Lee's Oriental

It is a very small store that sells Korean and some Japanese groceries in Madison where theres no major Korean or Japanese market is to be found.I was quite surprised because I wasnt expecting this store to carry so much stuff! From condiments, frozen meats that Koreans love for KBBQ, snacks, instant ramen to dry goods, it carries almost everything you will need.Only downside of Lee's oriental is that they are overpriced. Comparing its prices to LA and/or even Hilo, its pretty expensive! However, since demand is high and you have nowhere to get it, I probably have no choice but to come here for my own satisfaction. Though most of things are available for purchase on Amazon, some things cant be purchased. That's when Lee's oriental comes in handy for your Korean or even Japanese grocery needs.

The bad reviews are from the previous owner! This store is under new management for the past year and a half or so, and they have improved it in every way. It is very clean and well-stocked with Japanese and Korean goods. There is a lot of variety, too, so you are not limited to just one brand.Their frozen section is quite good and has the paper-thin sukiyaki sliced beef that is hard to find in American stores. The kimchi cooler has a dizzying array of kimchi and fermented options, too.The cashier is very warm and welcoming, and helpful if you have questions. Check out is easy as they have upgraded to a Square system with emailed receipts. Be advised there is a $10 minimum for credit card transactions.

Really sweet woman who greets you as you come in. After I purchased all my things she asked me how I was getting home and once I told her I was biking, she helped me pack everything I had bought into my backpack. Great selection of various fresh and dried noodles (including a whole wall of packaged ramen), some bowls and cookware, sauces and spices, lots of frozen options (dumplings, jajangmyun, mochi, etc). Picked up some fresh packaged meals to make at home. I will be back :)

It seems some of the other reviews are dated. I've been here a few times already and have never met this "rude, quiet man". There's a lady who greets you with a warm smile and she gets pretty excited about Korean food.She's not a native English speaker, but that didn't hinder my shopping experience (even without my Korean husband's help).The place is clean, no funny smells, and have a great selection of Korean and Japanese items. There are some Vietnamese and Chinese stuff too. Here are some of what I remember: - Freezer: frozen fish, fish cake, squid, dumplings, several kinds of noodles, soups, meats for Korean bbq- Refrigerated: kimchi, some banchan - not a wide selection, a few vegetables (sesame leaves, sprouts, radish, chinese cabbage, Korean pepper, mushroom) - Dry goods: ramen, noodles, rice (a fair selection), powder mixes, teas, asian snacks- Sauces of all sorts- Dishware like bowls, teapots, cups (small selection)- There were a few bakery items like mochi and walnut cakesSome items don't have price tags on them, but overall the pricing is fair, nothing exorbitant

I am easygoing and generally do not give negative ratings (see my rating distribution!) BUT this is an exception. The owner is extremely rude during my few visits to their shop. They did not greet, nor did they say anything when we pay them. He treated me as if I owed them money! Incredible that the business can sustain for so many years. I stopped going to this place after the unpleasant experience. If you want to shop for Korean food, go to Park St. If you're looking for general pan-Asian selection, there are many better places in town.

The only reason I go to this shop is to get the noodle snacks, the one that does not require boiling/cooking. It's BBQ flavored and you can eat it right off the bag. Why? It's the only place in town that carries them. The moment I find out that other shops have them, I will stop going back. Why? I don't feel absolutely welcome in the shop in any way. I was not greeted when I enter, fine, maybe the owner didn't see me or he was busy. I was not greeted when I check out either. Now this is unusual here, maybe he's just quiet. I could also overlook the fact that I wasn't offered a bag for my groceries. But when I thanked the owner when he handed me my change, he did not respond either. That is unfriendly and even rude. Throughout my entire visit he did not say a single thing to me. Like other reviews said, the food they carry can be easily found in other asian marts or korean marts conveniently located around town. You have many other better options that will make your experience many times more pleasant.

Quite an unfriendly place.I stopped in to buy just 2 things, and only 1 had a marked price. I noticed many products had no indication of the price. When I checked out, the employee said absolutely nothing. He rung up the items by just looking at them and putting the price in the register. Both items were priced fairly, although I had no idea of their price prior to checkout.Will not go out of my way to go here.

Lighten Up and Live!!!Try not to discriminate based on $ spent...The only reason this store gets the second star is that they carried the item I couldn't find at other Asian stores in town.

Fantastic store with a great selection and wonderful new, friendly and helpful owners. Very clean and well-kept. Highly recommended!

Moved to Madison about 5 years ago, I was looking for a Korean groceries and this was the second store to visit. However, at the first visit, the owner was extremely rude and did not even answer questions. Of course I did not buy any.I totally forgot about this store for a while until I revisited 2 weeks ago,This time I was at nearby and wanted just a couple of things so I dropped by for quick shopping.After I picked the items, I was totally shocked. Their items are incredibly overpriced, easily two to three times more than any other local Asian stores.If someone needs to burn cash for nothing so feel so happy to pay 2-3 times more than next store, this is his store.