I love this place! Truly madly deeply. Granted that I cannot read any of the signs or labels. Nevertheless, the food is familiar, and I love to wander the aisles taking tasty things off the shelves. There seems to be an unending supply of ramen noodles, sesame oil, and soup base, so my pantries are well stocked. I like to shop here first, then hit up Sherman and Capone's, before eventually making it to the Market Beast. I can find nearly everything I need in these three places, and I love it. read more

I discovered this little market tucked away in Union Square on my walk home one day. It doesn't look like much on the outside, but I was pleasantly surprised when I walked in. I was especially happy to see that they carried a wide selection of items that I don't see in many other places (including H-Mart). The staff are friendly and fantastic -- I even got a free apple once when I was picking up a 6-pack of beer! ^_^ This is my go-to for Asian goods. read more

Decent sized place, kind staff. Lots of alcohol. I saw a photo on here of a Japanese soda in the shape of a panda and was hoping to get one. I didn't see them there. I got a regular Japanese soda and some green tea Hello Panda cookies. Almost got a cute dinosaur tooth brush. They also have household items like bowls and spoons etc. I'll visit again sometime but probably won't be a regular. Its definitely worth checking out though. $10 credit card minimum. But they still let me use my card since my total was less than $10. read more

I lived in Somerville several years ago and Reliable Market was always great but it has really stepped up its game. First, the product offering has changed, in great ways. Offering ramen (havent tried), frozen pork and veggie buns (the best!), beer/high quality sake, prepared food and a small but good selection of produce. The prices are also great. I have to compare more products but their enokki mushrooms were cheaper than hmart. People are always friendly there too and good parking in back. 5 stars for sure. I'm so happy places like this exist. *One suggestion if management reads reviews -- offer a better/wider and cheaper selection of frozen sliced hotpot meats. read more

Reliable Market will always be my favorite Union Square grocery store (sorry, Market Basket). They have an excellent craft and local beer selection and are constantly adding more interesting brews. Their new-ish hot food counter is also great. Their products cover most Korean and Japanese food niches very nicely. Plus, it's family owned and the staff are so great! I hope this place survives the many changes slated for Union Square over the next few years - it would be a damn shame to lose such a great institution! read more

Don't be fooled by its industrial, concrete exterior--this market is definitely a diamond in the rough. The Union Square area (Squarea?) is certainly not wanting for supermarkets. Just around the corner from Reliable is a Market Basket, an Indian market, and a Star Market. While having options is great, I will continue to patronize Reliable whenever possible. Why? 1.) It's clean. Also, the seafood area never smells "fishy," which is not something I can say for some of the bigger markets. 2.) Wide variety of (mostly) Korean products. We have enough supermarkets that give you everything under the sun. The only issue I had with this place is spending half an hour choosing a brand of gochujang... 3.) Really impressive alcohol selection. For such a small place, they really pack in the wine, beer, soju, and sake. 4.) It's a small business. While the prices are generally very fair, there are a few items that I know I can get cheaper elsewhere. However, in a time where rent is skyrocketing in Somerville, Reliable has to turn a profit. I'd rather pay a little more here than take my business elsewhere. Luckily, there are plenty of like-minded people in Somerville who help to maintain the diversity of businesses through their patronage. Definitely one of my favorite supermarkets in the Boston area. read more

Probably the best grocery store for Japanese cuisine in Greater Boston, (yes, better than Kotobuki and Yoshinoya, imo) in terms of price and selection of goods. You can even order the meat to be cut for "Sukiyaki" or "Shabu Shabu." Also have sake in the front, but they should really put the sake away from the sunlight... it ruins the taste. They have almost everything, frozen Yakult (labeled Biofeel in Korean) for my son, furikake and ochazuke selection, frozen Korokke (Potato Croquet), bowl for rice, and a bagful of MSG(!). Pretty good fish selection as well. read more

How have I not reviewed Reliable before? Ok, so everyone else has said how awesome the food is there, and how they have selection, blah blah blah... and someone even briefly mentioned their "saki" [sic] selection, but it very much deserves further mention. Sake... shochu... soju... umeshu... Biggest selection in Boston, people. So for all you people who keep asking the Talk section "Where can I buy sake" questions, look no further. They don't have ALL the sake you could ever want, but hell, they've got a crapload of good stuff. Of course, things are a little more expensive than places like Mitsuwa (which involves a trip to NJ and costs money anyway), but it's totally worth it. I guess this shows what an alcoholic I am, but I go here for the liquor! read more

I've been going to Reliable for a loooong time, ever since I was a baby-faced freshman homesick for Korean food (being from SoCal which has one of the biggest Korean communities outside of Korea). It's the best Korean/Japanese grocery store in the area. (For those who mentioned Super 88... that's Chinese. There's a difference.) Anyways, a lot of this review is going to be comparison with H-Mart (spoiler alert, I like Reliable better), since that's the only nearby Korean grocery option left... Lotte and Han A Rum both closed down around the time H-Mart arrived (edit: add more more to the casualty list... Mirim in Allston is now gone too). I really don't want the same to happen to Reliable, which is why I'm writing this review even though I'm not really an active Yelper. First and most importantly, PRICES: Despite being a national chain, H-Mart is generally more expensive than Reliable (a small local business). For example, $36 vs. $31 for the same sack of rice. $12 vs. $9 for a pack of canned tuna. Tofu is up to half a buck more at H-Mart. Sure, the difference won't break the bank but it just annoys me on principle. Also, 10% discount (with a few exclusions obviously) at Reliable if you show student ID! Store: Reliable isn't brand new and shiny but it's clean. Aisles are a little cramped. There's no kpop blaring in the background, thank goodness. Not everything is labeled nicely in English which I guess non-Koreans might find intimidating, but the staff are generally quite friendly so don't be afraid to ask questions. The ahjummas do speak limited English but if they don't understand you, you (probably) have a smartphone! Just pull up a picture or even the Korean name of what you're looking for and show it to them. Or try asking one of the younger staff members. Selection: Unless you're cooking something extra unusual, Reliable has everything you need in terms of ingredients. They also have the bases covered for candy/snacks, frozen foods, beverages, ramen, etc. H-Mart has a wider selection (helped by larger space + national distribution network) but I've never had the need to take advantage of it. Produce: Probably H-Mart's is a little fresher due to higher turnover but generally I haven't noticed a big difference compared to Reliable's produce (but if I can't find a satisfactory item I just make a 2nd stop at Market Basket down the block since that place *definitely* has great turnover). I've gotten duds at both places. As with any Asian grocery, don't be dumb, inspect before buying (this also goes for expiration dates with other items). Prepared foods: H-Mart's prepared food is all Jinga brand, which is made in a central facility somewhere in the NYC/NJ area. On the other hand, if you walk into Reliable there's a kitchen in the back where you can often see people preparing the food right there, which I find preferable. They usually have samples out. In general I make my own banchan, but the items I've tried have been decent. Apparently they do catering as well. Seafood: Reliable has both regular and sushi-grade fish available. More recently they started selling little takeout trays of nigiri but I haven't tried it. There's also always a tub of live crabs chilling in front of the fish counter if you're into that. Meat: Have to admit H-Mart has an edge here, all the meats at Reliable are frozen (though IIRC this wasn't the case in the past). But for kbbq it's perfectly fine. Booze: They expanded their alcohol section relatively recently, they've always had a good variety of Korean/Japanese drinks (i.e. soju, sake, makgeolli) but now they have a sizable selection of wine as well. I believe they have tasting events every once in a while. Location: Even though Union Square isn't located on a T stop (well, maybe it'll be a Green Line stop in 10 years), Reliable is worth checking out. There's convenient free parking in the rear and several bus lines run through the area. Lots of good eats nearby too, I usually grab a quick meal at Machu Picchu chicken or Buk Kyung across the street before doing my grocery run. read more

JUST LOVE THEIR KIMCHI RICE BOWLS, and all the variety of FRUITS AND VEGGIES, they even have asian beer and wine as well as some many choices of green teas. " Steamed Buns " read more

As a Korean-food cooking Korean, I found everything I need at Reliable. They've got instant stuff, sauces, veggies, ready-made ban-chan, candy, snacks, everything. And free parking on top of that - what more can you ask for? Well, the only thing is that their meat doesn't seem as fresh as it could be. We were prepping for our tonkatsu party, so we pointed to the only pork cutlets that we saw. The only thing was, there was a pool of blood in it, so the person behind the counter repackaged it. Eh. So it turned out okay. The aisles are narrow, but they really pack a lot of stuff in here. Reliable is probably the best place to go in the Boston area for Korean groceries. read more

5 stars, folks? Really? Sure, parking is easy and the selection of imported foods is pretty decent. But these are not the indicators of a good Korean market. Like you can judge a restaurant by the bread that comes out while you wait for dinner, you can judge a Korean market by its butchered beef and fresh kim chi. Reliable doesn't have terrible kim chi or bad butchered beef -- but people, this stuff is nothing to write home about. The bulgogi beef I purchased looked sloppily cut (as did all the other packets of bulgogi for sale), but I thought it should be given a chance anyway. My mistake. Despite marinading in a tried-and-true recipe for bulgogi handed down three generations, I couldn't revive this cow into something I would be proud to serve. My poor husband had to eat it all. Miguk that he is, he didn't mind it (but yes, friends, he did notice it was not as good as the beef from Lotte Market in Cambridge near MIT that everyone harps about not being good and paling in comparison to Reliable Market). Alas, I had hoped the kim chi would fare better. It didn't. I could have bought the kim chi in a jar and probably enjoyed it more. All said, if you like the food at Koreana, Reliable Market is for you. (They own both places.) But, if you like the food at Koreana, well, there's nothing I can do for you. read more

Is it just me that's not a fan of reliable?! I had some time before a party while in Union and so I wandered into Reliable to see what all the hype was about. Honestly, it's a small lil store, so if you have bags or of a larger body type, be aware of knocking things over. The aisles are small and it's one of those locations that you really need to maneuver around. While they seem to have a various selection of items, I just don't feel I can come into Reliable and get all my shopping done. When I think of Reliable, it reminds me of one of the many lil shops in Chinatown in NYC to get a few specialty items, and then you move onto the next one. It's got that distinguishing "Chinese" store smell, even though most of the items in here are probably better described as being Korean or Japanese. Personally, I would not go out of my way to shop here for groceries. I don't even think I would come here even if I was in the area, just due to the lack of items that caters to my personal needs. read more

Korean and Japanese! Sweet! I love Market Basket as much as the next person who lives within a 3 mile radius of Union Square, but sometimes the regular 'ol American grocery store just won't quench my cross-cultural appetite. Enter Reliable Market. I have a sizeable thirst for irony so it is with great regret I must inform the reader that the name does not belie the service. I don't really do much in terms of Korean food... OK, I don't do much Japanese food, as well, to be fair. But they've had the majority of things I've ever come here for, at reasonable prices: niboshi, dried shrimp, daikon radish, bean sprouts, mirin, katsuobushi, nori, oyster sauce, dried chili peppers. Try finding that at Market Basket! It was also very easy to find everything I was looking for, which isn't always the case for white guys in ethnic grocery stores. I've come to learn that if I can't find it here within 2 minutes of searching, it's because they don't have it. That's unfortunately not always the case at C-Mart. (I've successfully found star aniseed at C-Mart once. I have been unable to find it on subsequent visits.) Oh, and craft sake. Fuck yeah! I do wish they had more Chinese offerings. Is it fair of me to ask for more items critical to Chinese cooking in a Korean/Japanese grocery store? Probably not, but it's a little upsetting that they don't have any rice vermanelli. Come on. We Americans bask in rudimentary Mexican cuisine; don't Japanese people eat rice vermanelli? ...No? Not even a little bit? Darn. Udon noodles just won't cut it for Chinese cuisine. Neither will Reliable Market, ironically enough. (Hooray! Thirst for irony = satisfied.) read more

Does Reliable Market have all my peculiar Filipino treatlets? Sadly, no. (As far as I can tell, most of the stuff they sell is Korean or Japanese.) Is it as vast or inexpensive as HMart? Not even close. But let's be real here. In a town as cramped as Cambridge, that's a completely unrealistic expectation. Reliable does have one huge advantage over HMart in my book: it is a hell of a lot easier for me to get to. I can hit Market Basket for my normal groceries, and easily walk over to Reliable to pick up my Asian odds and end. They carry the all essentials. Gochujang? Check. Loads of noodles? Check. Multiple options for rice, soy sauce, and fish sauce? Check, check, and check. The place smells incredible on the weekends -- there's always some sort of hot, delicious Korean food cooking in the back room. However, the quality of their refrigerated prepared foods varies widely (due to low turnover, I suspect). I've gotten fantastic simmered lotus root from Reliable before, but I've also had bland, dessicated, truly mediocre lotus root on occasion. Overall, I can't complain too much. It's clean, accessible by public transport, and stocked with the key ingredients of most Asian cookery. Not bad. read more

As one of the few Korean groceries in the Greater Boston area, Reliable has been a mainstay for my family growing up and I love stopping in here to catch up on Korean groceries between my regular supermarket runs. I admit, I mix it up with H-Mart, but Reliable is a different experience and mostly, I come here b/c it's right down the street from me in Union Square and b/c I want to keep supporting the mom & pop shop! They've got essentially everything you could need in terms of Korean grocery items. They also carry non Korean/Japanese stuff, but it's somewhat limited (for ex., I can't seem to find tamarind paste here for Thai cooking). Recently, they renovated the back to offer more pre-made food and added some oddly placed acrylic tables & chairs to encourage people to eat there, though I can't imagine anyone really sitting down to eat the pre-packaged stuff in the middle of a grocery store. Dining in or not, I'm glad to see more pre-made food items! No, they're not as good as homemade, but not bad in a pinch! I also find their pre-made items preferable to H-Mart in that they don't seem to use MSG. My favorite thing about Reliable? The butchery section & seafood section! There's always someone behind each section and you can ask for custom cuts very easily. One time, I wanted to make cod stew and they didn't have the cuts I needed so they didn't mind cutting up a whole cod to get me the pieces I was looking for! Excellent service. I hope Reliable sticks around forever- I'm still rooting for them and will continue to give them my business over H-Mart as much as possible! read more

I went here today for the first time, and was pretty happy with the selection......they have more Korean items that most other Asian markets (it seems anyway) and the prices are decent. They don't have a ton of frozen foods like Super 88. Wanna know what they do have that's similar to the Super 88? The smell. Ick! I ended up buying some udon, miso soup mixes for once it gets cold, edamame, and some lychee sorbet. I would definitely feel okay buying meats and seafood here-it was clean and seemed fresh. Down two stars for lacking customer service....they made me get about $10 to use my visa (they don't take AMEX); I was at $9.65. Give me a break! Also there was no one around if you needed help. Plus side is that they sell booze. HURRAY BOOZE! read more

I can't believe I haven't written a review about this place yet. Reliable is pretty reliable especially if you are looking for Korean and Japanese items. Most of the Korean cashiers are very friendly and if you ask one that looks younger for help there's a high chance that they will know English. There are three rooms to this place and during the weekends they have someone making red bean pastries towards the back of the store. They also have a large assortment of saki, soju, and etc. just like previous reviewers have mentioned. Another good point about this store is that in one section they have cold Korean dishes that you would serve along with your meal. Reliable has a parking lot in the back but be warned that if you leave Reliable you will be towed...they have someone watching the lot at all times - scary. read more

Need help finding something? English may be a 2nd language, but they will go far out of their way to help you. They'll go on the other side of the market to find things for you even. They have quite a selection of Korean & Japanese items. The seaweed nori snacks are inexpensive and tasty. The Terriyaki and spicy are good. The rice balls aren't too bad either. They have sushi grade fish here. Want some herbs or fresh produce? They have decent prices. I was looking all over for Miso paste. They have over a dozen types. It's great for soup and fish. They have a private free parking lot. read more

First of all: I just love the name. Short, sweet, simple. Conveys what it wants to and it's done. Reliable Mart is a Korean/Japanese cuisine centric market that is run by actual Korean people. It has a plethora of Korean goodies: sweet duk (rice cakes), frozen duk (to make dukbugi), kimchee (pickled cabbage, ranging from a typical soup can-size to a vat :), gakkdugi (pickled radish), kochujeon (spicy pepper paste), soybean paste, Korean pancake mix, Korean dried ramen, candy, fresh seafood and meat, and an assortment of frozen seafood that goes great into the pancake. On the Japanese side, they have more canned/packaged goods and tons of sweets like a variety of Pocky. Parking in the back, rows are tidy and clean, nice selection of Asian alcohol (sake, soju) and prices are reasonable considering that it is in Boston. If you are looking for produce, Reliable Market has very little of it. Your basic bok choy, napa, and cabbage but not much more than that. read more

Not everything has an English translation on it, but the staff and other customers were nice enough to help me out. They list the ingredients too (in English). Some really good prices. They weren't stalking me like I was going to steal. They were so laid back, it was refreshing! Cash, Credit/Debit card, EBT accepted. read more

I splurge every time I come here. Why? Because there's no other place like it in Cambridge/ Somerville area. Sure, there's super88, and Miso that just opened up in Cambridge. But there's something about this Korean supermarket that's just super cool. They've got everything right, I think. First there's the sushi grade fish. OK, probably more Japanese than Korean, but still. It's pretty affordable compared to the Whole Foods brand sushi fish. Actually I know it is. And picking it up from an Asian store just makes you feel more legit...imate. Secondly, in the same room, there is a whole row of kimCHEE. pickled cabbage galore! Third, they have a mini butcher section and sell bulgogi and kalbee meet (is that even a cut of meat? ok, well they sell the tender meat for all those Korean dishes). AND if you don't feel like making it on your own, they sell ready-made packages of those dishes. Also, sometimes they have samples of the Korean sushi in the same sushi/kimchee room. Fourthly, they have ASIAN snacks. C'mon, Asian snacks! I used to eat these growing up. Yan-yan, Hello Panda, Shrimp chips, gummies (lychee to melon flavored). Fifthly they have Asian liquors. Yay for umeshu and sakes! Sixthly they have like a homegoods section. A mini selection of Japanese dishware. Some lunch totes that I actually just bought for myself. Other Asian utensils and or cookware that you might need (a strainer for your soba noodles? how about a fish spatula? or a tea ball? how about a trivet in the shape of a fish?) Seventhly they have a small produce section. I actually never come here for produce, but it's good to know that they have it here! There you go. Seven reasons to come here. Seven's a lucky number. so go here and get lucky! read more

A great place to pick up Korean and Japanese grocery. They have alot of fresh Asian produce by the front of the store. There's also a fresh meat section where you can get your basics for a home cookin' shabu or Korean bbq dinner. The aisle of sauces and your basic needs such as noodles, tea leaves, and spices will have you wandering around for most of the dayl. The best part of the market is hidden in the back, an extension room. It's their Korean pickled and prepared food section. You'll also find frozen dumplings and a fresh seafood area. read more

Ahhhhhh, Reliable. Brings back memories every time I visit. This used to be the biggest Korean supermarket in the whole Boston area, so my family would always come here to buy groceries (with the exception of kimchi, because Han Ah Reum had the best kimchi, but they closed too... oh the feels). I'd sometimes hop over to the now-defunct video rental/stationery store Reliable Video next door and spend all of my allowance money on cute Korean things, because why not. Most of the people who work here have not changed, which adds more to the nostalgia. I LOVE the ahjummas here! Sure, the location isn't very T accessible, especially if you live on the green line (like me), but it is worth the trip depending on what you're looking to buy. AND there's Buk Kyung nearby, you can even go to Union Square Donuts... many possibilities to think of once you're in the area. Reliable's produce selection isn't extensive -- you're not gonna find wild herbs of names which I can't pronounce, but it does carry the basic Korean cooking necessities. Most importantly, scallions don't cost $1.99 / bunch *coughnottalkingabouthmartcough* - they're much cheaper and of decent quality. Also, ramen prices aren't ridiculous like at H Mart, which always sets newly released ramen prices to about $9.99/pack (4-5 ramen). Yeah no. Ooh, and sometimes they carry samples of Korean side dishes and gimbap. Again, not as exciting as the wide variety in H Mart, but samples are samples. Samples are good. Samples are FREE. The ownership had changed a couple years ago (the owner had passed away), just when H Mart was opening in Burlington. Perfect timing, right? I thought it was going to die out just like all of the other independent Korean markets in the area, but I am happy to see that it's doing quite well. Carry on! read more

I didn't think this would work, but the bf and I went into Reliable on a whim, vaguely thinking we could figure out our dinner plans on the fly. "This is never going to work," I thought. I was expecting a place where I could buy super-authentic pantry items (soy sauce, miso paste, Korean-brand tupperware), but was imagining trouble with any actual food-food (veg, meat, noodles). Boy, was I wrong! We went in confused and tremulous, and we came out triumphant and inspired! We ended up cooking a feast of jajangmyeon (pork, cabbage, zucchini in black bean sauce, with udon noodles resting comfortably underneath). We had Kirin beer. We bought chopsticks. Suddenly Korean cuisine was demystified, we got some solid veg servings (health points!), and I felt totally empowered to cook whatever the hell I want from now on. We ventured into the unknown, and it totally paid off. Thank you, Reliable. read more

As a Hawaii transplant I crave good Japanese food from time to time and was usually able to satisfy that with a trip to Kotobukiya. Then they closed and much to my parents' dismay I had to start asking them to mail me stuff. Then I stumbled into this place and holy crap I'm so stoked! They have better prices and selection than kotobukiya did, and I was able to get everything I needed to make shabu shabu that night in one stop, woot. They had my favorite shabu sauces and everything! They even sell sake and umeshu (I think maybe shochu too) so you don't have to make the extra trip to the liquor store. I definitely had to give myself a time limit in there because I wanted to buy way too much stuff. Side note: In most stores I've been to shabu shabu cut beef is rather overpriced (I guess they charge you for cutting it so thin) but if you want to do it yourself cheap at home you can freeze or partially freeze a thick slab of top sirloin, or whatever cut you like, and slice it with a sharp knife. You can get really thin pieces that way and for only 4-5 bucks a pound, and I like the taste and consistency better anyway. I had also tried using the thin shaved sandwich meat from a regular super market but it was kinda chewy and gross. I don't eat as much Korean food so I can't really vouch for the quality of the kim chee as people were commenting on in other reviews, but I am really relieved to have found this place to buy my Japanese food and drink at a reasonable price. read more

Kotobukiya, I mourn thee no more. Remember that scene in Clerks when Randall abandons his post at RST Video so he can go to the "good" video store across town, and he just walks bow-legged down the aisles, awestruck? Sushi grade seafood? Check. Live crabs, clams and lobsters? Check. Beer? Check. Impressive selection of marinades, sauces and salad dressings? Check. Exotic mushrooms and other produce? Check. More Pocky varieties than anyone could imagine? Check. Sake, and lots of it? Check. All sorts of fish roe, dried octopus and cuttlefish? Check. Sacks of rice capable of feeding small countries? Check. read more

I'm sort of obsessed with this place. Matcha powder, Pocky, mochi ice cream in a variety of flavors, kimchee dumplings, gyoza, frozen potstickers of every sort, seaweed snacks, decent produce, fresh ramen, miso stock, premade meals...OMG. Writing this review has made me realize that I'm out of green tea ice cream. I'm actually getting out of my pajamas and heading over RIGHT NOW. Not even kidding. read more

This has the best selection and best prices of any of the East Asian food shops in the Cambridge Somerville area. The focus is on Korean and Japanese food. It's definitely worth exploring. You'll find great selections of frozen and fresh foods. You get a great variety of kimchee, miso, pickled vegetables and sauces. There is a whole 1/2 aisle dedicated to varieties of Nori (sheets of dried seaweed). There's a great nook with Koran and Japanese confections where I can satisfy my childhood cravings for Morinaga caramels. If you like Ramen at all, check out the great selection of Korean Ramens (I love the spicy seafood varieties) - you'll never want to settle for the stuff you get at the big supermarkets. They go great with frozen veggies and rice cakes (available in the backroom). They are a perfect backpacking food. They have loads of salt, but if you are out their sweating, that ain't bad. read more

How on God's earth have I not reviewed Reliable? This is my go-to place for sake and more importantly ramen. They have Nong Shim at very good prices (usually a dollar or less per pack) and that is my favorite brand by far. They also have a nice selection of rice, fresh kimchi and panchan as well as sushi grade fish. And let's not forget Pocky! read more

Let's get the tough part out of the way: they couldn't let me pass on the ten-dollar minimum credit card charge when I had about nine dollars and eighty cents of Korean goodies to take away, and the kimchi that I bought was so fragrant that I couldn't keep it in my fridge for more than a day. But man -- what a great little place. Great selection of rice, sochu, banchan, vegetables, sweets, housewares, meats, fishes. Also, true story: we bring our groceries up the other day to a very sweet grandmother-type at the counter, who looks at each one of the banchans approvingly before, having surveyed our choices completely, looks at us incredulously, and says with a mix of pride and bewilderment: "This is all -- Korean food!" We smiled and heartily professed our love for the Land of the Morning Calm, and she in turn showed us this killer honey-buckwheat pancake mix that was on sale. My chosun place for all the Korean groceries you can hangul. read more

Distressed at Super 88s bare shelves (and spotty Korean selection) I went to Reliable Market with the goal of buying all the ingredients I would need to make bimbimbap. They had everything I needed at decent prices (several kimchee options and just the gochujang my girlfriend was looking for) and even the narrow, crowded [weekend] isles couldn't dampen my enthusiasm. So many brands of rice available! Bulk soy bean sprouts? Yes thanks. $0.99 rice crackers? Don't mind if I do. AND my cashier was very kind; the frosting on my little Korean grocery cake. The bimbimbap turned out wonderfully - I will be going back for all of my Korean culinary endeavors! And some sake cups...and maybe some of those adorable kid-size chopsticks... read more

Awesome little market in union square! I am always looking for weird stuff that my family needs to cook and we can always find it here. The people are helpful (if you speak some Korean, you might be better off!) and there is so much selection to choose from that you can eventually find something that looks familiar... or is written in English. The prices are fair. I used to shop at the asian market in Porter Square and was relieved when these prices were cheaper. They also have parking in the back which is awesome. read more

I have now been and I can't wait to go back. It was my first experience in an asian market and it was fantastic! Everything was so cheap and I had no idea what most of it was but I can't wait to eat it all. I only purchased some dumpling skins but they cost me a buck which was awesome. thanks and keep up the good work. read more

This little Korean store discreetly tucked away in Union Square is perfect for your usual Asian food needs. Bags of rice, prepared foods like kim chi and bulgolgi, a limited selection of fresh produce (including American offerings such as spinach), Asian desserts such ice cream mochi, and a decent alcohol selection await you. There's also an aisle devoted to various sauces and pastes. Staff are pretty friendly as well. Of note, there's free parking in the back in case you don't want to deal with the craziness that is Union Square street parking. read more

I don't buy much in Asian grocery stores because I can't read most of the labels. There are a few things I do get, and coming from Michigan, I was pleased that Reliable carried the same brand of rice I usually get. The price was adequate, though not as good as back home. The store smells just like any Asian grocer, but it's a little brighter and easier to peruse. The cashier was a young lady who spoke perfect English...always good when you don't speak the language. Reliable is an excellent place to shop and has a convenient place to park in the back of the building. read more

I LOVE RELIABLE MARKET!! Thank you Yelp for pointing me in the direction of a Korean grocery store. This place is just HOME to me - down to the butcher in the back who pushes packages of sliced up bulgogi to make for dinner (which was, of course, amazing). I can pick up everything to make downhome favorites that I can just call my mom for the recipe for... I'm so glad I've found this place - now I don't have to pack up my car with Korean food whenever I'm in NYC visiting family! :) read more

If you are looking for a 20 lb vat of kim chee, this is definitely the place. Besides that, you can find a huge selection of other Korean food and some other Asian food stuff. The staff is so cute and helpful. They sometimes cook stuff up front and if it's not ready, they tell you when to come back and really want you to try it. A great alternative to Chinatown for Asian cooking items. ---------------------------------------- Edit: I sincerely love this place more than ever. I have brought countless numbers of friends in here just to show them the ridiculous selection of kim chee. They also had my friend's thick soy sauce, which she could not find in NYC's Chinatown. I quote her. "I cannot believe I find my thick soy sauce in Somerville out of all places." And they're so clean and have really great cuts of fish for sushi. read more

This market is similar to many other large Asian supermarkets but slightly well more curated. A fresh fish counter, vegetables, sake and noodles are packed into this easy to pass-by food store. Sushi and other Korean delicacies may be made fresh for you in the back of the time is right. Japanese, Korean, chinese rice? By the hundred pound bag if that's what is necessary. Beer and wine. A butcher section. Don't miss Reliable Market. Park in back and enter through the back door. read more

Finally stopped in to this little gem that is right by where I wait for the bus to take me home each day. Conveniently located in Union Square, they have a small selection of Asian snacks, candy, beverages, produce, fish, and more. Lots of wine and beer as well. The fact that it is so unassuming and homey gives it a lot of character, and I'm happy to support a small local business. Man at the counter was kind, too. I will definitely be coming in more on my way home. read more