AR Mart

+Never knew this market was here, even though I’ve been to this shopping plaza several times. Very nondescript façade.
+As with all Korean markets. Look around the store before purchasing anything.
+Seems like you can always find the same or similar items elsewhere in the store for a better price/​deal.

AR is the closest Korean market from my family’s place. It’s clean and has all the products I need. Avoid coming here on Sunday afternoons when it’s packed with korean ajummas. When stuff is on sale, it’s real inexpensive. It’s much less expensive than korean markets in koreatown. I also think it’s less expensive than H Mart in Buena Park.

I was really disappointed with the customer service. The cashier and produce manager were extremely rude. They didn’t want to honor the price listed on the display, which as far as I know is illegal in CA. If you see your customer is buying hundredes of dollars in groceries and you won’t even honor the price listed on the produce case clearly you’re not interested in keeping me as a customer. It’s not the customers fault if the wrong label was used or if the wrong produce was poured into that bin. I guess I’m not shopping with this chain anymore!

My mom is obsessed with this market! She likes all the dining ware and their little clothes area. She found a green dress for 3 $! Very good deal in her eyes. Some of their clothes are really pretty and from Korea, but very expensive as in 70 $ for a top. The food is also good and fresh!

Arirang market is pretty good for the price. It’s cheaper than other Korean markets in the area, which is why I frequent this place. I wish I can give more than 3 stars, but this location isn’t very clean. The floors are always dirty and they leave items still in their boxes sitting in the aisles. If they can improve this, I’ll be more inclined to up the star rating.
Their meat here isn’t good quality. You’ll purchase better elsewhere, so save your cash.
Best price for Sriracha though!!!

It’s a well set Korean ethnic store, carrying a huge variety of everything. I also get sashimi ingredients here, with a very reasonable price.
Like others have covered in their reviews, the staff issue, I didn’t talk to assistants behind counter or in tho. The cashier is not so friendly as the ones we are used to in American groceries. They don’t talk and greet much to customers no matter the customers speak Eng or Korean.
After all, this store is good for Korean grocery shopping. Plenty of parking outside, and some Korean restaurants and shops around.
I prefer Arirang to H Mart.

Had lunch at Kim Loan next-​door, after lunch decided to walk through the market to check it out. I was surprised how big it is inside. Great selection of veggies and a huge seafood butcher counter. Clean inside. I picked up some huge shrimp that were on sale and a good size snapper to grill. I’m new to BBQing seafood so I asked the butcher for advice. The Latino Butcher (luis) pointed me to the better fish to barbecue, the ones with less bone. After you pick the fish you want, he cleans them, guts them, and slices them the way you want it. Good service and he was a cool guy. I finally found my seafood market in Fullerton. Going back again in a couple days :)

People here can be rude. One of the Korean Ajussis working here got pissed at me because I asked him what a baechu was. It’s just a question. He started yelling in Korean «what kinda person doesn’t know what a baechu (cabbage) is?!» Crazy look in his eyes, losing his absolute shit. Obviously me bro. Right here. Me.
To be fair my Korean is pretty perfect, he probably thought I was being a dick. But honestly, I have better shit to do than spend my time harassing old men about cabbage. He probably thought the same thing which was why he was so righteously angry. (Lel)
Guess he felt embarrassed when I explained (politely in Korean because I respect my elders) my primary language is English and no, I still have no idea what a baechu is. I don’t owe this guy an explanation or anything but that was so damn uncalled for.
A lightbulb went off and he switched to speaking broken English. Voice level dropped ten volumes. Really bro. Now you wanna be all friendly. I just need some baechu. Just tell me where it is.
Ultimately he told me about how to pick a good batch and how to tell if they were fresh, and which were the best for making kimchi all in broken English so I understood about half. I appreciated the effort tho.
Four stars for… not really sure what that was about. I told my mama what happened and she almost died from laughter. Old school Korean and second generation Korean is a tough combo. So much misunderstanding. Kimchi that my mama made was bomb tho. So… wutevs.

Compared to H Mart, you can actually find parking here on a weekend! Same stuff, even cheaper. Just a bit smaller than H Mart. They have a quick sushi place which is decent. Has udon and ramen too.
Plenty of cashiers and I was surprised I didn’t have to wait at all! Esp on a Sunday!
FYI this center has a Paris Baguette for your gourmet bakery fiends, in addition to Kim Loan Vietnamese food. Kim Loan is fast, cheap, and bomb a$$ food. It’s been here for 20+ years.

Just came back from AR market. They need to calibrate their scales at the check out lanes because all of my produce were charged at a higher weight than actual. (By about .6 lbs). The only reason I checked all the weights at home was because my toddler was holding on to a small Persian cucumber and we paid for it along with the rest of the groceries. I came home and checked the receipt and it said the cucumber was .86 lbs. It actually weighed .22 lbs when I used my kitchen scale at home. I checked it because I couldn’t believe that one Persian cucumber can weigh that much. Anyway, I then checked all my other produce and they were all off by that amount. Also I wanted to check that my scale was working right so I weighed a 2lb weight on the scale and it was right on.
I hope it’s just a mistake on their end. Hoping they are not maliciously adding more weight to the produce.
So disappointed…:(

I love AR market. Plenty of produces, noodles, best tasty meats, sashimi, snacks, and soju. No membership and cheaper than another korean market. I don’t go H-​mart because little bit expensive. I want makgoli.

Usually it’s ok but tonight was a bad experience. Prices are ok for produce but select carefully. Great selection for instant ramen. One staff was annoying because we placed basket on the conveyor belt and she rudely asked to take our grocery, my problem is the korean lady before didn’t take her grocery out. I think this rude and I called her out on it. I probably won’t return. I should have walked out.
I hate favoritism!

Got some sushi at the restaurant within the store (presumably the same fish they sell at the market) and it was very good and reasonably priced.
The only real issue I had was that the chef didn’t speak English so it was difficult to ask him about the different types if fish they have or even a normal conversation. Very awkward ordering process, these guys should really work on their English. But at least they weren’t racist about it. Felt like the sushi they served was very good and not skimpy or anything like that.
I also bought some tuna from the market which was very good! I would have bought some uni as well but some of the color was brown or green and looked like it had been sitting there a very long time or not properly cleaned or prepared. I wouldn’t buy uni there even if it is $ 3.99.
Other than that its a nice little market to visit.

The problem with this market is: PARKING!
Even when all the businesses are not crowded, the parking is full. It is probably all the employees parking in front. Like most busy malls, Management should have the employees park elsewhere leaving parking for customers!

I can’t believe I can find so many Japanese ingredients at this market! From various types of miso paste, tofu, sake to even pickled radishes and gingers – it’s all here! One day I wanted to make shabu at home and BAM! Stacks upon stacks of frozen thinly sliced pieces of rib-​eye (at very reasonable prices!) were sitting in the meat section waiting for me. Another night I wanted to make pork katsu and BAM! A section of pork cutlets already prepared and labeled ‘pork don katsu’ just waiting for me to take home and fry. I’ve frequented several other Asian markets like Zion, 99 Ranch, Mitsuwa, Seafood City, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate any of those stores I listed but AR Mart is just more convenient for me. This is my go-​to Asian market. It’s about a mile or so from
my work so I often come here before heading home. The prices are unbeatable, it’s super clean, organized and there’s always something on sale. Sometimes the produce is ridiculously cheap. They even have large bundles of Thai chili. 99 Ranch Market doesn’t even sell that!
Just because I highly commend AR Mart doesn’t mean I refuse to go anywhere else. Wholesome Choice is another favorite of mine. So is Seafood City. Each of them are my top markets for certain things. AR Mart just happens to be closer to me which makes it more accessible. I’m so used to coming here that I’ve become comfortable and know where everything is and that, in itself, is an instant perk.

For about 10 – 15 years, the only Korean market in the Buena Park/​Fullerton was Han Nam Chain at the corner of Beach/​Malvern (well, there was the healthy organic trader-joe’s style of korean market at the corner of beach/​rosecrans but that closed and became the spa that’s there now). But everyone complained about the prices at Han Nam Chain, so when there was news of AR Mart and Zion opening, everyone got excited.
We did come here opening day a few years back and it was a nightmare. None of the low prices advertised in the newspaper matched what was scanned at the register. Things of much improved since then. Yes, prices are lower than Han Nam’s (although Han Nam is in a better part of town). And the food court has expanded (although I like the food court at Han Nam Chain’s better). But they do have Amore cosmetics where you can get Iope and Laneige. So 4 stars for their low prices and amore cosmetics counter.

As it was my first time in a Korean market, I got lost a few times and had to ask for help to find my ingredients! Luckily, I found everything I needed plus some chocolate koala bears :)))

There is really only one reason you’ll see me at a Korean market.
And it’s to buy Korean ice cream. And when it comes to Korean ice cream, no other market beats the prices and selection that AR Mart has. My usual selections are Papico and Melon Bar, which can be had for $ 3 when on sale; that’s just unheard of! Papico (which is this soft fudgesicle-​like ice cream in a tube) was my favorite ice cream treat while growing up in Korea and it probably still is!
Oh and I noticed they always have one of the Japanese curry brands on sale so whenever I go, I always grab me some of those as well.
5 stars for having the best Korean market ice cream section!

Much needed update.
This place has great prices on steaks (you can get two well marbled rib eyes about ¾″ thick for about $ 5 for BOTH) and seafood (salmon steak for about $ 3). Their sushi section is still lacking, though, and their uni I wouldn’t even try (looked brown, yuck). I just wish they had live crab and lobster here. Seems like the only live seafood they have here is halibut, some type of small belt fish, and various mollusks.
Ban chan bar is still great, and LOTS of choices. Always kept very clean. Produce section is also clean and well organized, with great deals as well.
The major downside is that the management here allows «missionaries» to stand outside ALL day begging for money to fund their missionary trip to South East Asia. I do not like to be pestered trying to do my errands. And if I’m going to give money it’s going to be through a reputable agency like the Red Cross or Salvation Army, not some random kid standing on the corner.
They close at 10pm sharp and aren’t shy about turning the case lights off on you. So don’t make them wait any longer than you absolutely have to so they can get home.

This has been my regular supermarket for produce for over a year.
Produce is probably the cheapest in the area.
To give a general idea and if on sale (please note this was how much I purchased these items before in the past):
Green onions 5 for $ 1.00
Iceberg lettice heads 2 for $ 1.00
Brown onions 5 lbs for $ 0.99
Korean Ramen/​Ramyun can go on sale:
Nongshim brand Shin Ramen/​Ramyun 5 pack $ 2.99
AR Mart brand kimchi:
1 gallon jar $ 8.99
However the beef prices have gone up as indicated in the media.
Marinated short ribs go for $ 5.79/LB, up around $ 0.79. Sometimes it can be $ 5.49.
Regular not marinated short ribs $ 5.29/LB.
I recommended purchasing the beef finger meat instead of the short ribs.
It’s marinated in the same sauce, but with no bones and can be more tender. That price hardly ever changes at $ 4.99/LB.
Do not, I repeat do not get the kimbap rolls. I’ve tried it several times and what made me stop is that the rolls really lack flavor. Might as well call it vegetable rolls because that’s all they are. The core is literally shredded carrots. Who would pay $ 3.49 to eat a pack of carrot rolls???