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Categories: Seafood Markets, Grocery [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Pacific Heights, JapantownMon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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The seafood here is FRESH beyond belief.
Takoyaki, my favorite comfort food, was the order of the day.
Usually, my octopus default spot is Nijiya since they're open late, until 8PM. But that's just 'cuz of my schedule.
BUT, on this particular occasion, I was in j-town in the afternoon & Uoki Sakai was open.
The Takoyaki turned out better than usual, even if I humbly say so, myself.
My only regret is that I did not pick up a big ol' chunk of their raw tuna.... it looked sooo tasty...
Oh! and I failed to mention last time, they also have a hawaiian section, which includes TARO chips, which are just oh-so-tasty!
Fascinating and interesting info from the plaque against the wall outside:
Although the Sakai family was interned during WWII, the family was able to return to their shop and pick up their business as they had left it. COOL soybeans!
Walk up the hill a few blocks from Nijiya in Japantown and enjoy the shopping experience at the Uoki… Read more »
I love Japanese snacks. There are so many Japanese snacks, it's incredible that they are not overweight undernourished beasties like Americans.
American snacks are inferior to Japanese snacks. Soy sauce crackers, nori, bonito flakes, hi-CHEW, mochi, all can be found here. If you had a wheat allergy, you could still snack and not need an epi shot.
I love Asian snacks that don't contain wheat. I love rice. I love soy.
I need a lot of self restraint when I walk in here. Japanese snacks, though plentiful, are not cheap. 99 cents will not get you 500 calories.
I have not yet tried the fish (because I've found my mermaid and she's a really convincing sales woman).
I love small grocery markets. They really help provide variety and those hard to find ingredients.
It's A-okay. Nice and clean family owned local grocery store. There's a very limited variety of Japanese snacks and candies compared to other grocery stores, hence my 3-stars rating. I occasionally come here just to buy drinks and maybe some snacks. Also one of the few places I've seen that stocks shishito peppers - a favorite item I usually order at Izakaya places.
I guess that I'd come here more often if I needed to get some good sushi-grade fish, imported from Japan - cannot rate it since I've never bought any of the raw fish. Friendly service.
I am loving the Uoki store. Been a Nijiya fan for quite a while. Love the prices for the sashimi grade fish @ Uoki....much less than the price at Nijiya. A 'down to earth' grocery...and reminds me of the small Japanese grocery stores in S.J. when I was a kid.
While not the same variety/selection as the famous So. Cal. chain grocery, Uoki has quite a good selection. Supporting a small business that has survived a long time, offers good selection.... is a good thang.
gotta show love for the local markets (takahashi market holla!)
Uoki has the selection you need at the prices you expect, that is to say sort of high but good fish and goods sent from japan are never cheap
and it's part of the JCCCNC's historical tour. apparently the name means "Fish Happy" which as far as i'm concerned is a great name for a market
They closed 5 o'clock SHARP!
( or 5:30, don't remember, but sharp.)
They don't give shit.
Typical Japanese American attitude but they are classic Japanese.
Come to think of ...... I live in SF over 25 years but I don't know any Japanese American people!
Isn't it funny or what?
OK, let's see, Nobu's friends list, shall we?
Japan born Japanese= Yes.
Blacks= Yes.
Whites= Yes.
Chinese= Yes.
Korean= Yes.
Philippine= Yes.
Thais= Yes.
Latino= Yes.
Hapas= Yes.
Gays & Lesbians= Yes.
Jews= Yes.
Jaws= No.
and,
American born Japanese= NO.
What's wrong with me?
Is there anything wrong with me?
They are Japanese so am I.
is there any reason why they don't like me because they think I am such a JackAssAssHoleSonofaBitchJapo?
I really don't know why and how this happened but,
I've met all Japanese American through the Yelp!!!!!!
So, I have to say, Thank You Yelp!
Well, back to the Uoki market.
The Bento boxes are not good as Nijiya but pretty Good.
There are limited Sake collection but Prices are most decent in the city.
I don't know anything about the Uoki families but they are Japanese and I come here often.
Thank you Uoki-san, I've never met you but you have being such a great Japanese market for all of us.
Btw, Gur E said, "Yo, you forgot Indian or Almost Chinees."
Oooops, yes, i did forget but , Almost means a lot!
Just a regular day visiting J-town in my pursuit for mochi. Went to Benkyodo for the normal mochi, and ended up running into this market due to the rain. Looking around, too my amazement I find Nisshodo Chichi Dango (from Hawaii). Hot damn, my love for Nisshodo mochi, especially chichi dango, is of no other. You cannot find mochi like this anywhere, except for Hawaii. I would give up my first child for Nisshodo chichi dango. It is kind of pricey, but so damn worth it.
This market is my new little diamond in the rough.
Watch out for moldy poi! Still, the only place to get fresh poi, but take a look before grabbing and going!
I randomly stumbled into this grocery store last week for some take out like a bento, but was… Read more »
Some of your favorite sushi restaurants-- some of the 4- and 4.5-star places on Yelp-- shop for (some of) their fish at this place. I'm not going to say who, because I know it is a bit of a secret, but talk to John (Jon?) next time you are in the store. He is quite knowledgeable, as is the rest of the staff. Where else in the USA can you find tuna, halibut and other delicacies laid out on ice with a willing helper weighing hunks of the freshest sushi-grade fish for to make at home? I'll tell you now: no where else! I've searched high and low in LA and SF Bay for places like this. Please support this place, this is what makes SF so special...
I was on a hunt for Hawaiian food to stock in my pantry and they almost everything I was looking for. They're a tad cheaper than the Aloha Warehouse too. The only thing Uoki K. Sakai didn't have was the Hawaiian Hula Papaya Seed Dressing!!
And they have Mishima soup mixes for about $2 for a 3 pack. It's my favorite kind of instant miso and wonton soup to take to work with me because there's NO MSG!!
Tis like a little piece of Hawaii, right in J-town. Awwww.
This place is even smaller than Nijiya, but what it lacks in real estate, it makes up at the fish and meat counter. I bought a pound of Pacific Ahi and some Tako (octopus) to make some Hawaiian Poke. It was SO fresh and so good! Plus, they have all the "essentials" for an island girl like me - Portuguese sausage, Halm Kim Chee, Kalua Pork, Lau Lau, and even POI!! They have so many things from Hawai'i, I almost felt less homesick :) They have a very small produce section, but it's quite inexpensive. I spent $60 and got the fresh fish, octopus, kalua pork, drinks, tofu, kamaboko, frozen saimin (also from Hawaii), dried shiitake mushrooms ($1.99 a bag!), fresh spinach, cleaning sponges, sushi, a spam musubi, and a few other items.
This place does it old school, but I appreciate the quality of the products they stock here.
I adore this place. Sure the interior isn't as new/flashy as other supermarkets in the area, *cough* Nijiya *cough* but taking in the history of the place and how nice all the employees are more than make up for that. I go there so often (to get groceries for my grandmother) that all the guys recognize me and always make a point to ask about my grandmother. It's so nice to know they care. :D
As for the groceries... I always buy my Kotobuki sweet potatoes (so big!) and red rice/azuki beans here. I think they're the only place (besides Benkyo-do of course!) that carries the rice/beans. I also like the fact that the produce is loose, so I can pick and choose which ones I want, which is not always the case at Nijiya.
For a small mom and pop store, their prices are fairly competitive. However, I will concede that they don't have the biggest selection of goods. But that's okay because they stock most of the essentials that you will need for most any Japanese dish.
Mediocre selection of grocery. 1 star for the nice store clerk who knew what Natto was although he was Latino. Another star for having a decent looking store.
This motherfucker at the cashier, who by the way seems like the owner or the manager, an older Japanese guy, is so fuckin rude. He threw most of our stuff that we brought into a shopping cart next to him, for no reason, and started taking his sweet puck ass time.
Then we asked for the validation to this sorry ass guy, and then he put some snobby on his tone and went:
"Oh, that's only for guests who spent more than $45."
Fuck you we won't be back. Oh and your fish look really really really old. So there.
Uoki is one of the 3 supermarkets in Japantown. One might think that they are in a head to head competition, but it goes a little deeper than that. If you compare the inventory you will see that Uoki, leans to the Asian-American and Asian-Pacific Islander demographic. Prices can be higher or lower than the other two depending on product.
Tip: They have the best fish counter, and largest selection of Hawaiian foods.
It's been there 100 years! (er, minus the years spent "camping" *cough*) Banzai!
I prefer Uoki Sakai over Nijiya or Super Mira. A lot of it has to do with the fish counter and the prevalence of foods from Hawaii. I find it a little odd that the Zippy's chili, portuguese sausage, frozen kalua pig, and lau lau sold here are cheaper than at the Hawaii Store around the corner in the plaza.
The spam musubi they get from whichever distributor sucks. Admittedly, not as bad as the ones from May's Coffee shop, but not that appetizing either. Why doesn't anyone in San Francisco know how to make a good spam musubi? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE??? Do I have to teach classes? You're all FIRED.
Anyway, the best thing about the store is, they get shipments of beni imo (Okinawan sweet potato) from Hawaii every... tuesday? I think it was tuesday... or maybe it was thursday...
The only thing I can think of that they lack is Nijiya's selection of gourmet semi-instant ramen.
update: I'm so wrong. they have a nice selection of gourmet instant-ish ramen. also, they still have one of the cleanest (if not the cleanest) fish counters in the city.
Ok, I have been to better Japanese markets in my lifetime but in San Francisco, this is as good as it gets. The store feels smaller (than Nijiki) and not so glitzy modern, but there's a familiar (and comfy) old style to this place that feels right. And definitely appeals to me. I can get things like herring roe any time of the year here (pricey but available). I can get my favorite sake pickled gourd here. I can get those tiny little fish covered in some sticky shoyu stuff. I can get kelp rolls with little fish inside. And I can buy fish by the pound and see the whole fish before I buy to make sure it looks fresh. The other two Japanese markets (Nijiki and Super Mira) don't have these. I also like the fact that the store is seldom real crowded so I can zoom around getting what I need without a lot of (stupid) interference. The guy at the fish counter can give you the feeling that you are interrupting something vitally important but it may be that he just lacks a lot of customer service skills--stand your ground and order/ask what you need and he'll get it for you. I can even often get whole Spanish Mackerels here--a rarety in this city and I love this fish (ok, some of the Chinese markets sell Spanish Mackerel but usual the fish's eyes are white and the gills are yellowish (not fresh)). All in all, this is my favorite Japanese food market in San Francisco.
My family and I have been shopping at this store since the 1960's and I shop there ocassionaly to this very day. There are some items that are a bit cheaper than
Nijiya. The place is very old and desperate need of a facelift. It's a family corporation and I knew all of them eversince I was a young lad. No offense but they lack Asian (Japanese) employees that pretty much take away the cultural aspect of Uoki but the
It sit on top of were Japan Town starts. I hope they make it. It seems a little slow evertime I go there. They have a variety of food items esoecially Japanese crackers, rice and pre-made sushi bento and some Hawaiian fav's.
Being a perfect beautiful sunny day, my coworker and I decided to explore our new neighborhood and walked 3 blocks down to Japantown. We stopped at nearly all the Japanese, Korean and Chinese restaurants along Post Street and nothing seemed to appeal to us. I'd seen the small neighborhood market as we walked down and suggested that we stop in to check to see if they had any pre-packaged bento or sushi boxes. Though the market was a bit small, the shelves were well stocked and the fish section looked very fresh. We spotted Polly Ann lychee ice cream in their freezer and got a pint. Then we saw the small section of donburi bowls, bento boxes and sushi that had come from Suruki's in Oakland. We selected a 6-piece pack of unagi futomaki and Alaska Roll for $3.99/pack.
We walked up to the cashier line, and a nice man waved us over to his empty line. As he was ringing us up, I asked him if they had any chopsticks, which he replied yes, and saw that we had ice cream and told us that he might have some spoons for us too. He looked around and came back with a box of spoons he had just opened and handed them to me. He got some napkins for us too, making sure we had everything we needed for our little lunch. He sent us out with a smile. We both walked out of there thinking of how nice he was and how well he took care of us.
After we had our sushi and the entire pint of lychee ice cream (which was delicious - we were most happy when we found chunks of lychee in the ice cream) out in the courtyard, I went back into Uoki and got a can of Hawaiian Sun strawberry-guava nectar. The kind man who had helped us earlier said, "You're back!" And I explained to him how we finished all the ice cream and now I needed a drink. Another cashier rang me up, but the nice man handed me a straw for my drink and sent me off with another smile and "Have a nice day!" I figured he must have been the owner/manager and I was glad to know that there are still wholesome businesses like this in our city!
I know nothing about Sake and the owner/manager Robert was kind and friendly enough to leave the register and come over and help me buy some sake. He told me a lot about the different types how they are different made some recommendations given my budget. This place also has a slightly different selection with regard to Sake that I would recommend over Nijiya which is more limited and more expensive. They also have a much better selection of fish.
However, I don't like the gindara kasuzuke here, and prefer it at Nijiya or made by myself. For some reason, when I bought it it was too salty and they used wayy to much kasu and the taste of it was overpowering.
Otherwise, good place to shop for Japanese food!
Man, I feel like such a charlatan writing about these Japantown grocery shops. I really know next to nothing about cooking Japanese food, especially compared to these other J-town reviewers, most of whom I've never seen before on Yelp. Euge, I have a feeling we're not in the Sunset anymore.
Oh well. At least I can still make use of the awesome fish counter here. I was really tempted to get some octopus, but I should probably consult a recipe first so I know what else to buy with it. I ended up getting a couple of rock cod steaks and grilling them with the usual Asian sauces, plus plenty of dill & olive oil. It was some of the juiciest, butteriest fish I've ever had, well worth the $6.95 per pound. Be warned, though: these suckers have some thick bones in them. Indeed, the piece with the backbone was like eating ribs, but in a good way. I was kicking myself for not getting a bottle from their impressive sake selection to go with the fish, though.
All in all, Uoki is not quite as cozy and friendly as Super Mira, but a more impressive selection. Now if only I knew what any of it was.
A old school Japanese grocery store with similar feel to Super Mira (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). Now the debate, which of the three Japanese grocery stores in the area - Nijiya (http://www.yelp.com/bi...), Super Mira, or Uoki - is the best? They all have their unique qualities and shortcomings that makes it very difficult to rank. It's kind of like chestnuts comparing heights...that analogy came out awkward.
All I know is that Uoki had fresh Okara (tofu product) when others were out.
Just gotta take two stars off for items that had been in the refridgerated section that tasted of FREEZER-burn, plastic, gave me the runs that night. SPOILED food for sale. Go for the dried, staples.
For $4 I need to get my money back!
Now I know why I STOPPED shopping here. Not worth the KAOPECTATE.
********
Do not buy the HIDEOUS prepared bentos!!! YUCK.
*******
Local owned local staffed by maybe the 4th or 3rd Generation originally local J-town fishmonger teeny tiny shop. The best local prices on Japanese staples such as organic shiro miso, tofu, udon, katsuo...get your Japanese food staples here for a fun dinner for friends and buy from the local grocer, not necessarily a "chain-u-ten".
I like Nijiya for the ippin ryori things and oyako donburi, but Uoki really is the mainstay for basics.
**before you buy, always check items that they are not expired
**offer great services but sometimes flirtatious
i remember walking into here when i was 5..
with my mom as she did her grocery shopping..
this was back when nijiya was maruwa.. and uoki was cheaper..
now i RARELY enter this dreary mini market..
it's funny how it's more expensive than nijiya.. considering it has a significantly smaller selection.. and far more dingier..
but hey.. whatever pays the bills
wah, i love this place! a neighborhood yelper showed me the ropes here and i realized what a gem i've been passing up each weekend as i walk by to nijiya.
minus one star for the grocery selection (nijiya is much better in that regard), but their seafood and cooked foods sections are fantastically stocked with some high quality seafood and hawaiian cooked goods!
they have a great selection of pre-packed pickles as well as fresh tofu and all of the japanese dried foods you'll ever need.
they even carry sweet hawaiian bread!
holy moly, i haven't seen that stuff in years.
Cheap Spam Musubi for lunch FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and they tend to be cheaper than Nijiya, not to mention the fact that the folks working there are really friendly. I work in the neighborhood and they treat me like family.
FISH!
This is why I come here. Good fresh knowledgeable. Overall a good fish monger. Ask the guy at the counter what is good. I have never been disappointed with the fish. Better prices than Nijiya Market and the fish is not plastic wrapped.
good japan hawaii stuff here. it's cute.
the seafood selection is what i tend to want, but too expensive for me, considering I get my employee whole foods disc.
but whole foods does not have kombu, oden fixin's, inari wrappers, hawaiian sea salt, (the kind in the bag)-
all the stuff you and i know we need and can get no where else, like dried squid snacks and fishcakes.
But also cool for adventurous but still haole, like poke mix, green tea, and sake.
This place okay . Typical place to buy your groceries . Has a few things you don't find elsewhere like the green tea cake roll and tofu inserts . But I don't like their selection of candy and snacks . Doen't look appealing one bit . However , I prefer the Nijiya Supermarket which is only a street and a half away . The food appears to be much fresher and there is a larger selection .
Great produce and seafood. The perfect little grocery store. Clean and convenient. What else do you need?
I sometime find the produce section not as carefully weeded of old vegetables as it is at Super Mira. But one thing I like about coming here is that they have a large selection of sake!
Has a good seafood counter, with larger cuts of sashimi. Also has the basics for Japanese cuisine.
I've been shopping at Uoki since I was a little girl and the late Mrs. Sakai used to sew outfits for my Cabbage Patch dolls, who she saw every Saturday morning.
Her spirit can still be felt throughout the store, and although there's been a lot of turnover with the cashiers, the fish guys have been there forever. They are hilarious and can give you advice on anything related to Japanese food. (e.g. How much sashimi do I need per person for a temaki party? If I buy this brand miso, do I still need to add dashi for soup?, etc.)
The produce is always high quality, and they have a great selection of Japanese items.
Don't let the chain markets outrun the older, independent Japanese shops!
Cute little grocery store with yummy fresh foods like rolls and their mochi! I thought this grocery store had a better feel to it than the Nijiya Supermarket, it felt cleaner and their foods like fresher.
I love their onigiri. And their microwave cake. It's a nice little market with sake, sushi, instant noodles, and lots of fish. I love their onigiri.
I like the feeling I get when I go in to this grocery store. A sense of calm washes over me, and I am drawn to the packaged foods like works of art. I could stare at the candy aisle alone for a good half hour (especially the fruity candies whose package proclaims that consuming them is like receiving "admiring glances from a graceful lady" or something like that). I have never bought staples here---just sushi-making items and junk food, and for those it appears to be reasonably priced.
Good prices for produce compared to the other Japantown markets. I always got fast and friendly service when I shopped there.
Great lil grocery store with all the fresh foods, fish and meat section, snacks and prepackaged food. Was looking out for their pre-packed sushi boxes but it was a lil too early so none were set out yet. So I scurried down the aisles and found some good selections of mochi and some an pam buns.
They've got a good selection of all good japanese foods, snacks and ackihol. I had a question about sake and i got a history lesson. Very knowledgable clerks and they have a wall just for sake and other unique japanese drinks. Such a neighborhood market. So friendly.
Felt like I was in Japan, but I could buy everything in ONE store! In many cases, for cheaper than in Japan!? Bought some great tuna for our first foray into homemade sushi.
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Grocery
Neighborhood: Pacific Heights
Category: Specialty Food
Neighborhood: Inner Richmond
Category: Seafood Markets
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