Marko's Meat & Deli — Restaurant in Pinellas Park

If I could give this place zero stars, I would. I’ve been coming here my entire life, but I’m beyond disappointed to discover they knowingly sell expired food.

I recently purchased meat from their deli and noticed the expiration date was smeared off. Unfortunately, I had already ate the meat before I noticed this, and had only checked after I began to feel very sick. When in the store, I also noticed they were selling Eurocrem on bogo, which had already passed its expiration date. Concerned, I checked their Google reviews and found at least 17 others reporting the same issue—some even included photos of products that were multiple years expired.

When I first called the store to bring this up, the employee I spoke with claimed that the FDA “allows” them to sell expired food—specifically canned goods or candy—up to one or two months past the printed date. That immediately raised a red flag. So I contacted the FDA directly, and they confirmed that this is absolutely FALSE.

I then called the store again, and during that second call, I spoke with a different employee who openly admitted that they do sell expired products. Her excuse? It’s never “multiple years expired,” just “a little expired.” No apology. No concern. No accountability—just an attempt to normalize something that’s clearly not okay.

When I pressed further and pointed out the 17 Google reviews describing the same issue over the past 8 years—some even with photo evidence—she claimed this had “never” happened before. I said, “Oh really? Then how do you explain all those reviews?” That’s when she dismissed the concerns entirely, saying those reviewers “just wish them evil,” that they’re lying, and that they must’ve bought the expired items from another store. Seventeen people all lying? WOW.

And remember when I said I noticed my expiration date was smeared off?—go read other reviews, as one of them states they saw a worker intentionally taking it off. So they will either remove it if it’s a sticker or smear it if it’s a stamp. This is ILLEGAL.

I’ve personally gotten sick twice from eating food purchased here. After more than 20 years of loyalty, this was deeply disappointing. And I’m not the only one—my family members have reported similar experiences and now refuse to shop here altogether.

On top of that, there’s a clear pattern of discrimination. If they think you’re American—especially if you're a person of color—they treat you differently. I’ve walked in with my Black husband and we were literally followed around the store. The staff looked visibly uncomfortable and watched us like we were doing something wrong. Even when I came in alone, I was treated the same way—until I spoke in our shared language. Suddenly, their attitude changed completely. It’s not about a language barrier. It’s about bias.

Some members of the Bosnian community have told me that selling expired food is common practice back home. But continuing that behavior here in the U.S.—where food safety standards exist for a reason—is unacceptable and dangerous. Just because something might be tolerated elsewhere doesn’t mean it belongs here.

This store is a risk to the community, both in terms of health and the way people are treated. I wouldn't be surprised if the health department steps in. After everything I’ve seen and experienced, I will NEVER shop here again. Posted anonymously as a family member warned me of the risks in reporting them...

🥪 Bold, Meat-Heavy Sandwiches • Reviews rave about the massive sandwiches: “Five stars purely because of the amount of food you get for the price. Insane. The 10″ was not only long but thick and packed with meat…and it was only like $10.”   • You can customize your own sandwich—with smoked pastrami, sausage, or a trio of meats—on soft, fresh bread. Generous portions that fill two meals, trending at $7–10 for foot-long sizes .

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🔪 Homemade Smoked Meats & Grocery Finds • They craft their own smoked sausages, bacon, even whole smoked mackerel—all right in‑house . • The shelves showcase a colorful array of Eastern‑European staples: Balkan groceries from Serbia, Bulgaria, Macedonia; pickles, cheeses, puffed peanuts—even Polish goods .

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🌟 Community & Value • Yelp ranks it #1 in Pinellas Park delis with 4.4★ from 22 reviews . • Neighbors on Nextdoor call it a 4‑fave favorite, praising its European-style sweets and grocery selections . • Redditors in the St. Pete area recommended: “Maybe try Markos Butcher and Deli. It’s a European grocery store with a lot of specialty meats in the butcher shop.” 

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🛒 Clean, Welcoming Setup & Practical Info • Interior: clean, organized, with a satisfying mix of deli counter, grocery aisles, and a “hot food bar” per MapQuest . • Friendly service and straightforward checkout, accepting credit cards . • Hours: Tue–Sat 9 AM–5 PM; Sunday 9 AM–4:40 PM; closed Mondays .

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✅ Final Verdict

Marko’s stands out for: Exceptional value – Massive, meat-packed sandwiches at low prices. Homemade flavor – In-house smoked meats prepared with care. Cultural variety – A treasure trove of Eastern-European ingredients and snacks. Clean, community-focused environment – Welcoming setup with no fuss.

If you’re hungry for hearty sandwiches, small‑town deli charm, and a touch of European culture—all without the tourist markup—Marko’s Meat & Deli delivers every single time. Whether stocking up on smoked sausage or craving a foot‑long specialty sub, you’ll walk out satisfied.

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Need the full menu, directions, or catering details? Just say the word—I’ll...

Wow worst experience ever I went there on 10/16/2021 and bought items for $67.23 on of the items was a smoke mackerel, when I got back home and open the fish it smelled like spoiled fish smell you can't mistake obviously the fish was bad and there was no expirationdate on the package. I came back to the store next day on 10/17/2021 to bring it back , and get another one that is not spoiled or get my money back standard policy in all stores in USA if you get bad product they replace it with a good one, well not in this one you don't. One of the employees told me that they can't do anything about it and offer me that the best he can do, is to give me the phone of their fish supplier, WOW like I bought the fish from the supplier and not from their store. I was treated like I was trying to scam them over one fish for $9 . Just moved to St Petersburg this store was recommended to me by a friend and now because of their poor customer service they will lose me as a customer over a $9 spoiled fish , and all my friends will know about it aswell and will never shop there. If you decide to shop there please make sure you are not getting spoiled products before you leave the store because the don't stand behind their products and you will have to trow it away. However I left the fish with them and hope the don't sell spoiled products to anyone. Attached are pics of the fish...