I come here 3-5 times a week for their spring rolls when I am craving a snack. They have a huge…read moreselection of Vietnamese food and it makes me feel at home as someone who was born and raised in Korean town of Tacoma. Would recommend if you want a busy marketplace for snacks and other groceries.

LAM'S SEAFOOD MARKET @ SEATTLE…read more Parking is available in their lot, but it is one-way only, so once you enter, you'll have to loop around unless you find a spot right away. Unfortunately, this area is one of the rougher parts of Seattle. There are a lot of unhoused individuals nearby, and during our visit, there were people openly using drugs outside, which felt pretty unsettling while shopping. My mom and I have been coming here for the past 10 years, and it's honestly sad to see how much this area has declined over time. We were able to find parking and go inside, but the store itself feels very rundown and poorly maintained. It doesn't seem like there's been much effort put into renovating or updating the space. I wouldn't recommend buying fresh produce here, there were a lot of flies, and overall it didn't feel clean. The store feels sturdy but very old, and the overall ambiance is outdated. If you do stop by, I'd only recommend picking up canned or sealed items from brands you already trust. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this location unless you absolutely need something in an emergency. Lam's Seafood in Tukwila, on the other hand, is much better, it's bigger, cleaner, and feels a lot safer with no major issues in the surrounding area. Compared to that location, I would strongly avoid this one. It's disappointing to see how much it's changed over the years.

They started having specials with their fishes and it was such a great deal we couldn't resist…read more Wednesday special was hand rolls for 99 cents each!!!! You can choose from a variety of fishes as well. They were pretty fresh and yummy. The guy working there was really nice. He had a lot of advice and suggestions. The place is literally a fish market so not a dine in place. Parking is ample. Otherwise, it's pretty quiet and calm. The stuff is sometimes pricey but when they do deals like this, it's worth it. Will probably be back for their sushi and sashimi special as well.

Unfortunately this was disappointing. It might be cuz I didn't have time to pull up the…read moremenu/reviews before hand and I asked for the lunch special and received the poke bowl. But the lunch omakase special is what I really wanted I think. But even so. The poke bowl was mixed. I have to unfortunately knock off the stars/taste because the rice I got was literally the worst rice I've ever had touching raw fish. The rice was like hard and stale. I even had a clump that looked like it was the burnt part from leaving it on the cooker for too long and it couldn't bite it. I know this place is for the fish, but there's a bare minimum expectation on rice quality. And the fish itself was good? Maybe cuz it's the poke and not the omakase (so mixed chopped pieces) but there were pieces that tasted super fresh and delicious and then there were pieces that had so much tendon I couldn't bite through it. The folks there were super nice and friendly especially since I had no idea what to order. Just wish I was more delighted by the meal, especially cuz it was like $18 poke bowl. I'll give it another try with hopes it's better next time.

Samway is an OLD (or ancient) groceries/miscellaneous store in White Center that has looked the…read moresame for decades. It is not a place that I recommend to anyone. Expect the unexpected when you are here. Plastic tablecloth on rolls - yes! Tamale steaming pots that double as seafood steaming pot - yes! Clothing, costume jewelry - all yes! My elderly Filipino in-laws would have loved this crazy place. It's like a dirty Fred Meyer that is catered to SE Asians, Mexicans, and more. While I might not recommend this place to anyone, they have their charms to treasure hunt and prices tend to be low. If anything looks questionable, it is. I don't buy any of the seafood. The meat is a maybe if you live nearby. The produce is mixed, too. Gai-lan (Chinese broccoli) in a bag looked suspicious; they were. I still make mistakes with what I buy here. Meanwhile, a box of honey mangoes is better looking than any others I have seen - BIG and approaching ripeness. They were superb. The deep-fried SE Asian treat from a mold that looks like a lotus flower (called Khanom Dok Bua in Lao or Khanom Dok Jok in Thai) is a surprising winner. I didn't die. They were good. LOL. Look thoroughly before buying. They have their gems and plenty of don't-bother goods. Look for best-by dates. They are not on top of such details. The staff is friendly-ish, if they aren't pre-occupied with friends. Otherwise, you don't exist until you pay.

Roll in around 9:15 any given morning and pick up 6 Chả giò for $3.00 fried to perfection,…read moresetting underneath the worlds smallest heat lamp. Its like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow

One of the best LIVE seafood markets in the pacific northwest. If you fancy international, and…read moreexotic fish/crustaceans then you need to visit Wanli Seafood Market on Beacon Ave in South Seattle. Ran by a couple Cantonese guys, who speak barely any English but boy can they get their hands on some interesting critters. They import live seafood from various parts of the world; Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Although they will sell the familiar items you see in the wet markets of the Mediterranean and Asia. Do not be surprised to see the price per pound reflected with the cost of securing and shipping. Expect to pay upwards of $100 at a minimum when you come here. (Negating the basic North American species they offer like spot shrimp, Dungeness, Maine lobster, Rockfish, etc) Some of the delectable species I had the honor of feasting on: South American spiny lobster Mantis Shrimp (AKA in Cantonese "Laai Niu Haaa") European Langoustine lobsters Brown Edible crab Mud crabs Blue Flower crabs Marbled Sand Goby Opilio crab (snow crab) Cabezon, Greenling, various other bottom dwelling fish This place doesn't have a number. You basically call the owner to see what shipments he will be getting. This is my hidden, not so hidden anymore gem for tasty sea animals.

I bought King Crab there before, the quality of the fresh seafood is not bad at all for that king…read morecrab.. they still have some.. but I don't think they are good anymore... Yesterday, on my way to my aunt's house, I decided to stop by for some oysters. I was wonder why they don't have it. But the fact is they hide them behind. They didn't even let me see the oysters, they quickly packed into a plastic bag. When I got home, I saw that I have oysters'' size like an iPhone 10. The shell of the oysters is very stinky, like it's been under muddy water or sewer for years... so when I open them, the shell keeps breaking. Which makes sense to me why they Havee those that are already opened. I steamed some of the oysters and smell them, they are not fresh.. so I just throw 1.5 dozen of oysters into the trash.

Came here looking for something, didn't find it, but had a good laugh with the owner. Personable…read moreand funny. Employees were super helpful in looking for what I needed. They have many many items for all your desi food and cooking needs.

When you live in South King County and near the border of Renton and Kent near Valley Medical…read moreCenter, you discover quickly that you are part of an eclectic community. And the benefit? All of the wonderful foods that are produced. But the products and spices necessary to produce these unique dishes are not found in your typical Western-based grocery store. And often times, these products must follow strict religious sanitary rules. There must be a grocer that can carry these sundries to make your dish what you remember from home. In comes the International Food Bazzar! Located on the northern Kent border in the industrial park area, this deceptively large grocery holds products from the Middle East, India, Pakistan, and a few others representing South Asia. The store is Halaal certified, and for those looking for that regional specific product from that region, it is most likely here. Going in, I was not prepared for excitement that I felt walking when I walked in to find the spices and curries I was looking for but could easily not find in a western North America based grocery store. Even the frozen food section was a treat: frozen Naan bread, frozen Saag Paneer to take for lunch, and brands of 25 pound bags of basmahti rice. Let's not forget the busy butchery section preparing several Halal cuts for the long line of customers, all awaiting their turn to put their personal request in. It's a great relationship that is forged. As someone who wants to eat as authentically as possible without the America-substituted analogs, I have found joy in this place that can make my dishes shine the way they were intended. Visit the International Food Bazaar for your next shopping trip!

Great community staple. You can quickly see why it's a favorite with locals. Very robust market for…read moreFilipino staples and more. Pantry staples, snacks and more. Frozen goods, small selection of fresh veggies and a fresh meat department. And if that's enough they have a hot food bar. So many fried options, prepared banh mos, egg rolls, steamed buns, and standard Filipino food like dinuguan, pancit, kare kare and more. The food was solid. I wasn't a fan of the dinuguan due to my flavor preference. We did enjoy the bbq sticks. And my man loved the freshly fried chicken skins here. But on our last visit, our food had "friends" or additional protein included. And so unfortunately, we threw away everything we purchased that day. The tough part is the little critters were on our bbq sticks which were pulled out from the display area under the heat lamps. And that was very concerning for me. So sad to say due to this, we won't be going back. I hate to even leave this review but I'll always be honest about all experiences. Good or bad. Honestly we would still be going if that never happened. But now that it has, we will not be.

Fou Lee Market is a must-stop for us whenever we visit Seattle. My husband has deep sentimental…read moreties to this place--it was one of his old stomping grounds, where his younger self would come often for comforting Filipino and Asian foods. Revisiting it always feels special. The market looks small from the outside, but don't be fooled--it's surprisingly spacious inside with plenty to browse. The parking lot has limited spots so be prepared to circle or wait briefly. We stopped in just to browse and do some spontaneous shopping, and of course left with more than planned. I was thrilled to find a DIY taho kit (includes sago and arnibal) and grabbed two right away. A tub of Magnolia ube ice cream and banana turons were calling my husband's name, so those came back to the hotel with us too. If we hadn't already eaten, we would've grabbed lunch there--the food smelled so inviting. The cashier was especially lovely--friendly, chatty, and engaging with everyone in line. That kind of warm customer service is refreshing and definitely deserves recognition. We left fully content, happy to revisit a familiar place and score a few fun impulse finds. Fou Lee Market continues to be a comforting, nostalgic stop that never disappoints. Update: The banana turon was really good. Super crunchy exterior with sugar that hardened into a crisp shell instead of turning gooey. Inside was a whole banana, not mushy or overcooked or dry, which gave it great texture. Simple, well-made, and very satisfying.

Randomly needed some hardware and was in the neighborhood so gave the store a try!…read more Came at around 2pm and there was still some sushi!!! Great sushi for the price. Lots of selection for Asian foods. It's smaller than other Asian grocery stores but I like that they have a wide deli selection during lunch hours.

I've been going to this store for 2 years on a monthly basis and highly recommend it…read more PROS: - Great location, small parking lot with space in front and back. Parking is usually very tough so plan accordingly - fresh food, hot food, well stocked. They do seasonal items too which I really like. - they've started hosting small food truck events. Tres sandwich truck is also available sometimes. - friendly staff and always nice, inviting and accommodating! Very well trained. - Store is small but always clean and well maintained. You can get grocery items too. - minimal frozen section CONS: - they've increased the prices on everything without any increase in portion! Since the children took over, they've hiked up prices twice within a year for, what I've learned from folks, due to "wanting more profit margin." These people are greedy and charging restaurant rates for grocery story sushi and food which is despicable and makes zero sense. - the new owners did an Asian food trucks event inside their already tiny parking lot. I feel like they are doing everything hoping something sticks. Why crowd such a small parking lot? I went to check them out but the prices were atrocious so i left. The simple mom and shop vibe is now gone thanks to these nonsense price increases that are just for profit. I hope the old owners return so we can get the mom and pop shop feel back and friendlier prices. Maruta Shoten has lost its identity and I cannot call them affordable or a mom and pop shop anymore. I'm very disappointed and hope common sense comes back to these managers and they go back to what the prices were.

I think this place changed owners, it's not the same food or people as years past. Not sure when…read morethe change happened. The weekend-only tamales are delicious. My absolute favorite in all of Washington if you like the banana-leaf, Oaxacana-style tamales. They're a hefty size but I can eat two easily bc they're so darn delicious.

TLDR: Best tacos in WA! If you want good food, make a trip here!…read more We've been coming to MI Mercado for about 4 years already. At the beginning we didn't know the name of this place, or why this grocery store served tacos. But all I know is - thank goodness my husband likes to try random food, because he discovered the best tacos in WA! Every single type of meat we've tried here has been mindblowingly good. Like, life changing. And I really don't say this often. I always thought pollo (chicken) tacos tend to be dryer/blander, but Armando's pollo is fantastic. But wait - the asada, pastor, carnitas, chorizo... Oh my gosh, everything has SO MUCH FLAVOUR and stays JUICY! Ok let me break it down for you: - smoked pork chop in a taco: we were like "what? it barely fits in the tortilla" but next second "oh man this is the best!" I think this is called chuleta? - carnitas: I've never had any other carnitas with so much texture and flavour. There's a mix of pork with skin? And soft gooey bits of pork? Yum, one of my favorites! - asada: it's always my safe option when unsure. This asada is just levels above all other competition in terms of flavour though. - pastor: this is only on Sat & Sun. The pastor is on a rotisserie thing. Also one of my faves! - everything else is amazing too. I'm getting tired of typing on my phone so I'll leave the rest for you to try FYI their meat selection each day varies I do want to point out that you might think the tacos are pricey (I think it's like $4 each). But the portions are really generous! At normal taco trucks, I'd eat 4 tacos for a meal. Here, I'd be full with 2 tacos, but then continue to eat 2 more because I always want to order every single kind of meat they have available that day, and end up way too full their quesadillas are gigantic too, check out my photos from this morning! Apart from Armando's tacos/quesadillas, we just found out today there's a lady in the store who serves El Salvadoran food. We're gonna come back and try her pupusas next time I've been hesitant to post about this place, because if they get too popular, we might have to wait :( but finally, after chatting with Armando today, I think it's better to spread the word and get them more business, because they truly deserve it! PS: We've never bumped into any other English-speaking customer lol, I think that shows how authentic they are. If you go, tell Armando that Ben&Monica sent you