Manna Oriental Market

It's been a long while since I've reviewed Manna Oriental Market. We were getting some boba nearby and we needed lunch so I suggested we can pick up some premade small dishes at Manna Oriental. So we did!

We always come here just for kimbap, japchae, and/or other dishes. We discovered the honey fried chicken here and it's definitely delicious. That's actually what we ended up getting as well as kimbap. They're not too bad in terms of price. They don't always have all the food ready or available so it's always a hit or miss. But they will also have the ban chan (side dishes) that you'd get at a korean restaurant like kimchi, etc.

Folks there are always very nice and friendly. So check out was really easy.

Parking here can be a little hit or miss but there's a dedicated parking lot that's a little larger in front of this store. So you don't need to park in the short row of parking spots right in front of the store. It does go further back.

Overall, it's fun to see what food they have. Yes, they sometimes don't have what we want, but that's ok. I like to take the risk otherwise, we can always find other food nearby. They do also have other grocery items as well as Korean specific items that you may want if you're needing ingredients to make Korean dishes! Definitely check them out. It's small but quaint and I love to support local stores.

I really like this little mom and pop shop. It's a pretty small store with all your basic Korean food pantry needs. It's close to my work, so very convenient for me.

They have different kimchis, japchae, kimbap, fish cakes, soups and other items that you can grab and go. I usually get japchae, spinach and/or kimbap.

They have a good selection of noodles and snacks. There's a frozen meat section with meats, a lot of which you could use for hot pot. They only carry a few fresh produce items, and they also have some beauty products.

The man and woman who ring you up are nice and friendly. I always end up leaving with more than I came for lol.

Heard the news from a long time customer that Manna Oriental Market is officially closed due to competition from Mega Mart a large Korean supermarket though I prefer the one in Sunnyvale for its 30% discount and well stock merchandise not to mention ample parking. I've been a regular customer for nearly seven years this is more of a mom and pop store friendly service and prices are hard to beat. I will missed having their side dishes (banchan) kimbaps, japchae and mung bean pancakes. Definitely be missed by long time customers.

TL;DR:
a small mom-and-pop Korean grocery store that offers a tasty selection of banchan and kimbap better than Mega Mart. I do question whether or not they would meet the Department of Health's safety inspection though since I walked into meat being airdried in the middle of a patron's path.

parking:
- lots of parking available

ambiance:
- a slight hole-in-the-wall mini grocery store that has a robust selection of Korean ingredients, homemade banchan, soups, and gimbap.

food:
[Worth It]
- banchan: I got the taster Banchan set that came with 4 different delectable things to try out--fish cake, radish, cucumber salad, and I think daikon? They all tasted amazing and much better than the selection offered at Mega Mart.
- salted fish: perfectly salted and made for a great side of protein.
- kimbap: This tasted great alongside the banchan. I would consider buying this combo for a road trip, hike, or the beach.

[Not Worth It]
- cabbage and beef soup: this tasted okay. After I added sesame oil at home it tasted much better. I also wonder how safely this was prepared after witnessing how they stored the meat in the middle of the store by the trash bin. (so far no food poisoning though).

A small Korean market in the same area as Mega Mart, however this one is definitely a gem. Despite its small size, this shop has quite a bit of good finds here. They have fresh kimchi as well as other hot foods that you can purchase. They even sell a party tray of Japchae for $80 which isn't too bad; you just have to pay in advance when you place an order for one. My husband and I purchased (2) containers of their Japchae and it is really good! The shop owner is friendly; greeting customers as they come into the shop and answering the questions that we had nicely.
I will consider ordering a party tray of their Japchae the next time i need to bring food for a party!

The best Korean market in Fremont. They have a deli area with cold and pickled fish, radishes, cakes, kimchi, etc that you pay for by the pound. The service is friendly, they make trays of hot food like soybean paste soup, and fried fish and the prices are so good you'd kiss your mama. I love the fish cakes and the kimbap. They have the regular one with spam or one with bulgogi for an extra buck. Highly recommend giving them a try for fast, fresh, and quality Korean food on the fly! Definitely cannot sit out here to eat but great for Togo in bulk to share with your fam!

Beautiful little Korean market with lots of Kim chee and other Korean foods. Hard to find this place but worth the effort to shop here.

I'm so so sad! Came to get my gimbap and japchae only to find that it's closed! I wish the best for the owners who were such lovely people.

Man, I totally slept on this place. *kicking myself* This place has probably been here for close to 3 decades and I finally just stepped in just recently. First, the place is in a strip that's kinda hidden from the street and/or parking lot. You really have to turn a corner into a very less traffic'd area, to spot this. Also their signage is not in English, so it is really targeting their native peeps. I wanna say if it wasn't for the internet, I still would have no clue on what this place is.

Welp, it is a very small Korean grocery store. Maybe 3 small aisles, several cold cases, one being up front and is a 'self serve' banchan fridge. And that is my main draw here so far, as to get house-made kimchi and other banchans is a really unique draw. You just fill up those clear deli containers and they'll weigh it at the register. Nothing is labeled or priced, so you either have to just go with it, or inquire.

I was able to get about a couple of weeks worth of assorted banchans, plus some ready made Japchae for a little under $20. I'm trying to eat a more vegetable rich diet when eating at home, so this is coming in a very timely manner. To eat marinated seaweed, spicy fermented vegetables along side with anything I make at home, is just a new twist that is exciting for me as well as healthful.

A huge Korean market just opened literally just walking distance from this place. I'm sure this place never saw that coming, wondering how it is affecting them. But whenever I'm in need of some Korean staples for my kitchen, I'll opt to support this place. We have some catching up to do, and it is just how I roll.

Still love this little place- Today I bought: Kim bop is now $7 and the version w bulgogi is $8. Spam and eggs musubi $3 chapchae $7 fried fish $7 tokbokki $7 everything always tastes fresh & it's filling. Tofu soups are delicious ( if you love spicy food!). I also buy things like burdock drinks & lotus tea which aren't available everywhere.
I've ordered a big platter of food before when I had a party & everything was ready right in time.
Support small family owned businesses!
Easy parking right our front.