Metro Fresh

You want candy? They got it. You want soda? Check. Want a «gourmet» sandwich? They make em fresh using boars head meats. Want some breakfast before you hit the metro? Eggs and bagels. And for when you get back from work and it’s 5 o’clock somewhere? They even have alcohol.

Today was the last time I will ever step foot in this store and I implore everyone to stay away. The woman that runs the store is extremely rude and dismissive. She barely even looks at you when you talk to her. They sell lottery Scratchers out of a machine but will not redeem winning tickets. After I left the store, I witnessed her employee pick up a cup that a homeless guy in a wheelchair had dropped and throw it at him. Don’t support these rude, classless, uncompassionate people.

They don’t put prices on anything! A store with an okay selection of drinks and snacks. There’s nothing to protect the consumer from getting overcharged. The extra star is because the store is clean.

What a rip off. Despite California law. Not a price on most items. Play price roulette at the register.

The woman working the cash register was so friendly and so grateful when I tipped her for my sandwich that she gave me an Andes mint!
It’s a really nice deli/​convenient store and my sandwich was good!

Very good sammitch!

— Made fresh, choice of bread, Boars Head cold cuts, good portion, plus oil & vinegar without having to ask! This is the closest thing to a NY-​style italian deli sandwich that I’ve been able to find in K-​town.
Huge drink selection was a big plus also. Wall-​to-​wall coolers full of drinks. I’m not into soda, but they had tons of different teas and juices, which I really appreciate.
Nice folks behind the counter too. I’ll be back.

THE GOOD:
— — — — — –
The shop offers a pretty decent variety of commercially prepackaged snacks and beverages, in addition to hot dogs, spam musubi, and freshly prepared Boar’s Head sandwiches. Much to my pleasure, I discovered they even have Mountain Dew throwback. :)
The hot dogs here are surprisingly decent, and they don’t seem like they’ve been spinning on the rollers for days. To my surprise, there is no condiment bar for the hot dogs — the gent behind the counter will add the condiments (ketchup, mustard, onions, relish) for you.
The folks working there do not seem to be particularly enthused, but they still get the job done without being dicks.
The pricing of the goods sold here did not seem to be unreasonable … I walked out with my hot dog and can of soda for just under $ 3.
The shop has an «A» rating from the health department, and provides outdoor seating and tables.
THE BAD:
— — — — —
Their «Boar’s Head» sandwiches leave *much* to be desired. I tried a Godmother sandwich, which initially seemed promising due to the apparent build quality (stemmy lettuce aside).
The listed ingredients were: prosciutto, mortadella, cappicola ham, genoa salami, provolone, lettuce, tomato, red onion, mayonnaise, and Italian dressing. I ordered it with a wheat roll.
The bread turned out to be excessively firm and ridiculously thick, and they skimped on the condiments. This ruined what would have otherwise been a reasonably decent sandwich.
So yeah, I’d be willing to stop back in Metro Fresh to grab a beverage, prepackaged snack, or hot dog — but I will never entrust them to make me a sandwich ever again. Subway is literally in the same shopping plaza, and they will make you a bigger, better sandwich at a lower price.
THE UGLY:
— — — — — -
Being located at an important public transit node (the Wilshire/​Vermont subway station is downstairs), I could not help but notice that Metro Fresh invariably seems to attract its fair share of what one might colloquially refer to as riff-​raff, hooligans, and other assorted troublemakers.

Snacks, a wide selection of drinks (alcoholic & non), candies, etc. But what impressed me most was the fresh Spam musubi! It was still warm! Excellent flavor & they even have small packets of shoyu. $ 1.99 and I was in heaven!

The name of the game here is convenience. For people getting off the metro, getting on or off the bus, or just living or working in the area, they’ve got lots of things that you may or may not need.
Whenever I feel like having a sandwich for lunch but don’t want to go to Subway for the $ 5 crap-​long around the corner, I will stop by Metro Fresh because there are really no other decent sandwich alternatives around as far as I know. I will go ahead and throw in the extra star for using Boar’s Head meats, which really make any sandwich better. They have a huge selection of drinks, including some beers if you want to make your lunch a do-​it-​yourself happy hour, and if you find yourself unable or too lazy to walk up the street to Walgreens, they’ve got some basic pharmaceuticals or basic care necessities.
I find that the lunch hour typically brings huge lines at Subway and Chipotle (the mexican food Subway), but if you want to grab and go, this place is a decent alternative.

i love this place i eat there almost everyday. there fresh sandwitchies and salads help me lose weight. ive been going there for almost 4 years. today i meet the owner he was so very nice. he shared a story with me why i waited for my food. i found out the women that works there who i just adore is his mother wow i love this place… god bless you guys may your store prosper even more.

LOVE this place :)
Very convenient cuz I live here lol, but regardless, if you are a commuter cutting through from the Wilshire/​Vermont station, or a business person walking by, it’s a great spot to stop. Everything you need is honestly here «in terms of food and late night snacks». And I love how late they are open. Dae Hee and Jyu Yeong are awesome people too «not just cuz they’re friends of mine… they really are nice girls lol». Everything’s great! Hmm, I’m trying to remember why I’m only giving it 4 out of… oh wait, that’s right…
…that older lady with the $#!tty attitude!
Man that woman sux… good thing I only see her like once a month lolol.
I give Metro Fresh a one employee too many 4 out of 5 stars :)

I always find myself always greeted with a friendly smile from this place. The owner Gin is very nice and friendly and welcomed me when I told him I moved nearby. The older woman who works there is really nice as well. Today I came in for a sandwich and she noticed I also bought a butterfinger and she threw in some chocolate reeses and said «cause you like chocolate».
I get a sandwich from them once a week and have never had any issues with the quality. I would definitely recommend them. :)

Nothing too special. It is RIGHT next to my internship, but I’ve only been there for ice cream since I didn’t lose lunch-​time dessert roulette that my coworkers and I always play: D hehehehe but I know my time is coming soon…
Anyway, I was glad that they had Korean ice cream! KOREAN ICE CREAMS ARE DA BEST!!! :D but it made me miss Korea because the ice cream there is soooo cheap. sighhhh haha

I hate it how you only get attention and respect once you spend money with them, and once your face dissipates from their memory, they’re back on their non-​smiling, give-​me-​your-​gatdamn-​money BS.
No thank you to your overpriced cigarettes, beer, and snacks! I don’t care if you’re next to a snobby APT complex, you’re next to a metro station. Think with the big picture in mind, Metro Fresh…
When the LA Riots 2012 happen, I’mma make sure to loot this store first.

By my second visit, they were already saying «Welcome Back.» Amazing customer service. Very friendly, polite, prompt, attentive…
A great selection of convenience items, including specialty foods from Asia, reminding me a bit of the sort of thing they have at Famima: a nice mix of Asian and American choices. The drink section is likewise comprehensive.
Finally, they feature Boar’s Head sandwiches. I don’t eat meat, so I can’t comment on any of the sandwiches except for the veggie and cheese: delicious. Fresh veggies perfectly sliced available on a variety of fresh breads. Just don’t order the ginormously thick «crispy roll» unless you intend to either remove one of the slices of bread or else unhinge your jaw, which, as some of you may be curious to know, is a talent of which I am thankfully blessed.

Very convenient to have a store like this in my apartment!
They got everything u need in a convenience store PLUS boars head cold cuts! I had their sandwich for the first time the other day. Their subs are about 6.99 (about $ 2 more than a $ 5 footlong @ subway) but it’s by far better than subway sub and it’s a lot closer since it’s right downstairs lol.
They also have selections of Korean snacks and cup ramyun. They also have kombucha and all these other types of drinks that not all convenience store has.
This is like a Korean famima/​Italian deli/​wine and beer store. Awesomeness Iikey!

This spot has saved me on numerous occasions since it’s a block away from Southwestern. It’s a small convenience store (think Kwiq-​E Mart on steroids) that sells all sorts of bottled drinks, snacks and delicious sandwiches. I like to peruse to see all the different Asian snacks they have while they’re fixing me my turkey sammich. They use Boar’s Head meats, and every time my sammich has been fresh and very tasty. They’re heavy too, which is great for eating half now, and sneaking in the other half in the library later (but shhhh… don’t tell anyone).
This place is a little pricey, though, but I’m willing to cough up my scarce pennies for food I won’t regret buying.

How could anybody turn down a place that features Choco-​Pies and kimbap?
Most people before me have been raving about the sandwiches — and they are good. Really good. I have been down here at lunch and they turn out good sized sandwiches quickly and for a reasonable price. The salads (esp the chicken avocado) are really good. The portions are large and the ingredients are fresh. More and more often I’ve been turning to their salads at lunch… they’re a great and healthy deal.
But I most appreciate being here in the mornings. Metro Fresh is a small family run market/​deli combination. I’m usually here first thing in the morning. The inside is very clean and well laid out. The owner puts out a couple coffee urns and keeps a nice counter for sugar and coffee items. The coffee is inexpensive and compared to the Coffee Bean in the same center, is much smoother and not bitter.
However, I also mentioned the Choco-​Pies and kimbap. When you first walk in, there is a veritable plethora of all things sweet and delightful and anti-​dentist. They carry sugar wafers, biscuits and as mentioned before, the venerable Choco-​Pie: the wonderfully named cookie filled with, well, chocolate cream.
Near the coffee urns is a self service mini-​fridge filled with kimbap. Kimbap for those who don’t know are essentially seaweed rolls filed with veggies and some sort of meat, chicken, beef or better still tuna. They aren’t home made here, but the spicy tuna kimbap are a great breakfast food. Get them warmed up (they traditionally are, and the owner will usually offer anyway).
The service is friendly. This is a place that serves the immediate community, and the atmosphere, cleanliness and quality make it a nice little gem in Koreatown.

This place is a great change from the run-​of-​the-​mill close to work places I usually frequent. They make these great, fresh to order sandwiches that are pretty darn big and they’ll give you extras of whatever you want, too. I like the mediterranean chicken — yum.
They also have a convenience store set up so you can grab chips, chocolate, deoderant, medicine, or whatever else you need while you’re there… and you can browse the gossip mags while they make your order.
The price is reasonable — I guess you’re kinda paying for the size of the sandwich.
But the service is the really great part — everyone is super friendly, kind, and always greets you with a smile.

3.5 stars.
They do now make fresh to order sandwiches, which is a huge plus, given the signage ads I see everywhere for Metrofresh. The owner is super nice, and the sandwich was decent. Good variety to choose from. Other than that, still a typical convenience store, but at least it’s clean and the service is exceptional.