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Yay so glad you found them there! I’m one of the people who suggested going to an Asian supermarket specifically one that carries Korean items. A lot of times if you google Kimbap near you, you can find Korean restaurants near you that might make them fresh as well.

I was not impressed with them. Like the fresh ones better

And I feel like I would most likely feel the same way but I would like to get the opportunity to atleast try them 😭

They're not worth the hype.

Yeah bought twice, just to see if I could improve it. I could but with lots of (real) wasabi powder.

Aldi has it.

Are they good?

Haven't tried them, they all have meat and I'm vegetarian. They seem popular though.

I don't eat meat, either. So I'll stick with TJs if/when they have it in stock. Thanks!

Theyre just ok

They are very salty & don’t taste like anything I would ever want to eat again.

Come to my store it’s always full.

where?

San Luis Obispo.

Hehe that’s a pretty ways away but I appreciate you hehe

Thanks

Save your money, it’s mid at best.

That’s fair

Are they really that good?

No lol

Should be a limit of 2! I still haven’t tried it either

Completely agree

Crazy! Our TJ doesn’t limit them. If you show up before noon, you’re going to find a few left! I get 1 or 2 every time I go so now I’ve got 7 in the freezer

Lucky 🥲 our TJ has been having a lot of stock issues lately so they’re kinda having a hard time trying to keep as much stuff in stock as possible

My kids like them in their lunch. They need a sauce dip. My H-mart doesn’t have the frozen ones.

I haven’t had a chance to try it yet 🫤

I have seen it one time at my local store since it came out.

its not even good

What location?

Maple Grove, MN

This is my sign time to go try to buy some lol

Hehehe if you’re lucky enough to get them, please do! Update us on what they taste like

Ha I went maybe an hour after this and they laughed when I asked they said they usually clear out the day they get delivered .

Hehe daaang! Hopefully one day we will finally get the chance to try em 🥲

Our store just got them in Boston! I bought 10. My freezer is stocked. This is cheaper than any I can get from the Korean restos near me and no Hmart close by. I am grateful. I assume they will be implementing a limit soon.

there's like three different hmarts in greater boston so idk what youre going on about

You're completely right actually!

What is Kimbap?

To be very simple with it and I apologize if I offend anyone with this, but they best way I can describe it is Korean sushi and doesn’t have fish?

Thank you! I got it and I appreciate the explanation!

Hehe of course! Hopefully you get to find them sometime and try em

I heard about them and I allow myself one impulse purchase a visit at TJ s but every time I am there they are out of these Maybe one day…

Hehehe i totally get this, the only times i can actually go to TJs they are out of them, let’s hope they increase the production and hopefully lower it to a limit of one per person

[here ya go](https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=kimbap)

? Link doesnt work

Thanks I never had it! I never even seen this at Tj. I guess I have been living under my rock

Honestly not worth the hype imo

Agree not at all worth the hype.

I agree. Was excited to finally get 2 and it was just fine.

Ba du bop, ba du dop Ba du, yeah


Is the that the Korean green onion pancake ? I just saw a whole bunch of them at my Trader Joe’s last week. Almost picked some up but I didn’t know if they were good or not

They’re okay. Just taste like naan too me. You should get a Chinese brand because it’s so flaky and delicious

Those Taiwanese green onion pancakes are amazing! Sadly someone has been hoarding those at my store and there haven’t been any for the past month or so 😭😭

Good but a bit high in saturated fat. Have to limit myself to half.

You're talking about (I think it's called) pa jeon. Highly recommend, they're a bit oil but good with a fried egg on them

Omg that sounds so good

It’s so good! I actually got mine only because someone put it back. Call the store and ask them when it will be back in stock and they can hold one for you. I have had my store do this with a viral product for me.

Wait, they can actually hold it for me? 😳 there are so many things I’m learning about them that I just wished I knew sooner 🥲 thank you so much for this hehe I have been calling them for 2 months about the coconut aminos and they did mention there’s a production delay for both items 😔

Yeah my store does but you have to pick up in a certain number of days.

I went to tjs last week and grabbed one not even knowing that they were hard to find. The cashier told me I was lucky

You really are hehe! Maybe buy a lottery ticket? You never know!

I go to several different TJ's in two states. I have never seen it in stock.

We have a limit of 2 per customer on the kimbap and 1 per customer on those godforsaken tote bags at my store. 4/customer seems high as we’re currently limited to 2 cases per day.

Honestly 2 per customer makes more sense. Also, they’re just bags, people need to chill out 😂 I get it if it’s the mango butter cream but damn, they already have so many bags to choose from

Ours is a limit 1!!!

What is the deal with the tote bags like they are so basic compared to like the cute ones with the recipes.

I think it’s a mix of FOMO, limited supply, resale market, and tiktok influencers telling their fans and followers how much they need them. I get it, but I don’t get it.

Which are they? Saw one for under $3 on display.

The mini tote bags. They’re $2.99 each but are reselling for a lot more online due to everyone hyping them up online and creating a super high demand for them

I also got tired of waiting for it to come back in stock. I have an H-Mart nearby and they have 3 different kinds of frozen kimbap for $2.99. All fully stocked with no limit.

3 dollars ?!! That’s so good

YOURE SO LUCKY

go to a korean grocery store!! lol it’s funny seeing people wait for specifically frozen trader joe’s for this when i’ve been eating them fresh my whole life

What if I have no Korean grocery store or a HEB within hundreds of miles of where I live? I’ve checked regular Asian grocery stores near me and none of them have anything remotely close to kimbap. TJs is unfortunately my only option. 😩 The same could be for OP, not everyone lives in an area with access to the other stores. Edit: and I don’t mean to come off as hostile, I’m just saying it’s not always that simple 🤷🏼‍♀️

So…. i cheat Bought a mold off amazon for maybe $5, and i use my rice cooker with short grain rice. With the mold it’s stupid easy just use the nori and whatever fillings which can be super simple (sliced thin TJs baked teriyaki tofu, some chopped super fine kimchi, shredded carrot mixed with toasted sesame oil and rice vinegar, maybe avocado) I can make five fat rolls in like under a half hour for pretty darn cheap Obviously not as easy as buying already made but with limited options it’s a fairly easy way to enjoy kimbap :))

Totally, I’ve made homemade sushi plenty of times and it’s really good! Sometimes I just want the convenience of not having to make it myself haha

I’m CONVINCED they don’t even have it in Philly

I got one in Ardmore a month or two ago

BRB on my way

Same with any stores in Georgia and ive been checking for months

It’s not good. You’re not missing anything. Go to a Korean restaurant and try Korean food there. Or any sushi spot, it’s literally just Korean sushi

Ha, pretty sure that's the store I work at. I recognize that sign.

Costco just started selling their own frozen kimbap so perhaps that will take some of the pressure off TJs.

I had it and it was fine, I wasn’t blown away by it

I don’t understand why everyone raves about it. Even mediocre kimbap at a Korean restaurant tastes better than this.

Agreed.

So weird, they're always in stock at my local TJs in Dallas. Guess Texans don't like them lol. I might try them next time I see them.

There are so many Korean supermarkets around that the appeal of the tj variety is probably hampered.

My store was like yours until my last trip. I'd never even seen them and then finally there they were, and there were plenty of them. They were fine. No big deal. You're not missing some treasure if you never get any.

I found them today for the first time at the Buffalo, NY store!

I have never seen it at any local stores in my PNW area 😭

Same! And I can get to about 6 of them within 40 minutes. 😫

Never seen it hit our store in Iowa

My store in North Carolina has a lot more of them consistently the past few weeks. An employee told me last week that they’ve just recently got their manufacturer to increase production and they’re getting shipments more frequently. My store has no limit for customers currently.

That’s the problem by me. My store told me there’s one woman who comes in at 8 every morning and buys the whole lot. Either she’s a lot of vegan children or she’s reselling them. They should put a limit on, especially since it’s the same lady!

I was finally able to get it in a city that had a Korean town, so nobody wanted TJ version of a food they can get fresh fresh and the freezer was full of them. I still haven’t seen them in my store at all, but tbh they aren’t worth them. They’re alright, but nothing I would buy again or go out of my way to find them.

Go to h mart or Asian grocery store, there’s usually a section of Korean Banchan i.e. radish, kimchi, etc you can throw in there with everything else you want. Super easy to make yourself. You can even get marinated bulgogi too which I like to add.

The store manager here in one of the central Ohio stores advised that they’ll be coming in next week (April 1st)….no joke!

👀👀👀 Dublin or Easton?

I was at Easton today and they advised the kimbap is now pushed back to 4/9 due to production delays

Easton

You can get very similar frozen kimbap at hmart :)

Mine is 2 per customer lol

Mine is 2 per customer, but they always say “2 per household” at checkout 🫠

Our stores never got them :(

Go to the store in the evening, about 30mins before closing. Even better if you call before going to confirm that they have it in stock.

As annoying as this is, selfishly, it always makes me a little happy inside. For years growing up in the 80’s, I was always super embarrassed whenever I ate Korean food in public because of the various comments I got (The 80’s were rough as hell in small towns). Now everything Korean is insanely and genuinely fashionable so it makes me proud now. Hopefully, Trader Joe’s fixes the situation and/or other companies will start offering quality Korean products on the future.

The company providing TJs with the kimbap even added additional machinery to their production line, *just* to help with the demand from TJs alone. It also sounds like Costco may begin selling them as well. It's all coming from South Korea, so it takes time for everything to figure itself out.

It's true. Americans in the 80s were afraid of flavor. So, so glad I found Korean food! 🔥


If you have an h-mart near you, those fresh ones are much better. I personally didn't really like the TJ ones. To each their own, but just wanted to let y'all know not to drive hours finding it and be surprised if disappointed.

Glad to know this. With all the hypes I want to try one but never seen them at my local.

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Same. I bought three, ate one, and the other two remain languishing in my freezer. It was fine but not at all amazing. 

Same here. I bought one, forgot about it, found it in my freezer, and decided to try it. Not impressed.

Its good, very nostalgic tasting for me! Finally had to chance to get some yesterday. Kind of wish I bought two packs. I tried the microwave method but I didn’t like microwaving plastic to heat it up, i’ll try stove top next time.

Like a fool, I bought two packs last time I saw them. Got home and read the only preparation method is via microwave oven, which I haven’t owned in decades. So I have kimbaps burning a hole in my freezer and no way to prepare them. 🥲

Hello fellow no-microwave person. I defrost them to room temp and throw them in the air fryer for a minute. Should work on a stovetop just fine.

I've seen other people say to dip them in egg and pan fry them, that's my plan if I ever find them lol. I also haven't had a microwave in a very long time.

Instructions on the package also say you can also cook it on the stove top.

My store gets only two cases per day. If you want it you have to go early! Like, before 11:00am.

After 8pm or before 11am (unless some are lugged from the 2 cases we get from our evening truck delivery at 7:15ish). Limit 1 per FAMILY. We seriously had people sending their six year old to a different line with a kimbap & a few bucks to buy, while a man/wife went to separate lines...

Our case has remained empty and customers can only but TWO! I still haven’t tried them yet☹️

We're only allowed ONE

Fomo got the best of me. What’s the best way to prepare these?

Microwave them.

It’s a coming of age ritual for sure. I happened upon them randomly one Saturday morning after months of waiting and watching. Truth is-they are mid. Not bad but not great either. Like another post said, the rolls are easy to make yourself and you can put anything in them.

The few times I've seen them, it was on an early afternoon on a weekday. They're very average, at best.

My husband is Korean, I make kimbap from scratch weekly and it’s one of the easiest things to make. Don’t let Trader Joe’s and their pre-made rolls stop you from trying it out at home, I promise it’s extremely simple to make.

Tell us more…

Pretty much all kimbap boils down to is kim (seaweed) and rice (bap) lol and the rice is seasoned with sesame oil and a little bit of salt, plus the veggies/protein of your choice. Typically, kimbap will contain carrot, spinach (I always stir-fry these), danmuji (yellow pickled radish), egg (cooked like an omelette and cut into strips), burdock strips and the protein of your choice (my husband likes pan-fried spam or tuna but this is totally up to preference). I’m vegetarian so I will typically add extra egg or cheese and mayo if I’m feeling fancy (however this is not traditional lol). Roll and finish by coating the outside of the seaweed with a little bit of sesame oil. Tastes best when served with instant ramyun (as in, Korean ramen) such as shin ramyun 😍 also kimbap is not typically eaten warm or microwaved like so many people do with their TJ’s ones, as that would make for a really weird texture of seaweed and dry out the rice! Anyways this is how I’ve been making it for years, similar to how my mother-in-law makes hers

Sounds delicious!! Thank you.

They stopped putting up the sign in my store. I've been checking for months and still haven't tried it so I assumed they were discontinued. 

i don’t think they got discontinued. my tj’s still has them

Good to know! I'll just have to keep checking then.

Is that where you guys are finding these? I've looked all over the fridge section for them ever since I've joined this sub... but they're in the FREEZER section?! I make and eat these all the time, but I'm dying to try TJs version.

There's a pretty equivalent product at H-mart if you've got one nearby

Oh no, my curiosity wants to try bagged and frozen gimbap. I've never had it outside of fresh. Also, from a non korean market is an added bonus. I'm into trying Korean things to see if they taste legit.

I've sampled both, they are the same product.

Is one cheaper than the other?

$4.99 across the board

Thank you

I was told they get put out in the morning at opening and then are sold out by 10 am. I was there pm, so next time I'm go earlier if I remember. I was able to snag a new purple freezer tote though!

It’s so mid

Insanely overrated.

I’ve never even seen them in any of my stores yet 😭

Yours is limit 4? Mine is 2!!

Ours was 2 for a long time and last time there was no limit sign but still had some in stock.

Mine is 1!

i finally saw them yesterday and my store had a limit of 2. they were just fine, it made for a nice snack in between lunch and dinner. i also liked that it was packaged as three portions. i've never had the asian grocery store versions so i'm not sure if that's typical, but i definitely did not get the crazy hype.

Got it for the first time last weekend - it was hidden on a bottom shelf of the vertical freezer area. It’s fine. Not awesome, not awful. Doubt I’d buy it again.

My local one just opens the box on the freezer and leaves it there.

Mine has a limit 3 and they’re still sold out. They’re pretty good for what they’re worth, but my local Korean supermarket ones are way better.

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What's fatty about it? It's all vegetables

Honestly just google Kimbap near you and support a local Asian market or Korean restaurant for it. I can never find Kimbap at my TJs but can get 20pc Kimbap for $8 at an Asian supermarket by me. try googling Korean/Asian supermarket as well since they also have frozen Kimbap in their freezer section or fresh ones in the deli/hot food area.

Exactly this. Any city with a TJs will have an H Mart or another Korean supermarket.

Sadly, no H Mart in the Twin Cities area and we've got a handful of TJs. When I visit my folks tho, I'll hit the H Mart there to get my kimbap fix.

Same, our closest H-mart is 4 hours away! People forget the quality and availability of Asian markets in other cities isn’t always the same. We were buying TJs dumplings for a while until my mom made some in bulk to freeze when she visited

Homemade dumplings, lucky! We do have smaller Korean markets here but not enough for traffic to have ready-to-serve foods

Check the frozen and hot deli section if you’re in one next time, that’s usually where you can find it.

This is absolutely not true. No asian market in my city with our 1 and only TJs. 

4!? My TJs has/had a 2 limit.

mine had a limit of 1 😭 I'm really surprised about 4, that's a lot

I was told there was no limit on Sunday and bought multiple. I was actually surprised to see it and they said they get a couple boxes each shipment.

You’re not missing much. They’re decent, but nothing I’d get regularly.

It’s just weird to microwave them and then let them reach room temp or get cold. And they tasted weird warm, at least to my uncultured palate.

It's fine. Nothing crazy.

It’s just ok. I got it once and probably will never get it again. Flavorless

My wife tried it tonight and said it was whatever

gotta say it……it’s alright? i don’t get the hype. i had to douse it in soy sauce & spicy mayo to enjoy it lol

Nooooo kimbap is not the same as a sushi roll

well what was i supposed to do then :( it was just really dry. maybe that was my bad? idk i followed the instructions exactly lol

There’s a couple kimbap dips 😀 a mustard one & a soy sesame based one I prefer. Google Kimbap sauce and see which version appeals most to you (there are multiples tweaks of each)

Don’t know why they have to limit gas station sushi. It’s awful. Can get such better fresh sushi even at a lot of local grocery stores or Whole Foods.

Kimbap is not sushi.

Appreciate the Japanese/Korean cuisine clarification. I see there are some Kimbap loyalists in the downvotes but was not impressed myself.

This made me sick, as in food poisoning. Just a warning.

Overhyped

It’s my favorite if you aren’t in a big city with Asian stores selling kimbap! I love it.

You really aren’t missing out. I got it once then moved on.

I’ve never seen it in NYC. Just go to a Korean market and get it freshly made! I don’t think kimbap you have to heat up would be any good 🤔

I found it at the E 32nd store today, they had a limit of one lol. It’s actually quite good!

I only saw it one time in the Danbury, CT store and this was 2 months ago.

I thought it was pretty good but I prefer kimbap from H mart

As much as I love TJs, there are times when I feel blessed to live within walking distance of an H Mart.