Hot Tamale Mexican Grill & Bar

My husband, daughter and I go to Hot Tamale every Friday night for dinner....they always seat us right away and we usually get our favorite waitress, Faye. The food is excellent...especially the Tacos Ranchero and the fried ice cream is awesome!! I usually get a couple of Pina Colodas which are very tasty. The prices are reasonable, the staff is pleasant and the atmosphere is comfortable. My husband and I love Mexican food and Hot Tamale rates right up there with Senor Panchos and El Torero. This is our new favorite place to eat!!

Posted 02/01/08 | Report Abuse

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This was our fourth, and final, time at Hot Tamale. I do think you can do better in the frozen food and canned goods aisles of your local grocery.
The salsa was again cold and tasteless with a distinct canned tomato flavor. They do continue to put bottles of hot sauces on the table so that you can heat it up and the waitress volunteered to bring chopped, fresh jalapenos for it. They do have a hotter, cayenne-based, sauce (you have to ask for) but it is not "salsa".I decided not to order the "top shelf" Margarita this time since it was watery/tasteless the last time and this "ordinary" version fared no better.I think they puree the pinto beans and they are not "refried". They were very bland. Bland everything! My partner's (to quote the menu) "Tostada Salad--A grande taco shell filled with grilled steak or chicken, on a bed of mixed greens. Served with pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole. $11.99", had totally tasteless chicken. (BTW, my dog liked it.) My chile rellenos were terrible. Un-authentic, flavorless cheese filling. Our friends did not comment on their food and I was afraid to ask....
The appetizer, (again quoting) "Hot Tamale--Two corn masa tamales filled with beef and steamed in corn husks. Served over a bed of mesculin greens. $7.99", was quite good, but I doubt they make it in-house. The "Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake $6.00" was good but ditto on the made elsewhere.
I really wanted to enjoy a decent meal here but this last meal was the deal-breaker. The four of us dropped over $125 for pathetic ??-Mex! The mariachi band was a (really laughable) joke and just made it difficult for us to talk. This place had a waiting list the last three times we visited, and yet, this Saturday night prime-time visit found the place about 1/3 empty.
My friend said, "The restaurant was OK for the Valley". That's a terrible indictment.
OK, my fifth and really, really final review of this place: watered down margarita. Pathetic salsa. Burnt refried beans. Dry~old rice. Mediocre food. The best thing I had was table-made guacamole. The pork tacos were OK. Don't go there....

Posted 01/28/08 | Report Abuse

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This is a great place to eat friendly people & affordable prices.They sat us within minutes.No long lines to wait in.I was very satisfied with their service.I will go back again.

Posted 12/31/07 | Report Abuse

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When I first went to Hot Tamale's, I was expecting a long wait considering it was a Saturday night. They made room for us within five minutes. They staff was very friendly and our food came out within 15 minutes! The portions were more than generous and the prices were cheap considering the amount of food.

Posted 12/29/07 | Report Abuse

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I had a great experience at Hot Tamle. The food was delicious and the service was great. They also have a live band that plays in the bar. It is always nice to have some entertainment while eating. This is a great modern style resturant to enjoy good quality food.

Posted 12/26/07 | Report Abuse

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Hot Tamale's has wonderful food. I love going there with my family. What is unique about them is the atmosphere of the resturant. It is somewhat modernized, but it still captures that Mexican flare. The staff here is wonderful. I have never had any problems or complaints. Since it is a newer resturant, I would reccommend that you make reservations in advance.

Posted 12/25/07 | Report Abuse

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