Tamale Boy Happy Valley

Mexican restaurant · Happy Valley

Tamale Boy Happy Valley

Mexican restaurant · Happy Valley

1

12960 SE 162nd Ave, Happy Valley, OR 97086

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Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null
Tamale Boy Happy Valley by null

Highlights

Tamale Boy serves up authentic, seasonally inspired Mexican dishes like hearty tamales and burritos in a laid-back spot with friendly vibes.  

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12960 SE 162nd Ave, Happy Valley, OR 97086 Get directions

tamaleboy.com
@tamaleboypdx

$10–20 · Menu

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12960 SE 162nd Ave, Happy Valley, OR 97086 Get directions

+1 503 826 5141
tamaleboy.com
@tamaleboypdx
𝕏
@tamaleboypdx

$10–20 · Menu

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Last updated

Mar 6, 2025

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"The new Tamale Boy includes its popular tamales, as well as a whole new menu of seasonal, regional Mexican dishes." - Brooke Jackson-Glidden

Two Portland Favorites Land in a New Happy Valley Food Hall - Eater Portland
View Postcard for Tamale Boy Happy Valley

Nicole Kimbrell

Google
Staff was very friendly. Tamales were delicious. Large portions. We ate the queso fundido while we were there, and took the leftovers home. It heats up very nicely on the stovetop at home.

Shannon Ryan

Google
I hired Tamale Boy to cater an event for us. The food was delicious! It was ready and hot for our event and everyone raved about how good it was. It was also very affordable and they were quick to respond to emails. (The chips and salsa in the photo were purchased from an outside source).

Paldi Homes (Merin Paldi)

Google
The best tamales we have ever had! Huge portions, great prices and wonderful service and knowledgeable about all of the menu items. Loved every bite and would go back again soon! It’s located inside the Valley Taproom with ample seating indoors and out with a massive bar as well.

Eden Miller

Google
the best Mexican EVERRRR. Whoever made my food tonight absolutely slayed. Steak and shrimp tacos were to die for, love this place.

Paola Haugen

Google
Ordered a tamale oaxaqueño and a Chile Verde tamale for delivery. Both tamales were amazing! I was surprised to be honest, since most mexican food in the NW is not authentic at all but these tamales are legit!

John Peralez

Google
This place was recommended by a family member and I must say I was mildly surprised, the place is clean the atmosphere is welcoming and best of all the food is pretty dam good, we had the tamales Verde with a order of refried beans and chips plus a pepperoni pizza and a couple of coconut and strawberry smoothies to wash it all down with, I can honestly say the service provided the our server Lorenzo was excellent but its the food at a good price that'll keep us coming back, all together I think we spent around 35.00 for this feast, not bad at all.

Tahyah

Google
Wonderful Burrito Del Mar with a delicious sauce (lobster bisque almost). It was warm, not hot, but nonetheless tasted great 😊 Definitely one of the best places in HV for Mexican food 👌🏻

Shayla Prickett

Google
Food is good but customer service is not. Used to get the burrito Del Mar and get steak in it instead of shrimp, they won’t do it anymore with not really an explanation as to why. I even offered to pay for the steak and to just not put the shrimp in it and they wouldn’t do that either! They said the burrito HAD to have shrimp and I wasn’t allowed to ask them to not put it in. Makes ZERO sense.

Patrick D.

Yelp
My brother took me here for my first experience. I've been wanting to come here for a while and I was not disappointed. The tamales a huge and they tasted so good. Minus half a star (rounded down) because I think the masa is part of the wholenexperience and it was a very thin layer that didn't add to the flavor at all. I return with my wife. She loved the ones I brought home and she's not as particular as me in this case. The food court was very clean and the ambiance was mellow. The staff was very friendly.

Tia J.

Yelp
We stopped in this location because we could see the large signage for the "public house". I had in mind that it would be bar food type offerings, fried foods, sandwiches, possibly burgers... that's not what this place is. As we strolled around we found food pods, a lot like what you'd find in a mall food court. Tamale Boy was one of these as well as a pizza place and one other. Since we were starving we decided on Tamale Boy for our meal. The service here was great! Super friendly people and great customer service. The food was just ok though. We chose a salad and a chimichanga with an order of chips and guac. The chips and guac were the best part. The guac had great flavor. The salad and chimichanga weren't great. The rice served as a side wasn't good at all. Since tamale is in their name we might stop back in to try a variety of those and I'll update my review at that time.

Cheri S.

Yelp
The tamales are giant here! I got the tinga chicken and it was delicious, I got a chicken chimichanga as well and it was delicious as well. The guacamole was not so great though, it wasn't mixed and had hardly any seasoning. If it would've had more seasons and if it was mixed it would've been better, It was served with stale chips as well so that's a negative for me!

Nikky B.

Yelp
Came for late lunch looking for fresh tamale since I have been craving it since this summer and still haven't found a decent place in or around PDX. One key factor, in the last year or so most of the conferences and meetings I attended, the Tamale Boy was catering them. So I was hoping fresh tamale would be better. This Happy Valley location is located inside the Valley Public House in Happy Valley sharing space with Whiskey Barrel Lounge and Ranch Pizza. The Valley Public House turns 3 on October 28th, 2023. I don't know if Tamale Boy joined this shared space from the beginning. The portion of tamale is very generous, more than enough for two servings or to share with another person. For a non-Hispanic food lover like me, what I love and crave about tamale is the masa; this is the primary make-it-or-break-it for me! Unfortunately, both of the tamales I ordered the masa were bland and too little compared to the meat portion. The green sauce was what saved it for me to finish 1/3 of each tamale. If you prefer meat a lot more than masa in your tamale, then this is your place. Oaxaquenos Tamale-Cochinita Pibil, steamed in a banana leaf ($6): slow-roasted pork in citrus juices, achiote, and a variety of spices specialty of the state of Yucatan. The pork was too salty for my taste even with the citrus juice. Norteno Tamale-Tinga de Pollo, steamed in corn hush ($5.25): the chicken in this one had a bit more flavor and was much more enjoyable than the slow-roasted pork in the Cochinita Pibil. Again, as I mentioned above for both tamales, the masa had a very disappointing lack of flavor and portion. Tostadas De Ceviche GF-Seasonal Specials ($16): this was surprisingly a hit and saved it for me during my first visit here! I would definitely come back for this! Though it listed both tilapia and shrimp ceviche marinated in lime juice, which is what I prefer over a tomato base, there was noticeably more shrimp than tilapia in all three crispy tostadas. I could taste the marinated shrimp but couldn't say the same for the tilapia. Everything that came with this was well-seasoned and balanced in textures. Well Done, Tamale Boy! If you like lime-based ceviche, this is a must-get item! Platanos Fritos ($6): only 2.5 slides, too little for this price, and was over-fried for sure. The flavor was still good since the plantains were ripe with sweetness. It was not worth the money nor satisfied my dessert craving. Cafe Luna ($5): it was too sweet and too weak coffee for me, forgettable. Overall, prompt and friendly service! It is a much-needed addition to Happy Valley's growing eateries. Opens 7 days a week until 9:30 PM, except Sunday until 8:30 PM per Yelp's hours updated 3 months ago. P.Y. (Post Yelp): My own spin on giving a shout-out to place with Toilet Seat Covers! The shared restroom space is cleaned and well-stocked with toilet seat covers!

Billy F.

Yelp
Tamale Boy is a local chain that makes some very good Mexican food. This location is way out in the suburbs of Happy Valley and part of a food hall where it shares a space with a few other restaurants (Ranch Pizza, Detroit style, is right next to it). You order at a counter, picks a table, plop down your number sign and food finds your way to you in a little bit. This location's food is about the same as any other location, really good. The tamales have a lot of masa, but are still wonderful and around $6-$7 each. The namesake is a good choice, but we like to balance it out with some other dishes. The rojas sauce is delightful and we also tried the fried brussels that were a little under-fried, but we'll seasoned with a bit of heat and bit of sweetness (mango). I like Ranch pizza, I like Tamale Boy. You can get some nice mixed drinks downstairs at the Whiskey Lounge. Beer is $7 from the beer place (whose name I never remember). Love the overall establishment, as long as it isn't too busy. Tamale boy is a great choice for quality Mexican food (the other is Yolotl, but it has fewer tables) at the end of suburbia in Happy Valley. Would recommend and come back somewhat regularly for date nights.

Connor B.

Yelp
Loved Tamale Boy and Valley Public House in Happy Valley! I got the vegetarian tamale, guacamole, and 2 tacos: cauliflower & a mushroom one. I was a big fan of the guacamole and will be getting it whenever I visit Valley public house again. The mushroom taco was good but I wish they put more filling. Cauliflower one was good too but I thought the mushroom one was tastier. The veggie tamale was very good and surprisingly juicy (no pics because I made a mess opening it). The employee who served us was also very cool and nice! Highly recommend.

Cindy D.

Yelp
Dear Tamale Boy, Where have you been all my life? My valet, Uber Eats, hooked us up on this blind date tonight. You did not disappoint. You started out strong with a light creamy queso fundido which after a few bites, started to make my mouth tingle. Way to get spicy on the first date! The appetizer led into three small, but very plentiful barbacoa tacos. I loved how you wrapped them in blue corn tortillas. Very classy. One bite in and I knew we were going to have a second date sometime in the near future. The meat was so tender and juicy. And that flavor. Wow! Knock my socks off and I now I can't wait to taste the whole menu. Tamale Boy, thanks for being such an amazing first date. You showed up on time. You presented yourself very nicely. You made me smile. You made my mouth tingle. And you left me wanting to come back for more. How does Friday night sound?

Lindsay S.

Yelp
If I could leave negative stars I would. The food is fine however the service is horrible. The people working there are very rude. We called in an order and were put on hold for 7 minutes (no worries they are busy!) however, they hung up on us and when we called back and asked if we could please put in our order and not be put back in the back of the queue the woman on the phone said we lied and hung up again. Disappointing as we eat there often and will no longer recommend this place.

Ryan B.

Yelp
This place is great for quality Mexican food. You can't beat the beer options being at Public House.

Keely N.

Yelp
the tamale was $6.75! the size was fairly large compared to many places that I've tried. It was very moist. I really liked the taco! each veggie taco was $3. they had two vegan/veggie options: potato and cauliflower or spinach and mushroom!

Jackie Z.

Yelp
My mom and I stopped on our way to Portland. I had eaten at the Tamale Boy in Portland with my Husband and wanted my mom to try their amazing food. This location did not disappoint. So much flavor, amazing portions, and great customer service. I love how their plants have names. Too cute! Tinga Chicken tamale, so moist, so much flavor. The chicken nachos with Mexican Crema, not one chip left behind. We thought we would need to go boxes but we ate it all. This location did not have the cheese tamale I had at the Portland location but I like that it was different so I had to try something new.Glad my Mom is a fan now and we definitely be back.

Katy S.

Yelp
Wow this food was so f***ing good!! I ordered most of the vegetarian options on the menu (lol) and my boyfriend and I were full halfway through our plates but still finished the whole thing. The churros were delicious as well. I ordered for pickup and it was ready super quickly!! Very impressed and stoked to be so close to such good food.

KR B.

Yelp
As a vegetarian I like the potato and cauliflower options. It is too pricey for my taste, especially for a counter-service location where you bus your own tables. I do enjoy eating out on the patio in the warm months.

Meagan N.

Yelp
Let me preface this by saying it's more of a 3.5. I would recommend the tamale. It had great flavor and the ingredients tasted like quality. If I had just tried the tamale, I would've rated this place a 4. The sauce for the tamale was excellent too and the pickled onions were a great touch. Now for the Gordita, I wasn't a fan. It just felt like a pile of food that had no thought or flavor to it. I will definitely be returning for the tamales!

Amy P.

Yelp
Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow. I would have preferred some other choice words to describe the absolute ecstasy I just experienced while devouring Tamale Boy's seasonal Tamazole soup, but I'm trying to keep this PG. In all seriousness that was the best soup I have EVER had, hands down. I'm recovering from a cold and it cleared out my sinuses like a machete cutting through a thick jungle. Oh wow. I am a sucker for hominy and this soup delivered in spades! Accompanied by almost a whole juicy lime for squeezing, and an entire tamale floating in luscious spicy broth. Garnished with avocado, onion, and thinly sliced iceberg lettuce (bless you Mexico for elevating this most humble and robust ingredient), I would very happily die right now. If I ever end up on death row this will no doubt be my last meal. GET IT NOW.

Jessica E.

Yelp
8 tacos and a side of guac/salsa/chips was $47 without tip. We are happy to support businesses, but this just seemed a little too overpriced for us. The food is good though!

Ryan B.

Yelp
The staff is always friendly, and the tomales are awesome! Try the Chicken Mole or the Cochinitas. Those are our favorites! Thanks, Tomale Boy!!!

Elaine L.

Yelp
Delicious. Get the guacamole! Also love their xl sized tamales. We usually get the vegi tamales.

Landen P.

Yelp
Expensive mediocre carne asada burrito. Took about 40 min to be ready but it was 6pm.

Dan P.

Yelp
Wow! First time here and it's great! In most places I usually order a tamale as a side or get two as they are generally small. So I ordered two tamales because nothing comes with them. I also ordered a side of pickled onions which was outstanding. First tamale: Cochinita Oaxaqueno- pork with a plethora of spices and wrapped in banana leaf. It was huge. As I began unwrapping and unwrapping and still unwrapping I found it was an entire huge banana leaf! Lots of spices, but not too hot. Second was Tica de Pollo Norte- Tica Chicken wrapped in corn husk. Three corn husks actually. Again, excellent spices but not overly hot. I will certainly be back to try some of their others, but only one at a time. One is plenty large enough for a meal. My next will be the one made from beef simmered in a molé sauce. Sounds so good.

Jane C.

Yelp
The best way I can describe this place is lazy Mexican food. I was really excited to try their tamales and it was such a disappointment. First of all, I ordered the shredded beef tamale, and the beef inside the tamale were tough cubes of meat, not the juicy shredded beef in flavorful sauce that you typically get. The beef was bland and there was hardly any sauce/mole inside the tamale. I ended up getting a refund for this and didn't even get a chance to take a photo. Their esquites was also just plain corn, sautéed in butter, I think-lazy side. The enchiladas were not even a traditional enchilada. This was the laziest "enchilada" I've even seen. It was basically shredded chicken in soft tacos with green sauce on it lol. The only way I was able to get that down was by adding all the sauces they gave me. The only thing that I liked from here was their coffee with horchata, their sauces that come on the side and their pickled red onions lol. What a waste of money.

Sabrina R.

Yelp
Food was alright not the best authentic Mexican food. The bathrooms where horrible. It reminded me of a gas station bathroom which was really disappointing. Prices are really high.

Debbie G.

Yelp
I ordered the chicken tacos... it said 4 tacos with all the special toppings & flavors. When my meal arrived I was shocked how tiny the tacos were. I thought it was an appetizer size, but it wasn't. Thank goodness I wasn't too hungry...I could have eaten 8! The flavor was good. Not enough food for the high price. I'm not sure why this food is so tiny. Probably won't go back. Too bad

Jenn V.

Yelp
We wandered into this place because it had cute outdoor seating, and were happily surprised to find that it was delicious food!! We had two different kinds of burritos, mine being smothered in a delicious sauce, and my Mom had the halibut tacos. Everything was DELICIOUS and we all agree that we'll be back!

Matt S.

Yelp
Hands down, the best food on Sunnyside! Signage to find this place is nearly impossible to read just trust google maps and go inside. Ordered the cochinita pibil, tinga de pollo and Chile verde tamales. The Chile verde was my favorite. Also got the pozole, burrito encuerado with chicken and guacamole and chips. All was very good and about twice as much food as 2 people could eat.

Ann V.

Yelp
Wow & Wow! We will be going here a lot. The tamales are fantastic, best EVER. Love that you can order different types of tamales. Also they are from different regions. Big & delicious priced just right. Now for other menu items they are a bit over priced for what you get. Great ambiance & vibe. Will be a great place in the summer to eat & relax.

Amy W.

Yelp
The manager 'Karina' is a joke. She has horrible customer service & is so blatantly rude to her staff. I don't normally write yelp reviews and I honestly just got the app to read others reviews but wow this girl sure is something else. To whoever hired her and put her in charge, shame on you.

Lauren H.

Yelp
Delicious! - so happy to have great Mexican close to home. Love the Burrito Del Mar, the Tamales and the queso fundido. Love the quesadillas - have yet to order something we didn't enjoy.

Sam C.

Yelp
This place is soooooo dank. I got the cochinita pibil burrito which is stacked with shreddy pork slow roasted in citrus and achiote and is just bursting with flavor. Wife got chicken tinga tacos and they were really good! All of the salsas are amazing. I'm so happy we have a legit, authentic, multi-regional mexican food in HV. Cant understand why people came on here to dog the place, it's seriously so amazing. I cant wait to try the tamales next.

Sara A.

Yelp
The tamales are MASSIVE and full of flavor. Really glad to see Tamale Boy in Happy Valley and will definitely be going back. The staff was incredibly friendly as well!

Don C.

Yelp
Good food, good friendly service and good prices. We like the tortilla-less burrito.

Madison P.

Yelp
Love this place and the other locations! Super sad that they got rid of my favorite thing on the menu (La diabla tacos). Was so good, haven't been in a ton since they removed it but overall good place !

D D.

Yelp
I'm a foodie and pretty picky about high quality foods. Haven't been impressed with much in happy valley so far but this place has been very good the three times I have had it so far. The tacos have been especially outstanding, especially when eaten hot and fresh. The pastor taco is very good, their battered fish tacos are very good too. Not a huge fan of their burrito bathed in white creamy sauce (can't remember the name) but they did cook their shrimp perfectly in that burrito which is rare so you can tell they know what they are doing. I'd probably just eat the burrito without the sauce on it next time because that was solid. This place deserves five stars for sure! I wish they had a lunch menu that was a little cheaper though, that would be my only complaint, a little too pricey to be my go to lunch place every week.

Jon K.

Yelp
Tried the roasted pork burrito and the pork & tomatillo tamale. Both were outstanding! The orange hot sauce was surprisingly spicy and very tasty.

Daniel C.

Yelp
I've been to tamale boys other locations , and had great things to say. however, that's not the case with the happy valley location. Disappointed and cheated , while the tacos weren't horrible . The guac had no flavor and the chips were somewhat stale. The chicken tacos were pretty good. But they also forgot my wife's strawberry drink ... and her corn. I would not recommend this location at all. You are much better off going to chipotle while I'm happy valley , at least you get what you paid for. They weren't even busy. There's no reason why the staff couldn't deliver on the receipt. I have 2 stars because of the chicken tacos , everything else ... ehhh