Tamale Boy Russell

I have been here a three times now. The tamales are amazing. the flavors top notch, the beans are also a buttery delicious top chef treat. my only criticism is that the Mole tamale is a little dry and id probably avoid that, which is a shame because I love mole. Eat in or take away is all good.

A very nice, low-key stop for lunch that has way more on the menu than you probably expect, and from what we tasted, it's pretty good stuff. The ambiance is a bit "industrial" -- feels like you found the commercial kitchen of a we-mostly-do-catering enterprise, but the vibe is fine, the prices low and the person behind the counter was cheery, confident and enthusiastic about what we should try. For working-person, authentic food that fills you up with no pretense, try this place. I'll go back. Several vegetarian options also.

Their food was amazing for our wedding day. We went with the food truck option which was a huge hit with our guests of 62 people. Their food options were delicious and their beverages were refreshing as well. They were able to get a speical order of any alcohol per your request fufilled. They were able to keep our guest hydrated and full of food too. Their proportions were plentiful. We had leftovers, but we were able to finish that off no problem. Any last minute request they were able to complete with no issue. Will eat at their location and recommend them any time!

We stopped by on a Wednesday night because my daughter was desperate to find a good tamale on her birthday. The woman (an owner?) At the front was incredibly sweet and welcoming. She helped us find the perfect selection and the tamales did not disappoint. They were huge and absolutely amazing. When we got our food home we were so happily surprised that she snuck a little flan cake for the birthday girl into the bag without us noticing. Thank you! We’ll be back soon.

High quality flavorful tamales that are extremely huge. For $6 get a tamale the size of most burritos that cost $10 or more dollars in Portland. This restaurant has many good flavors of tamales. The portions are great for the prices. The mango habanero crispy chicken wings were deliciously hot and sweet. These were good crispy wings that compete with the likes of Fire on the Mountain.

You must experience this food! I came here on the last leg of a cross country road trip, hungry and tired. Found it by accident, but best accident ever!!! Food is amazing and so beautifully prepared. I had the tamale frito. It comes with black beans and over easy eggs. So good!!!! The staff is super friendly, and the brewery that shares the space has amazing drinks and super cool staff.

Exceptional! The tamales are huge 😋probably weigh a pound each! The best part is they use non- gmo corn. The house made mole is on point. Unique spiced fresh pressed coffee. Colorful fresh and authentic down to the dishes. In and outside seating. Second Profession Brewing and bar shares space next to them. Beautiful space. Plants murals/art and ambiance.

We had a doctor visit at Kaiser Interstate and noticed a lot of the staff was headed to a food cart. So glad we checked it out. Tamale Boys 100pc gf and great tamales corn husk or palm. Yellow or black. It was plenty to eat, hardy and delicious. Will have to check out their restaurant.

Such yummy food, and variety of tamales and sides to choose from. We enjoyed the nachos happy hour special in addition to the tamales

I got this by Doordash, so this may be the problem. Door dash arrive 12 minutes after I ordered, so not Doordash issue. It might be how they undervalue take out customers. My mole chicken was dry and tasteless. When was the mole? Not a bit of sauce. This was disappointing. The chips were the kind you can buy on sale in the snack aisle of your local bargain grocer. The only redeeming food was their guacamole. That was decent. I think I will try another place next time I need take out. Sigh.

The presentation of the enchiladas was lovely and the green salsa flavorful but the main was a bit bland.

This was a wonderful experience trying out the tamales of Tamale Boy! They are right next door to Second Profession Brewing and you can take what you ordered at Tamale Boy and eat in the brewery. They may even bring the tamales to you in the brewery! A few of the tamales we got were the Oaxaqueao Molé Negro, a wonderful tamale in which the molé was just perfect! The Norteno Chile Verde was another tamale we had and the Chili Verde was just stellar for this tamale. Five stars all the way there! The tamales are just perfect in preparation as they are perfectly moist and not dried out at all. Sometimes that is a down fall with some tamale restaurants. The tamales are huge and having two will definitely fill you up so if you aren't extremely hungry then stick with one. There are other menu items to utilize besides tamales which is fairly considerable but we were set on tamales going off of the name and reputation!

Tamale Boy is absolutely delicious I was at a doc appt at OHSU when I seen the food truck. I was planning on only getting 1 but, I decided to get 2 what a great decision. There are variety of tamales to choose from and I decided on the Chile Verde (marinated pork w/ green tomatillo sauce) it's so moist and flavorful. Not only is the meat seasoned to perfection the masa it's self was seasoned. I have never tasted a tamale so good and the pickled onions (yummm)! It cost me 10.50 for 2 and I tell you it was absolutely worth every penny. I have enclosed some pictures down below for your viewing pleasure. Btw the customer service was top tier and I plan to visit their actual location in the future. Enjoy!

We were craving nachos, and after much research decided to try tamale boy. The online menu didn't show nachos but we called to verify and they had it on their menu. The area has a fair amount of street parking, which was nice didn't have to walk too far, and the inside had a very industrial field to it, but high ceilings, which made it feel very spacious. All the employees were very nice and there was a lot to choose from from their menu. We went with multiple tamales and a plate of nachos with Carne Asada. We had Molé, Amarillo, and cochinita pibil. The nacho chips are crispy, and the queso is very good, and the plate was fully loaded with toppings. Definitely our go to place for nachos going forward. The tamales were very moist, and the Masa held up well. Each tamale was very big and fair priced and had a lot of meat.

TBH, we've been here before and were recycling some computers and wanted the Brussels Sprouts here at Tamale Boy, so we made the trip and were not disappointed. So, the bruselas toreadas. Do NOT let the aioli drop into the accumulated juices. The caper aioli is one of the best things I've ever had. Period. The lime and worchestershire sauce in the prep combined with the corn and the aioli are simply transcendent. The-woman-who-lets-me-live-with-her (thanks Mike) came just for these. But you have to add the oaxaqueno tamales. For me, these beat the rest of the filed hands down. The twice cooked masa is so creamy and, honestly, silky that your mind is blow even before the filling explodes with flavor in your mouth. We had Cochinita Pibil, which is pork roasted in citrus, Mole Negro, which is self explanatory, and Amarillo, shredded beef. Each was excellent in flavor and while the mole was a bit tough, none of them disappointed. We haven't had occasion to be in the neighborhood for a while, but we're going to invent some reasons going forward!

Order: Pork and shredded beef tamales guac and chips Pros: well the portion is huge ha ha ha! These are some big ass tamales! The guac and chips was everything! Seasoned well and not overly salty. Everything blended well. Cons: the tamale were good I just felt these big things needed a sauce.

My new favorite restaurant in Portland! Tamale Boy has been on my list for years, but their locations are all outside my normal areas and since I live an hour from Portland, I don't explore new areas that often. I'm so glad I made it today! We got our order from Tamale Boy and sat next door at Second Profession Brewing and it was so nice! The server delivered our food to us next door, we just bused our table before we left. The food was excellent. Tons of good vegetarian options for me, and tasty meat for hubby. We got the chips, salsa and guacamole combo - the chips were mediocre, but the salsa and guac were very good. I had also asked for sample of a couple of their specialty sauces to try on the side, and they were SO GOOD! The Sikil Pak sauce is nutty and savory and mild, while the salsa matcha (which I always love) was the best I've ever had, full of crunchy nuts and perfect heat. We each got a Norteno tamale, and they were among the best tamales we've had, as well as the biggest! Not going hungry here. My rajas tamale was so flavorful, and hubby really enjoyed his chile verde one. We also each got a taco so we could try more flavors, hubby loved his carnitas taco and I enjoyed my cauliflower one, though I thought the tamale was better. We will definitely be back soon, and will order ahead to bring food home too - they have an extensive catering and to-go menu. Really great food, highly recommend!!

We had a great time this summer at Tamale Boy! We loved that you can grab food from Tamale Boy - the kiddos loved the chicken quesadilla and chips and salsa and grab drinks at Second Profession Brewing and sit either inside or outside in the shared seating for both businesses. Service was lovely, even when we a kiddo accidently dropped a glass cup. We will definitely go back!

Love LOVE L O V E Tamale Boy, great food, and outstanding beers on tap - with the added bonus of sushi and poke from the adjacent shop on-tap too!

This place has been recommended to me multiple times& just realized how close it was to where I'm staying in Portland. Walked down one evening & had one of the best burritos in my life! The Burrito Del Mar is amazing. My husband got the tamale Frito & it was so good as well. Flavors are authentic & out of this world! Service was great & quick. I will definitely be back before my stay is over.

We got several dozen of a variety of tamales for my husband's birthday party and they were literally all delicious and everyone enjoyed them! It was easy to order, very reasonably priced, well packaged and ready to serve! Also loved the salsas. Great experience all around, definitely recommend and will go to them again for party food (or any meal)!

This place is excellent. Some of the best food I've had in a long time and one of the best burritos ever! Highly recommend going a bit out of the way to swing by this place for lunch. The space is also very comfortable and there is a brewery next door so all the bases are covered.

Great service! great food! great beer next door! Shared seating between the two venues All the tamales were amazing but def portioned for 1/person and wonderfully diverse flavor experiences.

The BEST salsa and tamales! Everything was very fresh and tasty. They were friendly and apologetic when they forgot my chips and salsa in my to-go order and gave me extra of each of when I turned around to go back and get them. Keep it noted that the only seating they have is outdoors and is quite limited since it is a small business.

Amazing and MASSIVE tamales.ordered a dozen by accident one time so froze the rest, but definitely a good accident

My husband is from Tucson and he longingly thinks of those señoras standing on street corners selling their homemade tamales. We live in Vancouver, WA and don't see that often around here. We HAVE picked up homemade tamales from people via NextDoor, but I digress. I had been here with some work friends so was excited to share this place with my husband. I wanted to know if it lived up to his memories. It was such a nice day to sit outside on the patio and I was looking forward to a great lunch. We ordered just some basics this time around: Ceviche - husband thought this was great and with lots of flavor. He hadn't had ceviche for awhile so was excited to try it. Mexican rice - always one of my favorite sides. This was delicious and not spicy, so a win for me! Kids quesadilla - I think things simple and this delivered. Fresh tortillas, melty cheese and sour cream. Nothing wrong with this dish! Chili verde tamal. The husband loved this! He wasn't feeling too hungry so only ordered one. I could tell that he wanted to try more, but we'll be back!

Hit the spot! My friend and I were just walking by and hungry. Another gentleman was picking up his order and started tossing out menu recommendations. What we picked was perfect! A bit spicy but so good! Loved the added crunch!

No surprise that their Tamale is BOMB. Really enjoyed the Veggie Tamale with perfectly cooked and flavored vegetables inside a super delicious casing. Totally hyped to go try their other stuffs!

Excellent good and delicious classic margarita! Tried this establishment recently, the open air seating caught my attention. We had a seafood burrito and a vegy burrito bowl. Both were so good and the sauce on the burrito Del Mar was so delicious. Next time I order that I'll request a side of beans and some pickled veggies because that would have enhanced my dining experience and made it more balanced. The restaurant and bar are in separate quarters so you can't order all at once; you order you food then go next door to the bar for a drink. You do bus your own table. Good service, delicious moderately priced food, nice staff and an enjoyable experience.

We were hopeful from hear about them in a news article but we were not impressed. Two locations didn't answer their phones. the one that did was Dekum so we went there. we ordered 3 different kinds and none of them were very good. The massa was fine...it was the flavors in the fillings that didn't appeal to us at all. ordered dessert tamales and then a few minutes later told it would be an hour since they would make them at a different location and then drive them over to where we were ...odd. That wasn't going work so we got a refund in those. Service was nice, she just couldn't explain much about the menu and what was available.

There is a reason "Tamale" is part of their name. They are legit! Prepared in the traditional corn husk style or a Oaxacan banana leaf husk, the fluffy corn masa is topped with flavorful meats or veggies. One is enough for a meal! After driving by several times, decided to order a selection for dinner. We went with two traditional: one pork cooked in chile verde and one chicken. Both had the right balance of meat to masa and we're so moist and flavorful. We also tried two of the Oaxacan style which was new for us. We went with the pork cooked with citrus and anchiote pepper and the chicken in a deep, dark mole. Both were yummy! Served along with pickled onion and tomatillo sauce and a red sauce, we also added sour cream. Next time I want to try their brussel sprouts which are cooked in lime, olive oil, chiles and topped with corn and cojito cheese. According to the reviews, they are amazing and based on their unique preparation, I am sure they are! They are taking all Covid-9 precautions - masks required, sanitizing between customers, menu downloaded from scan on your phone, pay with credit card - to ensure customers are safe while serving delicious and satisfying food.

On my Taco Tour-day/Tuesday, I stopped by Tamale Boy on my way to Por Que No. I wish I hadn't been committed to just eating tacos, since I'm a sucker for tamales and theirs are fairly priced. I also loved that they offered tamales from different regions. I'm very intrigued and I will be returning! The tacos: the cauliflower pastor taco was too oily for me and I thought it lacked a certain zing. I probably should have sprayed the lime on top. However, I loved that the cauliflower was slightly crunchy and served so hot. The "spinach and mushroom" taco was an inspired choice. I wouldn't have thought to put spinach in a taco, and it really works with the mushroom. I think flavor wise, though, both tacos benefited greatly from the fantastically spicy red sauce.

First time at Tamale Boy. Came in on a rainy day and couldn't have had a better experience. There was plenty of space for us to physically distance from other patrons, order and pay thru phone and the food was hot, fresh and super yummy! My only complaint is that I couldn't stop eating and got too full! My dish came with eggs on top and beans on the bottom so it was hearty but it was also so tasty. I will be back for sure!

With so many variety of food in Portland it's hard to pick where to eat but Hubby and I were both feeling some Mexican. So glad we came to Tamale Boy. I had the Jalapeno y Queso Cheddar Tamale. It's a Norteno Tamal filled with tillamook sharp white cheddar and sliced jalapenos. Served with sauteed rainbow carrots, rainbow potatoes, and onion and served with a cup of tomato based ranchero sauce. I added some green sauce as well. WOW! Now.. my mother-in-law makes tamales very often and her's are very hard to beat. Tamale boy you did it, you are a close 2nd to her's. My husband had the nacho fries with carnitas. It had jack cheese cream sauce, black beans, and sliced pickled jalapenos. He said it was amazing too. He let me try a bite of the carnitas and the flavor was so good. We loved that they had Second Profession beer on tap. Icing on top! The only thing I was bummed about since you pay and order thru a QR code is that you can never get there Happy Hour items. We will definitely be back and try more items.

Tamale Boy sources local ingredients, including organic, like Three Sisters stone ground corn tortillas! It is so delicious and see it dished up in my pics - looks so scrumptious too. Their salsa - muy bueno "very good!" Made fresh in kitchen from scratch. It is not a fast model, except leverages fast food ordering - walk up and order. Take a seat in their cozy and airy space or walk into the co-located experimental brews, the Labrewertory. The brew pub welcomes Tamale Boy customers and if you need a one-of-a-kind brew, you can test & taste, then put down a pint or two with Mex! Enchiladas de remolacha ***** and tacos diabla ***** Mex and beer combo! My way! Ole! Ole! Our lunch today!

So good!! Best pastor taco I've had in Portland yet! And that Gordita, wow. Delicious!

Was really excited to try since it has such good reviews. We picked up 10 minutes before it was supposed to be ready and chips were soggy like it had been sitting for a while. Also the nachos were sweet(?). My roommate had tamales and said they were just okay as well. They did have misters though so maybe a good place to beat the heat if you're dining in.

Amazing quality of food. I tried the shrimp burrito absolutely good! I went twice in one week. Very friendly staff Overall clean and nice for a quick and good quality food

Today I went to Tamale Boy and I thought it was delicious! I got a Burrito Del Nar and it was great it was like a party in your mouth!So in my opinion I would totally recommend it!

Easy to order online and pickup. Last minute decision to "eat in" with friends from out of town. Ordered "Tamales for 4" with a few extras. Picked it all up about 30 minutes later. Delicious! Compliments from our friends, too!

Stopped in here because the place we tried to have lunch was not great but here we tried tamales, huge, stuffed full of juicy delicious meat, tamales in banana leaves. The beef one is there most popular but the pork one was better. The flavor was spot on and the little chunks of pork were just the perfect texture and size. The location in and out is a little weird to read but it could be that there in the midst of working out the shared space with the other businesses.

FANTASTIC. Probably the BEST nachos I have ever had. So wonderful. When in the area I will eat there again. When in Portland, check this place out. Not a fancy location, but the service was AMAZING and the food was SO GOOD!

We decided to try this place on our way home from a very long drive. It had been on my list for awhile, mostly because they offer gluten free and vegan options AND we are obsessed with Mexican food. We ordered about 15 minutes before arriving, and it was all hot, packed, and ready for pick-up when we arrived. I ordered the Burrito Encuerdo (burrito sans the tortilla) and Tinga de pollo tacos (ordered more so I'd have left overs, little did I know). So, the Burrito Encuerdo is, basically, a BIG container of burrito filling. It's soooo good! I don't eat much at a time, so I ate it for three meals - YUM! The tacos were great too, and I definitely recommend squeezing the included lime wedge on them. Really a treat! I'm looking forward to trying their whole menu! My husband ordered the Oaxaqueno Black Mole Tamale (wrapped in a banana leaf and he loved it, especially the sauce. He said the texture of the tamale was moist, but fluffy, and everything paired really well. He definitely wants to go back. The portions here are very generous for the price. You get MORE than what you pay for, so awesome value. One thing that bothers me about this place is I can't find any information on their website (or anywhere else) about where they source their ingredients. Are they local, organic, GMO, sustainable, humane? Who knows? We will be back, regardless. I do love that's it's all freshly made, and authentic. Obviously, lots of passion and flavor goes into the preparation of their food.

SOOOOO GOOD! I ordered the chicken tacos and beef tamale. Everything was super tasty and the service was friendly. The tamales are big so they will definitely fill you up. Will definitely be back!

Take me on a trip, I'd like some Ceviche Take me to the Gastro, I'd love to make merry Take me to Oaxaqueño, I'd like Negro Mole Take me to Norteño, I'd love Chile Verde I really want to Come picnic with you You'll be my Tamale Boy

Couldn't leave Portland without visiting this place which was recommended by so many Portlanders! Have to say that, we tried two other times and we were unsuccessful. Like everything that's happened on our trip to Portland,third time was a charm! Now this location is next to a brewery, which was pretty cool. When we ordered at the counter, the gal told me they were closing and that we could eat our food out at the tables outside or go next door to the brewery. We ended up at the brewery. Our food came out rather fast. The fresh guacamole was fantastic. So was the chips! My daughter's tamale was good too, but the rice had too many dry crunchy pieces. My quesadilla was delicious. There was plenty of steak inside and it was filling and satisfying. My only complaint was that I wish we had some sauce to put on top of our food? I'm not sure if that was available because they closed after we got our food. The guacamole we ordered came with chips but I felt like we needed some sort of hot sauce for the tamale and quesadilla? Overall, Tamale Boy was fantastic. Hope you have just as great an experience as we!

Relatively quiet part of Portland. We sat outside on a summer day and it was nice. You order and pay at the counter, they bring the order to you. Service was reasonably quick and was professional. I got the chicken tamales which was quite good. If you are wondering like I was, it is cooked inside the plantain which you just remove completely and put it to the side and eat the contents. Their salsas and guacamole was pretty good as well.

Tamale Boy did such an amazing job catering my party! I used the a la carte menu to create a great spread that they delivered piping hot, along with a case of cold beer and house-made sangria. Everyone loved the food and I ordered a bit extra so I could send everyone home with some leftovers - big hit! Thank you for making my event so special.

Good Tamales but different then I am use to eating wrapped in Banana leaves, Oaxacan style. They have a wet very moist exterior, it changes the texture a lot. Good Variety of Fillings. Customer service was awesome. I have tried Chile Verde, Tinga de pollo, Mole Negro and Cochinita Pibil I have liked all of them!! They have regular corn husk tamales also

When your local friend tells you there's a spot that serves quality vegan tamales AND it's next to a great brewery... yeah, that moved to the top of my list too. Walk over to the adjoining Labrewatory; they'll bring your food to you so you can dive right in. We ordered the guacamole and the Sikil Pak Dip. You need to try this dip made out of roasted pumpkin seeds and spices- it's incredibly flavorful. My vegan tamale exceeded expectations. It's traditional Oaxacan, which means it's white corn masa and steamed in a banana leaf. The tamale was huge and stuffed full of well-seasoned veggies. With a side of esquites (roasted corn) and a flight of beer in front of me I was loving this meal. Run, don't walk, to this place.

This review is about communication and customer service. I picked up a takeout order and waited TWENTY minutes past the time they said it would be ready. And not once did they give a real honest update. I had to seek out employees to get answers. I watched 5 other people pick up their takeout orders. Once it was ready they just said "here you go." No apology. They were so rude.

Been to Tamale Boy many times over the years in Portland and everything is always so consistently good! Obviously the tamales are great but the guacamole here is delicious too. Had to leave them a review because I recently did a catering order with them and it was hands down the easiest, most streamlined setup I've dealt with. I do a lot of large orders for events at my work and nowhere else has been as easy to order through. Food showed up exactly on time and everything was packaged well and tasted amazing, my staff loved it!

I love this place! I think their tamales are the best in the city. They are always fresh, flavorful, and do not lack on filling goodness. I appreciate the staff are friendly and knowledgeable about the menu as well. Be forewarned though, they can run out of tamales rapidly, so be sure to ask ahead if you're looking for something specific.

Exquisite Mexican Food! Always exploring new adventurous flavors that make me smile! Fine Mexican food at a great price Great service! Deserts are unique and simply great!

YUM! The food here is seriously good! I've been twice and everything I've tasted is delicious. The tamales are so good and they have good vegetarian options, not just for tamales, but for everything! The real standout here for me was the Brussels sprouts. I'm not sure how they make the sauce, but it is fantastic. I love that they share space with Labrewatory. Where else can you get amazing Mexican food and amazing beer in one place?

Amazing Mexican/South American food next to a very good brewery. They have things on the menu that are uncommon for Mexican cuisine, like amazing fried Brussels sprouts and corn. Different styles of tamales, cooked in banana leaves or corn husks. Fair prices & great service. Order some food, and then head over to the brewery for a beer or they will serve it happily to you.

I went here with my wife and toddler for lunch today. I ordered four tacos, two orders of pozole, a burrito and a side of guac. When I got home, my burrito was missing. I called them up and they apologized and offered to either refund my money or make me a burrito. I was freaking hungry, so I said please make the burrito and I'll drive back and get it. I guess I could have eaten the pozole, but we'd bought that to have later, for dinner. And I wanted my dang burrito. I get it, mistakes happen, and though I was somewhat irked to have to drive back to get what I'd already paid for and should have gotten - I did. What really ticked me off is that ten minutes after I called and told them that I would be coming in to get it - my burrito wasn't ready. In fact, they didn't even start making my burrito until I arrived at the restaurant. So I had to wait around another ten minutes before it was made. That's where things went off the rails. There was no attempt to make it right. No free dessert, no comped burrito - not even a coupon for a discounted burrito or free chips - nothing. Sorry you had to take an extra half hour out of your day because we couldn't be bothered to read the order - and make what you ordered. Mistakes happen. And this was a mistake. But usually you'd try to make things right. And no attempt was made. Zero. Zilch. Nada. And that just ain't right. I don't expect anyone to fall on a sword over this, but I do expect something. A free drink, a flan. Something. I don't think I'll be back. Which is too bad, because it's a pretty decent burrito (if and when you finally get one). The pinkish hot sauce is pretty damn tasty, and hot. It's a slow burn hot sauce that catches up with you near the end of your meal. And karate chops your taste buds.

Had a lazy Saturday lunch with a few friends at TB on Russell. Nice sunny afternoon, we grabbed a bench out on the sidewalk. Took a quick look at the menu, I ended up with the Norteño, with pork. And excellent choice, I was dubious as to whether one tamale would be sufficient but it certainly did well. The masa was lovely, a nice, almost creamy consistency and the pork was plentiful and well cooked. Hot sauce/salsa could have been a bit hotter but no worries. Picked up something to drink at their nextdoor neighbor. Tasty, good enough to consider a revisit.