Super H Mart - VA or MD?

[caphill2320]

Just took my first trip out to the Super H mart in Fairfax and was blown away by how awesome it is. I was also blown away by how far away it was. I noticed on the site that there is another location in Wheaton, how does that branch compare to the Fairfax location? Is it worth heading back out to VA? Does the Wheaton location have the little food court area?

[Soup]

I think the Super H is the biggest and cleanest korean grocery in NOVA. However, I still think the best food court is in Lotte and not Super H.

Soup

[Chownut]

I agree, as I've said all along. It's not just with this one instance at the one in Fairfax. The Lotte cafeteria in Ellicott City is just the same, with more seating space and other korean stores that sell stuff like clothes, electronics, kids gifts, etc.

[johnb]

It appears the Han Ah Reum folks have figured out that they have lots of non-Korean customers so they will do better with a new name, and they have picked H Mart (sort of following on the success of the Super H brand) as the new brand for the old Han Ah Reum stores. Of course, we see this is now becoming confusing. There is a big step up from a H Mart (old Han Ah Reum) to a Super H Mart. The two brands are very different. The store near Gallows Road is an H, while the store in Fairfax is a Super H.

BTW, I for one don't care for Grand Marts--the ones I've been in have been pretty dirty and dingy, and even smelly (like the store on Little River Tpk. just off 395) although some say that some of the GM stores are OK.

[monkeyrotica]

You may want to check out the Grand Marts located in Gaithersburg and Germantown. They may fit your needs and they're closer. There's also a Grand Mart off route 7 in Sterling.

[caphill2320]

Catonsville is a little too far afield for me. I guess the consensus is that Fairfax is better than Wheaton despite all signs to the contrary?

Does the Lotte in Rockville have a lunch counter?

[Chownut]

Have you shopped/eaten at the Lotte in Fairfax off rt. 50? It's pretty good there, and I definitely like their bean sauce noodles.

[mattm]

When I was last at the Wheaton store, they didn't accept the Super H discount card. Now that the name has changed, I'll have to check again.

Relative to the Wheaton store, the Fairfax store has more floor space, better parking, and more grocery and prepared food selection.

What are the signs to the contrary?

[gooseterp]

No lunch counter at Lotte in Rockville but in the surrounding shopping center a pho place.

[Chownut]

Are we talking about the Super H (or Han Ah Rheum) off Gallows Road? If so, the Super H in Catonsville, MD is the best one in these parts and blows the Gallows Road one out of the water. This is the only Super H I know that lets people push their shopping carts into the parking lot.

It's the largest Super H I've been to, and they have a lot of produce. For the most part, I've never been to a Super H that has a huge food court. The one in Catonsville has a decent sized korean food shop and also an adjoining sushi bar. But, and this is a big but, there's a cafeteria next door that has a sushi counter, an american (korean) deli, korean chinese food, and also korean food. They may also offer some pho, and there's a clothing department store in the basement.

The best cafeterias that I've been to are the ones attached to Lotte, both in Fairfax and in Ellicott City.

[Jason1]

Just an FYI, the Beseto food court next to the Han Ah Rheum (now Super H) in Catonsville has gone through a lot of changes over the years. The "New York" deli has been out for awhile, and I can't say that I'm upset about that. More recently, though, the Korean Chinese place is out, and has been replaced by a stand specializing in fresh noodles/soups.

[Chownut]

I'm not surprised the deli is gone. Who would want a deli sandwich at a korean style cafeteria? Also, most people who go to those cafeterias do korean or sushi or noodle soups, not korean style chinese, so I'm not surprised in that regard either?

[dpan]

The Gallows Road location in Merrifield is an "H Mart," as opposed to the "Super H" in Fairfax.

[Chownut]

Yes, I just checked and there's a Super H right off Lee Highway. Never been to that one.

[pitu]

the one at Gallows Rd in Merrifield is at the intersection of Gallows and Lee Hwy

[johnb]

Unless something has changed recently, the Wheaton location is not a Super H but an ordinary Han Ah Rhum (owner of Super H), and a fairly small one at that. While a decent store for its type and quite useful, it is certainly no "blow away" as Asian stores go. I seem to recall that they do have a very small counter with prepared foods, but nothing like Fairfax.

[gooseterp]

Just drove by the Wheaton location and the sign has offically been changed to Super H Mart

[johnb]

Interesting! Did they do anything to upgrade the store? If not, they are going to quickly dilute the "Super H" brand's value. Previously, they used it only for their bigger, cleaner, better-stocked stores, and Wheaton is/was definitely not in that category.

FWIW, the biggest and best Super H I've found is in Atlanta. Blows away the Fairfax one.

[gooseterp]

I haven't been inside the Wheaton one. But I just went to the Atlanta one..... AMAZING. Fresh tofu, red bean filled hotcakes, a machine that fires out rice cakes, and a machine to produce sesame oil. It is kinda like an amusement park.

[pitu]

thanks for mentioning the Atlanta one -- I had no idea!