Great neighborhood grocery store -- bigger than you'd expect, well stocked, friendly staff, and fair prices. A reliable spot for everyday shopping. read more

I got multiple food items here that I enjoyed. It looked like the store typically has good produce. The store has a convenient location. They have a wide selection, although smaller than other grocery stores. I was usually able to find a lot of items that I was looking for. It looked like most of the time the store was not too busy. It even has a parking lot. I appreciated that the store had a lot of prepared foods, which was convenient. It was excellent that they did this, and a lot of the prepared foods looked like they would typically be good. read more

Friendly staff. Large selection of your basics plus unique and special brands. Great selection overall. Convenient free parking for customers too! read more

Great grocery store with nice options and staff. Would recommend. There is a location in Lincoln park too.

Terrable rude employee and way iverp food! Never again. I can't believe that they are still in business due to their unfriendly staff. It just seems they are depressed from working there. Not only is the food overpriced but my salad started rotting after just one day and the bread started to have mold in a few days! Stay away! read more

Really nice inside and not too busy Nice staff A little pricey on a lot of things for being a neighborhood store Could get better on that part for neighbors to be able to afford to shop especially with a few senior living homes nearby read more

There's hot food! Service is great. Ambience is very homey. Just a bit on the expensive side for name brand things. Meats aren't as bad as well as vegetables. Not too bad for a neighborhood grocery store! read more

It seems that meats and vegetables that I purchase are ALWAYS close to spoiled. You must use the meat or freeze it right away- the vegetables appear to have been at some other store and bought from a wholesale supplier by observing the packaging they arrive in. Prices are way high, but they ARE convenient and the rotisserie chickens are a great buy! read more

I'm so excited in finding out about this place. There was an event on Eventbrite for an Easter Egg hunt for the kids. I signed up and came with my 6 year old niece. To my surprise this small neighborhood grocery store is a must to shop. A cute colorful circus theme decor around the store. Outside has a food pantry. Meat counter, great selections of wine or liquor. Soup bar selections. Small but carries a nice Big selections of meats, veggies etc. Friendly staff. They even offer a 10% discount if you purchase food for the outdoor food pantry. Its refrigerate and has cabinets to place the food. The food is placed in the pantry for anyone who is hungry or in need of food. I like supporting small local businesses who gives back within the neighborhood. Will be back to do some shopping read more

See all

This place is always deserted whenever I happen to go in, and everything is SO EXPENSIVE!! How do they stay in business??? They do have a nice selection of houseplants from time to time, but I don't recommend shopping here for your regular groceries. Way too overpriced! read more

Carnival Grocery carries a super intimate shopping experience, with quality products!

Like witness protection. Nearly always empty. Limited selection and high prices. I don't understand how they're still in business. Items you can find at bigger grocery stores cost notably more here. Could be the sad story of a small business squeezed out, but if you're looking for a family grocery shop for the week, especially on a budget, don't go here. read more

high prices like you would not believe, don't know how they stay in business, always little to no business

Cute, compact, tidy, well-lit neighborhood grocery store. Quiet on a Wednesday night at 8 pm. I think there were only 3 shoppers in the whole place. I was able to get about 75% of the items I needed, and some things not my typical brands, although that's ok. I'm willing to try some new brands. Frozen selection pretty limited. There were some nice surprises like Ezekiel bread, Amy's organic soups, and nitrite-free packaged lunch meats. Produce selection was adequate, but not ideal, fairly limited in range & quantity and there were a few moldy grapes in the bag that I didn't notice until I got home. Loved these massive carrots though. Friendly checkers, Claudia was sweet and helpful. Metered street parking. Cute neighborhood. I'd probably stop in again but it won't work as my regular grocery. read more

Carnival Grocery - Grocery Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

See all

Convenient but high prices. Produce often has an off taste, like it's been sitting in a grocery store refrigerator for awhile. Wish they sold more fresh and local produce. read more

Neighborhood grocery. Good food, good quality, nice deli etc. A bit on the expensive side, but that is understandable because this is a smaller business. Very convenient hours and location. I visit two or three times per week. Unfortunately, some of the staff are not trained to put customer first. I've been asked to pick up my basket from the floor as I'm paying, so that the employee doesn't have to reach down and do so. On many visits, the cashier has been reluctant to bag my groceries, so I do it for them. Even though service is not the best, the hours, location, and quality of food keeps me coming back. read more

wish you guys would update your hours with Google/Apple Maps. They still say you guys are open until 10. I walked in @ 8:59 pm and the guy at the counter rudely yells "We close @ 9!!". I immediately left. I get it, it's Friday and everyone wants to go home. But no one deserves that. read more

Yay for Carnival grocery! I really like local small business owners. Carnival has fresh produce, ready made goods, a salad bar, fresh flowers, a juice bar, a coffee bar, a wine and liquor section and so much more. It is slightly above average cost but not bad. The quality is good. I cannot get everything I need in this store because it is not a big box store it has limitations on items but still offers a big selection. The owner is incredibly nice. He suggested that if he wasn't carrying something I needed to ask him about ordering it. This is the kind of establishment you want to support. It's a great community place. read more

I love this store for home delivery! I began ordering online during covid and will continue. It's a little expensive, but it's worth it because they pull and pack the orders themselves and put a great deal of care into the accuracy. I appreciate the effort, and the convenience. Make your life easier and shop on their website. read more

Love that the online orders come in perfectly sized flats for my bicycle. Order was ready when I got there, loaded it up, and then cruised home listening to Prince's Rasberry Beret. A perfect grocery shopping experience IMO. read more

Carnival Grocery - 2 weeks of groceries for a family of four - Grocery Near Me - Oak Park, Illinois

There is one very angry rude absolutely obnoxious guy there that calls people names if they don't hear what he says and if they keep to themselves and don't do what he wants. I worked retail in the south and at a famous hotel in my early years in North Carolina and Memphis and in the south I was taught the customer is always right and he abused me verbally because I had an ear injury and can't hear perfectly out of my right ear. He called me a bitch only because I set my purse down a little on the counter to get stuff together and then moved to a table and then he called me stupid and dumb and self centered and that store needs to get rid of this guy because he will do this again and lie and lie again to his boss and someone else. I am the one tha t did not have to put up with his horrible behavior and no customer should and if you experience this, call anyone or any agency you can to report him. If I said those things I would have been fired on the spot and the customer tells the truth, end of story, the customer wins, that guy should be tarred and feathered and fired , now! read more

Went in here for the first time this morning and was amazed by the selection, organization and cleanliness of this store. We are new to Oak Park and on the lookout for neighborhood gems and this certainly qualifies. We will definitely be back even though it isn't as convenient as the Madison Jewel. Support local businesses whenever you can! read more

I'm on self-isolation and was having problems getting my order via Amazon. A good friend recommended Carnival Groceries in Oak Park. They agreed to deliver, knock and run. They called me to confirm my order, provided a few options for items that they didn't have and were very friendly. Delivery received within a couple of hours. The prices are great, of high quality, a good selection, and great service. I can't say enough good things about them and will now be a repeat customer. read more

Check the dates of the "less-than" reviews -- they are old and ownership has changed. This place is a total GEM. The deli is wonderful -- the stuff they make there is delicious. The store is so incredibly clean and well stocked and lit it looks like an advert! The deli guy is great. They sell common brand name items in the dry goods areas. I don't drink but I understand the beer selection is quite good. And there is a desk area right by the check out and I'm pretty sure that is either the owner or manager sitting there, right on the floor. Come on, you have to love that. They deliver quickly and courteously. It's never packed so that you feel uncomfortably in a crowd during this "safe-distancing" time. Don't buy the old reviews -- different owners, totally different scene. Carnival deserves great reviews. read more

Great local grocery store. The selection of fresh fruit and vegetables is far better than the Jewel Osco nearby. Some items are a little pricier than at franchise grocery stores because there are less items on sale. They have a good selection of wine and a lot of other imported items. They also had an incredible selection of herbs and spices. Everything was less than half the price of popular brands like McCormic for 4 times the quantity! Carnival is definitely our go-to place for high quality items. read more

We love the convenience of this neighborhood grocery store. They have convenient parking, and friendly customer service. Their meat and seafood are great, and their produce is usually good. They have greatly expanded the prepared food options (love their guacamole). They also have an excellent selection of local craft beer. Hope this place stays around. read more

The prices here are outrageous- yesterday a pound of Challenge butter was $7.99 while that same butter a mile to the south was $1.99 and a mile to the north was 2/$5.00. I picked up some wilted lettuce that was posted as $17.99 a pound. Often the blackberries and raspberries are moldy on the bottom. The ice-cream and frozen pizza are less expensive at the Walgreens 3 blocks north. Almost everything in the deli department is wrapped in plastic wrap or prepackaged in plastic containers and the prices are high. The meat department is run separately and has many hormone and antibiotic free products. The butchers are accommodating and available for special orders. The steaks and beef rib roast looked great but were not in my budget. I have tried various homemade sausage and they were all fresh and delicious. They also have individual and larger portions of hard to find duck breast, frozen and sometimes fresh. The wine and spirit and beer selection is large with a huge selection of cold beer. Some of the prices are very competitive and some like a common Tennessee sipping whiskey are up to 25% higher than other merchants. I was searching for a biodynamic or organically grown wine and couldn't find any. A knowledgable wine, spirit and beer clerk would be helpful but I have never been offered any help when perusing the wine and spirit section. All of the wines are displayed standing and they are all exposed to very bright fluorescent light 15 hours a day. Light is enemy of wine, as it is to beer, and other beverages. A dark bottle offers some protection. I prefer to purchase from a store that has tastings, a knowledgable clerk and competitive fair prices. I have mentioned high prices and brought moldy and unsaleable produce and products past their sale date to the manager and never once did she make a note to correct the problem. I remember shopping at this store when there would be lines at the 3 checkout counters and shoppers would have a full basket of groceries, On Wednesday i was the only customer in the store when I entered- the merchant deserves a fair profit but I can't understand why the same pound of butter that sells for $1.99 a pound elsewhere is $7.99 a pound at Carnival. I shopped at this location for over 20 years - now the only reason to go is the excellent service and healthy meat from the butcher shop. read more

Check expiration dates!! Don't buy bagged produce because there will be some in the bag that are rotten. If something is on sale it's probably about to expire. Prices are astronomical. Double check the bar code against the sale sign because they'll put the regular priced stuff above the sale sign to mislead you about what's actually on sale. They used to have a great deli counter where someone would make you a fresh sandwich, but now it's just pre-made sandwiches that have been sitting out for who knows how long. Sad little sandwiches that I would never pay that much for. The meat they have is high quality but there's not much selection. You can't just go get some basic summer sausage, you have to buy the specialty meat brand. In fact, there isn't a lot of selection for a lot of their products. Only one brand of orange juice, for example. This place is basically a glorified liquor store. Booze is right up front, the displays always look good and are always fully stocked. The rest of the aisles? Not so much. And they charge convenience store prices. And now they're charging money for shopping bags. Aldi trifling at Whole Food prices. Get real. I live in the neighborhood and don't have a car so I'll keep going here for basics, but they've driven me into the arms of Jewel for most of my shopping. read more

Big fan of the reboot of this store. The meat can be pricey but it's delicious. My husband even buys their pre-made burger patties because they're outstanding. House-made hummus varieties are scrumptious, as is most of the "convenience" grab and go food. Wine selection is very nice, everything is good quality and mid-high range in price. I'm OK with the prices because they don't stock the poor quality stuff. The only place they need some improvement is the quality of the produce. But I imagine as more people start shopping here, they will be able to move through the selection at a normal rate and be able to justify more shipments of fresh produce. Place is finally clean too. read more

It's more expensive than other nearby stores but much closer to my place. There isn't a huge selection compared to the huge supermarkets but they've had everything I've needed; I see no need for multiple brands of the same exact product. It's great for when I'm about to cook something and realize I'm missing something. I hope they make it because every time I've been there it's been very quiet, with maybe 1 or 2 other shoppers. A few weeks ago at the checkout another customer asked me what I had planned for the ancho chiles I was buying, and when I told her that I was making enchiladas she told me that she was originally from Mexico and wrote down her favorite enchilada sauce recipe, which I used. It was quite good. I like that sort of interaction and doubt it would have happened at a bigger store with long lines and everyone in a rush. read more

We go to many stores but Carnival Grocery is always our preferred the people are friendly everything is extremely clean. All of the shelves are always stocked I cannot say enough I'll friendly people are and always help you find what's your in need of. Their produce selection is amazing it's always a delight to Walk through read more

I want to give this place five stars. I really do. But I am super disappointed in their lack of gluten free products. It's hard enough as is to be gluten free and it would be so helpful if my local grocery store carried gluten free options, especially gluten free beer! It bums me out seeing all the beer options and not finding any gluten free beer :-( Pleeeeeaase carry more allergen friendly stuff :-) Thanks! read more

This compact grocery store has become a go-to place for us. Excellent meat and some surprisingly delicious and interesting prepared food. Seems to always have what we need. read more

This place is awesome. We just picked up 21lbs of smoked brisket from this place that was AMAZING. Prices were great, very accommodating staff! read more

Very poor customer service with poor command of the English language. Messed up the order and the veggies are wilting, prices are high! There are many other grocery stores in the area that are less expensive with fresher foods, and yes they can understand you! read more

The new format is delightful with many organic vegetables and fruit at reasonable prices. My daughter lives near by and I am amazed at the fresh produce selection. I also picked up a quinoa vegetable salad at the deli which is now near the front of the store. It was delicious and my family loved it. Carnival is not glitzy, but a welcome convenient grocery. And they have ample parking. Try it and you'll not be disappointed. read more

I love this grocery store. They have high quality food and a big alcohol selection. The meats are great! It is a great place to support your local business. read more

They are close to my house and they are one of the few places to have LaCroix NiCola (cola flavored LaCroix). Their renovation of the last year or so has really changed the place; it feels much nicer now with a better layout too. So glad they are our local grocer! read more

I'm 28 years old and visited this store with my 35 year old husband. I was refused sale of alcohol because my government issued passport was not considered a valid form of identification which is obviously ridiculous. It's a totally legal form of identification Carnival Grocery, I suggest you brush up on the law - https://www.illinois.gov/ilcc/about/Pages/FAQ.aspx read more