5 stars for Malincho. This is a very nice European/Bulgarian grocery store. I'd recommend picking up some of the Feta Cheese or salted meats like the pastrama or the filet and cut it up into small slices it goes great with cheese and beer. The spicy lutinitsa sold in this store is great too. There's a huge variety of groceries you wouldn't see in a normal store like Jewel - I highly recommend a visit. read more

One of the best restaurants in Chicago! Always fresh, homemade food. I buy delicacies here three times a week. read more

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Second time receiving items that are within weeks of expiration and do not taste good. First time receiving perishable cheese and meat that arrived on time and was warm to the touch, with a warm, melted ice pack and expansion of the packaging. The customer service was condescending. I was given a lesson in temperature fluctuation and told to put items in the fridge. Here is an example of their response. read more

Malincho Fresh - Customer service response - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Great selection of rare European food items, unfortunately almost everything I bought was expired - Kinderschokolade had expired 5 months ago, liquor filled pralines expired 4 months ago, Dr. Oetger Vanille Pudding expired in 7 months ago and so on..... Check products' expiration date first ! read more

Be careful on the shelves the expiration dates aren't always good, some stuff is bad. But personally I go for the in house/ deli foods and they don't miss! Amazing food and the Russian salad is my favorite! read more

Don't order online. Their shipping is overpriced rip off, and you are not getting the perishable food frozen or on time to be safe. Their customer service is irresponsible and rude. read more

I bought cow feta cheese big container. There are 4 blocks of feta in a row. It was impossible to remove a block as a whole piece because it crumbles terribly. I am Bulgarien and I am ashamed such a trash is made there. Malincho is buying cheep feta. In BG, now, everybody who is not lazy enough opens his own business and make all kind of crap. Now I am buying ITHAKI feta from Restaurant Depot​. Malincho feta quality is not even close to Ithaki. read more

They have nice varieties of Balkan foods, but their customer service for online shopping is not the best. Not only they don't update the available (or not available) products, but sometimes they simply don't send them. Whitout notification or apology. But my worst experience so far was being forced (for lack of other option) to pay for UPS Second Day Air delivery an arm and a leg, and not receiving the package for a week. I spent most of the day trying to argue with UPS, because Malincho sales team couldn't care less. They simply instructed me to take pictures of the spoiled products when I receive them, and send them the picture over to file a claim. How can you possibly prove that a frozen meat is spoiled being in a box in room temperature for a week??? You can't show the bacteria on the picture. So, if you don't have a better option and still want to shop from Malincho online, stay away from their frozen food section. Not only you'll be ripped off by delivery charges but you might get yourself a nasty food poisoning. read more

Wonderful Bulgarian store with lots of options. They have teas, spices, and a delicious bakery with traditional foods. Highly recommend

MEAT ME PARTY I've never been to this location but someone brought the sliced Bulgarian Pork Shoulder to a party. The platter of meat hit the table and everyone dived in. It was so good and we couldn't stop eating it. We finally asked the people who brought the dish about the meat. The funny part was that they were Bulgarian and no longer ate meat but they brought a meat platter to a party. I'm going to say that they are really cool. I can never imagine a world where a vegetarian would bring meat to a party. I will definitely go and get some of this meat for myself. It was like a really good prosciutto meets a pastrami lunch meat. They also brought a giant feta pie. When they put it on the table all you could smell was the butter. I was amazed at how strong the smell was. I knew that the flaky crust was going to be good. The lady who brought it told us that she wasn't sure about how it tasted because they have different varieties and this was the only one left. I waited for her to have a slice and then asked what she thought. She then told me that she has had better before. I enjoyed her honesty. After a couple of hours I cut myself a slice and honestly it was pretty bad. It was all dry feta cheese wrapped in a flaky croissant type of pastry. I'd never order this but the sliced meat was incredible. I truly know why this was the last feta pie available. If your looking to be a hit at your next party then bring a giant plate of sliced Bulgarian Pork Shoulder. You'll make new friends who will want to know all about your amazing meat. There's nothing more exciting then bonding over a giant plate of meat at a party. Think about serving this at your next summer party and then meat me at the food table because I will be there. read more

Malincho Fresh - The Bulgarian Pork Shoulder is amazing. - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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This place is pretty cool. I randomly stopped here because I like checking out foreign delis and stores. It's just a fun gamble. Anyways I had some kinda pastry filled with cheese and spinach. It was really good. They were playing techno music which made me giggle. read more

This is by far the biggest Bulgarian grocery store in Chicago. It has a lot of the goodies I used to enjoy when I was a little girl. Their prices are phenomenal and the staff is awesome, they might seem a little sharp but in Bulgaria it's common and it's not meant to be rude. Also try their cheeses and meats in the deli, they have amazing Bulgarian-style sandwich meat ;) P.S. Pretty much any sweet you try will make your mouth water so even you won't go wrong with any selection, even if you're picky. read more

Malincho Fresh - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Total garbage Second time buying feta cheese that is no good. Whole box for the garbage. read more

I'm ordering from them for long ,long time , years . But I realize , in the last time customer service lack . They did not send email with tracking ( I have to call after a few days ) , also shows merchandise in stock , received the package without products , and after one day after receiving the package they refund it , so technically they used my money for couple of days , and after refund it . I will look for similar products in a different place read more

I really shouldn't be reviewing this place. This tiny store wasn't created for me. It was created for the growing multitude of Bulgarian expats moving into Des Plaines in recent years. It is really little more than a convenience store with pre-packaged cookies, crackers, soda, and bottled water (I know, right? Like we need to be shipping bottled water from Bulgaria. I guess I should have tried some. It takes up almost half the store.). They also have freezers full of large chunks of packaged sheep and goat cheese. The large rolls of sausage did not look terribly appetizing to me. They also have a large selection of olives. I did buy and really enjoyed, the prepackaged and frozen baklava. Really surprisingly good. As well as a package of cookies called Kremena. Also good. But honestly, if you're not Bulgarian, you really feel like a tourist in here and they will recognize you as such though not rudely. Just kinda like, why are you here? I came, I saw, I may be back for the baklava. read more

Hi, i like to support Bulgarian businesses in US, but this one store is ridiculous. I went there on monday july 27th and bought 2 packs of 7 days mini croissants and a whole case of mura waffle candy bars. I did not pay attention to the expiration date on neither, but i will make sure i will send them an inspector who will. I live in San Diego now and i always shop for Bulgarian food when i go to chicago and it is very disappointing when come back home and i bring an expired food to my love ones. read more

Malincho is a Bulgarian deli and mini market located in a shopping plaza off of Lee Street and down the street from Mehanata restaurant. They also carry some German foods that I saw, including sausage and chocolate items. Here, you can find Lutenitsa (Bulgarian tomato based vegetable spread), Lukanka (Bulgarian sausage), Cerene (Bulgarian Feta cheese), Kashkavel (Bulgarian hard yellow cheese), Banitsa (pastry with things like feta or spinach baked into it), Bulgarian chocolates, wafers, cakes, etc etc. Note: Malincho does not sell liquor. Go to Jim's Liquors in Schiller Park for this. This place is clean, very organized, and has a great website (for those residing out of state). The food here is good, fresh, and authentic. Some of the staff speaks English, which is always helpful. read more

First time ordered from them and oh Lord, world class packaging, super fast shipping and great communication. Will order again.

Very fun Bulgarian market. Great variety of snack items and spices. Prices are very reasonable. The peach cookies from the deli were fantastic. Loved all of the awesome variety. read more

Malincho Fresh - Deli Cookies. - Cheese Shops Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

I've only been in here a couple times, but have left happy both times. Lots of quality and variety of imported items, and fresh deli meats and pastries. The kebapche (cevapi) are very good here, as well as the baklava. Lots of interesting things to try, and at fair prices. Service was friendly both times, english-speaking staff were welcoming. If you're familiar with other varieties of eastern euro food, this place isn't all that different. I wish people would appreciate diversity a little more than being afraid of it. read more

, - !!! , . ..!!!! : , , , , - , () , ..!!!! , .., ..!!! !!! - ..!!! .. Business!!! Marga Stefa California read more

Every time I go there and I want my Bulgarian sudjuk and pastarma sliced one particular lady at the counter always gives me a look and rolls her eyes.Today tho she was beyond disrespectful to my willingness to spend money at that store so she can get paid as well... I arrived at the store at 6-15pm and she rolled her eyes like usual and told me that she just cleaned her slicer and she said "I just sanitized the machine with dangerous chemicals and it will be your responsibility if You get poisoned", seriously how you gonna start using this slicer tomorrow morning then poor customers they will get poisoned . She just didn't want to cut my meat 45min before the store closes i understand if I was the last min customer but , you should put a sign "we don't slice anything pass 6pm "so you don't refuse service to people who pay your wages !That really left a bitter taste in my mouth because I even tip you guys and you never said thank you I'm sorry but you are not doing me a favor because you provide a service If you don't want to work Stay home other international stores have the same products that I buy from you I will spend my money there from now on!! read more

I'm not Bulgarian but Russian and love to come here to grab some sweets. They have some delicious cookies and there are a ton of fresh options. Some of the chips are really good too. I like their sausage - the one especially encased in herbs and spices. Very fresh. The packaged pita is good to buy and keep in the freezer. I make it whenever we have guests over. It's pretty good! You can get Greek/Serbian coffee here too. The other reviews are on point - certain foods are past expiration date - always check!!!! read more

My family and I have been shopping here for many years, but we were very disappointed to see that COVID-19 guidelines were not enforced whatsoever. The cashier was not wearing a mask. The employees behind the deli pulled down their masks and touched the food without gloves. Customers were allowed to shop without masks. At a time when cases are expected to rise in Illinois, I expected Malincho to take greater responsibility. It wasn't safe at all. read more

All the food that we ordered was expired and did not test okay! I ordered 2 months ago for about 200 dollars but all the dry salami was disgusting! Malincho is maybe good businessman but the quality of his business is one star........ More important is quality not quantity! read more

The real spot to go is in the back corner. There's a whole counter of delicious prepared foods! Grilled sausages and meats. Eggplant with, potatoes with cheese and zucchini, yogurt and pepper dips! I think it's cooked in the back kitchen and I've never been disappointed. Very delicious! read more

It may be pretty obvious to some locals, but in case you didn't know it, Des Plaines has a significant Bulgarian population. Besides the little liquor shop near the Metra station, St. Sofia Church on Oakton and Mehanata Restaurant, you can add this little deli to the list of Bulgarian places in town. I was at a friend's house in Des Plaines - he's Bulgarian too, of course. As I was talking to him, his wife walked in with grocery bags containing all sorts of refrigerated and frozen packaged snacks and ice cream bars with Cyrillic letters of their language. It caught my attention since I never saw some of these products before at my usual ethnic store, Shop & Save. So, being the inquisitive Yelper that I am, I asked where she got it. "Malincho," my friend replied. Malincho is in a little strip mall shop on Lee Street north of Oakton, near the big Starbucks and not far from the Aldi sign. It has a very narrow storefront, but it was obvious from the number of cars parked near it on a Friday evening, that this place was the main attraction right there. Since I was going to hang out with my friend for a while at Starbucks anyway, he offered to give me his own tour of the shop beforehand. When I walked in, I just saw shelves loaded with various cookies, biscuits and snacks, all imported. It was immediately obvious that this wasn't like the usual Polish deli. While there were a few Polish products, the bulk of the items was Bulgarian or maybe even Russian. Most of the shoppers looked like regular, hard-working folks of eastern European descent looking for a taste of their homeland here in the US. In the back of the store was a deli with a good assortment of meats and cheeses, but what got my attention more was the array of refrigerators and freezers surrounding it. All kinds of imported cheeses, many from sheep's or goat's milk. There's also various kinds of sausages to choose from. Of course, I saw the ice cream sandwiches and other frozen snacks that first got my attention. Compared to Sofia Liquor in downtown Des Plaines, that place is a convenience store with booze, some select items on the shelves and lots of phone cards. On the other hand, this can be called a true Bulgarian deli and food store. A lot of the items are a bit pricier than your Polish deli staples, but at the same time you can't find these anywhere else. I had to come out with something from here. My friend recommended these frozen coarse-ground sausages without casings, about 8 in the package. While the package was unmarked for other than the date packaged and the price of nearly $11,it didn't offer the name of what they're called. He promised me that I'd love these on the grill. I took these sausages home to try. While I gave this place only 3 stars, it's mostly due to a lack of familiarity with their variety. I'll bump this place to 4 stars, pending my final verdict on these sausages. Stay tuned... Malincho also has a very well-organized web site listing all their products, as they are not just a storefront business. It is worth a look to see all the variety of their online shop too. read more

Price vs quality tradeoff here is amazing. Feta is 60-80% cheaper than whole foods. I've ordered online every 3 months. Product is delivered quickly and can't beat the price point. Great variety of product and a few countries of origin, definitely worth checking out. read more

I lived in Bulgaria for two years and often order food from malincho.com. Since I was in Chicago last week I made a point of stopping by. It reminded me of the little store in Bulgaria and it was great to get some Bulgarian snacks and juices. It was also a lot of fun to speak Bulgarian again. When I'm back in Chicago, I'll definitely hit this store up again. read more

I come here now and then for European candy and baked goods. Very reasonable prices. I would agree with a lot of the reviews here though that be diligent on checking expiration dates. The store is clean with Euro Dance Beats playing and the staff has always been friendly to me. read more

The twin sisters were so helpful. Best place to shop for sweets, mineral water, feta cheese and salami.

My coworkers always take their lunch from this place so I decided to go with them last week and see for myself what the fuss is. The sandwiches are amazing in here. read more

EXPIRED!!! EXPIRED Russian salad, EXPIRED packaged goods, EXPIRED food!!! Why are you selling expired food??? I have complained on a couple of occasions to the staff there but the only response i got was an angry look. So typical! Stop getting advantage of the lack of competition. If there were a lot more Bulgarian stores around, I'm sure you wouldn't be selling your expired food to people. read more

I have been ordering from Malincho for a long time. Initially orders arrived right away (it took 24 hours to get order in Maryland), quality was top notch and perishable goods were packaged with dry ice. This is not the case any more. I just received my latest order and was really disappointed. One of the items that I was charged for was missing. There was no dry ice. My cured meats were shriveled and tiny. My tin of white cheese had leaked and the tin is a little rusty on the outside. I will end up throwing it away because I do not feel it's safe to eat. The standardization is completely lacking: I ordered 2 pieces of beef sudjuk Tandem. They are visibly different sizes although the price is the same, since they are priced by the piece and not by weight. This will be my last order from this store. read more

Wish there is a way to NOT give a star at all, they sure do not deserve it. Made an order worth 140 dollars only to find out that when it was shipped to me majority of the items I received were EXPIRED!!! Some of them were about to expire 4 days later unless.....you can eat 20 croissants within 4 days. When contacted the seller they simply responded that the items were ON SALE BE CAUSE EXPIRED and this was NOT disclosed anywhere. NO REFUND MADE as of now. Keep your money and don't waste your time. Stay away from Malincho if you want to stay healthy. BRINGING THE BULGARIAN WAY OF MAKING BUSINESS TO the USA is A GREAT WAY TO REPRESENT US as BULGARIANS. read more

Best Feta cheese I have found in Chicago. Absolutely excellent.

I've ordered items for the total of $150.46. I got items for only $28.60. I called customer service 4 times and every time an answer machine responded "WE ARE NOT AVAILABE RIGHT NOW" They are nowhere to be found when it comes to missing items. Very disappointed. read more