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    Tamales Doña Emi

    4.8 (32 reviews)
    InexpensiveTamales
    Closed 6:30 am - 12:30 pm

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    Chicken Mole
    Wendy B.

    Tried the Chicken Mole, so good, so moist! On the sweeter side but didn't bother me. It's huge, Emi is friendly came to the table and check on people. I should have buy more and take it home!!

    Both tamales
    Zach O.

    You gotta get here early to get the best tamales. I got there around 12 and a few options were already sold out. Luckily I was able to get the chicken mole tamal and the apple dessert tamal. The chicken and mole tamal was good overall. I was hoping it would be a bit more moist and the chicken would be softer, but it was still good. The apple dessert tamal was delicious! It has some cream cheese inside and the Masa was flavored with cinnamon so it was a great combo. I know people talk about tacos and churros in CDMX, but don't forget about tamales! Especially these ones!

    Menu of the day
    Kat N.

    When it became obvious I was an English speaker they found the English menu for me and found the speaker with best English.; she was great! So kind in letting me taste the four atoles they had available that day. I came an hour after opening and stayed for an hour and in that time the fig with walnuts and cheese sold out so I'd say get those purchases in first and then chill. My dad loves tamales so I wanted to bring some to him and learned that they recommended the tamales as good in the fridge for 7 days. Also learned that customs doesn't allow meat products from Mexico to US for the most part so buy dessert ones or just sauce ones is smart. Tried the grasshopper one, like the crunch. Tried pork with tomato and green olives after that. It is moist but I honestly just love the texture so much more with a green banana leaf instead of the corn husk

    Atole - Maiz Azul
    Nicolas L.

    WOAH!!! I love tamales but I have never had any this good prior to visiting Tamales Dona Emi. The menu is a bit overwhelming with a large variety of traditional and creative tamales. I decided on two: the Mole con Pollo and Champinones con Queso Tamales. The tamales were heavenly soft and savory. The Mole con Pollo was filled with tender chicken in a rich flavorful mole with flavorful spices and a hint of light bitter chocolate. The Champinones con Queso were filled with juicy tender mushrooms, tender pork, and flavorful salsa verde with a light kick. I also tried Atole for the first time and it was phenomenal! I had the Maiz Azul one. This corn drink was flavorful, creamy and warm. Overall, Tamales Dona Emi is a must visit for any trip to Mexico City. You will likely have the best tamales you have ever tried.

    Left is a sweet one : fig cheese raisins nuts ( amazing, my fave) Right : chicken mole, good but needs more mole.
    Desiree D.

    walk up to the table/window and order, then grab a seat outside or take them to go. cheap and easy menu. spanish & english menu. they serve beer, coffee and juices. WOW. get the fig tamale. thank me later. so unique. i have never seen this combo before. the creamcheese is what really hits the nail on the head here. i also had the chicken mole one. this was good, but it needs more sauce. it was a bit dry. i tried my friends spinach and veggie one. LOVED IT. wow. this also needs more of the red sauce, but overall, it was close to perfect. would come back in a heart beat. ps they do run out of some items, which i respect because that means theyre fresh daily.

    Generations. Friendly staff happy to help tourists with limited Spanish.
    Debra S.

    More than three generations are serving Delicious tamales for breakfast at Dona Emi. They are huge so be prepared to share. My husband and shared the mole con pollo, soft shredded chicken smothered in a perfect mole sauce. Flor de Calabaza con queso, zucchini and squash blossoms, yes, goat cheese, and a green sauce. For dessert, because he doesn't have dessert at breakfast, we shared. Higo, fresh figs, with pecans and cream cheese. When you walk up, they have cards on the table describing each to mollie if you flip them over there is the English translation. The people here are very friendly, so don't be afraid to ask questions. They also have delicious coffee!

    Mole con pollo
    Andrew L.

    Popped by this small shop for breakfast on a Tuesday morning. I came right around opening so it wasn't too busy. I was also one of the few people not grabbing a to go order on the way to work so I was able to sit at one of their handful of tables. I ordered two of the traditional tamales (rajas con queso and mole con pollo) and one of the specialty tamales (the pumpkin squash). The specialty one may have been missed due to my poor Spanish, but the two traditional were more than enough for breakfast! As more of a red salsa guy I saved it for last. the mole con pollo had a great rich flavor and the tamale had a soft, cake like texture. The rajas con queso had a little more bite to it, but the cheese and cakey texture more than balanced it out. If you come here the atole is a must. I had the nuez atole which gave it a great nutty taste, but it didn't overwhelm the base flavor which was kind of like if someone tried to make milk out of a corn tortilla. I can't recommend this place enough, their service was fast and friendly, even if you've had tamales before they have an excellent variety. It also isn't such a heavy breakfast that it will weigh you down

    Nala C.

    Dicen que son las tamales mas ricos del mundo. No he probado un tamal de cada pais, pero de los tamales que he comido en mi vida, confirmo que no se comparan con los de Doña Emi. Grande, esponjoso, húmedo, y rico es un tamal. Todo eso con creatividad es un tamal de la famosisima Doña Emi, conocida como Ermilia Galvan Sanchez cuando empezó a vender tamales sin una tienda en los 1960s. Su tradicion se ha convertido en un negocio exitoso con tamales artesanales y atoles con varios sabores. Ademas de los "tamales tradicionales" (de que hay mas de 500 variedades en Mexico), Doña Emi ofrece tamales gourmet con rellenos creativos, como huitlacoche con queso Oaxaca, cerdo con aceitunas verdes, o manzana con nuez y crema Philadelphia. Encontré este lugar durante una caminata en la tarde y compré el ultimo tamal que se quedó - un tamal dulce! Fue tan dulce que regresé la proxima manaña para encontrar una fila grande fuera de la tiendita. Los empleados ayudaban a sus clientes con los ordenes, casi todos que fueron listos rapidamente. Fuera de la tienda (que es mas como una ventana), hay dos mesas y sillas por los que quieren relajar. Si eres turista en otra parte de la ciudad, vale la pena caminar/pedir un Uber por la Roma Sur para conocer los tamales de Doña Emi.

    Moranda B.

    The perfect breakfast in every way. We got the rajas, verde, and huitlacoche with goat cheese. All were excellent. The rajas was the standout for me. A great way to start your day. Service was friendly and helpful. There is sidewalk seating and you order at the window. Go here!

    Tamale verde con queso and champurrado with a side of salsa. You have to ask for the salsa.
    Luis P.

    I love tamales, so when I did a little research on tamalerias in cdmx Doña Emi was the business that came up on most lists. It just happened to be the last few days of my trip and I couldn't find enough information on the restaurant online so I figured to take a chance and headed out around 11:45. The business hours on yelp and on their flyer state they close at 12:30 but they seem to stay open till 2 or until they run out of tamales. Im very happy I went, the tamales are amazing. I ordered the Verde con carne de puerco Cuitlacoche con queso de Cabra Mole con puerco y frijol ayocote & Verde con queso I also purchased a Champurado. This is a corn drink with chocolate. It has the consistency of a thin smoothie. Usually drank warm but I preferred it room temp. Their tamales range in price and come in small and large sizes. Two large tamales is enough to fill you up! If you happen to come on the weekend or Friday, it's recommended that you show up early. Tamales are usually had for breakfast in CDMX so they tend to run out faster on those days. The Uber drops you off near a school, just walk back towards the beginning of the school and the spot is across the street. They also take orders the day before on WhatsApp then you can come and pick them up. They take credit cards on orders over $50mx

    Speciality tamales.
    Ling S.

    Family-owned and operated restaurant serving perfectly made, fresh, and HUGE tamales! The tamale texture was perfectly moist and fine. They have classic flavors, specialty flavors, and sweet flavors. My favorites were the traditional verde con pollo and mole con pollo. So good! For something different, try the cuitlacoche con queso oaxaca. It's an edible corn fungus which is a very popular Mexican ingredient. So popular in fact, farmers will purposely infect corn crops to grow the cuitlacoche. We bought a bag full of the fresh tamales and packed them in our suitcases. Flew them all the way back to Florida for my family to enjoy back home. They loved it! Definitely the best souvenir of the trip.

    Very tasty tamales I've ever had.. We had fig tamale and chicken with green sauce. Best tamales ever!!!!

    Mole Tamale

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    3 years ago

    Go early, get as many as you can!! Was surprised that it didn't come with salsa but you don't need it! Flavourful and certainly not dry!

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    The most delicious tamales de huitlacoche!! If you are a vegetarian, YOU NEED TO COME HERE! They also serve delicious dessert tamales!

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    Tamales Doña Emi Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Tamales Doña Emi

    My husband and shared the mole con pollo, soft shredded chicken smothered in a perfect mole sauce.

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

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    La Capital - IG: foodsnoblegacy Tuna tostadas

    La Capital

    4.6(197 reviews)
    1.4 kmCondesa
    $$$

    La Capital was a great dinner stop--just wish we'd had more time to fully enjoy it. We popped in on…read morea bit of a time crunch on our way to a Lucha Libre show, so we had to skip several tempting dishes marked on the menu as taking longer to prepare. That said, I really appreciated how clearly those items were labeled--it set expectations upfront and made ordering easier given our schedule. The space itself is beautiful with an open, airy ambience that immediately sets the tone. We were started off with complimentary crispy tortillas served with both red and green salsas--a simple but very welcome touch. For food, my kids ordered the lime soup and the penne al chipotle, both of which they really enjoyed. My husband and I went for the tortas: he chose the Bacalao a la Veracruzana and I had the Cangrejo de Concha Suave. Both were delicious, with a unique twist on the classic flavors. My husband also had a cocktail that he loved. Overall, a solid experience with great food and atmosphere. This is definitely a place I'd return to when I can slow down and savor it properly.

    So nice we came twice on a short 5 day trip just so we could try the rest of what we didn't order…read morethe first time! The first time we came in shortly before closing but they were more than accommodating and sat us down right away. This is a fine dining experience and it is really cool to be able to watch the kitchen and chef at work from your table. I can highly recommend the Guac- love the little touch of pomegranate and the variety of chips to dip, the chicken lime soup was a hit with our 1.5 year old, the beet salad was delicious and the sea bass cooked to perfection. For mothers day I treated myself to a house margarita and it was delish. We also tried not one but two desserts this time, the chocolate cake with ice cream and the soursop jelly, both divine! I was excited having just learned about the soursop fruit, and how many nutritional benefits there are- make sure you give it a try if you're into pudding desserts. The next time we tried some of the same things and some new things- steak, roasted chicken, cauliflower with mole sauce (the mole sauce here was perfection) mushroom soup and the house lemonade. All fantastic, and the presentation is wonderful. We ended the evening with the hot chocolate cake which was the perfect balance of chocolate paired with ice cream- note that this dessert does take some time to prepare fresh. Planning to come back here if I am ever in the area again!

    Photos
    La Capital
    La Capital - Tuna tostadas

    Tuna tostadas

    La Capital - Enchiladas de pato en mole negro

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    Enchiladas de pato en mole negro

    Temporal - Marinated Salmon Pan Fried

    Temporal

    4.5(131 reviews)
    1.4 kmCondesa
    $$

    Temporal absolutely delivered on every level. They start you off with some complimentary bread with…read morea spread and a cilantro dipping oil- both amazing. We then kicked things off with the arancini, which set the tone right away--crispy, flavorful, and perfectly done. For mains, we shared a spread and honestly couldn't pick a favorite: the Octopus Tacos were tender and packed with flavor, the Rabbit Tacos were unique and delicious, and the roasted seasonal vegetables "al mojo de ajo" were simple but so satisfying. The marinated pan-fried salmon and fresh trout were both beautifully cooked and thoughtfully seasoned. Every dish felt intentional, beautifully presented and well executed. But the real showstoppers were the desserts. The fresh goat cheesecake with orange, grapefruit, and lemon was bright and perfectly balanced, and the whisky chocolate crème brûlée was rich, smooth, and unforgettable. Desserts truly knocked it out of the park. Bonus points for the cocktails--my hubby was a huge fan. Great food, great drinks, excellent service and relaxed ambiance made for a wonderful overall experience. Highly recommend adding Temporal to your Mexico City dining list.

    Came with my friend who lives here and she hadn't been here before so we both had no expectations…read more We didn't order food here... just got drinks and I have to say between the friendly and prompt service & the drinks here.. we were a fan! Expect to pay high prices, but honestly... the drinks were so good! I also like the layout of this place. We were say on the second floor looking out a window into the street and it was perfect! Would absolutely recommend this place!

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    Temporal
    Temporal
    Temporal

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    Contramar - Shrimp tacos

    Contramar

    4.5(923 reviews)
    1.4 kmRoma Norte
    $$$

    Service- outstanding! Everyone was extremely nice and attentive. I also had my luggage and they…read morewere kind enough to store it during my meal. Edgar was our waiter and he was super awesome! Food- one of my favorite meals while in Mexico City! We didn't order much because we were full from a meal before but ordered what we could. What we got: MUST HAVE AGAIN: 1. If you like octopus: Tacos de carnitas de pulpo (fried octopus carnitas). This didn't seem fried but oh my gosh it was SO tender and fresh and flavorful! Our whole table LOVED this. Highly recommend. 2. Scallop tostadas!! SO fresh/refreshing! 3. Fig Tart- It was so good! Tasted kind of like a fig cheesecake. We heard it was the most popular desert and got lucky because our waiter Edgar saved it for us!! Thank you so much Edgar! Tasty but would go for something else next time: 1. Tacos de esmedregal al pastor: Al pastor fish, onions, cilantro, pineapple I didn't get the soft shell crab taco but heard it was delicious so thought I'd toss that here!

    Only knock is the crowded vibe and service. It seems like the owners are greedy with how many…read moretables they put together. Pues, here's the food review: Japanese oysters 9/10 - they're usually smaller elsewhere Best tostadas de atun I've ever had. Crispy and the fish was perfect texture. 10/10 Shrimp tacos 7/10 - not salted well. Tuna croquette 7.5/10 - kinda dry Contramar fish 7/10 - I wanted to like it but it was also not well salted and it was dry.

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    Contramar - Vibes inside

    Vibes inside

    Contramar - Fish tacos

    Fish tacos

    Contramar - Fish plate

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    Fish plate

    Tamales Doña Emi - tamales - Updated July 2026

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