Hot Damn Tamales!

The lunch buffet is the thing to get if you’re there around mid-​day. Hyacinth sweet tea and a wide selection of different types of tamales allows newcomers to sample and find out what they like. The tortilla soup might be the best in the city.

They have an interesting selection of tamales, but they are truly over priced and not worth what they are charging… no thanks, I’ll pass.

Lets just say iv had better! the tamales were dry and overpriced… iam used to succulent tamales and this place was not it!

$ 3 dollar tamales and their half the size a Trader Joe tamale.
It’s not like the tamale is loaded with lots stuff inside or they have some type special masa that makes it unique or the meats are organic (not sure if is or not), overall it’s an okay tamale. I tried the chicken, pork and beef brisket.
Not worthy of $ 3 price tag from my personal perspective. I guess if I’m dropping $ 3 dollars for a single tamale that is half the size of Trader Joe tamale, it better be pretty damn tasty but that wasn’t the case with there tamales, their just okay.
Don’t let the fancy name of tamales fool you either, the cowboy brisket tamale just tastes like some bbq beef made into a tamale. You can just buy a trader Joe shredded beef tamale and put bbq sauce on it and you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference in a blind taste test.
Their lunch time buffet looks promising, $ 12 all you eat on a variety of tamales, rice, beans and a variety of deserts and drink.
But I guess if I want to get my tamale craving on, will probably lookout for the tamale dude at late nite dive bars… much better deal, 5 tamales for $ 5 dollars in a zip lock bag.

AMAZING tamales, definitely sample them all during their $ 10 all-​ya-​can-​eat brunch special! Vegetarian mushroom & goat cheese (fresh steamed veggies seasoned perfectly) is a good bet, but the Poblano Chicken or Ancho Pork are superb. The tamale sauce is smoky and slightly sweet, just delightful! A local gem, fo sho!

These are unlike any tamales I’ve ever had but not in a good way. If you enjoy good tamales you might want to reconsider eating here.

Hot Damn Yum! Brisket tamales, pork tamales, salsa, chips tamale sauce, I have never been a tamale fan — if I had tamales this good the first time that I had tamales, I would have enjoyed them more often. The staff was super friendly.

This place is very vintage! First time giving this place a try because I’ve been craving tamales for forever. We decided to do the buffet because it was cheaper. Mon-​Saturday lunch is $ 10 so why not? Unlimited tamales! That’s really all I had and the spicy Spanish rice. Honestly the buffet portion isn’t a lot but if you’re okay with just those two then it’s perfect! I really liked the pork tamale because it was spicier than the other ones. Should give this place a try cause I sure enjoyed it.

Wonderful surprise. Delicious food and kind staff! I was very happy with the service and the meal :)

I usually don’t like to talk bad about places. i like to try out different things, i recently came here, and the experience was terrible. They said they were open but not open? wtf? Very unorganized. The tamales where not good at all and are ridiculously small for such a high price and they where the wrong type i had asked for. If your looking for good tamales this is not the place. Save your money.

Food is very good… atmosphere nice. Will definitely be back.

Terrible experience at brunch today. The owner was rude and inappropriate to the hired musician. We live in the neighborhood and have recommended this place to friends and family many times but I have to say they will not be getting our business again. The good is decent but I cannot in good conscious support businesses that treat people poorly. Many better establishments and folks in Fairmount.

I really enjoy trying new places and taking a chance on a place I’ve never been. Although you always run the risk of being disappointed. Hot Damn Tamales has been on my list of places to try for some time now. Went in for a Sunday brunch with the family. I love the location. Magnolia is promising area with lots to choose from. Parking is a downside but sometimes a little walk is nice. Inside Hot Damn was a small place, few tables and serve your self drinks and chips and salsa. A small stage like area for live music which was very pleasant. I have read such great reviews, I hate to say anything bad. Unfortunately the food didn’t live up to it’s reviews. Fairmount juevos y tomales which was scrambled eggs, cheese and your choice of chunks of tamales. Serves with rice and beans. There was very little tamales and more salt then anything. My wife had steak quesadillas which were tasty. Lots of cheese and black beans. Needed some crunch. Onions or jalapeños. It wasn’t bad food, just not what we expected. Flavor wasn’t a great as we had read about. Feeling a bit disappointed we didn’t even try dessert. Sadly it just wasn’t what we were hoping.

I had no idea Hot Damn, Tamales had a restaurant! (and one I’ve probably passed a dozen times!). It’s a cool little joint decorated with local art which gives it a comfortable feel. The food is really the highlight here. Obviously these tamales are awesome, there’s no question about their namesake product. I indulged in their buffet so I got to try a few items. They had really good empanadas, queso, sangria, and yes more tamales. I definitely plan on coming for lunch soon!

After reading some of the other reviews, I think I need to come here for brunch! I’ve only had take-​out from here. The classic tamales are good, but I really like the unusual flavors. They make a few vegan ones as well as vegetarian. The spinach black bean and mushroom goat cheese stand out the most. There’s also a spicy chicken with a lot of heat– maybe serranos? The tamales have never been dry, always moist and full of flavor. I’ll have to try out the brunch soon!

Hot Damn! This tamale shop has been around for years, but it’s added on some extra space to make it roomier, more restaurant-​y, and definitely more kick back and stay awhile-​y. Come order a great meal and hang out in this awesome and unique space.
Let’s talk food first. Tamales are the star here, of course, and there are so many to choose from. You can stick with classics like pork or chicken, or you can select something a little less traditional but still reliably delicious. Think spinach feta olive, red bell carrot serrano, cajun crawfish, and beef tenderloin. I had the wild mushroom and goat cheese which was pretty fantastic. I wish there had been a little more goat cheese in them, but their subtle flavor was stellar all the same. I also tried the three cheese queso — rich, lovely cheesiness — and the pork ancho which had a great, mild spice. The chips and salsa were on point as well, not greasy or too salty, but just right.
Now let’s talk ambiance. Hot Damn is a creative open space with concrete floors and distressed walls. Engaging pieces by local artists adorn every wall, and there’s live music to enjoy on the weekends. It’s a restaurant and gallery in one, and the simple tables garnished with a simple flower generate the atmosphere of something akin to a European-​bistro. You’ll definitely be inspired and leave with the will to do something artsy. That’s why I need to visit Hot Damn Tamales more often!

Enjoyed Sunday brunch here. Live music, attentive service, and fresh food. They had both breakfast and lunch items to choose from on the buffet line. They had a great take on meat loaf, as surprising as that sounds. The flan was absolutely divine and you must get it if you come here.

Tamales as they are supposed to be.
They sell the tamales that are on the menu, so if you like something you can bring it home. A lot of art on the walls, the place is nice, maybe too much for the neighborhood.
Decent place for lunch, with a good offers and specials
Beware, no hot (spicy) tamales!

This… I don’t…I can’t even figure out where to start on this.
I’ve been passing by Hot Damn for years, and it’s always seemed like it would be a really great, homey place to try. And I’ve always heard really good things. However, they were generally only open for lunch, and it’s pretty difficult for me to get away from downtown for lunch. It was always an experience that eluded me. But I heard that they recently started doing brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, and figured it would be a great chance to finally try it.
Hot Damn is right. We were greeted by Constantine at the front door, urging us to come on in, pay before or after, whenever we like, and hit the buffet.
And with that, just like the moment Dorothy stepped into the wonderful world of Oz and everything turned to color, I was ushered into a culinary wonderland that has only been discovered by a privileged few here — this ultra-​cool alternate universe where the food is top notch, there’s live music, the restaurant is trendy and inviting, but there is no line around the block like there really should have been. Tacos, roast beef, fritattas, au gratin potatoes, tortilla soup, bacon, french toast (made with bananas!), hibiscus tea, coffee, fruit, melon shooters, and desserts. A TON of desserts. I had the flan and kind of wished that I had just eaten the flan until I was as full as I already was. Hindsight, bah!
The menu changes weekly, so you could check what’s going to be there before you go, but if it’s anything like it was when we went, you shouldn’t have anything at all to worry about. They’ll have it covered.
The bottom line: If you’re reading this, GO – before that line around the block shows up!

Good variety of tamales, offering both meat and vegetarian tamales. I had the lunch special of the day which was two tamales, rice, beans, chips and salsa. Each item was tasty. I particularly liked the beans which were black and seasoned very differently than any I’ve had before.
For beverages, in addition to Mexican Coke and other soda, they offer green tea with Mexican vanilla and Hibiscus tea — I recommend either one of these teas.
Atmosphere is casual where you order your food at the register and they bring it to your table once it is ready.