How good was my experience at Old World Meat Company? So good, I cried. I grew up eating Balkan…read morefood and my first bite of the cevap (minced meat sausage but there is no casing; just the meat hand-formed and grilled) tasted like "the olden days" and tears started flowing because of the happy memories and flavors it brought back. Bosko and his family own, operate, and create the menu at this restaurant and they are friendly and welcoming and passionate about the food and service they offer, and it felt like coming home. The Food: I had the Mixed Plate, which comes with grilled minced meat sausage, grilled pork shoulder and a side of coleslaw (prepared the Balkan way with oil and vinegar). I chose the Balkan toppings, so the meat was served on a naan type bread topped with the Balkan toppings which consists of white onions, kajmak (feta cheese/cream/butter spread), diced bell peppers, and ajvar (bell pepper and eggplant spread). The sausage is perfectly seasoned, the pork shoulder tender. A friend and I also shared a half-order of Balkan Fries with sausage topped with Balkan toppings. The combination of the fries, sausage and toppings is a tantalizing, mouth-watering marriage of flavors. Bosko brought a sample of the chicken since we hadn't ordered it and it was full of flavor and oh so tender. If you've never had Balkan food, you are in for a very delicious treat. The first time you eat here, I suggest you get the Mixed Plate with Balkan Toppings. Ask them to add a side of chicken to your plate so you can sample that too. I think you'll find you've died and gone to Balkan heaven. If you want to know what every person of Balkan heritage grew up eating, this is what we were eating. The Drink: They offer a good variety of beers on tap, both local brews and name-brand. Soft drinks and iced tea are self-serve. Nice. The Ambiance: The restaurant is located in an older, tiny little shopping mall almost at the end of East Valley Parkway. Bosko's father bought the building back in the 70s so this is a location that is near and dear to Bosko's heart. As you first walk up to the restaurant, the first thing you notice is the wonderful smell of the smoker filling the air with the unmistakable scent of good-meat-things-happening. Taste buds, get ready for a grand ride. There are picnic tables outside but it was a warm day and we wanted to sit inside. Inside you are greeted with a clean, open and welcoming space, newly decorated with bright white tile in the kitchen and service area, and rustic wood boards on the wall. Seating is at either picnic-style tables or taller tables with stools. Two TV sets were airing sports programs, adding to the relaxing atmosphere. The ceiling features open duct work that's shiny and new and there's corrugated metal sheet on the bottom half of the walls, which all together makes the place feel fresh and warm and comfortable. The menu is easy to read and straight-forward. While we were there, a softball team was hosting their end-of-year party. The place was full to the rafters but we never felt like it was too many people or too loud. Value: The prices are extremely reasonable. Let's just say my eyeballs didn't pop out of their sockets like they do at some restaurants. Everyone in my party was pleased with the portion sizes, and we all felt like we got more than what we paid for in terms of the quality of the food and the taste of the food. Catering: Bosko was telling us a little about how he came around to opening the restaurant and we learned that before this he did catering, serving whole roasted pig, lamb, sausages. He shared that they are going to cater for an event that will have 1,200 people!! The softball team I mentioned in "The Ambiance" section had their food catered in-house by Bosko. They had hero sandwiches which looked fresh and delicious and fully loaded with deli ham, turkey and toppings. These were served with fries and a green salad. Old World Meat Co also caters the traditional Balkan foods they serve at the restaurant, which would make any party a hit with guests. Bosko is passionate about his food and culture and is eager to share it with people, so if you have a party coming up, give Bosko a call and see what he can do for you. Take Some Home: You can purchase a package of frozen sausages to take home with you. I forgot to ask if they come pre-cooked or if you grill them yourself. But either way, they would be a great addition to any meal you serve at home. Final Thoughts: Do yourself a favor. Come and partake of this oh so delicious food and I think you will find yourself wanting to come back again and again. The food. The ambiance. The value. The nicest people you'll ever meet. Old World Meat Company is the whole package. A five-star experience for sure.

For the long weekend, I was looking for some BBQ places and stumbled upon this place!…read more Got the mixed plate Balkan style. The mixed plate had beef and pork sausages along with some pork shoulder served on a pita bread and coleslaw! What is Balkan style? Onions, Bell Peppers, Sweet Bell Pepper Spread, and Butter/Feta/Cream Cheese Spread. I thought it sounded interesting, so of course I had to try it! There was quite a bit of meat and definitely filled my tummy! It was so good! I would definitely recommend this place!

I have visited this neighborhood market a couple of times. The first time, I just purchased a…read morehouse made salsa/hot sauce. It was far too watery for my tastes but during this visit however, I noticed that they sell prime graded meats including arrachera for carne asada. A few weeks later I decided to revisit the place and get a small portion of said carne asada to try. I ask for their marinated version to compare to my usual go to place on 9th street. I was stunned. It is amazingly juicy/tender. I pulled a few small pieces from the grill that were medium rare and they tasted like literal butter. It reminded me on my brother-in-law's annual Christmas prime level prime rib. At 17.99/lb for this product, it is certainly not cheap, but if you're buying for 4-6 people it is a divine choice. Easily the best arrachera meat I have had.

Great prime meat can be cut to order. Meat cutters are…read morehelpful. Necessities for meal prep, BBQ, Some speciality frozen protein items. Some veggies and other on site. Store is clean and the service by the meat counter and at check out is. BBQ meats, Carnitas, Cracklings, Marinated Products and more. The meat products I've purchased have cooked and tasted good. You must know how to prepare and cook to have the desired results. The steaks have be excellent on the grill and in a frying pan. One wouldn't want to ruin what good money was paid for.

LOVE LOVE LOVE KENNEDYS!!!…read more Great quality. Great seasoning!!! So many options!!! Little pricey, but WORTH IT!!!

I have loved coming to Kennedys for years. My husband and I would make a stop whenever we happen to…read morebe nearby from San Diego. The tacos were perfection and the salsas/dips couldn't be beat! Staff always exceptionally friendly. Fast forward to this Saturday..taco was inedible. I had to forgo the tortilla and just eat the meat because the tortilla was nearly raw. My husband got a burrito which was good. 1 salsa for both items, so we asked for more salsa and got exactly one more haha. Not sure what changed but no longer worth the extra effort to stop by unfortunately.

This is a really nice clean market, with excellent hot pre-made food. The prices are a bit more…read moreexpensive than grocery stores, but if you want a place that isn't packed and where the customer service is good, it's an nice alternative. Please keep in mind that the bags here are $0.20 here instead of the typical $0.10. Regarding the hot food, if you are a burrito fan definitely check out their pre-made carnitas burrito for $9.99. It is excellent and their salsa is really good. They had caldo de res too, which looked amazing but I haven't had a chance to try out yet. Their fried rice was tasty. The produce was plentiful and looked really fresh. The floral section was OK - better at Vons. We'll be coming back soon.

We have been shopping at Major Market for over 30 years, and it has truly been one of our favorite…read moremarkets of all time. They carry such a nice mix of unique specialty items along with everyday groceries, which is something we have always appreciated. That said, prices have become very high compared to nearby options. I recently compared produce prices with Trader Joe's next door, and Trader Joe's was significantly less expensive. More importantly, the last several times I have shopped in Major Market's produce section, I noticed multiple bagged salads, bagged vegetables, and even some refrigerated salad dressings that were well past their expiration dates. We have also purchased their fresh garlic croutons from the front of the store for many, many years. Recently, though, the crouton pieces were cut very long rather than into normal bite-sized pieces. These were not crostinis; they were the actual croutons. The pieces were awkward to eat and, in my opinion, could even be a choking hazard because they are not cut into manageable bite-sized pieces. I'm not sure what is going on, but shoppers should be very careful and check expiration dates closely before purchasing items from the produce/refrigerated section. I also hope the crouton issue is addressed, because Major Market has been a beloved store for our family for many years.

Green Beef supplies the BEST pasture raised pork I have ever tried!! Their happy pigs graze on…read morewalnuts which is what I believe gives them their sweet rich flavor.. Will never purchase a roast anywhere else after having one from Green Beef. Colleen is so sweet & really takes an interest in her customers. She is quick to respond & I appreciate her loyalty to her customers. Colin has been a gem, truly helpful when it comes to preparation ideas, suggestions on which cuts of meat I'd enjoy & ways to prepare them. Wonderful company!

First came across this vendor earlier this year at Encinitas Street Fair. We love checking out beef…read morejerky samples but this booth was not marketing it as "beef jerky' but Biltong. It's a South African dried meat that's air cured. We got the beef stick version and the sliced version. It became an addicting snack. It's premium meats, thin and fatty. Finally had the chance to make it to the Store. Met the owner and creator, Michael. Super friendly nice guy. He took us in the back to show us how it's made. There were two rooms. One can be considered the wet lab where meats were marinated and prep. The second room was the dry room where meats were hanged to dry. We couldn't remember which one we purchased at the fair and they had new packaging. Michael let us try samples and we ended up getting 4 different kinds. They will be celebrating two years on Saturday September 27! Be sure to come support. You can also find them weekly at the north county farmers market.

Choice of the top quality meat with South African spice OR a lighter, non-msg option. Delicious!…read moreWelcome was warm, hope they grow their SA product range.

I am so in awe over this place. My partner heard about it over conversation from some really cool…read morecustomers at her work, and decided to suprise me! Wayde (I hope thats spelled correctly) was so sweet when we walked in and gave us the run down and made some great suggestions. If you plan on sitting down to eat, I highly recommend getting there early because seating is limited but also its a great spot to grab and go to the beach! We got the DBL (as first timers) with the beef fat fries. The flavor profile and portions are SOOO worth it. Be wise and come to The Wise Ox

If you're looking for the best of the best meat, visit The Wise Ox in Carlsbad. The cuts of meat…read moreare prime and well worth the price. Wade is incredibly knowledgable, helpful and provides excellent preparation methods. The cuts of meat and service are top notch! This place reminds me of the old-fashioned meat shops. I get personalized service, am warmly greeted and I always learn something new! If you can't settle for less than the best, visit The Wise Ox in Carlsbad.

Customer service is quick Prices are great…read moreI ordered a box of New York steaks which they said they typically dry age their meats for 2 months depending on meat. Their prices vary depending on the market. But they will always beat anybody prices. This is a 5 star based off customer service and price. It's contingent on taste of the meat and how tender lol will update review after.

We got there 20 minutes before closing time, only to find out they randomly closed early that day.read more

The good: They sold tropical fruits here like cherimoya. I…read moregot tiramisu and berry tres leches cake here and they were very tasty. I liked that they had whole cakes but also tres leches in a cup or by the slice. The prices were fair. They had so many ready-to-buy cake options. They also have a huge selection of pinatas and agua frescas. They have a sit-down area that they call a food court. By the fruits, there's a small gift shop that sells random things like blankets and toys. They had awesome inflated foil balloon options. I also got fresh ceviche here, tostadas, and frozen ceviche. The bad: The tables were all a bit dirty in the food court. The interesting: This is a chain market based in SoCal.

They have the best tamales. You can't get wrong with any of them from chicken, corn, or beef. I…read morealso love their cheesecake! Staff is super friendly and store is clean, well-kept, big and organized.

Hickory Farms is open! They sell meats and cheeses, great gifts, especially for the holidays. The…read moreman working inside is super nice. Definitely recommend this location. He said they moved here from where they used to be at the North County mall.

Really good deals on a variety of packages either cheeses, meats, or both. Excellent options for…read moreelegant gifts. The staff were super helpful and friendly. This is a seasonal store that opens every year from Thanksgiving up until New Year's.