Tin Tin Market

 

8

192

Anna S.

San Jose, CA

Even though they have issues with their perishable foods, I still have love for tin tin and come here all the time. besides the fact that they are really close to my house, their fruits and veggies are ridiculously cheap. as the prices soar at safeway (7$ a lb for cherries!), the prices just keep sinking at Tin Tin. Ive learned my lesson and stay away from the mochi. Pretty much all of the in-season fruits are less than $1 a lb here, even strawberries and apricots. they must have a local hook-up so they keep their fuel charges low.

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10

34

Paul Y.

San Jose, CA

while some people will dock this place for being small and reeking of fish, I will remember it as the chinese supermarket in the cupertino area that came before marina food and the ever popular giant ranch 99.  when i went into business selling super lemons for 25 cents each at school during 4th grade, tin tin was my supplier.  thus tin tin will always hold a place in my heart.  may tin tin continue to prosper for next generation of  chinese candy entrepreneurs!

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32

71

Cindy F.

San Jose, CA

Definitely the place to buy seafood!  They are the supplier to all the Chinese restaurants around the bay area per Moms, including Koi Palace in Daly City!  They had three different types of lobster - Maine, Pacific and Australian.  They also had some special fish my mom was telling me about that is super expensive, and not all the restaurants can afford to carry it (only places like Koi Palace).  I think it was something like $50/lb for Rainbow Trout fish something or another.  Anyway, I was there for the lobster :-)  We ended up getting a 2 lb. Maine lobster as our first course for Christmas dinner and it was ooohhh so good!  We just boiled it in saltwater for 10 minutes, then dipped it in butter.  The lobster was very sweet and tender!  Yum!

As far as the rest of the store, canned and packaged goods are fine and probably cheaper than Ranch 99.  However, the produce section doesn't have as much selection and does not look to be the freshest and highest quality.  It's an old and run down looking supermarket after all, but definitely the place for seafood!

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0

1

Charlie B.

Mountain View, CA

I want to like this place, but after so many bad experiences, I can't. I give up on it.
1) If you can't read Chinese Characters - look out! The English is wrong on the sale sign. The sign, in front of the item states clearly, in English, that ABC is on sale. The lady said the Chinese Characters state that the item next to it, XYZ is on sale. No where on the XYZ item does it say ABC.  
2) Bought several packaged produce items and opened them immediately upon returning. Found items not edible inside. In another case, the peaches were dry inside. In another case, the oranges were bitter.
3) Bought tea and took it home. It smelled old inside. If you looked very carefully the code stated that it  expired two years ago.
I always like the fact that they were never crowded and their prices were pretty good. I guess I have found out why!

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9

139

Joe L.

CA

This store specializes in live seafood.  They also have a very large fish department with many frozen fish varieties.  We have not tried their thawed (previously frozen, obviously dead) fish, so I cannot comment on the stinky fish story in the other review.  

However, their live seafood department is the best in the south bay.  I heard that this market is actually the live seafood wholesale supplier for many other local supermarkets and seafood restaurants.  So if you need to buy live fish, live dungeoness crabs, live lobsters, live conch, live clams, live shrimps or live abalones etc., this would be the place.  Their tanks seem to have a good filtration system because the water look quite clean. They offer a free service to clean and cut up your purchase if you don't know how to slaughter a living animal.  When you buy the live seafood, you don't need to worry about fishy or stinky smell because live seafood are almost lack of smell.

Note that their live seafood inventory moves very fast, so don't be surprised if you see empty tanks on the weekends, that only means many other seafood lovers beat you to the store earlier.  Shop early next time.

I think their produce is not as fresh as other Asian markets'.  Perhaps their turn-over is not as quick.  I don't expect a store to specialize in everything.  So as long as it is the best place to buy live seafood, it gets my 5 stars.

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35

70

Kristiin P.

Saratoga, CA

Are you looking for MOCHI? Those delicious little balls of ice cream surrounded by some kind of cakey layer.

This is one of the only places i can find it! Some Whole Foods carry Bubbies but mochi is a little better.

Fabulous asian market! A little wierd to walk in pretty much not knowing the language and being guranteed to be the only caucasion in there but still worth it. Great for authentic Dumplings, fresh seafood, LIVE LOBSTER AND CRAB! and of course my all time favorite dessert. Mochi! Surprisingly mochi is hard to find, they dont carry it at safeway or albertsons just here. Tin Tin market carries a wide selection of all your favorite asian ethnic foods!

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0

13

Crystal Y.

Saratoga, CA

The food is very well priced but.... It's very stinky and cold in there and super dirty. I noticed practically every cash registerer has a mole. (talk about presentation) all the produce is well priced and 99 out of 100 times it is fresh but it's really dirty unlike safeway. Great rice and produce selection. Don't buy american products there like sunmaid raisins or trolli gummies because they have been sitting there since the store started. Raisins were expired 3 months last time I checked. Story... My mom bought a fish there and when she wanted to cook it at night, it was stinky instead of fishy so my dad took it back to return it. They exchanged it and so my dad brought it home and my mom smelled it and it was also stinky so my dad went to the store and yelled at the manager in front of everybody.

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8

50

lily c.

San Jose, CA

though the produce section is kind of dirty, tin tin is cheaper than marina. and, for no good reason, i happen to like it better than ranch 99.

sometimes, if you stop by the seafood area, you can see some really cool exotic fish. once, i saw a lobster as long as my arm. it was sitting in the tank all by itself because nothing else would fit in there.

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