Review Tio's Tamales - Honolulu

A bit spicy, but the tamale plate was delicious. Highly recommend.

Small space with big burritos 😳 Owner is super nice and the tamales were good too. It’s more of a Mexican-American place (like Beto’s in Utah iykyk)-the rice and beans were definitely on the American side. I really want to try the carne asada fries or nachos next time 😀

My go to place whenever I crave for Mexican food. Been a fan since its first opening. Their food is unique and not your typical Mexican food in Hawaii. The breakfast burrito will get you full for hours and ready to start your day. Must try the Mexican Hamburger it's SO ONO!!!! The owner is friendly and cool. Support local!!

We ordered tamales for NYE, a dozen chicken and half dozen pork. We also ordered a chicken taco plate and smothered chicken burrito to go. Delicious and authentic New Mexico style food, it's so addictive that we want to go every week now!

Awesome place! If you are looking for a great spot in Honolulu for tamales or Mexican food in Honolulu, look no further. The menu is simple with tacos, enchiladas, chimichangas, tamales, and carne asada fries. (Sides and drinks as well) keeping it simple is a great idea, do a few things very well and people will notice. The whole restaurant is very clean, even to the point that you'd think this was a brand new location. So kudos to the staff for keeping things looking amazing. The only bad part is that I wish I knew of this spot sooner. I also need to mention they have a vegetarian tamale, I didn't try it this time but I will next time I come. Enjoy the photos, they will speak volumes of the taste.

I can't believe I've been passing this place by for so long. The tiny street front doesn't do this place justice. It is a hidden jam in a hole in the wall spot. I was impressed as soon as walked in. The dining room was clean and neat and inwas greeted warmly. Pricing is low/ average. I got a two tamale plate, heaped with beans and rice, and a coke for $13. The tamales are large. I had the pork and they were incredibly good. Plenty of meat, and the right amount of spicy to provide plenty of flavor and not too much kick. Overall, excellent. I will be back to try out the rest of the menue.

Brah…. Brah…. BRAH…. Have I got a story for you… I have been wanting to come here for awhile, but I don’t really eat out much… today I had forgotten that I was supposed to pick up beautiful daughter after practice so I hopped in the car to pick her up asap! When I got there she was HANGRY!! J/K…. But she was hungry…. One of her favorite foods is carne asada fries…. I wanted us to try a new place and there was a restaurant I wanted us to try… Tio’s Tamales. They feature New Mexican cuisine and I have been wanting to go, but rarely go out and very picky on my Mexican food being a Tejano… but we gave it a try… I was greeted by the owner Ray Mascarenas… this was a very small eatery with only one small table inside and very warm, but Ray was beyond cool and made me feel like a brother once I entered… I felt that even if I didn’t like the food I would probably come back just because this guy was sooo freakin’ nice! He is from New Mexico and moved here in 2010… he said the people here made him feel like he was home. Almost everything had green chile sauce on it … even their hamburgers?! But the pics looked so dang good… I couldn’t make up my mind. I decided to play it safe with a burrito and carne asada fries. My daughter didn’t want to eat there because there was no air conditioning so we headed to McDonald’s…. Ray handed me the bag with my order and it was HEAVY!! I knew that meant this would be my food for the weekend… We got to McDonald’s and I got us some drinks and the food did not disappoint. It was funny … beautiful daughter thought the fries were spicy and I just thought it was flavorful… I had to get her an ice cream afterwards to cool her down… regardless… it looks like I will be coming back here again…. Mahalo Ray!

After driving past and seeing the Tio’s Tamales sign, my partner and i decided to try it for the first time recently. This was a clear case of “better late than never” as they’ve been in business for 6 years...6 years we have’t been in the know about this awesome eatery that’s small in space but BIG on portions, quality, and service. We ordered the smothered chicken and roasted green chile burrito, beans and rice, and smothered green chile cheeseburger (with fried egg added). The servings were huge! And to boot, the quality of ingredients and preparation tipped the scales in favor of the dishes’ depth and complexity. Yet they weren’t heavy or greasy, they were fresh and wholesome. Like someone spent some time making it in their kitchen at home. The owner Ray was at the register and welcomingly smiled and chatted with the steady stream of customers.They were already smiling upon arrival. Even newbies like us couldn’t help but feel like we stepped into a “Cheers” of sorts and loved the chill Aloha vibe. We spent time chatting with him too as he shared his pride and love for his food, cooking, and culture. Deservedly so! In an age where you can spend big bucks on small plates with long, trendy descriptions, Tio’s Tamales is straight forward in their approach to offering traditionally based dishes, friendly atmosphere, and attentive service that doesn’t depend on distracting frill. It isn’t needed, the great food and people behind it speak for itself. Go and enjoy some soon folks!

My new favorite!! OUTSTANDING FOOD!!!! I would eat here every day if could. Strongly recommend the #4 breakfast burrito and the carne asada fries.

Traditional New Mexican food. Reminds me of the tastes of home, with some local Hawaiian tweaks. The green chile is hot, the red chile is savory, the staff are friendly. Visit, eat, feel the NM love!