Sutter Cafe

Friendly staff operating in a small, clean location. Food is made to order and was very good. Nice variety of snacks and a couple of dining tables to enjoy your meal. If you order over a certain dollar amount, a free drip coffee is offered (fair trade, yummy coffee).

Home style tamales between union square and FiDi!
Delicious! Scones, espresso, beverages, and princess cake slices. I wish I would have tried this place earlier (I always work in this area) but it’s hidden in Sutter garage entrance. I only new about it because of a clever sandwich board advertising tamales. The place has tables, it’s cozy, relaxing, and clean.

It’s located in a garage but wow the food and service is really good. I had the croissant with bacon, egg and cheese for breakfast and definitely recommend it.

I get lunch here consistently about 2 – 3 times a week. Staff is always friendly and sandwiches are all awesome. Solid sandwich joint. The Burger is actually unsuspectingly amazing also.

I had heard the tamales here were awesome and despite working around the corner for three years, I had yet to try them. Unfortunately, they didn’t quite live up to expectation for me.
The good:
–Decently priced at $ 3.00/each
–Good ratio of masa to chicken for most of the tamale (see note below)
–Super fast grab and go, or enjoy at the tiny store
–Delicious hot sauce on the side
The bad:
–The masa was VERY thick at the ends of the tamale with no chicken
–No flavor options, only chicken
–Chicken was fatty and I had several pieces of cartilage in my tamales
–Hot sauce costs an extra $ 0.50 for a tiny little cup
Overall, nothing I’d go out of my way for in the future, but glad I tried it.

I’ve only come here for the tamales, but they are worth the trip. Even better than that may be the hot sauce. Sometimes I think the tamale is just a hot sauce delivery system. Really a surprising place to find such bold flavors. I try never to walk by without having one or two.

Tamales are to die for! Hidden GEMS. Also, they have all you candy needs! BULK. And CAKE. What more do you need?

Tried the «famous» chicken tamales. They’re good. Nothing to cheer about, but not bad at all. Will I go back again? yeah.
As of Mar 2015, they are $ 3 each (about 4 inches long)

The lady who runs this shop is really nice and hand makes all the food. I love the egg salad sandwich, it’s exactly like my mom made it. NOTE: she uses wheat bread for the sandwiches.
I’m not a huge fan of the tamale, despite all the raving by 7×7 and previous reviews; it was really bland to me.

Time: 11:09am/54°F mostly cloudy
Purpose: Message came through saying possible new ownership for place. Been here before just never check in or bother writing review for them. So with Sugarfina in same area it was a two for one deal. Calls for on my way!
Ambiance: Located on the ground floor level of Sutter street parking garage. You enter from Sutter not Stockton side. Elevators and self payment systems right out front along with barber shop next door. Café is located in the inner back of retail stalls. Inside sits three tables, 4 rows of bulk candies, two beverage fridge, utensils/​condiments station, coffee pots, shelf with miscellaneous snacks. Counter sits to the right with display case hosting cold refrigerated goods. Actual counter itself filled with assorted cookie jars, 3 tier pastry case, service bell, and bowls of fresh fruits. The rest of the place menu blackboards, espresso machine, grinders, sink, prep counter all basic necessities. It’s not noisy here or loud here. Only evevators and footsteps are heard when people leaves back and forth from their vehicles.
Staff: One older Asian lady with dark square shades on during entire transaction. She understands what people says but, we may have harder time understanding her. Self motivated entrepreneur attends to each customer with care. Trying harder than ever before to sell a tamale. Her movements behind counter seems so fluidy. Calm and relax without stress. No problems dealing with her.
Cleanliness: Grade A, impeccable. Everything store away as seen. Nothing was a factor here as, a posted score of 94 was seen.
Eats/​Drinks: Chicken tamale like always $ 3 as found on (7×7) must eat things. These tamales are wrap in traditional corn husk shape like short staff sausages with bulging center, not the flat rectangular type. Comes piping hot to the touch, after unwrapping husk you’ll, see what seems like a no biggie but, separate the maza a little more. Hidden inside half side of jalapeño pepper, two pieces of pork, whole pitted black olive very odd. Good balance of carb to protein ratio. To enjoy every bit of it, you must hold it upright and bite into it. I would say 3 – 4 bites before its all gone. Pleasing flavors not bad. Ask for hot sauce as there’s none out on the counter.
Main Features: Chicken tamale as found on (7×7) of must eat in SF.
Products/​Services: Cakes-​whole, slice, half/​full sheets, bulk candies, pastries/​danishes, slices, bagels, toast, ham & cheese, sandwiches, salads, muffins, cookies, biscottis, fresh fruits, granola, tamales, cold/​hot beverages, boiled eggs, chicken/​bow tie pasta. Coffee by Farmer Brothers self serve.
Punch Lines: Warm service, calm, minimal seating, pleasing flavors, takes plastics, garage parking, minutes from Stockton tunnel/​union square, impeccable service, close together tables, budget watchers, light bites, nothing out of the ordinary, plain décor, satisfactory, closes early.
Tradeoffs: Despite coming for the infamous tamale you’ll, end buying other things as well. Shop is set up that way.
Final Thoughts: Although I’m not positive about the new ownership gossip. I did get the opportunity to try it may be one last time. Hopefully they’ll still be around churning out tamales along with cakes. Place deserves more than 17 reviews for what it is. People just don’t see areas less travel. Those who knows are primary her devotees. Go grab yourself a tamale and enjoy!

Who would have known…??
Delicious and fresh chicken tamales in this out of the way location.
Still close enough to Union Square and well worth the walk.
Also enjoy their egg salad sandwiches and assorted pasta offerings.
Run, don’t walk to this little café.

Great little café in the 450 Sutter building. Good ingredients, very good food items and coffee as well as some higher end gourmet snacks & treats. Nice cozy little space. I hope they do well, it’s a very convenient addition to the 450 Sutter building.

Please come and support this business, it’s a small little café in the Sutter st garage near union square. My reason behind this is that they make a pretty damn good tamale. It’s spicy and the masa is made right and the chicken inside is flavorful. You can also get a special hot sauce on the side which kicks it up to insanely spicy levels. If you enjoy spicy tamales that taste really good, don’t let the looks deceive you and come try these. My mouth burned so good and I enjoyed every minute of it. Great for lunch or a quick snack. What is sad is that the person making the tamales is Asian and she makes them better than most Hispanic people, they are ridiculously good. Not better than my mom’s but pretty damn close. Good price, good flavor and good spice. Very tasty indeed.

Unilocalers led me to this destination, and I’d have to say:
These are the best tamales I’ve ever had.
Yes, they are small.
Yes, the $ 2.75 asking price seems large because they’re small.
But at the end of the day, they are amazingly tasty, and I can’t wait to return.
The tamales seamlessly meld chicken, olive, jalapenos and masa together into an amazingly balanced combination. I usually find 7×7’s recommendations overrated, but the proof is in the pudding: I will be back.
(Side Note: Do not confuse this place, as I initially did, with «Sutter Deli», another restaurant-​in-​garage a block away. Sutter Café is between Grant & Stockton, at the Sutter Stockton Garage.)

Who would think to come to the Sutter Stockton Garage for a homemade tamale? I was on my way back from a medical appointment at 450 Sutter when I decided to stop here based on the little sandwich board on the sidewalk. I quickly looked at the Unilocal app and found that people do indeed come to what looks like a little sandwich and candy shop right across from the elevators (photo:
). And why? Because the owner, a quiet, charming woman named Holly Li, married a Mexican-​Chinese man and learned to make tamales from her sister-​in-​law while living for years in Mexico City. Her tamales caught the appetite of a 7×7 food writer (photo:
), and now she’s developing a cult following through the Unilocal gravevine.
A sign perched precariously in the corner atop a stack of phone books heralds her Chicken Tamales with a quote from 7×7: «A perfect ratio of masa to shredded chicken and olives» for $ 2.75 each (photo:
). OK then, two please as I expected them to be small for that price. They are and come steamed in their corn husks (photo:
). Peeling them off gingerly given the heat, they are perfectly molded with the masa thick and almost gelatinous and with a generous filling of spicy chicken, chopped jalapenos and olives (photo:
). She came back with a squeeze bottle of siracha gave an even greater kick to every bite. They are definitely delicious and made me want some enchiladas and refried beans on the side. Two more please.
FOOD — 4 stars… homemade tamales with panache and flavor and you don’t have to take the 14
AMBIANCE — 2.5 stars… looks and feels like an office building business
SERVICE — 4.5 stars… Holly is great and steadfast
TOTAL — 4 stars… you don’t have to park here to get a satisfying tamale

The tamales are as good as any I have ever had in a store. On a scale of 1 – 10, with 10 being the best tamales I have ever had, these tamales are a solid 9. (No one can beat fresh tamales in a Mexican kitchen though)

Quotable.
«A perfect ratio of masa to shredded chicken & black olives.»
So says 7×7 Magazine. At least according to a sign posted inside. Couldn’t confirm online. They were good. And only $ 2.75.
«An outstanding Spanish chicken (mixed with tomato sauce) sandwich, sweet and delicious sugar free vanilla America and delectable homemade éclair for only $ 12.»
So says me. Plus charming, friendly and welcoming service.
Quote me on it.

One day while going to the post office, I saw a little sign saying «Best Tamales» — hah? I love tamales and have been looking for a good place near home that has good ones. I was instantly curious. Immediately, I couldn’t decide whether to check it out or go to the post office first. Ok, post office first and then come back.
To try it, I got 4 tamales for me and my bf. We ate them all in 10 minutes flat! Microwave it with a damp paper towel wrapped around it for 15 – 18 seconds and it’s ready to go! Yum!
I can’t wait to get more!

Sutter Café is in the lobby area of the Sutter/​Stockton Garage, next to the elevators. It was dark and closed, but I saw the Asian lady and she opened the door for me. I asked what days and hours the shop was open & I said I was from Fremont and I guess she felt sorry for me and asked if I wanted a chicken tamale.
Of course I did. So she heated me up one. It’s smaller than a regular size tamale and cost $ 2.25. I thought it was ok. The dough is kinda thick, but I liked that it had olive, chicken, and peppers.
I also asked for an Agua Fresca $ 2. They have cantaloupe, lime, watermelon. I picked watermelon. It was nice, not too sweet.
My total was $ 4.25. I paid in Cash and ate my tamale outside by the closed ticket counter.
3 small tables & 6 chairs available inside.
Hrs: M-​F 9 – 5:30p; Sat 11 – 5:30p

The place is small (located inside a building, next to the elevators for the Sutter Stockton garage), but it’s stocked with a HUGE variety of food items: coffees, canned drinks, sandwiches, salads, pastries, bagged snacks, and candy by the pound. The store owner, Holly Li, is super friendly and sweet, offering to reheat food items and carefully packaging to go orders.
Sorry the fuzzy pictures are from my cellphone camera.
7×7 magazine awarded it best tamales in 2007. The shop has a little card next to the chicken tamales to remind customers about it. In my opinion, that award was overrated. Perhaps the magazine was trying to increase business at this shop, which is usually empty. I think that the magazine’s staff should try La Palma Mexicatessen on 24^th St, or other places in Oakland, to learn what really good tamales are like.
I ordered 2 tamales ($ 2.25 each). These are half the size of normal tamales, the chicken filling is tasty but the dough around it is a little too dense and dry. Maybe the batch I got was no good, I don’t know. Definitely not the best tamales in the bay area.
On another visit I got an egg salad sandwich and a can of mango drink — mango flavor of drink was excellent, but I found a piece of egg shell inside the sandwich. *sad face*
The place is lovely, it has a few tables to sit, service is very nice, and you do get a great variety of food options. So even with the flaws I found, I’d rate it 3 stars.