Literal hole in the wall spot located right at the AC bus stop. Service was great, the guy taking my order was super friendly and even though we had a small miscommunication, he was happy to fix it. I noticed my order took a little wait versus the person who ordered after me got the special plate and that must have been prepped because she was able to walk away almost immediately. My wait wasn't long though and the food was fantastic and especially given the price (2 items for less than $15). The taco might be one of the best I've ever had, it didn't need extra sauce since it was juicy and seasoned as is. I appreciate that it came with radish and lime. Will be back for other items! Note: non al la carte items are pricier ~ $17 read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Chicken super taco - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Top 5 tamale joint in California! Service was awesome. The quality of the masa was on point. The salsa hit the spot; it didn't overshadow the tamale, it simply elevated it. I've had a lot of great tamales, but this one just hit every component of a great tamale. Tamaleria Azteca did not disappoint. read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

So, the tamales are big and they were good. I was partial to the protein ones (chicken and pork) - that lard clearly makes them better. I didn't love the corn, it was like an extremely sweet corn bread. The story: I had some friends coming over for a holiday hang, so I texted a few days ahead for a dozen. The guy recommended 2/per person. A few things: They told me salsa was free, and I assumed they just included it, but sadly, no salsa. They also didn't mark which tamale was which, so we played a game of tamale roulette. $40 for a dozen, which included tax, as of Dec 2024. Overall, solid and filling tamales. I think they could step it up a bit with customer experience, but fairly cheap eats and non dry tamales. read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Stopped by near closing time and got a bag of delicious tamales and salsa. Don't skip the salsa, it's the perfect compliment to these tamales and has a pleasant kick to it! The veggie tamales are vegan! There is a sign that vegetarian tamales are made without lard and the woman at the window confirmed! Some reviewers have noted that the veggie tamales are filled with frozen or canned veg mix - it's true but it's stewed in a flavorful red sauce so it's the most delicious version of veg-all you'll experience. Will be my go to for a quick and delicious dinner when I'm in north Oakland. read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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A neighborhood tamaleria with a walk up window - served in seconds - ideal for a birdchirping sunny day; ideal also for a blustery cloudy day. A tamal from Azteca is best eaten immediately. They decline precipitously when you allow them to cool and reheat later. You expect a drop in quality, but not this much of a drop. You will order the pork and /or the cheese. The lard in the masa will make you happy. A whole serrano pepper is enveloped with the cheese. Don't fear, the fat from cheese and lard and starch of the masa will barricade against the invading force of capsaicin. Insooth, you might want for more heat. Conflagrate the tamal with red chili sauce. You won't order the vegetable, as the veg therein is the frozen bag of peas, green beans and carrots macedoine. You won't order the chicken as it is too often desiccated. You might order a burrito, which comes from the Mission burrito lineage. I like their addition of lettuce. read more

Hole in the wall and right in front of the F bus stop is the perfect place for some tamales! I ordered the house special with a pork tamale and added on a cheese tamale, and I was super full. I couldn't finish half of the pork tamale. The tamales here are very hefty but delicious. I loved the cheese tamale because each bite was accompanied with sharp cheddar to balance with the fluffy masa. The beans also tasted very home cooked and the rice was very flavorful. I recommend getting the house special! However beware when you come that there is basically no seating. You can stand or sit on the chairs without tables. I recommend taking a stroll to temescal lake park to enjoy your tamales there! read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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They specialize in delicious tamales, but the burritos are excellent. Got the super carne asada and it was tender, juicy, and flavorful. Definitely coming back. read more

The service was friendly and quick, however the food is just okay. I think I have been spoiled by the tamale vendors in SF. I ordered the chicken, pork, and veggie. -The chicken tamale was lacking some salt. -Pork tamale was good, but nothing to write home about. -Veggie Tamale could have also used a little salt. Would I visit again? Maybe. Would I drive out of my to go here? No. read more

This place was perfect for our party for 30! We made a big batch of green chili at home and decided to add some tamales on the side - they went GREAT together! We ordered 10 cheese, 10 chicken and 10 veggie (no lard.) They were flavorful and not dry. Everyone really enjoyed them, and we had only one left! It was super easy to order a few days ahead and pay via Venmo. Sergio was super helpful. I would highly recommend this place! read more

Fluffy masa, great fillings, tasty mole'! My go to Xmas tamale meal. You will not be disappointed!

I finally made it here !! I had to drive around in circles before finally being able to find parking My persistence paid off. No private parking lot Street parking only This place is a TO GO spot only. No inside or outside eating Get your food and be gone kinda of a spot lol Let's start off with the pork tamale ..... comes with a salsa roja that was very good!! I always say if the salsa is good... 10 times out of 10 the food is good !! The tamale itself is really good doesn't really need any salsa but I personally have to put salsa on everything!! Tamales are $3.50 each or 3 for $10 Tamale was a decent size Meat was flavored very well and the masa itself was really good !! Masa is soft and almost creamy (in a good way) and flavorful (Masa was not grainy ) If you know you know !!! I also ordered 2 super tacos One of asada One of chicken Tacos come with cheese, sour cream, green salsa, onion and cilantro ( I of course added salsa roja on top of them) Tacos are ok..... Customer service is friendly and fast Credit cards are accepted I definitely want to come back and try other flavors of tamales I only tried the pork because that is all they had available at the time .... read more

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I tried one of the tamales and it had a really strange smell and taste--like a type of meat I've never had before. I gave it to my boyfriend to check, and he couldn't even swallow the first bite; he immediately spit it out. Another tamal tasted fine, but after that experience I only ate half. The whole situation felt really off, and I didn't feel comfortable continuing to eat them. read more

I finally had a chance to try out Tamaleria Aztecs yesterday after passing by it countless times over the years driving down Market Street. What a hidden gem! My wife and I got two cheese tamales, with one being a house special which included beans and rice, and cotija cheese and shredded lettuce over the tamale. The tamales here are honestly the best tamales that I've ever had. The masa is moist and flavorful, the cheese is evenly distributed inside the tamale, and the peppers inside give just the right amount of kick to not leave you wanting more hot sauce. Though the name of the restaurant would suggest otherwise, you can order tacos and burritos here as well, not just tamales. The Yelp information around cash only is incorrect - they definitely take card (and even have VISA and AMEX stickers on the window). Definitely would recommend stopping by if you're looking for great tamales. read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Cheese tamale plate - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

You wouldn't even really know this place was here unless you've been here before or were walking on the street. And talk about a whole in the wall!! It's a literal order window! Heard about this spot from one of the field guys at my job and it definitely didn't disappoint. I order the house special with an extra tamale. They have different filling choices which is nice, they offer chicken, pork, cheese, veggie and corn. If you want something a little sweet I definitely recommend the corn tamale! I opted for two chicken and let me tell you......... the meat was tender, flavorful, the masa wasn't dry like a lot of other places. It comes with rice, beans and all the fixings on the tamales (lettuce, crema , queso fresco) Now this isn't a place to sit down and eat but they have an outdoor counter so that's were we enjoyed lunch today. And it was beautiful out so it made it that much better read more

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Like many I randomly noticed this spot. I'm a huge tamale fan and this place hits the spot. Hot, moist and perfectly cooked tamales for a good price. Quick and easy purchase at the window. Not sure why the internet lists it as closed Sundays I've been twice on Sunday and it's been open. read more

This place is exactly what I'm looking after biking around on a beautiful Saturday. It is probably what you think of when you hear the phrase hole in the wall. It's small and unassuming, you can only get the food to go, and you better be okay eating in/on your car or finding a bench somewhere (we used the bus stop bench). I had the three tamales for $10 (two chicken and one cheese). The flavors were great, the accompanying salsa in a bag was sketchy (in the sense that it was difficult to deal with on a small bench with a bunch of wind), but it added a nice touch to the food, and the overall vibe is something I can appreciate. It's cheap and delicious, definitely come through and try them out if you're craving tamales or would like to try them! read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Chicken tamale - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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This used to be my everyday lunch after work. I live a few blocks away and would always go here until they stopped making the green sauce that originally used to be served with the plate. It just goes better with the lettuce and tamale. I've had it with the red sauce and it's not the same! Still very delicious tamales and I still go here for my cravings I just miss that sauce. read more

I had a frozen tamale from TJ's once and decided that I wanted to try a fresh one. These ones were 10x better and i loved how they came out steaming hot! We tried eating in the car and it was even hard to hold, which made it so much more delicious. The price is good with 3 tamales for $10. We got the pork, chicken, and cheese. The chicken was a bit dry, but the pork was delicious. I wasn't expecting much from the cheese, but it turned out to have a lot of flavor and there was even a spicy pepper in there that blew me away. Definitely eat some with the bite of the tamale and not by itself (like I mistakenly did for my first bite!). I haven't ate many tamales to make much comparison, but I thought the food was fairly priced, the service was quick, the tamales were hot, and the ratio of meat was good! Would definitely come back if I'm ever craving again :) read more

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The chicken burrito is a revelation. So, so tasty. The tamales are fine but the burrito is amazing

I'm going to say what everyone is afraid to say out loud: most tamales suck. They're hockey pucks packed into cute little corn husks, and we're all supposed to marvel and pretend like we aren't eating corn-flavored sand. Don't even talk to me if you buy frozen tamale bricks from a store like Whole Foods or Trader Joes. Make your way to Tamaleria Azteca instead. They have the art of the tamale dialed in, and the masa is oh-so soft and tender. It doesn't really matter which filling you buy because it's all about the masa. $10 for 3 gigantic tamales. Go. There. Now. read more

Chicken tamale Standard tamale but done really well 80/100 Corn tamale More sweet than I expected but the masa was so good Pleasant surprise 85/100 read more

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I'm not quite sure I understand the hype. I will say the masa is *very* good. Great flavor and texture! The fillings, however, are really bland. The chicken and pork tamales have very colorful meat that looks heavily seasoned, but both are actually bland with a very watered-down flavor. The corn tamales have an excellent, sweet masa and pleasant flavor throughout, but I found them really dry and dense in the middle. The rice dry, and the beans were okay. 3 stars at best. read more

Tamaleria Azteca - "House special" (tamale [chicken], rice, and beans) - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Looks tasty! I really enjoyed it and the service was really nice today. It's in a nice location, right where I live. read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Tamale with Beans, lettuce, and Spanish rice. Apparently it is the special today. - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Time to order tamales for pick up on Christmas Eve! They are pretty big and while they will freeze, why? This year I'm only getting six beef and six chicken. Seems moister than the pork. My Mexicana GF has taught me to wrap each tamale I tightly in foil and warm them in the oven at 450 degrees/20 minutes. Place your order before December 20th! You need to bring cash. read more

The food is incredible! Service is quick and easy. We ordered their "Special" which came with a side of rice and beans and your choice of any, one tamale. (I got chicken and my husband got pork.) The beans were delicious, the rice was ok, and everything else was so YUMMY! PLEASE, give this place a chance! Definitely coming back! read more

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What a gem. Pulled over real quick when I saw Tamaleria, didn't even know this was a thing! Prices are good, tamales are hefty, quality is amazing and the people are sweet. Easy to park. I got a cheese & chili and a chicken and both were delicious! read more

Some of the best tamales in the Bay Area are sold out of this storefront that's been operating for more than 30 years. There's a reason people make the trek to this shop; the tamales are fantastic. There wasn't much selection by the time I arrived, but what I had was divine. read more

I stopped by the day after Christmas to pick up a dozen tamales (queso, pork & chicken). I didn't pre-order so I was only able to score 1 queso y rajas tamal. That was unfortunate because cheese tamales are my favorite. The tamales from this little hole in the wall are bomb. They're generous with the amount of filling and the tamales are huge. Every tamaleria on planet Earth struggles with the same critique from customers: "the tamales have too much masa!" I saw some old reviews complaining about the masa to filling ratio. Look, when done well the masa from a tamal is delicious. The masa is not a supporting cast, it is the main act. Tamales are not rich people food. This is straight up Mexican peasant food, it's comfort food, it's indulgent but also modest food. My great grandmother had to learn to perfect her masa and make it really delicious because they were poor and didn't have money to stuff it with meat. It you're looking for a lot of meat and little masa, that's not a tamal, that's a burrito. Tamaleria Azteca does an excellent job prepping their masa. It's fluffy, rich, and moist. Masa is delicious if you give your tastebuds a moment to focus on it and enjoy it. The tamales reheat really well too. As for the filling, 5 stars all around. I usually skip the chicken tamales and go for pork but I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the chicken was. The flavor and spiciness level was just right for me. I love spicy but I also like to have control over the heat/spicy and that's why I appreciated the big container of salsa roja they gave me. Are there other excellent tamalerias in Oakland? Of course. No doubt there's other great spots but don't pass on Tamaleria Azteca because you're worried about taste & quality. They 100% hit the mark! read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Tamales are pretty big - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Always great food and great service. They are super responsive via text. It's mostly a to go spot so not really about the ambiance.

No way does this place deserve 4.5 stars. I can't possibly be the only one who got their measly tamales. read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Beef. Chicken. Pork. Where's the chicken and pork filling??? - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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Got the house special pork tamale for $7.50. Yummy and definitely worth it. Cash only. The green salsa they put on top was spicy, but I liked that. Cheap, simple yummy lunch read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

Wonderful tamales. Have to limit my intake they are so delicious. All flavors are delicious. And yes the vegetable and the cheese tamales are made without lard! read more

Excellent tamales! Super fresh handmade tamale! Sign me up for weekly trips! Tacos, burritos and tummy loving tamales! Swing through and quickly goto the togo window on the side of the street! read more

I had a tamale craving and decided to come here for lunch since I've been wanting to try their tamales. There is no dining area, you place and pick up your order at the window. 4 tamales for $10, not bad. I got 2 chicken and 2 cheese and asked for some salsa or hot sauce on the side which came in a plastic bag. Luckily they had an umbrella at the window so the sun doesn't directly shine in your face. Got to work and began to dig in. The size of the tamales are pretty big. I could only eat 2. The chicken was good, not as flavorful as I had hoped for. The cheese tamale was really flavorful but was hard and not gooey as I like. I had to use a knife to cut my cheese tamale but not my chicken one. This isn't the best tamale I've ever had but it also didn't suck majorly. Overall I'd spend $5 here than at McDonald's. read more

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I'm agree, doesn't look that much for outside but the food is great and at a fair price, service is also great. That green salsa is a little on the Hot side but really tasty read more

All of the food here is amazing from the tacos, to the nachos, to the tamales! The chicken and the pork tamales are so good. Even so I froze some to bring back with me on the plane. The masa is so smooth and cooked perfectly! read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Carne asada tacos - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

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First time buying tamales here at Christmas. Wanted to like them but they were lacking filling and there was a greasy, weird taste that threw off the flavor. I tried them on two occasions to see if it was an off day but that strange taste was there the second time. My tamale person is retired and my mom and grandma are gone now , so I'm just searching for an authentic, flavorful tamale, and this wasn't it. Sorry. Also, guy at the window...Hella rude. read more

The tamales are really flavourful. The masa is seasoned nice, but some of the tamales are lacking filling.... Still very delicious just wish they would put more filling in them. read more

Best Tamale of the Bay Area? Eh... Good for East Bay- heck yes! Overall the experience was a delight. Calling to check if their open and it was a treat that they were! So a caravan of folks and I powered down to Tamaleria... me thinking- How delicious would 2 tamales be right now? Pretty Darn Tasty. The two I selected had great meat to masa ratio. The others my buddies collect, not so much. I will say I will be back. Even if the salsa comes over the counter and in a plastic bag... and they only accept cash- this East Bay Treasure deserves my business! I'll have to continue to on to find the best Tamale in the Bay Area... both statement but tasty nonetheless! read more

Tamaleria Azteca - Mexican Near Me - Oakland, California

I've ordered tamales from here for many years. And even though they are on point! taste like my mamas authentic! I have had problems before when picking up and they don't have my order. They did make it right and deliver my tamales and did not charge me. But my party was nearly over so a lot of my guest didn't get to enjoy. But this year I tried to order tamales and called and texted the number and got no response.Tried multiple times, because I really enjoy the tasty tamales. I ended up buying tamales from Masa in Richmond and I'm very happy because these are sooo delicious. And only a dollar more a dozen than Azteca. I feel if the load is too much for Sergio he should have someone else respond to his customers. read more