La Casa Del Tamal

Utah's Best Mexican Restaurant?

You’ll find some of the best Mexican food you’ve had in a little strip mall in West Valley, Utah.

Not exactly the first place that comes to mind when you think of great Mexican food. A sprawl of strip malls, chain restaurants, and beige buildings under a sky that always looks just a little too big. And yet, tucked away in this unassuming corner of the world, there’s a place that exceeds expectations: La Casa Del Tamal.

I'd recommend getting there early, as in right when they open because by 11:30am, the place will be packed and you'll find yourself in a long line of sorry people dreaming about tacos.

The place is decorated nicely, a mixture of modern and authentic Mexican decor. The tables are shiny and the place is clean. Lively Mexican music hums through the space, a backdrop to the sizzling of carne on the flat-top and the rhythmic chopping of cilantro and onions. The place is alive, buzzing, full of people who already know what you’re about to find out: this place is the real deal.

Tamales, Birria, and Menudo—The Holy Mexican Trinity

La Casa Del Tamal isn’t just some mom-and-pop joint with a loyal local following; it’s a heavy-hitter in the Utah food scene. Best tamales. Best tacos de birria. Best menudo. Best Mexican food in Utah. That’s not just hype—that’s what the awards say. And if that’s not enough proof, consider this: 2,600 reviews and a 4.6-star rating on Google. While I count personally vouch for the menudo or tamales (yet), that kind of consistency doesn’t happen by accident.

Free chips and salsa? That’s becoming a relic in the modern restaurant industry, but not here. And not just one salsa—three different variations. You've got your basic "gringo salsa" with almost no spice, then you've got your roasted salsa that dances across your taste buds, and a more spicy green salsa. Each with its own personality, its own way of setting your mouth on fire in the best way possible. A little detail, but one that tells you everything you need to know, they go the extra mile here.

The Award Winning Birria

If a place is winning awards for birria, you don’t ask questions—you order it. And that’s exactly what I did. For a few bucks more, I went all in and got the beans and rice.

By the time the plate hit the table, the place was packed. It was 11:30 a.m. on a weekday, and there was nowhere left to sit. When I walked in, I had questioned why there were six cooks in the kitchen so early in the day. Now, I understood. They weren’t just feeding customers; they were feeding a full-blown pilgrimage of people who knew this food was worth showing up early for.

And the birria? It's practically a revelation. The tacos arrived glistening, cheesy, melty, tender to the point of near collapse. The consomé was deeply spiced, the kind of broth that coats your lips and makes you close your eyes for just a second longer than you meant to. This wasn’t just good birria—this was the kind of meal that makes you reevaluate every dry, mediocre taco you’ve ever suffered through in your life.

The Story of Birria

Birria isn’t just food—it’s history. It comes from the state of Jalisco, a dish born out of necessity, from people who knew how to take something tough and transform it into something transcendent. Traditionally made with goat, slow-cooked until it surrenders to the broth, birria has evolved into a phenomenon. In Tijuana, it took on a new life—birria de res (beef birria), shredded and stuffed into tacos, crisped up on a griddle, and served with a side of consomé for dipping. It's messy. It's beautiful. It's perfect.

From Jalisco to Tijuana to Los Angeles, birria became an underground favorite before exploding into a full-blown obsession. And here, in the middle of West Valley, Utah, it has somehow found one of its best expressions yet.

Mexican Food in Utah: An Underrated Legacy

People don’t talk enough about the Mexican food scene in Utah—and that’s a shame. This state has a history of Mexican and Latino communities that goes deeper than most people realize. Migrant workers, railroad builders, miners—they brought their culture, their traditions, their food. And in places like West Valley, that legacy thrives. You won’t see it in flashy downtown eateries with overpriced fusion nonsense. You’ll find it here, in places like La Casa Del Tamal, where the food tells a story and the story is worth listening to.

Get There Early—Or Wait

By the time I finished my last taco, the line stretched out the door. And let me tell you—this is the kind of place you don’t just stumble upon. It’s out there, in the middle of nowhere, and yet people find their way. They show up, they wait, and they leave full and happy. Because what’s waiting for them inside is one of the best meals in the state of Utah.

So go. Get there early. Bring your appetite. Order the birria. Try the tamales. Take a moment to soak it all in—the music, the energy, the sheer joy of good food done right.

La Casa Del Tamal isn’t just a restaurant. It’s proof that the best food is often found in the most unexpected places.