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Mon-Fri. 6:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sat. 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
3 Courses, 2 People, $20. Juicy Burgers & Tender Ribs. You Choose!
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85 CENTS!
holy crap, for that little, you could almost sell me any food and i'd be stoked. luckily, the breakfast tacos here are just as glorious and greasy as you might hope. perfect for a morning where you throw caution to the wind.
just, please, try not to all go at once... if it gets too busy, i can't get my fix.
Skip the Tamale House.
The tacos are nothing special, and the eggs in the BTs can be somewhat cold and even watery. Having cheap prices doesn't give the place a free pass.
The price is right, but the service sucks. Tamale House doesn't have coffee, which means an extra [unscheduled] stop. And not only do they not have coffee, but the employees act like they're insulted and get all haughty when I forget this fact and try to order coffee. WTF. It's coffee. Not some illegal drug. And you work at a breakfast place. How can you not have coffee?
Tamale House is in my hood but I'm going to Chilito for breakfast tacos instead.
where are you taking me? am I going to be okay? I start to wonder as we pull up to a taco place with bars on the windows and a line out the door. is my life worth losing for these tacos?
the line was deserved. 85 cent tacos--tons of options. I opted for chorizo egg with some of the "extra hot" salsa.
People in line were all in good spirits, the staff moved things along quickly, and the food tasted delicious. Is it fancy? no. Is it good food? yes.
people watchers: do yourself a favor---drive over to tamale house, buy 2 or 3 different kinds of tacos and experience the wonder of the saturday morning crowd.
Never mind that the place is a complete dump, appears to be relatively dirty, or has a line out the front door and into the parking lot. Incredibly inexpensive breakfast tacos and the finest migas with cheese in the world. One order will normally feed two people, but get some extra tortillas. Excellent hot sauce as well - get some extra and take it home. If you want to avoid what can be a significant wait to order from the person who always seems to be in a terrible mood at the cash register, call ahead and skip the line when yo arrive.
I'm never too poor for Tamale House, that makes me feel good about myself. I like their tacos. The enchiladas are pretty good, really truckstop style with chili and cheese. Rice and beans are solid.
I wish they were open later though.
I actually wished I WAS hungover when I came here with my mum one early Saturday morning. The tiny little shack off Airport Blvd. was so unassuming, so un-air-conditioned, and so greasy that I knew it could probably cure the momma of all hangovers with one bite of its Chorizo and Egg taco. But alas, I was stone-cold sober.
No worries, I still had a fun taco experience. I am all about authenticity when it comes to breakfast tacos. I don't think you should pay more than a dollar, I don't want fancy organic veggies, and I don't want to see no stinkin' cappucinos on the menu!
These tacos are 85 cents, their daily specials are written on a torn piece of cardboard, and there's three scuffed tables outside to sit and sweat on. Yup, it's legit.
They offer you the option of flour or whole wheat tortillas, which is about as fancy as it gets. There are a variety of tacos: bean, potato, barbacoa, chorizo, egg, cheese, etc. You name it, it can be had. A table splattered with hot sauce is to your right after you order. Fill 'er up with hot or Xtra hot (actually not that hot) and take it outside to mingle with the other drunks. I like that this place draws people from all walks of life: families, hipsters, construction workers, church ladies....all of Austin can be seen on a Saturday before 3pm.
Come one, come all. The Tamale House has a cheap-ass taco waiting for you.
Really, what can be said about Tamale House that hasn't already been said?! It's an highly-revered Austin institution with a cult-like following that serves up some of the best Tex-Mex staples for less than $5...
Well, let me put my two cents in...anyone that had to walk outside this last Friday can attest that it was HELLISH outside. After a summer/fall of 100+ degree heat and no rain, I naively decided to walk to class wearing a cotton dress and flats even though it was a bit chilly and drizzling. Halfway there, I encounter a full on monsoon. No, not really, but it was bad. Long story short, it was the morning from H E double hockey sticks. After dragging myself home, I limped over to Tamale House. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I'd never been there before.
Personally, I LOVE their no-frills setup. Some might be turned off by the no AC, cramped quarters, and grimy kitchen dungeon atmosphere...i see it as a sign of a place that puts all their energy into the food and not the other bs. Just 5 ladies furiously crankin out some of the best food in our city, no pleasantries.
After ordering the Migas with cheese, my day went from negative zero to a million. At around $4.75, you CANNOT get a better deal in this town. Maybe, anywhere. The heaping pile of egg goodness (enough for 4 homemade tacos, at least...) come with very very tasty beans and potatoes. I couldn't finish it, but enjoyed every second of it. Also, take out is the way to go. There's about 3 chairs up in that piece.
FIVE STARS!!!!!!!!!
I've been in love with Tamale House #3 for 18 years!
In the early '90s, my daily lunch was two rice and potato tacos ($1.41 with sales tax) and a soda from the corner store.
In the past 18 years, I probably haven't gone more than 2 weeks without eating Tamale House food. To me, it's comfort food. When I feel blue, I want Tamale House. When the weather is gorgeous, I want to eat at Tamale House to enjoy the humble outdoor seating and see the eclectic mix of people who eat there. Tamale House is quite simply... essential.
Over the past couple years I've graduated to migas. I get migas without cheese and a can of soda for $5.13 with sales tax. Since I have a big appetite, I can eat a full order of migas in one sitting, but most of my lunchmates usually take 1/2 of the order home for supper as well. The migas are great and they're a great buy.
Can not say enough how great this nasty little shack tuck away inside a ex -TV repair shop is. The tacos are as Tex Mex as ever Austin style, the staff is friendly hot sweaty and always busy , I can call in my order and its always ready with fresh tomatoes lettuce and all the vegetarian Tostada I could possibly want , I f it weren't for Tamale House ,i bet I could lose some weight if I choose too! check it out chicas you well be glad you did.
4 stars for really good tacos on wheat
4 stars for time they were quick
4 stars for salsa
1 star for…
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This place is great. I should note that my five stars are for a combo of price and product. I mean, 85 cents?? Awesome.
I'm actually about to bike over now...Delish, fast, cheap. Love it.
Fast. Cheap. Tasty. Pick two of three.
Fastest tacos in Austin they may be. And I eat there when I need a stack of cheap tacos in a hurry. I enjoy them for what they are.
It's not that they taste bad - they just taste like fast breakfast. One only has so much expectation of an $0.85 taco.
Good to know that $.85 can buy you a bit of love in this town. Their breakfast tacos are fantastic. Salsa even better. Now if the were only open on Sunday...
They call this place Taco War Zone.
It's an accurate description of the aesthetic here...
But the combo chalupa and chorizo and egg taco will cure any hangover or hunger pain for dirt cheap.
This place is spectacular and quite an experience in itself. The price : quality ratio is unbeatable.
I'm a love it or leave it kind of guy.
And I love TH. You can't beat the prices, fresh ingrediants, and authentic Tex Mex food.
My partner goes to BK and Quiznos for lunch and I see his $6-$9 debit reciepts; WOW.
We could both eat a great meal for that same amount at TH.
This texmex texan loves TH.
Tomorrow = Wake up, shower, TACO TIME, then work(booooo). I always get one bean cheese and potato, and one bean cheese and bacon(obviously I am not a fan of eggs). The tacos are so cheap, and sooooo yummy. I have to have the regular and xxx hot salsas. They are both so good. If you have not been, you should go. I spend no more than $4 every time!
P.S
This is my first review, I love yelp and finally decided to make a profile. This was the first place I wanted to review because it is almost midnight and I cant stop thinking about breakfast tomorrow.
This place is Austin! I stop by atleast 3 times a week. Everything I've tried is tasty. Cheap Cheap and Good!
It's mostly the price of dirt cheap that gets me coming back.
Here are the plus's to Tamale House:
-The amount of food you get for the price
-The speed
-The fact I can call my order in, a skip the tremendously long line
-regular diner (which is ironically only served for breakfast and lunch) and guacamole salad
-0.85 cent breakfast tacos
-The salsa is pretty okay
The con's
-Small area to pick up, and no indoor seating
-Somewhat lacking is flavor that has depth
-parking
All in all I go back, often- mostly for my Mexican grease kick.
Dear Tamale House,
You are fast. Really fast. Like, I'm late for work, stop to get tacos, then somehow go back in time and still make it there early. You take negative time to give me food. You are cheap. Something like $0.80 per taco. Them's hobo prices right there. You are delicious. My potato, egg, and cheese tacos held me over the beginning of the day and I still wanted to eat more for lunch. And dinner. And breakfast the next day. Thank you for being on my morning commute and thank you for having pre-occupied staff that hauls ass to make me food. Please don't make me fat.
Wait... what?
I honestly think I missed something somewhere... somehow...
GF and I had recently discovered Jalapeno Joe's down the block and were looking to return, but for some reason, possibly a holiday, it was closed... So we hopped back in the car and the began the traditional aimless drive to the inevitable breakfast taco hut. To what we thought was our great fortune, there was Tamale House just down the block (A place that, I'm pretty sure, doesn't have Tamales, but I could be wrong about that).
First of all (and the service never impacts my rating), the service was terrible. No eye-contact, no smile, no recognition of my presence save for the sribbling... like I had killed her cat and then asked for money.
We got our breakfast tacos, GF's: egg, potato, cheese; Mine: same w/ meat...
We both got our tacos. She took a bite... half a chew... and then glared. I took a bite... half a chew... looked up sheepishly and said... "Oh honey... I'm sorry. We can go somewhere else." She put hers down for a minute. I reluctantly finished mine. She said, "screw it, the morning's shot anyway," and finished hers.
Bland, boring and a little bitter... which was extra weird.
I feel like the price has to be a large factor in many of the good reviews, because it can't possibly be the food.
Not the worst ever... but close.
ok so i like the barbacoa at Taco-Mex better, and the hot sauce and salsa was somewhat off today, BUT i ordered . . .
2 Bacon Egg & Cheese Tacos
2 Barbacoa Tacos
for a grand total of $5.20
PFFFF shhhh huuuuhhh what?! why does this place exist?! it's bc there actually is a god . . .
someone complained about service and eye contact and all the yelling - dude this is a taqueria with $.85 tacos and oh god wait for it, $.40 for cheese - those ladies are working hard and really fast back there - i don't think they have time for finishing school.
pffffff, shhhhhhhh, kehhhhhhh, klsjfajkfdsalkdfjalsnfwq --- *un spellable words caused by an extreme… Read more »
Bacon-Egg-Cheese b'fast taco on flour ^2
+
Potato-Egg-Cheese b'fast taco on wheat^2
_________________________________________
under $5.00
That is an entire breakfast, including a karate chop off SOME of the calories, for a measly five frogs.
You don't need F.O.I.L. to figure this shit out. This isn't a riddle or a complicated equation. This is the truth. The Tamale House is la verdad.
After seeing the reviews of this "Austin institution" near my new home base, I knew I had to go for breakfast tacos. I actually bought 2 bean & cheese and 2 potato & egg to make it worth standing in line. I'll have breakfast tomorrow as well! With tip this cost me $5. wow!
I brought my tacos home and prepared them with a little of the (kinda spicy for a wimp like me) salsa I packed in the tiny tubs supplied by Tamale House. Yummy! The tacos were well packed with the delicious ingredients I ordered. I am vegetarian, and I suspect there was some animal product used in the preparation of at least the beans, but I've learned not to ask these kinds of questions if I want to enjoy refried beans. I can't wait to come back and try the migas plate!
I deducted a star for the nightmare parking situation and the wait in the cramped quarters of this hole in the wall. However both of these minor inconveniences are well worth the bargain deliciousness!
I am not a morning person. Oh, I wake up early, but I'm snake-eyed and evil for a good 30 minutes after I'm out from the covers. But it was Saturday, and I'd agreed to meet for breakfast.
I sat in Tamale House guzzling diet Coke and water. I wanted coffee, but forgot they don't have it there. I had .15 leftover from the $5 bill I'd handed over at the counter. The diet Coke was the most expensive item I bought. My friends straggled in and we sat wedged between the door, a trashcan, and the path to the kitchen which is a whole lot larger than the front of the house. We had the good seats. Some folks had to sit outside. (The only thing that makes me meaner than waking up is being cold.) There was the usual mix of people going to work, musicians still in last night's clothes, and some dubious ladies with an awful lot of fingernails and makeup for a Saturday morning. 20 minutes, 17 or so tacos, and half a roll of paper towel later, we reassembled in the cold parking lot to figure out what next.
I got in my car, nursing that exquisite lip burn you get from the red sauce, and thought about it. I'm not broke while working two jobs. No creepy ex hiding in the bushes. I wasn't hung over and hadn't done anything I shouldn't the night before. Hadn't even hung around to close down the bar. No obligations until Monday morning. Gas in the tank and money in the bank. No, it was not still 1990. But I still had a cheap as dirt breakfast at the Tamale House with my friends on a Saturday morning for my chili powder and cumin fix. It's a pretty good little world after all.
I feel bad about giving this place a bad review because everyone else seems to love it. I would have given it 1 star if it hadn't been so cheap.
They were fast. I will give them that.
I had the Migas with cheese and a Carne Guisada taco.
The picture says it all about the migas. I couldn't eat it. The taco was interesting. I have never had a red gravy guisada taco before. Couldn't eat that either.
Ugh. I love mexican food. Austin, you are killing me.
Still in search of a place that makes their own tortillas...
God damn! I said God damn. Fab menu, delicious breakfast tacos, served in under 2 minutes, and for $.85? I mean, wow, cheap. I got a chorizo egg and a potato egg. I nearly cried. I love this place! I fear I will be eating here every morning while I stay here and then go into withdrawal when I leave Austin.
Dammit.
I had a spring-summer internship with a construction company last year and my boss had one very important, always followed rule: Morning meeting starts at 6:30 am. If you were going to be even 1 minute late, you had to buy breakfast for the whole group. And don't bother showing up without the goods; you will just get kicked out to go get it anyway.
So... I wasn't late that often, but all of us were often enough to make me a breakfast taco connoisseur of sorts. And my very favorite place is the TAMALE HOUSE!
Cheap and delicious. And I know it's authentic because I am watching the little ladies in the back whip up the tacos as people order them. But the major selling point for me at the Tamale House is the salsa. It's chunkier than other breakfast taco salsa, just how I like it.
Now the downfalls of this place:
-CASH ONLY. be prepared.
-I wish they had a verde salsa. I just like a selection.
-It is kind of grimy. But Mexican food only gets better with the increased amounts of grime. Don't you agree? The tastiness and price is enough to keep it at 5 stars.
DISCLAIMER: I may be biased because I've been eating at Tamale House since I was in diapers. It's possible that their bean and cheese taco was the first solid food I ever tasted, thereby setting the standard by which I would judge every breakfast taco for the rest of my life. None compared.
Twenty years later I moved back to Austin, and very little has changed at Tamale House. I swear the same 10 Hispanic ladies are [wo]manning the grill. The owner is still there every day. They still don't take credit cards. They still don't open on Sundays. They still don't have AC. You still have to fight the grackles for a seat. And they still make the best bean, bacon, and cheese taco on the face of the planet!
I guess one thing has changed in the nearly 2 decades I was away. The tacos used to be a quarter. Now they're 85 cents.
The name: it be deceptive. We're talking about breakfast tacos people. Once a year they do actually sell tamales, but does anyone really care about this? We're talking about the cheapest, most delicious tacos in the universe! TACOS!
I don't go to Tamale House for anything except the tamales, so let's just stop the reviewing right there. TACOS. Nothing else. It's best if you never actually see the place, because it conjures nightmare like thoughts of public health threats. However, I and no one that I know of have ever gotten sick because of this place. Just go eat the amazing tacos. Because seriously, whoa pilgrim... stuff's tasty!
The most overrated place in Austin. I went here maybe a half dozen times to try to figure out what all the fuss was about before giving up.
Sure the breakfast tacos are cheap, but they're really, really bad. Watery eggs (how do you screw up eggs?) with low quality ingredients mixed in. Even McDonald's has better breakfast tacos, and they're only 15¢ more.
The migas taste just like they look in that picture.
The non-breakfast items are ok. I even kind of like the brisket tacos. But they're not a good deal considering the 3 other excellent and cheap Mexican places that you can see from the Tamale house parking lot (I recommend the yellow taco trailer to the north on Airport).
But hey, you probably shouldn't listen to me. Everyone else here seems to like Tamale House. They make it sound really good. One guy said he's been eating here since '85. He probably wouldn't keep coming back if he didn't like it. You'll probably like it too. Try it. It's really cheap so you don't have much to lose.
Check it out.
Hands down best breakfast tacos in town. I have been going to Tamale House since I was a kid. The food has always been awesome and cheap. My mom and I used to go to Tamale House every Saturday morning then go eat our tacos in the park. Now I live South so my breakfast options are limited to Torchy's and Izzo's, which I would just like to point out, suck equally. When I go to work North I only have Consuelo's to turn to, and I have yet to be impressed. Breakfast tacos should have these four qualities; be cheap, be fast, be delicious and be hard to recreate at home. Tamale HOuse covers all these bases. You can take all your coworkers tacos for under 10 bucks. Sure the ambiance is greatly lacking, but who cares, go home and enjoy your tacos. I love the salsa, the rice, the potatoes and the frito salads with added guac. If you have issues with cleanliness then you might want to avoid this place. But as for me I have no complaints. The one thing I would change is the cash only policy, but again I'm sure this keeps the line moving so we all get our tacos speedily.
Let's talk about Tamale House.
The Mister had been there before thanks to his summer job and he's always expounded on how amazing it is. Then, we got a place close to Airport Blvd this fall and it seemed inevitable that we'd try it. The location and some nudging from our fellow Yelper, Don. P convinced me.
Yelpers, this place is awesome. Yes, it looks like a dump, but think of that as being part of its "charm." We came here last Saturday for a good old fashioned "hangover breakfast" and I was very pleased. I had the bacon, egg and cheese tacos. The bacon was extra thick, smoky and crispy (I'm a bacon connoisseur) but my eggs were just a leeeeetle too squishy for my liking. Salsa was excellent. It tastes fresh and homemade. The Mister ordered a carne guisada taco and a brisket taco and he said they were fab. I can't eat carne guisada at 10 a.m., but they have it available if you're so inclined.
The best part: our whole meal was just over $5. Huzzah!
So, here's a list of things that DIDN'T happen at Tamale House in all the times I have been there.
I DIDN'T order anything but breakfast tacos, as I could probably eat breakfast tacos for every single meal.
I DIDN'T pull up and think, "Man, this place looks Classy! I hope I brought enough money to tip the Maitre 'D!"
I DIDN'T have to wait very long at all for some tasty sausage egg and cheese breakfast tacos.
I DIDN'T taste the home made salsa and think, "Yawn, these are boring." The HOT salsa can only amount to the oral version of the chemical burn Jack gets from Tyler in Fight Club.
I DIDN'T use my debit card here, as they only take cash. They run this joint like Rusty runs his life. "When you're dealing in cash, you don't need a fence." "Some people lack vision." "Probably everybody in Cell Block E."
But not the dudes at the Tamale House, no sir.
The guy who owns and runs the place, who looks a little like a short, Cuban Rod Steiger in a guybera, DIDN'T say to me, "Hey! Jefe! Good to see you neighbor! I'm so glad that you came by my shop, since you and I live right across the street from each other! Let me get you some free grub amigo, it's wonderful that you are here!" I do live across the street from that dude, you'd think he would know that. I am Yelp Elite, after all ;)
I DIDN'T pay an arm and a leg for great chow. They have $.85 breakfast tacos. REALLY? I can get 4 tacos for the price of a gallon of gas? Between the eggs and the super hot salsa, I may just convert my house to run on methane like BarterTown from "Thunderdome" and be done with energy bills all together. "Who runs BarterTown?!?!"
I DIDN'T just give y'all too much information whilst making great pop culture movie references.
Actually, I DID do one of those things, can you figure out which one?
A-OK is the perfect score for this place...good tacos...awesome atmosphere if you like holes in the wall like i do = ) not bad.
I came to the Tamale House with expectation...that's the thing about expectation...it's rarely met. So while I was expecting fabulous...more Mexican style American breakfast tacos...I discovered that they were more on the American side...A-Ok, but not great. If I lived in another city I would probably go here a lot, but since I live in Austin - home of the breakfast taco - I'll probably go somewhere else.
Had this place pegged as a "hipster joint" (apparently they don't even make tamales here??) so I expected some kind of faux Tex-Mex cafe. Honestly, it's kind of hard to make a really bad breakfast taco and here they do a pretty damn good job, really cheap and really fast. The huevos in the Huevos Rancheros were a bit watery but the potato, egg, & bean taco, and carne guisada on wheat tortilla were tasty. Nothing spectacular going on here, but a pretty solid choice for some quick tacos. I would give 3.5 stars if I could.
i want to like tamale house. my good friend who introduced me to it loves it. my girlfriend even gave it a great yelp review. i can't recommend it, though.
i went to tamale house around 1pm on a saturday -- i have been told that the fact i showed up so late in the day is what made my experience there so bad. they are only open until around 2pm. i am told that the best part about this place is that they are very cheap and fast. but on this early afternoon, they were almost out of salsa (and apparently did not plan to make any more before closing), which i thought was really, really weird for a place that specializes in food that is supposed to be garnished with salsa. especially for a place that was as busy as it was.
my biggest beef with tamale house: i step up to the counter. even though it's 1pm, i am hungover, tired, out of it. i place my food order, and then say, "oh and a coffee please." the woman behind the counter gives me a twisted face and says, "coffee?" i say, "yes, coffee." she says, "WE don't serve coffee." and she just leaves that motza ball hanging out there. she didn't say, "sorry, we don't have coffee." she threw it back at me like i'd just ordered a half cantaloupe filled with vegan chili. it's a breakfast restaurant. breakfast restaurants serve coffee. the woman working the counter was unnecessarily rude.
the tacos weren't bad, but they certainly didn't blow me away. i can't imagine returning at any point in the near future. maybe i'll try their food again if a friend brings it to me. for free. and picks up some thunderbird coffee too.
Only reason this doesn't get five stars is their lack of seating and their cash-only policy. If you can get past these issues, you're gonna love Tamale House. I work right down the street from these guys and if you're ever hungry and need a really quick lunch, you can't beat these guys, or should I say girls since the only employees are hispanic women.
Get this - a full mexican meal for $3.50! You'd think you wouldn't get much, but you get a crispy taco, 2 enchiladas, rice and beans. There is no WAY you can get this much good food for such a low price anywhere else....and I'm talking anywhere, unless of course you're talking about a restaurant that's not in the U.S.
OK, no joke... I've been going to Tamale House for over 10 years! I remember when their breakfast tacos used to be 45 cents! Their Migas Con Queso is the best Migas you'll find in the state! I usually get the bacon-egg-cheese tacos which are just way too good.
Yes, their place looks like a dump, and sometimes I wonder about how sanitary their food is, but the bottom line is, they have the best tacos and migas, anywhere! For a place you won't spend more than $3 or $4 for a full meal, why pay with credit cards?
5 stars all the way!!!
Tamale House's food quality is great for the price. Plentiful, smoky bacon; generous cheese; and the option of good whole-wheat tortillas are not what I'd expect from an 85-cent taco. It's nice to get full for under four bucks.
Seems like the chorizo/egg and sausage/egg fillings are premixed, and about one out of three times I find runny eggs in these tacos. Bacon/cheese on whole wheat is my top pick, anyway.
When I worked at Pyramid Audio, the bossman used to buy a couple trays of migas for those of us working Saturday morning. They're a mess, but they're delicious, and you get a good portion for your $4.25.
It's warm in the summer, and there's hardly any seating, but I'm happy eating on the shaded curb of 50th St. or on my car.
10,000 years ago when ravenous Pliocene clams roamed the wetlands and migas grew on trees, eggs were free and breakfast tasty like Chewy's mom.
Sin happened and France surrendered... but you can still get a little bit 'o heaven at Tamale House for damn-near free. Awesome dive migas and breakfast tacos.
Giddyup
Neighborhood: Rosedale
Category: Bakeries
Austin, TX
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: 78704 (South Austin)
Category: Mexican
Austin, TX
Category: Mexican
Neighborhood: Rosedale
Category: Mexican
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