Cooked?
El Tamalito
- gradeGrade A
- inspection score8 pts
- critical violations0
- last inspectedJuly 8, 2026
- address531 East 138 Street, Bronx 10454
- cuisineMexican
- phone7189752146
Is El Tamalito clean?
El Tamalito is currently Grade A from NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), from an inspection on July 8, 2026. No critical violations were recorded at that visit. On Cooked's ladder that reads clean 😇.
What did inspectors find at El Tamalito?
These are the violations recorded at the most recent inspection on July 8, 2026, in plain English, with the city's own wording underneath.
- 🛠️surfaces / setup not up to codeNon-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material, not kept clean, or not properly sealed, raised, spaced or movable to allow accessibility for cleaning on all sides, above and underneath the unit.
- 🍽️dishwashing setup offSingle service article not provided. Single service article reused or not protected from contamination when transported, stored, dispensed. Drinking straws not completely enclosed in wrapper or dispensed from a sanitary device.
- 🚿plumbing acting upAnti-siphonage or back-flow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Condensation or liquid waste improperly disposed of.
When was El Tamalito last inspected?
El Tamalito has 5 inspections on record going back to February 9, 2023, averaging 24 points.
| date | result | score |
|---|---|---|
| July 8, 2026 | Grade A | 8 pts |
| January 7, 2026 | Grade B | 16 pts |
| November 25, 2025 | no grade issued ⏳ | 72 pts |
| July 29, 2024 | Grade A | 11 pts |
| February 9, 2023 | Grade A | 13 pts |
El Tamalito vs Mott Haven-Port Morris
Mott Haven-Port Morris runs 70% clean across 136 tracked restaurants — 87 clean, 9 mid, 28 cooked.
Against the 136 spots Cooked tracks in Mott Haven-Port Morris, this one comes out cleaner than 88% of them.
Other spots in Mott Haven-Port Morris
How New York grades restaurants
New York City health inspectors score violations in points, and lower is better: 0–13 points earns an A, 14–27 a B, and 28 or more a C. Every restaurant is inspected at least once a year, and the letter has to be posted in the window. A restaurant that scores 14 or more on the first inspection of a cycle does not get a letter right away — it stays “Grade Pending” until a re-inspection settles it, which is why some spots here show an hourglass instead of a letter. Cooked only ever shows a letter the city actually posted; we never infer one from a score.
Source: NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) via NYC Open Data. Cooked refreshes this data daily — this listing's most recent inspection is dated July 8, 2026. Inspection results describe one moment in a kitchen's life, not a permanent verdict.