They're back as a food truck out of Kaneohe for the moment. Check out their insta page. I don't have the link :( The world has color again! So so happy for that amazing family to still desire to share the flavors of their childhood with the 808. read more

Tio's Tamales - Crane asada burrito, smothered - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Nuuanu is closed but new food truck in Kaneohe next to parking lot by Times Supermarket. I think he's open for lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. Sorry not sure about Friday. The sauces are winnas and so authentic! The food is more authentic than any Mexican restaurant on this island. Portion sizes are generous for the price. Saturdays special menu breakfast burritos. Thank you! read more

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Been a while since i've been...I'm not sure why it's been so long since I've never been disappointed. Still was not disappointed! Just wanted a neat burrito with fish or shrimp...hubs ordered me a shrimp. Yowza buggah huge. Filled with rice, cheese, shrimp, avo, tomato, onions (pico?), lettuce, sour cream?...think that's it. The nice part is they actually put a decent amount of shrimp! Perf. Little too much rice for me. But other wise it was great. I ended up emptying the tortilla and then just ripping pieces to use to eat about half the insides. Only thing missing was heat. Maybe hubs took all the salsa? read more

I'm a tamale fan and this is one of my two favorite spots to pick them up. My family luvs the chicken with green chilies, I buy them by the dozen for dinner always hoping for leftovers but rarely getting any. When you buy them they come in foil wrapped packs of four. Cheaper by the dozen....way cheaper. They are steaming hot so I take them home, unwrap the foil packs then remove the corn husk wrappers off each tamale and put them in a single layer in a large casserole. Then I just open a can of green enchilada sauce and pour in over, layer some grated jack cheese and baked until the cheese is melted. Way too easy and so good. My family likes sour cream on top but they put it on as they make their plates. Add refried beans and a salad. Easiest dinner ever. This is a really small shop on Nuuanu and they're only open from 10:30 to 2:30 every day but Sundays. Parking is metered on street and I've never failed to get a spot. They do have burritos, chimichangas, tacos and nachos also but I come here specifically for the tamales...try them imho they are great! read more

Tio's Tamales - Picking up a dozen chicken tamales - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I love their tamales and breakfast burritos Homie knows what he is doing OOOK! I'm from LA and tamales are very accessible but not in Hawaii so I appreciate the concept here. Home cooking nostalgia. The tamales are moist, burritos are satisfying. I saw a sign last week that said the shop is closing on 12/31 :( but good luck to the owner he said he is going on vacation after he closes up. So you better get your tamale fix before 12/31! read more

Food was great. Lots of flavors. Super friendly. Small place. Limited seating. Definitely will be coming back. read more

Tio's Tamales - New Mexico red tamale - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I just special ordered 2 doz chili cheese tamales. So good! Best on the island for a basic tamale.

Service is always friendly and the food was 'ono! Came last week and tried new things this week. Will be back soon! Mahalo nui! read more

Tio's Tamales - 2 Single order of carne asada taco, 2 two carne asada taco and 1 carne asada taco plate and two sodas. Enjoyed it, be back soon. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Yummm! This place was recommended by a co-worked so decided to give it a try. Well will say it was yummy and portion size is big for the price. I order 2 plates the tamales one red and one green & taco plate. Both were very good and spicy hot. No I did not eat both plates - we shared it! The 3 of us was very satisfied! I will say I am a weakling when it comes to spicy hot and I can say I survived the heat- LOL The service is great - very friendly Will return to try something different! read more

Wow, wow! Ok, one more: wow! I've been wanting to try Tio's for too long. I ordered the 2 tamale New Mexico red plate and I can say that this place is fo real! I lived in New Mexico for a little bit a lot of years ago; if you want authentic, you want Tio's! I was greeted with a smile, really good value for the dollar (I'll get two meals), and the flavors...so, so ono! Support local! read more

Food was on point! Customer service was awesome! It was my first time trying the food & I loved it!

CARNE ASADA CHIMICHANGA!!! I got mine with out sour cream and the sauce on the side. Meat was juicy and flavorful, sauce was amazing spicey and tasty, could use more lettuce and smaller onions in my opinion. Personally don't like my food smothered in sauce when it's deep fried so I recommend sauce on the side to dip into to enjoy the crunch. As a Mexican living in Hawaii it's hard to find comfort food but this hit the spot, can't wait to try more. read more

Tio's Tamales - Carne Asada Chimichanga - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I lived in the Denver Colorado area for 21 years. Tio's is the closest to that style of Mexican food I have had since moving to Oahu (9 years ago). The first bite of the carne asada burrito hooked me. I don't know what took me so long to try this place but it will not be long before I go back. The green chili and the flavors of the carne asada are what did it for me. read more

I made a last minute catering order and they totally delivered within an hour! Definitely a delicious save! Guys had no complaints, one of whom has just moved from Vera Cruz, Mexico. Another has always wanted to try tamales and the spicy sauce were on point! Mahalo for the ono grinds!!! read more

Tio's Tamales - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Food is tasty and portions are quite hefty, especially if you add stuff to your order, like beans, rice, guacamole, etc. I've ordered the 2 plate chicken tamale with the extras, and it's enough for 2 meals for me. read more

Easy parking and lots of other choices if closed since limited hours. Loved the pork tamales when I tried the assortment 4/$15, so definitely eat the pork. I have yet to try the sides or plates. Can eat there since small and clean with a few tables. Lots of takeouts and mandoo and Okazuya next door if closed. I will be back soon. read more

I need to start out by saying I LIKE spicy food however I had a smothered carne asada burrito as recomended by a friend and boy was that thing spicy. I tried all kinds of things to bring the spice level down but it was just too spicy to enjoy. My friend who had recomended the place said the last time she ate there is wasnt that spicy so perhaps it was a one off but I'd be afraid to try it again. Location is not so great, no parking near by. read more

Delicious authentic Mexican food on Nuuanu Ave! I've passed by so many times and finally stopped by. Parking was easy metered stalls right in front of the restaurant. The owner is really nice and helpful. I originally wanted chili relleno my fav but he mentioned they make it a little differently than the traditional way and it's fried. I ordered a 1 tamale plate and a side order of the chili relleno to try it. The tamale plate is really good! Everything was delicious and generous portions. The side of the chili relleno was good as well but I think I prefer the traditional style. I will definitely go back and try other things. They do a lot of take out and the plate was so large I ate the rest for lunch the next day. read more

Tio's Tamales - 1 tamale chicken plate - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Hole in the wall on Nuuanu Ave. New Mexico food is delicious. Learned so much from owner, Tio about the green chile. The carne asada fries was very delicious! Serving size is HUGE and I finished it off in two days. Very tasty. My taste buds went into sensory overload. Love the spices and generous serving of carne asada. This is a must order. The tamale plate was very filling. The beans was delicious too. The burger was okay. Parking is along Nuuanu Ave. Very clean quaint shop. Owner loves to share his passion for New Mexico food and family history. Definitely going back for more authentic New Mexico cuisine. read more

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Always searching the island for Mexican food and this place did not meet my expectations. Had really high hopes for this place too :( Carne Asada Fries 3/5 The fries were very soggy and hard to finish. The carne Asada was not seasoned well and tasty overly salty. Chicken Chile Verde Burrito 4/5 This was decent. The Chile verde was good though. Maybe it was an off-day (I hope) considering the glowing reviews. Parking in the area is difficult so I recommend doing takeout when you can. read more

New Mexican cuisine on Nu'uanu Avenue in Honolulu, Hawaii... Somehow, the conversation with a lady at church ended up about food. Haha! She mentioned Tio's Tamales because I told her that I was going to get some lunch for my mom at Nu'uanu Okazuya. She said that Tio's was on the same block. Wow. I hadn't noticed this business before. I luckily found a metered parking stall right in front of Tio's Tamales. The friendly cashier said, "If you don't want spicy food, go to Taco Bell!" I thought: oh, no! I'm going to starve! LOL! I ordered takeout (although there's a small dining area) and got the chicken tamale (very spicy), a smothered Chimichanga, a smothered Carne Asada Burrito, and a Shrimp Burrito. I cut the Shrimp Burrito in half and shared with my mom. She doesn't care for spicy food - like me. We both agreed that the Shrimp Burrito was filling and tasty! After I tried one bite of the Chicken Tamale, my throat was on fire. LOL! I gave the smothered Chimichanga and Smothered Carne Asada Burrito to my brother-in-law because he can handle. He was very happy with his lunch! If I return, I'll remember that I'm able to eat the Shrimp Burrito. Maybe I should try the Chimichanga and Carne Asada Burrito if they can make it without spiciness? read more

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Very welcoming staff and ono food. We needed more options for good Mexican food here. Mahalo!

Neat little place we are glad we found on our way to the airport. The tamales (chicken and pork) were delightful. The rice and beans were very good as well. Service was good but we also didn't come at a busy time. If you have some time and want to get out of the crazy part of downtown come here and grab some food. There isn't a lot of room to sit, so be prepared to grab it and go. read more

I looove Tio's Tamales. My only issue is I come from the east side of town and Nuuanu Ave is far, for me. Ray is always there, always friendly and ready to answer any questions. Not a ton of seating as it's a small little mom & pop in the outskirts of downtown, but they do have a couple of tables/chairs. Breakfast burritos are great if you get there in the morning. Get anything w/ green chiles as that's their New Mexican specialty. Chimichangas, nachos, tacos are awesome. I'm embarrassed to say I still haven't had their tamales. But if you like crunchy stuff, the chips are fried fresh (amazing) and the chile relleno plate is a very interesting style. It's almost like a won ton wrapper. Plenty of cheese. And that sauce that comes with the plate is SO good (small kine spicy warning though). Plate is with rice & beans and so ono. read more

Had the highest hopes for Tio's Tamales after keeping it on my bookmark list for over a year while living here. We ordered takeout, which may have been our mistake. I can imagine that it would be much better eaten right after ordering, right in the restaurant. I got a tamale plate with one chicken and one pork, Christmas style. The tamales were perfect texture-wise, but the sauces lacked the flavor I was hoping for. The rice and beans were also very underwhelming. Nachos were better than the tamale plate and the chimichanga was also good, but spicy! Overall, we would definitely try this place again but would be sure to come at a time where we could dine in. I've heard great things about their breakfast, so might do that! read more

Tio's Tamales - 2 tamale plate; one chicken and one pork - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Good was awesome. And owner did an amazing job considering he was as working by himself! Will definitely be coming back here.

I can't wait to come back for lunch, because my breakfast burrito was delicious! I just passed this place a couple weeks ago and instantly bookmarked it to try. New Mexican food? Si, por favor! I had a few minutes in town in between morning appointments, so it seemed like the perfect excuse to try their breakfast. At that time of day (9am), street parking right out front was plentiful. I probably didn't need to put anything in the meter because I was in and out with my burrito in a flash. I ordered the #3 breakfast burrito, handheld, and it was already hot, rolled, and ready to go as soon as I paid. The burrito was stuffed with egg, potato, chorizo, cheese, and chile, and no one ingredient dominated - it was a perfect blend. And also the right amount of food - it was neither overstuffed or lean (kind of like me, I like to think?). The chorizo and chile were pleasantly spicy, but not overly assertive (kind of like me, I like to think?). It stayed together for me to eat en route to my next destination - and structural integrity is something I always want in a burrito! Given this introduction to the place, I'm looking forward to trying other items later in the day. read more

Tio's Tamales - Breakfast burrito handheld - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This place is absolutely amazing!!! Got a pack of tamales to take home. Colleague got the enchiladas that look great (see photo below). Also tried their carne asada fries which were so incredibly tasty! This place is a must stop for lunch if in the area. They have several breakfast burritos too if you happen to be around before 10:30am. The man working at the front (who I assume is the owner/manager) is so kind and friendly! As someone who lived in SD, I strongly recommend this place especially since good quality Mexican food can be hard to find in Hawaii! read more

Tio's Tamales - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Just stopped in again and got 2 carne asada smothered chimichangas and they were delish as usual. My son and I love the flavor. I love being a teacher because I can go here a lot in the summer. Be back again next week. read more

My friends and I tried Tio's Tamales, and I can't wait to come back again. I purchased the number 2 breakfast burrito which has bacon, eggs, chile verde, potato, and cheese. I picked smothered which is a little more expensive. You can have the choice of red or green chile sauce, or both. I picked only the green chile, but it was really good. To scoop up the green spice chile on your breakfast burrito, kicked up the flavor. The owner was talking to us, and he informed us that their chiles are from Mexico. Their ingredients are from Mexico, the style is Mexico style-cooking, and that he learned from his grandmum. The service was great, and learning more about the place made my experience better. Would I come back? Yes, definitely. read more

Tio's Tamales - #2 Breakfast Burrito which has bacon, eggs, potato, chile verde, and cheese. - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

One of our favorite places to order lunch. We always get the chicken chimichanga. So so so delicious!! Thanks from the Sales Department at Servco Lexus. You are always keeping our bellies full with delicious food. read more

Tio's Tamales - Chicken chimichanga with extra sauce - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Was so excited to learn that there's a NM restaurant in HI while visiting. Space is very small and only 1 table inside other than a few countertop spots. Food is tasty and just like home although a bit overpriced but hey it's HI lol. Chips and salsa were tasty and the tortilla burger was delicious and the green chile was hot (forgot to ask if they had red). Chile rellenos are made differently like egg rolls (not sure why perhaps to add a "fusion twist") but my friend still liked them nonetheless. read more

We're happy we made it this time! It was a weekend and we finally got to come back and have their awesome authentic Mexican yumminess!! I finally had their Chile Relleno Plate and Wowwy - it's hot! Gotta have my Carne tacos. Hubs got their Smothered Chimichanga. We dine in and owner Ray always such a friendly nice guy. As always we love supporting small business so go and try them out!! Gracias & we'll be back again. read more

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Food was on point as I was born in Mexico and grown in New Mexico I was very impressed with the New Mexican flavors. Service was very kind and the only negative thing I could find is the seating capacity is too small but doesn't take away from the taste of the food. read more

Food was 10/10 highly recommend. We the large nacho's it was spicy but in a very good way. The two tamales lunch plate with green chili, 10/10. Couldn't stop eating it, once I stopped I felt the heat. The burrito 10/10 as well. Everything was good, they are very welcoming. I didn't have the chance to take picture, we just ate it all. I would go back again. read more

Bruh bruh BRUH! Now, this place is a hole in the wall that needs to be celebrated and supported beyond all means! It is small, maybe seating for just a few people, but don't let that stop you. Get yours to go if need be, just go. Braddah behind the counter is living his dream, and besides being super nice, he has created some delicious food! This stuff is the bomb. This is now my first consideration for future mexican food desires. I had the mexican hamburger burrito (smothered, duh!), and the plate overfloweth. Definitely worth the price, and it was quite the struggle to finish all of it because there was so much, but I managed to do so in one sitting. It was delicious. Roll the dice for streetside parking, but there's also parking lot just a little ways walking distance on the corner of Nu'uanu and Vineyard. We'll be back, Tio! read more

I am a recent New Mexico transplant to the Big Island. Got a chance to go to Honolulu and saw this restaurant, so I was super excited to give it a try!! So glad I did!! I was there right when they opened for the day (did I say I was excited?) and the owner, Ray, was there to greet me. Chatted it up with him for a few and found out he brings in Bueno green chile!! Legit!! Burger would hold it's own anywhere in New Mexico and it was just the chile fix I needed!! Ray is super nice and I could tell he enjoyed chatting while I inhaled the burger. For those that don't know, this is a New Mexican restaurant, which is different than a Mexican restaurant. And it was a fantastic and pleasant surprise all around. I will probably fly back occasionally just to get my fix!! Can't wait to try more items!! read more

Tio's Tamales - Green Chile Cheeseburger and fries. Done right! - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Excellent Tamales and food. They do platters or just plates to go or dine in. Super nice owners, great food! Most authentic food on island.

I would say this is a hole in a wall place. They have been open for a while and haven't gone here until this COVID lockdown. Parking is only on the street. I was told by a Mexican friend that burritos and tacos are traditionally just meat inside with no veggies. But Americans decided to add veggies and random stuff to it. I thought that was funny. I know that Mexican food will be filling, so we ordered only 2 dishes to share.The food was freshly made. Chicken and Green Chile Chimichangas- a fried burrito with stuffed filling. It wasn't too dry since there was some sauce under the burrito. I'm not used to Mexican food without cheese, but my boyfriend dislike cheese. Carne Asada fries large - by the time we got home to eat it, fries was a bit soggy. The fries was more thicker, not the ones you get at McDonalds. I like the meat on the fries, I think it was steak. Portion was huge, couldn't finish it. Good to have additional sauce because it can get dry. I think I'll be coming back again since it's so close to where he lives. read more

Tio's Tamales - Chicken and Green Chile Chimichangas - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I've only visited this restaurant twice. Tio's Tamales specializes in tamales, naturally, but there are items on their menu that I am curious about, like their Carne Asada Fries and their #3 Breakfast Burrito with chorizo. They have one table and some counter seating for dine-in. For takeaway, you may be asked to wait outside. Two types of tamales are offered. New Mexico has pork with red chiles; Santa Fe is with chicken and green chiles. Both are fantastic. Also, tried their Carne Asada Tacos which were good. Tomatoes included threw me off. Owner is nice and friendly. Street parking on Nuuanu Ave and S. Kukui is available. read more

Tio's Tamales - Front of Tio's Tamales - New Mexican Cuisine Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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