Tamale Boy has officially become a Christmas tradition in our family. Our first visit was Christmas 2024, and it was an instant hit. My partner in crime waited in line and came back raving, not just about the tamales, but about how friendly and upbeat the staff was while keeping things moving and answering questions. You could feel the good energy even during the holiday rush. That year we ordered the beef, chicken, and the Kadillak Lite (pork, cream cheese, spinach - sans serrano peppers), and every single one was memorable: rich, flavorful, and clearly made with care. Fast forward to Christmas 2025, and we were back. This time, we showed up about two hours before their scheduled opening and were offered frozen tamales since the hot, fresh ones would be sold at opening time. The staff explained everything clearly and kindly, and that option worked out perfectly for us. Our family gathering wasn't for several hours, so we had plenty of time to defrost and reheat and they were just as delicious as we remembered. This year's lineup: beef, spicy chicken, and barbacoa. All excellent. Plus, no long wait this time, which was a nice bonus. Between the consistently great tamales, the thoughtful service, and genuinely friendly staff (even during busy holiday moments) Tamale Boy has earned its permanent spot on our Christmas table. We'll be back again next year without a doubt. read more

I cant get enough of these tamales. They arw closed until February and im already dreaming of the kadillack tamales. read more

Tamale Boy - 3 dozen will run ya $75 but well worth it. - Tacos Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I ordered a dozen of the Kadillak tamales. Absolutely delicious! Pork,Spinach, Serrano peppers and Cream cheese! Nombre shut-up! A gourmet tamale! If you never had it I implore you must! On South Flores St puro Southside! read more

Tamale Boy - Kadillak tamale - Tacos Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Hours of operation are limited have not been able to try. The place has been highly recommended but they only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday til 2:00 pm. read more

Tasteless no spice drove several miles to buy theses tamales the hype is completely wrong especially at $20 a dozen people were very nice she said we will love them sorry no star here ! read more

Best tamales in San Antonio ! That's all I can say . Go try them for yourself . This hard working family dishes some fresh , fat filled tamales. My favorite is the bean , cheese with jalapeños. Tamale Boy knows exactly what his customers want and he will also custom make tamales for you if request them in advance. It was nice meeting you tamale boy. We ended up at your location off Jackson Keller and they were excellent. read more

See all

This is for the 410 and jackson Keller location. I'm glad my plumbing is good because my money went down the drain. The tamales pork filling was so puréed that I thought I was eating a bean tamale, masa tasted ok but I had to get a search and rescue team to find the filling. The barbacoa had no taste and also had the appearance and texture of brisket. The special came with a side of charro beans, which tasted like hot water and nothing else. They also looked like hot water and beans no color to it, very gross! The corn tortillas were meh. The only thing good here was the big red! The most expensive big red I have ever bought at 52 dollars!!!! Luckily my dogs will have a good meal today! The reason I visited this place was so that I can try something different, other than my usual. I learned my lesson, now I know why there were no customers or line there, I thought they were closed. LA LUZ , I'm sorry that I didn't spend my money over there today, please forgive me! If you are in Castle Hills just go to La Luz. read more

See all

Haven't rated in a while. I thought it was going to like it cause the reviews and recommendations were really good. I was excited that there was no line so I ordered a dozen of pork tamales and a carne guisada taco. The tamales weren't cooked and the masa was real mushy. The carne guisada was alright. The prices were exaggerated for the signature tamales, $21 for a dozen. So yea a bit pricey. read more

Yass and yasss! Definitely recommend. The tamale boy was actually the one who helped us at the little window to order. Wasn't expecting to see him as he was the one who was on the front of the little advertisement card lol. Grab your tamales and go home and grub on these delicious Things. read more

Tamale Boy - Tacos Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Good tamales! Happy they are open during the week! Young lady at the window was very friendly and informative! Will be going back soon

I first stumbled across Tamale Boy's tamales about 12 years ago. It was nearing closing time at a bar when in walked the one and only Tamale Boy Juan selling homemade tamales out of a cooler. My cousin was a bit tipsy and hungry so he decided to purchase a dozen of the Kadillak tamales. I'm not going to lie, I tried to convince my cousin NOT to buy food from some random person in a bar!!! I'm so glad that he didn't listen to me. I watched him as he peeled open the foil and the most incredible aroma hit me from left field. My cousin had already downed two tamales before offering me one. I'm Hispanic but I've NEVER been a fan of tamales. It turns out that I just never had really good ones before. It was love at first bite! The Kadillak tamales consist of chicken, cream cheese, spinach, and jalapenos. It's the PERFECT combination of savory and picoso (spicy)! They were so good that I actually chased after Tamale Boy as he was walking back to the parking lot. I had to find a way of contacting him to order more in the future. He handed me a business card with his info. At Christmas I brought over 4 dozen Kadillak tamales for my family to try. Everyone went crazy over them. They all wanted to know where they came from. Just like that, they quickly became a family holiday tradition! Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's aren't the same without them! Pre ordering for the holidays is a MUST! If you miss the pre order deadline then you will have to wait in a super long line with no guarantee that they won't sell out before it's your turn in line. They ALWAYS sell out! read more

I was disappointed at the texture the Mesa some what dry taste was different from tamales I ve tasted else where small amount of meat- your supposed to get a full taste of the meat not the Mesa they shoukd be slippery from the shell - Del Rio are very close to this. I won't buy there. read more

Best Tamales in San Antonio hands down. I have been getting tamales from Juan for years, the product is made with love and it shows. The menu is extensive, the service is fantastic and the prices are fair for what you are getting. They truly are thick on the meat and ready to eat. When he was doing delivery he would deliver and stay and talk. He is personal and remembers his customers and their families. Tamales, tacos... everything is great. I don't care who the next tamale shop in SA is, I will remain loyal to Tamale Boy tamales. read more

Tamale Boy - Kadillac Lite, Carne Guisada and hot sauce - Tacos Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Craving tamales for weeks and debated to even go anywhere. Today I finally decided to go visit tamale boy. We drive up to the building and someone ran out and took our order. It was curbside order and pick up. We ordered beef and pork tamales, salsa, and Mexican Coke. Advice for people who get so excited to eat tamales in the care. Be aware that there will be a trail of masa from your mouth to your lap. LOL. Their tamales are delicious. Nice fresh and hot. I ate one pork and one beef and my craving was very satisfied. Thank you tamale boy for making a exceptionally tasty tamale. We will be back to try other things next time like their menudo. Stars 1 star for service 1 star for food 1 star for parking 1 star for overall experience -star for facilities because we did not go inside to visit. We got to see the Tamale boy from a distance when we were leaving. Thank you Tamale boy. read more

I definitely would recommend. I ordered the chicken jalapeño tamale which were too hot for my family. They were delicious, I will order the chicken without jalapeño and try the Cadillac lite. I was lucky to place my order ahead of time because they sold out. The only reason I made it was because the owner responded to a message that was sent last year, better late than never! Owner is friendly and he thanked everyone for supporting his business! I recommend you give Tamale Boy a try! #TamaleBoy read more

Great tamales!!! By far, the best & largest I've ever had here in SA! A little pricey, but well worth every penny! Gotta get there EARLY as they sell out quickly! read more

Tamales use to be hearty and very tasty. Recipe must've changed or the chef comes to work pissed and with a case of the red ass.

They have the BEST tamales ever! I especially love their Kadillak tamales. They have chicken, cream cheese and jalapeños inside them...delicious!!! Also, their carne guisada is very tender. Excellent customer service. Very friendly. Highly recommend. read more

Tamale Boy - Juan aka "Tamale Boy" - Tacos Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

See all

All I can say is Amazing... I have been enjoying his food since the beginning when he was selling in bars out of a cooler.... read more

Damn Tamale Boy you made me cry with my first bite. Visiting from out of town I was promised the best Tamales since Tellez. They were right!!! Couldn't believe how tasty the chicken tamales were. More meat than Masa and I was pleasantly surprised. Thanks for making my visit complete with your Tamales. read more

Oh man just picked up 1 Doz KADILLAC and 4 Barbacoa tacos .. OMG the tacos were stuffed w meat soooo delicious and the tamales were melt in your mouth good omg and the chile picoso just the way we like it ! Love your food and I get a break from cooking !! Win win Tamale Boy is the best !!! I'm read more

Tamale Boy - Tacos Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I have to say , I've missed this guys tamales and I'm so happy to have found him again . . They are the best and I bought the menudo O M gee soo good ! Everything is so good . My fave the Cadillac tamales w chicken , jalapeño, spinach , cream cheese.... I've looked everywhere for someone to make them for me never close . Again , I'm so glad I found him . I know where my Christmas order is going for sure read more

Tamale Boy - The color and taste in this menudo is so good . 5 stars for sure - Tacos Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I've been buying tamales from tamale boy for a very long time before he had his restaurant and let me tell you people I've got one word that comes to mind when people ask me what I think of tamale boys tamales and that word is "Kadallacs"best tamales in town!! read more

The barbacoa taco was amazing.. the barbacoa is good(no chewy stuff or fat), the avocado was good, the tortillas meh... that is why if 4 star rating. Bought three dozen tamales ...no salsa with them and they charge 1.00 per card transaction that was a turn off. Have not tried the tamales ..woll post after I eat read more

It's my first time here and although they're delicious it's not parking friendly at all. Be prepared for for parking. Also unorganized. They need an order pick up only window. That would help with minimizing the lines. read more

Three dozen tamales and a food coma later..... The place isn't much to look at, but I've often found some of the best places aren't. What's inside is what's important anyway, right? Right! A dozen chicken and jalapeno, a dozen pork, and a dozen Kadillak = delicious food bliss. The tamales all had a good ratio of masa to filling. All were served up piping hot, in foil wrapped bricks of a dozen. I'm a traditional pork tamale person, but I have to say the Kadillak was particularly good, very moist, and excellent flavors. The pork and chicken were both also moist and had that tamale taste and texture that reminded me of what mom made. These things were so good that shortly after I got back to the house, I obliterated almost a full dozen and a half. The owner is really nice guy, personable, and seemed genuinely happy we walked through the door. This place came recommended by a local we had met the day before, and damn if she wasn't right. Tamale Boy did not disappoint! If I'm back in San Antonio, I'll be making a stop here again. read more

Yum ! We tried a dozen of the kadilak tamales and sheesh they did not disappoint! I'm no huge tamale fan but these were dang good! We will be back xo from Houston Texas read more

I had been wanting tamales for quite some time and decided to go see what all the rave about this place was. This was our very first time at this establishment and I have to say I was NOT the least bit impressed by the food whatsoever!! The tamales were way uncooked and the barbacoa was really dry and had a weird taste to it , We were not offered any tortillas or hot sauce. I would think for the money I spent , it would be worth it ... Not So!!! A complete waste of money. Our first and certainly our last time going to Tamale Boy!!!!! read more

$15 for a dozen so-so pork tamales?? Yup, that's what we paid and partially our fault for not having cash because they charge more to use your debit card. I was expecting better than Rubens and Tellez tamales but was greatly disappointed. The masa overwhelmed the tamal and even at that, it was just plain Jane. Didn't live up to the hype, that's for sure. We won't be back but we'll continue our search for a great tamal! read more

These are the ONLY tamales I will eat. I actually hated tamales before I tried these. I love the kadillak ones that have the chicken, cream cheese, spinach and jalapeños. They have so many unique flavors and are just the nicest people. read more

The tamales are fresh,delicious and are filled pretty good. Not just masa. The flavor is authentic to homemade. The barbacoa is fresh and delicious. I highly recommend this place. read more

Tamale Boys and Tamales is always a family favorite. The owners are very nice and respectful. Best reason to go are the tamales are truly thick on the meat and ready to eat. Strongly recommend this place read more

Ordered a pound and a half of all meat barbacoa, a dozen pork tamales, a dozen Kadilac tamales, corn tortillas, flour tortillas, and salsa for about $45. The barbacoa was excellent, well worth the drive across town. I've been a huge Tamale Boy fan for years, but I was extremely disappointed this morning with my tamales. The masa was super salty and greasy. The pork was overwhelmed with chili powder and something else that I can only describe as a slight nutmeg flavor. I couldn't even finish one. I chalked up my loss and moved on to Kadilacs in the hopes of ending my meal on a positive note, but it too was inedible. If it wasn't for the cream cheese I would not have been able to discern between the pork and chicken tamales. I got there right when it opened so Idk if I got tamales left over from the day before or something . I've had dozens upon dozens of his tamales and this is the first time I ever got a bad batch so I'm not ready to throw in the towel. Hopefully, my next dozen will be the top notch quality and delicious tamales I've come to expect. read more

Tamale Boy - Pork tamale - Tacos Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

We had the pleasure of meeting the owner, Juan, today....very charismatic, polite, customer oriented and humble. It was our first time visiting Tamale Boy and we definitely were not disappointed! The hype isn't just hype--it is 100% true....ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! We can see why they run out of menu items....customer demand is a constant--making it very difficult to deliver a fresh product for everyone....EVEN IF YOU ARE THE FIRST IN LINE! Tamale Boy is doing it right....making product for ALL the pre-orders first and attempting to make enough for the walk-in customers--keeping the expectation of freshness and quality at its highest! Our hats off to Tamale Boy....AWESOME JOB!!!!! read more

The chicken tamales were among the best I've ever had. Was not as crazy about the pork which had a slightly sour taste and the masa tasted like it wasn't cooked in the middle. I don't think there was anything wrong with them,they we're just not to my liking. I will definitely be back for the chicken tamales though. read more

Thought Tamales were great. Will be back! Got Bbq brisket, carne guisada, and pork. All good.

I love that it is a family run business. All workers and owner were very friendly and thanked us for our business. The Cadillac was the best. They are more expensive compared to other local shops but worth the added cost as they are bigger and more flavorful. Definitely will be coming back : ) read more

At Christmas my daughter in law and I bought 30 dozen. When we say they are great we put our money where our mouth is!

Best pork tamale I've ever had! The masa has a great flavor and is not greasy, the pork filling has the right amount of spice. The best part is the owner is very friendly and takes pride in his product. I highly recommend this place...... read more

I have been buying tamales from Tamale Boy for a while. The tamales are on point, and he is a very good businessman, always communicating well, working on Thanksgiving to allow us to pick up the day of, and I can't imagine buying them from anywhere else. I bought them for a funeral reception for my out of state family visiting, and they were all impressed(but warn them that some are spicy lol). I love the pork, which is nice and spicy, and the bean, which is less so. I will try the barbacoa ones next for Christmas. I have never had any undercooked masa in mine, and as mentioned by others, the amount of meat in relation to the masa is great. read more