H Mart — Attraction in Federal Way

This Market is a 5 Star.

However, the review is specifically for the Goraesa Fish Cake shop in the back of the store near the produce section. Which, I have confirmed with the Hmart customer service staff that the old lady employee there, works for Hmart.

My mother and I have always stopped by the Goraesa Fish Cake shop because it is simply some of the best fish cakes we've ever had.

There is an older Korean lady who works there, and she's not always nice. However, she has always been ready to wear new plastic disposable gloves over her latex blue gloves every time we've bought fish cake in the past. We usually buy $70+ in fish cakes.

Today, we stopped by here and saw her washing up the sink wearing the same blue latex gloves and holding up a very dirty wet dish rag.

When she saw that we wanted to buy, she simply picked up a tong with her wet gloved hands. We ignored this, seeing that she's holding a tong.

We chose the flat fish cakes first but when we asked for the fish cakes with rice rolls in the center, she used her wet gloved hand to pick up the fish cake from the stick side - and her wet fingers touched the base of these fish cakes.

We kindly asked her to please put on her disposable plastic gloves and she immediately gave us attitude and said "don't buy it, you don't have to buy it". We said we still wanted to buy of course.

She then picked up the four rice roll fish sticks, dumped them aside and finally put on new disposable plastic gloves from right below the counter where they've always been. Proving that those were there and she chose not to wear them from the beginning.

We started choosing more fish cakes and when we asked her to give us the other rice rolls fish sticks that are untouched she said "No, I'm not selling this to you. No!"

We've had enough with her attitude at this point and politely declined to buy anything and left. Again, we were nothing but polite to her from the beginning to the end. I've seen other reviews mentioning her attitude as well. It's just we've never experienced it from her to this level.

We did pass along this feedback to the customer service desk and the lady there kindly apologized to us and said she will speak to her store's general manager.

However, I wanted other customers to know that the lady who sells the Goraesa Fish Cake is very dirty and unkind.

My mother works in the food service industry and have always been mindful of dirty gloves, especially when handling food. It is always a basic rule to change gloves or put new disposable ones on. It's not an unreasonable request nor should it have been requested...

H-Mart Review: A Food Lover’s Paradise!

If you’ve never been to H-Mart, you’re truly missing out on a grocery shopping experience like no other. From the moment you walk in, the sheer volume of fresh produce is jaw-dropping—aisles bursting with vibrant fruits, leafy greens, and vegetables you didn’t even know existed. Everything is fresh, beautifully displayed, and perfect for anyone who loves cooking with quality ingredients.

The seafood section is another standout. It’s not just a few tanks or trays—this is an entire area dedicated to fresh, live, and frozen seafood. You’ll find everything from whole fish to shellfish and fillets, and the quality is consistently top-tier. It’s a dream for home chefs and seafood lovers alike.

One of the most exciting parts of H-Mart is its small food court featuring several mini-restaurants. Whether you’re craving Korean BBQ, hot stone bibimbap, spicy soups, or quick snacks like dumplings and buns, you’ll find something delicious and satisfying made fresh to order.

They also have a surprising and impressive liquor section, offering everything from soju and sake to imported beers and wines. It’s perfect for pairing with the international meals you’ll be inspired to make from all the ingredients around you.

Don’t be fooled into thinking it’s only for Asian groceries—H-Mart also features a solid American food section, so you can knock out all your weekly shopping in one trip. But what really makes this store shine is its international selection of sauces, condiments, and marinades. It’s a goldmine for food explorers and home cooks who want to try authentic flavors from across Asia and beyond.

And ramen lovers—get ready. H-Mart carries every kind of ramen you can imagine. Whether you’re after the classic instant noodles or premium imported varieties with rich broth bases and bold seasonings, this place has it all. It’s like walking into a ramen wonderland.

Overall, H-Mart is more than just a grocery store—it’s a global food destination that makes shopping fun, flavorful, and inspiring. Highly recommend for anyone who loves to eat well and...

A few things about to this place strike happy childhood memories with me so I'll try not to ramble and stay focused on everything else but if a few memories get thrown into this review, my apologies :)

This is our second time coming here. Our first time, about two weeks ago, we weren't ready for all the options that were available to us so we had to come back.

We first went in because they had a little restaurant that the girlfriend and I saw and that's when we saw everything else once we went to pick up that take out order. That's when we saw the Japanese restaurant inside H Mart. It's only closed on Thursdays and the two times we've gone, it's been on a Thursday so we keep missing it but we actually do plan on going back just to try it.

Our dog, Brutus, has a special dietary needs and we used to get beef heart at a different store until we found it here in smaller pieces and cheaper. Much more manageable at H Mart.

The produce dept is fabulous! I asked someone for bean sprouts and he showed me where to go and the selection for sprouts were gigantic! I never seen such a selection! (My grandma used to get some for me as a kid and that's why I was giddy with how big of selection they had. I was picturing my grandma with me when I was there) Mushrooms. Holy smokes they got all kinds of mushrooms I've never heard of before. The girlfriend loves mushrooms so she was on cloud 9 with this find.

The bakery is dangerous for me to be in because the selection was huge and everything looked wonderful. I have to limit myself to no more than two things at a time here or else I'll buy everything from the woman who runs it.

The customer service here was pleasant. The atmosphere was nice. The restaurants inside look delicious. The prices are better here than any other neighboring grocery stores. I highly recommend this place.

whew I was able to complete this review with only one memory...