La Carniceria has some of the best tacos in Bloomington. I've moved to Arizona and still miss the food here. I believe in rating things similar to the way Roger Ebert did - on what they set out to accomplish, not what they didn't. Not to be pretentious, but to be fair to people and their work. If you're looking for a sit down restaurant with your coworkers or a place to be "seen" eating, then there are other places who will cater to those needs better. If you're looking for good tacos from a low key counter, then this is your place. Get the al pastor and try the hot sauce. Stop in and get some to go. If you don't come back, you must be just passing through town and can't make it back. I don't know if it's "authentic", because it's not my culture. But I also don't care about "authentic" or not if it's good. It's close enough for me. read more

This market has a good selection of Hispanic foods for your needs in BloNo . Prices seems reasonable as well read more

Been to the restaurant & grocery store many times over the years, starting back in 2017 - it's always been great. Once took my friend from Mexico in there for dinner & some snacks, he said the food was delicious, and that the whole place reminded him of home :) highly recommend! read more

Excellence food, friendly people, fast preparation. Highly recommended . That's all I wanted to say but yelp demanded that I write more words read more

Currently staying at a nearby small town temporarily due to husband's job , I was glad to find a Mexican grocery store. Got some seasoned taco meat , Mexican candy and tostadas. Everything looks very authentic , will be coming again soon. read more

I was appalled. It smells absolutely horrible in here; wretched, like decaying, rotting flesh. I am not particularly sensitive and I nearly vomited from the smell. There are other Mexican stores in town that don't smell this way. The Health Department needs to pay this place a visit and perhaps shut it down. read more

Love to buy some native food from my culture! It's a small shop, but totally has most of everything you need to make a good home cooked meal. There are good plantains here which I what I was looking for :) read more

To start out I have been going to this place for over 20 years and have never had a problem until yesterday 5/14. My husband and I went to go buy groceries for the week and one of the meat cutters was so rude to my husband when my husband ask him for the price on a meat he replied with saying can't you see the scale? Wow is that how you treat a customer? And on top of that he also told my husband he didn't have his time to wait for him to decide what he wanted and how much. Obviously this man is in the wrong job profession. Time to shop else where I most definitely will be going to "La Lupitas" on Market St. let me not leave out how they give you the meat cut how they want not how their costumers ask for it and how rude is it when the same meat cutters was making fun of a costumer on how he spoke Spanish. Very disappointed read more

Solid taco place! A Mexican diner with tacos, full platos, tamales (on the weekends), tortas, and a few Americanized options (They call their quesadilla the "Gringa", :D) This gringa thinks it is authentic, and I love their horchata - seriously, just ask for one (a sweet rice milk drink with cinnamon and spices). My main complaint is that everything I've tried is very dry and not terribly flavorful - and I am not expecting a dripping American taco! I love simple street tacos, but theirs don't have much umph. I prefer El Porton, but this is a great option as well, and it is a bit cheaper. read more

La Carniceria Mexicana - Tacos and a torta. - Mexican Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

Absolutely the best Mexican food in town. Completely authentic and full of flavor. I take my daughter here every time I visit her at ISU. I can't recommend this place enough. Everyone here is extremely friendly and helpful explaining any items on the menu. read more

La Carniceria Mexicana - Carne Asada tacos - Mexican Near Me - Bloomington, Illinois

Use to be outstanding ! I recently saw a health dept review that said a rodent was found in this place ! There were other violations too! I won't return until I see some better health dept ratings ! read more

OK, I'm going to give the latino perspective. We clearly need one, so here's the scoop: 1) Sabor: for this area of Illinois, es mejor! Quite good. not greasy at all. which is a plus and hard to find with americanized mexican food. make no mistake though, it's americanized mexican food but well done americanized mexican food. It is missing some "tang." perhaps mas cebollas o limon? or even sprinkling some Tajin on everything might work. but overall, pretty great food. 2) This is NOT a cheap place as other reviews suggested. By latino standards it is actually quite expensive. Even their bulk taco deal is at least twice the price you'll be used to if you are latino. In fact for everything on the menu, imagine what you're used to paying for mexican food and almost double it to predict the price. However, you probably have to drive 3 hours north to chicago to get mexican food that is target marketed to actual mexicans. They definitely have to cater to the local crowd, which means your pastor will be a la plancha, sin chile/limon/pina, no birria, and the prices will be higher (and good for them, I support them in this). 3) For a town that has goat farms, I was hoping for some chivo. Birria even! But nobody has that around here. Probably no demand. What they do have in selection is pretty great though. Whether you're latino or not, do yourself a favor and ask for the extra spicy green sauce! It's VERY good! read more

Ate here again last weekend. I got a lomo (ribeye) taco and it was killer. Thin-sliced ribeye and all the usual fixins. I also got my standby, the torta cubana. To all who read this: I have been in Bloomington a long time and I am very careful with how I choose my words. But I can say without question that the torta cubana is hands-down the best thing to eat in all of Bloomington-Normal. As an update, they no longer seem to have cesina on the menu, which is a shame because that was some delicious meat. read more

Holy Mexican goodness! I like any place that isn't classic B-N "East of Veterans Parkway" fare and La Carniceria Mexicana's taqueria definitely fits the bill. If you want a fancy sit down restaurant, you're not going to get it here. If you want two amazing barbacoa tacos (steamed beef) with a guacamole sauce that will have you seeing fire, this is definitely your place. As a previous reviewer said, stay away from the rice and beans, but definitely try the tacos. There can be a bit of a language barrier at time (my very basic Spanish helped) but the menu has English translations. The food is also DIRT cheap. I walked away with two tacos, a platter of rice and beans, and a bottle of Diet Pepsi for a little over $7. This place will never have out the door lunch crowds like most places in Bloomington-Normal, which is precisely why I love it. If you want Americanized Mexican food made by Anglo-Saxons, head down the street to Taco John's, but if you want a little taste of Mexico you'll definitely want to try this place! read more

My boyfriend and I started going to this place after finding out about this hidden gem through Yelp, and it has quickly become our go-to place for Mexican food. Here are the pros: -- Tasty tacos that don't feel like you are going to pack on the pounds. Besides your choice of meat (or avocado-- great option BTW), you just get lettuce, and tomato which is perfect if you want something light. -- Chips. Crispy tortilla chips that are not too salty. -- CHEAP. Tacos are roughly $2 each. -- Quick. It only takes a few minutes for us to order and get our tacos. The cons: -- The dining area is a little dreary. We usually pick food up to go, and that's what I would recommend. -- We've noticed that sometimes our orders, which are usually quite elaborate, are not written down correctly or not given to us completely. When you pick up your food, I suggest checking your order before you go home and realize there was a forgotten item. For cheap tacos, this is the place to go. read more

Stopped in while driving from Chi to STL, and after reading Yelp reviews our group ordered steak taco's, steak plate, chicken quesadilla & the pork Torta to go. Enjoyed the chicken quesadilla very much and the Torta was excellent, the other dishes were okay. Salsa's were very good, staff weren't very friendly but seemed efficient. Bare bones 'restaurant'. I was a little unnerved when I saw a cleaning bucket on the counter but decided to go for it anyway. I would return for the Torta but that's about it. Dropped $40 on lunch, food was good, workers could care less. The grocery store is a nice find that I will re-visit when I have more time. Three stars for the awesome Torta bread. read more

I almost missed the place! It's a hole in the wall but that means they have a secret recipe for delicious food!!! I ordered a steak taco and a marinated pork taco and it was yummy! I'm eager to come back to this place! Definitely comparable to Chicago Mexican food standards. They don't have a wide selection in the menu but everything is fairly priced and it was yummy so totally worth it! It's a self serve place so not a date place! But if you're up for good Mexican food, try this place! It's connected to the grocery stores. Like I said it's a small place hidden in the back so don't miss it! read more

I have tried every Mexican restaurant in Bloomington/ Normal and this one is easily the best. The food is fresh and authentic. (Most Mexican places serve food that tastes like it came from a can.) It is BYOB and there are no servers, just counter service. You would have to drive to Chicago to find something better. read more

Holy cow. I can't say enough good things about this place. My favorite is the steak tacos, which can sometimes be a little dry but still oh-so-good. At some point I'll be adventurous enough to try the less mainstream dishes. The place looks a little grungy and has a metal sink in the middle of the floor, but who cares? It helps you remember good manners to wash your hands before you eat. Very reasonable prices, and possibly the best tacos in town. The steak platter special is *huge*, so come hungry and leave enough room for some Gene's ice cream down the road. read more

Food - 6 stars Dinning area - 2 stars Best Mexican food in town hands-down. Chorizo tacos are the best in my opinion, and I can't wait until I get to have them again.....it can't be soon enough. read more

I gave them three stars because it is authentic mexican food, and this area sadly has very few authentic mexican places. If this taqueria had been in California though, I would have given them one. We tried a couple of tacos and a breaded steak torta. The bread was good on the torta, but the steak itself was dry. The meat on the tacos was decently seasoned. A couple of the salsas tasted funky unfortunately. I think the worst of it was that the place really didn't look clean. The front was filthy and there were torn stools in the dining area. Behind the counter was a juicer machine that looked like it hadn't been cleaned for weeks. (I hope they aren't still using it!) I don't think I want to know what their kitchen looked like. I don't expect my taquerias to be fancy, but I do want them to be clean. read more

I like it because I can go up the road and get some tacos. I like their steak tacos the best with cheese. I love their hot sauces too. It's not really a place IMO to sit down and eat. The place is usually packed when I go around 11 or 12pm. I see more and more people have found the place and it's becoming popular. I'm glad and all, though. read more

Over the past few weeks, I have been watching my fair share of the YouTube Channel "Views on the Road." I was done watching them whip up delicious recipes using dried chiles and it was time for me to start cooking with them myself. No luck finding them anywhere I currently shop so I looked up Mexican Grocery in Bloomington and found a few options. La Carniceria Mexicana wasn't one of them. In fact, I cannot even remember which one I was heading to when I got lost. Finding myself now in a residential area, I pulled over, looked up Mexican Grocery near me, and set a course for La Carniceria Mexicana purely out of proximity. Walked in assuming that I would have to search but that was not the case. Immediately to my right was a huge rack of exactly what I was looking for. In fact, I was overwhelmed. I grabbed a package of Guajillos and a package of Ancho Chiles. To be honest, I wanted to grab one of each of the many chiles that I have never heard of as well. I talked myself into trying them at some other time. La Carniceria Mexicana isn't a very large place but it seemed to, at a glance, have a very good selection of many different items. The Gentleman behind the register was very friendly and the quick "in and out" experience that I had left a positive impression. According to what "Views on the Road" described as a fresh chile, these were just that. I am not sure why this location is reported closed permanently, maybe they closed and reopened. They were open for business when I needed them and I will definitely be back to La Carniceria Mexicana. read more

We went today for lunch. It was pretty packed in the little place. It was too hot to eat there. We ordered the carnitas and barbocoa tacos. My husband was weirded out by his barbocoa, so we traded. There was more skin than meat put into the barbocoa. I also ordered tamales which were super dry. So disappointed b/c I looooove tamales. The parking was hectic. We went to buy some groceries...but it wasn't the freshest produce...cheap, yes. Fresh, no. read more

Ate here the other day. Tacos were really good! They have a nice selection of meats to choose from. The salsa was good as well. They have tortas as well if tacos are not your thing. Nice place for good food. Recommend :-) read more

Such great food and the grocery store has everything you need to make authentic mexican!! Get one of each taco to try!! read more

They have some good tacos. Order four or so and it costs you 8-9 dollars at least. It really sucks they don't have just plain old meat and bean burritos. Those would make the place even more famous. I also always go up to their store and buy cheap Mexican soda and even American soda. The owner and his staff are pretty fluent in English, which I really like. I get in and out of the place easy too. Sometimes it is packed, but the line can sometimes move quick. read more

The new restaurant has finally opened at carnicaria La Mexicana, I was devastated a year and a half ago when they closed. New owners now, different place slightly remodeled inside. The food is just ok. Went their second day open and was disappointed, figured hey it's a new operation give them time to iron out the wrinkles. Been back a few times now and still not overly impressed, although maybe a step above Tony's tacos. Veracruz, and Taqueria El Porton reigns supreme now. I'll still patronize since I work a couple blocks away, staff are nice, and foods adequate just not as great as the old place. read more

This place and Tony's tacos are the closest thing in Bloomington-Normal to authentic Mexican food! I haven't found a single thing that I don't like on the menu. Very simple food, could use a bit more spices, but so well done that I really enjoy eating here! read more

Quick geography for those who've never been to the best taco stand in bloomington/normal: Look for the mexican grocery on south main between Growing Grounds and Gene's Ice Cream. Pull in and look to the left of the grocery. There's a door with a yellow awning and no sign. Walk through that door and prepare for authentic mexican goodness. I get so scared that a place like this can't succeed in a town dumb enough to support Carlos O'Kellys. This is not tex-mex, this isn't Fiesta Ranchera. It's real, authentic tacos, tamales and tortas. The tacos all come standard in double-wrapped soft-corn tortilla shells. They'll ask if you want everything on them, but everything isn't everything. They define everything as cilantro, onions, lettuce and tomato. Why? Because authentic tacos don't come with cheese. You can get cheese, of course, but it's a little extra (so is sour cream and avocado). Order 2 tacos if you have a regular appetite, 3 if you have a huge appetite. They're not tiny. The Carne Asada, Chorizo and El Pastor are all outstanding. Anyone who spent time living in Texas, the Southwest or California know this taco stand is head and shoulders above any other mexican food in town. The tamales are as good as you'll find. Whether it's pork or chicken, their red sauce or their tomatillo (rich light green guac-looking sauce) are all you need to dress them up. And don't forget to get a bottle of mexican Coke, Squirt or Pepsi. No corn syrup in those bad-boys. Real cane sugar the way soda is supposed to taste. The small dining area is, well, a dump. But the best taco stands usually come in dumpy packages. Anyone critical of that probably isn't meant for this kind of place anyway. This taqueria is the real deal and they deserve your business. If you love mexican food and haven't been, don't delay. read more

I went there based on the great Yelp reviews here. What the hell, you guys? The grocery store part of this place is fine, but the restaurant part totally sucked. My youngest is a vegetarian so the very first thing I asked when we arrived was if they would be able to accommodate him. They said yes. Just to confirm, I asked, you can make a burrito with nothing in it but rice, beans, cheese and vegetables? No meat. He said yes, no problem. No meat. Great . There are 4 of us. We order: 1 rice and bean burrito 6 avocado tacos 4 steak tacos All to go, so we can have a picnic. At first we're all really impressed. When we opened our food it looked great and I loved the generous portions of fresh lime. Then we dig in. The meat in the steak tacos is fatty and has no flavor whatsoever. Not a speck of seasoning. The avocado tacos...wow, I guess that was really literal. I thought there would be rice or beans in there too. Nope. It's half an avocado, lettuce and tomato. Again, no seasoning anywhere to be found and super duper bland. Good thing we had those limes I guess? Even trying to dress it up with their salsas didn't do the trick. The food was very blah, blah. As for the vegetarian burrito it was filled with hotdog slices and bits of random meat we could not identify. That was pretty much the last straw for me with this meal so I took the burrito back and showed the guy at the counter the hotdog bits. He told me they were beans. Come on! Tell me you made a mistake. Tell me it's a language barrier. Don't tell me hotdogs are beans. That's just stupid. And why the hell would you put hotdogs in a burrito anyway? Gross. read more

You cannot be a carniceria if you don't sell the following: carne asada, saladitos and chamoy.

Wow. I come from El Paso Tx. I didn't believe that a good market with good products plus a good restaurant existed in a small city in the middle of corn country. This place is awesome! The best tortillas this side of the Texas border! (we just left California and never found tortillas like this) The Market is stocked with great merchandise and good prices. I gotta go back for the tacos people talk about all the time. read more

Super great Yelp find. Authentic tacos, none of that ground beef or colorful cheese. Keep it simple, get three tacos and a coca! :)

It can be a toss up between the two best Mexican restaurants in town La Mexicana & El Porton. For me though it's La Mexicana; with their tortas and my favorite tacos de lengua they reign supreme, even if just barely. Their only flaw is the dining area. So if you absolutely plan on eating at the restaurant then El Porton should be your place. read more

It is so good! A chef told me about it and I am so glad he did. Everything is tasty and the sauces are delish!

Amazing, authentic Mexican food and a unique selection of groceries. This place is a double whammy! It's a restaurant and a grocery store side by side! This place is a must! read more

This is the most authentic Mexican food in all of Bloomington hands down. The steak tacos never cease to please. QUE RICO.

Hidden gem indeed. I don't even think there is a sign on the door. This place is authentic as can be. The only way it could be better is if the tortillas were fresh daily. Unfortunately, fresh tortillas are difficult to come by in Central Illinois. read more

I seriously doubt I'll be using these folks again. I cannot comment on the food because I haven't eaten any. All I can say is I called in on a Thursday to order tamales for a party I was to attend tonight. The man on the phone was very helpful and we settled on one dozen pork and one dozen chicken. He said I could pick them up anytime after 9am on Saturday. Arriving at about 10am there was no record of my order and no pork tamales. The poor confused girl at the register called in several people but to no avail. Granted, their order system consists of hand written notes on notebook paper. That could probabl by upgraded. Also unfortunate was the fact that, because of the language barrier, there was no ability to offer customer service. Lesson learned, sorry La Carniceria Mexicana, but I'll be ordering elsewhere. read more