Keeaumoku Supermarket

I’ve been going here for a long time because of the close proximities of my home. I didn’t really mind couple times I bought some Korean chips and being stale, because it was so cheap. After happening about 4 times I tried to return it one day and thy told me the manager wasn’t there so I had to come back. This first made me really upset because the cashier’s attitude was very cold as if they didn’t care. That’s one reason, but okay so the snacks is whatever, but recently I brought a big pack of rice that had BUGS in it and when I went to return it they didn’t even apologize about it. What kind of customer service does this place have. And the last event that happened was when they double charged my credit card because they said it didn’t go through the first time and when I came back to show them my statement they said again that the manager wasn’t there. So tell me when your manager is at the store lol. I would prob go elsewhere like palama just couple blocks down, where the owner is willing to pack your bags when they are busy and where they have a manager when you have a complaint.

If I could give a 0 star for my last visit I would. In fact if I could I’d give a negative number! We went around 5:30 pm this time. I usually have only shopped here in the mornings & like stated above had a great experience. Not the story this time. Every employee was grouchy, I asked one guy what time they closed and he kinda snapped at me. It was strange. Other employees glared at us and our full cart like we shouldn’t be buying that much or didn’t belong shopping there. Our cashier was a biatch and extremely rude beyond belief. She rang up something that was on sale wrong (at the regular price) and actually argued with me about it for a while. Then she told me to go get the signs to show her. lol I brought them back showing her mistake and she says «so, what u want me to do about it» I couldn’t believe it and wasn’t about to reason with someone so stupid so I just ignored her. She then deleted it off my tab, grabbed the item & literally threw it to the side. Mind you I was pleasant to her the whole time even though she was acting like this. with me. I actually felt totally discriminated against this time. Even my 9 year old son picked up on it without me having said anything. Not good. Perhaps the rejects are the nite crew– who knows but it made me so mad that I actually don’t wanna shop their anymore. Smh

kimchee saimen DELUXE
neo’s hot or mild saimen
kimchee pepper sauce or siriacha pepper sauce or mongolian oyster sauce
sesame oil
aloha shoyu
2 eggs
¹⁄₃ spam
1 sheet nori
peanut butter
sugar
on the pot.
pour water into the pot
wait until it boils to add the noodles
as it boils
crack the egg and put it inside
add a spoon of sauce
add a spoon of sesame oil
add a spoon of shoyu
add a spoon of peanut butter
add a spoon of sugar
add a sheet of nori
on the pan.
cube the spam
cook it on the pan
put the spam in the pot of saimen like a local boy… and you’re on your way! =)

I telephoned the store more than 10 times. it never answered.
what is telephone number for.
can’t understand

Korean markets all seem to have terrible parking lots, and of course Koreamoku Super is no different. One way traffic lanes, tight stalls, potholes, bumps, and of course the troop of simultaneously reversing Hyundai Genesis-​driving old men – this place has got it all. On the way in, you’ll occasionally be evangelized getting a pack of tissue or a scripture printed out on a paper with a map to a church on back.
The selection of goods at this store is slightly different from Palama. If you’re looking for a Korean food product and it’s not in either of these stores, chances are you can’t get it in Hawaii at all. They seem to have a more diverse snack selection, but the prices are also slightly higher. The meat is usually good here, and the ahjussi’s at the counter are fun to talk to.
The market recently started a point card system. To be honest, I have one, I always have it scanned at the register when I pay, and I, to this day, do not have one iota of an idea as to what purpose the card serves. Does that stop me from proudly whipping it out at the check-​out line? Of course not. Shop, shop away.

Most cities have ethnic areas like Chinatown, J-​town and K-​town. On Oahu, our Korean or K-​town seems to be located on Keeaumoku Street as it’s affectionately called «Korea-​moku». There are many Korean run businesses located up and down this bustling street which serves as one of the access points to Ala Moana Shopping Center.
Tucked in between a couple of strip malls is this hidden gem of a Korean supermarket. Who would think that a supermarket would be found in such prime real estate? There is free parking in front of this market and within connecting parking lots of the strip malls with a time limit up to 3 hours.
This market is clean and organized. Their customer service is sort of put-​offish but the products are clearly labeled albeit in Korean. Aisle signs and prices are English. You can find almost anything that you may need to make that favorite Korean or Asian dish. There isn’t a strong or pungent odor, unless there’s ripening durian, because the fermented foods are vacuum sealed. If you do cost comparisons with other Korean markets, say the Palama Supermarket, you might find this market is slightly more expensive. As in any supermarket, you’ll find fresh and frozen produce, seafood, meat, poultry, fermented products, a food stall/​deli and a bakery. There are freezers filled with sweet and savory products. But, what attracted me today was their variety of grains (barley, millet, rice) and seasonings.
Sure, most of the food packaging is in Korean (which I can’t read) but it’s fun to browse… you never know what you’ll find.
#393

So, here’s the deal on the inexpensive ground pork…
Last time I reviewed this place, I’d thought it a deal to get something like 2 – 3 lbs. at 99 cents per, on sale. There was a little sign & e’rything: «Ground Pork 99 cents.»
Turns out, WHAT A FEWEL I WUZ! The REGULAR price (the newer one?) is a whole whoppin’ 90 cents a pound. Unless I’m wrong – and keep in mind, I haven’t comparison-​shopped with CostCo/Sam’s Club or any big warehousey outlets – this is the CHEAPEST GROUND PORK IN TOWN.
My suspicion: Since they have an on-​site butcher, and always are choppin’ up cuts of the pig for Korean BBQ, yakiniku, and other regular cultural eating practices, they probably take what’s leftover every day, toss it in the meat grinder, and either tray package it (doubly wrapped, so as not to get the porky juiceness all over yer fool self) or plop it in a big plastic bag. Those trays and bags just go for, like one to four bucks a pop. Again: The cheapest ground pork in town.
Shh, DON’T TELL ANYONE, but this place is now my go-​to for making mabo-​dofu, gyoza/​mandoo/​shumai, pork curry, and other staples of my pig-​lovin’ household.

I bought a few of a particular frozen item. I cooked them shortly after, and they turned out to be spoiled.
This past Monday evening, I had a bad customer service experience. I asked a cashier, an older Korean lady with glasses at the first cash register, about which items corresponded to which signs (the signs were diagonally by each other, the items were horizontally by each other). She did not understand what I was talking about, so the cashier walked with me to the items and did the following rude actions:
1. She told me that the signs showed what the items were in a condescending manner.
2. When I expressed my displeasure about her condescension, she asked if I was Chinese, even though I spoke English fluently and the store is focused on selling Korean products (why does ethnicity matter, if she does not think I’m Korean?).
3. When another customer came by to ask the cashier a question, she started to complain about me in Korean. In this case, she did two rude things: complaining about a customer and speaking in a foreign language. And BTW, I’m local Korean.
4. The cashier gave me a hostile stare, basically harassing me at that point. When I told her to go away from me, she keep giving me the hostile stare.
Because the cashier would not leave me alone, I walked away from her and asked for a manager. None of the other employees attempted to resolve the issue, and the manager was not even in the store.
Hopefully I won’t have to deal with that cashier again, because I certainly am not coming back.

Yay! I am a fan, only because it is the closest Korean market by our home! But it is a good and decent size to buy your basic Korean ingredients. It is located in Keeaumoku Street, but really hidden from view between two buildings. Parking is terrible… no horrible! Because it is one way in, so if you need to exit, you have to go left around one of the front buildings into a narrow, very narrow road to another parking lot, yes, it can be very confusing!
They may not carry a lot of variety of items, but it has the usual ingredients to make your popular Korean dishes. The meat selection is very good and more plentiful. We like buying our pork belly, flank and other yummy meats here! The produce is a hit or miss, because they may not have certain vegetables. They used to have a huge variety of panchan dishes, but it has now been condensed to a few ones at the front of the store.
The supermarket has a Korean snack place to buy plate lunches, located in the back of the store, next to the meat section. There is also a cellphone shop, hair salon and coffee shop near the produce section.
What I really like about this store is the bakery! Is located in the left front of the store as you walk in. I love the different flavors of cakes. It made me feel that I was in their homeland for a few moments. I am a fan of the sweet potato cake. It is beautiful and delicious and a hit with my friends. The overall service at the bakery has been a consistent THUMBS-​UP service! All cakes automatically come with a big plastic knife, and there have been too many times, that I have always forgotten to bring a knife. No longer a problem, when I buy my cakes from here! You can also request for candles and is not just any candles, these are Korean candles! I think I shared too much and I would rather have my fellow Unilocalers experience the candle request! You will be delighted and awe of the ingenious way not to overcrowd a beautiful cake with too many candles!
Now, I am hungry for cake…

They had everything this Korean girl needed to cook for her fam. I can’t speak for Palama’s Honolulu location but I did go to the one in Aiea and although it was decent, the kimbap to go wasn’t very good and the kimchi was disgusting. Way off. So I was very pleased to find Keeaumoku. Great selection of meat, small but fresh produce section. Love seeing all the newest korean products on the shelves and it was very clean. Ok, so my only negative was that the prices were like double what I’m used to back on the main land but I can’t remember if it was much more than Palama or if it was around the same. Either way, it looks like this will be my go to Korean market. Love their kimchi :)

Yes, I KNOW its Hawaii and there are limited varieties of everything.
But I didn’t know it meant they BARELY had quantities of anything? I’ve been on the hunt for Korean items, food ingredients to make Korean food from scratch, semi scratch and downright lazy cooking. But I was SHOCKED to find how little there was.
I’m off to the mainland next week for a business trip and I’m about to pack half that suitcase with Korean goods and other items. I mean… besides being shocked about the lack of variety — much less quantity of things, I almost passed out from sticker shock.
Yes, yes, we had sticker shock buying used cars on the island. But seriously… groceries??? I mean… aren’t we closer to Korea than L. A??? Shouldn’t this put us at advantage or at least equal??? Ok so I digress. Yes, a jar of pre-​made spicy pork sauce or a bulgogi marinade is going to easily cost you double. Or more actually since the packaging is actually SMALLER than you would find on mainland.
This means only one thing for me. I must make everything from scratch and take great care in rationing my ingredients… not to mention beg my mother to send me some Korean groceries. I figure even with the cost of shipping it will be cheaper. Meanwhile… I’m trying to strategically pack my suitcase. I need clothes… but I need Korean food more!

RUDE RUDE RUUUUDE CASHIERS! They don’t greet you, they always have grouchy face, and you absolutely can’t be expecting thank you when your transaction is over. I would give 0 stars if I could. Everything else about this place, I love. Variety of Korean food, clean ambience (except for fruit section they have fruit flies). But honestly I cant deal with this much negativity when I check out my items. I don’t see a single person smiling everytime I come here and I come here at least once a week. PLEASE, train these ladies how to GREET CUSTOMERS. I sometimes just wanna ask ‘is everything okay?’ Because they look like they are mad at me.

Customer services is amazing. Two ladies on the front counter… friendly and very helpful.
They help me found mulyeot and brown sugar…
Can’t wait to cook new recipe lol

Keamuoku market
Ok — Foodland Ala Moana Mall closed so now I have found the closest thing to a supermarket to near the Ala Moana Beach and the nightlife near Ala Moana. What do I get there?
Answer– Stuff I would never go to the supermarket to buy on my own– that’s for sure.
There is quite normal things there for sure, bean sprouts in a bag, cabbage heads, tons of varieties of white rice. But then there is the unusual that makes Harrison Ford’s quote «What is that incredible smell you found?» seem calm and tranquile compared to what is going on in your head as you pass something as normal looking as refrigerated eggs in normal egg cartons — what in the world is that smell and if it is refrigerated how in the world will it smell when it spoils? Let alone how would it make your breath smell afterwards?
Is it really that bad Darin? No, I didn’t say it was bad. Just know that it is not a normal ⁷⁄₁₁ but an Asian grocery where you are more likely to find Chai teas on tap instead of coke-​cola; where you’ll find bimapab (sp?) instead of fries and a burger; where you’ll find custards instead of ice cream. I’m not saying you couldn’t find cookies but they may be quite different from the over the top super sweet Oreos that you normally grab on the go.
So– what can you get, some different prepared food like the hot soup noodles/​ramen, the hot cooked meats like beef, chicken, pork and hot vegetables similar to a Korean BBQ restaurant, and packaged bentos.
They have a great variety of dried mushrooms, better rice, flavorful tea and Asian Vegs. Yes, there is different fish and prepared frig items. But many of the labels are in Korean or other Asian languages. Not a big deal but just know that the food is different from a typical American supermarket.
I like it for both how close it is to where I want to go out now and for trying something new.

This is a Korean supermarket and it is located across the street from the HMSA building. Some of their produce are priced cheaper than Chinatown so I enjoy shopping here from time to time. They also have really fresh beef for shabu shabu and yakiniku. That stuff is located in the back of the store. You can also find all the pre-​made kimchee there too.
The downside to this place is the parking. The lot is busy because it’s shared with other businesses and the size of the parking spaces are small.

Wow, got a bunch of fresh produce, steak, Cornish hen, Haagen Dazs, a lot of stuff and it only came out to $ 35.60! If I went anywhere else, it would’ve been at least double. My 3 satsuma oranges were only 63 cents!

As I entered the establishment, I figured I go and look for some lemons but as soon as I walked in, the lady just told to go over there and usually they would direct me to where it is, but the first lady did not do that. The second time around was ok. At least she directed me to where the lemons were. I was a little disappointed by how the lemons were and I think I will shop somewhere else for my lemons

This Korean market is pretty similar to Palama market and probably a competitor.
They do carry different items. For example I like to buy their ramen without MSG base soup. Palama market doesn’t have it for some reason. But I guess it makes sense. Why carry exactly same items. Same goes for snack aisle.
Their parking can be a challenge. They do have more parking in the back near Maui Diver.

I just love this Korean market because it is clean and nicely displayed. They have all I wanted. The vegetables are very fresh and moisted routinely. Ready-​to-​eat bentos and packaged foods are tasteful and reasonable price. Fresh Meats and frozen meats are great… the parking is not bad in the morning…
I just wish the size of market become at least twice of current one…
And the big bulky shopping carts are too big for this cozy market, and I wish they have smaller cart with wheels like Safeway at Kapahulu.

My wife has recently become addicted to spicy Kalbi Tang at Millions.
As we cannot afford to eat there every night, my wife decided to take on the soup by herself.
Several hours of You Tubing and Googling later, she came up with a plan which led us to Keeaumoku Supermarket.
Making a Korean soup from scratch is daunting if you do not speak a lick of Korean.
This soup calls for a special kind of shoyu.
Luckly, we recruited the stock clerk to do some translating for us.
Without him, we would have wound up making a Koreanized Worchestershire Sauce.
They also had fresh vegetables and those thick-​assed cuts of short rib that you cannot find anywhere outside of the Keeaumoku area.
When all was said and done, our ingredients totaled a bit under $ 30.
It may be a bit steep for a cauldron of soup, but this is my wife we are talking about.
She once bought a whole ahi in Chinatown as she wanted to make her own sashimi and sushi.
Several hours later, our house smelled like Mama-san’s kitchen. Boiling that whole daikon radish with garlic will ward off any evil spirit within a 10 mile radius.
My wife’s Kalbi Tang was similar to Millions’ version, with her own special twist.
Now will will have Kalbi tang for days. And not spend Millions at Millions.