Tio's Tamales - Fort Shafter

One of the best Mexican food in downtown. Carne asada bomb burrito.

Food was excellent. We had the Tamale plate, Chile Relleno plate, Chicken Quesadilla. All were great. Liked the green sauce better than the red. Limited parking and seating but worth the effort. Option would be to order takeout or delivery.

Excellent tamales place. Owner Tio is awesome!! Highly recommend!

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!

I mean I'm not sure about authentic, but being from California, and knowing the culture very well, they make a mean tamale. I would recommend probably over any other Spanish/Mexican food.