One of my favorite spots when I'm craving a beef bulgogi bowl! I've always been so happy to have such incredible and flavorful food near where I live. The staff are incredibly nice and they were very attentive to us when we arrived. We were able to enjoy an outdoor table and the food blew us away! I had their beef bulgogi bowl and I was floored by the flavor of the beef and the how fluffy the rice was. I want to try everything on the menu so I'll be visiting again very soon. read more

The jjajjang black noodles were very tasty . The tofu soup was bland, I'd skip that. There are small mini cups with cucumber, kimchi and radish extra rice is 2.50$ read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Small but solid Korean grocery store with covers all the basics. Has a small kitchen section too where you can order and eat. Pretty tasty standard Korean food which not a lot of places around the area have. read more

Found this spot on Yelp and was craving authentic Korean food. It is a small Korean food shop with an area sectioned off to dine in and a few tables outside as well. Service was good. I ordered the Jajangmyeon noodle dish at the register and took a seat. It came with a dish of yellow radish. The Jajangmyeon had julienned cucumber on top. The sauce for this dish is supposed to be thick. Unfortunately, I was served a version that was very thin and oily. The sauce had tiny pieces of diced overcooked pork and a just a small pieces of zucchini. Other than that the rest was slices of blackened onions. The cost was also expensive at $15.95 before tax. This was the most I have ever paid for this dish and the quality was inferior and there wasn't enough veggies in the sauce. Between the pork and zucchini, I estimate it was less than a 1/4 cup. So essentially the dish was mainly noodles in with a sauce filled with onions. read more

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We got the tofu stew (Soondobu Jjiggae) and the bibimbap. The stew was excellent - nice and spicy. The bibimbap was alright - loved the gochujang they provide on the side. Slightly small portion size and it was cold. Want to go back to try their hot bibimbap. The mung bean pancakes were great too. I wish they served it with some dip / sauce but it went great with the gochujang. Decent service, grocery-store ambience which is not bad at all. Parking: free, right outside. read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Tofu Stew, Bibimbap, Mung Bean Pancakes - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Authentic Korean food in a Korean grocery store. Tasty food with authentic flavors. Their tofu stew and beef stew are very good and the service is good, friendly owner. Order at front then back of store brings you fresh food. Good environment. read more

Sometimes the simplest restaurants are the best. We stumbled upon Choi's during our trip to the area last year and ended up eating here twice. There was not way we were leaving without experiencing this simple yet delicious spot. Hidden in a Korean minimart. There are a few tables in side and one or two outside. It's one of those places where you can come as you are and leave feeling 100% satisfied. Near the campus of UCSB in Goleta Choi's is tucked in a Korean Grocery store and is no frills. They let the food speak for itself and it does. For us this is a must do when we are in the SB area. read more

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I like the variety of panchan they provide. Wife had oxtail soup and it was ok but I wish the broth had a stronger flavor. The appetizer soup provided was super peppery (I think they should lay off the pepper and let people add their own). The gal bi was good and I wanted to enjoy it with the naegmyun but the noodles were too soft and the soup wasnt strong enough for me. Usually the noodles are suppose to be chewy and you need scissors to cut them. But overall I would come back to get my Korean food fix read more

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Mr. Choi's is a really nice spot for good Korean food and service. The spicy pork was great with a big serving. The banchan selection was very minimal, only being spicy cucumber and kimchi which was extremely fermented. The nengmyuon was decent, as well as the jajangmyun. Overall solid food with plentiful servings. My only complaints would be that it was a bit on the pricier side, and the inside was inside of a market with no music and bleak lighting. Other than that though, great experience with good and authentic Korean food! read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Spicy pork - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The flavor was of the beef bulgogi bowl was so good, it was hot and fresh. I ordered takeout and I didn't have to wait long to get my order. I didn't realize that it was a small grocery store so I was surprised by that when I walked in. They have dining tables for you to sit and enjoy your meal. read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Beef bulgogi - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Santa Barbara's Asian food sucks when you want a variety of flavors for the cravings. But some of the better tasting ones at least are fusion so it's a blend of something to make it tastier or Americanized. And also to the average tourist that doesn't know, prices will be hiked up to three times more and usually not the Asian food that is high quality. I finally tried this spot recommended by some very smart and diverse people and Choi's Korean food is very good. I am impressed and what I love so much about this spot is the white rice. I have missed eating rice that is a little sticky and not super dry. This place is the best spot for that and among other things on their menu, also their tofu soup and bibimbap and both heated in a hot stone bowl/dolsot! They also have a small market that sells Asian but mostly Korean dry goods and a cold beverage section in the back right if you're looking for some banchans. read more

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I love Choi's! It's a hole in the wall spot for authentic Korean food, as you can see below. I've had their tteokbokki a couple of times and it always hits. I had their naengmyeon for the first time and it was so flavorful!! You can also buy kimchi in the store along with other yummy asian treats :) read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Tteokbokki - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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The groceries have a good but limited selection. They don't have a fridge/frozen section like Oriental Market (+ I don't remember if Choi's accepts EBT while Oriental Market for sure does) or if they do it must've been pretty small. Their Korean bowls seem small but if you look closer they actually are pretty deep. Still very expensive but pretty tasty! The service is relatively fast and they have very limited indoor and outdoor seating. Just feels like eating in a small Korean grocery store. Kind of small but cozy in a strange way! read more

Best Korean in Santa Barbara. The food is always amazing and the owners are very kind.

Absolutely love Choi's. They have great food and snacks. They are so kind and truly care about their customers. I will be a loyal customer for life. Highly recommended! read more

Who would have thought a place like this exists in Goleta? Everything I have tried is very very good but a little pricey for the amount of food you're getting. The man who believe is Mr Choi is extremely nice and helpful when I want to try something new. The best part is that it is in the back of a market. I love these kind of places. read more

The place has got a homey storefront type of energy; you enter and are enthusiastically greeted by the sweet owners, treated with kindness and respect, and checked up on while eating (in a caring way that doesn't feel like the awkward "how's your meal" questions while you try to get the mouthful of food you just took down your gullet). I've gotten the bibimbap here a couple times and it always hits the spot. Mushrooms, wonderful pickled vegetables, a fried egg, a side of cucumbers... One thing to note, though, as another review has said, it could definitely use some more beef. It almost seems as if it's a veggie bowl with a few small slices of meat thrown in (for $16 no less)! But the flavors are delicious nonetheless. I'll be trying something new next time, though! read more

Choi's Oriental Market - menu (1/6/23) - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

There are new owners here, who are very nice. Food is the same. If you are trying to figure out what to order here, I would order the bibimbap, which is a mixed vegetable rice with hot sauce. I would order the rice cake soup with dumplings, which is delicious. I love the spicy squid, which may be a little exotic for some people...more squid please. The beef is a little pricey for a small portion. Food is good, and in my opinion, the most authentic in Santa Barbara, so it fits the bill. read more

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Cute little family-run Korean market and restaurant. Nice to have a store with the essentials in Santa Barbara. Definitely recommend supporting this local business! read more

Chois is an authentic korean eatery/market with many dishes, I ordered the tofu soup and yukgaejang which were both very good! The tofu soup is flavorful and has a decent amount of spice, the yukgaejang was spicy and not as flavorful but still very enjoyable! The service is quick and efficient, you order and pay when you come in, take a seat and someone will bring your food out to u. It's in a market so there's a section to buy asian sauces, food, instant ramen, and other things that would be difficult to find in this area. Overall I loved the food and will be back to try other things :) read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Yukgaejang - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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This place is GREAT! I highly recommend getting the takeout, they're so kind and the food never disappoints. I'm partial to the Tteokbokki because the mix of sweet and spicy is to die for, but everything looks delicious. read more

Can't sing enough high praise for the food we had here today! Everything from the banchan to the gojuchang sauce was amazing. I love little hole in the wall, mom & pop spots like these. We ordered the bibimbap in stone bowl (mmm the crunchy rice!), the japchae, and the spicy tofu soup. Everything was delicious. Highly recommended if you are in the area and like Korean food. read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Bibimbap in stone bowl - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Kind service over the phone and helped find great alternatives to what was sold out at the end of the day. Delicious food, highly recommended. read more

Very authentic Korean food- very few options in Santa Barbara. Naengmyun very good. Oxtail soup is a nice bonus. Kimchi stews very solid.

While I was visiting Santa Barbara,I stopped by to get some Korean pancake mix at Choi's. Because I can't read Korean, I couldn't find what I needed. Mr. Choi was at the register and I showed him a photo of the product I wanted and he immediately went to find it for me. He was very friendly and helpful. This is a small market, but it also has a restaurant with a little area for diners to eat. Mr. Choi showed us the menu, but we had already eaten lunch nearby and we were full. I wish we lived closer so we could try the food some time because it smelled so good. Maybe the next time we are in the area we can try Choi's. read more

I wish I found out about this spot sooner! I regret not coming here more often during my time at UCSB. Choi's is the only Korean restaurant in Santa Barbara serving Korean foods other than fried chicken (Von's) and KBBQ (Kimchi). It's not the best Korean food I've ever had, but considering the lack of Asian food in this area, Choi's does the job! I'd gladly come back and support this mom and pop shop. You order at the cashier near the entrance. I like that the menu has photos for each dish. The meal came with complimentary cabbage and cucumber kimchi and a broth. Although a bit too heavy on the sauce, the bibim naengmyeon was very satisfying with its chewy noodles. The bibimbap was also tasty and had a good amount of vegetables. Both could do with more beef though. I'd want to try their jajangmyeon and jjigaes next time! read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Menu - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Great quick weekday lunch spot with yummy Korean food, as well as yummy snacks and goodies. Very casual. The person at the register (I think may be the owner) is really kind, as well. I love their soft tofu soup! read more

What a delightful place to grab a bite to eat. I went here with family so we got to try a lot of items from the menu. I personally had the beef bulgogi bowl and it was good. The portions were proportionate and the flavor was good. I had a chance to try the chicken soup, japchae, jajangmyeon, Choi's dish with galbi, ttokmandu guk, and bibimbap. All the dishes were excellent and the service matched the food. Very attentive and made sure the food met our standards. The atmosphere was pretty cool as the other patrons eating here were very willing to share their recommendations. (They have a good number of "regulars" here. Some driving over 30 mins away.) Definitely a spot I would go back to. They also have a nifty market with local Korean ingredients, snacks and food. read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Chicken soup - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Most authentic Asian food in town. Can be a bit expensive but is really worth it! I always get the bibimbap but other dishes like the chicken soup and namyeon are also good. read more

The service here is so nice and the food is actually good and this is coming from someone who lives in OC- arguably where the best asian food is located- this food was definitely amazing considering it's in SB. A rare gem. read more

My review somehow got flagged and removed. Clearly I've been here! I have pictures as proof. I'm reposting this again. This family owned market/restaurant is located next to South Coast Deli in a small plaza with limited parking. Luckily due to COVID times finding a parking spot isn't so hard now. I've been here several times and I'm always greeted with a warm welcome and smile from the owner. They do offer limited inside dining and there are a few small tables outside. The bibimbap bowl is full of flavor but it definitely lacks the beef! I would consider this to be more of a veggie bowl with a few pieces of beef. Next time I will try the steak and rice to see if the portion is any better. Nonetheless the bibimbap bowl is delicious and filling. The side items accompanied with my order were sliced cucumbers with tajin, kimchi, potatoes, a yummy red hot sauce, and broth. I couldn't tell what kind of broth it was but it wasn't too salty and it had a nice flavor. If you're coming here to shop for groceries, make sure you check the expiration dates! I've noticed a lot of expired items on the shelves here, so just be cautious of that. Overall my rating is more like 3.5, but this is a cute little market to check out and try their flavorful menu items. read more

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The one and only Korean mini market in the Santa Barbara/Goleta area. As you probably heard or seen, the owners are extremely adorable and always welcome their customers. I am not sure if I should rate it based on the food or the mini market as a whole so I did something in the middle! Yes, the food is much more expensive compared to anywhere in the OC or LA area, but we are grateful to at least have this place to stop by when we get those Korean cravings. The food is fine, but I would definitely not skip on the Korean snacks available! I have introduced so many people to this small gem and they all fell in love :) read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Spicy rice cakes, black bean noodles - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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It's an asian supermarket where you can order prepared Korean food. Very good Korean Food. Will come back again and again. Super authentic and just so good. Hits the spot every time. You order at the front counter and they bring the food to you at the table if you elect to eat there. You are eating in a market so it's not fancy by any means - but none of that matters when the food is great and it comes quickly. read more

This spot is a hidden gem that I selfishly want to keep for myself but also want everyone to support! They are a restaurant/market and their food is absolutely delicious. I've had the japchae, beef bulgogi plate, rice cakes and tteok -bokki. If you sit inside you can see I to the kitchen and watch the magic happen. But, they also offer outdoor seating if you preferred that. They have a small but diverse selection of drinks to choose from and snacks too. The people who run this establishment are kind and have been here for years. Come check it out! read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Japchae - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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The owners and employees are super sweet and the food is fantastic. Hot stone bibimbop is my favorite!

Fresh and friendly! Ate the cold noodles and it hit the spot. The frozen food selection is good and has lots of Korean/Chinese snacks too

Meant to take a picture of the food, but was so taken by the smells, that I forgot! Absolutely delicious and authentic bibimbap. My wife said the stone pot bibimbop was the best she's ever had. Side note, but when Americans think of healthy food, they always think of salads. But why not think of food like this? Six different veggies, rice, beef, kimchi. This is where I go for my healthy food needs Must stop! We came here twice! read more

Super kind and fast service. I ordered the Tteokmandu Guk and it was so so delicious perfect for a cold day. We ordered togo since unforseen circumstances delayed our arrival and it was getting so close to their closing time. when we got there the owner was so empathetic and let us eat there (hence why the BibimBap was in that different bowl). Thanks for letting us have an amazing valentines day dinner! read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Chois is my happy place in Santa Barbara! First off Bruce, the owner, is amazing! Always so happy and kind and as someone who comes ATLEAST twice a week, seeing him brings happiness and warmth! All the staff is so kind and very comforting! Reminds me of my own family:)! Choi's is half a market of Korean and other Asian goodies and groceries, selling snacks to many options of noodles to even refrigerated snacks and foods! The restaurant itself is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I have tried almost everything on the menu but my favorite dish (and Bruce's) is the Spicy Pork plate, but making it EXTRA spicy! Beware because it burns! It gets served with rice and a side of pickled cucumbers and kimchi with some soup. All so flavorful and delicious. The spicy squid is also so delicious. 11/10 for all the dishes, they never fail to bring a smile to my face and my tummy! As someone who is from the Bay Area where there are so many food options, there was a very limited amount of authentic Asian restaurants but Choi's has it all. Even wifi, so I like to do work here as it has outlets too! If you haven't tried it yet, it's a MUST! A small hidden hole in the wall but packed with FLAVOR and LOVE! I will forever be a Choi's fan! read more

Choi's Oriental Market - Working from Choi's while eating Spicy Pork! - Korean Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Fantastic Korean food. The jap Chae and Kim chi jigae is authentic. Unfortunately, rhebprices are very Santa Barbara and you can't drink the beer there. Highly recommended. read more