La Indiana Tamales

This is the place to get authentic Mexican tamales! Super flavorful and the Masa is on point! The consistency and texture is amazing ! Super clean and have never had an issue with any of the food . All our family gets certain tamales from here now. Side note Parking is a little tricky I think it’s best to park on the street.

I picked up dozen Jalapeño and cheese tamales and 1/2 dozen of puerco. The jalapeño and cheese still amazing! The pork need taste attention also little dry .

Masa is always good here. But today my brother tried the chicharron gordito. And he is in love, i took a bite and it was great. We will definitely be back for that too.

Represents east LA tamales well. Located off the freeway with hot tamales served to-go. Beer, tortillas, menudo fixings, and snacks sold in retail space. The green chili and cheese is better at Sandra's on Whittier Blvd. but the meat or corn are best served here. Just saying.

Longtime (1980s) customer. Very good tamales. Lots of other antojitos and Mexican specialty items, mostly for people on the go. Long lines and much demand, especially at Holiday times. Visit website or call much ahead of time. Raul and his family still own and operate this business (multiple generations). Rodolfo runs the front counter part of the shop. Ask if you have questions or aren't sure about something. Polite, prompt service.

Picked up annual tamale order for Christmas. Wait in line: Only 30 min. for my advance order. This year one line for both tamales and masa. Those with advance orders are pulled from the long line when ready.

The tamales I ordered were pork but tasted sweet didn't like there normally pretty good

Place makes great masa and the line is pretty big at times on holidays recommended to pay online before going

The chicken, beef and port tamales were great. i had bought the 4 to 6 months earlier and the were dry. these were not dry and had generous amount of meat.

Tamales where good masa not dry and we bought more masa to make our own tamales at home they were delicious

Their cheese tamales used to be my favorite of all time but unfortunately quality and consistency is not what it used to be. Very skimpy on cheese now. Almost non existent. Was hoping just one that was lacking but the whole dozen was this way. Sad. Pork and chicken still tasty.

Si pudiera le daba cero estrellas, la Peor tamaleria con pelos que no se lavan las manos y se andan hagarrando la cola! Mucha popularidad pero am sorry! Y también el Peor servicio al cliente el dueño es un grosero como si te regalara la cosas ya que tiene un pésimo servicio el viejito no se si será el dueño o que pero es un grosero de lo peor ya ni que mujer! Dice que es el Mexicano y por eso es así! Que mal que por un mexicano pasemos todo ya que no todos los Mexicanos somos así

I wanted holiday tamales meal for the family. I thought that other local places would have a long line. I searched Yelp, and found La Indiana Tamales, located on Indiana Ave. I parked across the street as I don't think that there is a parking lot. I made my order, a half dozen tamales and one sweet tamale. The lady misunderstood and brought out two dozen tamales. We corrected the order, and I was on my way. At home, we reheated by steaming the tamales, and they were delicious! I especially liked the green chile and cheese, and also the red chile and pork. I'll probably go back for lunch!

I ordered the Chicken avocado sandwich to go and it was delicious. Favorable food and ambiance looks relaxing.

Hands down the best tamales I ever had! You can come and buy masa and ingredients to make your own as well. They have other menu options and sell 1/2 dozen for about $15 . We got 1/2 dozen of cheese, chicken and pork and are so glad we did! All were delicious highly recommend trying this place !

Best tamales we have had.Chile and cheese are our favorites. Good ratio of cheese inside. We stock up when we are in LA.

The Tamales were way to small and masa was tasteless . Not what I remember growing up but the service was great .

Great service by hard working people. Unfortunately the tamales are half the size they used to be. I understand the price increase of goods, but don't raise the price and reduce the portions. It's one or the other.

My family has been going to Indiana tamales for years! Their tamales are the best! Always great service even during the busy holidays!

I think that the chicken tamales are the absolute best I've ever had anywhere at anytime. They have a salsa inside with the tender chicken , excellent flavor to them, they are worth the trip alone . The service here is fast , they're super busy and so there's not a lot of time to chat with the workers or ask too many question but that's ok all things considered. The parking is horrible as it's all street parking and nothing else, there's always a wait it seems like and the ambiance is that of an old school Mexican tortilleria .

Small tamales compared to others I've eaten. Very good flavor. Not too much MASA. Worth the 25 minute drive from the San Fernando Valley. We will be definitely going back.

Tamales were moist and delicious. Line moved fast. Parking was limited so that was a little hard but not bad. Would order again

Tamales are always fresh and delicious pork are my favorite but all are excellent service is always great too!

I ordered the green chili chicken tamale it had no green chili. who puts peas and carrots and corn in their tamales this is not rice. The masa was okay. The customer service is poor no eye contact very rushed. Not worth the price. Would I come back Chale tamale.

I had a chicharrón Gordita and a nopales con carne and they were DELICIOUS. I want to try their burritos next.

4+ Very small little shop located a bit east of DTLA that specializes in, well, tamales. When I went, there were three different tamales to choose from (chicken, pork, and cheese/green chile). Prices are super reasonable so it makes for a great spot to pick up in bulk for group gatherings. I recently went to pick up a dozen tamales to bring to a Super Bowl viewing gathering. I got 6 pork and 6 cheese/ green chile. The tamales averaged about $2/ tamale which is such a great price compared to some places I went to on the west side. Both tamales were so great and I was super happy with the purchase. So was everyone who had one at the gathering! The masa had a nice firmness with the cheese being slightly sweet and salty with a creamy texture. The pork was tender and had a nice little kick. I would love to come back to try their gorditas or even purchase their prepared masa to even try my own hand at making some tamales at home. I also would come back to grab a bunch of tamales for future gatherings. I also got there around noon and there was like zero line except for one other regular who was very friendly and we struck up a convo about the tamales there. Parking is a little bit hard to find in this area and it made me anxious to try to parallel park because the street is a little busy. Also, it's a good thing they close earlier because I prob would be worried to be in the area at night. Mostly because I am unfamiliar with the area and it's right by a freeway underpass.

La Indiana Tamales has been in the same location since I was kid. Still making great tamales & now adding more items to their menu. We had some of their "Gorditas de Chicharrón" Which were spiced just right, not for those lightweights who can't handle spice.

Not my style, has alot of extra stuff in em, not my fav, this time I def will not be going back I'm not saying they are gross I'm just saying I like mine simple, cheese and jalapeño, no tomatoes and extra stuff.

Always excellent! I like to buy them frozen and steam them as needed, but you can also buy them fresh. Personally, the pork tamales are far and above the best! If you plan to get them for Christmas, order well in advance.

Tamales aren't bad for $2.95 each Facility is kept very clean Spoke with two ladies who worked their, very polite and friendly Their website was Misleading They have on their website $195 each tamale The way I understand their website on Christmas Day was that it was open, Tried calling, but no answer I assumed it was because they were busy I drove from Orange County They were closed As I sat there, many other customers came by also I spoke to one customer and he said the same thing about their website But I went back the following day

The best Tamales I've ever had! I love their Pork and red sauce tamales; their masa is a smooth consistency and doesn't fall into pieces while eating it. They also give you a pretty generous amount of meat inside. Will definitely be coming back to grab more for the holidays!

Stopped by for a quick to go bite. The ladies are really nice and friendly. They recommended the queso con rajas and the nopales with pork. I would usually stick to the usual picadillo gorditas but decided to try the recommended. They are delicious! The green rajas are a tiny bit spicy but still great tasting.

Archaeologists have traced the origin of tamales back to approximately 8000 BC. The name is derived from the Nahuatl language of the Aztec and is a descriptive term for "wrapped food". This historical tidbit introduces our newest tamale obsession, the historically yummy tamales at La Indiana Tamales. The building bursts out of the surroundings in a yellow and red celebration of color. Parking is a little bit of a challenge in either their small lot or on the street. Inside there is a small shop with a variety of cooking ingredients and other treats. Stepping up to the counter we were greeted by friendly staff who took our order. Cheese, Pork, and Chicken Tamales were our choices for today. The menu is more extensive but the place is named after the tamales so that was our focus today. The filling for each is wrapped in a soft flavorful masa dough encircled in corn husks and steamed to perfection. The cheese tamales included the melty cheesy goodness with a mild spicy flare. So good! The chicken tamale beckoned with its tender chicken center spiced perfectly and surrounded by the wonderful masa cloak. Excellent. Finally, the pork tamale included the deliciously tender pork cooked in a mild red chili sauce and wrapped up in the embrace of the exquisite masa dough. These were tremendous! We love La Indiana Tamales and I know we will be returning many times in the future to try other tempting options on the menu. Yay!

Food: amazing! We usually order about a dozen of each (feeds about 6-8 people): chicken, pork, beef and cheese. Try the champurrando!! Service: employees are nice, attentive, and always have a smile. They enjoying keeping the community happy :) Location: dicey at night (near freeway underpass) Parking: challenging at times, creativity is key

Just ok nothing special no flavor in the tamales I heard rave reviews I don't know about that's

La Indiana is old school. They make tasty tamales. I especially like the cheese ones. I love that you can arrive, get in line and place an order for as many tamales as you need cuz that is what they do! They also sell masa and other essential ingredients for making your own tanales at home. What I absolutely warn against are their pupusas--my husband and I ordered a few bean and cheese and a cheese one. They were giant pupusas, priced like all others and tgey offered the usual curtido and red sauce with our order BUTtheae were the worst tasting pupusas ever. The bean ones tasted like pig lard and the masa consistency was weird. The curtido was good but the salsa roja was thick, and hot, it tasted like Mexican salsa for tacos abd lacked the light and tangy flavor that characterized the Salvadoran red. sauce. I give them 4 stars for tamales, but 0 stars for their pupusas. I will never order pupusas from them again and I recommend anyone reading this does not either, they were terrible and they are the worst representation of the Indigenous Salvadoran pupusas.

Pork tamales are delicious. Meat to masa ratio is balanced. Not too much masa and just the right amount of meat for my liking. The sauce had a little kick but not too spicy. Will be back for more! Gracias

Awesome Authentic Mexican Solid focus on Tamales No seating Lines out the doors during holidays Go there ASAP Eat Tamales daily.

So delicious. They were a big win at a party - we ordered the chicken, beef, pork, and the chili/cheese. All were tasty and had that homemade taste.

Best tamales and gorditas ever. Better than my abuelas. Super clean inside. Best customer service and we're attentive. Even has small Mexican snacks and drinks inside to satisfy my cravings.

We just got some today and they are always so yummy. We use to go to Lilianas but ever since they gave me spoiled tamales I will never go to them. Indiana tamales are the Best!! They remind me of my moms tamales

As an aficionado of tamales and partial to my mom's and to friends and family who make the effort every year to make them, I still like to go out and purchase them during the non holiday times. La Indiana doesn't disappoint. With several types of tamales, I'm partial to the red pork, the cheese & rajas, and the chicken with veggies. I wish they made a mole tamale. Each tamale is good and the masa is usually consistently smooth and doesn't crumble like other places that skimp on the lard. I do have to admit thought that I've had some dry ones on occasion but that happens will a lot of tamales but overall they are pretty consistent. Parking kind of sucks but service is good. They have guisados on a steam table that looked good but I go for the tamales. This is my fave on the east side.

Haven't been here in awhile. Come to find out that their menu & prices have changed. They need to update their information.

I pass by and got some chicken and cheese tamales for lunch and they were really good I even placed a separate order for more for pick up at a later date. I also got some gorditas were also good price went up though.

Ok, so my budy has brought me food from here twice. The first time was tamales and there were ok, awesome meat to masa ratio. The second time he got 2 gorditas the 1. Was rajas de chili cheese and beans it was great and the 2nd was chorizo patato cheese and beans it was ok, the chorizo was lacking flavor. I would go back and get gorditas. I would taken a picture but wolfed them too quickly. Sorry

Tried this place randomly because I was craving tamales. The tamales were pretty good! Although I'm not used to eating tamales with vegetables in them. I was so happy they carried Mexican Coke from Mexico! If you know you know that the Mexican cokes hit way better than the ones from here lol

Been here 4X. Awesome tamales. Probably the best around. I travel from Chino and Corona to purchase their tamales around Christmas time. My favorite are the cheese/green chili and the beef. Lots of cheese/green chili's, and beef. Not so much masa. That's the way I like it. I usually buy 4 dozen and pay $91. Highly recommended. Merry Christmas.

A great place with the moistest authentic homemade Tamales!! The Pork are delicious!!

Hidden gem in East Los Angeles best homemade tamales My family has been coming here for awhile now Never disappointed with this place Friendly courteous knowledgeable staff your greeted once you get in they make you feel like family that's why we keep going back

I've been coming here for years and these are the best tamales. I'm disappointed that still to this day the servers are lacking when it comes to basic "hello, smile & thank you" They don't realize it's the money we give that keeps this place going.

La Indiana Tamales, touted as one of Los Angeles's best kept secrets, is a Mom and Pop establishment that sells tamales. I went to this location twice during my search for the best tamale in Los Angeles. My impression is as follows: Food: If I were to gauge La Indiana Tamales's quality, it is better than Boyle Height's Los Cinco Puntos's [their tamale is bland, generic and essentially crap] and Boyle Height's La Mascota Bakery [the masa for their tamales falls apart once you unwrap it. In short, not a good sign in terms of the masa's quality]. The masa for the tamales here at least doesn't fall apart once the tamales are unwrapped; however, their masa does tend to be dry and cakey in its texture. The quality of the sauce and meat is okay in general but nothing spectacular. Ambiance: A typical mom and pop shop. Service: Adequate. Price: The tamales cost $1.60 per: the fair market price for tamales. I have seen other establishments charge around the range of $2 to $2.50 per tamales. If their culinary execution were good, I would say the price they charge is a bargain but since their performance is mediocre, I thereby conclude the price here is reasonable.

We used to get tamales here all the time when I was a kid living in East LA. I moved out of the area and, more recently, my family told me the tamales were just not the same so they stopped getting them here. Fast forward to this winter: I saw La Indiana made the LA Times' Best Tamales list. So, we decided to give them another try. We drove down this morning. The place was busy - some people were just getting a few tamales to eat on the spot, others were getting dozens of tamales to go, and others were buying just the masa. I ordered 3 dozen- beef, chicken and green chili/cheese. All were GOOD! The masa is just right; it is flavorful and moist without being sticky or heavy. The fillings were good too. My husband's favorite is the beef. He says it's like a mini beef stew inside a tamale. I like the green chili and cheese, which has a nice kick without being too hot. Whichever you choose, you cannot go wrong because, as I said, our family thought they were all delicious!

I would always drive by this place and wonder how these tamales taste. Disappointed, too dry, not enough flavor. People were nice but once again I wouldn't drive too far for these tamales.

Great tamales been coming here for years. Decided to try the elote tamales and beware they are not elote. They are a sweet bread like with no corn. Elote-corn on the cob charred on the grill, then slathered in a spicy and creamy chili, garlic, and Cotija cheese-spiked sauce. These are nothing like that. Everything else was amazing as always

We have ordered tamales for years and we purchased the green chili cheese. They were not cooked properly, the masa was like cottage cheese and not edible to eat, family got sick would not recommend, very, very disappointed. It's bad enough with Covid the quality of their food was more about the money, we will not be back. #chalkchillechessetamales

Delicious! Now these tamales were worth the trip to ELA. We tried a few of the iconic so called best tamale spots. To buy a few doz. for a family camp out. These were by far the best, moist and a little spicy we will go back here from now on.

Hands down the best tamales for the holiday season. We've been coming here since the 90s. Back when my grandfather was alive. Will be coming back every single year. Don't just order a dozen, order atleast 3 doz and freeze them. ORDER AHEAD OF TIME, that is the key. Also steam them at home for extra yessss