Tamale Boy Breakfast/Lunch Only
Mexican · 5300 S Flores St, San Antonio, Texas 78214
★★★★☆ 1 review(210) 663-2033
Menu Items
Reviews
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Pork Tamales Were Decent, But No One Ate The Barbacoa Tamales.
I had several people recommend Tamale Boy, as much as to claim they were the best tamales in the city, so I made a trip over there to give them a try.
First off, the location is only open Thur, Fri (8:30-3), Sat 7am-2pm.
Lots Of Flavors
On this visit they were out of the Carne Guisada. The menu didnt have brisket listed, but the business card did and I was also told the menu at the beef wasnt offered anymore. I saw someone online say you could special order any flavor you wanted, and everything was available with a spicy option.
The printed menu said they had, pork, spicy pork, chicken, bean, bean and cheese, bean and serrano, barbacoa, carne guisada, carne guisada & cheese & kadillac. The kadillac is their specialty, which has cream cheese, pork, spinach, and serrano pepper.
Price
These were some of the more pricey tamales I've bought. $15 a dozen for the pork and $20 a dozen for the barbacoa. I opted to try the barbacoa since they were out of carne guisada and I had forgot about the brisket. and it wasnt on the menu. Along with the tamales I also ordered a container of their salsa, which was $3. My total for the 2 dozen tamales with salsa and tax was $42.
How Do They Taste?
The pork tamales had good flavor, I wouldnt say they are the best Ive ever had, they make my top 5.. I haven't made a tamale list yet, but they are better than a lot of places. As for the more expensive barbacoa, no one at my house was impressed by them. The barbacoa flavor was there, but not as flavorful as the pork. The meat was mushy, almost ground up, not really like stringy barbacoa. I dont think I'd order them again
The salsa was a thick green salsa, almost like a green enchilada sauce. The sauce had a kick to it, and had good flavor. It went well with the pork tamales.
Final Thoughts
Overall.. the pork was good, I saw people commenting about how they were thicker than other places, but I found them to be a bit larger as far as the masa, but about average as far as the filling. (The photo of the paper plate is of 4 tamales, 2 & 2). I feel at $15 they are worth the price, only a dollar or two more than most the competition with similar flavor and size.
I would return for the pork tamales, but Im hesitant to try more of the specialty ones. I'd put the pork tamales up there with Rubens, & Delias, I'd say they are definitely better than Delicious. Close to what Rubens was a couple years ago, but probably about tied with them now, just larger than Rubens.
Tamale Boy - Storefront
Tamale Boy - Barbacoa & Pork Tamales
Tamale Boy - Order Window
Tamale Boy - Menu
Tamale Boy - Holiday Orders
— Paul