Lee Lee Oriental Supermarket
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
22 Reviews for Lee Lee Oriental Supermarket
I try to never go to this store. I can't get past the weird smell and I hate having to go down so many aisles to find the specific item I am looking for. I hate the way things are organized.
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For the Phoenix Metro, it doesn't get much better then this! They even sell tapioca pearls for my occasional much needed bubble tea fix! Plus they sell tendon and trip for pho.. oh the delights and treasures in store for me on each visit are amazing! I get butterfly's every time I'm on my way there! Sort of like going to Disneyland for the first time.. love and good times!
I love Lee Lee! Its the real deal!
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I love Lee Lee, but so many bad Asian drivers in one centrally located spot -- truly my peeps at their finest. I just wait until an hour - ish before closing time and everything is fairly quiet and sometimes they're putting out veggies for the next day. WOO HOO! Forget the early bird, I'm a night owl.
As for the "weird smell" as one yelper described, I ignore it. Truth is, I'm used to it and I know it's the same smell of any asian market, hell even parts of Chinatown in San Francisco. I've smelled worse things while traveling the world. Lee Lee's your typical Asian market (shout out to 99 Ranch in the Bay Area!), but better organized than other markets I've been to. The aisles are clearly marked - Chinese, Indian, etc. If you can't navigate it, then how you navigate the roads here makes me wonder if you should be driving at all.
Since I'm hard pressed to find inexpensive Filipino food here in the valley, I find I have to make it myself. Lee Lee's carries all the stuff that I need to try (really, it's try, but never accomplish) and replicate my mom's dishes.
It's also really nostalgic for me as well when I go down the cookie/candy aisle and see things like the Strawberry Pocky sticks or the chocolate Pocky sticks...It reminds me of going to Japantown in San Jose on Sundays after church so mom could get the ingredients for her menus of the week. But what really makes Lee Lee a winner in my eyes is the desserts from Goldilocks Bakery as well as their assortment of breads.
I'm a total starch slut, so seeing Pan de Sal and the Filipino desserts makes me happy. I buy a few things and then put them in the fridge so I can munch on them during the week.
I also love their frozen food section as well - you can find such a variety of frozen potstickers, Indian food, sea food...it's a wonder one even thinks of going anywhere else.
I like Lee Lee's a lot and their selection of fresh fruits and vegetables is one of the better places in the valley...unless you support your local farmers.
Service can be rude, but I don't expect hearts, flowers and puppies in places like this. It is what it is - an Asian market.
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"I'm making short ribs for dinner, K-style," says my little sis.[1]
I immediately launch into my 'short ribs' song.
Lyrics:
We're having short ribs
Everybody loves short ribs
We're having short ribs.
From Seoul or Atlanta
Everybody loves short ribs
From Seoul or Atlanta.
We're having short ribs
Everybody loves short ribs
We're having short ribs.
I have a huge soft spot for Lee Lee's. Their meat prices are awesome, always, always better than the white man's stores. When they say Oriental Supermarket, they actually mean 'The whole freakin' planet.' They've got stuff from Amsterdam here.
Their seafood section is superb, considering we're smack dab in the middle of the 4th largest desert in the world.
I used to live about ten minutes away, and I assure you I spent many a happy Friday night wandering around here.
They have a curry aisle. Aisle.
This is where I used to go to get my dried squid strips in kimchee. And my udon. And my potsticker stuff. And my curries. And my garam masala. And mung beans. Ugh, mung beans.
And real Mexican chocolate. I wasn't aware that Mexico was traditionally considered part of Asia, but there you go. Postmodern identity.
Vastly superior selection, to this dog eye, than 99 Ranch- although 99 has the proximity to the CCC and the gardens in its favor.
Service can be hit or miss. When it's on- it's very attentive- I've had staff correct my recipe lists in real time- I've also been ignored for half an hour. Took a star away for that.
[1] My sister is on fire in the kitchen these days. Empenadas with green olive/turkey filling? Genius. She's just discovered tamarind. She's on a chutney kick. She's making shooooort riiibbs. She's got a theory about exposing her kids to a wide range of flavors- and I'm behind it.
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Lee Lee is huge, they have everything. I agree with Jasmine that the layout of the stores kinda suck(that's why it's missing 1 star). They even sell roast pork and duck there(mostly on the weekends though). If you can try to avoid the weekends cause it gets crowed. That's why i only go on the weekdays but I really like it there and it's decently price. it's definitely as good as it can get in Arizona.
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Lee Lee is more than an Oriental Supermarket... it's international. They have aisles of things from South America, Africa, and Great Britain in addition to the expected Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Korean, Vietnamese, and things from other Asian countries.
I found some Dutch things there that I had not seen outside of the Netherlands, and some things from South America that a friend from Dominican Republic would bring home with her.
The place is huge, and always crowded. In this case, crowds are good. I am always able to get help finding things I need from other shoppers who can read the Chinese and Japanese labels.
They have restaurant in the corner. Walk behind the low wall on the north side of the building and through the door into the seating area to find a counter that has light fare. That's were you can find the boba drinks. Boba rulz!
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Looking for durian the size of your head? In need of some veggies and fruit? How about a roast duck or a sugar cane drink? In the Phoenix metro area, Lee Lee is the place to find all these and a whole lot more. In fact, one could buy alcohol for a party, frozen siu mai, sauces galore, shrimp chips, dried noodles, tofu, pickled plums, kimchee, whole fish, beef bones for making stock, and candy, as well as the pots to cook and dishes to present everything on. Lee Lee is the largest Asian supermarket in the area and the default shopping destination for Asian groceries.
They offer food from many different countries including China, Vietnam, Korea, Thailand, Japan, and even Jamaica. A variety of whole fish are available along the back of the store along with a butcher shop displaying cuts of meat from beef to chicken or pork. Roast ducks hang in golden presentation next to the bakery counter which sells an assortment of dried fruits and meats as well as a number of baked items, many trucked in from out of state.
There is an Asian decor section in the front of the store along with a jewelry store housing loads of jade and gold jewelry. Near the entrance on the front north side of the store, one can purchase lottery tickets or medicinal items.
The prices are fair and merchandise is well stocked. Good thing too because even though Lee Lee is a one store operation, where else are you going to go?
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I LOVE THIS PLACE. Let me number the ways in which I love this huge, cheap and less-than-normal-smelly Asian market!
1. Meat is cheap. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are 1.99 a pound. Can't beat that. Also, beef tenderloin is 5.99 a pound. Amazing! Shrimp is decently priced and I just recently purchased a crab and steamed him into seafood heaven. So fresh and so tasty. That three pounder was only $19! (Can you tell that I love this place already?)
2. What don't they have? I stock up on the curry pastes and coconut creams when I make Thai, fish sauces and rice noodles when I make Vietnamese, and oyster sauce, wonton skins and everything else when I'm just plain hungry.
3. It's really busy on the weekends, so I go before 11 or during the week. They move pretty quick and I have a 10% discount card--yes, 10% off everything every trip!
4. Produce is wicked cheap and fresh. I love the whole peeled garlic and the baby bok choy. The green beans are yummy and you can't beat the prices on the green and white onions.
BAD NEWS: Word among the Asian community is that LeeLee was recently sold by its Cambodian owner who is opening the location in the West valley. Manila market, which is opening just three miles north, is going to be too tough of competition, especially since Manila's owner is getting his goods from California, which is going to ensure fresher, cheaper products. I love LeeLee, but I might be switching teams is the rumors are true.
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More a comment than a review. Suffice it to say, I L-O-V-E this store! Much to my surprise and delight they are opening a second store at 75th and Cactus! Right in my own backyard , don't ya know. Woo hoo! Now all we need for the NW valley is Lee's sandwiches, and a solid dim sum joint to complete my favorite Asian trifecta!!
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Okay, perhaps I'm biased being an Asian from the Bay Area, but Lee Lee isn't all that.
#1 if you are looking for a particular item i.e. bamboo shoots, you have to go through like 3 or 4 different isles to find it since they're location/country oriented. I've been to other pan-Asian markets, and have seen the layout done way better.
#2 - The line during the weekends is CRAZY. If you can avoid this at all, please do yourself a favor and go during a weekday. This also makes the parking lot crazy.
#3 - This may just be a seasonal thing, but I couldn't even find gai lan or bok choy the last time I went. WTF?
Carries great indian vegetables. Has stuff from all over the world!! Awesome place!
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This place is an amazing experience of sight, sound, smell and taste. It is like an international convention whenever I visit.
They have products from everywhere, not just Asia, like Holland, Jamaica, Brazil, India, Central and South America. I bought some beer from Lebanon here (their beer selection rivals AJ's).
The produce is fresh and really inexpensive with more choices than you can imagine. There is a deli, fresh seafood, in some cases so fresh it is still alive, beer and wine (saki and other), cooked meats, frozen foods, packaged products, cookware and utensils, and an entire aisle of every kind and flavor of ramen you can imagine, and guaranteed to be the best you will ever have.
I can't say enough good things about this place. It is worth visiting for the experience if nothing else. I make the trip to shop there from central Phoenix and fight the weekend crowds, but it is well worth it!
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Lee Lee is like Disneyland for foodie. Whenever I'm there, I discover some new interesting ingredients...not just Asian ones since they carry ingredients from all corners of the earth.
My motto for Lee Lee is buy first, then look it up on the web. Amazing way to expand your palate...though I must admit that sometime my palate doesn't stand up quite so well to my adventurous spirit.
Lee Lee (particularly the live seafood and meat counter) is not for the faint-hearted nor for those pressed for time as they have their own unique way of labeling the aisles by country....so if you're looking for soy sauce, then it would be in the soy sauce aisle as well as in the Japan aisle and the Korean aisle depending on what brand you're looking for and where they're made...and some origin labeling can really make you wonder what they were smoking...for example, ketchup was in the African-Caribbeans aisles
Go there when you've got a free afternoon...my latest treasure hunt at Lee Lee yielded real dulce de leche from Argentina.
Good luck hunting!
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I love Lee Lee's! Whenever I'm in the mood for a culinary adventure, I head on over to Tempe, wander the massive isles, and end up with $100-or-so in food I can't pronounce with cooking directions I can't follow. No matter. It's all part of the Lee Lee's experience.
Lee Lee's also makes a great date or family night out. It's like walking into an international bazaar....women wearing Saris, men in triangle straw hats and japanese slippers, speaking many languages. It's fun just to soak in the atmosphere.
Oh, and then there's the food. On our most recent trip, we found every single ingredient needed for the authentic Chinese New Year recipes my foreign exchange son requested. Lee Lee's is also a great place to buy more tame stuff like rice and soy sauce in bulk. And frozen edemama and gyoza dumplings are cheaper than in a regular supermarket. Highly recommended!
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This is the best pan-Asian supermarket I've ever been to. It's a massive labyrinth of goods from Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and other countries that will overwhelm the senses in such a good way.
Lee Lee is an adult Toys R' Us for us Asian food aficionados. Do check out their huge fruit and vegetable selection, a massive frozen foods aisle with yummy exotic ice creams and frozen breads, spices a go go, and more types of noodles and rice than you can shake a chopstick at.
One of my favorite sections in Lee Lee is the cooking gear aisle. Here you can find Vietnamese coffee makers, ladles, pots, pans, woks, bowls, plates, and every kitchen implement imaginable. All very affordable.
My secret fantasy is to rent out the attic of Lee Lee's and move in permanently. Lee Lee's rocks!
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Despite the 'interesting' aroma, Lee Lees is my favorite exotic grocery store. They also have a very FINE selection of imported beer and sake. I still haven't figured out how to approach the meat counter, as it's very intimidating. The prices are great, and you'll find bizarre fruit and veges.
-dave
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I have to say that I am going to sound very redundant here, but I love Lee Lees. In the last few years I have become a lot more interested in food and especially international food, so Lee Lees is a dream come true. It is mostly Asian, but they also have dutch, english and many other international foods and it is all organized by region.
They have a lot of Asian teas, spices, oils, sauces, and other staple ingredients you could find one of at your supermarket, but at Lee Lees they have a huge variety.
I won't repeat what other reviewers have said, but will touch on the fact that I could spend an entire day in there reading the translations into english on the back of the packaging on certain products. I have had serious laughing fits in the aisles of Lee Lees.
Another thing you cannot fail to mention about Lee Lees is CHEAP IMPORT BEER. We stocked up here for the Super Bowl and saved so much money and came out with a huge variety.
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I guess I'm yet another Lee Lee fan.
They have just about everything you could want if it's east of the Bosphorus and then you can wander around looking for random other bottles and boxes.
I wish they were more centrally-located. Or that I was visiting Tempe or Chandler or somewhere in that area instead of West Phoenix. I'm guessing that a lot of Asian restaurant owners head to Lee Lee at least sometimes, and the drive is a long one.
Also, be advised that while the signage is helpful, the shelf on which your desired ingredient might be found is sometimes elsewhere. All things Thai, for example, are not on Aisle 6, or vice versa. The stockers can sometimes help, but in my case I had a hand-written shopping list written in Thai, and it turns out the person I asked for some help was about as skilled in the Thai alphabet as I am...
The Pocky selection is a good one... almost worth heading over there for that and some unusual beverages.
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After writing my review of the 99 Ranch market yesterday, I came across some reviews for Lee Lee's. So I stopped in to check it out on my way to work yesterday. Everything I read in the reviews about Lee Lee seems to be true. This place is huge and well stocked. I was easily able to find plenty of the items I hadn't been able to find at 99 Ranch last time I was there (like my favorite brands of chicken dumplings and shrimp crackers). There is certainly a wide variety of merchandise to choose from. I have never seen a wider selection of chopsticks in all my life.
I have two minor complaints: 1. I'm pretty sure whoever was given the pricing gun got a little confused from time to time. There were two steaming pots that were identical, one was $17.99, the other $19.00. I noticed price discrepencies amongst other items as well. Also, the organization and placement of certain products was a little confusing. For example, normally I would expect to find the shrimp crackers with the shrimp chips (if you don't even know what I'm talking about, just take my word for it). However, these items were in two completely different aisles. I found jam in a different aisle than peanut butter and Nutella, which seemed odd (these are all things spread on bread...so why not group them together). It may be that these items are grouped by country of origin or something (this is how it is done at Ta Lin Market in Albuquerque), but if this is the case, it should be made a little more clear...then again, maybe I missed the signs. When you go, whether you are looking for something specific or just browsing, you need to go up and down every aisle, otherwise you may miss something.
Anyway, I'll still shop at 99 Ranch because I like going to the Chinese Cultural Center, even if it is little more than a strip mall playing dress up. However, I think I will do the bulk of my Asian food shopping at Lee Lee's from now on.
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Lee Lee is the grand mothership of Asian supermarkets in probably all of Arizona. You walk in during the weekend and it's complete hustle and bustle throughout the entire store.
Fairly large inside, Lee Lee is also really diverse in its offerings. While at least half of its aisles are dedicated to Chinese foodstuffs and other goods, you've got whole aisles solely dedicated Japanese, Korean, Indian/Pakistani, Thai/Persian/Dutch/Indonesian, and Brazilian/Colombian stuff, among others. Large freezer section with items from all the aforementioned countries, plus fresh seafood. The Japanese aisle is well-stocked with all things Pocky, which makes me one happy, gluttonous camper. Other aisles include well-priced cookware, dinnerware, Asian candy, any spice you can think of, teas, etc.
My only gripe is that the produce section is a little lacking with its offerings, especially with the fruit. I'd expect much more from a store of its size, given what I see at Asian supermarkets in California, but no big whoop. I'll get my produce from elsewhere. There are also birds roosting in the lighting rafters, and you see them flying around the store and hear them chirping. Don't know how sanitary that is, but it does add a different dimension to your standard Asian shopping experience.
All that said, I'll still make my way over to Lee Lee, bypassing Ranch 99 at the Chinese Cultural Center which is much closer to me. The extra drive is worth it.
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There is no other place that sells more Asian grocery than Lee Lee. It is the best place that you can find Asian foods in Arizona. 99 Ranch at the Chinese culture center are no way to compete with this one.
You can pay US$90 to get US$100 paper money. So you save $10. There are many fresh live fish, sea foods that the staff can kill and clean and even fry them for you at no extra charges. The owner moved the store twice and is going to open another store in East Gilbert soon.
You can see many Asian from many countries shopping here. Thursday morning is the best time to shop there, because they usually put new fresh items on Wed night.
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