This has become my go-to place in Happy Valley. That cauliflower+potato never misses for me. Burrito, bowl, tamal frito, Brussels sprouts, and the churros are my favorite. Ambiance is lacking, but plenty of clean seating inside and out at tables and booths. I like to grab a quieter table by the window. read more

If you're chasing the best nachos in Happy Valley, this place doesn't just compete--it wins, effortlessly. Loaded, perfectly balanced, and consistently dialed in, these nachos hit every mark. I go with the carne asada every time--the steak is tender, flavorful, and piled on generously without overpowering the rest of the plate. And then there's the setup: it's connected to a top-tier taphouse stocked with an impressive lineup of craft beers, ciders, and solid drink options. You get elite nachos and a killer drink selection in one stop. If your goal is nachos and a great beer, stop looking--this is the spot. read more

It's awesome having this place next to my lash gal. Makes for a good one-stop beauty appointment and quick lunch. I love me some Tamale Boy, and this was just as good as the original location. There's beer here, plenty of seating, it's not too loud or busy, and the food comes out fast. I'm a huge fan of the cochinita pibil and pork verde tamales. Their desserts are also worth a try! read more

I haven't been to tamale boy in a while so here's a review of what we ordered: - chips and guac ($12.99): I felt like it was a bit expensive for the size of the guac. The chips were also cold and tasted stale. - spinach and mushroom taco ($4.99): this was my favorite mix. Generous filling with the mix of spinach and mushroom and guacamole. - vegetable tamale ($7.59): absolutely my favorite! very delicious and I would definitely get a tamale from now on. It was soft and flavorful. read more

See all

I've tried the Queso Fundido, Tacos, Refried Beans, and Burrito Bowls. They have all been very tasty and are decently portioned. The staff have always been friendly and accommodating of requests. This restaurant is located inside of the Valley Public House behind the bar portion of the premises. Minors are only allowed in this portion of the Valley Public House upstairs. Great spot to get some Tamale Boy & beers. read more

Tamale Boy - Queso Fundido (GF) - Mexican Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

My brother took me here for my first experience. I've been wanting to come here for a while and I was not disappointed. The tamales a huge and they tasted so good. Minus half a star (rounded down) because I think the masa is part of the wholenexperience and it was a very thin layer that didn't add to the flavor at all. I return with my wife. She loved the ones I brought home and she's not as particular as me in this case. The food court was very clean and the ambiance was mellow. The staff was very friendly. read more

Tamale Boy - 4 lbs of tamale goodness - Mexican Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

Second visit. Had a tamale. Huge portion. Excellent taste. I didn't see an option for serving it wet. That would have been my only suggestion. read more

We stopped in this location because we could see the large signage for the "public house". I had in mind that it would be bar food type offerings, fried foods, sandwiches, possibly burgers... that's not what this place is. As we strolled around we found food pods, a lot like what you'd find in a mall food court. Tamale Boy was one of these as well as a pizza place and one other. Since we were starving we decided on Tamale Boy for our meal. The service here was great! Super friendly people and great customer service. The food was just ok though. We chose a salad and a chimichanga with an order of chips and guac. The chips and guac were the best part. The guac had great flavor. The salad and chimichanga weren't great. The rice served as a side wasn't good at all. Since tamale is in their name we might stop back in to try a variety of those and I'll update my review at that time. read more

See all

16 dollars for a burrito with very little meat. Didn't come with any salsa at all. But a 1/4 filled cup of red onion? I love salsa. The fact that this came with ZERO?! Come on! Im using some stale cold Cholula from my fridge. Do better read more

Tamale Boy - This is what a 16 dollar burrito looks like with no salsa - Mexican Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

See all

Food is ok but whoever drives their company vehicle needs to be retrained and go back to driving school. Because of that I won't spend my money here :) read more

Came for late lunch looking for fresh tamale since I have been craving it since this summer and still haven't found a decent place in or around PDX. One key factor, in the last year or so most of the conferences and meetings I attended, the Tamale Boy was catering them. So I was hoping fresh tamale would be better. This Happy Valley location is located inside the Valley Public House in Happy Valley sharing space with Whiskey Barrel Lounge and Ranch Pizza. The Valley Public House turns 3 on October 28th, 2023. I don't know if Tamale Boy joined this shared space from the beginning. The portion of tamale is very generous, more than enough for two servings or to share with another person. For a non-Hispanic food lover like me, what I love and crave about tamale is the masa; this is the primary make-it-or-break-it for me! Unfortunately, both of the tamales I ordered the masa were bland and too little compared to the meat portion. The green sauce was what saved it for me to finish 1/3 of each tamale. If you prefer meat a lot more than masa in your tamale, then this is your place. Oaxaquenos Tamale-Cochinita Pibil, steamed in a banana leaf ($6): slow-roasted pork in citrus juices, achiote, and a variety of spices specialty of the state of Yucatan. The pork was too salty for my taste even with the citrus juice. Norteno Tamale-Tinga de Pollo, steamed in corn hush ($5.25): the chicken in this one had a bit more flavor and was much more enjoyable than the slow-roasted pork in the Cochinita Pibil. Again, as I mentioned above for both tamales, the masa had a very disappointing lack of flavor and portion. Tostadas De Ceviche GF-Seasonal Specials ($16): this was surprisingly a hit and saved it for me during my first visit here! I would definitely come back for this! Though it listed both tilapia and shrimp ceviche marinated in lime juice, which is what I prefer over a tomato base, there was noticeably more shrimp than tilapia in all three crispy tostadas. I could taste the marinated shrimp but couldn't say the same for the tilapia. Everything that came with this was well-seasoned and balanced in textures. Well Done, Tamale Boy! If you like lime-based ceviche, this is a must-get item! Platanos Fritos ($6): only 2.5 slides, too little for this price, and was over-fried for sure. The flavor was still good since the plantains were ripe with sweetness. It was not worth the money nor satisfied my dessert craving. Cafe Luna ($5): it was too sweet and too weak coffee for me, forgettable. Overall, prompt and friendly service! It is a much-needed addition to Happy Valley's growing eateries. Opens 7 days a week until 9:30 PM, except Sunday until 8:30 PM per Yelp's hours updated 3 months ago. P.Y. (Post Yelp): My own spin on giving a shout-out to place with Toilet Seat Covers! The shared restroom space is cleaned and well-stocked with toilet seat covers! read more

See all

Tamale Boy is a local chain that makes some very good Mexican food. This location is way out in the suburbs of Happy Valley and part of a food hall where it shares a space with a few other restaurants (Ranch Pizza, Detroit style, is right next to it). You order at a counter, picks a table, plop down your number sign and food finds your way to you in a little bit. This location's food is about the same as any other location, really good. The tamales have a lot of masa, but are still wonderful and around $6-$7 each. The namesake is a good choice, but we like to balance it out with some other dishes. The rojas sauce is delightful and we also tried the fried brussels that were a little under-fried, but we'll seasoned with a bit of heat and bit of sweetness (mango). I like Ranch pizza, I like Tamale Boy. You can get some nice mixed drinks downstairs at the Whiskey Lounge. Beer is $7 from the beer place (whose name I never remember). Love the overall establishment, as long as it isn't too busy. Tamale boy is a great choice for quality Mexican food (the other is Yolotl, but it has fewer tables) at the end of suburbia in Happy Valley. Would recommend and come back somewhat regularly for date nights. read more

Tamale Boy - Chili Tamale Frito Chile Verde (GF) Frijoles Bruselas Fritas (Vegan) (GF) Enchiladas Rojas (GF) - Mexican Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

See all

My first time trying out tamale from here! Paid $8 bucks for one big tamale! Let me say it's pretty delicious good and meaty! They not cheap with the meat!! I don't know how much I can stress about eating a tamale and they never put enough MEAT and always have too much masa corn flour. It had a nice flavor. The meat seems pretty well seasoned and the outer layer the masa was also thick but a bit bland but that's ok because the meat inside had all the flavors! It didn't taste dry either! The meat was tender and soft! I loved it and would definitely come back again! I wonder if they can add cheese inside because I love cheese and it goes so well together with it in my eyes! When I buy a tamale I take it home and add shredded cheese on top and bake it and it's delicious with hot sauce! Y'all should try that it's read more

Everytime I go to Tamale Boy, I usually get the Burrito Del Mar, packed with fresh seafood, seasoned rice, and vibrant veggies. The flavors are well-balanced, and the portion size is generous. I love the white wine cream sauce underneath the burrito, the sauce is delicious. However, this time I also ordered chips and guacamole, and unfortunately the chips were a little stale, which was disappointing. But this casual relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff make it a nice spot for a casual meal. Despite the issue with the chips, the main dishes, especially the Burrito Del Mar, are worth trying. read more

Tamale Boy - Burrito Del Mar - Mexican Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

The tamales are giant here! I got the tinga chicken and it was delicious, I got a chicken chimichanga as well and it was delicious as well. The guacamole was not so great though, it wasn't mixed and had hardly any seasoning. If it would've had more seasons and if it was mixed it would've been better, It was served with stale chips as well so that's a negative for me! read more

Loved Tamale Boy and Valley Public House in Happy Valley! I got the vegetarian tamale, guacamole, and 2 tacos: cauliflower & a mushroom one. I was a big fan of the guacamole and will be getting it whenever I visit Valley public house again. The mushroom taco was good but I wish they put more filling. Cauliflower one was good too but I thought the mushroom one was tastier. The veggie tamale was very good and surprisingly juicy (no pics because I made a mess opening it). The employee who served us was also very cool and nice! Highly recommend. read more

Tamale Boy - mushroom taco and califlower taco - Mexican Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

See all

Wow! First time here and it's great! In most places I usually order a tamale as a side or get two as they are generally small. So I ordered two tamales because nothing comes with them. I also ordered a side of pickled onions which was outstanding. First tamale: Cochinita Oaxaqueno- pork with a plethora of spices and wrapped in banana leaf. It was huge. As I began unwrapping and unwrapping and still unwrapping I found it was an entire huge banana leaf! Lots of spices, but not too hot. Second was Tica de Pollo Norte- Tica Chicken wrapped in corn husk. Three corn husks actually. Again, excellent spices but not overly hot. I will certainly be back to try some of their others, but only one at a time. One is plenty large enough for a meal. My next will be the one made from beef simmered in a molé sauce. Sounds so good. read more

Dear Tamale Boy, Where have you been all my life? My valet, Uber Eats, hooked us up on this blind date tonight. You did not disappoint. You started out strong with a light creamy queso fundido which after a few bites, started to make my mouth tingle. Way to get spicy on the first date! The appetizer led into three small, but very plentiful barbacoa tacos. I loved how you wrapped them in blue corn tortillas. Very classy. One bite in and I knew we were going to have a second date sometime in the near future. The meat was so tender and juicy. And that flavor. Wow! Knock my socks off and I now I can't wait to taste the whole menu. Tamale Boy, thanks for being such an amazing first date. You showed up on time. You presented yourself very nicely. You made me smile. You made my mouth tingle. And you left me wanting to come back for more. How does Friday night sound? read more

Let me preface this by saying it's more of a 3.5. I would recommend the tamale. It had great flavor and the ingredients tasted like quality. If I had just tried the tamale, I would've rated this place a 4. The sauce for the tamale was excellent too and the pickled onions were a great touch. Now for the Gordita, I wasn't a fan. It just felt like a pile of food that had no thought or flavor to it. I will definitely be returning for the tamales! read more

Tamale Boy - Gordita de Queso Oaxaca al Pastor (GF) - Mexican Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

See all

My mom and I stopped on our way to Portland. I had eaten at the Tamale Boy in Portland with my Husband and wanted my mom to try their amazing food. This location did not disappoint. So much flavor, amazing portions, and great customer service. I love how their plants have names. Too cute! Tinga Chicken tamale, so moist, so much flavor. The chicken nachos with Mexican Crema, not one chip left behind. We thought we would need to go boxes but we ate it all. This location did not have the cheese tamale I had at the Portland location but I like that it was different so I had to try something new.Glad my Mom is a fan now and we definitely be back. read more

See all

If I could leave negative stars I would. The food is fine however the service is horrible. The people working there are very rude. We called in an order and were put on hold for 7 minutes (no worries they are busy!) however, they hung up on us and when we called back and asked if we could please put in our order and not be put back in the back of the queue the woman on the phone said we lied and hung up again. Disappointing as we eat there often and will no longer recommend this place. read more

Service is always great and food is exceptional! Even when it's busy, the food is always quick to get to us.

Wow this food was so f***ing good!! I ordered most of the vegetarian options on the menu (lol) and my boyfriend and I were full halfway through our plates but still finished the whole thing. The churros were delicious as well. I ordered for pickup and it was ready super quickly!! Very impressed and stoked to be so close to such good food. read more

8 tacos and a side of guac/salsa/chips was $47 without tip. We are happy to support businesses, but this just seemed a little too overpriced for us. The food is good though! read more

Delicious. Get the guacamole! Also love their xl sized tamales. We usually get the vegi tamales.

Expensive mediocre carne asada burrito. Took about 40 min to be ready but it was 6pm.

The best way I can describe this place is lazy Mexican food. I was really excited to try their tamales and it was such a disappointment. First of all, I ordered the shredded beef tamale, and the beef inside the tamale were tough cubes of meat, not the juicy shredded beef in flavorful sauce that you typically get. The beef was bland and there was hardly any sauce/mole inside the tamale. I ended up getting a refund for this and didn't even get a chance to take a photo. Their esquites was also just plain corn, sautéed in butter, I think-lazy side. The enchiladas were not even a traditional enchilada. This was the laziest "enchilada" I've even seen. It was basically shredded chicken in soft tacos with green sauce on it lol. The only way I was able to get that down was by adding all the sauces they gave me. The only thing that I liked from here was their coffee with horchata, their sauces that come on the side and their pickled red onions lol. What a waste of money. read more

Tamale Boy - Their "enchilada". Basically a wet taco with nothing but shredded chicken inside lol lazy. - Mexican Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

See all

I ordered the chicken tacos... it said 4 tacos with all the special toppings & flavors. When my meal arrived I was shocked how tiny the tacos were. I thought it was an appetizer size, but it wasn't. Thank goodness I wasn't too hungry...I could have eaten 8! The flavor was good. Not enough food for the high price. I'm not sure why this food is so tiny. Probably won't go back. Too bad read more

Tamale Boy - Chicken tacos - Mexican Near Me - Happy Valley, Oregon

Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. I would have preferred some other choice words to describe the absolute ecstasy I just experienced while devouring Tamale Boy's seasonal Tamazole soup, but I'm trying to keep this PG. In all seriousness that was the best soup I have EVER had, hands down. I'm recovering from a cold and it cleared out my sinuses like a machete cutting through a thick jungle. Oh wow. I am a sucker for hominy and this soup delivered in spades! Accompanied by almost a whole juicy lime for squeezing, and an entire tamale floating in luscious spicy broth. Garnished with avocado, onion, and thinly sliced iceberg lettuce (bless you Mexico for elevating this most humble and robust ingredient), I would very happily die right now. If I ever end up on death row this will no doubt be my last meal. GET IT NOW. read more

Hands down, the best food on Sunnyside! Signage to find this place is nearly impossible to read just trust google maps and go inside. Ordered the cochinita pibil, tinga de pollo and Chile verde tamales. The Chile verde was my favorite. Also got the pozole, burrito encuerado with chicken and guacamole and chips. All was very good and about twice as much food as 2 people could eat. read more

We wandered into this place because it had cute outdoor seating, and were happily surprised to find that it was delicious food!! We had two different kinds of burritos, mine being smothered in a delicious sauce, and my Mom had the halibut tacos. Everything was DELICIOUS and we all agree that we'll be back! read more

The staff is always friendly, and the tomales are awesome! Try the Chicken Mole or the Cochinitas. Those are our favorites! Thanks, Tomale Boy!!! read more

Wow & Wow! We will be going here a lot. The tamales are fantastic, best EVER. Love that you can order different types of tamales. Also they are from different regions. Big & delicious priced just right. Now for other menu items they are a bit over priced for what you get. Great ambiance & vibe. Will be a great place in the summer to eat & relax. read more

The manager 'Karina' is a joke. She has horrible customer service & is so blatantly rude to her staff. I don't normally write yelp reviews and I honestly just got the app to read others reviews but wow this girl sure is something else. To whoever hired her and put her in charge, shame on you. read more

Delicious! - so happy to have great Mexican close to home. Love the Burrito Del Mar, the Tamales and the queso fundido. Love the quesadillas - have yet to order something we didn't enjoy. read more

Food was alright not the best authentic Mexican food. The bathrooms where horrible. It reminded me of a gas station bathroom which was really disappointing. Prices are really high. read more

This place is soooooo dank. I got the cochinita pibil burrito which is stacked with shreddy pork slow roasted in citrus and achiote and is just bursting with flavor. Wife got chicken tinga tacos and they were really good! All of the salsas are amazing. I'm so happy we have a legit, authentic, multi-regional mexican food in HV. Cant understand why people came on here to dog the place, it's seriously so amazing. I cant wait to try the tamales next. read more

The tamales are MASSIVE and full of flavor. Really glad to see Tamale Boy in Happy Valley and will definitely be going back. The staff was incredibly friendly as well! read more

Love this place and the other locations! Super sad that they got rid of my favorite thing on the menu (La diabla tacos). Was so good, haven't been in a ton since they removed it but overall good place ! read more

I'm a foodie and pretty picky about high quality foods. Haven't been impressed with much in happy valley so far but this place has been very good the three times I have had it so far. The tacos have been especially outstanding, especially when eaten hot and fresh. The pastor taco is very good, their battered fish tacos are very good too. Not a huge fan of their burrito bathed in white creamy sauce (can't remember the name) but they did cook their shrimp perfectly in that burrito which is rare so you can tell they know what they are doing. I'd probably just eat the burrito without the sauce on it next time because that was solid. This place deserves five stars for sure! I wish they had a lunch menu that was a little cheaper though, that would be my only complaint, a little too pricey to be my go to lunch place every week. read more