El Tenampa Deli Grocery
“They have a salad bar where you can serve yourself guac, pico, hot sauce, radishes, cucumbers etc. to your hearts content.”
“On different days they have different specials like goat or carnitas or chupacabra.”
“Their $2 small tacos are delicious, and the meat (I got chicken and beef) was not fatty as is sometimes the case with taco truck/stands.”
El Tenampa Deli Grocery
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
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I grew up in Sunset Park before it was gentrified, so I know Tacos. And this place, has the bomb diggity when it comes to tacos. It has similar quality to Tacos Matamoros and Tacos El Bronco (the other two good Taco joints in the hood). Although it doesn't have the aesthetic of Matamoros, this place has the salad bar that you pick from yourself – guac included.
Yep. THE GUAC IS UNLIMITED. As well as radishes, salsa, limes, etc. You can't find a better deal than that, especially considering it's the same quality and price as the other places.
P.S. Note that this "eatery" is located behind the deli.
P.S.S. IDK What other reviews are talking about, they were nice to me (as an Asian) even though I wasn't hispanic. Just come here with a smile and leave your gentrification ways behind.
Nothing would please me more than to drop five stars on El Tenampa like candy falling from a pinata, but it wouldn't be fair to anyone.
The food is good. But you can end up waiting 45 minutes for it without warning. And while you're sitting unexpectedly for what seems like forever under the unforgivingly bright florescent lights, surrounded by swarms of families, and you're not able to have a drop of alcohol, you'll wonder, justifiably, if it's worth all of the fuss.
Unfortunately, I don't necessarily think it is. I also don't have time to wait 45 minutes for food that I can find equally as good in Sunset Park or elsewhere in the city — at places, I might add, that don't blind me in terms of both lighting and beverage consumption.
I'll likely be back here out of convenience, and hope to some day post a more gushing update, but for now, El Tenampa gets los tres.
This deli, restaurant, grocery store is the best! Huge selection of hard to find stuff like fresh mangoes, Mexican groceries, and frozen fruits from far off lands. People who work there are super friendly and this establishment seems like one of the remaining vestiges of culture in an ever whitening Brooklyn.
Average tacos, and if they don't like you, they may have a Tenampa Tantrum.
I was here as part of a Brooklyn food tour about 10 months ago. It was my second attempt at getting tacos here because the first time they had closed earlier than expected. I ordered tacos, of course.
Like the Mexican Deli down the street… the tacos here were pretty mediocre, nothing that I would go back for again. And the woman was pretty rude to me and especially to my friend. I'm not sure what the problem was, but it's 4 stars for the average tacos, minus one for the abrasive attitude. She seemed perfectly friendly to the Spanish speaking customers. I actually speak Spanish, so maybe I should have attempted to, I have no idea. Maybe that wasn't the problem. Maybe I just look like someone that deserves ire. My mother is from Ireland after all.
A few friends invited me for taco tuesday night. And I have to be honest I was hesitant at first. BUT this place is the real deal. You want authentic mexican grub go NOW. It's a tiny place with a 3-4 cooks working their magic. They don't have any american mexican taco bell like food. I mean, not to crap on taco bell but if you want real food this is your place. They have a salad bar where you can serve yourself guac, pico, hot sauce, radishes, cucumbers etc. to your hearts content. Everything is pretty much self service. They take credit cards but $10 min. I am sure they prefer cash.
PROS: FOOD, service, FOOD.
CONS: I wish they had a person just to man tables and clean them. It's quite busy and you go up to a counter to order your food and get it yourself too. BUT the tables get filled up quickly and not wiped down fast enough.
Recommendations!: Tongue Taco, Barbacoa de Chivo (goat) Tacos, ANY TACOS REALLY. I can't wait to try their tortas. I love their tamarindo. My husband enjoyed their mango shake and banana shake.
Squash blossom quesadilla- yes you read right they have squash blossoms and they taste like heaven in your mouth.
I hope this place stays a gem and gentrification doesn't pump their prices up too much. 🙂
Pros: melt-in-your-mouth pastor tacos. Good guacamole and salsas. Outstanding batidos (mamey!)–may or may not have ice cream, I honestly can't tell because it's so creamy and refreshing.
Cons: Service. This place is slow and not super friendly. The interior is also not particularly attractive (it's as barebones as it comes.)
Bonus: yes, that's right, bonus! As in bonus cash back. This place technically counts as a grocery, so it's extra cash back for me.
Ordered delivery from here reading that they have the best tacos in the neighborhood but I was sorely disappointed. The food arrived cold, the cheese which had been melted was glazed over and cold. The meat was dry and chewy. The only part I liked was the different sauces that came with the food. If you want good tacos go to varrio 408 instead
Huge selection of food in this deli!
Tacos have good flavor. Not enough onions and cilantro, but they make up for it with as much sauce or guacamole as you'd like. Big plus! Their meats and tortillas have great flavor and texture!
Lots of table if you want to sit in!