I'm always craving a bit of home (i.e. Mexican food) when I'm traveling and Tamale Boy did a good job. We ordered: guac, salsa & chips, kids bean & cheese burrito, pozole blanco, and a variety of tamales (banana-leaf wrapped and corn-husk wrapped). The guacamole was tasty: I really enjoyed the seeds they sprinkled on top. The chips were nice and crunchy and not stale. Most of the tamales were nicely filled with well-flavored meats, but the masa was on the tad dry side. The pozole blanco was good, but felt super pricey at $16 in a little half container. The tamales were generously monstrous in size. All in all, I would say they are def worth a visit! Thank you! read more

Tamale Boy - Guacamole, Salsa & Chips - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I ordered at the food truck -- Nortenos Tamale Plate, Chile Verde. Honestly, this is the best tamale experience I've ever had. I don't eat tamales often but I've had a decent amount growing up in Los Angeles. The tamale was my favorite item on the plate but I was surprised by the beans. I've never had anything like it. I can taste the bacon but it's subtle. I don't usually like beans but this was actually really good. Everything on my plate was packed with flavor but not salty at all. It was all very tasty. All the flavors are in harmony, even the pickled onions. I don't usually like onions but the pickled onions were tasty -- a nice touch to the plate and did not leave me with a tummy ache. Also, the tamale was pretty big so I split my meal into two. Definitely worth the price for me. I will probably order the same thing next time cause it was just too good ... and I love Chile Verde. Yum! read more

Tamale Boy - Norteno Tamale Plate Chile Verde - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Needed a quick bite before a show at Wonder Ballroom and Tamale Boy really came through. The street tacos are a bit small at $5 a pop so let me get to the point at what really won me over.... Nacho Fries with w Tinga de pollo! These are loaded with all the fixings (jalapeños, beans, guac ) in a nice jack cheese cream sauce. My wife and I split these and it was the perfect pre show meal. I'll return soon to try their carne asada and al pastor. Staff was very friendly and the place was very clean inside. read more

I was fortunate to grow up in Los Angeles with access to authentic Mexican food. Tamale Boy is FANTASTIC! We had chili verde tamale, albondigas soup, chicken enchiladas, and a carnitas bowl. The sauces/spices are perfection. So good.... we will be back! read more

Really low-grade and gristly beef, awful, didn't eat most of it. At this price they should be using high-grade sirloin or similar, not this gristly garbage. Great salsa, sope a la Mexicana. Mediocre (seemingly store bought) tortillas and tortilla chips. read more

I got this by Doordash, so this may be the problem. Door dash arrive 12 minutes after I ordered, so not Doordash issue. It might be how they undervalue take out customers. My mole chicken was dry and tasteless. When was the mole? Not a bit of sauce. This was disappointing. The chips were the kind you can buy on sale in the snack aisle of your local bargain grocer. The only redeeming food was their guacamole. That was decent. I think I will try another place next time I need take out. Sigh. read more

Absolutely fantastic. The Yelp app kept crashing, and I kept reopening just to review. The masa is flavorful, and not dry. Generous portions, fantastic beans. Absolutely thrilled to try, will come back to keep trying everything on the menu. read more

Food was ok. Food truck came, I had the pork tamale with rice and beans. The gentleman working the food truck was nice and friendly, the food truck itself was nice, clean, and organized. read more

Tamale Boy - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We were craving nachos, and after much research decided to try tamale boy. The online menu didn't show nachos but we called to verify and they had it on their menu. The area has a fair amount of street parking, which was nice didn't have to walk too far, and the inside had a very industrial field to it, but high ceilings, which made it feel very spacious. All the employees were very nice and there was a lot to choose from from their menu. We went with multiple tamales and a plate of nachos with Carne Asada. We had Molé, Amarillo, and cochinita pibil. The nacho chips are crispy, and the queso is very good, and the plate was fully loaded with toppings. Definitely our go to place for nachos going forward. The tamales were very moist, and the Masa held up well. Each tamale was very big and fair priced and had a lot of meat. read more

Tamale Boy - Nachos - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Tasty and fresh tamales, burritos and more at fair prices. Clear to see why they've prospered across portland. Staff is always friendly, and parking is easy. I usually order online for pickup and it's most often ready on time. Portions are huge, too, so come hungry! read more

TBH, we've been here before and were recycling some computers and wanted the Brussels Sprouts here at Tamale Boy, so we made the trip and were not disappointed. So, the bruselas toreadas. Do NOT let the aioli drop into the accumulated juices. The caper aioli is one of the best things I've ever had. Period. The lime and worchestershire sauce in the prep combined with the corn and the aioli are simply transcendent. The-woman-who-lets-me-live-with-her (thanks Mike) came just for these. But you have to add the oaxaqueno tamales. For me, these beat the rest of the filed hands down. The twice cooked masa is so creamy and, honestly, silky that your mind is blow even before the filling explodes with flavor in your mouth. We had Cochinita Pibil, which is pork roasted in citrus, Mole Negro, which is self explanatory, and Amarillo, shredded beef. Each was excellent in flavor and while the mole was a bit tough, none of them disappointed. We haven't had occasion to be in the neighborhood for a while, but we're going to invent some reasons going forward! read more

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This was a wonderful experience trying out the tamales of Tamale Boy! They are right next door to Second Profession Brewing and you can take what you ordered at Tamale Boy and eat in the brewery. They may even bring the tamales to you in the brewery! A few of the tamales we got were the Oaxaqueao Molé Negro, a wonderful tamale in which the molé was just perfect! The Norteno Chile Verde was another tamale we had and the Chili Verde was just stellar for this tamale. Five stars all the way there! The tamales are just perfect in preparation as they are perfectly moist and not dried out at all. Sometimes that is a down fall with some tamale restaurants. The tamales are huge and having two will definitely fill you up so if you aren't extremely hungry then stick with one. There are other menu items to utilize besides tamales which is fairly considerable but we were set on tamales going off of the name and reputation! read more

Tamale Boy - Absolutely fabulous tamales from Tamale Boy! - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Order: Pork and shredded beef tamales guac and chips Pros: well the portion is huge ha ha ha! These are some big ass tamales! The guac and chips was everything! Seasoned well and not overly salty. Everything blended well. Cons: the tamale were good I just felt these big things needed a sauce. read more

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Tamale Boy is absolutely delicious I was at a doc appt at OHSU when I seen the food truck. I was planning on only getting 1 but, I decided to get 2 what a great decision. There are variety of tamales to choose from and I decided on the Chile Verde (marinated pork w/ green tomatillo sauce) it's so moist and flavorful. Not only is the meat seasoned to perfection the masa it's self was seasoned. I have never tasted a tamale so good and the pickled onions (yummm)! It cost me 10.50 for 2 and I tell you it was absolutely worth every penny. I have enclosed some pictures down below for your viewing pleasure. Btw the customer service was top tier and I plan to visit their actual location in the future. Enjoy! read more

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Food is pretty good. Nachos are classic and great for a craving. Their tamales are very flavorful so definitely check out one of those. Service is nice as well. read more

Best tamales in the city. So delicious. Try the Oaxaqueno mole negro, you will not regret it.

The tamale i got was so delicious! I'm extremely picky about tamales. Not all are created equal but these were impressive. Flavor amazing and size wow! read more

There is a reason "Tamale" is part of their name. They are legit! Prepared in the traditional corn husk style or a Oaxacan banana leaf husk, the fluffy corn masa is topped with flavorful meats or veggies. One is enough for a meal! After driving by several times, decided to order a selection for dinner. We went with two traditional: one pork cooked in chile verde and one chicken. Both had the right balance of meat to masa and we're so moist and flavorful. We also tried two of the Oaxacan style which was new for us. We went with the pork cooked with citrus and anchiote pepper and the chicken in a deep, dark mole. Both were yummy! Served along with pickled onion and tomatillo sauce and a red sauce, we also added sour cream. Next time I want to try their brussel sprouts which are cooked in lime, olive oil, chiles and topped with corn and cojito cheese. According to the reviews, they are amazing and based on their unique preparation, I am sure they are! They are taking all Covid-9 precautions - masks required, sanitizing between customers, menu downloaded from scan on your phone, pay with credit card - to ensure customers are safe while serving delicious and satisfying food. read more

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I tried a few other joints and made it back to Tamale Boy where I'll stick. The fundido was great. I had the tinga de pollo tamale... really fresh and a good balance of filling to masa. Tangy salsa provided as well and I would have eaten as many pickled onions as they put in the box. My favorite of all this good stuff was the shrimp taco... plump, fresh and a good portion. All was delivered in a nice bag. read more

My new favorite restaurant in Portland! Tamale Boy has been on my list for years, but their locations are all outside my normal areas and since I live an hour from Portland, I don't explore new areas that often. I'm so glad I made it today! We got our order from Tamale Boy and sat next door at Second Profession Brewing and it was so nice! The server delivered our food to us next door, we just bused our table before we left. The food was excellent. Tons of good vegetarian options for me, and tasty meat for hubby. We got the chips, salsa and guacamole combo - the chips were mediocre, but the salsa and guac were very good. I had also asked for sample of a couple of their specialty sauces to try on the side, and they were SO GOOD! The Sikil Pak sauce is nutty and savory and mild, while the salsa matcha (which I always love) was the best I've ever had, full of crunchy nuts and perfect heat. We each got a Norteno tamale, and they were among the best tamales we've had, as well as the biggest! Not going hungry here. My rajas tamale was so flavorful, and hubby really enjoyed his chile verde one. We also each got a taco so we could try more flavors, hubby loved his carnitas taco and I enjoyed my cauliflower one, though I thought the tamale was better. We will definitely be back soon, and will order ahead to bring food home too - they have an extensive catering and to-go menu. Really great food, highly recommend!! read more

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We had a great time this summer at Tamale Boy! We loved that you can grab food from Tamale Boy - the kiddos loved the chicken quesadilla and chips and salsa and grab drinks at Second Profession Brewing and sit either inside or outside in the shared seating for both businesses. Service was lovely, even when we a kiddo accidently dropped a glass cup. We will definitely go back! read more

Love LOVE L O V E Tamale Boy, great food, and outstanding beers on tap - with the added bonus of sushi and poke from the adjacent shop on-tap too! read more

This place has been recommended to me multiple times& just realized how close it was to where I'm staying in Portland. Walked down one evening & had one of the best burritos in my life! The Burrito Del Mar is amazing. My husband got the tamale Frito & it was so good as well. Flavors are authentic & out of this world! Service was great & quick. I will definitely be back before my stay is over. read more

Tamale Boy - Tamale Frito - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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No surprise that their Tamale is BOMB. Really enjoyed the Veggie Tamale with perfectly cooked and flavored vegetables inside a super delicious casing. Totally hyped to go try their other stuffs! read more

Tamale Boy sources local ingredients, including organic, like Three Sisters stone ground corn tortillas! It is so delicious and see it dished up in my pics - looks so scrumptious too. Their salsa - muy bueno "very good!" Made fresh in kitchen from scratch. It is not a fast model, except leverages fast food ordering - walk up and order. Take a seat in their cozy and airy space or walk into the co-located experimental brews, the Labrewertory. The brew pub welcomes Tamale Boy customers and if you need a one-of-a-kind brew, you can test & taste, then put down a pint or two with Mex! Enchiladas de remolacha ***** and tacos diabla ***** Mex and beer combo! My way! Ole! Ole! Our lunch today! read more

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My husband is from Tucson and he longingly thinks of those señoras standing on street corners selling their homemade tamales. We live in Vancouver, WA and don't see that often around here. We HAVE picked up homemade tamales from people via NextDoor, but I digress. I had been here with some work friends so was excited to share this place with my husband. I wanted to know if it lived up to his memories. It was such a nice day to sit outside on the patio and I was looking forward to a great lunch. We ordered just some basics this time around: Ceviche - husband thought this was great and with lots of flavor. He hadn't had ceviche for awhile so was excited to try it. Mexican rice - always one of my favorite sides. This was delicious and not spicy, so a win for me! Kids quesadilla - I think things simple and this delivered. Fresh tortillas, melty cheese and sour cream. Nothing wrong with this dish! Chili verde tamal. The husband loved this! He wasn't feeling too hungry so only ordered one. I could tell that he wanted to try more, but we'll be back! read more

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Food is so good! Tamale's are HUGE! We recently ordered Tamale Boy for catering and everyone loved the food. When we have visited, the employees were super nice and great service. read more

Great service, friendly staff who genuinely enjoy their work. Great tasting food, with attention to detail in its presentation. The Burrito DelMar was delicious! Open air ambiance was comfortable. read more

Tamale Boy catered my wedding and the food was a big hit! We had a taco bar with sides and a salad and it kept well and was warm and delicious when served. The salad was refreshing too on the hot day. They were communicative and professional during the planning process and accommodated all my dietary requests. After the event they boxed up all the leftovers and put them in the venue fridge for us! Highly recommend them for catering. read more

Great service! great food! great beer next door! Shared seating between the two venues All the tamales were amazing but def portioned for 1/person and wonderfully diverse flavor experiences. read more

This place is excellent. Some of the best food I've had in a long time and one of the best burritos ever! Highly recommend going a bit out of the way to swing by this place for lunch. The space is also very comfortable and there is a brewery next door so all the bases are covered. read more

Tamale Boy - a plate of food on a table - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This place is an absolute treat! They have the best nachos of my life. I dream about them. Also, their Horchata is incredible. My friend ordered some kind of shrimp burrito covered in a cheese sauce and it looked like we were at the fanciest freaking Mexican restaurant you've ever been to. People are so nice, there's some outdoor seating and then they share indoor seating with the bar next-door. This is a must in the Portland area! read more

Great service and tasty food. I had the green chile tamales. Great flavor and a bit of natural heat. Added the black beans and rice which were also good. read more

First time at Tamale Boy. Came in on a rainy day and couldn't have had a better experience. There was plenty of space for us to physically distance from other patrons, order and pay thru phone and the food was hot, fresh and super yummy! My only complaint is that I couldn't stop eating and got too full! My dish came with eggs on top and beans on the bottom so it was hearty but it was also so tasty. I will be back for sure! read more

The BEST salsa and tamales! Everything was very fresh and tasty. They were friendly and apologetic when they forgot my chips and salsa in my to-go order and gave me extra of each of when I turned around to go back and get them. Keep it noted that the only seating they have is outdoors and is quite limited since it is a small business. read more

Amazing and MASSIVE tamales.ordered a dozen by accident one time so froze the rest, but definitely a good accident read more

Tamale Boy - Tamale Frito Chile Verde - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Couldn't leave Portland without visiting this place which was recommended by so many Portlanders! Have to say that, we tried two other times and we were unsuccessful. Like everything that's happened on our trip to Portland,third time was a charm! Now this location is next to a brewery, which was pretty cool. When we ordered at the counter, the gal told me they were closing and that we could eat our food out at the tables outside or go next door to the brewery. We ended up at the brewery. Our food came out rather fast. The fresh guacamole was fantastic. So was the chips! My daughter's tamale was good too, but the rice had too many dry crunchy pieces. My quesadilla was delicious. There was plenty of steak inside and it was filling and satisfying. My only complaint was that I wish we had some sauce to put on top of our food? I'm not sure if that was available because they closed after we got our food. The guacamole we ordered came with chips but I felt like we needed some sort of hot sauce for the tamale and quesadilla? Overall, Tamale Boy was fantastic. Hope you have just as great an experience as we! read more

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Excellent good and delicious classic margarita! Tried this establishment recently, the open air seating caught my attention. We had a seafood burrito and a vegy burrito bowl. Both were so good and the sauce on the burrito Del Mar was so delicious. Next time I order that I'll request a side of beans and some pickled veggies because that would have enhanced my dining experience and made it more balanced. The restaurant and bar are in separate quarters so you can't order all at once; you order you food then go next door to the bar for a drink. You do bus your own table. Good service, delicious moderately priced food, nice staff and an enjoyable experience. read more

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We decided to try this place on our way home from a very long drive. It had been on my list for awhile, mostly because they offer gluten free and vegan options AND we are obsessed with Mexican food. We ordered about 15 minutes before arriving, and it was all hot, packed, and ready for pick-up when we arrived. I ordered the Burrito Encuerdo (burrito sans the tortilla) and Tinga de pollo tacos (ordered more so I'd have left overs, little did I know). So, the Burrito Encuerdo is, basically, a BIG container of burrito filling. It's soooo good! I don't eat much at a time, so I ate it for three meals - YUM! The tacos were great too, and I definitely recommend squeezing the included lime wedge on them. Really a treat! I'm looking forward to trying their whole menu! My husband ordered the Oaxaqueno Black Mole Tamale (wrapped in a banana leaf and he loved it, especially the sauce. He said the texture of the tamale was moist, but fluffy, and everything paired really well. He definitely wants to go back. The portions here are very generous for the price. You get MORE than what you pay for, so awesome value. One thing that bothers me about this place is I can't find any information on their website (or anywhere else) about where they source their ingredients. Are they local, organic, GMO, sustainable, humane? Who knows? We will be back, regardless. I do love that's it's all freshly made, and authentic. Obviously, lots of passion and flavor goes into the preparation of their food. read more

On my Taco Tour-day/Tuesday, I stopped by Tamale Boy on my way to Por Que No. I wish I hadn't been committed to just eating tacos, since I'm a sucker for tamales and theirs are fairly priced. I also loved that they offered tamales from different regions. I'm very intrigued and I will be returning! The tacos: the cauliflower pastor taco was too oily for me and I thought it lacked a certain zing. I probably should have sprayed the lime on top. However, I loved that the cauliflower was slightly crunchy and served so hot. The "spinach and mushroom" taco was an inspired choice. I wouldn't have thought to put spinach in a taco, and it really works with the mushroom. I think flavor wise, though, both tacos benefited greatly from the fantastically spicy red sauce. read more

Tamale Boy - the entrance to tamale boy - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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