Uwaji is rip off, but Maruta is friendly price! I love their osouzai too ...! read more

The ultimate Japanese grocery store you can find in the Seattle metropolis. I came to George town 3 years ago from Osaka, Japan, and ever since then I have been going to Maruta. I would have to say that it is the best Japanese grocery store, price wise and authenticity wise. I was astounded at first knowing its got stuff that I would always get when I was in Osaka. Bravo!!! read more

Cute Japanese grocery store. Especially great because they carry Hawai'i made products like Aloha shoyu, spam musubi and Hawaiian Sun. Pretty affordable compared to Uwaijimaya. Love their bentos and hot food bar. read more

Sashimi rocked today. poke + hamachi was perfect. Whenever I am within a 5 mile radius and it's lunch time, I become .... mesmerized. MUST ... GET ... MARTUTA .. BENTO! read more

Thank goodness for MARUTA SHOTEN!! A fairly recent discovery for me and I've lived here for over ten years!! The deli here is fresher than Uwajimaya and cheaper. I love the different varieties of sushi and bento boxes. Also they have a sort of happy hour sale after 5 on the deli stuff. Anytime I have a sushi craving ( which is often) this is my go to spot. read more

I have an emotional connection to Maruta Shoten since it's one of the main stores that my 2nd-generation Nisei grandma (who has now passed on) would buy most of her Japanese groceries from. My mom and I continue to shop here for Kamaboko, Miso, Umeboshi, and all the basic food staples that help to maintain our Japanese-American identity. Whenever I shop here, I recall memories of my grandma's delicious meals and feel inspired and terribly nostalgic. This store provides me with a reaffirmation of my cultural heritage as well as nourishment for the body and soul. read more

From fast service to awesome cheap Japanese hot/cold foods! Fresh assorted sashimi, sushis and hot foods ready to serve! OMG cheap and tasty! read more

arrgh! there are no markets in georgetown!! wtf. alright, short n sweet n relevant to vegetarians in the hood: first, this place is a small asian market, so don't expect to be able to pick up everything on your grocery list. what am i all about when i'm in there? the veggie sushi, miso soup for a buck and change, fried tofu in the cold case, soda in cans (12 oz. more than enough for a hankerin'!) also, being a loser cruiser and bicycle rider, it's nice to be able to pick up a bag of rice down the block, and not break my back. oh, and spinach! addendum: oh, and they're nice! oh, and there's no loud music or boxes in the aisles, like some other reviewer says. i mean, really. you complained about the music? the place is so small you're done shopping in ten minutes-- let them have their music! instead of stating how you complained about music volume, you should just make the statement "i'm an old fart and i'm feeling cranky cuz i haven't pooped in 2 weeks! i need metamucil. nyah-nyah!" republikans, i swear! read more

EVERYONE NEEDS TO COME HERE ASAP. This place is a gem and I love everyone here and everything they sell. Owners, of you read this, PLEASE. Let me work here, I'll accept payment in sushi and hugs. read more

Excellent for a quick stop-off and definitely a Georgetown favorite, Maruta is a mom-and-pop Japanese store with an exceptional (and wildly affordable) deli. Between their quality sushi and sashimi, their excellent (did I mention affordable?) hot food bar, and their store's worth of Asian staples and oddities, I love the place. Not fine dining, but good, tasty, and reasonably priced. read more

this is what a japanese market should be about. local, small, decently-priced, and calm. They have a large selection of bentos and sushi to-go. they do half price sushi i believe after or around 5pm. if i can make it at the right time one day, i will be so happy. i did get $2 california rolls yesterday and they had others for $1.50 so i can't complain. need to bring a big plate of fresh sushi to a party? come here! it's just hard to remember to come here since it's in georgetown. and easy parking in their own lot. just try this place already! read more

It's ok. Not something I would go out of my way for to go to though. I haven't tried the bento here, just grocery shopping. They have very nice selection of manju in the freezer section compared to Uwajimaya. Also, some of the prices are cheaper by Uwajimaya (usually by .01~.70 cents). The have really good variety of candy and snacks though. Most of the candies here you cant find at Uwaji's Mostly just a snack stop rather than grocery shopping though. I'd come more often if I lived in area read more

This is my go-to spot for lunch. I ought to try their deli and other selections besides the same darn sushi over and over again, but apparently I can't help myself. I usually grab a pack of Spicy Tuna Roll (6 rolls for $3.95) and a pack of Salmon Sashimi (6 pieces from $3.50-$4.50) and that serves my craving for the day. Everything still tastes fresh, even around 4 pm. I've also had the rainbow roll (8 pieces for ~$7.something). It was pretty good but wouldn't say it completely hit right on. I ought to try the deli and the bentos but haven't had a chance to yet. The staff are friendly and inviting. My only complaint would be the too small of a packet of wasabi inside each container. I find myself having to be "generous" with myself because there's not enough for all the sushi in each pack. However, I guess if you either hate wasabi, don't care for wasabi, or are willing to pay 10 cents for another small pack of wasabi then it wouldn't be a bother :) read more

Lunchtime grab is legit here! Only reason to come and 5pm where most of the hot foods are discounted. Everything is reasonably priced and very cheap...If I would have to describe this place it's a micro inexpensive version of Waji's. read more

This is a nice place to drop in for something fast and cheap to eat. After 5 o'clock all the deli food becomes half price. That's sushi, seaweed salad, sashimi, chirashi bowl, some other deli items, sometimes mochi and salmon onigiri for a dollar! =) yum yum read more

Lunch in Georgetown is going to cost $10 for takeout, no matter where you go. Actually, no, back up because I've changed my mind. You can get a GREAT lunch for way less at Maruta Shoten! In a neighborhood that has no huge American grocery stores, going to this little Asian gem is great because of the big selection of rolls and sashimi. A HUGE Rainbow Roll for $3.75, people. The avocado was fresh; well, actually everything was fresh because they make it daily. I got a fresh roll for $2.99; unfortunately, I'm not crazy about the hoisin sauce they package with it, but no worries. I just buy a little packet of sweet-n-sour to dip it in. read more

This is indeed a special kind of store. All of your Asian culinary needs can be filled here at Maruta. Love the half price sushi and bento after 5pm! What I miss is an extended veggie and protein selection but other than that, this is a great neighborhood store. read more

This market is so cute. It's filled with all kinds of japanese goodies! My fiance had told me about it and said how he would drive past it all the time but never would stop in. Well today was the day that we went inside and we were amazed by their selection of foods at the deli esp their sushi! We weren't planning on buying anything but ended up leaving with four kinds of sushi, fried chicken, and fried fish. We ended up eating those for our lunch and we were thoroughly pleased with the quality of their sushi. And their prices are great that you cannot beat! Definitely will be coming back here more often than just driving past it. :) read more

What a cool little grocery mart/food to-go place! I usually drop by to grab some sashimi. They have great prices here and the fish is really fresh. I unfortunately always come after work, so the hot food stations are already cleared by then, but they do have the pre-packed left overs that look tasty. I will need to drop by and try it. They do not have much in the way of fresh meats or anything like that, so if you're looking for a stocked grocery store, this is not it. If you want some sauces and snacks, this is a great stop. read more

@miz J - Directly off the King County Dept. of Health website: Return Inspection 04/06/2011 0 Complete Return Inspection 03/07/2011 0 Satisfactory Routine Inspection/Field Review 02/18/2011 40 Unsatisfactory Room temperature storage, improper use of time as a control, procedures not available (25 points) Improper cold holding temperatures (between 42 degrees F to 45 degrees F) (5 points) Improper hot holding temperatures130 degrees F to 139 degrees F (5 points) Wiping cloths improperly used, stored (5 points) So, on 2/18/2011, they got some bad marks and had them all taken care of by the return inspection on 3/7/2011 and another on 4/6/2011. Where did you find anything about them being "closed for ongoing food borne illness?" Reply to MIz J's update - thanks for the additional info, that clarifies a lot! I loved this little joint but guess they don't know how to follow the rules - they were dinged yet again on 4/27/11 the very date I wrote this review! I'll leave them at 2 stars for now - since I figure most of all of us would get dings from the KC Health Dept too if they inspected our kitchens... I'm pretty dang clean but I do some things that are code violations like leave meat out on the counter to bring to room temp before cooking and stuff like that... and I'm pretty sure none of us use the 3 sink sanitation system... read more

Such a variety of sushi bentos, hot foods, etc. it was sensory overload - so much to look at and decisions on what to try. Very similar to Uwajimiya's but more affordable. Tuesdays are 10% discount for seniors (60+). This was our first visit but definitely not our last. We have passed this place many times and never stopped since we were usually going in the opposite direction. This will be our go-to place to pick up something for lunch to take to the park or on road trips. read more

Super clean Japanese grocery/deli with yummy bentos and sushi! Don't be fooled by the size of the store-there's a very good selection of various items and great prices, too! Fantastic alternative to Uwajimaya. read more

One of the best Japanese, Korean and other grocery stores in Seattle. Pretty good variety of Japanese food. 1/2 price off bento and sushi after 5pm! Can't beat that! Similar to Uwajimaya, but simplicity is awesome! Reasonable prices. Weekly ad with good deals. Awesome asian snacks!!! Quick and convenient for those on the run with busy schedules. Fast check out! Very friendly staff. Fresh is everything instead of markdowns the next day!!! Can you say Ma-Ru-Tah!!! read more

Alway great, reasonable but even better after 5p, 1/2 off sushi plates...nice quick stop for cheap dinner! Yay to no cooking dinner last night! :) read more

I just had my first experience here and it was wonderful. They have such a good selection of ready to eat sushi dishes and fresh cooked meals. I got mandarin chicken and egg rolls and they were delicious. I had an interaction with three different ladies that work there and they were all super nice, going out of their way to help me with a smile. I spent $20 and I have meals for the next 4 days. I highly recommend checking this place out. read more

What a great Japanese grocer and takeout! It is a little small, so might not have everything you want, but their take-out food is good and not too expensive, especially at the end of the day. They also make fresh mochi for New Year's day. read more

Not too far from downtown Seattle. Race here right after work or better yet leave 15 minutes earlier and get ready for the Sushi buffet action, cheap discounted Sushi for dinner! =) The quality is on the better side for boxed sushi. Definitely a winner and overall a cheap thrill! read more

As far as Japanese grocery stores go, this one is definitely not the largest. But what it lacks in size it makes of for in location (for me anyway) and quality. There pre-made sushi is a nice alternative to the fast food around Georgetown if you're looking for something quick. And they have an awesome selection of weird Japanese candy. Hell yeah. read more

This is a great little Japanese market with a solid, cheap deli section and a smattering of other random things. I would come here SO much more often if they fell in line with other markets and accepted food stamps! No EBT taken here, folks. read more

If you live on the South end of Seattle and are looking for some cheap Japanese groceries, Maruta is the place to go. The deli section rocks! They have some good sushi selections and if you come at the end of the day, most of it is 1/2 off and it still tastes pretty great. You can also get fresh fish here to make sushi with, like tuna/salmon blocks. They even have octopus. If Uwajimaya is too far or you don't like the busy lines at Viet Wah, Maruta is a great alternative. read more

I go out of my way to shop at this store because it reminds me the most of the places my mom used to go to shop for groceries in Japan. A truly Japanese grocery store. Not an Asian grocery store that Uwajimaya has become. It's small and compact, and it has all the right essentials. From the dry goods, to the fish and vegetables that are catered to Japanese, not a mix of Asian stuff like Uwajimaya. So much easier to shop for Japanese stuff here. I think the owners are i-sei, not ni-sei or san-sei, so if the traditional values jibe with you, this is a much more pleasant experience to come here than the multi-cultural, post-modern setup Uwajimaya has. read more

Great place to Japanese food and sundries. As a vegan, I was able find great food options.

Decent products at decent prices, but some things are definitely NOT the freshest. I bought four packs of enoki mushrooms, two were slimy and rotten. I didn't see this in the package, but saw it later. I returned it no problems, wanted an exchange, but the cashier said that they're all no good, and put my rotten enoki back on the shelf. I had another experience with some izumi dai sashimi and kim chi a while back. The nappa cabbage is soft and semi-wilted, and the same goes for the negi. I still shop there because its convenient to my home, but I always carefully check the perishable items, and you should too. read more

This place is great! One of the few places to get groceries (albeit limited selection) down here. And the lunches are fantastic if you need a little sushi/sashimi in your life... I know I always do. Friendly staff, and wonderful deli with fresh fish. Can't beat it! read more

Love this place!! We do business with them and they are absolutely great!! Great food (AND affordable) & great customer service! We will continue to do business with them!!! :) read more

I absolutely love Maruta! I've been going there with my mom ever since I can remember. They have such amazing sushi. Always tastes delicious and fresh tasting. Parking lot helps to create quick run ins and the staff is always nice. read more

This is a great little market. The deli is totally excellent. The beef curry and Katsu are both awesome. The sushi is also quite good. If you show up after five its majorly discounted. read more

Nice store - in nice location; nice (smallish) size - easy to locate items within the store; convenient parking. One continuing problem: Heavy boxes left in aisles - easy for someone to trip on - left there by the staff to stock shelves. Greater care needs to be taken. read more

The best bento!!! Great flavors... priced right. Always a stop when I visit Seattle

Ate here for the 1st time today, a pork, beef and chicken dish, I substituted my rice with veggies. $5.99 +tax, the amount you get was large, have enough for lunch tomorrow. When I dont bring lunch I will be going here from now on. I was also very good. read more