First time and this' was because I saw it on Instagram I am so happy that I made it Food was so delicious, customer service was amazing and helpful she took the time to explain since I told her this was my first time there. Ambiance was good, wasn't too busy and plenty more f street parking. Will be bringing my friends to try this gem read more

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I had been visiting the Tamale Man on Eastern Ave in Los Angeles for many, many years. One of the perks was that they always had some delicious menudo and tamales any day of the week. When I was a frequent flyer I knew the owners, the Mother, Son, and Daughter. Always friendly and great service. Due to a couple of moves I was not able to visit at all unless I made a special trip. I did visit several months ago, seemed like new faces but the place looked the same and the cooked recognized me and told the gal at the counter what I was going to have. It was truly impressive since it had been so long from my last visit. The menudo was hearty and delicious but the tamales seemed a little off. I figured it was just a bad day. I drove completely out of my way yesterday to pay this place a visit. Right when I pulled up I noticed tables and chairs on the sidewalk outside the restaurant. That was new. Walking up to the door a sign reads "now open for dinner". That's a change as they used to close in the afternoon. And when I walked in the place had been redecorated. Not bad, just different. Even the old menu was gone and replaced with something more modern. Not bad, just not the same. The staff were different, the cook and counter staff. They seemed pleasant enough and the lady at the counter did a great job making sure I was comfortable and checked in on me the perfect amount of times as I dined in. That is where the good ends. I asked the lady if there was new ownership and she confirmed the business had been bought about two years prior. Unfortunately, the tamales are NOT the same. They are big but the flavor, texture, and meat are wrong, these are not the tamales that the Tamale Man are known for. The menudo was just okay. I didn't like the tripe used and the bowl looks big it is not and it is also not the serving size of the past and the tripe is not the best. The soup was just okay and a little on the salty side. The service was good and the reason for the two stars, but I take away 3 for the food. In all fairness I typically do not rate a 5 as that is reserved for amazing and most places can be good but rarely amazing. So the TM, at best would have a received a 4 Star review had the food been on point. I am sure some people will love the food, I'm just saying we all have different preferences of taste and as you come to know me and sync with my preferences, my reviews will make sense and maybe be in sync with yours. With that, good luck if you visit the Tamale Man. Expect good service and depending on your taste good or not so good food. As always your mileage may vary. read more

Tamale Man - It a lot of meat/tripe in the menudo and the trip didn't seem like the best cuts. The soup was okay, just a little on the salty side. - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Order the tamale plate with pork and chicken tamales with eggs over easy. Was very delicious. The service is very friendly and ambiance inside was quiet. Definitely a must try if in the area. Indoor and outdoor seating is available. read more

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Got pupusas from here today. Maybe that was my first mistake , but mind you, the owner is the same guy that owns several pupusa stands in El Sereno. The stand he has near "Big Saver" is really good, really yummy pupusas. I go there when I can't go to "Las Cazuelas" on Figueroa street. I would assume that a restaurant would be even better than a stand on the street, but this is not the case at all... My pupusas here are so thin. It was all dough. The curtido was meh, and the salsa was inedible. It tasted expired it had that nasty awful bloated taste to it. Wouldn't recommend. Staff is very friendly, that's the one star I'm giving. Here is the comparison between both pupusas. Stand vs restaurant and you tell me if you can guess which is which. read more

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My fiancé and I have been looking for a tamale spot we could always count on. Our buddy brought some over from Tamale Man for Thanksgiving and they were a hit! My mom is especially picky so when she liked them we knew we had a winner. We stopped by on Christmas Eve during the wild rain storm and Tamale Man was open! We grabbed a few of the cheese and chile, Chicken, and Pork tamales. I personally loved the Pork and Cheese tamale, while my mom loved the Chicken ones. The tamales can be a bit more wet than usual, but that is not a problem. The tamales have a perfect masa to filling ration. Whatever cheese they use for their tamales are so freaking good! This place is pretty solid and consistent which can be hard to come by. Will definitely be picking more up when we have a craving. read more

I got the tamale breakfast with scrambled eggs ($15). Huge portions. Tamales were fluffy and flavorful. Eggs were also light and fluffy. The senora taking orders is warm and attentive. Just a nice vibe all around. Plenty of street parking right outside. They take credit cards. read more

Tamale Man - Tamale Breakfast - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The food was horrible. The pupusas were paper thin and the curtido/cabbage had no flavor and seemed as if it was sliced and put together that was also dry no vinegar. The gordita was horrible as well. I asked for extra crema aka sour cream and cheese or at least that's what the cashier said that it was sour cream and instead it was Chipotle based cream sauce and no cheese. They did offer to give me my money back but I refused to even go near that place and I would rather save my gas then to go back for the refund! read more

They need to change their name to Tamale Boy!!!! For starters the tamales are so small now. Not like they were before. AND they charge $45.00 a dozen now. That's just wrong. If they were the size they used to be, they'd be worth 45 bucks! And they charge a different price per dozen if you pay cash. What's that about? As for the pork tamale I had, it was mostly masa, although the pork had a good flavor, the meat had a canned meat texture. If you've ever had canned roast beef, that's the texture it had. AND... they used to saucy & sloppy. Now they're wrapped in paper, all 2x5 inches, hehehehe, no sauce all over it like before. I will not be getting tamales from Tamale Boy again. Size matters in this instance. And for $45.00 for these lil things! No thank ya. See attached pictures to see for yourself.... read more

Tamale Man - Almost 2 inches wide . . . - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I been driving thru this street for a long time and I seen it but it was always closed Finally I saw it open and I took the chance t try the tamales that many Sereneans talk about I got one of each tamales and a menudo Unfortunately tamales weren't one of my favorites they have no meat, the only one that might save the day would be the cheese one, the sweet tamal was the worst of them all, and I love sweet tamales but this one was lacking flavor and of course it didn't have any pineapple flavor or chunks Service is whatever, the cashier is young and careless The ambience is family oriented Don't trust my review go try it for yourself read more

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Service was great and the food was too.. I tried the chilaquiles and a couple of tamales. read more

Tamale Man - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Not open don't know if they are still in business but we came at 6:30pm and they were closed

Ok so I really hate giving bad reviews especially to a small family owned businesse but when you pay $40 per dozen for tamales and there raw well what can I say and to be quiet honest the ones that where not raw where dry and tasteless I spent $80 on two dozen and my sister spent $120 on 3 dozen ,worst choice ever I do not recommend anyone buying tamales from there. read more

Everything you're looking for in a tamale! Believe the hype. The flavor, the texture and the size are real. Been obsessed with these tamales for a decade. Look no further you've found the spot. read more

My son took me to have lunch to this place and I want to say the experience, not only in the taste of food, but the service was very pleasant! The tamales masa was delicious and many choices of fillings,, the beans and rice tasty and they served a very fresh salsa for their chips! The server, Deli, was very professional and friendly. We will be going back to Tamale Man!! read more

this place i been going to for a while now it a very good place go try it out will allway go back old school food

No I wouldn't recommend these tamales to nobody.I bought two dozens of tamales last year for my co workers they where old dried and hard disgusting never again ..Its not the same tamales man restaurant it use to be back then,.they gave me back only the chicken tamales refund they said the pork was good .so im sure they new about it . read more

Tamale Man is a little piece of heaven in our back yard. Great prices, large portions...Provecho! read more

Tamale Man - Craving an authentic Mexican breakfast? The tamale man never disappoints us! ...great prices and large portions! Provecho! - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Service excellent! good food ! Love the atmosphere ‍.. definitely good tamales ! especially from the la area read more

Tamale Man - we get the Dozen of tamales and they are so good! oh and the mole I am rly picky on who makes it, I would recommend for tamales ! - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great customer service Tamales's are ok Champurrado is great Price are responsible read more

very good and filling, they need to add more green chile slices in the and cheese tamales. Delicious tamales the MASA is amazing.

I highly recommend The Tamale Man in El Sereno. The staff is courteous, genuinely friendly, and the tamales are absolutely delicious. It's a cozy spot with plenty of seating, perfect for dining in or grabbing your order to go. read more

First time here and the staff was very friendly. It was clean inside, ordered about 10 tamales and wait time wasn't too bad. Will be back again! read more

Great neighborhood spot for tamales around the holidays! The staff is friendly and helpful.

Solid 4.0 Great food, great service, okay ambiance. You come here for the food. My family has been eating tamales here for the last 15-20 years. They used to buy from the owners before they had a store. We once got a wrong order from them. We ordered 18 tamales, 6 were supposed to be green. We called to tell them. The owner apologized and said she'd deliver them to us. A whole 15-20 minute drive just to make up for it! Are these the best tamales in my life? Maybe on a good day. They are indeed delicious. Sometimes the chef is a bit generous with salt, but if you're a foody, you tend to have a higher tolerance for salt in your food. I think they're fair with portions. Nowadays, $3 for a tamale isn't asking for too much. If you eat at the restaurant, they'll put more sauce on them. If you order them to go, they will not come with sauce on top fyi. The champurrado is delicious! This is my go to spot for tamales anywhere in LA. I haven't been disappointed, ever, at tamale man. I have no experience trying anything else here. Parking is on the street. A few times it's been tough to find a spot, but not too bad for the most part. read more

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The workers are so sweet and easy parking. Tamales are $3.50 now. Got 3 but the green chicken one went bad, I could smell it in the car, and it was soggy/slimy when I opened it. The other two were okay, not the biggest size read more

I haven't been to the Tamale Man in a while and was a little shocked at the prices. I bought the Tamale breakfast, and even though it was expensive, it had a good portion size. Honestly, it could be split because of how big it was. Besides that, the older lady was very hospitable and welcoming. The inside has a good amount of space, the only real con is that this place is closed usually after 2PM. read more

Tamale Man - Tamale Breakfast - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

New ownership definitely not great. Food is still good thanks to the cook staying. But lacks hospitality, we got there early the cook took our order and prepared and served, great service from him but he has always been great. Cashier or owner not friendly asked for some food to go and she acted like what I requested didn't matter. Prices went up I'd say too much. What made tamale man great was the prices for the food. Service by old ownership treated you like family. It's a shame they sold it. I'd go back just to support the back staff. read more

probably the best tamales you'll ever have just trust me and go you won't regret it. this is my go to place

Been coming here for years, never disappoints. The tamales are 10 out of 10, they have the green leaf whi h I'm eagto try. Will leave an update after. read more

Got tamales for Christmas and what a shame...$46 a dozen for no cheese in the tamale and a plastic paper like substance? We used to go here all the time as kids but this place has sadly gone down the drain. You can clearly tell that this business does not care about the craft of making tamales any longer but has no problem robbing their customers. Do yourself a favor and avoid this establishment at all costs. Support your local street tamale vendor instead. I'm sure their tamales will taste 100% better and the prices aren't hiked up for something that isn't worth it. read more

Tamale Man - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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First time trying tamale man, we ordered the 2 tamale breakfast meal comes with 2 tamales of your choice. I ordered a red pork and green chicken tamale & with side of beans and rice and topped with 2 eggs. The tamales are really big the red pork tamale Had plenty of meat inside and the masa was really soft and flavorful, it did have a lot of masa. But also chunks of meat inside super yummy, I would recommend the red pork tamale. As for the green chicken tamal that was more masa then filling. Did Not have a good ratio of meat to masa, also it was more dry, I would not order that one again. Service was prompt and friendly, we ordered the horchata on this hot day, the horchata was delicious, with a hint of cinnamon and not overly sweet. I would definitely order that again. They provided chips and salsa on the house. We are looking forward to trying other menu items, we shall return. They do accept cc Plenty of street parking nearby read more

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Came inside on a Thursday morning for breakfast. Absolutely delicious! Surprised it was empty. My friend and I ordered and the staff was so welcoming and nice. Food was so fresh and fresh quality and taste. Tamales breakfast, huevos rancheros, and the quesadilla did not disappoint at all! Coffee also was so good!! The seats are comfy and love the decorations. Can't wait to return again! Highly recommend for breakfast. read more

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I really love this place not only are the tamales great but the pozole is top tier !!!

Very good tamales and atmosphere. Nice staff and clean restaurant. Thumbs up and I will return. read more

This place feels like being in your mother's kitchen with a modern touch to it. From the moment you walk in, you receive a welcoming great as If entering the place you've been a local for years. Most people walk in and out for orders to go, but there is plenty of space for a sit down meal. Ordered the steak wet burrito covered in a green Chile sauce served with rice and beans. These are the true definition of refried beans, and rice. Forget mixed cheddar/ mozzarella cheese on top of your beans; here they are topped with fresh Mexican cheese. The rice is as homemade as you can get, I know that because it tastes just like my mothers. Truly impressed with my meal but unfortunately the steak let me down as it was chewy, had several pieces of fat, and cut in big chunks. Flavorful, but could use some improvement to elevate this dish even further. I was unable to eat a tamale as I was stuffed with this burrito, but requested a tamale to go and the server gave it to me complementary on the house. The chips and salsa served are unstoppably the best. I suggest ordering from the multiple aguas frescas options rather than bottled drinks as there are more refreshing, and cut out high sugar. read more

Tamale Man - Asada Wet Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Always on any list of best tamales in the city. It used to be a tamale place only but has become a full on sit down. This review is based on the tamales. They are really good. I like them better than another popular place Lilliana's. Both are about the slammer distance for me Their queso is my favorite. There is about 6-8 types available but the Mrs. is a stickler if the cheese so we have not gotten the opp to do more. $22 a dozen today. I would guess they charge a bit more come the holidays. I would. They'll gladly do 1/2 dozens, unlike other places. It's a bit off the beaten path, but worth it. Normally closed on Monday's. Go! read more

Tamale Man - Who knew? - Mexican Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The best tamales in L.A. The son of the owner is a compassionate and warm person,I saw him take care of a homeless woman by giving her food when she was hungry.I wont buy tamales anywhere else. read more

Great long standing Mexican restaurant known for its tamales located in El Serrano just below south Pasadena. Friendly service and good food at this neighborhood eatery with a casual and cool interior. Plenty of street parking in the area. An older part of the neighborhood but an upcoming one. You can order tamales online. They are quite large generously filled tamales so a dozen tamales can probably be cut in half. I chose the pork and will be back for the sweet ones soon. Breakfast is delicious here. read more

finally went in today and was greeted by a very nice man. got a chicken and a pork tamale to go. bigger than any tamale i had ever seen. the pork tamale was quite wonderful with great tasting masa and a very generous amount of pork. perfect amount of masa to filling. i know where i'll be going very shortly for more. read more

Wonderful place with wonderful homemade food. While they are known for their tamales, their taquitos are also delicious and wonderful. The store is located on N. Eastern and you may drive past it without knowing. Make sure to look for the restaurant next time you are in the area. It is small but the food is amazing. The taquitos were well seasoned and very crispy. You can tell they were homemade as the tortilla was handmade and it still has the hole from the toothpicks used in the frying process. The rice and beans are well seasoned and have lots of flavor. The tamales are amazing too. My favorite is the green chili and cheese tamales. The masa is well flavored and not dry. The green chili and cheese are well flavored and are amazing together in a tamale. I highly recommend this place. I order frequently from them! read more

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