Frelard Tamales

Edit! : I dined in during a lunch hour and it was so goooood. Get that lunch special and check the daily tamales. Original review : Listen, we could have done better with this review but I was hungry and a goof. These tamales are DAMN good. They had a walk up window but we walked around inside and TO BE FAIR could have eaten inside. We had a list of chores and I thought it would be smarter and faster to eat in the car. These tamales, regardless of the location being consumed, are incredible in size and flavor. I got the Verde chicken, and my wife got the roja pork. They tasted incredible and the guacamole was super flavorful.

Good place for a quick bite! The tamales was very good - we got the chicken one it’s hot when we got it and super flavorful. The tacos were just ok - the meat was a bit tough to chew.

I wish we like Frelard Tamales as much as most reviewers. The cornmeal was too dense and lacks some flavors, there were plenty of meats in our tamales but the chicken and pork were too lean, without some fats they lack moisture and most importantly; flavors. The takeaway would window lady was very helpful and friendly.

This place has some great tamales! The beans and rice were also delish! I will say I wish the pepper and cheese tamale had more peppers and cheese. 😁the chicken were amazing.

Phenomenal tamales! They’re one of the best I’ve ever had. At a decent price too. They were seasoned well, full of filling, and the corn masa was thick and delicious.

Frelard Tamales is a delightful spot offering an impressive array of tamales, including numerous vegetarian/vegan options that are clearly labeled, making it easy to find something delicious that suits your dietary preferences. The tamales are generously sized and packed with flavor; I particularly enjoyed the sweet potato mole and refried beans & cheese varieties. Their house-brewed beers are a perfect complement to the meal—I highly recommend trying the Mexican lagers. The cozy atmosphere and friendly staff make dining here a truly enjoyable experience. Plus, it's wonderful to support a family and queer-owned business that's become a cherished part of the community. They have begun hosting some small events (like a Drag Brunch), but I have not attended any yet.

If you've only ever been to their walk-up location, you simply MUST come in!! My drink of choice, the Horchata, is thick and refreshing, and their two tamale plate is delicious and hearty.

I saw all the amazing reviews and was excited to try! I ordered 3 tamales and it was very fast. I got the chorizo , salsa verde , and I forget the other. In my opinion the masa to meat ratio wasn’t my favorite. It felt like a big brick of masa. And the filling just tasted salty instead of flavorful. To me they shouldn’t be more than $5 but to each their own! The workers were lovely though!

It's time to write about the Frelard Tamales side of the business at El Suenito Brewing. The original location is in Bellingham and we were just thrilled to see that another location opened up so much closer to us to enjoy. I mean we love going to Bellingham but realistically we make it up there about once a year if we are lucky. So with a much closer location for us it wasn't long before we went here to enjoy the beer and the totally awesome tamales once again. We had some regular horchata to drink and a horchata type beer both were wonderful. But then I got the Salaa Rojas tamale and the Jalapeño Cheese tamale and that was all I needed to go over the moon in foodie bliss. The rice and beans that came with the tamales were excellent and I devoured everything and left pretty full. I probably should have gotten just one tamale but my gluttony for this wonderful food made sure I ordered two. Definitely some impressive tamales and I highly recommend!

Where else in Seattle can you find such large, flavorful tamales? I recently visited with my boyfriend and a friend, and as someone who loves a good tamale, I was thoroughly impressed. Tamales can be tricky to get right--affordable, with a good filling-to-masa ratio, and moist masa. Enter Frelard. We tried the salsa roja pork, salsa verde chicken, and nopales tamales, and they were all perfectly seasoned with generous, delicious fillings. The masa? Spot on--moist and flavorful! We also got the horchata, but I found it a bit grainy and not quite to my taste. The service was super quick, and the casual, friendly vibe makes it a great spot to grab a quick bite with friends. Highly recommend for tamale lovers!

I've been a Frelard Tamales loyalist for years, so I knew that when they moved into their new spot AND had beers, that it was destiny for me to love it. And I was not disappointed... I was fired up to see that the place was poppin' when I came in, love to see a new restaurant thriving in The Center of the Universe. Being able to order a full tamale meal and sit down with them is a game changer for the overall tamale experience. The presentation (see picture) takes it to a different level. They let you pick between green or red sauce and absolutely drown these tamales in them. They also open up the corn husk for you so you don't have to play any games, straight to business. Same tamales as always, packed with a flavor punch right to the face, and absolutely stuffed with meat or veggies. The rice and beans were also fantastic, turning this meal into a masterpiece. We also ordered the chips and guacamole. The guacamole was very good, and the chips seemed to be homemade as well. They were a little bit hard though, so I wouldn't recommend those to the dentally challenged. That would be my only critique, but not worthy of a deduction of a star. The vibery is also top notch here, I would come just to hang out and have a beer as well. It looks like they're also putting on a bunch of events in the community that look like a blast. Well done, Frelard Tamales .

**vegetarian review** Lemme start off by I like frelard tamales and have often done take outs for tamales and enjoyed that. I plan to still do that in future. The jalapeno cheese tamale is sooo good. The review here is for my in store meal for non tamale items. Personally I thought non tamale items are little underwhelming. To me they were pricey and not as flavourful. The nachos here were very basic for $14 without added proteins $6 for mushrooms. To me lack of any veggies like onions and tomatoes or some sauce - left this to mainly carry the flavour of refried beans and cheese. The special quesadillas were $13 for 2 taco size quesadillas with squash blossom and cheese. This was little different than other places but still felt expensive. The service was good and the place had awesome atmosphere . I guess tamales set the bar high so I was expecting more ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

My office is a block down from the newest location on Fremont Ave. Our whole team has become regulars, testing all the different tamale options. So far, the fan favorite has been chorizo! Highly recommend to anyone who's a fan of tamales!!

Great food and ambiance! Guacamole and chips are fresh and homemade, not your typical chips and guac out of the box. Tamales fantastic and fresh. Prices are a little steep as have become across most restaurants in Seattle but I appreciate that they didn't charge some hidden made up "tax" that has become so common. I'll be back and highly recommend for tasty tamales!

These tamales were soo tasty! And the price is very reasonable! My husband and I made a stop here to grab some food so we could enjoy at Greenlake! We found parking on the street across the way. It's a small window where you can order and take it to go. We had the lunch special which came with a tamale of choice and rice and beans. I got the salsa roja pork and my husband got the chicken mole. We also ordered chips and guac and a watermelon agua fresca (the largest size which strangely had a lid with no straw hole so we had to drink it without the lid), and they sold tres lecheria tres leches cake so we bought one of those to try out! It was a hearty meal for sure! The tamales were very good and the rice and beans made a nice accompaniment. Really enjoyed our meal and would come back again!

I was looking for a Latino-owned business to order from while planning a local Latino event I was hosting. I ended up choosing Frelard Tamales cause their website was super easy to use, it showed they were very client-focused, and they made the ordering process easy/transparent in pricing. I am so glad our team ordered from them! Delivery was on time, the food was hot and ready to go, and our group loved the tamales. The tamales were really good, and even the minis were a full-sized portion. My favorite was the chicken en salsa verde. The beans and rice were fresh, and I loved that they came with pickled carrots and cream. It was also great that their menu had some vegan options to offer to my few vegan guests. I will 100% use Frelard tamales again for catering events, and will stop by to grab some next time I am looking for a meal and a drink down in Fremont.

This place is so freaking good! On a rainy day, or really any day, it's the perfect stop for a warm, satisfying, nourishing meal! The vegetarian and vegan options here are exceptional! I tried the jalapeño cheese tamale and the sweet potato mole tamale, but the flavor options are actually endless (even for us veggie folks). The masa to filling ratio was good as well. I preferred the sweet potato mole one, with the warm filling and the perfect ratio, but the jalapeño-cheese was also spicy, cheesy, and filling. It comes with sour cream and pickled veggies, and you can choose a milder salsa verde or the spicy salsa verde to coat your tamale. The horchata was also delicious and had a unique, rich flavor compared to other versions I've had before. It was genuinely so delicious! I would highly recommend everyone go if you're craving a tamale. The price is super reasonable too, costing $7 for one tamale and you can also get plates. They also offer the option to take out frozen tamales. This is a fairly new brick and mortar location for them. It's a fast casual space with nice tables, and they also offer takeout.

Super fun environment, we got seated quickly, waitress was attentive. They have a lot of food and beer/drink selections. We tried two of their tamale flavors and loved the sweet potato mole. The salsa verde chicken was a little salty for us though. We got the meal and beans and rice were on point. I will say I think the tamales had a little too much masa for my personal preference but overall very tasty. Will come back to try their beer and drink selections!

I went twice this week because the tamales were so good! The place is super clean (although I don't love the strong smell of their cleaning solution) and the service was super friendly. The sweet potato mole tamale was probably one of my favorites, but everything I tried was great. The portion size is generous and I purposely ordered a 2 tamale plate so I could take home leftovers. I love that they have good cocktails and beer, and I hope they add some better wine selections. There's a walk up to-go window, and about a few dozen seats inside. The employees were all super nice but their attention is divided between seated customers, walk up orders and to-go orders so you might have to wait during busier times. I will definitely be back to try their rotating selection of specials.

Tamales is not my favorite use of masa (vs. pupusas or a fresh tortilla for example), but this was so warm and lovely. Good flavor, not too salty and the perfect snack to take to Greenlake.

I love getting the Two Tamales Meal Combo, which comes with two tamales of your choice, vegan Mexican rice, refried pinto beans, and small containers of salsa, sour cream & pickled veggies. It's a great deal that you can split between two people. At this point, I've tried a majority of the flavors that they have, but my favorites are definitely the Salsa Roja Pork Tamal and Chorize & Cheese Tamal. I like to buy frozen tamales to store in my freezer for the times that I'm too lazy to cook, which you can steam properly on the stove following the instructions they have on their website. The tamales are also labelled with different color strings, so you never have to guess what tamal you're pulling from the freezer. The tamales are more expensive than most because it goes back to paying staff, quality ingredients, and accounting for the size of the tamales. Frelard Tamales also donates free meals to anyone who needs them and supports local causes around immigrant and LGBTQ rights. If you're traveling by car to this location, it is important to note that it's difficult to find street parking (avoid parking in front of the window because there is a bus stop there). You may have to park a few streets over and walk.

This seems to be a togo only place that operates out of a window. Got the salsa roja pork tamale with rice and refried beans. Was really good and the tamale was pretty big so for me it was actually quite filling, esp with the rice and beans. The salsa that you can get on the side was also good

I loved the walk up window and the new sit down restaurant is even better. El Suenito's Alebrijes lager is very tasty and pairs well with everything. The lighting is a little intense, but they have yummy vegetarian options. I recommend the vegetarian al pastor tacos. The tamales are always great. And friendly service too!

I was so excited to hear Frelard Tamales was 1) opening a full service restaurant and 2) that it was closer to me than the old window! While I will miss picking up tamales on the way to Greenlake, this gorgeous big space is so awesome! The tamales were delicious as always and I love that there are always good veggie and vegan options. The watermelon agua fresca was a refreshing treat, and you can get them spiked if that's your thing! No, the food is not cheap but it is high quality and umm, are you familiar with Seattle?? This city is freaking expensive!! The reviews here complaining about service are laughable to me. The person who waited on us was so friendly and attentive, and my many previous experiences at the old window have also always been 100% positive. I'm so happy to have another place to put in my favorite restaurants rotation!

This is a solid tamale spot which I would definitely revisit! We got two tamales to go along with agua fresca and horchata. The tamales were delicious - moist with the perfect ratio of masa to filling. I could drink the salsa that came with them - not overly spicy with a good balance of flavors, they were a great accompaniment to an already delicious tamal. The drinks were super refreshing on a warm day as well; perhaps a tiny bit too sweet for my taste but really great flavor. Highly recommend this place!

The best tamales at absolutely reasonable prices!! I came by with a friend during my final week in Seattle. As I'm from Texas, I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the tamales, but I decided to give the Salsa Verde Chicken plate a try anyway. First off, these tamales are HUGE. I didn't realize it was going to be that much food, and I ended up getting 3 meals out of it. The tamale itself was hot and fresh, and the chicken was juicy, tender, and flavorful. The sauce had just the right kick of spice while mostly staying mild. Plus, the beans and rice it came with on the side was portioned generously and was incredibly filling on its own. Unlike other similar places in Seattle, Frelard actually does a decent job of adding flavor to the food. Take it from a Texan - I was impressed! I really enjoyed my meal and definitely recommend it!!

These are my favorite tamales in Seattle! I grew up in Southern California and have had a lot of tamales in my life, and these are top tier. I am a vegetarian so I get the jalapeño and cheese tamales with the pickled veggies on the side and it is so delicious! Love coming here when I can.

Frelard was overall a decent experience. I will say first off they were super crowded but were still able to get our large party seated quickly. Once seated staff were friendly and knowledgeable of their menu. I had the dream bowl served vegan and it was delicious. I also ordered two tamales ala carte to share with my husband. Tamales were sort of meh in my opinion. I ordered a pork and red sauce (forget what they called it) and a vegan sweet potato mole. Both had way too much mesa to stuffing ratio. They weren't dry thankfully but for the price per tamale I want to taste your fillings. The sweet potato said it had mole in it but that flavor barely came through. The pork in the other tamale was nicely cooked and tender with good flavor but again just a scant amount. My son had one of their Mexican lagers and said it wasn't that great was too wheaty and didn't taste like a Mexican lager. I had a cocktail I requested off menu and it was perfectly made. I am picky about tamales because where I live a lady walks down the street selling some of the best corn or plantain husk tamales you will ever eat for $20 a dozen. I would go back to Frelard for the dream bowl and a cocktail,but would honestly probably skip their tamales altogether. Other people I was with seemed to enjoy them and also had house tacos that I'm told were delicious.

The very last food stop before airport! We ordered for pickup. The vendor was funny and down to earth, taking it in stride as I, in a rush, accidentally stepped into the shop instead of just ordering at the counter. He redirected me to order at the right place (sorry!) and held up his hands and said, "I don't have money." The sweet potato mole was on the mild side (per my friend) but I enjoyed the savory taste of the bean and veg fajita tamales. I never thought of tamales as .5 lb portions but that it was ! I had a pound of tamales at the airport before my flight.. kept me quite satiated. If I were a local, I would try out the mushroom flavor and other sweet flavors as well.. we just simply didn't have the time/luggage space to hoard that many. It is a bit messy to eat on the go but I would say it's still worth it at $7 each. They also have lunch deals past 11 am.

It's a walk up establishment. The tamales are $7 each and they are worth it. The beans and rice are amazing! I'm very picky w my retired beans, but this was fresh and perfectly seasoned. The tamales was worth the drive and ferry ride. The service was quick and the guy was very friendly. There's a park nearby to park and enjoy this deliciousness. Stop what you're doing and head on over!!

My to go order was ready as expected. Friendly service, tasty tamales, and basic but good pinto beans and rice

The reviews don't lie, these tamales are fantastic. Truth be told, no tamale I've had at a restaurant has measured up to homemade ones--until now. I'll happily shell out a few bucks for these. They're stuffed enough to give Chipotle burritos a run for their money, the distribution of meat to masa is perfect (check out the review photos), and there's nothing soggy or crumbly about the masa. These reheat beautifully, so don't hesitate to make it out to Fremont and get a dozen of these.

Family owned restaurant with delicious food and vegan options!! Authentic and delicious.

Average tamales with a side of bad attitude and staff just sitting around shooting the breeze while you want for your food that's ready. Luckily I live in LA where the tamales are so good. And the people are on it, super friendly and generally just awesome.

Best tamales anywhere close to the neighborhood. The real deal. It's takeout only so ambiance isn't a thing. They are quick with orders, service is friendly prices are reasonable for the times in which we live. Handmade, good masa, good karma.

I personally had a wonderful experience. I heard about their lunch special - a tamale, with rice, and refried beans, with pickled carrots and salsa, all for under $10. It's a great deal, and the tamale was very authentic. I've had not so good tamales in Los Angeles, but it was a pleasant experience. I got the chicken tamale and while the filling wasn't particularly juicy, it wasn't dry either. Ther service was fast as they had tamales already steaming, so I got my order within the minute. There wasn't much of a line - as I went around 12:30. If you're looking for a place to sit down and eat, this is not the place to be - It runs more like a takeout. I didn't see any places to it - it was more like a stall that came out from the wall.

Delicious!!! We ordered online 2 orders of the 2 tamales meal combo that comes with rice and beans - my favourites were the mushroom tamales and the fajita tamales - the sweet potato mole and the beans and cheese were good too!!! We had the tres leches cake for dessert and it's a must try/buy!!! We would definitely go back to try other flavours in their menu! Order online - quicker that way. (they only have a window counter)

Great place for tamales. I'd recommend swinging by for lunch on a weekend, grabbing some hot tamales (since to-go is the only option), and find yourself a nice picnic table at Greenlake nearby. We ordered the salsa verde chicken and the Roja pork, which both were delicious and hearty. The cooked corn dough had a nice texture without being too grainy and the meat filling wasn't dry. Hot sauce is a must though and would definitely come back when I have a hankering for some good tamales.

I grew up eating homemade tamales at my buddy's house and these really reminded me of them...fresh, tasty and filling. After eating a couple fresh, I pan fried one of the salsa pork ones the next morning with some eggs over easy and the flavors were all reminiscent of growing up in the Mission District of San Fran. Remember to tip these good people, they feed the area's out of luck, no questions asked. No better community minded businesses than Frelard Tamales.

We ordered a variety of tamales to go, super excited to try vegetarian tamales because they are often made with lard or risk contamination. However when we brought the tamales home, they were extremely dry, had almost no filling, and on the bland side. Really disappointed as there were so many great reviews here.

This was our first time here and it was very good. The tamales were moist. We got the chicken verde, pork verde, chicken mole, and jalapeño cheese. My favorite was the chicken verde and jalapeño cheese. No pictures because we are them so fast

Came here for a quick bite and it did not disappoint. The person who took our order is extremely nice. It's a walk up stand so you just place your order, wait for your food to come out and pick it up. They have a lunch combo deal that is really great! A tamale + rice and beans =$9! Too bad it only happens on Mon-Fri from 11-2. I tried the salsa Verde pork tamale with mild salsa. The tamale itself was a good a size. I like that it's soft and smooth and not dry/grainy like other tamale. The pork was a little on the saltier side for me but my hubby likes it. I definitely like the salsa cause it helps counter balance the saltiness. Overall, a nice stop if you're in the area :)

I'm not much of a fan of tamales, but these are pretty good! Super friendly and quick service, and it's super popular! It's a bit of a hole in the wall, but you know what they say about these off the beaten path places, they're great! Very tasty! Highly recommended!

Amazing, great food and great service. We picked up at the window and took it to eat in the Ferry ine

Rice and Beans are good. Tamales are mediocre. Man at the window is VERY RUDE. Lunch special is a good amount of food for $12. And window is convenient.

Solid tamales. I loved how easy and fast it was to order tamales at the window. I'll definitely come back for more.

Was headed to a near by business when a sexy sign caught my eye. A blazing neon beacon declared "Fresh Hot Tamales" and I knew fate had brought me to this place. There were multiple options: vegan, vegetarian, and meat as well as dessert tamales and a delicious tres leches cake. We ordered the salsa verde chicken tamal, the salsa roja pork tamal, the sweet corn tamal and jalapeño and cheese tamal. We tried the salsa verde chicken tamal as soon as we got home and were very impressed with the delicately flavored masa enveloping the extremely flavorful chicken mixture. The first bite made me smile and was one of the best tasting things I've had in a while. I forsee many more visits to this spot.

I don't know how much more I can say than Yum! They have one window that you walk up to and order your tamales from. The person at the window was super nice and happy to explain all the tamales to us. We ordered some hot and one cold. I don't think we even made it home before eating a few they smelled so good. I just wish I could try them all fresh and hot from the store. Steaming them at home I dont think they turn out the same.

I ordered chorizo & cheese, salsa verde chicken, jalapeno & cheese, and spinach & cheese. The tamales were huge and definitely has a good portion of the fillings, instead of majority corn flour. I really like the jalapeno & cheese as it is flavorful and the cheese was well integrated inside the tamales. I think I am used to heavier flavors from the south so wish the chicken and chorizo ones were more seasoned. I am not sure if the spinach and cheese was a good combination for the tamales. Not many places specializes in tamales so wouldn't mind coming back to try the other ones when I'm craving for tamales.

These tamales are overpriced. They also promote their politics and care more about that than the food. These tamales shouldn't be more than five dollars and they're not that good or authentic.

They share a spot with El Sueñito Brewing, which is a totally average brewery, but the food is fantastic, at least based on the sample I had. They have a vegan option on both their taco and tamale menus. I was in need of a snack, so I grabbed their fajita veggie tamale ($6), which can be vegan if you ask to leave off the sour cream. The tamale was ready in under 5 minutes, and was served with a side of sort-of-pickled carrots that go well with the tamale. The tamale itself was tasty, appropriately corn floury, with plenty of black beans and corn, some thin chilis and a lightly spicy roja sauce (you could also get a milder green chili sauce). Good stuff overall.

Best tamales I've had around Seattle, so good, amazing staff, they were extremely nice and welcoming, they make amazing tamales, reminds me of what I would get in college from local families

The food was fantastic, but the guy at the window today, 8/1/23, at around 12:15 pm was rude. The whole idea of why people order online is so they can pick up their food all paid for when they arrive. He was very rude! As much as I like the food, I'd rather go elsewhere than deal with rudeness. You might consider having one line for online orders only.

I just had the first tamale of my life and it's really good. The salsa verde chicken is a bit on the lean side for me though and I would like to try a more fatty one like the chorizo or the pork one, or a sweet one. Definitely would come again.

Frelard tamales is amazing!! Their tamales are hefty at 1/2 each, and they have such a good lunch special - a tamale and rice and beans for only $9! We got the pork and chicken tamales, and they were delicious. The masa was so good and the meat was so flavorful and tender. Also, the rice and beans were surprisingly good! I mean I'm always a fan of rice and beans but find them all to be generally similar in taste, but they are particularly good here! There's some seasoning in the rice that is delicious. Also, I love that they have a sign on their window saying that they'll provide food to anyone in need. I would support them solely for that sign but the food is totally worth it too.

This has been in my to try list for so long but I'm not usually in this area. Well I happened to have an doctor's appointment nearby this past week and knew I HAD to get some tamales. I'm not a tamale expert but these are probably one of best tamales I've had. The $9 lunch special is A GREAT DEAL!!! We got the pork, chorizo, and sweet corn tamale. Also got some horchata, chips and guacamole, and a tres leches cake. If you order a single tamale definitely get the cream sauce on the side- so good and really balanced the saltiness of the tamale!!! My only gripe is I ordered pickled carrots and it was missing in my order so I couldn't try it (it was only $1) . Definitely a must try if you're in the neighborhood- especially for lunch!

I had read about this place, and happened to be in the area STARVING after a long hair session, so stopped by and got a chile verde chicken tamale. Don't think you can eat one of these in the car! It's properly made in corn husks, and tied at both ends, and HOT! I had to find something else to tide me over, but reheated it today and it was so good! Moist and flavorful, and huge! I'd get extra salsa next time, and there will be a next time! I"ve made tamales, and they're labor intensive. Can't wait to try all the kinds! The fact that they give food to hungry people is a bonus.