Meat Carnival: A Fiery Feast for the Bold on Vallejo’s Mare Island
The Meat Carnival in Vallejo offers an experience that goes beyond the average meal—a thrilling, bare-handed, all-you-can-eat meat fest where forks are banned, and fires blaze.
Guests pour into this warehouse on Mare Island, drawn by the aroma, spectacle, and primal camaraderie that Meat Carnival delivers.
Inside, the room glows with torches and flame-topped woks, lighting a path to butcher stations where chefs carve and cook a rotating menu of meats: tri-tip, brisket, wagyu, and more.
There’s no table service, no menus, and no cutlery. Instead, diners gather around butcher block stations, clutching their meat samples in hand as chefs dish out freshly grilled dishes.
“By removing everything between the chef and the guest, and the guest and the guest, we eliminate all pretension,” chef-partner Itamar Abramovitch explained, breaking down a tomahawk and handing rib-eye chunks to eager guests.
A Feast That Brings People Together
Every 25 to 30 minutes, a new dish is unveiled, totaling up to 60 different options throughout the night. From jalapeño-stuffed meatballs to smoked chickens fresh from a 300-degree smoker, the variety is vast.
One chef laughed, “I can’t feel my hands,” as he served up piping-hot chicken. And despite the no-forks rule, guests move politely from station to station, savoring each sample.
At Meat Carnival, there’s a sense of connecting through food in a way that’s as unique as the event itself. “You’re breaking bread together, literally, and that is the big thing,” Abramovitch said. People bond over the simple act of sharing, making friends as they swap stories between bites.
An Event to Remember
The spectacle isn’t just about the meat. A highlight of the evening was when Chef Canyon Rios brought out discarded yellowfin tuna bones to make tartare, using the opportunity to discuss food waste.
“Thirty-three percent of food prepared in America goes in the trash,” he told the crowd as they looked on, wide-eyed. The chef tossed the fish with ponzu sauce, crushed wasabi peas, and ginger. It disappeared within moments.
The Meat Carnival is a sensory experience that leaves a lasting impression. For Abramovitch, the goal is simple: “If you can talk about that one time the chef invited you to break down a whole lamb, we have achieved our goal.”
Curious about unique ways to celebrate meat and connect over food? Check out more on our homepage for inspiration.
