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Tucson Tamale

4.0 (261 reviews)
Open • 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

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TUCSON TAMALE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Good for kids
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Tucson Tamale

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Dee O.

We went here to try it this place out. Said they were Tali bites. I thought for sure they would be like little tamale. Bites, instead, it was like paupers= with jalapeno poplars. So I paid $6 for 6 and it wasn't worth it. If you're true Mexican which I brought my friend. Every thing was made back East, so is it really not true Mexican stuff? So this is you more. Healthier Mexican food. And there's a kid also in there. Bring your kid to work day. I guess so, it's kinda loud with the child. There was another couples in there.

Robin S.

Saw this place recommended by a few people on Reddit. The hype is real; I'm a fan. - delicious beef, chicken and blue corn (veggie) tamales - delicious black and pinto beans - delicious Mexican slaw - delicious salsas - expansive inventory of hot sauces. While not the biggest I've ever seen it's still a lot of hot sauces. Friendly folks here. Reasonable prices.

Junior A.

Came in from PHX for the day to try different food well surprise this place is well not good at all . I wounded how it got to the 4 stars . Meet was mushy , rice was dry and bean no good . And we got there when they just open on Sunday morning

Red Chile Beef 2 Tamale Plate with Chips & Salsa and black beans, Colette's Medium salsa, Sherry's Mild salsa, churro chips
Erin R.

I'm not vegan and the blue corn & veggie and vegetarian black bean & cheese tamales are good. Today I tried the red chili beef 2 tamale plate. The beef wasn't as spicy as I expected, but it had a good flavor and there was a lot. Dry masa can ruin a tamale - that's not an issue here. The owner and son were so kind and made my visit a success. I will return with others in tow!

Black Bean & Corn.
Britt C.

My sister-in-law sent us a care package for Christmas from Tucson Tamale. The family was very excited to open them up. We had amazing options to choose from. My favorite out of all of them was the sausage and cheese. I have never had that in a tamale, I was sure missing out. They were all delicious and they are almost gone. I haven't been to their location. So I am lucky to have been able to try them here in California. I highly recommend.

The holy grail.
Janet M.

Ok, so here is the thing about Oregon. If you move here from the desert Southwest and want YOUR Mexican food favorite goodies (whatever they are) you might be a touch sad and frustrated. Even if you are a gringa like me. Because: 1) Mexican places in the PNW can be a little gimmicky at times. Overdecorated with Mexican stuff and often servers greet you with "¡Hola amigos!" ( to which my visiting Latino-American old college friends took strong offense) and the music can be overdone. Way overdone. 2) The margaritas are just usually not great. Frozen or on the rocks. The last one I got had sugar on the rim instead of salt. (No, it was not fruity). Whaaa?! The chips and salsa are often just terrible and you are better off grabbing some Juanita's chips and a fresh salsa from Freddy's. 3) Some favorite things are stupid wrong. If you are like me ( I lived in Phoenix, Tucson, San Francisco, Austin , and Yuma) well the Mission Burritos are just missing, the fish tacos are sometimes lacking, you cannot find any decent queso, the Hatch Chiles are plain hard to find, the fajitas are not correct, and the tamales are...well, wrong. Bad. They show up huskless, covered abysmally with usually a sweet goopy sauce,shredded lettuce, and cheese. And they just hurt my heart. I do not know why this happens. My mom moved up from AZ after me and could not be dissuaded from ordering a tamale. In Phoenix they were her go to. I tried. I tried to tell her. She was so bummed. There are some good places, do not get me wrong, do not send me hate messages either, but they are usually good *with* an Oregon lens. But. Tucson Tamale Company sells their OG tamales online and in several Portland groceries including Freddy's, Safeway, and New Seasons. Frozen or cold in the deli ( that is at Safeway) they are around $3-4 each. Their online store has even more varieties along with some sauces,spices, candies, and other items. I tried the chicken and chile (ok, a little dry), the pork with cheese and green chile ( much better) and then last, the cheese and green chile (aka " green corn"). OH. MY. GOD. The package said " unwrap happiness." And I did!! Inside its corn husk, the masa was perfectly sweet and fluffy, the chiles were tasty, and there was a cheese pull. I am so happy about this. It was a pretty dang decent green corn tamale, of course not exactly like the ones the nice Pasqua Yaqui coworker in Tucson used to give me made by his mom, but 100% better than most if not all the tamales I have had in Portland. I am a happy happy camper. Of course my minions do not get it but I know my mom in heaven is giving me a high five. Now if I can just find some real Navajo tacos.

My two tamale plate with Mexican slaw, chops and two salsas
Darlene M.

Wonderful fresh tamales anytime of the year. I went to find a hot sauce my son wanted. They have a ton of different hot sauces on their wall of heat! Decided to grab lunch while I was there. The two red chile beef tamale plate with two sides was wonderful. The tamale was light and filled with just the right amount of beef. For my sides I got the fresh corn tortilla chips and Mexican slaw which was a tasty light touch to the meal. They have a wonderful selection of fresh salsas to add just the right amount of heat. Also their staff was very nice and friendly ensuring everything was wonderful. I love supporting a local businesses. especially ones that do so much to give back to the community. I work in the Amphitheater Public School District and I know they have helped to support education in our community. Make the time to go visit a true jewel in the desert at Tucson Tamale.

Wall of Heat - hot sauces for purchase (open bottles in fridge by register to test out).
Michelle O.

Absolutely delicious, nice decor/vibe, and a great selection of hot sauces to try and purchase. Service was slow but the cashier was training so I can't speak to usual standards. Manager was speedy though.

three different flavors of tamales
Andrew C.

Attention to all the pumpkin spice and sweater weather lovers out there, Tucson Tamale has a seasonal vegan pumpkin tamale. It's basically an incognito pumpkin spice latte but made into masa and wrapped in a corn husk (the sweater). In masa form, the aroma and taste reminds me of pumpkin bread. It will have you saying "it's fall y'all" before your last bite. Speaking of seasonal tamales, they also offer a Thanksgiving tamale. If carving a turkey isn't your thing then this is this is the next best option. It features roasted turkey, carrots, celery, and onions combined with sweet red cranberries, a touch of sage, and their homemade white masa. Instead of yelling, "Ma, the meatloaf!", you'll be saying, "Ma, the tamale!" Keep calm and masa on! They also offer traditional and vegan tamales such as red chile beef, chorizo and cheese, black bean and corn (V), blue corn and veggie (V), and green chile (V). Between the seasonal and everyday tamales offered at TTC, I can enjoy a tamale throughout the year and not get tired of one. I definitely recommend ordering your tamale with a side of chips and salsa because it features their homemade flavors. Their salsa covers the entire spectrum of spice level from Sherry's mild to Colette's medium to Todd's fire. Elite tip - sign up for rewards program and receive 2000 points. Also, your can order from Tap and Bottle, next door, and they will deliver.

Two tamale plate, plus excellent slaw and black beans covered in pico and salsa
Kris L.

The Tamales are so good here and the staff were very friendly. Our party of four ordered just about every tamale type offered on the restaurant menu plus sampled all the salsas at the salsa bar. Note that they have a huge variety of frozen tamales, but only a small fraction are offered hot for eating on site. I had the vegan blue corn vegetable with Mexican slaw and black beans, everything was great. The tamales were large, moist and the bit of spiciness in the slaw complimented it perfectly. Our party also ordered guacamole and chips and the chips are stellar, melt in your mouth crisp and light and the guacamole was nice and chunky. Be sure and stop here if you are in the neighborhood, or on the East side at Tanque Verde.

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Hi Maria! Thank you for your review and feedback.

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2 years ago

Tamales are delicious! Red chili beef are our favorites. Always consistent and good service.

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2 years ago

Terrible tamales. No flavor. Masa and no meat. The hot sauce selection is great though.

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Ask the Community - Tucson Tamale

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Produce On Wheels - With Out waste

Produce On Wheels - With Out waste

4.4
(5 reviews)
8.1 mi

The firt time I went, it was great. The volunteers were kind. They saw I was struggling due to…read moreinfirmity and they let my sister pull the vehicle up close and helped us load everything in. The second time I had to do it all myself, for both me and my sister, and I got told I was being greedy for buying two load,s, even though we were sharing with other family members, too. They shamed me, patently refused to give me some of what they gave the people ahead of me double amounts of and which they gave to some people behind me in line, too. Told me I was greedy and selfish. I got mocked for crying and was told that I should have known better than to be so selfish and they laughed when some of my food got stolen. The veggies were mostly okay, though. The grapes were all rotten. The third time I went, years later, I got one load and they gave me most of the things they gave other people but the volunteer handing out the paper towels literally threw them at me and said "I guess you have to get every free thing you can!" They gave me several boxes of dates. The veggies were good. The fourth time everything was rotten except a few only semi okay veggies. Less than 7 lbs total. I would have gotten a better deal from the grocery store. They were definitely playing favorites among both known people and for other reasons. The fifth and last time I went we ordered ahead and they were just going to load us up. They only loaded up for one family but three of us came. Then, after a lot of arguing, they grudgingly gave us three rolls of paper towels and two boxes of dates and called it good. I hear very good things about this organization. So, I am thinking it is more about the volunteers they happen to get in certain neighborhoods. The first time we went, we drove pretty far out of our way and it was great. The other times were all in the Sacred Heart Parking lot except one time when it was nearer to this area of town but not quite that close.

Cheap Veggies!!!! I love Borderland's amazing produce rescue program. On a Saturday schedule at…read morevarious community organizations in Tucson and Phoenix volunteers coordinate the veggie pickups. You pay $10 cash and take your own box, crate, or some grocery bags and load up 60 pounds of fruits and vegetables. Each Saturday they have a different assortment of vegetables which is posted on their Facebook and website. Usually between 7am and 10am. Program runs during produce season, November through August. Produce available, from my understanding, is whatever they couldn't market and is tagged to be trashed. Perfectly good stuff, some of the peppers may be funny shapes with a few blemishes, and some things may be closer to their spoiling point, but for the most part it's perfect. This weekend we went to the pickup at St. Francis in the Foothills church on Swan and East River. For $10 you were allowed to take 37 Roma tomatoes, 4 butternut squash, 11 pickling cucumbers, 3 mini watermelons, 11 yellow bell peppers, 11 orange bell peppers, 11 yellow squash, and 1 bag mini sweet bell peppers. The variety and amount of each veggie you can take always changes, but it always equals about 60 pounds. We almost always split our box with a friend because it is too much for our household of two. Totally worth it if you can get yourself up and out of the house early on a Saturday.

Photos
Yellow bell peppers were a little soft this time, so we only took 6 of the best we could pick.
Yellow bell peppers were a little soft this time, so we only took 6 of the best we could pick.
Selection offered on 6/2/18
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St Philip's Plaza Farmers Market

St Philip's Plaza Farmers Market

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I love learning new things and trying new foods! I happened to be on a walk and stopped to see the…read morevendors at this market. Lots of great products. I loved my gozleme from Safure's Turkish Kitchen. Mine was either spinach and cheese, light and tasty! Great friendly service and a beautiful day for a walk!

This Sunday morning for the first time in a few months, I went to Saint Phillips Plaza in search of…read moregetting some very specific things. I was definitely looking for strawberries since I pick up a flat when I can there in the past. No luck today. I ended up getting a whole bunch of other things that delighted the eyes. I purchased some really cute pottery that had saguaro's on it and I got some cheesecake and some Alaska Kodiak caught fish that my husband will have for dinner sometime this week. I absolutely enjoyed the live music which they typically have at the farmers market here but just missed some of what I was expecting. There wasn't very much food available and that's probably because Saint Phillips has the REN coffee and also açai bowl place. With it being winter or maybe it's a slow time for the market. We did chat with our familiar mushroom vendor and several of the arts and craft vendors. Overall, it was a fun walk and a lot less crowded than it normally would be. There are restrooms available and as we came at 9:30, some vendors were still setting up.

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Got here at 8:40am Sunday.... Ops starts at 9
Got here at 8:40am Sunday.... Ops starts at 9
St Philip's Plaza Farmers Market
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Heirloom Farmers Market - Oro Valley

Heirloom Farmers Market - Oro Valley

4.3
(25 reviews)
4.9 mi
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Heirloom farmer's markets -- Oro Valley It's a fun place…read morewith a real diversity of vendors. It's a great place to hold a farmer's market, plenty of open area so if you have some kids, can blow off some steam...the bathrooms are clean as well. There's also a museum there with lots of great history. It's called the Steam Pump Ranch. Some of the docents are really a type of living history. One of them was the former mayor in Oro Valley. In the past I have met family members who grew up on the ranch as docents, The museum still has a history of the ranch as a focus in one area and they focus on the 250 year history of the USA with an Arizona emphasis on another. Lots of dogs and some of them are quite friendly...you still have to be dog smart.. The vendors were friendly and helpful with information about their products... There is a wide variety of fresh products for sale. They have a website that lists a lot of the vendors. They have several locations around they have fresh hot food vendors, grocery food vendors,a couple of bakeries, health and wellness vendors,and artisans. It's always fun to enjoy the fresh smells from roasting chili's to pupusas, homemade burritos, Korean Barbecue, baked goods and homemade soups! Click on their website through Yelp to get details about vendors and artisans available at each farmers market.

It's refreshing to find a truly legitimate farmers market offering freshly grown vegetables,…read morefruits, and even a nice selection of mushrooms. They also carry chicken, quail, and duck eggs, along with a variety of pickled vegetables and handmade soaps from local goat farms. It's everything you'd hope for in an authentic market. Most "farmers markets" in Tucson tend to be more like flea markets, with vendors mainly selling homemade trinkets rather than actual farm-grown goods, so this one is a welcome change. The atmosphere is friendly, the vendors are knowledgeable, and there's a wide variety of options to explore. Overall, it's a great spot if you're looking for genuine local produce and a warm community vibe.

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Heirloom Farmers Market - Oro Valley
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Victoria Cocina Mexicana

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4.5
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Can't believe this place doesn't have a waiting list for dinner!…read more Awesome, delicious food from a nice menu of selections, but not overwhelmingly so. Ate the birria tacos and cannot remember having any better tacos than I had tonight. Excellent service from Fernando who was enthusiastic and super friendly. There is also an excellent bar with unique and enjoyable cocktails. I could go on-and-on, but you just need to get here and try it for yourself IF you like tasty, excellent food served in a modern, wonderful atmosphere. Don't walk, RUN here and bring a friend or two!!

I am so glad I finally tried this place! The restaurant is large, clean, well decorated and has a…read morefew big TVs so we were able to watch the FIFA (sound muted). Chips were crispy flour (vs corn) and the salsa was delicious, with good flavor and a hint of heat). I had the Huervos Guerreros. Amazing! The pork carnitas with tomatillo sauce put it over the top! I had this for lunch, not breakfast. #Winner! My sister had the Quesabirria Consome. She liked the consume (soupy dip), birtia meat, and the beans, but the taco shells were soggy from the lettuce and onion topping, which made it impossible to dip and wasn't quite on point. This seems to be a consistent issue with birria tacos around town. The horchata was fresh made but grainier than she preferred. Portions are generous, in some cases, splittable. There are do many menu items I want to try. Service was friendly and efficient. I will be back!

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Victoria's stunningly attractive bar, located on the east wall.
Victoria's stunningly attractive bar, located on the east wall.
Chicken Enchiladas Suizas! Best ever!
Chicken Enchiladas Suizas! Best ever!
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Tucson Tamale - mexican - Updated July 2026

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