Let me start by throwing out that Tamales have been my favorite food as long as I can remember. I grew up in Southern California and there were always many options. We moved to Washington a couple of years ago and it's just not the same. We make an occasional trek to Portland, and I discovered this place. Great food, all the atmosphere you need for legit Mexican food, and maybe the best tamales I've ever had. I had the Chile Verde pork tamale today. I went back and got a half dozen to take home. Delicious, with a kick! Salsa and Guacamole are amazing. My wife ordered a carnitas quesadilla which was superb. I'll be back every time I'm in town. Every time. Thank you for a fantastic meal! read more

Tamale Boy - Pork Tamale and Quesadilla - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Loved everything about this place! Prices are reasonable. Street parking. Inside bathrooms. Counter ordering and they bring it to you. Indoor and outdoor seating. Tamales as big as your hands. Rice is the best I've probably ever have. (Spanish rice is my weakness) Ceviche is a little weird but was plentiful and tasty. Already planning my next flight into Portland around operating hours. I can't wait to get back! read more

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I really enjoyed my experience at Tamale Boy! There are plenty of gluten free (GF) & veggie options, & everything tasted very fresh. Ordering was easy, & there was plenty of outdoor seating. I'll definitely be back to try the brunch! read more

Tamale Boy - Carnitas Burrtio Encuerado.* - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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So um... who told these folks that these tamales were good?! Because, the tamales that I received were dry and flavorless. Yes, they're huge but also super expensive and seriously lacking in quality. Who cares if they're big in size when they taste like booty?! When I drove up to the restaurant, I got super excited. They've got the most adorable heated patio and beautiful interior artwork! Vibes were cool and casual. It's the type of space that I'm generally attracted to. As far as the setup goes, it's definitely a looker. Unfortunately, they fell short in the most important category of them all: the food. Being from California, I admit that my standards are quite high when it comes to Mexican food. But, this place wouldn't even pass as a mediocre Tex-Mex. It was just waaay below average and super pricey. I ordered a shrimp tamale, an Oaxaquenos tamale, and an horchata. I really wanted to try their guac since I read in the reviews that it's made from scratch, but one bowl of guac was $12 effing dollars!! Um... wtfaaack?! For this type of establishment, that price is just outrageous. It may work for groups, but $12 for guacamole sounds pretty asinine if you ask me. The tamales were $6 each which I also thought were a bit high for this type of joint, but I went ahead and got them anyways. First things first: The horchata was watered down to the MAX! It felt like I was drinking cinnamon water. Booo! The shrimp tamale was just okay. A bit dry and they barely put any shrimps in it. The shrimps that were there tasted spongey like they had be heated for way longer than they should have. The worst was the Oaxaquenos Tamale. I mean damn, is THIS how it's supposed to taste? It's a non-traditional version of a tamale that's wrapped in a banana leaf. This sucker was DRYYYYY as EF! The pork meat had NO kind of flavor. I literally took one bite and trashed it. I couldn't even do it. No amount of salsa could have saved that tamale. It went right where it belonged; at the bottom of the trash can. At the end of it all, this entire meal was a waste of money. I wish I would have read more of the reviews before coming here. Maybe they have some other items on their menu that are good, but you would think that with a name like "Tamale Boy" that their actual tamales would be up to par. But NOPE. Not even close. Hopefully this review will save some people from wasting their money. Would not... I repeat, would NOT recommend their tamales OR their horchata from here. read more

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I was very underwhelmed by the flavors of food. I ordered cochinita pibil (pork) - Oaxaca style tamale in banana leaves. The tamale was super dry and bland. I am not sure why people are so thrilled about these tamales. I also ordered guacamole and chips and a side of corn and horchata. The guacamole tasted bland to me and lacked basic seasoning like cumin, salt, pepper and had too much citrus. The side order of corn was not memorable. The horchata was watered down. The menu looked impressive, and the server was nice. But, the food lacked any originality and I will not be returning here. read more

Tamale Boy - Guacamole y Chips*, Hortchata* - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We drove to Portland from Vancouver, intending to go to an event nearby. However, we couldn't find any parking and it seemed like the event was quite busy so we decided to go elsewhere. I had remembered that Tamale Boy wasn't too far away and I had wanted to introduce my husband to this place. He's from Tucson and can be VERY picky about his Mexican food, especially his tamales. They are still currently doing Covid style seating, meaning only the patio is open. We went on a beautiful warm/bordering on hot day. Sitting outside was fantastic, especially with the nice breeze. You order at the counter and your food is then brought to you. We ordered the ceviche, kids quesadilla and a tinga de pollo norteno tamal. We added a side of rice and some drinks too. My husband said he could sit and eat the ceviche all day. It looked so pretty too! My quesadilla was great. I like them simple and was happy with this option. The tamal was also delicious! My husband thought this was the single best tamal he's had in the Portland area. Rice was also super flavorful. Yes, rice is a simple dish but so easy to mess up! We were so happy with our waylaid plans and hope to be back. read more

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Best mole I've ever had. Not a bad Cadillac. Very friendly and the food tasted fresh and felt like thought was put into it.

If you get the pound of guacamole, make sure to also order the chips! They don't come together! read more

Tamale Boy - If you order the pound of guacamole make sure to also order the chips- we didn't and weren't suggested to do so... otherwise, love! - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Giving 5 stars for the tamale in the banana leaf with stewed beef I won't call myself a tamale expert so take this with a grain of salt. But as an everyday-run-of-the-mill human who eats i enjoyed the whole experience eating at Tamale Boy. We got 2 Micheladas, large table-side guac, the banana leaf tamale and the seafood tamale, 1 verde pozole, and another soup with beef and pinto beans. ToTal came out to be like $65. i had no idea the soups and tamales were so big. We left with plenty left over and super happy. My airbnb host suggested it and I had even heard about this spot on the Podcast Racist Sandwich so I was stoked to eat here. It did no disappoint. read more

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Outdoor dinning is more popular during Covid-19. Tamale Boy has a QR code contactless menu for easy ordering. These tamales are big and filled with various meats, beans & cheese. They offer mainly two styles: wrapped either with banana leaves or corn husks. Everything is very good. I especially like the red chile sauce to eat with chicken tamale read more

Came here for a bday party, and was really impressed with the patio and the food~ It was a cool autumn afternoon, so we put together a big table right next to the fire. I later noticed they lowered the "plastic walls" in the tent area to keep their customers warm. Which is good to know for the winter. We ordered a bunch of food for everyone to sample. The cauliflower was nice and crunchy, and the guacamole was made in a big mortar in front of us. It was quite fun to watch and we were like... ahhhhhh it's so cool~ My bf and I ordered CARNE EN SU JUG and POZOLE VERDE. It was perfect because it's warmth combated the afternoon chill nicely. Carne en su jug had a brownish broth, and was loaded with meat and other ingredients. It was savory and full of favors. Pozole Verde had a greenish broth, and is lighter because the meat choice is chicken instead of carne asada. I fully enjoyed it and it tasted so good as left overs, too! Since we were celebrating a bday. The clerk sent a plate of flan. We all got to sample it because it's generous portioned. It's rich, creamy and not too sweet! During the dinner, we popped next door to High wheel fizzy wine. I got a sampler tray, which is just a dollar more than a regular pint. I'd recommend it if it's your first time and want to try a bunch of favors. I personally liked the lime Habanero and the mead (because of its honey taste). My bf got the hot teddy and it was like a warm hug in a chilly night! Overall. I really like it and will come back for more!! read more

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Why hasn't anyone told me about Tamale Boy! Stumbled upon this while looking for a spot for some Mexican food and made the drive over to the Dekum neighborhood for brunch. Found free street parking a block away. You place your order inside and they deliver the food out to you. Fantastic shaded patio. Tamale Boy is located right next door to a wine bar and the wine bar had live jazz music playing while we ate our brunch. Pastel Azteca. 3 layers of corn tortillas with refried beans, carnitas and topped with an egg, tomato sauce, crema, pico de gallo & queso fresco. I love breaking the egg to mix with the layers. This was delicious and I only gave out a few bites to others. Enchiladas Suiza. Very good. 4 enchiladas w/shredded chicken and Jack cheese and topped with tomatillo cream sauce, queso fresco, cilantro & onions. Tried only a couple bites, but this plate was cleaned by others. Carne Asada Burrito. Tried a bite and this was the only item that I wasn't excited about. Good Burrito, but doesn't stand out like the other 2 dishes I tried. For brunch, they had some great cocktails. I tried the Rumchata. Whaler's Vanille Rum, housemade horchata & cinnamon rim. Whoa! This is a dessert. Very sweet, but I could not drink more than one due to richness. Very happy to have found this spot and will definitely return. read more

Tamale Boy - Pastel Aztecs is so good - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

A LOT of food for the price; their tamales are huge! Would recommend ordering one unless you're very, very hungry. Probably my favorite budget spot in the city for Mexican food. read more

Both the banana leaf and corn husk tamales are up to par with the numerous options in inner Portland. I'm definitely partial to the banana leaf. You might notice that tamales are often the least expensive item on a Mexican menu, but here they are the star of the show. There's a renowned place in Downtown Milwaukee that used to set the bar for me, but it's far, expensive, and the owner acts stranger with each visit. The mushroom, cheese and soy curl enchiladas were good, but I probably wouldn't order it again. This dish is best as non-vegetarian. The Chilaquilles were so-so (favorite place is on the corner of NE 42nd and Killingsworth), but they only had red sauce when I ordered, so maybe the green is more interesting. Love the drinks here, especially the daily rotation of fruit-based nonalcoholic concoctions. Their huge patio makes for awesome outdoor summer dining. Staff was cool, parking is easy. read more

Tamale Boy - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Good food but I don't want to eat outside unless it's summer time. Best for to go orders.

I'm from Los Angeles. I know good Mexican food when I taste it. The salsa verde here is by far my favorite. Definitely the milder of all salsas. Customer service was 10/10. Asked for chilaquiles which is normally on the brunch menu but they were willing to make it for me on a Monday afternoon. They have outdoor heated seating. The tamales are also huge and tasty. The filling to masa ratio of the tamal is amazing. read more

Tamale Boy - Amazing green chilaquiles. My husband got the mole chilaquiles with chicken. - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I had been missing Tamale Boy and decided to stop by in the area. My Mole Negro tamale was delicious as usual. There was lots of room on the patio and plenty of hand sanitizer. All the staff were very friendly and helpful as well. Definitely will be coming back for more tamales! read more

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I've been on the hunt for solid fish tacos and this place came up in a search. Being that it's called Tamale Boy, had to get some tamales as well. Got the Norteno Chile Verde and Oaxaqueno Mole Negro and these were soooooooo good. Loved them both. Husband loved the mole negro tamale even more. At $5-6/each, these were totally worth it. Also got the shrimp and halibut tacos. Probably the best seafood tacos I've found so far in the area. My husband also tried the burrito and quesadilla. These were about $10/each, which I find kind of pricey but they use really good quality ingredients so I appreciate that. read more

Tamale Boy - Oaxaqueno Mole Negro & Norteno Chile Verde - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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We ordered the queso not seeing it came with meat. The queso got delivered and we there was meat on it. We said to the lady we don't eat meat and if we could get it without meat. She said yes and took the queso with meat back. Then she brought us our queso which was supposed to have no meat, and toward the end of our meal we meat still in it! Did you just try to scoop put the meat I'm the original queso? This was the most lack of care I've seen in a long time for a vegetarian in Portland. I am from this city too. I will never be back to Tamale Boy. You are lying by saying there was no meat in queso that was brought the 2nd time. I assure you there was still chorizo in! And calling me a liar? So we both imagined the chorizo the 2nd time? Okay..... careful writing honest reviews for this place because the owner who I never met is calling this a lie. Beautiful. Wish you luck! read more

I'm certain the only reason there wasn't a line for this place on a sunny Saturday afternoon is because of Covid. The food was delicious and the outdoor seating was the perfect set up for a socially distant brunch. The staff seems to still be getting the hang of the new set up but I never mind waiting a bit longer, especially nowadays. I highly recommend everything but the tamale with chorizo was the favorite. Ask for the hot sauce, it's habanero. read more

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Absolutely amazing food. One of my top 3 places to eat in Portland. I recommend the southern-style tamales with the banana leaf wrappers.

The service is always good, offered by friendly staff, even when food is not picked up to take to the tables, which are always clean. When it's chilly or rainy, no fear. There are tables under a roof with heaters and occasionally lowered clear sides to keep the heat inside, the wind, rain, and chill out. AND the tamales are the best in the city or any other city where we've eaten tamales: creamy, amply filled, well seasoned, delicious comfort food, both vegetarian and pork wrapped in either banana leaves or corn stalks. Truly, folks, it's not a place to miss. read more

OM YUM !!! and beautifully presented and sizable portions wow and kind humans with good vibes. Thank you! I will be bringing the whole fam :) read more

The food truck came to our complex today at lunch time ... I must say this was the best tamale I've ever had! And the rice ... yum. Can't wait till ya'll come back again read more

Dude! This place is LEGIT! I'm a lover of Mexican food, but I'm not really a snob about it either. I've been here a few times and each thing I order from the menu has impressed me! I'm a little sad that I have discovered the awesomeness of Tamale Boy food during the cold and rainy winter months. This place has a great patio which they do have heated and covered during the colder months. That being said, I can't wait to get some quality patio time in come summer. I've sampled the vegetarian tamales and the cauliflower which were both very tasty. Right now I'm OBSESSED with their shrimp burrito! The thing comes covered with a white wine sauce that I swear I could guzzle by the gallon! Even thinking back on this now makes me tempted to drive down there and order another one to go. A few weeks ago I took my cousin and her husband here for dinner. I was a little worried as they live in Los Angeles; a mecca of tasty Mexican food. They ended up being so impressed by Tamale Boy they suggested it would be okay for us to go back again during their visit. *Score!* This place has it all: Tasty Mexican grub, Margaritas, and a fab patio! If that isn't enough, it is also located night next to Hi-Wheel fizzy wine bar. You can order your Tamale Boy and eat it next door while enjoying some fizzy wine. read more

Tamale Boy - Shrimp burrito! So dang tasty!! - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Luci is amazing to work with! Very accommodating, prompt delivery and delicious food!

My coworkers were raving about this place and wanted me to go with them for lunch. So I got the OAXAQUEÑO tamale with some chips. It was decent with the novelty of dealing with a banana leaf. There are some chips at a local grocery store I like better. Salsa bar selection was pretty good but staff didn't try to ensure the salsa didn't sit warming on unoccupied tables for more than 15 minutes. I'm big on food safety. Overall decent. Not rave worthy. read more

Love the food and service! The patio is cozzie and families feel welcome. They have many options and is really good!

We came upon this little spot when we couldn't dine in at another place close by. They had only outdoor seating at the time and the weather was nice. The patio was pretty neat and had several wooden benches. When we ordered, we had questions about the food and the guy taking our order didn't seem to be much help. We ordered the burrito bowl with chicken and al pastor. The food came out hot and tasty. The chips and salsa we ordered was fine. The salsa didn't have much flavor and we wished we got the pico de gallo with the chips because it was really good on the bowl. Two Mexican cokes to top off the meal. The food was good, but pricey for what you get. read more

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My company catered Tamale Boy in for a meeting we were having and I was hooked! I thought they were so good I dragged my husband all the way from Milwaukie to try this place. They have 2 different types of tamales - one wrapped in banana leaves (these tend to be drier than the traditional corn husks, but also sweeter) and one wrapped in corn husks (These are more moist than the banana leaves). They come with a side of pickled onions. I'm not a fan of pickled things mostly because of the vinegar, but there is no vinegar flavor here! It's like red wine and oregano. I love the refried beans, but due to the fat content, I share my small size. The black beans and the corn are good sides too. I was a little confused because I wanted a side of chips, but didn't see it on the menu. I had to ask, but they had no problem adding it our order. Don't forget the salsa bar! It's in a closed banquet like container on the patio near the door to keep it cold. It's free and they have 3 types to try. Also, someone will come by and clean off your table for you. read more

Tamale Boy - Pork tamales wrapped in corn husk and banana leaves. - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Delicious food with amazing flavors. The Brussels Sprouts were a highlight! Love that you can order ahead and food is waiting when you arrive. read more

Tamale Boy - Outdoor dining - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This place kicks serious butt. This is one of the few joints in Portland that reminds me of my childhood in the Southwest.

Huge Tamales!! - if you have a medium to small appetite, one is enough but three to share with another is perfect. They're so tasty, and definitely the best I've had since my abuelita's. And the staff is very friendly (: read more

always amazing ! I have never had a complaint! Recently enjoyed the quesadilla with carnitas and there was the perfect amount of cheese and meat ! that's a big deal to me! we ordered the brussel sprouts ..perfect! and the tamales are always very filling and juicy and just really great oh and the aguqchiles ... read more

Tamale Boy - Quesadilla.*Tamale Frito Tinga De Pollo*AGUACHILE* - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Ok, So, My Tamale experience is pretty extensive. (Insert Collar Pop) This is totally a fellow Elite YELP recommendation right here ! whoop whoop I really loved this place ! I was really surprised by the quality and execution These are the Tamales that raised my cholesterol. *Cochinita Pibil ~A *Chile Verde~B+ *Mole Negro~C+ *Rajas~C Also had a side of re fried beans w/bacon~B Guacamole dip that they mix at your table~A Horchata~B I won't get into the details to much, but the Chile Verde Tamale was very AUTHENTIC. {Get This} The Cochinita Pibil was the QUEEN TAMALE, so much flavor and NOT dry. {Get This}. Guacamole was fresh and awesome ! {Get This} (feeds like 4-5 people easy) Not only will I return, but even more importantly BRING FRIENDS. read more

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This tamale girl finally got herself to Tamale Boy. How am I, a total Irish pasty white gringa, a tamale girl, you ask? Evidence of my tamale loving ways: 1)when I was tiny one of the wives of my dad's Latino coworkers at the weather service in Phoenix sold us tamales at Christmas time for ridiculous pennies. They were manna from heaven. We always argued over who ate more ie who gets the last of the 13. It was typically me. Being the baby has its perks. 2) In graduate school my Pasqua Yaqui crush ( tall dark handsome beautiful white toothy smile and full lips, ooh swoon) fed me bites of his moms homemade green corn tamales on our night time lunch hour at my part time phone operator job. I quit and lost touch...but I equate those bites of tender , sweet tamales with lust and all kinds of other good feelings.... Ok get it together Janet. Ahem. 3) my friend Herlinda and her eight sisters in Yuma spend every holiday season making literally thousands of pork tamales that are little Christmas packages of love for all their lucky friends. Yes. Including me. They.Are.Awesome. The stuff of legends. Then I move to Oregon where good tamales are elusive like the needle in the haystack. There are some in town but they certainly dont meet up with my expectations. And sometimes they come covered in sauce and orange cheese, wtf?! I picked up takeout here. The place is cute. The people are lovely. The verdict? We tried four tamales ( cochinita pibil, tinga de pollo, mole negro, and rajas). My favorite is the rajas, just the right balance of cheese and vegetable matter in soft yummy fluffy masa. I appreciated the meaty ones but I will leave those to you all. Princess inhaled all the rice and lots of salsa. The corn was delicious as were the beans, but I think I'd be ok with more tamales and no sides and a cold beer. Maybe some guac and chips. I was pretty happy with the outcome here. They have chilaquiles on the specials menu, I will have to go back and try that. I miss that, too. Thats a whole OTHER story though, for another time. Check out Tamale Boy. It was worth the journey there. read more

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I agree with other reviews, this place is bland. If you like your food mild and not spiced, this is your place. Only order the Tamale (bowl), like other said yes, it's dry but flavor is good, everything else even drinks were lacking. You order at the window, grab a number, and bus your own table kinda place, no hot sauce available on sight. The guacamole tasted like citrusy avocado, barely any hint of other spices let along salt& paper, big slices of onion in it. $15 Shrimp taco was really bland, barely any flavor in it and it's dry. Cauliflower cream soup was really salty, I ended up dipping it with the gua chips. Churros were surprisingly not overly sweet. Maybe back for more tamale bowls, but that's it.... read more

Tamale Boy has converted this fella into a true a fan! I won't lie, I am pretty picky when it comes to tamales. My main pet peeve is when I open the banana leaves or corn husk and all I see is 90% masa and 10% filling. This food van does not disappoint one bit. When I heard when the next stop would be located, I planned ahead and arranged for the meet up. Upon walking to the van, I froze up and let others order ahead of me. I had them before at a special event in the past and they got hooked me since. I hoped the high quality and flavor would be retained for this visit. I ordered 2 chicken tamales with the corn husks $3 a pece with a side of roasted seasoned corn for $2 and a coke in a bottle. Cards are greatly accepted with a 50 cent surcharge FYI. After a couple of minutes, my food was dished out and I glanced in its glory. Each corn husk tamale is neatly wrapped with a red ribbon tied at each end. After unwrapping the gift from the tamale gods I ate the first tamale with my hand and dipped with both the red and green sauce. The sauces just have the right amount of heat and flavor. Each bite of the tamale there was no skimping of the filling. I devoured the corn which had a balanced blend of seasonings added. I paused for a few minutes to reflect how great this meal was. I finished the 2nd tamale and left a permanent grin for the rest of the day. I look forward to the next announced visit. I have seen quite a few people buy in bulk to take home and the guy ran out just before time was up. That's a great sign of things to come and I hope Tamale Boy will be around in the long run! read more

Tamale Boy - Chicken tamales with grilled corn! - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

So I made may way up to Dekum for a UYE event and I was so happy I came. It was a beautiful day for the first time in quite some time and actually a great patio day to boot, and does Tamale Boy have a great spacious patio. There's been Yelp events here before, but alas I could not attend, but on this day, with the crowd I was going to be around, I made my way up there. I believe Tamale Boy was a cart before they went B&M. All I know is that they've done something absolutely right. The food was really, really good. The ceviche had big ole shrimps and bay scallops and other tasty fish with huge chunks of avocado, onions, jalapenos and tomatoes. The tortilla chips had a great blend of spices and lime and complimented the ceviche perfectly. The quesadillas looked incredible. I had the pibil and frijoles Puerco. The pibil was a honking large tamale wrapped in banana leaf with a citrus based pork with garlic and spices. Very mild but oh so tasty. The sauce that went with it had a little kick but nothing too overpowering. The beans were just good and creamy and just correct. Negra Modelos were $3 and everyone who had other drinks were quite happy with their choices. I liked the patio a lot with all the room and the pass through to the beer joint next door. Good service and you really didn't have to wait long for anything. Enjoy. read more

Tamale Boy - Pibil and Frijoles puerco - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I went to tamale boy after meeting a couple of delivery guys at a brewery that I was at, after they delivered the food it smelled amazing so I proceed to ask him if it was delivery only or if they'd a spot, he quickly said we have a restaurant not far from here called Tamale boy. I went ahead and went to the restaurant and I'm glad I did, they had live music the day I was there, food was really good, everything came the way we ordered and good drinks there as well, the sitting area is great! Spacious and al around a nice place for kids and families alike. Coming from San Diego it's hard to compare Mexican food from anywhere else. The food is there is unbeatable. But I really really liked the tamale boy It was my first time there and I am definitely going back, my gf loved it as well and we're going there in about a week or two from now. Once again thank you for the great hospitality and great food! read more

Tamale Boy - Guacamole and chips A must! - Mexican Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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