Tamales La Oaxaqueña

Everything I’ve ever eaten here has been on point, every time!

We catered a business meeting with these luscious tamales. Carolina was great and delivered everything on time. Our guests loved everything. I only tried the chicken mole tamales and they were the best that I’ve had. The chicken was tender and the sauce so delicate and savory, plentiful filling with a good ratio to the masa. The masa was moist and delicious as well. I am so glad that we had leftovers, because I snuck some home and ate them all week long. Thank you!

Love this place so much. The restaurant is tiny, almost literally a hole in the wall, but the food! Oh man, the food is amazing. Best mole I’ve ever had — and that’s saying something, since I’ve had a lot of moles in my life. The tamales are also amazing — flavorful and fat with stuffing. I’m a sucker for the chicken mole tamales, obviously, but the vegetarian tamales are also delicious.
Depending on the season, you can even find chapulines (grasshoppers!) here. It’s inexpensive and the perfect crunchy snap. You’ve gotta try them!
The icing on the cake is just how darned friendly the woman behind the counter is. She’s so friendly, I’m so disappointed I can’t remember her name. She’s an absolute sweetheart and just brightens up my day whenever I drop by.

I wish I could review this business based on the quality of the food but I’m going to have to review it based on the pretty sad excuse for «service.» My husband and I learned about the business from Latino USA. When my mother came out to visit, it seemed like a great opportunity to finally try it out.
We went in and the menu is what it is: it offers their specialty tamales – but gawt dayum, those prices. Who in this universe would be insane enough to pay $ 4.00 for a single tamale? People who don’t know the cost of a tamale? Timid little frightened folks who hath not the constitution to venture to Fruitvale, where the tamales are arguably just as good AND correctly priced?
Latino USA’S interview with one of the owners said that she and her mother usually prepare and deliver to LinkedIn in San Francisco. Honestly, I’d respect this place more if they were just honest about their clientele. Just cater their events and lunches. Don’t pretend you are a restaurant willing to serve regular customers when you charge exorbitant prices AND have a very dismissive attitude when your customers walk into your establishment.
When we went in the very first time, the woman behind the counter seemed like it was just too much of a burden to serve us. They were out of ingredients for the tamales we wanted and so we placed an order to pick up the following Monday. An order for a dozen tamales at those prices. We were willing to give it a shot because we want to support local business and all that jazz.
But come Monday, we went back to the restaurant and the same woman said that they did not make them. They had forgotten them. And when we had originally placed the order, I truly felt like she WAS going to forget. Her dismissive, condescending attitude made it clear that she thought we would not be returning for the order and, thus, she did not have to bother with people like us. Plus, you know, she didn’t write our order down. I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt because maybe her memory was just THAT GOOD.
This is not the way you run a business. It is not the way to treat customers. For anyone out there reading this review, go somewhere else. You can get the same «oh so special» tamales in Fruitvale. And they are not priced like this place. And the staff treats people like people and not burdens.

Very tasty and affordable Mexican food. Focus on Mole and tamale dishes. Will definitely come back again to try the tacos!

This place has a lot of really good reviews so I had to try it out since I live so close. I had high hopes for this place but after my visit yesterday i probably won’t ever be back. Upon arrival I was a little turned off by the look of this place. It looked like someone’s house then we ordered and the tamales were cold and a bit expensive for the size. One tamale had a hair in it. The mole was good but not executed well overall. Will not be back sorry.

First of all — THE MOLE.
And the salsas.
Goodness gracious. I’m vegetarian so I got mixed veggie tamales and black bean tamales — so fluffy and luscious and wrapped beautifully in banana leaf. I ordered two dozen for my book club and let’s just say they disappeared… with a quickness.
Carolina and her mom are the real deal. While I was waiting for my tamales to be warmed, I overheard Carolina advising a customer that mole and sour cream is not a good combination — too heavy, too hard on the digestion. Now that’s the kind of honest advice and expertise I love from people grounded in their own foodways. Some customers might be pissed because they’re so used to a «Have It Your Way» fast-​food mentality, but the authenticity, care, and personal touch of places like this is what I love about diversity in Oakland. People know what the f*%# they’re talking about. Trust.
I’ll be back!

Ate here when they had stand outside of 389. The best tamale ever! I will definitely visit the restaurant ASAP!

Delicious and i don’t even really eat tamales cuz they’re usually too dry but this place is on point. If you eat there, you get a lil salad from garden

Awesome. Stopped in late afternoon for to go… nice people, small restaurant, had the red mole with chicken, with beans and rice.
Great rich mole sauce restored me from all my ailments. Just excellent food.

I feel compelled to preface this review by urging you keep in mind this is mostly a «To Go» spot.
Okay, when I hear «Oaxaca» I expect the most amazing flavors of México. What about you? You don’t know? I have the fix for you, La Oaxaqueña…por favor! This small little shack serves up delicious tamales and as I discovered today — a super burrito that I’d like to rename «el supremo»!!
Tamalitos in banana leaf are moist and perfect (tried chicken, zucchini and pork!) and I ate some of the hub’s chicken burrito (el supremo). Highly recommend spicy salsa for the burrito, burns soOo good! Spread the word about Rosa and her amazing food :)

Stumbled into this tiny pink building to see a sweet abuela examining a bag of lime and chile fried Oaxacan grasshoppers. She gave me one. So delicious. Truly. I ordered 3 tamales with beef and Amarillo, chicken and mole and poblano and cheese, all made by her. First 2 wrapped in palm leaves. Down home and so delicious!!! Will be back again and again.

Corn husk tamales are sizeable and priced accordingly. The ratio of maza to meat was low for my taste, thus the 4 stars.
So, if you want a meat-​plentiful dish, order the mole which is delicious.

This place is amazing! Best vegetarian tamales I’ve ever had — they were out of banana leaf when I went, so I had the corn husk version with cheese & poblano peppers. So good, and the salsa was great too. They do catering too, I’m planning on using them for my next event.

I had a great first impression; I loved the brightly colored little building in an unexpected location. I guess I’m a sucker for aesthetics.
The food was reasonably priced and BOMB! I had two chicken tamales, along with a dope social justice-​centered conversation with Carolina. Food didn’t take too long to come out and when it did: bam. Heavenly.
Okay, it was one of those unexpectedly perfect dining experiences, so maybe I’m biased… but I’ve never been super into tamales, so then again probably not. Tamaes la Oaxaquena is that good! A unique, delicious local spot. Check it out and prepare to thank me when you do.

Tamales here are a little more expensive that other places but the price is worth it. The rajas de chile verde tamales are super delicious and the mole tamales are off the hook.
And then there is Mole Rojo and Mole Amarillo, those are OUTSTANDING OFF THE HOOK SHUT THE FRONT DOOR CALL A NEIGHBOR!
Best place for tamales I’ve ever been besides my mom’s house!

The best tamales north of Mexico. Creamy soft Maza and flavorful chicken makes these a must do. Just be aware you have drive here. Bring cash and enjoy the most authentic food that will delight your senses. Per tamale is 4 dollars. Bring enough for 6 tamales. You will be glad you did.

The bomb!
Rosa Oliva and her cousin Juan operate this little gem. Fresh, handmade tamales. Amazing!

simple, traditional and delicious. The location is small and the neighbor «hood» is busy, but its a family run shop, with fresh picked flowers and flavors that make you feel like grandma just served you. The chicken mole + rice beans salsa was really good and had spice throughout the dish. five stars for doing what they do, right.

Bottom Line Up Front: ½ this review is for the food and ½ is for the amazing people that own this place!
I found this place purely by accident because of the beautiful mural painted on the storefront. I decided to return to check out the food. It’s a tiny 1 room, 1 table establishment in a less developed part of town, but if you can get past that you are in for a treat.
Looking back, I should’ve tried the tamales (after all, that’s the first word in the restaurant’s name), but feeling famished I opted for the chicken molè plate. Granted the chicken was pre-​cooked and reheated, that didn’t matter much to me once you’ve dropped that ¼ chicken (leg and thigh) in a pan full of carefully crafted Oaxacan molè sauce goodness! I asked for a plastic knife, but didn’t need it because the chicken was perfectly cooked and tender, flaking off in delicious bits effortlessly onto my fork. Kudos to the kind and soft-​spoken Señora that put it all together for me with the care and attention as if I was a welcome guest in her home.
I’ll be back, but not just to try to the tamales next time. The young man behind the counter is the reason why. While I sat and enjoyed my cold bottle of Jarritos and chicken, I watched as young neighborhood boys popped in and out of the restaurant after school asking for free glasses of ice water… and the occasional «student discount» of 1 steak taco for $ 1.00. The young man behind the counter patiently obliged them with free ice water until he ran out of paper cups, mentoring these kids to be good, stay in school, stay outta trouble and take care of each other.
I spoke with the young man behind the counter and he confirmed my suspicions. As he joked with the boys, it was evident that this establishment didn’t exist solely to sell great food, but to offer a community fixture in a «rough around the edges» neighborhood where the children were welcome to be children and smiles and laughs were encouraged. The young man behind the counter told me of his aspirations to do more with the street art on his building… like establishing an art collective where other young folks could explore their artistic talents. And for me, that is reason alone to commit to paying regular visits to this unassuming establishment.
So, I’d say definitely go for the home-​cooked tamales, but stay for the heart and sense of community.

Tamales has only 1 table for sitdown. prepare to take food to go.
the tamales la Oaxaquena are a mexican regional specialty. it’s different from the tamales typically found in the fruitvale. (salvadorean).
menu: tacos, burritos, tamales, pupusas?,
eats: chicken tamale with green mole (4)
–seem bland, fresh, and small
–tasty salsa came with it
pork tamale with red mole (3)
–nice mole wrapped in leaves.
–tamales tasted pretty good, more familiar with other kind.
crumbs:
–maybe i can prices reversed, nevertheless, tamales sell for 3, 4.
–very popular after being reviewed in «what the fork». food blog.