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Nijiya Market
Categories: Food Specialty Food Food Grocery Specialty Food, Grocery [Edit]
1737 Post St(between Buchanan St & Webster St)
San Francisco, CA 94115
Neighborhoods: Japantown, Lower Pac Heights, Pacific Heights
(415) 563-1901
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 8 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Garage, Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
491 reviews for Nijiya Market
Review Highlights
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"Treats: Mouth-watering freshly cooked bento boxes." In 53 reviews -
"Super Mira for down homeyness and a dope bakery." In 12 reviews -
"also, extensive selections of sakes and pocky." In 34 reviews
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491 reviews in English
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Review from Jenaynay W.
San Francisco, CA
4/7/2012
five stars for the great selection of fresh sushi. and wow, are they fresh!!!
my faves: spider roll, spicy tuna roll, and salmon roll.
perfect for those nights when i come home late from work and just don't feel like cooking, microwaving or waiting for takeout. -
Review from Chanel C.
5/9/2012
I LOVE Japanese Markets!
This place was the perfect place to stop to grab some roadtrip snacks. The location is super convenient since it was so close to our hotel. They didn't have a large selection for their iced coffee and yogurt drinks, but I was able to find something good enough.
We came right when it opened and the staff was laying out fresh fish, sushi plates, and other foods that were just prepared. It's nice to know that their food is prepared daily and not sitting out overnight. -
Review from Clifford L.
San Francisco, CA
4/3/2012
To quote Mari S., "The best place to buy Japanese groceries in the city!"
I particularly like the wide selection of snack products, specifically the nori flaked rice crackers. . .
. . . cooking ingredients/condiments and the ready-2-eat trays at the first fridge case on the right upon passing the check-out stands. There's even a convenient courtesy microwave.
ITADAKIMASU. -
Review from Kevin B.
Santa Monica, CA
5/8/2012
Great selection of japanese foods, attendant helped me find wasabi nora maki, which made my day.
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Review from Casey L.
3/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
There is a real guilty pleasure in shopping Nijiya where my stomach feels so empty and my wallet feels so full.
Good selection of meats, fish and produce, but I mean c'mon; the moment you walk in your eyes are glued to what prepared/package items can you eat at a decent price. Items you won't find unless you hunt for the closest 99 ranch or pacific super, and even then you probably won't find half of the stuff they have here (ok, maybe I'm exaggerating, just a little bit).
I do my best to stay away from Nijiya, because of the confection stores around the area and Nijiya for my groceries; I find my wallet hurting from the hangover. However, I never learn from my mistakes and will once in awhile make a trek out to Japan town once more.
$30 purchase will get your parking validated, which in my mind is not that hard to spend unless you're just shopping for one meal. -
Review from Joanne Y.
3/5/2012
It's pricey, but it definitely gets you all your Japanese specialty food grocery needs. I love this little market!
Yes, they sell daikon. Yes, they sell tarako and mentaiko. Yes, they sell all sorts of things that I am not allowed to look at when I go, for fear I will come out of there with nothing in my pockets, but WAY more than I am able to carry on my less-than-direct route back home on the MUNI. -
Review from Inigo M.
San Francisco, CA
4/27/2012
Cheap pre-packaged lunch/dinner boxes (sushi, chicken, beef, pork, squid, calamari, octopus, noodles, etc.)
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Review from Christopher M.
Long Beach, CA
4/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Nijiya Markets are always great. This one has kind of a weird layout, so it gets bottlenecked in some aisles. But what's great here was they had some limited edition snack items available that were sold out back home. We spotted some Calbee Honey Butter Potato Chips and bought them all (wait no, we left one bag; didn't want to be greedy). If you see some of these, buy some. Last I checked they still had a bag left.
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Review from larry r.
San Francisco, CA
3/6/2012
I have been a regular customer here for over a decade. The one star represents their liquor policy. Yes, that's what I said, can you believe that they wouldn't sell me a bottle of sake because my 41 year old wife didn't have an ID even though I was making the purchase and provided my ID.
I'm in the liquor business and I have never had this type of thing happen before, EVER!
Safeway- no, Lucky's-no, Trader Joes-no, Target-No, BevMo-no, the list goes on and on.
Even the customer behind me was giving the cashier a hard time as it was obviously an overkill Nijiya policy. No way my wife is under 21(no offense sweetie)
So Nijiya, do you ID customers that have kids with them? Like parents? Grandparents? Uncles? Aunts?
You should, if you going to ID my wife because she is along. It's the exact same thing except my wife is over 40 and not even buying anything as I carried and purchased the groceries. I guess I'll make one of us wait outside next time we shop there if one of us forgets our ID and/or wallet
Your policy is ridiculous and you don't even ID customers when using their credit cards!
I understand extra carefulness with alcohol sales but Nijiya's paranoia is absolute stupidity and no common sense.
Baka dayo! Honto Ne....
DO NIT FILTER YELP -
Review from David H.
San Francisco, CA
2/20/2012
Came in the other day with my wife and my sister as the market happens to carry a favorite beer of mine that for one reason or another I can't seem to find anywhere else. We proceed to the register with my ID ready expecting to be carded as usual, and instead the cashier says that b/c we "look" young (my wife and I are 30 by the way) and we're a hanging out as a "group" (umm no we're actually a FAMILY not a gang) that everyone in this perceived group of young-looking hoodlum troublemakers had to be carded. As my sister is 20 we were told that they couldn't complete the sale, much to my shagrin. Ugh...beer nazis....no beer for me.
I understand wanting to be safe, but what about a little common sense? -
Review from Gloria Y.
I've always been obsessed with asian supermarkets. Nijiya Market takes my obsession to a whole new level. Warning: Do not shop here while hungry. You will want to bring home everything!
I love love love the huge selection of sushi, sashimi, bento boxes, chirashi bowls, and side dishes in the ready-to-eat section at the front of the supermarket. It is true when I say I literally walk back and forth 20 minutes trying to decide what to get. It happens every single time. On this visit, I bought the adedashi tofu with brown rice, the diamond chirashi, and the teriyaki chicken bento box. So delicious! So affordable!
I also love to shop their meat department in the back for shabu meat. The regular items I pick up are their shabu beef and shabu pork. These cuts are more expensive but they are super tender. I get the ponzu sauce to dip the meat in.
This market also has a great selection of mochi. You will find mochi ice cream, mochi filled with red bean, and fresh mochi in strawberry, green tea, and other seasonal flavors. Not to mention they have all the yummy asian junk food you can imagine.
Quick tip: Every 29th of the month, all their meat in the fresh meat department is 20% off! This is an amazing deal not to be missed. -
Review from E. R.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2012
My favorite market in San Francisco. The layout is a tad cramped esp. in the front. otherwise it is a great medium sized market. They validate parking if you buy $30 worth of groceries.
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Review from Chris D.
San Francisco, CA
3/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Looking for dashi to make miso soup took a few days, I fnially bit the bullit and headed 2 japentown where they have 30 diffrent kinds of dashi. So anyone looking to make miso soup @ home head straight 2 Nijiya and u'll find it all.
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Review from Kim D.
I finally googled "Tsubaki" oil and was mortified to read the results of my search. For someone who is infamously predisposed to be impatient, I must commend my earnest self-control, but curse it at the same time for this Seinfeldian moment.
Suddenly, that curvaceous pump bottle of mysterious but guaranteed happiness turned on me, all brass and no sass. A much anticipated revelation that spiraled downward into an disappointment.
In a way, it reminded me of Christmas; my parents used to buy us the same frickin' things. Eddie Bauer backpacks, Birkenstocks, Waterbeds - they didn't even go to the effort of re-boxing the identical packages. I'm still bitter about the waterbed. What 8th grader asks for a waterbed for Christmas? I didn't.
I digress.
How am I supposed to keep singing my Siren Song when I have been loving my locks with nothing more exotic than... Camellia oil? Really? A "flower without scent" ...? Camellia [seed oil]? Upon closer inspection of the actual ingredients and following a few animae-inspired links, I am almost embarrassed for myself, but end up laughing.
I feel like a moron who's been conditioning her hair with Wesson cooking oil. Correction: I feel like a moron who's kind of been conditioning her hair with salad dressing ingredients, but has lustrous, volumized and smooth hair.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/29/2011
When in Japan town, do as the Japanese do: shop and shop for things to eat!
Two years ago, I had… Read more »
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Review from Tiffany S.
Santa Cruz, CA
3/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
never can hate on an asian supermarket.
ESPECIALLY since they have an aisle stocked with snacks and chocolates that have smiling cute animals all over the bags. i'm such a sucker for asian snacks.
also, if you're looking for yakisoba sauce, okonomiyaki sauce, bulldog sauce, etc. they have an excellent selection of kitchen sauces.
docking off a star because I've been to other Nijiya Markets and they were better stocked and offered more of a variety of items. -
Review from Azucena N.
San Francisco, CA
4/9/2012
I could almost hear the spicy tuna angels sing in my ears as i head over to the sushi food section. Ive tried almost everything here and appreciate the vast selection of fresh japanese food, option of brown rice & organic rice , vegetarian friendly too !! If you havent tried the seaweed salad your missing out. Pretty much everything is delicious you truely wont be disappointed.
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Review from Jeanette Y.
Oakland, CA
1/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is like any other ordinary Japanese market. I just love coming to these places for their Japanese candies. That's really all I ever get.
I can't help it. I'm just a dentist who possibly eats the most amount of sugars EVER.
PS. Meji Earl Grey Chocolates are AMAZING. TRY IT! -
Review from Pam J.
San Francisco, CA
5/3/2012
Great variety of very fresh bento-style and sushi lunches. Wonderful meats that go on sale once a month. Affordable if you're feeding 1 person with a moderate appetite. Otherwise expensive. This market reminds me of the great Japanese grocery stores we knew in Southern California as kids. I like Nijiya Market much better than Whole Foods. Very friendly, multi-racial staff.
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Review from J. S.
San Francisco, CA
2/5/2012
This used to be the Maruwa at Japan Center. It was hands-down the best Japanese supermarket in the city.
When it was changing hands and undergoing the name change to Nijiya, I feared that the market was going to go downhill.
Thankfully, that never occurred. Nijiya today is just as great as the Maruwa of old; in fact, there's hardly a difference other than the sign outside. The variety can't be beat and everything, from the sashimi grade fish to the prepared lunch items, is always fresh.
I'll go out of my way to shop here. They rock that much ass. -
Review from Kris L.
1/2/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Great Japanese supermarket!!! A and I came on New Year's Eve because we decided we wanted to have a sushi dinner. They have a great selection of fresh, sushi-grade fish.
Unbeknownst to us, half of San Francisco was there as well. It was so crowded, that we had the hardest time just getting inside the market. Once inside, it was really hard to get around because there were so many people inside and the lines to check out were blocking half the aisles. Also, the selection of fish was kind of sparse since there were so many people inside.
We managed to get a good selection of fish, sushi rice, sushi rice seasoning, Saku Saku Panda cookies, sake, miso soup mix, fresh ramen noodles...
All the food we bought was delicious and we also ate the leftovers for lunch the next day. We'll definitely be back for some more fresh fish whenever we're in the mood for sushi! -
Review from Ravi M.
Los Angeles, CA
12/21/2011
My review only compares this Nijiya store to the other Nijiya stores I have been to in the Bay Area and in Southern California.
This store is incredibly small and crowded. The fresh sushi selection is great, but the store is lacking in the canned juices and coffees that the other Nijiya stores have.
I agree with all of the other reviews about how this is a great place to stop by for a quick snack while you're on the run. I will definitely come here again. -
Review from Mari S.
11/1/2011 3 Check-ins Here
The best place to buy Japanese groceries in the City!
I love Nijiya Market. I'm from Hawaii so I'm used to eating a lot of Japanese food in my diet, and appreciate the convenience of Nijiya to get the specific grocery items that I need.
Nijiya Market is easy to find in Japan Town. I take the 38 bus here from Downtown after work to buy my groceries and its super convenient with just a 2 - 3 minute walk to and from the bus stop.
You can find almost any Japanese fish, fruit, vegetable, spice, soup, drink, tea, snack, candy, alcoholic beverage, staple and even bento that you may be looking for at Nijiya Market. Pretty much everything here is either imported from Japan or Japanese made in California.
While the prices may be a little higher then say 99 Ranch Market or Sunset Supermarket, I believe the quality is better and there are more Japanese items at Nijiya versus Chinese items at 99 Ranch and Sunset Supermarket.
I'd highly recommend grocery shopping at Nijiya Market!! -
Review from William H.
Oakland, CA
10/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
You can find lots of Japanese pastries, groceries, and teas here. Whether you're in the mood for Castella sponge cakes or Kamaboko fish cakes, you won't be disappointed. Chocolate Kit-kats or Matcha Kit-kats? Pocky and Crunky - it's here. Instant lunches or Instant ramen, go to Nijiya. Get yourself some Boss coffee and Melon-pan in the morning. Low on energy? Go get an oni-giri for lunch. Lots of dinner plates are ready for you at night - I should've checked for chicken-namban.
You can order sushi to be picked up I believe, but I haven't tried this myself. Still, I love this market. -
Review from Derek N.
San Francisco, CA
Well, it looks like Nijiya is having their Special Meat Day Sale on Tuesday 11/29/11 (one-day only)
Includes all meat products except ham, sausage, deli, or advertised meat items.
Here's to setting my Google Calendar...Listed in: Asian Markets [Run (don't…
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/12/2011
I forgot to mention that Nijiya now sells two products worth mentioning:
(1) tofu from SAN JOSE TOFU,… Read more »
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Review from Sabrina L.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
Nijiya has changed. Their bento boxes are not as good as they used to be that I don't even crave them anymore and they've raised their prices throughout the store. They still carry a fine selection of Japanese items and they have a friendly staff. When I'm in Japan Town I will mostly likely stop in but I will no longer make a special trip.
They validate your parking for the garage if you spend $30 or more. -
Review from Steven B.
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Totally love Nijiya! They're the best Japanese grocery store in the city.
They have everything here and I do mean everything. They have fresh food such as bentos, sushi, onigiri, and misc ready to eat food like chicken karage. There's fresh pastries they have like melon pan, dangos, and maju. There's a big selection of drinks here from beer to weird energy drink pouches. There's a good selection of meat in the back of the store and a very large selection of instant ramen ranging from Japanese to Korean. There's a corner of the store for fresh vegetables along with prepackaged tofu. There's also frozen food like takoyaki and Japanese popsicle. There's also Japanese spices like wasabi and tonkatsu sauce. Lastly, there's a big selection of sake ranging from small bottles to large bottles. In conclusion, this place has like everything. -
Review from Kat F.
Unlike other reviewers, I don't visit Nijiya for my fish/sushi needs. In fact, the only thing I've ever bought here that falls in the Asian food category is brown rice. I use this supermarket for fresh produce pitstops on the walk home from work.
The produce here is absurdly cheap - the other day I picked up a handful of carrots, zucchini, pre-sliced cremini and shiitake mushrooms, cauliflower, yams (note: the signage says sweet potatoes but these are actually Asian yams that are white inside) and white potatoes for less than $12. They also sell about five brands of Japanese curry blocks, although no sign of my beloved Glico Curry. The rice wing of the store is a sight to behold - at least fifty types of rice in mind-bogglingly large bags; it's a struggle to find one that's easy to carry on a walk home but it's worth the effort for the extra discount.
Please note the hilarious new ID policy I've photographed - they no longer ID customers who look over 50 years of age. -
Review from Monika S.
San Francisco, CA
4/19/2012
the best place to go for satisfying your obscure asian snack cravings. where else am i supposed to get a can of ogura-an and korean sweet potato cookies?
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Review from Ka P.
Los Angeles, CA
12/17/2011
Absolutely love this place. I love the fresh meat selection from this market. They have the perfect meat for your shabu shabu party. The seafood/fish/sashimi fish selection are the best I have seen so far. Everything looks fresh. I also look their bento box selection. If you love Japanese food, you will love this place. Price is more expensive than the Ranch 99 market, but the quality explained the difference. I have managed to come back twice every week even though I live pretty far away.
Parking is free if you spend $30 or more. -
Review from Esther Y.
2/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Small, crowded Japanese market, with prices you'd expect for a Japanese market (read: expensive, at least to us Chinese people). But I was super surprised when I saw Lupicia teas from Hawaii being sold here! I had to grab a pack. Also, their seared tataki (thin rare beef slices) are super delicious. It's worth the money!
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Review from Jay P.
Evanston, IL
1/21/2012
I'm sure that I'm going to come off as entitled, so I want everyone to know that I'm really nice at grocery stores and markets. However, I endured the worst treatment at Nijiya market yesterday. I needed to pick up a few Japanese items for my sushi party. Not only were the items expensive, but the aisles were way too narrow. I ignored both factors and headed to the nori section. There were different prices for two items that looked to be exactly the same. The guy in a blue Nijiya shirt was stocking next to me, and I politely asked what the difference was. I repeated my question when he just stared at me for five seconds. He marches over in a huge rush, grabs two bags from one side and throws them on the other side, revealing a different type of seaweed package. I then asked if there was a difference in taste between the two different brands that pretty much looked identical, and he refused to acknowledge me. The whole time I was being really polite and tried not to pester him. It's been a long time since someone has been such a huge jerk to me at a market. If you're irritated that a young guy is asking you a question about the products and all you want to do is stock, the least you could do is smile and say that you don't know or make something up. There's no reason to make it clear that you have absolutely no class.
If you're on the run and have no other option, perhaps you should go here. There are so many other better choices and small hole-in-the-wall places with better prices and service. Nijiya is really starting to rub people the wrong way. Pay more attention to who you hire. -
Review from Aniko N.
Pacifica, CA
3/4/2012
I love this place. Full of Japanese snack. Their cheese cake is good. NOt so sweet, just perfect.
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Review from Shawn C.
2/16/2012
this is your one-stop-shop for the homemade japanese meal you're about to attempt.
i go out of my way to shop here for: cherry blossom bread, char shiu, fresh ramen noodles and toppings (watch out ken ken), melon pan, togarashi snacks and milky.
of course, they have all of those unique japanese snacks and candy, i.e. wasabi kit-kat and matcha-flavored everything. miso paste, tofu, tons of sake, every kind of soba and udon noodle you could ever want. can coffee, pocari sweat, calpis, and qoo. sashimi-grade fish, octopus, squid, and eel. the produce section, however, is sorta small and they might not have what you're looking for if it isn't used in a traditional japanese recipe.
also, meat goes on sale each month on "meat day" (the 29th, because "29" and "meat" have the same pronunciation in japanese).
love it here. -
Review from Nick L.
11/15/2011
Not bad. This grocery store has all the major ingredients required for some good Asian cooking.
We were just investigating and got a seaweed wrap and some sashimi.
The sashimi was tasty.
The seaweed wrap was ok.
This is definitely a place we can come get some groceries and I'll report then!! -
Review from Eric Robert T.
Hilo, HI
10/8/2011
I love this small Japanese grocery store. I can practice my Japanese 101 on the cashiers here- they love it. Oh, everything you need to make your home made Japanese meals or if lazy like I am... grab a bento or other freshly made meals. Everything from Chicken Katsu to Unagi to Cone Sushi... want a snack too? Frozen and baked goods available too (my fav the cream puffs)!
Fruits on the pricey side, but it's always fresh and ripe. All types of rice and don't assume Japanese rice is always expensive... Watch for when the top grade stuff goes on sale- you'll taste the difference!
Domo arigatou gozaimasu! -
Review from Phillip N.
Los Angeles, CA
7/29/2011 1 photo
If you didn't know:
"NIJIYA MARKET specialize In gourmet Japanese ingredients, fresh fish (sashimi quality), ocean products, meats, organic produce, fruits and natural ingredients. [Their] kitchen is always preparing fresh sushi, sozai, and other prepared foods daily." -- http://www.sfjapantown...
They definitely do Asian right.
Some of the best pre-made sushi and foods I've ever eaten. More please! I can't even wait to put it in the microwave. I buy it and eat it cold right in the middle of Japantown square underneath the gorgeous shrine.
How I love living across the street from here when I visit my friend and getting a treat after hoofing it around the city. -
Review from Jennifer V.
Aurora, CO
11/2/2011
I love this store. Its my go to place to pick up treats I can't get back home for all my family and friends. Not only is everything fresh but its cheap and tastes goood. You can hit the refrigerated section and get a drink plus lunch and a dessert for under $10.
They also carry the japanese style custard buns my best friend makes me buy by the bag full and hand carry home. -
Review from Daniel B.
San Francisco, CA
11/24/2011 4 Check-ins Here
This is a good spot to grab snacks not only between goings-on in Japantown but also as a rolling stop between places on opposite ends of SF. I've gotten onigiri here between New People film screenings, and friends and I get rolls, inari, etc. en route to or from events. Trying not to bite the plastic wrap system of the onigiri while in the car on the way to an exhibit in Golden Gate Park - did that. Finishing futomaki in the parking lot before walking into Cirque du Soleil - did that too. Half of a large combo pack immediately before a Bikram class - wish I hadn't done that.
Years back, out of the corner of my eye, I thought the store sign said "Ninja Market". If only the cosplayers around me at checkout would choose the right outfits, the sign probably could say that. -
Review from Jenna Z.
8/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
A few things I love about this store:
Free ice! I love buying cold foods and knowing they won't go bad with a bag of ice. You can find them in the back corner of the store near the fish and meats.
Free parking validation for an hour if you spend $30(kinda high I know =[ )
Bentos, rolls and prepped foods are 20% off when the store is near closing.
Oh and remember to ask for chopsticks, soysauce and wasabi at the cash register. -
Review from Alice L.
Montgomery, MD
2/13/2012
Great little market filled with Japanese products. It is a little market but they have a lot of food/ingredients/and a small produce area which is why the isles are narrow. Which I don't mind! It is a little pricey but worth it since most of the items are shipped in from Japan. I love going there to restock on snacks and other hard to find products.
