El Tamalito

531 East 138 Street, Bronx, NY 10454
Mexican / Latin
Last inspected: Jan 7, 2026
74
Score
Medium Risk NYC Grade: B

El Tamalito appears in inspection records four times, starting in 2023. The newest entry in the record is dated Jan 7, 2026. Medium risk typically reflects a handful of issues that inspectors wrote up but didn't deem critical.

The trend has been favorable: violation counts have eased from around six violations to closer to four violations per visit over the last few inspections.

When inspectors have written things up, “non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material” has been the most frequent reason, cited three times.

Restaurants in Bronx average 77, so El Tamalito trails the local norm. Taken together, the history looks like that of a busy facility working through the usual inspection cycle.

4
Inspections
1
Critical latest
0
Major latest
3
Minor latest
Inspection History
Jan 7, 2026
Cycle Inspection / Re-inspection
1 critical violation. 3 minor violations.
View 4 violations
Evidence of mice or live mice in establishment's food or non-food areas.
04L
Non-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.
10F
Design, construction, materials used or maintenance of food contact surface improper. surface not easily cleanable, sanitized and maintained.
09C
Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
08A
74
Nov 25, 2025
Cycle Inspection / Initial Inspection
6 critical violations. 4 minor violations.
View 10 violations
Food, supplies, or equipment not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display, service or from customer’s refillable, reusable container. condiments not in single-service containers or dispensed directly by the vendor.
06C
Raw, cooked or prepared food is adulterated, contaminated, cross-contaminated, or not discarded in accordance with haccp plan.
04H
Hot tcs food item not held at or above 140 °f.
02B
Filth flies or food/refuse/sewage associated with (frsa) flies or other nuisance pests in establishment’s food and/or non-food areas. frsa flies include house flies, blow flies, bottle flies, flesh flies, drain flies, phorid flies and fruit flies.
04N
After cooking or removal from hot holding, tcs food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal temperature is reduced from 140 °f to 70 °f or less within 2 hours, and from 70 °f to 41 °f or less within 4 additional hours.
02H
Food worker/food vendor does not use utensil or other barrier to eliminate bare hand contact with food that will not receive adequate additional heat treatment.
04C
Contract with a pest management professional not in place. record of extermination activities not kept on premises.
28-06
Anti-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.
10B
Establishment is not free of harborage or conditions conducive to rodents, insects or other pests.
08A
“choking first aid” poster not posted. “alcohol and pregnancy” warning sign not posted. resuscitation equipment: exhaled air resuscitation masks (adult & pediatric), latex gloves, sign not posted.
20-04
33
Jul 29, 2024
Cycle Inspection / Initial Inspection
1 critical violation. 1 minor violation.
View 2 violations
After cooking or removal from hot holding, tcs food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal temperature is reduced from 140 °f to 70 °f or less within 2 hours, and from 70 °f to 41 °f or less within 4 additional hours.
02H
Non-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.
10F
82
Feb 9, 2023
Cycle Inspection / Initial Inspection
1 critical violation. 1 minor violation.
View 2 violations
After cooking or removal from hot holding, tcs food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal temperature is reduced from 140 °f to 70 °f or less within 2 hours, and from 70 °f to 41 °f or less within 4 additional hours.
02H
Non-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.
10F
82

Frequently Asked Questions

When was El Tamalito last inspected?

The most recent health inspection at El Tamalito on file is from Jan 7, 2026. The public record contains four inspections in total.

What is the most common violation at El Tamalito?

Across the inspection record, “non-food contact surface or equipment made of unacceptable material” has been cited three times, more than any other issue at El Tamalito.

How does El Tamalito compare to other restaurants in Bronx?

El Tamalito most recently scored 74 out of 100, which is lower than the Bronx average of 77.

Has El Tamalito's inspection record improved over time?

Yes. Recent inspections at El Tamalito have averaged around four violations per visit, down from roughly six earlier in the record.

What does a medium risk rating mean?

A medium risk rating at El Tamalito means the most recent inspection turned up a handful of issues that the health department wrote up but did not classify as critical.

How often is El Tamalito inspected?

Based on the inspection history on file, El Tamalito is inspected roughly once per year on average.