Chapala Market — Local services in Santa Barbara

Great selection of produce, especially if you're whipping up some Mexican cuisine including tomatillos, chilies, yuca, cactus, pineapple, mangoes... Wide variety of spices and dried chilies, moles, salsas, beer, juices, dried beans, various Mexican cheeses/crema, chorizo, hot sauces, and other interesting products. There is also a huge selection of various canned products from seafood to beans to other veggies, etc. Everything you need to make tacos, tamales, salsas, etc. They also stock other ethnic products which is very convenient (e.g. for Asian cooking, rice vinegar, water chestnuts, canned bamboo, chow mein...). Also plenty of snacks: sweet, savory, spicy! Lots of chips, cookies, cakes, ice creams/ice pops, jellos, and candy. There is also a small bakery selection including cakes, breads, cookies, and other pastries. They also have household products like cleaners, cups, some cooking equipment. Towards the cashier they have other stuff like a key cutting station, candles for birthday cakes, and shaving razors.

I will say the store can smell kind of funky at the entrance which can be a turn-off, occasionally smells like bleach. But the rest of the store and products are interesting and convenient. It could be cleaner and I wish there were prices labelled on all the products, but regardless, it is a pretty good and very convenient neighborhood market with great produce/spice prices. The pinatas on the ceiling also give it a brighter atmosphere (contrasts a lot with how it looks on the outside or if you just peek in without going in...

Meat and veggies are always the freshest and cheapest in this part of town. Sometimes things are priced wrong in checkout, so just keep an eye on it and be friendly. The cashiers are friendly to you if you are friendly to them, especially if you become familiar with them and speak a little Spanish and want to practice.

I think if you're a Caucasian speaking Spanish, you have to feel out which language the person you're dealing with is interested in using. In my experience, everyone here is friendly if you make an effort to be...

It's a good little corner market to pick up a few things here and there but there is not a very big selection of items sold here. Also they have fruits and vegetables for a cheap rate but unfortunately the quality of them is cheap as well. Also, stopping by between about 2-4 on a week is such a hassle. Santa Barbara Junior High on the same block and Santa Barbara High School about 3 blocks over means this market attracts a lot of teens and can get pretty crowded...