We've been coming here for years and in the past 2 years we've really noticed the quality of the tamales decline. This year will be the last time we order from them, they were so dry with hardly any meat. Extremely disappointing. There are too many other places that have been highly recommended to us recently, so it's time to give them a try. read more

Worst customer service ever! They need to take customer service 101. The lady in the front is so Rude and disrespectful. You can feel her anger and see that she hates her job! They lost me as a customer. read more

before you die, you must try 2 things: the pan dulce from La Moderna and their green chile cheese tamales!!

I tried it because of the rave reviews it received. I am sorry to say that I was gravely disappointed. I bought a veriety of pan dulce and tamales. I was not impressed with the taste of the tamales, they lacked authenticity, and flavor. They were simply hot, any flavor they might have had was masked by the amout of spice and chile. The pan dulce did not taste fresh, it seemed to have been at least a day old. read more

The only reason La Moderna did not get 5 stars from me is because they need to expand as the place gets so packed on weekends and holidays, and I don't do lines - but I do stand in line for this place. My family and I have been going to La Moderna for many years, particularly for the tamales. My mother (RIP) made the most awesome tamales (whose mother doesn't make the best?) - but this is the only place she would order tamales from if she couldn't make them. The beef tamales are incredible, with just the right amount of delicious perfectly seasoned beef, and I have never found any fat in the meat. The green cheese tamales are pretty good, but I do think they should add a bit more spice (perfect if you don't like spicy). The consistency of the masa is good, tender and light. They have other kinds of tamales but I stick with these 2 basics but I understand the others are good too. You can buy the tamales either cooked nice and warm, or buy them frozen (same price) so you can take home, keep them in the freezer and steam them for about 45 minutes yourself. I buy them frozen because I love the smell and memories of tamales cooking in the winter-time. If they would expand just a little bit, they would be a 5+ (off the scale). read more

Bread is ok, wasn't impressed. They didn't have much variety to choose from. I won't be coming back.

You have to try this place at least once!!! best tamales, champurrado and beans!!! end of story lol

Great bread! I'm fairly new to the city and I have been looking for a bakery to replace my original one from my old place. Literally took me a year to find a good one and I finally did! The conchitas are great! That's what I was going for. Now I have my parents ask me to take them bread from home when I go over. I think they're replacing our original bakery as well ; ) read more

the absolute best out there. everything from their baked goods to the food is a+. salsa super flavorful, carnitas always cooked and seasoned perfectly, tamales perfection(almost as perfect as my grandmas), pan dulce never dry. if you value quality for your buck this is the place. read more

Always support local businesses. This bakery always has fresh bread and during Dia De Los Reyes, they have the special bread orders. Totally would reccomend! read more

A friend brought me two tamales from this place and I only liked the cheese tamale. The beef was horrible. The meat had a very weird flavor and I had to stop and think for a while what was in that awful ingredient. I would not recommend this place. Sorry. D.R. read more

I just bought some tamales and I place an order for Christmas. The taste was very good, they need a little bit more meat. Really pricey for the amount of meat that's inside but very delicious. read more

I have been going to this bakery since 1970 and the pan dulce is really good. My complaint is why does the place have to look so grimy? I have been to the cuban bakery, Portos in Downey and they are spotless. I'm a mexican and I am ashamed that a mexican panderia looks this way. It makes me wonder if it looks dirty out front, what is going on in back?.. read more

from visiting as a youngster after church with moms for some pan dulce to still visiting 30 years later for more pan dulce, salsa, tamales, chips, champurrado, carnitas, etc. it never disappoints. get there early if your getting tamales for the most popular choices. i love that this place has changed the interior once in all these years and it wasnt that big of a remodel or upgrade. if your looking for a good quality mexican bakery that you can get in and out of relatively quickly this is your spot. check it out. read more

Heard about this place from my best friend. I was driving for a while and was about to give up because it felt like an eternity driving on the street. I finally reached the street and it was located in a plaza on the corner. The parking lot is kind of small, but luckily there was parking still available. I quickly got out of my car to buy some goodies. When I walked in I saw a display case of delicious bread. I grabbed a tray and picked a few out. I then quickly got in line so to purchase some yummy tamales!!! I looked at their menu board to make sure they weren't sold out yet, I ordered a few red and green pork ones. Once I paid I quickly went home and ripped the bag open. The red ones had a slight kick to them and it just melts in your mouth. The green is delicious as well, but I prefer the red. Oh...and while paying I noticed the chicarrones and so wanted to buy some, but I had to refrain myself. I told myself next time. And as I sit here typing this....I sure wish I had some right now besides me. =( read more

The best salsa, tamales, carnitas . Bomb guacamole , rolls, mexican sweet breads... chicarrones..... delicious ... can get crowded go early to avoid lines and selling out of stuff.... the best.. read more

Made the mistake of stopping in too late last Saturday morning. Selection of pan dulce was very limited. But that's a good sign. They have little waste and all bread is fresh baked that day. Went in this AM (Thurs) at 9 AM and had a few more choices. Would like to see more conchas to choose from. Although the pan dulce looks crudely made and too sugary, in reality the breads are light and fluffy and just sweet enough. I'll go back again. read more

My new go to place for good tamales! I've tried the sweet breads, which my kids love, and the cheese and red chile tamales. The tamales are good size, perfect amount of filling and masa is great, not too salty or dry. They sell by the dozens if you like. I've heard the menudo is good too but haven't tried it yet. They also sell chicharones and carnitas. I live in 30 minutes away but am willing to drive there to get them :) read more

AWESOME tamales! I'm not mexican and I've never been to Mexico. I honestly have no idea how they are supposed to taste like in "real life". However, I had them before at my friend's house. I went to this place JUST to get tamales. At first I got 3; pork green (my favorite out of the ones I tried), cheese green, and chicken veggie (least favorite). The salsa - definitely worth paying for! AMAZING SALSA! However, I had no idea that you couldn't sit there and eat, so I ended up eating it in my car and OF COURSE I went back and I got 2 more (green pork and red beef) and more salsa... and ice cream... (No, I didn't eat all of it at once, I took them home lol) Anyway, also I got some of the pastries and they get 4 stars because the pastries were not good (at all), they actually ended up in the trash because they really didn't taste good or maybe they were supposed to taste like that and I didn't like them. GO FOR TAMALES! read more

I'm pregnant & woke up craving menudo, decided to go here because my family & I just wanted to be at home relaxing on a sunday with a bowl of menudo & this place gives you the option to just take your own pot in to get filled. I picked the best place! Their menudo was amazing!!! We were all satisfied & had 2nd's even 3rd's. Don't forget to taste the baked goods. read more

Love this place very clean but their cookies are amazing I keep going back for their variety box!!!

I have been living in Whittier/Pico are for over 15 years. On Sunday mornings when my kids have softball or baseball tourneys and we have no time to make breakfast, my hubby and I set out to La Moderna with pot in hand to buy Menudo. We get 4 qts for ourselves and if we have family and friends over, we buy up to 6 qts. You have to get the soft bolillos to go with it, fill them with queso ranchero or beans and eat up. My daughter loves the tamales so we get a dozen of those too. For dessert or to have late night coffee get the pan dulce - conchitas, puerquitos, novias, galletas and cuernitos are all fabulous. There is no way you can go wrong regardless of what you decide to grub on. Beware, during the winter be super early cause the tamales and Menudo will be gone. If you want tamales for Christmas, pre-order or you will be left out. All in all, great prices, great food and you get to take it with you to eat in the comfort of your own home. Happiness. read more

Anytime there is a work gathering I pick up tamales from here! They are delicious and saves me a lot of work!

I've been there twice and will never go back. Both times I got home with my tamales and had to take them back as they were so raw the masa was even even almost cooked. They gave the same excuse both times "Oh because we're busy". Ok then starting cooking them earlier. The 2nd time I got raw tamales as I was asking for my money back a man went in with his tamales (cheese and red both) demanding his money back since his were raw as well. I could understand once but twice and certainly not both the cheese and the red. CHECK YOUR TAMALES before driving all the way home to a hungry family only to have to go take them back. read more

Has great carnitas, but has a high cost for that. You have to deal with the rudest person (Jacqueline) there that I have experienced. It is really terrible. I went there around 4pm to see if the had tamales for my family. I don't even eat them...so I bought carnitas. The young girl there told me to come back between 630 and 7. So I came back at 630. Jacqueline rudely informed me no it was at 7. So I came back at 7. When I returned I asked the young man there if they had orders not picked up yet...in blurts Jacqueline by telling me I changed the time, she said 730...you mean to tell me that 30 minutes is a huge deal if they haven't picked up there Am orders. I just wanted to know what my chances were of purchasing some beef tamales. I don't want to buy a dozen of any one tamale there isn't that many people in my family. She told me she not going to break up a dozen, she will not sell it to me any other way. I wonder if I spoke Spanish if the treatment would have been the same. Either way this isn't the type of person I would want to be representing my company. I've read other review and they stated the same issues customer service is a real issue. Maybe that's something the management should true ly work on. No one ever wants to be on the receiving end of rude! read more

amazing tamales, the best in town!! NOTE dint get the queso tamales, cheese dint melt good...

I was very disappointed with this year's tamales! I have been ordering Tamales from them for many years and they were always good. Their prices have been going up & up every years, but I keep going back because they were always good. But this year I don't know what happened! Are they contracting out the orders? THE TAMALES DIDN'T EVEN LOOK THE SAME, LET ALONE TASTE THE SAME, SOME WHERE THE ORIGINAL, BUT ALOT WHERE DIFFERENT, NOT JUST THE RED PORK BUT ALSO THE GREEN CHILE & CHEESE. And to pay $16.00 a doz for 6 doz, its not enough to say I am disappointed. I wonder if anyone else got subsitutes?? read more

I've been buying tamales here for years and always tell everone that this is the best place. However, this year I was greatly disappointed. When I went there to place my Christmas order, I brought a few home that day. Sad to find that the nmasa was dry and crumbly. Tasted as though they had been frozen and defrosted. I hoped that my Christmas order would be different. Well, sad to say it wasn't much better. The masa was rubbery and they were dry. If I can't cut my tamale with a fork then something's wrong. You let me down Moderna. New cooks in kitchen? Cutting corners by freezing ahead? Not sure, but the difference was apparent. read more

First off I don't like writing bad reviews but I also think I should write this. Been here three times. The first time I went I found the customer service to be, well, worse than most places by that I mean these people were rude but I figured you know what, maybe they're stressed out, maybe they're just having a bad day. So second time this lady has the audacity to yell at my mom and I could be vulgar because the disrespect she gave to my mom would only justify my vulgarity but I'm not gonna say it. I mean who likes to see their mom get yelled at all rude, not me! The third time wasn't my choice (December 16'), had it been I never would've gone but my dad wanted bread so he decided to come here since it was the closest one, nope we walked right out, haven't gone back since. Bread is not bad though but definitely not worth the rudeness. Los Compadres on Whittier Blvd is pretty good and customer service is also good. Also Montiel's on Greenleaf and Penn is good! read more