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Tamales Irma

4.6 (31 reviews)
Closed 6:15 am - 10:30 AM

Tamales Irma Photos

TAMALES IRMA ATMOSPHERE

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Banana leaf chicken tamale. I added yogurt, their salsa, and some scallion oil
Angela B.

4 stars for being satisfying, not overly masa-y, tender, and cheap! ====== Apparently, they weren't at their usual stop because they were on vacation. I was messaged this after my review was posted, but it would have been nice to know this on their main website or something of the sort. Besides the miscommunication, their tamales are quite yummy. I have this thing where I throw away a lot of the carby part of anything because I don't work out. I'll tend to eat the filling, or rip off the doughy bits of things because I just don't want to put in the extra effort to burn some calories lol This doesn't happen there. $8 for 3 banana leaf tamales (1 pork, chicken, and chili cheese), and one normal chicken tamale. The salsa they provide is "fire" haha In regards to size, it's slightly more than a snack, not a meal. Two will get you full, but one will more than satisfy. The chili cheese is prolly my favorite because the surprise tomato was really nice. You don't tend to find that in these types. As for the the chicken, it was tender, but didn't have complete resistance to a fork. I still enjoyed this one. Their salsa is quite flavorful and has a bit of a kick to it. It's quite colorful, with red, green, and brown things floating around. Probably one of the more better salsas I've had. Service was quick and friendly. I paid with cash and was handed my bag of goodies immediately. English was spoken, though the menu is in Spanish.

They are across the street from the Flower Nails shop. 7/19/2020
Sandra L.

My favorite tamale place to date! I have finally found my banana leaf tamales that not only tastes good, but is cheap! The sign in my picture is inaccurate, chicharrón is offered un banana leaf, not corn husk. I ordered all the savory flavors offered in banana leaf and corn husk wrap and skipped the sweet ones this time. All of the banana leaf wrapped tamales were moist and very flavorful with a very nice leaf flavor infused into the masa. My favorite one of the banana leaf is the chicharrón because it's seasoned so well and doesn't taste dry at all - pork rinds are just nice and fatty. :) None of the flavors particularly stood out to me for the corn husk varieties, but the meat filling definitely seems to be more compared to the banana leaf varieties. I recommend trying any of the corn husk ones, you can't go wrong because it's a really good tamale! Great masa and super cheap! Banana leaf varieties are $1.75 and corn husk varieties are $1.50. The green and red homemade salsa is a must and it's free with your order, just make sure to ask for it. The only thing to note is that they sell out quick and opens early in the morning at 6, but they really usually arrive by 6:30. I waited half an hour for them to open today and saw someone else mention that it's typical they run half an hour late. Super friendly and straightforward guy running the shop so the lines go quickly. This is a food truck so I have a photo to show a more exact location (across from the Flower Nail place). Love these banana leaf tamales - will be back!

Pork, banana leaf wrapped, tamal with their salsa. I added my own sour cream & cotija cheese.

Tamales Irma is a hidden gem of tamale gold in the city of Santa Ana. I went Saturday morning to hopefully get my hands on some delicious tamales because some of the reviews alluded to tamales being first come first serve. I think for the holidays you could order ahead of time but I didn't have time to try this. Nonetheless, luck was on my side because I was able to buy chicken and pork, banana leaf wrapped, tamales. Flavor: the masa melts in your mouth, the meat seasoning/flavor taste authentic and the clearly homemade salsa adds an extra hint of spice. Location: Great spot in the community with ample parking, the Yelp direction is accurate, it takes you to the exact spot of their tamale truck. Service: Friendly and efficient. You can pay in cash, Venmo, or Zelle. Overall: I'm so happy I was able to try Tamales Irma. I'll be taking these tamales to a potluck and I am sure they will be a hit. I can't wait to be back to Tamales Irma and try different flavors. Thank you for bringing authentic tamales to Orange County.

Location
Kathia C.

THESE HIT THE SPOT!! Honestly I was craving some tamales but I hate when they're dry af and these did not disappoint!!! They prepare them if you'd like and that is sooo bomb. They actually have a lot on their menu! They have tamales en hoja de maiz and tamales en hoja de platano. They have many options to choose from from tamale de dulce to spicy and vegetarian options like the rajas con queso. Overall this is my new spot for sure!

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

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6 months ago

Very skipping tamales not enough meat. Nice people. Not what I expected. Would never buy again

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9 months ago

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1 year ago

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11 months ago

Los tamales de elote muy ricos, los de puerco tambien muy buen sabor y picositos. Will definitely be back for the sweet elote tamales.

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5 years ago

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1 year ago

These tamales are made by angels. Expect lines, show up early, but we'll worth it. Best tamales around.

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1 year ago

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6 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

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6 years ago

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

The best tamales ,good service ,good price I recommend this place to everyone in the area and enjoy the tamales

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

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5 years ago

BEST TAMALES EVER !!!! Hands down !! Need to come try this spot ASAP !! The banana leaf ones to die for

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7 years ago

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7 years ago

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7 years ago

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4 years ago

What we have are good but have yet to taste their cheese tamale in banana wrap. We will be back!

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6 years ago

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7 years ago

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7 years ago

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Taqueria Ayutla Oaxaca

4.3
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I only had one taco from here, but it was delicious! This taco truck was open late on a weekend…read morenight at around 1am-2am at the time I visited. I ordered the Al Pastor taco and it was tasty. Meaty, flavorful, and cooked well. The fresh veggie toppings and salsas were also great compliments as well. The horchata was a standard, good horchata. It was sweet and I liked how it wasn't grainy. They also have some covered seating and tables in front of the truck with napkins to share per table. For parking, it would be street parking around the truck. If I didn't live so far away, I would come back here every so often!

No bueno. My cousin Yelped this taco place after a Korean Spa adventure. It has a 4.3 * rating with…read morealmost 400 reviewers, why not?!??! It makes my stomach worse than the food we ate here to leave a bad review on a small business - especially a food truck. Which by the way some of the best food I have had has been from food trucks. It's seems there is more love into the food they serve. The location was not too bad, accessible with decent street parking. Clean & simple setup - canopies, folding tables & stools. The stools look questionable but were sturdier than they look. Nice CLEAN salsa bar. Oh they were not stingy on the napkins - a bonus for me! The cashier was not that personable. My friend's daughter ordered. She asked for sour cream on her quesadilla. He laughed sarcastically & said no sour cream. My tacos had bland dry bits of meat. My cousin & her friend's burritos were too hot.

Photos
Meat options and updated prices as of 8/15/25
Meat options and updated prices as of 8/15/25
Lengua burrito & asada taco
Lengua burrito & asada taco
Taco truck, toppings station

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Alebrije's Grill

Alebrije's Grill

4.3
(304 reviews)
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When it comes to street food, tacos are always a top choice. This eye-catching food truck offers a…read morevariety of Mexican dishes, including Tortas Flautas and Burritos, but the tacos are the star of the show. Each bite transports you straight to Mexico City, and the grilled onions, nopales asados, and perfectly grilled jalapeño are all must-try combinations. The salsas are spicy but flavorful, and the service is fast and efficient. If you're craving street food, this is the place to be. I highly recommend it!

This pink taco truck located in front of a Northgate market has been a main stay in Santa Ana for a…read morevery long time. The menu contains a good variety of meats and food items. It looks like it could get pretty busy, but the line was very efficient and the people are very friendly here. The vibe here is definitely a fun mix of people looking for delicious tacos as well as some folks getting off of work and just trying to get a convenient meal on the way home. I think they're most known for their "battleship" taco, but during my visit I end up getting the surtido taco. This taco was a great mix that had a bunch of different textures and flavors from the different cuts, while being topped with sautéed onion and cactus. I will definitely have to order the battleship taco it next time I'm here. I came here later at night, so the market was already closed and there was plenty of parking around.

Photos
Alebrije's Grill
2 carne asada and 2 al pastor tacos
2 carne asada and 2 al pastor tacos
Alebrije's Grill

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Tacos Gutierrez

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4.5
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Taco Gutierrez you have my whole heart!…read more After having moved to Santa Ana last year this has become my go-to spot for tacos close by. It's hard to find a good Taco Tuesday but they do a great job helping the community and keeping the prices $1.50 for basic meats like pollo, asada, and al pastor. I personally love my lengua and this truck has some of the best I've tried! It is a bit pricier but definitely worth it given the taste/quality. A couple things about the condiments--green sauce is spicier than you think, red one is more of a salsa and not that hot. Radishes are unfortunately not very crunchy/juicy at this location so I don't get it as often as I would at other taco spots. If you're ever in a rush, they do phone orders AND DoorDash. I've done all the methods and quality stays up there each time! However, if you do wanna enjoy your tacos right after they're prepared, you can always sit at their tables next to the truck. They have quite a bit of dining space and I've never seen it too crowded to the point of having difficulty finding a spot to sit. In terms of finding the truck, you just need to turn into S Hathaway St. Very close to the train tracks. I park in any free space they have there, since the businesses are usually closed after 5pm (which is when the truck opens).

Came here on a Tuesday. Place wasn't too crowded and we were helped promptly…read more $1.50 tacos are a bargain these days, and they were reasonably sized. I got 3 asada and they were great! Small counter with radish, cucumber, and salsas as well as some Mexican lollipops (def took a few for the road) I definitely will be coming here on Tuesdays from now on!

Photos
Come make your own combination.
Come make your own combination.
Taco Tuesday come get your tacos.
Taco Tuesday come get your tacos.
Tacos Gutierrez

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Hacienda Hibachi Food Truck

Hacienda Hibachi Food Truck

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I was driving home from work and really craving hibachi, so I did a quick search and found this…read morefood truck. I was honestly surprised by the 2.9-star rating because the photos made the food look delicious, but I decided to give it a try anyway. Overall, I thought it was great. The meat was really good, very flavorful without being over-seasoned or overly salty. I love hibachi-style food, but a lot of places tend to go heavy on the soy sauce and other seasonings, which can make everything taste extremely salty. That wasn't the case here at all. The flavors were well balanced, and nothing tasted salty or overpowering. The vegetables were cooked perfectly, they were soft but not mushy and I liked that they used large pieces of broccoli instead of tiny chopped bits. The only thing I didn't love was the $6 upcharge for fried rice. All of the bowls and plates come with white rice by default, and while the base price of the bowls was fair enough that I still went ahead and ordered the fried rice, the price difference feels a little steep. It seems like they could charge a couple dollars more for the bowls and a couple dollars less for the fried rice instead, because a $6 increase just to put the rice on the grill and add some sauce feels a bit out of line. Other than that, though, the Service was fast and friendly, the food itself was really solid and definitely satisfied my hibachi craving. I'd definitely go back!

The food was delicious and seasoned . It was cooked perfect.. I got the bowl: with noodles and New…read moreYork steak W/veggies 10/10, i also got the plate which is bigger than the bowl. Plate: which is noodles and shrimp w/veggies 8.5/10 Wish there was more shrimp but not gonna lie. The shrimp was pretty big which is not a bad thing! When she gave me, my food let me tell one thing i was hungry and i felt the bag was heavy it just hit the spot. 10/10 service was amazing. Very kind. It wasnt hard to find. Did I mention that it comes with six sides of sauce also very good total for everything g i give it a 10/10 recommended!! Paid $57 and a couple cents we did get a a mancania soda. Also the plate is more Than enough for two people. Me and my husband didn't get to finish it.

Photos
Shrimp bowl
Shrimp bowl
Salmon & Chicken combo plate
Salmon & Chicken combo plate
Shrimp bowl with teriyaki sauce * sub noodles

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Shrimp bowl with teriyaki sauce * sub noodles

Tamales Irma - mexican - Updated June 2026

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