Marukin Market

As of March 2014 or so, they’re no longer serving up plate lunches! :(
Their Dynamite Katsu was SO DAMN GOOD, too!!! I honestly hope they bring their plate lunches back because this was my favorite plate to grab lunch in the area (outside of Liliha Bakery)
REVIEW #262

IMMEDIATELY 5-​STARS FOR SURVIVING THE BOX STORE INVASION!
WEA DEY STAY:
Marukin Market not to be confused with Marukai Market or Marukame Udon. Marukin is a tiny hole-​in-​the-​wooden-​wall «happy plantation dayz» type of store. It is tucked away on busy Liliha St. next to another oldie gem, Jane’s Fountain! The building they share probably dates to the 1930’s! Definitely pre-​statehood.
Blink and you’ll miss it. Liliha St. meter parking only. Look for the perfectly shaped GMO Papayas displayed just outside the door, next to the old bubble gum machine– that’s Marukin Market!
I can imagine the Local Hui of Janice H., Josie C., Davy F. walking in… walking out cackling like Mynah Birds, Crack Seed in the right hand and Primo in the left.
A true mom & pop, in every which way but loose, providing goods to locals in the area.
DYNAMITE AT MARUKIN:
What most don’t know is Marukin also serves KILLER local plate lunches! My personal favorite is the DYNAMITE KATSU! Oh Boy! It better live up to it’s cocky name… And BANG! DA MARUKIN DYNAMITE KATSU lives up to it’s rooster cocky name! It’s definite not on the cheap side for a local plate, at just under 10 buckaroos, but it taste so ONO and the serving size is BIG BRUDDAH size! The chicken is moist, crust nice and light with amazing sauce. Of course, being a BIG BRUDDAH plate it comes with rice and mac-​salad too (or all rice). Since I’m NOT TREE-​PLUS I could probably split the plate with someone manini. Who would have guessed one of the best Chicken Katsu’s EVAR would be found in this mom & pop corner grocery!
AMBIANCE & AROMA:
Marukin Market is such a throwback to the good olé’ days. Smells old too, but not in a stinky way, in a nostalgic Obasan «Tigah Balm» way. Old style, in every sense of the word, but trying to modernize a tad with GMO papayas and pakalolo baseball caps! Typical mom & pop candy selection, but since DA place not AC’d… You’ll find empty candy boxes with a note «If U Need these Chocolates — It’s in a Refrigerator». Actually pretty smart, but something a BOX STORE shopper would never see. Some would call seeing the note as «ghetto»… Get off your high horse and welcome to the simpler days. Spoiled.
DEY SELL PLENTY LOCAL KINE’:
Marukin also has a unique selection of local kine grinds too, for example: Boiled Peanuts, Okinawan Sweet Potato, Crack Seed, Dried Cuttlefish, Smoked Tako, Spicy Poke, Spicy Taegu, Kim Chee, Pickled Garlic, and yes, even the hard-​to-​find Mango Pickle (Pickled Mango). Real kine too, like made in the back kitchen, not some factory. The only thing missing is moonshine kine, but hey you can get Primo here, which taste the same. Only missing is Uncle’s Oly!
TRY WAIT:
K-​den! I originally gave Marukin Market the perfect 5-​stars, but after tossing & churning… I have to deduct a star for selling one too many GMO papayas and some pretty RuGly baseball caps!
Still, a highly recommended LOCO stop with some BROKE DA MOUTH GRINES!
Dis review is dedicated to all my bruddahs & sistahs that appreciate the old ways:
Mama, Big Al, Papa Eddie, Tita Jay, Sista Josie, Uncle Liko, Aunty K, Val Y., Terry K., Grams, Bully, Mahulani Teddy, One Eye Willy, Kelly Hu and all DA aunties I related Chu’. ALOHA! A HUI HOU KĀKOU!
*The Times They Are A-​Changing* — Dylan
Unilocal REVIEW #156

I work across the street at the Konko Church of Honolulu. I have always seen Marukin, but never really went in. It is a mom & pop shop, run by a nice young couple. I am very surprised that a mom & pop shop still exists in Liliha.
One day, I walked past it and noticed they offered plate lunches. However, I walked past it because they had no prices on it. Couple of months later, I noticed their plate lunch menus had prices.
Last week, I decided to try something on their menu, so I had the Dynamite Katsu ($ 8). I was a bit anxious. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Please note that there is a $ 10 credit card minimum. My plate lunch came with one scoop of rice, a scoop of potato salad, and a very generous serving of Katsu. I was so surprised at how flavorful the Dynamite Katsu was! :) I was shocked at how filling my plate lunch was.
The owner is offering a different quality of plate lunch: one that has a twist to it. I tried the Furikake Korean Chicken. It was quite flavorful and filling.
Would I return to this hidden gem? Absolutely! The couple are very nice. The food is great and filling. I cant wait to try the rest of the menu.

I’ve never heard of this place before until a friend kept posting pictures of their plate lunch on Instagram! (Yes, thanks to Instagram it’s LIKE at first sight on all the #foodporn pictures my friends post)
I’ve been meaning to come here for weeks now & well just my luck I was in the neighborhood. Across the street actually, assisting my grandfather at the optometry office.
You’d never think this little corner store would have some ono plate lunches. Definitely a hidden gem. It’s located next door to L&L (well known for their local plate lunches).
I ordered the dynamite chicken bites! Realllly bomb! Comes w/​Mac salad & one giant of scoop rice. They have other items on their menu but that’s what I really wanted to try. I’m gonna need to come back & try more — like the dynamite katsu! Yumm!
One thing I would suggest to Marukin for marketing is display pictures of their plate lunches so the customers can see what they serve. I’m such a visual person, if something looks good I’m down to try it!

A hidden gem, Marukin Market has only recently been offering plate lunches, but I’m glad I stumbled upon them. One day while walking down the block to find somewhere to buy lunch (since I work near the area), I found a big white dry-​erase board with colorful words so it caught my eye. I think it was $ 8 for a plate, but buyer beware for a $ 10 minimum if you plan to use your card. Otherwise you can just buy yourself a drink to go with your meal. (I usually get Peace Tea, I say this because yay they have Peace Tea!)
They’re located next to L&L’s on Liliha Street. A little ran down, like typical mom and pop shop that’s been around for years, but their food is absolutely delicious. Inexpensive and served with big portions. I mean, who doesn’t love getting their money’s worth nowadays? Their plate lunches are for those who love local foods. I’ve tried and love their furikake salmon, dynamite chicken bites and dynamite chicken katsu. I mostly go for their chicken katsu because I’ve not gotten that anywhere else. :)
Street parking is available and you don’t have to be lucky because people who go here and to places nearby only come and go in a heartbeat. There’s nowhere to sit down and eat, which could be the reason why people only come and go, but that doesn’t bother me at all.

Inexpensive. Fast. LOTS of the main course! 1 scoop rice. 1 scoop mac/​potato salad. PAU HANAZ!
I’ve tried the dynamite chicken… Plentiful and tasty… I would ask to go light on the sauce they use, but thats just me.
The pastele stew was ono, but a little too salty for me at that moment during the day.
Furikake Salmon was good. No complaints there.
Dynamite chicken BITES… They were okay… too much breading/​chicken ratio… I’d stick with the dynamite chicken regular.
That will be all.

I have always seen this market for a while on Liliha St, but just thought it was a typical mom and pop store that sold snacks, drinks and liquor. I was introduced to this place by a co-​worker that told me they made plate lunches.
So far, I have tried their chicken katsu dynamite, the lau lau plate, the bento, and the pastele stew.
The chicken katsu dynamite is delicious. Really crispy katsu that is cooked to perfection (not under cooked or burnt to a crisp). It is drizzled with a house wasabi spicy mayo sauce and served with rice and a imitation crab potato/​egg salad.
The lau lau plate is yummy too. It’s supposedly a homemade lau lau and tastes great. It comes with lomi salmon, rice and the potato salad. My only gripe is I wish they’d give more lomi lomi salmon.
The bento has fried noodles, spam, chicken katsu, rice and sausage. Very delicious and a pretty generous portion.
The pastele stew however… isn’t really what I call pastele stew. Never trust a Korean store that cooks pastele stew! It’s more like fried pork pieces with tons of weird spices (almost Mexican in nature) with olives. It was very oily and had no stew like gravy quality. There was no sauce at all other than residual oil. Although, I give them props for providing massive amounts of chunky pork pieces. Definitely not my favorite though.
Parking can be difficult because it’s street metered parking, but I just take up the non exsistent stall by the fire hydrant — but that’s because I’m special like that… :P

4 ½ stars if you may.
The new staffing is a huge improvement recently made. They’ve made this a definite first choice for a plate lunch rather than the l&l next door.
The food is great for locals. Real original sauces and recipes make the flavors my favorite part of this mom and pop joint.
The only reason I’d give that half star is because I don’t believe I’ve ever been 100% full.
Otherwise 5 stars from me. :)

Came here to get lunch because I heard there was a take out place here. It was confusing since the outside is a Mini Mart you would never expect this place to have take out food.
Got the Korean fried Chicken and my boyfriend got the dynamite chicken Katsu. I loved my Korean fried Chicken more than the Katsu but thats why I got it in the first place. I tried the Kalua Pig lumpia with the Poi sauce. It is like an explosion of sweet then salty.
You have to find parking to get here, but I secretly parked at L&L next door and walked over.
The prices are like $ 8 a plate with a heafty plate lunch serving.
I recommend to call in advance so you can just come and pick it up.

AWESOME TAKE OUT FOOD!
This place is hiding on Liliha street right after L&L.
I had a Dynamite Katsu since it was recommended by other reviewers.
The portion was generous, and it was really delicious.
I normally don’t eat local style potato salad, but this one is definitely worth trying.
They don’t have a place to eat at the store, so make sure you are ready to take it out. Parking is only on the street?, so look for a street parking around there.
I would definitely go back again!

Great new plate lunch place! Dynamite katsu is really good! Cute young guys! Great to see young guys doing business and taking a chance!

This place is great! All your convenient store needs and Newly opened plate lunch an bento place in the back. Food tastes great, and for the amount of food v.s. cost, good deals. If you’re ever near liliha check this place out! Even if you’re just looking for a drink; visit marukin market, pick up an ice cold soda and a bento for later. Good deals and great food! Recommended!