Hot Tamale Grill

Reviews

• Michael Melody D.

  star star star star star 19 July 2026

  Great place and great food hidden in the underground. Matches the other places in okc. Will be back

• Kat B.

  star star star star_border star_border 16 July 2026

  Went for first time last week. Neat little place in with a great vibe. The food, in my opinion, was nothing to write home about. Upon ordering, I was handed a bag of tortilla chips and a container of salsa. This salsa was delicious. The chips were a little on the stale side, but edible.
  
  I ordered the carne asada tacos. They came with beans and rice. The girl at the register asked which sauce I'd like and, since I hadn't been there before, I went with mild. Um....hello! The mild sauce, which I expected to be more of a salsa type was a red sauce that was so blazing hot, I couldn't stand it. It looked more like buffalo sauce than taco sauce. Unfortunately the carne asada had been drenched in the "mild" sauce so I couldn't enjoy the tacos as tacos. I had to take the meat and dump it in the rice just so I could kill some of the spice. I love spicy food, but dang! That sauce was too much to be "mild".
  
  They have bottled sodas and unsweet tea to drink. Overall, it wasn't a bad lunch, just not what I expected.

• Diane K.

  star star star star star_border 15 July 2026

  Located in the tunnel system. The food isn't too bad.  They ran out of chips, but immediately made some hot ones for us.  Nice touch.  Most places now use bagged chips..yuk.  
  
  The down side isn't the food, but the ambiance. The orders are taken at the counter, and the plates come out in styrofoam...kind of tacky or something from a Taco Bell.  Authentic Mexican food should come out on plates that have been heated until hot and they keep the food hot.  Styrofoam doesn't do that.  
  
  I had the "AUTHENTIC TAMALE ". It comes with a large portion of either pork, beef, or chicken.  The Tamale is I filled, something we haven't encountered.  In retrospect, best for a quick fast food lunch, it's not restaurant fare.

• Scott H.

  star star star star star_border 11 July 2026

  I have been walking past Hot Tamale Grill for years now since I have started working downtown.  I tried to eat here a couple of times but the line was always too long for a quick lunch.  After finally eating here I will definitely seek this place out more often.  8 of us had lunch at Hot Tamale on a Tuesday.  We arrived at probably 12:15 or so and were fortunate to find a table together.  The place isn't the biggest, but it has several tables and seats more than you would think upon entering.
  
  The line moved fairly quickly, so even if it is long don't be deterred (as I was on other occasions).  Hot Tamale has all of the usual suspects for a Mexican joint:  bowls, tacos, burritos, chimichangas, etc.  They also have burgers and salads in the event you do not want Mexican at the Mexican restaurant in which you are eating.  Each order comes with a small bag of chips and an order of salsa.
  
  I went with a bowl with fajita chicken and I got everything on it, which is:  lettuce (shredded iceberg), cheese, beans, rice, jalapenos, and pico.  I feel like I am missing a couple of ingredients but I can't recall.  I also got a side of guac, which isn't cheap at $1.75 but is good guac made with fresh ingredients.  The gratis salsa is also good.  It has a bit of a kick and is not your typical watery salsa.  Wished I had more chips.
  
  The bowl was a good size for lunch and priced reasonably.  The fajita chicken was seasoned well and juicy.  Everything is layered well and you can get each ingredient in every bite.  My only complaint is the lettuce, I would prefer something other than iceberg, which does add a nice crunch, but that is it.  
  
  Everyone in our group was happy with the lunch.  Hot Tamale is officially part of the rotation, as it should have been for years.

• Alissa B.

  star star star star star_border 7 July 2026

  Dropped in for lunch and was pleased with the price and quality of the food.  I had a pork chili rellano which came with rice and black beans.  What I really enjoyed about the dish was that the chili wasn't battered and deep fried, but rather came atop a tortilla.  It also wasn't drowning in cheese, a common combo found in Oklahoman Tex-mex.  The result was a meal in which the poblano could really sing and the pork wasn't overwhelmed by cloying cheese.  Delicioso!  The salsa that came with the chips/dip was a very interesting flavor profile and quite tasty, smoky and peppery.  I finished every bit of my meal with a smile.