This place is the place to be ! Decent prices , many, many options . I gain 10bs just looking at all the choices .. and it's soo worth it ! Great service. Clean and festive ambiance ! read more

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Unfortunately one of the most expensive stores in this community. Save lots of money by going elsewhere. I've been coming here for about 6yrs and every year the owner raises prices. Take a look. read more

Great prices and variety of items! Staff is friendly. Small market in El Cajon where you can find ethnic options. I come here for ingredients when I am making Mexican inspired cuisine. read more

Love this store buy all my meat and vegatables from here. Great quality products. Bakery is yummy!!! Very friendly customer service

After seeing the declining score from the Health Department, I'm not sure i want to buy anything not prepackaged here again. Their score was a 95 out of 100 and now, as of 4/11/2025, its a 93. So they are just getting dirtier and lazier to clean and sanitize. It's food poisoning or salmonella waiting to happen! I'll wait until they actually get a score closer to 100 before I try my luck buying food from here again. read more

Me and my family always buy the pre-cooked and packaged kebabs with rice and we recently bought some and the next day It gave all four of us food poisoning and nausea. I do not recommend eating the food here unless you wanna have diarrhea, nausea and vomiting do not come here. 0/10 read more

Strange place the salsa is good but nobody really knows what's going on; lines for service everywhere but nobody knows who's next. Ended up just leaving after waiting for some time yet not getting anywhere, nobody seemed to speak English which made it difficult to get served. read more

Wonderful m, love the store. Very clean and friendly.Love the tamales. Carry everything you could possibly need.

We had two couples over for the Super Bowl and we wanted to put together a taco bar so off to Kaelin's Market we went to stock up. Two pounds each of carnitas and carne asada. One package of their freshly made corn tortillas, a large container of rice and one of beans and three varieties of salsa were on our list. The carnitas, rice and beans came from the prepared food section of the store, while the carne was from the meat department. The salsas came from their awesome salsa bar adjacent to the meat department. Both meats were extremely popular at our gathering. Kaelin's carnitas is one of my favorites. Always perfectly cooked and very flavorful. To reheat it I slowly heated it in a cast iron skillet with just a tad of oil. To keep it warm, I put it in a crockpot on warm with a splash of chicken broth to keep it moist. The carne asada came marinated and very thinly sliced. I cooked it outside on my griddle. It was really good. Same crockpot keep warm technique as the carnitas. The rice and beans were both excellent. The rice stayed nice and fluffy with great flavor. Kaelin's refried beans are always lardy goodness. Chipotle, Habanero and Tomatillo Verde were our salsa choices. The Habanero was by far the favorite of the group. Our Super Bowl Taco Station was a resounding success. For us Kaelin's is kind of a pain in the ass to get to, but it is worth the drive and the time. read more

We love Kaelin's! Prices fluctuate, just like any store, but their sale prices can't be beat! Their produce is always fresh and the guy who's always stocking it is the kindest and most helpful man ever. The hot food counters are all amazing, both for the taste and quality of food and for the level of service provided by their friendly employees. Their $2.00 tacos can't be beat in price OR flavor! We took a chance and bought an Oreo cake for a birthday, even though I'm a pretty good baker and can always make something cheaper myself. We were BLOWN AWAY by the quality and taste, especially for the price. A box store charges at least twice what Kaelin's did for a cake that neither looks nor tastes as good. I literally squealed when I found an almost whole Oreo in the frosting filling because that's high quality! (Sorry for the crummy photos, but I needed to crop people out. I didn't anticipate the inside, so I wanted others to see how lovely it was.) read more

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Sold expired tortillas I called and she was like oh why u took them if they had green stuff on them Saw it when I was separating them. 5 dólares I don't need back but just the fact that they sell stuff that been seating there and not safe to eat gets me mad read more

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I love Kaelin's Market I drive 30 minutes to get groceries there everything is fresh and delicious. Very friendly employees. Their hot food is always great read more

This place has such a homey vibe to it. Everyone is so kind and cheerful here! My husband and I went here to their taco area for dinner. We will definitely be back! I had ordered their fish tacos, but they were sold out so I got two - carne asada molitas instead. My husband ordered carne asada fries. The food was fresh and tasty! Wasn't greasy at all! We were pleasantly surprised. I could only finish one molita, they are a very good size. You won't be disappointed. Give them a try, parking wasn't too bad honestly- plenty of spots :)) read more

Today marks the second consecutive week that I go to their website for their new weekly ad and find last week's still up. Multiple calls and Emails haven't helped. Most certainly they are forgoing health and safety practices as well... read more

beware. Reported this of the "Sale" price put over top of same regular price and told they don't control prices. Decided to leave respectfully and not buy my food and leave on table and told don't come bac. Reporting them to police. read more

Kaelin's Market - Grocery Near Me - El Cajon, California

I'm intrigued by a combination Mexican and Mediterranean store. You can pick up tacos and kebobs in one spot, what's not to like? If your car is also dirty, don't fret, you can wash it in their car wash located in the lot adjacent to the store. I've been a couple times for a few items, but I don't think I'd come here for a regular shopping trip as they don't have a large variety of regular groceries that I buy. They do have fresh produce and tortillas though. You could potentially get everything you need for grilling here since they have marinated meat and all the fixings for tacos. The store and parking lot feel a little chaotic. A lot of people creating parking spots when there's no real need other than laziness. The produce section feels like a free for all. Maybe the problem is I've only been on weekends though. Service is okay, definitely not a big friendly vibe here. I'd stop by again if I'm in the area. read more

Management is horrible. I called regarding a fresh red hot sauce I purchased 2 days ago that is now bad. It's the 3rd time this happens. So I decided to call and let them know what is happening. Hoping to be able to get some sort of store credit. I was not asking for cash back. But because I don't have my receipt they can not do anything. Who in reality keeps a grocery receipt. Lady on the phone was very rude and wouldn't even let me speak. I used to like going there but after this experience will not be returning. read more

This store is disgusting! From the floors to the food... not to mention the employees! Everyone working,seems miserable...especially the old lady on register 1! Mean and nasty, needs to retire! With all the Mexican stores in the area to choose from, I'll never go here again. Management, is clearly clueless on how a store should be run! read more

Hi, went in there today wanting some tacos and ceviche. Tacos were ok, but I tend to save the best for last. And what a disappointment the ceviche came out to be. $6 tostada came with two tostadas as to think you would need two to fit al that ceviche that came with it. I went back for something else about an hour later, and told the lady that helped me why the container of ceviche was full of limes and cilantro, and she said because she wanted to give me extra. Looks like they threw a little bit of ceviche on the bottom of the container and filled the rest with lime and cilantro. read more

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Luv ethnic grocery stores and this is a 2fer. Mexican and Mediterranean. If you're looking for a variety of hummus or a variety of freshly made salsa. Kaelin's has it. They have house marinated meats for grilling and freshly made tortilla's. I tried the chicken and beef kabobs and those were tasty. I also tried their cheese and chile & chicken tamale's which were just as good. Came for what I needed and left with a little more. Mel M Yelp 21:1 read more

Kaelin's Market - Beef and Chicken kabob - Grocery Near Me - El Cajon, California

This little home town store has been in El Cajon as long as I can remember and I'm 72 yrs. It used to be family owned and a great neighborhood market. It is now a Mexican style Mercado and has amazing offerings. If you are in the area check it out , get your lunch or shop meat market , vegetables, fresh Mexican bakery items or the fantastic spices available. This time I bought a fresh pizza like item called Laham Ajeen to have for lunch on the flight home. It's an Iraqi style pizza and delicious. read more

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This is a pretty cool market with a nice selection of fresh ceviche and salsa. Lady at the counter w salsa and ceviche was friendly and helpful. Homemade chips and tortillas were good. I'll have to go back to try the kebab/shawarma plates. Overall a pretty positive experience and I'll go back. read more

Well, I have to say that I love a lot of things about kalins. I love their salsas. I love their fresh tortillas. I bought some of their just regular carne asada the other day for 499A pound and I was extremely disappointed when you cooked it. It was like leather, really hard fat on it. It was A. Basically a waste of money because I had to throw most of it out because it was so bad. So I wish they would fix that, but there's plenty of other places in town to get good cardious. Ada, so that's what I have to say read more

Bought the cold tamales and one for sure has no meat inside. The box says mixed so I'm thinking it's a mix of pork and chicken. The label is so vague but never would I expect there to be one that has completely no meat. It's 6/$10 now tell me who on God's green earth would buy 1 tamale full of barely seasoned dry masa. Don't get me wrong I love masa but this one wasn't hitting! Plus you can clearly see how dry it is. Buyer beware. Tamales dryer than a Popeyes biscuits on a cold winter night! I also bought some pan dulce which was decent but it's 1/$1 which is kinda crazy...they are price gouging with the bread. Let's be real that bread should be no more than 50 cent a piece but inflation I guess . read more

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This place is great they have everything you can think off. Nice and clean everything organized.

Once again I have to say how much we like Kaelin's hot food counter, especially the rotisserie chickens--so much better than Costco and the supermarkets! At one time they were smaller chickens, but they are a nice size now. :-) We always buy fresh corn tortillas, a chicken and usually some carnitas, and we often pick up a few pan dulces (Mexican pastries), hot carrots, cilantro, sometimes guacamole or fresh-made salsa, sometimes a dulce de leche candy, and sometimes milk or juice, or if the fruit looks especially good. Everyone is nice but the people at the hot food counter and salsa bar are especially friendly. :-) Highly recommended. Oh and don't forget to check out the Arabic food on the way in, especially the yummy large flat "loaves" of bread. Delicious! Oh yeah, one negative: Years ago we had a bad experience with tri-tip steak that we bought at the meat counter. I don't know if they have improved since then or not, but that one experience was enough to put us off their "fresh" meat for good. read more

Amy the cashier has really brought some good energy to this store! I've always liked the food, however... the lady who is on register 5 is grumpy and rude. Amy makes me laugh and smile each time. She has a beaming smile and is so helpful. Too bad there aren't more employees like her! Keep up the great work and amazing customer service! Her manager/s should acknowledge her and what she brings to the store. read more

Love it its hidden gem and hands down best corn tortillas in East County. I would drive from Escondido just to get their tortillas. The only thing that just doesn't slap is the pan dulce. If Kaelin's could collaborate with the Pan Dulce from Vallartas I think Kaelins would be even better. The Pan Dulce is too thick, the Concha's are sad. I won't touch the Pan Dulce ever. Please Kaelins invest in a Baker that knows how to make a soft fluffy Concha!!! Please!!! read more

Your store is wonderful! I love it. But I had a bad experience with a man his name is Diver or Viver he didn't want to tell me his name. He treated me so rude! I lost my key at the store and I asked to the mopping guy then this man Diver told me I can't talk to him because he is working I don't understand why this guy treat like slaves to the employees? He told e to move away so so rude! I was afraid . Plus he was flirting with the salsa girl for 20 min I was waiting they didn't stop talking. I hope the owner something about this man Viver or Diver. read more

Awesome Mexican market. Fully stocked. Overly Stocked!!! Paradise in food. Deli, bakery, taco shop, prepared foods ready to eat. Awesome Sandwiches. Good prices. Can't say enough good things about this market. 5 stars!!! read more

This Mercado has the best tortilla's, arroz. & frijoles in East County. The pollo asada & Carne asada are also excellent. Haven't tried the Mediterranean food but I will. Easy access with plenty of parking. read more

Extremely overpriced. They sold me green grapes at $4.50/lb and I came to another market where they are fresher and prettier for $3/lb... they abuse... read more

Folks the food at Kaelins Market prepared by them is outstanding and they do well selling it. The staff is very friendly and nice but the good news stops quick there. They are well beyond the "Saks Fifth Avenue" in grocery prices on what they sell.Very Very Expensive. Butter ,Cheese, all their meats.nearly and all grocerys are atleast 30-40 % more than grocery stores and its not the pandemic. My friends get a little to other stores,do your homework, and out of your shell because they are soaking you and maybe that why your broke.Sky high prices. The store sells good tasting food but so could every store and their prices. \Dont take my word check for your self.. read more

The worst place to go shopping the prices are high quality of produce are very low, and the workers are so rude. Matter fact, I spoke to a butcher manager, and he was one of the worst people I ever met in my life. He took the food from my hand and asked the cashier, not to sell me anything I will never go back to this place even if it is the last place they have food and if there is less than one star, I will choose it but too bad there is none read more

Decent store overall, but when you get a cake, make sure you watch them put it in the box. They have this system where you pick a cake and go pay while they put it in the box. While you're doing that, they grab an old cake from the back and give you that one instead. Also make sure you smell the meat you buy before taking it. I've had multiple instances where the meat I've bought was already bad read more

Always a GREAT EXPERIENCE here. My favorite store in the whole world. I buy menudo here every other day for $7.99. the best menudo in the universe read more

Whoever says it's not 4-5 stars don't know what they're talking about, it is good, tasty the cooked food, it may take a while to get but order ahead it's fine...and it is fresh and reasonably priced and nobody cares about covid and masks so irrelevant...smh, I'm glad they don't enforce that PLANDEMIC read more

I love this place. Only good homemade tortillas I can find near Santee! I use to live by Pancho villa and got use to the good stuff! I Got some amazing guacamole, fresh ceviche, salsas, and homemade tortillas. I love how they have all the marinated meats and salsa and guac homemade so if you want some delicious tacos at home you basically grill the meat and use all the good premade fixins super easy and delicious dinner. You can even buy premade refried beans and rice from the deli to round out the meal. We made pollo asada with the pre marinated meat from the meat counter and tortillas and it was delicious! I will def be back here! read more

I really like this grocery store a lot! It has such a variety of foods from Mexican to Mediterranean. Also they have delicious salsas and fresh hot tortillas. So yummy! All the employees at the meat counter are very attentive and very helpful. Kaelin's is a all around great grocery store. The bathroom is always clean and the employees at the check out registers are very friendly as well. I feel like like their prices are pretty fair. Some items feel a little higher than normal like the fresh meat but their produce like cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers, etc, I feel are always on sale or the best prices around. 5 stars! read more

This review is for the bakery and the hot food bar. I hoped to get catering and a cake for a party on New Year's Day. I called the store the week before and was told I could come in two days prior to the party when I needed to pick up the food and place the order at the hot food bar. When I got to the store I placed my order for my cake at the bakery. The cakes in the window are $19.99 but I was told after I placed my order and went to pay for my cake order that a fresh cake is $35. For the SAME cake, nothing extra or special. Seriously? OK... Since I've already placed the order and I'm here. That should have been my warning to just leave with my money and not give them my business. I went over to the hot food bar and they had a long line but I scoped out the bar and their catering packages. The guy behind the counter told me again, I didn't need to place an order for carne asada or pollo asado. On New Year's Day, I arrived at the store and got my cake. I went to the hot food bar to order our catering package and was told immediately that there were only a few options available that day since it was a holiday and there were none. There was no carne Asada or Pollo asado. The lady behind the counter was not helpful or even apologetic. There was some pulled chicken and maybe some beans? Like two options. Wow, thanks a lot. had guests coming in three hours with no food. So I decided to go to my local Mexican restaurant and ordered plates from them and they were happy to accommodate my order and even put it all in separate containers for me. Thank you very much I will never go to Kaelins again. The cake was ok, light and fluffy but very plain. read more