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Good veg-friendly option

4 Posted on 01 / 02 / 2013

I discovered Hot Damn Tamales one day when Spiral Diner was closed and i fired up the the HappyCow app to check for a nearby alternative.

A small family business, run very well by a mother-son team, Hot Damn Tamales is an unusual find in Texas: tamales with vegan options and good flavor. On my visit in December 2012, the menu had more meat-free tamales than meaty ones, and there were two vegan choices. Both of the vegan tamales were really good, and i especially liked the poblano-corn one. I took some home to our omnivorous houseguests from Oaxaca and they were impressed, too.

I wish it were vegetarian-only, but at least they are genuinely veg*n-friendly, which is rare in Ft Worth, and they are super-friendly.

Note that some of the tamales are meant to be served either with salsa or something else to add some moisture, and they can be a bit dry if eaten alone. Ask the owner for serving suggestions.

There's parking both on the street and in the lot behind.

Pros: some vegan tamales, good flavor, very friendly owner
Cons: also serves meat

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surprised

4 Posted on 10 / 15 / 2012

Used to Mexican food on the north side, I was so surprised to find a place that makes tamales without lard. Even more surprising is the large (especially for Fort Worth) selection of vegetarian and vegan fillings. I'm a big fan of all the fillings but the poblano corn and the mushroom/goat cheese are a must for me. Tamales come with generous servings of rice and black beans a large bowl of chips and salsa. You won't be leaving this place hungry. Order a Mexican coke.

I haven't had a chance to visit since the restaurant expanded the seating area but I've walked by and it looks fantastic! They really did a great job!

Service can be a little slow (don't be in a big rush) but friendly. My only real complaint is that their food can be very bland and some of the tamales are dry. Normally I'd just dump some salsa on a dry tamale but their salsa just doesn't "kick it up a notch". I suspect this is in part due to the fact that they focus more on shipping their product all over the place to areas where spicy food just isn't the norm. Still, I've never been disappointed with this lunch spot and I can't wait to try their new menu items. A grilled corn quesadilla is going to have my name on it soon!

Pros: no hidden lard, great tamale variety, mexican coke
Cons: bland for Texas

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Amazing Tamales

4 Posted on 12 / 30 / 2009

MMMM! Soo good they have a clearly marked selection of vegan tamales. You can order them in a package frozen or have your choice of three along with a side of rice and beans for the tamale plate. We ordered the plate and ate our meal in their small three booth dining area which was nice. I will for sure go back again.

Pros: good food, descent pricing
Cons: not enough seating

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Good tamales

3 Posted on 11 / 12 / 2008

Their vegan tamales are delicious.

Pros: Delicious, good value
Cons: Limited hours, healthy?