Canby Asparagus Farm/Casa de Tamales
10605 SE Main St, Milwaukie, OR, 97222
Canby Asparagus Farm/Casa de Tamales Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Milwaukie for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Milwaukie for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Milwaukie for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
10605 SE Main St
Milwaukie, OR, 97222 - Phone (503) 654-4423
- Website https://www.canbyasparagusfarm.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Quiet
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Tyler B.
While I typically do not prefer tamales, this restaurant made me a fan. I am excited to try their take out menu which is significantly larger than their in house menu. The asparagus in the middle of the tamale was a real treat.
(5)Christina A.
So my girlfriend and I went there because we saw the sign for great margaritas, it was the worst margarita I've ever had. then we ordered some chips and salsa which were so thick like stacey chips and burned they included a watery sour cream and a good salsa but a very small amount we requested more because of the portion of chips we had and we were charged for it! then we ordered the fish tacos which were disgusting it was just a big sloppy mess my girlfriend and I both had an upset stomach.. Will not recommend or go back ever
(1)Adam W.
They serve authentic Mexican-style tamales which are tasty and enormous. I've eaten a *lot* of tamales - these are not the absolute best that I've had, but they are very good. They make their own masa and have many farm-to-table ingredients - a ton of varieties of tamales available frozen or in bulk to take home. The owner is friendly and enthusiastic, I will return for sure.
(5)Christa R.
I went to the Manzanita Farmer's Market for a tamale. The elderly gentleman was one of the most rude people I've encountered. Not only did he cut me off twice, he then pointed his finger up at me and said "wait". When I asked for something that was clearly listed on his menu, he talked to me as if I were a child and couldn't read when it was a error in his sign. I told him his customer service could use some help (he cut off and rudely spoke to the person before me as well as the young male working the grill) and he said "you don't understand, it's been a crazy day". No excuse. As for the tamale, it was dry and not enough sauce was given. When asked if he had some shredded cheese to add to it, he quickly answered no and he pushed it to me. There was a clear container of shredded cheese behind him on the table. Steer clear of this place.
(1)Amy B.
Worst service. I came there with my husband and ordered the chicken tamale. The service took forever and without even asking me, they brought me a pork tamale because they were out of chicken. Stay away! The staff is weird and awkward and will make you not want to come back.
(1)Christy W.
Service was excellent!! Food even better!! Friendly staff. Margaritas really good. We had bacon wrapped asparagus, chips & salsa platter and guacamole, guacamole was a little too oniony for me but still super Delish! Bacon wrapped asparagus was really good. Halibut tacos, chicken tacos & tamales were dinner and it couldn't have been better. Also had a burrito made to my request. PERFECT! Np problem with special orders, they will make what you want. Prices were very reasonable too!!
(5)Sherry S.
The name explains why they've got chile rellenos with chicken AND asparagus, then there's your fried asparagus, and of course they've got some tamales with what else - asparagus. They even have an asparagus mole which they serve along with their chips and salsa (if you want to order them). It's on Main street in Milwaukie, kind of a quaint little area with a few decent places nearby to shop for antiques, have a nosh. I ordered a shrimp taco, and their last fresh asparagus tamale. I also had a rice milk drink or horchata. The shrimp taco had those nice fat little shrimp which were sauteed up nicely in some spices. The sauce they use is also very good and has a little kick. They however, rain down upon the taco with way too much purple cabbage. I had to unbury it to find it even. There was no nasty cheese topping anything off and that was a relief. Their tortillas, or course are fresh and homemade though not made with a hint of asparagus. I love tamales and when I can get them sans meat I'm so all over them. This tamale was big, but unfortunately more masa than anything else. I saw a few asparagus pieces but otherwise on the dry side. I don't quite understand why vegetarian tamales tend to be that way. There's a ton of veggies you can stuff inside after all. The place is eclectic. They've got a dark horse head hanging from the ceiling. I'm guessing they were showing their camaraderie as the Dark Horse comics shop takes up the whole block nearby. There are also many other interesting props hanging and draped about as well. It kind of reminded me of the old Hamburger Mary restaurant decor, or even the mexican place with all the dolls.I could see this as a fun first date as you could spend a lot of time discussing the decorations if you needed to break the ice. I was contemplating dessert but was very full just with the two items I had eaten. I was wondering what an asparagus filled cheesecake would have been like or the asparagus flan. Those were nowhere on the menu though.
(3)Titus P.
Service was good. But, food was way over priced; not worth it. Charged me $5 for a simple bean an cheese burrito. Can go to a taco truck and get rice, beans, and meat that makes up for a giant burrito for $5.
(1)Judy N.
Tamales: awesome Lemonade: not worth it Service: wacky This review is for 2012 - Yelp never posted it. I had the chicken tamale which was amazing, the masa was delicious. Pretty sure I could eat a bowl of that. I ordered a lemonade which the waitress promptly forgot. After reminding her, it still took a good 10 minutes to receive, and it wasn't very good. At another table, someone was playing with a straw wrapper while chatting with his lunchmates, and the waitress took it out of his hand before she took their order. Rude?? While we were still eating, she came to our table and started taking away straw wrappers and used napkins. It was pretty absurd to have her reaching around us to take garbage from our table while we were still eating I would come back for the food, but I would probably get it to go.
(3)Sea S.
Wasn't too bad but not fantastic either.
(3)Josh D.
I ordered three fish tacos at the Astoria Sunday Market. They were mediocre at best and certainly not worth the $13. I wouldn't have bothered with a review thought, except that the man working pulled me in close and pointed to some Hispanic children and referred to them as "anchor babies" and made some comment about how they were "taking what is ours". Average food and disgusting racism... Steer clear of this place.
(1)Shaun W.
Foods was better than average. Unfortunately I will not be back because of the owner... We'll just say it was an interesting experience.
(2)Alexandra H.
We have been here many times, as we live around the corner. However, as the months have gone on, we find ourselves here less and less. And it has NOTHING to do with the food. The tamales are very good. The owner simply makes the dining experience awkward and uncomfortable. He clearly doesn't like it when anyone shares a dish or doesn't want to order alcohol. The last time we were there he asked me if I was sure 3-5 times that I didn't want an alcoholic beverage. It honestly felt like his #1 interest was padding the check. And it's not like passive creepiness, his attitude is actually highly aggressive. He will get right in your face and be rather confrontational. He has this strange sense of desperation emanating from him, as if he believes his restaurant is the best place in the universe and doesn't at all understand why it isn't packed at all hours of the day. I certainly understand that owning a business in downtown Milwaukie can be rather disheartening due to the lack of foot traffic and because of the city's seemingly ACTIVE agenda to limit any kind of progress (ie pushing out Milwaukie Kitchen & Wine through an unethical political decision which hurt it's owner), but acting this way will only further scare more people from returning to your restaurant. No matter how good the tamales are. Oh yeah, 99% of the stuff on the menu is horribly over-priced, and they charge you extra for absolutely everything, even the salsa. Plz stop being awkward, Milwaukie.
(2)Hailey F.
I'd give the food a 3, but the experience I had with the owner at the Oregon Bite was horrible. He was yelling at the customers when they didn't "get" their food right away. I say "get" because there was no method to the madness. They didn't give out numbers, or call the orders by name. He would just yell about the food and when no one came he'd throw a fit. At one point the gentleman in front of me got his food and asked for utensils and a napkin, he said please...but the owner didn't hear it and gave the man (who probably was in his late 30s) a lecture about proper manners. Which I found hilarious since this owner was yelling at people like they were cattle. When I got my food, the deep fried asparagus I ordered did not have the sauce. The old man was once again throwing a fit about people not "getting" their food right away and decided to lecture me about how I need to know what I ordered and get my food right away. I said that doesn't have sauce and I ordered sauce. HE then lectured me a again and that is when I lost it and told him to give me my "f-ing food". If I had seen this guy and the way he was acting before I ordered I would have not ordered anything from his stand. I will most definitely never eat at his restaurant and I will go out of my way to make sure I never buy asparagus from his farm. Which is sad because its like one of the only vegetables my husband will eat...oh well.
(1)Aaron W.
(NOTE: They also have a food booth at the Salem Wednesday and Saturday markets, and this only details my experience there.) I had passed this booth several times and finally decided to stop here for a hearty meal. I love Mexican food, so it was quite the chore on picking one item. They make each dish to display at the counter, both to show what each choice looks like (helpful) and probably (inadvertently) make the decision that much harder. Ultimately, I went with the Farmers Market Omelet ($10), adding chicken for $3 more. It's a three-egg omelet, with heaping amounts of grilled vegetables. The omelet gets immense as the eggs spread thin on the flattop. It's served with a corn or flour tortilla on the side (flour for me), plus a homemade salsa containing tomatoes, tomatillos, and jalapenos. The size and filling nature of this dish makes the $10 to $13 price tag much more reasonable. Personally, I would have liked a bit more seasoning on the vegetables and the chicken. I probably ate an entire crop of vegetables here, which really left me hunting for the moist chicken. The salsa was great, bringing much-needed flavor and possessing that slight zip from the jalapenos. I felt like such a healthy panda afterward! I had also considered their famous homemade tamales. It's $6.75 for one, and there are a few fillings to choose from. Also, the burrito ($8) includes a bunch of rice and beans; add a buck each for cheese and/or meat. Casa de Tamales also serves a Taco Plate of three small Mexican tacos ($8). The guy taking orders was very friendly. Other than that, there was a noticeable language barrier with the female cook. I'd certainly come back again and give them another shot. It's a solid three stars for now, and could easily get four in the future.
(3)Bob M.
OK, so we go to Casa de Tamale and eat everything but the tamales. The name of this place is silly as hell. I had a visual of this joint before getting there of it being on the edge of a farm with, I don't know, acres of asparagus, a scare crow and a bunch of chickens. Instead it is really an eclectic jumble of a little of everything in a tiny little restaurant, in downtown Milwaukie, which is trying very hard to get its hipster mode going. So read others to give you the tamale lowdown, we didn't order no stinkin' tamales. This time. Now, my take on the place is it is a little bit of Santa Fe or Sedona plopped into this improbable location. The last time I was in those towns was just after New Mexico was made a state of the union, but it used to be you would go into a place and they would have a big table set up front as you came in with samples of each of the dishes lined up for you to ponder before you sat and went over the menu. All of the crazy stuff on the walls here, the bright colors and a very laid back attitude of the staff fits in to this. "You just sit there and relax a bit. We are going to take good care of you, don't you worry and we are going to get to that...um, in a sec." is the unexpressed attitude. I'm very cool with that. That having been said, we found the service to be quite good, but service normally is attentive when SO&I come into a place. We do look like we will eat the plaster off the wall of a restaurant if we are not fed quick enough. The dishes were very inventive, yet not in the least bit pretentious. I loved that the seasonings, the smoky tastes, chilies and saucing--all of that was lovely and complex, but not "Hello Amigos! Mexican" This is adult food thoughtfully prepared. For heaven's sake get the chips, yes! The tortilla chips were OK, mixed with Duros--wagon wheel shaped things of puffed corn, all slathered up in the crema--think thin sour cream and those lovely salsas. I got the Farmer's Market Omelet just because it was, by name at least, not Mexican yet looked, and it turned out to be, a great representation of the type of cooking that is going on here. I could quibble that the charred veggies were a little too hard, or the egg cooked a little too much, but this would be hair-splitting what was a wonderful meal that I did not finish until lunch today. I never got any of the beans and rice others had with their meal because clearly they Were Not Sharing, but that is normally a sign of something good. I threw a glass and smashed it on the wall to distract one of our dinner mates enough to steal a hunk of chile relleno she ordered and that was flipping remarkable! Rellenos are simple, though a pain in the butt to prepare, but what makes a great one happen is the basic ingredients involved need to be the best and the technique spot on, and this was. Empanadas for desert. Meh. But we loved that it was prepared from scratch just for us. Cute area! Nice little places to wonder in and stopping here to end a relaxing afternoon would be the way to do a day. I have heard that the nightlife in the local watering holes are for the brave and desperate and would not mix with a such a delightful evening as we had. Highly recommended.
(4)Cheryl D.
We happened to be in the hood while eating at Pietro's Pizza and finally decided to drop by and see what this place was about. It is super cute on the inside and the entire staff was very friendly. We decided to pick up dinner for ourselves and our Mom who has a gluten allergy, they are very gluten free friendly. We were there at a quiet time and the owner grabbed us when we asked about the salsa and took us next door where he just opened a Deli, we were given a tasting of all their salsas and they are amazing. They had a delicious mango salsa, an asparagus mole, an regular tomato salsa, a tomatillo salsa, as well as a yummy Queso! We ordered the Queso and the Tomatillo Salsa to take home as well as a chicken and asparagus tamale, a pork and asparagus tamale and a chili relenno. It was all delicious as hell, Mom went crazy over her tamale, she has not had one in years and was thrilled. We thought the Chile Relenno was one of the best we have had and the Tamale was delicious and I am not much of a tamale person but I loved it. Yep I agree it was not cheap, but it was homemade, delicious and worth every penny. I have no problem paying a premium for food that is made with love and skill and is delicious, besides these folks are not getting rich off this business I am sure. Overall, loved it and will certainly be back!
(5)Marissa P.
Oregon isn't exactly known for authentic Mexican food! But this place is just fabulous! I had an asparagus chicken verde tamale which was simply delicious! The tamale was huge (I made 2 lunches out of this dish). The burritos are also huge! They make their own chips and salsa too! You can actually buy a lot of their products just a couple doors down at the little market. It gets a little toasty in here in the summer but the food here is worth it! Service was great! I'd go back any time I'm in the area. Fortunately you can find them at a lot of the farmers markets and festivals in the area.
(5)Mel B.
The food is tasty ...but it's WIERD. For example, I wanted a taco salad and went there for lunch - I was expecting a 'typical' taco salad - eg, lettuce, beans/meat, rice tomatos, cheese, etc. What I GOT was chopped broccoli, cauliflower, yellow and red peppers, coursely chopped with salsa on top, served in a deep fried tortilla bowl. The flavor was good - but I wanted that 'typical' mouth feel - not to be chowing down on a bunch of raw broccoli and cauliflower. Having said that, their taco salad was probably healthier than a 'typical' one (without eating the tortilla bowl, obviously)- so if was in the market for healthy that day, it would have been great. It just wasn't what I was expecting so I found it dissapointing on that front.
(2)Liz W.
I hate giving bad reviews of restaurants but I have been waiting to eat here for a long time (it's not exactly centrally located to where we live) since we tried their fried asparagus spears at "The Bite of Oregon" a few years ago. So while driving around looking for a holiday bazaar in Milwaukie today we decided to stop in. I never judge a book by it's cover but honestly, the decor in this place is ridiculous. I am ALL for random trinkets and antiques (Esparza's does it best) but NOT if they are covered in an inch of dust right above my head and plate. Strike one. There were 7 tables and we were the only ones there at noon on a Saturday, not a good sign, and the lady who greeted us was OVER EAGER. She sat us and awkwardly asked us what we would like to drink. I asked if they had Jarritos, she didn't know, so she asked the cook. Apparently they didn't but the cook went next door to the Mercado, but they didn't have any so we went with Mexican Coke. No big deal. By the time we were ready to order, the lady said that she needed to go get her pad because she was "new". No problem, I'm all for accuracy when it comes to my order. We got the fried asparagus, the taco salad with pork, tacos al carbon, and chips/salsa/guac. The chips, salsa and guac came out first and the first thing I notice is that the salsa has been dumped all over the chips, which I hate, and then they were drizzled with crema mexicana. STRIKE TWO. Luckily I don't have a dairy issue, because this is not how it read on the menu. They weren't bad, but the guac also had asparagus in it, which I was not a fan of, neither was our guac officanado 7 year old daughter. This girl knows her guacamole. Next came the fried asparagus which was terribly undercooked on the inside, and over cooked on the outside. No bueno. Not when we have had them before and they were sooo good. We each ate one, and boxed up the rest to try and salvage later. The rest of our food arrived and this is when I made up my mind we would never return. First of all this place is not "authentic" as many people have said. Not even close. My husband's taco salad with pork was mostly RAW carrots, cauliflower, and BROCCOLI! Very little meat, and served in a tiny shell. My tacos were alright, but the meat was not hot, and I expected hand made tortillas and was surprised that they weren't. All in all the food was not good, and frankly a little weird, not to mention EXPENSIVE especially for what you get. We asked for our boxes and the check. (Strike Three, you're out) The fried asparagus was on special as was the salad but the bill did not reflect that. When we brought it to her attention, she reminded us that she was "new" but was sure to tell us about her 5 hr training the day before. Not something we need to know, and now I know why there is still a help-wanted sign for a server in the window. She adjusted the check and we were out of there. I was so disappointed and we payed almost $40 for this?! Being from Colorado, I know Tex-Mex, and being a former employee of one of the best AUTHENTIC Mexican restaurants in Portland (Fonda Rosa on NE 28th and Couch), I feel like I am a pretty good judge of good food and service, and this place has neither. What a major disappointment...
(1)Marc F.
Bacon-wrapped asparagus is a meat-candy bouquet. farmers mercado
(3)Morgan C.
This is going to be a two part review. First, is my experience ordering tamales and I'll follow up after I've eaten them. So ordering, they have a great list online on their website. Its not the menu, it's the 'order' tab (which will bring up the list of tamales). I was told that they would only need 24 hours to prepare the order, so I ensured they'd have a full 24 hours to get it together. I ordered on a Sunday and went to pick up on Monday. 16 tamales, 4 each of four different varieties. I walked into the 'store' side of the restaurant (two stores to the left of the restaurant as your looking at it from the street). When I went in I told the lady my name and she said she was just getting the order together. Another couple walked in to get their order,then the phone rang and we were all put on hold for 5 minutes. Then she said she had to run next door to get my order and would be back (another 5 minutes). When she came back she said 'we only have 1 chicken verde' (I ordered four). me: Did you just sell them? her: Yes, they're our most popular. me: I would have thought placing an order would have protected my food from being sold her: well, you only ordered yesterday. you'd need to order 3 days in advance to be sure. me: um...ok. her: so why don't you pick some others out you like me: no thanks, you can just scratch those four her: don't you want the one so you can see what you're missing? haha me: .....no thanks her: okay, well the pork ones are coming. They're cooked fresh. At this point I'm not happy. They sold part of my order. and another 1/4 of my order is still cooking....why'd I place an order?! After paying for my 12 tamales, someone stuck their head in the store and said "I found more chicken verde". The lady then turned to me and said "oh, it looks like we found yours. do you want them?" I said I did, so we bought them. Clearly I would prefer frozen tamales, ready to go when I arrive. Instead I walked out with 12 frozen tamales and 4 piping hot right out of the steamer tamales. So I was able to experience taking them home and wrapping them in foil, letting them cool, then freezing them with all the rest. Now, I order tamales to be picked up, frozen. Not food 'to go' which I would take home and eat for dinner as soon as I got it home. Between the mismanaged order, the disorganization of the store, and the utter disregard for the fact that they (initially) couldn't fill the order I placed this place doesn't receive high marks. I'd feel differently if they'd said 'I'm sorry, we've misplaced part of your order, why don't you take three tamales on the house, our fault'. I'd even feel better if they'd just said 'our fault'. Instead she flipped it on me 'you should have ordered three days ago' (as if that someone makes my order more safe?) Maybe the food (which we're heating on Christmas day) will balance out the review of their service. We'll see. But based on their service, I wouldn't go back.
(1)Keith B.
I would give Casa de Tamales 4 or 5 stars if it wasn't so way over priced. No Free chips and salsa here, extra charges for everything, I'm surprised there wasn't an extra charge for breathing. The food here is pretty tastey, i have had almost all the items on the menu and everything tastes at least good, though a little to salty for me. One one favorites was the farmers omelet. Filled with asparagus, others veggies lot of meat, slightly greasy, and overly salty. The omelet is $10 with no sides, which is the kind of weird thing here, everything is Ala cart, no meals, so to have rice and beans, chips and salsa and a drink you would have to spend $22.5. Impanada's are $6.75 so if you want desert keep adding. Of course you don't really need anything other than your entree because it is so large but for me eating one item (unless it is soup) for a meal gets very boring. Also this isn't "elevated" food in any sense of the word. This is one of the hardest places to review because i can't think of another place to compare them to. My feeling is the owner thinks more highly of himself and his food than what it really is. I think if you haven't been here you should go just cause it's so different, not better, just different and bring your wallet. The women who run the place are very kind but seem over worked and under staffed. I have never had good service here but it was always friendly. the restaurant seems clean for the most part and has an assortment of strange decorations that seemingly follow no theme but are kind of interesting to look at. Once again i think the owner believes his own eclectic taste is better than what it is. When i first discovered this place i went here quit a few times and tried almost everything before i got burned out on their over priced food but it's Milwaukie, where else can you eat in this food desert?
(3)Elizabeth S.
So yummy. Very different! Good, fresh veggies incorporated in each dish. A must-try is the chips and salsa. Not your regular chips and salsa! They serve the salsa drizzled over the chips, with a bit of crema drizzled over that. It is addictive--so much that we had to buy some to take home.
(5)Patti P.
Yelp has been my new go-to app to help me find new good local restaurants, and this is one of them! We recently moved to the area, and have been looking for good places to patron, we try to support only local businesses and the little 'whole in the walls' restaurants, ie: no chains style places, and again this hit the mark. It was a spontanious decision to go out to lunch. It happened to be Easter Sunday, so I checked the website for hours and if they were open, not only were they open, but they serve brunch on Sundays. Nice. What a great opportunity to try different menu options. We were thrilled. Great food. Great, friendly service. The chile verde, and corn husked tamales were outstanding! The chorizo was great and the scrambled eggs, were like none that I have tasted. Great. I can't wait to try other options and patron there often. I didn't even get to try the chips and salsa that were so highly recommended. We will be back :) I'm glad Milwaukie has a couple of nice restaurants without always having to drive into Portland.
(5)Beth G.
Scrumptious. We hadn't planned to visit, but when I said to my sweetie, "hey, I've heard good things about that place", he couldn't resist the siren call of good latino food. And it was GOOD. We both had tamales--mine was chicken, his was pork, both with asparagus. I was a little concerned about paying $6.75 for an a la carte tamale, but it was huge and delicious and worth every penny. Sweetie said that the rice and beans were exceptional, too. And he's kind of a salsa snob, and thought this was very good (I did, too, but I am easier to please. At least about salsa). Service was fine, the decor is cute, but it's really all about the food. A couple of things were a little confusing: 1) there were beautiful chiles relleno in the bakery display, but they weren't on the menu, so I didn't order them. And 2) now I read about 40 different kinds of tamales? We only saw maybe 6 on the menu. Besides the nacatamales, which looked divine as the next table was devouring them. Why would you have items that aren't on the menu? I dunno. But it doesn't really matter, because I would eat that chicken tamale again and again.
(5)Sarah S.
This was....not what I expected. I was looking for your standard Mexican fare. You will not find that here. What you will find: chicken burrito stir fry heaping with broccoli, cauliflowers,peppers, and other stuff I didn't expect to find in a burrito. But you know what else I did t expect? I didn't expect to like it! It was right tasty! A note on service: I did not experience the famed gentleman owner, only a waitress and another woman cooking. My experiences with them were not memorable.
(3)Tim M.
This would be a 3-4 star review normally, but I like it when you get things at places you can't get anywhere else, like my lunch today, a crab and cheese Chili Relleno-WTF are you kidding me?-No man I ain't, it was freakin' delicious! And how about the Salsa? It was made out of pureed Asparagus, incredible! The whole menu there is....well...different (Just like my friends, I guess that's why I like it) They have different flavors of burritos and tamales and a dish called Nacatamal which is a Nicaraguan Style Tamale Steamed in a Banana Leaf. It is Filled with Chicken, Potato, Tomato, Jasmine Rice, Spanish Olives, Oregon Plums and Oregon Raisins. I've had that before there and it was great! So yeah, I've had better Relleno's, but I've never had one with Crab and cheese, and asparagus salsa. Props to Anna B for reminding me of this place.
(5)Mike G.
GROSS....This place tastes like Tacho's and these other sick tasting americanized Mexican joints! It is a bit over priced and you don't even get chips and salsa! When you order it you get some wagon wheel shit on top of some hard chips. You can NOT get beer/wine either! Come on...wake up and serve the community. People demand more these days and a dump like this is NOT providing it! The service was alright but there was hardly anyone in there! Save your money and dine somewhere else...anywhere would probably be better!
(1)Stephanie B.
Big, bready tamal Only one choice of flavor I was not impressed
(2)Chris G.
For starters, when my friend and I who were first time customers entered, we first off noticed that the tables were sticky. We were told this was due to health regulations indicating they use bleach water. Okay...but isn't there a product to cut the grease? Then when she ordered her first choice was told they didn't feature it that day. She then went on to the next and AGAIN was told it wasn't available. Her order ultimately consisted of limp, grease-soaked deep fried aspargus (their main draw). She also wanted a cup of tortilla soup. It wasn't good, either, and it was in THE smallest cup imaginable. I ordered a carne asada burrito. When it finally appeared, it wasn't rolled up like other burritos I've had, instead a SMALLER than usual flour tortilla that was either baked or toasted and brittle (?) lined the bottom of a dish that was then filled with the most unusual assortment of non burrito items....i.e. far too few "bits" of the carne asada; cauliflower; broccoli; red and yellow peppers (not sauted, but raw along with raw red onions) was presented with a HUGE dollop of salsa that upon taking the first bite, was so incredibly spicey hot I literally choked! I told the waitress I was sorry, but couldn't possibly eat that. She complied and took it back and another such dish was delivered DEVOID of ANY sauce and/or flavor what-so-ever. Both my friend and I had previously ordered flan. I had to ask for it's delivery as it wasn't brought to us, as yet, even though the receipt had been presented, and is the traditional cue to pay the bill. I tried to be kind by phrasing it "...we're ready for our flan, now..." but the waitress looked annoyed that I apparently had the audacity to ask for what was already on the receipt. I doubt I need to end with "We'll never go back", but clearly, this is the verdict.
(1)Shelley M.
The food was pretty good, but the price was high for lunch. I had the pork tamale with rice and beans. There was a lot of food on my plate and everything was good, but nothing special. The salsa was the exception. It was delicious with an amazing fresh taste. I didn't notice anything wrong with the service, in fact it seemed like the servers were going out of their way to greet customers and make sure everyone was satisfied. Unfortunately I heard more than on group of diners discussing the prices. The prices are more in line with what you would expect to pay for dinner.
(3)Elaine C.
This place inspired me to join yelp, and it's all too exciting!! Such DELICIOUS food from an unexpected place. Their hours at first left my boyfriend and I bewildered. I'm not really sure what their regular hours are, but stop in if you feel like spending a little more for some great quality, not-so-typical Mexican food. They have about 5 daily specials that will give you a $2-$3 discount or so and a separate vegetarian/vegan menu. I got a Green Corn Nacatamal, and you can taste the wonderful sweetness of banana in it... OMG. The beans tasted like my momma's (dare I say, less salty than my momma's?), and the rice was fluffy fluffy like a really yummy pillow. And the handmade tortillas and chips were a really nice surprise. I like how they incorporate lots of lovely veggies into their dishes. In the usual Mexican place, you'll get a sad looking pile of lettuce and tomato on the side, but these plates are colorful and and look as good as they taste. The owner was the friendliest guy, and maybe if we are all on our best behavior, we can convince them to get some of the "hard stuff" for margaritas. I liked this place so much that I might even volunteer to wave the Casa de Tamales sign on McLoughlin and Harrison...
(5)Mary K.
best chicken tamale ever! Salem Saturday market
(4)Patrick B.
Probably the best 'sit down' Mexican restaurant that I'm aware of in the Portland area. The Good: 1) Fresh food. Inventive dishes. Light, not greasy. 2) Service is great. For instance, one night I came to the restaurant, and realized that it was closed. Even though the owner was having a private party in the restaurant, he made me some food to go! What service; most places would turn you away after closing time. 3) Prices are a bit high, but reasonable considering the ingredients are a cut above the average Mexican restaurant. The Bad: 1) Hours are short. 2) Location is a bit odd; Milwaukie is a fairly strange place to put a place like this. At least it's not in Canby! Summary: Hope they're open for a long time. Consistently good and unique food can be had here.
(4)kevin l.
Food: 5 Stars....Some of the best Tamales you will ever eat...fresh and tasty...we've been there twice and both time the food does not dissappoint. So why only 3 stars overall? Because both times we felt blindsided by the owners / staff on the pricing, let me explain: The 1st time we were there, we were the only one there, we ordered the tamales and a open face burrito, both were great. Right in the middle of our meal, a older gentelman, whom I assumed was the owner. Walked up to our table with a plate of grilled asparagus in hand, and said: these just came off the grill, would you like to try some? We assumed he was giving out samples so we said: yes, sure and thank you very much. However, When we got our ticket, there was a $7 dollar charge for grilled aspasagus. Any goodwill we've felt for the place went right out the window because that was very sneaky. We did not complain and paid our bill. But did not return for over 7 months because of the sneak attack. We finally decide to return again today, we ordered a plate of the Nacatamales with a extra side of rice...which was outstanding. It is a huge protion so we asked for a extra plate so we can split the food. And druing the meal, we asked for some extra salsa because only a little came with the meal. When we got our ticket, instead of $9 for the Nacatamales, we were charged $10. When I inquired about the $10 vs. $9 charge, the waiter told me it was for bring out the extra plate. WOW! Plus they charged us another $1 for the salsa, which the waiter never mentioned it was extra. And every other mexican food joint gives at no charge. So we got blindsided AGAIN!!!! So, we will go back there but for take out only, and we will ALWAYS ask if there is a extra charge for napkins and the paper bag it comes in.
(3)Tamara V.
I ordered 18 chicken tamales to go on for the day after Christmas. We were all delighted with our food, the presentation, the price and the service!! First off, the tamales are completely delish! Perfect amount of cornmeal and filling. I fed 16 people, including 5 18-22 year old boys with BIG appetites. I also made a taco salad to have on the side. We couldn't have asked for a better experience. Our order was ready on time and they were very friendly on the phone. I ended up with 4 extra tamales which froze up beautifully and made a nice lunch a couple of weeks later. I froze them so the boys wouldn't eat them in a midnight food raid, they were so tasty I wanted to save them for myself :)! We definitely plan to do this again!
(5)J D S.
Loads of original dishes, and very light, tasty tamales - - we had a chicken with asparagus and a pork with asparagus, with red sauce off to one side of the rather large tamale, and mexican crema (like light sour cream) on the other. No leftovers, and completely delicious, with high-quality meat. Yes, they do now sell wine and beer. No, you do not get salsa and chips - - it's not that kind of place. Think quality instead of quantity, although there's little question that for anywhere from $6.50 to $10 you can get pretty well stuffed - - there's an amazing stuffed omelette dish that looks like enough food for two days. Very nice modest place, funky but fun interior. The owner took a personal interest in where we were from. As to the person who complained about one flavor of tamale, clearly they did not bother reading the menu - - they will make you any of the 40 different tamales they have listed. I plan to slowly work my way through the menu, and the Nicaraguan tamale is a whole different animal from the usual Mexican fare.
(5)Keith D.
Finest tamales I've had any place with the exception of a neighbor of a friend in San Francisco who makes them fresh in her tiny Mission District kitchen every Friday to sell to friends, family and neighbors. (Word travels fast.) Casa de Tamales serves wonderfully fresh tamales in a nice atmosphere and fresh ingredients. The staff is friendly, the place is clean - and wow, did I salivate over the other items I could have ordered while I was eating my delicious dinner. How many times do you wish you had room for another 4 or 5 orders at a restaurant while you're eating? This is one of those spots. Last bit: Don't miss the salsa. The ingredients are freshly roasted and prepared; I haven't had better for a very long time.
(5)nicole l.
Who are these people?! This is one of my favorite restaurants in the state of Oregon. I have been eating there on the regular since long before I lived here, and my brother insists on going there at least once each time he flies here from England. The owner is always making the rounds, pressing the flesh, making sure everything tastes good, treating you to something sweet after the meal...and the food is outrageously good!! My favorite is the farm omelette, which is overflowing with gorgeous tender crisp grilled produce, and topped with crema and salsa. But the nakatamal, pumpkin dessert tamales, tacos, open face burrito, and every special I've ever tried has been scrumtrilescent as well. Can not recommend highly enough, and I adore the quirky decor. The running of this place is clearly a labor of love, and I appreciate that in a restaurant!
(5)Robert v.
It had been a while since our last visit. Now I remember why. The food is good and quantities are plentiful. Interesting decorations. Service is good too. My bod just is not happy afterwards...
(2)Jessica C.
My boyfriend and I were going to meet up for lunch at coffee shop around the corner, but I drove by this place on the way and thought it looked a lot more interesting than a sandwich. We split the Nacatamal with beans and rice, and it was FANTASTIC. Like...wonderful amazing yummy goodness. There's a sauce they put with it, no idea what it's called, but it has a wonderful heat that doesn't then stick around and burn your lips (which is not a sensation I enjoy). They added rice and beans to the side, and it was plenty of food for the two of us (although admittedly we weren't extremely hungry). We picked up a menu so we can do take-out, and the waiter also told us about all of the tamale options they have - something like 40, but you have to pre-order (they can't keep them all on the menu, it's more for if you're doing an event or something). The only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is that, while the service was extremely friendly, efficiency is not exactly a priority there. It was fine, because we weren't in a hurry and there was only one other table of people in there, but I could see how at other times it could present a slight problem. Regardless, will definitely be returning. Oh, and the horchata was also quite good.
(4)Collin I.
I don't know if it just happened to be that particular day or what the problem was, but I have not been this disappointed in a restaurant in a very long time. Having heard about this place many times, and being extremely fond of Tamales we headed over. It was a Sunday evening. We got there and were seated (we were the only people there). We exchanged some light banter with the owner (I think) who was sitting behind us. Then it happened. We asked how big the tamales were and the response we heard left us puzzled. To quote, "These are full dinner sized tamales, not the little finger ones they sell out of the trunk of a car." Alright, a little bit of racial profiling. Hmmm. Well, to make a long story short, My wifes tamale tasted like "Friskies" cat food, you know the little "x" shaped ones we all tasted as children, and the masa was wet, not creamy, or moist, but wet. When we asked for Ketchup for our fried vegetables, our waiter's reply was, "I don't know. We try to stay authentic, but I'll go look" I sat, puzzled and looked at the dish of Ranch in front of me. Then, as we tried to eat some beans, and some of the fried vegetable appetizers we had gotten, I watched our waiter walk back and forth through the kitchen, eating multiple items with his hands and licked his fingers. Made me wonder if he washed those puppies before he brought our food. So, no, we will not be going back there. The memory of the "Friskies" Tamale will stick with us far too long. It is a shame, we did have high hopes, and with all the great reviews I'm sure it must have been an off night. But WOW, what an off night.
(1)Peter T.
Very authentic. Very good. Disagree with those that think it's pricey.
(4)J L.
I love tamales, and this place has over 40 varieties. I stuck to the tamales listed on the main menu, chicken and asparagus, pork, and Nicaraguan. The Nicaraguan was not especially good, but I knew it was supposed to be different than the rest. The other tamales were outstanding- fresh, good consistency, plenty of meat, and well-balanced flavors. The guacamole was also really good here. These tamales are the best I have had in the Portland area. Excluding the Nicaraguan tamale, I would probably give this 5 stars, but I am keeping it conservative until I have the chance to make a second visit.
(4)Rob F.
Very tasty fare - and lots of choices for veg people. Didn't have the tamales - which seems like a big oversight at the house of tamales - but, there were many options, including a whole vegan list. I will definitely try some next time - and there will be a next time, even though the owner of the place talked our ears off all through lunch - but in a cool way. Very entertaining dude and I'm sure he'd leave you alone if you wanted him to. The veggie burrito was unusual - open faced and also a yum. Gabrielle had the chile relleno which she seemed quite fond of. The whole place is a trip. Even downtown(?) Milwaukie is kind of interesting. Prices were a bit on the high side - but the daily specials are a good deal.
(4)Norabel L.
Creamiest masa I've ever had! I had no idea tamales could even be this delicious. I had the chicken, m'usband had the pork and we both agreed the chicken was a little better. The place was cuter than we had imagined. Fun, busy decor, which I found more interesting than your average mexican decor. Service was polite, and I had a chance to chat up one of the staff (maybe an owner?) and she filled me in about all the other things they had. I will come back to try the green chili enchiladas soon. I will say, the tamales were way bigger and higher quality than your average street tamale, and the price reflected that. It was plenty filling though, and still cheaper than your average dinner somewhere else. I will say the rice and refried beans were both pretty bland. I never salt and pepper my dinner when I go out, and I had to with these side dishes. That being said, I LOVED the tamales!
(4)Z Z.
Huh....I am fairly stunned at the negative reviews of Casa de Tamales. We have eaten there several times and never had an issue with the service. My husband has gotten take out from there quite a bit and finds the food to be quite good. I respect my husbands opinion when it comes to Mexican food as he grew up and lived in SoCal his entire life prior to moving to Portland. The coolest part of Casa de Tamales is the tamale menu. It is huge and you can call them up at any time and order the tamales ahead of time. They don't normally have every type of tamale available on a daily basis but you can pretty much order any of them in advance. I believe it is 24 hour notice for the pre orders. How cool is that? And the tamales are quite good, they don't skimp on the ingredients and everything is quite fresh. As a vegetarian I have a great appreciation for the fact that they break out the menu by meat, vegan, vegetarian, and dessert/sweet tamales. They also list out what the primary ingredients are in each tamale which I also appreciate. Casa de Tamales is owned by the Canby Asparagus Farm and they (for the most part) use local ingredients, a lot of which come from their farm. I am not an asparagus fan but my husband has mentioned several times how delicious the asparagus is from there. I have ordered the vegetarian quesadilla several times and enjoyed it! I always find it to be cooked well and am pleased with the cheese to veggie ratio. Regarding the reviews about the service..hmm not sure what to say. I have always found it to be quite busy in there and everyone always seem to be enjoying their food. I have not had a problem with the service at all and neither has my husband (who has been there quite a few more times than I have). I am not a fan of being fawned over and babysat while eating anyway. I would prefer my servers to be friendly but distant. From what I have seen, Portland has so many sub-par Mexican restaurants and I am surprised more folks aren't aware of this place....which is actually quite good!
(4)Sean S.
Last year near this very day, I took my swart (sweet heart) to the Casa for her birthday dinner and my disappointment is still as vibrant today, as it was the night we walked out of that place, shaking our heads, wondering what just happened. Dinners should know this: The $6-14 plate they show you of a tamale is what you are going to be getting. "Would you like Chips and Salsa while you wait?" Of course! Cha-ching! $3 bucks on the bill. "Would you like rice and beans on your plate?" Of course! Double Cha-ching! $2.75 for rice $2.75 for beans $5.50 bucks apiece for each plate And here is the kicker... wasn't much of either side dish on each plate. I had the chicken asparagus tamale, and my swart had something more adventurous, the Macatamal. Both were fine, but unremarkable. The salsa was little more than tomatillo-water and had I realized I paid for it, before the bill came, it would have been sent back. All in all, a whole lot of hype and very little substance. We won't be back. We'll save our $ and walk 2 blocks down to Cha Cha Cha's. And now we get our tamales from friends from Hillsboro, fresh and auténtico.
(2)Dan P.
The food is so good here! It is worth the price. I recommend the Sunday buffet. 14 bucks let's you try a bunce of great flavors. Yes, a bit pricey, but better than ANY mexican food buffet ANYWHERE! Roasted veggies instead of just plain ol beans and rice... Great idea!!! Had the roased beets off of the buffet and the asparagus a great combo with the tamales and the chile relleno. Yumm!
(4)Sally B.
While visiting my parents in Milwaukie, my Mom said she'd like to try Casa de Tamales for lunch. I'm a fan of Mexican food, so ok, off we went. Wow! The place was great. Lots of eclectic stuff on the walls, and a bright and clean environment. The place is small, only about 8 or 10 tables, so maybe not great for a large group. It seemed to have a regular lunch crowd though, while we were there. We arrived a bit late for lunch (1:30), so didn't get to see the table with the sample dishes that have been mentioned in other reviews. We ordered a plate of chips and salsa (unlike most Mex places, it's an extra charge), but we felt it was worth the price. Salsa, guacamole, and crema with what appeared to be house made chips. Mom didn't like the salsa, but I thought it was good with a nice smoky flavor. Gaucamole was so-so, seemed like just mashed avocados with no seasoning. We tried to order the Nacatamal but were told it was sold out. So I got the taco plate with pork and Mom ordered a burrito with veggies only. My 3 little open faced tacos were delicous, nice tender pork with good flavor and just the right amount of heat. Mom said her veggie burrito was wonderful - the best she's ever had. It came served in an au gratin dish, open faced and piled high with fresh roasted veggies and their signature asparagus spear on top. Mom noticed that I didn't have any asparagus, the owner/waiter promptly brought us two more. Fresh, tender, and cooked just right. We thought the place was great, and I'll definately be back the next time I'm in Milwaukie.
(4)Tom A.
Say it with me, NACATAMAL! This is the Nicaraguan version of a tamale, a banana leaf filled with a masa made from corn, mashed potato, raisins, olives and other wondrous flavors. And of course, some asparagus. At least in the version produced by Casa de Tamales. Big plus: it's just damned fun to say. My only regret about Nacatamal is that Ms. A ordered it and not I, which meant I had to reach across the table to consume it. Kinda awkward. I had a very delicious burrito special, filled with grilled vegetables and steak. But the Nacatamal trumped it. (Though Ms. A would point out I devoured said burrito even as I was stealing bites of her Nacatamal). For bevvies we had cane sugared Mexican Coca Cola (in the 355 ml glass bottle) and for apps, the chips and salsa. These were a mix of tortilla chips and poofy rice things, drizzled with a chipotle salsa and crema and served with a garlicky asparagamole (I might have made that word up). It's a sauce that looks like guac but is made with asparagus rather than avocado and that has the unique ability to make both your breath AND your pee stink. Dessert was very good - a first-rate flan for Ms. A (again with ordering something better than mine) and a cherry empanada for me. The latter would have been just right with some vanilla ice cream but whipped cream alone wasn't enough. The service was over the top, at first. We were greeted on the sidewalk and had the menu explained to us in some detail while we were being seated at an outdoor table. We even had a nice conversation about Portland coffee roasters (Casa carries Kobos Coffee). Later on a different server was somewhat less attentive but we were never left hanging. I never actually went inside so I have no idea what the decor or music were, but the alfresco dining on a quiet side street on a summer eve was perfect. We are going back and I'm getting my own NACATAMAL!
(4)Celena C.
Casa de rip-off is more like it. They have a spot at the farmers market near my work. I ordered a veggie burrito minus the tortilla - and was rewarded with a small paper boat of sauteed vegetables for $7. I assumed a "burrito" would contain beans and rice. Silly me. No beans. No rice. To add beans and rice would have been $6 extra! For $13 I could sit down at a restaurant, get a dish big enough to take left-overs home - with beans and rice - and tip.
(1)Chris E.
We agree, good (but not outstanding) food and lousy service. Our server definitely needs to find a personality. Interesting taco salad with a variety of veggies. To charge for chips & salsa is a negative and everything is a la carte. Probably not worth a second visit.
(2)Ludo N.
I went to Casa De Tamales last Saturday night with some friends (5 people total). They pushed a few tables together and we were seated promptly. They have a bunch sample "plates" by the door, so you can see exactly what you are going to order. We were surprised when our server (who I believe is the owner) brought out each of the sample plates to our table and described what they are and what was in them. I have never seen that done before, but it was great, as I got something normally I would not have! I ordered the El Nacatamal and it was amazing. My husband got taco's which he enjoyed, but he was eyeing my dish and I think he might order that next time. I am not sure what to order next time because everything looks so good! My friends all enjoyed their meals too, and they have Mexican Coke (real sugar, no hfcs)! Our table ordered chips and salsa ($3) which everybody at the table seemed to enjoy but me, so obviously I am the odd one out. The chips were a little thick for my taste. I first discovered them because they used to have a stand at the Hillsboro Saturday Market and I would go down there every Saturday and get the Quesadillas, which are AMAZING (they grill the actual cheese), or one of the tamales. I'm sad they don't set up there anymore, but glad they have a restaurant! The staff was very friendly and the decor was eclectic and interesting. The food was so amazing that I will be making the drive (I live in Hillsboro) again and again. I have nothing bad to say about my experience, and give it a full 5 stars!
(5)Daniel M.
I have very little complaint with any of the points of the negative reviews above. Yes, the service can be spotty. Yes, the chips and salsa are substandard. No, they don't have a liquor license. Yes, the interior design is downright schizoid. So what's with all the positive reviews? Well, the thing about Casa is that several of its dishes could compete with any Latin food in the country, hands down. Anything with grilled vegetables is spectacular, and I'm under the impression that they use locally grown produce. The burritos are amazing, and I could eat Casa de Tamales quesadillas for the rest of my life and never have any complaints. But other dishes are average at best, and several of those are overpriced. It's odd that the salsa that comes with the chips is so poor, because the homemade stuff that goes on the quesadillas is wonderful: just the right mix of hot and sweet. But all that doesn't make it a bad restaurant. It makes it a restaurant with some really spectacular dishes that needs to retool a little bit. So no, this isn't a good place to take someone whom you want to impress. But it's a great place to get lunch, and if you write it off, you're really missing out on something special. Yes special. The quesadillas are that good. Five stars to try and save the rep of the best restaurant anywhere near my work.
(5)K W.
We went to Casa de Tamales three times in an effort to find one of those dishes that we just had to come back for: but we never found it. With a family of four we had a chance to try a fair amount of the menu. To no avail. I certainly can't say any of the food was bad but none of us found anything we considered remarkable. If we are thinking Mexican in Milwaukie we opt for Super Burrito instead. We also noticed that the owner wanted to constantly strike up conversations and take part in our conversations. Once is fine: but it happened each visit. Listening to him talk for ten or fifteen minutes was simply tiring. So we won't be going back.
(2)Paula W.
I have to agree with most everyone else's reviews of this quirky little spot in Milwaukie. Good food, lousy service. I would have rated four for the food and only one for the service so a three is actually pretty generous. The decor leaves something to be desired - a viking helmet, a violin, and a Peewee Herman doll over the doorway. What does any of this have to do with a Tamale house? And no mexican music playing - I had to listen to an oldies station coming from the dishwashing area (uck!) The waitress seemed friendly but a bit put out that she had to wait on me. I was never offered chips and salsa and even had to ask for water. I could see my dinner sitting on the counter for about 10 minutes before the waitress finally pulled herself from whatever she was doing in the back area and brought my food. I ended up getting the Halibut fish taco special which came with beans and rice and a huge grilled asparagus spear. The food was very tasty but needed a little salsa or something. Since the girl left the food and disappeared into the back of the restaurant I figured I was out of luck. I might try this place again for breakfast, but if the service is the same, that will be it for me. I can deal with okay food and outstanding service much better than outstanding food and shitty service.
(3)Kendra P.
I love this place! My boyfriend is allergic to onions and they made his tacos without onions. I am allergic to gluten and dairy. You can order anything here without gluten!
(5)Chris C.
What a rip off!! The tamales are good but $6-$10 a piece? Are you kidding me? I'm from Fresno and grew up on tamales for Christmas so I tried these this year. Never again will I make the trek to this crazy place. Anything good I can say about the flavor is nothing compared to the $100 we paid for a dozen yesterday. Next time we will fly to Mexico or at least Tulare instead.
(1)Daniel P.
There is very little food that I crave in Portland. This place has an incredible tamale that we would stop at the farmer market in the summer evening for! The nacatamal has chicken, spices, Oregon plum, green olives and who knows what more incredible goodness. There are some good Mexican places around Portland. These people know their food better! Stop at your local farmer's market and ask if they have a cart from Canby Asparagus farm, if not, keep driving to Milwaukie. They have incredible chile rellenos at the restaurant...and more. They have a lot of their tamales frozen, ready to take home. And their salsas. And the people owners are the friendliest people. I never thought I would drive down hwy 99 to go to eat, but this place is now at the top of my list of good, cheap eats!
(5)Darryl A.
When my wife and I dropped out of the skies to visit her sister in Milwaukie, our hostess promised us a real treat. Casa de Tamales exceeded my expectations. Who would brave the rain and cold to come to this corner of Oregon for tamales? Lots of folks. If I have my way, a whole lot more will come and taste why. When you walk into the place you can immediately see all of the daily specials dished up in full view on a display table just the way they look when they are served up. One of their specialties, the nacatamal, looked irresistible so I ordered that. The nacatamal is a Nicaraguan style tamale with mashed potato and bell pepper in the masa. Mine was stuffed with machaca beef, potato, olives, plums and raisins and wrapped in a banana leaf. It was outstanding. Most of the better homemade tamales I've had were completely flavored inside out by the juicy, flavorful filling. The nacatamal was exactly like that. Every single bite was delicious. My wife ordered a chicken with asparagus tamale, which came with no sides. She loved it. It was pretty big, so that alone was plenty for her. I should mention that you can ask for a tamale plate, which comes with rice and beans, but the tamale is smaller. If you are considering ordering a tamale plate, be sure to ask if the smaller tamales are available before you order. My sister-in-law ordered a quesadilla with veggies special. It came with rice and beans. I usually judge a restaurant by the side dishes, and her rice and beans were terrific. She also raved about her quesadilla. The restaurant is fairly new and they offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In addition to tamales, they offer burritos, tacos, grilled asparagus with butterfly shrimp. quesadillas, and fruit-filled empanadas. I live in California, but every time I return to the Milwaukie area you can trust that I will return to Casa de Tamales for more! Also, their prices are quite reasonable; nothing on the menu is over $10.
(5)Debi S.
Save your money, save your time.....read the 3 star and less reviews before you go. If you like being overcharged and served so-so food this is your place. The owner should have stayed with his first career. I am surprised that he doesn't have a bigger restaurant to house his over sized ego. Carlos
(1)Cam T.
Wow. Not only was this my first Mexican meal in PDX but also my first meal served by a TV personality. Who knew Kelso existed outside of bell-bottoms & rainbow puffy vests? Apparently his real life counterpart not only gets by on looks alone but also enjoys a good burn too. Our friends love this place & eat here so regularly that the owner knows them by name. Needless to say, last night's 'sode was a letdown on both sides. We came with insider information about dungeness crab chile relleno that was to be unveiled that night. It ended up not only being unavailable until the weekend but also only available in either the cheese or chicken formulation which would be fine except it took our flower child 10 min after trying to order 2 others to come back & tell us they were out. BURN! After the tables that arrived after us had already eaten and LEFT, food finally arrived at our table. We had to call them back to confirm that, "Yes, that's not your food," and "Did you touch any of it?" While we hadn't lifted a utensil or appendage to any of it since it didn't look like what we ordered, isn't it more than just tacky to take food that was erroneously given to another table after it had been sitting there for 10 minutes to the person who actually ordered it? At least getting our food dead last ensured that no one else had had their wily ways with it before it landed in front of us. BURN! Tried the halibut taco special: the halibut was overcooked & dry & the taco overall was very watery & bland. The rice & beans were tasty but who goes out for Mexican food to subsist on rice & beans? Maybe Tacky Bell, but even that's doubtful. Capt Hook opted for the nacatamal: a Nicaraguan dish with corn meal, veggies, raisins & chicken, wrapped in banana leaves & salsa on the side. Nice combination of savory & sweet but very heavy from the corn meal. The salsa while fresh was not even remotely spicy. Shared the grilled asparagus with shrimp as an appetizer for the table, which ironically was the best dish of the meal, well seasoned & spiced with perfectly cooked shrimp. Very inconsistent execution on the drinks: my first horchata was great & tasted like smooth liquid rice pudding with a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. The second was so watered down it tasted like cloudy water. Capt Hook's fresh homemade lemon was so anemic we had to ask for some lemon wedges & sugar to elevate it above the level of water with a wedge of lemon in it. For $4/glass, you'd think that Kelso wouldn't tilt his head like a cocker spaniel while we asked for some lemon & sugar to combat the watery taste but no. BURN! While the Godzilla peeking down at us from the ceiling through a salvaged windowpane was cute & the earnestness of Kelso et al was noted, cheating on us with the customers who arrived after us didn't wear too well. Cute will only get you so far in this life, unless you're Demi Moore. Apparently these inconsistencies while extreme are not unusual according to our friends, the regulars. No worries, we may not be the Jackie to their Laurie, but I suspect we'll be cheating on you from now on too because there are plenty of fish in the PDX sea. BURN!
(2)Ari D.
Being a big fan of both tamales and asparagus, I was excited to discover this place near our motel. Days later, I still feel annoyed and ripped off and wishing that I had seen Sean S.'s review. The chicken-asparagus tamale was decent albeit a bit dry - certainly nothing to write home about. The portion of salsa (which was nice and hot, just like we like it) and sour cream that came on top was pretty stingy. I got the three-taco plate for my daughter and was appalled at the amount of food that arrived on this $7 plate. Have you ever been to a pub that has a "50 cent taco night"? While the meat & salsa were certainly better, that was exactly the size of these three tacos - not even enough to satisfy a child. I could have finished each of these tacos in one big bite. She did so in two. Yes, the menu did specify "a la carte item" for both of these items, but for the price, I expect bigger portions. Add to this the super flaky waiter who couldn't be arsed to bring our water 15 minutes after we had ordered and couldn't give us a straight answer about which to-go tamales were available, and we won't be back.
(2)Connie P.
My husband & I tried this restaurant, based on the ad in the local paper. We went in about 1:30 in the afternoon for lunch & were the only customers. The Chili Relennos were not on the menu, so I asked about any Specials available. The waitress walked over to the cold case and said they had cheese & chicken Chili Rellenos, and plain cheese rellenos, as well. I chose the chicken & cheese Relleno, but got the distinct impression it was heated up from the cold case. My husbands open face burrito was heavy on veggies, including broccoli and "the spear of Asparagus", and the beef was tough. The floor in the dining room had a large puddle of water and the restaurant smelled strongly of disinfectant. When I passed the kitchen to use the restroom, i was disturbed to see a kitchen area that was not very clean (I thought Health Departrment). In contrast the restrooom was pristine.
(1)Michael P.
The food here is quite good. I'd give it 5 stars. Unfortunately, the owner (Carlos/Charles) is a major tool. A cheapskate to the max. He'll charge you $2 if you ask for an extra plate, or a little extra sauce on top. And no free chips here -- $3.50 for a small basket.
(3)Casey A.
I see these guys all over the place and have eaten the food a hand full of times. Most recently I found them at the Spring Beer and Wine Fest. I was working the event and needed some food. After waiting in line for ten minutes I reached the counter. After deciding that a $7 taco plate that consisted of 3 VERY small tacos (the kind that every taco truck in the state sells for $1 each), I asked if they could make a "normal" burrito because all of their burritos are served open face. I tried to explain that I was working the festival and needed to use my hands and by "normal" I just meant wrapped up instead of open. The owner proceeded to tell me how "taco bell" that was and that they do food the real Mexican way and that they couldn't help me. The guy was so abrasive I just walked away. First off, my step dad was born and raised in Colima, Mexico. I was exposed to true Mexicano culture and cooking from a very young age. If you want to be authentica where's the cabesa and lengua? Your tamale masa is always way too wet, and your prices don't seem too authentic either. And just in the sense of good business, maybe you shouldn't argue with customers. In a town of mediocre Mexican food I think there is a lot better than this place
(1)B M.
I was craving good Mexican food and after several encounters with this business at various farmer's markets, I thought I had a winner. I was sadly wrong. First all this propaganda about how "quality tamales cost more" located on the counter was a big turnoff. The owner was trying to schmooze a new potential employee to work for him. After she left, he said "Well, the ladies are alot better than the men to work for me" I should have left right then. My food was ready for take out and he gave me the check for $9.99 (okay, where I come from, south Texas, a tamale and a side of rice and beans should not be that much, but whatever...) I gave him my debit card and he rang my order up. When I got home, I opened up my very soggy takeout. My tamales was swimming in a bath of water. It had ok flavor, but the rice was crunchy, tasted "off" like it was from the previous day. To top it off, He overcharged me...$11.99 for this soppy mess! Never ever going back again.
(1)Portland F.
Great food, lousy service. We happened upon this cozy restaurant during the farmers market day in Milwaukie. Much to our suprise we found a place with great authentic Mexican food in this suburb of Portland. The only drawback was the lazy service. Whenever we asked a server for something they had a deer in the headlights look. These gals were nice but surely did not understand the concept of being a server. I had to repeatedly ask for the basics such as menus, napkins, and water and fetched our own utensils and water refills. They were not busy so there was no excuse to leave us sitting there like fools wondering if we had turned invisible. However the food is excelent but it seemed apparent they were resting on their laurels. Litterally resting since the service was slow as molasses and required continued prodding for even the basics. We will return for the great food but prepared to serve ourselves.
(3)Vicki J.
Nice cozy Mexican restaurant, tamales very good. Jalapeño poppers excellant, oven baked asparagus great. Great customer service.
(4)Mia P.
I feel like this place is a bit understated. Sure it's eccentric and a bit overpriced but the food does not disappoint. Been here a few times and it's always been good. I think a lot of people in the area doesn't appreciate the spot. Sometimes they are completely dead and we are the only table there and sometimes it's completely packed. I think if they had a better location they would be a lot more successful. We always get the enchiladas in green sauce and their tamales. One of us always fights to finish the enchiladas. I do agree that they should price their items a bit better.
(4)Nick H.
4.5 starts. This is one of the few times I've experienced soul food at a restaurant, meaning I could 'taste the love' that went in to cooking the food. It's so rare that most people don't even know what soul food is. The food was also completely homemade. If they used a microwave or ingredients from a box, I was certainly fooled. I tried the Fish Tacos and Pork Tamale. Both were excellent and came with a grilled asparagus garnish (see the pictures). I'm not sure why this place has low reviews, and I'd bet the slightly above average prices are more due to high rent than anything. I would come back.
(5)Jason A.
The review you hate to write......but a necessary one! This restaurant is the unique one that should be a cornerstone of Milwaukie that people come over the bridge to eat at it. It should be the talk of the town and word of mouth should spread like wildfire. I mean how many places do tamales and do them freshly prepared, with many choices, and with a lot of love put in. My Mom and I tried this restaurant out for dinner, and it seemed from the moment we sat down things just got weird. The manager(owner?) seemed very nice at first and explained about their tamales and menu in general. He knew his food well and I was glad to be so well informed. Then things took an odd turn. He randomly started asking personal questions, i.e.(what do I do for a living, where do I live, etc.). Ok, get to know your customers I guess. No problem. Then he asked if Mom and I were a couple. I've had this question before since my Mom looks a lot younger than her age, but it's just weird at a restaurant. I explained it was my Mother and he looked shocked and in disbelief. We are just your average middle class family. Not like I have one of those parents all decked out trying to look younger. Then out came the food, which I thought would be better. I opted for the veggie burrito and it was a greasy hot mess of veggies. No protein of any sort. The house made tortilla was good but just turned into a grease napkin from the veggies. I was expecting so much more. Next came the follow up questions. "You sure you're not together, this cannot be your mother". Are you kidding me, really? Why keep asking. We were finishing eating, and my Mom noticed the staff all in the kitchen staring at us and laughing. I turned around and he came over and said "they don't believe it either". I couldn't believe this craziness. Just so bizarre and no way to treat a customer, especially on their first visit. It was like walking into a reality show. Is it so strange that a son and his Mom would have dinner together? While this wasn't the worst dining experience I've had, it was certainly the most uncomfortable. I will never be back and that's frustrating because this place could be a special one.
(1)Sharon M.
Cheese and onion enchiladas were very good. Not smothered in cheese like most 'Americanized" Mexican restaurants. Charles was a kind host, we ate outside on a warm spring afternoon. The poblano tamales were good, creative ingredients. The asparagus appetizer and fresh garnishes on our plates were very good. What's better than farm-fresh home-grown asparagus?! Warm, homemade chips with salsa drizzled on top (I'd prefer on the side next time). The margaritas are good, very strong- (means 1 is plenty). This place has charm, a funny host/owner who is attentive and always seeking to improve his food and service. I'm going to give this place a chance. I think the reviews below may be accurate but my experience was a positive one. We'll be back again for margaritas and dinner on another warm evening in the Spring and Summer. Sitting outside at a sidewalk table with my dog at my side is a pleasure.
(4)Katie E.
extremely overpriced for starters and if these are the best tamales you've ever had I feel very sorry for you These are not good tamales..at all.
(1)Nick B.
Here are the problems with Casa de Tamales, owned by the Canby Asparagus farm: the bottom of the asparagus spear I had as a garnish was so stringy I had to take it out of my mouth after chewing for 2 minutes and still had a cotton ball sized wad of asparagus fiber (with which I knew not what to do). the salsa hurt my mouth. I'm assuming it was old, mostly due to the fact that the most prominent piece of cooking equipment visible from the dining room is a microwave. Mostly, I'm sad. The food there should be good. The short, elderly hispanic ladies in the open kitchen made me think of the Chomorro girls that would sell tamales door to door when I lived in Guam. They must get up really early to make the food taste that rubbery after being reheated the same evening. Someone save that place, and redeem the good name of fresh, farm produce enhanced tamales!
(2)Alienwordz A.
Hands down the best tasting, most authentic tasting and the largest portions of excellent Mexican food in the Portland Metro area. You owe it to yourself to try the place. Over a year ago as one person indicated the service was questionable but since the owner has take the proverbial bull by the horns when he is not running the farm and at the restaurant, the service and food are superb and now that staff is well trained I am sure when growing season is back the restaurant will continue with excellent service. Did I write the portions are huge? Yes, you will have more than enough to enjoy at the restaurant and later at home and it won't break your wallet. There is something for everyone there from vegan to meat eater so there is no drawing of straws when trying to decide where to eat in a mixed group of friends. I just had lunch there and just thinking about the meal makes me hungry for the next time...maybe tomorrow. Decor is as novel urban chic as it gets but it keeps you busy while your food is being prepared within feet of you across the counter.
(5)D. B.
I do agree with those who complain about the service, which was rather bad when the place opened and still somewhat uneven. That aspect, however, has gotten somewhat better. I also agree with those who complain that you have to pay extra in many cases for rice and/or beans, and that chips and salsa are not complimentary. However, I must disagree with those who criticize the food itself. These days I order the quesadilla with chicken and vegetables, and it has become one of my favorite meals in any of the area's restaurants. My wife loves the tamales and the fish tacos. I've also had the chile relleno and can testify to their quality as well. There are shortcomings to this place, yes, but the food is definitely not one of them.
(4)Rick S.
I've been there 2 to 3 times and have decided to never go back. It's overpriced and not much flavor. Four of us were sitting around in my company lunchroom. Three had ordered take out from Casa de Tamales and surprisingly all three people were disappointed with their food. Something needs to change if they want to stay in business. I agree with the previous review. They ask you if you want chips while you wait for the food. I was surprised at the charge of $3+ for the simple yes.
(1)Reggie B.
Sorry to all you ravers, but I came away underwhelmed. I had the pork and asparagus tamale and found the masa to be wet to the point of being almost creamy - not the texture I was expecting AT ALL. I'm not sure if this was the desired effect by the chef, but it seemed to me that it may have sat in the bottom of the steamer for too long. My wife ordered the carnitas tacos, and her comment was that they were "so-so... really dry actually". OK, we're 0 for 2 now. The beans that acompanied my tamale were flavorless... a bit of salt and porky type influence would have done wonders. The rice... so-so. The salsa... chipotle influenced, good, but not outstanding. The chips and salsa were OK - the chips are cut from what I assume are homemade tortillas... they were thick and a bit overcooked - or maybe the oil was old. Regardless, heating them up before serving could have helped them out a bit. The only saving grace was the cheese quesadila that we ordered for my 2-1/2 year old daughter. This was absolutely the BEST quesadila I've tasted ANYWHERE - though I don't really order them myself. They pull this bit of culinary magic by putting the cheese directly on the HOT grill and cooking it to the point of carmelization, then sandwiching it between two very good flour tortillas and then a bit more grilling. Nice work! Maybe a name change to "House of Quesadilas" is in order? Drink choices are limited. No alcohol, though if you look up on the wall you'll see several wine bottles and a six pack of Bud. Why tease us like this??? We actually had a couple sit at the table behind us and then leave when they figured out there were no margaritas to be had. Maybe I'm being a bit nit-picky here? All of these things are easily fixable, but I really expected more from the place that supposedly serves "Portland's Best Tamale." I've had several good tamales in Portland, but not here.
(2)Anna B.
Now with Happy Hour 3 to 6 pm. $3 margaritas, $2 Pacifico or Corona, $2 tacos. Ole! But the service continues to get weirder and weirder.
(3)Laila S.
good, tasty authentic tamales. I prefer mine with less maize as corn is wicked filling. the salsa is awesome, nice kick to it. my new Co workers took me here and I'm glad they did. next time I'm going to their asparagus appetizer.
(4)Ross J.
Great food and atmosphere. Friendly owner and staff. As evidenced by the name, the vegetables are the strong suit here. Everything is fresh, and the flavors blend well. The tamales are exactly what you'd expect. The quesadilla has significantly more vegetables than I'm used to, but it was a pleasant surprise. I'm a big fan of flan, and the flan here is among the best I've ever had. There is not a huge amount of variety on the menu, but what's there is consistently done amazingly well. Definitely deserves to be one of my regular stops.
(5)Jen D.
Best tamales I've had in a really, really long time. The masa was fluffy and lovely and the black beans were done right amazing!. I'll be back! Service is pretty good for the lunch hour, but the good is seriously good.
(5)