I've been shopping in Kekaulike market since the late seventies and have experienced the change over the years. I used to limit my spending to $10 while shopping for dinner for my wife and I. There will be a lot of things I will miss in the future of Kekaulike Market. I stop by Chow's Seafood and Meat Market to buy Chinese fishcake which is one of the only stalls that sell it now. The stall. might not look like the most sterile place to shop but the fishcake is very good. The fishcake is a raw paste that you could use in any number of dishes. It sells for about $8 a pound but it stretches the budget and you get a lot of fishcake dumplings in one pound. read more

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Grocery shopping in Chinatown, Honolulu, Hawaii... Located on Kekaulike Street - between King Street and Hotel Street - Kekaulike Market is one of the "go to" places for fresh produce and fresh meats and seafood. Today, I was looking for a pineapple for my mom, but, unfortunately, didn't find any. However, I did see items such as locally caught fish packed in ice, clean chicken feet in refrigerated cases, and tables full of colorful vegetables and fruits! The variety is overwhelming! There are many vendors inside of the air conditioned market and even more stalls right outside the market's doors - all along the wall! Just take your time and compare prices. Bring tote bags ...and cash for better bargaining power! Remember that metered street parking is free on Sundays and holidays. If you're early, you can get free parking on King Street. If not, the municipal parking lots have reasonable parking rates. read more

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When growing up in Chinatown, I often found myself following my father or paternal grandmother wandering around the neighborhood getting groceries. Our family was the stereotypical Chinese family where fresh meat and produce were purchased daily and the menu was dependent on what's in season or what looks good. Once upon a time there was a HUGE open, metered parking lot next to Cindy's Lei Shoppe but that all changed when Kekaulike Market (KM) was developed in the late 80's/early 90's. I went away for college and when I returned, I realized multiple Chinatown developments to promote more foot traffic to the area. KM is an enclosed area with air-conditioning of many stall selling meats, seafood, produce, canned and dry goods. Today, I find myself following my father's footsteps going through the multiple vendors checking out what's good and what's in season. I have my usual favorites, which included Maguro Brothers when they were originally located here before moving over to a much larger space inside Maunakea Marketplace. Most vendors speak English but for most of the staff, English is not their native tongue. As a word of precaution, do your due diligence and shop around before making that purchase as you'll most likely find the same products within walking distance of different prices and/or quality. Vendors primarily accept cash and/or EBT cards. Make sure to watch the staff weigh and price your purchase and check your change prior leaving. Receipts are not automatically given, and you need to request for one. And since the plastic bag ban in Oahu, it's now BYOB - - bring your own bag. Be sure to bring your eco-friendly shopping bags to carry your purchase. I really like KM because it's adjoining to Maunakea Municipal Parking and is also a pass through between Maunakea Street and Keaulike Street. A major plus if you're in a rush, avoiding heavy foot traffic and dodging the rain. read more

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Chinatown was a cute experience. Many small vendors with all types of fruits , vegetables, food and drinks of all sorts. read more

Kekaulike Market - Delicious pork belly - Farmers Market Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Kekaulike Market in Honolulu's Chinatown is a good place to buy locally grown fruits and vegetables, seafood, and raw meats. Some of the prices are cheaper than the farmers markets and the mainland chain supermarkets. During lychee season (May/June) you'll find bright red plump Hilo lychee. When lychee is not in season, you might find Hilo longan (dragon eye) which are also sweet and juicy. The locally grown papayas, pineapples, and apple bananas are sold here year-round. I always bring cash when I shop in Chinatown because most of the vendors don't have card terminals for credit/debit cards. If you walk inside the market, you'll see the raw meat/poultry and seafood vendors. In the back corner, there is Maguro Brothers and they sell high quality fish for sashimi. They get their fish from the fish auction and they make chirashi and poke bowls with it. The best time to shop here is mid-morning. All the vendors will have their products out and are ready to do business. Once 11:30am comes around, it gets hot and the smells from everything can be disturbing. For parking there is a municipal garage on Maunakea Street that goes underground; this is the closest parking. You can also park in the street if you find a metered parking space. read more

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Poke bowls in the back are the highlight fresh fruits and vegetables. Papaya, Mango's passion fruit. All farm fresh and ripe. great pork and chicken, but the Poke bowls are the BOMB!!! Atmosphere might be a shock to some, kinda open air like something you'd see in China, but all good stuff. Safe Hygiene practices and very very fresh meats and produce. read more

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When you do cooking at home a lot you'll probably consider this market to browse your fresh produce in here. Pretty sure you'll find good deals in here! I'm so used to a market like this. Back to my homeland we always go to a market like this because aside from scoring a cheaper price, sometimes they are more fresh than the supermarkets. So glad this is just 10mins. drive from our tiki nest! Personally I find it fun marketing in here. I even consider it as a microadventure for me. Heaven knows how I love shopping for our fridge. LoL. This market helps me a lot to find local goodies that grocery stores don't carry. Hopping one stall to another makes it more enjoyable. Inside you'll find frozen stuffs & seafood! Oh boy, a haven for me when I want clams & pompano! Storekeepers have a different blend in here too! Others are kind & friendly. Others don't care at all. Such a snob sometimes. Hahaha. Oh well, for those who catch my mood for sure they'll get my money. Don't expect a super duper clean market, okay? This is inside Chinatown & as you can see, homeless in here are everywhere. If you can't take the smell & with all the stuffs that randomly happened in here, you have the choice to leave asap or not come back in here. Mahalo & happy juandering fellow yelpers! @hello.juanderpinay www.juanderpinay.world read more

Kekaulike Market - Farmers Market Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I love visiting open air markets, even though as a visitor I really have no need of live fish. It's fun to see and experience the hustle and bustle of a grocery market in a culture that has to shop daily so lunch and dinner are made from the freshest ingredients. And this is the place to come for fresh tropical fruit. For those of you used to the cultural appropriation of poke on the mainland, what poke (rhymes with hokey pokey, it's not a French word) is and originally was in Hawai'i is a market food made from the fresh leftover fish catch of the day. It's also a supermarket food, poke is to Hawai'i what cole slaw is to Wisconsin. Easy ride on TheBus from Waikiki. You might want to buy a big knife here to get at the pineapple, mangos, and papayas you are bringing back to your hotel room. read more

Kekaulike Market is located in Chinatown which has many homeless people. There was some that passed by (with one talking to himself) but they didn't bother anyone. There are plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and poultry. The fruits here are soooo fresh and yummy. We got pineapples and rambutan, and both were very fresh and sweet. In fact, the pineapple was sweeter and juicier than the ones at Dole Plantation. The best, freshest, and cheapest fruits will be from Kekaulike Market. Definitely stop by for some if you can. read more

Kekaulike Market - Pineapples and rambutan from the market. All of them was sweet and fresh! - Farmers Market Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

CASH IS KING! This marketplace has it ALL for cooks and non-cooks. There are fresh local fruits, vegetables, seafood, meat and prepared foods. The prepared, canned or packaged products lean toward the Asian palate. This marketplace has cleaned up its act after receiving unfavorable (unsanitary) reports from just a few years ago. We've been coming to this marketplace almost weekly since it's located in Chinatown. Can I say that we've put this place into our routine? Yes! Because we've been coming here for years, we have our "favorite" vendors who we trust. We often find fruits and vegetables that are the same quality as in major supermarkets but, it's less expensive here. When we have a hankering for fresh seafood, there are stalls with fresh caught fish or live shellfish to choose from. Also, there are butchers from whom you can order whole or butchered meats and poultry. It's a good idea to roam and browse before you buy so you can compare prices and freshness. Cash is usually accepted, although, I've not tried using credit cards. read more

Kekaulike Market - Kekaulike Mall - Farmers Market Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Vendors are everywhere for veggies. If you work out love in downtown and need a place to get local produce this place has you covered. You can find also all of your asian ingredients here for that authentic taste. It's best to get there before noon so it's not too hot of a walk and the streets aren't as busy. read more

I love this place. All your fresh fruits and vegetables right from the farms of Oahu and for a few bucks. In my experience, they're so much less and way better quality than FoodLand, Times and Safeway. Most of the vendors speak broken English and may seem rude but really they just don't speak the language. Pick out your fresh stuff, walk up to the counters and pay them. In and out. There's a municipal parking lot very close to the market on Maunakea St. Across from Nam Fong. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=IK8pMNuCSlODycinYeOdGQ#IK8pMNuCSlODycinYeOdGQ read more

Kekaulike Market - Parking lot for Kekaulike Market. Very inexpensive. - Farmers Market Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

There are variety of market here that sell fresh fruits and meats. It is located in Chinatown which is about 25 minutes Uber drive from Waikiki beach to here. I came here on July 4 which was not busy because everyone was camping outside the beach to get ready to watched the fireworks. Most of the homeless lived here so I do not recommended coming here at night time as it is not safe for the tourist. Almost all the little convenience markets had similar pricing. When I was here Logan and lychee fruits is $5 pounds but very fresh and almost all the vegetables and fruits are grown here in Hawaii. There are a lot of Asian foods including pho and Chinese foods. I brought a lot of exotic fruits while I was here and the price is almost the same as where I lived in San Jose but much fresher! Overall, it is very old and dirty so don't expected a beautiful china town in other place.. read more

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Took a stroll to Kekaulike Market, so much to see! Various fruits and vegetables on display. Great prices too! I went to on of the little store where they had so many dresses for sale. I really wasn't planning to buy one but I couldn't resist especially when they gave it $5.00 off the ticket price. It was already very affordable. I continued my walk and saw some live fish,lobsters, crabs and eels. Next to it a bakery. Yummyy!! Bought some amazing pastries. You have to drop by and see the place. I want to go back tomorrow and get more items. read more

Kekaulike Market is a produce and meat market in Chinatown. During operating times, the vendors spill out into Kekaulike Mall, a pedestrian only zone outside. Getting here is relatively simple; all the major bus lines stop on Hotel Street, and parking is cheap in the Chinatown Public Garage that sits below (typically $1-$2 for our entire visit). Chinatown is a bustling area, and this is a great place to sample local fruits, vegetables, and meats. Many vendors are cash-only, so plan accordingly. Admittedly, Kristine and I only really visit for the market for one fantastic reason: Maguro Brothers Hawaii's first restaurant stand. It's arguably the best raw and cooked fish stand in Honolulu, so be sure to check it out. This is a bustling place, where throngs of people come to buy bulk fresh items. For tourists, it's a great place to feel like you're far from here, and for locals just a great place to eat. read more

Brain - "I'm bored! I want to stimulate the senses!" Eyes - "I want to see something exotic and beautiful!" Ears - "I want to hear someone with a sweet, sexy voice say something that excites me!" Fingers - "I want to feel something that arouses these fingers!" Tongue - "I want to taste something that are juicy and sweet; and makes my mouth water!" Nose - "I want to smell something that is so fragrant it will make me feel like I am floating in a cloud." Crotch - "I want to ...." Brain - "CROTCH! Don't you say another word! Fingers! Stay away from Crotch!" Eyes, ears, fingers, tongue, nose ....and crotch - "We want to be happy today!" Brain, eyes, ears, fingers, tongue and nose ...and crotch - "So where are you taking us today Val?" Val: "I'm thinking the Kekaulike Market!" Crotch - "I need to tell you what I want before we go!" Brain - "CROTCH! Just ZIP it ...let's go Val!" Eyes - "The market is located the Diamond Head side of the Kekaulike Mall; which is between King and Hotel. The mall is bustling with people! Lots of vendors and shopper on each side of the mall. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/trr8Z2mveMbADtgTdYPVhw?select=CXN6kWEjGSiewHMdD87bJQ#CXN6kWEjGSiewHMdD87bJQ Ears - "I hear lots of Chinese, Ilocano and Tagalog spoken here!" Eyes - "I see a lot of locals of Chinese, Filipino and other Asian descent shopping here." Nose - "The mall is pretty clean. No smell of urine or BO from the homeless in the air on this mall." Eyes - "Check out the sign. There are three entrances to the Kekaulike Market." http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg#sYzDgg_l4auqgtBsOSi4CQ Fingers - "I can't wait to feel something that arouses these fingers!" Brain - "Fingers! Feel them tomatoes?" http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg#7uT-b5bODqVI39XkgxGMVg Fingers - "Beautiful! Smooth silky skin. Firm; nice and round! And they're huge! How much for the tomatoes?" Salesgirl - "$1.20 a pound!" Ears - "She has a sweet and sexy voice! $1.20/lb! She excites me!" http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg#P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg Crotch - "She excites me too! They got all kinds of erotic ...I mean exotic things here! Hey Fingers! Run your fingers through the hair on them coconuts?" http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg#fFHQZ9e9Ry58HQbfHq12JA Fingers - "Oh this brings back memories! Thanks Crotch!" Tongue - "I see something I love! Dragon fruit! Oh soo juicy!" http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg#2YUcXQejMbutIIs6ZW852Q Nose - "Look at the Kumu! $15.99/pound! That fish smells heavenly steamed!" http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg#G7VMaijxgQfD30nwsm73tw Crotch - "That is the longest and the thickest carrot I have ever seen! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg#oVR740h8NUvhsESdBn0C5Q Crotch: "Look at the girth on the bamboo shoot! Look how long the sugar cane is! I'm in envy!!" http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=CXN6kWEjGSiewHMdD87bJQ#JWQvL-6ytCU34tUHGFV64g Brain - "They got so many things to cook and eat here. Fish, shrimp, mushrooms, lychee, longan, banana flower; all kinds of vegetables, meat and seafood. This market really does stimulate the senses." Fingers - "Live sunfish! In other words, white slimy, yucky tilapia!" http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg#EGdyPWXjTiKFMda_F3B1Yg Crotch - "Oh man! Brain! I just have to tell you what I want!" Brain - "Zip it Crotch! Just enjoy it like the rest of us! Look at that sign Cheap Market! Ha! Ha!" http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg#sbidaE4wanaGL_T0njJW4w Ears - "Chop! Chop! Chop! Hear that! They are chopping up a pig!" http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg#IcxPuos_eQ-BGDGTWV-BtA Ears - "Seeing a pig's ear gives me the creeps!" http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg#Uy2RVSKLGsBBeOBOvmnl_g Eyes, ears, nose, tongue - "Look! A whole pig head! I'm glad that's not us!" http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kekaulike-market-honolulu-2?select=P3bw4h4kCaMaYqGGNLt3Jg#J44yiE7O6lMgZgLdD86cKQ Crotch - "I SAID HEY! I NEED TO TELL YOU WHAT I WANT!" Brain, eyes, ears, fingers, tongue and nose - "OK! What is it?" Crotch - "I've been wanting to tell you ....I WANT TO PEE!!!" Brain - "Now you tell us! We're in trouble! There are no public restrooms in this market!" read more

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Know your vendors!! Some vendors are really good and clean, others are very scary. Example, while using the restroom there was an employee of one of the vendors using the urinal too. HE HAD HIS LATEX GLOVES ON!! He shook, flushed, did the splash rinse of his hands with the gloves then went back to work. I followed him and DAMN he goes right to work handling produce. YIKES!!! It always confuses me on the purpose of wearing gloves. I have to say though you can get produce at great prices compared to grocery stores. But like I said know the vendors and observe them and their practices and throughly wash the produce when you get home. read more

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Fruits and vegetables at very cheap prices is a good excuse to take a trip into Chinatown for me. It's best to look around first because quality and prices can vary. There are different vendors along the mall so it can be a bit confusing on who you need to pay. I saw 8oz of strawberries, the same ones you can find in the supermarket, for only $1.50. Ingredients to make banh mi: Cucumber: $0.72 Bamboocha Carrot: $0.83 Cilantro and Bamboocha Daikon: $2.00 Total $3.55 The carrot/daikon pickles I made yielded to 4 cups & I only used half my daikon. The bread I bought cost more than the veggies. I was so floored by the prices I paid for my veggies that I completely forgot about the strawberries. Didn't even realize it until I had walked all the way to Fort Street Mall about them strawberries. I'm still kicking myself about that missed opportunity. read more

Kekaulike Market - BanhMi Ingredients $3.55 for all this. - Farmers Market Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Fresh, fresh, fresh! Park at municipal parking--it's cheap. Come early to walk around and bring a freezer/insulated bag so you can take it home fresh. Lots of fruits, veggies, meat, and seafood. Try out maguro bros while you're in the market for he freshest ahi the island has to offer. read more

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The freshest vegetables in all of Chinatown with far better prices then any other grocery store! PAUL'S vegetables keep fresh by always being refrigerated and never brought at room temperature to brown. He has the greenest and cheapest selection. Ong choy is around $1.70 a bunch!! Broccoli to green onion PAUL has a wide variety to chose from! Next time you need some fresh veggies check out PAUL on the south end of Kekaulike Market in Chinatown, he's the guy with the apron on and a smile on his face! read more

Kekaulike Market - Farmers Market Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I love checking Chinatown out, both daytime and nighttime ;-) I like going in the mornings on the weekends to check out the produce vendors, the earlier the better. There's so much produce to choose from. I try to go indoors to the vendors in the a/c, the goods are fresher and stay nice and fresh. Goes the same for meat products too -- I typically go to a regular grocery store since they have proper regulations but some of the items are very fresh so you just have to know which vendors to go to. Parking can get tough, as they're mostly street parking or there are some paid lots. If you live in downtown you're lucky enough to just walk on over. Bring cash! And I recommend a tote bag or two also. Or you can push around a cart if you prefer wheeling than carrying. If you're in a rush and can't stand crowds or waiting around for people to get out of the way, you may be in for some irritation. People tend to just waltz around casually and block your way with carts, their big bags or just walk slowly, so yeah just cruise 'em and you'll be fine. I try to go often since the deals on produce and other good are so good. Just this morning I picked up: baby bok choy, kale, garlic, karabasa (Filipino pumpkin similar to the kobocha but MUCH easier to cut into), otong (long green bean), non spicy chili peppers, lettuce, broccoli, lemons, parsley, cilantro, green onions, tofu, enoki mushroms, Hamakua mushrooms -- think I spent about $30 or $35 and I'm set for the week. This would have easily been $50 at the grocery store. I have a hard time getting things at regular stores these days but yeah, out of convenience I have to do that sometimes. Some folks make a bargain with you too, like rounding down or dropping the price a bit if you show disinterest after checking out the product, so I'm sure there's room to negotiate. Uploading some pics from today.. can't wait to check out Chinatown again, always a fun adventure looking around at the different goodies the vendors have and running into familiar faces too. read more

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This place definitely is an adventure to things that I am not accustomed to. From large tanks of swimming fish to trays of raw chicken feet, this is definitely not your everyday market. Kekaulike Market can be found in the heart of Chinatown off of Hotel Street a short walk from Mauna Kea Street. Besides cuts of meat and edible animal parts, there is a wide assortment of produce with all sorts of fruits and vegetables available. The environment here can be difficult to take in sometimes. I always feel bad when I encounter a homeless person and there at least a few that hang around. Parking is on the street or in one of the relatively close municipal lots. This place is also home of the amazing Maguro Brothers Hawaii restaurant! read more

This market is literally located inside Chinatown, right across the street from Maunakea Marketplace. It consists of a few Asian supermarkets, literally right next to each other. If you're looking for groceries without the "Waikiki" price tag, I suggest coming here to load up your refrigerator. If you're concerned about sanitation, this place is not for you. read more

I was here from late May 2016 & these are the fresh fruits they have. Pricey compared to California but fresh & delicious read more

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All the fresh veggies you want and need for way less than store prices...been coming here since i was super young to help carry bags for my mom or grandma..place hasnt changed much but thats a good thing..i love chinatown. read more

Want veggies for cheap? Come here to avoid supermarket mark-up prices! Ok, so yes it's not the cleanest of places and yes there are rats running around, but c'mon I'm gonna wash the veggies I eat before I cook them anyways right? Anyways, if you're on a budget but still want to eat healthy by cooking at home, this is the place to get your produce! read more

I would say this is more like walking through Chinatown in San Francisco with all the produce and butchers selling their goods from their store front. And it smells like SF Chinatown too. Don't bother going here as a tourist looking for a farmer's market to wonder. read more

Good place to get fresh fruits and vegetables... GF wanted fresh lychee. Looked everywhere in the touristy areas+Safeway+local super markets.. no one has any except here !! Good variety of fruits.. the place is in run-down China town tho. a bit scary but it's safe !! read more

Its amazing how far your dollar goes at this market! I regularly shop here for fresh fruits and vegetables and find some unique items as well. I recommend taking a lap through all of the vendors first and making note of the best looking produce as the quality and prices are not consistent. read more

Kekaulike Market - Farmers Market Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

KEKAULIKE MARKET/MALL @KAKAULIKE STREET: Located in the heart of China Town between N. King St. and N. Hotel Street. I used to shop here often when my office was located in downtown. $10.00 will give you a lot of food. I stopped coming here because my office had moved but now I will be back here more often since Maguro Bros. has business here! read more

I come here because Maguro Brothers is delicious. I'm tempted to buy from the other vendors, but it doesn't seem like they do much for pest control. There's a pillar like a "Wall of Shame" of people caught shoplifting and there are small roaches that got stuck in the paint. Once I saw a a giant 747 crawling on a man's shoe (I told him). I get that this is Chinatown and, but... read more

Lots of fresh meats, seafood and produce to choose from at good prices. Spend some time walking through all the shops and markets in this area. Plenty of baked goods, lunch spots, butter rolls (YUM!) and boba drinks. read more

OK, so I come to Chinatown whenever I need same day groceries. Today I went to get planatains, rambutan, lime and garlic. Under 5 bucks!!! I wanted to get some fresh shrimp but didn't want to stink up the office fridge. I have my places to get my produce and such, but buyer BEWARE! This isn't Whole Foods! You pretty much have to cook the produce you buy same day or relatively quickly as alot of it is RIPE, hence the great prices. But Chinatown is the only place I know that has good plantains. I was happy to find rambutan in season and pretty cheap. Now I just need to find cheap dragon fruit but I ran out of time as I was going to a lunch meeting. I can find everything relatively easy and have even found (pokey leaf, other wise known as culantro or the big cousin of cilantro) I saw it again today. Who cares what you may have seen on TV about what may come out at night in the marketplace.... that's why you WASH your produce before using it!!!! Oooops, das the local girl coming out....... read more

This place is fresh and bustling. Wear closed toe shoes please.

Kekaulike Market is where I do my weekly grocery shopping for Chinese goods. They carry a nice bunch of veggies that you won't find in American supermarkets. And even the stuff that American supermarkets have, you will probably find it cheaper and fresher here. However, I still stick to American supermarkets for meat. A lot of the markets have random cuts of meat piled together, and I'm wary of how long the meat has been out unrefrigerated. read more