I originally went in for seaweed salad, because it seems this is one of the few places you can get it ready-made without going to a restaurant. But this place has EVERYTHING! Very clean and organized, and super friendly people as well. I will definitely be back. read more

So it kind of smells bad, but they have all the things I've been looking for since my trip to Japan. They have tons of different kinds of soba noodles, iced green teas, candies. They even have the fabled flavored kit kats! It's fun to poke around inside Reliable Market because you're guaranteed to find at least one thing you will want to try. It's worth the trip. read more

Just happened upon this review,and have to agree with everyone, this place rocks. When I was dating a korean girl, she was starting to really jones for her kimchi and other essentials. Chinatown didn't quite fit all her needs, but this place does. And a big ole parking lot in Union Square, this place is very convenient. read more

everyone else has pretty much said it, but i feel the need to confirm that this place is absolutely fantastic. it makes me kind of glad that we dont have super 88 in somerville (ok only a little glad b/c i heard a rumor it might go in where the old star market was, oh please oh please) because i can truly appreciate this little gem of a market. sake!!! they have sparkling sake! they have lemongrass/coconunt sake! they have pickled plum liquor with the plums in it!!! they have everything, everything you could want for a delicious grocery spending spree. fresh fish for sashimi, good produce selection, easy freezer section, i could go on... heart reliable market. read more

Whenever I'm in this area of Somerville, which is quite infrequent, I stop by here. It sells a few Japanese items that I can't find at HMart and I'd rather support a small family owner store than a chain store any day. They have a parking lot in the back which is great. Selection of items is small but good enough to be able to buy things that remind me of my childhood. read more

Great prices and service. Run by extremely genuine people :) best place to get Korean/Japanese snacks and liquor in town!

Love this place. The staff is wonderful, and eager to help. My wife and I went there to find kimchi in addition to the sushi grade fish we had heard they stock. One of the women working the floor actually walked the store with us to show us exactly which items we would need in order to make the dish we described. She was patient, and very nice. Couldn't say enough good things about them. We'll be back for sure. read more

They serve lunch. And it's pretty good. I had a veggie stir fry w rice but the other dishes looked pretty good too!

This is a nice grocery store. The employees are friendly. They have a pretty large selection of preprepped side dishes and sushi items. They also have lots of noodles, fridge items, etc. I personally stay away from their fruits and vegetables though. They don't look as fresh as they could be. Everything else looks great! read more

This place has all the essential Korean and Japanese food items + produce + meats + fish. This place used to be (and still is) filled with Korean food but their Japanese food selection increased since Kotobukiya in Porter Square closed. Be prepared to pay almost twice of what you would pay at H-mart though.. Since I have to drive to get to this place, I'd rather take the extra 20min to go to H-mart. But if you live close by, it's a great little market. read more

I can't believe I live within walking distance to such an amazing market. Fresh produce and an amazing selection of seasonings and herbs for any Korean or Japanese dish. Having grown up in a predominately Korean community, this market makes it easy to feel like I'm not too far from home. read more

Thank you, for providing a valuable market for our community. I have enjoyed my visits, there, along with the professionalism and kindness of your kind personnel. Your grocery variety is also very interesting and according to my taste. read more

This place is pretty good, but it's also dramatically overpriced. There are very few things here that you couldn't find cheaper at either Market Basket or the Super 88 Hong Kong Market. There are however, some brights spots, among which are that some of the produce is cheap and good, and they sell good sized jars of ground ginger which I use with frequency. They also have a large variety of tasty dried asian noodles of which I have tried plenty. But I really only go here because I live close, and don't have a car to drive myself to Packard's Corner and go to Super 88 instead. read more

Love the place, I was reading that is possible it will be gone (replaced with a parking lot :( Love the kimchi read more

Reliable is just that...reliable! Amazing selection of Japanese & Korean food, and the deli is outstanding. The freezer sections are so thorough. The sake selection is incredible. It gets pretty crowded on the weekends. The under $10 for credit/ATM cards is annoying if you're just getting a couple things...and can lead to some over-shopping. read more

My favorite Asian market to date. I've been to a good few and the prices are great, the smiles are priceless, and the products are quality. Although quite small, this place beats a lot of Asian markets out there, plus its always great to support the local business's read more

Reliable changed ownership a few years ago, right around the time H Mart was coming to Cambridge. I was worried they might not survive (I think all the other independent Korean groceries within a few miles of H Mart have closed) but they seem to be doing okay. I have barely been back to H Mart since they first opened because parking is a nightmare and the shopping experience is pretty stressful with the store always packed. I'm leaving the rating at 3 stars because one of the changes that the new owners have made is to reduce the amount of Japanese products they carry. As a result I now do most of my shopping at Ebisuya in Medford though I still pop in to Reliable once in a while for snacks and random stuff. (H Mart does have a larger selection of Japanese groceries.) The exciting change they made is to increase their prepared foods. Last Sunday afternoon I discovered that in addition to all the banchan (side dishes) they had a whole pile of different varieties of kimbap (similar to Japanese maki) and samples. I can't eat most banchan due to a garlic allergy but I can eat kimbap so that was really exciting. (The previous owners used to sell kimbap but it sold very quickly so I couldn't always get any.) I went back today for more and also got the "zucchini pancake" (fritter might be a better word - it's hobakjeon ) and corn on the cob which I think was glutinous corn for the first time. Always exciting to find new foods I can try that I'm not allergic to. If you're expecting sweet corn you may be disappointed. This is very different - not sweet and very chewy. I like corn in all forms so this was really interesting. I also noticed they started making onigiri and California rolls. I got the seaweed salad for the first time since the new owners took over. It's pretty mild - not as salty or spicy as some other places. If you're a student they do offer a 10% discount (with some exclusions) if you show your student ID. Parking is also still free which is so rare around here. They've done substantial reorganization of the store so not everything is where it used to be and I think they've lost some retail space because they put in some tables and chairs in the middle room and also a very large kitchen in the back. It seems like they still have loyal fans so hopefully they'll be able to survive! read more

Not as cheap as Super 88, but far more transit accessible for the Somervillian. Even though they stock mostly Korean food, they also carry Japanese foods and other staples of more general Asian markets. They carry specialty produce and tons of kimchee. It's tiny and cramped, but well-stocked. There is a minimum purchase of $5 for credit card use. read more

This is an excellent asian store (with a a ton of Korean specialties), well worth going out of the way to seek any specialty ingredients. They have a decent produce section, an apparently ok fish and meat section (although I never purchased anything from there. They also sell ready-to-eat food at the checkout.. I found the staff to be efficient and a little friendly, although I would not say they were gushing with joy to help. This is right on Union Square so public transportation options abound, and there is parking, I hear. read more

YAAAAAY! Just a skip away from my apartment so when I'm hankering for some asian treats - which is often - i haven't far to go. I will say i picked up some produce recently and it was kinda nast so that won't happen again... but candy, snacks, soda, oils, condiments, frozen delicious things, rice, noodles... YES PLEASE! read more

The location is not very convenient, but I am not a local. There is ample parking in the area. The pricing is reasonable for the area(about 10-15% higher than Chinatown on regular goods). Not somewhere I'd frequent since I work in Chinatown, but a place to grab a few things I otherwise would not be able to. There are sashimi cuts of fish/cooked octopus available here, which is something you can not find in Chinatown. The kimchee from the store that we've had here seems lighter in spice (and flavor) than others we've had. It better suits my mother's more mild tastes, but not mine. There is a decent selection of rices and lavers in particular, for those with such inclinations and I can actually purchase bottles of Yamasa soy sauce whereas I see just the Chinese knockoffs in Chinatown save the massive olive oil-style cans. In terms of cleanliness, it's not bad. Not amazing, but not bad when compared to the competition. The produce section seems a little lacking for me compared to other Asian markets, lacking greens, the prices markedly higher, but the selective quality is better in general compared to Chinatown. Overall, somewhere I may occasionally stop if I need something specific, but not a regular go-to place for myself. read more

I don't know what the hype is about this asian supermarket, more a mini-mart. My family has been going here for years and more but ever since H Mart has opened up, we are no longer fond of this place. They underpay their employees & raised their prices on the merchandise. read more

I love Reliable! It's the best Korean grocery shopping I've found in Boston. I lived in LA for years, and go to Flushing, NY once a month, so finding a good Korean grocery store was high on the list. This place does pretty well. I haven't bought meat here, mostly because I can get that in NY. But I've been happy with just about everything I've bought here. The clerks are helpful too. They carry soju, sake, and one or two Korean beers as well, which never hurts. Thank goodness they have a parking lot in the back too. read more

Absolutely love this place for the freshly prepared pickled veggies, kimbap, seafood, produce, and crazy selection of spices and sauces. I can get just about anything I need here, and the prices are really good! read more

Reliable is awesome. Its a mom and pops store at it's best. They have a good selection of quality items instead of packing the shelves with a million inferior products. They also had some of my favorite Korean street foods. Bindae dduk and kimbap! The owner is super friendly and even showed us some great foods that they carry. We came to shop from an hour and half away and they gave us some ice to keep our frozen groceries cold on the way back. Did I mention that Reliable is awesome?! read more

Great place for all things sushi and asian! Love this place! Helpful staff.

This Korean market has a remarkable selection of authentic products and pretty high-quality fish as well. Amazing to find something like this in Sommerville. read more

Definitely a great place to shop for Asian foods. The vegetables are definitely cheaper versus the supermarkets, and about the same freshness, if not fresher. Able to find different things such as dumpling wrappers and dumplings. Awesome that they have parking in the back, which is a great plus. Also able to find goodies from my childhood :) read more

One of my favorites spots. They have sushi-grade fish (salmon and tuna). They also have delicious salted mackerel - for fish lovers like me.

It's a little out of my way, but I always stop by Reliable to get banchan (side dish-type things you eat with rice). They have a pretty good selection, and being able to get some decent Korean food makes me feel less home-sick. Although, let's face it, mom's cooking is always the best. read more

I was inspired to seek out a Korean place after trying Yasu. It is great, but the prices for Korean barbeque are outrageous. Some Korean friends recommended Reliable Market and I'm obsessed! They have a great meat counter where everything is already butchered. All you have to do it buy a bottle of barbeque sauce, marinade for a few hours and then drill. So easy and so cheap! Plus they have all of the little pickled dishes they serve at Korean restaurants. I made all the food for a party recently and it was a huge success and only take minutes to make! Parking behind the store is a huge benefit! read more

I have to agree to kim d. The ratings overall are too generous. The last 2 times I bought kalbi beef, there were remnants of bone pieces on the meat and was extremely difficult to wash off. Biting into a well prepared dish only to have specks of bone practically chip your teeth is not acceptable. Also, the banchan people are praising aren't very fresh most of the time (this is of course comparing to what one would get at places in NYC or NJ). On the other hand, given our slim pickings for korean grocery stores, reliable market is reasonable. I've found their fish selections (i.e. salmon and mackerel) pretty good though. read more

For people who have never been to East Asia or an Asian market, yeah, Reliable could be a place of exotic nibbles. For those who have, this is probably one of the least exciting places to be. I patronize Reliable due to the fact that the two stores that stock Korean food in the Somerville/Cambridge area are horrible, and Reliable happens to be within walking distance. The place is really small, and perhaps because of its size, it only stocks the necessities. It is extremely cramped and difficult to maneuver with a trolley. As someone mentioned before, if you're a big person, it's going to be pretty frustrating. The ban-chan (pre-made Korean dishes) at the back of the store look deceivingly delicious - let's just say they look a whole lot better than they taste. I usually can salvage tasteless ban-chan at home by re-seasoning it, but at Reliable, it's a lost cause. I would be surprised if any Korean actually enjoyed it. The biggest thing that bothers me is the products that Reliable stocks. A lot of the food items look Korean, with Korean writing on them and replicas of the kind of food/snacks that you would find in Korea. But if you look closely, the majority of "Korean" items at Reliable are from China. Pure knock-offs. Maybe it's just me but I don't feel like eating food items from China after they poisoned babies through baby formula, made toys out of lead paint, and stuck lethal chemicals in Colgate toothpaste. Maybe you'll take note of this next time when you buy your kid a bag of chips from Reliable. But, like I said, I get the necessities here. And I put up with the discriminatory and horrible service. I put up with the smell. If you want a REALLY cool Asian market, check out H-Mart. If you think Reliable is cool, H-Mart will blow you out of the water. Too bad it's so far away. read more

I love this place. If I need ten different varieties of brown rice vinegar or ume plums, this is the place to go. Wide variety of produce, frozen foods (dumplings, etc), rice, nori, packaged sweets, etc. A little cramped and weirdly lit, but the staff is super friendly and the selection can't be beat. read more

Very nice staff! I always stop by to get sushi salmon, and the price is fair comparing to the sushi rolls you buy in a restaurant. Great collection of Asian (mostly Korean ) goods. Now they have 10% discount for students! Love it! read more

I love this place! For a small store, they have a fairly big selection, and the staff is surprisingly friendly. They also have a nice selection of beer. Sometimes I skip Market Basket entirely and do all my grocery shopping here for the week. read more

Really great Asian market in the heart of Union Square, Somerville. Friendly helpful staff. Lots of delicious options! And the prices are amazing! Vegetarian friendly homemade items. You will make this a favorite after you discover it! read more

This place is one of the best asian markets around. You can find anything that you need from fresh fish for sushi to frozen goods that you can't find everywhere else. I mostly use the market for my sushi items and the fresh fish. If they do not have something you can ask and they will let you know when something is going to be fresh out. I have never had any bad encounters at Reliable and I go there at least every other week. read more

This is a nice little market, and I am especially glad it's there since Kotobukiya shut down (which I used to frequent). The reason I'm giving it 3 stars is because the salesperson there was pretty unhelpful when it came to locating something I looking for. The store *carried* the product (agar, for making gelatin-type foods), but she had no idea they did- first, she directed me to the seaweed aisle (no dice) and then to the Japanese frozen desserts (again, no dice). I had to scour the store before I finally found the agar in another aisle altogether, and even then, she had no idea what the product was when I bought it. It was all more than a little frustrating, since I had called ahead and she said they had it, when she clearly had absolutely no idea what agar was. read more

Cool little store. Won't take debit cards for under $10.....this is against the policy of the credit card companies for any business to do. Parking in the back. Produce is yucky looking. They do carry Sake,Pockey and other junk food,green tea ice cream,lots of noodles and condiments,Sushi supplies,cheap tofu,teas,aloe water,and frozen food. read more