Frelard Tamales
Mexican restaurant · Fremont
106 N 36th St Suite 100, Seattle, WA 98103
Highlights
Half-pound tamales with meat, veggie, & vegan fillings
Half-pound tamales with meat, veggie, & vegan fillings
"Frelard Tamales serves the best corn husk-wrapped bundles in town. Ringing in at a half-pound each, these steamy stunners are massive and stuffed with everything from sliced jalapeño and cheese to braised rioja pork. You can also add toppings that accentuate the fillings without getting in the way, like crema, limey guacamole, and tangy pickled carrots. While you could order virtually any of their menu items and walk away pleased, the salsa verde chicken and sweet potato mole tamales are the best two options and make for a great casual lunch or dinner." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"Frelard Tamales used to be a Mexican takeout-only window in…Green Lake that (obviously) served husk-wrapped bundles. After opening a sit-down restaurant in Fremont with their brewery operation El Sueñito, the instant gratification of eating a piping hot tamal the second you receive it is now possible. And yeah, it helps that the name makes more sense for the location now. Ringing in at a half-pound each, the tamales are massive and stuffed with a variety of fillings like sliced jalapeños and cheese or braised rioja pork, all drizzled with a tangy crema. And while you could order virtually any masa-snuggled meal here and walk away pleased, the salsa verde chicken and sweet potato mole tamales are the best options. You’ll get juicy-creamy shredded chicken packed with tomatillo zing, and a vegan tamal featuring fork-tender sweet potatoes in a nutty mole that’s rich while still letting the yams speak for themselves. They say “hey, I’m f*cking delicious,” by the way. If you’re really feeling nostalgic for those Green Lake days, there’s a takeout window here, too. But it’s fun to be in the crowded dining room, clinking blonde cerveza between bites of masa. You’ll also see an expanded menu of tacos, salads, and queso. Those are all fine, but ultimately get in the way of what’s important: the perfect tamales that made this place famous in the first place. Food Rundown Have A Threesome We're into the fact that you can have a sampling of guacamole, (excellent) queso, and salsa at the same time, along with earth-shatteringly crunchy chips—just be aware that the dip portions are teeny-weeny if you're with a big group. But for date night, couldn't be better. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Esquite It's a totally good bowl of corn that won't make you mad, but probably won't make you excited, either. Unless corn really does it for you. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Verde Chicken Tamal This. This is why you're here. The green salsa-soaked braised chicken is the greatest tamal in the house. Skip the chorizo, skip the peppers and cheese, head directly to the poultry. photo credit: Aimee Rizzo Sweet Potato Mole Tamal If you're avoiding meat, may we direct your attention to the tamal stuffed with tender yams and a nutty, rich mole?" - Aimee Rizzo
"In 2024, husbands Osbaldo Hernandez and Dennis Ramey moved Frelard Tamales from a takeout window into a full-blown restaurant that shares a space with the couple’s El Suenito Brewing. Now the menu has a lot more than just tamales on it, but the tamales are still arguably the star of the show, and still available for pick-up. Make sure to get the lightly pickled veggies on the side." - Joey Carreon
"Operating in the same Ballard–Fremont waterfront space as El Suenito Brewing, the business is co-hosting a parade-day drag brunch featuring Drag Race star Geneva Karr; the event is 18+, runs noon–1:30 p.m., and tickets begin at $30 with group and VIP options." - Harry Cheadle
"Frelard Tamales used to be a walk-up window in Green Lake but as of August it’s a full-service restaurant inside Fremont’s El Sueñito Brewing (which owners Osbaldo Hernandez and husband Denny Ramey also run). You can still get the comforting tamales with plenty of veggie and vegan options that made this place famous, but do yourself a solid and check out the expanded menu. The carnitas tacos are meaty and rich but balanced by a sharply acidic salsa, but the real star are the corn tortillas, which are crisp but still pliable and so, so satisfying to bite into. –Harry Cheadle" - Charlie Lahud-Zahner
