Well, I so wanted to love these tamales, but unfortunately they had a few issues, so I emailed the owner to let her know: Hi Linda, I wanted to report back to about 3 of the 5 tamales I bought yesterday. We had the Red Chicken, which tasted good, unfortunately there were several pieces of really tough dry chicken. We also tried the Mushroom tamale, which had good flavor, but my husband said one bite felt like he bit into SAND! The Yam tamale was yummy, no issues. I'm not sure if others have had similar issues. Her response: We haven't had any problems before as far as chicken we do by hand and mushrooms we wash. Sorry for the inconvenience. Since I emailed her, I've tried the Bean n Cheese Tamale, which was too salty, and a bit gummy. read more

When I attended UCSB in Santa Barbara, I used to order homemade tamales from a lady in my neighborhood (Isla Vista). They were the first and THE best tamales I have ever had. Nothing else I tried in restaurants beat them. I would literally order 20 from her every time. I've been trying for years to find something that are better or similar to hers and these tamales from All Star come 2nd to them and are top notch! I still miss the $1.50 tamales from SB (the ones here are like $4 each i think) but these definitely are the closest I found to them. As long as they taste good, I'm willing to spend the extra few bucks on them. My order: green chicken tamales. The masa is the perfect texture and the chicken is very tender. I recommend steaming them instead of microwaving them, even though it does take longer (it's worth it!! trust!!) I've tried some of the other ones -- spinach and cheese, red chicken oaxaca style, and green chile and cheese -- but the green chicken one was the best. Out of the salsas, I think the habanero one tastes the best! The location is pretty random. It's hidden away at a building where you wouldn't expect a restaurant to be. I expected to see a tent (like the pictures show), but it seems like they moved into this building, maybe because of Covid-19(?) Definitely give this place a try! Amazing tamales with a touch of nostalgia for me :') read more

TAMALES MIERCOLES! *UNA ESTRELLA*: LARD FREE = Guilt-Free (Well, kinda...) *UNA ESTRELLA*: 14 Tamale Varieties Including Green Pasilla, Picadillo, Chicken Mole, Pork Mole, Green Chile & Cheese, Green Pork, Red Pork, Black Bean & Cheese, Vegetable, Beef, Spinach & Cheese (My Fav), Red chicken, Green Chicken and Sweet Corn. *UNA ESTRELLA*: GENEROUSLY PACKED WITH FILLING! Firm, yet soft fluffy corn masa nestled with meat, veggie and/or oooey goeeey cheese in EVERY bite! *UNA ESTRELLA*: Awesome homemade pasilla (mild), tomatillo (mild), habanero (spicy) and chipotle (spicy) salsas that impart additional moisture, tang and a kick of heat! Other Notes: *Cash Only *Tamales are 2 for $5 (cold) and 2 for $5.50 (hot) *Breakfast burritos and enchiladas are also available *TIPS FOR REHEATING: If frozen, thaw first then steam. Crunched for time? Wrap frozen tamale in wet paper towel and microwave. MmMmM,delicioso! CUATRO ESTRELLAS! This review was brought to you with the assistance of Google Translate. read more

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All Star Tamales is on the list of "How you know you're a true San Franciscan" because people will literally wait in the longest line of all the farmers market to get their hands on the smallest dish available. Despite all the other amazingly delicious food trucks around (I love you Hella Vegan Eats!), I will wait patiently for 30 minutes to get my hands on a tamale the size of my hand. But like an atom bomb, you can't judge something by it's size. They have 2 vegan tamales here-Vegan Mushroom & Vegan Veggie. There will be weeks where I prefer 1 over the other. Right now, it's the vegan mushroom. It's a combination of a few different types of exotic mushrooms, a hint of umami flavor, and great texture. The vegan veggie has all sorts of plant goodness inside that crumbles with every bite, so you can taste and feel every vegetable they put into it. They also have a vegan burrito, which is essentially the fillings of the vegan veggie rolled up into a mini flour tortilla. All these offerings are $3 a pop, but if you buy in bulk, you'll save a few bucks off each one. The salsa here is a whole 'nother story. They automatically provide red and green sauce, but ask for the orange sauce. It's smokey and easily my favorite. Ask for the big container too. Do it. You know you want to drench that tamale. They have a fourth salsa, so if you're feeling creative, ask for all 4 and see which one you like best. I'll come around every week for their tamales. As long as there's a line, you'll know I'll be in it. read more

All Star Tamales - 2 vegan options - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburg, California

Sent a message through their website about ordering some tamales. Never got a response back. Not even a "Sorry, can't help you" response. Kinda sad about that. I've gotten tamales there once before and remember them being pretty good. read more

Tried these wonderful tamales!!!today. Very moist and nice fillings. Owner very nice. Excellent customer service. Can't wait to try more. Will definitely order again!!! read more

I LUUUV Tamales! And I love the fact that these tamales are made without lard! I haven't tried them all, because I always go back to the chicken red mole tamale wrapped in a banana leaf. I think it's absolutely delicious! I also really like the sweet corn tamale. Some people think $2.50 is expensive for a tamale, but I think they're worth it. I blogged it: http://sexydishes.blogspot.com/2011/06/its-just-lunch.html read more

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I love their tamales. They're all winners. Yesterday I had jury duty, and was excused around 11 a.m. Thought about where to go next, and then it hit me! All Stars is at Civic Center on Wednesdays. Woo Hoo! Bought 3 cold tamales for $7.50. Hot ones are like $0.25 more expensive I think. You can get hot sauce in a little tiny container to accompany your tamale. Went back to work, and zapped one in the microwave. Yummy, yum, yum. First time I had the Tex Mex tamale. Great if you want to kick it up a tiny notch. read more

Hands down the best tamales I have had in the bay area! You can slap sauce an a tamale but All Star Tamales don't need salsa to be outstanding on their own. Be aware if you visit their stand in Old Oakland Farmer's Market, SF's UN Plaza, or other remote locations they take cash only. read more

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I just picked up red pork, green chicken and Chile tamales and so should you! It's was great! It was fully loaded. We fried it instead of heating in microwave or oven. The lady ( opener) I called and talked to was so nice and very helpful, although they are closed on Saturday yet she came in for us. read more

I really liked my green chili and cheese tamale. It was cheap, quick (though somehow everyone in front of me in line took a million years to order) and satisfying. Not that a green chili and cheese tamale is some revolutionary combination but there's a reason it has staying power. Two of these would be a solid meal and maybe three if you were real hungry. read more

Hmm... Now I'm conflicted. For the last year, Wednesday's at the Heart of The City Farmers Market have usually meant one particular go-to lunch, the Pupusa. I should have tried All Star Tamales sooner, because I would have realized two things: 1. The long-@ss line moves a lot faster than it seems, and is actually a LOT quicker than waiting for pupusas. 2. These are some legit tamales. There is a huge selection of different tameles - also Burritos and Enchiladas, as well. So far, I've enjoyed each one that I've had, and as I look over the menu (look below, I listed them all!) I'm pretty excited for Wednesday's to come. Everything has been good, but the winner was the Green Chile and Cheese tamale. That was the first tamale I've tried that does not have meat. The chile and cheese with the tamale is a great combo, and it's bursting with filling. I'd also have to give a BIG thumbs up to the side-sauces that come with your order. Good range of mild to caliente. Get two tamales for $6, and that is stout meal. The one downside - it's sorta messy for street food. The tamales are pre-wrapped (why the line moves fast) tightly in plastic wrap, and they're a little greasy (in a good way) on the outside of the corn-husk. Make sure to grab lots of napkins when you visit - It gets a bit messy unwrapping the delicious tamales. Much easier if you can go find a table or bring these back to the office. Are Pupusas a thing of the past for old Adam S.? Nah. But, this is a new regular in the rotation. Here's the list 'o Tamales: Red Pork: Shredded pork in a mild red sauce. Green Pork: Shredded pork in a tomatillo sauce with bits of red potatoes, carrots, and pasilla chilies. Pork Mole: Shredded pork in a Oaxacan style red mole and steamed in a banana leaf. Red Chicken: Shredded chicken in a mild red sauce. Green Chicken: Shredded chicken in a tomatillo sauce with bits of red potatoes, carrots, and pasilla chilies. Chicken Mole: Shredded chicken in a Oaxacan style red mole and steamed in a banana leaf. Beef: Shredded beef in a mild red sauce. TexMex: Ground beef and black beans in a chipotle souce. Picadillo: Ground beef, with bits of red potatoes, carrots, cooked in a green sauce. Vegi-Vegan: Black beans, green beans, carrots, cauliflower,corn, roasted red peppers, and spinach. Black Bean Cheese: Home style cooked, black beans, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Spinach and Cheese: Fresh spinach, mozzarella cheese, and cotija cheese. Green Pasilla: Pasilla chilies, cotija cheese, mozzarella cheese, steamed in a banana leaf. Chile and Cheese: Anaheim chilies, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese. Vegan Mushroom: Portobello, shiitake, and brown mushrooms with red and green peppers and cabbage in a mild garlic sauce. Sweet Corn: Fresh yellow sweet corn, butter, and a dash of sugar. read more

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I love Tamale Wednesdays! One is never enough. Two makes me throw up. My favs: green chicken, pork mole, picadillo, red pork, chicken mole, green pork. I just named half the menu!! $2.75 for one. $5 for two. Didn't know lard is used to make tamales. But no lard here!! Hot diggity good stuff!! Wheeee! read more

They're called "All Star" for a reason! And let's add in affordable as well- 2 tamales for $5! Cheaper if you buy them cold and by the bulk. About 20 varieties- savory, sweet, meaty, vegan. You name it, they got it. Gluten and lard free. They also serve burritos, tacos, and drinks. Salsa already packaged in to-go containers. And very friendly servers! They're at the Heart of The City's Farmer's market. There's always a long line (that moves quickly). Also at Alemany Farmer's market. read more

All Star Tamales - Tamales menu - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburg, California

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Can food from a truck be good? The tamales started off good but steadily declined to just ok with each passing Wednesday at the Farmer's Market. I use to always get two tamales: one cheese and spinach and either a red chicken or a mole chicken. And for five dollars, I was content. Unfortunately, there was a steady decline in stuffing and an increase in corn meal. The final straw was the two weeks in a row I got cheddar and green chile when I ordered the cheese and spinach. Not that I minded the cheddar and green chile, but there's just wasn't enough of either ingredient to appreciate. Off in search of my next lunch spot. read more

By far the BEST lunch option for your tamale taste buds in the Civic Center area. The only downside is the tamales are only available on Wed's during the Civic Center Farmer's market. After that, you have to catch this act on the road. At only $2.50-$2.75 a pop, with a wide selection to choose from, All Star is a must stop for anyone with a tamale addiction. Don't let the loooooooong line scare you away at lunch time. The line tends to move quickly since many of the regulars already know the drill when comes to ordering. No need to "name" the tamale you want-just say the "number" and its all good. Even though I'm a red meat, kill it all, meat lover, my favorite All Star tamale is the Spinach and Cheese... Super delicious.... read more

All Star Tamales - Yummmmm - Mexican Near Me - Pittsburg, California

I've had: - Red Chicken (shredded chicken in a mild red sauce) - Chicken Mole (shredded chicken in Oaxaca-style red mole and steamed in a banana leaf) - TexMex (ground beef and black beans in a chipotle sauce) - Chile and Cheese (Anaheim chilies, cheddar cheese, and mozzarella cheese) The TexMex is my favorite and I usually get that with something else, depends on my mood. All of them are cheesy good, with the perfect protein, cheese and masa ratio. I'm not as big a fan of the banana leaf wrapped ones. Buy in bulk! They're cheaper. read more

Best tamales ever!! Used to buy at Todos Santos park farmers market. No longer selling there. Went to the store in Pittsburgh and bought all my tamales there! read more

By far the longest line of the Civic Center Farmer's Market. The line moves fast so you know it's a factor of being popular, not just insanely slow service (like other Mexican places at other Farmer's Markets). Each tamale is surrounded by a firm, yet not too dry corn masa then wrapped in a corn husk and then wrapped in plastic. They are very accommodating about wrapping stuff to go and giving you containers of red and green salsa in case you don't feel like dining al fresco with the residentially-challenged of the neighborhood. Picadillo: Slow cooked beef with carrots and a trace of potatoes. Kinda of like a dry stew inside a tamale. Nice spicy kick on the inside. Chicken Mole: Very fine chicken particles with a mole dusting. Succulent and juicy, but I would have preferred large chunks of chicken. The mole flavoring is nice, but they could stand to be more generous with it. My least favorite of the batch. Red Pork: Mexican slow cooked pork, you can never go wrong! The light spices add a bit of extra flavor, but the moist pork really doesn't need much help. I didn't even dare add salsa to this one! Sweet Corn: A dessert tamale? The butter, sugar and sweet corn niblets transform the masa into a very sweet paste. Unlike other tamales, there isn't a filling, rather a sweet paste blend throughout. The first few bites are novel and nice, but then it grows tiresome. The texture reminds me of the inside of a Japanese bean cake, definitely something you can appreciate but wouldn't want a huge portion of. read more

Cheap and great tasting Chicken Mole tamales. The sauces are always so good with it, I usually ask for extra so there's enough for two tamales. I always try to get here before lunchtime so I can avoid the long line. read more

Tried this place after seeing multiple Facebook posts from neighbors about their tamales. Their commercial kitchen and storefront is in Pittsburg but they're usually at the SF Farmers Market! Ordered 22 tamales yesterday with sides and nachos...we got the chicken Oaxaca and sweet corn, damn they were great!! I was able to share with neighbors which was nice. I met the owner, Linda, who is such a kind person and she was transparent about their work! This is my new go to in Pittsburg (and when I'm in SF!). Quality food made by local people. read more

ALL STAR Tamales deserves all the stars I've got. I bought the sweet corn tamale and the chicken mole tamale. 2 for $5. I wanted to sit down at the Civic Center Plaza by myself and enjoy my pipin' hot tamales. As I'm unwrapping my tamale, I get a call from my boyfriend..who reminds me that we were supposed to have lunch today. And since I was in Tamale-Town, I had completely forgotten that I was supposed to get lunch for the two of us today. I jump up and go right back in line to get two more tamales. Red chicken and red pork -- this time, it was 2 for $4. I look at the Tamale Boy ."Wha? I thought they were 2 for $5?" He explains that if you buy more, they're cheaper. He was so sweet -- he remembered me, did the math and saved me a buck. I love you Tamale Truck and Tamale boy. Love, Your Tamale Girl read more

"You're just too good to be true...can't take my eyes off of you...you'd be like heaven to touch...I wanna eat you so much..." He was dreamy during his heydays but I'm not a big Frankie Valli fan...the song is just so fitting for this occasion Well, I'm talking about the All Star Tamale truck come 12 pm on Wednesdays My one year probation at work is coming up in 2 weeks and I'm surprised that it has only been recent that I've taken a crack on this Wednesday adventure to the All Star Tamale truck. Funny, I'm only a skip, jump away... Like what my fellow yelper Black noted...it is unfortunate that they only come by Wednesdays at the UN for Farmer's Market day? Yes, the feeling is like waiting for Friday happy hour. I've had the Vegetarian tamale among others. I haven't seen any of the yelpers mention the Vegetarian tamale which is fine with me because I'll be the proud first to say that the Vegetarian tamale is wonderful. They had broccoli, onions, tomato, potato, red bell peppers, etc. inside a sweet, thick corn meal wrap...piping hot with so much flavor & juices from the sauté. They're only $2.75 (some $2.50 each) or you can get two for $5. Not bad at all... Don't go to back to your desk and have your coworkers & boss find you eating these lovelies...enjoy it in one of the outdoors seating area at the UN plaza while people watching and singing your songs by Frankie V (Personally...it's James Brown for me..."Can I take it to the bridge?!?) read more

OH MY HELL!!! These tamales are my new crack! I'm addicted to the Chicken Mole. Buy them by the dozen - they freeze and heat nicely. I *HEART* you All * read more

I love the fact that I work near to the farmer's market. But beyond being able to buy my weekly produce, it also means that lunch on Wednesdays is Tamales! I have never seen a truck operate with such precision and efficiency as All Star Tamales. You can join a line of twenty people and in less than five minutes be placing your order, selecting from about ten different options, including vegetarian. I can't wait until Wednesday! read more

Well worth the long lines at the farmers market. I suggest you get a few to go (still wrapped) to avoid future hassles. Some folks started a buying club at work for All Star Tamales-- that's how much we love them. I don't know who makes the best in town but this company is up there. My personal faves are the Oaxaca styles, which are wrapped in banana leaves instead of corn husks. The Oaxacan pork is delicious. read more

OH MY GOD THIS PLACE. First of all, my existence depends on Wednesday. Not simply because I am half-way through my work week, but because it is finally TAMALE WEDNESDAY. I have been coming here every single Wednesday (besides NYE because even though I still showed, they had taken a much-deserved holiday) for good reason. THEIR TAMALES ARE TO DIE FOR. My order is always the same- 1 Oaxaca pork tamale and 1 mini bean and cheese burrito. Don't forget about the sauces!! The green and orange ones are my favorite. All of this, PLUS great service is $4.75. Yeah, you read that correctly. A lunch in SF UNDER FIVE DOLLARS. The line moves fast so NO EXCUSES. You have to try this place! read more

Damn Yelp maintenance, I lost my long review for All Star Tamales. Ok long story short, I love Trader joes Tamales Green Chile and Cheese and that's what I base my tamale standards on. Jalapeno popper tamale, rubbery cheese and they didn't take the seeds out of the peppers= burning mouth! huge whole kernels in the masa= bomb tasting outside of tamales! The red pork=bueno!! Get it I would get it again! Sauce, I like the green mild one the spicy one I couldn't taste anymore after the jalapeno burning my mouth. 3.5 stars for these tamales I think it will be bumped to a 4 after I try the other flavors. I think I'll skip the cheese filling the cheese might be rubbery from not being hot enough. read more

2 tamales for $5! Sweet! Right at the start of the farmers market in the Civic Center you can find this little treasure. They have quite a few tamales to choose from, including numerous veggie options, and a sweet one for dessert! What a way to spend a Wednesday lunch. Out in the sun, with just you, your tamales and some sauce. Delightful. read more

Yay for office tamale parties! A few people in my office decided to have a tamale party for lunch. We each ordered 1-2 tamales and paid only $2 each since we had a total of 14 tamales. We picked them up at their booth around 11:45 and 15 mins later, we all had our delicious, hot tamales! I had the picadillo and green pork. Their online menu states that the green pork has carrots and potatoes inside, but mine did not. I looked at the label attached to the tamale and the ingredient list did not include carrots or potatoes. Maybe they need to update the website. I had a bite of my coworker's spinach and cheese and green chicken. Both were very good. I prefer the green sauce over the red one. The red one just tastes like tomato sauce. The green is bit spicier and actually tastes link a salsa. They have another hot/orange sauce that is pretty good. Two thumbs up for pricing the tamales at $2 each for 13 or more! I enjoyed my tamales! Maybe another party for Cinco de Mayo? =D read more

I'd gotten sick of eating from the same old things from the same old eateries at the Westfield Mall, so when my sister volunteered to pick some tamales for us from the farmer's market, I was thrilled. I had passed by the All Star Tamales stand a few times before, but had never stopped to actually pick some up- probably because it had always been after I had already eaten. In any case, I was happy to see that my sister had picked up two different types- a green chicken and a beef tamale. The tamales are pretty hefty and each of them would make a sufficient meal for anyone. As for which I liked better, I would say that the beef was vastly preferred over the chicken. Not that the chicken was bad, but I really didn't like the cilantro in it. The red sauce was nice and spicy- it made the tamales that much more tasty. So 3 stars for now, but I'm saving more stars for when I try the other tamales available. read more

These tamales are good! It makes me happy that they have so many vegetarian and even VEGAN options. Tamales that are LARD-FREE and delicious y'all! read more

I happened to be attending a seminar at the Whitcomb Hotel (WTF?) yesterday. On my way back to BART I stumbled upon All Star Tamales at the Civic Center Farmers Market. I'm a sucker for a good tamale so I jaywalked myself across the street to snatch one up for my ride home. Yeah, I'm such a rebel. They have like 15 different types from carnivarian to vegetarian so every one is in luck! I had the beef and the meat was busting out the sides - delicious! WAIT - it gets even better. The "factory" is in Pittsburg and since I live in Antioch I drive by it every day - I will be stopping in for large quantities on my way home next week. Talk about easy dinners, easy lunches and easy weight gain! read more

A great thing about working at the civic center......which may change soon, is having the farmers market and Off the Grid events in my own backyard. With a short walk from my building to the UN plaza, one can enjoy a tasty yet inexpensive lunch with flavors from different cultures. In this case, tamales, one of my favorite foods with the right corn meal, made its way to my lunch menu one fateful day. With so many flavors....its going to take some time, and a plenty of Wednesday lunches to try em all. In the meantime: -Chicken mole - bleh,something about it didn't do so well -Black bean cheese chicken - this was really good read more

Since moving back from New York I've been gorging on Mexican food, because you can't get the good stuff on the east coast, and believe me I tried. I never especially loved tamales, but my co-workers introduced me to All-Star at the farmers market. Stuffing myself with tamales every Wednesday restores the appropriate Mexican-food balance in my body, and quickly catapults me over that mid-week hump. I haven't tried them all yet, but I like the spinach & cheese better than any of the meat ones I've had. The fact that they are cheaper the more you buy creates an irresistable incentive. Now that I know they freeze well, I'm going to LOAD UP. read more

Wednesdays (Farmer's Market). Tamales. I'm there. If you're in the mood for something sweet, I would recommend trying their sweet corn tamales. I love them and i'm glad they are fully stocked with this type of tamale seeing as most places only have the traditional savory tamales. However, if you're in the mood for something savory, the chicken or pork tamales are good too. They are stuffed with a generous amount of meat plus veggies such as carrots and potatoes. There is a good variety - at least 8 or so different kinds. Once you get your tamales, be sure to visit the "sauce bar" located on the side and pour some red or green sauce over them. Yum! The line gets long due to business people in the area between the hours of 12-1 so I would recommend coming here either before or after. You can request a cold tamale if you aren't planning to eat them anytime soon and would rather take it home for a later time. I usually spend about $8-10 for a couple tamales. If you are planning to eat on location, there is a fountain nearby with room for "seating". read more

I just moved to the area and I've challenged myself to eat at every food truck at Heart of the City Farmers Market (http://www.yelp.com/biz/heart-of-the-city-farmers-market-san-francisco). I have a love-hate relationship with Tamales. More often than not, I don't like them because it's so easy to ruin them - too much masa, too little filling, too soggy - you name it. But All Star Tamales gets it just right. I ordered a Chicken Mole and a Red chicken for $5 and both were so super yummy. I'm a tiny person and one tamale is just right for me for a filling lunch. I froze my second tamale and ate it for lunch the next day! When they ask you which sauce you want - spicy or mild? Say both!! So delicious. I could just eat sauce all day (maybe not, but you get the drift!). They are extremely vegetarian friendly - so many vegan and vegetarian options + no lard, what's not to like! They are at the market only on Wednesdays, so stock up! Try not to come here during peak lunch time though, lines will be long, lots of office goers! read more

Oh my jesus. THE BEST TAMALES IN THE WORLD! I used to wake up early just to go to farmer's market and have two of these babies. My favorites are spinach & cheese and green chili & cheese. The green sauce goes perfect with the tamales. Now I must say they did raise the prices over the years, but with all the people hovering around the cart, why wouldn't they? The tamales come out hot and are served on little disposable dishes. I love the street vendor style and I love All Star Tamales. read more

All Star Tamale gets four stars for their wide selection and prices - 2 tamales for $5 is pretty good. And if you want some for later, you can also buy cold packaged tamales that can be put in the freezer for two weeks. Although it's cheap, I do think they could put a little more meat in the tamale. With that, it's not as good as the Tamale Lady, but if you're in the area on a Wednesday and in search of a cheap lunch, All Star Tamale can be good. read more

Wednesdays are a long day at Escuela de Legal Eagle, so before my two hours of property class I always try to get to All Star Tamales. Nothing makes me feel better than transferring title to a tamale from my wallet to my stomach. but seriously, the Picadillo tamale is my favorite, well seasoned beef and veggies in a delicious sauce, made all the better by mixing the salsas verde y Roja. I like the pollo verde as well, and most of the other flavors are quite tasty although, unlike the previous reviewers the spinach and cheese is my least favorite. read more