Asian snacks abound in Koreatown, Los Angeles!! Japanese snacks can be bought at Daiso and at most large Korean supermarkets. Filipino snacks can be bought in New Filipinotown, the cluster of stores on both sides of Vermont Avenue, just north of Third Street… Snacks from China and Thailand can also be found from time to time at the bigger Korean grocery stores and at the American chain Ralphs… Snacks from the India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are available in the North Koreatown / Little Bangladesh sector… As for Korean snacks… they’re everywhere except at the Latino bodegas… You can even find Korean chips (onion rings, shrimp crackers) and Japanese goodies at the Ralphs supermarket on Western Avenue, just south of Wilshire Boulevard.
DAISO is a popular chain of Japanese retail stores selling many items priced at $1.50 each. This branch in Koreatown is on the ground floor of the Madang Plaza. Items for sale: sun hats, cheap candy, snacks, bottled drinks…
!!! $3 black folding umbrellas that work fine!!!
December 2018: Christmas trees available for sale inside and by the parking entrance on Western Avenue.
This is the Ralphs by the Wiltern Theater on Western Avenue, just south of Wilshire Boulevard. You can enter via Western Avenue or Oxford Avenue.
The old Gaju Market on the northeast corner of 5th & Western is back!
Korean Supermarket in the basement of the Madang Mall on the northwest corner of Western Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard.
Asian grocery and food items such as snacks, tofu, noodles, kimchi, candy, bottled water, and ice cream.
Sale item (3/8/2019): 12-piece Ferrero Rocher $1.99
Seafood City is a Filipino grocery store. This branch is located in North Koreatown / New Filipinotown on Vermont Avenue, just north of Third Street. Carries Filipino ice cream (mellorine), bottled bagoong, halo-halo ingredients, and chicharon.
Usually open Monday to Sunday, 8:00 am – 9:00 pm.
Korean-focused supermarket
An old, fairly large Korean supermarket on Western Avenue, just south of Beverly Boulevard.
Hannam is an old Korean supermarket known for discounted produce, meats, and liquor like soju. It’s a good place to buy snacks made in Korea. They also carry a few Japanese items. There is an eatery inside called Yanusa. The sign outside that says “Market World” in English. Open seven days a week, from 7:00 am to 12:00 midnight. Pro tip: Try not to shop here on Sunday, when the free-parking lot is madness and the cramped aisles inside are jammed full of shopping carts.
Red Ribbon is a Filipino bakeshop that’s a popular franchise in the Philippines.
This location in North Koreatown does NOT serve meals like pancit palabok; it only sells cakes, breads and pastries to take home, such as pandesal, mamon, empanadas, ube macapuno cakes, mango sponge rolls, and ensaymada.