Hot Tamale Cucina

I’m really saddened by Hot Tamale Cucina’s closing. This was open open a short while and did a great lunch business. Everything I had there was great. If the owners read this, please keep us updated if you reopen elsewhere.

The steak tacos are exceptional. Ingredients are all very fresh, definitely the best thing we’ve had there. Black and pinto beans are both very good. Both red and green rice are a little bland, but it’s rice. If you add some salsa it changes everything. On that note the green salsa is delicious, highly recommend. The tamales on the other hand were soggy and bland, would not try again. Service is good overall, call ahead if you’re in a hurry.

OK now they have the hot sauce, the good stuff too. Not only that, I tried the Baja fish tacos. OMG that is really good. Great Burritos and the soft tacos rock! I had to upgrade it to 4 stars. Good service too. They make sure everything is OK. They got it right now!

Went here today for the first time because a co-​worker recommended it. Why I don’t know?!
I ordered a chicken burrito — the chicken was dry and the burrito tasteless! Second, the lady behind the counter who took the order annoyed all 3 of us. If you’re taking orders, you better be paying attention. She had to confirm what we ordered… I said chicken burrito and she asked and you wanted beef, right? NO! The chips are salty as well.
Sitting here about 2 hours later, my stomach is killing me (same goes for my friend who came with).
NEVER GOING BACK TO THIS PLACE AGAIN! I’d rather go to Taco bell.

The tamale options are incredible!
Yes, we know the family and that is what first drew us in… but we will come back for the food. Such a great variety and great quality.

We first saw this place when picking up pizza next door. They were just opening so my girlfriend went in to grab a menu. The staff is very friendly and was kind enough to give her a discount coupon for the first time that we order. We were a little reluctant to eat here at first due to the price of the tamales, but once we tried it we were completely satisfied. The tamales are good size and they have a good variety (changing all the time). I got a burrito and a chicken and basil and something tamale. both were delicious. Now don’t get me wrong, if your looking for the hole in the wall grease bucket burrito this may not be your place. If you’re looking for a decent sized quality burrito with top notch ingredients then you’ve found a great spot. Once again I have to praise the staff for being extremely friendly!
Great start guys!

I just got 2 tamales. Overpriced and just plain bad. THe the tamaled fell apart and the flavor was weak. My wife spit hers out, but since I paid $ 3 each– I painfully ate mine. Dont’ bother– Go to Fiesta Market and get one fo theirs for $.89. its taste 2 x better and is 3 X Cheaper.

I’ve been here a few times now, but I only have had the tamales.
I am impressed!
The first time I went there, I ordered a 3 tamale platter and did not realize how big the tamales were. I am a large man with a large appetite and find it difficult to finish the 2 tamale platter. I love the chicken-​chorizo tamales the most. I will be trying more of their menu items as time goes on.
The restaurant is set up with a typical — place your order at the counter, self serve beverage and bus your own table. The credit card receipt has a tip line on it. This irks me, if I have to wait on myself, then I will tip myself. Since payment is made when ordering, how would I know if my service will be good. As I scratch out the tip line and sign my name, I feel awkward and cheap when I shouldn’t. I will most likely only stop in when I have cash on hand, just to avoid the whole thing.

I like it. First discovered it earlier this month while driving down Nerge Road en-​route to another Mexican restaurant near EGV. The sign caught my eye from street glance so we decided to stop and check it out.
I wanted to try the tamales, but my mind had already been set on tacos, so I ordered the two-​taco platter. Came with rice (choice of red or green) and beans (choice of black or pinto) and selection of meat on either a flour or corn tortilla. I ordered carnitas on corn, red rice (Spanish…the green rice is chile-​flavored, I think), and black beans. It was good. Very good. Ordered an extra side of the Spanish rice for my kids and chicken on flour tacos for them as well. They ate everything on their plates, so it must be good :) Chicken was grilled and tender. We also tried their guac and chips. I tend to like my guacamole ‘plain’ and this one had a good kick to it (onions, cilantro), but it was very good too.
Came back last week and again, wanted to try their tamales, but I liked the tacos so much that I got the 2-​taco platter again, this time with steak. I’m favoring the steak tacos slightly over the carnitas… good seasoning and very tender. Everything was made to order and fresh… not too greasy, and service was fairly quick. We waited around 10 minutes each time. Service was excellent. Everyone behind the counter was friendly and helpful.
We carried-​out both times, but it does have a comfortable eating space complete with TV to watch the news or current game.
Along the lines of other Mexican spots, I think this place can hold its own. I can’t judge on anything but the tacos yet, but the ones here are pretty good and I’m a fan. Next time, though, I will definitely have to try the tamales since all the combinations look delicious.

Here’s a place that I would normally drive by without giving a second thought BUT… thanks to Unilocal AND Jennifer S review (who I respect), I bookmarked this as a «need to try».
Basically, Jennifer nails it in her review but I will add that I was impressed when I walked through the door. The place was SPOTLESS and the ladies behind the counter were wearing hairnets. Your probably laughing at that last one. I take the «front of the house» appearance of a restaurant very seriously. I’ve heard and read enough food poisoning food stories that a grungy restaurant puts me off from the get go.
On to the food; we ordered a 2– tamale platter, 2 — taco platter and an ala carte tamale. Between the two of us we enjoyed bean & cheese, steak & cheese, chicken-​spinach-​mushroom tamales. My wife had the chicken tacos. All of the tamales were VERY good. I don’t give a crap how «authentically» Mexican the tamales were. They tasted damn good! My wife couldn’t consume her second chicken taco, so being the thoughtful husband that I am, I finished her taco. It was excellent! House-​made tortilla, 2 types of cheese, cilantro so fresh that you could swear they grow it in the back, this was a GOOOOD taco.
I loved my 2 tamale platter and had a steak and cheese tamale and a chicken, spinach and cheese tamale. The steak tamale was OK. I thought the chicken, spinach and mushroom was a great blend of flavors. It was a a really good combination of ingredients. The nice girl behind the counter offered two different salsas. I poured the small cup of «hot» salsa over my two tamales. I could become addicted to the red salsa. So fresh with perfect heat. I went with the green rice. Yeah, «Ho Hum just rice», right? This stuff tasted like it was cooked in butter!
Next time I stop, I’ll be all over the Baja Fish Tacos. I’ve got a feeling they rock — I’ll let you know with an update.
We had a 2 — tamale platter, 2 — taco platter, ala carte tamale and 2 sodas.
Total = $ 24.26. Hot Tamale Cucina rings my Taste & Value bell!

Saw that this was new (win!) and close to my work (win!) so I knew I had to stop in. This place boasts that they specialize in «authentic» gourmet tamales. Gourmet yes, authentic, not so much.
The inside of the place is on the smaller side but there are a few tables for dining in. They have a few flat panel TV’s on the wall and their menu is also displayed on flat panel TVs above the counter.
I ordered a chicken quesadilla and 1 tamale to go. I got the chicken, basil and feta cheese tamale. I just wanted chicken but was told they don’t have just chicken but the chicken/​basil/​feta cheese was the closest thing. Now, I have to say that their prices are a bit steep. For those 2 items it came to just over $ 11 (and I didn’t even get a drink!).
I really enjoyed the quesadilla. It has mushrooms, onion, green pepper, garlic and cheese… plus the chicken of course. It seemed it was made with cheddar cheese which is a bit different. I was given diced tomatoes and shredded lettuce with the quesadillas… no sour cream though, that would have been nice.
The tamale I did not like at all. Again, my order was to go so I am not sure if that makes any difference but my tamale was a sloopy mess. It was so squishy and mushy and just fell apart when I cut into it. It was wrapped in foil so I’m not sure if moisture developed while I ate the quesadilla but it was a hot mess and pretty gross. To me, authentic tamales have that corn bread consistency. This one was like you took corn bread and soaked it in water. Needless to say, I just picked out some of the chicken and tossed the rest.
I was given a few coupons to use on a future visit which was nice. If you walk in to order, be prepared to wait as they prepare everything fresh as it is ordered. They do suggest you call in your order ahead of time to avoid waiting.
Oh, and they asked if I wanted red or green (hot) sauce. I’m as white as they get but that should give you some indication of the authenticity of the place.
I would try the quesadilla again and other items on the menu, but wouldn’t get any more tamales. That is a shame considering that is their «specialty».

I went to Hot Tamale Cucina after seeing the awesome reviews on Unilocal.As you can see by my two stars, I was not as impressed as other people.
I came here for lunch with two of my coworkers and I felt bad for even suggesting it.
First of all the menu was a little confusing. We looked at the print out menu and it differs from what they are actually offering that day. You have to look at the television screens.
When I checked out the offered tamales, I was excited they looked interesting… but more Americanized. The tamales ranged from $ 3 to $ 4. We ordered them a la carte, since I do not like rice and beans. The tamales were mushy. when you took them out of the wrappers, they fell apart. The nachos were good and a healthy portion as well.
It was also very uncomfortable to dine in. They had the air conditioning set at much too high of a temperature and I was sweltering!

Hot Tamale Cucina is a solid place to grab lunch, but it does miss on a few offerings.
I picked up the taco and tamale meal ($ 7), which comes with a side of rice and beans and a small drink. Not being a fan of beans, I was happy that they allowed me to substitute the beans with another side of rice. They have two kinds of rice: red, which is the traditional Mexican rice, and green, which is a green chili rice. Definitely go with the green as its packed with much more flavor.
You can customize your taco for the meal — hard/​soft shell (with either corn or flour for your soft shell) and your choice of meat. I went with the carnitas taco on a corn tortilla. The carnitas had a nice flavor but was not tender at all, a big no-​no for carnitas. The taco was nicely packed though, and the vegetables were fresh.
Now for the main event: the tamales. I went with the beef, mushroom and cheese tamale for my meal, and I wasn’t disappointed. The same cannot be said though for the chicken chorizo tamale, which I got for free with a coupon. The texture was simply too soggy for a tamale. It was also seriously lacking in flavor. There’s a nice kick upfront, but it soon loses its flavor. After the first bite, I wasn’t quite sure what I was eating.
Overall, I was satisfied with the meal. There were definitely a few things they could have done better, but I’ll be back to try their other offerings.

Wow!
I think I agree with Frank A. down below. This is definitely a new go-​to place.
Hot Tamale Cucina gets it right in so many ways. First off, the tamales are excellent. They are big, spicy (but not too spicy) and taste great. Try the chicken chorizo tamale. I had a chance to sample the chicken fajitas too. The meat is tender. Not like those cardboard-​y mail-​it-​in fajitas at TGI Lame-​days.
Also, be sure to try the nachos and tacos as well. What I liked best about them is that they use this crumpled cheese that accents the dish so well. What a refreshing change of pace.
And I don’t know what Ben K. was talking about below… the prices are PERFECT. I got a huge tamale, a beef taco, rice, beans and a beverage (with free refills) for $ 7.00. Talk about a deal!
And while I recommend Hot Tamale Cucina for takeout, dining in is a fine option as well. The servers are prompt and efficient.
Well worth a visit!

Awesome food and great service! I have never been to a restaurant with better service. We arrived with kids under 6 and the only downside was not having a high chair. Unfotunately the chicken on a stick we ordered for the kids would take 15 – 20 minutes which we didn’t have time for so we chose Mac and cheese which they were out of so the woman helping is suggested the grilled cheese which they made an extra of free of charge. Once we got out food they brought out extra food for the kids which made them very happy. My husband and I tried the tamale, a burrito and an order of beef tacos which were great! The food was fresh and delicious! I can’t wait to come visit again! We highly recommend this little spot!

Uh Oh…
I think I found my new go-​to place.
Came here not expecting too much considering it’s hard to find a good tamale in the burbs. Enter Hot Tomale Cucina.
I’ve passed by this place a dozen times and always wanted to try this place out. I’m glad I did.
Upon entering, I didn’t really know how to order. I agree with Alan B. in that they shouldn’t simply advertise that it’s all about tamales here. They have a variety of other menu items including tacos, burritos and fajitas.
I made up my mind that I wanted to try some tamales. A nice lady behind the counter was able to help me order 2 — 2 tamale plates with rice and beans. I went with Shrimp, Chicken, Carnitas and Beef. I also wanted to try some fish tacos and went with two, one with a corn tortilla and one with flour.
Here’s the rundown…
Shrimp — wow… love the garlic in here!
Chicken — moist — tender — flavorful
Carnitas — pretty good seasoning — although I did like the shrimp and chicken better
Beef — great flavor as well
Baja Fish tacos — not fried — real fish with sauce, tomatoes, onion, etc. — delicious!
Tamale plates come with sides of a rice and beans of your choice.
***One very important thing to note is that while you may order a 2 tamale plate, it doesn’t mean you will receive 2 tamales. Another staff member working with the woman behind the counter explained that they actually weigh the tamales, so you may receive extra in order to give you enough food.
Sure enough, when my order was ready, I had extra tamales… WIN!
I actually was only able to finish about one and a half tamales just tasting a bit of each one so now I have leftovers.
Definitely check this place out! Really cute place with a very friendly staff.

At last a mexican place opened in my neighborhood with style. I first heard about this place from a co-​worker and decided to check it out. I got the taco dinner and the shirmp Jalopano tamale. The steak was awesome and the Tamale was extra tasty. Great seasoning, and good flavor to the rice and beans and overall a quality product. I would recommend getting corn tortillas because the flour ones are a little doughy. My only beef with this place is the hot sauce /​salsa they give you. The red is pretty bland and boring, and the green tastes too fruity, but other then that its the best mexican food that you’ll find in the area.

This place is AWESOME! Had the tamales and a burrito and wow… lots of flavor. Definitely not your average Mexican fast food place! This is gourmet food that you would expect in a fine dinning establishment! I can’t wait to go back. I wish I had a bigger mouth!

My family makes homemade tamales. It’s tradition, everyone has an assigned task and we follow my grandma’s recipe. It was probably her grandma’s recipe, but I never asked. The prep takes days and we spend an entire day as a family spreading the masa, filling and rolling each one and steaming them to perfection. We use very fancy, specialized tamale making equipment including the large metal baby bathtub, giant pots with lids that don’t quite fit anymore and old coffee cups. Don’t ask… I couldn’t make the family tamales without these things. So, when I walked into Hot Tamale Cucina, I wasn’t expecting much more than a ‘corn roll’ resembling those you find at the local hot dog joint. Boy, was I wrong!!!
After being open for only a week, I wandered in at lunchtime. It’s clean and bright and the place was packed. Good signs so far! They are pretty smart. There is a carryout menu stand at eye level on the left hand side as soon as you walk in, so you can peruse the menu immediately. The issue for me is that the daily tamale varieties are hand written on a small dry erase board on the wall near the register. Since the eight types of tamales change daily, I get the dry erase thing, but I felt like the tamales weren’t getting a respectable introduction. Go ahead, give me a hard time… I can deal with it. Do you know how much work goes into making just one tamale? A ton! The place is even named after the coveted corn husk wrapped deliciousness! Anyhow, I usually avoid cheese and was slightly disappointed that all eight options included cheese that day. I did ask and they do have choices without cheese, just not that day. Well, I can’t visit Hot Tamale Cucina without a tamale. Even if it had cheese. So I ordered a carnitas and pepper jack (I think) tamale, a grilled fish taco and a grilled chicken taco to go. I waited a few short minutes (and signed up for text alerts while waiting) and before I knew it, my order was ready. The gal packing up my order was very nice and asked if I wanted the red or green salsa. Hmmm. I didn’t know and kinda wanted to try both. No problem. She gave me both.
When I opened the bag of freshly made Mexican yumminess, I found two tamales wrapped together as one. Score!!! A nice surprise. They included plastic utensils and recycled napkins. Here is my take on my lunch…
Go for the green! Loved the green salsa on everything that I tried. The red was fine, but very mild and kinda boring.
The grilled fish was perfect! Seasoned nicely. It was a nice piece of fish instead of a chopped up mess. I was impressed.
The chicken was also seasoned well and juicy. Thanks for not cooking it to smithereens!
The tamales. Oh, the tamales! I don’t care that there was cheese mixed in. They are doing things just right. Using a real corn husk to wrap each one, I know that these were steamed properly for cooking. There was plenty of meat inside and the spice was just right. More of a hint which was appreciated. I controlled it by adding some green salsa.
In short. Go for the tamales and stay for the fish tacos.

The BEST new restaurant in the area! They advertise «gourmet tamales», they should simply advertise «gourmet Mexican food». We had the fahitas and the quesadillas-​both were perfect. While waiting for our carry out the chef brought out a taste of the queso fundido which was fantastic. (great guacamole too)!
Prices are very reasonable-​especially considering the portion sizes and quality of the meals.
An added bonus-​the carry out meals are placed into sealed containers, keeping the food hot and fresh for the ride home.
Great service, nice family owned business. Please patronize this establishment-​we need a great restaurant like this in the neighborhood!