I grew up in Southwest Detroit and this is as close as it gets to Mexican town I still have to drive 8mi but worth it read more

Really bummed. Truly love this place. Went here with my boy quite a few times for tacos in the past. He had his graduation party a couple weeks ago and we thought it would be a good idea to get catering from here. We got a 20lb tray of carne asada and a 20lb tray of the pollo asada and we were not only very disappointed but really embarassed. We had over 50 family / friends / coworkers who I had bragged to about how good their tacos were and the meat was subpar at best. When I think of pollo and carne asada I imagine well spiced, cut up grilled steak and chicken. I got 2 X 20 lbs trays of tasteless tan and brown pellets. No sign of browning, grill marks or taste. Some might argue it wasn't really meat. Just ruined the stuff... Guacamole was good, the flour tortillas and chips were pretty good, but when the main protein(s) suck, the event can't really recover. Service was relatively nice. I am so puked out because I trusted them. Coughing up over $500 for their garbage to feed people I love, I can't help but take it a little personal. Never going back. read more

I've been coming here for years. While I romanticize that it was better in the past. It's good. More recently the interior seating looks like it's been redone, it's decent. The service is fast, you just go up to the counter to order. The food, that's why we come here. Like I said I use to think it was excellent, now days I'd list it as decent to good. The salsa's are good and I love the salsa bar. So if your looking for Mexican food this place is good, you'll be satisfied. Also you have to hit the market, to me it's the main reason to come here. The meat is good. Veggies are fresh. The prices are also good. It's worth it. read more

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Use to love carnival market. However the past few times I have been here I have been disappointed. The orange salsa use to be my favorite salsa ever. But the past few times it is thick and almost gelatin like. It seems like they have cheapen it up or changed ingredients. The tamales are still very good. read more

Wow--this place is absolutely amazing! Carnival Market is so much more than just a grocery store. Not only do they have a huge selection of groceries, but they also have a restaurant inside that gives the whole place such a cool vibe. My buddy and I stopped in, grabbed some groceries, and decided to try a few treats. I picked up this dessert with strawberries and whipped cream (not sure what it's called), but it was so delicious! The whole experience was fantastic--great atmosphere, great food, and a super unique spot. I can't wait to come back for lunch at the restaurant and to stock up on more groceries. Definitely a hidden gem in Pontiac. Highly recommend checking it out! read more

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Gimme one of everything. No seriously. I want a scoop of all the possible meats and fillings for the tacos/burritos and eat them with their yellow rice and beans. I tried the picadillo and rib stew. Also a hunk of chicharron and fresh guac. Sauces galore. Oh yea and it comes with tortillas they make in the back. Si señora me gusta mucho. Also, it's a full-fledged Mexican supermarket. read more

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I've come here for the tacos a few times, and while they aren't the best, they're still pretty good. They serve a variety of different hot foods for take out or dine in at the sitting area. Service is fast and they make the tacos fresh. They have a variety of drinks you can choose from which are okay. Besides the restaurant, this place is a whole grocery store where you can find a lot of Mexican products. They're always super busy. Here you'll find plenty of fresh produce, marinated meats ready to cook for dinner, Mexican candy.... Just a whole plethora of stuff. Come check it out. The staff is friendly and helpful. I'll definitely continue to stop by. read more

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I really enjoy the food here. While the rice and beans can be a little bland sometimes, everything else is usually good. I recommend the carne asada fries--and if you aren't a fan of beef, definitely try them with chicken instead. read more

The grocery store is great but what is even better is the attached restaurant. Definitely not a high end dining experience but the food is just great. People are always friendly although sometimes hard to understand if you only speak English. read more

So this was a nice little surprise. It is a huge Spanish (Mexican) supermarket. I've never seen anything like it. Everything you could ever need, to cook a meal. Att the end, there is an area where you can buy food by the plate or by the pound. Everything was fresh and looked very good. I ordered a plate of Pork with rice and beans. We also got a few other dishes. Tacos, Al pastor and tostada. Everything was very good. Warning: the green hot sauce is really hot. They have a sauce bar. I tried a few and my friends retired some of the others. Most of them were edible for me. I like hot spicy sauces. One of them was too much for me. LOL. The service was good and they were very accommodating. This place make you feel like you have just arrived in a different country. Total Spanish flavor. You can see from the pictures, they have things you will never see in any of our supermarkets. LOL. Trust me, this is a must, if and when you are in this area. read more

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I'm sorry to say, but this place has done down the hill. Sauce is water down, no one understands you, can't even get tacos right. Probably won't be going here anymore. read more

We recently rediscovered Carnival Market and what are likely the best Tamales in the area! It is a combination grocery market and an eat in area if you just can't wait until you get home to eat Tamales, Tacos, etc! We have been buying pork Tamale six packs to take home along with pico de gallo and guacamole! It is a bit of a drive since we moved across town a couple years ago. But we'll definitely need to plan time into our schedule to drive to Carnival Market! read more

Carnival Market - Entrance - Grocery Near Me - Pontiac, Michigan

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I love the food here! Its set up sort of like a deli. You can see them cook your meal. Its very casual. And you're pretty much on tour own. Nice salsa bar. No servers. A great place to eat some real Mexican food. read more

The food is so delicious and made on the spot so everything is fresh. Lots to choose from and pretty authentic Mexican. Clean and roomy and bonus that it's in a supermarket. I found the prices to be high (hence 4 stars). Maybe the tariffs looming? Wide variety of anything and everything - worth a visit. read more

Wow. A hidden secret that we found based on a friend's recommendation. Outstanding! We walked up to the serving counter last night and were told to speak with Alfredo since we were new customers. He proceeded to give us a very animated overview of all of their foods including the 20 different kinds of meats which can be ordered with all of their dishes. He really recommended the fish tacos, so my wife got a three taco platter and told him to surprise her with the other two taco meat choices. He told her to get asada and chicken a la Mexicana. I followed his lead and got two ridiculously cheap Tostadas with the same meats. To her order my wife added a pork tamale. Food was up super fast. We are in the basic but clean booth area and availed ourselves of the six kinds of salsa at the salsa bar. Everything. Everything was delicious and tasted fresh. The lettuce and other veggies were crisp and tasty. Best Mexican food we've had in the Detroit area in years! read more

One thing about me is that I LOVE a good burrito. Carnival Market in Pontiac is hand down my favorite place to get Mexican food in michigan. One I first moved here I would go to Carnival Market at least once a month. I'll really miss this place. My favorite thing to get here is the Mole burrito. The meat is so succulent and flavorful! I'm not sure what they use to stew the meat but it is DELICIOUS! I always get the burrito as the supreme burrito so it comes with rice, beans, guac etc. the prices here are super fair. Their homemade salsas are out of this world !! I love that the employees are always so friendly and the restaurant is conveniently located within a grocery store so I can pick up a few things while I wait for my food. Truly a Pontiac gem!! read more

Carnival Market - Mole burrito and salsas - Grocery Near Me - Pontiac, Michigan

Great little restaurant inside this amazing grocery store. I have never had a bad meal here. I've had their tacos, a burrito, tamales, sopes, chicharrones...wonderful sauces to use from mild to hot & everything in between. Then head to the market and pick up all of your grocery needs and amazing choices of hot sauces (homemade and not homemade). A must stop! read more

I've loved stopping by carnival for tacos for the last 16 years; they used to be incredible! I'm sad to report it's gone downhill. The last 3 times I've stopped - it's been terrible. Took a few bites out of the food and it was dry, bland, and tasteless. So bad it got tossed in the trash. I knew something was up when the fella making my order was eating at his station and never changed his gloves. Whatever is going on now is not the standards they used to have. read more

Yes. Awesome supermarket!! Flavor Spot On!!! Chopped!! Prepped!! Then frozen for future munch on Chicharrones!! Refried and Rice!! Excellency!! My chicken mole tacos!!! I'm very happy. Happy Cinco De Mayo. I will shop here from now on. Excellent service. Ambiance??? I was smiling from ear to ear. Tall Texan. read more

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I have been here a few times and mostly come here for the food they serve rather than the grocery part of the store. The food itself that they serve is pretty spot on, and very reasonably priced. The menu has a decent selection of items and combos to choose from, along with a variety of spice levels. I love their tacos and rice, but decided to try a breakfast burrito here instead this time. I had them substitute the chrizo out for shredded steak instead since pork isn't my scene. Burrito was huge and actually was pretty good. They have a little dining area and I ate it at their tables since I was absolutely starving. They have a decent selection of salsas to add to your food which were pretty darn good. Sadly, the grocery part is a bit sad. They have a great selection of items, both traditional and exotic to choose from. I see lots of people grocery shop here, but there's better stores to shop at in and around the area. But let me tell you, the food bar is where this place is at! read more

I was in Pontiac for a show and needed to stop for dinner, and nothing downtown caught my eye. I've been wanting to try Carnival for a while and it was close, so it was an easy choice. This place is a real experience - mostly grocery store, with a restaurant and food counter in front. I walked around the store to see all the different foods they had, and picked up some ceviche from the meat counter that was awesome. Lots of other cool stuff, and really good tortilla chips that I enjoyed for the rest of the week. The food counter has lots of choices, I went with the taco plate. The Carnitas were really good, so was the al pastor. I tried a few of the salsas, they were all great and some were plenty spicy. Next time I'll have to try the chicharonnes - they were huge, the biggest pieces I've ever seen. Coming here is a real cool time, and you get some really good food on top of that. read more

Very interesting store that sells absolutely everything Mexican from cactus to white coconut to a dozen different dried peppers. They have a hot meal counter, bakery counter and dessert counter also. I ordered a burrito, rice and beans and it's definitely a authentic place but my burritos didn't have any cheese, lettuce, tomatoes or sauce inside so it was a little dry. They do have a salsa counter with four different salas. The place is clean with very happy and friendly workers so it's a pleasant place to shop. The menu selection is very good and we will definitely try it again. read more

Carnival Market - Awesome pepper selection with a Mexican food counter and salsa counter. - Grocery Near Me - Pontiac, Michigan

Fresh fresh FRESH they catered our ladies retreat! Served a variety of salsas (tomatillo I think was one) & loved building our tacos! Rice was fluffy, flavorful & a short grain that was pleasant & yummytasty :) Wish I took a pic read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE! My family and I absolutely adore this market for multiple reasons and have been longtime customers Content: the shelves are FILLED- it can be seen that this market is rich in content. I have found great items in the home bakery section and the house made salsas! I find great joy in the baked goods included conchas and churros! With the salsas, I adore all the hot salsas but I seriously don't recommend those if you can't handle heat- luckily there are milder versions. And the Guacamole is TO DIE FOR! Service: when I go, the employees are always friendly and do their job magnificently! Yay employees! Upkeep: cleanly read more

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Went there because my sister told me of their menudo. It's a Mexican restaurant inside this market. The food was awesome. I'll definitely be back to try more authentic food. read more

Recommended personally from another Yelper. Great food. Fast and friendly service. Eat in or take out or buy What you need to cook authentic Mexican food at home. Highly recommend! read more

Carnival Market - Carne Asada Fries - Grocery Near Me - Pontiac, Michigan

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Excellent place! Lots of authentic mexican salsas made daily and fresh foods to choose from. Reasonable prices and always stocked with what I'm looking for! Will definitely be back! read more

Still the very very best. Their food is as good as sitting beachside in Mexico. The only thing missing is a margarita in hand! read more

Carnival Market - Picking up Christmas dinner! - Grocery Near Me - Pontiac, Michigan

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It's a carnival of flavors here at carnival market from the beef to the shrimp to the guacamole to the salsa it's literally everything I want in a place that serves the things I just mentioned. Sometimes this place is closed and it makes me sad because I just really want a burrito or a hotdog covered in lots of different things or french fries with Kearny Asada and shrimp. But you know what I really want an actual carnival with rides Carneys cotton candy popcorn machines and a board Ricot balloons at darts reverse that but you know what I mean. Actually roller coaster he'll be great that's what I really want is roller coasters bring back some roller coasters shrimp and Kearny Asada bring it on read more

This is some of the best Mexican food that I have had. We had it catered in for my daughter's grad party. I am going to start having it brought in to our office lunches. read more

Favorite market. Fresh meats fresh baked goods. A little pricey but you can find whatever Latino foods you love

I'm not sure how many places I go to that facilitate multiple passions of mine. If you know me at all, you know that I love to eat tacos. If your lucky enough to really get to know me, you know I love to make tacos, and the more the merrier. Carnival gives me the opportunity to sit down & grab some local fare before I do some shopping, most likely trying to make something special to impress my daughter in law & her father, whether thats grilling up some street tacos in the summer or slow cooking some pozole in the colder months. Mexican food has got to hands down be my favorite cuisine, narrowly beating out the cuisine I entered this culinary world doing. As a young buck working my way up through the ranks of the Italian kitchens here in Metro Detroit, it was the Mexicans I worked with, and broke bread with that taught me first hand their cuisine & culture. That excitement is recreated every time I stand in line and take in the sights of a kitchen working in harmony with steam tables full of carnitas, barbacoa, shredded chicken, buche, tacos, gorditas, tamales, fresh rice & beans to put out some of the best Mexican food that brings people together from miles away. Ramble off an order, grab your hot sauces, some napkins and take a seat till they call your order. Throw in an ice cold coke in a bottle or my new go to drink, horchata. A creamy drink made from rice, a smooch of cinnamon & some vanilla and you'll be walking around looking for groceries wishing you hadn't ate so much in no time. The first thing you'll pass after you come out of the cafe is a bunch of savory desserts, none of which I know what to call or even how to describe with the exception of churros, or tres leche, but I've grabbed bags full of desserts several times & they never disappoint. The next thing you will come to is a meat counter full of several different meats & seafoods. Step on up & tell em how many pounds you want. I usually go with the thinly sliced pre marinated pork or beef, throw it on the grill, cook it up & then chop it up to serve in some grilled corn tortillas topped with cilantro, onion & lime. As you work your way around the grocery store, you'll see all the things you need to make some tamales, some pico, that fresh batch of guacamole & more. If you can't find the hot sauce your looking for here it's possible you imagined it & it's a figment of your imagination. The last couple aisles of the store are prepackaged desserts, snacks, & cervezas. I'm not a big drinker, and I really don't like Corona, but they have Corona Familiar in a brown bottle, imported from Mexico that is hands down one of my favorite beers. If celebrating something special, may I suggest the Patron lime, sticky sweet & only 70%. I posted a few pictures of the restaurants food & can honestly say I've done all I can to persuade you to visit CARNIVAL! read more

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Great food, great prices! The food made on site is delicious. A nice hot lunch and shopping all at one stop!

The food is SO good ! It's hard to choose because menu is so expansive- so many choices! I should start at top and work my way down. Grab some fresh salsa or guacamole to take home. Don't pass up the tamales either! Want some dessert? They have fresh yummy desserts and baked goods too! I almost forgot to mention the no preservative tortillas! Boy am I hungry now, lol. So many things to browse in the isles. Enjoy ! The service is phenomenal! They all are enjoying their work and it feels like you're visiting their home. Love the Vibe when you walk in ! Definitely a place I love to shop! Stop in for lunch or grab some items to make tacos at home ! Enjoy read more

Wow! I was craving mexican but mostly chicharrones (pork rinds). I found this spot on Yelp and thought I would stop by. I can't believe I grew up nearby and never stopped here. I'm glad I did. I had my favorite which is hard to find, chicken tinga tostada, and my husband had the combo carnitas and chicken mole. We're planning to stop here again later this week to try other items on the menu and purchase grocery items! read more

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Great market, great prices compared to other markets. The atmosphere and bustle is amazing, makes you feel like you're in a different place. Love the food at the restaurant inside, especially the horchata. Friendly staff and clean. read more

Authentic Mexican food. Most food made in house. Looking forward to my next visit Very reasonable prices.

Six years later and still FIVE stars! Get yourself there to enjoy some amazing Mexican food cooked fresh!

Excellent authentic Mexican food! Aside from the grocery area, they have fresh food that smells and looks delicious. I recommend walking in and heading right to the hot-food station. Staff was very helpful and food was top tier! read more

I stopped here to pick up some dinner. All of the people who worked here were very friendly and helpful. While I need to explore the market more, I was mainly here for their restaurant counter. I did get some nice baked goods in the grocery store section. Their churros were the best I have ever had, very fresh. I had some pan dolces and also a nice raspberry coconut cake that was marvelous. I took home a bag of chicken tamales which my daughter usually eats for lunch. I have never bought them here, and she usually prefers pork, but these were pretty good. I got their nacho cheese which was a liquid cheese with I believe a salsa mixed in and their smokey salsa. That was a bit spicy and not as smokey as I am looking for, but pretty good. Their fresh chips were nice and crunchy with the right amount of salt. At the restaurant counter I got some pineapple juice. It was huge! And only $3! I still have not finished it from Friday. I ordered the California burrito, mole taco, chicken taco, barbaccoa taco, and chicken quesadilla. It was all pretty good. I got a couple of them as a combo with beans and rice. Some of the meat was a bit salty but I really liked the mole and will be back to try more items. It is a great location and very busy, which is nice. They do have a room if you want to dine there and also homemade salsa to go with the meal. read more