Bryn Mawr Fresh Market

This place might have been better once, but the way it is now, it seems to be very lackadaisically managed. The fish counter has been empty for a long time. What little fresh meat is available is always off (do not buy chicken here, ever, unless it is frozen solid!) The produce is more often than not wilty, moldy, or sprouting, and the selection is inconsistent. The space is also poorly arranged and messy. You’ll probably find the olive oil in the coolers.
I shop here because it’s the only grocery within walking distance, but I would go elsewhere if I could. However, I’ll give an extra star because they do carry some useful Asian staples, and the owner is actually very friendly, which helps to smooth over some of the inevitable frustration. The place really feels more like your friendly neighbor’s messy garage than a serious market. I do like the people; I just wish they would take a bit more pride in their work. It would love it if I didn’t have to catch a bus each time I wanted to buy fresh baby bok choy.

Who likes bibimbap but is too lazy to make all the banchan that goes with it?
I am!!!
Bryn Mawr Fresh Market is a small grocery store featuring Korean essentials. It’s not as big as HMart or Joong Boo and therefore, doesn’t have as much. However, when you are need of some K essentials, BM fresh market is the place to go.
So getting back to this bibimbap thing. I really like to eat bibimbap and it’s really easy to make if you have the veggies already made. The owner of the mart actually makes and sells packages of the bibimbap veggies already to go. He makes his own japchae, too — which is not only very delicious, but reasonably priced. One time I had the opportunity to try his Korean fried chicken. (Which you can also buy) Omo Omo!!! (korean expression), Dae BAK! - (meaning awesome.) It was so tasty.
They also have a little produce section, banchan section, etc.
Overall, great little market featuring the best of your korean food needs.

So I hate to admit it, but Alice S. is somewhat correct. Since I moved down the street from this place almost two years ago, I have noticed that the store has declined a little. BUT, what is great about it, is that for someone who lives around the corner, they have great stuff! All the ready-​to-​eat food that they prepare in house is really good. The chicken wings are super good as well as the kimbob rolls.
Honestly, if I didn’t live super close to this place I probably wouldn’t go out of my way except to get the chicken wings. I’m super happy to live within walking distance because if I run out of toilet paper I can get it easily and cheaply and use it as an excuse to get those delicious wings.

I must have missed something. I wasn’t charmed. I wasn’t overwhelmed. From the reviews, I was expecting a religious experience. I received a reality tv one (read: ho-​hum to briefly exciting). If I am being honest (to borrow a reality tv troupe), I found the market to be dingy and depressing. The produce looked a bit past its glory days, the shelves ranged from fully stocked to sadly sparse and the aisles were few an far between.
I get that this is a small, ethnic grocery that’s best used when looking for specialty items and not for full-​on grocery shopping. I get that. But when you have a beauty like Super H Mart winking coyly at you, why would you ever pay attention to Sarah, Plain & Tall (and in need of product)? I found some Korean sugar waters that I greatly enjoyed (they were colorful and unnatural in appearance; these are pluses). But, other than that, I didn’t get the big deal. I certainly wouldn’t rush to come back here nor would I implore others to visit. I guess I’m satisfied that I had the experience of coming but, in hindsight, I don’t know why I did.

This little fatty went to the market… after spending 2 hours eating Korean grub with lovely folks down the street. I am happy to report that in truly Yanyao fashion, I walked out of here with $ 20 of ready-​to-​eat Korean food for my fridge (most of it is gone by now, for those who are curious).
This market is pretty terrific. Produce, meat, daily staples, Asian snacks and drinks, noodles, sauces and a ready to eat food stall that doles out pajun (seafood pancake), chicken wings, gimbab (Korean futomaki), banchan of different varieties, kimchi, chapchae… endless possibilities! I grabbed 2 orders of gimbab, a small tray of pajun and one of pan-​fried fish and crabstick, and a giant container of mixed banchan that had bean sprouts, radish and 2 kinds of spinach, and some Japanese light cheesecake for a sweet. Delicious as a snack last night and even better for lunch today.
Honestly, if I lived in the neighborhood, would I ever use my stove? I don’t know, probably not. And while I probably won’t come here specifically to visit BMFM (Super H Mart is much bigger and closed to me), no trip to this stretch of Bryn Mawr would be complete without coming in here to purchase Korean food for later consumption. Absolutely wonderful. Thank you to Pam and Alice for recommending and leading the way!

One of the advantages of living in small town is that you can count on there being a nearby grocery store with all the basics, so you don’t have to run all over just to buy what you need each day. «What?» you say. «You don’t live in a small town! You live in Chicago, for crying out loud!» True, but Chicago is known as the City of Neighborhoods, and a neighborhood is like a small town. I’m fortunate to have in my neighborhood a super little grocery called Bryn Mawr Fresh Market.
Truth be told, this market did not used to be so fresh. It was crowded, disorganized, and dare I say, a bit dingy. When I first moved to the area a few years ago, I stopped in and was unimpressed. Then I noticed a change a couple of years ago: renovation was taking place! I’m not sure if the place changed ownership or if the owner got inspired, but the sad little shop has turned into a useful market.
Yes, it’s on the small side, but they pack in loads of goodies, mainly Asian. Tofu and produce, fresh deli items including prepared vegetables and marinated meat (hello, bulgogi), noodles and a plethora of sweet and salty snacks — they have some good variety. You can prepare all kinds of meals from the offerings here. And, they’re always cooking up something, so if you don’t feel like cooking yourself, just snatch up some tasty spicy wings or Korean pancakes and *poof* instant gratification!
They also have milk, bread, eggs and the like, so there’s no need to go a couple of miles away from home just to fill in the basics. Hooray for small independent businesses!
Bonus if you drive here: there is a FREE parking lot right next to the store. Take that, LAZ Parking.

Again and again I will drive allllll the way up to Bryn Mawr Fresh Market to indulge in the most incredible product finds. I love the discovery aspect to the store! Additionally, the Korean Pears this time of year are the absolute best!
Worth it. A total gem of a place in a city where fresh produce is sometimes hard to find at good prices.

I’ve rediscovered this neighborhood gem after many years. It is a convenient quick stop to get good produce, freshly prepared Korean food and an assortment of Korean, Japanese and Hispanic food and snack items.
I have not tried anything from their meat counter, so I can’t comment on that aspect as of yet, but I look forward to trying more items in the future. It is a little adventure close to home.

This is one of my favorite places, and I am so happy they have taken advantage of the fact that they are the central place to get groceries/​essentials in my neighborhood (besides the 7 – 11 on Kimball). It’s a little bit shocking when you first walk in. The relatively small space is just packed with good stuff: all kinds of neat vegetables and fruits at great prices, korean and other azn candy, noodles and junk food galore, and a bunch of other cool things to try.
They recently renovated and opened a fresh food counter. At any given time, there are fresh maki, korean pancakes, and more than a few varieties of kimchi and noodles. The dude behind the counter is Ken, and he is a warm, fantastic personality and a knowledgeable businessman.
After a few weeks of shyly scoping out the goods, I quietly asked Ken whether the kimchi had fish in it. «You vegetarian or vegan?» he asked. Music to my ears, folks. This man knows what vegan is and has made a market for it. Who would have thought? He had the chef specially make us a batch of vegan kimchi and it is INCREDIBLE. Pickled cabage, persimmon, asian pear, Ken made it a point to read us the full ingredient list and point out what high quality stuff goes into it. And $ 3 a jar! Amazing.
The sweet potato noodles with veggies has also become a regular treat. For $ 4 – 5.00 you get a huge tin of greasy, delicious noodles that would feed 2 – 3 people for lunch.
Also worth mentioning is the fact that Midori sushi, some of the best in the city, is located next door. If you live in the area and you haven’t checked out Bryn Mawr Fresh Market by now — get over there!

A wonderful local grocery store. They just changed the name (it’s now Bryn Mawr Fresh Market), changed the layout, and re-​opened the butcher shop. The deals here are amazing, with the fruits & vegetables commonly found in any grocery store PLUS a great selection of Asian specialties. They carry name brand, Asian brand, and Hispanic brand groceries. And the new butcher in the back looks excellent! My daughter loves the funky Japanese candy and snacks, and I love grabbing whole sack of fresh vegetables for under $ 10.

Like a Chicago local hardware store, this market offers items unique to the people living, shopping and dining on this stretch of Bryn Mawr. Based on the signs in the store and the greeting by the cashier the owners are Korean. Many of the groceries are that specific to what vegetables and fruits you would find in a typical Korean market. I specifically like the convenience of the location, since in years past many other local Korean markets have since closed. Packs of wooden chopsticks quantity, 20 – 40 are only a couple dollars. Interesting choices of noodles and hot sauces. Noodles made from the mung bean and other beans, great options for those with specific allergies and the prices are low not like the over priced crap found in pretty stores. Like Caroline A mentioned their fruits are worth a look, Korean pears differ from pears one finds at Jewel. Korean pears are sold in boxes of 8 — 10 and run about $ 20-​$ 30 a box. The pear is the size of your head, very juicy and best when served chilled. Strange, eating an entire pear alone, it acts as an natural laxative. (Fyi.)
The store has an attached parking lot on its side.

This place is heaven for fresh produce. It looks a little sketchy when you walk in — obviously an ethnic market. However, they have a variety of apples (Gala, Macintosh, Fuji) the size of your head, boxes of sweet navel oranges, peaches and pears by the box, and even exotic fruits such as lychees and other berries I have not identified. I also love coming here in the winter for Korean sweet potatoes, Japanese Kobocha squash and bags of chestnuts for roasting. Ask the Korean dude behind the register what’s come in recently, and he’ll point you in the right direction. Conveniently, there is a parking lot too!