| Location |
| 628 4th Street (next to Natural Food Works) |
| Hours |
| Mon-Sat 10am-7pm |
| Sun 12:30pm-6pm |
| Phone |
| (530)753-5916 |
Kim's Mart is Davis' primary Asian market, and includes Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Thai food items. Prices at Kim's are pretty much in line with those offered by most Asian grocery stores, and wiki users seems to be in agreement that the owner is a wonderful person and prices are fair. We love Kim's!! There is a $10 minimum for ATM and credit card purchases.
The selection is pretty broad considering the store's size — aside from the usual packed goods such as rice, ramen, rice crackers, spices and sauces, Kim's offers both frozen and fresh refrigerated foods including vegetables and side dishes (called "ban-chan" in Korean). Tapioca drink lovers can get their tapioca balls (aka boba or bubble or pearl) here in a variety of sizes for much less than the cost of ready made drinks! They also have a variety of Asian teas such as barley and oolong tea.
Customers can also pick up some basic household items such as high quality rice cookers, very economical mandolines, decent toothpicks [versus poorly milled American toothpicks], chopsticks, soy sauce containers, international calling cards, etc. Near the front counter are o-kashi, some fun candies, Pocky, fresh mochi, mochi ice cream, origami materials, and just a great mix of items. Try the red bean or melon popsicle for a cheap and tasty treat. They may be the only place in Davis to get miso paste.
Kimbap
The kimbap (or "Kimbap", similar to sushi, and sometimes called "Korean sushi") is excellent and well priced. At the register, you can purchase two decent-sized rolls of kimbap fresh made for the lunch hours for about 3 dollars. Different versions are available if you get there early enough. Jap Chae (Korean glass noodles) can also be a tasty ready to eat lunch or snack for $2.99.
- Original (18 pieces) - $2.99 imitation crab, tofu, pickled daikon, carrot, egg
- California roll (21 pieces) - $3.99 avocado, minced imitation crab, cucumber
- Tuna salad roll (21 pieces) - $3.99 Tuna salad, pickled daikon, lettuce, carrot
- Korean BBQ beef roll (21 pieces) - $3.99 bbq beef, pickled daikon, lettuce, carrot
- Vegetarian roll (21 pieces) - $3.99 avocado, pickled daikon, carrot
See also: Ethnic Markets.
Although the prices might seem high, relative to asian products you find at grocery stores such as Safeway, the prices are GREAT. I've purchased sushi supplies several times from Kim's mart such as nori and rice vinegar, and everything cost about half as much. —NatalieKitchiner
2005-02-01 16:44:41 Considering that Kim's is the *only* Asian market in Davis, I think it's really important to support the place. Besides, the woman who owns the place is very friendly! Having grown up in Sac and shopped its Asian stores for years, I don't think Kim's prices are out of line. —AlphaDog
2005-03-11 15:58:24 this place is the best kept secret for a cheap lunch in Davis. i get some Korean sushi for only 2.99, and thats 18 pieces. i leave bloated its so much food, and its cheeper than fast food and so much better. you really have to try the sushi, its made by the owner and is sold at the register. like i say its the best deal in davis —MattHh
2005-05-10 Friendly owner and a great resource for Davis. The prices are the best around. I enjoy the little extra, non-food items available— origami kits, dishes. — DavidPonce
2005-05-17 20:42:12 Kim's is such a gem. Thank god Davis has it. This is pretty much the only place you'll find spring roll wrappers, cans of lychees, Pocky, and curry paste all in one place. It's fun just to wander around it there and look at all the cool stuff. —SamanthaGrant
2005-07-06 18:45:30 I was sort of dissapointed with this place, to be honest. there is a place in Santa Rosa called the ThaiLao and it sold better Asian products (plus, oh boy oh boy, THE DELICIOUS DURIAN) and i am pretty sure that there are less people buying asian products in Santa Rosa. the prices are pretty expensive, though i got to admit, the Sushi is pretty good for a bargain. (P.S can anyone tell me if i can get his store to order Durian Fruit? i love it, albeit not really anyone else does...:) —StevoDragun
2005-07-06 18:46:55 is there anyplace that sells Durian products in Davis BESIDES the Sunrise Restaurant? please Help! —StevoDragun
Tons of unique asian products, including candy and dried food. However, I would advise against eating the chile flavored mango. —SiennaGrass
2005-07-31 22:22:06 Cold soba noodles are an absolute must for the hot summer months. You can find them at Kim's along with the noodle base. Aside from having to boil the noodles on a hot stove, they yield a refreshing meal for the summer. —DannieHolden
2005-08-01 12:49:18 I like the store. Prices aren't bad, especially for a small shop. As for the comparison with stores in Santa Rosa selling durian, it's probably a matter of which asian foods the stores specialize in. Seeing the Korean language on the sign outside, I knew going in there would be more of that represented and then Japanese and Chinese stuffs, etc. The lady there was very helpful when I expressed doubt about which items to get for a certain recipe, even though I don't speak Korean. Also, Korean ramen is way better than the ramen you get at the supermarket, so make the switch! If you find neungmyun, go for it. —IrenePark
2005-08-02 18:51:08 The prices are quite high, especially compared to places like Nijiya Market in San Francisco's Japantown. The curry croquettes cost significantly more. Also, they recently removed the taiyaki, which sort of upset me. However as a balance, the Korean sushi is definitely one of the best quick meal options around, cheap, filling and tasty and the lady that runs the store is a really nice person. Overall, expensive, but worth it, if you can't find the time to drive all the way back to SF, fairly good selection of snack food, moderate selection of mealstuffs (mostly instant stuff). —MatthewTom
2005-08-31 12:54:10 They sell peeled garlic here by the baggies, which is nice if you cook with it a lot and don't want to bother peeling it all the time. The lady was nice enough to find me a fresh bag and helped me find proper ingredients for a dish I was making for the first time. They have some vegetables and such in the refrigerators, like green onion and the smaller cucumbers that are different from the American versions found at the supermarkets. —IrenePark
2007-01-21 13:52:25 Don't buy the kimchi here, the quality has hit rock bottom over time, its slimy. Just go to SF Market, they sell Kosmos and King brand kimchi —TheStomach
2007-01-21 22:34:42 The moche is good, but overall I hear talk of overpriced things, but Kim's is small on the grand scheme of Asian markets. —StevenDaubert
2007-04-27 17:55:43 I like their sushi plates and side dishes; however, most of their snacks are either w/o exp date or expired when you can find a date. I have been visiting there frequently to buy snacks like rice crackers until I noticed that the foods were dated; I went there several times afterwards only found that they always sell foods w/o exp. date or stale ones. I am not going there anymore, and I feel very unhappy about the fact that I had already eaten large amount of bad foods. —ZoeyJW
2007-05-09 00:43:39 Their cheap sushi tastes pretty bad but is still worth its price when you're really hungry! —MikeHubby
2007-05-17 08:44:41 The owner is friendly, I can get my bag of Tamakimai Gold there, cases of Shin ramyun, and other miscellaneous items that I would otherwise have to go to Sac for. Prices are marginally higher but you won't be saving yourself any money by driving to Sac and heck, why not support what is obviously a family owned establishment? The sushi isn't spectacular but it's solid in terms of quality/quantity for the price. I can see how western folks wouldn't be thrilled by the more traditional (and thus conservative ingredient choices) types of rolls they offer. —MasumiWatanabe
2007-06-16 11:01:14 I just bought some cookies there and the cashier ripped me off. I gave her my cash and she gave me the wrong change back in her favor. So if you shop here make sure they charge you right. —Animorpha
2007-07-22 18:26:46 ONLY ASIAN MARKET IN DAVIS! That speaks for itself. They try hard to include Chinese and Japanese items also, not just Korean. Cheap popsicles too. Good selection of snacks. —AlexandraDeGrange
2007-08-26 19:19:24 I would agree the sushi isn't too good, but I buy it every time I go there, just as a snack. Also, the kim chi is alright, I like it because it reminds me of my grandma's. I would also like to confess that Kim's kim chi is a lot better than mass-produced Kings. I bought Kings once, out of desperation for kim chi, and I vowed never to buy it again. I'll definitely buy Kim's kim chi over Kings. However, I bought food items there before that were expired but still on the shelf. I had to throw them out when I got home. So check the expiration dates! —KristinaKarson
2007-09-08 13:49:34 The lady at the register was very kind and polite. It was a very positive experience. I recommend the dollar pocky boxes for a treat and the frozen steamed buns she keeps in the back. The vegetable ones are simply delicious! The sushi is expensive, and keep in mind that korean style sushi is different than what you would get elsewhere. It seems lovingly handmade however, and she is proud of it. I am looking forward to buying some kimchi and boba there. —AnnaF
"2007-09-29 16:22:00" I heard from my cousin that this place is closed due to an end of their lease. Can anyone confirm that this is indeed a Departed Business? —AlexQuan
-I confirmed myself that indeed the business is still there, in whole. Thanks to my cousin for CONFUSION. —AlexQuan
2007-10-01 09:42:26 She's super nice... and has almost everything you need. If she doesn't have it though, she'll get it for you. Prices are fair considering its "down the street" vs. driving to Sacramento for Asian stuff. She even let me come back the next day and pay for snacks I got for my kids as she was locking up.—Aaron.Curtin
2007-11-01 19:57:19 Kim's Mart has got to be one of my favorite places in Davis. If you are hungry, you can stuff yourself with their homemade sushi rolls, sweet snacks, candies, etc. The prices may be a little high, but it is better than driving all the way to Sac for some needed asian ingredients. My favorite ready to eat food that Kim's Mart offers has got to be the tuna salad roll (spicy/non-spicy)! For just 3.99, you get to stuff yourself with 21 pieces of sushi!!!! —BerniceManiago
2007-11-06 14:14:16 How late is the sushi usually around? —BenjaminRosenstein
2007-12-01 17:06:52 I went there at around 4:30 PM and there were Tuna Salad rolls left —KNT
2008-01-10 18:41:57 I really like the sushi and I also like the kimchi. No complaints on the selection of stuff either! I don't know I always think that the lady is really nice to me... The first time I went in she immediately and proudly recommended her rolls. I think the prices in general for supplies might be a bit much, but it is the only place that stocks asian products... all in all, I'd recommend everyone to take a visit. —CalvinCheng
2008-01-22 13:48:53 Just went there is weekend. The store is really small, but has lots of goodies. I love the sushi rolls and I'm really glad she has most of the indgredients that I needed to cook. Although the prices were a bit more than at Sacramento, it is the same as if I went to Sac since the prices makes up the gas driving there. The owner is really friendly and I enjoy this place. I will come by again :D —ChiYang
2008-02-23 18:42:27 love the Kimbap, reasonably priced, tastes great, and filling —APT
2008-02-28 16:42:15 i'm not a kimchi afficionado by anymeans, but Iilike their kimchi! it's a lot better than many store brands i've tried and i especially like how it's not overly salty. sushi rolls are decent and the lady is really nice too. —AmberHMa
2008-03-02 10:48:05 Favorite store in Davis! I love the sushi and kimchi here! —NicoleBush
2008-03-16 12:43:11 Great place to buy Asian ingredients and accessories. They make their own kimchi and it tastes great. Their kimbap (korean style sushi) is well priced, tastes "home made", and the portions are huge enough for a meal. —justinhu
2008-03-23 01:11:51 According to the sign in the window of where Pallen's Martial Arts used to be (before they moved to the old bike shop next to WaMu), Kim's Mart will be moving to that location. If that's true, it's going to be humongous! —ScarlettYing
- interesting. So those are the people applying for the liquor liscence. I thought it was going to be another restaurant. Good for them, their ilses are really cramped in that tiny store. I love them. But during the move who will suply my kim bap fix :( —MattHh
- They are moving? I thought they were expanding into the place next door. —SunjeetBaadkar
- They are moving two stalls over, so instead of being to the left of the hair salon, they will be on the right.—ScottWong
2008-04-02 21:09:21 This place is so overpriced than the regular Korean markets I've gone to, and I understand this is because it's the only Asian store. I would like to consider this place to be the source of my daily needs for food if it didn't rip me off so much. —Aarolye
2008-04-08 15:03:41 The owner is very friendly. Relative to other stores, the prices are decent. I just purchased some frozen korean side dishes and some grape BONBON. I'm so excited! Definitely going to be visiting Kim's more often! —VTang
2008-04-22 23:27:41 somebody keeps hording all the Mild Seven Lights in one go. : ( but a great place to go when you get nostalgic of korea. frozen dumplings are great. i wish they had the green tea flavored "greenheim" snacks. hells yeah. oh well, the coffee flavored one is good too. just toss em in the freezer. : ) —beekergene
They now sell Japchae (cellophane noodles sauted with vegetables and sesame oil) next to the kimbap (korean sushi). It is really tasty (even better than the kimbap), but not as filling. —jbh
2008-05-16 15:39:02 Kim's market also has Lotte gum sweetened with xylitol which is good for preventing cavities. —DagonJones
2008-06-07 20:44:02 Kim now seals bibimbap items in a tray for 3.99. Good deal because you can easily cook and fry an egg at home. —justinhu
2008-06-09 19:27:24 The kimbap are great and well worth it. —Noobster123
2008-06-13 13:13:06 I love the sushi and the drinks, and practically everything there. Its very cheap, delicious, and Kim is very nice. Has a nice variety too. —jrendler
2008-07-05 14:53:29 Kims mart is really expensive. I like their kimbap and their to-gobibimbap (but the bibimbap has too little meat). The place is better now that they expanded but so many items are overpriced and a lot of items are passed their expiration date. If you don't mind the drive I would suggest going to Oto's in Sac or some other Asian Market in Sac. —islandboy12
2008-08-07 13:59:19 I don't know why people keep mentioning the price, so one really thinks driving to Sac or even SF is a good idea when all they want is a jar of black bean paste. Heck the prices at this place are pretty much on par with most westernized types of Asian supermarkets in S.F. They have a great selection of pastes, sauces, and even vegetables. They have tamarind paste!!! This place is excellent for someone who wants to make a nice home style (Asian-y) meal. I feel terrible that I didn't shop here when getting ingredients. Oh they also have a good selection of snacky foods including baked goods like swiss rolls! —csy
2008-08-28 17:35:20 I love kim's. The frozen fish is good quality, and comparitively cheap. Its the only place in town to get good japanese style rice. As mentioned, the prepared foods are goods, especially the seaweed salad. Yes, prices are higher then the asian markets in the middle of little saigon, but then again, davis doesn't have nearly the market of large cities with large asian populations. Compared to other stores in the area, kim's is cheap, good quality, and you can find a lot of things here you can't find elsewhere. The people that work there are nice as well, especially if you are a regular. —ascapoccia
2008-08-29 10:29:46 It would be great if this place had a spot in the corner for a microwave and water (or better yet, hot water) dispenser. I'd love to be able to make some of those instant meal things they sell considering I'm in the downtown area for over 14 hours of the day and don't get much time to actually take stuff home to prepare. But otherwise, awesome place considering its Davis. —SunjeetBaadkar
2008-09-10 14:32:40 Love Kim's. I started coming in and ordering vegetarian rolls for my daughter and one day I came in and they had started making them - so now I don't always have to order ahead. I buy kimchi and garlic and ginger root and their sushi regularly and now they are expanded they seem to have even more good stuff - or maybe I can just see it now. I like that I can push a little cart around now! -BeckeM —Becke
2008-09-11 07:50:52 Kim's Mart is the best in town - reasonable prices, quality foods. Their new store layout is way better than the old one. My personal favorite is the Korean BBQ beef roll, yum! I also recommend the California roll, the original Kimbap. If you prefer something new, try their all new Korean noodles ticks ($2.99) =) —T.CHOW
- You mean the only Asian market in town?
2008-09-27 17:23:18 I thought that yes, indeed, the lady is very nice. The kimpap is really good also. But I thought that certain items (only certain) are way too high. It's better to just buy it when you visit home and then just bring it. Ex: I really wanted to buy those Korean SHIN bowl noodles, it cost around $8.99 at Ranch 99 at SJ, but in Kim's, it's $21. So...if it's not something that you REALLY want and can wait till home, I suggest wait till home. :) The snacks are decent priced there, it's not cheap, but doesn't cost much more than probably your hometown supermarkets. It's definitely worth going. The kimbap and other of those little Korean dishes are yummy. The lady was also nice enough to give us wooden chopsticks and packages of soy sauce. —PKYCHEUNG
2008-10-15 23:54:35 Kim's is awesome. The lady there is so nice. One day she said I looked really nice and kind that she gave me a free plate of chapchae! It made my day! : ) Cup ramens/udons seem pretty expensive though. Other things seem reasonably priced. —alexlee333
2008-11-19 18:22:09 As I am writing this, I am currently eating 4 different rolls. (hey Im hungry!) Anyways, gotta say, the spicy tuna salad roll is the best. I didn't even know they had it until I went to the store. Good stuff. DEFINITELY, coming back for more. —KimN.
- Aren't there like 16 pieces in each serving? Are you seriously eating 64 pieces in one sitting?! —SunjeetBaadkar
- Good god no! Although i did try, i ended up eating about half, but that was a damn sure good meal. I have already been back plenty of times. They even have their own cuttlefish. SOOO good!! —KimN.
2008-12-02 11:53:19 mmmmm mochi —StevenDaubert
2008-12-03 20:56:34 She now has a delicious "seafood vegetable" snack that is over in the same cold case as the Kimbap. It is -delicious-. There was also a new noodle dish of some kind, that looked like it had rice noodles, egg, and vegetables. Does anyone know what that is? —KendraSmith
2008-12-06 12:57:03 do they sell star anises (bajiao)? —WeiChun
2008-12-09 11:00:29 I'm from San Francisco, so this pleace is totally overpriced to me. However, I do enjoy buying their rolls. makes for a quick and cheap meal. —renee415
2009-02-09 17:09:27 The $3.99 rolls are yummy! The lady behind the counter was very nice. Would come again. —strawberry
2009-02-22 13:18:02 LOVE this place! Some things are a little expensive, but the kimbap & jap chae are totally worth it! —Doro
2009-03-18 21:31:03 I went to try these famous kimbap rolls, but was a little bit dissapointed. They are not bad, but they weren't super great. I think it is a deal with the quantity though, that is for sure. But I think next time I will go to the safeway sushi they make at their deli, it has more fish ( not mixed) in it and its only a dollar more! I think that stuff tastes more like the sushi at a sushi restaurant. But then again, it has less pieces than the kimbap. —sgent
2009-04-24 16:23:22 I love the kimchi. Best one around Davis. —precious
2009-05-04 16:32:10 Most of the stuffs at this place are overpriced. Even though they're the only Asian market around, they should really think about the student budget. —thtly
2009-06-24 17:01:42 Melon popsicles are so good =) —jaredfromsubway
2009-08-04 20:35:51 Correct me if I'm wrong but this seems to be the only place in Davis to get the Japanese style rice? I always get mochi and kimbap when I come here, very delicious. —KristenM
2009-09-11 17:11:10 This place does seem to have a good mix of items for people who want to cook their own asian-y meals, and foods that are ready to eat. One can procure tamarind paste, bean noodles, duck eggs, dried shiitake mushrooms, and yes they have star anise in powdered and whole form in one place. I would think the time one saves with this nifty shop is worthy of your lucre. —csy
2009-10-22 01:17:52 Funky smelling even for an asian store....However, it being the only one in davis, you can't really help the high prices....but if you're looking for korean stuff you're in luck. This store caters to korean cuisine.....yes, there are some other asian foods, but not really...I think I only came here to buy the melon pops (love those things!) If you want asian foods, go to Sacramento; Oto's Market on freeport is amazing. Oh, fyi, kimbap and sushi are completely different, so don't come here looking for some Japanese sushi. —allwalksoflife87
2009-11-20 14:56:59 Kimbap there are heavenly, fresh and such good prices. I brought those to our bookclub couple weeks ago and it was a hit. They're always freshly made by the ladies there, and you could even call ahead to request they make x number of packages for you (in case of disappointment). —val
2010-05-25 18:36:36 To confirm and add onto previous comments, in addition to the kimbap, available side dishes include jap chae, seafood/veggie pancake, and seasoned tofu. All of these things were still available when I went after 5:30PM... safe to say a selection is probably available until closing. I'd recommend trying the jap chae but I haven't had the seafood pancake or seasoned tofu yet. On a different note, I'm not sure how people are able to compare Kim's kimbap to Safeway sushi... and I'll leave the thought at that. —SRB
2010-05-25 19:46:50 I like Kim's Market a lot. I've been to many Asian markets and this one scores really high on the helpfulness-to-a-white-guy scale. I always feel welcome and they always had good answers to my questions. As to the high prices, blame Davis and blame the landlord, not Kim. It's flat expensive to be a downtown retailer in Davis. —JimStewart
2010-06-02 13:37:11 I'm glad there is at least one "Asian" market in Davis. There is a nice selection, but it's just more expensive than the items you'd get from the Bay or Sac. —PaulV
2010-06-02 16:47:41 best best best. everyone is always so nice and cordial. i can get my favorite apple juices and milk and coffee drinks as well as the candies and foods i'd either have to go to sac for or order online. i love them for sure. —Mogitha
2010-06-04 14:53:39 The only place in town that sells the bottled Jasmine Green Tea that I love. Throw in a plate of kimbap and yum. —SunjeetBaadkar
2010-07-14 14:45:42 Saves me a drive out to Sacramento for a pretty good assortment of Japanese ingredients and vegetables. It's no "supermarket" but I'd much rather pick up my groceries here than try to beat the rush hour traffic to get to SF or 99 Ranch. Too pricey? Try buying anything asian foods related at the other stores in Davis, ie. Safeway or Nugget. Seriously, try. Now, I love those stores for what they are, but a kidney is not considered legal tender at those establishments, so give up that idea. Plus, at Kim's, you can pick up a giant jar of kimchee or some fresh kimbap. OMG, YUM! —Osenbe
2010-07-16 17:21:31 This is a great Asian store. The ready made Jap Chae and kimbap are aweseome!! —JasperD
2010-08-12 15:58:11 I bought a bag of wet seedless tamarind from this store. I came home and opened it up. There were tons of seeds in it. I called up the store. A lady answered the phone. I told her that the label of the tamarind did not reflect what was inside it. She said she did not make the label and she could not do anything about it. She told me to bring it back if I did not like it. She even did not say sorry. I guess they'd rather let customers feel cheated than improving their business. —thantrinh90
- What's wrong with bringing it back if you don't like it? I don't really see the problem with her response.
- Indeed, I'm sure Target would just issue a credit card refund if you called and were unhappy with a product. "Bring it back" is sort of the standard response if something doesn't work or isn't as expected.
2010-09-03 13:09:17 As it is the only Asian market in Davis, the steep prices are to be expected. It's a toss-up between driving to Sac or not when considering a trip to Kim's. Anyways, their selection is pretty decent for what it is and despite the obvious markup, the time saved not having to drive to Sac makes the prices a bit easier to swallow. —blastoff
2010-11-02 17:28:44 i come here for the kimbap. they're all pretty good. plus, the cashiers are always nice =). —SallyVo
2010-12-05 15:31:55 While I do not have experience with Asian food stores, I went by here today to get a few ingredients for chicken curry. I got curry paste, water chesnuts, bamboo shoots, and coconut milk for $4.50. Not a bad price.. And for those of you curious, the sushi shelf was about 60% gone, so either the owner doesn't make it on Sundays (or as much) or it is incredibly popular. —redbike
2011-01-17 21:08:30 I really like this place. They have a bunch of stuff you can't find anywhere else in town, and their prices are very good. Also one of the cheapest places to grab a quick premade lunch. —twblalock
2011-01-22 17:31:59 The people who work here are really unfriendly, especially to korean who newly arrived in Davis. I really didn't like the way they treat me when I went here. Especially, the female owner is really rude. —JennyCS
2011-01-31 18:44:30 Let me start with this, I've been a regular customer of Kim's Mart for the last 2 years. I love the food (even though it's slightly over priced) and the male owner, he's really nice aswel. I can't say the same for his wife, the little lady with the curly grey hair. She never really says anything to me when she rings me up, but I just usually smile and get on my way. Except today, I got my usual tofu, noodles, etc and I picked up a package of california rolls. While she was ringing me up (not saying anything as usual) I noticed that the avocado in the sushi was brown, and I asked if I could trade it in for another package. She rudely started poking at the sushi and saying "YOU SQUOOSHED IT" I think she thought I wanted to trade it in because I squished the saran wrap? I don't know. Anyway, I told her that wasn't the problem and pointed out the discolored avocado. I tried to put the sushi back in the fridge area, and she snatched it away from me and mumbled something Korean. I still ended up getting another package, and paid for my groceries. I was quite frankly a bit disappointed, and don't really want to go back there while she's working. I really think she needs an atitude change, but I guess if you're the only asian store in Davis you can pretty much do whatever you want. This won't really deter me from returning, but I will definitely not smile and try to be nice any longer. —Jshpoly
2011-03-24 16:37:41 I feel like I should comment on the last entry. It actually sounds to me like she may have been trying to be friendly or making a friendly joke about the sushi (which then became awkward when the person didn't catch it). There's cultural differences that I'm used to, but some people find it off-putting. I don't know if she thought the snatching was rude either, she probably just didn't want you to put it back if the avocado was bad so she grabbed it. Maybe she WAS actually trying to be rude, but I couldn't quite catch that from the comment made if it was intentional or not.
Anyway, as far as my experiences, I usually don't talk to anyone in there, just grab my stuff and go. But they seem polite and friendly enough, and I'm glad we have one asian store in town! —Ravyn
2011-03-27 04:02:47 I love this place. I've never had anything but positive experiences there in the several years I've been regularly visiting. I usually pick up a couple sushi packs and some aloe drinks (or lychee Calpico if I really have a sugar craving)and I try to grab something new or interesting whenever I go in, just for the heck of it. It's good cheap eats and fills ME up for under $10, which is saying something. I've never had anything but polite, prompt service and I can only see most of the complaints on here as being rather trite. I'm definitely a satisfied regular customer. —KBathory
2011-05-25 22:51:07 It's interesting reading some of the comments here. I actually thought the lady that worked there was great. Last time I visited I did my usual order of Spicy Tuna + Regular Gimbap. While I was getting ready to leave, the lady just yelled out "Grab a noodle!" I was a little confused then, but apparently she is offering me free noodles since it was close to their closing time and they didn't want to give it to waste. Great people overall. :) —Wiiman
2011-05-26 22:03:13 I'm leaving Davis soon, and I'll always miss Kim's and the friendly owners. And their cheap kimbap rolls and ice creams. Some things may be a bit overpriced compared to bigger stores in San Jose or Sacramento, but this is Davis. I hope Kim's stays around for a long time. —susiekim
2011-08-03 19:43:22 Kim's is a good place to grab some fresh veggies (in the back!) and Asian snacks like Pocky! I also like to get their Korean sushi and marinated tofu (salty, slightly spicy, and ALL yummy!) Plus, the owner is super nice :) Use cash; support small local businesses! —AI
2011-12-09 12:30:44 Kim's mart is where I buy all my ramen. It's a bit more expensive than maruchan, but has better ingredients. My favorite is the miso Sapporo Ichiban. I like to cook it on the stove top and add a bit of organic cornstarch, eggs, and red pepper to make a spicy egg blossom soup. Considering the small size of the store, their selection is nothing short of amazing. I do wish that they stocked Mama brand noodles (Tom Yum! Yum yum yum), and Indomie brand mi goreng (my ultimate ultimate fave), but I hope if I stalk the store enough that one day these two magically delicious items will pop up on the shelves as so many other things do. I've noticed that the Korean products tend to be cheaper than some of the other products, which is fine by me, because I've sampled a lot of those goodies - like the Milkis carbonated drinks, or the Melona pops, or the Pepero "pocky" - and found them absolutely amazing.
Regarding the niceness of the cashiers, I've always found them very friendly, if somewhat reserved. I suspect that there's some cultural differences that may account for this. The man is more overtly friendly than the lady but I have never received bad customer service from either of them.
The kimbap is good. Really good. Whenever I'm on a time crunch I always stop by here for some Korean sushi and go on a massive snarfing spree. Also, their drinks are pretty cheap. They have canned sodas, coffee, teas (including Oolong and Jasmine, yum!), aloe, grass jelly, calpico, ramune, and basically every other stereotypical Asian drink you can think of. I think I saw Pokari Sweat lurking in the top left corner: a popular Japanese sports drink.
I love Kim's! —nutmeg
2012-04-09 22:58:16 Just excellent for semi-prepped Korean food where you can cook the rest at home. And awesome rolls for lunch. —MelannieLavarias
2012-04-24 00:17:13 Went there today to see if they sold banana milk. They didn't have any, so I decided to get some kimbap instead. I didn't realize that I forgot my wallet in my tote bag at home until I got to the counter... there was a line behind me. With no choice, I sheepishly said that I'll put the kimbap back, but Mr. Kim was so nice. He told me to take it and pay them back when I can. I adamantly refused, but he wouldn't take "No" for an answer, saying that I "need(ed) to eat." I've never experienced such hospitality, and I'm no stranger to Mom & Pop Asian stores. I literally wanted to reach over the counter and give him a bear hug. Btdubs, the kimbap is priced SO cheaply. I <3 Kim's Mart :) And I'll be back! —DianaNguyen
2012-05-13 16:41:05 It's like the ONLY Asian grocery store in Davis. Small but has a lot of things you usually would see at Asian stores, just things are overpriced compared to the usual Asian stores I would be used to from Sac. Funny story I remember was when I bought my things for $3.99 and I gave the guy $4 and he didn't give me my penny back and I stood there for awhile waiting for my penny. He didn't do anything and didn't look at me. It was only a penny...so whatever right? —JaceWinter
- They round change both ways, so sometimes you get extra money, too. If it's a big deal, just ask for proper change.
2012-07-27 13:36:33 superb. i only realized that they had sushi at such a cheap price after checking this site out and i stopped by to grab some.. haha. i am not complaining as the overall quantity is a fantastic deal, but i think it is worth mentioning that sushi rolls (at least the california rolls) are half the size of a "normal" sushi roll. —ljohnny
2012-12-11 14:04:48 Not sure when it started, but Kim's now sells a selection of hot foods to go over to the left of the counter. —Michi
2013-04-26 15:19:09 Very yummy kimbap.
Quick story: only had card, $10 minimum, I only wanted kimbap. The owner told me don't worry about it and let me go off with the food even though I insisted on buying other things. I came to Kim's Mart a couple weeks later (it was summer vacation so I was not around) and paid the money that I owed. The owner forgot and thanked me for my honesty.
VERY KIND PEOPLE! And delicious to-go food. —DavisKid08
2014-05-07 21:46:38 When I came in today, the woman at the cash register (whom I assume is the owner) was talking on the phone the entire time while she rung up my purchase. I don't know about anyone else, but I found that unsettling. I mean, if customers are expected to put their phone down when they're at the cash register, shouldn't the cashier be expected to do the same? I also wish the items I bought were put into two bags instead of one. I bought a lot of stuff, so I had to take half of my purchase and put them into my backpack so that the bag doesn't rip from all that weight while I walked to the bus stop. That said, this place has a decent supply of Asian food, and I managed to find my childhood favourite jelly fruit cups here. —MichelleNguyen
2014-07-07 08:05:15 I got food poisoning from the Kimchi a few months ago. Not fun. —ToddKaiser
What do you think of Kim's?
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