The BTS invasion happened this week at Stanford Stadium with sold out shows and KPOP mania is still running strong in America. It's good to see different cultures getting recognition in the mainstream of America. There is a place which has products you can enjoy eating and drinking from South Korea . They also have ingredients so you can make your own kimchi at home. This market has been in San Francisco for over a decade before H Mart made its presence in the city. It's on Geary street and it's called First Korean Market. On a Spring through Geary Boulevard in San Francisco I landed at First Korean Market. I use to come here to shop for groceries a decade ago. Today it has lots of products from South Korea and Japan. You can find fruit drinks from South Korea along with adult beverages such as different bottles of Soju. You will also find market made fishcake kimbap. There bags salted eggs salted skin from Singapore also cheesy ramen like some in SF. Overall one of my favorite places in the city to shop without the long lines. Come to the Korean Market which is called "First " when it comes to South Korean food they are well "versed "and come inside to hide from the "sunburst" in SF and grab a cold drink to clinch your" thirst " If you want to stay woke then bottles of Soju will keep you "awake "come to this First Korean Market on Geary Boulevard where they "make"their own kimbap with "fishcake"and flakey like some in SF vegetarian scallion "pancake" read more

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If your ever in need of korean food and snacks in the Richmond, Sunset or Presidio districts and you don't want to trek all the way to H-mart on the other side of the city, one of your best bets is this grab-and-go spot in the city proper. Tucked right on Geary and 10th is First Korean Market--it's tiny, compact, and low-key makes some of the best street food snacks in the Inner Richmond. Locals tip: Walk right past the grocery aisles and head straight to the plastic containers at the deli counter. This is a family-run operation, and their ready-to-eat section is elite. First, grab a roll of the Fish Cake Kimbap. It's rolled perfectly tight with sesame-flavored rice, egg, pickled radish, and savory fish cake--it's the ultimate hand-held snack. But the real showstopper is their Sweet Crispy Chicken Wings. This is traditional Dakgangjeong. It's a sticky, sweet glaze heavy on the honey, garlic, and ginger, coated over ultra-crunchy deep-fried wings. It's messy, it's garlicky, and it blows most restaurant appetizers out of the water. This is a lovely, family-run business with quick, friendly service. Keep in mind that street parking on Geary can be tight, but it's entirely worth the quick stop. Legitimate old-school Richmond spot. read more

Great for quick take out food. Rice rolls, veggie or meat pancakes, fried chicken, noodles to go, sweet rice cakes and more. Lots of fresh prepared foods and pre marinated meats to cook at home along with a big selection of frozen items and well stocked mini supermarket of household goods and toiletries too. Easy street parking. read more

First Korean Market - Cooked pork pancakes, beef and veggie rice rolls, and mackerel fish. - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

I discovered this spot when I didn't want to go through the depths of chaos that is in H-Mart when I only wanted one Korean item. This was my first time visiting this grocery store, and it had all the charm I'd imagine from a family-run market. The layout is cozy, with aisles that are on the tighter side, but still manageable for a couple of people to browse together without feeling cramped. I cannot wait to have kids and they grow up eating Korean food. They also got soju bottles here which is clutch! This is a nice Korean market when you don't wana go to the behemoth of H-Mart which is also a trek to get to on 19th and we're feeling lazy. read more

First Korean Market - outside - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is the perfect little neighborhood market. It carries the "good" Sriracha - not the knock off one you'd find at Whole Foods. It has most Asian sauces and seasonings you'd need as well as some premade items like japchae! The cashier is really quick at ringing up items and the store itself never seems to be too crowded. It's a good place to stop by before deciding to make the journey to HMart! read more

Spices, sauces, oils and noodles! This market had all things for Korean dishes. I'm making Budae Jjigae and happy I found one market for all the key ingredients. They also have some premade fresh Korean dishes by the checkout. read more

First Korean Market - Oils and sauces - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Started coming to First Korean Market after my friends moved to the area in early 2023 and another local friend recommended their prepared foods. Since then, it's been a pretty regular stop for us when we want something easy for dinner. The shop is small, but they have a decent selection of shelf-stable items, frozen foods, soju and prepared food. We regularly get instant noodles, soju, japchae and kimbap at FKM. Portions for items like the Korean chicken and meat entrees can run a bit small for the price, but we still come back for them and more. The owners can be a bit terse depending on the day, but that's pretty standard to me for an Asian market so I don't mind. Still one of our regular stops in the neighborhood. read more

First Korean Market - 21$ for soju, a 4 pack of Jin instant ramen and a beef kimbap - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I know this place has been here for a while but it was my first time entering this grocery store and it was exactly how I envisioned a family run grocery store. The aisles were tight but you could sort of have 1-2 people browse the items in an aisle at the same time. The prepped meals were all in front right before check out and before you exited. I was pleasantly surprised that they stocked a lot of items that aren't at the larger Asian grocery stores. I think if you want to stock up on pantry items or are hungry for a fast lunch (or dinner!), definitely head here and see what they have. It might surprise you. read more

I'm so glad I discovered this market! It's small but will satisfy your snack and frozen goods needs. The market is tidy and well run! I find the items reasonably priced, and I don't have to go as far as Walmart to shop for Korean groceries. There's an assortment of ready-made banchan and kimbap to choose from. Their fish cake banchan is solid! I'll be coming back to try more banchan! read more

Stopped by this awesome little market for kimbap, kimchi and wings to go. All were amazingly delicious and super fresh. I'll have to remember to snap some shots next time I stop by - until then all I can say is I highly recommend this quick stop. read more

Been shopping here for years. Great mom and pop feel. They carry all my favorite Asian ingredients I use in my cooking. Highlights are their take away delicacies at the check out counter. The chicken, mandoo, kimbap and more!!! Their house made kimchi is THE BEST! ...and don't forget the pre packaged banchan in the back... Forget all the big box Korean Food Halls and markets. Just shop here!!! read more

Great place to order catering for your next event! Japchae is delicious! And the kimbap has a perfect ratio of rice and filling! Will continue to order from here again. read more

Very reasonable prices and cozy interior. Easy to find everything you need. The prepared food is what my friends and I came here for. Pretty convenient! They have a great variety of banchan (side dishes) and kimbap! I recommend the beef kimbap. 0.7 lbs of kimbap (2 rolls) for $7.99 is not bad. The mackeral is also fried well and delicious. The kimari was decent. Since it was sitting out, it wasn't very crunchy. My only complaint is that there's no utensils for the prepared food! We went to eat our food at a park nearby and ended up having to use our hands for everything. read more

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When my husband and I are feeling too lazy to cook from scratch, we head to our favorite Korean market to stock up on groceries for the week. We love Korean bbq food because it's so easy to prepare and have a fully satisfying, meaty meal ready in no time. Pro Tip: Korean markets often have a variety of ready-to-eat banchans (side dishes) like homemade kimchi, japchae, fish cakes, cucumber salad, and squid. I usually pick 4-5 different ones depending on what catches my eye that day. Then, I head to the freezer aisle for the meats. Some are pre-marinated, but I always grab a pack of thinly sliced frozen beef brisket. It lasts us for at least three meals when paired with rice and the sides. My go-to formula: 1-2 packs of meat, 4 sides, rice, and soju or makgeolli (a milky, slightly sparkling rice wine) Two bags of groceries usually come out to $98, which is a good price for two people to enjoy several quick and delicious meals throughout the week. read more

This is a GREAT place to get your Korean food fix to-go. Quality/Quantity - Good, made fresh in house. Entrees: Kimbap - 3 of each... Meat Pancake Fried Mackerel Side dishes: Squid Japchae Seaweed BellFlower Root Fish Cake Puffed Corn Cookies (okay, this is more for dessert) Apples Atmosphere - Small local Korean grocery store, probably the first one open in this neighborhood. Open 7 days a week from 9:00-6:30pm. Street parking, good luck. Service - Self service. Price - $117.87, yes we overbought as usual... Owner Comment - Congrats to Junghun and family for a successful business since as long as I can remember, which is a very long time... read more

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This Korean market has an okay selection of ready to eat food. I was too lazy to cook and wanted to try multiple items for under $40. Each item here averages around $8. Fish - pretty good , beware of bones ! 5/5 Glass noodles - yummy 5/5 Kimbap- 3.5/5 - the rolls were kind of skimpy Vegetable pancake - 2/5 My total was $36. I only got the pancake as a filler in case I was still hungry. I would definitely come back for the fish and glass noodles if I'm in the area read more

First Korean Market - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I come here when I don't want to deal with the stress of going to other large Korean markets down south. This market is small but they have all the basics you need for making Korean food (and some Asian dishes) including spices, condiments, grains, meats, frozen food, and fresh produce like perilla leaves, green onion, etc. The store owners/cashiers could be friendlier. I'd appreciate a hello and thank you but oh well. I like that size of the market because it's not overwhelmingly big and you can get in and get out pretty fast. I've had their homemade vegetable gimbap (located on the counter near the cashier) and different soups (in the fridge case near the front) and they've been excellent. I've cooked some of their refrigerated, marinated raw meats from the metal cases to the back right of the store and they were also tasty. If you like Korean BBQ but want to eat at home and save a little bit of money, buying these marinated meats and cooking them on a pan, grill, or tabletop grill at home are great options. They were on the sweet side like a lot of Korean marinades and are yummy in perilla and lettuce "ssam" wraps. They have a variety of frozen fish, frozen meat, and frozen sliced meats. They also have a good selection of Korean drinks like soju. read more

Quaint little mom n pop Korean shop with Korean and Asian market basics. It's not fancy, but at least we're able to get items like Honey lemon tea and Buldok ramen here. Easy and convenient little spot. read more

First Korean Market - a variety of snacks for sale - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

3.5 stars. A convenient Korean market for us to get some spicy pork, banchan, and jars of kimchi/pickle radish. I can eat a small jar by myself, no problem. The fact that fermented food is also supposedly good for you is an added bonus. Hubby also likes their Korean sushi "kimbap" which I don't get at all, but he likes what he likes. Prices are a bit expensive. read more

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First Korean Market- San Francisco California This little market is what I feel is a total "neighborhood gem." Great location serving a local neighborhood, clean and organized items on shelves. Lots and lots of fresh, refrigerated and frozen items many of which are from Korea and other Asian countries. Stop by First Korean to pick up your favorite grocery items and pick out a thing or three to try for the first time! Where I think this little market really shines is in the freshly hand prepared items. There's a very wide selection of banchan, handmade condiments/ appetizers. Perhaps the one most recognizable one is kim chee. Generally, preserved cabbage. However, there are more variations of veggies and flavor profiles to kim chee than many would think! Beyond kim chee, there is a wide variety of preserved or pickled veggies and seafood. If you're new to this, pickled veggies in Asian food is as common as a sandwich or burger that comes with pickles! While they can be eaten by themselves, these side dishes are most often enjoyed as an accompaniment to grilled meat and rice. There are several refrigerated cases dedicated to selling these banchan. And the fact that these are made in house at a tiny market is remarkable. They also make housemade kimbop, or "Korean sushi rolls." Super simple, super delicious. They also have other items such as fried rice and fried fish, all done in house! And the flavors of what I've described? To paraphrase Anthony Bourdain, it tastes like it was made by somebody's mom...anybody's mom, which is to say it's comforting and delicious! Please check out my photos for more. read more

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I enjoy shopping at this small Korean market 5 blocks from where I live. It's smaller than Hmart and Woori Market on Fillmore, but it's in the Richmond district with more authentic Korean restaurants to choose from. I bought a lot of snacks here like Chestnut rice cake cookies, white hazelnut wafers, chestnut popsicles, etc. I also like buying the mixes to make sweet Korean pancakes and the savory seafood/kimchi pancakes. They also sell cooked hot food here, which is a great option for lunch or dinner! read more

First Korean Market - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Love this place. They have marinated meats and lots of side dishes to choose from. Lotttts of kimchi options for the beginner. Lots of ramen options and drinks. It's got everything you need. They also sell fresh Kim bap. It's worth going! read more

You know, even though I've been coming to First Korean off and on for years now, you'd think I'd come here even more often, considering how close by they are. Typically, whenever I need to restock on my Korean staples, my default is just to make the drive out to Kukje in Daly City. Makes sense when I need to get a bunch of stuff, but seems kind of silly in hindsight when I need just a few things. I guess all it took was for gas to hit eleventy dollars a gallon for me to really think about things. Oof. Much like Woori Market by Japantown, which I'm quite fond of, First Korean is an awesome, neighborhood gem. From the outside, nothing about this place really stands out. However, once you make your ways inside and start to peruse the aisles, it becomes immediately clear that their range of offerings is actually quite impressive! Whether you're looking to pick up just a couple of things or a whole basket of things, you're more than likely to find what you need - instant noodles, marinated meats, frozen dumplings, chips, candies, sauces, gochujang, dried seaweed, soju, drinks, tea, ice cream, sacks of rice, tofu, flour, and so much more. In addition, they have an entire array of prepared foods by the register, including japchae, multiple types of kimbap and fried pancakes (meat, fish, vegetable, etc.), fried chicken wings, fried fish, and kimchi fried rice. However, my favorite thing about First Korean are their homemade kimchi and their banchan station, which used to be self-serve up until COVID. As far as prices go, it's about what you'd expect of a neighborhood market - some things are the same, or even less than larger markets, but most items are a bit higher (though, not unreasonably so). At the same time, I'm okay with paying more to have Korean markets like this in my area! If anything, my bigger "complaint" (and I use that term loosely, as it's not even a terrible one) is that First Korean doesn't have much to offer in the way of produce. While I've seen fruits laid out a few times, they don't have a truly devoted produce section like how Woori does. Again, not a huge deal given how Clement and its plethora of produce markets is just a block over, but it's still a difference worth noting. All in all, despite the relatively minor shortcomings that First Korean may have, I absolutely love having this place so close by to me. I'll still go to Kukje or H-Mart whenever I have a long list of necessities to pick up, but for the times I need just a few things, it's far more convenient to come here. Plus, just think of how many more snacks and packages of kimbap I can get with all that money I'd be saving on gas! FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded down. read more

Just went there for the first time. Really bad service. We were looking for the tofu soup mix and I asked the cashier where it was (it was pretty close to the counter). She was watching TV and pointed at something and told me the name while I still couldn't find it. I asked a few more times and she appeared to be a little frustrated, but she didn't move, not bothered to show us where and what it was. When I pointed at something for her to confirm, she impatiently said "I just told you ..." I stopped asking and picked something I thought was the mix. At checked out she still looked indifferent. The business was pretty slow and there was one or two additional customers besides us. I have no idea why it was so hard for her to help her customers (maybe should move her eyes from the TV?) not returning. read more

First Korean Market - Korean grocery store - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

After multiple disappointing tries at H Mart, I was pleased upon my latest visit to find many products WITHOUT chemical preservatives like sodium benzoate. The store is small but had what we were looking for: ingredients to make gochujang. And then we also got jjajangmyeon ingredients. And to go with the noodles, they have a fresh section of housemade sides including pickled radish made NOT with artificial coloring but made the traditional way. read more

First Korean Market - Jjajang sauce. No sodium benzoate. - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I think there are only two running Korean specialty grocery stores in the immediate area of San Francisco. This is not including the H-Mart in Daly City. This market is small, but carries very basic food and condiments for mainly Korean cooking. It also stocks fresh food for sale, which I believe is made in-house. I'd recommend Woori Food Market on Fillmore for more produce options. I came in here for a quick haul to cook some vegan Korean food at home. This store had pretty much everything I needed, though I had to stop by another grocery store to get certain produce. You come in here and know what you need to buy. It is a grab and go place for quick shopping errands. Overall, great place and I'd often come here to shop. read more

First Korean Market - Outside - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

I remember coming here for cheap eats Kimbap fried chicken jap Che. Inflation is no joke! That Kimbap used to be $4 now it's more than double! $8.50 and it was super small skinny rolls. But that's not what I'm going back fii on r. I'll tee we lol you what I discovered, I tried that blue package ramen for the first time and it's so good!! It's sweet, sour, spicy, delicious!! Went back for two more packs the next week read more

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Today went to see if they got any hot food put out before heading to work and saw they got some gimbap, japchae, and some chicken. They were still bringing out gimbap as I looked at the side dishes in the back. This is around almost 10am. And due to safety and sanitation with covid all side dishes is already prepared in packaging and you just grab one. The lady that rang me up was more friendlier than the others, atleast she will ask if you need a bag, bag your items and thank you. Though I still grabbed the receipt myself because she turned around forgot and turned back around again like she remembered. read more

kimchee. I bought some kimchee here months ago...this stuff lasts a long time. I was in the area the other day and bought some more this time their homemade. I wish I had more to report but I don't prepare Korean food at home. I really like this clean well lit neighborhood stop! read more

Yesterday, I bought a large container of kimchi and some Korean fried chicken wings/drummettes. The chicken wings/drummettes were covered in a thick sweet glaze/sauce. Both the kimchi and chicken were good. I have tried their seaweed soup and japchae before and both are delicious as well. This is a nice Korean supermarket although it is pricey. read more

I think this mini Korean market is definitely a hidden local gem and is a great place to grab essential Korean goodies and deli food in SF, without having to bust a mission to the hectic Kukje market in Daly City. They have a nice assortment of refrigerated and frozen sections also (including yummy ice cream and dumpling options). The little prepackaged banchan and kimbap, chicken wings, etc. we're also reasonably priced and really tasty. I might even like these better than those sold at Kukje! They also have a great assortment of Korean ramen! Once our fridge and freezer has more room again, I'll definitely look on returning back. I do agree the check out experience was the not ultimate friendly vibes and took kinda long but come on y'all.... this is a minority run market and they're hustling hard to make ends meet! They likely grew up in very different cultures and times. This ain't TJs and you can't expect every market to adopt TJs mentality! read more

"Do you own a restaurant?" asks me the clerk as I'm placing 4 pounds of red pepper flakes and 2 pounds of fermented soy bean powder (among other things) on the checkout counter. "No", I said, "I'm making gojuchang." You see, my husband and I have this weird ritual to watch videos from Maangchi, a popular Korean YouTube vlogger before going to sleep. And one of the intriguing videos was about how to make gojuchang, the Korean hot pepper paste. The challenge was on and when I looked for Korean grocery stores in the city, this little shop in the Richmond District came up. This was actually my second visit as this is now the second year that I'm making this sauce: back by popular demand, so to speak. And while the shop isn't very big, the aisles are packed with all sorts of Korean "goodies". The shop owners are very nice and helped me on my first visit to navigate. read more

First Korean Market - Aisle with dried and frozen goods - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

Love this spot . They have fresh kimbop, sesame fried chicken , japchae, and all sorts of goodies to bring home and cook.. it's a hidden gem... read more

I like going here for all my basic Korean food needs. It has all of the good brands of kimchee, radishes, instant ramen, gochujang, bulgogi marinades, premade banchan, noodles, and even kimbap and pancakes! It's very clean and the products are decently priced. I like the fact that there aren't any lines like you see at H-mart. Overall, it's a nice little market that has all the basic ingredients for Korean food. The staff could be a little more helpful, but maybe it's a language barrier. read more

I love this place. They have premade banchan you can buy in larger quantities which I like to keep around for snacking. They also have the small dried anchovy banchan which is my favorite - I like mixing it with rice and beansprouts for a light meal or snack. Lots of fun snacks and dishes to try, and they have frozen rice cakes too for making tteokbokki. They also have bimbimbap and other hot foods at the front, all of which are delicious. Space is super clean and well cared for, and the staff are really friendly. read more

Both the owners are very rude and unkind, especially to anyone who understands Korean. They don't seem to care, and now that H Mart is in town, good luck. Plus, compare the prices with H Mart...or even Target and other grocery stores. Such ripoff. read more

If you like a wide selection of instant ramens you can't get at a typical grocery store, wander in here and be welcomed by an isle of ramens! I came in specifically to look at drinks, ramens, and the pre-prepared food items. . We opted to try the Kimchi rice, vegetable pancake, fried chicken and Kimbap. I will definitely be back to grab some snacks because everything we tried, we loved. We noticed in the freezer section they have pre-sliced meats, etc. for your korean BBQ/Hot pot fantasies (we want to buy a grill/pot for our place, if you have a recommended brand let me know!!). Can't wait to come back and try more goodies. *They accept Card/cash - I would not say this is a cheap place, but for some tasty Korean favorites, worth it. read more

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Review only for japchae and fish cake kimbap: - about $7 each - came in handy after paddle boating at Stowe Lake - shared kimbap with my 4 yr old daughter - if you're a starving mom, this is enough food for you and one of your little ones (maybe get a piece of fruit too!) - I understand some Yelpers say it's expensive, but it's so convenient to grab and go with these items, and you can tell the food has been made with love! - I live in Concord now, so the convenience of these types of Korean dishes is hard to come by. Be blessed there's a neighborhood market like this in your area! read more

Non pretentious, stocked, and authentic. I absolutely love this place, they have everything you could need to make any Korean dish. Lots of great Kimchi, prepackaged and homemade. Tons of great bulk Korean side dishes (banchans). Delicious marinated meats including bulgogi, short ribs and chicken. Fresh Korean produce like Napa cabbage and scallions. Great prepared dishes like kimbap and scallion pancakes. Lots of great dried goods like gochujaru, dried shrimp and anchovies, and various instant noodles. If you have any Korean needs and are in SF, this is your spot! read more

First Korean Market - I made this plate from all foods bought at First Korean! Beef bulgogi, kokuho rose rice, Kim chi, and a bunch of banchans. - International Grocery Near Me - San Francisco, California

I had never been here before, but we stopped by to get some sodas on our way to the cherry blossom festival. Very cute market! The girl at the register recommended a Korean soda, and it was sooooo good. I have never had such good soda. I have to get some more. There were also some in house made foods, so we picked up a Korean sushi roll made with beef and kimchi. It was a great treat! read more