Such a cool find! I stopped into Cliff's Meat Market in Carrboro to pick up some dino bones for my husband to smoke, and I was pleasantly surprised by how unique and interesting the selection is! They have all kinds of cuts and meats you don't typically see at your average grocery store. Being from Texas, I especially appreciated seeing some of the cuts and spices used in traditional Mexican dishes. There's just something sweet about browsing a good old-fashioned meat market and discovering something new. Definitely a place I'll be coming back to -- such a cool spot! read more

Recently discovered Cliff's Meat Market. I'm always welcomed and find people are very helpful. The seaks I buy are always tender, delicious and habit forming. I no longer buy beef at the supermarket as Cliff's surpass their offerings by a lot. If you're in the market for unusual meat, like rabbit, frog or alligator this is your place as well. read more

I passed Cliff's meat Market one day while driving to the bank. I was new in town, and wanted to buy meat for Easter. However it was something the grocery stores didn't carry. Well, let me tell you, that was the best fresh ham I ever had! The butchers were as nice as could be and the meat was perfect! I go there all the time now for my meat purchases. Thanks for being here! Karen H. read more

I've never been here, but I called to see if there meat was organic/ all natural and to see if they're chicken was air chilled, he gave me no details and that everything was all natural and then I finally asked the air chilled chicken question he had no idea what that meant, so then I changed my question to is there any retaining water? (Retaining water means that it was dumped in chlorine air chilled means it was not dumped in chlorine) when I asked if there was retaining water, the response was no we don't put the chicken in water which is not what that even means idk how all u do is work with meat and you know nothing of it, also sounded like he was reading a packaging i'm guessing they don't get their meat locally. I'm guessing they get it from the same place the grocery store. read more

Been shopping here for a long time. I appreciate the personal service. My favorite thing to get here is meat for my chili. If you ask, the guys behind the counter will handcut the meat to your specifications. read more

Hands down the best ! Fresh cut , quality meat - we had burgers , hot dogs , ribs all amazing - but the stand out for me was the bacon and the seasoned carnita asada - so freaking delicious! read more

I appreciate the effort that Cliff's makes to exist, and believe me, it is an effort. They provide an excellent alternative for basic shopping (especially meat) to the big grocery chains. You can have a hard time distinguishing quality, though that's really a nod to how good the meat from Cliff's is. There are non-meat items here, too, basic convenience-store type stuff. The meat is what you really come here for. The prices are comparable to a Food Lion. read more

Cliff's Corner Meat Market - the outside of the building - Seafood Markets Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

Great Customer service. Good quality meat. Very happy with the service. I go once every two weeks. Has become my biweekly outing. Will continue going.. read more

Asked the owner to back up so I could pay for my order - he was blocking the customer side of the counter. He had no mask. He said "I have had both shots and I don't give a sh*t about all that". Well, many of us do. read more

Cliff's is a solid place to go for meat, if you know what to expect. Firstly, not all the meat is always fresh. That means that you should go to Cliff's perhaps without a specific meat requirement, but rather go in and ask what is fresh that day. When the meat is fresh, it is pretty great. They make fresh chorizo on Tuesday's which I have become a regular buyer of. Another way is to call ahead and find out what day they get fresh meat X on. The prices at Cliff's are great, especially for a proper butcher. Some of my regular purchases are chorizo, ground pork, pork chops, and ground beef; they are all at about the price range of a discount deal at Wal-mart or food lion. They have a huge range of meat, but a limited selection of fresh meat (they have a lot of frozen). But, unless you really need something specific, why bother with frozen? So i definitely think the way to shop at Cliff's is to go in and browse rather than look for something specific. I don't think the meat is very fresh on the weekends, so I usually go on the weekdays. read more

The guys at Cliffs (including Cliff) are awesome, and they have every cut you could ask for. They know their meat, so if you are looking for something specific or if you have questions, do not be afraid to ask and learn something. It's not the prettiest building, inside or out. They handle the meat with expertise - from selecting, to cutting, to trimming. You won't find better butcher hands. Prices are very reasonable, with some items going for much less than the supermarket. Tough to beat if you are particular about your cuts of meat and aren't finding what you need at the typical supermarket. Added Jun 2018 - Noticed a few customer's complaints about the smell and/or cleanliness. The building is run down, but they are clean butchers. The smell? It smells like a butcher. Please, grow up people. 4.5 stars read more

Everyone raves about Cliff's, but I don't understand the appeal. I try to support local businesses but I can get better quality meat at Harris Teeter, Fresh Market, etc. First, I'll cop to being somewhat intimidated by the selection. Upon entering, my knowledge of chops always seems to evaporate, leaving me unsure of what to get. This being a butcher, I'd expect employees willing to assist, but I haven't seen that to be the case. On my visits I've been stonewalled into ordering nothing fancier than a fillet. The meat I've gotten at Cliff's has never been especially good. It's always very "gamey" and lacks flavor. I've also gotten some crappy cuts here when I wasn't paying 100% attention to what was being wrapped up. You really have to be demanding or you'll end up with the last cut of steak that could have been tossed in the trash. I am considering trying the place again, because I hear too many good things to have had this many bad experiences. When I do go, I'll know exactly what I want before I get there. read more

This place is renown for its high quality meats and service. For a meat lover stepping into this shop is like stepping into candy store. On first sight your mouth will begin to water and you'll swear you smell the grill burning in the back yard. Their selection is top-notch and they really are helpful. Most every time I stop in to buy something they're more than happy to offer preparation ideas. read more

I was looking for a different place to purchase goat meat. I found this on my Google search. It seems reasonable priced (I hope). Bought goat meat $4.99/lb. They chopped up the meat to my preferred size. Friendly staff read more

Cliff is super helpful and provided excellent service. The entire staff was helpful and accommodating. Great prices! Frequent buyer from Cliffs and it never disappoints. read more

Giving this place one star just because you don't like the smell of meat is absurd (not referring to Patrick H., who clearly got a bad cut, but to the other commenter who left a one star rating just because she feels that it ruins her "image" of Carrboro. A little narrow-minded for a town that claims to embrace diversity, wouldn't you say?). It's a butcher shop! If you're not a fan of meat, what are you doing here? I've always receive top-notch product and service whenever I visit Cliff's. I don't eat a ton of meat and thus don't visit often enough to be considered a regular, so I know that this service isn't preferential. Cliff does a lot for the community and provides a wonderful service - it's so nice to be able to go to a true butcher and get fresh, quality product and not the stuff wrapped in plastic and styrofoam at the grocery store. Their ground chuck is less expensive than what I've found at Harris Teeter or Weaver Street, and makes absolutely delicious burgers. I also like that I can find great chorizo here as well. read more

It doesn't smell anymore. Service was great!!! Clean the shop has new flooring in the shop. Staff is still nice I will definitely be back because I think they have great pork chops. read more

It was nice to go to an actual butcher for a change. The selection was pretty good. It's a small butcher, so I didn't expect megamart selection. On the other hand there was tons of items that I would never find at the grocery store. Don't that everything is locally sourced or organic, but Cliff does take pride it his meat quality and providing it at a reasonable price, and he'll tell you all about your meat if you're interested. Just the fact that I can call him up and special order something for an occasion or get my steaks cut to order, makes it worth the trip. read more

Yesterday I bought a kilo (approx 2.2 lbs) of lamb shoulder from Cliffs. This was the only place I could find it everyone else only had legs and chops but when you are making stews and curries shoulder is best. Well the price was ridiculous $25 and it was frozen! When I told the girl at the register that I thought the price was high all she said was well at least we have it! I asked them to cube it for me to save time. Now while preparing my lamb curry for dinner this evening I see that I only have 1.8 lbs of meat the rest was fat! I even took a pic with my phone to post so everyone could see how bad it is! Too bad I can't upload it to this site. Doesn't live up to its reputation. read more

Cliff's Corner Meat Market - A lot of fat on this lamb shoulder. Should not have sold this as meat it was mostly fat and expensive $25/kilo!! - Seafood Markets Near Me - Carrboro, North Carolina

I am new to the area, an avid meat eater and lover of fresh meat/butcher shops. I also move alot, and always seek a good butcher each time we move to a new place. I am so excited to be here in the Triangle area, it's really a food lovers dream! So much access to fresh, local, organic food. By far, for access to food (and many other factors!), this is the best place we have lived. That being said, I was seriously disappointed in Cliff's. I had eaten at several restaurants that listed Cliff's as their supplier and had seen it in my travels about the area. I read these reviews before I went in, but really figured I would just have to find out for myself. I'll list my issues now: 1. The smell: It's legit. The place definitely smells. I know it's an old building, but I think that if you are going to sell meat, you've got to do something about that smell. My confidence level immediately dropped. 2. Sanitation: Both guys that handled and cut my meat were not wearing gloves. NOT WEARING GLOVES! AT ALL! Now, I am no germophobe, but raw food/meat is one of those things that you don't play around with. Completely unacceptable. Additionally, their health department score was a 90, which is low compared to every other restaurant and store I have been to in this area. This experience is continuing to go south. 3. Customer Service: Knowledge of the product in their cases is pretty low. No signs, prices, nothing. I asked several questions, got a lot of blank looks and vague answers. I forged ahead and ordered 2 New York Strips, 3/4 pound each. I got a package totalling 1.24 pounds. I told the guy, shouldn't this be 1.5 lbs? He said yeah, but we can't always get it exact. Then just stood there holding it out to me. No offering to fix it. I stood there waiting for him to decide that customer service always wins the day! Finally, he offered to fix it, with a not so happy look on his face. He said "It's only a 1/4 pound short". He re-cut a steak and handed me two steaks dramatically different in thickness, so I will have to cook them separately. A butcher shop should know how to portion cuts if you are going to offer that service to your customers. 4. Price: Price is good, but I feel like I got what I paid for. So here's the problem. Should I even eat these steaks? My concern is that the employees/owners clearly aren't concerned with the details. So are they paying attention to things like cross contamination and washing their hands frequently since they aren't wearing gloves? Are they cleaning their equipmment and cutting surfaces as they should? My take on Cliff's is that it is coasting on it's past success, and what it offers now simply cannot be what has kept it in business in years past. I do NOT believe that a butcher shop has to be a cold, sterile and brand new place (I've had many favorites that were not in other locations), but it must be clean and knowledgeable. I will keep looking for a butcher in the area. read more

Cliff's has been in business for over 26 years and has top quality meats, i.e. lamb, beef, pork, poultry and fish. They will also special order products such as, bison, alligator, rattle snake and venison. They offer an excellent restaurant and store delivery service for your convenience. The staff is helpful and professional, they're also very knowledgeable about the products and the best ways to serve them up. read more

Cliff's is amazing, but the establishment comes with some caveats. It's a butcher shop. There is blood and viscera everywhere because they are taking down whole carcasses. It smells like it, and it looks like it. If you are put-off or intimidated by animals being processed, don't go here. Hygiene - there are no laws regarding wearing gloves while butchering, nor should there be. Handling meat in volume with gloves is tedious and puts the butcher at risk; tactile response goes out the window, they slide off, stray bits of silicon/nitrile/latex may end up in cuts (not because a butcher lacks knife skills, rather the butcher knows exactly where his knife is, but not where the glove is given it's just a limp sock over a skilled hand). Lastly, gloves don't work well with fat; the fat in flesh is more easily gripped by a naked hand than a gloved one. Support your local butchers' hands' well-being; don't get pissy about gloves. If you don't know how to cook - I mean cook, not wade through recipes - you probably should make your purchases at a standard grocery store. This is a butcher. However, what you get is expertise and selection that blows past your standard grovery; there's a ton of stuff in cold-storage (where else are you going to find rabbit and frog legs year round?). If you don't speak Spanish and are living in North Carolina, learn Spanish. Yeah, the majority of the staff are native Spanish-speaking. Deal with it; North Carolina has had the highest net in-migration of Latin Americans for the past 5 years. Learn Spanish if you need details about cuts, quality, preparations, special treatments, off-menu items, etc. Product knowledge among staff is exceptionally high, but you have to have a valid question; "how do I cook this?" is a ridiculous question, and "what's this?" is just insulting. I hear both questions regularly, and they're always from people that will never set foot in Cliff's again, but likely to post a negative review that's proxy for their own ignorance of food, food culture, food safety, butchery, etc. Seasonality and Price - people seem to forget (or just never learned) that meats have seasonality. Sure, animals are raised and pastured year-round, but there are high points for grass-fed and grain-fed animals. These result in fluctuating prices, premiums, frozen, and standard quality cuts. If you expect the price of a given protein to stay the same year-round, you should be arguing for the price consistency of blueberries, whose growing seasons shift from North Carolina, to California, and Mexico... which would be insane. The staff are well-aware of these fluctuations, and if you take the time to ask about them, they're more than happy to fill you in. As another reviewer said - don't go in here with a specific recipe in mind; go in as a cook that knows how to riff on a protein. Lastly, Cliff's will accommodate all special needs; crown of lamb; foie gras torchon prep; confit prep; pate prep - they do it all, you just have to ask - like a human. Hands down, best butcher in the Chapel Hill / Carrboro area, and goes head to head with The Butcher's Market. read more

We've frequented Cliff's for years. The quality of product and knowledge of staff is exceptional. I have 2 favorite topics about shopping there. 1) Cliff. He has such wonderful customer relation skills and is delighted to impart his vast knowledge about all things meat/prep/cuts/processing, etc. 2) Cliff will NEVER buy from Smithfield who is owned by China. ALL, and I mean ALL Harris Teeter pork is Smithfield. So, Cliff will be supplying our family's pork. I'm interested in supporting our farmers - not China. He carries the Cackalacky products for a fraction of the A Southern Season price and sells pink salt by the ounce/pound. I would have to mail order to get pink salt (curing salt) if he didn't sell it this way. And yes, his pink salt is a fraction of the mail order price. Others have posted that you can get any cut of meat you need. So, I won't go into detail as they are absolutely right except to say the staff at Cliff's didn't bat an eye when this little woman asked for a whole pork belly cut unto 4 chunks so I could fit it into my bar fridge. As for cleanliness- it's clean. Yeah, there's a bit of a smell but I can guarantee you the smell at the meat processing plants that service the major grocery stores are far worse. You just don't smell it in the big grocery stores because whole animal processing happens elsewhere. It arrives to the grocery store butchery mostly already processed- most of which is already in its package. Go look for yourself. You be the judge. read more

Hmmm let's see, how did our trip to Cliff's go? Walked in the door. Thought it smelled a bit funny. There were 2 or 3 others in there so I passed the time by perusing the meat selection. Meat in the main counter looked OK. Behind the main counter was a second cabinet... And no joke, there was a side of meat (ham?) which had blue mold growing on it. Large clumps of blue mold. We high-tailed it out of there quicker than you could say "listeria epidemic". Never. Again. read more

Some friends introduced me to bacon with the rind still on. It was love at first bite. After calling several meat markets in my area, Cliff's was the only place that offered it so I decided to give them another shot. If you've read my other review of Cliff's, you'd know that I did not intend to go back there. Well, I'm glad that I did. This time, I asked to smell the bacon before they wrapped it. They had no problem with that. It smelled good so I bought a couple pounds of it. I felt like I was getting a good deal given the thickness (very thick) and price of the bacon ($3.99 per lbs). I'd shop here again, but I still caution everyone to check the meat before buying it. read more

I have been shopping at Cliff's regularly for several years and here is my take on it: What I like: good selection, really good prices, and specialties like their house breakfast sausage, chorizo, Al Pastor, etc. Cliff and his staff are knowledgeable and friendly and the location is good with easy parking. What could be improved: the place needs a facelift. Inside and out. I suspect that not much has changed in 30 years. Also, I have had some meats, especially chicken, turn within 48-72 hours of purchase leading me to believe that some products are not very fresh. I will continue to be a patron of Cliff's as he has the best prices on our household staple meats, the location is convenient and the staff is friendly. read more

I live in Carrboro and have been going to Cliff's for about four years now. Not once have I received a bad cut of meat and not once have I seen "blue mold" growing on anything. I have ordered special dinners in advance (turkey for Thanksgiving, duck for New Year) and have not had a problem, I was sorry to read about the problems with the whole hog. Cliff's is a butcher shop, most of the meat tends to be bought locally and you can order special cuts at the amount you prefer, exactly what I want and need in a butcher shop. What other local store has been open for almost forty years? What other local store has such diversity in both the customers and employees? Great local butcher shop, period. read more

I went here for 4 nice T-bones to grill for a few guests I was having over. I was disappointed by the selection at Harris Teeter, and someone recommended I come to Cliff's. The selection here wasn't that much better than the grocery store. They did tell me they'd be getting more in next week, but that was way too long for me to wait as the event was in 3 days. The rest of their cuts looked good though, and I settled for 4 ribeyes. Normally this wouldn't be that big of a deal, but for a meat market, I expected better options. read more

I love the owner cuz she's so nice. One time, I rode my bike and broke my knees. the owner of the store gave me water and bandage to cover the fucking bruize. they are just nice. read more

We ordered a whole pig to roast and what we got from Cliff's was perfect. It was trimmed and cleaned such that it could go right on the grate to cook. You often have to trim some hair or fat on whole pigs but we didn't need to do anything (other than add the rub, of course). I don't see any need to go anywhere else for a whole pig. I know I won't. read more

Inexpensive, good meat. It is better quality than a supermarket, contrary to other reviewers' opinions. The place does have a bit of a smell, not Upton Sinclair bad, but not good either. If they took more time to clean the display and tidy up the customer-area up a bit, I would give it 4.5 stars. This place is not on the same level as Roses Meats and Sweets or The Meat House, but it is half the price. read more

I used to be a meat eater, but I can't stomach even walking into Cliff's. The smell is just awful, and reeks. It's too bad that Carrboro has this on their main square- like Wendy's, it kind of ruins the image Carrboro has carefully crafted for itself. read more

Sketchy place. Odd smell, not particularly clean. Most of the meat is frozen, not fresh.

I don't get my meat there but some swear by it. I think it's dirty and always smells suspect.

I am astounded that anyone would say that Cliff's doesn't fit the image of Carrboro when Cliff's is actually so much a part of Carrboro's past and present. What a great guy and how wonderful that Carrboro deserves Cliff's and Cliff deserves Carrboro. Love the chorizo and the steaks and the wings. read more

The owner never followed-up about the problem I had. Although the brisket was of good quality, I was not happy with the service overall and don't plan on returning as a result. read more

Cliff's is a treasure. I've been shopping there for 6 yrs, and wouldn't consider buying meat anywhere else. Never had anything that wasn't fresh and wonderful. They'll cut the meat exactly the way you want it, and the prices are right. And the meats they prepare there, such as breakfast sausage, are excellent. read more

i like it a lot..they have ground chuck from piedmontese cattle..it makes the best flipping hamburgers you can make...i go there in the summertime every saturday because i go to the carrboro farmer's market every saturday during the summer..it is the best farmer's market in the triangle.....anyways..cliff's ain't fancy..it is old timey...and i enjoy talking to cliff when he's there... read more