Tamale Kitchen
6642 Timberline Rd, Highlands Ranch, CO, 80130
Tamale Kitchen Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Highlands Ranch for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
6642 Timberline Rd
Highlands Ranch, CO, 80130 - Phone (303) 683-5377
- Website https://www.thetamalekitchen.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Bonny B.
Fantastic breakfast burritos. Their green chile is a little unpredictable on the heat index. You may want to get it on the side. My family likes the chorizo, potato and cheese smothered. Get sour cream to take the edge off the green chile. We have had their tacos, tamales and burritos. They are all good as well and very fresh. I think they are well priced too.
(5)Kevin B.
2 words, GREEN CHILE!!!!!!! If you love amazing green chile, this is your place. Its the gravy like kind, not the chunky soup like kind. Every time I go I get a couple burritos smothered. I like the refried beans and chicharonnes burrito, The chorizo breakfast burrito is also top notch. The chile is so bomb that I havent even tried anything else. The place is nothing fancy, but its all about the chile!
(5)Summer S.
Awesome breakfast burritos and bean eggrolls, but atmospher has little to be desired. Needs more locations. =) Preferrably one closer to the Park Meadows Mall.
(4)Sara W.
Breakfast burritos are really good. They are simple, but delicious and incredibly filling. Their tamales are pretty good. But be warned: the mild is decently spicy and the hot tamales are CRAZY hot. I thought I liked hot food, but apparently not so much. Other people still loved them, but they were a bit spicy for me. My one gripe: We called ahead to order a couple dozen tamales and were told to come in a couple hours to pick them up. When we got there, they said they had run out and prepared FROZEN tamales for us. We complained and they said that we didn't specify on the phone that we wanted them to be fresh.... umm please. Of course, we want them fresh! That shouldn't be something we have to specify! Oh well, still will come back for the breakfast burritos for sure!!
(4)Doug M.
I ONLY ate the breakfast burrito. Currizo burrito was great with green chili inside. The bacon burrito was ok. Mine had a large hunk of fat in it which made the whole experience rather unappetizing. My mind if you are serving a customer u serve them how u expect to be served quality wise. They where either to lazy to cut the fat off or they like to eat hunks of fat. It's a bummer this place hasn't improved much in the years it's been there. Won't be trying again for long time.
(3)Louis C.
Just tried their pork tamales for lunch...some of the best I have ever had, and I have had alot The masa was moist, not at all dry. Can't beat the price of 1/2 dozen for only $6. I'll be back to try some of the other items on the menu!
(4)Steve K.
Great tacos, tamales and plates. For mexican fast food this is one of the best spots in Highlands Ranch. Everything tastes fresh! Great food always served with great service.
(4)John V.
This is what it is. I am talking about really good and fast Mexican food at a very reasonable prices. This is a favorite of mine. The tacos al carbon comes with 3 loaded steal tortillas with rice, beans, spicy pico and guac all for about $9. It is a winner if you are really hungry for some good mexican. Be sure to stop by.
(4)Kirsten L.
Good breakfast burritos, which is the only thing I've tried here. Quality and taste are consistent, and the green chile has a nice amount of kick to it. Service is always fast and friendly.
(4)Allison R.
smothered burritos are the best!! i am a fan of tamale kitchen. i moved from california a couple months ago, and i desperately miss the taquerias there, but this is close, and it is delicious. the only thing they are missing is black olives - i love olives in my burritos. but overall, the sauce is spicy (i'm a lightweight, so if you like spicy don't listen to me), the food tastes delicious, the price is right. yum yum!
(4)Kelly T.
Kinda bummed that you have to give them a 30 minute notice to get cheese tamales there or take them home frozen and cook yourself. I understand that they may sell less of them than the meat ones, but come on! You can have some ready to go for people who don't want meat tamales! Kinda lame.
(2)R P.
So I am a Tamale Kitchen fan, however this location has some cleaning issues. I recently observed pieces of crusty tortilla stuck to the side of the soda machine and really dirty floors. The icing on the cake was standing in line one morning to place my order and watching the cook start cleaning the overhead vents with a rag with open pots below him on the grill cooking food. I stepped out of line and made the long drive to the one on Kipling and Belleview. This place could be much better with some floor and counter re-work. Also towards the back of the place, looks like an open storage shed for the misc junk items, think about closing that off from customer viewing.
(2)Elisabeth B.
The quality and taste of the tamales were excellent! I felt like I was back at home in Southern California in a way. They were really small...a lot smaller than the average tamale...about half the size. And personally, they were too spicy for me to fully enjoy. If they had a tamale that was mild, I would come back as a regular customer despite the small size.
(3)R T.
Pros: fast, cheap, and nice quality ingredients. Cons: Only two flavors we found - bland and spicy. Breakfast burrito was simply flour tortilla, scrambled egg, cubed potato, and generous bacon. It needed something more for flavor for my tastes (a little salsa and cheese would have made it less boring). Tamales were moist and rather spicy. We went on a Sunday morning and the place was busy, but efficient and friendly. We may try it one more time to give some other part of the menu a try, but we are not in a hurry to return.
(3)Sean D.
I would give this place 4 stars for the tamales but only 2 stars for the breakfast burritos. That averages out to three for me. I will definitely eat here again, but not the breakfast burritos. They prepare a massive amount of the filling ahead of time and just slap them together. There is no complexity to the flavors and they're heavy on the starchy potatoes.
(3)Peter H.
Been to a couple of tamale kitchens so far and they are really excellent for the price. This one in highlands ranch is a bit cleaner than the one up north and still has delicious breakfast burritos for under 5 bucks. My favorite is the chorizo burrito smothered with green chile. This place is by my parents home so I come here every once in a while for some authentic Mexican. Unfortunately the tamales are only so-so and a bit overpriced. Otherwise it'd be 5 stars.
(4)Brian S.
Been coming here for years. I usually get a couple dozen tamales. They always have them hot and ready and always enough on hand. Price is great, less than $20 for 2 dozen. Don't forget to leave a small tip for the guys getting them ready for you.
(4)Joe J.
Best Breakfast place in Colorado! Breakfast burritos and tamales are mouth watering! Make sure whatever you order so order it smuthered!!!
(5)Jack p.
Called ahead for pickup. 12 tamales and a half pint of green chili. They were ready 5 minutes later when I got there. Perfect service and delicious. Cannot ask for more.
(5)Jen G.
Zero stars if I could. Got the breakfast burrito. I got food poisoning. Ended up in the ER with a 6k bill. Next time you go, watch the guy on the grill. That's all I'm saying.
(1)Jason R.
Great price and even the food is even better in flavor. Some of the best tamales I have eaten. The green ones have a bit of spice but just right. Yum! A dozen of tamales and a pint of green chile...wow, what a way to start of the Labor Day weekend.
(5)Daniel H.
Paid 9.50 for Tacos Al Carbon.. On the lunch menu might I add. I should have stuck with the tamales but they forgot to give my buddy red sauce for his tamales anyway. They Didn't have corn tortillas so I went hard shell and what came out in the shell looked nothing like steak. The Salsa was good but it costs .25 cents for additional.. Like a spoonful.. Each time. Don't waste your time. I could have got the same meal at chubby's over in aurora for a 1/3 the cost but with better meat that doesn't look like brains. Or even Tres Margaritas for a little more money but with real ingredients.
(1)Hailey H.
I may have a mild obsession with breakfast burritos now. I get the special breakfast burrito with eggs, potato and chorizo a couple of days a week and they are always excellent!
(5)Yoomi P.
Breakfast burritos are one of my favorite things in the world. Tamale kitchen does it right! The food is cheap, fast, and delicious.. what else can you ask for? I give it three stars b/c I've had better breakfast burritos before.. but for the price, tamale kitchen is definitely worth it. I had the egg, potato, chorizo burrito and added bacon.. and of course smothered it with chile hehe.. but next time I think I'll skip out on the bacon.. b/c it was way too crunchy.. and chile is pretty spicy.. so if you can't take much heat, maybe you shouldn't get it smothered lol. I will definitely come back for moreeeee!
(3)Jessica T.
My first exposure to tamales was the original Tamale Kitchen off Mississippi about 20 years ago- it was small and always hot. Those are the tamales I've compared all tamales to since. When I learned Tamale Kitchen had opened a location in Highlands Ranch, I was ecstatic! A neighbor had brought some by recently and they were good, but not really what I remembered. Then I made my way over there myself last week, got 2 dozen, and after eating them I've confirmed that since they've franchised their quality has gone down. The green and red pork filling are exactly what I remember, there's just a lot less of it now :( More masa than filling makes me sad. Their seasoning is delicious and the green just spicy enough to keep you coming back for more. I will likely keep coming here as they are convenient and still quite good, just not as good as I know they used to be. The space here is fairly large so plenty of room if you're looking to eat in, but they make it so convenient to grab and go a couple dozen tamales that I doubt I'll ever stop and sit.
(3)Joe Y.
$3 breakfast burrito is a good value plus the option of $1 extra for smothered. The steak taco was decent and if you decide to get Tamale go for the green not the red. They also sell rice and beans in pints and quarts and makes it convenient for take out. Tamale management if your are listening, please use less salt in your Tamales because I've had real home made Tamales from Mexico and it's not salty and tastes much better.
(3)Hunter M.
Order the lunch for one special, which was $7 and included one tamale, rice and refried beans. The tamale was tiny and sitting in a pool of very thin, messy sauce that wasn't particularly good. Rice and beans were ok, but it's kinda hard to mess those up. I also had to wait two or three minutes at the counter before anyone would bother taking my order. I would literally go just about anywhere else.
(1)Jennster S.
Super close to 4 stars..... Craving breakfast burritos and decided to try this place for take out. I got the bacon, egg and potato, hubs wanted chorizo, egg and potato as well as a steak to have the next day. While I was there I decided to try some tamales and a pint of green chili for dinner later. My breakfast burrito was amazing. Big! Huge chunks of crispy bacon, no skimping on it! Hubs said both of his were amazing too. Tamales were good, not the best I've ever had, but tasty with a kick. The pork filling to masa ratio was too high on the masa side in my opinion. Green Chili is the thick red variety, no pork as far as I could tell. Again good, not my favorite. We will be going back again and again for the breakfast burritos! Regarding cleanliness, I've seen other reviews comment on a lack of cleanliness. I was there right when they opened, so all the tables were clean. Since I had to wait for my order I looked around and noticed lots of dust. On the soda machine, on the light fixtures, pretty much all the higher up surfaces.
(3)Eileen E.
We've liked this place for a long time but we were disappointed last time. The customer service was bad and the food was not up to what we had come to expect from them. They changed the enchilada sauce.
(2)Jason S.
Walked in and the kid that was working the counter had a scowl on his face. Was rude. For some reason the prices are higher than they are on the online menu. The Chicharrón was more like grease and cracklings. NOT GOOD! The chili relleno was the worst I have ever had it was a thin slice of green chili wrapped in a egg roll wrapper over cooked. If there was any cheese in it I didn't get to it cause I threw it away. chili is OK not special like it is at Santiago's. They do have good tamales there though. All in all got some crappy food for $10. Won't go back. I wish there was a Santiago's closer to home.
(2)Ellen R.
What a find! Delicious authentic Mexican food! My new favorite place!
(5)Martin S.
Food is cheap and quality is okay. Service sucks. Got home with the wrong food. Drove back to get it corrected. The teenager that was running the register offered a weak apology for the mistake. I asked for the manager and was told no manager in restaurant. Not surprised.
(1)Cynthia S.
I ordered a breakfast burrito with no egg. I think it would have been better with more chorizo & less potato.
(2)L B.
This place is great! I live right next to Tamale Kitchen and head in there when I'm feeling something fast and semi healthy. I get the egg and potato breakfast burrito with salsa and it is absolutely amazing! The people there are super nice and the prices are super cheap for what you get. If you're looking for something tasty, quick and cheap you've got a gold mine here! :)
(4)Sean H.
Can't right a terrible review since I did not order anything. Though, the reason I am is because they have the same name as another chain that offers half off tamale Tuesday's. Sadly this place does not. Very annoying. They should change there name, just sayin
(3)Mike H.
Fast, cheap, and spicy. Great breakfast burritos and green chili. Would give them a 5 star rating but they refuse to answer their phone before opening. I buy a lot of burritos for my office and it would be nice to call ahead so they can have my order ready when i get there. I hate ordering a bunch and then causing everyone else's orders to take longer.
(4)Mark C.
Good food overall but the service is a joke. Insulting front register girl needs to get a reality check.
(1)Brady K.
Just a simple, fast, and classic Mexican restaurant that whips out nice breakfast and smothered burritos along with tamales of course. I had a carnitas smothered burrito and the pork green chile had a nice kick to it. Prices are alright and the size portions were more than generous.
(4)Mary J.
This restaurant has a hard time managing their inventory and runs out of items right at the dinner hour. Call ahead before you waste your time driving over.
(1)Kevin N.
I'd add an additional star for authenticity, but dirty tables and flies isn't the type of "authentic" most people are looking for in a restaurant. Tamale kitchens' tamales were fine, so one star feels harsh, but cleanliness is pretty high on my list of requirements for a restaurant. Second is customer service. I've worked in restaurants and I didn't like that job either, but taking one's displeasure out on customers isn't okay. The lady taking our order simply wasn't happy when I visited and it felt like the transaction couldn't end soon enough for either of us. Sadly, it took me three trips to the counter to get everything right. (Salsa costs 25 cents and comes in plastic thimbles? Really?) I didn't go to Tamale Kitchen #8 looking for Ruths Chris Steakhouse, I just wanted honest Mexican food, pleasant service, and an appetizing environment in which to eat it. I didn't get the last two and had to work too hard for the first one. I won't be back.
(1)Ken H.
I drive 30m out of my way to eat here. Best Mexican food for the price. And the Green Chili is amazing!!!
(4)Ashley C.
Do not try to call ahead an order. The menu clearly states that phone orders are welcome, but I tried calling 12 times on a slow weekday afternoon and got voicemail and hung up on. Upon arriving, I was notified by the cashier that they in fact do not accept phone orders anymore. Disappointed. Their saving grace is how amazing the food is.
(2)Devavrat O.
Best breakfast burritos in the Highlands Ranch, CO area. My fav is the chorizo and eggs burrito.
(5)Jacqueline S.
I'm not a huge tamale fan, but my son and I were looking for a quick bite to eat. We were going to Tokyo Joe's and noticed this place right next door. We decided to stop in and check it out. The bean and cheese burrito was amazing! It was huge, and very reasonably priced. My son also loved his chicken burrito. I decided to try the spicy tamale as well, and am now coming around to tamales :) My son tried flan for the first time on our last visit, and really loved it. We have lived in the area for 3 years, and not sure why I never tried this place, but so glad I finally did!!
(5)Kristen W.
Tamale kitchen is perfect for a quick lunch, especially if you are craving tasty smothered chili rellenos! They have yummy green chili (a bit of a kick which I like), fresh salsa and refried beans. It is counter service and has a "get your own soda" station so refills are easy. I know they are the "tamale kitchen" but I find the rellenos to be the most delicious thing on the menu. I would say that if you are in the neighborhood they are worth a try!
(3)Bryce C.
I think this place pretty good for a quick Mexican meal, especially if you're coming specifically for the tamales. Other menu items are a little bit more hit and miss based on your taste. I think both the red and green tamales have excellent flavor and are perfectly steamed. I'm also had a number of burritos that have been overall pretty good. If you like spicy, get them smothered in green chile sauce... Yum!
(4)Kristin S.
Great tamales and chile! This place is really clean and inviting. I am excited to go back and try some other menu items. Service was extremely friendly too!
(4)Brenda P.
Good Mexican fare and a decent price.
(4)Dija R.
I was not impressed, at all! The tamales were okay, but their enchildas, not so much. I ordered the cheese enchildas and they basically gave me shredded cheese wrapped in corn tortilla and red sauce thrown on it. When I put my fork to the enchilada the cheese was still in its shredded form - it was not melted at all! The food itself was barely heated. I asked them about this and they said, "oh do you want me to throw it in the microwave?" They did so WITH my styofoam plate which melted in my food - ugh. Never again.
(2)Kat C.
My husband & I love to have lunch or dinner here. It is quick, and always good. I am not good at the difference between this and that when it comes to Mexican, but the people there are always patient & helpful. Never disappointing!
(5)Nick M.
The tamales here are wonderful. Watch out when you get anything smoothered...the sauce is spicy. The food makes up for the service which seems to be the weak point here.
(4)Jefferson H.
This is one of my go to spots when I am looking for a good, quick breakfast or some late night munchies. The breakfast burritos are good and filling. Their green chili is good and spicy just the way I like it. The service is adequate.
(4)Siria S.
Tamales are pretty good although I was hoping to try their rajas con queso which they don't have. Beans and rice were yummy and enchilada was perfect.
(4)Dan N.
Overall I like the food here and the value & speed of service tend to be pretty good. The green chile is great and I've had no problems communicating special requests (within reason!). This is one place where the "consistency meter" tends to sway me from granting that 4th star, however. Having sampled various menu items in a few of their locations over the course of the last year, I've noticed two main issues: 1) The tamales are "decent" but sometimes too small and lacking the appropriate amount of filling. I showed it to one of the attendants once and he happily replaced it with another fresh tamale. To my disappointment, that one turned out to be just as small as the first one. 2) Although service is always fast, some of the employees could use some polishing up on basic customer service skills. Simple things like saying "Thank You" and offering to answer questions can go a long way. Those two issues aside, I'll still be back time and time again to enjoy those enchiladas & green chile! I can always go elsewhere for tamales.
(3)Mike M.
The food was great, as is typical for tamale kitchen. Good portions and just the right amount of kick to it. The service wasn't so friendly, not typical for tamale kitchen. The tv was turned up really loud, I felt like I was at a sports bar. Limited seating. Next time I'll opt for to-go.
(4)Brian W.
Wow, great Flavor. I selected the Combo #1 as it had variety - it sure did. The chile Relleno was very fresh Green Chile flavor, not over battered and just the right amount of cheese. The Beans and Rice were ok, expected for authentic - I like. The Tamale was small as others pointed out but good as anticapated. The Cheese Enchilada was nice and hot red sauce - not too cheesy greasy - all 3 added to a wonderful flavor combination. Ok, you ask - why not 5 stars??? Cause I need chips and salsa with my mexican food - strange, perhaps, but its what I like. Add a salsa bar and fresh chips and this place could become my favorite. Its not date night material, just good food. Decent price. I will be back. The service was friendly enough, its a fast food type atmosphere and I am glad to see a place without attitude teenagers preping my food.
(4)Jennifer B.
Great chili rellenos, awesome green chile. My daughter loves the breakfast burrito special. Definitely recommend for Mexican fast food.
(4)Jon R.
My logic is if you go to a place more than 3 times to get food and then is well worth it (specially when there's plenty of Mexican restaurants nearby). The food is great and the prices are magnificent. The smothered beef burrito is tasty and spicy. It's unfortunate that this place closes early if not it would've been a great drunk food spot.
(4)Renee K.
I'll go 3.5. I'm really picky about my Mexican food and I do keep returning to Tamale Kitchen. It's a solid little neighborhood place without feeling like a chain (rare in these parts!) I'll admit that the main reason I'm a repeat customer is my son's love of the burritos, but it's cheap enough that he and I can get out of there for under $10.
(3)H F.
They get zero stars. We never received our order. We ordered 30 breakfast burritos and when we arrived at 9:00 no one was there, waited until 9:30 and they never opened. We placed the order two days early and when we called three different times to explain that was the main course of our end of the year breakfast party, they did not care. Tried again Fathers day and again they did not open when scheduled. Save the trip and go somewhere else.
(1)Wendy T.
Um, I've heard all of these great things about Tamale Kitchen. I try to eat healthy food most of the time and Mexican food doesn't really offer much in that category so I hadn't tried it yet since Mexican food is more of a splurge for me. But I was in a splurge-y mood so I stopped on in our local TK. I tried three things: the smothered bean burrito, the green chili and the vegetarian tamales. It was easy to try them over the course of a couple days because the veggie tamales are frozen so I had those at home. (What? They don't sell a lot of veggie tamales?? Hee hee.) The smothered bean burrito was fine. Refried beans in a flour tortilla, lots of chile and lots of cheese. Fine. Not wow. Just fine. The green chili which I also tried on its own was fine but too spicy for my taste. I actually like to taste the food as well as the heat, but this was all heat. And the tamales - also fine. Not wow. Just fine. All in all I wouldn't say Tamale Kitchen was worth the splurge for me. But, hey, now I know. And you gotta try, right?
(3)Daniel B.
I kinda liked it. If you are looking for upscale place, this is not it. It is counter service and the food comes out quick. It is a good lunch place. I had a bean burrito with potatoes and it was good. The gauge I use with these places is if the bean burrito was better than the 89 cent one at Taco Bell. It definitely was. I have been to a lot of other places and paid a lot more for a lesser burrito,
(4)Lacey M.
Good, cheap burritos. Close to work, so it has become a place I frequent way too often. Breakfast burritos are pretty good, especially the Chorizo and potato one. My fav is the Crispy Chile Relleno Burrito, sub rice instead of beans....smothered, baby. Delicious! And, their salsa is pretty spicy!! Definitely try some on your burrito. It's not the best Mexican food by any means, but it's great for the $ and convenience.
(3)PG B.
Great food, friendly service and fast!
(4)Kristy R.
Nom. Nom. Nom. LOL We love this place, breakfast burritos rock here. Chile has good kick to it.
(5)Les G.
WOW! Working on the dozen I brought home for the next day and they are even better than yesterday. I got the Red Tamales and the are Spicy Hot (the way I like them).
(5)Jason L.
Food, other than breakfast burritos still not great but it is much cleaner!
(3)DJ V.
I always go in and order the Mexican hamburger especial. For four bucks you cant beat the price or the food. Sometimes I order the steak soft taco as well and it comes with this sauce they give you in a small container. Not sure what the sauce is but it is awesome! They are pretty stingy with it as well. I also enjoy watching them cook the food right in front of me. Great place for a small budget.
(4)Karli F.
This update is being written for some guy who wrote me a lovely email announcing that cigarette smoking has been outlawed and I should update my review. Just for him, I'd like to point out that in my review I said I was overwhelmed with the smell and I thought I should complain. So why exactly should I change my review? I'm stating the fact that I smelled smoke (not sure from what, but it smelled like cigarettes--READ: "second guessed myself")---and I was going to complain because I KNEW that smoking wasn't allowed. THAT is exactly why it bothered me. So there's my update buddy. Maybe you should take some reading comprehension lessons.
(3)Brian W.
Wow, great Flavor. I selected the Combo #1 as it had variety - it sure did. The chile Relleno was very fresh Green Chile flavor, not over battered and just the right amount of cheese. The Beans and Rice were ok, expected for authentic - I like. The Tamale was small as others pointed out but good as anticapated. The Cheese Enchilada was nice and hot red sauce - not too cheesy greasy - all 3 added to a wonderful flavor combination. Ok, you ask - why not 5 stars??? Cause I need chips and salsa with my mexican food - strange, perhaps, but its what I like. Add a salsa bar and fresh chips and this place could become my favorite. Its not date night material, just good food. Decent price. I will be back. The service was friendly enough, its a fast food type atmosphere and I am glad to see a place without attitude teenagers preping my food.
(4)Jennifer B.
Great chili rellenos, awesome green chile. My daughter loves the breakfast burrito special. Definitely recommend for Mexican fast food.
(4)Jon R.
My logic is if you go to a place more than 3 times to get food and then is well worth it (specially when there's plenty of Mexican restaurants nearby). The food is great and the prices are magnificent. The smothered beef burrito is tasty and spicy. It's unfortunate that this place closes early if not it would've been a great drunk food spot.
(4)Renee K.
I'll go 3.5. I'm really picky about my Mexican food and I do keep returning to Tamale Kitchen. It's a solid little neighborhood place without feeling like a chain (rare in these parts!) I'll admit that the main reason I'm a repeat customer is my son's love of the burritos, but it's cheap enough that he and I can get out of there for under $10.
(3)L B.
This place is great! I live right next to Tamale Kitchen and head in there when I'm feeling something fast and semi healthy. I get the egg and potato breakfast burrito with salsa and it is absolutely amazing! The people there are super nice and the prices are super cheap for what you get. If you're looking for something tasty, quick and cheap you've got a gold mine here! :)
(4)Sean H.
Can't right a terrible review since I did not order anything. Though, the reason I am is because they have the same name as another chain that offers half off tamale Tuesday's. Sadly this place does not. Very annoying. They should change there name, just sayin
(3)Dija R.
I was not impressed, at all! The tamales were okay, but their enchildas, not so much. I ordered the cheese enchildas and they basically gave me shredded cheese wrapped in corn tortilla and red sauce thrown on it. When I put my fork to the enchilada the cheese was still in its shredded form - it was not melted at all! The food itself was barely heated. I asked them about this and they said, "oh do you want me to throw it in the microwave?" They did so WITH my styofoam plate which melted in my food - ugh. Never again.
(2)Kat C.
My husband & I love to have lunch or dinner here. It is quick, and always good. I am not good at the difference between this and that when it comes to Mexican, but the people there are always patient & helpful. Never disappointing!
(5)Nick M.
The tamales here are wonderful. Watch out when you get anything smoothered...the sauce is spicy. The food makes up for the service which seems to be the weak point here.
(4)Jason R.
Great price and even the food is even better in flavor. Some of the best tamales I have eaten. The green ones have a bit of spice but just right. Yum! A dozen of tamales and a pint of green chile...wow, what a way to start of the Labor Day weekend.
(5)R P.
So I am a Tamale Kitchen fan, however this location has some cleaning issues. I recently observed pieces of crusty tortilla stuck to the side of the soda machine and really dirty floors. The icing on the cake was standing in line one morning to place my order and watching the cook start cleaning the overhead vents with a rag with open pots below him on the grill cooking food. I stepped out of line and made the long drive to the one on Kipling and Belleview. This place could be much better with some floor and counter re-work. Also towards the back of the place, looks like an open storage shed for the misc junk items, think about closing that off from customer viewing.
(2)Kelly T.
Kinda bummed that you have to give them a 30 minute notice to get cheese tamales there or take them home frozen and cook yourself. I understand that they may sell less of them than the meat ones, but come on! You can have some ready to go for people who don't want meat tamales! Kinda lame.
(2)R T.
Pros: fast, cheap, and nice quality ingredients. Cons: Only two flavors we found - bland and spicy. Breakfast burrito was simply flour tortilla, scrambled egg, cubed potato, and generous bacon. It needed something more for flavor for my tastes (a little salsa and cheese would have made it less boring). Tamales were moist and rather spicy. We went on a Sunday morning and the place was busy, but efficient and friendly. We may try it one more time to give some other part of the menu a try, but we are not in a hurry to return.
(3)Sean D.
I would give this place 4 stars for the tamales but only 2 stars for the breakfast burritos. That averages out to three for me. I will definitely eat here again, but not the breakfast burritos. They prepare a massive amount of the filling ahead of time and just slap them together. There is no complexity to the flavors and they're heavy on the starchy potatoes.
(3)Peter H.
Been to a couple of tamale kitchens so far and they are really excellent for the price. This one in highlands ranch is a bit cleaner than the one up north and still has delicious breakfast burritos for under 5 bucks. My favorite is the chorizo burrito smothered with green chile. This place is by my parents home so I come here every once in a while for some authentic Mexican. Unfortunately the tamales are only so-so and a bit overpriced. Otherwise it'd be 5 stars.
(4)Brian S.
Been coming here for years. I usually get a couple dozen tamales. They always have them hot and ready and always enough on hand. Price is great, less than $20 for 2 dozen. Don't forget to leave a small tip for the guys getting them ready for you.
(4)Joe J.
Best Breakfast place in Colorado! Breakfast burritos and tamales are mouth watering! Make sure whatever you order so order it smuthered!!!
(5)Jack p.
Called ahead for pickup. 12 tamales and a half pint of green chili. They were ready 5 minutes later when I got there. Perfect service and delicious. Cannot ask for more.
(5)Jefferson H.
This is one of my go to spots when I am looking for a good, quick breakfast or some late night munchies. The breakfast burritos are good and filling. Their green chili is good and spicy just the way I like it. The service is adequate.
(4)Siria S.
Tamales are pretty good although I was hoping to try their rajas con queso which they don't have. Beans and rice were yummy and enchilada was perfect.
(4)Wendy T.
Um, I've heard all of these great things about Tamale Kitchen. I try to eat healthy food most of the time and Mexican food doesn't really offer much in that category so I hadn't tried it yet since Mexican food is more of a splurge for me. But I was in a splurge-y mood so I stopped on in our local TK. I tried three things: the smothered bean burrito, the green chili and the vegetarian tamales. It was easy to try them over the course of a couple days because the veggie tamales are frozen so I had those at home. (What? They don't sell a lot of veggie tamales?? Hee hee.) The smothered bean burrito was fine. Refried beans in a flour tortilla, lots of chile and lots of cheese. Fine. Not wow. Just fine. The green chili which I also tried on its own was fine but too spicy for my taste. I actually like to taste the food as well as the heat, but this was all heat. And the tamales - also fine. Not wow. Just fine. All in all I wouldn't say Tamale Kitchen was worth the splurge for me. But, hey, now I know. And you gotta try, right?
(3)Daniel B.
I kinda liked it. If you are looking for upscale place, this is not it. It is counter service and the food comes out quick. It is a good lunch place. I had a bean burrito with potatoes and it was good. The gauge I use with these places is if the bean burrito was better than the 89 cent one at Taco Bell. It definitely was. I have been to a lot of other places and paid a lot more for a lesser burrito,
(4)Lacey M.
Good, cheap burritos. Close to work, so it has become a place I frequent way too often. Breakfast burritos are pretty good, especially the Chorizo and potato one. My fav is the Crispy Chile Relleno Burrito, sub rice instead of beans....smothered, baby. Delicious! And, their salsa is pretty spicy!! Definitely try some on your burrito. It's not the best Mexican food by any means, but it's great for the $ and convenience.
(3)PG B.
Great food, friendly service and fast!
(4)Kristy R.
Nom. Nom. Nom. LOL We love this place, breakfast burritos rock here. Chile has good kick to it.
(5)Les G.
WOW! Working on the dozen I brought home for the next day and they are even better than yesterday. I got the Red Tamales and the are Spicy Hot (the way I like them).
(5)Summer S.
Awesome breakfast burritos and bean eggrolls, but atmospher has little to be desired. Needs more locations. =) Preferrably one closer to the Park Meadows Mall.
(4)Sara W.
Breakfast burritos are really good. They are simple, but delicious and incredibly filling. Their tamales are pretty good. But be warned: the mild is decently spicy and the hot tamales are CRAZY hot. I thought I liked hot food, but apparently not so much. Other people still loved them, but they were a bit spicy for me. My one gripe: We called ahead to order a couple dozen tamales and were told to come in a couple hours to pick them up. When we got there, they said they had run out and prepared FROZEN tamales for us. We complained and they said that we didn't specify on the phone that we wanted them to be fresh.... umm please. Of course, we want them fresh! That shouldn't be something we have to specify! Oh well, still will come back for the breakfast burritos for sure!!
(4)Doug M.
I ONLY ate the breakfast burrito. Currizo burrito was great with green chili inside. The bacon burrito was ok. Mine had a large hunk of fat in it which made the whole experience rather unappetizing. My mind if you are serving a customer u serve them how u expect to be served quality wise. They where either to lazy to cut the fat off or they like to eat hunks of fat. It's a bummer this place hasn't improved much in the years it's been there. Won't be trying again for long time.
(3)Kristin S.
Great tamales and chile! This place is really clean and inviting. I am excited to go back and try some other menu items. Service was extremely friendly too!
(4)Brenda P.
Good Mexican fare and a decent price.
(4)Kristen W.
Tamale kitchen is perfect for a quick lunch, especially if you are craving tasty smothered chili rellenos! They have yummy green chili (a bit of a kick which I like), fresh salsa and refried beans. It is counter service and has a "get your own soda" station so refills are easy. I know they are the "tamale kitchen" but I find the rellenos to be the most delicious thing on the menu. I would say that if you are in the neighborhood they are worth a try!
(3)Bryce C.
I think this place pretty good for a quick Mexican meal, especially if you're coming specifically for the tamales. Other menu items are a little bit more hit and miss based on your taste. I think both the red and green tamales have excellent flavor and are perfectly steamed. I'm also had a number of burritos that have been overall pretty good. If you like spicy, get them smothered in green chile sauce... Yum!
(4)Kevin B.
2 words, GREEN CHILE!!!!!!! If you love amazing green chile, this is your place. Its the gravy like kind, not the chunky soup like kind. Every time I go I get a couple burritos smothered. I like the refried beans and chicharonnes burrito, The chorizo breakfast burrito is also top notch. The chile is so bomb that I havent even tried anything else. The place is nothing fancy, but its all about the chile!
(5)Jen G.
Zero stars if I could. Got the breakfast burrito. I got food poisoning. Ended up in the ER with a 6k bill. Next time you go, watch the guy on the grill. That's all I'm saying.
(1)Hailey H.
I may have a mild obsession with breakfast burritos now. I get the special breakfast burrito with eggs, potato and chorizo a couple of days a week and they are always excellent!
(5)Yoomi P.
Breakfast burritos are one of my favorite things in the world. Tamale kitchen does it right! The food is cheap, fast, and delicious.. what else can you ask for? I give it three stars b/c I've had better breakfast burritos before.. but for the price, tamale kitchen is definitely worth it. I had the egg, potato, chorizo burrito and added bacon.. and of course smothered it with chile hehe.. but next time I think I'll skip out on the bacon.. b/c it was way too crunchy.. and chile is pretty spicy.. so if you can't take much heat, maybe you shouldn't get it smothered lol. I will definitely come back for moreeeee!
(3)Jessica T.
My first exposure to tamales was the original Tamale Kitchen off Mississippi about 20 years ago- it was small and always hot. Those are the tamales I've compared all tamales to since. When I learned Tamale Kitchen had opened a location in Highlands Ranch, I was ecstatic! A neighbor had brought some by recently and they were good, but not really what I remembered. Then I made my way over there myself last week, got 2 dozen, and after eating them I've confirmed that since they've franchised their quality has gone down. The green and red pork filling are exactly what I remember, there's just a lot less of it now :( More masa than filling makes me sad. Their seasoning is delicious and the green just spicy enough to keep you coming back for more. I will likely keep coming here as they are convenient and still quite good, just not as good as I know they used to be. The space here is fairly large so plenty of room if you're looking to eat in, but they make it so convenient to grab and go a couple dozen tamales that I doubt I'll ever stop and sit.
(3)Joe Y.
$3 breakfast burrito is a good value plus the option of $1 extra for smothered. The steak taco was decent and if you decide to get Tamale go for the green not the red. They also sell rice and beans in pints and quarts and makes it convenient for take out. Tamale management if your are listening, please use less salt in your Tamales because I've had real home made Tamales from Mexico and it's not salty and tastes much better.
(3)Hunter M.
Order the lunch for one special, which was $7 and included one tamale, rice and refried beans. The tamale was tiny and sitting in a pool of very thin, messy sauce that wasn't particularly good. Rice and beans were ok, but it's kinda hard to mess those up. I also had to wait two or three minutes at the counter before anyone would bother taking my order. I would literally go just about anywhere else.
(1)Elisabeth B.
The quality and taste of the tamales were excellent! I felt like I was back at home in Southern California in a way. They were really small...a lot smaller than the average tamale...about half the size. And personally, they were too spicy for me to fully enjoy. If they had a tamale that was mild, I would come back as a regular customer despite the small size.
(3)Jason L.
Food, other than breakfast burritos still not great but it is much cleaner!
(3)DJ V.
I always go in and order the Mexican hamburger especial. For four bucks you cant beat the price or the food. Sometimes I order the steak soft taco as well and it comes with this sauce they give you in a small container. Not sure what the sauce is but it is awesome! They are pretty stingy with it as well. I also enjoy watching them cook the food right in front of me. Great place for a small budget.
(4)Karli F.
This update is being written for some guy who wrote me a lovely email announcing that cigarette smoking has been outlawed and I should update my review. Just for him, I'd like to point out that in my review I said I was overwhelmed with the smell and I thought I should complain. So why exactly should I change my review? I'm stating the fact that I smelled smoke (not sure from what, but it smelled like cigarettes--READ: "second guessed myself")---and I was going to complain because I KNEW that smoking wasn't allowed. THAT is exactly why it bothered me. So there's my update buddy. Maybe you should take some reading comprehension lessons.
(3)Mike M.
The food was great, as is typical for tamale kitchen. Good portions and just the right amount of kick to it. The service wasn't so friendly, not typical for tamale kitchen. The tv was turned up really loud, I felt like I was at a sports bar. Limited seating. Next time I'll opt for to-go.
(4)Mary J.
This restaurant has a hard time managing their inventory and runs out of items right at the dinner hour. Call ahead before you waste your time driving over.
(1)Daniel H.
Paid 9.50 for Tacos Al Carbon.. On the lunch menu might I add. I should have stuck with the tamales but they forgot to give my buddy red sauce for his tamales anyway. They Didn't have corn tortillas so I went hard shell and what came out in the shell looked nothing like steak. The Salsa was good but it costs .25 cents for additional.. Like a spoonful.. Each time. Don't waste your time. I could have got the same meal at chubby's over in aurora for a 1/3 the cost but with better meat that doesn't look like brains. Or even Tres Margaritas for a little more money but with real ingredients.
(1)Mike H.
Fast, cheap, and spicy. Great breakfast burritos and green chili. Would give them a 5 star rating but they refuse to answer their phone before opening. I buy a lot of burritos for my office and it would be nice to call ahead so they can have my order ready when i get there. I hate ordering a bunch and then causing everyone else's orders to take longer.
(4)Mark C.
Good food overall but the service is a joke. Insulting front register girl needs to get a reality check.
(1)Brady K.
Just a simple, fast, and classic Mexican restaurant that whips out nice breakfast and smothered burritos along with tamales of course. I had a carnitas smothered burrito and the pork green chile had a nice kick to it. Prices are alright and the size portions were more than generous.
(4)Jennster S.
Super close to 4 stars..... Craving breakfast burritos and decided to try this place for take out. I got the bacon, egg and potato, hubs wanted chorizo, egg and potato as well as a steak to have the next day. While I was there I decided to try some tamales and a pint of green chili for dinner later. My breakfast burrito was amazing. Big! Huge chunks of crispy bacon, no skimping on it! Hubs said both of his were amazing too. Tamales were good, not the best I've ever had, but tasty with a kick. The pork filling to masa ratio was too high on the masa side in my opinion. Green Chili is the thick red variety, no pork as far as I could tell. Again good, not my favorite. We will be going back again and again for the breakfast burritos! Regarding cleanliness, I've seen other reviews comment on a lack of cleanliness. I was there right when they opened, so all the tables were clean. Since I had to wait for my order I looked around and noticed lots of dust. On the soda machine, on the light fixtures, pretty much all the higher up surfaces.
(3)Kevin N.
I'd add an additional star for authenticity, but dirty tables and flies isn't the type of "authentic" most people are looking for in a restaurant. Tamale kitchens' tamales were fine, so one star feels harsh, but cleanliness is pretty high on my list of requirements for a restaurant. Second is customer service. I've worked in restaurants and I didn't like that job either, but taking one's displeasure out on customers isn't okay. The lady taking our order simply wasn't happy when I visited and it felt like the transaction couldn't end soon enough for either of us. Sadly, it took me three trips to the counter to get everything right. (Salsa costs 25 cents and comes in plastic thimbles? Really?) I didn't go to Tamale Kitchen #8 looking for Ruths Chris Steakhouse, I just wanted honest Mexican food, pleasant service, and an appetizing environment in which to eat it. I didn't get the last two and had to work too hard for the first one. I won't be back.
(1)Ken H.
I drive 30m out of my way to eat here. Best Mexican food for the price. And the Green Chili is amazing!!!
(4)Ashley C.
Do not try to call ahead an order. The menu clearly states that phone orders are welcome, but I tried calling 12 times on a slow weekday afternoon and got voicemail and hung up on. Upon arriving, I was notified by the cashier that they in fact do not accept phone orders anymore. Disappointed. Their saving grace is how amazing the food is.
(2)Devavrat O.
Best breakfast burritos in the Highlands Ranch, CO area. My fav is the chorizo and eggs burrito.
(5)Jacqueline S.
I'm not a huge tamale fan, but my son and I were looking for a quick bite to eat. We were going to Tokyo Joe's and noticed this place right next door. We decided to stop in and check it out. The bean and cheese burrito was amazing! It was huge, and very reasonably priced. My son also loved his chicken burrito. I decided to try the spicy tamale as well, and am now coming around to tamales :) My son tried flan for the first time on our last visit, and really loved it. We have lived in the area for 3 years, and not sure why I never tried this place, but so glad I finally did!!
(5)Bonny B.
Fantastic breakfast burritos. Their green chile is a little unpredictable on the heat index. You may want to get it on the side. My family likes the chorizo, potato and cheese smothered. Get sour cream to take the edge off the green chile. We have had their tacos, tamales and burritos. They are all good as well and very fresh. I think they are well priced too.
(5)Eileen E.
We've liked this place for a long time but we were disappointed last time. The customer service was bad and the food was not up to what we had come to expect from them. They changed the enchilada sauce.
(2)Jason S.
Walked in and the kid that was working the counter had a scowl on his face. Was rude. For some reason the prices are higher than they are on the online menu. The Chicharrón was more like grease and cracklings. NOT GOOD! The chili relleno was the worst I have ever had it was a thin slice of green chili wrapped in a egg roll wrapper over cooked. If there was any cheese in it I didn't get to it cause I threw it away. chili is OK not special like it is at Santiago's. They do have good tamales there though. All in all got some crappy food for $10. Won't go back. I wish there was a Santiago's closer to home.
(2)Ellen R.
What a find! Delicious authentic Mexican food! My new favorite place!
(5)Martin S.
Food is cheap and quality is okay. Service sucks. Got home with the wrong food. Drove back to get it corrected. The teenager that was running the register offered a weak apology for the mistake. I asked for the manager and was told no manager in restaurant. Not surprised.
(1)Cynthia S.
I ordered a breakfast burrito with no egg. I think it would have been better with more chorizo & less potato.
(2)Bryce C.
I think this place pretty good for a quick Mexican meal, especially if you're coming specifically for the tamales. Other menu items are a little bit more hit and miss based on your taste. I think both the red and green tamales have excellent flavor and are perfectly steamed. I'm also had a number of burritos that have been overall pretty good. If you like spicy, get them smothered in green chile sauce... Yum!
(4)Mark C.
Good food overall but the service is a joke. Insulting front register girl needs to get a reality check.
(1)Brady K.
Just a simple, fast, and classic Mexican restaurant that whips out nice breakfast and smothered burritos along with tamales of course. I had a carnitas smothered burrito and the pork green chile had a nice kick to it. Prices are alright and the size portions were more than generous.
(4)Dija R.
I was not impressed, at all! The tamales were okay, but their enchildas, not so much. I ordered the cheese enchildas and they basically gave me shredded cheese wrapped in corn tortilla and red sauce thrown on it. When I put my fork to the enchilada the cheese was still in its shredded form - it was not melted at all! The food itself was barely heated. I asked them about this and they said, "oh do you want me to throw it in the microwave?" They did so WITH my styofoam plate which melted in my food - ugh. Never again.
(2)Kat C.
My husband & I love to have lunch or dinner here. It is quick, and always good. I am not good at the difference between this and that when it comes to Mexican, but the people there are always patient & helpful. Never disappointing!
(5)Nick M.
The tamales here are wonderful. Watch out when you get anything smoothered...the sauce is spicy. The food makes up for the service which seems to be the weak point here.
(4)Yoomi P.
Breakfast burritos are one of my favorite things in the world. Tamale kitchen does it right! The food is cheap, fast, and delicious.. what else can you ask for? I give it three stars b/c I've had better breakfast burritos before.. but for the price, tamale kitchen is definitely worth it. I had the egg, potato, chorizo burrito and added bacon.. and of course smothered it with chile hehe.. but next time I think I'll skip out on the bacon.. b/c it was way too crunchy.. and chile is pretty spicy.. so if you can't take much heat, maybe you shouldn't get it smothered lol. I will definitely come back for moreeeee!
(3)Jessica T.
My first exposure to tamales was the original Tamale Kitchen off Mississippi about 20 years ago- it was small and always hot. Those are the tamales I've compared all tamales to since. When I learned Tamale Kitchen had opened a location in Highlands Ranch, I was ecstatic! A neighbor had brought some by recently and they were good, but not really what I remembered. Then I made my way over there myself last week, got 2 dozen, and after eating them I've confirmed that since they've franchised their quality has gone down. The green and red pork filling are exactly what I remember, there's just a lot less of it now :( More masa than filling makes me sad. Their seasoning is delicious and the green just spicy enough to keep you coming back for more. I will likely keep coming here as they are convenient and still quite good, just not as good as I know they used to be. The space here is fairly large so plenty of room if you're looking to eat in, but they make it so convenient to grab and go a couple dozen tamales that I doubt I'll ever stop and sit.
(3)Sean D.
I would give this place 4 stars for the tamales but only 2 stars for the breakfast burritos. That averages out to three for me. I will definitely eat here again, but not the breakfast burritos. They prepare a massive amount of the filling ahead of time and just slap them together. There is no complexity to the flavors and they're heavy on the starchy potatoes.
(3)Joe Y.
$3 breakfast burrito is a good value plus the option of $1 extra for smothered. The steak taco was decent and if you decide to get Tamale go for the green not the red. They also sell rice and beans in pints and quarts and makes it convenient for take out. Tamale management if your are listening, please use less salt in your Tamales because I've had real home made Tamales from Mexico and it's not salty and tastes much better.
(3)Hunter M.
Order the lunch for one special, which was $7 and included one tamale, rice and refried beans. The tamale was tiny and sitting in a pool of very thin, messy sauce that wasn't particularly good. Rice and beans were ok, but it's kinda hard to mess those up. I also had to wait two or three minutes at the counter before anyone would bother taking my order. I would literally go just about anywhere else.
(1)Elisabeth B.
The quality and taste of the tamales were excellent! I felt like I was back at home in Southern California in a way. They were really small...a lot smaller than the average tamale...about half the size. And personally, they were too spicy for me to fully enjoy. If they had a tamale that was mild, I would come back as a regular customer despite the small size.
(3)R P.
So I am a Tamale Kitchen fan, however this location has some cleaning issues. I recently observed pieces of crusty tortilla stuck to the side of the soda machine and really dirty floors. The icing on the cake was standing in line one morning to place my order and watching the cook start cleaning the overhead vents with a rag with open pots below him on the grill cooking food. I stepped out of line and made the long drive to the one on Kipling and Belleview. This place could be much better with some floor and counter re-work. Also towards the back of the place, looks like an open storage shed for the misc junk items, think about closing that off from customer viewing.
(2)Kelly T.
Kinda bummed that you have to give them a 30 minute notice to get cheese tamales there or take them home frozen and cook yourself. I understand that they may sell less of them than the meat ones, but come on! You can have some ready to go for people who don't want meat tamales! Kinda lame.
(2)R T.
Pros: fast, cheap, and nice quality ingredients. Cons: Only two flavors we found - bland and spicy. Breakfast burrito was simply flour tortilla, scrambled egg, cubed potato, and generous bacon. It needed something more for flavor for my tastes (a little salsa and cheese would have made it less boring). Tamales were moist and rather spicy. We went on a Sunday morning and the place was busy, but efficient and friendly. We may try it one more time to give some other part of the menu a try, but we are not in a hurry to return.
(3)Hailey H.
I may have a mild obsession with breakfast burritos now. I get the special breakfast burrito with eggs, potato and chorizo a couple of days a week and they are always excellent!
(5)Daniel H.
Paid 9.50 for Tacos Al Carbon.. On the lunch menu might I add. I should have stuck with the tamales but they forgot to give my buddy red sauce for his tamales anyway. They Didn't have corn tortillas so I went hard shell and what came out in the shell looked nothing like steak. The Salsa was good but it costs .25 cents for additional.. Like a spoonful.. Each time. Don't waste your time. I could have got the same meal at chubby's over in aurora for a 1/3 the cost but with better meat that doesn't look like brains. Or even Tres Margaritas for a little more money but with real ingredients.
(1)Peter H.
Been to a couple of tamale kitchens so far and they are really excellent for the price. This one in highlands ranch is a bit cleaner than the one up north and still has delicious breakfast burritos for under 5 bucks. My favorite is the chorizo burrito smothered with green chile. This place is by my parents home so I come here every once in a while for some authentic Mexican. Unfortunately the tamales are only so-so and a bit overpriced. Otherwise it'd be 5 stars.
(4)Brian S.
Been coming here for years. I usually get a couple dozen tamales. They always have them hot and ready and always enough on hand. Price is great, less than $20 for 2 dozen. Don't forget to leave a small tip for the guys getting them ready for you.
(4)Joe J.
Best Breakfast place in Colorado! Breakfast burritos and tamales are mouth watering! Make sure whatever you order so order it smuthered!!!
(5)Jack p.
Called ahead for pickup. 12 tamales and a half pint of green chili. They were ready 5 minutes later when I got there. Perfect service and delicious. Cannot ask for more.
(5)Jen G.
Zero stars if I could. Got the breakfast burrito. I got food poisoning. Ended up in the ER with a 6k bill. Next time you go, watch the guy on the grill. That's all I'm saying.
(1)Jason R.
Great price and even the food is even better in flavor. Some of the best tamales I have eaten. The green ones have a bit of spice but just right. Yum! A dozen of tamales and a pint of green chile...wow, what a way to start of the Labor Day weekend.
(5)Mike H.
Fast, cheap, and spicy. Great breakfast burritos and green chili. Would give them a 5 star rating but they refuse to answer their phone before opening. I buy a lot of burritos for my office and it would be nice to call ahead so they can have my order ready when i get there. I hate ordering a bunch and then causing everyone else's orders to take longer.
(4)Mary J.
This restaurant has a hard time managing their inventory and runs out of items right at the dinner hour. Call ahead before you waste your time driving over.
(1)Kevin N.
I'd add an additional star for authenticity, but dirty tables and flies isn't the type of "authentic" most people are looking for in a restaurant. Tamale kitchens' tamales were fine, so one star feels harsh, but cleanliness is pretty high on my list of requirements for a restaurant. Second is customer service. I've worked in restaurants and I didn't like that job either, but taking one's displeasure out on customers isn't okay. The lady taking our order simply wasn't happy when I visited and it felt like the transaction couldn't end soon enough for either of us. Sadly, it took me three trips to the counter to get everything right. (Salsa costs 25 cents and comes in plastic thimbles? Really?) I didn't go to Tamale Kitchen #8 looking for Ruths Chris Steakhouse, I just wanted honest Mexican food, pleasant service, and an appetizing environment in which to eat it. I didn't get the last two and had to work too hard for the first one. I won't be back.
(1)Ken H.
I drive 30m out of my way to eat here. Best Mexican food for the price. And the Green Chili is amazing!!!
(4)Ashley C.
Do not try to call ahead an order. The menu clearly states that phone orders are welcome, but I tried calling 12 times on a slow weekday afternoon and got voicemail and hung up on. Upon arriving, I was notified by the cashier that they in fact do not accept phone orders anymore. Disappointed. Their saving grace is how amazing the food is.
(2)Devavrat O.
Best breakfast burritos in the Highlands Ranch, CO area. My fav is the chorizo and eggs burrito.
(5)Jacqueline S.
I'm not a huge tamale fan, but my son and I were looking for a quick bite to eat. We were going to Tokyo Joe's and noticed this place right next door. We decided to stop in and check it out. The bean and cheese burrito was amazing! It was huge, and very reasonably priced. My son also loved his chicken burrito. I decided to try the spicy tamale as well, and am now coming around to tamales :) My son tried flan for the first time on our last visit, and really loved it. We have lived in the area for 3 years, and not sure why I never tried this place, but so glad I finally did!!
(5)Bonny B.
Fantastic breakfast burritos. Their green chile is a little unpredictable on the heat index. You may want to get it on the side. My family likes the chorizo, potato and cheese smothered. Get sour cream to take the edge off the green chile. We have had their tacos, tamales and burritos. They are all good as well and very fresh. I think they are well priced too.
(5)Jefferson H.
This is one of my go to spots when I am looking for a good, quick breakfast or some late night munchies. The breakfast burritos are good and filling. Their green chili is good and spicy just the way I like it. The service is adequate.
(4)Kevin B.
2 words, GREEN CHILE!!!!!!! If you love amazing green chile, this is your place. Its the gravy like kind, not the chunky soup like kind. Every time I go I get a couple burritos smothered. I like the refried beans and chicharonnes burrito, The chorizo breakfast burrito is also top notch. The chile is so bomb that I havent even tried anything else. The place is nothing fancy, but its all about the chile!
(5)Summer S.
Awesome breakfast burritos and bean eggrolls, but atmospher has little to be desired. Needs more locations. =) Preferrably one closer to the Park Meadows Mall.
(4)Sara W.
Breakfast burritos are really good. They are simple, but delicious and incredibly filling. Their tamales are pretty good. But be warned: the mild is decently spicy and the hot tamales are CRAZY hot. I thought I liked hot food, but apparently not so much. Other people still loved them, but they were a bit spicy for me. My one gripe: We called ahead to order a couple dozen tamales and were told to come in a couple hours to pick them up. When we got there, they said they had run out and prepared FROZEN tamales for us. We complained and they said that we didn't specify on the phone that we wanted them to be fresh.... umm please. Of course, we want them fresh! That shouldn't be something we have to specify! Oh well, still will come back for the breakfast burritos for sure!!
(4)Doug M.
I ONLY ate the breakfast burrito. Currizo burrito was great with green chili inside. The bacon burrito was ok. Mine had a large hunk of fat in it which made the whole experience rather unappetizing. My mind if you are serving a customer u serve them how u expect to be served quality wise. They where either to lazy to cut the fat off or they like to eat hunks of fat. It's a bummer this place hasn't improved much in the years it's been there. Won't be trying again for long time.
(3)Kristin S.
Great tamales and chile! This place is really clean and inviting. I am excited to go back and try some other menu items. Service was extremely friendly too!
(4)Brenda P.
Good Mexican fare and a decent price.
(4)Kristen W.
Tamale kitchen is perfect for a quick lunch, especially if you are craving tasty smothered chili rellenos! They have yummy green chili (a bit of a kick which I like), fresh salsa and refried beans. It is counter service and has a "get your own soda" station so refills are easy. I know they are the "tamale kitchen" but I find the rellenos to be the most delicious thing on the menu. I would say that if you are in the neighborhood they are worth a try!
(3)Siria S.
Tamales are pretty good although I was hoping to try their rajas con queso which they don't have. Beans and rice were yummy and enchilada was perfect.
(4)Wendy T.
Um, I've heard all of these great things about Tamale Kitchen. I try to eat healthy food most of the time and Mexican food doesn't really offer much in that category so I hadn't tried it yet since Mexican food is more of a splurge for me. But I was in a splurge-y mood so I stopped on in our local TK. I tried three things: the smothered bean burrito, the green chili and the vegetarian tamales. It was easy to try them over the course of a couple days because the veggie tamales are frozen so I had those at home. (What? They don't sell a lot of veggie tamales?? Hee hee.) The smothered bean burrito was fine. Refried beans in a flour tortilla, lots of chile and lots of cheese. Fine. Not wow. Just fine. The green chili which I also tried on its own was fine but too spicy for my taste. I actually like to taste the food as well as the heat, but this was all heat. And the tamales - also fine. Not wow. Just fine. All in all I wouldn't say Tamale Kitchen was worth the splurge for me. But, hey, now I know. And you gotta try, right?
(3)Daniel B.
I kinda liked it. If you are looking for upscale place, this is not it. It is counter service and the food comes out quick. It is a good lunch place. I had a bean burrito with potatoes and it was good. The gauge I use with these places is if the bean burrito was better than the 89 cent one at Taco Bell. It definitely was. I have been to a lot of other places and paid a lot more for a lesser burrito,
(4)Lacey M.
Good, cheap burritos. Close to work, so it has become a place I frequent way too often. Breakfast burritos are pretty good, especially the Chorizo and potato one. My fav is the Crispy Chile Relleno Burrito, sub rice instead of beans....smothered, baby. Delicious! And, their salsa is pretty spicy!! Definitely try some on your burrito. It's not the best Mexican food by any means, but it's great for the $ and convenience.
(3)PG B.
Great food, friendly service and fast!
(4)Kristy R.
Nom. Nom. Nom. LOL We love this place, breakfast burritos rock here. Chile has good kick to it.
(5)Les G.
WOW! Working on the dozen I brought home for the next day and they are even better than yesterday. I got the Red Tamales and the are Spicy Hot (the way I like them).
(5)Jason L.
Food, other than breakfast burritos still not great but it is much cleaner!
(3)DJ V.
I always go in and order the Mexican hamburger especial. For four bucks you cant beat the price or the food. Sometimes I order the steak soft taco as well and it comes with this sauce they give you in a small container. Not sure what the sauce is but it is awesome! They are pretty stingy with it as well. I also enjoy watching them cook the food right in front of me. Great place for a small budget.
(4)Jennster S.
Super close to 4 stars..... Craving breakfast burritos and decided to try this place for take out. I got the bacon, egg and potato, hubs wanted chorizo, egg and potato as well as a steak to have the next day. While I was there I decided to try some tamales and a pint of green chili for dinner later. My breakfast burrito was amazing. Big! Huge chunks of crispy bacon, no skimping on it! Hubs said both of his were amazing too. Tamales were good, not the best I've ever had, but tasty with a kick. The pork filling to masa ratio was too high on the masa side in my opinion. Green Chili is the thick red variety, no pork as far as I could tell. Again good, not my favorite. We will be going back again and again for the breakfast burritos! Regarding cleanliness, I've seen other reviews comment on a lack of cleanliness. I was there right when they opened, so all the tables were clean. Since I had to wait for my order I looked around and noticed lots of dust. On the soda machine, on the light fixtures, pretty much all the higher up surfaces.
(3)Eileen E.
We've liked this place for a long time but we were disappointed last time. The customer service was bad and the food was not up to what we had come to expect from them. They changed the enchilada sauce.
(2)Jason S.
Walked in and the kid that was working the counter had a scowl on his face. Was rude. For some reason the prices are higher than they are on the online menu. The Chicharrón was more like grease and cracklings. NOT GOOD! The chili relleno was the worst I have ever had it was a thin slice of green chili wrapped in a egg roll wrapper over cooked. If there was any cheese in it I didn't get to it cause I threw it away. chili is OK not special like it is at Santiago's. They do have good tamales there though. All in all got some crappy food for $10. Won't go back. I wish there was a Santiago's closer to home.
(2)Ellen R.
What a find! Delicious authentic Mexican food! My new favorite place!
(5)Martin S.
Food is cheap and quality is okay. Service sucks. Got home with the wrong food. Drove back to get it corrected. The teenager that was running the register offered a weak apology for the mistake. I asked for the manager and was told no manager in restaurant. Not surprised.
(1)Cynthia S.
I ordered a breakfast burrito with no egg. I think it would have been better with more chorizo & less potato.
(2)L B.
This place is great! I live right next to Tamale Kitchen and head in there when I'm feeling something fast and semi healthy. I get the egg and potato breakfast burrito with salsa and it is absolutely amazing! The people there are super nice and the prices are super cheap for what you get. If you're looking for something tasty, quick and cheap you've got a gold mine here! :)
(4)Sean H.
Can't right a terrible review since I did not order anything. Though, the reason I am is because they have the same name as another chain that offers half off tamale Tuesday's. Sadly this place does not. Very annoying. They should change there name, just sayin
(3)Karli F.
This update is being written for some guy who wrote me a lovely email announcing that cigarette smoking has been outlawed and I should update my review. Just for him, I'd like to point out that in my review I said I was overwhelmed with the smell and I thought I should complain. So why exactly should I change my review? I'm stating the fact that I smelled smoke (not sure from what, but it smelled like cigarettes--READ: "second guessed myself")---and I was going to complain because I KNEW that smoking wasn't allowed. THAT is exactly why it bothered me. So there's my update buddy. Maybe you should take some reading comprehension lessons.
(3)Brian W.
Wow, great Flavor. I selected the Combo #1 as it had variety - it sure did. The chile Relleno was very fresh Green Chile flavor, not over battered and just the right amount of cheese. The Beans and Rice were ok, expected for authentic - I like. The Tamale was small as others pointed out but good as anticapated. The Cheese Enchilada was nice and hot red sauce - not too cheesy greasy - all 3 added to a wonderful flavor combination. Ok, you ask - why not 5 stars??? Cause I need chips and salsa with my mexican food - strange, perhaps, but its what I like. Add a salsa bar and fresh chips and this place could become my favorite. Its not date night material, just good food. Decent price. I will be back. The service was friendly enough, its a fast food type atmosphere and I am glad to see a place without attitude teenagers preping my food.
(4)Jennifer B.
Great chili rellenos, awesome green chile. My daughter loves the breakfast burrito special. Definitely recommend for Mexican fast food.
(4)Jon R.
My logic is if you go to a place more than 3 times to get food and then is well worth it (specially when there's plenty of Mexican restaurants nearby). The food is great and the prices are magnificent. The smothered beef burrito is tasty and spicy. It's unfortunate that this place closes early if not it would've been a great drunk food spot.
(4)H F.
They get zero stars. We never received our order. We ordered 30 breakfast burritos and when we arrived at 9:00 no one was there, waited until 9:30 and they never opened. We placed the order two days early and when we called three different times to explain that was the main course of our end of the year breakfast party, they did not care. Tried again Fathers day and again they did not open when scheduled. Save the trip and go somewhere else.
(1)Louis C.
Just tried their pork tamales for lunch...some of the best I have ever had, and I have had alot The masa was moist, not at all dry. Can't beat the price of 1/2 dozen for only $6. I'll be back to try some of the other items on the menu!
(4)Mike M.
The food was great, as is typical for tamale kitchen. Good portions and just the right amount of kick to it. The service wasn't so friendly, not typical for tamale kitchen. The tv was turned up really loud, I felt like I was at a sports bar. Limited seating. Next time I'll opt for to-go.
(4)Steve K.
Great tacos, tamales and plates. For mexican fast food this is one of the best spots in Highlands Ranch. Everything tastes fresh! Great food always served with great service.
(4)John V.
This is what it is. I am talking about really good and fast Mexican food at a very reasonable prices. This is a favorite of mine. The tacos al carbon comes with 3 loaded steal tortillas with rice, beans, spicy pico and guac all for about $9. It is a winner if you are really hungry for some good mexican. Be sure to stop by.
(4)Kirsten L.
Good breakfast burritos, which is the only thing I've tried here. Quality and taste are consistent, and the green chile has a nice amount of kick to it. Service is always fast and friendly.
(4)Allison R.
smothered burritos are the best!! i am a fan of tamale kitchen. i moved from california a couple months ago, and i desperately miss the taquerias there, but this is close, and it is delicious. the only thing they are missing is black olives - i love olives in my burritos. but overall, the sauce is spicy (i'm a lightweight, so if you like spicy don't listen to me), the food tastes delicious, the price is right. yum yum!
(4)Dan N.
Overall I like the food here and the value & speed of service tend to be pretty good. The green chile is great and I've had no problems communicating special requests (within reason!). This is one place where the "consistency meter" tends to sway me from granting that 4th star, however. Having sampled various menu items in a few of their locations over the course of the last year, I've noticed two main issues: 1) The tamales are "decent" but sometimes too small and lacking the appropriate amount of filling. I showed it to one of the attendants once and he happily replaced it with another fresh tamale. To my disappointment, that one turned out to be just as small as the first one. 2) Although service is always fast, some of the employees could use some polishing up on basic customer service skills. Simple things like saying "Thank You" and offering to answer questions can go a long way. Those two issues aside, I'll still be back time and time again to enjoy those enchiladas & green chile! I can always go elsewhere for tamales.
(3)Louis C.
Just tried their pork tamales for lunch...some of the best I have ever had, and I have had alot The masa was moist, not at all dry. Can't beat the price of 1/2 dozen for only $6. I'll be back to try some of the other items on the menu!
(4)Renee K.
I'll go 3.5. I'm really picky about my Mexican food and I do keep returning to Tamale Kitchen. It's a solid little neighborhood place without feeling like a chain (rare in these parts!) I'll admit that the main reason I'm a repeat customer is my son's love of the burritos, but it's cheap enough that he and I can get out of there for under $10.
(3)H F.
They get zero stars. We never received our order. We ordered 30 breakfast burritos and when we arrived at 9:00 no one was there, waited until 9:30 and they never opened. We placed the order two days early and when we called three different times to explain that was the main course of our end of the year breakfast party, they did not care. Tried again Fathers day and again they did not open when scheduled. Save the trip and go somewhere else.
(1)Steve K.
Great tacos, tamales and plates. For mexican fast food this is one of the best spots in Highlands Ranch. Everything tastes fresh! Great food always served with great service.
(4)Kirsten L.
Good breakfast burritos, which is the only thing I've tried here. Quality and taste are consistent, and the green chile has a nice amount of kick to it. Service is always fast and friendly.
(4)John V.
This is what it is. I am talking about really good and fast Mexican food at a very reasonable prices. This is a favorite of mine. The tacos al carbon comes with 3 loaded steal tortillas with rice, beans, spicy pico and guac all for about $9. It is a winner if you are really hungry for some good mexican. Be sure to stop by.
(4)Allison R.
smothered burritos are the best!! i am a fan of tamale kitchen. i moved from california a couple months ago, and i desperately miss the taquerias there, but this is close, and it is delicious. the only thing they are missing is black olives - i love olives in my burritos. but overall, the sauce is spicy (i'm a lightweight, so if you like spicy don't listen to me), the food tastes delicious, the price is right. yum yum!
(4)Dan N.
Overall I like the food here and the value & speed of service tend to be pretty good. The green chile is great and I've had no problems communicating special requests (within reason!). This is one place where the "consistency meter" tends to sway me from granting that 4th star, however. Having sampled various menu items in a few of their locations over the course of the last year, I've noticed two main issues: 1) The tamales are "decent" but sometimes too small and lacking the appropriate amount of filling. I showed it to one of the attendants once and he happily replaced it with another fresh tamale. To my disappointment, that one turned out to be just as small as the first one. 2) Although service is always fast, some of the employees could use some polishing up on basic customer service skills. Simple things like saying "Thank You" and offering to answer questions can go a long way. Those two issues aside, I'll still be back time and time again to enjoy those enchiladas & green chile! I can always go elsewhere for tamales.
(3)