comfortably fit two way traffic.
Beware of the 8am opening. We (Allen E. & I) head here before work, but sometimes they open a little late.
first of all...GREAT SUSHI for kinda cheap inside (: get the rock n' roll and tobico rolls (:
second of all...BEST SELECTION OF DRINKS. i swear, they have the coolest drinks here! super asian but they're interesting...the banana milk that i went nuts over, and all these varieties of fruity and flavorful drinks (:
i really need to tell dad to shop here more. forget ranch 99 and pacific super! i have a new favorite asian market (:
Neat little Korean market. The eatery inside isn't all that bad either. Has a lot of pre-made ban-jangs u can buy and take to go.
I come here for my Korean food needs.
This is a great Korean market. You can get everything you need in one place.
One of the best features about Kukje is that it also features a bakery and a restaurant. The restaurant is actually quite good. I usually always get bi bim bap or tofu soup and it is always good. I think that their california rolls are one of the best I've ever had. At the bakery, you have to get the french toast bread. It's sugary and sweet and tastes too good to eat just one.
They also have a section of prepared food to go which is great, because more often than not, it's usually warm since they are making it fresh throughout the day.
Definitely a quality market with a lot to offer. I really couldn't ask for more.
NO MORE Cherry Maki and Sushi.
It become Tofu House.
Why?
I liked Cherry Maki.
Cherry Maki was a my dream porn star that maybe half Chinese and Black.
I was with 2 old guys in here one day, a 68 years old Puerto Rican man and 69 years old Chinese man, Both American born and love any Asian things. For them, having a Bibin-bup at Cherry Maki was such a ...... Sexcellent dining experience, remembered their last Asian girl friend or sleazy Asian massage parlor visit. I don't know, something dirty for sure.
Even though I can get the exact same FXXXin' bibin-bup at Tofu-House, I still miss Cherry Maki.
It's like..... You still miss Ultra-Man even you are watching Ultra Seven.
( I think Ultra Seven was the Best in Eiji Tsuburaya. But I like Ultre-Man, I can still remember the title song.)
Anyway,
There are 2 Vege-buns for $3.99 and 2 Kimchee buns for $3.99, each buns are, 6" diameter white round thing made me SMILE.
I got both, I had to.
Mung Bean Cake, 3 for $2.99!!!! 4.5" diameter light brown round thing also made me SMILE!!!
Tasted like Okonomiyaki with no cabbage. I liked it.
There are 2 things I don't like very much in Korean food.
1. Soju. it's just TOO sweet for me. it's like drinking vodka mixed with vanilla Ice cream, condensed milk and sugared melted gummy bear.
2. Tofu soup, I have a problem with that. it just TOO HOT TEMPERATURE!! so I don't know what I am having. It's like put myself into a blast furnace. FXXX HOT! ( I say the same to Korean women.)
3. Korean soup opera. FXXX! I just don't get it.
There are many things I DO like in Korean food.
1. Kimchee. of course, who else?
2. Noodle.
3. BBQ.
4. Large bean sprouts.
5. Seaweeds, CHEEPER and BIGGER than Japo kind.
6. JiveAssRoll. I believe it's Korean invention.
etc....
Kukje always makes me smile.
So, I'll say, "I want to go to there."
Good by Cherry Maki. So long.
NO! COME BACK CherryMaki, COME BACK!!!!
A W E S O M E !
This place always reminds me of "Ichi-ba" ( fish, meat and produce huge-market )…
Read more »
Did you guys know there was a restaurant in this place? Well there is and they serve the best tofu soup! And it's a cool place to shop since they carry all the yummy Korean side dishes.
This is the only Asian market I've been to so far, but I think it's just okay. The prices seem a bit higher than other Asian markets I've been to back in San jose. Perhaps rent is higher because it's near the city? They have a wide selection of items and I will definitely be returning since it's so close by.
Having moved from Oakland to the Peninsula I feared that I would have to endure a painful drive every time I needed to stock up on my basic needs. But no fear, Kukje is here, right off the freeway next to a large strip mall that reminds me vaguely of Los Angeles' Koreatown. It is significantly larger than Koreana Plaza, even slightly larger than what used to be Eugene Market, and the selection is far greater than either of those markets. Unlike Eugene it is purely Korean, you will find almost no American products here. (I say almost, I saw none but one could be lurking somewhere)
The thing that makes it far superior to Koreana and Eugene is its fresh selection, which not only includes raw meat and fish, but a large array of well made Korean side dishes laid out in buffet fashion. Its freshness is well told by the absolute lack of smell, which is remarkable especially with all the pickled and fermented items. The fish section smells faintly as it is whole fish but that's nothing new, if anyone's stuck a bottle of kimchi in the fridge and opened it a few hours later you know that an entire section of at least 15 different types of kimchi laid out in the open that doesn't smell is inconceivable.
The parking lot is a bit small for a market of that size, Koreana has a much larger lot, but the strip mall next door has plenty left, although I have no idea how anal they are about parking in the wrong lot.
Its pricing is a hair above Koreana, although Koreana has been gradually rising their prices over the past few years so it could be pretty equal now. But it still overrides the fact that it is well stocked of the largest selection I've seen since LA, and beats most of them in terms of cleanliness. I no longer have to lament that Koreana doesn't stock some of the items I liked anymore, and it's plenty easy to get to.
Like all good Korean markets it has a kitchenware area, makeup counter, bakery, as well as a counter for some kitchen-made items. Now I found another plus factor in moving to this area.
Grill ready marinated meat.
All the banchan you could need.... a kimchi bar!
Food shopping is one of my most favorite things to do.
This place is so chock full of goodness, it totally inspires me.
The shelves are well stocked and organized.
It's overwhelming in a very good way.
Loved it when Kukje was next to PollyAnn's (when they moved and closed down their old location, it was quite a shocker to us all but thankfully, they came back!) and when I wasn't feeling in the mood for ice cream in a cone or candy, my little middle schooler self would go with friends to Kuk Je and get their melon bars (honeydew bars) and onion ring chips.
We also buy the mini yogurt drinks with the foil on top and the carbonated drinks that came in a bottle with a marble in the neck of it (haha, what fun my sister had with those!).
Also Kukje had the best pot stickers/gyoza already made and sold in pack-it-yourself containers.
Chap chae is to die for! I used to eat those almost everyday. It was such a treat to eat! And still is today!
The vermicelli that they now sell in a to-go pack along with their chili chicken wings in a to-go pack make a wonderful meal (sold in the hot foods section of the grocery store).
Amongst produce, poultry, various Asian snacks and dinnerware, you can find a lot of what you need here for your day-to-day or for a quick bite to eat.
Love you and thank you for existing.
The market is great, but the restaurant is even BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!
Practically EVERYTHING is good on the menu. They didnt have jajangMun before, now they do!!!!!! its good!
EVEN the SUSHI is awesome!!! Even though it is made by a spanish man that speaks korean, it tastes so wonderfully fresh. I guess it is fresh because they do live in a supermarket...
Kalbi is good, and their tea is CORN tea, not green, not brown rice, but Corn Husk tea!! its so yummy.
However, they do not have chapche at the restaurant, you can buy it from the market, then eat it at the restaurant... weird huh?
This is the only place I get my Korean BBQ sauce that I like to add to my own concoction of bbq chicken and/or ribs. This place is neat and the aisles are spacious, plus there's plenty of parking.
I haven't tried the restaurant in the store but I will soon.
I find myself always coming here whenever I want some Asian snacks. After my trip to Japan I have always been craving certain snacks, that I thought I could only get while I was there ... which would explain why I jam-packed my suitcase with all these snacks. Well, eventually they ran out and I had no idea where to find them. While driving to the movie theaters, down the street from here, I saw this place and decided to check it out. Much to my surprise they carried all the snack I wanted and SO much more.
The one star is gone because I could not find anyone that could help me when I had questions -- or when I did, they would try to pawn me off on someone else ... it was only one question, but I figured they couldn't understand me? I don't know ... whatever. They still get 4 great stars from me!! :)
I love wandering around the Kukje aisles! Which usually means I end up buying more than I should have but I find all sorts of great things there. My most recent trip uncovered those little mochi pieces that they have at those frozen yogurt places that seem to have taken the place of those boba shops.
The prepared food is really good here. I got a rainbow roll to take home last time and it was really fresh. My husband loves the sweet chicken wings from the same area. The bakery has these filled pastries that are to die for. My favorite is the custard filled one but the white bean comes in close second.
If you aren't that familiar with Korean food, I'd suggest you just wander around like I do.
I live in SF, but go to Kukje for my asian groceries.
It's disappointing that SF doesn't have good asian grocery stores. The better ones are located in Japantown, but even those don't stock much variety. Kukje is worth the drive especially if you're looking for Korean groceries.
Highlights:
- Meat section has thinly sliced raw meat ready for hot pot or bbq
- Good soju (rice wine) selection
- Good kimchi selection
- Whole aisle of noodles
- Tasty prepared foods
The restaurant located inside the grocery store is surprisingly good. I recommend the restaurant for any one hungry for Korean. It's not the cheapest, but affordable.
People looking for "organic" food should shop elsewhere.
If you're a fan of interesting flavored and colored drinks...there's an aisle at Kukje waiting for you.
Love this supermarket!!
A good place to get groceries
and they have hella good snacks there!
Neighborhood: Western Addition/NOPA
Category: Grocery
Daly City, CA
Category: Grocery
Neighborhood: Inner Richmond
Category: Korean
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Daly City, CA
Category: Japanese
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