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Uwajimaya
Categories: Food Grocery Food Specialty Food Seafood Markets Food Specialty Food Ethnic Food Grocery, Seafood Markets, Ethnic Food [Edit]
600 5th Ave S(between James St & Weller St)
Seattle, WA 98104
Neighbourhood: International District
(206) 624-6248
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 8 am - 10 pm
Sun 9 am - 9 pm
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Validated, Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
About This Business:
Asian Groceries, Sushi, Sashimi, Obento, Chinese Take-out, Deli, Donburi, Fish, Vegetables
497 reviews for Uwajimaya
Review Highlights
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"Do I really need Kuromi and Hello Kitty stationary." In 34 reviews -
"And the food court has a number of tasty choices." In 194 reviews -
"Uwajimaya is the mother of all Asian grocery store." In 20 reviews
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497 reviews in English
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Review from erica r.
4/27/2012
Such a fun place to get groceries! If I try to wing it, I get confused and forgetful and don't buy all the stuff I need -- I have to come in with a list to really get all the things I need.
This is a great place to get Asian-specific groceries, but they also have a decent selection of other general groceries, so you can pretty much make it one stop for all of your groceries. My favorite things are the cubes of fried tofu and the fresh noodles.
I have a hrd time resisting poking thtough the housewares section and the bookstore, too, while I'm there! -
Review from Shalan G.
5/24/2012
Uwajimaya deserves its own zipcode, and perhaps golf carts to get around the massive place, and even offer guided tours to help wide-eyed shoppers like me. I jest folks, but barely.
"Oh my goodness!! How big is this place?" - was my first reaction, followed by, "Wow, they carry everything!"
A friend from Denver wanted me to pick up some veggie jerky for her a few months ago from here. Had it not been for her, I wouldn't have known the wonder that is Uwajimaya. Thank you Tiffany W.
I saw fruits and vegetables here that I haven't seen a very long time, and it felt so good to see familiar shapes, colours and inhale the exotic flavours.
Along with the fresh produce, meats, seafood, frozen delicacies, and shelves and aisles of dry packed goods, Uwajimaya also boasts a food court for a quick bite, a hair salon, a Shiseido store - and so much more. I honestly don't know how may trips it is going to take for me to be familiar with all that they offer.
Mind you, it's not cheap, but not scarily priced either. I find it very fair for what they offer.
And the best part - just before you enter the store, there is a cart outside selling fresh chestnuts - roasted. Just the smell of them transports me to the streets of Paris. Yay for nostalgia.
They have a parking lot that validates your store receipt - Thank god for that. Parking in the ID can be frustrating. -
Review from Emily S.
5/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Cool supermarket. Similar to what we have in Cali called Mitsuwa.
It's a Japanese grocery store / food court / merchandise store etc.. with tons of snacks, ramen, cream puffs, sushi, you name it they have it.
We made a trip here when we were in Seattle to check out what kinds of Japanese trinkets they had. Alas, we left the place with all kinds of yummy food.
Great store! -
Review from Yen E.
5/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
My first time at this location. Sucks you have to pay for parking, but we were there less than an hour so it didn't really matter. This store is a LOT bigger than the one in Bellevue and I loved the connecting bookstore! I didn't get the chance to buy any real groceries since we weren't planning to head home AND we live all the way out in Spanaway. Though I wish they had a store closer to me!!
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Review from Gloria H.
4/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
I can spend hours here, picking and choosing my goodies.
Love the veggie selection!
Fun to browse around in the frozen food section, who am I kidding, each isle is awesome to browse around in.
I love the do it your self pre packaged sushi goods.
Usually pretty packed out.
For the most part I'm usually quite surprised at my low total at check out. -
Review from Natasha C.
Delray Beach, FL
4/25/2012
This place is bigger than the biggest Asian grocery that I'd ever seen in Florida, and is full of all sorts of interesting and tasty things. There's an entire section devoted to household goods (cooking/cleaning but also some decorative pieces), and a food court that's primarily devoted to simplified/Americanized quick eats from many Asian countries. Additionally, there's a Japanese bookstore built into the building that's full of books in English and Japanese, and a big stationery section in case you really have a thing for fancy pens.
The shop is super clean and very organized, so it's a pleasure to shop there as long as you can purchase enough items to justify the insane parking charges. ($7.50/hour? really?!?) This would only be ideal for me if I lived close enough to take public transit or I saved my trips here for large grocery hauls. -
Review from Luca T.
West New York, NJ
5/11/2012
Very nice grocery, I have been here a couple of times and I have always found fresh veggies and fruits. Nice to have a place like this close by.
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Review from Matthew B.
Seattle, WA
4/19/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Uwajimaya is a great staple of an asian grocery store. No, they're not cheap... but they seem to have most asian foods that you need on a regular basis. They do a great job merchandising and keeping the store feeling warm and comfortable.
What don't I like about the store (besides the prices?) They actively track the ethnicity of their patrons. When checking out the system asks the cashier to identify the race of each patron. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not huge on being identified by my race. -
Review from Kate S.
3/16/2012
Oh Uwajimaya. I have been coming here before I can remember...
I DO remember making the trek up to Seattle from Puyallup with our exchange students to buy fabulous and mysterious foods and origami paper. I remember the old building and how confused I was when it moved a block down. I am now sad it is not a quick jaunt away anymore -- cuz having this place be a 2 min walk away is super handy.
Uwajimaya is an Asian superstore. I mean -- you have Kinokuniya for books and stationary and other media, a bank locale, a cafeteria with a wide range of foods to choose from, a glasses store, hair salon, etc etc. One stop for so many of life's errands. Then there is the grocery itself -- carries just about anything you could need for Asian cuisine. I enjoy just walking up and down the aisles trying to figure out what everything is (cuz sometimes I just have no clue). I grab rice of all kinds, curry pastes, sake, spices, and seafood here regularly. Prices are reasonable, however the more American flavored grocery items (cereal, ice cream, milk, pizza, etc) cost an arm and a leg here, and while their produce selection has tons of crazy stuff in it, it isn't always the freshest.
I like it here, and even though they are no longer close I will be sure to be stopping by often.Listed in: A lil' International…, Noodles, Groceries
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Review from Michelle F.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is COOL. My friend recommended that we check it out & I'm glad that we did. This place is HUGE compared to other asian stores that I've been to. They have a food court, grocery, a bookstore, a whole bunch of random asian stuff. I think I can spend some time looking at the books, random nik-nacks, etc.
My only gripe about this place is that you have to pay for parking or you have to spend a certain amount of $ in the store to get it validated. It's not too big of a deal, but free parking is always so much nicer. -
Review from Joanne D.
3/16/2012
Uwajimaya is always a good place to hit up when in the ID. I like hanging out in the bookstore to browse all their magazines and cool merch. I could prob spend hours in there.
The grocery store is nice too with their fresh and good selection of groceries. The place is well lit and clean, and free parking (a luxury in little old ID) with minimum purchase.
However, there stuff is expensive. -
Review from Lauren B.
4/19/2012 1 Check-in Here
Love it!!! They sell so many interesting and delicious foods, it's always an adventure to go there. And I love the adjacent bookstore. Wish I lived closer and could shop there all the time - I gotta get my Hello Kitty, green tea mochi, lychee drink, Ito En fix!
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Review from Tan Lo S.
3/15/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I love Waji!!!! I always can count on them for great Asian products and foods when I can't find it in my local grocery stores. It's a little bit pricier than other Asian stores, but damn, they have BOMB food in the food court, legit food, variety, and pretty good service. I've never had bad customer service here. They always have things well stocked and seriously, you can find almost anything you need here. sigh. I love this place.
Try their food court though. :) -
Review from Rudi T.
Kirkland, WA
4/29/2012 1 Check-in Here
I personally like the Bellevue location better but this one has some items that are not available elsewhere like the pandan hawaian rollsplus great deal on parking (buy 14 bucks worth of stuffs and get validation up to 2 hours) if you are in Chinatown.
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Review from Chad Y.
1/30/2012
You would think finding Asian ingredients would be easy, but lo and behold it can be quite a trek to find even the basic essentials like wasabi and shoyu (soy sauce). Uwajimaya is clearly the place you hit up when you need ingredients or just have that hankering for some good Asian style food. The location is convenient, prices decent, and service overall very good.
The selection is wide ranging and is your single source for the products that you might be looking for. Whether its produce, sauces, seafood and more, Uwajimaya is bound to have it and all in one spot. It will save you from making a trek all across the International district.
Its prices can be on the higher side, so do keep an eye on things. Other independent shops might be cheaper on some items, but you are ultimately paying for the convenience. Some items can be on the cheaper side as well, you just really need to know and keep an eye on things.
Service is good and I have never waited long in the check out lines nor have I had any issues when I've sought help. The staff are very pleasant and helpful, some even can help with suggestions if you need to substitute something for another.
Its location is rather convenient, with the exception of game days. It's location right next to the stadiums can be a bit of a inconvenience when you have to battle traffic of the crowds watching their teams. However, that being said they do offer a plethora of parking in their lot and underground garage. The garage isn't really that inconvenient as it's just a short elevator ride away.
So when the need for Asian items arise, be sure to check out Uwajimaya. -
Review from Michael A.
Seattle, WA
1/19/2012
Uwajimaya is where you go when you can 't find an Asian ingredient anywhere else; it's where you go when you are looking for a specific kind of green tea, a specialty sake, or a special prime cut of seafood for your sashimi.
Uwajimaya is great in that it carries mostly anything you'd ever need for cooking Asian cuisine. But shop here for everything, and you run the risk of spending more than you bargained for. I'd much prefer to shop the small local shops in Chinatown/International District for fresh produce and other common Asian goods.
My favorite other things about Uwajimaya are their humongous Asian candy and snacks aisle, their validated parking lot, their pan-Asian food court (everything from Hawaiian food to Korean food).
But definitely explore the other shops and restaurants around this huge Asian behemoth!! -
Review from Georgie M.
Scottsdale, AZ
1/9/2012
Uwajimaya is a great Asian grocery store!
When we lived in Seattle we were here almost every week. It's not that the local QFC didn't have a good selection, but it didn't carry everything, as Uwajimaya certainly does!
Great grocer. Just go -
Review from Claudia R.
Orange, CA
2/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
I love me an Asian grocery store!
This one did not disappoint!
So many things to explore! Produce, kitchenware, Hello Kitty stuffs!
Also the Kinokuniya inside the store is awesome! -
Review from Marjory B.
Seattle, WA
4/17/2012
Mochi selection is awesome. Food court is also pretty great, I have to eat there first before I shop, otherwise I spend way too much money.
It seems always extremely busy (at least every time I go) and I hate to pay for parking but usually make sure I spend enough in the store for validation. -
Review from Sonya G.
1/22/2012
What an awesome place! I could waste hours, if not a day, in this massive store. Too bad parking is only validated for an hour :( But it is validated when you make a purchase!
The last time I was here, my boyfriend and I were looking for ingredients for nor mai fan. We had a trusty recipe in hand from a family friend and were circling around looking for all the ingredients when a seemingly random woman walked up to us.
"Can I help you find anything?"
Uhh. She was holding an assortment of items, looking ready to purchase them. So we kind of assumed she was another customer. Quickly, she clarified, "don't worry, I work here! Sorry, just doing some shopping of my own."
She quickly noted one of the ingredients (lop yuk, a kind of Chinese bacon) was not something they carried, but suggested an alternative in the form of dried shrimp (she also mentioned another store that would have it, but we opted for the one-stop shop). Always being up for an experiment in my cooking, we took her advice and added them to the cart. She panned over the rest of the recipe I was holding, gave us some advice about how to prepare it, and made sure we could find everything else.
What a blessing! I guess two confused-looking white people in an Asian specialty market can do okay ;-)
I would repeat the sentiment not to buy western foods here, as you can find them for much cheaper nearly anywhere else. But rices, sauces, exotic produce? Bingo. -
Review from Linda C.
Las Vegas, NV
1/20/2012
I love this place!!
This location is way better than the one in Bellevue. I love the huge market and the employees are all very friendly. The food court has a large selection that are all different and even better - they have Beard Papa Cream Puffs!!!
There are some things that could be priced lower but still a great place! -
Review from Corinne M.
Tacoma, WA
1/30/2012
This place is so much fun, it's big, and the produce is the most I have ever seen in, an Asian Market, huge variety in general. I love that you get to shop, and eat there, I could stay all day.
The one thing that really needs to be addressed, the only reason that I didn't give it a 5 star is that they close the bathroom when the food court closes, and they can't tell you where the closest one is, so I've had to leave twice now without getting all that I've came in for. I was not happy to be told that only employees can use the bathroom at night. -
Review from Ghostfish Z.
New York, NY
3/14/2012
FINALLY SOMEONE GOT IT RIGHT! Being from NYC means we're picky about so called "Chinatowns" and so called "Asian" markets. Sorry Chicago, Boston, and Philly..y'all $uck! Seattle has a spot with EVERYTHING! even obscure things only someone from Asia would know. Veggies, sauces, seasonings from all over ASIA. Not just the usual Top 3 (chinese japanese and korean) but they have Indonesian Thai Filipino Viet and Malay foodstuffs! The staff also knows its stuff..you ask a question they have the answer....with a smile.
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Review from Jeremy Y.
3/27/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Even with the hard name to pronounce, this place has a myriad of options from food to stationary and everything in between. It feels like you stepped into a market somewhere in Asia. I want to buy everything here. I wish they had more vegetarian or vegan options but it is still fun to shop here!
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Review from Alex T.
Kirkland, WA
4/6/2012 5 Check-ins Here
I love coming to Uwaji. They have all kind of Asian food that you would need. The food court have all kinds of restaurants. Good place to pick up a quick thing to eat. Also they have a great selection of oysters at a good price. Why pay a fancy restaurant for a sampler plate at $20 or $30 you can get a dozen for under $10.
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Review from Heather M.
Olympia, WA
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
I truly love this place! It truly is an exquisite marketplace!
It's sort of like a one stop shop in terms of buying food, drinks, books, odds and ends, etc. They have an extensive fish counter... although what impressed me the most was the variety of live oysters they have to the side of the counter. I love oysters, and they definitely have the largest selection around! They also have an extensive meat counter with very funny, and friendly, butchers! Their meat always appears to be fresh and top quality! They have a fairly large produce selection, huge drink selection... in fact, just about everything they carry has it's own section where a multitude of similar products can be found.
Here are my few gripes with this place:
1. Prices. This place is definitely pricey... but when you have virtually no competition, you can set your prices as high as you want. I do understand charging more for less common/hard-to-find items. But I feel everything there is more than what you'd pay at other Asian markets.
2. Parking. The prices to park in their lot are atrociously high! I tend to park in other lots surrounding this place, or on a meter, as that is MUCH more affordable!
However, I only take one star total away for these two issues as there is NO other place that comes close to Uwajimaya in the Seattle, or even Washington, for that matter. So I must give it the respect it deserves! -
Review from Yvonne D.
3/22/2012
This place is considered a large Japanese market in the area. The food here are quite expensive compare to the surrounding stores in the area, however the quality of the food are better. Most of the tropical fruits and vegetable here you can find in near by markets for cheaper price, however here you can find a large selection of snack goods, drinks, alcoholic drinks, etc that are japanese...it's different and most of them tastes good, so I always end up shopping here and by a bunch of stuff, it's a nice walk around the store to see all the different items they have as well.
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Review from Momoko S.
Oakland, CA
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
I loved it when I live in Seattle back in 2001. And now I love it the same way I did. Some of the food vendors are still in the same spots as before, more than one decade ago.
I noticed this time I visited Seattle, a lot of content of groceries are a bit "Americanized." They carry less Japanese stuff than 10 years ago. It still is a good place for a Japanese person to shop. -
Review from Crispina T.
Bellevue, WA
3/18/2012
I love Uwajimaya. This store caters to everyone. The store carries ingredients from all over the world. It is a great store for Japanese food and products. I especially like their Seafood and Cooked Food department. It is a great store. Give it a try.
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Review from Stephanie L.
Bellevue, WA
11/11/2011 7 Check-ins Here
The only reason I'm knocking down from 5 stars is because I hate the parking lot/procedure. And the parking attendants mouthed off at me because we didn't know one side of the booth was closed. Ew.
But for Uwajimaya, this place is wonderful. I normally go to the one in Bellevue, but this one is MUCH bigger and has a great food court. It gets CRAZY crowded on the weekends. Like you can't walk at all between people's carts.
The kitchen section is really cool too. They have a lot of useful tools for cooking in that subset of the store.
I just like to come to this Uwajimaya and walk around, that's how cool it is! Great layout and great products. -
Review from Michael F.
Phoenix, AZ
My cousin introduced me to to Uwajimaya back when he used to live in Seattle. I love this Asian grocery store! I can always find all my favorite items at this place. Unlike other Asian markets, this place does not smell like fish! This is the only place where I can find those travel size mini soy milk. Whole Foods sometimes have them, but they are more expensive and slightly bigger. The ones that I buy here are perfect, TSA approved, and only cost .79 Cents. I love a fantastic find. They also have a wide variety of dishes at the food court, and I can always find something vegetarian here. I love their tofu dishes! The bookstore that is attached to the grocery store is also a fun shop. You can always find little things here with cute designs from Hello Kitty, Kerropi, Pochacco to Domo.
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Hello Kitty!Listed in: Public Markets, Whole Foods…, Seattle Spots
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Review from Vivian H.
9/4/2011 50 Check-ins Here
I love coming here and I wish I could live closer! Uwajimaya reminds me of Mitsuwa and Nijiya back "home" in San Francisco. The fact that neither Mitsuwa nor Nijiya exist in Seattle is OK to me because Uwajimaya is like both stores combined, on steroids. There's a large food court (no Santouka Ramen but that's okay, there's one 2 hours away in Vancouver), a kitchenware section, a Hello Kitty section, and Kinokuniya is also in here. Prices aren't the cheapest but they did have golden kiwis for 39 cents each when they were being sold for 99 cents everywhere else. I don't do much grocery shopping here but I do come here for the Belgian waffles (pop them in the oven and spread some Nutella over them.. omg), Asian soft drinks, and the occasional mochi and onigiri. Plus, the deli items are marked down about an hour before closing. Mitsuwa and Nijiya don't do that.
Maybe it's the Japanophile in me.. but I just love coming here. -
Review from Hinano K.
Long Island, NY
3/8/2012
I love this place, especially the beard papa they have at the food court. My husband and I was visiting a friend at Seattle and we make sure he toke us there. I was so please with everything there. They got lots of cool little kitchen tools, hello kitty stationery, origami paper etc. The food court was great, we ate there for lunch and brought some beard papa cream puff for dessert. I almost forgot, they got a pretty cool bookstore there too, worth the time to take a look. I would definitely go back again next time I visit Seattle.
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Review from Bobmond C.
Seattle, WA
3/15/2012
I go here basically for the fresh produce. I mean, I could go to Ranch 99 or elsewhere in the International District, but they actually make the effort to do a little quality control here. Even though I might be paying a little more here than I would at the aforementioned places, you notice the quality. Bok choy/choy sum don't spoil in my fridge after two days.
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Review from Allie A.
10/6/2011
Looooooooove this place. Why did I never come here when I lived in this neck of the woods 10 years ago?
On a recent trip here for business, I had an afternoon free and wanted to bum around and see where the free bus got me. I ended up here and thinking I would spend 15 minutes or so checking it out, I ended up spending TWO HOURS here. Too bad I was on a business trip and couldn't bring back buckets of unusual grocery items, but I did stock up on some fun Asian paper goods. -
Review from Craig R.
After about 20 visits to this place I guess I'll finally get around to writing a review of it. My wife and I come here ALL the time because it has so many things you otherwise can't find. My general take is:
-Awesome selection of Chinese/Japanese/Korean options
-The prices are affordable, especially for a downtown location
-The staff is always helpful when we need to find something
-The attached food court has a lot of options, including the very Asian Herfy Burger
-Parking is kind of a hassle and that's the only reason I give it 4 instead of 5 stars
All in all a great place, we will continue to return for things we can't find elsewhere. -
Review from Nik O.
10/5/2011
Disappointing Sanrio selection, and really pricey kitchen stuff even things not imported from Japan.
Despite those 2 negatives, its a great store. Gotta love that they validate their parking with qualifying purchase. Great selection of grocery items and cleanest live seafood tanks I've seen in any Asian market. It's primarily Japanese, but they do carry other Asian products and even a section of Hawaii stuff! Several kinds of Portuguese sausage, manapua, lots of noh packets, frozen section of zippys chili and laulau. Also love the Filipino bakery items - cascaron in Seattle? Pricey but an awesome treat!Listed in: Seattle
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Review from Katie T.
11/13/2011 4 photos
This grocery store is pretty much the greatest place ever.
Giant super market of glorious Asian foods, meats, seafoods, veggies.
Came here with friends, wandered around, took pictures of funny named foods, stopped in at the bookstore attached which is filled with awesome Asian literature, cute notebooks, gifty things & school supplies.
Had to stop at the little cafeteria area - lots to choose from but since I wasn't that hungry just got a few small things. Sampled the pork shumai & ebi fry on rice. Both were very good but nothing that I haven't had before in Chicago - still a tasty treat to refuel with.
This was definitely a really fun experience and I would die to have an Asian market this large and comprehensive in Chicago. -
Review from Melissa D.
Bethlehem, PA
2/29/2012
I think I've been here everyday during my trip to Seattle and I haven't tired of this place yet. Fantastic market to grab fresh groceries, hot foods, tea, and other Asian specialties. Also a great place to wander around and look at all the gorgeous tea ware and sake sets that I don't need but would absolutely love to purchase!
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Review from Christine Z.
Seattle, WA
9/22/2011 3 Check-ins Here
If you need ANYTHING from an Asian market, make sure Uwajimaya is your FIRST stop, not your last!
Uwajimaya never disappoints! They carry everything I need for my favorite Filipino dishes, like kare-kare, afritada, adobo, sinigang, lumpia, pancit... they even have pan de sal and butter bread (my childhood favorites). They carry a lot of food items that cannot be found ANYWHERE else. I love that I can also get all my favorite Japanese treats, bringing me back to when I lived there. Their food court has some yummy meals, as well, so if you are in a pinch and need food stat - stop there. If you're in need of a new rice cooker, kitchen swords, bamboo steamers, whatever... they've got it!
* If you park in the Uwajimaya parking lot, they will validate your parking ticket if you spend at least $7. With ticket validation, the first two hours are free!
Uwajimaya is an Asian mecca a world away from Asia!!!
