10 Costco Asian Food Finds Shoppers Say Are Worth Buying (July 2026)

Costco’s Asian food lineup is packed with viral snacks, freezer favorites, quick meals, and premium splurges. From Korean corn dogs and panda buns to poke bowls and A5 Wagyu, these finds earned strong reviews.

Han Chef Korean-Style Crispy Potato Cheese Corn Dogs

I tracked down these viral frozen treats in the freezer section. The hype around Korean street food is massive right now, but does a frozen version hold its own at home? Let’s find out.

• Price: $11.99
• Taste Test: A brilliant mix of sweet and savory. The outer dough has that classic, subtly sweet Korean street-food profile, which cuts right through the rich saltiness of the massive stick of mozzarella cheese inside. Note: there is no actual hot dog inside this one—it’s pure cheese!
• Texture Summary: Peak crunch. The exterior is studded with crispy, golden potato cubes that provide a massive crunch, giving way to an incredibly soft, gooey center with an epic cheese pull.
• Make It Better: Ditch the microwave unless you want a soggy mess. Give them 12–15 minutes in the air fryer at 360°F, then immediately roll them in a light dusting of granulated sugar for the true Seoul street-vendor experience.
• Perfect Pairings: Zig-zag lines of yellow mustard and sriracha mayo across the top.
• Final Verdict: STRONG BUY

Synear Custard Panda Buns

These limited-edition frozen treats are a massive hit in the dessert aisle. The presentation alone makes it a showstopper if you are hosting family or want to delight kids.

• Price: $14.49
• Taste Test: Delightfully sweet without being cloying. The interior is packed with a smooth, rich egg custard made with milk powder and eggs, giving it a classic, comforting dim sum dessert flavor.
• Texture Summary: Super pillowy. The exterior dough is amazingly light, airy, and soft due to traditional Chinese fermentation methods. The inner custard melts in your mouth and contrasts perfectly with the cloud-like bun.
• Make It Better: Do not microwave these bare or they will turn into rubber. For the absolute best results, steam them in a bamboo basket over boiling water for 10–12 minutes. If you must microwave, wrap them in a damp paper towel for 30–45 seconds.
• Perfect Pairings: Pairs beautifully with a hot mug of unsweetened jasmine tea or black oolong tea to balance the rich custard sweetness.
• Final Verdict: BUY

Summ! Pork Lumpia

This prepared item is a staple quick-appetizer option found in the refrigerated deli coolers, delivering traditional Filipino-style spring rolls ready for a quick crisping.

• Price: $13.99
• Taste Test: Absolutely fantastic. The filling is a deeply savory, seasoned mixture of ground pork, carrots, and onions wrapped in a traditional thin pastry. It hits a comforting, savory home-cooked profile out of the gate.
• Texture Summary: Extremely crispy on the outside when prepped correctly, giving way to a moist, perfectly seasoned, compact pork filling that isn’t overly dense or gummy.
• Make It Better: Ignore the oven instructions entirely. Spritz the rolls lightly with cooking spray and air fry them at 380°F for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway through to get that golden-brown, shattering pastry crunch.
• Perfect Pairings: A side of sweet chili dipping sauce or a classic banana ketchup.
• Final Verdict: BUY

Mama’s Choice Fried Calamari Snack (Sweet Chili)

A massive staple in the dried snack aisle that is styled after popular Korean street food. While a plain version has been floating around for a while, this Sweet Chili drop is the one driving everyone wild online as the ultimate anju (beer snack).

• Price: $14.99
• Taste Test: Essentially a premium, lightly battered squid jerky. It features a bold seafood base coated in a sweet, punchy glaze with a very subtle, warming hint of chili heat at the finish.
• Texture Summary: Straight out of the bag at room temp, it can feel a bit tough, overly chewy, and leave a slightly greasy film on the tongue. But once you apply heat, the batter crisps up beautifully while the interior becomes perfectly pliable.
• Make It Better: Never eat this cold! Pop the calamari pieces into your air fryer at 360°F for exactly 3 to 4 minutes. It completely vaporizes the room-temp oiliness and turns the coating shatteringly crisp.
• Perfect Pairings: A cold, crisp lager or a refreshing highball. It’s also fantastic dipped into tartar sauce spiked with a dash of sriracha.
• Final Verdict: BUY

Everydaze Essential C’s Konjac Jelly

This low-calorie sweet fix has completely blown up on social media as a macro-friendly, guilt-free late-night dessert.

• Price: $29.99 30-pack
• Taste Test: Incredibly vibrant and refreshing fruit flavors (like peach, grape, or mango) that burst in your mouth. Unlike most diet gelatins, it uses high-quality sweeteners that leave absolutely zero chemical or bitter aftertaste.
• Texture Summary: Remarkably bouncy. Konjac root provides a uniquely firm, dense, and springy chew that requires you to actually break it down as you squeeze it from the pouch, making it far more satisfying than loose gelatin.
• Make It Better: Bury these at the very back of your fridge so they get completely ice-cold. For a flawless summer treat, freeze the pouch for about an hour to turn it into an icy, crushable fruit slushie.
• Perfect Pairings: Sip it on its own as a late-night sweet craving boba substitute, or squeeze a pouch into a tall glass of ice-cold sparkling water.
• Final Verdict: BUY

Authentic Wagyu Japanese A5 Strips

Costco is famous for sourcing incredibly high-end meats, and their imported A5 Wagyu from the Kagoshima prefecture in Japan is the crown jewel of the specialty meat cases.

• Price: ~$89.00–$100.00 per pound
• Taste Test: An absolute flavor bomb. Because it features the highest possible marbling score, it tastes incredibly buttery, rich, and deeply savory with a distinct umami sweetness that completely coats your palate.
• Texture Summary: True “melt-in-your-mouth” texture. The fat renders at literal room temperature, meaning the steak is so tender you can practically cut it with a fork. It is exceptionally rich, so a few ounces goes a long way.
• Make It Better: Do not cook this like a standard steak. Do not use an outdoor grill where the melting fat will cause massive flare-ups. Instead, sear it quickly in a screaming hot, dry cast-iron skillet for 1–2 minutes per side.
• Perfect Pairings: Keep the sides light to cut through the heavy fat—think quick-pickled cucumbers, a splash of high-quality soy sauce, or a touch of fresh wasabi.
• Final Verdict: BUY (If you want an unforgettable luxury splurge at home).

CJ Bibigo Microwave Sticky Rice Bowls

These newly repackaged rice bowls from Bibigo are a lifesaver for pantry backup when you don’t have 40 minutes to wait on a rice cooker.

• Price: ~$11.99 for a 12-pack
• Taste Test: Remarkably clean, neutral, and fresh. It lacks that stale, plastic-like preservative taste that usually ruins instant, shelf-stable microwavable rice products.
• Texture Summary: Impeccable. It cooks up perfectly sticky, moist, and plump in just 90 seconds flat, mimicking high-quality short-grain rice beautifully.
• Make It Better: Peel back the corner lip just a tiny bit, add a single teaspoon of water and a drop of sesame oil inside the plastic bowl before sealing it back down and popping it into the microwave to lock in maximum moisture.
• Perfect Pairings: The ultimate blank canvas—perfect under a scoop of beef bulgogi, folded into a quick weekday stir-fry, or mixed with kimchi and a fried egg.
• Final Verdict: BUY

Kirin Ichiban Prime Brew 24-Pack

Spotted in the warehouse alcohol section, this is a premium Japanese style lager that frequently hits massive multi-pack discounts at Costco.

• Price: ~$23.99 for a 24-pack
• Taste Test: Crisp, clean, and incredibly refreshing. Unlike standard domestic lagers, it uses the first-press brewing method, which gives it a purer, smoother flavor profile with absolutely zero harsh or metallic aftertaste.
• Texture Summary: Light-bodied and beautifully carbonated. It finishes remarkably dry and clean, washing across the palate smoothly without leaving a heavy, bloated feeling.
• Make It Better: Serve it in a glass that has been sitting in the freezer for 20 minutes to achieve that ice-cold, frosty tavern feel.
• Perfect Pairings: The absolute ultimate palate cleanser to pair with greasy or fried foods like the Sweet Chili Calamari or the Potato Cheese Corn Dogs.
• Final Verdict: BUY

Ahi Tuna Poke Bowls with Asian-Style Dressing

Found in the prepared deli section, this pre-packaged poke set features fresh, cubed yellowfin tuna alongside a separate sweet-and-savory soy-sesame dressing packet.

• Price: ~$15.99 per pound
• Taste Test: Exceptionally clean and oceanic flavor from the fish. The included dressing brings a beautiful balance of soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil that completely brightens up the raw fish without overpowering it.
• Texture Summary: The tuna cubes are beautifully firm, smooth, and buttery. While the dressing coats it nicely, the searing on the optional sesame-crusted edges can occasionally feel a little weak or uneven depending on the batch.
• Make It Better: Dress the tuna exactly 5 minutes before eating so the acids can penetrate the fish without turning it mushy, and toss in half a freshly diced avocado for extra creamy texture.
• Perfect Pairings: Serve it immediately over a piping hot bowl of Bibigo sticky rice to create a restaurant-quality poke bowl at home.
• Final Verdict: BUY