88 Mart

11/7/24 Haven't been back here since the first few months they opened, and I probably won't return. I came in around 6:30am and was probably one of two customers in the store. Being so empty you'd think the female cashier and the male owner in the front would say a greeting but no, just a quick look then back to whatever they were doing. I bought a bento bowl ($9.00 for a mini circular container with chicken rice and a few pieces of sides). Again the female cashier just rings up my item and says my total and that was it. Customer services needs major improvement. The store basically sells Korean foods and snacks and also Filipino snacks. Prices are a little higher. Store is clean. But the non-existent customer service is what will keep me from coming back. There's another Korean store/snack shop on Alakea if I need to buy Korean food.

My parents and I stop at 88 Mart regularly when we're downtown, especially since our go-to musubi spot closed. 88 Mart has a good selection of Asian foods, desserts, drinks and prepared food. The spam musubi and bento boxes/plate lunches have a bit of a Korean flair, which is fun and different. We also appreciate the variety of Filipino foods and breads. Staff are friendly and helpful, and the store is nicely spaced out. I don't go there for fresh produce, but it's nice to be nearby and have a place with such a solid selection of prepared and frozen foods you can take away or heat up. We usually stop in if we happen to already be downtown - imagine driving/parking can be tricky since it's downtown/next to Ross in a somewhat busy intersection. Either way, it was a fun find!

Feeling sick? They have honey ginger and honey citron jars!There was a cough going around and was in the need for some home remedies to help soothe my inflamed throat since I hate the taste of medicine. I remember seeing a tiktok somewhere where they got a Korean brand of premade honey ginger and used that for tea when they're sick so that's why I decided to go here since it's a few minute walk from my work.I found the honey jars and tea located in the back middle aisle that's next to the snack section. Large assortment of teas but small assortment of honey jars. I bought Honey Omija, Honey Ginger, Honey Citron, they were very delicious! The ginger was very spicy but I recommend it to those that I love ginger.But honey citron really helped soothed my throat and has vitamin C so I really recommend coming by!

With the recent closure of Wal-Mart, and two Longs Drugs, the people of Downtown have literally no convenient place to go to for regular groceries and other necessities. Chinatown and Pali/Vineyard Safeway and Longs are the closest, but they're not convenient.When I saw the 88 Mart sign in front of the previous Longs Drugs space along Hotel St, next to Ross, I was quite excited.Well, that excitement was immediately gone when I went inside. The set up is like half Longs (kept the fridge and half the aisles), and half empty space, which is a majority of Ramen and snacks. There's a station where you can fill your ramen bowl with hot water.I came twice in the early afternoon, and both times the produce section was very bare/nearly empty, and also all the prepared foods were gone. 88 is supposed to open into the early evening, right? Not everyone takes lunch at exactly 12pm or earlier, right? So why is there always nothing?I guess 88 either seems out fast, need to get rid of it at a certain time, or all the prepared foods are delivered and no one is consistently making anything in the back.Overall, there's really nothing exciting about 88. It's probably more exciting when it first opens, but are we having that for breakfast? Can't eat Ramen and snacks all the time, and there's no nice place to sit to eat your ramen either. Looks quite depressing inside. Hope in time, 88 can be more of the like itself because whatever is in that store is not.

Freshly new market in Downtown...what!?!Yes there are many options in Chinatown but with the closure of Wal Mart it's great to have another option in the area and here's 88 Mart, I've never been to the former location but am impressed with what they have done with this current location.Moved into the former Long's location right beside Ross Dress for Less many do question the parking situation though I'd imagine this precarious location is for those that are already in the area and there's always the nearby Municipal Parking which are still a great rate.When you first walk in the staging was all the refrigerated items drinks, asian pickled items and sweet treats and along side are tables filled with bentos and yummies totally captures what this places has to offer and I couldn't be more excited. Shop the aisles and you'll see so much asian items the various snacks like truffle chips and snacks, including a dedicated area for home goods and a couple of small tables and pots. If the bentos aren't your thing and noods are like me there's an area in the back where you can cook your cup noodles and no I haven't have the chance to use it but you know it's what I really want to now that I know they have this here...has anyone used it yet?There is a small section in the from for fresh veggies and some other vendors as well like some women's clothing in the back and in front of the registers are some what seems like personal care items. Follow 88 Mart on Instagram @88supermarkethawaii their hours are from 6am to 8pm which gives you lots of earlier and later time to get whatever you need.Thank you!

Shopping in Downtown, Honolulu, Hawai'i...I don't know how my friend, John G., from Daly City, California, got me to visit this Hot and New Business. 88 Mart took the place of Longs Drugs Store, next to Ross at the Executive Center on Hotel Street. Also known as 88 Pal Pal Super Market, this International Grocery Store used to be on Ke'eaumoku Street, near Ala Moana Center.I didn't want to go because of the lack of free parking in downtown. Well... If you're willing to walk, you will find free parking about two blocks away (try Vineyard Boulevard by Foster Garden).Other than the parking situation, 88 Mart is really clean, tidy, air conditioned, bright, and modern. There's an area where you can assemble your instant noodles... And eat right there!Besides kitchen gadgets, fresh produce, frozen foods, refrigerated beverages, canned goods, all kinds of sauces, snacks,, nori, and rice, there are two vendors: women's clothing (in the back corner) and skin care/hair accessories (at the front of the store). I really liked the variety of Halo Halo ingredients (towards the back) and the ready-to-go bentos at the entrance. I got the kimbap, zucchini jun, and the bulgogi. All were delicious and I'd get them again!Welcome to Downtown Honolulu, 88 Mart! Wishing you much success!

88 Mart is a new convenience/grocery store that recently opened in Downtown Honolulu. They're located in the old Longs Drugs space next to Ross Dress for Less. Naturally, they were busy on their first week open. A security guard was posted at the entrance and the store was crowded and lines were long but moved fairly quickly.Near the entrance are tables filled with grab and go items such as bentos, side dishes, and dessert. There are mainly Korean food items available with the exception of a few local favorites such as Spam musubi and chicken katsu. I opted for a Spicy Garlic Shrimp bento and Tteokbokki (Spicy Rice Cakes).The spicy garlic shrimp bento was good and I'd probably get it again the next time I stop in for a grab and go lunch. The shrimp was lightly battered and seasoned well. The fact that the tails were still on took me by surprise when I bit into them, but no biggie. The bento came with a generous portion of rice sprinkled lightly with furikake, and corn and chop chae (Korean glass noodles) on the side. The Tteokbokki on the other hand, was disappointing. I'm no expert in Korean cuisine but I've had Tteokbokki from other Korean establishments and this particular one I had from 88 Mart left a lot to be desired. I can't quite put my finger on what was missing, but I can tell you I'll never buy this item from 88 Mart again.The rest of the store contains many other Asian items mainly from Korea. They had a few of my favorite Japanese snack items like prawn chips and a few other types of chips. They have a cute little produce area near the cash registers. Overall, the prices are fair and the customer service was good.

Located at the old Longs downtown location next to the busy bus stop is 88Mart. I think the store is still in the process of getting settled but is worth a visit. I can see the potential but they just need a little more time to get their inventory in. The shop has ready made lunches, a variety of Asian drinks in a bottle/can aka bubble tea, clothing, sauces, noodles and I can see refrigerated areas ready for fruits. The one thing that surprised me is their selection of local goods. Prices are reasonable. I picked up a loaf of punaluu sweet bread. So yummy! The cashiers were friendly but not much staff to assist. Customers kind of have to wander about and explore the space. That's fine and it's nice to not be bothered while trying to explore.Um and the clothes are a little different. Haha.Hope to return again and find they restock inventory.

This place has a lot of potential. The owner wants to do more, but is limited by the large number of homeless people who have taken up residence. We ordered one of the plate lunches and marinated sesame leaves. My partner said the taste was good. The challenge of this business is that I think nobody would actually drive directly here to go here.. I think most of the business comes from the surrounding office buildings and hotels. He wants to put the ready-made food in front, yet it leaves it open for the surrounding people to walk off with this, which is why he has somebody standing in the front watching. Overall, I hope that with these challenges, he can continue to do well.

88 Mart - formerly known as 88 Pal Pal Supermarket, located on Keeaumoku Street - offers a variety of Korean, Japanese, and Filipino products.The store is situated in the space previously occupied by Longs Drugs at the Executive Centre, near Bishop and Hotel streets.The soft opening of 88 Mart commenced today, Wednesday, May 24 at 10 a.m., and a grand opening is scheduled for June.We had been eagerly anticipating the (re)opening of 88 Mart for several months. Previously, 88 Pal Pal Supermarket was a reliable source for Korean goods that were hard to find elsewhere, even at other Korean markets.This morning, before the store opened, I stopped by to capture a photo of the temporary soft-opening sign.Later in the day, I returned with excitement and leisurely explored the store, walking up and down the aisles multiple times.As expected, some shelves were still empty during the soft opening, but they served as a promise of more products to come.To support the store on its first day of the soft opening, I decided not to be just a window-shopper and made a tangible contribution.My purchases included: KD Ssang Hwa Ginger (herbal drink) Korean Bulgogi Deep Fried Mandoo Nongshim Shin Bowl BoxOf course, I will be returning in the days and weeks ahead for more shopping.https://www.facebook.com/raymond.kaya.98/