Tamaleria Lupitas Tamale Shop
8335 N Michigan Rd, Indianapolis, IN, 46268
Tamaleria Lupitas Tamale Shop Menu
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Address :
8335 N Michigan Rd
Indianapolis, IN, 46268 - Phone (317) 334-0311
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :9:30 am - 8:3
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No
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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Neal P.
Located in the same strip mall as Big Lots, just South of 86th street. Their tamales have a bit different construction than what I'm used to at the Tamale Place on Rockville Road, but were totally acceptable. They were smaller than TP's, but only $2. Two did not fill me up. Like Tamale Place, tamales apparently have to be made ahead of time, so when they're out of one variety, they're out. (IE., they take too long for made-to-order.) Even better, I liked the chicken quesadilla. It was not constructed like I'm accustomed to, but was pretty good. I was thinking it was going to be a tortilla folded over and grilled, with chicken and cheese on the inside. Instead, it was open-faced, and lacked the melted cheese. I'd say it was closer to a tostada. The staff is very friendly and eager, willing to customize any of the made-to-order items. Mamasita's English was passable for a restaurant; the daughters were fluent in English. In addition to the licuados/smoothies, and some other traditional drinks, North American soft-drinks come in 12 ounce cans for $1.00, and are self-serve out of a cooler. Order and pay at the counter, and they bring your food out to you. The food is served in a plastic basket with paper liner, and comes with plastic utensils. Cleanliness was better than average, both up front and in the men's room. Ambience is kind of fast-foodish, and casual. The menu is on a big sign above the counter, it doesn't give the prices for all the items, and the options were a bit confusing, even if you can read Spanish. Due to the ubiquitousness of decent Mexican restaurants, this place is not worth going too far out of your way for, but if you're in the general area, it's worthy of patronage. I'm often in Park 100, and don't much care for the El Rodeo at W 86th and Moller, so for me, this place is at least worth the drive over from there. If you like tamales, check out this song/scene from the 1950's TV show Zorro: youtube.com/watch?v=16_e…
(4)James T.
Food = 3 Price = 2 (expensive for what it is...) Experience = 2 (old subway sandwich shop... in bad strip mall) Tamale was okay... Taco was NOT.
(2)Jennifer S.
Great food, great price. The tamales are amazing & I usually go specifically for them, though I have had their tacos & quesadillas, which are also very good.
(4)Raj A.
Authentic, tasty tamales at a price that simply can't be beat. $2 a tamale; 2 will make a meal. My wife and I drove across town for this place and were not disappointed one bit. I'm so sorry to call you out young one, but when a customer asks to try both sauces on a order of six tamales an eye roll is not the appropriate response. I want to like your food and love spicy things (as many of Indian heritage do). You should push that stuff on everyone who says they like spicy. They are simply fantastic, both of them. That's my one star deduction; It's too much penalty for a teenager working the family business. We'll be back soon, have no problem if you want a bit more for an extra sauce, and at this level of value would tip handsomely for a smile.
(4)Ann L.
I had been wanting to come here for awhile because I had yet to find good, authentic tamales in Indianapolis, and I am happy to say Lupita's has them! The tamales they have that day are written on a sign next to the register. They are definitely making these fresh in-house. Yes, as others have mentioned, the menu is in Spanish, but if you took even one Spanish class in school, or just have eaten at a lot of Mexican restaurants, you will have no trouble reading the menu. If anyone is really stuck, staff do speak English and I'm sure they'd be happy to help translate. I had two tamales, one pork with red salsa and one chicken with green. Oh these were good! They are steamed to order so even though I took my food home to eat, they were still really hot when I sat down to eat. The masa was just the right thickness and the meat in both was tender and seasoned perfectly. I also had a steak taco since I absolutely love these when done right, and they do them right here. Really flavorful steak, fresh tortillas, onion, cilantro and lime. I had a side of the salsa verde, which was amanzing! It was fresh and wonderfully spicy! If you don't like spicy it might be best to stick to the red. I loved it though! All of this was $6. I'm not kidding. Don't miss this hidden gem in a strip mall, next to Big Lots, across from Lowes. With fabulous, fresh, authentic food that rivals what I've had in Chicago, and friendly service at what is clearly a family owned business, how can you go wrong?
(5)Aaron B.
This is my new favorite taco place. When they say spicy, they mean it. It was great ! I tried a tamale and 2 tacos. The tacos are cooked to order.
(4)Steven B.
The best tamales in Indianapolis bar none. Not that they only make the tamales on Tuesdays so best to get here before Friday or they could sell out of some of the different options. The tacos are also amazing here
(5)Erika C.
Went on a whim and a yelp review. Absolutely delicious !!!! Would 100% go back. Tried 3 different flavors and all were fantastic! Steaming hot and fresh.
(5)Sabrina S.
Best tamales in town. I am upping my rating.
(5)Scott W.
Wow, made a return trip on Memorial Day for lunch, had to weigh back in and up Tamaleria Lupitas to a 5. On my previous visit there were no tamales left at 8pm; that was clearly a good sign of what was to come. On this second visit, they were offering a $5 deal that came with two tacos and a tamale. See my original review for greater detail, but I had a pork tamale with mole sauce, a steak taco, and a pastor taco. The tamale was killer, and the tacos were better than I recalled. I can't wait to go back again.
(5)Brittany S.
Ack. Less-than-hot service can ruin even the tastiest of meals. I wouldn't consider this meal mindblowing (I ordered a chicken verde tamale and beans) but the service is what had me thinking I wouldn't be running back anytime soon. The lady at the register took up-selling very seriously - - it was as if she was pissed that my order was only a tamale and beans. I also didn't like that they only serve water by the bottle. Seems counterproductive to have a recycling option yet corner customers into only purchasing plastic bottles. As for the tamale, it was tasty but I'd probably opt for 3 in 1 Restaurant or The Tamale Place before returning.
(3)Brad W.
Quite possibly my favorite restaurant. Authentic Mexican street style food. The menu is in Spanish on the board behind the counter. I ordered a taco. The cook scooped out some fresh dough, pressed it in a cast iron hand tortilla press, and put it on the grill. Two of those plus some perfectly seasoned asada steak, onions and cilantro made for the perfect taco. Don't miss: asada taco, green pork tamale, chimichanga, tinga pollo quesadilla.
(5)Michael B.
Excellent tamales like grandma used to make. I wish the variety would change more but the red pork are always just what I need for a tamale fix. Great asada tacos too!
(4)Cory I.
Okay, so in regards to something cheap and delicious, this definitely gets five stars. It is in a discreet awkward location off of Michigan in a shopping plaza, the inside is not fancy at all but there is definitely something to be said about the quality and authenticity of this food. As soon as I walked in, there was a handmade sign on the counter that said "special of the day: two tacos one tamale $5". How can you possibly go wrong with that? There were four different options for tamales and you get to choose your own taco meat without any additional charge. The tacos were some of the best I have had, fresh cilantro, tender steak and incredible flavor. if you like tamales, you definitely have to get over here and try these! We need more restaurants like this!
(5)Peter J.
I love Mexican food and tamales are close to my heart/stomach. They know how to use the spice so be aware if heat is not your cup of tea.
(5)Kira T.
If you want authentic Mexican food, it doesn't get better than this! Unfortunately we went for dinner and they were OUT of tamales but that's a testament to the greatness of this place. I need to brush up on Spanish though. I took 7 yrs of French so I had no clue what most menu items were. I ended up getting steak, chicken, and chorizo tacos and they were sooooo delicious. Freshly made tortillas, perfectly ground and spiced meat along with cilantro and onion. For an extra treat try their house made salsas. I recommend the tomatillo. Can't wait to go back and try a tamale!
(5)Rob F.
First timer at Lupita's. Went in for lunch and the place was a ghost town. I wasn't even sure if they were open at first. It's a tamale shop, so I ordered 3 different tamales, to go, no sides, no drink. $6 plus change. Not bad, but I would have liked it a little cheaper considering the (absolute lack of) ambience. The tanales were very good. I will be here again, but that leaves me with a dilemma. Eat here, where the food is very good, or down the road 1/4 mile at Leonardo's where the Mexican food is excellent. Hmmmm.
(4)Jeremy B.
This is the best kept secret in town. Please tell all your friends and colleagues about this place so it thrives for all of us to enjoy for years!
(5)Luisanna R.
So we came out here due to a yelp email. It is exactly what I was hoping it would be. It's a small hole in the wall that serves nice cheap food. They don't have a fountain for drinks which some people find off putting but I really love because that's one less piece of equipment that someone fails to clean properly. I had to try the tamales since I am not a fan of any tamales here in Indianapolis. They were really nice. Stupid hot though you might want to order them and give them about 5 mins before trying to eat them otherwise you might burn off your face. That's not really so much a complaint because cold food is so much worse. I would have to say I loved the Maza of the tamales however I just wish there was a little more meat in them. They are super flavorful though and for that I am grateful and will return. Try ordering a dozen of them. They are very tasty and you will get a break on the price. The restaurant is actually located in a strip mall just south of the studio movie grill. I had a heck of a time dealing with my google maps. Happy hunting!!!!
(4)Dan Z.
Wow!!! Real Mexican food!!! Small restaurant, one flat top stove. Everything made fresh. Yes, in a strip mall, no great ambience, but I'm there for the food, not the other stuff!!! The tamales were great. The hot sauce runs hot, so beware. The cassadilla was different as it was a corn tortilla, more like s taco, but great also!!! I call this type of restaurant a hole in the wall, and that's a compliment!!! I love these places!!! Get over the stuff that's not relevant and enjoy the food!!!
(5)Andrew S.
This place is awesome. I go here twice a week with friends and coworkers. They have new specials every week. Tamales are delicious. So are the tacos and champurrado or whatever it's called, hot chocolate rice milk stuff. Great on a cold day. It can get a little busy around lunchtime, but we usually get in and out within 45 minutes.
(5)Scott F.
Steak tacos are wonderful, everything I have had there has been excellent and FRESHLY made
(5)Marc F.
I kinda don't want to tell you about this place, for fear that I will have trouble getting a table or they may run out of these menu items just before I visit again. But it's really worth a trip. Perfect for lunch! First time here... will not be my last! This is the kind of place that makes me love living in the Indy area. Small place, unassuming frontage, loyal clientele, and amazing food made by kind people! I had: Green pork tamale - well-seasoned and perfectly cooked shredded pork with a slightly spicy green salsa. Traditional corn husk wrapped masa was toothy without being dry, and was absolutely delicious! Chipotle beef tamale - tender shredded beef with a rich chipotle sauce that provided a large flavor and a nice building heat without blowing my head off. Again, the masa was perfect. Chorizo taco - double corn tortilla, lightly toasted; a very nice sausage that again wasn't overly spicy, but let me know it was there more and more with every bite. Lengua taco - If you don't know what this is, I won't tell you. I will day this: don't be scared. The best lengua I've had since I discovered it about a year ago. Simply built with onions and cilantro and a lime wedge. Perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious. The simple, yet incredible flavor profiles of all of these items provided the perfect canvas to embellish with the tangy and mild salsa verde that they provide worth the order. The red salsa was also awesome (and a bit spicier), but I have this thing for tomatillos.
(5)Morgan P.
We went in for dinner on Sunday, finished our meal and ordered again. The tamales - chicken with red salsa and pork with green salsa - were so good! We also enjoyed steak and chicken tacos. The food was freshly prepared and the taste was authentic. The atmosphere is certainly casual, but we hardly looked up from our plates, so who cares? I wish they served beer.
(5)Megan S.
This was very authentic Mexican food and fast lunch spot if you are working close to this restaurant. I went with a group for 7 people and they were able to get our order out to us within 10 minutes. They would also bring the food out as it was ready instead of waiting for everyone's order which was nice because then you're food wasn't cold. However there wasn't any tap water or soda on tap so you have to either bring your own or pay for a bottle of water. They however do have Mexican soda which was a nice addition to the meal. It is hard to look at the menu and know what is a serving size. For me and for many of the other members it ranges from 3 tacos or 2 tacos and a tamale. As far as what to get for my vegetarian friends, there are options for you. For tamales I would not recommend the bean and cheese but rather the bean and jalapenos. The cheese that is used in the tamales is normal yellow cheese and does not stayed melted for every long. It tends to get a little chewy towards the end of the meal. For tacos there are bean tacos called legume taco. The menu is in Spanish which is the worst thing possible for a vegan/vegetarian. The tacos have not cheese on them and are completely vegan. On the table there is a ketchup looking bottle which has red enchilada sauce another bottle with verde sauce. Overall it was a really good restaurant for this whole in the wall restaurant. I am not sure I would make it a meal for dinner but definitely a great lunch option. For a tamale, soda and 2 tacos it was $8.45 and I left completely satisfied.
(4)Jess B.
I was so excited to try this place since the reviews were stellar and said there were vegetarian options. Sadly, the masa for the bean and cheese tamales was made with lard. Fortunately, they were honest about this. Supposedly, the masa for the quesadillas does not contain lard; so we went ahead and ordered those. However, I'm not 100% on that either. Let's pretend the quesadillas were safe for this review. They were good. I had the papas con queso and my husband had chicken. No complaints. Bottom Line: If you're vegetarian or don't eat pork, plan to eat elsewhere.
(2)Kelly H.
Thanks to fellow Yelpers, another gem in the area has brought me happiness that I would not have otherwise discovered. Trust me, the food found in the inside more than makes up for the lackluster exterior. I've had a handful of various tacos, tamales, and tortas, and I've never left disappointed. Every bite contains amazing, bold flavors that I love most about Mexican cuisine. Authentic, homemade food that is quick and reasonably priced. Can't ask for anything better!
(5)Sonya A.
I am a tamal* connoisseur. My family adores tamales. I am a student of the art of tamales. There will never be a tamal that will ever be better than my grandmother's or my mother's but hot damn! Lupita's got it going on. These tamales are sensational. It is super rare to get such a moist tamal without them being super greasy, but Lupita knows what she's doing. Now traditionally tamales are not this fat. But when you are running a business I understand you have to make them pudgy to satisfy the customer. What I love about these tamales is that, unlike the other tamal place, these may be pudgier but it's not all just masa (corn dough). The filling is still proportional to the masa. So take it from this tamalera, these tamales are the best in town (that you will get from a restaurant). (Ha! Had to throw that in there.) Tamales: 5/5 - The green salsa ones are super spicy, grasshopper! Other Food: ?/5 - I''ll be back to try the rest of the menu. Service: 5/5 - Yes they speak English here! Location: 3/5 - Nothing special. A re-purposed Penn Station. *There is no "e" at the end of a singular tamal. One tamal, two tamales. #themoreyouknow :D
(4)Erika P.
Fairly decent tamales. Authenic Mexican recipe. I preferred the red chicken, but the rest of my family preferred the green. A few were dry, so it's hit or miss.
(4)Emily Elizabeth K.
Great price for great tamales. They had three vegetarian options, bean and cheese, jalapeño and cheese and strawberry. All were delicious. I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5, because my husband and I looked up all of the desserts on the menu before choosing one, only to find that they had no dessert at all. If the menu is not consistent, maybe think about getting a chalk board.
(4)Kim C.
Lupita's tamale shop is well-priced and offers plenty of selection. Hubby and I both got the special - 1 sopa, 1 tamale, and 1 taco for $6 at lunch. The chorizo and potato sopa was a little light on meat, but I certainly didn't need more. The asada taco and beans and cheese tamale were right on, cooked to perfection and melt in your mouth. Hubby's chicken versions were good too, but I would recommend the steak taco any day.
(5)Krista R.
Gone back for more tamales and tacos. At 2 bucks each this place really feels like a deal. This time around I enjoyed the Pollo Mole tamale -- not overly sweet like many Mexican places, but big on flavor. Will go back...to try the tortas and quesadillas!!!
(4)Nason F.
Best lunch spot ever. The ladies are awesome and the food is equally as good! Highly recommended. Brush up on your Spanish before reading the menu!
(5)Jennifer G.
Priced right and DELICIOUS authentic Mexican food!!! I've been hearing a lot about this little gem just a few blocks from work so we had to try. Our first visit falls on 4th of July weekend so there isn't much traffic going into this hidden strip mall off the road. I was not disappointed in the least. I ordered three items: the green pork tamale, an asada cantina taco, and a *chorizo* papa sope. My husband had the asada cantina-style taco and *chorizo* papa quesadilla. We also ordered a medium sized queso blanco for our items. A young man took our order, while a young woman cooked and served our food. The food was cooked to order and items were brought out as they were prepared. Two bottles were presented with the tamale, one a smokey red sauce and the other was a hot and spicy green sauce. Both were good. The masa was moist and piping hot. The pork full of flavor. Next came the tacos. We tried to use the queso, but it was a bit runny. The sope and quesadilla arrived next. The quesadilla more resembled a hard shell foot long taco. Not what we expected, but it looked wonderful. At this point I had the tamale and taco and was full, so I took the sope home. My husband noted that the chorizo was missing from his quesadilla. We didn't inquire any further because we were pressed for time. The sope was also missing the chorizo. In all fairness, we probably misunderstood the young man as it may have been a choice between chorizo and papas or she missed it on the ticket. Not sure. It wasn't such a bad thing. The dinner was great either way. With the Tamale Place just in our backyard, comparatively there were several choices of tamales and available seating. The Tamale place doesn't have a lot of local competition. With Tamaleria Lupitas they have several dining choices competing and are off the main road a bit in a tiny strip mall. The place was clean. I enjoyed a stress free meal and I got exactly what I wanted. If I could make a suggestion for the restaurant, it would be to produce a photo menu or provide English descriptions. Since neither of us could speak or read Spanish, it didn't seem right to use the cashier's time asking what each menu item was, especially had the place been busy. I took photos of the menu board just so I could go back home and see what else they offered. We will be back for sure!
(5)Ryan T.
Ooooooh Lupitas. This place could probably make an old leather shoe taste good! I've had the tacos- A+ and the tamales- A++++ SUPER AUTHENTIC, very nice staff and INCREDIBLE food. Oh yea and tamales and tacos are $2 each and they aren't tiny. This place is in an unassuming strip mall and there are absolutely no bells and whistles in this place. Just good.....DAMN good food! The fact that this place is only a 5 min drive from my office could get me in trouble! I tried it 3 weeks ago and have already gone back 4 times. I'm hooked.
(5)Katrina D.
I went back today and had a much better experience. I loved my quesadilla this time (chorizo and potato) and I had two bean and cheese tamales too. Note: the quesadilla wasn't how Americans think of a quesadillas. It was more like a taco. The service was faster and the food arrived all together for the most part. Skip getting a side of anything. The beans last time were not worth $2.50. I will definitely be coming back. Today has made me a tamale addict.
(4)Kathy T.
Absolutely delicious!!! First time here; won't be my last. Authentic Mexican food. So good!!!
(5)Mary B.
My mom had previously read about this restaurant in the Indy Star and we were dying to try their authentic, Mexican tamales. Upon walking into the Tamaleria Lupitas Tamale Shop, we were met with the delicious and savory smells of the tamales. The lady at the counter was very friendly and helpful as we navigated the menu to decide what to order. Although I am fairly proficient in Spanish, it was convenient that they also offered a menu in English. My mom and I sampled three different variations of tamales. The first was a bean and cheese tamale, the second a spinach and cheese tamale, and the third was a chicken tamale with red sauce. All three tasted delectable and authentic. We finished our meal by splitting a sweeter tamale with pineapple. The pineapple tamale included brown sugar and coconut (or at least we thought it tasted like it did..) Probably the most unique tamale that I have ever tasted and I was not disappointed with my decision to try it. Overall, the Tamaleria Lupitas Tamale Shop is a very friendly, casual place to grab authentic tamales in Indianapolis. I definitely look forward to returning and hopefully this time they will not be sold out of choco flan!
(4)Josh R.
Fresh made mexican food. It's very inexpensive and they have a good selection to choose from. I enjoyed my meal here thoroughly. Tasty tamales and a delicious torta. I highly recommend them for a quick, cheap mexican meal that will blow away any chain mexican restaurant.
(5)Yolanda M.
Food was great! I will definitely be back! I tried the Pineapple Tamale and it was a nice little sweet treat
(4)Mary P.
This place was recommended to us by my boyfriend's boss. His wife is from El Salvador and both of them insisted that this place had the best tacos around. Darn right they do! We ate here a week ago and I'm still thinking about the steak taco. There was nothing fancy about it--it doesn't even come with cheese, lettuce, or the other accoutrements that people in the U.S.have come to associate with tacos. No, this was a freshly made corn tortilla topped with grilled-to-order steak, onions and cilantro. That is all. I will be stopping by again this week for some of their tamales and, of course, another steak taco.
(5)Jill G.
Truly authentic Mexican food and my partner said "best tamales ever!" I had chicken tacos with onions and cilantro. Very tasty and not greasy and smothered in cheese like other places. Everything was freshly made. Very reasonably priced and totally worth the visit.
(5)T'ai R.
clean friendly authentic delicious and affordable. i'll be back. i'm vegetarian and they were happy to give me options. i had salad, tamales, beans and rice. it all tastes homemade with love. i highly recommend.
(5)J T.
Last week I did a NMW. That's code for No Meat Week. So I tried the bean and cheese and jalapeno and cheese tamale's. They were fantastic. Its got all the stoves and pots and pans just behind the counter. Its not fancy. I like that. A lot.
(5)Beth S.
Great steak tacos and very friends staff. Plus great prices :) $2 tacos that have real steak can't beat that
(5)Jim R.
Love it!!!! Great food... Drive past all other Mexican joints on this road and eat here!!!! Tamales are perfect!!!
(5)Ryan H.
The tacos, tamales, and sopas are great! Don't be in a huge hurry unless you get the tamales, they prepare your meal fresh. The sauces are homemade and delicious.
(4)James G.
Little place in a strip mall with amazing food! Tamales were large with flavorful tender meat and definitely get a steak taco! Willing to drive out of my way to return!
(5)Mark G.
Home made tortillas are so good! Also the tamales are superb. Been there twice will go back for thirds.
(5)Amos H.
Looks like a hole in the wall. And, looks are deceiving. Absolutely incredible food. Service with a smile. A lunchtime favorite for me and several of my co-workers who work nearby.
(5)Marty G.
You are going to hate yourself for each and every time you've ever wasted money at any other Mexican restaurant. Lupita's is the TRUTH. Authentic Mexican food at it's finest.
(5)Tony J.
I actually live and work not very far from this place. Didn't know about it until I read an Indystar article just a few days ago about this place serving good tamale. I was curious so that very same evening, I stopped by and got me 2 tamales (chicken and pork) and 2 tacos (chorizo and chicken) for dinner. Well the tamales were decent, especially with the red or green (really spicy) sauce. For $2 a pop, its not bad at all. I could be convinced to go back to this place for their tamales. The tacos, not so much. I did manage to eat half of the chicken taco, but the chorizo, I couldn't even finish a bite.
(2)Wade D.
My wife and I love this place. We have never had anything here that wasn't fantastic. My favorites are the burritos and the tacos. My wife likes the tamales and tortas. Liliana is a great hostess and her staff is fantastic. If you are looking for a locally owned business and a great meal this is it.
(5)Linda M.
I ordered 2 chicken tamales (see coupons4indy.com ) -- one with green sauce and one with red sauce. I did not notice the difference in their taste. Their tamales were big in size. I would have liked to try the pineapple tamale but they were out of them as it was close to their closing hour.
(4)Scott B.
I had two chicken tamales and a steak taco. The taco was good, but way over cooked, I'd get it again but ask to not cook it so long. I didn't care for the tamales at all, very dense, dry and not very flavorful, That Tamale Place is soooo much better. Wish they served it with chips and salsa. Staff was very friendly, prices are very cheap. I'll give them another shot.
(3)rod m.
"She can translate menu for you, sir... thanks for coming in...." No translation works for Authentic, Good, Fast and moderately cheap... $2/tamale and in/out in about 4minutes.... great lunch option. There are about 8 different variety's, which I got 4 types. They come in Corn husk and a carryout bag.... last time I had a tamale this good, was a little girl who ran home to see if she could sell me tamale's her mom made. The corn meal was good, and firm, the filling was varied, I got Pollo Puerco with Green Salsa in the corn meal, Moje' Carne' and an something that started with O, which was my favorite... it came wrapped in something resembling a bananna leaf. Muey bueno... This shop is in the Gold Gym shopping plaza... Cheers
(5)Nathan F.
I had asada and carnitas tacos. I will come back.
(4)Scot P.
Try the mole chicken tamales...
(4)Bob J.
Absolutely hands down no questions asked the best Mexican I've ever had. This isn't your typical Americanized Mexican restaurant, where their ingredients come out of a can. Everything is fresh and...I just lost my train of thought thinking about it. Its just that good.
(5)Deirdre G.
Tortas as big as your head, man! Polarizing comedian Ralphie May once said in one of his routines, "To those of you that took French in high school, I hope you get stabbed at a taco stand." All right, so I majored in French, and the first thing I noticed when I walked in was that the entire overhead menu was in Spanish. Oops. Luckily, there was an abridged version of the menu up by the cash register for los gringos. They were having a special-- one tamale and one torta for $7. How could I pass that up? I went for a chicken tamale, chorizo torta, and a mandarin Jarritos pop. Oh my gah you guys. So good. Come. Come numerous.
(4)Steve R.
Best tamales. As good as my mom's. She is in heaven so this is the next best thing.
(5)Rob W.
Fantastic. Had the green pork tamales. The best I've ever had, and that includes the food trucks in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Also had a steak quesadilla. This isn't like a quesadilla you get at a chain place. The tortilla was made fresh as soon as I ordered, and the overall taste was amazing. Just come in, order something, spend very little money and be amazed.
(5)Kevin Y.
I grew up in El Paso, along the border, and Lupitas is the real deal. I've been missing authentic Mexican home cooking like this, so I'm glad I finally dropped by this place. The tacos are simple but good, and the tamales are great too. I still need to try the tortas, but they look good. This is not the kind of place that you go for frozen margaritas and fajitas, but if you want home cooking, this hits the spot.
(4)Casey R.
I love this place!!! Just found it a couple of weeks ago. Good food and cheap although the food is so good I buy to much and make it expensive. The tacos are delicious and the tamales are right up there with some of the best I have had. The best part though is the homemade green and red salsa in squeeze bottles they bring to the table. It's close to my work so I will be going back and back and back!
(5)Craig P.
Top favorite restaurant in Indy, without a doubt. Spectacular tacos and tamales, as well as overall service and customer experience! Highly recommended!
(5)David B.
Nothing short of a full five stars will do. I used to live in California, so I know authentic Mexican food when I see it. That was the best tamale and taco I have had outside of California or Mexico. It was on par with my favorite place in Sacramento. With the music, the sounds and smells of an open kitchen, and the menu board that was printed completely in only Spanish. I felt like I was sitting outside in the sun in a small taco stand in Mexico. It may be in the negatives outside, but I left feeling very warm inside. My only regret is that I don't live closer. I will miss you lupita's.
(5)David M.
Stopped in for lunch and got a Torta Milanesa. It was a good sandwich, but not standout. The bread was fresh and soft, the avocados ripe, but on the whole it lacked some spark. No tap water available, so you have to buy bottled water or a bottle of soda if you want anything to drink with your meal. Ambiance and decor were a little dark and cold.
(3)Monica S.
Best Mexican food ever! I can't say enough good things about Lupita's! It's a clean establishment with a kind and efficient staff. Their tamales are delicious and completely satisfying. The food at Lupita's doesn't leave you with an overstuffed feeling. Getting their food to-go is speedy, too, when you call ahead. The place is a dive, but I'm ok to unleash my inner Anthony Bourdain, anytime. If you love authentic Mexican eats, skip El Rodeo or La Hacienda and go to Lupita's. Did I mention it's cheap?
(5)Jeremy L.
I love this place. I always get tamales or tacos and am always pleased. I love their hot sauces. I have seen them roasting the ingredients on the grill to make them fresh. I get a craving for this place at least once a week.
(5)David M.
Stopped in for lunch and got a Torta Milanesa. It was a good sandwich, but not standout. The bread was fresh and soft, the avocados ripe, but on the whole it lacked some spark. No tap water available, so you have to buy bottled water or a bottle of soda if you want anything to drink with your meal. Ambiance and decor were a little dark and cold.
(3)Deirdre G.
Tortas as big as your head, man! Polarizing comedian Ralphie May once said in one of his routines, "To those of you that took French in high school, I hope you get stabbed at a taco stand." All right, so I majored in French, and the first thing I noticed when I walked in was that the entire overhead menu was in Spanish. Oops. Luckily, there was an abridged version of the menu up by the cash register for los gringos. They were having a special-- one tamale and one torta for $7. How could I pass that up? I went for a chicken tamale, chorizo torta, and a mandarin Jarritos pop. Oh my gah you guys. So good. Come. Come numerous.
(4)Luisanna R.
So we came out here due to a yelp email. It is exactly what I was hoping it would be. It's a small hole in the wall that serves nice cheap food. They don't have a fountain for drinks which some people find off putting but I really love because that's one less piece of equipment that someone fails to clean properly. I had to try the tamales since I am not a fan of any tamales here in Indianapolis. They were really nice. Stupid hot though you might want to order them and give them about 5 mins before trying to eat them otherwise you might burn off your face. That's not really so much a complaint because cold food is so much worse. I would have to say I loved the Maza of the tamales however I just wish there was a little more meat in them. They are super flavorful though and for that I am grateful and will return. Try ordering a dozen of them. They are very tasty and you will get a break on the price. The restaurant is actually located in a strip mall just south of the studio movie grill. I had a heck of a time dealing with my google maps. Happy hunting!!!!
(4)Dan Z.
Wow!!! Real Mexican food!!! Small restaurant, one flat top stove. Everything made fresh. Yes, in a strip mall, no great ambience, but I'm there for the food, not the other stuff!!! The tamales were great. The hot sauce runs hot, so beware. The cassadilla was different as it was a corn tortilla, more like s taco, but great also!!! I call this type of restaurant a hole in the wall, and that's a compliment!!! I love these places!!! Get over the stuff that's not relevant and enjoy the food!!!
(5)Marc F.
I kinda don't want to tell you about this place, for fear that I will have trouble getting a table or they may run out of these menu items just before I visit again. But it's really worth a trip. Perfect for lunch! First time here... will not be my last! This is the kind of place that makes me love living in the Indy area. Small place, unassuming frontage, loyal clientele, and amazing food made by kind people! I had: Green pork tamale - well-seasoned and perfectly cooked shredded pork with a slightly spicy green salsa. Traditional corn husk wrapped masa was toothy without being dry, and was absolutely delicious! Chipotle beef tamale - tender shredded beef with a rich chipotle sauce that provided a large flavor and a nice building heat without blowing my head off. Again, the masa was perfect. Chorizo taco - double corn tortilla, lightly toasted; a very nice sausage that again wasn't overly spicy, but let me know it was there more and more with every bite. Lengua taco - If you don't know what this is, I won't tell you. I will day this: don't be scared. The best lengua I've had since I discovered it about a year ago. Simply built with onions and cilantro and a lime wedge. Perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious. The simple, yet incredible flavor profiles of all of these items provided the perfect canvas to embellish with the tangy and mild salsa verde that they provide worth the order. The red salsa was also awesome (and a bit spicier), but I have this thing for tomatillos.
(5)Scott W.
Wow, made a return trip on Memorial Day for lunch, had to weigh back in and up Tamaleria Lupitas to a 5. On my previous visit there were no tamales left at 8pm; that was clearly a good sign of what was to come. On this second visit, they were offering a $5 deal that came with two tacos and a tamale. See my original review for greater detail, but I had a pork tamale with mole sauce, a steak taco, and a pastor taco. The tamale was killer, and the tacos were better than I recalled. I can't wait to go back again.
(5)Brittany S.
Ack. Less-than-hot service can ruin even the tastiest of meals. I wouldn't consider this meal mindblowing (I ordered a chicken verde tamale and beans) but the service is what had me thinking I wouldn't be running back anytime soon. The lady at the register took up-selling very seriously - - it was as if she was pissed that my order was only a tamale and beans. I also didn't like that they only serve water by the bottle. Seems counterproductive to have a recycling option yet corner customers into only purchasing plastic bottles. As for the tamale, it was tasty but I'd probably opt for 3 in 1 Restaurant or The Tamale Place before returning.
(3)Raj A.
Authentic, tasty tamales at a price that simply can't be beat. $2 a tamale; 2 will make a meal. My wife and I drove across town for this place and were not disappointed one bit. I'm so sorry to call you out young one, but when a customer asks to try both sauces on a order of six tamales an eye roll is not the appropriate response. I want to like your food and love spicy things (as many of Indian heritage do). You should push that stuff on everyone who says they like spicy. They are simply fantastic, both of them. That's my one star deduction; It's too much penalty for a teenager working the family business. We'll be back soon, have no problem if you want a bit more for an extra sauce, and at this level of value would tip handsomely for a smile.
(4)Peter P.
Great little tamale place on the Northwest side. Order at the counter and wait for the magic to happen. Also, they have more than just tamales (tacos, tortas, enchiladas). But why would you stray from the humble tamale? The word "tamale" is in the name, for Pete's sake! By the way, there is no such thing as a "tamale". It's a "tamal" if you order 1 and "tamales" if your order more than 1.
(4)Ann L.
I had been wanting to come here for awhile because I had yet to find good, authentic tamales in Indianapolis, and I am happy to say Lupita's has them! The tamales they have that day are written on a sign next to the register. They are definitely making these fresh in-house. Yes, as others have mentioned, the menu is in Spanish, but if you took even one Spanish class in school, or just have eaten at a lot of Mexican restaurants, you will have no trouble reading the menu. If anyone is really stuck, staff do speak English and I'm sure they'd be happy to help translate. I had two tamales, one pork with red salsa and one chicken with green. Oh these were good! They are steamed to order so even though I took my food home to eat, they were still really hot when I sat down to eat. The masa was just the right thickness and the meat in both was tender and seasoned perfectly. I also had a steak taco since I absolutely love these when done right, and they do them right here. Really flavorful steak, fresh tortillas, onion, cilantro and lime. I had a side of the salsa verde, which was amanzing! It was fresh and wonderfully spicy! If you don't like spicy it might be best to stick to the red. I loved it though! All of this was $6. I'm not kidding. Don't miss this hidden gem in a strip mall, next to Big Lots, across from Lowes. With fabulous, fresh, authentic food that rivals what I've had in Chicago, and friendly service at what is clearly a family owned business, how can you go wrong?
(5)Aaron B.
This is my new favorite taco place. When they say spicy, they mean it. It was great ! I tried a tamale and 2 tacos. The tacos are cooked to order.
(4)Steven B.
The best tamales in Indianapolis bar none. Not that they only make the tamales on Tuesdays so best to get here before Friday or they could sell out of some of the different options. The tacos are also amazing here
(5)Erika C.
Went on a whim and a yelp review. Absolutely delicious !!!! Would 100% go back. Tried 3 different flavors and all were fantastic! Steaming hot and fresh.
(5)Sabrina S.
Best tamales in town. I am upping my rating.
(5)Brad W.
Quite possibly my favorite restaurant. Authentic Mexican street style food. The menu is in Spanish on the board behind the counter. I ordered a taco. The cook scooped out some fresh dough, pressed it in a cast iron hand tortilla press, and put it on the grill. Two of those plus some perfectly seasoned asada steak, onions and cilantro made for the perfect taco. Don't miss: asada taco, green pork tamale, chimichanga, tinga pollo quesadilla.
(5)Michael B.
Excellent tamales like grandma used to make. I wish the variety would change more but the red pork are always just what I need for a tamale fix. Great asada tacos too!
(4)Cory I.
Okay, so in regards to something cheap and delicious, this definitely gets five stars. It is in a discreet awkward location off of Michigan in a shopping plaza, the inside is not fancy at all but there is definitely something to be said about the quality and authenticity of this food. As soon as I walked in, there was a handmade sign on the counter that said "special of the day: two tacos one tamale $5". How can you possibly go wrong with that? There were four different options for tamales and you get to choose your own taco meat without any additional charge. The tacos were some of the best I have had, fresh cilantro, tender steak and incredible flavor. if you like tamales, you definitely have to get over here and try these! We need more restaurants like this!
(5)Peter J.
I love Mexican food and tamales are close to my heart/stomach. They know how to use the spice so be aware if heat is not your cup of tea.
(5)Kira T.
If you want authentic Mexican food, it doesn't get better than this! Unfortunately we went for dinner and they were OUT of tamales but that's a testament to the greatness of this place. I need to brush up on Spanish though. I took 7 yrs of French so I had no clue what most menu items were. I ended up getting steak, chicken, and chorizo tacos and they were sooooo delicious. Freshly made tortillas, perfectly ground and spiced meat along with cilantro and onion. For an extra treat try their house made salsas. I recommend the tomatillo. Can't wait to go back and try a tamale!
(5)Rob F.
First timer at Lupita's. Went in for lunch and the place was a ghost town. I wasn't even sure if they were open at first. It's a tamale shop, so I ordered 3 different tamales, to go, no sides, no drink. $6 plus change. Not bad, but I would have liked it a little cheaper considering the (absolute lack of) ambience. The tanales were very good. I will be here again, but that leaves me with a dilemma. Eat here, where the food is very good, or down the road 1/4 mile at Leonardo's where the Mexican food is excellent. Hmmmm.
(4)Jeremy B.
This is the best kept secret in town. Please tell all your friends and colleagues about this place so it thrives for all of us to enjoy for years!
(5)Peter P.
Great little tamale place on the Northwest side. Order at the counter and wait for the magic to happen. Also, they have more than just tamales (tacos, tortas, enchiladas). But why would you stray from the humble tamale? The word "tamale" is in the name, for Pete's sake! By the way, there is no such thing as a "tamale". It's a "tamal" if you order 1 and "tamales" if your order more than 1.
(4)Morgan P.
We went in for dinner on Sunday, finished our meal and ordered again. The tamales - chicken with red salsa and pork with green salsa - were so good! We also enjoyed steak and chicken tacos. The food was freshly prepared and the taste was authentic. The atmosphere is certainly casual, but we hardly looked up from our plates, so who cares? I wish they served beer.
(5)Megan S.
This was very authentic Mexican food and fast lunch spot if you are working close to this restaurant. I went with a group for 7 people and they were able to get our order out to us within 10 minutes. They would also bring the food out as it was ready instead of waiting for everyone's order which was nice because then you're food wasn't cold. However there wasn't any tap water or soda on tap so you have to either bring your own or pay for a bottle of water. They however do have Mexican soda which was a nice addition to the meal. It is hard to look at the menu and know what is a serving size. For me and for many of the other members it ranges from 3 tacos or 2 tacos and a tamale. As far as what to get for my vegetarian friends, there are options for you. For tamales I would not recommend the bean and cheese but rather the bean and jalapenos. The cheese that is used in the tamales is normal yellow cheese and does not stayed melted for every long. It tends to get a little chewy towards the end of the meal. For tacos there are bean tacos called legume taco. The menu is in Spanish which is the worst thing possible for a vegan/vegetarian. The tacos have not cheese on them and are completely vegan. On the table there is a ketchup looking bottle which has red enchilada sauce another bottle with verde sauce. Overall it was a really good restaurant for this whole in the wall restaurant. I am not sure I would make it a meal for dinner but definitely a great lunch option. For a tamale, soda and 2 tacos it was $8.45 and I left completely satisfied.
(4)Andrew S.
This place is awesome. I go here twice a week with friends and coworkers. They have new specials every week. Tamales are delicious. So are the tacos and champurrado or whatever it's called, hot chocolate rice milk stuff. Great on a cold day. It can get a little busy around lunchtime, but we usually get in and out within 45 minutes.
(5)Scott F.
Steak tacos are wonderful, everything I have had there has been excellent and FRESHLY made
(5)Jess B.
I was so excited to try this place since the reviews were stellar and said there were vegetarian options. Sadly, the masa for the bean and cheese tamales was made with lard. Fortunately, they were honest about this. Supposedly, the masa for the quesadillas does not contain lard; so we went ahead and ordered those. However, I'm not 100% on that either. Let's pretend the quesadillas were safe for this review. They were good. I had the papas con queso and my husband had chicken. No complaints. Bottom Line: If you're vegetarian or don't eat pork, plan to eat elsewhere.
(2)Kelly H.
Thanks to fellow Yelpers, another gem in the area has brought me happiness that I would not have otherwise discovered. Trust me, the food found in the inside more than makes up for the lackluster exterior. I've had a handful of various tacos, tamales, and tortas, and I've never left disappointed. Every bite contains amazing, bold flavors that I love most about Mexican cuisine. Authentic, homemade food that is quick and reasonably priced. Can't ask for anything better!
(5)Lebeth Z.
Dude, $2.00 tacos! These are made the authentic way not the Americanized way. Fresh cilantro & onion on a corn tortilla. LOVE.
(5)Kim C.
Lupita's tamale shop is well-priced and offers plenty of selection. Hubby and I both got the special - 1 sopa, 1 tamale, and 1 taco for $6 at lunch. The chorizo and potato sopa was a little light on meat, but I certainly didn't need more. The asada taco and beans and cheese tamale were right on, cooked to perfection and melt in your mouth. Hubby's chicken versions were good too, but I would recommend the steak taco any day.
(5)Krista R.
Gone back for more tamales and tacos. At 2 bucks each this place really feels like a deal. This time around I enjoyed the Pollo Mole tamale -- not overly sweet like many Mexican places, but big on flavor. Will go back...to try the tortas and quesadillas!!!
(4)Nason F.
Best lunch spot ever. The ladies are awesome and the food is equally as good! Highly recommended. Brush up on your Spanish before reading the menu!
(5)Monica S.
Best Mexican food ever! I can't say enough good things about Lupita's! It's a clean establishment with a kind and efficient staff. Their tamales are delicious and completely satisfying. The food at Lupita's doesn't leave you with an overstuffed feeling. Getting their food to-go is speedy, too, when you call ahead. The place is a dive, but I'm ok to unleash my inner Anthony Bourdain, anytime. If you love authentic Mexican eats, skip El Rodeo or La Hacienda and go to Lupita's. Did I mention it's cheap?
(5)Kevin Y.
I grew up in El Paso, along the border, and Lupitas is the real deal. I've been missing authentic Mexican home cooking like this, so I'm glad I finally dropped by this place. The tacos are simple but good, and the tamales are great too. I still need to try the tortas, but they look good. This is not the kind of place that you go for frozen margaritas and fajitas, but if you want home cooking, this hits the spot.
(4)Casey R.
I love this place!!! Just found it a couple of weeks ago. Good food and cheap although the food is so good I buy to much and make it expensive. The tacos are delicious and the tamales are right up there with some of the best I have had. The best part though is the homemade green and red salsa in squeeze bottles they bring to the table. It's close to my work so I will be going back and back and back!
(5)Craig P.
Top favorite restaurant in Indy, without a doubt. Spectacular tacos and tamales, as well as overall service and customer experience! Highly recommended!
(5)Jill G.
Truly authentic Mexican food and my partner said "best tamales ever!" I had chicken tacos with onions and cilantro. Very tasty and not greasy and smothered in cheese like other places. Everything was freshly made. Very reasonably priced and totally worth the visit.
(5)T'ai R.
clean friendly authentic delicious and affordable. i'll be back. i'm vegetarian and they were happy to give me options. i had salad, tamales, beans and rice. it all tastes homemade with love. i highly recommend.
(5)J T.
Last week I did a NMW. That's code for No Meat Week. So I tried the bean and cheese and jalapeno and cheese tamale's. They were fantastic. Its got all the stoves and pots and pans just behind the counter. Its not fancy. I like that. A lot.
(5)Steve R.
Best tamales. As good as my mom's. She is in heaven so this is the next best thing.
(5)Rob W.
Fantastic. Had the green pork tamales. The best I've ever had, and that includes the food trucks in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Also had a steak quesadilla. This isn't like a quesadilla you get at a chain place. The tortilla was made fresh as soon as I ordered, and the overall taste was amazing. Just come in, order something, spend very little money and be amazed.
(5)Beth S.
Great steak tacos and very friends staff. Plus great prices :) $2 tacos that have real steak can't beat that
(5)Jim R.
Love it!!!! Great food... Drive past all other Mexican joints on this road and eat here!!!! Tamales are perfect!!!
(5)Ryan H.
The tacos, tamales, and sopas are great! Don't be in a huge hurry unless you get the tamales, they prepare your meal fresh. The sauces are homemade and delicious.
(4)James G.
Little place in a strip mall with amazing food! Tamales were large with flavorful tender meat and definitely get a steak taco! Willing to drive out of my way to return!
(5)Mark G.
Home made tortillas are so good! Also the tamales are superb. Been there twice will go back for thirds.
(5)Amos H.
Looks like a hole in the wall. And, looks are deceiving. Absolutely incredible food. Service with a smile. A lunchtime favorite for me and several of my co-workers who work nearby.
(5)Sonya A.
I am a tamal* connoisseur. My family adores tamales. I am a student of the art of tamales. There will never be a tamal that will ever be better than my grandmother's or my mother's but hot damn! Lupita's got it going on. These tamales are sensational. It is super rare to get such a moist tamal without them being super greasy, but Lupita knows what she's doing. Now traditionally tamales are not this fat. But when you are running a business I understand you have to make them pudgy to satisfy the customer. What I love about these tamales is that, unlike the other tamal place, these may be pudgier but it's not all just masa (corn dough). The filling is still proportional to the masa. So take it from this tamalera, these tamales are the best in town (that you will get from a restaurant). (Ha! Had to throw that in there.) Tamales: 5/5 - The green salsa ones are super spicy, grasshopper! Other Food: ?/5 - I''ll be back to try the rest of the menu. Service: 5/5 - Yes they speak English here! Location: 3/5 - Nothing special. A re-purposed Penn Station. *There is no "e" at the end of a singular tamal. One tamal, two tamales. #themoreyouknow :D
(4)Erika P.
Fairly decent tamales. Authenic Mexican recipe. I preferred the red chicken, but the rest of my family preferred the green. A few were dry, so it's hit or miss.
(4)Emily Elizabeth K.
Great price for great tamales. They had three vegetarian options, bean and cheese, jalapeño and cheese and strawberry. All were delicious. I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5, because my husband and I looked up all of the desserts on the menu before choosing one, only to find that they had no dessert at all. If the menu is not consistent, maybe think about getting a chalk board.
(4)Jennifer G.
Priced right and DELICIOUS authentic Mexican food!!! I've been hearing a lot about this little gem just a few blocks from work so we had to try. Our first visit falls on 4th of July weekend so there isn't much traffic going into this hidden strip mall off the road. I was not disappointed in the least. I ordered three items: the green pork tamale, an asada cantina taco, and a *chorizo* papa sope. My husband had the asada cantina-style taco and *chorizo* papa quesadilla. We also ordered a medium sized queso blanco for our items. A young man took our order, while a young woman cooked and served our food. The food was cooked to order and items were brought out as they were prepared. Two bottles were presented with the tamale, one a smokey red sauce and the other was a hot and spicy green sauce. Both were good. The masa was moist and piping hot. The pork full of flavor. Next came the tacos. We tried to use the queso, but it was a bit runny. The sope and quesadilla arrived next. The quesadilla more resembled a hard shell foot long taco. Not what we expected, but it looked wonderful. At this point I had the tamale and taco and was full, so I took the sope home. My husband noted that the chorizo was missing from his quesadilla. We didn't inquire any further because we were pressed for time. The sope was also missing the chorizo. In all fairness, we probably misunderstood the young man as it may have been a choice between chorizo and papas or she missed it on the ticket. Not sure. It wasn't such a bad thing. The dinner was great either way. With the Tamale Place just in our backyard, comparatively there were several choices of tamales and available seating. The Tamale place doesn't have a lot of local competition. With Tamaleria Lupitas they have several dining choices competing and are off the main road a bit in a tiny strip mall. The place was clean. I enjoyed a stress free meal and I got exactly what I wanted. If I could make a suggestion for the restaurant, it would be to produce a photo menu or provide English descriptions. Since neither of us could speak or read Spanish, it didn't seem right to use the cashier's time asking what each menu item was, especially had the place been busy. I took photos of the menu board just so I could go back home and see what else they offered. We will be back for sure!
(5)Ryan T.
Ooooooh Lupitas. This place could probably make an old leather shoe taste good! I've had the tacos- A+ and the tamales- A++++ SUPER AUTHENTIC, very nice staff and INCREDIBLE food. Oh yea and tamales and tacos are $2 each and they aren't tiny. This place is in an unassuming strip mall and there are absolutely no bells and whistles in this place. Just good.....DAMN good food! The fact that this place is only a 5 min drive from my office could get me in trouble! I tried it 3 weeks ago and have already gone back 4 times. I'm hooked.
(5)Katrina D.
I went back today and had a much better experience. I loved my quesadilla this time (chorizo and potato) and I had two bean and cheese tamales too. Note: the quesadilla wasn't how Americans think of a quesadillas. It was more like a taco. The service was faster and the food arrived all together for the most part. Skip getting a side of anything. The beans last time were not worth $2.50. I will definitely be coming back. Today has made me a tamale addict.
(4)Kathy T.
Absolutely delicious!!! First time here; won't be my last. Authentic Mexican food. So good!!!
(5)JM R.
Super Tamales! Coming from Southern California, this is what I'm used to. Great food, good amount of spice, and not ridiculously expensive. Not to be missed!
(4)Mary P.
This place was recommended to us by my boyfriend's boss. His wife is from El Salvador and both of them insisted that this place had the best tacos around. Darn right they do! We ate here a week ago and I'm still thinking about the steak taco. There was nothing fancy about it--it doesn't even come with cheese, lettuce, or the other accoutrements that people in the U.S.have come to associate with tacos. No, this was a freshly made corn tortilla topped with grilled-to-order steak, onions and cilantro. That is all. I will be stopping by again this week for some of their tamales and, of course, another steak taco.
(5)David B.
Nothing short of a full five stars will do. I used to live in California, so I know authentic Mexican food when I see it. That was the best tamale and taco I have had outside of California or Mexico. It was on par with my favorite place in Sacramento. With the music, the sounds and smells of an open kitchen, and the menu board that was printed completely in only Spanish. I felt like I was sitting outside in the sun in a small taco stand in Mexico. It may be in the negatives outside, but I left feeling very warm inside. My only regret is that I don't live closer. I will miss you lupita's.
(5)Mary B.
My mom had previously read about this restaurant in the Indy Star and we were dying to try their authentic, Mexican tamales. Upon walking into the Tamaleria Lupitas Tamale Shop, we were met with the delicious and savory smells of the tamales. The lady at the counter was very friendly and helpful as we navigated the menu to decide what to order. Although I am fairly proficient in Spanish, it was convenient that they also offered a menu in English. My mom and I sampled three different variations of tamales. The first was a bean and cheese tamale, the second a spinach and cheese tamale, and the third was a chicken tamale with red sauce. All three tasted delectable and authentic. We finished our meal by splitting a sweeter tamale with pineapple. The pineapple tamale included brown sugar and coconut (or at least we thought it tasted like it did..) Probably the most unique tamale that I have ever tasted and I was not disappointed with my decision to try it. Overall, the Tamaleria Lupitas Tamale Shop is a very friendly, casual place to grab authentic tamales in Indianapolis. I definitely look forward to returning and hopefully this time they will not be sold out of choco flan!
(4)Josh R.
Fresh made mexican food. It's very inexpensive and they have a good selection to choose from. I enjoyed my meal here thoroughly. Tasty tamales and a delicious torta. I highly recommend them for a quick, cheap mexican meal that will blow away any chain mexican restaurant.
(5)Yolanda M.
Food was great! I will definitely be back! I tried the Pineapple Tamale and it was a nice little sweet treat
(4)Marty G.
You are going to hate yourself for each and every time you've ever wasted money at any other Mexican restaurant. Lupita's is the TRUTH. Authentic Mexican food at it's finest.
(5)Tony J.
I actually live and work not very far from this place. Didn't know about it until I read an Indystar article just a few days ago about this place serving good tamale. I was curious so that very same evening, I stopped by and got me 2 tamales (chicken and pork) and 2 tacos (chorizo and chicken) for dinner. Well the tamales were decent, especially with the red or green (really spicy) sauce. For $2 a pop, its not bad at all. I could be convinced to go back to this place for their tamales. The tacos, not so much. I did manage to eat half of the chicken taco, but the chorizo, I couldn't even finish a bite.
(2)Wade D.
My wife and I love this place. We have never had anything here that wasn't fantastic. My favorites are the burritos and the tacos. My wife likes the tamales and tortas. Liliana is a great hostess and her staff is fantastic. If you are looking for a locally owned business and a great meal this is it.
(5)Linda M.
I ordered 2 chicken tamales (see coupons4indy.com ) -- one with green sauce and one with red sauce. I did not notice the difference in their taste. Their tamales were big in size. I would have liked to try the pineapple tamale but they were out of them as it was close to their closing hour.
(4)Scott B.
I had two chicken tamales and a steak taco. The taco was good, but way over cooked, I'd get it again but ask to not cook it so long. I didn't care for the tamales at all, very dense, dry and not very flavorful, That Tamale Place is soooo much better. Wish they served it with chips and salsa. Staff was very friendly, prices are very cheap. I'll give them another shot.
(3)Bob J.
Absolutely hands down no questions asked the best Mexican I've ever had. This isn't your typical Americanized Mexican restaurant, where their ingredients come out of a can. Everything is fresh and...I just lost my train of thought thinking about it. Its just that good.
(5)Jeremy L.
I love this place. I always get tamales or tacos and am always pleased. I love their hot sauces. I have seen them roasting the ingredients on the grill to make them fresh. I get a craving for this place at least once a week.
(5)Neal P.
Located in the same strip mall as Big Lots, just South of 86th street. Their tamales have a bit different construction than what I'm used to at the Tamale Place on Rockville Road, but were totally acceptable. They were smaller than TP's, but only $2. Two did not fill me up. Like Tamale Place, tamales apparently have to be made ahead of time, so when they're out of one variety, they're out. (IE., they take too long for made-to-order.) Even better, I liked the chicken quesadilla. It was not constructed like I'm accustomed to, but was pretty good. I was thinking it was going to be a tortilla folded over and grilled, with chicken and cheese on the inside. Instead, it was open-faced, and lacked the melted cheese. I'd say it was closer to a tostada. The staff is very friendly and eager, willing to customize any of the made-to-order items. Mamasita's English was passable for a restaurant; the daughters were fluent in English. In addition to the licuados/smoothies, and some other traditional drinks, North American soft-drinks come in 12 ounce cans for $1.00, and are self-serve out of a cooler. Order and pay at the counter, and they bring your food out to you. The food is served in a plastic basket with paper liner, and comes with plastic utensils. Cleanliness was better than average, both up front and in the men's room. Ambience is kind of fast-foodish, and casual. The menu is on a big sign above the counter, it doesn't give the prices for all the items, and the options were a bit confusing, even if you can read Spanish. Due to the ubiquitousness of decent Mexican restaurants, this place is not worth going too far out of your way for, but if you're in the general area, it's worthy of patronage. I'm often in Park 100, and don't much care for the El Rodeo at W 86th and Moller, so for me, this place is at least worth the drive over from there. If you like tamales, check out this song/scene from the 1950's TV show Zorro: youtube.com/watch?v=16_e…
(4)James T.
Food = 3 Price = 2 (expensive for what it is...) Experience = 2 (old subway sandwich shop... in bad strip mall) Tamale was okay... Taco was NOT.
(2)Jennifer S.
Great food, great price. The tamales are amazing & I usually go specifically for them, though I have had their tacos & quesadillas, which are also very good.
(4)rod m.
"She can translate menu for you, sir... thanks for coming in...." No translation works for Authentic, Good, Fast and moderately cheap... $2/tamale and in/out in about 4minutes.... great lunch option. There are about 8 different variety's, which I got 4 types. They come in Corn husk and a carryout bag.... last time I had a tamale this good, was a little girl who ran home to see if she could sell me tamale's her mom made. The corn meal was good, and firm, the filling was varied, I got Pollo Puerco with Green Salsa in the corn meal, Moje' Carne' and an something that started with O, which was my favorite... it came wrapped in something resembling a bananna leaf. Muey bueno... This shop is in the Gold Gym shopping plaza... Cheers
(5)Nathan F.
I had asada and carnitas tacos. I will come back.
(4)Scot P.
Try the mole chicken tamales...
(4)Casey R.
I love this place!!! Just found it a couple of weeks ago. Good food and cheap although the food is so good I buy to much and make it expensive. The tacos are delicious and the tamales are right up there with some of the best I have had. The best part though is the homemade green and red salsa in squeeze bottles they bring to the table. It's close to my work so I will be going back and back and back!
(5)Craig P.
Top favorite restaurant in Indy, without a doubt. Spectacular tacos and tamales, as well as overall service and customer experience! Highly recommended!
(5)David B.
Nothing short of a full five stars will do. I used to live in California, so I know authentic Mexican food when I see it. That was the best tamale and taco I have had outside of California or Mexico. It was on par with my favorite place in Sacramento. With the music, the sounds and smells of an open kitchen, and the menu board that was printed completely in only Spanish. I felt like I was sitting outside in the sun in a small taco stand in Mexico. It may be in the negatives outside, but I left feeling very warm inside. My only regret is that I don't live closer. I will miss you lupita's.
(5)Mary B.
My mom had previously read about this restaurant in the Indy Star and we were dying to try their authentic, Mexican tamales. Upon walking into the Tamaleria Lupitas Tamale Shop, we were met with the delicious and savory smells of the tamales. The lady at the counter was very friendly and helpful as we navigated the menu to decide what to order. Although I am fairly proficient in Spanish, it was convenient that they also offered a menu in English. My mom and I sampled three different variations of tamales. The first was a bean and cheese tamale, the second a spinach and cheese tamale, and the third was a chicken tamale with red sauce. All three tasted delectable and authentic. We finished our meal by splitting a sweeter tamale with pineapple. The pineapple tamale included brown sugar and coconut (or at least we thought it tasted like it did..) Probably the most unique tamale that I have ever tasted and I was not disappointed with my decision to try it. Overall, the Tamaleria Lupitas Tamale Shop is a very friendly, casual place to grab authentic tamales in Indianapolis. I definitely look forward to returning and hopefully this time they will not be sold out of choco flan!
(4)Josh R.
Fresh made mexican food. It's very inexpensive and they have a good selection to choose from. I enjoyed my meal here thoroughly. Tasty tamales and a delicious torta. I highly recommend them for a quick, cheap mexican meal that will blow away any chain mexican restaurant.
(5)Yolanda M.
Food was great! I will definitely be back! I tried the Pineapple Tamale and it was a nice little sweet treat
(4)Mary P.
This place was recommended to us by my boyfriend's boss. His wife is from El Salvador and both of them insisted that this place had the best tacos around. Darn right they do! We ate here a week ago and I'm still thinking about the steak taco. There was nothing fancy about it--it doesn't even come with cheese, lettuce, or the other accoutrements that people in the U.S.have come to associate with tacos. No, this was a freshly made corn tortilla topped with grilled-to-order steak, onions and cilantro. That is all. I will be stopping by again this week for some of their tamales and, of course, another steak taco.
(5)Jill G.
Truly authentic Mexican food and my partner said "best tamales ever!" I had chicken tacos with onions and cilantro. Very tasty and not greasy and smothered in cheese like other places. Everything was freshly made. Very reasonably priced and totally worth the visit.
(5)T'ai R.
clean friendly authentic delicious and affordable. i'll be back. i'm vegetarian and they were happy to give me options. i had salad, tamales, beans and rice. it all tastes homemade with love. i highly recommend.
(5)J T.
Last week I did a NMW. That's code for No Meat Week. So I tried the bean and cheese and jalapeno and cheese tamale's. They were fantastic. Its got all the stoves and pots and pans just behind the counter. Its not fancy. I like that. A lot.
(5)Steve R.
Best tamales. As good as my mom's. She is in heaven so this is the next best thing.
(5)Rob W.
Fantastic. Had the green pork tamales. The best I've ever had, and that includes the food trucks in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Also had a steak quesadilla. This isn't like a quesadilla you get at a chain place. The tortilla was made fresh as soon as I ordered, and the overall taste was amazing. Just come in, order something, spend very little money and be amazed.
(5)Beth S.
Great steak tacos and very friends staff. Plus great prices :) $2 tacos that have real steak can't beat that
(5)Jim R.
Love it!!!! Great food... Drive past all other Mexican joints on this road and eat here!!!! Tamales are perfect!!!
(5)Ryan H.
The tacos, tamales, and sopas are great! Don't be in a huge hurry unless you get the tamales, they prepare your meal fresh. The sauces are homemade and delicious.
(4)James G.
Little place in a strip mall with amazing food! Tamales were large with flavorful tender meat and definitely get a steak taco! Willing to drive out of my way to return!
(5)Mark G.
Home made tortillas are so good! Also the tamales are superb. Been there twice will go back for thirds.
(5)Amos H.
Looks like a hole in the wall. And, looks are deceiving. Absolutely incredible food. Service with a smile. A lunchtime favorite for me and several of my co-workers who work nearby.
(5)Marty G.
You are going to hate yourself for each and every time you've ever wasted money at any other Mexican restaurant. Lupita's is the TRUTH. Authentic Mexican food at it's finest.
(5)Tony J.
I actually live and work not very far from this place. Didn't know about it until I read an Indystar article just a few days ago about this place serving good tamale. I was curious so that very same evening, I stopped by and got me 2 tamales (chicken and pork) and 2 tacos (chorizo and chicken) for dinner. Well the tamales were decent, especially with the red or green (really spicy) sauce. For $2 a pop, its not bad at all. I could be convinced to go back to this place for their tamales. The tacos, not so much. I did manage to eat half of the chicken taco, but the chorizo, I couldn't even finish a bite.
(2)Wade D.
My wife and I love this place. We have never had anything here that wasn't fantastic. My favorites are the burritos and the tacos. My wife likes the tamales and tortas. Liliana is a great hostess and her staff is fantastic. If you are looking for a locally owned business and a great meal this is it.
(5)Linda M.
I ordered 2 chicken tamales (see coupons4indy.com ) -- one with green sauce and one with red sauce. I did not notice the difference in their taste. Their tamales were big in size. I would have liked to try the pineapple tamale but they were out of them as it was close to their closing hour.
(4)Scott B.
I had two chicken tamales and a steak taco. The taco was good, but way over cooked, I'd get it again but ask to not cook it so long. I didn't care for the tamales at all, very dense, dry and not very flavorful, That Tamale Place is soooo much better. Wish they served it with chips and salsa. Staff was very friendly, prices are very cheap. I'll give them another shot.
(3)Bob J.
Absolutely hands down no questions asked the best Mexican I've ever had. This isn't your typical Americanized Mexican restaurant, where their ingredients come out of a can. Everything is fresh and...I just lost my train of thought thinking about it. Its just that good.
(5)Jeremy L.
I love this place. I always get tamales or tacos and am always pleased. I love their hot sauces. I have seen them roasting the ingredients on the grill to make them fresh. I get a craving for this place at least once a week.
(5)Neal P.
Located in the same strip mall as Big Lots, just South of 86th street. Their tamales have a bit different construction than what I'm used to at the Tamale Place on Rockville Road, but were totally acceptable. They were smaller than TP's, but only $2. Two did not fill me up. Like Tamale Place, tamales apparently have to be made ahead of time, so when they're out of one variety, they're out. (IE., they take too long for made-to-order.) Even better, I liked the chicken quesadilla. It was not constructed like I'm accustomed to, but was pretty good. I was thinking it was going to be a tortilla folded over and grilled, with chicken and cheese on the inside. Instead, it was open-faced, and lacked the melted cheese. I'd say it was closer to a tostada. The staff is very friendly and eager, willing to customize any of the made-to-order items. Mamasita's English was passable for a restaurant; the daughters were fluent in English. In addition to the licuados/smoothies, and some other traditional drinks, North American soft-drinks come in 12 ounce cans for $1.00, and are self-serve out of a cooler. Order and pay at the counter, and they bring your food out to you. The food is served in a plastic basket with paper liner, and comes with plastic utensils. Cleanliness was better than average, both up front and in the men's room. Ambience is kind of fast-foodish, and casual. The menu is on a big sign above the counter, it doesn't give the prices for all the items, and the options were a bit confusing, even if you can read Spanish. Due to the ubiquitousness of decent Mexican restaurants, this place is not worth going too far out of your way for, but if you're in the general area, it's worthy of patronage. I'm often in Park 100, and don't much care for the El Rodeo at W 86th and Moller, so for me, this place is at least worth the drive over from there. If you like tamales, check out this song/scene from the 1950's TV show Zorro: youtube.com/watch?v=16_e…
(4)James T.
Food = 3 Price = 2 (expensive for what it is...) Experience = 2 (old subway sandwich shop... in bad strip mall) Tamale was okay... Taco was NOT.
(2)Jennifer S.
Great food, great price. The tamales are amazing & I usually go specifically for them, though I have had their tacos & quesadillas, which are also very good.
(4)rod m.
"She can translate menu for you, sir... thanks for coming in...." No translation works for Authentic, Good, Fast and moderately cheap... $2/tamale and in/out in about 4minutes.... great lunch option. There are about 8 different variety's, which I got 4 types. They come in Corn husk and a carryout bag.... last time I had a tamale this good, was a little girl who ran home to see if she could sell me tamale's her mom made. The corn meal was good, and firm, the filling was varied, I got Pollo Puerco with Green Salsa in the corn meal, Moje' Carne' and an something that started with O, which was my favorite... it came wrapped in something resembling a bananna leaf. Muey bueno... This shop is in the Gold Gym shopping plaza... Cheers
(5)Nathan F.
I had asada and carnitas tacos. I will come back.
(4)Scot P.
Try the mole chicken tamales...
(4)David M.
Stopped in for lunch and got a Torta Milanesa. It was a good sandwich, but not standout. The bread was fresh and soft, the avocados ripe, but on the whole it lacked some spark. No tap water available, so you have to buy bottled water or a bottle of soda if you want anything to drink with your meal. Ambiance and decor were a little dark and cold.
(3)Scott W.
Wow, made a return trip on Memorial Day for lunch, had to weigh back in and up Tamaleria Lupitas to a 5. On my previous visit there were no tamales left at 8pm; that was clearly a good sign of what was to come. On this second visit, they were offering a $5 deal that came with two tacos and a tamale. See my original review for greater detail, but I had a pork tamale with mole sauce, a steak taco, and a pastor taco. The tamale was killer, and the tacos were better than I recalled. I can't wait to go back again.
(5)Brittany S.
Ack. Less-than-hot service can ruin even the tastiest of meals. I wouldn't consider this meal mindblowing (I ordered a chicken verde tamale and beans) but the service is what had me thinking I wouldn't be running back anytime soon. The lady at the register took up-selling very seriously - - it was as if she was pissed that my order was only a tamale and beans. I also didn't like that they only serve water by the bottle. Seems counterproductive to have a recycling option yet corner customers into only purchasing plastic bottles. As for the tamale, it was tasty but I'd probably opt for 3 in 1 Restaurant or The Tamale Place before returning.
(3)Raj A.
Authentic, tasty tamales at a price that simply can't be beat. $2 a tamale; 2 will make a meal. My wife and I drove across town for this place and were not disappointed one bit. I'm so sorry to call you out young one, but when a customer asks to try both sauces on a order of six tamales an eye roll is not the appropriate response. I want to like your food and love spicy things (as many of Indian heritage do). You should push that stuff on everyone who says they like spicy. They are simply fantastic, both of them. That's my one star deduction; It's too much penalty for a teenager working the family business. We'll be back soon, have no problem if you want a bit more for an extra sauce, and at this level of value would tip handsomely for a smile.
(4)Ann L.
I had been wanting to come here for awhile because I had yet to find good, authentic tamales in Indianapolis, and I am happy to say Lupita's has them! The tamales they have that day are written on a sign next to the register. They are definitely making these fresh in-house. Yes, as others have mentioned, the menu is in Spanish, but if you took even one Spanish class in school, or just have eaten at a lot of Mexican restaurants, you will have no trouble reading the menu. If anyone is really stuck, staff do speak English and I'm sure they'd be happy to help translate. I had two tamales, one pork with red salsa and one chicken with green. Oh these were good! They are steamed to order so even though I took my food home to eat, they were still really hot when I sat down to eat. The masa was just the right thickness and the meat in both was tender and seasoned perfectly. I also had a steak taco since I absolutely love these when done right, and they do them right here. Really flavorful steak, fresh tortillas, onion, cilantro and lime. I had a side of the salsa verde, which was amanzing! It was fresh and wonderfully spicy! If you don't like spicy it might be best to stick to the red. I loved it though! All of this was $6. I'm not kidding. Don't miss this hidden gem in a strip mall, next to Big Lots, across from Lowes. With fabulous, fresh, authentic food that rivals what I've had in Chicago, and friendly service at what is clearly a family owned business, how can you go wrong?
(5)Aaron B.
This is my new favorite taco place. When they say spicy, they mean it. It was great ! I tried a tamale and 2 tacos. The tacos are cooked to order.
(4)Steven B.
The best tamales in Indianapolis bar none. Not that they only make the tamales on Tuesdays so best to get here before Friday or they could sell out of some of the different options. The tacos are also amazing here
(5)Erika C.
Went on a whim and a yelp review. Absolutely delicious !!!! Would 100% go back. Tried 3 different flavors and all were fantastic! Steaming hot and fresh.
(5)Sabrina S.
Best tamales in town. I am upping my rating.
(5)Brad W.
Quite possibly my favorite restaurant. Authentic Mexican street style food. The menu is in Spanish on the board behind the counter. I ordered a taco. The cook scooped out some fresh dough, pressed it in a cast iron hand tortilla press, and put it on the grill. Two of those plus some perfectly seasoned asada steak, onions and cilantro made for the perfect taco. Don't miss: asada taco, green pork tamale, chimichanga, tinga pollo quesadilla.
(5)Michael B.
Excellent tamales like grandma used to make. I wish the variety would change more but the red pork are always just what I need for a tamale fix. Great asada tacos too!
(4)Deirdre G.
Tortas as big as your head, man! Polarizing comedian Ralphie May once said in one of his routines, "To those of you that took French in high school, I hope you get stabbed at a taco stand." All right, so I majored in French, and the first thing I noticed when I walked in was that the entire overhead menu was in Spanish. Oops. Luckily, there was an abridged version of the menu up by the cash register for los gringos. They were having a special-- one tamale and one torta for $7. How could I pass that up? I went for a chicken tamale, chorizo torta, and a mandarin Jarritos pop. Oh my gah you guys. So good. Come. Come numerous.
(4)Peter P.
Great little tamale place on the Northwest side. Order at the counter and wait for the magic to happen. Also, they have more than just tamales (tacos, tortas, enchiladas). But why would you stray from the humble tamale? The word "tamale" is in the name, for Pete's sake! By the way, there is no such thing as a "tamale". It's a "tamal" if you order 1 and "tamales" if your order more than 1.
(4)Cory I.
Okay, so in regards to something cheap and delicious, this definitely gets five stars. It is in a discreet awkward location off of Michigan in a shopping plaza, the inside is not fancy at all but there is definitely something to be said about the quality and authenticity of this food. As soon as I walked in, there was a handmade sign on the counter that said "special of the day: two tacos one tamale $5". How can you possibly go wrong with that? There were four different options for tamales and you get to choose your own taco meat without any additional charge. The tacos were some of the best I have had, fresh cilantro, tender steak and incredible flavor. if you like tamales, you definitely have to get over here and try these! We need more restaurants like this!
(5)Peter J.
I love Mexican food and tamales are close to my heart/stomach. They know how to use the spice so be aware if heat is not your cup of tea.
(5)Kira T.
If you want authentic Mexican food, it doesn't get better than this! Unfortunately we went for dinner and they were OUT of tamales but that's a testament to the greatness of this place. I need to brush up on Spanish though. I took 7 yrs of French so I had no clue what most menu items were. I ended up getting steak, chicken, and chorizo tacos and they were sooooo delicious. Freshly made tortillas, perfectly ground and spiced meat along with cilantro and onion. For an extra treat try their house made salsas. I recommend the tomatillo. Can't wait to go back and try a tamale!
(5)Rob F.
First timer at Lupita's. Went in for lunch and the place was a ghost town. I wasn't even sure if they were open at first. It's a tamale shop, so I ordered 3 different tamales, to go, no sides, no drink. $6 plus change. Not bad, but I would have liked it a little cheaper considering the (absolute lack of) ambience. The tanales were very good. I will be here again, but that leaves me with a dilemma. Eat here, where the food is very good, or down the road 1/4 mile at Leonardo's where the Mexican food is excellent. Hmmmm.
(4)Jeremy B.
This is the best kept secret in town. Please tell all your friends and colleagues about this place so it thrives for all of us to enjoy for years!
(5)Luisanna R.
So we came out here due to a yelp email. It is exactly what I was hoping it would be. It's a small hole in the wall that serves nice cheap food. They don't have a fountain for drinks which some people find off putting but I really love because that's one less piece of equipment that someone fails to clean properly. I had to try the tamales since I am not a fan of any tamales here in Indianapolis. They were really nice. Stupid hot though you might want to order them and give them about 5 mins before trying to eat them otherwise you might burn off your face. That's not really so much a complaint because cold food is so much worse. I would have to say I loved the Maza of the tamales however I just wish there was a little more meat in them. They are super flavorful though and for that I am grateful and will return. Try ordering a dozen of them. They are very tasty and you will get a break on the price. The restaurant is actually located in a strip mall just south of the studio movie grill. I had a heck of a time dealing with my google maps. Happy hunting!!!!
(4)Dan Z.
Wow!!! Real Mexican food!!! Small restaurant, one flat top stove. Everything made fresh. Yes, in a strip mall, no great ambience, but I'm there for the food, not the other stuff!!! The tamales were great. The hot sauce runs hot, so beware. The cassadilla was different as it was a corn tortilla, more like s taco, but great also!!! I call this type of restaurant a hole in the wall, and that's a compliment!!! I love these places!!! Get over the stuff that's not relevant and enjoy the food!!!
(5)Marc F.
I kinda don't want to tell you about this place, for fear that I will have trouble getting a table or they may run out of these menu items just before I visit again. But it's really worth a trip. Perfect for lunch! First time here... will not be my last! This is the kind of place that makes me love living in the Indy area. Small place, unassuming frontage, loyal clientele, and amazing food made by kind people! I had: Green pork tamale - well-seasoned and perfectly cooked shredded pork with a slightly spicy green salsa. Traditional corn husk wrapped masa was toothy without being dry, and was absolutely delicious! Chipotle beef tamale - tender shredded beef with a rich chipotle sauce that provided a large flavor and a nice building heat without blowing my head off. Again, the masa was perfect. Chorizo taco - double corn tortilla, lightly toasted; a very nice sausage that again wasn't overly spicy, but let me know it was there more and more with every bite. Lengua taco - If you don't know what this is, I won't tell you. I will day this: don't be scared. The best lengua I've had since I discovered it about a year ago. Simply built with onions and cilantro and a lime wedge. Perfectly cooked and absolutely delicious. The simple, yet incredible flavor profiles of all of these items provided the perfect canvas to embellish with the tangy and mild salsa verde that they provide worth the order. The red salsa was also awesome (and a bit spicier), but I have this thing for tomatillos.
(5)Morgan P.
We went in for dinner on Sunday, finished our meal and ordered again. The tamales - chicken with red salsa and pork with green salsa - were so good! We also enjoyed steak and chicken tacos. The food was freshly prepared and the taste was authentic. The atmosphere is certainly casual, but we hardly looked up from our plates, so who cares? I wish they served beer.
(5)Megan S.
This was very authentic Mexican food and fast lunch spot if you are working close to this restaurant. I went with a group for 7 people and they were able to get our order out to us within 10 minutes. They would also bring the food out as it was ready instead of waiting for everyone's order which was nice because then you're food wasn't cold. However there wasn't any tap water or soda on tap so you have to either bring your own or pay for a bottle of water. They however do have Mexican soda which was a nice addition to the meal. It is hard to look at the menu and know what is a serving size. For me and for many of the other members it ranges from 3 tacos or 2 tacos and a tamale. As far as what to get for my vegetarian friends, there are options for you. For tamales I would not recommend the bean and cheese but rather the bean and jalapenos. The cheese that is used in the tamales is normal yellow cheese and does not stayed melted for every long. It tends to get a little chewy towards the end of the meal. For tacos there are bean tacos called legume taco. The menu is in Spanish which is the worst thing possible for a vegan/vegetarian. The tacos have not cheese on them and are completely vegan. On the table there is a ketchup looking bottle which has red enchilada sauce another bottle with verde sauce. Overall it was a really good restaurant for this whole in the wall restaurant. I am not sure I would make it a meal for dinner but definitely a great lunch option. For a tamale, soda and 2 tacos it was $8.45 and I left completely satisfied.
(4)Andrew S.
This place is awesome. I go here twice a week with friends and coworkers. They have new specials every week. Tamales are delicious. So are the tacos and champurrado or whatever it's called, hot chocolate rice milk stuff. Great on a cold day. It can get a little busy around lunchtime, but we usually get in and out within 45 minutes.
(5)Scott F.
Steak tacos are wonderful, everything I have had there has been excellent and FRESHLY made
(5)Jess B.
I was so excited to try this place since the reviews were stellar and said there were vegetarian options. Sadly, the masa for the bean and cheese tamales was made with lard. Fortunately, they were honest about this. Supposedly, the masa for the quesadillas does not contain lard; so we went ahead and ordered those. However, I'm not 100% on that either. Let's pretend the quesadillas were safe for this review. They were good. I had the papas con queso and my husband had chicken. No complaints. Bottom Line: If you're vegetarian or don't eat pork, plan to eat elsewhere.
(2)Kelly H.
Thanks to fellow Yelpers, another gem in the area has brought me happiness that I would not have otherwise discovered. Trust me, the food found in the inside more than makes up for the lackluster exterior. I've had a handful of various tacos, tamales, and tortas, and I've never left disappointed. Every bite contains amazing, bold flavors that I love most about Mexican cuisine. Authentic, homemade food that is quick and reasonably priced. Can't ask for anything better!
(5)Sonya A.
I am a tamal* connoisseur. My family adores tamales. I am a student of the art of tamales. There will never be a tamal that will ever be better than my grandmother's or my mother's but hot damn! Lupita's got it going on. These tamales are sensational. It is super rare to get such a moist tamal without them being super greasy, but Lupita knows what she's doing. Now traditionally tamales are not this fat. But when you are running a business I understand you have to make them pudgy to satisfy the customer. What I love about these tamales is that, unlike the other tamal place, these may be pudgier but it's not all just masa (corn dough). The filling is still proportional to the masa. So take it from this tamalera, these tamales are the best in town (that you will get from a restaurant). (Ha! Had to throw that in there.) Tamales: 5/5 - The green salsa ones are super spicy, grasshopper! Other Food: ?/5 - I''ll be back to try the rest of the menu. Service: 5/5 - Yes they speak English here! Location: 3/5 - Nothing special. A re-purposed Penn Station. *There is no "e" at the end of a singular tamal. One tamal, two tamales. #themoreyouknow :D
(4)Erika P.
Fairly decent tamales. Authenic Mexican recipe. I preferred the red chicken, but the rest of my family preferred the green. A few were dry, so it's hit or miss.
(4)Emily Elizabeth K.
Great price for great tamales. They had three vegetarian options, bean and cheese, jalapeño and cheese and strawberry. All were delicious. I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5, because my husband and I looked up all of the desserts on the menu before choosing one, only to find that they had no dessert at all. If the menu is not consistent, maybe think about getting a chalk board.
(4)Kathy T.
Absolutely delicious!!! First time here; won't be my last. Authentic Mexican food. So good!!!
(5)JM R.
Super Tamales! Coming from Southern California, this is what I'm used to. Great food, good amount of spice, and not ridiculously expensive. Not to be missed!
(4)Lebeth Z.
Dude, $2.00 tacos! These are made the authentic way not the Americanized way. Fresh cilantro & onion on a corn tortilla. LOVE.
(5)Jennifer G.
Priced right and DELICIOUS authentic Mexican food!!! I've been hearing a lot about this little gem just a few blocks from work so we had to try. Our first visit falls on 4th of July weekend so there isn't much traffic going into this hidden strip mall off the road. I was not disappointed in the least. I ordered three items: the green pork tamale, an asada cantina taco, and a *chorizo* papa sope. My husband had the asada cantina-style taco and *chorizo* papa quesadilla. We also ordered a medium sized queso blanco for our items. A young man took our order, while a young woman cooked and served our food. The food was cooked to order and items were brought out as they were prepared. Two bottles were presented with the tamale, one a smokey red sauce and the other was a hot and spicy green sauce. Both were good. The masa was moist and piping hot. The pork full of flavor. Next came the tacos. We tried to use the queso, but it was a bit runny. The sope and quesadilla arrived next. The quesadilla more resembled a hard shell foot long taco. Not what we expected, but it looked wonderful. At this point I had the tamale and taco and was full, so I took the sope home. My husband noted that the chorizo was missing from his quesadilla. We didn't inquire any further because we were pressed for time. The sope was also missing the chorizo. In all fairness, we probably misunderstood the young man as it may have been a choice between chorizo and papas or she missed it on the ticket. Not sure. It wasn't such a bad thing. The dinner was great either way. With the Tamale Place just in our backyard, comparatively there were several choices of tamales and available seating. The Tamale place doesn't have a lot of local competition. With Tamaleria Lupitas they have several dining choices competing and are off the main road a bit in a tiny strip mall. The place was clean. I enjoyed a stress free meal and I got exactly what I wanted. If I could make a suggestion for the restaurant, it would be to produce a photo menu or provide English descriptions. Since neither of us could speak or read Spanish, it didn't seem right to use the cashier's time asking what each menu item was, especially had the place been busy. I took photos of the menu board just so I could go back home and see what else they offered. We will be back for sure!
(5)Ryan T.
Ooooooh Lupitas. This place could probably make an old leather shoe taste good! I've had the tacos- A+ and the tamales- A++++ SUPER AUTHENTIC, very nice staff and INCREDIBLE food. Oh yea and tamales and tacos are $2 each and they aren't tiny. This place is in an unassuming strip mall and there are absolutely no bells and whistles in this place. Just good.....DAMN good food! The fact that this place is only a 5 min drive from my office could get me in trouble! I tried it 3 weeks ago and have already gone back 4 times. I'm hooked.
(5)Katrina D.
I went back today and had a much better experience. I loved my quesadilla this time (chorizo and potato) and I had two bean and cheese tamales too. Note: the quesadilla wasn't how Americans think of a quesadillas. It was more like a taco. The service was faster and the food arrived all together for the most part. Skip getting a side of anything. The beans last time were not worth $2.50. I will definitely be coming back. Today has made me a tamale addict.
(4)Nason F.
Best lunch spot ever. The ladies are awesome and the food is equally as good! Highly recommended. Brush up on your Spanish before reading the menu!
(5)Kim C.
Lupita's tamale shop is well-priced and offers plenty of selection. Hubby and I both got the special - 1 sopa, 1 tamale, and 1 taco for $6 at lunch. The chorizo and potato sopa was a little light on meat, but I certainly didn't need more. The asada taco and beans and cheese tamale were right on, cooked to perfection and melt in your mouth. Hubby's chicken versions were good too, but I would recommend the steak taco any day.
(5)Krista R.
Gone back for more tamales and tacos. At 2 bucks each this place really feels like a deal. This time around I enjoyed the Pollo Mole tamale -- not overly sweet like many Mexican places, but big on flavor. Will go back...to try the tortas and quesadillas!!!
(4)Monica S.
Best Mexican food ever! I can't say enough good things about Lupita's! It's a clean establishment with a kind and efficient staff. Their tamales are delicious and completely satisfying. The food at Lupita's doesn't leave you with an overstuffed feeling. Getting their food to-go is speedy, too, when you call ahead. The place is a dive, but I'm ok to unleash my inner Anthony Bourdain, anytime. If you love authentic Mexican eats, skip El Rodeo or La Hacienda and go to Lupita's. Did I mention it's cheap?
(5)Kevin Y.
I grew up in El Paso, along the border, and Lupitas is the real deal. I've been missing authentic Mexican home cooking like this, so I'm glad I finally dropped by this place. The tacos are simple but good, and the tamales are great too. I still need to try the tortas, but they look good. This is not the kind of place that you go for frozen margaritas and fajitas, but if you want home cooking, this hits the spot.
(4)JM R.
Super Tamales! Coming from Southern California, this is what I'm used to. Great food, good amount of spice, and not ridiculously expensive. Not to be missed!
(4)Lebeth Z.
Dude, $2.00 tacos! These are made the authentic way not the Americanized way. Fresh cilantro & onion on a corn tortilla. LOVE.
(5)